Access to healthy food
makes a big difference
by Erika Jerme, JCPH Planner
Health is more than health care. How healthy we are, and
whether or not we will get sick, is shaped by the houses and neighborhoods we
live in, the schools and worksites we spend our days in, and the communities in
which we play and age.
One way these places shape our health is through our access
to healthy food. Think about where you go to get your groceries. How do you get
there? How long does it take you to get there? How do you get your groceries
home? If you have a car, these questions probably aren’t that big a deal. But
imagine if you didn’t have a car: how would that change your experience of
buying groceries? Would you still be able to shop at the same store, or would
you have to shop somewhere closer to home, even if that meant the selection or
prices were not as good?
Many neighborhoods in the US don’t have grocery stores
within a half-mile radius, a reasonable distance to walk with a couple bags of
groceries. The US Department of Agriculture has a name for these neighborhoods:
food deserts.
Across the US, low-income
neighborhoods have 25% fewer supermarkets than do middle-income neighborhoods,
while predominately African-American neighborhoods on average have half the
number of supermarkets found in predominately white neighborhoods.[i]
Although low-income neighborhoods may have smaller food stores, fresh fruits
and vegetables generally cost more, are of lower quality, and are less
available at small stores than at supermarkets or large grocery stores.[ii]
What do these food deserts mean for
health? We know that eating a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables is
important for healthy living. People who live near supermarkets or other food
stores that sell fresh produce eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and have
lower rates of chronic diseases than people with limited access to healthy
food.[iii]
Moreover, as the price of fresh fruits and vegetables rises, consumption of
these healthy foods decreases.[iv]
For someone who doesn’t drive or doesn’t own a car, getting to a store that
sells affordable, fresh fruits and vegetables can be very difficult.
Here in Colorado, people are taking action to make sure everyone
has access to healthy food, regardless of what neighborhood they live in. For
example, the Colorado Fresh Food Financing Fund can support a wide range of
activities that improve access to healthy food retail. Some examples include:
business start-up and expansion costs; opening a new store; keeping a store
open under new ownership; new or upgraded equipment and displays; land
assembly; and developing an innovative business concept. Click here for a
program overview, detailed
program guidelines with eligibility criteria, or the
pre-application form.
Just down the street from Jefferson County Public Health in
Lakewood’s Two Creeks neighborhood,
Sprout
City Farms has broken ground on a brand new urban community farm at Montair
Park. Mountair Park is located at 14th
& Depew St., and approximately 1.25
acres will be converted to farm. This farm will bring much-needed fresh produce
to the neighborhood. And many Jeffco neighborhoods have community gardens where
people can grow their own food, even if they don’t have a yard.
1 Powell, LM, Slater, S, Mirtcheva, D, Bao, Y, &
Chaloupka, FJ (2007). Food store availability and neighborhood characteristics
in the United States. Preventive Medicine, 44, 189–195.
2 Odoms-Young, AM, Zenk, SN, Karpyn, A, Xochitl Ayala, G
& Gittelsohn, J (2012). Obesity and the Food Environment Among Minority
Groups. Current Obesity Reports, 1(3), 141-151.
3 PolicyLink & The Food Trust (2010). The Grocery Gap:
Who Has Access to Healthy Food and Why it Matters. Available at http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97C6D565-BB43-406D-A6D5-ECA3BBF35AF0%7D/FINALGroceryGap.pdf.
4Odoms-Young, AM, Zenk, SN, Karpyn, A,
Xochitl Ayala, G & Gittelsohn, J (2012). Obesity and the Food Environment
Among Minority Groups. Current Obesity Reports, 1(3), 141-151.
Jefferson County Public Health encourages all individuals
and families to get health insurance. The Affordable Care Act benefits all
families by providing a medical home and regular health care visits. Shop for
and compare health insurance plans online with Connect for Health Colorado. 
