The cause of urban food deserts is primarily lack of residential consumers to support a profitable grocery store. Urban areas with low population density or high poverty rates may struggle to attract grocery stores due to lower potential profits. This leads to limited access to fresh and healthy food options for residents, resulting in a food desert.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, "food deserts are characterized by a scarcity of affordable nutritious food, difficulties of households in making healthy food choices, and limited access to food outlets." This lack of access to grocery stores in urban areas has been linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related health issues among residents.
In order to address urban food deserts, efforts need to be made to increase access to healthy food options, such as through community gardens, farmers markets, and mobile food markets. Policy changes may also be necessary to incentivize grocery stores to open in underserved urban areas.
What is the cause of urban food deserts?
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• lack of rainfall
• lack of support for urban gardening
• lack of residential consumers to support a profitable grocery store
• residents' preference for purchasing fast food or convenience items
• decreasing biodiversity in crops, leading to few food choices
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