The Public Health Effects of Food Deserts: Workshop Summary

In the United States, people living in low-income neighborhoods frequently do not have access to affordable healthy food venues, such as supermarkets. Instead, those living in "food deserts" must rely on convenience stores and small neighborhood stores that offer few, if any, healthy food choices, such as fruits and vegetables. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) convened a two-day workshop on January 26-27, 2009, to provide input into a Congressionally-mandated food deserts study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. The workshop, summarized in this volume, provided a forum in which to discuss the public health effects of food deserts. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Determining the Extent of Food Deserts 3 Studying Food Deserts Through Different Lenses 4 Diet and Health Evidence to Support Improved Food Access 5 Ameliorating Food Desert Conditions 6 Research Gaps and Needs References Appendix A: Planning Committee Biographies Appendix B: Workshop Agenda Appendix C: Speaker and Moderator Biographies Appendix D: Workshop Participants