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Investigating Food Deserts

Investigating Food Deserts

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Science Fair Project Description

The term "food desert" refers to regions of a city that have a clear shortage or lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. Such areas normally have many fast food restaurants, liquor stores, and convenient stores but few, if any, grocery stores. Residents of such areas find it challenging to maintain a nutritious diet. Some studies that suggest that food deserts are a myth. In this science project, you will study the food inventory of local merchants, and then survey residents for their consumption habits -particularly of fresh foods versus processed foods. You will then conduct the same survey in other regions of the city that have a greater availability of fresh foods.
Complexity level:7
Time required:Additional time required to locate communities to be studied.
Safety concerns:This science fair project involves taking surveys within urban communities. Adult supervision or working with a partner is recommended.

Overview

The concept of food deserts or "islands" has been challenged by a study by the RAND Corporation (see the bibliography section). Conflicting results of studies on the validity of the existence of food deserts may perhaps be due to methodology. Findings by the RAND study actually indicate that there are more grocery stores in urban areas than in non-urban areas. These results may be due to methodology. Questions raised over past studies include how these studies sampled communities, businesses, and resident dietary habits. Some studies may have taken results from certain communities and extrapolated these results for larger parts of the country. Additionally, smaller corner grocery stores may have not been included in the study.

Scientific Terms

Food deserts, Nutrition

Materials

Survey

Notepad

Internet access

Transportation

Procedure

Select a commercial area within an urban community. You may want to use an arbitrary area of coverage such as an area covering five blocks.

Check websites like Map Quest or Google Maps to assist you in getting information about the community. These websites are also helpful in determining distance between stores.

Visit the food establishments located in the selected area and determine the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. You should visit as many food establishments as possible within the selected city/area, in order to ensure that your data represents what is typical within the area.

Note the quality and condition of the fruits and vegetables

Approximate what percentage of the total store inventory is devoted to fresh foods versus processed foods.

Use Map Quest, Google Maps, or your own estimates to determine the distance between these grocery stores.

Survey residents: Ask them how often they eat fresh fruits or vegetables on a weekly basis. Also ask them, "How difficult would it be for you to obtain fresh fruit and vegetables?" and "Why?".

Repeat these steps with a non-urban community.

How do the results of the two communities compare in respects of (1) the availability of fresh foods and (2) consumption of fresh foods. Tabulate your information and present it it in tables, charts and graphs.

References

"A Look Inside Food Deserts" from the Center for Disease and Control Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/FoodDeserts/

"Studies Question the Pairing of Food Deserts and Obesity" from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/health/research/pairing-of-food-deserts-and-obesity-challenged-in-studies.html?_r=0

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