Finger Lakes residents have healthy diet and exercise behaviors and 2 more...
Percentage of population who are low-income and do not live close to a grocery store
Current Value
2.6%
Definition
"The percentage of the population is low-income and does not live near a grocery store.
There is strong evidence that residing in a food desert is correlated with a high prevalence of obesity and premature death. Supermarkets traditionally provide healthier options than convenience stores or smaller grocery stores. Additionally, lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables is related to premature mortality. This measure is no longer ranked; it was replaced by a composite measure of the food environment, including food insecurity and access to healthy foods."
Source: Limited Access to Healthy Foods* | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Comparison
Story Behind the Curve
Data available for yrs 2015 and 2019 only. In 2019 Counties Schuyler (SU) and Yates (YA) reported at 0%.
Partners
What Works
Strategy
Data Sources and Measure Methods
Data Source
USDA Food Environment Atlas: From the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): The Atlas assembles statistics on three broad categories of food environment factors:
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Food Choices--Indicators of the community's access to and acquisition of healthy, affordable food, such as access and proximity to a grocery store; the number of food stores and restaurants; expenditures on fast foods; food and nutrition assistance program participation; food prices; food taxes; and availability of local foods.
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Health and Well-Being--Indicators of the community's success in maintaining healthy diets include food insecurity, diabetes and obesity rates, and physical activity levels.
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Community Characteristics--Indicators of community characteristics that might influence the food environment, such as demographic composition; income and poverty; population loss; metro-nonmetro status; natural amenities; and recreation and fitness centers.
Measure Methods
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Limited Access to Healthy Foods is a percentage: Limited Access to Healthy Foods measures the percentage of the low-income population who does not live near a grocery store.
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Numerator: The numerator is the number of people who are low-income and do not live close to a grocery store. Living close to a grocery store is defined differently in rural and nonrural areas; in rural areas, it means living less than 10 miles from a grocery store; in nonrural areas, it means less than one mile. Low income is defined as having an annual family income of less than or equal to 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold for the family size.
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Denominator: The denominator is the 2010 U.S. census population.
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Can This Measure Be Used to Track Progress?: This measure can be used to track progress with some caveats. The data for this measure are usually not updated annually, so pay close attention to the years of data as you try to measure progress.
Source: Limited Access to Healthy Foods* | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
References
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Ahern M, Brown C, Dukas S. A national study of the association between food environments and county-level health outcomes. The Journal of Rural Health. 2011; 27:367-379.
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Taggart K. Fast food joints bad for the neighbourhood. Medical Post. 2005; 41:21-23.
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Schafft KA, Jensen EB, Hinrichs CC. Food deserts and overweight schoolchildren: Evidence from Pennsylvania. Rural Sociology. 2009; 74:153-277.
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Vaughan CA, Cohen DA, Ghosh-Dastidar M, Hunter GP, Dubowitz T. Where do food desert residents buy most of their junk food? Supermarkets. Public Health Nutrition. 2017 Oct; 20(14):2608-2616.
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Brownson RC, Haire-Joshu D, Luke DA. Shaping the context of health: A review of environmental and policy approaches in the prevention of chronic diseases. Annual Review of Public Health 2006; 27:341-70.
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