Food swamps are areas where unhealthy food options outnumber healthy ones, and they can have a negative impact on the health of the residents. A new study by the Georgia Cancer Center has identified 12 counties in metro Atlanta as having the worst food swamps in the state.
What are food swamps and why are they harmful?
Food swamps are different from food deserts, which are areas where there is a lack of access to healthy food stores. Food swamps are areas where there is an abundance of unhealthy food options, such as gas stations, liquor stores, and fast food restaurants. These options make it more convenient and affordable for people to choose unhealthy food over nutritious food.
According to Malcolm Bevel, a researcher at the Georgia Cancer Center, food swamps have positive, statistically significant effects on adult obesity rates, especially in areas where a majority of residents do not have access to personal or public transportation. Obesity is linked to a higher risk of developing 13 types of cancers, including pancreatic, liver, and ovarian cancers.
Bevel and his team analyzed the food environment of each county in Georgia and scored them based on the ratio of unhealthy to healthy food outlets. They also compared the scores with the obesity and cancer mortality rates of each county.
Which counties are the worst for food swamps?
The study found that 12 counties in metro Atlanta have been flagged as being among the worst for food swamps. These counties are:
- Clayton
- Cobb
- DeKalb
- Douglas
- Fayette
- Fulton
- Gwinnett
- Henry
- Newton
- Paulding
- Rockdale
- Spalding
The rest of North Georgia still scored on the high end, above the 50th percentile. The study also found that living in these counties increased the odds of having higher obesity and cancer mortality by 77%.
The findings echo another study done by the American Cancer Society on the neighborhood level, which showed that lower accessibility to healthy food stores was associated with lower life expectancy.
How can food swamps be improved?
Bevel said that improving the food environment is not an easy task, as it involves multiple factors such as zoning policies, economic incentives, and consumer preferences. However, he said that there are some possible solutions that can help reduce the impact of food swamps.
One of them is to increase the availability and affordability of healthy food options in these areas, such as farmers markets, community gardens, and mobile grocery stores. Another is to educate and empower consumers to make healthier choices and demand better quality food from their local retailers.
Bevel also said that the Georgia Cancer Center is working on a project to grow fresh produce in a micro-farm at their facility. The micro-farm has its own LED lighting and water source, and can produce hundreds of pounds of food each year. The produce will be distributed to low-income communities that lack access to healthy food.
Bevel hopes that his research will raise awareness about the issue of food swamps and inspire more action from policymakers, businesses, and consumers to create a healthier food environment for everyone.
