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Tag: Urban planning

Explore our comprehensive collection of health articles in this category.

What Qualifies an Area as a Food Desert?

4 min read
According to the USDA, nearly 19 million people in the United States live in low-income and low-access areas, often defined as food deserts. A food desert is a complex issue driven by a combination of geographic, economic, and social factors that restrict access to healthy, affordable food options. Understanding these qualifiers is the first step toward developing effective solutions for community food insecurity.

Debunking the Dangerous Myth: What are the Benefits of the Food Desert?

5 min read
According to the USDA, millions of Americans live in food deserts, areas with limited access to affordable, nutritious food. This article directly challenges the dangerous myth suggesting any benefits to a food desert by exploring the serious harms, negative consequences, and why this premise is fundamentally false and misleading.

Understanding a Food Desert Example in AP Human Geography

5 min read
According to the USDA, millions of Americans live in low-income areas with limited access to fresh food, a stark reality often exemplified by a classic food desert example in AP Human Geography. This geographical concept highlights how economic, social, and infrastructural factors combine to create regions where nutritious food options are scarce, impacting community health and well-being.

Where are food deserts located and what are they?

5 min read
According to the USDA, nearly 19 million people in the United States live in low-income, low-access areas more than one mile or ten miles from a supermarket. This lack of proximity to affordable, fresh food defines a food desert, a serious issue affecting both public health and economic well-being.

What Is the Definition of a Food Desert?

5 min read
According to the USDA, nearly 19 million people in the U.S. live in low-income, low-access areas, a phenomenon commonly known as a food desert. This term describes a community where residents face significant barriers to acquiring affordable and healthy food, creating systemic challenges related to nutrition and health.

Are there any food deserts in the US?

3 min read
According to a 2025 USDA estimate, nearly 19 million people in the United States live in a food desert, a low-income area with limited access to affordable, nutritious food. This widespread issue affects both urban and rural communities, often with significant implications for public health, economic opportunity, and social equity across the nation.

What is the difference between a food desert and a food swamp?

6 min read
According to the USDA, millions of Americans live in low-income, low-access areas to supermarkets, creating what is known as a food desert. But a lack of healthy food options is only one part of the problem; understanding the key difference between a food desert and a food swamp is crucial for addressing nutritional inequality in our communities.

What Does the BDA Do? Unpacking the Acronym's Many Meanings

5 min read
The acronym BDA is used across multiple, highly distinct fields, from business to urban planning and even emergency services. What does the BDA do, therefore, depends entirely on the context in which it is used, and a clear understanding of each is essential for proper comprehension.

What is Food Access and Food Availability?

2 min read
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization defines food security through four key pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability. While the terms are often confused, food availability refers to the physical presence of food in a region, whereas food access pertains to an individual's ability to obtain that food.