Fresh food options grows in an urban desert – Eatocracy

September 28th, 2010

01:30 PM ET

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Fresh food options grows in an urban desert

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Areas devoid of fresh food and supermarkets, like South Los Angeles, California, have become known as a "food deserts." In 2002, this area of more than 125,000 residents and five entire zip codes retained a 30 percent obesity rate and no full-service grocery stores - a problem that Councilwoman Jan Perry told CNN's Casey Wian needed to be nipped in the bud.

Ergo, the Los Angeles City Council passed a moratorium on fast food businesses in south L.A., set up a farmers market at the neighborhood city hall and opened two new major food retailers.

While plenty of work remains to be done, such efforts have started to quench some of the desert thirst. Residents like Rosemary Jones and Enrique Quintero have both lost weight since the availability of healthier food options has improved.

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Robert

Having lived in London for a few years now, I can honestly say that the reason so many people here eat so unhealthily is simply because the unhealthy, processed foodstuffs are considerably cheaper than their healthy alternatives. In many parts of the city there is a real dearth of good quality markets and even butchers to shop at (they are almost always cheaper than the big stores). It is easy to say that people should always make healthy choices when shopping, but if you are poor, those choices come down to cost and nothing else – you need to stretch every pound to feed your family.

September 29, 2010 at 3:45 am |
Steve

This is all done on purpose. Keep most of the minorities poor, fat and stupid. Give them busted books and teachers that hate them in run-down schools. Give them liquor stores on every corner and fast food. How can they eat fresh fruits and vegetables if there are not GROCERY STORES? Unfreakin-believable!!
I am glad I live near a Trader Joe's and two Farmer's Markets and tons of grocery stores.

September 28, 2010 at 6:27 pm |