Is my Neighborhood a Food Swamp? 5 Ways to Navigate it.

The picture on the front is an actual food stand in a neighborhood abroad. I was so taken aback by the amount of fresh fruit and vegetable options in one location. This image became the inspiration for this post; not only do food swamps exist, but we must empower ourselves to navigate and thrive in them.

In the United States, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability. Poor diet is responsible for a greater percentage of CVD‐related death than any other modifiable risk factor. Some racial/ethnic groups are more likely to experience an unfavorable nutrition environment (Barriers, Opportunities, and Challenges) .

While doing some research for a project, I came across the term “Food Swamp”. I had not heard it before; and after reading its definition gave language to a problem I see in communities very often.

Food Swamp Defined

According to Cleveland Clinic Food swamps are similar to food deserts in that access to healthy options can be limited. But the difference lies in food swamps’ extremely high number of things like fast food restaurants and high-calorie, highly processed meals and snacks.

Local produce may be available in a food swamp. But it’s outnumbered by “cheap and convenient” foods loaded with processed sugars and preservatives. Convenience over quality becomes the norm.

Starving for Nutrients?

Living with food insecurity, such as in a food desert or a food swamp, puts you at greater risk for chronic diseases.You may not necessarily go hungry, but your body can still be starved of the nutrition it needs.

Understanding if your neighborhood is a food swamp gives you greater knowledge to understand how your food choices are influenced. Very simply, how can you do better, if you don’t know better? My work over the past two years has taught me there’s so much more to our food choices than we know. The nutrition environment is just as important as any other factor.

How to Navigate a Food Swamp?

Here are 5 ways to navigate a food swamp:

• Be aware
  • information is power.
  • If you are aware of you’re nutrition environment you can consider more deliberate actions
• Freely share this information in your community.
  • If you and your neighbor are aware, perhaps together you can ride share or even share grocery delivery fees to access healthier options
• Set a “Grocery Shopping Day”.
  • I know this sounds obvious but just hear me out…
    • Routines can be powerful. When we build in a habit our actions and choices become much easier
    • Your brain wants to make the easier decision when it is tired. But if you keep your areas stocked using habits, the home choices can be the “easy button”.
  • Take a peek at my post on decision fatigue for more information
• Meal Plan!
  • This option is near and dear to me as it helped me exponentially on my journey.
    • Here is an excellent podcast episode on meal planning in a culturally-responsive way.
• Pack Snacks
  • Having a healthy snack with you can slow down choosing “convenient options” in your day to day.
  • I like to look at my schedule and place snacks in my bag when I have busy days
    • I try to pre-pack 5-7 snacks on Sundays so they are “ready to go” when I go out for an errand or event.
    • In this post, I talked about packing your work lunch.

I’m working on a “pack snacks with me” for those that would like a bit more motivation or accountability. If you’re interested in the Video OR Live session, drop me a line and let me know!

Be well,

J

References:

Barriers, Opportunities, and Challenges in Addressing Disparities in Diet‐Related Cardiovascular Disease in the United States.

What Can I Eat? American Diabetes Association

Food dessert Food swamp Lunch self-love Snacks wellness