While low food access appeared on the mend for most racial groups since 2015, a growing number of Black or African Americans still faced challenges accessing food resources in 2019. Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, as well as American Indians or Alaska Natives, came with the most notable improving shifts.
Populations with low food access often indicate a lack of healthy and affordable food from supermarkets, supercenters, grocery stores or other sources. Four distance categories — half a mile, one mile, 10 miles and 20 miles — to a food resource, were used to measure the extent of limited food access, as defined in the Food Access Research Atlas.
Despite a 16.52% population decrease in low food access at 20 miles from a food location in 2019, food access remained a pressing issue for Black or African Americans, compared to the same 1,502 census tracts in 2015. A total of 47,842.54 Black or African Americans still suffered from limited access to food within 10 miles, making the greatest increase in food access affliction over the four years.
In an opposite but promising way, the total population of American Indians or Alaska Natives with low food access in 2019 saw a noticeable decline across all four distance dimensions. The number of individuals located over 20 miles from food resources dropped by 14.29%, from 140,687.87 in 2015, followed by an 8.46% decrease at the 10-mile mark, 1.56% in one mile and 0.46% in half a mile. The Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander population also saw the most significant relief, with a 28.23% decrease in low food access, while reductions at 1 mile, half a mile and 20 miles showed 7.97%, 4.02% and 3.81%, respectively.
With some uptick in population, the overall status of low food access in Asian, Hispanic or Latino, White people and individuals with other or multiple race reflected a slight degree of alleviation in four years. Only at 20 miles did the Asian population experience a noticeable 10.09% decrease in limited food access, and a 7.17% decrease among White people compared to 2015, leaving most subtle changes at pale.
Households could face more impeding barriers to accessing food resources if a confluence of factors come together. Beyond distance measurement, family income or vehicle availability could further complicate low food access. Households far from supermarkets may find it easier to access food with a private car, rather than relying on public transportation. The average income and public transportation options in a neighborhood would also affect someone’s ability to reach food sources, creating a complex web of challenges.