1. Urban Issues: The Sprawl of Food Deserts M. Nathaniel Mead Presenter: Mrs. Perryman

2. Overview Automobile has become the main form of transportation People have moved out of Urban centers and into the suburbs Food Deserts have now formed- poor access to healthy fruits and vegetables for low income families What is the Risk Assessment between food desert formation and the health of these communities?

3. The University of Western Ontario Study Used GIS and mapped the locations of supermarket (1961 vs. 2005) in London, Ontario Layered the map with: socioeconomic and public transportation In 1961, 75% of London’s low income families had access to quality supermarkets. By 2005 that number was lowered to less than 20%.

4. Significance of the Article Many chronic diseases are associated with low consumption of vegetables and fruits. Low income families living in Urban centers tend to ingest foods that are sugary or high in fats The health of families living in food deserts may become hazardous. Community leaders must consider this phenomenon when developing Health and Environmental Protective Standards.

5. Why I selected the article. I have long felt that we do not have a health care issue in our nation; we have a food issue. I have also often wondered about the impact of Urban Sprawl on the blighted remains of these cities. We often hear about the effects of the development of additional lands but what about the communities that remain.

6. Bibliography Mead Mn 2008. Urban Issues: The Sprawl of Food Deserts. Environmental Health Perspectives 116:A335-A335. doi:10.1289/ehp.116-a335a Larson K, Gilliland J. International Journal of Health and Geography. 2008 April 18, 7:16

7. Food Desert Locator Food Desert Video

8. The City of Elgin How could we determine if Elgin has a Food Desert? How could you prevent a Food Desert from happening? How could you fix a Food Desert?