American Hispanics Access to Healthy Foods. Ben Golan

American Hispanics Access to Healthy Foods Ben Golan

Abstract The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 called for a request for the Economic Research Service to do a study on the prevalence of food deserts in the United States. The ERS defines a food desert as a part of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthful whole foods. During their research they concluded that there were in fact food deserts present in the United States. Higher levels of racial segregation and greater income inequality generally characterized food deserts found within urban areas. The ERS brought to the public an important environmental justice issue. However, their research was limited in describing which kinds of people food deserts affect. My research aims to uncover which kinds of people have limited access to healthy foods. Specifically, my research focuses on Hispanic households, located in primarily Hispanic counties, and their access to healthy foods compared with Caucasian households, located in primarily Caucasian counties, and their access to healthy foods. I will focus on urban areas, as this is where the ERS has found food deserts to be characterized by higher levels of racial segregation and greater income inequality making it more likely that Hispanic households will be within an urban food desert. I will also focus on California, rather than the entire United States, as this is a large state that houses many Hispanics. --I have defined a household with a limited access to healthy foods as a household unable to easily travel to the nearest healthful food retailer, a household that is located far away from the nearest healthful food retailer, or a household without access to affordable healthy foods. --I have defined healthy foods as foods that provide essential nutrients and energy to sustain growth, health and life while satiating hunger (as opposed to unhealthy foods: generally high in sugar, fat and caloric value). --Healthy food stores include grocery stores, super centers, and club stores. --I have defined predominantly Hispanic California counties as counties where more than 50% of its population identifies themselves as Hispanic. --I have defined predominantly Caucasian California counties as counties where more than 50% of its population identifies themselves as Caucasian. --I have defined an unhealthy and/or obese individual as an individual with a Body Mass Index greater than or equal to 30. Given these guidelines and definitions, my research found the number of healthy food stores in predominantly Hispanic California counties to be equivalent to the number of healthy food stores in predominantly Caucasian California counties. However, the research also indicated that at a smaller scale than counties, one would most likely find food deserts disproportionately affecting predominantly Hispanic areas of California.

Introduction It is no secret that the United States has subjected its citizens to inequality throughout its existence. Since its creation in 1789, the United States government has exposed its inhabitants to enslavement, gender imbalances, prejudice, corruption and unjustified actions, all encompassed by rights skewed to benefit a certain kind of person. Of course, this inequality is diminishing as our society progresses; however, inequality still exists in the United States and it is important we seek it out wherever it is hiding. The Economic Research Service, a subdivision of the United States Department of Agriculture, has recently uncovered an inequality present in modern America. The ERS published a report to Congress in which it describes a phenomenon known as food deserts. The ERS defines a food desert as a part of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthful whole foods and approximately 2.3 million US citizens live in an area that falls under these conditions. However, these food deserts are not equally spread throughout the country. When found, a food desert is characterized as an area with higher levels of racial segregation and greater income inequality, meaning these food deserts seem to disproportionately impact areas housing certain kinds of people. This skewed impact to certain kinds of people makes this an issue of inequality. As just described, the ERS has defined two characteristics of a food desert: higher levels of racial segregation and greater income inequality. This is interpreted as minority households and lower-income households respectively. Minority and lower-income households are general terms that change depending on the setting. In order to determine exactly who falls into these categories, we must take a look at the demographic make-up of the United States. According to the 2010 USA government census; 72.4% of

Americans are Caucasian, 16.3% of Americans are Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% of Americans are Black or African American, 4.8% of Americans are Asian, 0.9% of Americans are American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.2% are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and the rest of Americans are mixed race or other. As one can see, all races but Caucasian are considered minorities in the United States, making the ERS s use of the word minority broad in context. Unfortunately, ERS s use of the word lowerincome isn t any less broad. According to the 2010 USA government census; 28% of American Indian and Alaska Native US citizens live below the poverty level, 26% of Black or African American US citizens live below the poverty level, 23% of Hispanic or Latino US citizens live below the poverty level, 18% of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander US citizens live below the poverty level, 11% of Asian US citizens live below the poverty level, and 11% of Caucasian US citizens live below the poverty level. So, when referring to citizens as lower-income, when describing those that are affected by food deserts, we cannot be exactly sure what population the ERS is referring to. However, if we look at the data we can see that several minorities seem to be affected by poverty more. Those most likely to be affected are American Indians/Native Alaskans, Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos. And if we compare the minorities most likely to be affected by poverty with the minorities most established in the United States we can see that food deserts are most likely to affect Hispanics/Latinos and Blacks/African Americans. We can also see that the least likely to be affected by food deserts are Caucasians, as they are the vast majority of US citizens and the least likely (along with Asians) to live below the poverty level. Knowing this information makes it easier to further the research done by the ERS. And I believe furthering the research on

food deserts and who they affect can be done by comparing the kinds of people most likely to be impacted by food deserts with the kinds of people least likely to be impacted by food deserts. This will show if there truly is an inequality in access to healthy foods based on one s ethnicity. Therefore, I will be comparing Hispanic US citizens access to healthy foods with Caucasian US citizens access to healthy foods. You may be asking yourself why I chose Hispanics as the most likely population to be affected by inaccessibility to healthy foods in America when African Americans also fit the ERS s description of those most likely to live in food deserts. I chose Hispanics because they are the largest minority in America; consisting of Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and South or Central Americans; and the fastest growing population in the USA. The 2010 USA government census reported that more than half of the growth of the total population of the United States between 2000 and 2010 was due to an increase in the Hispanic population. This sharp rise in the Hispanic population means Hispanics are becoming a more noticed and important culture in the United States. America s history leads me to believe that our policies and commercial interests won t take into account these newcomers. So, I find it important to study this minority in relation to the majority, particularly in the case of access to healthy foods. In fact, there may already be evidence that Hispanics have a limited access to healthy foods. A threeyear study (2006 through 2008), done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows a significant difference between the obesity rates in American Hispanics and American Caucasians. By analyzing data from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys, the CDC has declared 28.7% of Hispanics in America obese (a body mass index of greater than or equal to 30) and 23.7% of Caucasians in America obese,

making Hispanics 21% more likely to be obese than Caucasians. Among Hispanics, 36.8% of Mexican-Americans (Mexican-Americans constitute 65% of Hispanics in America) are obese. This exceptionally large obesity rate, in Hispanic Americans as a whole, could point to Hispanics having a limited access to healthy foods in the United States. This obesity rate, along with the exploding population, makes Hispanics the most important demographic to focus on when furthering the ERS s research. And furthering the ERS s research is vital to the health of America s citizens, no matter their cultural background or race. This is particularly important in America as, although we have had a history of inconsistencies, this country was founded on the idea of equality: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. This excerpt, taken from the United States Declaration of Independence, mentions three unalienable rights, which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Life includes access to necessary resources. These resources include food sources that sustain life (healthy foods), not shorten it (unhealthy foods). Healthy foods are a necessity for any human wanting to live a full, able life. As evidenced by a study published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, those that do not have access to supermarkets, grocery stores or farmers markets tend to have a higher obesity rate than those that have access to these stores. And according to the CDC, obesity depreciates one s life in several ways. Obesity can lead to increased health-care costs; a reduced quality of life; and an increased chance of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. So, if one s chance of being obese is

increased when one loses access to healthy foods and if obesity can deteriorate one s life in so many ways, it is absolutely necessary to make sure that every US citizen has access to healthy food stores. In order to ensure this accessibility, one must first start with research. And in order to start a research project of such magnitude, one must begin basic. Therefore, my research into the prevalence of food deserts will begin in California. This state will act as a sample of the population and, given its results, a catalyst for more research. Given California s size, population density and large Hispanic population, I believe this area will provide the richest data and best represent the United States population. I aim to study the individual counties that make up California, focusing on each one s demographic make-up and resources. I believe this information will lead to a better understanding of food accessibility within the United States.

Thesis In an effort to further understand food deserts and whom they affect, I will compare predominantly Hispanic counties with predominantly Caucasian counties. I will focus my attention on counties located within California and the grocery stores, super centers and club stores available within these counties. Given these guidelines, my research question is simple: Is the number of grocery stores, super centers and club stores available in predominantly Hispanic California counties equivalent to the number of grocery stores, super centers and club stores available in predominantly Caucasian California counties? Research To begin answering this question, I will examine the demographic make-up of each county. I have separated California counties into two major categories: predominantly Hispanic counties and predominantly Caucasian counties. A primarily Hispanic county is defined as a county with over 50% of its population identifying as Hispanic. A primarily Caucasian county is defined as a county with over 50% of its population identifying as Caucasian. I have defined 45 counties as predominantly Caucasian and 8 counties as predominantly Hispanic. I break down the predominantly Caucasian counties by the total population, the total Caucasian population, the total population of other ethnicities, and the percent Caucasian individuals of the total population. Similarly, I break down the predominantly Hispanic counties by the total population, the total Hispanic population, the total population of other ethnicities, and the percent Hispanic individuals of the total population.

Predominantly Caucasian Counties Total Population Total Caucasian Population Total Population of Other Ethnicities Percent Caucasian Individuals in the Total Population

Predominantly Hispanic Counties Total Population Total Hispanic Population Total Population of Other Ethnicities Percent Hispanic Individuals in the Total Population With this demographic information, I can now further analyze the differences between the 45 predominantly Caucasian counties and the 8 predominantly Hispanic counties. The healthy food accessibility in each of these 53 counties differs, and there could potentially be a correlation between the demographic make-up of a county and the prevalence of healthy food stores. Referring back to the Economic Research Service s definition of a food desert, we know that healthy food accessibility includes access to fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthful whole foods. Healthy food stores must offer these options. Easily accessible healthy food stores include grocery stores, super centers and club stores. With this information, I chose to look at the total number of grocery stores in the county, the relative number of grocery stores in a county, the number of super centers/club stores in the county, and the relative number of super centers/club stores in the county.

Predominantly Caucasian Counties Number of Grocery Stores Number of Grocery Stores per 1,000 people Number of Super centers & Club stores Number of Super centers & Club stores per 1,000 people Number of Convenience Stores Number of Convenience Stores per 1,000 people

Predominantly Hispanic Counties Number of Grocery Stores Number of Grocery Stores per 1,000 people Number of Super centers & Club stores Number of Super centers & Club stores per 1,000 people Number of Convenience Stores Number of Convenience Stores per 1,000 people Because counties differ in sizes and population densities, the actual number of stores does not give one as much information as the relative number of stores. The number of stores per 1,000 people represents the relative number of stores. The number of grocery stores, super centers, and club stores per 1,000 people offer a basic representation of healthy food accessibility within each county. The number of convenience stores per 1,000 people offer a basic representation of unhealthy food accessibility within each county. Although this does not directly relate to healthy food accessibility, it shows the disparity between healthy food options and unhealthy food options. Looking at the tables above, we can see that The average number of grocery stores per 1,000 people in predominantly Caucasian counties is 0.28044. The average number of super centers and club stores per 1,000 people in predominantly Caucasian counties is 0.00408.

And the average number of convenience stores per 1,000 people in predominantly Caucasian counties is 0.3458. Similarly, The average number of grocery stores per 1,000 people in predominantly Hispanic counties is 0.26165. The average number of super centers and club stores per 1,000 people in predominantly Hispanic counties is 0.00699. And the average number of convenience stores per 1,000 people in predominantly Hispanic counties is 0.33594. Looking at food accessibility in California as a whole, one can see some trends. The average relative number of super centers and club stores is significantly lower than the average relative number of grocery stores or convenience stores. Additionally, the average relative number of convenience stores is much higher than the average relative number of any of the healthy food stores. But looking closer than overall trends, this information provides the disparities (if any) between predominantly Hispanic counties and predominantly Caucasian counties. And with the demographic and commercial data presented thus far, all of the elements posed in the question are accounted for: predominantly Caucasian California counties, predominantly Hispanic California counties, the number of grocery stores, the number of super centers, and the number of club stores. So, is the number of grocery stores, super centers and club stores available in predominantly Hispanic California counties equivalent to the number of grocery stores, super centers and club stores available in predominantly Caucasian California counties?

Results and Discussion When comparing the relative number of healthy food stores in California between predominantly Caucasian counties and predominantly Hispanic counties, there is no significant difference. The relative number of healthy food stores (and unhealthy food stores for that matter) stayed consistent no matter the demographic make-up of the county. And if one uses this comparison as the basis for healthy food accessibility, predominantly Hispanic California counties have as equal access to healthy foods as predominantly Caucasian California counties. This equal access to healthy foods potentially absolves the possibility of an environmental justice issue within California. This is further supported by the equal average relative number of unhealthy food stores (convenience stores) in both sets of counties. However, do these results fully prove a lack of inequality? When digging deeper, one can see that there are still enough symptoms of inequality to leave doubt. The Economic Research Service has provided a lot of information regarding food deserts and their potential locations. They have provided, by county, food insecurity rates, rates of those with limited access to healthy foods, and adult obesity rates. Predominantly Hispanic Counties Percent of the Population with Limited Access to Healthy Foods Percent of the Population Living with Food Insecurity Percent of the Adult Population Considered Obese

Predominantly Caucasian Counties Percent of the Population with Limited Access to Healthy Foods Percent of the Population Living with Food Insecurity Percent of the Adult Population Considered Obese

Predominantly Hispanic California counties have, on average, a larger percentage of obese adults and a larger percentage of those living with food insecurity. A larger percentage of obese adults within a population is a symptom of inaccessibility to healthy foods. Similarly, a high percentage of the population living with food insecurity (living without easy access to nutritious, affordable food) can indicate the presence of a food desert. This disparity, among the basic nature of this overall project, leads me to believe that further research needs to be done. Keeping California as the sample population, I propose looking at the issue at a smaller scale. I believe California Census Tracts would provide enough data at a small enough scale to provide significant results. Given this scale, I would propose a new project with the same basic research strategy: compare predominantly Hispanic census tracts and predominantly Caucasian census tracts. I would define predominantly Hispanic census tracts as census tracts with over 50% of the population considering themselves to be Hispanic. I would define predominantly Caucasian census tracts as census tracts with over 50% of its population considering themselves to be Caucasian. I would redefine healthy food stores to include supermarkets and farmer s markets. And I would collect more recent data (all of my data was from 2011) in hopes of answering the question, do predominantly Hispanic California census tracts have less healthy food stores than predominantly Caucasian California census tracts? My research question was a simple question with a simple answer. A simple question will not cover as complex a problem as food deserts. Instead, it will help to indicate the severity of the issue and what further research is necessary. On a county level, food deserts in California cannot be seen. This limits the problem to a smaller

scale; meaning healthy food inaccessibility is not a major problem facing California. And if California is an accurate sample of the United States as a whole, food deserts are not a major problem facing the USA. However this does not mean food deserts should be ignored. They still pose a disproportionate threat to minorities and lower-income individuals. And in a country based on equality, we must make sure this issue does not go unnoticed.

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