What are three characteristics of food deserts?

• A. Are communities primarily with people of color or low-income
• B. Are communities that lack access to fresh, healthy, affordable foods
• C. Are communities where people have to travel at least a mile to get to a grocery store
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Food deserts are communities where getting healthy, affordable food is hard because of both economic and geographic barriers. One key aspect is that these areas often have a high share of residents who are people of color or have low income, reflecting systemic inequities that influence where grocery options exist. Another important characteristic is the actual lack of access to fresh, healthy, affordable foods within a reasonable distance. A third piece is transportation or distance barriers—people may need to travel long distances, such as more than a mile in urban areas, to reach a grocery store. When you put these elements together, they describe environments where healthy food is not readily available, which helps explain why the best answer includes all of the above.

In practice, this understanding guides CHWs to identify who’s affected, what barriers exist, and how to connect residents to resources or advocate for community improvements—such as farmers markets with subsidies, mobile markets, or transportation options to grocery stores.