Georgia Researcher Adds Context to Food Desert Discussion

When it comes to having access to fresh foods, some Southeastern communities struggle more than others. But new research shows there’s more to “food deserts” than previously thought.

The U.S. government defines these low-income areas as census tracts where a substantial number of residents have low access to a grocery store or supermarket. For most urban areas, this means at least 33 percent of the tract lives more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store.

Jung Sun Lee, a University of Georgia researcher who studies aging and nutrition, says how stores price healthy foods matters too.