Detroit: An Urban Food Desert

Abstract

There are a plethora of economic and social problems that plague the citizens of Detroit. None, however, are more pertinent than the issue surrounding food accessibility. Detroiters, on a daily basis, are confronted with fact that they live in what has been coined as a 'Food Desert'. This means that there are limited to no mainstream food retailers within easy access to the population. It is well established that Michigan is a 'welfare' state. In 2009, the public spending for all Health and Social programs in Michigan was $16,738,320,488, of which, $2,110,106,212 was solely spent on food assistance; a good portion of that going to aid the struggling Detroit population. The problem with spending that much on food assistance, however, is not just the sheer enormity of it, it's that only 8% of all USDA Food Stamp retailers in Detroit are actually considered grocery stores. The other 92% consists of convenient stores, gas stations, liquor stores, fast food restaurants, etc. What this translates into is that there is an immense food imbalance within the city. On average, citizens of Detroit have to travel twice as far to reach a grocery store than to reach a fringe store. When one understands that humans tend to think myopically it is safe to assume that, given the other economic hardships facing the population, these fringe stores that specialize in tobacco, lottery tickets, and alcohol are getting the majority of the food business. A disturbing consequence of this food desert, though, is not so much in the supporting of these countless fringe stores. The main issue is derived from the public health issues that arise from having processed, expired, salty, and fatty foods as staple and primary portions of one's diet.