A study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity “suggests that living in a food swamp — a neighborhood where fast food and junk food outlets outnumber healthy alternatives — is a stronger predictor of high obesity rates” than so-called food deserts with limited access to nutritious food, says ScienceBlog. The study was described as the first to compare food swamps with food deserts and their association with obesity rates.
“This study takes a much more holistic look at the food environment on a local level,” said post-doctoral fellow Kristen Cooksey-Stowers, the lead author of the study. “Our findings support the need to consider local government policies such as zoning laws that would simultaneously restrict access to unhealthy food outlets, while incentivizing healthy food retailers to locate in under-served neighborhoods.”
The study used county-level data to compare obesity rates with the presence of supermarkets, convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, farmers markets, specialty food stores and other food outlets.