Identifying Food Deserts & Food Imbalance Areas in Sacramento County

Tim Kohaya & Tim TadlockSacramento County Planning and Community Development Department

Definitions

Food Deserts – Areas that lack access to healthy and affordable foods.

Food Imbalance Areas – Areas where grocery stores are significantly farther than fast food restaurants.

ConsequencesCommunities will likely have

increased premature death and chronic health problems.◦Increase rate of obesity◦Diabetes

Positive consequences when there is better access to supermarkets.◦Improvement in diet among low income

households

Purpose of this Study – To Help Improve Community Health

Inform the County’s citizens and organizations.

Assist in the Commercial Corridor planning effort.

Assist in a possible County incentive program.

Step 1: Analyzing Sources of Healthy and Less Healthy Foods

Sources of Healthy Food - Supermarkets

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Sources of Less Healthy Food – Fast Food Restaurants

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Step 2: Measure Distances and Compile Data

Potential Food Desert and Food Imbalance Areas

Potential food desert areas – supermarket farther than walking distance (0.6 mile).

Potential food imbalance areas – supermarket twice as far as fast food.

Focus on urbanized portion of the unincorporated Sacramento County.

Potential Food Desert Areas

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Potential FoodDesert Areas

Potential Food Imbalance Areas

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Potential FoodImbalance Areas

Step 3: Identifying Actual Food Deserts and Food Imbalance Areas

Income – Major Factor in Identifying Food Deserts/Food Imbalance Areas

Lack of access to a car – big problem.

Direct correlation between lack of car ownership and poverty level.

High poverty areas – block groups that have at least 20% poverty rate.

High Poverty Intersecting with Potential Food Desert Areas

High Poverty AreasPotential FoodDesert Areas

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Equal Food Deserts

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Food Desert Areas

High Poverty Intersecting with Potential Food Imbalance Areas

High Poverty AreasPotential FoodImbalance Areas

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Equal Food Imbalance Areas

City of Sacramento

Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove

Citrus Heights

Food ImbalanceAreas

A Closer Look

Arden Arcade

Food Desert OnlyFood Desert &Food Imbalance

SupermarketFast Food

North HighlandsFood Desert OnlyFood Desert &Food Imbalance

SupermarketFast Food

South SacramentoFood Desert OnlyFood Desert &Food Imbalance

SupermarketFast Food

Conclusions of Study

Lack of Healthy Food Accessibility = geography + low-income (poverty).

There are large food desert areas in the Arden-Arcade, North Highlands and South Sacramento communities.

There are large food imbalance areas in North Highlands. Most of these food imbalance areas are also food deserts.

Next Steps

Immediate Next StepsGive this presentation to other interested groups.

Study could be used by our Community Planning Team.◦Commercial Corridors

Available Information

Information That Will Be Provided Upon Request

Maps and charts used in the studyArcGIS shapefiles Excel Spreadsheets

Contact Information

Tim Kohaya’s email: kohayat@saccounty.net

Phone number: 874-5952