Chicago, a city of 2.7 million people, and Thedford, Nebraska, a town of 219 people, don’t have much in common—except that both are food deserts, which are areas where residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food. In rural America, a food desert is 10 miles or more from the nearest market, while in urban America, it is defined as being one mile or more. Food access is challenging for millions of Americans, proving that identifying and monitoring food deserts throughout the United States to be vital.

Food deserts span throughout the U.S., raising issues such as race, economic status, and access to education. A 2010 study from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts. Over 2% of all U.S. households have no car and no access to a store within walking distance. Low-income residents and people of color are put most at risk by food deserts as large supermarkets and farmers markets are less apt to move into areas where residents cannot afford to spend much money.

There is no easy solution to fixing food deserts as they are complex involving issues such as public health, nutrition, economics, geography, and urban planning. Climate change can also affect food deserts by lowering food production and raising food costs. This spiral then exacerbates public health problems linked with food, such as obesity and malnutrition. Working towards eliminating food deserts can help communities, businesses, policymakers and nonprofits improve food security.

The most obvious solution to food deserts—introducing supermarkets—is not the most effective. Instead, they should be considered in the context of existing social inequality, food knowledge, and education. While cities are making efforts to improve food access, there are great challenges when tackling this issue. What patterns are associated with U.S. food deserts along the urban and rural continuum? What assumptions are made when discussing food deserts? How do these assumptions impact the livelihoods and cultural affiliation of residents in marginalized communities? Analyzing the root causes of food deserts will help improve access to a fundamental human need.