Walmart and U.S. Food Deserts

According to a recent article in Fast Company, Walmart announced that it will be opening up 300 more locations over the next five years in food desert regions across the U.S.

Do you live in a food desert? Use the Food Desert Locator

With all the talk about food deserts in the media, it might make you wonder if you live in one. To find out, check out the Food Desert Locator put out by the USDA's Economic Research Service.

Access to grocers doesn't improve diets, study finds

According to a recent LA Times article, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that people did not eat more fruits and vegetables when they had supermarkets available in their neighborhoods. The study followed thousands of people for fifteen years found that the availability of supermarkets did not help study participants eat healthier. Instead, income and proximity to fast food restaurants were the strongest factors in food choice.

Friday Roundup

Here are articles of interest that have been published within the last 7-10 days:

Health
1. Walgreens tackles food deserts, NYT.com, November 12, 2010
Brief Intro: Walgreens is participating in an experiment that will help people in food deserts by selling fresh fruits and vegetables in ten locations.
2. Battle lines drawn over Medicaid in Texas, NYT.com, November 11, 2010
Brief Intro: Some Republicans in the Texas legislature are floating the idea of opting out of the federal Medicaid program, as they believe that state's participation in that program and CHIP is helping to bankrupt the state.

Education
1. Proficiency of Black students is found to be far lower than expected, NYT.com, November 9, 2010
Brief Intro: A new report called "A Call for Change," has been released by the Council of the Great City Schools group, shows that the achievement gap between both black and white students is worse than expected. The report, which focuses on Black males shows that only 12% of fourth grade Black boys are proficient in reading - compared to 38% of White boys. In math, only 12% of eighth grade Black boys are proficient compared to 44% for White boys.