Food deserts and food swamps: A primer

Our food environments, which include the food that is available to us in our day-to-day environments, is a determinant of what we eat as individuals.

This document is intended for environmental public health professionals, including medical health officers and public health inspectors, as well as other public health professionals such as public health dietitians and health promoters, whose work may include healthy built environments or healthy communities. The document introduces food environments such as food deserts and food swamps, discusses the related health implications, provides the rationale for consideration by non-nutrition professionals, and highlights some opportunities for action and collaboration with provincial and municipal governments, as well as business operators.

For more information about healthy food environments, please see the NCCEH document Food Environments: An Introduction for Public Health Practice.