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It's quite common knowledge that West Louisville is a food desert, but what does that mean? And how exactly does it affect the residents of West Louisville?
According to the University Of Louisville, 37% of West Lou residents report having high blood pressure, and another 12% report diabetes. Is a lack of sufficient healthy foods the cause of many health disparities in West Louisville?
One culprit many blame is the lack of connectivity with transportation options for those living in food deserts. Meaning low income families are less likely to have a reliable car and have to more heavily rely on the city's public transit infrastructure; which is far from reliable.
Another root cause of food disparity in West Louisville is far too many fast food options. Taking a drive down Broadway, it's easy to notice the sea of fast-food options ranging from Rally's, to KFC, to McDonalds all in a few blocks. According to Vox.com, lower-income people do not consume fast food more than middle-class people, which could mean the over abundance of fast-food restaurants could easily drown out the demand for groceries across the area.
Currently, there are efforts to bring the residents of West Louisville more and better access to nutritious food and groceries. Organizations such as the Louisville Community Grocery and Black Soil KY are a few of the amazing groups putting a stop to food insecurity in West Louisville.