Using Zoning to Create Healthy Food Environments

Studies indicate that low-income communities disproportionately share the burden of food insecurity - meaning limited access to foods for a healthy lifestyle. While low-income families face limited access to healthy foods, studies demonstrate that access to fast food establishments and nutritionally poor foods is more readily available in low-income communities. In addition, as diet-related diseases such as diabetes continue to rise, there is a higher prevalence of diet-related diseases in low-income communities.

Cities and municipalities have historically used zoning in the United States to promote public health. While the public health concerns have changed over time, zoning is still a powerful legal tool to improve a community's built environment and overall public health. From encouraging urban agriculture to increasing the availability of farmers' markets, cities and municipalities are using their zoning authority to increase access and availability of healthy foods in communities. While there are zoning approaches focusing on limiting the availability of nutritionally poor foods, this paper focuses on increasing the availability of healthy foods as a way to improve the nutritional landscape of low-income communities, as well as potentially assisting in the communities' economic development.