Which term describes an urban environment with an abundance of several non-nutritious food options such as corner stores or fast-food restaurants; few grocery stores but easy local access to non-nutritious food?

• A. Urban
• B. Food Desert
• C. Malnutrition
• D. Food Swamp

Answer: (D)

Think of the food environment as a landscape of choices. When the neighborhood is full of corner stores and fast-food outlets and grocery stores are scarce, with easy access to unhealthy foods, that environment is called a food swamp. It captures the idea that many outlets sell non-nutritious options and nutritious options are harder to come by. A food desert describes limited access to nutritious foods due to few grocery stores or transportation barriers, not the prevalence of unhealthy outlets. Malnutrition is about the health outcomes from poor nutrition, not the structure of the food environment. The term urban is just about being in a city, not about food availability. So the scenario fits best with a food swamp.