The Relationship Between Food Deserts, Farmers' Markets, and Food Assistance Programs in Hawai'i Census Tracts

Due to inadequate resources and limited access to healthy foods, residents who live in food deserts struggle to maintain a healthful diet. Living in a food desert increases the risk of developing diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity. Local farmers' markets serve as community-level interventions, bringing healthy food options to food deserts. This study explores the relationship between food deserts, placement of farmers' markets, and availability of food assistance programs in the state of Hawai'i. Data are from the 2017 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Access Research Atlas and the USDA Farmers' Market Directory. Farmers' market addresses were geocoded in ArcGIS 10.3. Descriptive statistics and spatial visualization were used to explore census tract level relationships. Of the Hawai'i census tracts, 10% are food deserts. Sixteen of the 101 registered farmers markets are located within a food desert. Of these markets, 28.7% accept Farmers' Market Nutrition Program coupons, 0% accept Women, Infants, and Children Fruit and Vegetable Checks, and 39.6% accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Fewer than 20% of farmers' markets in Hawai'i are located in food deserts, and few accept food assistance programs. Fresh food is less accessible to low-income residents in these areas and lack of access to fresh food is associated with diet-related chronic diseases. To reduce food insecurity, farmers' markets could accept food assistance program funds. Additional farmers' markets could be established in food deserts to increase availability of healthy food, thereby reducing the population's risk of developing obesity and diet-related chronic diseases.