Thursday, Feb 3 2011 5:24PM
Many rural communities in the Western states do not have access to a convenient source of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Rural communities in Western states like Montana and Wyoming are often bypassed by food distributors, reported NewWest, creating pockets of food deserts around the region.
Food deserts are defined as areas that do not have easy access to healthy and affordable grocery stores or food sources, a plight that affects many communities in both rural and urban areas across the nation. A study by the Research Initiation Program at Mississippi State University found that the area between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains - encompassing parts of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico - had the highest concentration of food deserts in the country.
The website said the prevalence of chain supermarkets has stagnated rural community development by putting local grocers out of business, causing many people to lose easy access to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the dwindling populations of some rural towns often keeps food distributors from delivering to smaller grocery stores because the cost of doing so usually outweighs the profit.
According to the New York Times, some drugstore chains are now attempting to stock more meal options in order to provide grocery options in areas that lack stores. Last summer Walgreens expanded its food section to include fruits and vegetables in 10 of its locations to help with the problem.