At Truly Wholistic Health and Wellness, we often talk about food apartheid in the context of America’s urban communities. We’ve seen how systemic barriers keep nutritious, affordable foods out of reach for many neighborhoods. But it’s important to recognize that food apartheid and food deserts are not just American issues, they are global injustices impacting millions of families across continents.
In Africa, Asia, Latin America, and even parts of Europe, access to fresh, whole, and affordable foods is increasingly dictated by systems of inequality, urban planning, and profit-driven food industries. Communities in both developed and developing countries face the same reality: processed, nutrient-poor foods are easy to find, while fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods are scarce or unaffordable.
For example, in some rural villages across Sub-Saharan Africa, people must walk miles to access fresh produce markets, while imported processed foods line small convenience shops. In urban centers like London or Toronto, immigrant and low-income communities often live in “nutrition deserts,” where fast food outlets and corner stores dominate. This means children around the world are growing up with the same nutritional disadvantages, fueling not just hunger, but higher rates of obesity, diabetes, behavioral challenges, and chronic disease.
What makes this issue even more concerning is that it is rooted in systemic inequality. Food apartheid is not simply about a lack of grocery stores; it is about the deliberate disinvestment in certain communities and the prioritization of profit over people’s health. Around the world, it is the poor, the marginalized, and the underserved who pay the price.
But here’s the truth: food justice is a human right. Every person, no matter where they live, deserves access to fresh, nourishing food. Solving this global crisis requires both local and international solutions, community gardens, farmer’s markets, policy changes, and grassroots movements that push back against systems of inequality.
At Truly Wholistic Health and Wellness, we believe that access to high-quality, whole, plant-based food should never depend on your zip code or your country of origin. Our mission is rooted in the belief that every human has the right to holistic health and healing, and food is one of the most powerful medicines we can give ourselves and our communities.
Let’s not only shine a light on food apartheid in America, but also work together to dismantle it across the globe. Change begins with awareness, advocacy, and the commitment to building a world where wellness is truly accessible for all.
References
Alkon, A. H., & Agyeman, J. (2011). Cultivating food justice: Race, class, and sustainability. MIT Press.
Beaulac, J., Kristjansson, E., & Cummins, S. (2009). A systematic review of food deserts, 1966–2007. Preventing Chronic Disease, 6(3), A105.
FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, & WHO. (2022). The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2022: Repurposing food and agricultural policies to make healthy diets more affordable. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Patel, R. (2012). Stuffed and starved: The hidden battle for the world food system (2nd ed.). Melville House.
Walker, R. E., Keane, C. R., & Burke, J. G. (2010). Disparities and access to healthy food in the United States: A review of food deserts literature. Health & Place, 16(5), 876–884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.04.013
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