The Lone Star State contains the second-largest population in the country, but has been seen to suffer from low-quality access to fresh and nourishing food products in communities amongst its largest cities. Food deserts, as defined by Texas Department of Agriculture, are "areas characterized by poor access to healthy and affordable food, [and] may contribute to social and spatial disparities in diet and diet-related health outcomes."
The capital of Texas, Austin, is one of the most at-risk cities in the state for the health and well-being detriments that come along with the financial inequalities of a racially unjust and traditionally disproportionate urbanized area. Austin's 1928 city plan unofficially split the area into East and West Austin, and successfully segregated a concentrated Black population in the East and a predominantly White population in the West. This social justice issue remains problematic for frontline and minority communities as more and more people move into the state.
In a study analyzing the likelihood of food deserts in impoverished regions in Texas cities, it was concluded that Austin "had the greatest likelihood, at 65%, of its urban neighborhoods [being located in food deserts]." The study determined that this alarming proportion could be due to the unprecedented population growth from the last decade, making it extremely difficult to provide the necessary amounts of housing and vital resources for exposed communities.
Rising population levels have been caused by the influx of large-scale technological manufacturing corporations. As more money flows into the concentrated metropolis, the cost of living has skyrocketed. As the prices of homes go up, the gentrification of historically owned spaces causes irreversible damage.
Some scientifically approved initiatives include federal subsidy programs for healthy food consumer habits, nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions, and coordination with federal initiatives like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP). If state governments should acknowledge the four million Texans living below the federal poverty line and communities facing dangerous threats of food insecurity every day, they must take adaptive action now.