The Food Desert Myth

Two and nine-tenths cheers to the New York Times for running on its front page a skeptical article by Gina Kolata about the food desert myth, that is, the lack of evidence for the idea, fashionable in some circles, that what really ails the American poor is a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The missing one-tenth of a cheer is for the lack of attention to what Mayor Bloomberg has been doing on the issue in New York, and for the lack of attention to the Times's own role in promoting this myth over the years. But wonderful to see, nonetheless. The Times even visits Camden, N.J., for its myth-shattering piece, just as I did for mine in January 2011.