Foodscapes differ based on socioeconomic status. While cultural and ethnic differences enhance the foodscape, financial status determines food availability and choices. Convenience and fast foods are relatively inexpensive; healthy or organic food can be costly or may be unavailable in certain areas. Hunger is prevalent in low-income countries (LIC); health issues and outcomes in LICs are dependent on the availability of clean water and nutrient-dense food (The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021). High-income countries also face health issues and outcomes that can be traced back to the foodscape; a variety of nutrient-dense foods can be in short supply in commercial food systems. As biodiversity is negatively impacted by large commercial food systems, so too is a diverse foodscape.

“In 2014, roughly 48 million Americans—more than 30 percent of whom were children—lived in households experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity and lack of access to healthy, affordable food are linked to decreased economic opportunity and lower wages. About 85 percent of food insecure households include an employed adult, which suggests that despite having jobs, workers are earning low wages and that this is a contributing factor to food insecurity. In addition, communities of color are more likely to experience food insecurity than white communities: 1 in 4 African American households and 1 in 5 Latino households are food insecure, compared with only 1 in 10 white households. Furthermore, nearly half of the roughly 18 million people who live in food deserts are low-income. And roughly 2.3 million of these people live in low-income, rural areas that are more than 10 miles from the nearest supermarket… Adult hunger also extends to daily work performance. According to the AARP, almost 20 percent of adults ages 40 and older experience food insecurity at some point in their lives, and of those adults, 82.7 percent experience high food insecurity… Chronic health problems add to household medical expenses, with an estimated additional cost of $130.5 billion to adults who experience hunger annually compared with those who have not experienced food insecurity” (Blackwell).

“Although the importance of diet to reduce the chronic disease burden is well-established, social and economic barriers often preclude healthy food consumption, particularly in socially or geographically marginalized populations. The common good argument requires that policy decision, including food policy, be made on the basis of people’s well-being. The lack of quality food seems to be primarily a matter of social justice and human rights because this phenomenon is essentially rooted in social structures. Efforts to increase healthy food consumption solely through health education efforts and food distribution may have been shown not to suffice. Research into the development and implementation of policies that focus on ameliorating societal inequities, food environment, consumer choice, and retail competition is warranted. Importantly, advocacy and partnership among a variety of agents including health professionals is required to address this important public health issue” (Azétsop).