The term most people know is “food desert,” meaning a neighborhood where fresh, affordable food is hard to find. But there’s another term that better describes what’s happening in many American cities — including Paterson: a food swamp. What’s the Difference? A food desert is about absence: Few or no places to buy fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods. A food swamp is about overexposure: An environment flooded with cheap, high-calorie, ultra-processed foods that overwhelm the limited heal...

Food Desert vs. Food Swamp:

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