Atlanta Food Map

Mapping Food Access Across Metro Atlanta

Food insecurity—defined as limited or uncertain access to nutritionally adequate food—is a pressing public health issue in the U.S., affecting millions of individuals and driving poor nutrition, chronic disease, and health disparities. In Georgia, where only 8% of adults consume enough fruits and vegetables and rates of obesity and diabetes remain high, understanding and addressing food insecurity is essential for achieving health equity.

While food insecurity is often measured at the household level, it is shaped by complex systems—how food is grown, distributed, priced, and accessed. Yet, metro Atlanta lacks a tool to visualize and understand the local food environment as a whole. There is an urgent need to for a better understanding of where food resources are available, and where gaps exist.

Atlanta Food Map

View Atlanta Food Access Explorer

The Atlanta Food Map project helps to fill this gap. Led by Drs Siegel, Rhodes, Hassan, and Chakkalakal, this initiative developed a first-of-its-kind, interactive food map for the 5 most populous counties in Atlanta: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett. It brings together public health data, food environment indicators, and public transportation information to help identify gaps in food access across metro Atlanta. With help from Blue Raster, we created an online portal where users can explore food access in Atlanta. This tool is designed to support local decision-makers, health systems, and community-based organizations in identifying high-need areas, prioritizing resources, and scaling solutions that make healthy food more accessible across metro Atlanta. Eventually, the map will also include community experience data from individuals in Atlanta who are experiencing food insecurity.

Through this work, we aim to:

  • Visualize the structure and function of the food environment
  • Understand how people experiencing food insecurity interact with that system
  • Guide action toward policies and programs that build a healthier, more equitable food future for Atlanta