With ‘food deserts’ everywhere, it’s no wonder so many Brits are obese | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Too many people live too far from shops selling fresh food. There are steps the government could take, but don't hold your breath

In the past decade there has been a revolution in the British food industry. If you are a comfortably-off urban dweller, it has never been easier to procure a healthy snack. Gone are the days where a soggy sandwich and a packet of crisps were the best you could hope for: now your options include protein pots, prepared mango, chia seed yoghurt, salads containing quinoa. Large supermarkets, too, have cottoned on: if it's fajita night, a wholemeal wrap is an option. So is reduced-fat cheese. And, if you're happy to overlook the food miles involved, a larger selection of fresh vegetables than our grandparents could have ever imagined.

Yet the food revolution does not benefit everyone. A new study from the Social Market Foundation in collaboration with Kellogg's has found that more than a million Britons are living in "food deserts" - neighbourhoods where poverty, poor transport and a lack of big supermarkets severely curtails access to affordable fruit and vegetables.

Related: More than a million UK residents live in 'food deserts', says study

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