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Food retail environments in greater melbourne 2008–2016: Longitudinal analysis of intra-city variation in density and healthiness of food outlets

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posted on 2024-06-18, 19:33 authored by Cindy NeedhamCindy Needham, Liliana OrellanaLiliana Orellana, Steven AllenderSteven Allender, Gary SacksGary Sacks, Miranda BlakeMiranda Blake, Claudia StrugnellClaudia Strugnell
Obesity prevalence is inequitably distributed across geographic areas. Food environments may contribute to health disparities, yet little is known about how food environments are evolving over time and how this may influence dietary intake and weight. This study aimed to analyse intra-city variation in density and healthiness of food outlets between 2008 and 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. Food outlet data were classified by location, type and healthiness. Local government areas (LGAs) were classified into four groups representing distance from the central business district. Residential population estimates for each LGA were used to calculate the density of food outlets per 10,000 residents. Linear mixed models were fitted to estimate the mean density and ratio of ‘healthy’ to ‘unhealthy’ food outlets and food outlet ‘types’ by LGA group over time. The number of food outlets increased at a faster rate than the residential population, driven by an increasing density of both ‘unhealthy’ and ‘healthy’ outlets. Across all years, ratios of ‘unhealthy’ to ‘healthy’ outlets were highest in LGAs located in designated Growth Areas. Melbourne’s metropolitan food environment is saturated by ‘unhealthy’ and ‘less healthy’ food outlets, relative to ‘healthy’ ones. Melbourne’s urban growth areas had the least healthy food environments.

History

Journal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume

17

Article number

ARTN 1321

Location

Switzerland

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1661-7827

eISSN

1660-4601

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2020, The Authors

Issue

4

Publisher

MDPI