Spatial patterning of supermarkets and fast food outlets with respect to neighborhood characteristics

• Published in: Health & place Vol. 23; pp. 157 - 164
• Main Authors: Lamichhane, Archana P., Warren, Joshua, Puett, Robin, Porter, Dwayne E., Bottai, Matteo, Mayer-Davis, Elizabeth J., Liese, Angela D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Clustering; Commerce; Environment. Living conditions; Family income; Fast food; Fast food outlet; Fast Foods - supply & distribution; Health technology assessment; Healthy food; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Neighborhood characteristics; Neighbourhoods; Population density; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Residence Characteristics; South Carolina; Spatial Analysis; Spatial clustering; Spatial patterning; Supermarket; Supermarkets; Urban areas; South Carolina; Neighborhood characteristics; Spatial clustering; Spatial patterning; Supermarket; Fast food outlet; Social influence; Characteristics; Characteristic; Fast food; Residential neighborhoods
• ISSN: 1353-8292; 1873-2054; 1873-2054
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.07.002

A large body of literature has reported differences in exposure to environments supporting either healthy (e.g. supermarkets) or unhealthy (e.g. fast food outlets) dietary choices by neighborhood characteristics. We explored the associations of both supermarkets and fast food outlets availability with neighborhood characteristics, and clustering of these two outlet types in a largely rural state. Compared to block groups without a supermarket, those with a supermarket had a significantly higher income, higher housing value, larger population with high school education and above, lower minority population and lower population living below poverty even after controlling for urbanicity and population density of census block groups. Surprisingly, a similar relationship was found for block groups with and without fast food outlets. This was due to spatial co-occurrence and clustering of fast food outlets around supermarket locations. Hence, future studies exploring the associations of food environment with diet or diet-related health outcome should concurrently examine all aspects of food environment (healthy and unhealthy). •Block groups with supermarkets had a significantly higher SES than without supermarket.•Similar relationship was observed for block groups with or without fast food outlets.•Similar patterning of the supermarkets and fast food outlets by neighborhood characteristics.•Spatial co-occurrence of supermarkets and fast food outlets in geographic space.