Urban sprawl and the emergence of food deserts in the USA

Abstract

Providing access to a variety of healthy and affordable foods has been the goal of several federal and state policy initiatives in the USA. The first step towards the successful implementation of these initiatives is to identify food deserts and to understand the mechanism by which food deserts arise. This national-level study investigates the association between urban sprawl and the emergence of food deserts at both regional and neighbourhood levels. Multilevel analysis is used to model the likelihood of a census tract being a food desert, controlling for sociodemographic and built environmental characteristics. We find that urban sprawl, measured via a compactness index, holds a significant association with the likelihood of a census tract being a food desert. Specifically, a one unit increase in the compactness index is associated with a 5.6% decrease in the odds of a census tract being a food desert. In conclusion, we recommend increasing the land use density, mix and walkability of neighbourhoods to create a supportive and attractive environment for food retailers in which to invest.

Subway Ridership, Crowding, or Population Density: Determinants of COVID-19 Infection Rates in New York City

“…30 Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive research has confirmed the environmental and public health benefits of dense, compact, and transit-accessible developments. [31][32][33][34] This study found no evidence that population density was associated with a higher per capita COVID-19 infection rate. Indeed, crowding (and not density) was associated with the higher infection rate on April 1.…”

Sustaining What Is Unsustainable: A Review of Urban Sprawl and Urban Socio-Environmental Policies in North America and Western Europe

“…For instance, the commercial, leisure, and productive facilities of many of suburban areas have grown significantly. In fact, in many cases, they are currently better than those observed in inner-city areas [111]. Moreover, areas with less pollution, higher water quality, etc.…”

“…The existence of FD has been verified in countries such as US [109], Canada [108] or UK [110]. FD must be understood as the result of evolutionary processes closely associated with the phenomena of urban sprawl [111]. In this sense, the growing migration of middle-class families to the suburbs tends to reduce the average income of inner-city inhabitants and, thus, the potential market for businesses.…”

“…Moreover, new suburban supermarkets have a wider and better-quality offer, generally at lower prices [110]. In this sense, the extension of the suburban stain has in the US a significant correlation with the appearance of FD areas [111]. However, in the cases in which low-income social groups inhabit suburban spaces, the problem of access to certain goods can be accentuated [112].…”

“…In this sense, high levels of morbidity, mortality, and adverse health outcomes are related, among other elements, to diet and, in turn, to the existence of few alternatives to promote healthy nutrition. Consequently, they are associated with the existence of FD [104,111,138].…”