Food Retail Environments in Greater Melbourne 2008–2016: Longitudinal Analysis of Intra-City Variation in Density and Healthiness of Food Outlets

Cindy Needham, Liliana Orellana, Steven Allender, Gary Sacks, Miranda R. Blake and Claudia Strugnell
Additional contact information
Cindy Needham: Institute for Health Transformation, Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
Liliana Orellana: Faculty of Health, Biostatistics Unit, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
Steven Allender: Institute for Health Transformation, Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
Gary Sacks: Institute for Health Transformation, Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
Miranda R. Blake: Institute for Health Transformation, Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
Claudia Strugnell: Institute for Health Transformation, Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: food retail; food environment; diet; obesity; urban growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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