Reducing Inequalities in Health and Diet: Findings from a Study on the Impact of a Food Retail Development

Steven Cummins, Anne Findlay, Cassie Higgins, Mark Petticrew, Leigh Sparks and Hilary Thomson
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Steven Cummins: Department of Geography, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England
Anne Findlay: Institute for Retail Studies, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland
Leigh Sparks: Institute for Retail Studies, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland
Hilary Thomson: MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RZ, Scotland

Environment and Planning A, 2008, vol. 40, issue 2, 402-422

Abstract: The health and diet impacts of a large-scale food retail development within a deprived area of Glasgow (Springburn) are reported. The study used a prospective quasi-experimental design which compared changes in diet and psychological health in an area where a new hypermarket was built (the intervention area) with a similarly deprived comparison area in Glasgow (Shettleston). A postal survey was undertaken both before and one year after the hypermarket was built, to assess changes in diet, self-reported health, and perceptions of neighbourhood. Changes in the retail structure of both areas were assessed through a ‘before-and-(repeated)-after’ intervention shop count survey. Qualitative data on diet, the neighbourhood, and the impact of the store were collected through focus groups. The quantitative study found limited improvements in diet and health. There was weak evidence for the impact of the hypermarket on population diet. There was weak evidence that poor psychological health in the intervention area reduced. Amongst those who ‘switched’ to the new hypermarket there was weak evidence of a small improvement in mean fruit and vegetable consumption but good evidence of psychological health improvement. Qualitative and retail survey results reinforce this, identifying perceptions of areal improvement through redevelopment and a small positive impact of the new store on the retail structure of the intervention area.

Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envira:v:40:y:2008:i:2:p:402-422

DOI: 10.1068/a38371

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