Abstract
Little is known about the mechanisms through which neighborhood-level factors (e.g., social support, economic opportunity) relate to suboptimal availability of healthy foods in low-income urban communities. We engaged a diverse group of chain and local food outlet owners, residents, neighborhood organizations, and city agencies based in Baltimore, MD. Eighteen participants completed a series of exercises based on a set of pre-defined scripts through an interactive, iterative group model building process over a two-day community-based workshop. This process culminated in the development of causal loop diagrams, based on participants’ perspectives, illustrating the dynamic factors in an urban neighborhood food system. Synthesis of diagrams yielded 21 factors and their embedded feedback loops. Crime played a prominent role in several feedback loops within the neighborhood food system: contributing to healthy food being “risky food,” supporting unhealthy food stores, and severing social ties important for learning about healthy food. Findings shed light on a new framework for thinking about barriers related to healthy food access and pointed to potential new avenues for intervention, such as reducing neighborhood crime.
Highlights
Prior research has shown variability in the food environment, eating behaviors, and obesity risk across neighborhood features, such as socioeconomic status and racial composition
The purpose of this article is to describe the process and implementation of a group model building workshop with community members to: (1) learn about the range of factors that affect the neighborhood food system and suboptimal healthy food access for residents; (2) explore different stakeholders’ perspectives on the nature and consequences of suboptimal healthy food access, and to develop common language between these groups to talk about these challenges; and (3) identify potential points of intervention to improve healthy food access
Key reinforcing feedback loops within these themes are described in further detail below and included: “chicken box stores,” “risky” healthy food, crime and food businesses, economic opportunity, and crime and social support
Summary
The purpose of this article is to describe the process and implementation of a group model building workshop with community members to: (1) learn about the range of factors that affect the neighborhood food system and suboptimal healthy food access for residents; (2) explore different stakeholders’ perspectives on the nature and consequences of suboptimal healthy food access, and to develop common language between these groups to talk about these challenges; and (3) identify potential points of intervention to improve healthy food access
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