Effects of access to food retailers and convenience of public transportation on residents’ fresh food intake and body mass index

Abstract

IntroductionThis study analyzes the effects of food accessibility on fresh food intake and body mass index (BMI) in the lowest level of local government areas (LLGAs) of South Korea. MethodsWe used four sub-variables of physical food accessibility: access to food retailers, availability of public transportation, car ownership, and apartment residence. We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey, which were matched with the number of food retail stores and the number of bus stops and subway exits in each respondent's LLGA. We divided the respondents into urban dwellers and rural dwellers in the path analysis. ResultsThe access to food retailers and convenience in public transport were inferior in rural areas relative to urban areas. In urban areas, access to food retailers and public transportation did not affect fresh food intake and BMI, and there was no indirect effect of fresh food intake on BMI. In rural areas, fresh food intake decreased as access to food retailers decreased, which indirectly deteriorated BMI. ConclusionsThe issue of physical accessibility to food supplies in rural areas must be prioritized, and relevant policy interventions from local governments are necessary. Owning private automobiles increased the opportunity to eat fresh foods, and the effect was higher in rural areas, where car ownership lowered BMI indirectly. This suggests that the relative disadvantage of access to food retailers and inconvenient public transport in rural areas can be overcome through transport policies. By doing so, residents can be provided with better access to competitively priced, good-quality food.