Examining healthy food accessibility and disparity in Baton Rouge, Louisiana​​​​

Abstract

ABSTRACTDisparities in healthy food accessibility have long been a public health concern. This study used the 2-step floating catchment area method to measure healthy food accessibility in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. The research creatively integrated the population with and without private vehicle to measure spatial accessibility. The overall disparities in healthy food access were firstly exhibited by a series of weighted average accessibility under different demographic groups. Furthermore, the relationships between healthy food access and other non-spatial socio-economic characteristics were examined by ordinary least squares regression and geographically weighted regression to model the non-stationarity processes and understand the spatial variation of non-spatial socio-economic factors. The research shows that the suburb areas near the periphery of the urbanized area have the highest healthy food access; within urbanized areas, the middle-south part fares better than the rest, while the rural areas suffer from poor healthy food access. The local pockets in central city score lower than the south of the study area despite higher density of population and number of food store. Socio-economically disadvantaged population suffers from poorer accessibility because of relatively lower percentage of private vehicle ownership and they fare even worse in neighbourhoods without transit access. Such findings indicate that people are experiencing disparities in healthy food access not only because of ‘where they are’ but also ‘who they are’. These results can help planners and policymakers scientifically design strategies to improve healthy food accessibility and eliminate inequalities.