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Evaluating Consumer Nutrition Environment in Food Deserts and Food Swamps

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  • He Jin

    (School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620, USA)

  • Yongmei Lu

    (Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, USA)

Abstract

This research examines the consumer nutrition environment in the selected neighborhoods identified as food deserts, food swamps, and food oases in Austin, Texas, by considering food availability, food price, food quality, and food labeling. A food auditing instrument M-TxNEA-S (He Jin, San Marcos, TX, USA) was developed to capture the unique dietary culture and food preferences in Texas. A total of 93 food items in 14 grocery stores and supermarkets (GS) and 32 convenience stores (CS) were surveyed. The GS in food swamps and food oases were found to offer significantly more healthy foods than the CS. The availability of healthy food in the GS in the food swamps and food oases is significantly higher than that of the GS from the food deserts; CS in the three neighborhoods did not exhibit a significant difference in healthy food availability. There was no significant difference between the price for the healthy items (lower fat, lower calorie, and whole grain) and that for the regular food options. No significant difference was found for food quality or food labeling between the stores from the different types of neighborhoods. The GS in food deserts are small grocery stores carrying limited ranges of foods. The establishment of larger food stores in the food deserts might not be very rewarding, but opening more small grocery stores with healthier options may alleviate food issues.

Suggested Citation

  • He Jin & Yongmei Lu, 2021. "Evaluating Consumer Nutrition Environment in Food Deserts and Food Swamps," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2675-:d:512146
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Kristen Cooksey-Stowers & Marlene B. Schwartz & Kelly D. Brownell, 2017. "Food Swamps Predict Obesity Rates Better Than Food Deserts in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-20, November.
    6. Jonnell A. Robinson & Evan Weissman & Susan Adair & Matthew Potteiger & Joaquin Villanueva, 2016. "An oasis in the desert? The benefits and constraints of mobile markets operating in Syracuse, New York food deserts," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 33(4), pages 877-893, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jacqueline Araneda-Flores & Patricio Oliva Moresco & Gladys Quezada-Figueroa & Luz Lobos-Fernandez & Barbara Leyton & Anna Christina Pinheiro, 2022. "Development and Validation of a Set of Instruments to Measure Food Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-10, October.

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