IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i23p15754-d985128.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Food Accessibility in the Suburbs of the Metropolitan City of Antwerp (Belgium): A Factor of Concern in Local Public Health and Active and Healthy Aging

Author

Listed:
  • Bart Geurden

    (Centre for Research and Innovation of Care (CRIC), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
    Center for Gastrology and Primary Food Care, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    Reference Site Three Rivers FoodDelta, EIP on AHA Reference Site Collaborative Network (RSCN), 1040 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Jeroen Cant

    (Research Group for Urban Development, Faculty of Design Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Joris Beckers

    (Department of Transport and Regional Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium)

Abstract

Population aging and declining birth rates are key demographic trends of the 21st century. While the overall life expectancy and healthy life years increase, the quality of life and functional capacity worsens due to non-communicable diseases strongly related to aging. Therefore, aging citizens are often vulnerable to food insecurity. The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the physical accessibility of fresh food and possible alternatives within the setting of an aging society in Antwerp (Belgium), a metropolitan city at the heart of the EU Reference Site ‘Three Rivers Food Delta’. We demonstrate that a large number of the Antwerp suburban areas in which 15 to 25% of current inhabitants are already over 65 years old are confronted with problematic physical accessibility of food due to long walking distances to the nearest food shop. E-commerce has the potential to provide better access to fresh food. This is especially relevant for people with specific needs, such as health-related diets, dysphagia, and/or limited mobility. However, e-commerce introduces new inequalities, as those who would benefit the most from digital accessibility currently use it least. Hence, the organization of fresh food access requires a more thoughtful organization of the ‘last mile’ and possible alternatives to home delivery. This makes food accessibility an urgent factor of concern in public health and healthy aging in the Antwerp suburban areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Bart Geurden & Jeroen Cant & Joris Beckers, 2022. "Food Accessibility in the Suburbs of the Metropolitan City of Antwerp (Belgium): A Factor of Concern in Local Public Health and Active and Healthy Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15754-:d:985128
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15754/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15754/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hirsch, Stefan & Koppenberg, Maximilian, 2020. "Power imbalances in French food retailing: Evidence from a production function approach to estimate market power," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    2. Ashu Kedia & Diana Kusumastuti & Alan Nicholson, 2019. "Establishing Collection and Delivery Points to Encourage the Use of Active Transport: A Case Study in New Zealand Using a Consumer-Centric Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Barbara Baarsma & Jesse Groenewegen, 2021. "COVID-19 and the Demand for Online Grocery Shopping: Empirical Evidence from the Netherlands," De Economist, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 407-421, November.
    4. Sanchez-Diaz, Ivan & Altuntas Vural, Ceren & Halldórsson, Árni, 2021. "Assessing the inequalities in access to online delivery services and the way COVID-19 pandemic affects marginalization," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 24-36.
    5. Dennis, Charles & Alamanos, Eleftherios & Papagiannidis, Savvas & Bourlakis, Michael, 2016. "Does social exclusion influence multiple channel use? The interconnections with community, happiness, and well-being," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 1061-1070.
    6. Beckers, Joris & Cárdenas, Ivan & Verhetsel, Ann, 2018. "Identifying the geography of online shopping adoption in Belgium," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 33-41.
    7. Hansen, Stine & Newbold, K. Bruce & Scott, Darren M. & Vrkljan, Brenda & Grenier, Amanda, 2020. "To drive or not to drive: Driving cessation amongst older adults in rural and small towns in Canada," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    8. Ann Verhetsel & Joris Beckers & Jeroen Cant, 2022. "Regional retail landscapes emerging from spatial network analysis," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(11), pages 1829-1844, November.
    9. Currie, Graham & Richardson, Tony & Smyth, Paul & Vella-Brodrick, Dianne & Hine, Julian & Lucas, Karen & Stanley, Janet & Morris, Jenny & Kinnear, Ray & Stanley, John, 2009. "Investigating links between transport disadvantage, social exclusion and well-being in Melbourne--Preliminary results," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 97-105, July.
    10. Alexander Rossolov & Halyna Rossolova & José Holguín-Veras, 2021. "Online and in-store purchase behavior: shopping channel choice in a developing economy," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 3143-3179, December.
    11. Joris Beckers & Ann Verhetsel, 2021. "The sustainability of the urban layer of e-commerce deliveries: the Belgian collection and delivery point networks," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(12), pages 2300-2319, December.
    12. Ann Verhetsel & Isabelle Thomas & Marjan Beelen, 2010. "Commuting in Belgian metropolitan areas: The power of the Alonso-Muth model," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 2(3), pages 109-131.
    13. 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.
    14. Mattioli, Giulio & Philips, Ian & Anable, Jillian & Chatterton, Tim, 2019. "Vulnerability to motor fuel price increases: Socio-spatial patterns in England," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 98-114.
    15. Tine Buffel & Liesbeth De Donder & Chris Phillipson & Nico De Witte & Sarah Dury & Dominique Vert�, 2014. "Place Attachment Among Older Adults Living in Four Communities in Flanders, Belgium," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(6), pages 800-822, September.
    16. SeolHwa Moon & Kyongok Park, 2020. "The Predictors of Driving Cessation among Older Drivers in Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-13, October.
    17. Hood, Nick & Urquhart, Ryan & Newing, Andy & Heppenstall, Alison, 2020. "Sociodemographic and spatial disaggregation of e-commerce channel use in the grocery market in Great Britain," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    18. Vincent Smets & Jeroen Cant & Stefanie Vandevijvere, 2022. "The Changing Landscape of Food Deserts and Swamps over More than a Decade in Flanders, Belgium," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, October.
    19. Ann Verhetsel & Joris Beckers & Michiel Meyere, 2018. "Assessing Daily Urban Systems: A Heterogeneous Commuting Network Approach," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 633-656, September.
    20. Lucas, Karen & Bates, John & Moore, José & Carrasco, Juan Antonio, 2016. "Modelling the relationship between travel behaviours and social disadvantage," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 157-173.
    21. Lucia A. Leone & Sheila Fleischhacker & Betsy Anderson-Steeves & Kaitlyn Harper & Megan Winkler & Elizabeth Racine & Barbara Baquero & Joel Gittelsohn, 2020. "Healthy Food Retail during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Future Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-14, October.
    22. Shao, Rui & Derudder, Ben & Witlox, Frank, 2022. "The geography of e-shopping in China: On the role of physical and virtual accessibility," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    23. Sylvain Charlebois & Mark Juhasz & Janet Music, 2021. "Supply Chain Responsiveness to a (Post)-Pandemic Grocery and Food Service E-Commerce Economy: An Exploratory Canadian Case Study," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-19, July.
    24. Bruno Meeus & Pascal De Decker, 2015. "Staying Put! A Housing Pathway Analysis of Residential Stability in Belgium," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 1116-1134, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Beckers, Joris & Weekx, Simon & Beutels, Philippe & Verhetsel, Ann, 2021. "COVID-19 and retail: The catalyst for e-commerce in Belgium?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    2. Wang, Jiawei, 2023. "The relationship between loneliness and consumer shopping channel choice: Evidence from China," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    3. Beckers, Joris & Cardenas, Ivan & Sanchez-Diaz, Ivan, 2022. "Managing household freight: The impact of online shopping on residential freight trips," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 299-311.
    4. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Koomson, Isaac & Munyanyi, Musharavati Ephraim, 2023. "Transport poverty and obesity: The mediating roles of social capital and physical activity," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 155-166.
    5. Frederik Priem & Philip Stessens & Frank Canters, 2020. "Microsimulation of residential activity for alternative urban development scenarios: A case study on brussels and flemish brabant," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/305003, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Shi, Kunbo & De Vos, Jonas & Cheng, Long & Yang, Yongchun & Witlox, Frank, 2021. "The influence of the built environment on online purchases of intangible services: Examining the mediating role of online purchase attitudes," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 116-126.
    7. Colaço, Rui & de Abreu e Silva, João, 2022. "Exploring the e-shopping geography of Lisbon: Assessing online shopping adoption for retail purchases and food deliveries using a 7-day shopping survey," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Allen, Jeff & Farber, Steven, 2020. "Suburbanization of transport poverty," SocArXiv hkpfj, Center for Open Science.
    9. Allen, Jeff & Farber, Steven, 2020. "Planning transport for social inclusion: An accessibility-activity participation approach," SocArXiv ap7wh, Center for Open Science.
    10. Beckers, Joris & Cardenas, Ivan & Le Pira, Michela & Zhang, Jia, 2023. "Exploring Logistics-as-a-Service to integrate the consumer into urban freight," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    11. Singh, Shivendu Shekhar & Sarkar, Basudatta, 2022. "Transport accessibility and affordability as the determinant of non-motorized commuting in rural India," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 101-111.
    12. Frederik Priem & Philip Stessens & Frank Canters, 2020. "Microsimulation of Residential Activity for Alternative Urban Development Scenarios: A Case Study on Brussels and Flemish Brabant," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-28, March.
    13. Arevalo-Ascanio, Rafael & De Meyer, Annelies & Gevaers, Roel & Guisson, Ruben & Dewulf, Wouter, 2024. "From operational to strategic modelling: A continuous multi-scale approach for last-mile analysis," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    14. Goulias, Konstadinos G. & Shi, Hui, 2024. "Complex network analysis of fossil fuel functional regions in the United States during the period 2017 to 2022," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    15. Arranz-López, Aldo & Acker, Veronique Van & Dijst, Martin, 2025. "Exploring the influence of Internet-related perceptions and e-shopping on spatiotemporal accessibility perceptions: A study of social housing beneficiaries in Luxembourg," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    16. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Smyth, Russell, 2019. "Transport poverty and subjective wellbeing," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 40-54.
    17. Fan Wang & Mingfeng Wang & Shichen Yuan, 2021. "Spatial Diffusion of E-Commerce in China’s Counties: Based on the Perspective of Regional Inequality," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, October.
    18. Ensar Yılmaz & Zeynep Kaplan, 2022. "Heterogeneity of market power: firm-level evidence," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 1207-1228, May.
    19. Cristina Alvarez-Peregrina & Clara Martinez-Perez & Cesar Villa-Collar & Miguel Ángel Sánchez-Tena, 2021. "Influence of Vision on Drivers: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-9, November.
    20. Shi Chen & Yi Sun & Bo Kyong Seo, 2022. "The Effects of Public Open Space on Older People’s Well-Being: From Neighborhood Social Cohesion to Place Dependence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-16, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15754-:d:985128. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.