The Dynamics between the Food Environment and Residential Segregation. Evidence From U.S. Metropolitan Areas

• In Event: 095 - Section on Community and Urban Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 19. Food Deserts and Urban Cultivation

Abstract

The benefits of a “healthy diet” are firmly established, but the ability to follow established dietary-guidelines differs significantly. While personal choices do matter, the local food environment plays a role in the ability to access the right foods. The literature is abundant on the differential food landscape. However, the underlying pathways by which residential segregation impacts the food environment have not received attention in previous research.
This study looks at select MSAs and the varied effect of residential segregation on the food environment in terms of both access and quality, variety of food available. As the different measures of segregation reveal conceptually distinct features of residential segregation, this study analyzes each of the five different dimensions.
Results show that both segregation by race and segregation by income are more correlated with relative availability of healthy food and less correlated with overall access to food. While residential segregation does not significantly affect the mere existence of food outlets, it appears to impact the relative availability of healthy food options compared to unhealthy food options. Further, residential segregation by income has greater impact on the food environment compared to that by race.
Identifying the particular aspects of residential segregation that impact the food environment, allows us to address effective policies to combat these imbalances. By shedding light on the particular aspects of residential segregation that impact the food environment, this study fits into both the debate over the consequences of segregation, and the debate over effective food retail zoning and accessibility

Author

• Ferzana Havewala, University of Texas-Dallas