Putting food access in its topological place: thinking in terms of relational becomings when mapping space

Purpose: Examine if Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are more likely to be located in low food access area (LFA) census tracts compared to public non-HBCUs. Design: ArcGIS Pro was utilized to capture food environments and census tract sociodemographic data. Setting: The sample included 98 HBCUs and 777 public non-HBCUs within the United States. 28.9% of study census tracts were classified as LFA tracts. Measures: University data were gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics. Census tract-level LFA classification was informed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Access Research Atlas. Covariates included population density and neighborhood socioeconomic status of census tracts containing subject universities. Analysis: Multilevel logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between university type and LFA classification. Results: A higher percentage of HBCUs (46.9%) than public non-HBCUs (26.6%) were located in LFAs. After adjusting for population density and neighborhood socioeconomic status, university type was significantly associated with food access classification (B=0.71;p=.0036). The odds of an HBCU being located in LFA tracts were 104% greater than for a public non-HBCU (OR=2.04;95% CI=1.26,3.29). Conclusion: Findings underscore the need for policy interventions tailored to HBCU students to promote food security, environmental justice, and public health.

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Effect of seasonality on food access in subsistence and cash dependent Maya households in large and small rural communities in Yucatan, Mexico

Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.1080/21683565.2021.1930623 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-26

Author(s):

Francisco Delfín Gurri ◽

Wilma Ruiz-García ◽

Mirna Isela Vallejo-Nieto ◽

Dolores Ofelia Molina-Rosales

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Food Access

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Qualitative perspectives of the North Carolina healthy food small retailer program among customers in participating stores located in food deserts

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11509-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lindsey Haynes-Maslow ◽

Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts ◽

Kathryn A. Boys ◽

Jared T. McGuirt ◽

Sheila Fleischhacker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Low Income ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Food Access ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Food Deserts ◽

State Legislature ◽

Healthy Food ◽

The State ◽

The North

Abstract Background The North Carolina Healthy Food Small Retailer Program (NC HFSRP) was established through a policy passed by the state legislature to provide funding for small food retailers located in food deserts with the goal of increasing access to and sales of healthy foods and beverages among local residents. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perceptions of the NC HFSRP among store customers. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 29 customers from five NC HFSRP stores in food deserts across eastern NC. Interview questions were related to shoppers’ food and beverage purchases at NC HFSRP stores, whether they had noticed any in-store efforts to promote healthier foods and beverages, their suggestions for promoting healthier foods and beverages, their familiarity with and support of the NC HFSRP, and how their shopping and consumption habits had changed since implementation of the NC HFSRP. A codebook was developed based on deductive (from the interview guide questions) and inductive (emerged from the data) codes and operational definitions. Verbatim transcripts were double-coded and a thematic analysis was conducted based on code frequency, and depth of participant responses for each code. Results Although very few participants were aware of the NC HFSRP legislation, they recognized changes within the store. Customers noted that the provision of healthier foods and beverages in the store had encouraged them to make healthier purchase and consumption choices. When a description of the NC HFSRP was provided to them, all participants were supportive of the state-funded program. Participants discussed program benefits including improving food access in low-income and/or rural areas and making healthy choices easier for youth and for those most at risk of diet-related chronic diseases. Conclusions Findings can inform future healthy corner store initiatives in terms of framing a rationale for funding or policies by focusing on increased food access among vulnerable populations.

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Correlates of Transitions in Food Insecurity Status during the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Ethnically Diverse Households in Central Texas

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082597 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2597

Author(s):

Kathryn M. Janda ◽

Nalini Ranjit ◽

Deborah Salvo ◽

Aida Nielsen ◽

Pablo Lemoine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Food Availability ◽

Low Income ◽

Food Access ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Related Factors ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Early Stages ◽

Central Texas ◽

June July

Food insecurity increased substantially in the USA during the early stages of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to identify potential sociodemographic and food access-related factors that were associated with continuing or transitioning into food insecurity in a diverse population. An electronic survey was completed by 367 households living in low-income communities in Central Texas during June–July 2020. Multinomial logistic regression models were developed to examine the associations among food insecurity transitions during COVID-19 and various sociodemographic and food access-related factors, including race/ethnicity, children in the household, loss of employment/wages, language, and issues with food availability, accessibility, affordability, and stability during the pandemic. Sociodemographic and food access-related factors associated with staying or becoming newly food insecure were similar but not identical. Having children in the household, changes in employment/wages, changing shopping location due to food availability, accessibility and/or affordability issues, issues with food availability, and stability of food supply were associated with becoming newly food insecure and staying food insecure during the pandemic. Identifying as Latino and/or Black was associated with staying food insecure during COVID-19. These findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic did not create new food insecurity disparities. Rather, the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing disparities.

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A community-based system dynamics approach suggests solutions for improving healthy food access in a low-income urban environment

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0216985 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. e0216985 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yeeli Mui ◽

Ellis Ballard ◽

Eli Lopatin ◽

Rachel L. J. Thornton ◽

Keshia M. Pollack Porter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

System Dynamics ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Low Income ◽

Food Access ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Community Based ◽

Healthy Food Access

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Best and Emerging Practices for Establishing Food Access in Higher Education

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2016.06.025 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 116 (9) ◽

pp. A12

Author(s):

R. Miller

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Food Access

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Restricted food access and light-dark: impact of conflicting zeitgebers on circadian rhythms of the rabbit

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.1993.264.4.r708 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 264 (4) ◽

pp. R708-R715 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

B. Jilge ◽

H. Stahle

Keyword(s):

Circadian Rhythms ◽

Phase Difference ◽

Food Access ◽

Activity Rhythm ◽

Light Period ◽

The Other ◽

Behavioral Rhythms ◽

Activity Component ◽

Common Control ◽

Free Running

Free-running circadian rhythms of rabbits were exposed to a 11:55-11:55-h light-dark (LD) schedule. After complete entrainment (63 +/- 22 days), the predominantly nocturnally active rabbits were exposed to an additional zeitgeber, restricted food access (RF), which was imposed during the light period. In five animals RF had the same period (T) as the LD cycle (23:50 h), and in five other animals TRF was 24:10 h. At a period of 23:50 h for both zeitgebers, the rhythms of four animals were stably entrained to RF, while in one animal a component of the rhythm broke away from RF and entrained to the LD zeitgeber. In animals exposed to zeitgebers of different periods most of the activity rhythm also entrained to RF, but 20 +/- 7% of the activity entrained to the LD zeitgeber. The light-entrained activity component merged with the RF component when the zeitgebers crossed, and decomposition occurred when the phase difference exceeded 4-6 h. The results indicate that two circadian oscillator systems exist in the rabbit, one entrained by light-dark cycles and the other by feeding-fasting cycles. Both exert common control over a number of overt behavioral rhythms.

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