An Application of the Edge Effect in Measuring Accessibility to Multiple Food Retailer Types in Southwestern Ontario, Canada

Authors

Richard Casey Sadler, The University of Western Ontario
Jason Gilliland, University of Western Ontario
Godwin Arku, University of Western Ontario

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2011

Volume

10

Issue

1

Journal

International Journal of Health Geographics

First Page

34

Last Page

48

URL with Digital Object Identifier

doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-10-34

Abstract

Trends in food retailing associated with the consolidation of smaller-format retailers into fewer, larger-format supercentres have left some rural areas with fewer sources of nutritious, affordable food. Access to nutritious, affordable food is essential for good dietary habits and combating health issues such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Many studies on food environments use inaccurate or incomplete methods for locating food retailers, which may be responsible for mischaracterising food deserts. This study uses databases of every residence in and every food retailer in and around Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. Residences were geocoded to their precise address, and network analysis techniques were performed in a geographic information system (GIS) to determine distances between every residence and different types of food retailers (grocery stores, fast food, fruit and vegetable sources, grocery stores plus fruit and vegetable sources, variety stores), both when considering and neglecting facilities outside the area of study, to account for a deficiency in analysis termed the 'edge effect'.

Notes

Link to journal:

http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/10/1/34