170 likes | 247 Views
A Report on a Food Access Mapping Study for Scotland. Presented by Annette Johnson Food Access Advisor. Accessing Healthy Food. A mapping study of healthy food retailing in Scotland.
E N D
A Report on a Food Access Mapping Study for Scotland Presented by Annette Johnson Food Access Advisor
Accessing Healthy Food A mapping study of healthy food retailing in Scotland
Within Scotland, are there significant differences in the accessibility to affordable sources of healthy food? • If so, are they linked to the social dimension of affluence-deprivation and urbanism-rurality?
The 2 key foundations for this study are: • A database of stores selling food • An indicative list of healthy foods.
National Map of Food Retailing • A database of 5923 stores is shown here • Approximately 3 million people live within1 km of a large or medium sized store. • Approximately ¼ million people live more than 10 km from a large/medium sized store.
9 sentinal / survey areas • In Grampian there was only one area surveyed, Ellon. • It was designated a small affluent town, the prices for the shopping basket averaged out on the lower end of the scale.
Types of stores Surveyed 57 % Small general food stores 30 % Specialist food stores 6.5% Medium food stores 3.5% Large food stores 3 % Stores that food was not the main business.
FINDINGSon prices- • No evidence of food desserts in urban areas based on price • Highest prices to be found were in rural deprived areas and on islands.
The study does not prove conclusively that there is a link between deprivation and price. • Rural areas, islands and small towns are considered more deprived and higher priced BUT there is little difference in price between urban deprived and urban affluent.
FindingsQuality Ratings- • Fresh fruit and Veg were of better quality in large general food stores. • Poorest quality was to be found in small stores in deprived areas. • Opening hours were longest in urban areas, and shortest on the islands.
Quality Ratings… • Opening hours also correlated with areas of deprivation and the quantity of healthy foods stocked. • Promotions are more likely in large urban stores.
Recommendations • Find ways to encourage small general food shops to increase their range of healthier foods. • Update the database on food retail provision on a regular basis. • Consider extending the analysis to other sentinel sites to monitor changes in availability and price of healthy food.
The Grampian Context • The survey reflects the situation in Grampian on both a urban/rural axis and affluent/deprivation axis. (Food in Focus- A Nutrition Food & Health Improvement Strategy for Grampian 2003 – 2006) • Tool kit will be useful for future studies undertaken locally or nationally as part of a needs assessment.
The Grampian Context • Access • Which healthy foods are most widely available • Food price & Deprivation vs. Food price & rurality • Food Access in relation to policy • Retail Sector
Annette Johnson Food Access Advisor 01224 558671 annette.johnson2@nhs.net