Differences in Race, Median Household Income and Food Store Constructs from Large and Small Food Locations: an Urban and Suburban Spatial Analysis of Food Access in a Flint, Michigan - Abstract
Objective: To spatially examine the relationship between food availability, food price and food quality in a variety of types of food stores along with race and income in city of Flint, Michigan and 2-mile suburban buffer.
Design: Cross-sectional study spatially examining race and median household income and food availability, food price and food quality collected from 273 urban and suburban food stores in summer 2012. Setting: Census tracts within the city of Flint, Michigan and a two-mile suburban buffer surrounding the city. Main Outcomes Measure: Availability of 63 food items, food quality of 10 fresh vegetables and 10 fruit and the food price of select items that were examined relative to race and income variables. Analysis: A spatially explicit regression analysis. Results: Food availability and quality increased as the percent Black1 in the census tracks decreased. Notably, this differed depending on the size of the store. Food availability increased significantly as the median household income increased. Food quality increased as census tract level median household income increased, but not by much. Conclusion and Implications: Differences in food availability, price and quality based on race and income can be harmful to the health of marginalized, minority and minoritized resident groups, especially those with low income. These differences can indicate the absence of resources in such communities.