Developing a Mobile Produce Distribution System for Low-Income Urban Residents in Food Deserts

作者：Widener Michael J^*; Metcalf Sara S; Bar Yam Yaneer

来源：Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 2012, 89(5): 733-745.

DOI：10.1007/s11524-012-9677-7

• Access to healthy food
• Food deserts
• Spatial optimization model
• Mobile market
• Buffalo
• NY

Low-income households in the contemporary city often lack adequate access to healthy foods, like fresh produce, due to a variety of social and spatial barriers that result in neighborhoods being underserved by full-service supermarkets. Because of this, residents commonly resort to purchasing food at fast food restaurants or convenience stores with poor selections of produce. Research has shown that maintaining a healthy diet contributes to disease prevention and overall quality of life. This research seeks to increase low-income residents' access to healthy foods by addressing spatial constraints through the characterization of a mobile market distribution system model that serves in-need neighborhoods. The model optimally locates mobile markets based on the geographic distribution of these residents. Using data from the medium-sized city of Buffalo, New York, results show that, with relatively few resources, the model increases these residents' access to healthy foods, helping to create a healthier city.

• 出版日期2012-10