Food deserts in Winnipeg, Canada: a novel method for measuring a complex and contested construct

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Food Security

Background:

• Food deserts, areas with limited access to affordable, nutritious food, pose significant public health concerns.
• Existing research methods for identifying food deserts are often complex, challenging reproducibility and communication.
• This study addresses the need for a simple, reproducible method to identify food deserts in the Canadian context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a feasible and reproducible method for identifying food deserts.
• To assess the prevalence of food deserts in Winnipeg, Canada.
• To provide a tool for effective surveillance and stakeholder engagement.

Main Methods:

• The study was conducted in Winnipeg, Canada, in 2014.
• Food retail establishments were identified using Yellow Pages and verified by public health dietitians.
• Two food desert scenarios were calculated based on the proximity of the lowest-income quintile population to grocery stores (≥500m from national chain or ≥500m from national chain/full-service).

Main Results:

• Between 64,574 and 104,335 low-income residents were identified as living in a food desert, depending on the scenario.
• Food deserts were found to be concentrated in Winnipeg's urban core but also present in suburban areas.

Conclusions:

• A significant portion of the Winnipeg population resides in food deserts.
• The implemented methods offer an accessible, transparent, and reproducible approach to food desert identification.
• This approach supports cost-effective surveillance and facilitates meaningful engagement with communities, retailers, and policymakers.