Chicago supermarket data and food access analytics in census tract shapefiles for 2007-2014

Area of Science:

• Urban planning
• Public health
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Background:

• Understanding the dynamics of foodscape environments is crucial for promoting healthy living.
• Longitudinal analysis of urban food retail landscapes provides insights into changes in food access over time.
• Previous research has highlighted disparities in healthy food access within urban areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a longitudinal analysis of supermarket availability in Chicago from 2007 to 2014.
• To assess changes in the urban foodscape and their implications for healthy food access.
• To provide data for further research on urban food environments and health disparities.

Main Methods:

• Supermarket data for Chicago in 2007, 2011, and 2014 were curated and validated.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software was used for spatial analysis.
• The average street network distance from each resident-populated census tract to all supermarkets was calculated.

Main Results:

• Spatially enabled data files were generated, detailing supermarket locations and accessibility metrics.
• The analysis facilitated the understanding of urban foodscape trends over the study period.
• Results are linked to research on disparities in healthy food access in Chicago.

Conclusions:

• Longitudinal data on supermarket distribution are vital for understanding urban food environment dynamics.
• GIS analysis provides a robust method for assessing food access and its spatial variations.
• The generated data supports ongoing research into urban planning, public health, and food accessibility.