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Examining Nutritional Vulnerability in an Under-Resourced Community in Northeastern Connecticut
Xiran Chen1, Daniela C Avelino2, Sydney K Clements3
1Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
Nutrients
|May 13, 2026
Summary
Nutritional vulnerability (NV) varies spatially, influenced by socioeconomic and mobility factors, not just food access. High diet quality correlates with resource-rich areas, while low diet quality is found in resource-limited neighborhoods.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Spatial Epidemiology
Background:
- Nutritional vulnerability (NV) integrates diet, food access, health, and socioeconomic factors.
- Local variations in NV are understudied, especially in diverse resource settings.
- Understanding neighborhood-level NV is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To operationalize and map nutritional vulnerability in Windham, Connecticut.
- To analyze the spatial distribution of NV and diet quality across neighborhoods.
- To compare NV indicators between resource-dense and resource-limited areas.
Main Methods:
- NV operationalized using diet quality (DQI, sHEI), food security, obesity, and SNAP participation.
- Spatial mapping identified areas of vulnerable concentration.
- Chi-square tests compared NV indicators, sociodemographics, and mobility factors between contrasting neighborhoods.
Main Results:
- Significant sociodemographic and mobility differences (e.g., vehicle access, education) were found between neighborhoods (p < 0.05).
- High diet quality concordance was observed in resource-rich areas; low concordance in resource-limited areas.
- Spatial patterns of NV were driven by sociodemographic and mobility factors, not solely food resource proximity.
Conclusions:
- Nutritional vulnerability mapping reveals localized patterns linked to socioeconomic disadvantage and mobility limitations.
- Interventions should consider these complex interplay factors for effective nutrition and resource support.
- Spatial data provides actionable insights for public health initiatives.
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