Title: Access to grocery stores in Dallas

Authors: Nathan Berg, James Murdoch

Addresses: School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas-Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080–3021, USA. ' School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas-Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080–3021, USA

Abstract: This paper presents geo-spatial information concerning access to grocery stores in Dallas County, Texas. A map shows the spatial distribution of neighbourhoods classified according to the number of grocery stores within a one-mile radius. Neighbourhood-level data from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and US Census reveal distinct demographic characteristics in areas with many versus few grocery stores. No-grocery-store neighbourhoods are predominantly low-income and concentrated in southern Dallas, and African-American neighbourhoods have significantly fewer grocery stores. Disparities in access to nutritious food suggest the possibility of a breakdown in food security, afflicting as many as 400,000 low-income residents. The demographic correlates of grocery store access are analysed in light of economic and behavioural theories of consumer decisions about what to eat and firms| choices of where to locate stores.

Keywords: food security; grocery stores; neighbourhoods; imitation; geo-spatial information; USA; United States; spatial distribution; nutritious food; low-income residents; consumer decisions; consumer behaviour.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2008.018449

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2008 Vol.1 No.1, pp.22 - 37

Published online: 24 May 2008 *

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