You Can’t Find Healthy Food in the Bush

Poor Accessibility, Availability and Adequacy of Food in Rural Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID15470296
AuthorsJillian M Whelan (0000-0001-9434-109X, Deakin University, corresponding author), Lynne Millar (0000-0001-8435-4735, The University of Melbourne), Colin Bell (0000-0003-2731-9858, Deakin University), Cherie Russell (0000-0003-1251-4810, Deakin University), Felicity Grainger (Deakin University), Steven Allender (0000-0002-4842-3294, Deakin University), Karen J Campbell (0000-0002-1244-3947, Deakin University)
Year2018
Volume15
Issue10
Pages2316-2316
Publication date2018-10-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph15102316
PMID30347893
OpenAlexW2896110271
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited32

In high-income countries, obesity disproportionately affects those from disadvantaged and rural areas. Poor diet is a modifiable risk factor for obesity and the food environment a primary driver of poor diet. In rural and disadvantaged communities, it is harder to access affordable and nutritious food, affecting both food insecurity and the health of rural residents. This paper aims to describe the food environment in a rural Australian community (approx. 7000 km2 in size) to inform the development of community-relevant food supply interventions. We conducted a census audit of the food environment (ground truthing) of a local government area (LGA). We used the Nutrition Environment Measurement tools (NEMS-S and NEMS-R) to identify availability of a range of food and non-alcoholic beverages, the relative price of a healthy compared to a less healthy option of a similar food type (e.g., bread), the quality of fresh produce and any in-store nutrition promotion. Thirty-eight food retail outlets operated at the time of our study and all were included, 11 food stores (NEMS-S) and 27 food service outlets (NEMS-R). The mean NEMS-S score for all food stores was 21/54 points (39%) and mean NEMS-R score for all food service outlets was 3/23 points (13%); indicative of limited healthier options at relatively higher prices. It is difficult to buy healthy food beyond the supermarkets and one (of seven) cafés across the LGA. Residents demonstrate strong loyalty to local food outlets, providing scope to work with this existing infrastructure to positively impact poor diet and improve food security

Agriculture · Business · Disadvantaged · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Food security · Food systems · Geography · Socioeconomics · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Nutritional Studies and Diet · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

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