Marzan Melvin Barrientos, Hui Lisa, Jiang Heng, Takele Wubet Worku, de Leon Mari, Nacpil J C, Wang Yichao, Wake Melissa, Mavoa Suzanne
Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Prevention Innovation, Population Health Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Health Promot J Austr. 2025 Jul;36(3):e70074. doi: 10.1002/hpja.70074.
Socioeconomic disparities in food environments significantly impact diet quality and health outcomes, yet comparative evidence between metropolitan and regional areas remains limited. We examined spatial and temporal changes in food outlet availability in Victoria, Australia from 2019 to 2023.
Geospatial data from OpenStreetMap was used to classify food outlets into healthy, less healthy, and unhealthy categories. Outlet densities were calculated within 500 m (walkable) and 2000 m (short driving) buffers from Statistical Area Level 1 centroids. Socioeconomic disparities were assessed using the Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage quintiles. Gini coefficients quantified inequality, while Kruskal-Wallis tests, Dunn's post hoc tests, and k-means clustering identified socio-spatial patterns.
In metropolitan Melbourne, both highly disadvantaged (quintile 1) and affluent areas (quintiles 4-5) had significantly higher densities of food outlets (e.g., 2.3 vs. 2.7 healthy outlets per 1000 people within 500 m in 2023), while mid-range socioeconomic areas (quintiles 2-3) had notably lower availability. Regional Victoria exhibited similar trends, with mid-range areas consistently underserved. From 2019 to 2023, Melbourne's Gini coefficients for healthy outlet access improved slightly (0.45-0.43), whereas regional areas worsened (0.52-0.55). Clustering revealed limited healthy food availability in disadvantaged rural clusters and high densities of unhealthy options in urban regional centres.
Food outlet availability in Victoria shows distinct non-linear socioeconomic disparities, disproportionately disadvantaging mid-range socioeconomic areas.
Strategic urban planning and targeted policy interventions in underserved suburban and regional locations are essential for mitigating inequalities and promoting healthier communities.
食物环境中的社会经济差异对饮食质量和健康结果有重大影响，但大都市和地区之间的比较证据仍然有限。我们研究了2019年至2023年澳大利亚维多利亚州食品店供应情况的空间和时间变化。
使用来自OpenStreetMap的地理空间数据将食品店分为健康、较不健康和不健康类别。在距离统计区域1中心500米（可步行）和2000米（短距离驾车）的缓冲区内计算店铺密度。使用相对社会经济优势和劣势指数五分位数评估社会经济差异。基尼系数量化不平等程度，而克鲁斯卡尔-沃利斯检验、邓恩事后检验和k均值聚类确定社会空间模式。
在墨尔本大都市，高度贫困地区（五分位数1）和富裕地区（五分位数4-5）的食品店密度都显著更高（例如，2023年每1000人中有2.3家与2.7家健康食品店），而中等社会经济地区（五分位数2-3）的供应明显较低。维多利亚州地区呈现类似趋势，中等地区一直供应不足。从2019年到2023年，墨尔本健康食品店的基尼系数略有改善（0.45-0.43），而地区则恶化（0.52-0.55）。聚类分析显示，贫困农村集群中健康食品供应有限，而城市地区中心不健康食品选择密度高。
维多利亚州的食品店供应情况显示出明显的非线性社会经济差异，对中等社会经济地区造成了不成比例的不利影响。
在服务不足的郊区和地区进行战略性城市规划和有针对性的政策干预对于减少不平等和促进更健康的社区至关重要。
