Area deprivation and the food environment over time: A repeated cross-sectional study on takeaway outlet density and supermarket presence in Norfolk, UK, 1990-2008

Abstract

Socioeconomic disparities in the food environment are known to exist but with little understanding of change over time. This study investigated the density of takeaway food outlets and presence of supermarkets in Norfolk, UK between 1990 and 2008. Data on food retail outlet locations were collected from telephone directories and aggregated within electoral wards. Supermarket presence was not associated with area deprivation over time. Takeaway food outlet density increased overall, and was significantly higher in more deprived areas at all time points; furthermore, socioeconomic disparities in takeaway food outlet density increased across the study period. These findings add to existing evidence and help assess the need for environmental interventions to reduce disparities in the prevalence of unhealthy food outlets.

Keywords: Food environment; Inequalities; Socioeconomic status; Supermarket; Takeaway food outlet.

Fig. 1

Takeaway food outlet density per 10,000 population by 2001 electoral ward (n=205) deprivation tertile, Norfolk, 1990–2008. Data points=mean number of takeaway food outlets per 10,000 population per deprivation tertile; error bars=standard errors.

Fig. 2

Percentage change in the number of takeaway food outlets between 1990 and 2008 by deprivation tertile, 2001 electoral wards, Norfolk (n=205).