Associations with Urban Sprawl, Food Insecurity, and the Joint Insecurity-Obesity Paradox

Abstract

The research tests whether the likelihood of food insecurity and “paradoxical” joint insecurity-obesity occurrences vary over the degree of urban sprawl, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System’s Social Context Module (1996-1997). There are significantly negative associations between urban sprawl and the likelihood of food insecurity, and that insecurity is more likely in areas of less developed street connectivity. Joint outcomes are more likely in less sprawled areas, but that likelihood is greater in better connected areas, failing to support theories proposing healthy food inaccessibility is a determinant of joint outcomes.

Keywords: Food Insecurity, Obesity, Built Environment, Sprawl, Accessibility, Urban Health

JEL Classification: I10, I12