Food for Thought: A GIS Analysis of Food Deserts in San Bernardino, California

Abstract:

Food deserts are areas where residents do not have easy access to healthy and nutritious food. Food deserts tend to be predominantly located in lower-income communities, resulting in food insecurity and health problems that disproportionately affect these communities and their residents. In 2012, The Planning Center|DC&E used a GIS model to study food insecurity in San Bernardino, CA, finding nine unhealthy-food stores for every one healthy-food store. My poster identifies contemporary food deserts in San Bernardino, CA, and compares their number and distribution with the results of the 2012 study. I used ArcGIS Pro to map the distribution of fast food and nutritional food sources, such as grocery and fresh food markets, in relation to median household income. My analysis reveals that the ratio of unhealthy food stores to healthy food stores has changed relatively little over the past 9 years; this ratio is currently 7:1 (compared to 9:1 in 2012). The results indicate that areas with a higher density of unhealthy food options are associated with low-income neighborhoods, and that healthy options cluster in areas of higher income. Although progress in improving food security has been made, it has been slow. Identifying food deserts in San Bernardino will increase awareness of this issue and give citizens information that they can present to civic leaders to demand positive change.

Keywords: Food Desert, San Bernardino, California, GIS, Social Justice, Change

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