Has New York City fallen into the local trap?
OBJECTIVE
Municipal policies aiming to improve equity in food access and health often rely on the assumption that neighborhoods with limited healthy food availability and high levels of diet-related illness should be the subject of targeted policy-driven change. This study explored this assumption in the context of recent food policy developments in New York City with the objective of empirically examining the geography of everyday food behavior in high- and low-income neighborhoods.


METHODS
This research used a multi method comparative design. Areas at the poles of income inequality in New York City were identified using census data and geographic information systems. Qualitative and geographic data were collected from individual eaters living and/or working in those areas.


METHODS
A review of food policies in New York City from 2005 to 2012. Qualitative and geographic data were collected using space-time food diaries and mental mapping interviews.


RESULTS
People living in the low-income study area had more localized food geographies than residents of the high-income study area. Individual-level qualitative data revealed that eaters with the least financial resources, those with physical disabilities, and those who were unemployed reported all or nearly all of their food events taking place within their neighborhoods. Eaters from the low-income area suggested that the barriers to healthy food that policy incentives should address were the high price of food and the consumer environment within stores, not the number of supermarkets in their area. Residents of the high-income area also expressed dissatisfaction with food prices and the in-store environment of their local supermarkets. These eaters leveraged their financial, technological, and transportation resources to overcome those barriers to fresh food.


CONCLUSIONS
The policy review found that New York City's recent nutrition and food policies are to a great extent geographically targeted to low-income areas. As such, they miss opportunities for citywide interventions that would create food environment changes welcomed by residents of both high- and low-income areas. The recent nutrition and food policies also have the potential unintended negative consequence of promoting gentrification.
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, United States. Electronic address: klibman@nyam.org.
Kimberly
K
Libman
D003132:Commerce; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D009519:New York City; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
Food policy; Health equity; Localism; New York City; Social justice