Using an Interactive Food Environment Map to Visualize Food Access in a Rural CountyRebecca Green, BS; Marsha Spence, PhD, MPH, RDN; Soghra Jarvandi, MD, MPH, PhD

The University of Tennessee

BACKGROUND• Community food environments can impact obesity

rates.1

• To decrease obesity rates, understanding access to and distribution of healthy foods within a community is important.2

OBJECTIVES• Describe the process of constructing an interactive

retail food environment map.

• Evaluate an interactive retail food environment map for gaps in resources.

METHODS• Identify food outlets in Hardeman County, TNv United States Department of Agriculture Economic

Research Service (USDA ERS) data sources3

v Google maps4

• Build an interactive mapv ArcGIS online mapping servicev Map Includes:

– Demographics, using census tracts3

– Descriptions of retail food outlets

– Pictures of specific sites

Demographics5

Table 1. Population, socio-economic, and racial data of Hardeman County, Tennessee compared to the state of Tennessee and the United States.

Interactive food environment mapping provides a visual to identify gaps in the distribution of nutrition resources. RESULTS

Table 2. Distribution of retail food outlets by town within Hardeman County, Tennessee.

Indicator Hardeman TN USA

Population 25,050 6,829,174 328,239,523Median Income $38,651 $50,972 $60,293% White 54.1 73.7 60.4% Black 42.2 17.1 13.4

TownGrocery and Convenience

Stores

Farmer’s Markets and

Stands

Food Pantries Restaurants Total

n (%)

Bolivar, county seat 12 1 1 26 40 (51%)

Grand Junction 5 1 1 1 8 (10%)

Hickory Valley 1 0 0 0 1 (1%)

Hornsby 1 0 1 1 3 (4%)Middleton 2 1 0 7 10 (13%)Pocahontas 0 0 1 1 2 (3%)Saulsbury 0 0 0 0 0 Toone 1 1 0 1 3 (4%)Whiteville 4 0 1 6 11 (14%)Total 26 4 5 43 78

References:1. Rummo PE, Feldman JM, Lopez P, Lee D, Thorpe LE, Elbel B. Impact of changes in the food, built, and socioeconomic environment on BMI in US counties, BRFSS 2003-2012. Obesity. 2019 Nov 5; 28: 31-39. doi:10.1002/oby.226032. Chen SE, Florax RJGM. Zoning for health: The obesity epidemic and opportunities for local policy intervention. J Nutr. 2010 Jun; 140(6): 1181S-1184S. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.utk.edu/10.3945/jn.109.1113363. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. Data Products. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/#!topicid=14834&subtopicid=. Accessed June 2, 2020.4. Google Maps. Hardeman County Tennessee. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hardeman+County,+TN/@35.2130466,89.2709105,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x887e8b4c70d09125:0xe6f7cebfa7224174!8m2!3d35.1229172!4d-89.0179332. Accessed June 2, 2020.5. United States Census Bureau. QuickFacts: Hardeman County, Tennessee. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US,TN,hardemancountytennessee/PST045219?#qf-flag-Z. Accessed June 2, 2020.

CONCLUSIONS• Outlying towns have access to predominantly

convenience stores.

• Programs addressing obesity need to consider food access and distribution as a barrier successful interventions.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS• Share this resource with stakeholders and

community members as part of a high obesity program intervention.

FUNDING• This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,055,707.00 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Hardeman County Food Environment Map

Hardeman County Food Environment Map, Farmer’s Market and Produce Stands

Hardeman County, Tennessee

Figure 1. Interactive food environment map of Hardeman County, Tennessee.

Figure 2. Interactive food environment map of Hardeman County, Tennessee, farmer’s markets and produce stands only.

Figure 3. Pop up window describing the Grand Junction Farmer’s Market.

Figure 4. Inside the Grand Junction Farmer’s Market, included as an attachment in the pop up window of the interactive map.