Accès à l’alimentation saine dans l’Est de Montréal : perspective des ménages à faible revenu et des acteurs en sécurité alimentaire
Context: Social inequalities in health related to diet are associated with a higher prevalence of chronic diseases among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Lack of physical and economic access to healthy and affordable food instigates these social inequalities, and could partly explain the observed gradient, as in the case of one of the poorest neighborhoods in Eastern Montréal. Objective: Understand the perspectives of low-income households (LIHs) and food security actors of the Montreal East Food Network (RAEM) on access to healthy food in the food environment of Eastern Montreal, bearing in mind the viability of local food initiatives. Methodology: This qualitative study followed an action-research approach in partnership with RAEM. Six focus groups with LIHs (n = 49) and one with RAEM members (n = 13) were carried out in 2018. Data analysis was guided by the five dimensions of food access (economic, spatio-temporal, service availability, social and personal), as described by Freedman et al. (2013). Results: LIHs perceive that limited access to affordable food of high quality in the food environment, transportation constraints, and travel distance to food stores as the main obstacles to healthy eating. Although food security actors described the economic and spatio-temporal dimensions as crucial, they also acknowledged important barriers related to the personal and social dimensions. Conclusion: The perspectives of LIHs and food security actors suggest that economic and geographic situations, as well as the personal and social preferences of LIHs are determinants in access to healthy food. Despite the divergence of perspectives, these must be taken into consideration when implementing food security strategies. Keywords: Food environment, health disparities, food access, low socioeconomic status, food system representatives, alternative food system.
Food environment Health disparities Food access Low socioeconomic status Food system representatives Alternative food system