There has been a growing interest in the relationship between the neighborhood food environment and dietary practices/weight status at the individual level. The Northeastern Illinois Community Food Security Assessment studied food access patterns in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area.  Location data was collected and compared to community demographics for 2007 for both independent and chain supermarkets and classified by type.  Chain store data were also collected in 2007.

Six communities within Chicago were also studied in depth.  In all of these, market basket studies were completed.  In five communities, a series of structured group interviews with consumers, store managers and service providers was conducted.  In three communities, a series of door-to-door household surveys on hunger and access to emergency food was collected.  Researchers partnered with local community groups to collect data and help disseminate results.  Primary conclusions include:

Food Access Mapping:

·         Lower-income African-American neighborhoods, both in the city and in the suburbs, have relatively low access to supermarkets.

·         Hispanic neighborhoods also have low access to chain supermarkets, but have many independent stores. 

·         Particular areas of poor food access found include many predominantly African-American portions of inner-city Chicago and its suburbs.

·         More full-service chain stores closed than opened during the period 2005 to 2007.  Discount chains, specialty chains and supercenters have opened new locations.  However, except discount chains, few stores are opening in predominantly African-American neighborhoods.

Consumer and Retailer Interviews:

·         Inadequate transportation is a barrier to getting to food; many people need to travel by bus, often with transfers.

·         Consumers felt small stores in their communities were dirty and unkempt, sometimes with rude and disrespectful staff.

·         Many retail food owners feel they offer healthy foods, but also cited some barriers to doing so.

·         Particularly vulnerable groups included older adults, and unemployed, disabled, and homeless individuals.

Price and Availability Study:

·         Full-service chain supermarkets carried by far the most grocery items, followed by discount and independent supermarkets.

·         Discount supermarkets were by far the cheapest of the store types, but often carried few items specific to the dominant ethnic group in a community.

Door-to-door and Food Pantry Recipient Surveys:

·         With only one exception, everyone surveyed who utilized a food pantry was food insecure.