Oral

This session will review new developments in food retail environment spatial analysis. Refining spacial analysis methodologies is crucial for the development of programs and initiatives that increasing access to healthful foods and decreasing availability of unhealthful foods in our communities.

Session Objectives: 1. Discuss GIS findings of retail food availability within a ½ mile of schools. 2. Discuss methods for measuring the food retail environment near schools. 3. Differentiate between the socio-economic factors that influence the presence of food deserts, local food deserts, and organic food deserts in Manhattan, NY. 4.Identify the differences between sources of food environment data, the correlation between these sources, and the variability between these sources in their relationships with social indicators.