Precision approaches to food insecurity: A spatial analysis of urban hunger and its contextual correlates in an African city

Although progress has been made in addressing hunger and poor diets African cities, many urban residents still suffer from food insecurity, there is large heterogeneity within cities. We examine spatial variations dietary quality using a representative study of 983 households 440 retailers South secondary city. Substantial variation existed both between neighborhoods: high-income neighborhoods were not free hunger, low-income varied diet according to individual characteristics. After controlling for income gender, characteristics including access consumer technologies transportation storage, informal assistance neighbors, protective against diets. Results suggest that meaningful exist at smaller geographic units than the city-level or neighborhood-level statistics typically reported security research. Average socioeconomic status may be sufficient proxy their as areas vary substantially options choices. Precision estimates are needed target interventions those with greatest need, tailor specific different needs neighborhoods.