Dynamic changes of food environment: In and out of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated food crises worldwide, prompting a re-examination of the resilience of the urban food environment. While previous research on the urban food environment has predominantly focused on Western contexts, scant attention has been given to China. This study takes Shenzhen, China as an example to establish a food environment evaluation framework centered on accessibility, diversity, and healthiness factors, aiming to analyze the dynamic changes of the food environment during normal and pandemic periods. By using the GA optimization algorithm, some convenience stores are transformed into self-pickup points (SPPs), which is expected to eliminate the deserts risk areas (DRAs) with low cost and high efficiency. The findings reveal a distinctive “center-periphery” spatial structure characterizing the food environment in Shenzhen, and the improvement of healthiness plays a crucial role in sustaining food oases and ameliorating food swamps. This research provides methods for improving the resilience of the food environment during the pandemic across diverse nations, bolstering the security of urban lifeline systems.