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Why Is the study of food environments still relevant?

Why Is the study of food environments still relevant?
Why Is the study of food environments still relevant?
Food environments are the point of intersection where people engage with the food system. As such, they are a key consideration for food policy and governance in countries across the world. This collection of articles draws upon research conducted in a range of countries and predominantly, but not exclusively, urban settings. Research presented here expands on the way food environments have traditionally been explored in academic studies since the 1990s, introducing novel methodologies for assessment and incorporating the digital food environment, as well as food aid resources. Contemporary research must contend with the theoretical challenge of conceptualizing food environments in relation to wider social forces and changes. The more practical challenge is to inform improvements to neighbourhood food environments whilst avoiding the associated propensity to further perpetuate fragmented and short‐term responses to food inequalities.
2183-7635
Thompson, Claire
eacadcb5-cc75-406d-ad51-adf914114cb5
Smith, Dianna
e859097c-f9f5-4fd0-8b07-59218648e726
Thompson, Claire
eacadcb5-cc75-406d-ad51-adf914114cb5
Smith, Dianna
e859097c-f9f5-4fd0-8b07-59218648e726

Thompson, Claire and Smith, Dianna (2025) Why Is the study of food environments still relevant? Urban Planning, 10, [11594]. (doi:10.17645/up.11594).

Record type: Editorial

Abstract

Food environments are the point of intersection where people engage with the food system. As such, they are a key consideration for food policy and governance in countries across the world. This collection of articles draws upon research conducted in a range of countries and predominantly, but not exclusively, urban settings. Research presented here expands on the way food environments have traditionally been explored in academic studies since the 1990s, introducing novel methodologies for assessment and incorporating the digital food environment, as well as food aid resources. Contemporary research must contend with the theoretical challenge of conceptualizing food environments in relation to wider social forces and changes. The more practical challenge is to inform improvements to neighbourhood food environments whilst avoiding the associated propensity to further perpetuate fragmented and short‐term responses to food inequalities.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 10 December 2025
Published date: 10 December 2025

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 511452
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511452
ISSN: 2183-7635
PURE UUID: 6c18fbb0-770e-4e3b-9402-62004d85c5a6
ORCID for Dianna Smith: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0650-6606

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Date deposited: 15 May 2026 16:30
Last modified: 16 May 2026 01:49

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Contributors

Author: Claire Thompson
Author: Dianna Smith ORCID iD

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