Community Assets Rooted in Place: Associations Between Local Food Systems and Food Insecurity in Metro Atlanta Open Access
Charlot, Sofia (Spring 2026)
Abstract
Local food systems encompass the interconnected commercial and communal networks that support the production, distribution, and consumption of food. How they shape food access is an upstream determinant of food insecurity. Further downstream, food insecurity leads to poor health and overall life outcomes. This pathway is well documented in public health and food systems research; however, research concerning the exact patterns of how local food systems map onto local rates food insecurity is less common. This study offers a specific look at these patterns in the Metro Atlanta area including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale County. Using multivariable linear regression, this study evaluates the association between census tract-level food insecurity and the concentration of local food system components. Local food systems include communal components (gardens, farms, orchards, and farmers’ markets) and commercial components (grocery stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, specialty stores, and pharmacies). This distinction allows for a discussion of the structural (i.e. supply chain operations) and social aspects of food (i.e. connection, knowledge transfer, and cultural expression). This study found a positive association between food insecurity and both communal (β = 0.40, 95% CI 0.03, 0.78, p = 0.033) and commercial (β = 1.49, 95% CI 1.03, 1.94, p = <0.001) component concentration. When individual components were disaggregated, the commercial association was largely driven by convenience (β = 1.14, 95% CI 0.85, 1.43, p = <0.001) and dollar stores (β = 0.15, 95% CI 0.06, 0.25, p = 0.001). The communal association was largely driven by gardens (β = 0.33, 95% CI 0.07, 0.59, p = 0.013). These findings suggest three potential scenarios that should be explored in future research—that geographic access to commercial retailers may not translate into more food secure populations; that there may be movement to address food insecurity through the additions of communal gardens and commercial retailers; or a combination of both. Metro Atlanta is positioned to strengthen the connections between communal and commercial food sources in ways that make the local food system more responsive to both the physical and social dimensions of food access.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
Food insecurity is a major public health problem
Figure 1: Food Insecurity Estimates in Metro Atlanta
The role of local food systems in addressing food insecurity
Purpose statement
Project Significance
Research questions
Theoretical frameworks
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Review Strategy
Overview of Local Food Systems and Key Components
Figure 2: Commercial Components in Metro Atlanta
Figure 3: Commercial Components in Metro Atlanta
Figure 4: Communal Components in Metro Atlanta
Figure 5: Communal Components in Metro Atlanta
Food Insecurity: Definition, Distribution, and Impacts
Structural Determinants and Measurements of Availability, Affordability, and Accessibility
Relationships Between Local Food Systems and Food Insecurity
Policy, Power, Governance, and Food Justice
Insights from the Literature, Remaining Knowledge Gaps, and Rationale for This Study
CHAPTER 3 - METHODS
Research Design
Measures
Data collection and storage procedures
Data Cleaning
Figure 6: Stepwise Process Used to Build the Analytic Dataset
Analytic Sample
Data Analysis Methodology
CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS
Introduction
Analytic Sample
Univariate Results
Bivariate Associations
Multivariable Associations
Figure 7: Food Insecurity Estimates and Communal and Commercial Local Food
Figure 8: Food Insecurity Estimates and Gardens in Metro Atlanta
Figure 9: Food Insecurity Estimates andConvenience and Dollar Stores in Metro Atlanta
Figure 10: Food Insecurity Estimates and Grocery and Specialty Stores in Metro Atlanta
CHAPTER 5 – DISCUSSION
Introduction
Main Finding 1: Geographic Proximity to Commercial Retailers Is Insufficient for Food Security
Main Finding 2: Communal Gardens as Community Assets
Study Strengths
Study limitations
Future directions
Conclusion
REFERENCES
TABLES
Table 1: Definitions and Details for Neighborhood-Level Food System Components
Table 2: Definitions and Details for Census Tract-Level Community Characteristics
Table 3: Counts and Concentrations of Communal and Commercial Components
Table 4: Descriptive Statistics for all Community Characteristics
Table 5: Scaled Unadjusted Associations Between the Communal and Commercial Component Concentration and Community Characteristics
Table 6: Scaled Adjusted Linear Regression Model Results for the Communal and Commercial Component Concentrations
Table 7: Scaled Adjusted Linear Regression Model Results for Communal Subtype Concentrations
Table 8: Scaled Adjusted Linear Regression Model Results for Commercial Subtype Concentrations
ADDITIONAL FIGURES
Figure 11: Communal and Commercial Component Concentration Distribution After Transformation with Queens Contiguity
Figure 12: Distribution of the Communal and Commercial Concentration Outcome and Food Insecurity Prevalence (%)
About this Master's Thesis
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