Unhealthy eating and food insecurity are recognized risk factors for chronic diseases. Collective and environmental factors, such as geographic access to food condition food choices. The objective of this study was to map food deserts and food swamps in Gaspesie, a region of Quebec (Canada), using geographical information systems (GIS) and field validation. Eleven sectors (5 rural and 6 urban) where 5% of the Gaspesie population lives were considered food deserts. Eight sectors (all rural) constituting 4.5% of the population were considered food swamps. Nearly 88% (3/8) of food swamps were located in disadvantaged and very disadvantaged areas. The Gaspesie region is already actively involved in changing environments to make them conducive to healthy eating for all. The mapping of food deserts can support intersectoral collaboration on food security. Food swamp mapping will make it possible to more accurately characterize the existing food environment in the region. Both indicators will be useful in raising awareness and mobilizing partners for a comprehensive strategy to improve the food environment that is not only based on the food desert indicator alone but also takes into account the presence of food swamps.

The aim of this study was to assess the association between daily diet costs and the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019, an index that reflects the alignment of dietary patterns to recommendations on healthy food choices in the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide (CFG). Dietary intake data from 24 h recalls, completed between 2015 and 2017, of 1147 French-speaking participants of the web-based multicenter cross-sectional PRÉDicteurs Individuels, Sociaux et Environnementaux (PREDISE) study in Quebec were used. Diet costs were calculated from dietary recall data using a Quebec-specific 2015–2016 Nielsen food price database. Usual dietary intakes and diet costs were estimated using the National Cancer Institute’s multivariate method. Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between diet costs and HEFI-2019 scores. When standardized for energy intake, a higher HEFI-2019 score (75th vs. 25th percentiles) was associated with a 1.09 $CAD higher daily diet cost (95% CI, 0.73 to 1.45). This positive association was consistent among different sociodemographic subgroups based on sex, age, education, household income, and administrative region of residence. A higher daily diet cost was associated with a higher HEFI-2019 score for the Vegetables and fruits, Beverage, Grain foods ratio, Fatty acids ratio, Saturated fats, and Free sugars components, but with a lower score for the Sodium component. These results suggest that for a given amount of calories, a greater adherence to the 2019 CFG recommendations on healthy food choices is associated with an increased daily diet cost. This highlights the challenge of conciliating affordability and healthfulness when developing national dietary guidelines in the context of diet sustainability.

This study aims to bridge the gap between the potential and realized spatial access to food outlets in rural areas of Québec, Canada. By assessing both aspects, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing food resources and the effectiveness of existing interventions in addressing these challenges. A mixed methods approach was adopted to collect and analyze data, combining GIS-based spatial analysis with community-based surveys. The spatial analysis allowed for the quantification of the potential access metrics, while the community surveys provided valuable information on travel behaviors, preferences, and barriers experienced by residents when accessing food outlets. The results of the distance measurement calculations showed that for both the potential and realized distance measurements, convenience stores are more easily accessible than grocery stores and supermarkets. Thus, workers seem to have a strategy for minimizing the impact of long distances by combining work and grocery shopping. These results are measured for the realized accessibility to grocery stores and supermarkets and the principal retailer used. Finally, the results of the analyses show that there is a socio-economic gradient in the potential geographical accessibility from home to the food outlets. The importance of developing and strengthening the local food environment to make it favourable to healthy eating and supportive of food security is discussed.