| Title |
The Relationships Between Food Environment Density and Walking-Based Food Purchase Behaviors Among the Young-Old |
| Authors |
양서인(Yang, Seo In) ; 박하나(Park, Hana) ; 장유진(Jang, Eujin) ; 박소현(Park, Sohyun) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.10.301 |
| Keywords |
Food environment; Density; Young-old; Walking behavior; Walkability |
| Abstract |
This study empirically examines the relationship between food outlet density and walking-based food purchase behaviors among the young-old
population (ages 60-69) in Sejong City, Korea. Two contrasting urban areas were selected: Goun-dong, a planned new town, and
Jochiwon-eup, a traditional urban district. A total of 60 participants (30 from each area) recorded their daily food purchase activities over
seven consecutive days using a food environment diary. In parallel, GPS tracking data were collected over the same period to capture each
participant’s actual walking routes and spatial movement patterns. Additionally, GIS-based spatial analysis was conducted to map and quantify
the density of food outlets within an 800-meter radius of each participant's home address. Contrary to common assumptions, despite having a
significantly lower POI density, Goun-dong showed higher average walking frequency and walking duration for food purchase compared to
Jochiwon-eup. These findings indicate that the relationship between food outlet density and walking-based food purchase behaviors is not
uniformly linear and may vary depending on urban form and spatial structure. This study underscores the need to consider additional spatial
variables such as land-use diversity and spatial clustering of food outlets when assessing food accessibility. |