GIS SPACIAL ANALYSIS OF FAST

FOOD/SUPER MARKET LOCATIONS

AND OBESITY IN LOS ANGELES
Calli Morales 004-338-111
Final Project

September 11th, 2016

Taylor Clark
Introduction:
The prevalence of Obesity in has been an issue of public health for decades in the county
of Los Angeles. In 2006 alone, it is estimated that the economic cost of overweight and obesity
in the county was $6 billion (LA Public Health, 2012). It has been often noted that there are
disproportions in the obesity rates amongst adults and children in the county of Las Angeles. It
has been documented in several reports that the frequency of obesity in socioeconomically
impoverished areas is heightened and that there is an opposite effect in affluent communities.
There are many factors that play a role in obesity, however, it is important to take into account
the accessibility of healthy options, especially in these underprivileged areas. The illustrations
below assist in depicting how residents of low income communities not only have limited access
to supermarkets, but are surrounded by an overabundance of unhealthy fast food options, thus
contributing to the spike in obesity.

Map 1-
This Choropleth map illustrates the health districts located in the center of Los Angeles as well
as Antelope Valley (top) as they consist of the areas with the highest percent of obesity in LA.

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Purpose:
To better understand the special relationship between:

The presence of obese/overweight residents and fast food locations in Los Angeles
The presence of obese/overweight residents and the lack of super markets in Los Angeles
The accumulation/disparity of fast food locations and super markets in impoverished
areas in Los Angeles

Map 2
This choropleth map illustrates in detail the percent of population that falls underneath the
poverty line in Los Angeles and where they are located. In addition, while the Los Angeles
county boundaries are different, it is important to note that same areas that showed elevated
levels of obesity in central and northern Los Angeles seem to match the same residents that fall
underneath the poverty line.

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Map 3 & 4 -
Map 3 illustrates the GPS point locations where 5 fast food chains locations can be found in Los
Angeles County. The fast food locations consist of: McDonalds, Wendys, Burger King, Taco
Bell and Pizza Hut. These were the restaurants selected because they are the top five most
popular fast food restaurant chains in America (Business Insider, 2012).

Map 4 illustrates the GPS point locations where 5 super market chains can be found in Los
Angeles. The Supermarket locations consist of: Warehouse Markets (Sams Club and Walmart),
Vons, Sprouts and Target. These were the top 5 brands selected because they are among the most
popular super market chains in America.

Map 5 -
This map illustrates the point density analysis where fast food locations can be found. Again
relating this map to the maps above suggest that there is a concentration of fast food restaurants
in the center and slightly at the top of LA County. This heat map can assist in better visualizing
where hotspot/clusters of locations are in Los Angeles.

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Method:
First, GIS analysis research was done online to identify and extract the X,Y coordinate
locations of fast food and supermarket information. In addition, the health distract boundary
layer, poverty and obesity information was also extracted from the Census portal and the Los
Angeles Public Health portal.
The GPS data extracted from the fast food restaurants and supermarket locations were
compiled into the ArcMap computer software program.
These layers were then clipped to highlight only the areas of interest in LA County.
The supermarket and fast food layers were merged together to compile the multiple datasets
into a single, new output dataset.
A point density analysis was performed on the fast food layer to better present the large
cluster of points in the center of Los Angeles.
A Thiessin polygon analysis was performed on the supermarket locations to better visualize
the gap of supermarkets located in the center of Los Angeles (Similar to where the fast food
cluster location is present).

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Map 6
This map uses Thiessin polygons to illustrate the large gap of supermarket locations in the
previously shown impoverished areas.

Obesity data was extracted from the 2011 Los Angeles County Health Survey and joined
with the obese data to create the choropleth map.
Census data regarding poverty levels was obtained from the US Census Bureau and joined to
the census tract shapefile. (The Islands of Santa Catalina and San Clemente have been
omitted from this analysis due to the small population count there)

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Classifications:
Overweight is categorized if BMI (Body Mass Index) is between the ranges of 25.0 - 29.9
Obese - is categorized if BMI (Body Mass Index) level falls at or above 30.0

Conclusion:
In comparing the levels of obesity and poverty, as well as overlaying the data from the
Supermarket and fast food chain locations, there is an apparent co-relation between poverty and
obesity. In examining he differences between the fast food and supermarket locations, it is
evident that where there are healthier options (like in supermarkets), there is a less of a pattern of
obesity. On the contrary, where there is more fast food locations, especially clutsters, there tends
to be more obesity.

Works Cited
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/LACHSDataTopics2011.htm
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/19606
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/reports/habriefs/Obesity05.pdf
http://egis3.lacounty.gov/dataportal/2012/03/01/health-districts-hd-2012/
https://moodle2.sscnet.ucla.edu/course/view/161C-GEOG168
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/reports/habriefs/2007/obese_cities/obesity_2011fs.PDF
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-popular-fast-food-restaurants-in-america-2012-7
http://www.stagnitodigitalmedia.com/super50/