SOAS Research Online

A Free Database of the Latest Research by SOAS Academics and PhD Students

[skip to content]

Stevano, Sara, Johnston, Deborah and Codjoe, Emmanuel Ashiedu (2019) 'The Urban Food Question in the Context of Inequality and Dietary Change: A Study of Schoolchildren in Accra.' Journal of Development Studies, 56 (6). pp. 1177-1189.

[img]
Preview
Text - Accepted Version
Download (309kB) | Preview

Abstract

Diets are changing globally, as agricultural and food systems have become globalised. Understanding how patterns of globalisation affect welfare is a key development question, but we know little about the way that the globalisation of food systems impacts different groups. This study explores food security and consumption among schoolchildren in Accra. We use a novel approach based on triangulation of primary data on food consumption and a synthesis of secondary literature on food trade, policy and urban food environment. Thus, we bridge a divide between micro-level analyses of food consumption and macro-level studies of food systems. We find that socio-economic status is a critical dimension, with poorer children more vulnerable to food insecurity and narrow dietary diversity. However, the consumption of packaged and processed foods, often sugar-rich and nutrient-poor, cuts across wealth groups. We argue that the urban food question today is defined by two intersecting phenomena: inequality and dietary change. The urban poor continue to face the fundamental challenge of adequate food access amidst a food environment that provides consumers with unhealthy and cheap food options. Therefore, food policy needs to regulate imports of cheap, unhealthy and enticing food.

Item Type: Journal Article
SOAS Departments & Centres: Administration and Professional Services > Governance and Compliance
Departments and Subunits > Department of Economics
ISSN: 00220388
Copyright Statement: © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Development Studies on 26 June 2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00220388.2019.1632434
DOI (Digital Object Identifier): https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2019.1632434
Date Deposited: 18 Jun 2019 07:35
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/31176
Funders: Other

Altmetric Data

Statistics

Download activity - last 12 monthsShow export options
Downloads since deposit
6 month trend
133Downloads
6 month trend
271Hits
Accesses by country - last 12 monthsShow export options
Accesses by referrer - last 12 monthsShow export options

Repository staff only

Edit Item Edit Item