Abstract
Food accessibility, encompassing both spatial proximity and temporal availability, is a critical determinant of dietary patterns and public health in urban environments. While food environments have often been studied from a spatial perspective, recent literature increasingly emphasises the importance of incorporating both spatial and temporal attributes to achieve a comprehensive understanding of food accessibility. The spatial dimension is static, primarily focusing on the physical locations of food outlets and their proximity to residential areas. In contrast, the temporal dimension provides a dynamic perspective on how the access to food retail outlets varies throughout the day, depending on their operating hours. Thus, a holistic approach integrating both spatial and temporal dimensions becomes crucial to discern any disparities or inequalities in food accessibility across different locations and times. This study addresses this gap by examining the spatio-temporal accessibility of fast food and non-fast food options in Singapore, a densely populated city-state where food scarcity is rare but equitable access to healthier food options remains a challenge. Focusing on a 400-metre threshold, a standard measure of walkability in urban planning, we integrate spatial analyses based on road network accessibility with operating hours as a temporal dimension. Our results reveal notable disparities in food access across the city. Specifically, there is a geographical imbalance in the distribution of food retail outlets, and the prevalence of fast food outlets surpasses that of non-fast food options at night. Furthermore, there are areas that lack food options within walking distance during certain times. These findings provide insights for policymakers to develop strategies that improve food environments by ensuring equitable access to healthy food options.HighlightsThis study evaluates spatio-temporal food accessibility across Singapore.Fast food and non-fast food outlets are mostly located near population and activity centres.Spatial disparities exist, particularly in low-income areas with limited access to healthier food.Temporal disparities restrict access to healthier food at night and in the early morning, when fast food outlets dominates.Findings highlight the need for planning that ensures equitable, time-based access to nutritious food.