Abstract
This study elucidates the reality of food desert problems in the densely inhabited district（ DID） of downtown Tsuruoka City. In particular, the study examined the food intake of people in their later old age （75 or older） living in areas where shopping environments are assumed to have deteriorated. First, we mapped accessibility to fresh food stores（ food desert map） and created a visual representation of the quality of their shopping environments. The result showed increased gaps among areas in terms of shopping convenience within the district during the period from 2001 to 2012. Accordingly, we surveyed the shopping environments and the food intake situation of 11 households consisting solely of persons in their later old age in these areas with less favorable shopping environments. While shopping environments were found to have deteriorated as expected for the 11 households, the situation regarding food intake remained favorable thanks to shopping supporters and privately run grocery stores. However, taking into account the current virtual absence of supportive measures—both public and private—in addition to the predicted increase in the ratio of elderly people to the overall population, measures are required to prevent the expected development of food desert problems.
