Food retail in favelas of a Brazilian metropolis

The inequities of Brazilian society are present in metropolitan favelas in the scope of the provision of basic sanitation, health, and education services. They are also reflected in the food environment and, consequently, in their access to food. Thus, this study aimed to characterize physical access to food establishments in the favelas of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We analyzed the distribution of Public Equipment for Food Security and Nutrition and food establishments registered in the State of Minas Gerais, both for the year 2019, in the census sectors of Belo Horizonte. We calculated food deserts and conducted food swamp analyses for the favelas. We used a buffer network to calculate the nearest neighbor and commute distance. We also calculated accessibility through public transport. Establishments that predominantly offer healthy foods are fewer and farther away from favelas, whereas those that predominantly offer unhealthy foods are widely available in the environment. To reduce inequities in these communities, programs and policies that encourage opening healthy food establishments and planting community gardens in favelas are required.