(P02-029-25) Bridging Gaps: How Food Environment Perceptions and Mobility Shape Food Security for African Immigrants

Objectives: African immigrants face food environment (FE) challenges and food insecurity (FI) post-arrival, but the impact of their FE perceptions on food security remains understudied. This study quantitatively examines the association between African immigrants’ FE perceptions and food security status.

Methods: Data on sociodemographic, food security status, and FE perceptions were collected using the USDA six-item food security survey and the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS-P). NEMS-P assessed community, consumer, and home FE perceptions with 5-point (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree) or 4-point (1 = very hard to 4 = very easy) response scales, dichotomized for analysis. Higher scores indicate greater FI and positive FE perceptions. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used in data analysis.

Results: Among 125 participants (52% male, mean age 37 ± 9.5 years), 61% held a university degree, 64% worked full-time, 73% owned a car, 54% have lived in the U.S. for over 10 years, and 33% were food insecure. Most (75%) shopped using their own vehicle, lived near stores ( < 20-minute walk), and 67% shopped at supermarkets or supercenters. 70% reported high healthy home food (HHF) availability compared to 56% with high unhealthy home food availability. 62% agreed that healthy, high-quality food was accessible in their neighborhood, however, 74% found fruits and vegetables expensive. Unadjusted analysis showed that reliance on alternative transportation (OR = 9.9, p < 0.001) and low HHF availability (OR = 4.1, p = 0.001) significantly increased food insecurity risk. After adjusting for education, employment, and time in the US, the association with HHF availability was attenuated (OR = 1.8, p = 0.277), while the association with alternative transportation reliance strengthened (OR = 18.6, p = 0.038).

Conclusions: African immigrants face FI at nearly three times the national rate (33% vs. 13.3%), with car ownership significantly improving their food security. Thus, enhancing transportation access is critical to reducing food insecurity in this population.

Funding Sources: N/A