Spatial analyses of urban food access: A scoping review

Rapid urbanization and growing socioeconomic inequalities have transformed urban food access into an increasingly critical area of research. Understanding how food environments shape access requires spatial approaches that capture the complexity of urban systems. This scoping review examines the current state of spatial analysis in the study of urban food access, with particular attention to the methodologies employed and their data requirements, to identify prevailing trends and gaps. A systematic search of the Scopus and Web of Science databases yielded 56 peer-reviewed studies that met defined inclusion criteria. The review develops a comparative analytical framework, organized along descriptive-predictive and static-dynamic axes, to critically evaluate the strengths, limitations, and data requirements of identified spatial methodologies. Findings reveal that while traditional descriptive methods remain dominant, network-based and computational techniques are increasingly employed. Significant gaps persist in the form of limited spatiotemporal analysis, geographic concentration in the United States, and a lack of methodological standardization. The reviewed studies reveal that food access is multidimensional and socially stratified, with implications for spatially targeted interventions and integrated planning. Future studies should broaden food source coverage, develop standardized spatial access indices, leverage open datasets, and adopt interdisciplinary approaches. These contributions support evidence-based, spatially informed strategies to improve equitable urban food access.