Exploring Gender Dimensions in Urban Food Environments: A Systematic Scoping Review

Food environments play a crucial role in shaping dietary patterns and health outcomes (FAO, 2016). However, the intersection of gender and these environments remains underexplored. This scoping review addresses this gap by summarizing current knowledge on gender dynamics in urban food environments and identifying future research needs. Using Arksey and O'Malley’s (2005) methodological framework, a systematic search across three academic databases initially retrieved 702 records, of which 57 met the eligibility criteria for analysis.

The literature reveals a significant gap in addressing gender, with only 10.5% of studies clearly outlining a gender framework. This review explores four key questions: a) Where has research on urban food environments and gender been conducted? b) How is gender conceptualized in the literature on urban food environments, and which groups are targeted for gender analysis? c) Which domains and dimensions of urban food environments are most frequently examined? d) At what stages of the human lifespan do the studies primarily focus?

Our findings underscore eight thematic areas. In high-income countries (HICs), particularly the U.S., research tends to focus on health outcomes like obesity, while studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) highlight food vendor roles, market dynamics, and the impacts of COVID-19 on food access. Notably, women play a central role in food provisioning, caregiving, and maintaining household nutrition, often shouldering unequal physical and emotional burdens. Social support networks are particularly vital for migrant women navigating new food environments.

In conclusion, this review offers a comprehensive synthesis of global literature on gender and urban food environments, highlighting the urgent need for robust gender frameworks in future research. These frameworks are essential for shaping public policies that foster more equitable and inclusive food systems.