Spatial Analysis of Food Swamps and Dietary Practices in Urban Communities with Evidence from Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria

Food swamps, where unhealthy food outlets outnumber healthier options, contribute significantly to poor nutrition and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in urban areas. Hence, the objective of this paper was to investigate the Spatial Analysis of Food Swamps and Dietary Practices in Urban Communities with Evidence from Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria using appropriate standard methods including structured questionnaires, field observations, and secondary sources. Data obtained show that Ilorin East had the highest FSI (3.64), followed by Ilorin West (2.55), while Ilorin South had the lowest (1.48). Despite reported access to fresh foods, dietary habits reflected frequent intake of fast foods, processed products, and sugary drinks, while healthiness of food ranked low in household choices. Significant associations existed between dietary behaviours and age, gender, marital status, and occupation, while education and income were not significant. These findings suggest that spatial food environments strongly shape food choices, often overriding the influence of socioeconomic status. Urban planning strategies, regulation of unhealthy food outlets, and policies promoting affordable healthy options are critical to addressing the negative impacts of food swamps in Nigerian cities. This study provides empirical evidence on the role of food swamp dynamics in shaping dietary behaviours in Ilorin, offering context-specific insights to guide interventions aimed at reducing nutrition-related health inequalities