Healthy Food Access Walk Audit: Pilot Project in Price City
Access to healthy, affordable food is essential to community health and well-being. The Healthy Food Access Project in Price, Utah was created to better understand barriers to healthy food access and identify opportunities to build healthier, more supportive communities, particularly for Latino and low-income residents. Get Healthy Utah partnered with local organizations — including Carbon High Latinos in Action, the Southeast Utah Health Department, USU Extension, and the Southeastern Utah Association of Local Governments — to gather data that reflects the lived experiences of Price residents and explore root causes of inequities related to food access, transportation, and the built environment.
Using a community-informed approach, the project included a community survey, a Healthy Food Walk Audit and community fair, and a follow-up event with Latino families. These efforts provided both quantitative and qualitative insights into the local food environment and community priorities. Findings highlighted several key challenges, including limited access to culturally relevant foods, transportation barriers, and gaps in awareness of existing resources. At the same time, residents identified meaningful opportunities to improve food access and strengthen community connections.
This pilot project resulted in a final report outlining findings and recommendations specific to Price City, as well as the development of a Healthy Food Access Assessment and Walk Audit Toolkit designed for other communities to replicate in their own cities and towns. Local leaders and organizations are encouraged to use these tools to better understand their community’s healthy food access landscape, engage residents and partners, and support locally driven solutions that improve access to healthy foods.
HOW TO DO A HEALTHY FOOD WALK AUDIT
FINAL REPORT: HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS PILOT PROJECT
