Map 1: Access to Healthy Foods in southwestern Ontario

Created in 2012, this map shows which areas have the easiest or most difficult access to healthy foods in southwestern Ontario. For the purposes of the study associated with this map, Gilliland categorized any supermarket as a source of healthy food.

He points out that there are many areas on the map (in red) that can be up to 35 kilometres away from a supermarket. These are called food deserts and are typically small towns or hamlets.

Gilliland says that public health officials from counties in southwestern Ontario are using this map in the development of policies and strategies that will improve the access to supermarkets in some regions. In London, Ont., for example, his research will be used to help achieve the city’s goal of eradicating food deserts by 2020.

Map 2: Access to Recreational Opportunities in Middlesex County

Gilliland and his team looked at how far Middlesex County homes were from parks, arenas and other public facilities to determine the recreational opportunities in the region.

He says that the importance of this map — one of 400 similar maps he and his team have created — is that it shows where child obesity is more likely to be present. He hypothesizes that people in the darker green areas and within the yellow lines (closest to recreational spaces) are more likely to be physically active and less likely to be overweight.

But Gilliland also notes that although the recreational spaces are there, it does not mean that they will be used. “Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will come,” he says. “However, if it isn’t there, they can’t come.”