According to Gram Research analysis, food swamps—areas where junk food outlets outnumber healthy food stores—now surround 90% of secondary schools in Wallonia, Belgium, with over 52% of households living in these unhealthy food environments as of 2024. While true food deserts remain rare, the dramatic decline of produce shops (down 60%) and explosion of fast food and delivery services (up 300%) over 16 years means kids and families face constant pressure to eat unhealthy foods, making it harder to maintain good nutrition despite living in a developed country.
A new study from Belgium looked at where healthy and unhealthy food stores are located near schools and in neighborhoods from 2008 to 2024. Researchers found that while true food deserts (places with almost no access to healthy food) are rare, food swamps are everywhere—areas where junk food outlets outnumber healthy options. The problem is especially bad around schools, where 90% of secondary schools are now surrounded by mostly unhealthy food options within walking distance. This matters because kids and families living in these areas face constant pressure to eat unhealthy foods, making it harder to maintain good nutrition.
Key Statistics
A 2026 study of 4,696 schools in Wallonia, Belgium found that over 90% of secondary schools were located in food swamps—areas where unhealthy food outlets outnumbered healthy options—within walking distance by 2024.
Between 2008 and 2024, fruit and vegetable stores near secondary schools in Wallonia declined by 60%, while fast food and delivery outlets increased threefold, according to research published in Archives of Public Health.
A 16-year analysis of food environments in Wallonia, Belgium revealed that 52.2% of households lived in food swamps in 2024, compared to fewer than 2% living in actual food deserts where healthy food access was nearly impossible.
Research from 2026 showed that neighborhoods with high proportions of elderly residents or children in Wallonia were disproportionately affected by food swamps, facing the worst access to healthy food options.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: How the locations of healthy food stores (like supermarkets and produce shops) and unhealthy food outlets (like fast food and takeout places) changed around schools and neighborhoods in Belgium over 16 years.
- Who participated: Researchers analyzed data from 4,696 schools across Wallonia, Belgium, plus information about 16 years of food store locations and neighborhood characteristics. No individual people were surveyed—the study used existing databases and maps.
- Key finding: In 2024, over 52% of households lived in areas where junk food outlets outnumbered healthy food stores, and 90% of secondary schools were surrounded by mostly unhealthy food options within walking distance.
- What it means for you: If you live near a school in Wallonia, you’re likely surrounded by more fast food and takeout places than healthy grocery stores. This makes it harder to eat well, especially for kids. However, true food deserts (places with almost no food access) are still rare, so the main problem isn’t lack of food—it’s too much unhealthy food.
The Research Details
Researchers used a method called spatial analysis, which means they looked at maps and databases to track where food stores were located over time. They combined information from multiple sources: a database of all food outlets in Belgium (Locatus), local farm-to-consumer initiatives, school locations, road networks, and neighborhood income and age data. They defined two types of problem areas: food deserts (neighborhoods without nearby supermarkets or bus stops, with many low-income or elderly residents) and food swamps (areas where unhealthy outlets like fast food restaurants outnumber healthy options like produce shops). They then measured these conditions around schools and neighborhoods from 2008 to 2024, looking for trends over time.
The study focused on Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium, which has both cities and rural areas. This mix makes it a good place to study because it shows how food environments differ in different types of communities. Researchers used something called the modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI) to measure food swamps—basically a score that compares how many unhealthy outlets exist compared to healthy ones in each area.
To understand changes over time, researchers used statistical methods to look for trends—whether things were getting better or worse year by year. They paid special attention to neighborhoods with many elderly people or children, since these groups may be more affected by poor food environments.
This research approach is important because it shows the real-world geography of food access, not just whether stores exist somewhere in a city. A supermarket might exist in your town, but if it’s far away or hard to reach by bus, it doesn’t help much. By measuring actual walking distances and road networks, the study shows what people can realistically access. Tracking changes over 16 years reveals whether the problem is getting better or worse, which helps policymakers decide what to do.
This study is reliable because it uses official databases and covers a long time period (16 years), which helps identify real trends rather than one-time changes. The researchers looked at all 4,696 schools in the region, not just a sample, making the findings comprehensive. However, the study doesn’t measure whether people actually shop at nearby stores or how their diets are affected—it only shows what’s available. The study also focuses on one region of Belgium, so results may not apply everywhere. The research was published in 2026 in a peer-reviewed public health journal, meaning other experts reviewed it for accuracy.
What the Results Show
Between 2008 and 2024, the food environment in Wallonia changed dramatically, but not in a good way. True food deserts—places where people genuinely struggle to access any food—remained rare, with fewer than 2% of households living in actual food deserts. However, food swamps became the dominant problem: by 2024, more than half of all households (52.2%) lived in areas where unhealthy food outlets outnumbered healthy ones.
The situation around schools was even worse. Fruit and vegetable stores near secondary schools dropped by 60% over the 16-year period, while fast food and delivery services tripled. By 2024, over 90% of secondary schools were located in food swamps—meaning kids walking to school pass far more junk food outlets than healthy options. This is particularly concerning because teenagers are developing eating habits that can last their whole lives.
Neighborhoods with vulnerable populations—areas with many elderly residents or families with children—were hit hardest. These communities had the worst access to healthy food and the most exposure to unhealthy outlets. The trend was consistent: year after year, healthy food retailers disappeared while unhealthy options multiplied.
The study found that the problem wasn’t evenly distributed across Wallonia. Urban areas and neighborhoods with lower incomes experienced more dramatic increases in food swamps. Rural areas had different challenges—while they had fewer food swamps overall, they also had fewer healthy food options in general, creating a different kind of access problem. The decline of traditional fruit and vegetable stores was particularly striking, suggesting that small, specialized healthy food retailers are disappearing while chain fast food and delivery services are expanding.
According to Gram Research analysis, this study adds important detail to what we already know about food environments. Previous research has shown that food deserts exist and harm health, but this Belgian study reveals that food swamps—not deserts—are the bigger problem in developed countries. The finding that 90% of schools are in unhealthy food environments is more extreme than many previous studies reported, suggesting the problem may be getting worse faster than expected. The study also confirms what other research has shown: vulnerable populations (elderly, low-income families, children) face the worst food environments.
This study has several important limitations. First, it only looked at Wallonia, Belgium, so the findings may not apply to other countries or regions with different food systems or policies. Second, the study measured what food outlets are available, but not whether people actually use them or how much they affect what people eat. Someone might live near a food swamp but shop at a distant supermarket instead. Third, the study didn’t measure food quality within categories—for example, some takeout places might offer healthier options than others. Finally, the research couldn’t determine why these changes happened (whether stores closed due to economics, competition, or other factors), only that they did happen.
The Bottom Line
Based on this research, policymakers should consider limiting the number of new fast food and delivery outlets in neighborhoods, especially near schools and in areas with vulnerable populations (high confidence). Communities should work to support and protect existing healthy food retailers like produce shops and supermarkets (high confidence). Schools could improve their food environments by partnering with local farms or healthy food initiatives (moderate confidence, based on this study’s mention of local farm programs). Individuals living in food swamps should seek out the healthy options that do exist, even if they require more effort to reach (moderate confidence—the study shows healthy options still exist, just in smaller numbers).
Parents and educators should care most about this research, since 90% of secondary schools are in unhealthy food environments. Teenagers and young adults living in Wallonia should be aware that their food environment is designed to push them toward unhealthy choices. Policymakers and city planners should use this data to make decisions about zoning and business licenses. People living in neighborhoods with many elderly residents or low-income families should advocate for better food access. However, this study is specific to Belgium, so people in other countries should look for similar research in their own regions before assuming the same problems exist where they live.
Changes in food environments happen slowly. The study tracked 16 years of change, showing that the shift toward food swamps took over a decade. If policies were implemented today to limit unhealthy outlets and support healthy retailers, it would likely take 3-5 years to see noticeable changes in the food environment, and 5-10 years to see measurable changes in community eating habits and health outcomes. Short-term changes (within 1 year) would be unlikely unless very aggressive policies were put in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a food desert and a food swamp?
A food desert is an area with almost no access to any food—people struggle to find stores nearby. A food swamp is an area with plenty of food outlets, but most are unhealthy (fast food, takeout). This study found food swamps are the bigger problem: 52% of people live in food swamps, but fewer than 2% live in food deserts.
Why are food swamps worse near schools?
Over 90% of secondary schools in the study area were surrounded by mostly unhealthy food options within walking distance. Kids develop eating habits at school age, so constant exposure to junk food makes it harder to learn healthy eating. Fruit and vegetable stores near schools dropped 60% while fast food tripled.
Can people still eat healthy if they live in a food swamp?
Yes, but it requires more effort. The study shows healthy options still exist in food swamps—they’re just outnumbered. People may need to travel farther or plan ahead to access supermarkets or produce shops instead of grabbing nearby fast food, which is harder for busy families.
Is this problem only in Belgium or does it happen everywhere?
This study focused on Wallonia, Belgium, so we don’t know if the exact same trends occur everywhere. However, similar problems have been documented in other developed countries. People in other regions should look for local research about their own food environments.
What can be done to fix food swamps around schools?
The study suggests limiting new fast food outlets near schools, supporting existing healthy food retailers, and connecting schools with local farm programs. These changes take years to show results, but research shows they can improve the food environment and community eating habits over time.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Users could track their weekly exposure to food swamps by logging the number of healthy versus unhealthy food outlets they pass or visit in their neighborhood. For example: ‘This week I passed 8 fast food places and 2 produce shops on my route to work.’ Tracking this over months can show whether the food environment is changing or whether you’re finding new healthy options.
- The app could help users identify and map the healthy food outlets that do exist in their area, even if they’re outnumbered by unhealthy options. Users could set goals like ‘Visit the produce shop twice this week’ or ‘Try one new healthy restaurant’ to actively seek out the better options available to them. The app could also track whether users are making deliberate choices to avoid food swamps by planning routes that minimize exposure to fast food temptation.
- Over 3-6 months, users could track whether they’re successfully accessing healthy food options despite living in a food swamp. Metrics might include: number of times per week buying from healthy retailers, percentage of meals from healthy versus unhealthy sources, and distance traveled to access healthy food. This helps users understand their own food environment and whether they’re making intentional choices to eat better despite the challenges around them.
This study describes food environments in Wallonia, Belgium from 2008-2024 and may not apply to other regions or countries. The research shows what food outlets are available but does not prove that living in a food swamp directly causes poor health or unhealthy eating—individual choices, income, transportation, and other factors also matter. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace advice from healthcare providers, nutritionists, or public health officials. If you have concerns about your diet or nutrition, consult a qualified healthcare professional. Policymakers should consider this research alongside other evidence when making decisions about food retail regulation.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.