Association of personal vehicle access with lifestyle habits and food insecurity among public housing residents

Abstract

Transportation type may play a role in the ease with which a person can access healthy food and recreation facilities. Our objective was to determine the relationship between access to a personal vehicle and diet, food insecurity, and physical activity among public housing residents, which are typically low-income, urban populations. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected households within two public housing communities in Baltimore, MD (2014–2015). Our independent variable was whether or not the resident had access to a personal vehicle. Our dependent variables were ‘high’ fruit & vegetable intake (≥6.7 servings/day), ‘high’ added sugar intake (≥39.9 tsp/day), food insecurity, and being physically active. We used Poisson regression with robust error variance to estimate relative risk ratios adjusted for demographics and perceived environmental factors. Our sample included 265 adults (response rate of 48%) with mean age of 45 years, 86% women, and 96% African-American. Only 42% had access to a vehicle. No significant associations existed between personal vehicle access with diet or physical activity outcomes. Access to a personal vehicle was associated with significantly lower risk of food insecurity (RR 0.76, 95%CI 0.63–0.92, p < 0.01). We found a significant association between personal vehicle access and lower risk of food insecurity; however, there were no associations with diet or exercise. Based on these results, future research might explore how transportation access influences and might possibly reduce food insecurity.

Urban poverty and nutrition challenges associated with accessibility to a healthy diet: a global systematic literature review

“…A study documented that households with inconsistent access to utilities such as electricity or water, medical care, cooking fuel and cash had a significantly higher prevalence of severe FI [ 66 ]. Another study reported that access to a personal vehicle was inversely associated with FI [ 64 ].…”

Social Network Intervention Reduces Added Sugar Intake Among Baltimore Public Housing Residents: A Feasibility Study

“…In conclusion, our results demonstrate that a social network intervention reducing SSB consumption is acceptable, can be implemented, and produces significant decreases in added sugar intake among adult public housing residents trained as Peer Educators and their social network members. Although public housing residents are a highly impoverish population with high levels of food insecurity, 35 this study demonstrates that they can make significant dietary changes. Sugar Champ may have been effective due in part to focusing on a few salient behaviors and utilizing the natural social supports in the environment.…”

Social vulnerability and its association with food insecurity in the South African population: findings from a National Survey

“…The unexpected change of direction in the association between a lack of toilet facility and food insecurity after adjusting for other social vulnerability indicators requires further investigation. The inverse association between lack of vehicle access and food insecurity might be indirectly linked to costs associated with vehicle ownership (such as monthly installments to purchase or lease, maintenance, and fuel), rather than the use of vehicle to access food as previously reported [ 30 ]. Within South Africa, these costs might reduce food quality and quantity.…”