Development of a Community-Sensitive Strategy to Increase Availability of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Nashville’s Urban Food Deserts, 2010–2012

Abstract

BackgroundFood deserts, areas that lack full-service grocery stores, may contribute to rising rates of obesity and chronic diseases among low-income and racial/ethnic minority residents. Our corner store project, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, aimed to increase availability of healthful foods in food deserts in Nashville, Tennessee.Community ContextWe identified 4 food deserts in which most residents are low-income and racially and ethnically diverse. Our objectives were to develop an approach to increase availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat or nonfat milk, and 100% whole-wheat bread in Nashville’s food deserts and to engage community members to inform our strategy.MethodsFive corner stores located in food deserts met inclusion criteria for our intervention. We then conducted community listening sessions, proprietor surveys, store audits, and customer-intercept surveys to identify needs, challenges to retailing the products, and potential intervention strategies.OutcomeFew stores offered fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, low-fat or nonfat milk, or 100% whole-wheat bread, and none stocked items from all 4 categories. Major barriers to retailing healthful options identified by community members are mistrust of store owners, history of poor-quality produce, and limited familiarity with healthful options. Store owners identified neighborhood crime as the major barrier. We used community input to develop strategies.InterpretationEngaging community residents and understanding neighborhood context is critical to developing strategies that increase access to healthful foods in corner stores.

Promoting Food Security for All Children

“…Engagement of community residents in understanding local context 36 and establishment of interdisciplinary collaboration are key elements of advocacy efforts that address food insecurity in communities.…”

The 18-Month Impact of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Food Package Revisions on Diets of Recipient Families

“…Various approaches have been suggested, including taxing SSBs, 42 restricting the ability to purchase SSBs through SNAP, 43 limiting the marketing of SSBs to children, 44 and increasing neighborhood availability of healthful beverage and food options. 45 Furthermore, a majority of participants in this study also participated in SNAP, the largest of the federal food assistance programs in the U.S. 46,47 Therefore, better coordination of efforts between all federal food assistance programs and further alignment with dietary guidelines could facilitate healthier beverage choices.…”

Communities putting prevention to work: Local evaluation of community-based strategies designed to make healthy living easier

“…Together, the articles in this issue provide a glimpse into strategies that communities used to prevent chronic diseases and associated health disparities in the United States. This issue complements an ever-increasing body of literature that describes implementation and evaluations of CPPW strategies (Baronberg et al, 2013; Barragan et al, 2014; Beets et al, 2012; Brokenleg et al, 2014; Cavanaugh et al, 2013, 2014; Cole et al, 2013; Drach et al, 2012; Dunn et al, 2012; Huberty et al, 2013; Jaskiewicz et al, 2013; Jilcott Pitts et al, 2012; Johns et al, 2012; Jordan et al, 2012; Kern et al 2014, Lafleur et al, 2013; Larson et al, 2013; Leung et al, 2013; Mandel-Ricci et al, 2013; Pitts et al, 2013a, 2013b; Robles et al, 2013; Wilson et al, 2012; Young et al, 2013). In addition, the core principles for strengthening the science of community health described in the commentary by Goodman and colleagues (in this issue) highlight the demonstrated successes of the CPPW program.…”