Food Cost Disparities in Rural Communities

Hardin‐Fanning, Frances; Rayens, Mary Kay

doi:10.1177/1524839914554454

Cited by 41 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Although overall food costs are higher in counties with poor health outcomes, healthy, affordable foods are available in these regions (22). There are effective community-based interventions aimed at helping individuals identify and access locally available, affordable, healthy foods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Costs Are Higher in Counties With Poor Health Rankings

Hardin‐Fanning

Wiggins²

2017

J Cardiovasc Nurs

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Background: Poor dietary habits are associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease. However, the cost of foods associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease can be a significant barrier to healthy eating. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine whether food prices per serving differed across Kentucky counties based on health ranking and overall nutritional quality. Methods: Fifteen counties were randomly selected based on County Health Ranking. Overall Nutritional Quality Index and cost of 75 foods were assessed in all 15 counties in the same week. A generalized estimating equations model and post hoc analyses were used to assess differences in food cost by nutritional quality and health ranking. Results: Food prices were significantly less in the most healthy counties compared with the least healthy (Z = 3.8; P < .001; $0.08 per serving). Prices were also significantly higher in least healthy counties (tertile 3) compared with moderately healthy counties (tertile 2) (Z = 2.3; P = .024; $0.05 per serving). Conclusions: Disproportionately higher food costs are associated with poor health outcomes in Kentucky counties. Community-based interventions can potentially improve access to affordable healthy foods. Current supplemental nutritional policies do not address disparate food costs. Health professionals should advocate for policy changes that are reflective of these food cost disparities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Costs Are Higher in Counties With Poor Health Rankings

Hardin‐Fanning

Wiggins²

2017

J Cardiovasc Nurs

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“…Residents of rural areas have been found to depend more on smaller convenience and dollar stores, which have limited and more expensive food items compared to other store types [ 3 , 4 ] as well as compared to small convenience stores in urban areas [ 5 ]. The cost of healthy food in larger grocery stores has also been found to be higher in rural areas [ 6 ]. Furthermore, diet-related disparities by socioeconomic status (SES) may be exacerbated in rural versus urban food deserts, where lower income individuals have fewer transportation options (e.g., money for gas or lack of public transportation) to access retail stores with a larger variety of food and/or more affordable prices [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban vs. Rural Socioeconomic Differences in the Nutritional Quality of Household Packaged Food Purchases by Store Type

Lacko

2020

IJERPH

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The U.S. food system is rapidly changing, including the growth of mass merchandisers and dollar stores, which may impact the quality of packaged food purchases (PFPs). Furthermore, diet-related disparities exist by socioeconomic status (SES) and rural residence. We use data from the 2010–2018 Nielsen Homescan Panel to describe the nutritional profiles of PFPs by store type and to assess whether these vary by household urbanicity and SES. Store types include grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, online shopping, dollar stores, and convenience/drug stores. Food and beverage groups contributing the most calories at each store type are estimated using survey-weighted means, while the associations of urbanicity and SES with nutritional quality are estimated using multivariate regression. We find that households that are customers at particular store types purchase the same quality of food regardless of urbanicity or SES. However, we find differences in the quality of foods between store types and that the quantity of calories purchased at each store type varies according to household urbanicity and SES. Rural shoppers tend to shop more at mass merchandisers and dollar stores with less healthful PFPs. We discuss implications for the types of store interventions most relevant for improving the quality of PFPs.

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“…Foremost, as noted by the authors, rural communities are often at a disadvantage when seeking health care as residents must often contend with limited local services, which may include lack of medical clinics and pharmacists in small towns or no easily available specialty provider, such as an oncologist or psychiatrist . Similarly, healthy food is less affordable, and distances to obtain healthy food are farther, in rural areas . Rural residents often travel far to metropolitan areas to access food, take advantage of lower prices, or because the local area lacks a store or lacks quality produce .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…[7][8][9][10][11] Similarly, healthy food is less affordable, and distances to obtain healthy food are farther, in rural areas. [12][13][14] Rural residents often travel far to metropolitan areas to access food, take advantage of lower prices, or because the local area lacks a store or lacks quality produce. 15 As a result, large numbers of low-income families with children in rural areas remain food insecure.…”

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confidence: 99%