Measures of the Consumer Food Store Environment: A Systematic Review of the Evidence 2000–2011

Abstract

Description of the consumer food environment has proliferated in publication. However, there has been a lack of systematic reviews focusing on how the consumer food environment is associated with the following: (1) neighborhood characteristics; (2) food prices; (3) dietary patterns; and (4) weight status. We conducted a systematic review of primary, quantitative, observational studies, published in English that conducted an audit of the consumer food environment. The literature search included electronic, hand searches, and peer-reviewed from 2000 to 2011. Fifty six papers met the inclusion criteria. Six studies reported stores in low income neighborhoods or high minority neighborhoods had less availability of healthy food. While, four studies found there was no difference in availability between neighborhoods. The results were also inconsistent for differences in food prices, dietary patterns, and weight status. This systematic review uncovered several key findings. (1) Systematic measurement of determining availability of food within stores and store types is needed; (2) Context is relevant for understanding the complexities of the consumer food environment; (3) Interventions and longitudinal studies addressing purchasing habits, diet, and obesity outcomes are needed; and (4) Influences of price and marketing that may be linked with why people purchase certain items.

Development, reliability and use of a food environment assessment tool in supermarkets of four neighbourhoods in Montréal, Canada

“…Many researchers are urging their colleagues to explore the consumer nutrition environment further and revise their categorization of stores as healthy or unhealthy. 23,29,32,51 In contrast to availability and price, produce quality did not vary among stores. This is probably due to the highest quality standard to which chain supermarkets adhere.…”

Retail food environments research in Canada: A scoping review

“…Such interventions aim to support healthy dietary behaviours by improving the availability of affordable, nutritious food options in the community and/or by decreasing access to less nutritious options. 27 Retail food environment interventions typically have a strong health equity dimension, 59 because they are often set in places where spatial disparities in food access are likely to amplify the effects of inadequate household income. 18,66 The earliest description of a food retail environment intervention was published in 2006.…”

Élaboration, fiabilité et utilisation d’un outil de mesure de l’environnement alimentaire dans les supermarchés de quatre quartiers de Montréal (Canada)

“…L'agrégation de ces résultats contrastés ne donnerait pas une image complète et précise de la situa tion et pourrait sousestimer l'importance de la relation d'un ou de plusieurs indica teurs avec des comportements d'achat ou des résultats de santé des consommateurs. En outre, les indicateurs de l'environnement alimentaire de consommation peuvent ne pas être liés de la même manière aux habi tudes alimentaires ou avoir le même poids pour chaque segment de population 51 . La MEACS, en générant des données pour de multiples indicateurs, permet d'effectuer une analyse pour chaque composante de l'environnement alimentaire de consom mation en lien avec des résultats alimen taires ou sanitaires.…”