Prevalence of Nontraditional Food Stores and Distance to Healthy Foods in a Rural Food Environment

Abstract

Rural environments may present unique challenges for food access compared to urban areas. Eight hundred and seventy food stores were surveyed based on the availability of foods in 14 different food categories in an 8700-square-mile area of Upstate New York. Distances from these stores to 555 area households were calculated. A large number of nontraditional food stores constituted this rural food environment, and these stores were closer on average to households than traditional food stores. Fresh produce was available in only 43% of stores (mainly supermarkets and grocery stores and about one third of convenience stores). Less healthful foods like soda and chips were sold in nearly all stores. On average residents lived about 68% further away from fresh produce like apples and tomatoes (3.2 miles) than processed foods like soda and chips (1.9 miles).

Relationship of Food Availability and Accessibility to Women's Body Weights in Rural Upstate New York

“…37 The mapping procedure as well as other details on the research methods are described in an earlier publication. 17 Measuring the Women's Food Environment…”

“…17 Here we include a brief description of the food store environments within 5 miles of women's homes. Nearly all of the women (90%) had at least 1 store nearby (Figure 1) 63.8% of women had a supermarket or grocery store within 5 miles of their homes.…”

“…Therefore, criteria were established to determine the type of food store through both observation and contact with store management. 17 Supermarkets, grocery stores, discount grocers, conveniences stores, drug stores, dollar stores, natural food stores, and smaller specialty food stores were included. Foods inside the stores were surveyed using the Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey for Stores with modifications made for local brands and foods of interest to families of childbearing women.…”

“…38 The survey assessed the number of different varieties of the foods in 14 separate food categories that were present in the store. 17 Buffers or study areas with 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-mile radii were created around each woman's home along the street network. Each woman's food environment was characterized by 3 different measures.…”

“…Some of these nontraditional food stores have been found to carry many healthful items, as our previous research in the study area as well as the research of others has shown. 17 −20 In addition, the relatively low population density of rural areas, combined with the demise of local grocery stores as large supercenters were built in regional hubs, has resulted in rural residents traveling long distances to reach a major food store. 21−24 Even though recent analysis from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System indicates that rural areas have a higher obesity prevalence (body mass index ≥30) than urban areas (23% vs 20.5%), 25 the association between characteristics of the food environment and health outcomes is less studied in rural compared to urban areas.…”