Understanding the Food Environment in a Low-Income Urban Setting: Implications for Food Store Interventions

Gittelsohn, Joel; Franceschini, Maria Cristina; Rasooly, Irit R.; Ries, Amy V.; Ho, Lara S.; Pavlovich, W; Santos, Valerie T.; Jennings, Sharla M.; Frick, Kevin D.

doi:10.1080/19320240801891438

Cited by 123 publications

(134 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The study was conducted in East and West Baltimore, two primarily lowincome areas of the city. Baltimore City has a variety of food sources, the majority of which are small-to-mediumsized food stores, such as small supermarkets or corner stores, carry-outs and fast-food restaurants (21) . Lowincome areas of the city tend to have limited access to large supermarkets and limited availability of healthy food, such as fresh fruit and vegetables and low-fat milk (20,21) .…”

Section: Study Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Baltimore City has a variety of food sources, the majority of which are small-to-mediumsized food stores, such as small supermarkets or corner stores, carry-outs and fast-food restaurants (21) . Lowincome areas of the city tend to have limited access to large supermarkets and limited availability of healthy food, such as fresh fruit and vegetables and low-fat milk (20,21) . Formative research in this population showed high intakes of sweetened beverages and high-fat foods and low fruit and vegetable intakes (27) .…”

Section: Study Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Limited availability of healthy food has been associated with a less healthy diet, and living in a neighbourhood with a high density of fast-food restaurants may increase the likelihood of becoming obese, especially among people without cars (17)(18)(19) . In Baltimore City, the availability of healthy food is lower in predominantly AfricanAmerican (AA), low-income neighbourhoods compared with white higher-income neighbourhoods (20,21) . Further, a large number of neighbourhood fast-food and carry-out restaurants have been associated with higher fat intake and lower vegetable intake among AA (20,22) .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Access to food source and food source use are associated with healthy and unhealthy food-purchasing behaviours among low-income African-American adults in Baltimore City

D’Angelo

Suratkar

Song

et al. 2011

Public Health Nutr.

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110

111

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Objective: Although previous research has shown limited availability of healthy food in low-income urban neighbourhoods, the association between food source use and food-purchasing patterns has not yet been examined. We explored foodpurchasing patterns in the context of food source use and food source access factors in low-income areas of Baltimore City. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Predominantly low-income neighbourhoods in East and West Baltimore City. Subjects: A total of 175 low-income African-American adult residents. Results: Supermarkets and corner stores were the most frequently used food sources. Walking was the main form of transportation used by 57 % of all respondents, 97 % of corner-store shoppers and 49 % of supermarket shoppers. Multiple linear regression models adjusting for demographic factors, type of food source used and transportation type found that corner-store use was associated with obtaining more unhealthy food (P 5 0?005), whereas driving to the food source was associated with obtaining more healthy food (P 5 0?012). Conclusions: The large number of corner stores compared with supermarkets in lowincome neighbourhoods makes them an easily accessible and frequently used food source for many people. Interventions to increase the availability and promotion of healthy food in highly accessed corner stores in low-income neighbourhoods are needed. Increased access to transportation may also lead to the use of food sources beyond the corner store, and to increased healthy food purchasing.

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Section: Study Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Access to food source and food source use are associated with healthy and unhealthy food-purchasing behaviours among low-income African-American adults in Baltimore City

D’Angelo

Suratkar

Song

et al. 2011

Public Health Nutr.

Self Cite

110

111

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“…Conversely, health-related food research, which incorporates equity concerns on issues such as food availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability, has largely focused on the distribution and consumption sectors of the food chain (27)(28)(29) . This research is often concerned with the dietary options available to urban populations, especially lower-income populations, through the industrial food system (30) . To create resilient urban food systems for population health in a changing climate, however, it is necessary to move beyond this traditional siloed approach.…”

Section: Beyond Scales and Sectors -An Assessment Of The Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

An integrated approach to identifying and characterising resilient urban food systems to promote population health in a changing climate

James

Friel

2015

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To determine key points of intervention in urban food systems to improve the climate resilience, equity and healthfulness of the whole system. Design: The paper brings together evidence from a 3-year, Australia-based mixedmethods research project focused on climate change adaptation, cities, food systems and health. In an integrated analysis of the three research domainsencompassing the production, distribution and consumption sectors of the food chain -the paper examines the efficacy of various food subsystems (industrial, alternative commercial and civic) in achieving climate resilience and good nutrition.

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“…There are a few studies using qualitative methods to better understand adults' perceptions of and interactions with the FE, [12][13][14][15] but children and the FE continues to be a major gap. Previous studies have found that children frequently purchase and consume energy-dense snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages from stores near their school and home, and when they are guests in others' homes; however, there is limited qualitative research on the local FE of early adolescent children and their food purchasing decisions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An examination of the roles played by early adolescent children in interactions with their local food environment

Engler‐Stringer

Schaefer

Ridalls

2016

Can J Public Health

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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine how pre-and early adolescent (10-14 years old) children from a wide range of neighbourhoods interact with their local food environment (FE), with a focus on the foods and food sources they access and their locations. Children in this age group are developing independence and mobility within (and beyond) their home neighbourhoods but are somewhat geographically bound as they cannot yet drive.METHODS: This research consists of qualitative interviews with 31 children (15 males, 16 females) aged 10-14 years living in socio-economically diverse neighbourhoods across Saskatoon, SK. A thematic analysis was conducted.RESULTS: Children's descriptions of what constitutes their neighbourhood FE were varied, ranging from a couple of city blocks to several kilometres from home. Children were familiar with the types of establishment that sell food within their perceived neighbourhood. When children purchased their own food they most frequently cited buying snacks such as ice cream, candy and slushes, and the majority of these purchases were made in convenience stores, gas stations and grocery stores. Few children reported frequenting fast-food or other restaurants without adults, and when they did it was usually to buy snacks such as French fries and ice cream rather than meals. CONCLUSIONS:Our results highlight the importance of interventions targeted to this age group, in which personal food choices were reported almost exclusively as being energy-but not nutrient-dense snack foods.KEY WORDS: Children; environment; diet; food and nutrition; eating La traduction du résumé se trouve à la fin de l'article.

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Understanding the Food Environment in a Low-Income Urban Setting: Implications for Food Store Interventions

Cited by 123 publications

References 26 publications

Access to food source and food source use are associated with healthy and unhealthy food-purchasing behaviours among low-income African-American adults in Baltimore City

Access to food source and food source use are associated with healthy and unhealthy food-purchasing behaviours among low-income African-American adults in Baltimore City

An integrated approach to identifying and characterising resilient urban food systems to promote population health in a changing climate

An examination of the roles played by early adolescent children in interactions with their local food environment

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