Disparities in food access: Does aggregate availability of key foods from other stores offset the relative lack of supermarkets in African-American neighborhoods?

• Published in: Preventive medicine Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 63 - 67
• Main Authors: Bodor, J. Nicholas, Rice, Janet C, Farley, Thomas A, Swalm, Chris M, Rose, Donald
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.2010
• Subjects: African Americans; African-American; Black American people; Cluster Analysis; Commerce; Fast Foods - supply & distribution; Feeding Behavior - ethnology; Food; Food stores; Fruit - supply & distribution; Fruits and vegetables; Healthy food; Humans; Internal Medicine; Neighbourhoods; New Orleans; Obesity; Residence Characteristics; Snack foods; Snacks; Socioeconomic Factors; Supermarkets; Vegetables - supply & distribution; USA, Louisiana, New Orleans; Africa; Obesity; Food stores; Fruits and vegetables; African-American; Snack foods
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.04.009

Abstract Objective Recent work demonstrates the importance of in-store contents, yet most food access disparity research has focused on differences in store access, rather than the foods they carry. This study examined in-store shelf space of key foods to test whether other types of stores might offset the relative lack of supermarkets in African-American neighborhoods. Methods New Orleans census tract data were combined with health department information on food stores open in 2004–2005. Shelf space of fruits, vegetables, and energy-dense snacks was assessed using a measuring wheel and established protocols in a sample of stores. Neighborhood availability of foods was calculated by summing shelf space in all stores within 2 km of tract centers. Regression analyses assessed associations between tract racial composition and aggregate food availability. Results African-American neighborhoods had fewer supermarkets and the aggregate availability of fresh fruits and vegetables was lower than in other neighborhoods. There were no differences in snack food availability. Conclusions Other store types did not offset the relative lack of supermarkets in African-American neighborhoods in the provision of fresh produce, though they did for snack foods. Altering the mix of foods offered in such stores might mitigate these inequities.