The Public Health Effects of Food Deserts Workshop Summary (2009) / Chapter Skim
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2 Determining the Extent of Food Deserts
2 Determining the Extent of Food Deserts
Pages 11-26
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From page 11... ...
Lisa Powell provided a national overview and discussed price and outlet availability as aspects of access to healthy food. Mari Gallagher focused on the urban environments in Chicago and Detroit, while Joseph Sharkey pointed out the changing food retail environment in rural Brazos Valley, Texas.
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From page 12... ...
Drawing on D&B data, supermarkets and grocery stores are distinguished from convenience stores by the assumption that access to a convenience store alone does not provide access to quality food. Supermarkets are substantially larger food stores than grocery stores and are more likely to have onsite food preparation such as a butcher, a baker, and a deli.
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From page 13... ...
When looked at by income, lower-income neighborhoods had the smallest growth in overall access to food stores and the largest decrease in number of grocery stores (Figure 2-1)
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From page 14... ...
Mainstream food venues are grocery stores or supermarkets, both small and large, where healthy foods can be purchased. On the other hand, Gallagher mentioned that fringe food venues -- including fast-food restaurants, gas stations, and convenience and liquor stores -- do not have healthy food options available on a regular basis.
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From page 15... ...
They more likely had various types of convenience or fringe stores, particularly liquor or party stores that sell a few food items along with cigarettes, alcohol, and soft drinks. In some cases, some of the fringe outlets were classified as grocery stores in USDA data, which the team recoded after visiting the establishments.
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From page 16... ...
Figure 2-2.eps bitmap image stores, party stores, gas stations, and buy-and-fry shops, and only 8 percent, or fewer than 100, were grocery stores of any size. The Role of Convenience Gallagher asserted that people generally buy food at the places closest to them, even if the stores do not have the foods they may prefer or need.
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From page 17... ...
Convenience stores, or food marts, are including more food items in their product selection. Nontraditional food stores, such as mass merchandisers (including Wal-Mart, Target, and Kmart)
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From page 18... ...
Supermarkets, supercenters, and grocery stores offer fresh produce, while convenience and nontraditional food stores, with few exceptions, offer only canned fruits and vegetables. To access fresh fruits and vegetables, about one-third of the population must travel 10 miles or more, although that percentage is halved if processed food is included (see Figures 2-3 and 2-4)
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From page 19... ...
DETERMINING THE EXTENT OF FOOD DESERTS 19 Access to Fresh Fruits N = 1 mile = 1 to 3 miles 0 10 20 Miles = 3 to 5 miles = 5 to 10 miles > 10 miles Urban Cluster Figure 2-3.eps FIGURE 2-3 Access to fresh fruits by distance to nearest vendor. map composed of bitmap wedges SOURCE: Sharkey, 2009.
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From page 20... ...
20 THE PUBLIC HEALTH EFFECTS OF FOOD DESERTS Access to Fresh Vegetables N = 1 mile = 1 to 3 miles = 3 to 5 miles 0 10 20 Miles = 5 to 10 miles > 10 miles Urban Cluster Figure 2-4.eps FIGURE 2-4 Access to fresh vegetables by distance to nearest vendor. SOURCE: Sharkey, 2009.
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From page 21... ...
Nielsen's Scan track and Information Resources, Inc.'s Infoscan databases track store sales for major grocery store chains, while consumer shopping and eating information can be analyzed using the NPD Group's National Eating Trends and Consumer Reports on Eating Share Trends data along with Nielsen's Homescan data. Neighborhood and local economies were not discussed in this presentation on the national overview.
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From page 22... ...
Traditional stores are squeezed in the middle and are trying to determine their niche. Wal-Mart and warehouse stores offer lower prices and large quantities.
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From page 23... ...
Prices and Child BMI Several questions centered on the effects of fruit and vegetable prices on children's weight. Powell explained how her research linked price and outlet density data by geocodes with individual-level data to examine relationships between these economic contextual factors and food consumption behavior and weight outcomes.
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From page 24... ...
The bot tom line is that it is imperative to link quantitative data with the context of people's lives because socioeconomic factors are interconnected with other variables that may be overlooked. quickly organized focus groups mentioned above highlighted that the respondents would not welcome a grocery delivery service, because of bad experiences with spoiled or rotten food purchased from local stores, whereas an outsider might have considered such a service a viable option.
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From page 25... ...
However, she warned about some pushback, as residents expressed concern that fringe food retailers would shut down or stop accepting SNAP vouchers if rules were too stringent. Using Data in Policy Making Gallagher mentioned that many organizations around the country, such as the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council, have done excellent work providing data for policy formation.
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From page 26... ...
Some stores, including food outlets, will go out of business or curtail services. In that regard, said Gallagher, two food stores in close proximity to each other can keep the market competitive and this would benefit consumers.
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