Relative and Absolute Availability of Healthier Food and Beverage Alternatives Across Communities in the United States

• DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2014.302113
• Publication Date: 2014-10-08T16:34:26Z
• Authors: Shannon N. Zenk; Lisa M. Powell; Leah Rimkus; Zeynep Isgor; Dianne C. Barker; Punam Ohri-Vachas...; Frank Chaloupka
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; Racial Groups; 1. No poverty; Health Status Disparities; United States; Food Supply; Beverages; 03 medical and health sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Socioeconomic Factors; Food; Residence Characteristics; Ethnicity; Humans; Obesity; 0305 other medical science

We examined associations between the relative and absolute availability of healthier food beverage alternatives at stores community racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, urban-rural characteristics.We analyzed pooled, annual cross-sectional data collected in 2010 to 2012 from 8462 468 communities spanning 46 US states. Relative was ratio 7 products (e.g., whole-wheat bread) less healthy counterparts white bread); we based on products.The mean 0.71, indicating that averaged 29% fewer than products. Lower associated with low-income, Black, Hispanic communities. Small had largest differences: 0.61 0.60, respectively, for very low-income Black communities, 0.74 high-income White found characteristics.Policies improve may be needed population health reduce disparities.