Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117540

Nick Bodor, MPH¹, Donald Diego Rose, PhD², and Thomas A. Farley, MD, MPH². (1) Department of Community Health Sciences, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2300, New Orleans, LA 70112, 302-547-8780, nbodor@tulane.edu, (2) Community Health Sciences, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street ; Suite 2300, New Orleans, LA 70112

A growing literature has highlighted the importance of neighborhood access for food consumption, yet the complexity of food distribution and consumer decision-making calls for more research to better understand these links. In this intensive, small-scale study we develop methods for integrating information on neighborhood access to food stores and in-store availability of fruits and vegetables with shopping patterns and consumption behaviors of neighborhood residents. Survey data on demographics, transportation, and shopping behaviors were collected from households (N=111) in two census tracts in New Orleans, LA. A modified 24-hour recall was also conducted on the household respondent to determine fruit and vegetable intake. A store survey (N=22) provided information on linear shelf space devoted to fruits and vegetables, and data on pricing and variety indicators. Household and store addresses were geocoded to determine distances to nearest store, store last used, and store where most food was purchased. Not surprisingly, mean fruit and vegetable shelf space was found to be considerably larger for supermarkets (570 feet) than for smaller stores, i.e. convenience, grocery, and drug stores (30 feet). Perhaps as a result of this, a majority of respondents most recently shopped at a supermarket, even though this was infrequently their closest store. Among these supermarket shoppers, households not in poverty (p=0.007) or those owning a car (p=0.003) were more likely to shop at a supermarket further than their closest. Additional results highlight the importance of integrating distance measures with store contents and household demographics to understand the links between access and consumption.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• List three factors that influence overall neighborhood access to fruits and vegetables.
• Describe the difference in fruit and vegetable availability between neighborhood stores and supermarkets.
• Articulate how socioeconomic status can influence shopping patterns.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation