Oral

Lack of local availability of healthful foods and fresh fruit and vegetables or of ethnically preferred varieties may be among the reasons for higher obesity rates and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income persons. This session presents experiments and surveys to describe availability of these foods in low income communities and to evaluate various strategies to increase access to ethnically preferred or to any fresh fruits and vegetables. Strategies evaluated include placing farmers’ markets into these communities and providing coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Session Objectives: 1. Evaluate the effect of farm stands or farmers’ markets in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in low income communities. 2. Evaluate the associations between community availability of ethnically preferred fruit and vegetables and consumption of these foods. 3. Describe the influence of coupons for fresh produce on vendor participation in community farmers’ markets and on resident fruit and vegetable consumption. 4. Describe the types of foods and beverages sold by street vendors in a large urban area and evaluate the healthfulness of the products sold.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)