The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60145

Shannon Zenk, MPH, MSN¹, Amy Schulz, PhD¹, Barbara A. Israel, DrPH¹, Sherman James, PhD¹, and Mark L. Wilson, ScD². (1) Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1420 Washington Heights, Room M5511 SPH II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, 734-936-1299, szenk@umich.edu, (2) Epidemiology, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 109 Observatory, 1062 SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Lack of access to healthy foods has been proposed as a barrier to healthy eating in poor and predominately black communities. Accordingly, we compared the distribution of food stores (chain, independent, and "mom and pop" grocery; liquor/party; specialty; and convenience stores) and the availability, quality, and cost of fresh produce at these stores in four Detroit area communities. We compared a poor predominately-black community, one that was poor and racially heterogeneous, a middle-income predominately-black community, and a middle-income racially heterogeneous community. Availability was measured by a count of 80 fresh fruits and vegetables. Cost and quality were assessed for a subset of 18 of these fruits and vegetables. Quality was evaluated by the proportion of available items in each produce category that did not meet high quality standards, which we developed for each produce category based on guidelines from the U.S.D.A. Our results show that the poor, predominately-black community had no chain grocery stores, whereas the middle-income, racially heterogeneous community had eight. In contrast, the poor, predominately-black community had over five times more liquor/party stores than the middle-income, racially heterogeneous community. Although food stores in the four communities offered a similar number of fresh fruits and vegetables at comparable prices, fresh produce that was sold in the poor, predominately-black community was of significantly lower quality than that in the middle-income, racially heterogeneous community. Our results suggest that disparities exist for some dimensions of food access among communities, with poor, predominately-black communities bearing a greater burden of fewer nutritional options.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe a measure for assessing the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Identify three indicators of access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Discuss the strengths and challenges of directly measuring the availability, quality, and cost of fresh fruits and vegetables at food stores.

Keywords: Food Security, Urban Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.