Variation in the food environment of small and non-traditional stores across racial segregation and corporate status

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Public Health Nutr
• Personal Author:
  Winkler, Megan R. ; Lenk, Kathleen M. ; Caspi, Caitlin E. ; Erickson, Darin J. ; Harnack, Lisa ; Laska, Melissa N.
• Description:
  Objective:
  
  We examined differences in consumer-level characteristics and structural resources and capabilities of small and nontraditional food retailers (i.e., corner stores, gas-marts, pharmacies, dollar stores) by racial segregation of store neighborhood and corporate status (corporate/franchise- versus independently-owned).
  
  Design:
  
  Observational store assessments and manager surveys were used to examine availability-, affordability-, and marketing-related characteristics experienced by consumers as well as store resources (e.g., access to distributors) and perceived capabilities for healthful changes (e.g., reduce pricing on healthy foods). Cross-sectional regression analyses of store and manager data based on neighborhood segregation and store corporate status were conducted.
  
  Setting:
  
  Small and non-traditional food stores in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN, USA
  
  Participants:
  
  140 stores; 78 managers
  
  Results:
  
  Several consumer- and structural-level differences occurred by corporate status, independent of residential segregation. Compared to independently-owned stores, corporate/franchise-owned stores were more likely to: not offer fresh produce; when offered, receive produce via direct delivery and charge higher prices; promote unhealthier consumer purchases; and have managers that perceived greater difficulty in making healthful changes (P ≤0.05). Only two significant differences were identified by residential racial segregation. Stores in predominantly people of color communities (<30% Non-Hispanic White) had less availability of fresh fruit and less promotion of unhealthy impulse buys relative to stores in predominantly White communities (P ≤0.05).
  
  Conclusions:
  
  Corporate status appears to be a relevant determinant of the consumer-level food environment of small and nontraditional stores. Policies and interventions aimed at making these settings healthier may need to consider multiple social determinants to enable successful implementation.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Article Corner Stores Food Retail Healthy Food Availability Store Managers
• Source:
  Public Health Nutr. 22(9):1624-1634
• Pubmed ID:
  30846012
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC6494699
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R01 DK104348/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States ; T32 DK083250/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States ; U48 DP005022/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States ; U48DP005022/ACL HHS/United States
• Volume:
  22
• Issue:
  9
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:4e65332cb474faf88155b11795c0d56465fa8fd83ea8c8919b83e54ab25cd654
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/78320/cdc_78320_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 455.15 KB ]