TY - JOUR
T1 - Change in an urban food environment within a single year
T2 - Considerations for food-environment research and community health
AU - Lucan, Sean C.
AU - Maroko, Andrew R.
AU - Jin, Aurora
AU - Chen, Aixin
AU - Pan, Charles
AU - Sosa, Geohaira
AU - Schechter, Clyde B.
N1 - Funding Information:
SCL has served on the Scientific and Nutritional Advisory Board of Epicure (a Canadian food-product and cookware company). This study did not involve human subjects; it was part of a broader human-subjects research project (K23HD079606) approved by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine IRB under federal regulations 45 CFR 46.110 and 21 CFR 56.110. For data collection and management, the study used REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted through the Harold and Muriel Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Einstein and Montefiore under grant UL1 TR001073. This work was also partially supported by the New York Regional Center for Diabetes Translation Research under grant P30 DK111022.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors
PY - 2020/9
Y1 - 2020/9
N2 - Past research on food-environment change has been limited in key ways: (1) considering only select storefront businesses; (2) presuming items sold based on businesses category; (3) describing change only in ecological terms; (4) considering multi-year intervals. The current study addressed past limitations by: (1) considering a full range of both storefront and non-storefront businesses; (2) focusing on items actually offered (both healthful and less-healthful varieties); (3) describing individual-business-level changes (openings, closings, changes in offerings); (4) evaluating changes within a single year. Using a longitudinal, matched-pair comparison of 119 street segments in the Bronx, NY (October 2016-August 2017), investigators assessed all businesses—food stores, restaurants, other storefront businesses (OSBs), street vendors—for healthful and less-healthful food/drink offerings. Changes were described for individual businesses, individual street segments, and for the area overall. Overall, the number (and percentage) of businesses offering any food/drink increased from 45 (41.7%) in 2016 to 49 (45.8%) in 2017; businesses newly opening or newly offering food/drink cumulatively exceeded those shutting down or ceasing food/drink sales. In 2016, OSBs (gyms, barber shops, laundromats, furniture stores, gas stations, etc.) together with street vendors represented 20.0% and 27.3% of businesses offering healthful and less-healthful items, respectively; in 2017, the percentages were 31.0% and 37.0%. While the number of businesses offering healthful items increased, the number offering less-healthful items likewise increased and remained greater. If change in a full range of food/drink availability is not appreciated: food-environment studies may generate erroneous conclusions; communities may misdirect resources to address food-access disparities; and community residents may have increasing, but unrecognized, opportunities for unhealthful consumption.
AB - Past research on food-environment change has been limited in key ways: (1) considering only select storefront businesses; (2) presuming items sold based on businesses category; (3) describing change only in ecological terms; (4) considering multi-year intervals. The current study addressed past limitations by: (1) considering a full range of both storefront and non-storefront businesses; (2) focusing on items actually offered (both healthful and less-healthful varieties); (3) describing individual-business-level changes (openings, closings, changes in offerings); (4) evaluating changes within a single year. Using a longitudinal, matched-pair comparison of 119 street segments in the Bronx, NY (October 2016-August 2017), investigators assessed all businesses—food stores, restaurants, other storefront businesses (OSBs), street vendors—for healthful and less-healthful food/drink offerings. Changes were described for individual businesses, individual street segments, and for the area overall. Overall, the number (and percentage) of businesses offering any food/drink increased from 45 (41.7%) in 2016 to 49 (45.8%) in 2017; businesses newly opening or newly offering food/drink cumulatively exceeded those shutting down or ceasing food/drink sales. In 2016, OSBs (gyms, barber shops, laundromats, furniture stores, gas stations, etc.) together with street vendors represented 20.0% and 27.3% of businesses offering healthful and less-healthful items, respectively; in 2017, the percentages were 31.0% and 37.0%. While the number of businesses offering healthful items increased, the number offering less-healthful items likewise increased and remained greater. If change in a full range of food/drink availability is not appreciated: food-environment studies may generate erroneous conclusions; communities may misdirect resources to address food-access disparities; and community residents may have increasing, but unrecognized, opportunities for unhealthful consumption.
KW - Food environment
KW - Longitudinal change
KW - Measurement
KW - Obesity
KW - Urban
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087212871&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85087212871&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101102
DO - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101102
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85087212871
SN - 2211-3355
VL - 19
JO - Preventive Medicine Reports
JF - Preventive Medicine Reports
M1 - 101102
ER -
