Association Between Municipal Food Policy Councils and Local Policies that Support Healthy Eating: A National Survey of Community Policy Supports

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Community efforts to improve access to nutritious foods are one strategy to reduce food insecurity, promote healthy eating, and prevent diet-related chronic diseases. Food policy councils (FPCs) can facilitate relationships between food systems players and implementation of local policy efforts to increase access to healthier foods. This study examined associations between FPCs with local policy supports for healthy food access. Methods We used data from CDC's 2014 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living, a nationally representative survey of U.S. municipalities with population ≥1000 (n = 2029). We calculated the prevalence of FPCs, overall and by municipal characteristics including population size, census region, rural/urban status, poverty prevalence, median education level, and racial/ethnic composition. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine cross-sectional associations between FPCs and four types of supports for healthy food access (approaches to help open or improve food stores; practices to support farmers markets; transportation-related supports; and community planning documents). Results Overall, 7.6% of municipalities reported having a local or regional FPC. FPCs were reported more frequently among larger municipalities with ≥50,000 people (29.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 21.6–36.8) compared to smaller municipalities (4.3% for <2500 people; 7.0% for 2500–49,999 people) and among western municipalities (13.2%, CI: 9.6–16.8) compared to other Census regions (5.9% for south; 6.5% for northeast; 7.6% for midwest). After multivariable adjustment, municipalities with FPCs had significantly higher odds of having all four types of policy supports for healthy food access, compared to those without FPCs (aOR range: 2.4–3.4). Among municipalities with a FPC (n = 156), 41% reported a local government employee or elected official as a member and 46% had a designated health or public health representative. Conclusions Although FPCs are uncommon, municipalities that reported having a local or regional FPC were more likely to report having policy supports for healthy food access for their residents. Funding Sources Funding was solely for author's time from their institutions.