Access To Supermarkets Research Articles

Enhancing Elderly Well-Being: Exploring Interactions between Neighborhood-Built Environment and Outdoor Activities in Old Urban Area

China has the world’s largest and fastest-growing elderly population, primarily living in outdated urban residential communities. These aging populations face challenges in outdoor activities (OA) and quality of life (QoL) due to deteriorating neighborhood-built environments (NBE). While upgrading these environments is essential for urban renewal, the specific NBE factors affecting OA and QoL for the elderly are not well understood, creating a gap in existing research. This study addresses this gap by investigating how NBE elements influence the OA and QoL of elderly residents in these communities. This study investigates these interactions by conducting a comprehensive literature review, followed by a questionnaire survey, with data analyzed using factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results reveal that supermarkets and subways significantly impact the physical health of older adults. Psychological health is primarily shaped by daily activities, social relationships, and self-care ability, with roads, hospitals, and bus stops further affecting daily activities. Social relationships are largely influenced by social activities, which are impacted by grocery markets, subways, and parks. Additionally, self-care ability is affected by leisure and daily activities, as well as the accessibility of supermarkets, grocery markets, subways, and buses. These findings offer valuable insights for government-led initiatives aimed at implementing age-friendly retrofitting of NBEs, ultimately enhancing the OA and QoL of the elderly population.

Food environment and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundObesity is influenced by a complex, multifaceted system of determinants, including the food environment. Governments need evidence to act on improving the food environment. The aim of this study was...

Social Determinants of Health Associated With the Need for Urgent Versus Elective Cholecystectomy at an Urban, Safety-Net Hospital.

Background: Benign gallstone disease is the most frequent indication for cholecystectomy in the United States. Many patients present with complicated disease requiring urgent interventions, which increases morbidity and mortality. We investigated the association between individual and population-level social determinants of health (SDoH) with urgent versus elective cholecystectomy. Patients and Methods: All patients undergoing cholecystectomy (2014-2021) for benign gallstone disease were included. Demographic and clinical data were linked to population-level SDoH characteristics using census tracts. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 3,197 patients met inclusion criteria; 1,913 (59.84%) underwent urgent cholecystectomy, 1,204 (37.66%) underwent emergent cholecystectomy, and 80 (2.5%) underwent interval cholecystectomy. On multinomial logistic regression, patients who were older (relative risk [RR], 1.010; p < 0.001), black (RR, 1.634; p = 0.008), and living in census tracts with a higher percent of poverty (RR, 0.017; p = 0.021) had a higher relative risk of presenting for urgent cholecystectomy. Patients who were female (RR, 0.462; p < 0.001), had a primary care provider (PCP; RR, 0.821; p = 0.018), and lived in census tracts with low supermarket access (RR, 0.764; p = 0.038) had a lower relative risk of presenting for urgent cholecystectomy. Only age (RR, 1.066; p < 0.001), female gender (RR, 0.227; p < 0.001), and having a PCP (RR, 1.984; p = 0.034) were associated with presentation for interval cholecystectomy. Conclusions: Patients who were older, black, and living in census tracts with high poverty levels had a higher relative risk of presenting for urgent cholecystectomy at our institution, whereas females and patients with PCPs were more likely to undergo elective cholecystectomy. Improved access to primary care and surgical clinics for all patients at safety-net hospitals may result in improved outcomes in the management of benign gallstone disease by increasing diagnosis and treatment in the elective setting.

Availability and Accessibility of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods in Neighborhood and their Association with Noncommunicable Diseases: A Scoping Review.

Worldwide, 7 million mortalities and 187.7 million morbidities have been associated with dietary risks. Poor diets emerge because of an obesogenic environment. However, clear evidence indicating an association between food environment and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is inconclusive. The present review was conducted to study the associations between the availability/accessibility of healthy/unhealthy foods and the risk of NCDs among adults of the age group above 18. Studies published between 2012 and 2022 were reterived using three databases - PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), (2018) guidelines and based on the selection criteria, 3034 studies were retrieved, of which 64 were included in this review. Maximum studies were conducted in high-income countries and adopted a cross-sectional study design. Overall, the results of the review illustrate mixed findings. Compared to healthy food, direct associations between obesity and the availability/accessibility of unhealthy foods were reported (n = 12). In case of diabetes, supermarket availability was more likely to be protective (4 positive) compared to negative association with unhealthy food stores (3 associations in 11 studies). For cardiovascular diseases, an increased number of cases with fast-food outlets (n = 6) outnumbered positive associations with healthy food (n = 3). Studies concerning multiple NCDs reported direct association with unhealthy food outlets (n = 5) while inconclusive associations with healthy food. Despite a large number of studies, a weak, inconclusive relationship between food environment and NCDs was found. The use of standardized tools and longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to rationalize the execution of the policies related to the food environment.

Assessing the association between food environment and dietary inflammation by community type: a cross-sectional REGARDS study

BackgroundCommunities in the United States (US) exist on a continuum of urbanicity, which may inform how individuals interact with their food environment, and thus modify the relationship between food access and dietary behaviors.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study aims to examine the modifying effect of community type in the association between the relative availability of food outlets and dietary inflammation across the US.MethodsUsing baseline data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study (2003–2007), we calculated participants’ dietary inflammation score (DIS). Higher DIS indicates greater pro-inflammatory exposure. We defined our exposures as the relative availability of supermarkets and fast-food restaurants (percentage of food outlet type out of all food stores or restaurants, respectively) using street-network buffers around the population-weighted centroid of each participant’s census tract. We used 1-, 2-, 6-, and 10-mile (~ 2-, 3-, 10-, and 16 km) buffer sizes for higher density urban, lower density urban, suburban/small town, and rural community types, respectively. Using generalized estimating equations, we estimated the association between relative food outlet availability and DIS, controlling for individual and neighborhood socio-demographics and total food outlets. The percentage of supermarkets and fast-food restaurants were modeled together.ResultsParticipants (n = 20,322) were distributed across all community types: higher density urban (16.7%), lower density urban (39.8%), suburban/small town (19.3%), and rural (24.2%). Across all community types, mean DIS was − 0.004 (SD = 2.5; min = − 14.2, max = 9.9). DIS was associated with relative availability of fast-food restaurants, but not supermarkets. Association between fast-food restaurants and DIS varied by community type (P for interaction = 0.02). Increases in the relative availability of fast-food restaurants were associated with higher DIS in suburban/small towns and lower density urban areas (p-values < 0.01); no significant associations were present in higher density urban or rural areas.ConclusionsThe relative availability of fast-food restaurants was associated with higher DIS among participants residing in suburban/small town and lower density urban community types, suggesting that these communities might benefit most from interventions and policies that either promote restaurant diversity or expand healthier food options.

Addressing US Food Deserts: Evaluating Current Solutions and Proposing Other Comprehensive Alternatives

Food deserts, characterized by limited access to affordable and nutritious food options due to the absence of nearby grocery stores, affect the lives of approximately 19 million individuals across the United States. This study critically evaluates the efficacy of current solutions and proposes a comprehensive approach that addresses the spatial challenges inherent in food deserts. Through an extensive literature review and insightful interviews with academic experts and a local food bank, this research examines the limitations of existing initiatives such as SNAP, SNAP-Ed, HFFI, and urban agriculture in effectively tackling food deserts. Notably, most of these programs tackle financial support but do not tackle the widespread and systemic accessibility of supermarkets that is a key characteristic of food deserts. While these programs have shown some positive impact in mitigating food insecurity, they fail to directly address the fundamental issue of distance between individuals and food resources. In response to these limitations, this study proposes a comprehensive solution that centers on enhancing public transit systems and establishing robust online delivery platforms. By improving transportation options, such as implementing shuttle buses, individuals residing in food deserts can more easily access supermarkets and grocery stores, thereby overcoming the distance challenge. Additionally, online delivery services can bridge the gap by providing convenient access to nutritious food, regardless of geographic location. To ensure the effectiveness of these solutions, government subsidies should be considered to alleviate delivery fees and reduce costs.

Association of Living in a Food Desert and Poor Periconceptional Diet Quality in a Cohort of Nulliparous Pregnant Individuals

BackgroundA poor diet can result from adverse social determinants of health and increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. ObjectiveWe aimed to assess, using data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be prospective cohort, whether nulliparous pregnant individuals who lived in a food desert were more likely to experience poorer periconceptional diet quality compared with those who did not live in a food desert. MethodsThe exposure was living in a food desert based on a spatial overview of food access indicators by income and supermarket access per the Food Access Research Atlas. The outcome was periconceptional diet quality per the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010, analyzed by quartile (Q) from the highest or best (Q4, reference) to the lowest or worst dietary quality (Q1); and secondarily, nonadherence (yes or no) to 12 key aspects of dietary quality. ResultsAmong 7,956 assessed individuals, 24.9% lived in a food desert. The mean HEI-2010 score was 61.1 of 100 (SD: 12.5). Poorer periconceptional dietary quality was more common among those who lived in a food desert compared with those who did not live in a food desert (Q4: 19.8%, Q3: 23.6%, Q2: 26.5%, and Q1: 30.0% vs. Q4: 26.8%, Q3: 25.8%, Q2: 24.5%, and Q1: 22.9%; overall P < 0.001). Individuals living in a food desert were more likely to report a diet in lower quartiles of the HEI-2010 (i.e., poorer dietary quality) (aOR: 1.34 per quartile; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.49). They were more likely to be nonadherent to recommended standards for 5 adequacy components of the HEI-2010, including fruit, total vegetables, greens and beans, seafood and plant proteins, and fatty acids, and less likely to report excess intake of empty calories. ConclusionsNulliparous pregnant individuals living in a food desert were more likely to experience poorer periconceptional diet quality compared with those who did not live in a food desert.

Historic Residential Redlining and Present-Day Social Determinants of Health, Home Evictions, and Food Insecurity within US Neighborhoods.

Examine the association between historic residential redlining and present-day racial/ethnic composition of neighborhoods, racial/ethnic differences in social determinant of health domains, and risk of home evictions and food insecurity. We examined data on 12,334 (for eviction sample), and 8996 (for food insecurity sample), census tracts in 213 counties across 37 states in the USA with data on exposure to historic redlining. First, we examined relationships between Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) redlining grades (A="Best", B="Still Desirable", C="Definitely Declining", D="Hazardous") and present-day racial/ethnic composition and racial/ethnic differences in social determinant of health domains of neighborhoods. Second, we examined whether historic redlining is associated with present-day home eviction rates (measured across eviction filings rates, and eviction judgment rates for 12,334 census tracts in 2018) and food insecurity (measured across low supermarket access, low supermarket access and income, low supermarket access and low car ownership for 8996 census tracts in 2019). Multivariable regression models were adjusted for census tract population, urban/rural designation, and county level fixed effects. Relative to areas with a historic HOLC grading of "A (Best)", areas with a "D (Hazardous)" grading had a 2.59 (95%CI=1.99-3.19; p-value<0.01) higher rate of eviction filings, and a 1.03 (95%CI=0.80-1.27; p-value<0.01) higher rate of eviction judgments. Compared to areas with a historic HOLC grading of "A (Best)", areas rated with a "D (Hazardous)" had a 16.20 (95%CI=15.02-17.79; p-value<0.01) higher rate of food insecurity based on supermarket access and income, and a 6.15 (95%CI =5.53-6.76; p-value<0.01) higher rate of food insecurity based on supermarket access and car ownership. Historic residential redlining is significantly associated with present-day home evictions and food insecurity, highlighting persistent associations between structural racism and present-day social determinants of health.

Beyond Neighborhood Disadvantage: Local Resources, Green Space, Pollution, and Crime as Residential Community Correlates of Cardiovascular Risk and Brain Morphology in Midlife Adults.

Residing in communities characterized by socioeconomic disadvantage confers risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Residing in disadvantaged communities may also confer the risk of neurodegenerative brain changes via cardiometabolic pathways. This study tested whether features of communities-apart from conventional socioeconomic characteristics-relate not only to cardiometabolic risk but also to relative tissue reductions in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Participants were 699 adults aged 30 to 54 years (340 women; 22.5% non-White) whose addresses were geocoded to compute community indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage, as well as air and toxic chemical pollutant exposures, homicide rates, concentration of employment opportunities, land use (green space), and availability of supermarkets and local resources. Participants also underwent assessments of cortical and hippocampal volumes and cardiometabolic risk factors (adiposity, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and lipids). Multilevel structural equation modeling demonstrated that cardiometabolic risk was associated with community disadvantage ( β = 0.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01 to 0.18), as well as chemical pollution ( β = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.19), homicide rates ( β = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.18), employment opportunities ( β = -0.16, 95% CI = -0.27 to -0.04), and green space ( β = -0.12, 95% CI = -0.20 to -0.04). Moreover, cardiometabolic risk indirectly mediated the associations of several of these community features and brain tissue volumes. Some associations were nonlinear, and none were explained by participants' individual-level socioeconomic characteristics. Features of communities other than conventional indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage may represent nonredundant correlates of cardiometabolic risk and brain tissue morphology in midlife.

Associations between Elderly Residents’ Supermarket Accessibility and Built Environmental Features in Seoul, Korea

Scholars have examined the relationship between destination accessibility and various pedestrian-friendly environments in neighborhoods. However, there have been few studies on whether micro-scale environmental features promote access to supermarkets. This study fills these gaps by examining the accessibility of supermarkets and the meso- and micro-scale environmental features. In particular, environmental features that pedestrians can experience at the eye-level were estimated using the Naver pedestrian direction API and semantic segmentation technique. Multivariate regression models were employed to determine whether neighborhoods with high supermarket accessibility ensure walkable environments for the elderly. Our findings have shown that the walkability differs according to different levels of supermarket accessibility. Neighborhoods with high supermarket accessibility had high density and high diversity, and they provided high-quality sidewalk pavement. Conversely, elderly residents in neighborhoods with low accessibility had to pass through more pedestrian crossing facilities and steep slopes to go to do their shopping. These results can provide insight to policymakers and planners about the uneven accessibility of supermarkets and help improve neighborhood walkability for the elderly.

Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and body size in Australia's capital cities: The contribution of obesogenic environments.

Residents of socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods have higher rates of overweight and obesity and chronic disease than their counterparts from advantaged neighbourhoods. This study assessed whether associations between neighbourhood disadvantage and measured body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, are accounted for by obesogenic environments (i.e., residential distance to the Central Business District [CBD], supermarket availability, access to walkable destinations). The study used 2017-18 National Health Survey data for working-aged adults (aged ≥18 years, n = 9,367) residing in 3,454 neighbourhoods across Australia's state and territory capital cities. In five of eight cities (i.e., Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth) residents of disadvantaged neighbourhoods had significantly higher BMI and a larger waist circumference than residents of more advantaged areas. There was no association between neighbourhood disadvantage and body size in Hobart, Darwin, and Canberra. Associations between neighbourhood disadvantage and body size were partially explained by neighbourhood differences in distance to the CBD but not supermarket availability or walkable amenities. The results of this study point to the role of urban design and city planning as mechanisms for addressing social and economic inequities in Australia's capital cities, and as solutions to this country's overweight and obesity epidemic and associated rising rates of chronic disease.

Seafood consumption changes and COVID-19 impact index in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

This empirical study examines seafood consumption patterns in the province of West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia at the regency level, and analyzes changes in consumption patterns during the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus outbreak. We used a stratified semi-random general population survey administered online through mobile devices from November 24th-December 31st 2020 for rapid assessment and dissemination, which received 1518 respondents. Our findings enabled us to generate a COVID-19 impact index at the regency level, indicating an urban-to-rural gradient in the degree of change in seafood consumption patterns, with rural areas incurring more changes. During COVID-19, 61% of respondents ate less seafood than normal, 66% stated seafood was more expensive, and 37% stated that the seafood they normally buy was not available. Respondents also bought 5% less fresh or raw seafood, and 4.3% more pre-cooked seafood products during the pandemic. Traditional markets, mobile vendors, and food stands remain the most frequent access points for seafood, although access decreased during the pandemic for all, with mini- and supermarket access slightly increasing. Raw and fresh seafood purchases from travelling merchants decreased 12.5% during the pandemic. A larger percentage of women (~10% more than men) eat fish at least once per week, and women eat a larger diversity of seafood products. However, men classified themselves on average in a higher income class than women both before and during the pandemic, and men were significantly more likely to agree that they had enough money to buy the food they wanted during the pandemic. Overall, respondents who indicated eating a higher frequency of fish per week, were significantly more likely to agree that they ate less fish during the pandemic. Respondents on Sumbawa island were significantly more likely to agree that the fisheries products were not available during the pandemic.

Spatial Accessibility of Bakeries and Supermarkets in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

The recent events and constant global changes show the importance of rethinking city planning. In this context, the 15-Minute City concept got important as it brings people closer to activities and services, through short trips by active modes, being the key to a sustainable city. Based on this concept, this paper analysed the spatial accessibility of residents of Belo Horizonte (Brazil) to two establishments essential to the quality of life: bakeries and supermarkets. The analyses were made through the influence areas, spatial clusters, and the Local Indicators of Spatial Association. The results showed that bakeries are more accessible than supermarkets, which are not accessible to the entire population, especially in low-density and low-income regions. In addition, areas with potential for new projects were identified by the relationship between existing facilities (supermarkets or bakeries) and population density/income. Finally, the results highlight the challenges for developing sustainable cities considering the 15-Minute City concept throughout the territory of Belo Horizonte.

The Changing Landscape of Food Deserts and Swamps over More than a Decade in Flanders, Belgium.

Food deserts and swamps have previously been mostly studied in Anglo-Saxon countries such as the USA and Great Britain. This research is one of the first studies to map food deserts and swamps in a mainland European, densely populated but heavily fragmented region such as Flanders. The evolution of food deserts and swamps between 2008 and 2020 was assessed. Special focus was given to areas where high numbers of elderly, young people and/or families with low income live. Food deserts were calculated based on supermarket access within 1000 m and bus stop availability, while food swamps were calculated using the Modified Food Environment Retail Index. The main cause behind the formation of food deserts in Flanders is its rapidly aging population. Food deserts with a higher number of older people increased from 2.5% to 3.1% of the residential area between 2008 and 2020, housing 2.2% and 2.8% of the population, respectively. Although the area that could become a food desert in the future due to these sociospatial and demographic evolutions is large, food deserts are currently a relatively small problem in Flanders in comparison to the widespread existence of food swamps. Unhealthy retailers outnumbered healthy retailers in 74% of residential areas in 2020, housing 88.2% of the population. These food swamps create an environment where unhealthy food choices predominate. Residential areas with a higher number of elderly people, young people and families with low incomes had healthier food environments than Flanders as a whole, because these areas are mostly found in dense urban centers where the ratio of healthy food retailers to all retailers is higher. This research showed that food deserts and swamps could be a growing problem in European regions with a high population density that experience the high pressures of competing land uses.

Structural evaluation of child physical abuse in trauma: Social determinants of health at the population level

PurposeChild physical abuse (CPA) is closely linked to social factors like insurance status with limited evaluation at a structural population-level. This study evaluates the role of social determinants of health within the built environment on CPA. MethodsA single-institution retrospective review of pediatric trauma patients was conducted between January 2016 and December 2020. Patient address was geocoded to the census-tract level. Socioeconomic metrics, including poverty rate, supermarket access and Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) were estimated from the Food Access Research Atlas. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were conducted to compare demographics and outcomes. ResultsOf 3,540 patients, 317 (9.0%) had concern for physical abuse reported in the registry. CPA patients were younger (7.5 vs 9.6 years, p<0.0001) and more often Black (37.0%, N = 117 vs 23.5%, N = 753; p<0.0001). CPA had higher injury severity scores (ISS) (7.9 vs 5.8, p<0.0001) and longer length of stay (5.3 vs 2.9 days, p<0.0001). CPA had higher Medicaid (73.0%, N = 232 vs 53.8%, N = 1748, p<0.0001) and SVI (0.65 vs 0.59, p<0.0001) with lower median income ($52,100 vs $56,100, p<0.0001) and more low-food access tracts (59.6% vs 53.6%, p = 0.06). Combined low-income and low-food access populations showed widened disparities (40.0% vs 28.9%, p = 0.0002). On multivariate analysis, CPA was associated with poverty (OR 2.3, 95% CI [0.979, 3.60], p = 0.0006), low-access Black share (OR 3.3, 95% CI [1.18, 5.47], p = 0.002) and urban designation (OR 1.5, 95% CI [1.13, 1.87], p = 0.004). ConclusionThe built-environment and population-level social determinants of health are related to child physical abuse and should influence advocacy and prevention. Level of evidenceLevel III. Type of studyRetrospective.

Supermarket Proximity and Risk of Hypertension, Diabetes, and CKD: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Living in environments with low access to food may increase the risk of chronic diseases. We investigated the association of household distance to the nearest supermarket (as a measure of food access) with the incidence of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a metropolitan area of the United States. Retrospective cohort study. 777,994 individuals without hypertension, diabetes, or CKD at baseline within the HealthLNK Data Repository, which contains electronic health records from 7 health care institutions in Chicago, Illinois. Zip code-level average distance between households and nearest supermarket. Incidence of hypertension, diabetes, and CKD based on presence of ICD-9 code and/or blood pressure≥140/90mm Hg, hemoglobin A1c≥6.5%, and eGFR<60mL/min/1.73m2, respectively. Average distance to nearest supermarket was aggregated from street-level metrics for 56 Chicagoland zip codes. The cumulativeincidence of hypertension, diabetes, and CKD from 2007-2012 was calculated for each zip code in patients free of these diseases in 2006. Spatial analysis of food access and disease incidence was performed using bivariate local indicator of spatial association (BiLISA) maps and bivariate local Moran I statistics. The relationship between supermarket access and outcomes was analyzed using logistic regression. Of 777,994 participants, 408,608 developed hypertension, 51,380 developed diabetes, and 56,365 developed CKD. There was significant spatial overlap between average distance to supermarket and incidence of hypertension and diabetes but not CKD. Zip codes with large average supermarket distances and high incidence of hypertension and diabetes were clustered in southern and western neighborhoods. Models adjusted only for neighborhood factors (zip code-level racial composition, access to vehicles, median income) revealed significant associations between zip code-level average distance to supermarket and chronic disease incidence. Relative to tertile 1 (shortest distance), ORs in tertiles 2 and 3, respectively, were 1.27 (95% CI, 1.23-1.30) and 1.38 (95% CI, 1.33-1.43) for diabetes, 1.03 (95% CI, 1.02-1.05) and 1.04 (95% CI, 1.02-1.06) for hypertension, and 1.18 (95% CI, 1.15-1.21) and 1.33 (95% CI, 1.29-1.37) for CKD. Models adjusted for demographic factors and health insurance showed significant and positive association with greater odds of incident diabetes (tertile 2: 1.29 [95% CI, 1.26-1.33]; tertile 3: 1.35 [95% CI, 1.31-1.39]) but lesser odds of hypertension (tertile 2: 0.95 [95% CI, 0.94-0.97]; tertile 3: 0.91 [95% CI, 0.89-0.92]) and CKD (tertile 2: 0.80 [95% CI, 0.78-0.82]; tertile 3: 0.73 [95% CI, 0.72-0.76]). After adjusting for both neighborhood and individual covariates, supermarket distance remained significantly associated with greater odds of diabetes and lesser odds of hypertension, but there was no significant association with CKD. Unmeasured neighborhood and social confounding variables, zip code-level analysis, and limited individual-level information. There are significant disparities in supermarket proximity and incidence of hypertension, diabetes, and CKD in Chicago, Illinois. The relationship between supermarket access and chronic disease is largely explained by individual- and neighborhood-level factors.

Assessing supermarket patronage in Matola, Mozambique

As an indicator of a potential broader nutrition transition, the supermarketization of urban food systems in the Global South has become a growing area of research interest. While the rising dominance of supermarkets in urban food systems has been noted in several global cities in the Global South, there have been fewer investigations into the spatial and demographic characteristics that may govern the patronage of supermarkets in smaller secondary cities. This paper assesses this supermarketization trend via an investigation of supermarket patronage in a secondary city through a 2014 household survey of Matola, Mozambique (n = 507). Using a combination of descriptive statistics and decision tree learning algorithms, the findings suggest a strong geographic pattern to supermarket patronage among the surveyed households in Matola. Further analyses comparing frequent and infrequent supermarket patrons confirms the observation that spatial distance may be a more significant determinant of supermarket patronage than household wealth among the surveyed households in Matola. These findings suggest that the spatial availability of supermarkets may play a greater role in defining the supermarketization of Matola’s food system than household entitlements. These findings also have implications for the evolving concept of urban food deserts in secondary cities, recognizing the role of spatial location in determining household access to supermarkets.

Changes in the local food‐at‐home environment, supplemental nutrition assistance program participation, and dietary quality: Evidence from FoodAPS

AbstractWe study dietary quality via grocery purchases among US households using the USDA's FoodAPS data. Using data from Nielsen IQ TDLinx, we measure changes in the local food‐at‐home environment over an 8‐year span and identify impacts on the healthy eating index. The results indicate the local food environment better explain food choices and dietary quality for rural households, as compared to urban. Many of our significant findings pertain specifically to supplemental nutrition assistance program participants. Decreases in local supermarket availability is often associated with lower adherence to federal dietary recommendations, and the converse is often true for supercenters.

MP17-12 PROXIMITY TO FOOD DESERTS INCREASES RISK OF PEDIATRIC NEPHROLITHIASIS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP17-12 PROXIMITY TO FOOD DESERTS INCREASES RISK OF PEDIATRIC NEPHROLITHIASIS Arthi Hannallah, Aurash Naser-Tavakolian, Zoë Baker, Shirley Saker, Thalia Bajakian, Nadine Khouzam, Andrew Freedman, and S. Scott Sparks Arthi HannallahArthi Hannallah More articles by this author , Aurash Naser-TavakolianAurash Naser-Tavakolian More articles by this author , Zoë BakerZoë Baker More articles by this author , Shirley SakerShirley Saker More articles by this author , Thalia BajakianThalia Bajakian More articles by this author , Nadine KhouzamNadine Khouzam More articles by this author , Andrew FreedmanAndrew Freedman More articles by this author , and S. Scott SparksS. Scott Sparks More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002550.12AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: This study sought to identify a relationship between proximity to food deserts and the prevalence of pediatric nephrolithiasis in Southern California. METHODS: This was a multi-site review of patients with nephrolithiasis from two pediatric hospitals in a dense urban region from 2006 to 2021. Demographics and stone histories were reviewed. Patients’ home addresses were correlated with census tract data and compared to locations of food deserts per the United States Department of Agriculture. Food deserts are regions with no supermarket access within a half-mile radius in urban areas or a 10-mile radius in rural areas. Median household income (MHI) was assessed with the 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Poverty was defined by the California Poverty Measure (CPM), with near poverty as 1-1.5x CPM. Logistic and linear regression models were utilized to analyze the associations between sociodemographic factors and stone-related outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 429 pediatric patients in Southern California seen for nephrolithiasis. Table 1 includes demographic data, poverty rate, and access to supermarkets. Compared to those who did not live in food deserts, patients living in food deserts experienced their first stone episode 1.13 years earlier (95% CI: 0.08-2.19 years earlier; p=0.04) and were 1.53 times more likely to require surgery for stones with a trend toward statistical significance (95% CI: 0.96-2.43; p=0.07, Figure 1). Patients living in low-income neighborhoods were 1.86 times more likely to be overweight or obese than patients with stones living in higher-income neighborhoods (95% CI: 1.10-3.15; p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Proximity to food deserts is associated with an increased risk of pediatric nephrolithiasis at a younger age and potentially requiring more surgical stone interventions. Obesity is more prevalent among patients residing in low-income neighborhoods. Dietary efforts that assess the access and ability to provide adequate nutrition should be evaluated in pediatric patients with nephrolithiasis. Source of Funding: none © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e289 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Arthi Hannallah More articles by this author Aurash Naser-Tavakolian More articles by this author Zoë Baker More articles by this author Shirley Saker More articles by this author Thalia Bajakian More articles by this author Nadine Khouzam More articles by this author Andrew Freedman More articles by this author S. Scott Sparks More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Supermarket environment and nutrition outcomes: Evidence from rural China

Globally, the supermarket environment is playing an increasingly important role in dietary and public health transformation. This study highlights the nutrition effect of the supermarket environment and sheds light on the potential mechanisms through which this environment impacts nutrition outcomes. The data used in this study are longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period from 2004 to 2011 considering rural China. To account for individual heterogeneity and the endogeneity of the supermarket environment in panel estimation, a pseudo-fixed-effects estimator combined with a control function is applied within a multinomial logit model. Our panel estimations suggest that there are no significant effects of supermarket availability and accessibility on nutrition outcomes, while food variety (fruits and vegetables) indicates a significantly negative effect on being underweight, overweight, and obese. The results are largely consistent when the control function is used to address the endogeneity of the supermarket environment. To further clarify the mechanisms through which food variety influences nutrition outcomes, calorie intakes and the Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) are used to measure nutritional intakes and dietary quality, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that food variety in supermarkets shows a significantly negative effect on calorie intakes but a significantly positive effect on the CHEI. Policies targeted at efficiently improving nutrition-related health in rural China might, thus, focus on improving consumers’ food choices, through more food variety in supermarkets.