Food vendors, neighborhood deprivation, and BMI

Zhang, YT, BA Laraia, MS Mujahid, A Tamayo, SD Blanchard, EM Warton, NM Kelly, HH Moffet, D Schillinger, N Adler, and AJ Karter. 2015. Does food vendor density mediate the association between neighborhood deprivation and BMI?: A G-computation mediation analysis. Epidemiology 26(3):344-52

In previous research, neighborhood deprivation was positively associated with body mass index (BMI) among adults with diabetes. We assessed whether the association between neighborhood deprivation and BMI is attributable, in part, to geographic variation in the availability of healthful and unhealthful food vendors. Subjects were 16,634 participants of the Diabetes Study of Northern California. Neighborhood deprivation and healthful (supermarket and produce) and unhealthful (fast food outlets and convenience stores) food vendor kernel density were calculated at each participant's residential block centroid. Availability of food vendors, both healthful and unhealthful, did not appear to explain the association between neighborhood deprivation and BMI in this population of adults with diabetes.

Click to read more ...

Spatial pattern of BMI among adults in Northern California

Laraia, B. A., S. D. Blanchard, A. J. Karter, J. C. Jones-Smith, M. Warton, E. Kersten, M. Jerrett, H. H. Moffet, N. Adler, D. Schillinger, and M. Kelly. 2014. Spatial pattern of Body Mass Index among adults in the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE). International Journal of Health Geographics 13:48 doi:10.1186/1476-072X-13-48

clustering of high and low BMIThe role that environmental factors, such as neighborhood socioeconomics, food, and physical environment, play in the risk of obesity and chronic diseases is not well quantified. Understanding how spatial distribution of disease risk factors overlap with that of environmental (contextual) characteristics may inform health interventions and policies aimed at reducing the environment risk factors.

Click to read more ...

Income and ethnicity differences among people with diabetes

Jones Smith, J. C., M. Wharton, M. Kelly, E. Kersten, A. Karter, N. Adler, D. Schillinger, H. Moffett, B. A. Laraia. 2013. Obesity and the food environment: income and ethnicity differences among people with diabetes, the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE). Diabetes Care 36:2697-2705

The objectives of this study were to test whether there was an association between food environments and obesity among adults with diabetes and whether this relationship differed according to individual income or race/ethnicity. We found that more healthful food environments were associated with lower obesity in the highest income groups among whites, Latinos, and Asians. The association was negative, but smaller and not statistically significant, among high-income blacks. In contrast, a more healthful food environment was associated with higher obesity among participants in the lowest-income group which was statistically significant for black participants in this income category. These findings suggest that the availability of healthful food environments may have different health implications when financial resources are severely constrained. Journal link.

How do we characterize food stores for public health research?

Kersten, E., B. Laraia, M. Kelly, N. Adler, and I. Yen. 2012. Small food stores and availability of nutritious foods: A comparison of database and in-store measures, Northern California, 2009. Preventing Chronic Disease 9:120023. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.120023

Small food stores are prevalent in urban neighborhoods, but the availability of nutritious food at such stores is not well known. The objective of this study was to determine whether data from 3 commercially available sources would yield a single, homogenous, healthful food store category that can be used to accurately characterize community nutrition environments for public health research. We conducted in-store surveys in 2009 on store type and the availability of nutritious food in a sample of nonchain food stores (n = 102) in 6 predominantly urban counties in Northern California (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Santa Clara). We compared survey results with commercial database information and neighborhood sociodemographic data by using independent sample t tests and classification and regression trees. We found that commercial databases alone may not adequately categorize small food stores and the availability of nutritious foods. Alternative measures are needed to more accurately inform research and policies that seek to address disparities in diet-related health conditions. 

Journal Link. Pdf download.

Influence of neighborhood food stores on girls’ BMI

Leung, CH, BA Laraia, M Kelly, D Nickleach, NE Adler, LH Kushi, and IH Yen. 2011. Effects of Neighborhood Food Store Availability on Young Girls' Body Mass Index. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 41(1): 43–51

This exploratory study examined the relationship between the presence of neighborhood food stores within a girl’s neighborhood and 3-year risk of overweight/obesity and change in BMI, in girls aged 6 or 7 years at baseline. Availability of convenience stores within a 0.25-mile network  buffer of a girl’s residence was associated with greater risk of overweight/obesity and an increase in BMI z-score. Availability of produce vendors/farmer’s markets within a 1.0-mile network buffer of a girl’s residence was inversely associated with overweight/obesity.

Click to read more ...