Validity of Secondary Retail Food Outlet Data: A Systematic Review

To characterize retail food environments and identify areas with limited retail access, researchers, government programs, and community advocates have primarily used secondary retail food outlet data sources. This systematic review examines the evidence for validity reported for secondary retail food outlet data sources for characterizing retail food environments. A literature search was conducted through December More

Community-Based Interventions in Prepared-Food Sources: A Systematic Review

Foods purchased from prepared food sources (ready-to-eat foods that can be eaten outside the home or brought back or delivered to the home to eat) are now a major part of the American diet and are linked to increased rates of overweight and chronic disease. Prepared food sources may be an important venue for obesity-prevention More

Examining Contracts and Agreements Between Small-Scale Food Retailers and the Food Industry

Small retail food stores are ubiquitous in lower-income, urban settings, and are a major food source among lower-income racial and ethnic minority children and adolescents. Little is known about the types of agreements (e.g., slotting fees, retail promotional programs, exclusive contracts) that small retail food stores may have with manufacturers and distributors of high-sugar, high-fat More

Economic and Community Development Outcomes of Healthy Food Retail

New grocery stores, corner stores, farmers’ markets, and other food retailers can generate a significant economic stimulus for communities–especially communities of color and lower-income communities. This paper examines the connection between improved healthy food retail and resulting economic and community development. Several types of innovations in food retail, distribution, and production are examined, and select More

Nutritional Quality at Eight U.S. Fast-Food Chains: 14-Year Trends

This article assesses trends in the nutritional quality of menu offerings in eight U.S. fast-food restaurant chains from 1997/1998 to 2009/2010. Researchers calculated Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2005 scores for each restaurant as a measure of the extent to which menu offerings were consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and compared the scores over time. More

Menu Labeling Regulations and Calories Purchased at Chain Restaurants

This article evaluates the impact of a menu labeling regulation in King County, Wash., on calories purchased and awareness and use of labels six and 18 months after implementation. Like prior studies, researchers found no significant changes in calories purchased six months after implementation, but found a modest decrease in the calories purchased after 18 More