Snacking in Children: The Role of Urban Corner Stores

This study provides data on what children purchase in corner stores located near their schools. The investigators collected data on 833 purchases that students made before and after school at 24 different corner stores. (Surveys were conducted immediately outside the stores after the students exited.) The students purchased an average of 356.6 calories per corner-store visit, More

Examining the Effect of Providing Lower Income Black Adolescents with Caloric Information on their Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) Purchases

No prior interventions have focused exclusively on reducing purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in real-world settings among black adolescents. Providing easily understandable caloric information may be a low-cost, sustainable strategy for lowering overall caloric intake. In this study, investigators will examine the effects of a store-based, environmental intervention targeting black adolescents in Baltimore City which More

Developing Planning and Policy Strategies to Improve Access to Healthy Foods Within North Carolina Tribal Communities

American Indian children endure disproportionately high obesity rates, yet few academic institutions have cultivated sustainable relationships with American Indian communities committed to improving food access. This project will: (1) apply community-based participatory research methodologies to build partnerships with the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs and North Carolina tribal communities to gain an understanding of More

Planning for Food Access: A National Scan and Evaluation of Local Comprehensive Planning and Zoning

Low-income, underserved communities are often plagued with unhealthy food environments. A community’s comprehensive plan directly influences urban design and land-use regulations, which affect neighborhood food availability. While some local governments are including food access goals and policies in their local plans, little is understood about the quality, specificity and comprehensiveness of these goals and policies. More

Examining the Influence of Mobile Food Vendors on Food and Beverage Choices of Low-Income Mexican-American Children in Texas Colonias

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Mexican-American children is exceedingly high. Understanding the role of mobile food vendors in low-income, limited-resource Mexican-American colonia neighborhoods is critical. With the involvement of community partners and building on prior food environment projects within the colonias, the aim of this study is to assess the neighborhood and household More

Examining How Increases in Earned Income Tax Credits, Food Prices and Neighborhood Context Affect Children’s BMI

The goal of this project is to examine how increases in family income generated by geographic- and time-varying changes in earned income tax credits (EITC) impact children’s body mass index, and how this effect may depend on their neighborhood food environment and regional food prices. Focusing on EITC-generated income changes amounts to a quasi-experimental research More

Food Systems and Public Health Disparities

This article reviews literature examining the impact food systems have on creating and exacerbating health disparities in the United States. It highlights directions for future research and policies to address the health disparities created by food systems.