This study aimed to: explore the number and spatial distribution of 9,556 SNAP stores in North Carolina by type and assess how SNAP benefit redemption is linked to store type; compare the demographics of populations living in areas with a high concentration of SNAP participants vs areas with a lower concentration of SNAP participants; and test for disparities in the availability of and access to SNAP-authorized stores in areas with high vs low concentration of SNAP participants stratified by rural/urban status. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Census data were used to explore the spatial distribution of SNAP stores at the census block group level using a Geographic Information System. Among the SNAP stores in North Carolina, 83% were limited-variety stores and 17% were full-variety stores. More households in higher SNAP participant census block groups were non-white, did not have a car, and had children compared to census block groups with lower SNAP participation. Residents in high SNAP participant census block groups typically had access to 0 full-variety stores and 4 limited-variety stores in urban areas and 3 full-variety stores and 17 limited-variety stores in rural areas. This research suggests that SNAP participant access to a variety of stores should be considered when approving food stores for SNAP authorization.
Published: May 2018
ID #: 1105
Journal: J Acad Nutr Diet
Authors: Racine EF, Delmelle E, Major E, Solomon CA
Age Group: Adults and Families
Keywords: Corner store, Food outlet, Geographic information systems, Grocery store, Rural, Supermarket, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Urban
Focus Areas: Food Access, Food Retail, Nutrition Policy & Programs
Resource Type: Journal Article
State: North Carolina
Related Research
January 2025
Beyond Food Assistance: A Scoping Review Examining Associations of Nonfood Social Safety Net Programs in the United States With Food Insecurity and Nutrition Outcomes
This scoping review aims to summarize the state of the evidence on associations between participation in nonfood social safety net programs (eg, income assistance, housing assistance) in the United States and food- and nutrition insecurity–related outcomes. Six databases were systematically searched for peer-reviewed articles. Included articles (n = 65) reported on studies that examined 10 unique social MoreJanuary 2025
Simulated retail food environments: A literature review of systems science approaches to advance equity in access to healthy diets
As researchers increasingly utilize systems science simulation modeling (SSSM), little is known about how and by whom SSSMs are being leveraged to address inequities in access to healthy diets. We evaluated the extent to which studies (n = 66) employing SSSM to examine retail food environments (RFEs): included three pillars of equity (social position, human capital, socioeconomic MoreJanuary 2025