Improving Equitable Access to Healthy Foods in the Campus Community at North Carolina State University

The nutrition environment is a driver of food choices; unhealthy decisions prompted by environments that do not support access to healthy foods are a known factor in rising rates of diet related chronic diseases. Many college and university campuses have been shown to be obesogenic; in response, organizations have partnered with these institutions to improve their campus nutrition environment and overall campus health, such as the Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA) Healthier Campus Initiative (HCI). No studies have systematically examined the effects of these new alliances on the campus nutrition environment, or on health behaviors that impact diet quality such as perceptions of individual access to healthy food. While the primary population of these initiatives is the student body, other groups are affected by these changes. Food service staff are one such population; they are often earning low incomes and at greater risk for metabolic syndrome and other diet-related chronic diseases as well as food insecurity. This proposed study will address Action Area 3 of the RWJF Culture of Health Action Framework – Creating healthier, more equitable communities. Access to healthy foods is a key measure of built environment and physical conditions, which is a driver of such communities and is our measure of interest. We will explore HCI participation as a means of increasing equitable healthy food access among different campus populations, including students and food service workers. Additionally, we will examine barriers to and facilitators of HCI implementation as a measure of organizational support for this initiative. The study will be conducted at NC State University. This three-part study will assess changes to the NC State nutrition environment (Aim 1), perceptions of healthy food access by food service staff and students (Aim 2), and organizational supports for HCI participation (Aim 3). We are requesting $204,005.39 over 24 months.Master of Public Healt