Healthy Bodegas: Bringing the Community Together to Eat Healthier

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates have remained stable in the United States (U.S.) the past 30 years, however, there has been a significant increase in CRC incidence among the millennial generation. The association between the Western diet and CRC, and racial and gender disparities in CRC is well-established. Public health and community efforts are needed to address barriers to healthy nutrition in this population. One identified barrier is food access in lower-income communities, sometimes called food deserts. Local stores, or bodegas, have potential to increase access to healthy affordable foods and contribute to risk reduction for the development of chronic diseases such as CRC. Objectives: Assess the effectiveness of the Healthy Bodega Initiative (HBI), designed to increase availability and promotion of healthy foods; engage community participation by mobilizing community-based organizations and local store owners to participate in the initiative; and, facilitate positive dietary changes. Methods: Guided by the Conceptual Logic Model of community-based participatory research, this study will evaluate the intervention through in-store observations and pre- and post-intervention surveys of participating store owners, in addition to surveys with customers at a subset of stores. Major findings: This study is in planning phases; no findings are available. Conclusions and implications: Prospective longitudinal research with long-term follow-up should be conducted to explore the social determinants affecting low-income populations, changes that result after improved access to healthy foods, and long-term disease outcomes