Supermarket access, consumption of fresh produce, and weight status for U.S. adults

As overweight and obesity have reached pandemic levels in the United States, the local food environment has been found to play an integral role. The relationship between supermarket access and weight status has gained traction from both Academia and government sectors, in a hope to lead Americans toward a healthier lifestyle. The objective of this thesis is to examine the impact of supermarket access, in conjunction with important individual socioeconomic and neighborhood attributes, on a) the risk of being overweight or obese in American adults; and b) the probability of meeting the federally recommended level of fruits and vegetables. Using BRFSS survey data, The Reinvestment Fund's Limited Supermarket Access (LSA) study, as well as data from the Census, the American Community Survey, and ESRI's Consumer Expenditures Survey, I find that supermarket access does have an impact on weight status and the probability of meeting recommended levels of fruits and vegetables. In particular, when controlling for the same percentage of land classified as limited supermarket access areas, individuals living in an area with one LSA area are more likely to be overweight or obese than when compared with multiple disjointed LSA areas. From an intervention standpoint, when considering resources, it can be incredibly resource-intensive to eradicate all LSAs from neighborhoods. Perhaps though, if supermarkets are more strategically placed in neighborhoods, which may potentially provide more access to supermarkets to a greater number of individuals, and thus enhance the likelihood of meeting the recommended consumption of fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, as the number of LSAs increase, the risk of being overweight or obese also increases. Thus, decreasing the number of LSAs in a neighborhood will help to fight against the risk of overweight/obesity.M.S.Includes bibliographical referencesby Kaitlin DiPaol