A Pilot, Community-Based Interventional Study in a Local Convenience Store to Improve Dietary Outcomes in Children

Authors

  • Byron A. Foster Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
  • Marina Reznik Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2013.02.01.4

Keywords:

Childhood obesity, built environment, convenience store, nutrition, community-based research.

Abstract

Introduction: One contributor to the epidemic of obesity is an unhealthful food environment. This study was designed to assess the feasibility of a community-level intervention in a convenience store on improving the food environment.

Methods: This community-based interventional study took place in an urban, low-income, ethnic-minority neighborhood. Children who reported visiting either the intervention store or another neighborhood control store were enrolled. The healthfulness of store offerings was measured, and a diet survey was completed by subjects from both intervention and control stores.

Results: At the nine-month follow-up, the intervention store promoted and advertised more healthful items than the community-control store. There was a trend toward increased fruit and vegetable consumption and lower sugar-sweetened soda consumption among the intervention store subjects but not in the control subjects.

Conclusions: Improving the food environment is feasible via a community-based intervention utilizing the influence of a community health center.

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Published

2013-02-28

How to Cite

Foster, B. A., & Reznik, M. (2013). A Pilot, Community-Based Interventional Study in a Local Convenience Store to Improve Dietary Outcomes in Children. International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, 2(1), 25–28. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2013.02.01.4

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Section

General Articles