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Overweight and obesity: Can we reconcile evidence about supermarkets and fast food retailers for public health policy?

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine whether access to fast food outlets and supermarkets is associated with overweight and obesity in New York City neighborhoods. We use a Bayesian ecologic approach for spatial prediction. Consistent with prior research, we find no association between fast food density and overweight or obesity. Consistent with prior research, we find that supermarket access has a salutary impact on overweight and obesity. Given the lack of empirical evidence linking fast food retailers with adverse health outcomes, policymakers should be encouraged to adopt policies that incentivize the establishment of supermarkets and the modification of existing food store markets and retailers to offer healthier choices. Reaching within neighborhoods and modifying the physical environment and public health prevention and intervention efforts based on the characteristics of those neighborhoods may play a key role in creating healthier communities.

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Acknowledgements

Support for this article was provided, in part, by grant P60-MD0005-03 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (Arno, Viola, Maroko, Schechter, Sohler, and Mantaay) and from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 5R01DK079885-02 (Rundle and Neckerman). Special thanks to Bonnie Kerker and Kevin Konty from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for their insightful comments and facilitating access to New York City Community Health Survey data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Policy & Management, School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, Valhalla, 10595, NY, USA

    Deborah Viola & Peter S Arno

  2. Department of Health Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, 10468, NY, USA

    Andrew R Maroko

  3. Department of Family & Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, 10461, NY, USA

    Clyde B Schechter

  4. Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, 10031, NY, USA

    Nancy Sohler

  5. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 622 West 168th street, New York, 10032, NY, USA

    Andrew Rundle

  6. Population Research Center, Columbia University, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, New York, 10027, NY, USA

    Kathryn M Neckerman

  7. and Geospatial Sciences Department, Earth, Environmental, Lehman College, City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, 10468, NY, USA

    Juliana Maantay

Authors
  1. Deborah Viola
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  2. Peter S Arno
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  3. Andrew R Maroko
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  4. Clyde B Schechter
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  5. Nancy Sohler
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  6. Andrew Rundle
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  7. Kathryn M Neckerman
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  8. Juliana Maantay
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter S Arno.

Additional information

How are access to fast food outlets and supermarkets associated with overweight and obesity? The authors studied New York City neighborhoods, finding that supermarket access has a salutary effect, and there was no association with fast food outlets.

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Viola, D., Arno, P., Maroko, A. et al. Overweight and obesity: Can we reconcile evidence about supermarkets and fast food retailers for public health policy?. J Public Health Pol 34, 424–438 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2013.19

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