Food Choices and Store Proximity

Ilya Rahkovsky and Samantha Snyder

No 210316, Economic Research Report from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: In 2010, 9.7 percent of the U.S. population lived in low-income areas more than 1 mile from the nearest supermarket. The diet quality of these consumers may be compromised by their food environment. Some may be unable to reach supermarkets regularly or without effort, instead buying food from nearer stores that offer less healthy food products. This report investigates the correlation between households that live in low income,low-access (LILA) areas and their purchases of 14 major food groups that vary in dietary quality. The report finds a modest negative effect, particularly among urban LILA consumers, and this effect is only slightly alleviated when LILA consumers travel farther from their homes to purchase food.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Consumer/Household Economics; Demand and Price Analysis; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Food Security and Poverty; Health Economics and Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36
Date: 2015-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersrr:210316

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.210316

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