This study measured the association between the physical availability of food stores and food service places and people’s adherence to health authorities’ recommendations for a healthy diet. Alcohol research suggests that alcoholic beverage consumption increases with an increase in the availability of alcohol 33– 35 however, fewer studies have researched whether the availability of recommended foods affects their consumption. The impact that the availability of healthy foods has on people’s diets has received somewhat less attention. 30, 31 Furthermore, current research shows a lower prevalence of supermarkets and a higher prevalence of independently owned grocery stores in low-wealth and predominately Black neighborhoods and a greater proportion of households without access to private transportation in these neighborhoods. In addition, foods recommended by health authorities are sometimes more expensive and less available in poor areas 26– 29 and, although people with low incomes spend less money, a greater proportion of their income is spent on food. 25 These authors speculate that the migration of supermarkets to the suburbs and a lack of transportation contribute to the malnutrition experienced by low-income Americans.

For instance, research suggests that even when receiving combined aid from Food Stamps, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, and Supplemental Security Income, some people have not been able to meet their nutritional needs. 23, 24Īs well as knowledge, the affordability of food has been documented as a factor influencing people’s diets. 21, 22 In addition to specific knowledge of the relationship between diet and health, educational attainment is associated with dietary choices.

19, 20 Similarly, researchers have found that improving knowledge of the relationship between diet and health influences food choices. For instance, the change in US regulatory policy in 1985, allowing producers to advertise the relationship between food products and health, has led to improvements in food choices for some individuals. 16– 18 Researchers have found that dietary choices are influenced by a variety of factors, including knowledge of the causative and preventive effects of certain foods, the cost of food, and the availability of different foods. 14, 15Īlthough recommendations for dietary modifications have spanned more than 4 decades, many intervention trials have had difficulty producing sustainable dietary changes. 13 Currently, the American Cancer Society, the American Dietetic Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association recommend a healthy eating program based on the Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid. For instance, in 1961, the American Heart Association recommended a reduction in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and an increase in polyunsaturated fats for Americans’ diets. Research linking dietary intake to cancer, 1– 4 diabetes, 5 hypertension, 6, 7 birth defects, 8, 9 and heart disease 4, 10– 12 has led to dietary change recommendations. The relationship between diet and disease is well established.

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