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The Grocery Store Food Environment in Northern Greenland and Its Implications for the Health of Reproductive Age Women

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Abstract

The population of Greenland is diminishing and environmental and social shifts implicate food availability and the health of reproductive age women. There is little knowledge of the grocery store food environment in Greenland. To address this gap and provide baseline information the present study measured food availability in five grocery stores in northern Greenland. As well, 15 interviews were conducted with reproductive age women, three grocery store managers were interviewed and one interview was conducted with a food distribution manager. Results show few fresh fruits and vegetables are available in grocery stores and in some stores no fresh foods are available. In Kullorsuaq, the primary location for this study, the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores score in spring 2016 was (3/30) and the Freedman Grocery Store Survey Score was (11/49). Interview results highlight a need to increase communication within the food system and to tailor food distribution policies to the Arctic context with longer term planning protocols for food distribution. These findings can be used to inform future food store environment research in Greenland and for informing policies that improve healthful food availability in grocery stores in northern Greenland.

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Funding

Population dynamics in Greenland: a multi-component mixed methods study of the dynamics of pregnancy in Greenland (National Science Foundation, Award 1319651, PI- Dr. Elizabeth Rink).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173540, Bozeman, MT, 59717-3540, USA

    Zoe A. Watson

  2. Food and Nutrition and Sustainable Food Systems, Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Carmen Byker Shanks

  3. Health and Human Performance, Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Mary P. Miles

  4. Community Health, Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Elizabeth Rink

Authors
  1. Zoe A. Watson
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  2. Carmen Byker Shanks
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  3. Mary P. Miles
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  4. Elizabeth Rink
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Correspondence to Zoe A. Watson.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Watson, Z.A., Shanks, C.B., Miles, M.P. et al. The Grocery Store Food Environment in Northern Greenland and Its Implications for the Health of Reproductive Age Women. J Community Health 43, 175–185 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0400-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0400-1

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