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Measuring the Food Environment and its Effects on Obesity in the United States: A Systematic Review of Methods and Results

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Abstract

We identified fifty-one peer-reviewed studies that geospatially analyzed the relationship between the community nutrition environment (CNE) and obesity. Eighty percent of studies found at least one significant association between the CNE and obesity. However we calculated the proportion of studies that found at least one significant association between the CNE and obesity in the expected direction for each food store type and measurement technique, and the proportion across the different store types and measurement techniques was just 32 %. Different methods for classifying, locating, and analyzing food stores produced mixed results and challenged direct study level comparison.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 1-U48-DP001908 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevention Research Centers Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Berkeley School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7360, USA

    Ryan J. Gamba

  2. Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Berkeley School of Public Health, University of California, 50 University Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7360, USA

    Joseph Schuchter

  3. Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway MS/F-77, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA

    Candace Rutt

  4. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Box: 357234, Seattle, WA, 98195-7234, USA

    Edmund Y. W. Seto

Authors
  1. Ryan J. Gamba
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  2. Joseph Schuchter
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  4. Edmund Y. W. Seto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan J. Gamba.

Additional information

The findings and conclusions in this review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Studies Included in the Review, Identification #s

  1. 1.

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  7. 7.

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  10. 10.

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  16. 16.

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  17. 17.

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  18. 18.

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  22. 22.

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  26. 26.

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  27. 27.

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  28. 28.

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  29. 29.

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  30. 30.

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  31. 31.

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  32. 32.

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  33. 33.

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  34. 34.

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  35. 35.

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  36. 36.

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  42. 42.

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  43. 43.

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  44. 44.

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  45. 45.

    Liu GC, Wilson JS, Qi R, Ying J. Green neighborhoods, food retail and childhood overweight: differences by population density. American journal of health promotion: AJHP. 2007; 21:317–25.

  46. 46.

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  47. 47.

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  48. 48.

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  51. 51.

    Burdette HL, Whitaker RC. Neighborhood playgrounds, fast food restaurants, and crime: relationships to overweight in low-income preschool children. Preventive medicine. 2004; 38:57–63.

Appendix 2: Food Store Descriptions

1. Beverage and snack foods

2. Chain grocer

3. Chain restaurant

4. Convenience store

5. Direct farm sales

6. Drug store

7. Emergency food providers

8. Ethnic food store

9. Ethnic supermarket

10. Farmer’s market

11. Fast food restaurant

12. Food retail of any type

13. Full-service restaurant

14. Grocery store

15. Healthy BMI store

16. Healthy food places

17. Healthy grocery store

18. Independent restaurant

19. Independently owned grocery store

20. Independent supermarket

21. Intermediate BMI store

22. Limited service restaurant

23. Non fast food restaurant

24. Restaurant total

25. Sit down restaurant

26. Small food store/grocery store

27. Specialty store

28. Supercenter

29. Supermarket

30. Supermarkets and produce vendors

31. Unhealthy BMI store

32. Unhealthy food places

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Gamba, R.J., Schuchter, J., Rutt, C. et al. Measuring the Food Environment and its Effects on Obesity in the United States: A Systematic Review of Methods and Results. J Community Health 40, 464–475 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9958-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9958-z

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