Understanding characteristics of families who buy local produce.
OBJECTIVE
To examine individual characteristics associated with local produce purchasing among North Carolina families with children.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2008 North Carolina Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program (NC CHAMP), a representative sample of adults who have land-line telephones.


METHODS
North Carolina.


METHODS
Families with children who participated in the NC CHAMP (n = 2,932).


METHODS
Frequency of buying local produce from local vendors in the past year.


METHODS
Bivariate and multivariate zero-inflated negative binomial regression identified characteristics associated with not buying local produce and, among those who purchased local produce, the frequency of purchasing.


RESULTS
About half of families reported buying local produce on average once a month during the past year. In adjusted results, buying local produce was more likely among white families, lower income families, families living in rural areas, families with children who ate 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and families with children in poor health.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that it may be useful for dietitians and health promotion professionals to assess the availability of local produce in urban areas and to focus interventions to promote local produce purchases among black families.
Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA. efracine@uncc.edu
Elizabeth F
EF
Racine
Elizabeth A
EA
Mumford
Sarah B
SB
Laditka
Anna E
AE
Lowe
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D011203:Poverty; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables / Q000600:supply & distribution; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*