title: Are our actions aligned with our evidence? The skinny on changing the landscape of obesity.
abstract: Recent debate about the role of food deserts in the United States (i.e., places that lack access to healthy foods) has prompted discussion on policies being enacted, including efforts that encourage the placement of full-service supermarkets into food deserts. Other initiatives to address obesogenic neighborhood features include land use zoning and parks renovations. Yet, there is little evidence to demonstrate that such policies effect change. While we suspect most researchers and policymakers would agree that effective neighborhood change could be a powerful tool in combating obesity, we desperately need strong and sound evidence to guide decisions about where and how to invest.
authors.affiliation: RAND Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Santa Monica, California, USA. dubowitz@rand.org
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dubowitz
authors.forename: Madhumita Bonnie
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ghosh-Dastidar
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Escarce
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior; D004032:Diet; D005518:Food Preferences; D005523:Food Supply; D058870:Food, Organic; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014481:United States