title: Comparing nutrition environments in bodegas and fast-food restaurants.
abstract: Many small grocery stores or "bodegas" sell prepared or ready-to-eat items, filling a niche in the food environment similar to fast-food restaurants. However, little comparative information is available about the nutrition environments of bodegas and fast-food outlets. This study compared the nutrition environments of bodegas and national chain fast-food restaurants using a common audit instrument, the Nutrition Environment Measures Study in Restaurants (NEMS-R) protocol. The analytic sample included 109 bodegas and 107 fast-food restaurants located in New York City neighborhoods in the upper third and lower third of the census tract poverty rate distribution. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated in 102 food outlets, including 31 from the analytic sample and 71 from a supplementary convenience sample. The analysis compared scores on individual NEMS-R items, a total summary score, and subscores indicating healthy food availability, nutrition information, promotions of healthy or unhealthy eating, and price incentives for healthy eating, using t tests and χ(2) statistics to evaluate differences by outlet type and neighborhood poverty. Fast-food restaurants were more likely to provide nutrition information, and bodegas scored higher on healthy food availability, promotions, and pricing. Bodegas and fast-food restaurants had similar NEMS-R total scores (bodegas 13.09, fast food 14.31; P=0.22). NEMS-R total scores were higher (indicating healthier environments) in low- than high-poverty neighborhoods among both bodegas (14.79 vs 11.54; P=0.01) and fast-food restaurants (16.27 vs 11.60; P<0.01). Results imply different policy measures to improve nutrition environments in the two types of food outlets.
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Neckerman
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lovasi
authors.forename: Paulette
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yousefzadeh
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Milinkovic
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baecker
authors.forename: Michael D M
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Gina S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lovasi
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rundle
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000032:analysis*; D058870:Food, Organic; D006293:Health Promotion; D009519:New York City; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012147:Restaurants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Corner stores; Fast food; Nutrition Environment Measures Study in Restaurants (NEMS-R); Nutrition environment; Restaurants
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