title: The Introduction of a Supermarket via Tax-Credits in a Low-Income Area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interest and funding continue to grow for bringing supermarkets to underserved areas, yet little is known about their impact.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental study was used to determine the impact of a new supermarket opening as a result of tax and zoning incentives.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place in the South Bronx, New York City, New York.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studied were residents of two South Bronx neighborhoods deemed high need.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food purchasing and consumption were examined via surveys and 24-hour dietary recalls before and at two points after the supermarket opened (1-5, 13-17 months).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed using difference-in-difference models controlling for gender, race and ethnicity, age, education, marital status, and self-reported income. Ordinary least squares and logistic regression models were estimated for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 94% to 97% of consumers shopped at a supermarket. There was a 2% increase in this behavior in the intervention community ( p < .05) not seen in the comparison community. One year later there was a 7% net increase in eating at home ( p < .1) and a 20% decrease in drinking sugary beverages ( p < .05), but no appreciable change in fruit/vegetable consumption or overall dietary quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new supermarket did not result in substantial or broad changes in purchasing patterns or nutritional quality of food consumed, though smaller, positive changes were observed over a 1-year period. Future work should examine different contexts and a broader set of outcomes, including economic development.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine and the New York University Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elbel
authors.affiliation: 2 NYU Steinhardt, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Tod
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mijanovich
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiszko
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine and the New York University Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cantor
authors.affiliation: 4 Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.
authors.forename: L Beth
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Dixon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011203:Poverty; D013660:Taxes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
keywords: Diet; Economic Development; Fruit; Health focus: nutrition; New York City; Outcome measure: behavioral; Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research; Research purpose: program evaluation; Setting: Local community; Strategy: behavior change; Study design: quasi-experimental; Target population age: adults; Target population circumstances: education/income level; Vegetables; and race/ethnicity; built environment; geographic location