title: City Level of Income and Urbanization and Availability of Food Stores and Food Service Places in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The contribution of unhealthy dietary patterns to the epidemic of obesity has been well recognized. Differences in availability of foods may have an important influence on individual eating behaviors and health disparities. This study examined the availability of food stores and food service places by city characteristics on city level of income and urbanization.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional survey was comprised of two parts: (1) an on-site observation to measure availability of food stores and food service places in 12 cities of China; (2) an in-store survey to determine the presence of fresh/frozen vegetables or fruits in all food stores. Trained investigators walked all the streets/roads within study tracts to identify all the food outlets. An observational survey questionnaire was used in all food stores to determine the presence of fresh/frozen vegetables or fruits. Urbanization index was determined for each city using a principal components factor analysis. City level of income and urbanization and numbers of each type of food stores and food service places were examined using negative binomial regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Large-sized supermarkets and specialty retailers had higher number of fresh/frozen vegetables or fruits sold compared to small/medium-sized markets. High-income versus low-income, high urbanized versus low urbanized areas had significantly more large-sized supermarkets and fewer small/medium-sized markets. In terms of restaurants, high urbanized cities had more western fast food restaurants and no statistically significant difference in the relative availability of any type of restaurants was found between high- and low-income areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggested food environment disparities did exist in different cities of China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Chunxiao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yayun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Chaoqun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shengfeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Canqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wenjing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005522:Food Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D011204:Poverty Areas; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014507:Urbanization; D014675:Vegetables / Q000600:supply & distribution*