A survey of convenience stores in the south west section of Rochester has revealed that 95% offer little or no healthy foods.
As these stores often serve as an expedient source of food for families in the area, these results have consequences for the health of city residents and point to one of the underlying causes in the growing rate of obesity in adults and children in inner city Rochester .
The number of obese adults and children has increased dramatically over the past two decades, a condition that places these individuals at risk for a host of diseases including coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and even some cancers. This epidemic has been closely linked to social norms and environments that promotes excessive food intake and discourages physical activity. One of the elements necessary to counter these influences and establish healthy eating patterns – particularly in children – is access to healthy foods.
The survey was conducted by Cynthia Arvizo , a Molecular Genetics and French major from El Paso , Texas , who will be entering her senior year at the University of Rochester in the fall. Arvizo was based out of the Healthy Home, a model home located on West Main Street in Rochester that was established by the University or Rochester Medical Center and several community partners in 2006 to serve as a community resource for home environmental health hazards, health, and nutrition. The SouthWest Area Neighborhood Association (SWAN), the organization that now operates the home, oversaw the project and Arvizo was sponsored by the University of Rochester Urban Fellows program – a ten week summer fellowship designed to emphasize civic engagement and promote learning about urban issues.
The survey focused on Sector 4, a section of Rochester that is comprised of the 19 th Ward, Plymouth-Exchange, Changing of the Scenes, Neighborhood United, and the SouthWest Area Neighborhood Association. The area has approximately 32,000 residents. The closest major grocery store is a Tops Market on West Ave on the western end of the city. The 52 food stores serving the area consist of a combination of convenience stores, mom and pop grocery stores, fish and meat markets, and stores that offered both food and other retail items (e.g. pharmacies). 41 stores agreed to participate in the survey.
Arvizo, accompanied by interns from the Monroe County Work Experience Program, visited the stores, spoke with the owners, and filled out a lengthy questionnaire on the stores' contents. The questionnaire noted whether or not fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, low fat milk, whole wheat bread, and low fat deli meats were available, whether or not the food had expired, and the price. The survey also noted the presence of advertising for alcohol and tobacco products.
The stores were assigned a score based on the survey and coded into three categories. Red meant that the store offered little or no fruits and vegetables, offered whole milk or no milk at all, and only white bread. 71% of stores in the survey were coded red. Another 24% were coded yellow, meaning that they had slightly more options, and only 5% were coded green, indicating that they offered a wide range of healthy food. The survey results also show that 85% of the stores did not offer fresh fruit, 76% sold only white bread or no bread at all, and 65% offered either whole or no milk.
University of Rochester Pediatrician Stephen Cook , M.D. says the study points to the need to address the underlying social and environmental factors linked to obesity, namely eating behaviors and physical activity. A diet of fruits and vegetables in particular is critical said Cook, who was not involved in the survey. This is not just for their nutritional value but because fruits and vegetables have less caloric density compared to the processed foods with high levels of high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrated oils, and other additives that tend to fill the shelves of convenience stores.
Access is a critical issue in urban environments where socio-economic factors and transportation issues are barriers to frequent visits to a supermarket. Without healthy food options close at hand, the advice of a physician to adopt a healthier lifestyle becomes difficult if not infeasible.