BACKGROUND: National surveillance data identify disparities in low-fat milk consumption by race/ethnicity and income. Some localized studies have shown disparities in access to low-fat milk by community characteristics. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the availability and price of low-fat and higher-fat milk in food stores throughout the United States and examine associations with community characteristics. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving observational data collection in 2010, 2011, and 2012. PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS: The study included 8,959 food stores in 468 communities where nationally representative samples of students attending traditional public middle and high schools resided. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We studied the availability and price of whole, 2%, 1%, and skim milk. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Multivariate logistic regression and ordinary least squares regression analyses were performed. Models included store type, race/ethnicity, median household income, urbanicity, US Census division, and year of data collection. RESULTS: Less than half of all stores carried 1% and skim milk, and more than three-quarters of stores carried whole and 2% milk. Regression results indicated that the odds of carrying any type of milk were 31% to 67% lower in stores in majority black and 26% to 45% lower in other/mixed race compared with majority white communities. The odds of carrying specifically low-fat milk were 50% to 58% lower in majority Hispanic compared with majority white communities, and 32% to 44% lower in low-income compared with high-income communities. Some significant differences in milk prices by community characteristics were observed in grocery and limited-service stores. On average, low-fat milk options were more expensive in grocery stores in majority black and rural and suburban communities compared with such stores in majority white and urban communities. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first nationwide study to examine the availability and price of low-fat and higher-fat milk in food stores and show disparities in access by community characteristics. Policies and programs can play a role in increasing accessibility of low-fat milk in stores in nonwhite and low-income communities.
BACKGROUND: National surveillance data identify disparities in low-fat milk consumption by race/ethnicity and income. Some localized studies have shown disparities in access to low-fat milk by community characteristics. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the availability and price of low-fat and higher-fat milk in food stores throughout the United States and examine associations with community characteristics. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving observational data collection in 2010, 2011, and 2012. PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS: The study included 8,959 food stores in 468 communities where nationally representative samples of students attending traditional public middle and high schools resided. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We studied the availability and price of whole, 2%, 1%, and skim milk. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Multivariate logistic regression and ordinary least squares regression analyses were performed. Models included store type, race/ethnicity, median household income, urbanicity, US Census division, and year of data collection. RESULTS: Less than half of all stores carried 1% and skim milk, and more than three-quarters of stores carried whole and 2% milk. Regression results indicated that the odds of carrying any type of milk were 31% to 67% lower in stores in majority black and 26% to 45% lower in other/mixed race compared with majority white communities. The odds of carrying specifically low-fat milk were 50% to 58% lower in majority Hispanic compared with majority white communities, and 32% to 44% lower in low-income compared with high-income communities. Some significant differences in milk prices by community characteristics were observed in grocery and limited-service stores. On average, low-fat milk options were more expensive in grocery stores in majority black and rural and suburban communities compared with such stores in majority white and urban communities. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first nationwide study to examine the availability and price of low-fat and higher-fat milk in food stores and show disparities in access by community characteristics. Policies and programs can play a role in increasing accessibility of low-fat milk in stores in nonwhite and low-income communities.
Authors: Marquita S Gray; Suzanne E Judd; Richard Sloane; Denise C Snyder; Paige E Miller; Wendy Demark-Wahnefried Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 2019-02-19 Impact factor: 2.506
Authors: Cristina R Fernández; Maureen Licursi; Randi Wolf; Margaret T Lee; Nancy S Green Journal: Pediatr Blood Cancer Date: 2021-11-22 Impact factor: 3.167
Authors: Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros; Margareth Guimarães Lima; Lhais de Paula Barbosa Medina; Celia Landman Szwarcwald; Deborah Carvalho Malta Journal: Int J Equity Health Date: 2016-11-17
Authors: Robin S DeWeese; Michael Todd; Allison Karpyn; Michael J Yedidia; Michelle Kennedy; Meg Bruening; Christopher M Wharton; Punam Ohri-Vachaspati Journal: Prev Med Rep Date: 2016-06-29
Authors: Chelsea R Singleton; Yu Li; Ana Clara Duran; Shannon N Zenk; Angela Odoms-Young; Lisa M Powell Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-10-18 Impact factor: 3.390