Allison Lacko1, Paul Delamater2, Penny Gordon-Larsen3, Shu Wen Ng4. 1. Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Square, 123 W Franklin Street, Building C, Suite 310, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States; Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Electronic address: alacko@frac.org. 2. Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Square, 123 W Franklin Street, Building C, Suite 310, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States; Department of Geography, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Electronic address: pld@email.unc.edu. 3. Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Square, 123 W Franklin Street, Building C, Suite 310, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States; Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Electronic address: pglarsen@email.unc.edu. 4. Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Square, 123 W Franklin Street, Building C, Suite 310, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, United States; Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Electronic address: shuwen@unc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether dietary quality varies by geography in the US. PURPOSE: Assess patterns in packaged food purchases (PFPs). METHODS: We characterized variation in PFP quality from 2008 to 2018 by 1) examining geographic clustering and 2) using regression analysis to control for household characteristics. RESULTS: Lower quality purchases clustered in the Southeast and Appalachia, whereas higher quality purchases clustered in the West and Northeast. Spatial patterns were similar for low socioeconomic households but not high socioeconomic households. Geographic differences in quality remained after controlling for demographic composition. CONCLUSION: This analysis should inform research into systemic drivers of PFP quality.
BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether dietary quality varies by geography in the US. PURPOSE: Assess patterns in packaged food purchases (PFPs). METHODS: We characterized variation in PFP quality from 2008 to 2018 by 1) examining geographic clustering and 2) using regression analysis to control for household characteristics. RESULTS: Lower quality purchases clustered in the Southeast and Appalachia, whereas higher quality purchases clustered in the West and Northeast. Spatial patterns were similar for low socioeconomic households but not high socioeconomic households. Geographic differences in quality remained after controlling for demographic composition. CONCLUSION: This analysis should inform research into systemic drivers of PFP quality.
Authors: Femke P C Sijtsma; Katie A Meyer; Lyn M Steffen; James M Shikany; Linda Van Horn; Lisa Harnack; Daan Kromhout; David R Jacobs Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2012-02-01 Impact factor: 7.045