Does transportation mode modify associations between distance to food store, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI in low-income neighborhoods?

ABSTRACT: A consistent body of research has shown that the neighborhood food environment is associated with fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and obesity in deprived neighborhoods in the United States. However, these studies have often neglected to consider how transportation can moderate associations between food accessibility and diet-related outcomes.This study examined associations between distance to primary food store, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI and whether mode of transportation to the primary food store moderates this relation.Cross-sectional data from the baseline wave of the Philadelphia Neighborhood Food Environment Study were used. A telephone survey of adult (?18 y of age) household primary food shoppers residing in 2 Philadelphia neighborhoods was conducted (n = 1440).In a bivariate linear regression analysis, distance to primary food store did not predict F&V consumption (? = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.00, 0.09). Linear regression analysis stratified by transportation mode to the main F&V store showed no difference in F&V consumption between car, public, and multimodal transportation users. Compared with respondents using multimodal transportation, those using public transit had a significantly lower BMI (? = -1.31; 95% CI: -2.50, -0.10), whereas those using an automobile did not (? = -0.41; 95% CI: -1.36, 0.54).The assumption that using an automobile to access food stores results in increased F&V consumption was not confirmed. Significant associations were found for the relation between transportation mode and BMI. Theory-based mechanisms explaining relationships between the primary transportation mode used to access food stores and BMI should be further explored.

SUBMITTER: Fuller D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3712124 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature