AWARDS | Innovation Grants
2005 - 2006 RECIPIENT
Type and Cost of Foods Sold in Baltimore Neighborhoods:
Impact on Dietary Intake and Cardiovascular Risk Abstract
The main objective of this project is to map the type and cost of food offered in 489 food stores of 121 neighborhoods of Baltimore, 79 in the City and 42 in the County (see Table 2). Then we will investigate the association of food availability and food prices with dietary intake of 983 Baltimore residents. As secondary objectives, we will investigate the relative contribution of animal and plant sources to the dietary profile, and correlate these data with cardiovascular risk factors such as diet, diabetes, hypertension and obesity. The main hypotheses of the study are:
1. Availability and cost of foods at the neighborhood level are associated with dietary intake in individuals living in Baltimore City and County, after controlling for individudal characteristics (education, income, wealth and occupation). Healthier diets are associated with higher plant and lower animal food availability.
2. Neighborhoods with higher availability and lower cost of healthy foods exhibit lower prevalences of diabetes, hypertension, and overweight/obesity. To test these hypotheses, we propose to collect original data on food availability and prices in 121 neighborhoods in Baltimore where the participants of the Multi Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study(1) reside. After collecting data from 489 food stores we will combine them with individual cross-sectional data from the participants of the MESA study, building a multilevel study The specific aims will be the following;
1. To map the type and cost of foods offered in 121 neighborhoods of Baltimore City and County (i.e. Fresh Green Index and Food Price Index)
2. To examine the relation of food availability and food prices with dietary intake.
3. To examine the associations of availability of food type (animal vs. plant) and prices, with the prevalence of established cardiovascular risk factors as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The results of the study will help direct interventions and policies in non-communicable diseases prevention at the environment level by identifying food availability and food prices as important antecedents and determinants of behaviors and other cardiovascular risk factors(2). The proposed measuring instrument will help to identify populations lacking healthy food choices or unable to afford them. Measuring food availability and price with the proposed validated instrument could be implemented in future epidemiologic studies. Principal investigator:
Manuel Franco, MD, Doctoral candidate, Department of Epidemiology, JHSPH
Advisor:
Frederick Brancati MD, MHS, Chief Division of General Internal Medicine,
Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine Co-investigators:
Benjamin Caballero MD, PhD, Professor, Department of International
Health, JHSPH
Joel Gittelsohn PhD, Associate Professor, Department of International
Health, JHSPH
Ana Diez-Roux MD, PhD, Associate Professor Epidemiology
University of Michigan School of Public Health
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