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A Comparison of the Nutritional Quality of Food Products Advertised in Grocery Store Circulars of High- versus Low-Income New York City Zip Codes

Author

Listed:
  • Danna Ethan

    (Department of Health Sciences, Lehman College, The City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Gillet Hall, Room 334, Bronx, NY 10468, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Corey H. Basch

    (Department of Public Health, William Paterson University, Wing 150, Wayne, NJ 07470, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Sonali Rajan

    (Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Lalitha Samuel

    (Department of Health Sciences, Lehman College, The City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Gillet Hall, Room 421B, Bronx, NY 10468, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Rodney N. Hammond

    (Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Grocery stores can be an important resource for health and nutrition with the variety and economic value of foods offered. Weekly circulars are a means of promoting foods at a sale price. To date, little is known about the extent that nutritious foods are advertised and prominently placed in circulars. This study’s aim was to compare the nutritional quality of products advertised on the front page of online circulars from grocery stores in high- versus low-income neighborhoods in New York City (NYC). Circulars from grocery stores in the five highest and five lowest median household income NYC zip codes were analyzed. Nutrition information for food products was collected over a two-month period with a total of 805 products coded. The study found no significant difference between the nutritional quality of products advertised on the front page of online circulars from grocery stores in high- versus low-income neighborhoods in New York City (NYC). In both groups, almost two-thirds of the products advertised were processed, one-quarter were high in carbohydrates, and few to no products were low-sodium, high-fiber, or reduced-, low- or zero fat. Through innovative partnerships with health professionals, grocery stores are increasingly implementing in-store and online health promotion strategies. Weekly circulars can be used as a means to regularly advertise and prominently place more healthful and seasonal foods at an affordable price, particularly for populations at higher risk for nutrition-related chronic disease.

Suggested Citation

  • Danna Ethan & Corey H. Basch & Sonali Rajan & Lalitha Samuel & Rodney N. Hammond, 2013. "A Comparison of the Nutritional Quality of Food Products Advertised in Grocery Store Circulars of High- versus Low-Income New York City Zip Codes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2013:i:1:p:537-547:d:31775
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andreyeva, Tatiana & Luedicke, Joerg & Middleton, Ann E. & Long, Michael W. & Schwartz, Marlene B., 2011. "Changes in Access to Healthy Foods after Implementation of the WIC Food Package Revisions," Contractor and Cooperator Reports 292086, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Salois, Matthew J., 2012. "Obesity and diabetes, the built environment, and the ‘local’ food economy in the United States, 2007," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 35-42.
    3. Zick, Cathleen D. & Smith, Ken R. & Fan, Jessie X. & Brown, Barbara B. & Yamada, Ikuho & Kowaleski-Jones, Lori, 2009. "Running to the Store? The relationship between neighborhood environments and the risk of obesity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 1493-1500, November.
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    1. Ryan Storr & Julia Carins & Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, 2019. "Assessing Support for Advantaged and Disadvantaged Groups: A Comparison of Urban Food Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-10, March.

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