The contextual effect of the local food environment on residents' diets: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

OBJECTIVES:

We studied the association between the local food environment and residents' report of recommended dietary intake.

METHODS:

Recommended intakes of foods and nutrients for 10 623 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities participants were estimated from food frequency questionnaires. Supermarkets, grocery stores, and full-service and fast-food restaurants were geocoded to census tracts.

RESULTS:

Black Americans' fruit and vegetable intake increased by 32% for each additional supermarket in the census tract (relative risk [RR] = 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 1.60). White Americans' fruit and vegetable intake increased by 11% with the presence of 1 or more supermarket (RR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.93, 1.32).

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings suggest the local food environment is associated with residents' recommended diets.