Top

Published in:

01-10-2011

Green Carts (Mobile Produce Vendors) in the Bronx—Optimally Positioned to Meet Neighborhood Fruit-and-Vegetable Needs?

Authors: Sean C. Lucan, Andrew Maroko, Renee Shanker, William B. Jordan

Published in: Journal of Urban Health | Issue 5/2011

Abstract

Poor access to fresh produce likely contributes to disparities in obesity and diet-related diseases in the Bronx. New York City’s Green Cart program is a partial response to the problem. We evaluated this program (permitting street vendors to sell fresh produce) by canvassing the Bronx for carts, interviewing vendors, and analyzing their locations and food offerings. Green Carts were clustered in areas of probable high pedestrian traffic, covering only about 57% of needy areas by liberal estimates. Some carts sold outside allowed boundaries; a few sold sugary snacks. Vendor locations and their food offerings suggest possible areas for program improvement.

Jeffery RW. Population perspectives on the prevention and treatment of obesity in minority populations. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991; 53(6 Suppl): 1621S–1624S.PubMed

U.S. Census Bureau. 2006–2008 American Cummunity Survey. http://fastfacts.census.gov/servlet/ACSCWSFacts?_event=&geo_id=05000US36005&_geoContext=01000US|04000US36|05000US36005&_street=&_county=05000US36005&_cd=&_city Town=&_state=&_zip=10461&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_content=&_keyword=&_industry. Accessed November 30, 2010.

County Health Rankings—Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health. Snapshot 2010: Bronx. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/new-york/bronx. Accessed June 2, 2010.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. EpiQuery: Community Health Survey, 2002–2009. https://a816-healthpsi.nyc.gov/epiquery/EpiQuery/CHS/index2009.html. Accessed March 7, 2011.

Crowe FL, Roddam AW, Key TJ, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality from ischaemic heart disease: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heart study. Eur Heart J. 2011 (in press).

Tonstad S, Butler T, Yan R, Fraser GE. Type of vegetarian diet, body weight, and prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009; 32(5): 791–796.PubMedCrossRef

Kamphuis CB, Giskes K, de Bruijn GJ, Wendel-Vos W, Brug J, van Lenthe FJ. Environmental determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption among adults: a systematic review. Br J Nutr. 2006; 96(4): 620–635.PubMed

Larson NI, Story MT, Nelson MC. Neighborhood environments: disparities in access to healthy foods in the U.S. Am J Prev Med. 2009; 36(1): 74–81.PubMedCrossRef

U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder: Vehicles available and Household Income in 1999:2000. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=05000US36005&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF4_U_QTH11&-ds_name=D&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false. Accessed November 30, 2010.

10.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. NYC Green Carts. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cdp/cdp_pan_green_carts.shtml. Accessed September 18, 2010.

11.

ArcGIS [computer program]. Version 9.3.1. Redlands, CA: ESRI. http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/whats-new/index.html. Accessed December 10, 2010.

12.

Crimestat III [computer program]. Version 3.3. Houston, TX and Washington, DC: Ned Levine & Associates and The National Institute of Justice. http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/CrimeStat/. Accessed December 10, 2010.

13.

Raja S, Ma C, Yadav P. Beyond food deserts: measuring and mapping racial disparities in neighborhood food environments. J Plann Educ Res. 2008; 27: 469–482.CrossRef

14.

Baroni BN Spatial Stratification of Street Vendors in Downtown Mexico City [master's thesis.] Cambridge, MA: Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute or Technology; 2007. http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/39932/182760220.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed December 10, 2010.

15.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. Email communications to Sean Lucan from Deputy Director, Sabrina Baronberg on November 17, 2010, and from Director, Cathy Nonas on March 4, 2011, as well as phone conversations on other dates

16.

Karp Resources. Email communication to William Jordan from Project Coordinator, Cassandra Flechsig, on November 8, 2010

Title: Green Carts (Mobile Produce Vendors) in the Bronx—Optimally Positioned to Meet Neighborhood Fruit-and-Vegetable Needs?
Authors: Sean C. Lucan
Andrew Maroko
Renee Shanker
William B. Jordan
Publication date: 01-10-2011
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Urban Health / Issue 5/2011
Print ISSN: 1099-3460
Electronic ISSN: 1468-2869
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-011-9593-2

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Green Carts (Mobile Produce Vendors) in the Bronx—Optimally Positioned to Meet Neighborhood Fruit-and-Vegetable Needs?

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 5/2011

Does Time Since Immigration Modify Neighborhood Deprivation Gradients in Preterm Birth? A Multilevel Analysis

Addressing the Social and Environmental Determinants of Urban Health Equity: Evidence for Action and a Research Agenda

Toward a Research and Action Agenda on Urban Planning/Design and Health Equity in Cities in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Individual Health Care System Distrust and Neighborhood Social Environment: How Are They Jointly Associated with Self-rated Health?

Quantifying Urbanization as a Risk Factor for Noncommunicable Disease

Rights, Knowledge, and Governance for Improved Health Equity in Urban Settings