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Open Access 01-12-2021 | Research article

Neighborhood disadvantage and the sales of unhealthy products: alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy snack food

Authors: Lauren A. Wallace, Rajib Paul, Shafie Gholizadeh, Wlodek Zadrozny, Caitlan Webster, Melanie Mayfield, Elizabeth F. Racine

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

Individuals may use unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy snack consumption. The purpose of this study was to assess how neighborhood disadvantage is associated with sales of alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy snacks at stores of a discount variety store chain.

Methods

Alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy snack sales were measured monthly for 20 months, 2017–2018, in 16 discount variety stores in the United States. Mixed effects linear regressions adjusted for population size, with store-specific random effects, to examine the relationship of weekly unit sales with three outcome variables and neighborhood disadvantage, measured using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI).

Results

The discount variety stores were located in neighborhoods where the median ADI percentile was 87 [interquartile range 83,89], compared to the median ADI percentile of 50 for all US communities, indicating that the stores were located in substantially disadvantaged neighborhoods. For every 1% increase in ADI, weekly unit sales of unhealthy snack food increased by 43 [95% confidence interval, CI 28–57], and weekly unit sales of tobacco products increased by 11.5 [95% CI 5–18] per store. No significant relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and the weekly unit sales of alcohol products was identified.

Conclusions

The positive relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and the sale of tobacco and snack foods may help explain the pathway between neighborhood disadvantage and poor health outcomes. It would be useful for future research to examine how neighborhood disadvantage influences resident health-related behaviors.

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Title: Neighborhood disadvantage and the sales of unhealthy products: alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy snack food
Authors: Lauren A. Wallace
Rajib Paul
Shafie Gholizadeh
Wlodek Zadrozny
Caitlan Webster
Melanie Mayfield
Elizabeth F. Racine
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11442-z

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Neighborhood disadvantage and the sales of unhealthy products: alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy snack food

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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