Understanding a Key Feature of Urban Food Stores to Develop Nutrition Intervention

The food environment in low-income communities may be attributable to the increased prevalence of diet-related chronic diseases. The purpose of this study is to describe the key features of urban food stores. For our descriptive study, 13 corner store owners and 4 supermarket managers were interviewed. Most urban corner stores had closed-store layouts, limiting accessibility to foods. Foods stocked at the corner stores included canned foods, soda, and chips; low-fat, low-sodium, and fresh produce were rarely available. Limited shelf space and a lack of a variety of healthy foods in wholesale stores were mentioned as barriers for stocking healthy foods. Corner stores are a potential venue to improve the food environment, and tailored interventions at multilevel focusing on store owners, wholesalers, and customers are urgently needed.