Research

Adherence

Modifying food retail access (availability, proximity, or price) does not have a profound or independent effect on dietary consumption or obesity levels.

Simply building a supermarket in a food desert is unlikely to solve obesity or improve diet quality on its own. If you are on a tight budget, focus on 'economy' lines which can be as healthy as standard products, and prioritize food budgeting strategies over relying on the proximity of a single store type.

GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
The Glasgow study (94), together with the Newcastle study (78), provides the most robust and convincing evidence to date that food retail access per se does not have a profound effect on dietary consumption, in the UK at least.
Martin White · Obesity Reviews · 2007

Why this rating

Based on robust observational and natural experiment studies (Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds) with control groups, though limited by cross-sectional designs in some cited works.

Source

Food access and obesity

Martin White · Obesity Reviews · 2007

narrative_reviewCited 232×
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