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Abstract
Background: Food access is a key social determinant of health for older adults at high risk of chronic disease and physical disability.
Methods: This cross-sectional analysis examined correlates of food access and the relationship between food access and food consumption characteristics in a sample of 316 late midlife women from Southeast Michigan in 2015-2016.
Results: Lack of food access, defined as access to self-perceived adequate grocery shopping resources in one’s neighborhood, was reported by 20.9% of women. Women who reported lack of food access were less likely to report making meals at home (p=0.02) and had less frequent consumption of fresh fruits (p=0.04), fresh vegetables (p=0.001), and lean meats (p=0.048) as compared to those that did not report a lack of food access (p=0.04, p=0.001, p=0.048). Being African American (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.20-5.17) and experiencing economic stress (OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 2.53-5.33) were major correlates of reporting lack of food access.
Conclusion: Interventions to improve food access for midlife women may help address differences in chronic disease risk associated with diet quality among racial/ethnic groups and across socioeconomic status.
Recommended Citation
Bassiouni, Sarah S.; White, Ebony M.; Karvonen-Gutierrez, Carrie; and Harlow, Sioban D.
(2020)
"Lack of food access and food consumption patterns of late midlife women in southeast Michigan,"
Michigan Journal of Public Health: Vol. 10:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mjph/vol10/iss1/8