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Updated: May 12, 2026
04:56
Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors
Published on: January 25, 2018
Characterizing the food environment: pitfalls and future directions.
Anne Vernez Moudon1, Adam Drewnowski, Glen E Duncan
1Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Box 3548002, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. moudon@uw.edu
Public Health Nutrition
|April 11, 2013
Summary
Most food establishments in King County are unhealthy or undetermined, impacting diet quality and obesity rates. Further research is needed to assess the health value of diverse food sources within these venues.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Environmental Health
- Nutritional Epidemiology
Background:
- Diet quality and obesity rates are significantly influenced by the food environment.
- Understanding food source exposure is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a county population's exposure to various food sources affecting diet quality and obesity.
- To categorize food establishments based on their healthfulness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized food permit records for a full census of food stores and restaurants in King County, WA.
- Classified establishments as healthy, unhealthy, or undetermined using established categorization schemes based on type (e.g., supermarkets, fast-food restaurants).
Main Results:
- The majority of food establishments in King County were categorized as unhealthy or undetermined.
- Large stores, including supermarkets, housed numerous food sources (e.g., delis, ethnic restaurants, coffee shops) classified as unhealthy or of undetermined health value.
Conclusions:
- Future research should determine the health value of foods in common establishments like small grocery and ethnic food stores/restaurants.
- Investigating within-venue food exposure is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the food environment's health impact.
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