Relationship Between Neighborhood Food Environment and Diet Variety in Japanese Rural Community-dwelling Elderly: A Cross-sectional Study

Autor: Yoshiteru Mutoh, Shigeru Inoue, Kenta Okuyama, Tatsunosuke Gomi, Hiroharu Kamioka, Masamitsu Kamada, Jun Kitayuguchi
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Epidemiology. 32:290-297
ISSN: 1349-9092
0917-5040
Popis: Background Food access is an important aspect of health promotion for the elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between distance to the nearest food store and diet variety in rural community-dwelling elderly Japanese. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 1,103 elderly participants surveyed by mail in rural areas of Japan. Diversity of food intake was assessed by diet variety score (DVS). Street network distance from home to food store was calculated and categorized by quartile using a geographic information system and analyzed in relation to diet by multivariable regression with the primary outcome as low DVS. Sub-analysis of the association with DVS was conducted for each food store category (convenience store, supermarket and small food store). The association between intake frequency of each food group and distance was also analyzed. Results Participants in the fourth quartile of distance to food store had significantly higher prevalence ratio (1.15, 95% CI, 1.01-1.32) for low DVS than those in the first quartile. There was a significant tendency between greater distance to food store and lower DVS (p for trend = 0.033). Supermarkets and convenience stores, in particular, showed significant associations. Greater distance was significantly associated with lower frequency of meat and fruit intake. Conclusions There was significant association between distance to nearest food store and diet variety in rural Japanese elderly. These findings suggest the importance of interventions for areas at high risk of low diet variety, such as places far away from food stores.
Databáze: OpenAIRE