Assessing Access to Fruit and Vegetable in Urban Underserved Communities

Studies on neighborhood food environments have focused on access to supermarkets as measured by store concentration and distance. Nonconventional food outlets can also provide important access sites, particularly in low-income urban neighborhoods. This study measured availability of fruits and vegetables to determine access of healthy food in underserved communities. Conventional and nonconventional food outlets in 8 census tracts were surveyed for fruit and vegetable availability in Evansville, Indiana. Fifty-six percent of the outlets were conventional and 44% were nonconventional. Access to healthful foods is a problem in urban Evansville communities. Strategies to change the food environment should be introduced in these communities to promote overall health.