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Low fruit and vegetable availability in two small, rural Lower Mississippi Delta Communities
Author(s) -
Thompson Victoria J.,
McCabeSellers Beverly,
McFarlin Cathleen,
Strickland Earline,
Bogle Margaret
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a552-b
Subject(s) - environmental health , consumption (sociology) , medicine , rural area , psychological intervention , chronic disease , geography , social science , family medicine , pathology , psychiatry , sociology
Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases and is encouraged by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, MyPyramid, 5‐A Day and other health campaigns. The rural Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) area is plagued by high food insecurity, hunger, and increasing prevalence of nutritionally‐responsive chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. LMD residents consume 20% fewer fruit and vegetables than most Americans. Central to eating FV is their availability in both the community and the home. In the summer of 2005, the LMD Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (NIRI) surveyed 94% of the retail food markets (RFM) (not including eating places) in one rural Arkansas community (n=7) and one rural Mississippi community (n=8). Fresh fruit and fresh, dried or frozen vegetables were available in 20% (n=3) and 53% (n=8) of the RFM, respectively. Of the fresh fruit available, 24% (n=5) were classified as low‐quality items. The most widely available fresh or dried vegetables were Great Northern and Pinto (brown) beans. Bananas, oranges, lemons and melons were the most widely available fresh fruit. The low availability of fresh, frozen or dried FV within these two communities precludes many residents from meeting FV consumption recommendations. Effective strategies and interventions are needed to promote FV availability and consumption by residents of these rural LMD communities. Supported by USDA, ARS Project #6251‐53000‐004‐00D.