Socioeconomic status, energy cost, and nutrient content of supermarket food purchases.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The relative affordability of energy-dense versus nutrient-rich foods may promote socioeconomic disparities in dietary quality and obesity. Although supermarkets are the largest food source in the American diet, the associations between SES and the cost and nutrient content of freely chosen food purchases have not been described.

Purpose

To investigate relationships of SES with the energy cost ($/1000 kcal) and nutrient content of freely chosen supermarket purchases.

Methods

Supermarket shoppers (n=69) were recruited at a Phoenix AZ supermarket in 2009. The energy cost and nutrient content of participants' purchases were calculated from photographs of food packaging and nutrition labels using dietary analysis software. Data were analyzed in 2010-2011.

Re

SUBMITTER: Appelhans BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3858078 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature