Creating healthy food and eating environments: Policy and environmental approaches

Mary T Story, Karen M. Kaphingst, Ramona Robinson-O'Brien, Karen Glanz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1639 Scopus citations

Abstract

Food and eating environments likely contribute to the increasing epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases, over and above individual factors such as knowledge, skills, and motivation. Environmental and policy interventions may be among the most effective strategies for creating population-wide improvements in eating. This review describes an ecological framework for conceptualizing the many food environments and conditions that influence food choices, with an emphasis on current knowledge regarding the home, child care, school, work site, retail store, and restaurant settings. Important issues of disparities in food access for low-income and minority groups and macrolevel issues are also reviewed. The status of measurement and evaluation of nutrition environments and the need for action to improve health are highlighted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)253-272
Number of pages20
JournalAnnual Review of Public Health
Volume29
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008

Keywords

  • Ecological framework
  • Environmental and policy change
  • Healthy eating environments

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