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Adolescent obesity is a national public health problem, particularly among urban populations. Recent evidence has linked neighborhood food environments to health and nutrition status, with easier access to convenience stores being associated with increased risk for obesity. Little is known about the availability of healthy purchasing options within small, urban food stores, or the extent to which these factors are relevant to youth. The objective of this research was to characterize various features of the food environment within small convenience stores located nearby urban junior high and high schools. In-store audits were conducted in 63 stores located within 800 m of 36 urban Minnesota public secondary schools. Results indicated that a limited number of healthier beverages (i.e., water and 100% fruit juice) and snack options (i.e., nuts and pretzels) were available at most stores (≥85%). However, a wide range of healthy snack options were typically not available, with many specific items stocked in less than half of stores (e.g., low-fat yogurt in 27% of stores and low-fat granola bars in 43%). Overall, 51% of stores had fresh fruit and 49% had fresh vegetables. Few stores carried a range of healthier snack alternatives in single-serving packages. All stores had less healthful impulse purchase items available (e.g., candy) while only 46% carried healthier impulse items (e.g., fruit). Most stores (97%) had food/beverage advertising. Overall, convenience stores located in close proximity to secondary schools represent an important and understudied component of the youth food environment.

Byline: A. Frank Adams (1) Keywords: Information costs; price dispersion; search costs Abstract: Convenience stores provide an opportunity to compare the price dispersion that occurs for gasoline, which is characterized by relatively low search and information costs to consumers, with that of in-store items, which are characterized by relatively high search and information costs to consumers. The results obtained from this study support the hypothesis that differences in search and information costs for consumers play a significant role in explaining the observed price dispersion that occurs for homogeneous items sold at convenience stores. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Economics and Management, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Mn, 56082-1498, U.S.A Article History: Registration Date: 29/09/2004

Researchers have suggested that service orientation is an aspect of personality that affects service performance. Four studies were done to explore the effect of personality on customer service behavior among frontline sales personnel in a fast-food convenience store chain. An exploratory qualitative study with customers, store managers, and salespeople showed that there was consistency in the trait descriptors used to describe superior service providers. Another study validated scales that measure the personality constructs (extroversion, adjustment, and agreeableness) underlying trait descriptors noted in the exploratory study. Finally, the results of two studies showed that personality does influence customer service and that superior service providers tend to be higher in extroversion and agreeableness. The magnitude of the effect of personality in services and recommendations for future research concerning personality and performance in service roles are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

This study expanded the operational definition of convenience consumption to include not only convenience product use but also convenient shopping style. This study has also linked more convenient consumption and less convenient consumption to price trade-offs. Two dependent variables were produced via a factor analysis of various convenient and less convenient consumption behaviors. Factor one represents a less convenient shopping style, while factor two represents convenience product usage. Seven independent variables were tested in an analysis of covariance model. The results indicate that role-overloaded consumers are convenience product users, but may also engage in less convenient styles of shopping. Additional factors are identified as mediator variables to help explain why role overload may encourage one aspect of convenience consumption but not another. A profile of the convenience-oriented and less convenience-oriented shopper is attempted. A description of the role-overloaded shopper is also provided. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

The obesity rate in Chicago has increased up to more than 30% in the last two decades. Obesity is a major problem in Chicago, where 36% of the city's high school students and 61% of adults in the metropolitan area are overweight or obese. Simultaneously, Chicago remains highly segregated by race-a phenomenon that begs for spatial analysis of health. Extant work exploring associations between the food retail environment and obesity has provided mixed findings, and virtually, none of this work has been done with the effects of the interaction between racial segregation and the food retail environment on obesity, where obesity rates are among the highest in the segregation area for the city defined by racial segregation. This study explores whether being overweight or obese is associated with urban food environments, such as access to different types of food retail outlets, and how its associations interact with racial factors, at the community level. This study uses the 2016-2018 data from the Healthy Chicago Survey to investigate the spatial variations in obesity and their association with food environments in Chicago. Also, this study examines the moderating effects of racial segregation on associations between obesity and access to food retail outlets. Using spatial statistics and regression models with interaction terms, this study assesses how the urban food environment can interact with racial segregation to explain the spatial distribution of obesity. The results indicate that the obesity population is highly concentrated in the African American community. In Chicago, each additional convenience store in a community is associated with a 0.42% increase in the obesity rate. Fast food restaurant access is predictive of a greater obesity rate, and grocery store access is predictive of less obesity rate in a community with a higher percentage of African American population. Findings can be used to promote equitable access to food retail outlets, which may help reduce broader health inequities in Chicago., (© 2021. The New York Academy of Medicine.)

Objectives Evidence of the association between food environment and birth outcomes is limited. This study aimed to examine the association between individual-level food access measures and birth outcomes. Methods All birth certificates (N = 15,786) from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 in eight counties in South Carolina were included. Access to food was evaluated by the distance to the nearest food store and the number of each type of store within a 1-mile (1.6-km) radius from the women's homes. Birth outcomes included birth weight, low birth weight, gestational age, and preterm birth (PTB). Results A further distance to the nearest convenience store was associated with higher birth weight and gestational age. Birth weight in areas with two or more convenience stores within a 1-mile (1.6-km) buffer was less [two stores: [beta] = -46.2, 95 % confidence interval (CI) -76.5, -15.9; three or more stores: [beta] = -48.6, 95 % CI -78.8, -18.5], and gestational age was shorter in areas with one or two convenience stores (one store: [beta] = -0.11, 95 % CI -0.21, -0.00; two or more stores: [beta] = -0.13, 95 % CI -0.25, 0.00) than in areas without convenience stores in the neighborhood. Having three or more convenience stores in the neighborhood was associated with increased risk of PTB compared with no convenience stores. Accessibility and availability of supermarkets and grocery stores were not associated with any birth outcomes. Conclusions for Practice This analysis suggests that access to unhealthy foods is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Future investigations with more comprehensive measures of food environment are warranted., Author(s): Xiaoguang Ma[sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Jihong Liu[sup.4] , James W. Hardin[sup.4] , Guang Zhao[sup.4] , Angela D. Liese[sup.3] [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School [...]

OBJECTIVES: Canada is among an increasing number of countries with restrictions on the sale of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). In Canada, e-cigarettes containing nicotine have not been approved for sale; however, e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine and do not make health claims can be sold. To date, there is little empirical evidence assessing the retail availability and marketing of e-cigarettes in countries such as Canada. METHODS: Audits were conducted at 59 brick-and-mortar retail outlets (grocery stores, convenience stores, tobacconist shops and vape shops) in four cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax) in August-October 2014. In addition, a total of 21 e-cigarette manufacturer/retailer websites were audited, and inquiries were made as to whether the companies sold nicotine-containing products. RESULTS: Overall, 76% of the retail outlets sold e-cigarette products. Of convenience stores, grocery stores and tobacconist shops with e-cigarettes for sale, the vast majority (94%) sold nicotine-free products only; in contrast, all the vape shops sold at least one nicotine-containing e-cigarette product. Front counter displays were the most common form of in-store promotions and were present in virtually all convenience stores, tobacconist shops and vape shops. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes were available for purchase at approximately half (52%) of the online e-cigarette retailers surveyed. CONCLUSION: E-cigarettes with and without nicotine are widely available and marketed at a variety of retail outlets in Canada. 'Illegal' sales of nicotinecontaining e-cigarettes were predominantly found at vape shops and online outlets, suggesting limited compliance with existing regulations. KEY WORDS: E-cigarettes; marketing; tobacco control; policy Can J Public Health 2015;106(6):e408-e412 doi: 10.17269/CJPH.106.5105 OBJECTIFS: Le Canada compte parmi un nombre croissant de pays qui imposent des restrictions a la vente des cigarettes electroniques. Au Canada, les cigarettes electroniques contenant de la nicotine ne sont pas homologuees pour la vente; cependant, celles qui ne contiennent pas de nicotine et qui ne font pas d'allegations sante peuvent etre vendues. Jusqu'a maintenant, il existe peu de preuves empiriques sur la disponibilite des cigarettes electroniques chez les detaillants ou sur leur marketing dans les pays comme le Canada. METHODE: Nous avons mene des audits dans 59 points de vente au detail traditionnels (epiceries, depanneurs, tabagies et boutiques specialisees dans la vente de cigarettes electroniques) dans quatre villes (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal et Halifax) entre aout et octobre 2014. De plus, nous avons audite les sites Web de 21 fabricants ou detaillants de cigarettes electroniques en leur demandant s'ils vendaient des produits contenant de la nicotine. RESULTATS: Globalement, 76 % des points de vente au detail vendaient des cigarettes electroniques. La tres grande majorite (94 %) des depanneurs, epiceries et tabagies vendant des cigarettes electroniques ne proposaient que des produits sans nicotine; par contre, toutes les boutiques specialisees en cigarettes electroniques vendaient au moins un produit contenant de la nicotine. Les presentoirs a la caisse etaient la forme la plus courante de promotion en magasin; ces presentoirs etaient omnipresents dans les depanneurs, tabagies et boutiques specialisees. Des cigarettes electroniques contenant de la nicotine etaient en vente dans environ la moitie (52 %) des detaillants de cigarettes electroniques en ligne que nous avons sondes. CONCLUSION: Les cigarettes electroniques avec et sans nicotine sont largement disponibles et commercialisees dans un eventail de points de vente au detail au Canada. Les ventes <> de cigarettes electroniques contenant de la nicotine se font surtout dans les boutiques specialisees et les points de vente en ligne, ce qui temoigne d'une conformite limitee a la reglementation en vigueur. MOTS CLES: cigarettes electroniques; marketing; lutte antitabac; politique, The electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) market has grown dramatically in the past five years, prompting the development of different regulatory strategies for these novel products in response. In Canada, e-cigarette products [...]

Objectives: Among studies of the built environment, few examine neighbourhood food environments in relation to children's diets. We examined the associations of residential and school neighbourhood access to different types of food establishments with children's diets. Methods: Data from QUALITY (Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth), an ongoing study on the natural history of obesity in 630 Quebec youth aged 8-10 years with a parental history of obesity, were analyzed (n=512). Three 24-hour diet recalls were used to assess dietary intake of vegetables and fruit, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Questionnaires were used to determine the frequency of eating/snacking out and consumption of delivered/take-out foods. We characterized residential and school neighbourhood food environments by means of a Geographic Information System. Variables included distance to the nearest supermarket, fast-food restaurant and convenience store, and densities of each food establishment type computed for 1 km network buffers around each child's residence and school. Retail Food Environment indices were also computed. Multivariable logistic regressions (residential access) and generalized estimating equations (school access) were used for analysis. Results: Residential and school neighbourhood access to supermarkets was not associated with children's diets. Residing in neighbourhoods with lower access to fast-food restaurants and convenience stores was associated with a lower likelihood of eating and snacking out. Children attending schools in neighbourhoods with a higher number of unhealthful relative to healthful food establishments scored most poorly on dietary outcomes. Conclusions: Further investigations are needed to inform policies aimed at shaping neighbourhood-level food purchasing opportunities, particularly for access to fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Key words: Built environment; children; diet; food environment; residential neighbourhood; school neighbourhood; QUALITY cohort Objectifs: Rares sont les etudes du milieu bati qui s'interessent aux environnements alimentaires des quartiers par rapport aux regimes alimentaires des enfants. Nous avons examine les associations entre l'acces des quartiers residentiels et scolaires a differents types d'etablissements alimentaires et les regimes des enfants. Methode: Nous avons analyse les donnees de l'etude QUALITY (QUebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth), une etude en cours sur l'histoire naturelle de l'obesite chez 630 jeunes Quebecois de 8 a 10 ans ayant une histoire parentale d'obesite (n=512). Trois rappels alimentaires de 24 heures ont servi a evaluer l'apport en fruits et legumes et en boissons edulcorees au sucre. A l'aide de questionnaires, nous avons determine la frequence des repas et des collations pris a l'exterieur et la consommation d'aliments livres a domicile ou a emporter. Nous avons caracterise l'environnement alimentaire des quartiers residentiels et scolaires au moyen d'un systeme d'information geographique. Les variables etaient la distance jusqu'au supermarche, au restaurant rapide et au depanneur le plus proche, et les densites de chacun de ces types d'etablissements, calculees sur un reseau tampon d'1 km autour du domicile et de l'ecole de chaque enfant. Des indices d'environnement alimentaire de detail ont aussi ete calcules. La regression logistique multivariee (acces a partir du domicile) et des equations d'estimation generalisees (acces a partir de l'ecole) ont servi a l'analyse. Resultats: L'acces des quartiers residentiels et scolaires aux supermarches n'etait pas associe aux regimes des enfants. Le fait d'habiter un quartier oU les restaurants rapides et les depanneurs sont moins accessibles etait associe a une plus faible probabilite de prendre des repas et des collations a l'exterieur. Les enfants qui frequentaient des ecoles de quartiers comptant davantage d'etablissements alimentaires malsains que d'etablissements sains ont obtenu les pires scores pour ce qui est de leur regime. Conclusions: Des enquetes plus poussees sont necessaires pour formuler des politiques qui influencent les occasions d'achat d'aliments a l'echelle des quartiers, particulierement l'acces aux restaurants rapides et aux depanneurs. Mots cles: milieu bati; enfant; regime alimentaire; environnement alimentaire; quartier residentiel; quartier scolaire; cohorte QUALITY, In recent years, the role of neighbourhoods has been increasingly investigated with respect to obesity in children. (1-3) Neighbourhood built environments may promote childhood obesity by favouring antecedent behaviours, including [...]

Objectives: To examine the cost of fruits and vegetables (FV) with respect to different food store types, urbanization level and material deprivation for various urban areas of greater Quebec City. Methods: A sample of 85 food stores was selected. They represented five store types (small, conventional, and large grocery stores; greengrocers; convenience stores) in four geographic areas reflecting three different socio-economic levels. We identified three FV baskets (grocery, fresh FV, convenience) by drawing on data on household food spending and consumption, and food supply in the five store types. Four investigators were trained to conduct a survey of prices for the week of September 17-23, 2007. Analysis of variance and t tests were conducted to examine variations in food baskets with regard to the variables defined in this study. A chi-square test was used to measure the frequency distribution of stores throughout the greater Quebec City. Results: Only food store type had a significant influence on FV cost: cost was much lower in large grocery stores and greengrocers. Convenience stores, where prices are higher, outnumbered all others in deprived urban areas, supporting the contention that there are inequities in economic access. Discussion: Economic access to FV may differ by area in the greater Quebec City, putting rural inhabitants and less privileged urban dwellers at the greatest disadvantage; this may, in turn, contribute to health disparities. The results point to the need to improve our understanding of the way components of the food environment at the regional level affect social inequality. Key words: Food cost; fruits and vegetables; economic access; urbanization level; underprivileged area; health inequalities Objectifs : Cette etude visait a examiner le cout des fruits et legumes (FL) en fonction de divers types de detaillants alimentaires, du niveau d&apos;urbanisation et de l&apos;indice de defavorisation materielle de divers secteurs urbains de la grande region de Quebec. Methode : Un echantillon de 85 detaillants alimentaires a ete selectionne pour representer cinq types de detaillants (petite et grande surface; surface conventionnelle; fruiterie; depanneur) sur quatre territoires aux donnees socioeconomiques variees. Trois paniers de FL: << epicerie >>, << fruits et legumes frais >> et << depanneur >> ont ete etablis en fonction des depenses et de la consommation alimentaires de la population ainsi que de l&apos;offre dans les cinq types de detaillants. Quatre enqueteurs formes ont enregistre les prix du 17 au 23 septembre 2007. Des analyses de variance et tests t ont permis d&apos;examiner la variation du cout des paniers selon les variables a l&apos;etude. La distribution des detaillants recenses selon les milieux a ete verifiee a l&apos;aide du khi-carre. Resultats : Seul le type de detaillant a influence significativement le cout, plus faible dans les grandes surfaces et les fruiteries. Les depanneurs, oU les prix sont les plus eleves, dominent les endroits fortement defavorises du milieu urbain, corroborant ainsi l&apos;existence d&apos;inegalites dans l&apos;acces economique aux aliments. Discussion : La distribution des types de detaillants alimentaires pourrait contribuer aux disparites de sante dans la region de Quebec en desavantageant les habitants ruraux et ceux moins nantis habitant le milieu urbain. Les resultats montrent qu&apos;il faudrait en connaitre davantage sur les composantes de l&apos;environnement alimentaire dans la region et leurs impacts sur les inegalites sociales. Mots cles : cout des fruits; fruits et legumes; acces economique; niveau d&apos;urbanisation; secteur defavorise; inegalites en sante, Social inequalities in health are the focus of an increasing number of studies trying to determine the elements and processes involved. (1-4) Among these studies, those addressing the economic accessibility [...]

Objectives To examine the association between changes in contextual economic factors on childhood obesity in the US. Methods We combined data from 2003, 2007, and 2011/2012 National Surveys of Children's Health for 129,781 children aged 10-17 with 27 state-level variables capturing general economic conditions, labor supply, and the monetary or time costs of calorie intake, physical activity, and cigarette smoking. We employed regression models controlling for demographic factors and state and year fixed effects. We also examined heterogeneity in economic effects by household income. Results Obesity risk increased with workforce proportion in blue-collar occupations, urban sprawl, female labor force participation, and number of convenience stores but declined with median household income, smoking ban in restaurants, and full service restaurants per capita. Most effects were specific to low income households, except for density of supercenters/warehouse clubs which was significantly associated with higher overweight/obesity risk only in higher income households. Conclusions for Practice Changes in state-level economic factors related to labor supply and monetary or time cost of calorie intake may affect childhood obesity especially for children in low-income households. Policymakers should consider these effects when designing programs aimed at reducing childhood obesity., Author(s): Carol C. Guarnizo-Herreño [sup.1] [sup.2] , Charles Courtemanche [sup.3] [sup.5] , George L. Wehby [sup.4] [sup.5] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0001 0286 3748, grid.10689.36, Departamento de Salud Colectiva, Facultad [...]

This paper tests the effect of the self-service ban on retail gasoline sales using a random sample of gas stations from Mercer County New Jersey. The paper finds that the self-service ban reduces the number of pumps and islands. Gas stations are smaller because the ban reduces the ability of gas stations to substitute capital for labor in the production process. In addition, the paper finds evidence that the self-serve ban decreases the rate of refiner ownership, changes the mix of ancillary services that stations offer, and prevents price discrimination. Because capital-labor ratios are lower, labor-intensive ancillary services (i.e., auto repair) are more cost effective than capital-intensive ancillary services (i.e., convenience stores). Because convenience stores are easier to monitor from a central location, the ban causes a reduction in the rate of refiner ownership.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine how pre- and early adolescent (10-14 years old) children from a wide range of neighbourhoods interact with their local food environment (FE), with a focus on the foods and food sources they access and their locations. Children in this age group are developing independence and mobility within (and beyond) their home neighbourhoods but are somewhat geographically bound as they cannot yet drive. METHODS: This research consists of qualitative interviews with 31 children (15 males, 16 females) aged 10-14 years living in socio-economically diverse neighbourhoods across Saskatoon, SK. A thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Children's descriptions of what constitutes their neighbourhood FE were varied, ranging from a couple of city blocks to several kilometres from home. Children were familiar with the types of establishment that sell food within their perceived neighbourhood. When children purchased their own food they most frequently cited buying snacks such as ice cream, candy and slushes, and the majority of these purchases were made in convenience stores, gas stations and grocery stores. Few children reported frequenting fast-food or other restaurants without adults, and when they did it was usually to buy snacks such as French fries and ice cream rather than meals. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the importance of interventions targeted to this age group, in which personal food choices were reported almost exclusively as being energy- but not nutrient-dense snack foods. KEY WORDS: Children; environment; diet; food and nutrition; eating OBJECTIFS: Nous avons cherche a examiner comment les preadolescents et les jeunes adolescents (10-14 ans) vivant dans toutes sortes de quartiers interagissent avec leur environnement alimentaire (EA) local, en insistant sur les aliments et les sources de nourriture auxquels ils ont acces et sur leur emplacement. Les enfants de ce groupe d'age developpent leur independance et leur mobilite a l'interieur (et au-dela) de leur quartier d'attache, mais ils sont un peu circonscrits geographiquement, car ils n'ont pas encore l'age de conduire. METHODE: L'etude a comporte des entretiens qualitatifs avec 31 enfants (15 garcons, 16 filles) de 10-14 ans vivant a Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) dans des quartiers diversifies sur le plan socioeconomique. Nous avons fait l'analyse thematique des entretiens. RESULTATS: Les descriptions par les enfants de ce qui constitue l'EA de leur quartier variaient beaucoup, de quelques pates de maisons a plusieurs kilometres de distance de leur domicile. Les enfants connaissaient bien les types d'etablissements qui vendent des aliments dans leur quartier subjectif. Quand les enfants achetaient leurs propres aliments, ils disaient le plus souvent acheter des collations (creme glacee, bonbons, barbotines), et la majorite de ces achats etaient faits dans les depanneurs, les stations-services et les epiceries. Peu d'enfants disaient frequenter des rapido-restaurants ou d'autres restaurants sans la presence d'adultes; quand ils le faisaient, c'etait habituellement pour acheter des collations comme des frites et de la creme glacee plutot que des repas. CONCLUSIONS: Nos resultats soulignent l'importance des interventions qui ciblent ce groupe d'age, oU les choix alimentaires personnels declares sont presque exclusivement des grignotines riches en calories, mais peu nutritives. MOTS CLES: enfant; environnement; regime alimentaire; aliments et nutrition; consommation d'aliment La traduction du resume se trouve a la fin de l'article. Can J Public Health 2016;107(Suppl. 1):eS48-eS52 doi: 10.17269/CJPH.107.5296, Increasing international evidence suggests that the environments in which people live, work and play have an important role in determining their health, (1,2) including obesity and dietary patterns. (3,4) Built [...]

OBJECTIVES: To identify characteristics of the food environment associated with child overweight/obesity that could, if subjected to intervention, mitigate the risk of childhood overweight/obesity. We examined whether the proximity to or density of grocery and convenience stores or fast food restaurants, or the prices of healthy food options were more strongly associated with overweight/obesity risk in children. METHODS: We collected geocoded data by residential addresses for 1,469 children aged 10-14 years and conducted a census of all food outlets in Saskatoon. The Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS)-Stores and the NEMS-Restaurants were used to measure availability, quality and relative price of healthy food items in stores and restaurants. Children's weight status was calculated on the basis of measured height and weight. Logistic regression was used to test the associations between overweight/obesity and food environment variables. RESULTS: Within an 800 m walking distance from home, 76% of children did not have access to a grocery store; 58% and 32% had access to at least one convenience store or one fast-food restaurant respectively. A significantly lower odds of overweight/obesity was associated with lower price of healthy food items/options in grocery stores (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-0.99) and fast-food restaurants (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99) within walking distance of home. Neither the distance to the closest food outlet nor the density of food outlets around children's homes was associated with odds of overweight/obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Improving economic access to healthy food in food outlets or fast-food restaurants is one strategy to counter childhood overweight/ obesity. KEY WORDS: Environment; public health; child health; obesity OBJECTIFS: Cerner les caracteristiques de l'environnement alimentaire associees au surpoids/a l'obesite des enfants qui pourraient, si elles etaient soumises a une intervention, attenuer le risque de surpoids/d'obesite juvenile. Nous avons cherche a determiner si la proximite ou la densite des epiceries, des depanneurs ou des restaurants rapides, ou les prix des choix alimentaires sains, etaient plus fortement associes au risque de surpoids/ d'obesite chez les enfants. METHODE: Nous avons recueilli des donnees geocodees par adresse residentielle pour 1,469 enfants de 10-14 ans et recense tous les points de vente alimentaires de Saskatoon. Nous avons utilise les sondages Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS)-Stores et NEMS-Restaurants pour mesurer la disponibilite, la qualite et le prix relatif des produits alimentaires dans les magasins et les restaurants, respectivement. Le statut ponderal des enfants a ete calcule a partir de la taille et du poids mesures. Nous avons procede par regression logistique pour tester les associations entre le surpoids/l'obesite et les variables de l'environnement alimentaire. RESULTATS: A distance de marche de 800 m de leur domicile, 75% des enfants n'avaient pas acces a une epicerie; 60% et 33% avaient acces a au moins un depanneur ou un restaurant rapide, respectivement. Une probabilite significativement plus faible de surpoids/d'obesite etait associee aux prix plus bas des produits ou des choix alimentaires sains dans les epiceries (rapport de cotes [RC] = 0.87, intervalle de confiance [IC] de 95%: 0.77-0.99) et les restaurants rapides (RC = 0.97, IC de 95%: 0.95-0.99) situes a distance de marche du domicile. Ni la distance du point de vente alimentaire le plus proche, ni la densite des points de vente alimentaires autour des domiciles des enfants n'etait associee a la probabilite de surpoids/d'obesite. CONCLUSIONS: Ameliorer l'acces economique aux aliments sains dans les points de vente alimentaires ou les restaurants rapides est une strategie pour contrer le surpoids/l'obesite juvenile. MOTS CLES: environnement; sante publique; sante de l'enfant; obesite La traduction du resume se trouve a la fin de l'article. Can J Public Health 2016;107(Suppl. 1):eS42-eS47 doi: 10.17269/CJPH.107.5347, With the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Canada over the past few decades (1) and the minimal success of downstream interventions (educational, behavioural and pharmacological) that target the [...]

Liquor stores have been repeatedly shown to be disproportionately prevalent in Black neighborhoods and therefore constitute a disproportionate health risk. This paper examines the ways in which liquor stores jeopardize Black lives through social and material conditions that are broader than health risk. Embodying and perpetuating dysfunctional markets, liquor stores relegate Black consumers to an overabundance of inexpensive and potent alcoholic beverages sold from heavily securitized storefronts and provoke conflicted and oppositional relationships. Liquor stores exist in a state of antibiosis with Black communities, an antagonistic relationship in which liquor stores gain but communities are adversely affected., (© 2020. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A procedure of demand forecasting using data mining techniques is proposed to forecast the sales amount of new short life-cycle products for an actual food processing enterprise. The enterprise annually produces 100∼150 kinds of new items with short life-cycle between one week and three months to supply 260 convenience stores in the region of jurisdiction. Based on the previous delivery data in the first selling week, sales amount in the second, and the third selling weeks can be forecasted for their new products. Especially, some effective association rules about hot items and cold items are obtained by using data mining technologies for new short life-cycle products.

Objectives: This study examines environmental factors associated with BMI (body mass index) levels among adolescents with the aim of identifying potential interventions for reducing childhood obesity. Methods: Students (n=1,048) aged 10-14 years at 28 schools in London, ON, completed a survey providing information on age, sex, height, weight, home address, etc., which was used to construct age-sex adjusted BMI z-scores. The presence of recreation opportunities, fast-food outlets and convenience stores was assessed using four areal units around each participant's home and school neighbourhood: 'circular buffers' encompassing territory within a straight-line distance of 500 m and 1000 m; and 'network buffers' of 500 m and 1000 m measured along the street network. School neighbourhoods were also assessed using school-specific 'walksheds'. Multilevel structural equation modeling techniques were employed to simultaneously test the effects of school-environment (Level 2) and home-environment (Level 1) predictors on BMI z-scores. Results: Most participants (71%) had a normal BMI, 16.9% were overweight, 7.6% were obese, and 4.6% were considered underweight. Multilevel analyses indicated that built environment characteristics around children's homes and schools had a modest but significant effect on their BMI. The presence of public recreation opportunities within a 500 m network distance of home was associated with lower BMI z-scores (p Conclusion: Interventions and policies that improve children's access to publicly provided recreation opportunities near home and that mitigate the concentration of fast-food outlets close to schools may be key to promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing childhood obesity. Key words: Obesity; child; adolescent; environment; diet; recreation Objectifs: Notre etude porte sur les facteurs environnementaux associes a l'IMC (indice de masse corporelle) d'adolescents en vue de cerner des interventions possibles pour reduire l'obesite infantile. Methode: Des eleves (n=1 048) de 10 a 14 ans frequentant 28 ecoles de London, en Ontario, ont rempli un questionnaire sur leur age, leur sexe, leur taille, leur poids, leur adresse personnelle, etc., lequel a servi a construire des ecarts Z ajustes selon l'age et le sexe pour l'IMC. La presence de possibilites de loisir, d'etablissements de restauration rapide et de depanneurs a ete evaluee a l'aide de quatre unites de surface autour du domicile et du quartier scolaire de chaque participant : des << zones tampons circulaires >> englobant le territoire sur une distance entre 500 et 1000 m en ligne droite; et des << zones tampon de reseau >> de 500 a 1000 m mesurees le long du reseau des rues. Les quartiers scolaires ont aussi ete evalues a l'aide des << bassins de marche >> propres a l'ecole. Une modelisation multiniveaux par equations structurelles a servi a evaluer simultanement les effets de predicteurs des ecarts Z de l'IMC lies a l'environnement scolaire (niveau 2) et au milieu de vie (niveau 1). Resultats: La plupart des participants (71 %) avaient un IMC normal, 16,9 % etaient en surpoids, 7,6 % etaient obeses, et 4,6 % etaient consideres comme etant de poids insuffisant. Des analyses multiniveaux ont montre que les caracteristiques du milieu bati autour du domicile et de l'ecole des enfants avaient un effet mineur mais significatif sur leur IMC. La presence d'installations de loisir publiques dans un reseau de 500 m du domicile etait associee a des ecarts Z d'IMC inferieurs (p Conclusion: Les interventions et les politiques qui ameliorent l'acces des enfants a des installations de loisir publiques pres de chez eux et qui attenuent la concentration des etablissements de restauration rapide pres des ecoles pourraient etre la cle du succes pour promouvoir les modes de vie sains et reduire l'obesite infantile. Mots cles: obesite; enfant; adolescent; environnement; regime alimentaire; loisir La traduction du resume se trouve a la fin de l'article. Can J Public Health 2012;103(Suppl. 3):S15-S21., Childhood obesity has become a critical public health issue in Canada, as rates have tripled over the past three decades. (1) Over one in four Canadian children are either overweight [...]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive profile of the availability of limited service food outlets surrounding public schools in British Columbia, Canada. Methods: Data from the 2010 Canadian Business Data Files were used to identify limited service food outlets including fast food outlets, beverage and snack food stores, delis and convenience stores. The number of food outlets within 800 metres of 1,392 public schools and the distance from schools to the nearest food outlets were assessed. Multivariate regression models examined the associations between food outlet availability and school-level characteristics. Results: In 2010, over half of the public schools in BC (54%) were located within a 10-12 minute walk from at least one limited service food outlet. The median closest distance to a food outlet was just over 1 km (1016 m). Schools comprised of students living in densely populated urban neighbourhoods and neighbourhoods characterized by lower socio-economic status were more likely to have access to limited service food outlets within walking distance. After adjusting for school-level median family income and population density, larger schools had higher odds of exposure to food vendors compared to schools with fewer students. Conclusion: The availability of and proximity to limited service food outlets vary widely across schools in British Columbia and school-level characteristics are significantly associated with food outlet availability. Additional research is needed to understand how food environment exposures inside and surrounding schools impact students' attitudes, food choices and dietary quality. Key words: Food; schools; geographic information systems Objectif : Notre etude vise a dresser un profil descriptif de la presence des debits de restauration a services limites autour des ecoles publiques en Colombie-Britannique (Canada). Methode : A l'aide de donnees sur les entreprises canadiennes (fichiers Canadian Business Data 2010), nous avons identifie les debits de restauration a services limites : restaurants rapides, magasins de boissons et de grignotines, charcuteries et depanneurs. Nous avons calcule le nombre de debits de restauration a 800 metres des 1 392 ecoles publiques et la distance entre les ecoles et les debits de restauration les plus proches. En utilisant des modeles de regression multivariee, nous avons etudie les associations entre la presence de debits de restauration et les caracteristiques au niveau des ecoles. Resultats : En 2010, plus de la moitie des ecoles publiques de la C.-B. (54 %) etaient situees a 10 ou 12 minutes de marche d'au moins un debit de restauration a services limites. La distance mediane la plus proche d'un debit de restauration etait d'un peu plus de 1 km (1 016 m). Les ecoles dont les eleves habitaient des quartiers urbains densement peuples et des quartiers a faible statut socioeconomique etaient plus susceptibles d'avoir acces a des debits de restauration a services limites a distance de marche. Apres avoir apporte des ajustements en fonction du revenu familial median et de la densite de population au niveau des ecoles, nous avons constate que la probabilite d'exposition aux commerces d'alimentation etait plus elevee pour les grandes ecoles que pour les ecoles ayant peu d'eleves. Conclusion : La presence et la proximite de debits de restauration a services limites varient beaucoup d'une ecole a l'autre en Colombie-Britannique, et les caracteristiques au niveau des ecoles presentent une correlation significative avec la presence de debits de restauration. Il faudrait pousser la recherche pour comprendre en quoi l'environnement alimentaire a l'interieur et autour de l'ecole a une incidence sur les attitudes, les choix alimentaires et la qualite du regime des eleves. Mots cles : aliments; etablissement scolaire; systemes d'information geographique, Improving the eating habits of children and adolescents is a priority area for health promotion, particularly given evidence of increasing rates of obesity and nutrition-related health conditions such as type [...]

Minors' access to alcohol and tobacco is a major public health concern because of the many deaths and disabilities associated with use and the ease with which minors purchase these products. We evaluated the effects of a community-based substance abuse coalition's efforts to reduce alcohol and tobacco products to minors. The intervention - implemented entirely by coalition members - consisted of adults and minors issuing citations to clerks in supermarkets, convenience stores and liquor stores, who were willing to sell alcohol and tobacco products to minors and issuing commendations to clerks who refused to sell. For those liquor stores receiving the citizen's surveillance, there was a marked decrease in alcohol sales to minors, from 83% to 33%; and in those liquor stores not experiencing the intervention, there was a smaller decrease in alcohol sales, from 45% to 36%. This study's findings suggest that citizen surveillance and feedback may be effective in reducing alcohol sales to minors when the intervention is fully implemented, but may be ineffective, at least in these doses, with tobacco sales.

We analyze empirical aspects of the limited-time product strategy-introduction of a new product that is available only for a limited time-that involves the use of umbrella branding. Despite the popularity of such a marketing strategy in many consumer packaged goods categories, little empirical work has studied how consumers react to this scarcity marketing in their actual choices. We use individual-level transaction data from the beer market and model consumers' beer purchases using a multiple discrete-continuous choice model. The proposed model captures the patterns of consumer choices in response to the limited-time product and the asymmetric sales spillover effects between a parent product and a limited-time subproduct. Using the model estimates, we quantify the effects of incorporating a product's limited-time nature and adopting an umbrella brand for a limited-time product. Our analyses indicate that (1) the product's limited-time nature is associated with a rapid jump in demand in the launching period; (2) the return from store coverage for limited-time products decreases over time; and (3) umbrella branding for limited-time products increases the brand-level demand despite the cannibalization of the sales of a parent product. Managerial implications about the nature of perceived scarcity associated with the limited-time product and the effective targeting and distribution strategy are discussed., Author(s): Masakazu Ishihara [sup.1] , Minjung Kwon [sup.2] , Makoto Mizuno [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) https://ror.org/0190ak572, grid.137628.9, 0000 0004 1936 8753, New York University, , 40 West 4th Street, Tisch [...]

Our research uniquely shows that scarcity cues, when effectively managed by the service firms, can lead to favorable purchase decisions. We investigate how service firms that are scarce on time resource (busy) vs. money resource (poor) are perceived differentially on the two basic dimensions of social perceptions: warmth and competence. Across four studies, we provide the first empirical evidence that busy service firms are perceived higher on competence and poor service firms are perceived higher on warmth. We also find that service firms that are both busy and poor have the highest purchase preference compared to either busy or poor service firms. In addition, purchase preferences are moderated by the consumption contexts (exchange vs. communal relationship domain). Managerially, our findings that scarcity cues influence purchase preferences can benefit the design and execution of marketing strategies., Author(s): Malika Malika [sup.1] , Durairaj Maheswaran [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.417952.c, 0000 0001 0333 3968, Indian Institute of Management, , Bannerghatta Road, 560076, Bangalore, India (2) grid.137628.9, 0000 0004 [...]

As the primary agent of socialization for their children, parents are expected to educate their children about healthy, safe behavior and about obeying the law. But what if the parents themselves occasionally use drugs? This study examines the differences between the attitudes of parents who do not use drugs and those who use cannabis or other drugs toward drug use by their children, and the parents' tendency to encourage or prevent it. The study was conducted using a quantitative research questionnaire completed by 626 parents in Israel, and found that parents' attitudes toward their children's drug use mediate the effect of their use on their tendency to encourage or prevent their children from using drugs. The findings corroborate theories that examine the relationship between attitudes and behavior and contribute to understanding the processes of conveying messages that encourage or reduce drug use. They can also guide the design of intervention programs for parents, at a time when there is an increasing perception of substance use as normative., Author(s): Vered Ne'eman-Haviv [sup.1] , Yael Wilchek-Aviad [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) https://ror.org/03nz8qe97, grid.411434.7, 0000 0000 9824 6981, The Department of Criminology, Ariel University, , Ariel, 40700, Israel Introduction The professional [...]

Purpose To evaluate whether ZIP-code level neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods A retrospective study of 2009-2014 Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) births with maternal ZIP codes in one of 89 Portland metropolitan area ZIP codes. Deliveries with ZIP codes outside of the Portland metro area were excluded. Deliveries were stratified by SES based on ZIP code median household income: low (below 10th percentile), medium (11th-89th percentile), and high (above 90th percentile). Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression with medium SES as the reference group evaluated perinatal outcomes and strength of association between SES and adverse events. Results This study included 8118 deliveries with 1654 (20%) classified as low SES, 5856 (72%) medium SES, and 608 (8%) high SES. The low SES group was more likely to be younger, have a higher maternal BMI, have increased tobacco use, identify as Hispanic or Black, and less likely to have private insurance. Low SES was associated with a significantly increased risk of preeclampsia (RR 1.23 95% CI 1.01-1.49), but this was no longer significant after adjusting for confounders (aRR 1.23 95% CI .971-1.55). High SES was negatively associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), even after adjusting for confounders (aRR 0.710, 95% CI 0.507-0.995). Conclusion In the Portland metropolitan area, high SES was associated with a lower risk of GDM. Low SES was associated with a higher risk of preeclampsia before accounting for covariates. ZIP code-based risk assessment may be a useful indicator in detecting healthcare disparities., Author(s): Deepraj K. Pawar [sup.1] , Minhazur Sarker [sup.2] , Aaron B Caughey [sup.1] , Amy M. Valent [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.5288.7, 0000 0000 9758 5690, School of Medicine, [...]

Objectives This study investigates the availability, accessibility, and product depth of in-store infant feeding and galactagogues products in majority Black and majority white zip codes in Los Angeles County. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine racial/ethnic neighborhood differences in the availability of infant and follow-on formula and galactagogues products in 47 retail stores in 21 zip codes. Store-level data were collected in June 2019 and an observational tool for galactagogues products and infant/follow-on formula (availability, accessibility, product depth) was employed at each store. Results Most of the stores were grocery stores (87.2%). Stores in majority Black zip codes had less availability of infant formula ready-to-use (p = 0.001), less accessibility of follow-on powder (p = 0.028), and availability of galactagogues beverages (p = 0.036) versus majority white zip codes. Product depth (number of brands sold) of stores with one or more brands of the aforementioned products was consistently higher in majority white zip codes compared to majority Black zip codes. Stores in majority Black zip codes were most likely to have lower availability of infant formula and galactagogues products, an important part of the food environment for infant feeding options, in particular, for lactation support. Conclusions for Practice Most studies investigating the association of the food environment and health outcomes have focused only on solid foods. However, additional food products (e.g., liquids, powders) may be contributors to extensive disparities in infant mortality between Black and white infants and may lead to health disparities beyond infant stage (e.g., children, adolescents, and adults). Lastly, for breastfeeding inequities to decrease, pregnant and postpartum Black persons need equitable access and education on safe and quality galactagogues products., Author(s): Kacie C. A. Blackman [sup.1] , Sabrina Smiley [sup.2] , Wenonah Valentine [sup.3] , Lisa Chaudhari [sup.1] , Patty Kwan [sup.1] , Wyconda Cotton-Curtis [sup.1] , Carrie Saetermoe [sup.4] [...]