Latino-Serving Corner Stores Get Healthier in Philadelphia

by

Share On Social!

A customer gets a food demonstration and nutrition information from Maria Vanegas with The Food Trust about whole grain tortillas (Image via AP Photo/Matt Rourke at Fox News Latino)
A customer at the Indiana Food Market gets a food demonstration and nutrition information from Maria Vanegas with The Food Trust about whole grain tortillas (Image via AP Photo/Matt Rourke at Fox News Latino)

It is hardest for minorities, like Latinos, in urban areas of the United States to purchase healthy foods close to home, according to a new study, Saludify reports.

The team for the study, led by Dr. Carolyn Cannuscio of the University of Pennsylvania and published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, interviewed nearly 500 people about their food shopping habits in West and Southwest Philadelphia.

They also accessed the quality and variety of food offerings at more than 370 stores—about 80% corner stores—in the area.

Most of the corner stores scored very low on the healthy food assessment.

Despite the fact that 90% of the residents in the area said the corner stores were the closest to their residence to shop, only one-third of those residents said they shop at corners stores and instead go further away from home to find healthy foods, according to the study.

There is hope for Philadelphia in the form of a rising popularity in farmers markets and corner store initiatives, like the Healthy Corner Stores Network, that are reforming what healthy options will be available.

The Healthy Corner Stores Network is led by the Philadelphia health department and The Food Trust. They enlist 650 of the 2,000 corner stores in Philadelphia to begin broadening their selections to include fresh produce, whole-grains, and low-fat dairy.

The city has invested about $1.5 million into the program since 2010.

There are incentives for participating stores, with four levels ranging from $100 grants to being given brand new mini-refrigerators or store front signs.

The Indiana Food Market is one example of a corner store that has been reformed to be in the top level of participation in the Healthy Corner Stores Network. They began offering more of the healthy selections and giving customers healthy nutrition information.

They now have a new colorful exterior, eye-catching produce refrigerator displays, and a special display for whole grains.

Their “Fresh Corner” kiosk, that offers free pamphlets, recipes, and cooking demonstrations to customers, is a big hit with the local community. Because of the large Latino population they put up signs and communicate with customers in both English and Spanish.

To read more here about the University of Pennsylvania study and find out more here about corner stores in Philadelphia.

By The Numbers By The Numbers

20.7

percent

of Latino kids have obesity (compared to 11.7% of white kids)

Share your thoughts