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Description
Background: Consuming fruits and vegetables (FVs) is necessary to maintain a healthy diet and reduce the risk of disease. Hispanics have a high prevalence of disease associated with poor diet and, in general, do not consume the recommended daily amount of FVs. Many Hispanics purchase FVs at tiendas. Examining the availability and variety of FVs in tiendas in San Diego County, where the Hispanic population continues to grow, is necessary to understand the consumer nutrition environment. Understanding Hispanic customers' perceptions regarding the availability and variety of FVs in tiendas is also necessary to determine if perceptions reflect reality. Methods: As part of the El Valor de Nuestra Salud study, 16 San Diego County tiendas were evaluated, 16 managers of those tiendas were interviewed, and 369 Hispanic adult customers were interviewed. Using data from this study, Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted to (a) examine relationships between the amount of display space dedicated to fresh FVs and the availability and variety of fresh FVs in tiendas and (b) examine the relationship between the availability, variety, and level of stock of FVs and customers' rating of the selection of FVs in tiendas. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between total square footage of FV display space and the total FV availability score. There was also a statistically significant correlation between the total square footage of FV display space and the total FV variety score at each tienda. The total FV availability score was positively associated with a higher mean customer rating of the selection of FVs. There was no statistically significant association between the percentage of displays stocked more than 2/3 full to completely full and the mean customer rating of the selection of FVs. Discussion: Findings from the study demonstrate the importance of understanding the factors and relationships that exist within the consumer nutrition environment. A relationship between FV display space and FV availability and variety, and customers' perceptions regarding FV availability reflecting objective measures were confirmed. Additional research is necessary to ensure that interventions are tailored and policies are implemented to increase access to FVs in tiendas.
