Evaluation of Store Environment Changes of an In-Store Intervention to Promote Fruits and Vegetables

IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 65: Evaluation of Store Environment Changes of an In-Store Intervention to Promote Fruits and Vegetables in Latino/Hispanic-Focused Food Stores:

IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 65: Evaluation of Store Environment Changes of an In-Store Intervention to Promote Fruits and Vegetables in Latino/Hispanic-Focused Food Stores

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph17010065

Authors:
Jennifer Sanchez-Flack
Barbara Baquero
Shih-Fan Lin
George Belch
Julie L. Pickrel
Cheryl A. M. Anderson
Elva Arredondo
Maria Elena Martinez
Joni Mayer
Ming Ji
John P. Elder
Guadalupe X. Ayala


Implementing interventions that manipulate food store environments are one potential strategy for improving dietary behaviors. The present study evaluated intervention effects, from the El Valor de Nuestra Salud (The Value of Our Health) study, on in-store environmental changes within Latino/Hispanic-focused food stores (tiendas). Sixteen tiendas were randomly assigned to either: a six-month structural and social food store intervention or a wait-list control condition. Store-level environmental measures of product availability, placement, and promotion were assessed monthly from baseline through six-months post-baseline using store audits. Linear mixed effects models tested for condition-by-time interactions in store-level environmental measures. Results demonstrated that the intervention was successful at increasing the total number of fruit and vegetable (FV) promotions (p < 0.001) and the number of FV promotions outside the produce department (p < 0.001) among tiendas in the intervention versus control condition. No changes in product availability or placement were observed. Results suggests changing the marketing mix element of promotions within small stores is measurable and feasible in an in-store intervention. Difficulties in capturing changes in product availability and placement may be due to intervention implementation methods chosen by tiendas. It is important to build upon the lessons learned from these types of interventions to disseminate evidence-based in-store interventions.