Early impact of a new food store intervention on health-related outcomes

This study by Abeykoon et al. (2024) examined the initial effects of the Good Food Junction (GFJ), a community-based initiative featuring a full-service grocery store that operated from September 2012 to January 2016 in a former food desert in Saskatoon, Canada. The study aimed to assess whether frequent shopping at GFJ improved food security and selected health outcomes among its shoppers, with consideration for how these effects were influenced by socioeconomic factors. Data were collected longitudinally from 156 GFJ shoppers at three intervals: 12, 18, and 24 months after the store’s opening, and according to shopping frequency, participants were divided into either low, moderate, or high frequency category. The majority of participants were female, Indigenous, low-income, and had attained at least a high school education. The results demonstrated a dose-response connection between enhanced mental health, family food security, and shopping at GFJ. These outcomes were notably influenced by participants’ socioeconomic status. Overall, the study concluded that GFJ shopping positively impacted food security and mental health, although the benefits varied among individuals with different income levels and educational backgrounds. [NPID: Population health intervention, household food insecurity, health-related outcomes, moderator, dose-response association]

Year: 2024

Reference: Abeykoon, A. M. H., Gupta, S. D., Engler-Stringer, R., & Muhajarine, N. (2024). Early impact of a new food store intervention on health-related outcomes. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1688. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19052-1

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