The Effect of Food Store Access on Children’s Diet Quality

We examine the effect of proximity to large grocery stores and convenience stores on consumption of different food groups among a sample of children enrolled in Head Start preschools. Food store proximity is measured in two ways: (1) as the distance from the census block of residence to the nearest store of a given type and (2) as the density of stores within a one-mile radius of the census block. We estimate the probability that a child is at risk for over or under consumption of a given food item. Food-store proximity is instrumented using the proportion of commercially zoned land surrounding the residence. Findings suggest that children in households with greater access to large grocery stores are at less risk for under consumption of healthy foods but are also at greater risk for over consumption of sugary beverages.