Comparing the Food Environment in Rural and Urban Areas of Selected Nevada Regions

Summary

National and county level examination of urban and rural food environments has taken

place, but primary validation of venue existence and in-venue data are lacking. The

literature show disparities in access to healthy foods through low density of large

grocers/supermarkets, low variety and quality of produce and higher prices for a healthy

diet in rural versus urban geographies. Rural areas are of unique concern due to poor

health indicators such as higher obesity rates, higher diabetes rates, lower incomes and

lower educations than urban residents. The goal of this study was to explore differences

in the community and consumer level food environments between two Nevada

geographies. Evidence was sought to test the hypotheses of venue density, the

availability and quality of produce, and the price difference between standard and

healthy items between rural and urban Nevada geographies. A cross-sectional study

took place through direct quantitative and descriptive data collection in two rural Nevada

counties and two urban census tracts in Las Vegas, NV. A Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–

Whitney and a Bonferroni correction were performed on the quantitative store audit data

to compare produce availability and quality scores, and the price differences between

standard and healthy items between geographies. Primary data show a greater percapita density of grocery and convenience venues in the rural area than the urban. A

greater percapita density of fast-food venues was found in the urban sample area. The

variety and quality of produce in the rural grocer venues were lower than the urban

supermarkets. No significant or functional price difference was found between the

standard and healthier versions of select items within commonly purchased food groups,

between rural and urban geographies