| Project: Access to Healthy Foods: The Role of Market Competition, WIC Policy, and Vendor Attitudes | | Award year: 2008 | | Amount of award, fiscal 2008: $229,611 | | Institution: Yale University | | Principal Investigator: Marlene Schwartz | | Status: Ongoing | | Detailed Objective: The study will examine how market factors, the 2007 revisions in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package, and food vendor attitudes influence access to affordable healthy foods by low-income families. Data will be collected from stores in five cities and towns in Connecticut. The study will assess how the availability, variety, quality, prices of healthy foods, and the purchasing power of food assistance benefits are influenced by store type, market competition among local food retailers, local fast food outlets, and town sociodemographic characteristics. The data will be collected in four waves over 2 years to identify changes in the availability and prices of healthy foods in low-income neighborhoods as a result of the 2007 WIC food package revisions. Food vendor surveys will be conducted to relate the vendor's beliefs and attitudes about healthy foods and participation in food assistance programs with the provision of healthy foods. Administrative data will be used to monitor changes following the implementation of the WIC food package revisions on the number, type, and location of WIC-authorized vendors throughout the State of Connecticut. | | Topic: Program Operations, WIC |
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