INTRODUCTION
Convenience stores have never been considered the bastions of healthy food
options. However, they respond very quickly to shifting demographics and
the wants of the people who frequent the stores. The food industry works
on very small margins, therefore, they must be very nimble in order to remain
profitable. According to Gervase R. Bushe Ph.D., of Simon Fraser University,” Increased
competition, and the rising cost of goods sold, labor, benefits, and upward
spiraling credit- card fees are already squeezing net profits to below two
percent for most (convenience) stores.” (1) This results in stores
only carrying items that the public is willing to buy. The monitoring of
food options in convenience stores can be viewed as a barometer for shifting
food preferences in a local region.
The purpose of the current study was to investigate changes in healthy food
options as measured by the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS) Convenience
Store Assessment Tool. This proven set of tools is used to evaluate how a
community influences personal nutrition behaviors. (2)
METHODS
Under the direction of the Jefferson County Wellness Coalition data was collected
in June, 2010 on all nine convenience stores in Jefferson County. Two stores
were in rural Jefferson County and the remaining seven stores were found in Fairfield,
the principal population center of Jefferson County. In June 2011 eight
convenience stores had data collected on them. One of the convenience stores
from the previous year was not in operation due to the rebuilding of the store.
Data for that store was not included in the analysis. A trained evaluator visited
all stores and collected data on the following food items:
|
Each food item is awarded or taken away NEMS points depending on availability, price and quality. For example, if fresh fruit is an item the store carries it is awarded points but if the fruit is of poor quality some of the awarded points will be lost.
RESULTS
Chart 1 shows the average NEMS scores for all 8 convenience stores in Jefferson
County in 2010 and 2011. The difference of 4.38 between years is statistically
significant.
Chart 2 shows the change in the NEMS total score for each store in Jefferson
County. All stores except one had increases in total scores.
Chart 3 shows the percent increase in the NEMS total score for each store in
Jefferson County. All stores except one had a 50% increase or greater between
2010 and 2011. The average percent increase in total score from 2010 to
2011 was 63%.
Chart 4 shows that chain convenience stores compared to non-chain stores had
a greater percent increase (96% vs. 41%) in the NEMS scores. Because of
the small number of stores in the sample this difference is not statistically
significant. However, this does not mean that the difference is insignificant. Convenience
chain stores more than doubled their NEMS total scores indicating a greater selection
of healthier food options.
DISCUSSION
While it is very difficult to ascertain motivations of the buying public, the
presence of greater choice for healthy options in Jefferson County has been recognized
by this research, as indicated by Chart 1, 2 and 3. Jefferson County has
had a three year concentrated focus on changing the health and behaviors of its
residents. (3) Changes in other health behaviors have been documented by the
Robert Wood Johnson foundation. In 2011 Jefferson County ranked 66 in Iowa, by
2011 it moved placement to number 42. (4)
Jefferson County has shown remarkable progress in offering healthier food options
in convenience stores over a one-year period. However, they are only scoring
12.38 out of a possible 54 points on the NEMS scale. To score the full 54 points
the convenience store would have to offer all food items included in the survey
instrument. This selection of food items may not be appropriate for all stores. Although
the NEMS scores for Jefferson County convenience stores is still relatively low
as a county it is showing signs of moving in the right (healthier) direction.
REFERENCES
(1) Bushe, Gervase R.. Can’t Get More than Two Percent Profit From
Your Convenience Stores?: One Michigan Company Is Growing its Margins. Web.
28 June, 2011. http://www.bigrapidsgroup.com/images/Wescoarticle.pdf
(2) Glanz K, Sallis JF, Saelens BE, Frank LD. Nutrition Environment Measures
Survey in Stores (NEMS-S). American Journal of Preventive Medicine Volume
32, Issue 4 , Pages 282-289, April 2007
(3) Let’sGoJeffCo; It’s Never Too Late To Feel Great. Web.
28 June, 2011. http://www.letsgojeffco.com/
(4) Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. County Health Rankings: Mobilizing
Action Toward Community Health. Web. 28 June, 2011. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/iowa