Grant: Operating Grant: Population Health Intervention Research

We know that food choice is influenced by social and physical environments, and that these environments vary, contributing to growing differences in nutritional health across population groups. It is time for research to go beyond describing these differences to providing insight into programs and policies that improve nutritional health. We propose to examine household food practices in a series of low-income inner city neighbourhoods, in the context of numerous community-based food interventions geographically located in the area that aim to address both the social and physical environments. We have chosen an innovative research design that uses interviews, observations, photos and videography to collect in-depth information on the food practices of participating families. We will build on our on-going research on food environments and a grocery store intervention in the inner city. This study will allow us to understand how families access the food they need in urban environments where healthy food access is limited. This project will be conducted by a group of researchers in close partnership with community groups in a way that achieves a positive impact for the people in the neighbourhood. The project has strong support from community agencies and the Saskatoon Health Region.