Current Projects
Evaluation of the Philadelphia Fresh Food Financing Initiative:
Quasi-experimental StudyFunded by: NIEHS & NIHR (2006-10)
This recently funded two-year project aims to take advantage of a unique opportunity to evaluate the impact on individual diet and health of an innovative $40 million 3-year state-government funded program – The Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI). This initiative aims to improve the local food environment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by promoting the development of food supermarkets in underserved areas of the city. Using a quasi-experimental approach, which has been rarely used in this area, we aim to evaluate the impact of the FFFI on individual diet and psychological health. In addition we also hope to assess the effects, positive and negative, on the local food retail economy. This project is in collaboration with Prof Stephen Matthews (Penn State University), Prof Ana Diez-Roux (University of Michigan) and The Food Trust, a non-profit community food organisation. The project is funded under NIH RFA on Obesity & The Built Environment.
» Project Publications
Cummins S (2007) Neighbourhood food environments and diet – time for improved conceptual models? Invited commentary Preventive Medicine 44; 196-197
Neighbourhood Social Capital and Self-rated Health in the UK & USAFunded by: MRC (2003-07)
This project aims to investigate whether the social environment in a selection of neighbourhoods in the UK & USA affects health and health behaviour differently in these two countries. The results of this study will help us to begin to understand whether different large-scale social environments can affect population health at the local level and allow us to propose culturally appropriate effective interventions to help ameliorate those physical and social features of neighbourhoods that have a negative impact on population health. Analysis of data is ongoing. The project involves collaboration with Prof Ana Diez-Roux at the University of Michigan, USA and Prof Sally Macintyre at the MRC Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow.
Food Environments and Diet: Longitudinal StudyFunded by: MRC & NIHR (2007-10)
The experience of recent UK research suggests that there is an urgent need to resolve the conflicting evidence on whether physical access to food has an effect on diet and diet-related health outcomes. The proposed study therefore seeks to answer two broad questions. Firstly, whether secular changes in the spatial structure of the urban food retail economy supports a continuing process of ‘deprivation amplification’ whereby those who live in deprived neighbourhoods have poorer access to resources that promote a healthy diet; and secondly, whether spatial inequalities in urban food price and availability have increased or decreased over a 10-year period. We aim to answer these questions through the exploitation of a unique collection of historical geo-spatial data on food retailing, food price and availability linked to data coupled with primary collection of new data on current food price and availability.The project involves collaboration with Prof Sally Macintyre at the MRC Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow.
Land-use, Social Capital and Physical Activity Funded by: NIHR (2007-10)
There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that land use mix may confer health benefits. The majority of this work focuses on self-reported and psychological health outcomes and there has been less work that investigates the role of greenspace and other land use in promoting physical activity and reducing obesity. The presence of paths, gardens and greenspace, for example, may encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles through facilitating opportunities for active living through formal (organised sport) and informal (walking, cycling) physical activity. The proposed project aims to investigate associations between land use, physical activity and obesity outcomes and investigate the mediating role of social capital on these outcomes. Positive findings would encourage the development of policy aimed at developing and maintaining open spaces that promote healthy living
Bayesian Approaches to Calculating Small Area Life-expectancy
Funded by: MRC Studentship (2007-10)
Under construction
Family and Neighbourhood Determinants of Adolescent Self-esteem Trajectories
Funded by: MRC/ESRC Joint Studentship (2004-08)
Under construction
Investigating the role of retail food access in diet-related health
Funded by: Overseas Research Studentship/ University of Leeds (2004-2007)
This doctoral research project was intended to estimate the impact of retail food access on local residents’ diets, and diet-related health, in Leeds and Bradford, West Yorkshire. Food access was measured using a spatial interaction model which included both large supermarkets and smaller chain stores such as Co-op and Jackson’s. A spatial microsimulation model, SimHealth, was then created to estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and adult obesity across the study area, as well as other health behaviours (smoking, diet and physical activity). Regression analysis identified the statistically significant relationships between these health outcomes and behaviours and access to retail food outlets. GIS analysis of the estimated data identified potential spatial and sociodemographic inequalities in health outcomes and food access within the study area.
This project was Dr Dianna Smith’s doctoral research at the University of Leeds, and was supervised by Professor Graham Clarke, Dr Joan Ransley, and Professor Janet Cade. SimHealth was created in collaboration with Kirk Harland.
» Project Publications
Smith DM, Clarke G P, Ransley J, Cade J. (2005) Food access and health :a microsimulation framework for analysis Studies in Regional Science, 35:909-927