Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

This research provides a broad overview of the food purchase and acquisition patterns of U.S. households, answering key questions, such as where do people shop, what is the nutrient profile of the foods acquired and how do program participation, food store access and local food prices correlate with nutritional quality of these acquisitions.

FoodAPS is nationally representative and representative of four subgroups of policy interest based on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and income. Each surveyed household provided information on all food acquired by all household members over a one week period. Data include detailed information about purchases and acquisitions of individual food items at home and away from home, as well as foods acquired through food and nutrition assistance programs or for free through food pantries or from friends and relatives. FoodAPS also incorporated extant data on the local food environment--food store access, food prices, and characteristics of sample member neighborhoods--to enhance the survey data.

Our measures of nutritional quality are based on the USDA’s 2010 Healthy Eating Index (HEI), summarized at the household level. The HEI measures diet quality in terms of conformance with federal dietary guidance. The HEI score ranges from 0 to 100 and is based on 12 components, including 9 adequacy components (e.g. whole fruit, whole grains and dark green and orange vegetables) and 3 moderation components (e.g. empty calories, sodium and refined grains). Components are measured using a density approach to set standards, such as per 1000 calories or as a percent of calories.

In addition to the nutrient profile of foods acquired, we also examine whether there are differences in where foods are acquired, such as large grocery stores, convenience stores and school foods. To test for differences in nutrition quality by demographic subgroups, we first divide households into four separate categories based on SNAP participation and household income.

We then separate households based on income and access to larger grocery stores and supermarkets, which are assumed to offer a full range of healthy foods. We explore both a census tract measure and a household level measure. At the tract level, an area is considered low access if more than 100 housing units in that tract do not own a vehicle and are at least half a mile from the nearest supermarket or large grocery store. At the household level, a household is considered to have low access if the primary mode of transportation to a food store is by borrowing a car or getting a ride from someone or by walking, biking, public transit or some other form of transportation. 

To proxy neighborhood food prices we use information on the weekly average market price of a basket of foods consistent with the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) market basket, which provides a representative healthful and minimal cost meal plan that meets dietary guidelines with minimal expenditures, at each of the stores within a set radius of each FoodAPS household.