Does an increased presence of fast food restaurants, bodegas, or full service restaurants increase the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages? A study of built environment among Brooklyn older adults

Introduction: Studies have made correlations between built environment and the health of its residents, looking at the relationships between types of eateries and grocery stores with quality of food intake. In particular, fast food restaurants, bodegas, and full service restaurants, are three types of eateries that directly provide food to communities.;Objective: To investigate if there is a potential relationship between an increased presence or dose-response relationship of fast food restaurants, bodegas, and full service restaurants, within Brooklyn neighborhoods, and an increased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages by their senior residents.;Methods: Data was collected between 2009--2011 with the final population being 1305 seniors from Brooklyn neighborhoods. Univariate analysis consisted of dietary assessments conducted using NDSR, and built environment assessments completed using the Geographic Information System (GIS). SPSS version 20 was used to complete bivariate and multivariate analyses looking at the presence of fast food restaurants, bodegas, and full-service restaurants and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.;Results: Sugar-sweetened beverage intake was more likely to occur in neighborhoods with a presence of any bodegas (Crude OR=1.47, 95% CI[1.09, 1.98]) or any restaurants (OR=1.37, 95% CI[1.03, 1.84]) versus neighborhoods without the presence of bodegas or restaurants in Brooklyn seniors. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake was also more likely to occur in neighborhoods with 4 or more bodegas than neighborhoods with fewer bodegas (OR=1.25, 95% CI[1.00, 1.57]). Latinos were significantly more likely to have any sugar-sweetened beverage intake when adjusted for the presence of bodegas and restaurants than Blacks or Whites, and individuals who followed a diabetic diet were significantly less likely to have any sugar-sweetened beverage intake, than those who did not follow a diabetic diet.;Conclusion: Understanding the effects of sugar-sweetened beverage intake have been studied within public health. Observing the relationship between the presence of specific eateries and sugar-sweetened beverage intake in older adults holds two fold importance by both revealing the ways in which both food environment influences sugar-sweetened beverage intake as well as revealing the ways in which this relationship influences an older population.