Association between food access and cardiovascular risk among older people focusing on methods of measuring food access

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16295
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Tani Yukako 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 日本学術振興会特別研究員 (70735422)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 食環境 / 高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Previous research has linked lower availability of food stores selling fruits and vegetables to unhealthy diet. However, the longitudinal association between the availability of healthy food stores and health outcomes is unknown. This study examined the association between neighborhood availability of food stores and mortality among older adults. Neighborhood availability of food stores was defined as the number of food stores selling fruits and vegetables within a 500-m radius of a person's residence. Both subjective (participant-reported) and objective (geographic information system-based) measurements were used to assess this variable. As a result, lower availability of healthy food stores measured subjectively, but not objectively, was associated with mortality, especially among non-car users. Considering the decline in mobility with age, living in a neighborhood with many options for procuring fruits and vegetables within walking distance may be important for healthy aging.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生学、食生活学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

客観的および主観的の両方のフードアクセスと高齢者の健康影響を検討した研究は国際的にも類がなく、さらに、フードアクセスが及ぼす影響についてはこれまで野菜・果物の摂取と肥満に限られていたため、本研究で死亡リスクを評価することができた点は学術的貢献度が高いと考える。外出時に車の利用がない高齢者では、近隣の食料品店へのアクセスの悪さが死亡リスクとなったことから、高齢化に伴い車の利用が困難になるため、徒歩圏内に野菜や果物が手に入る店が存在することが重要かもしれない。