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Study Links Food Shopping Patterns to Obesity-Related Cancer Risk
Obesity affects over 40% of U.S. adults, with more than 70% classified as overweight—an issue linked to increased risk of obesity-related cancers. While policies often promote healthier grocery store access, such interventions haven't yielded consistent results. A new study published in BMC Medicine sheds light on this complexity.
Researchers from the Department of Allied Health Sciences developed a novel, activity-based index using GPS mobility data and retail food locations across 359,000 U.S. retailers. They compared shopping behavior with county-level data on obesity-related cancer deaths from the CDC. Unlike traditional location-based metrics, this new index—tracking where people actually shop—predicted cancer risk twice as effectively.
Notably, stronger associations were observed in Hispanic communities, possibly reflecting the "Hispanic Paradox" of better health outcomes despite risk factors. Future research will explore consumer decisions behind these behaviors, using surveys and GPS data to assess why people may avoid nearby healthy food options despite their availability.
05-04-2025