The maps in this chartbook describe the food environment in ewark in terms of access to supermarkets, smaller grocery stores, convenience stores, and limited service restaurants. Research shows that when residents have access to healthy food outlets, they tend to eat healthy.

• Food environment maps were created using geo-coded commercially available data of food outlets (InfoUSA, 2008 and Trade Dimensions, 2008) in Newark and in a 1 mile buffer area around Newark.

•Using the commercial data and additional investigation, food outlets were classified into different categories based on their likelihood of carrying healthy choices: supermarkets carry most healthy choices; smaller grocery stores carry fewer healthy choices; convenience stores and limited service restaurants are likely to carry mostly unhealthy choices.

• Access to different types of food outlets was computed at the census block group level based on concentration of stores / restaurants per unit area and is reported as food outlet densities.

• Food outlet density maps are compared with Census 2000 data to visualize accessibility of healthy foods in neighborhoods with different characteristics.

Data Sources: Info USA food outlet 2008 data

Trade Dimensions food outlet 2008 data

Census 2000 data

New Jersey Department of Education 2008-2009 data

The maps in this chartbook describe the food environment in Trenton in terms of access to supermarkets, smaller grocery stores, convenience stores, and limited service restaurants. Research shows that when residents have access to healthy food outlets, they tend to eat healthy.

•Food environment maps were created using geo-coded commercially available data of food outlets (InfoUSA, 2008 and Trade Dimensions, 2008) in Trenton and in a 1 mile buffer area around Trenton.

•Using the commercial data and additional investigation, food outlets were classified into different categories based on their likelihood of carrying healthy choices: supermarkets carry most healthy choices; smaller grocery stores carry fewer healthy choices; convenience stores and limited service restaurants are likely to carry mostly unhealthy choices.

• Access to different types of food outlets was computed at the census block group level based on concentration of stores / restaurants per unit area and is reported as food outlet densities.

•Food outlet density maps are compared with Census 2000 data to visualize accessibility of healthy foods in neighborhoods with different characteristics.

Data Sources: Info USA food outlet 2008 data

Trade Dimensions food outlet 2008 data

Census 2000 data

New Jersey Department of Education 2008-2009 data

The maps in this chartbook describe the food environment in Camden in terms of access to supermarkets, smaller grocery stores, convenience stores, and limited service restaurants. Research shows that when residents have access to healthy food outlets, they tend to eat healthy.

• Food environment maps were created using geo-coded commercially available data of food outlets (InfoUSA, 2008 and Trade Dimensions, 2008) in Camden and in a 1 mile buffer area around Camden.

•Using the commercial data and additional investigation, food outlets were classified into different categories based on their likeliliood of carrying healthy choices: supermarkets carry most healthy choices; smaller grocery stores carry fewer healthy choices; convenience stores and limited service restaurants are likely to carry mostly unhealthy choices.

• Access to different types of food outlets was computed at the census block group level based on concentration of stores / restaurants per unit area and is reported as food outlet densities.

•Food outlet density maps are compared with Census 2000 data to visualize accessibility of healthy food s in neighborhoods with different characteristics.

Data Sources: Info USA food outlet 2008 data

Trade Dimensions food outlet 2008 data

Census 2000 data

New Jersey Department of Education 2008-2009 data

The maps in this chartbook describe the food environment in ew Brunswick in terms of access to supermarkets, smaller grocery stores, convenience stores, and limited service restaurants. Research shows that when residents have access to healthy food outlets, they tend to eat healthy.

• Food environment maps were created using geo-coded commercially available data of food outlets (Info USA, 2008 and Trade Dimensions, 2008) in New Brunswick and in a 1 mile buffer area around New Brunswick.

•Using the commercial data and additional investigation, food outlets were classified into different categories based on their likelihood of carrying healthy choices: supermarkets carry most healthy choices; smaller grocery stores carry fewer healthy choices; convenience stores and limited service restaurants are likely to carry mostly unhealthy choices.

• Access to different types of food outlets was computed at the census block group level based on concentration of stores / restaurants per unit area and is reported as food outlet densities.

•Food outlet density maps are compared with Census 2000 data to visualize accessibility of healthy foods in neighborhoods with different characteristics.

Data Sources: Info USA food outlet 2008 data

Trade Dimensions food outlet 2008 data

Census 2000 data

New Jersey Department of Education 2008-2009 data

Frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables has been linked to better dietary quality and positive health outcomes. Unfortunately, fruit and vegetable consumption among elementary school children falls far short of the recommendations. Therefore, finding strategies to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in children is a public health priority. One such strategy is the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), which provides fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks, at least twice per week, in elementary schools with high student enrollment from low-income households. The program aims to expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, impacting their present and future health outcomes.  Another USDA initiative, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), offered in community and school settings, aims to improve the likelihood that SNAP eligible individuals will make healthy food choices consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  SNAP-Ed is a potential resource for FFVP schools, providing nutrition education, staff training, and promotional materials.

With more than 19 million confirmed COVID-19 cases across the United States1 and over 500,000 in Arizona as of December 2020, the ongoing pandemic has had devastating impacts on local, national, and global economies. Prior to the pandemic (February 2020), based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the unemployment rate in Arizona was 6.5%, compared to 4.9% at the national level.3 Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020), the United States has experienced striking increases in the unemployment rate, reaching 13.2% in April. Similarly, in Arizona, the unemployment rate jumped to over 13.5% in April. The unemployment rates have since declined both nationally and in Arizona but remain higher compared to February 2020. In November 2020 (the most recent data available), the national unemployment rate was 6.7%, while in Arizona the rate was 7.8%—the 10th highest unemployment rate among all U.S. states.

Many factors influence children’s health behaviors and health outcomes. The Social Ecological Model (SEM) groups these factors into interactive layers, creating a framework for understanding their influence and for designing interventions to achieve positive change. The layers of influence in the SEM include individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy factors (see figure). The New Jersey Child Health Study (NJCHS) was designed to examine how specific layers of the SEM, particularly food and physical activity environments in schools and communities, affect obesity outcomes in children