This table contains data on the modified retail food environment index for California, its regions, counties, cities, towns, and census tracts. An adequate, nutritious diet is a necessity at all stages of life. Pregnant women and their developing babies, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults depend on adequate nutrition for optimum development and maintenance of health and functioning. Nutrition also plays a significant role in causing or preventing a number of illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, some cancers, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and anemia. Peoples’ food choices and their likelihood of being overweight or obese are also influenced by their food environment: the foods available in their neighborhoods including stores, restaurants, schools, and worksites.

The modified retail food environment index table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project (HCI) of the Office of Health Equity. The goal of HCI is to enhance public health by providing data, a standardized set of statistical measures, and tools that a broad array of sectors can use for planning healthy communities and evaluating the impact of plans, projects, policy, and environmental changes on community health. The creation of healthy social, economic, and physical environments that promote healthy behaviors and healthy outcomes requires coordination and collaboration across multiple sectors, including transportation, housing, education, agriculture and others. Statistical metrics, or indicators, are needed to help local, regional, and state public health and partner agencies assess community environments and plan for healthy communities that optimize public health. More information on HCI can be found here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Accessible%202%20CDPH_Healthy_Community_Indicators1pager5-16-12.pdf

The format of the modified retail food environment table is based on the standardized data format for all HCI indicators. As a result, this data table contains certain variables used in the HCI project (e.g., indicator ID, and indicator definition). Some of these variables may contain the same value for all observations.