A new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that dollar stores are not harming American diets despite the comparative lack of healthy products. The study, led by Wenhui Feng, a professor of health care policy research at Tufts University, found that families are increasingly turning to local dollar stores for staple food items as they free up funds on costly shopping lists. The calories obtained from dollar store items have nearly doubled, surging from 3.4% to 6.5% of a household’s purchases, particularly in those with lower incomes and those headed by people of color. In rural areas, where the nearest grocery stores tended to be much further than dollar stores, families were particularly reliant on the latter for their food supplies. The researchers concluded that recent legislative calls for restrictions on dollar store openings might not be beneficial if they are not accompanied by proposals for acquiring healthier foods at affordable prices.
A study suggests that dollar store food options may not be negatively impacting American diets in general. Enilsa Brown 23
