Eating In Eating Out Eating Well NYC.pdf

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Eating In, Eating Out,
Eating Well:
Access to Healthy Food in North 
and Central Brooklyn
1. Bodegas are common: about 8 in 10 food stores in Bedford-Stuyvesant 
and Bushwick are bodegas.
• While offering convenient locations and hours, bodegas carry a narrower range 
of products at higher prices than supermarkets and other stores.
• Supermarkets offer more choices, but are less common and less accessible. 
2. Healthy foods can be hard to find.
• Only 1 in 3 bodegas sells reduced-fat milk, compared with 9 in 10 supermarkets.
• About 28% of bodegas carry apples, oranges, and bananas, compared with 91% of
supermarkets.
• Leafy green vegetables are available at few bodegas (about 1 in 10). 
3. Storefront advertisements heavily promote unhealthy products.
• Storefront ads for sugary juices, energy drinks, and alcoholic beverages are plentiful.
• 42% of bodegas carry tobacco ads.
4. Healthy eating strategies should take restaurants into account.
• Almost 3 out of every 4 neighborhood restaurants sell only take-out food. 
• Pizza parlors and Chinese and Latin American restaurants are the common types. 
• National fast-food chains make up about 13% of the area’s 168 restaurants.
Acknowledgements
Our thanks to the following contributors, including staff from the Brooklyn District Public Health and Cornell University Cooperative
Extension (New York City Branch): Jenny Carol Aguilera, Kelly Cantor, Estela Gonzalez, Christina Larkin, Mirian Nunez, Kwame 
Boakye-Yiadom, Kesha Crichlow, Sandra Guzman, Carol Parker-Duncanson, Evelyn Espinal, Gloribeth Cancel, Evelyn Ortiz, Leighton
Hewitt, Philip Noyes, Ronica Webb, Ernesha Webb.
Appreciation is expressed to the Publications Group of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for editorial services
and design of this report: Cortnie Lowe, M.F.A., Director; Caroline Carney, Managing Editor, and Judith Levine, Senior Editor.
Suggested citation: Graham R, Kaufman L, Novoa Z, Karpati A. Eating in, eating out, eating well: Access to healthy food in North and
Central Brooklyn. New York, N.Y.: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2006.
Key Findings
Brooklyn District Public Health Office
Poorer neighborhoods have higher rates of obesity,
and more deaths from diabetes and heart disease,
than wealthier neighborhoods.1 About 30% of adults
in Bedford-Stuyvesant and 29% in Bushwick are
obese, compared with 20% in New York City as a
whole. About 12% of adults in Bedford-Stuyvesant
and 11% in Bushwick have diabetes, compared with
9% citywide.2
Convenient access to affordable, healthy food is vital
to a healthy neighborhood. A healthy diet and physical
activity are both needed for healthy weight. The reason
for more obesity in low-income neighborhoods may
be twofold: fewer safe places to exercise, such as parks,
and less access to healthy food, including fresh fruits
and vegetables. People tend to shop close to home3; 
the availability, price, and quality of food in the 
immediate neighborhood has a strong impact on diet.4
This report examines access to healthy food in
Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick. In 2004, the
Brooklyn District Public Health Office, with permission
from store owners and managers, conducted a brief
assessment of every food store and restaurant in the
5-square-mile area, a total of 373 establishments. 
In food stores, we recorded the availability and price
of selected foods and other products, as well as types
of storefront ads.5 In restaurants, we documented
type of cuisine, type of service (sit-down or take-out),
and whether the establishment was part of a national
chain.
1
Eating In, Eating Out, Eating Well: Access to Healthy Food in North and Central Brooklyn
This Report
Obesity is a major health problem in New York City – more than half of adult New Yorkers are
overweight or obese. Having an unhealthy weight increases the risk for many conditions, including
diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, and heart disease.
1. Bodegas are common in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick.
Food is sold in a variety of stores.6 Among the 373 food stores, bodegas are the most common in both neighborhoods.
They offer convenient locations and hours, but are more expensive and have a much narrower product selection
than most other stores. Supermarkets have lower prices and a wider selection of food, but are less conveniently
located.
 Bodegas 
Supermarkets 
Specialty 
Drug Stores 
Gas Stations 
Total
 176 (81%) 
12 (5%) 
22 (10%) 
3 (1%) 
3 (1%) 
216
 131 (84%) 
10 (6%) 
11 (7%) 
3 (2%) 
2 (1%) 
157
 307 (82%) 
22 (6%) 
33 (9%) 
6 (2%) 
5 (1%) 
373
Bedford-Stuyvesant
Bushwick
Total
Bodegas far outnumber supermarkets in
Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick
Bodegas
Supermarkets
2. Healthy foods can be hard to find.
Reduced-fat milk
For people aged 2 and older, reduced-fat milk – 2%, 1%, or skim/fat-free – provides all the nutritional benefits of
whole milk, with less fat and calories. In stores where milk is available, only about 1 in 4 in Bedford-Stuyvesant
offers a reduced-fat option; in Bushwick, about half do. Even when reduced-fat milk is available in bodegas, 
gallon sizes are hard to find.
Milk is more expensive in bodegas than supermarkets. In Bedford-Stuyvesant, a gallon of milk costs about 79¢
more in bodegas than supermarkets; in Bushwick, bodegas charge about 19¢ more. 
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Fruit is high in vitamins and fiber. About 72%
of all stores in both neighborhoods carry some
fresh fruit, with supermarkets offering the
greatest variety. Of three common fruits –
apples, oranges, and bananas – only 21% of
bodegas in Bedford-Stuyvesant carry them all,
compared with 83% of supermarkets. In
Bushwick, only 38% of bodegas stock all 
three fruits, while 80% of supermarkets do.   
Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, and 
collards, are excellent sources of calcium and
are low in calories. Only 6% of bodegas in the
two neighborhoods carry leafy green vegetables,
while 67% of supermarkets do.
2
Brooklyn District Public Health Office
Bodegas in North and Central Brooklyn offer
fewer healthy food options than supermarkets.
92
90
41
83
80
38
75
4
60
8
20
21
0
20
40
60
80
100
Bed-Stuy 
Supermarkets
Bed-Stuy
Bodegas
Bushwick 
Supermarkets
Bushwick
Bodegas
% of stores with items available Reduced-fat milk
Apples, oranges, and bananas
Leafy green veg
Bodegas in North and Central Brooklyn offer
fewer healthy food optios than supermarkets.
3
Eating In, Eating Out, Eating Well: Access to Healthy Food in North and Central Brooklyn
3. Storefront advertisements heavily
promote unhealthy products.
Ads have a powerful influence on food and
other choices, especially among children.
Most storefronts in Bedford-Stuyvesant and
Bushwick (about 90%) feature ads. The most
common are for less-healthy, sugar-added
juices, energy drinks, and sodas.7 More than
half advertise alcoholic beverages, especially
beer, but ads for water and diet soda are rare.  
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable
illness and premature death in New York City.
Tobacco companies routinely target low-
income neighborhoods,8 and storefront ads for cigarettes are common, especially for Newport, Marlboro, and
Kool brands. In Bedford-Stuyvesant, 44% of stores display cigarette ads; in Bushwick, 40% do.
It’s not easy for children in either neighborhood to avoid these ads. A typical school has 5 stores advertising 
cigarettes within a 3-block radius. About 3 out of 4 stores that display cigarette ads are located within 4 blocks 
of a school. 
Storefront ads for alcohol and sugary drinks are common.
Ads for water, diet soda, and milk are rare.
Bedford Stuyvesant
Bushwick
54
26
20
14
4
0.5
38
16
18
7
3
1
0.5
65
1
1
68
51
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
% of stores displaying adsAlc
oh
olic
 Dr
ink
s
Ju
ice
 Dr
ink
s
En
erg
y D
rin
ks
100
% 
Ju
ice
So
da
Co
ffe
e/T
ea
Wa
ter
Die
t S
od
a
Mi
lk
Storefont ads for alcohol and s
iks are comon.
Ads for water, diet soda,
il are rare.
Stores advertising cigarettes are located
near every elementary school
Food stores with 
cigarette ads
Elementary schools
4. Healthy eating strategies should take restaurants into account.
New Yorkers eat out and take out frequently. Any strategy for healthy eating should take local restaurants
into account.
There are 94 restaurants in Bedford-Stuyvesant and 74 in Bushwick, 168 in all. The most common foods served
are Chinese, Latin American, and pizza. National fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried
Chicken, represent 13% of restaurants in both communities.
Most restaurants (73%) offer only take-out service. 
1. Karpati A, Kerker B, Mostashari F, et al.
Health disparities in New York City. New
York: New York City Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene, 2004.
2. Karpati A, Lu X, Mostashari F, Thorpe L,
Frieden, TR. The health of Bushwick and
Williamsburg. NYC Community Health
Profiles 2003; 1(1):1-12.
3. Kaufman, L. “Understanding the social 
and cultural roots of childhood obesity:
The politics of food and fatherhood.”
Presented at 133rd annual meeting of the
American Public Health Association;
December 12, 2005; Philadelphia, PA. 
4. See, for example:
• Horowitz CR, Colson KA, Hebert PL,
Lancaster, K. Barriers to buying healthy
foods for people with diabetes: Evidence
of environmental disparities. Am J Public
Health. 2004;94:1549-1554.
• Morland K, Wing S, Diez Roux A. The 
contextual effect of the local food 
environment on residents’ diets: The 
atherosclerosis risk in communities study.
Am J Public Health. 2002;11:1761-1767.  
5. Data were collected on:
• Beverages (whole and reduced-fat milk;
juice, soda, water, and alcohol)
• Fruits (apples, bananas, oranges)
• Vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, carrots,
and leafy green vegetables – not iceberg
lettuce)
• Snack foods (cakes, candy, and bagged
goods such as potato chips) 
Advertisements were categorized as: 
deli meats, other foods, beverages (alco-
holic and non-alcoholic), cigarettes, and
other products. Although food availability,
price, and store location were determined,
food quality was not assessed.    
6. There are also two farmers’ markets in
Bedford-Stuyvesant and one in Bushwick.
7. “Energy drinks” are beverages such as
Red Bull, Venom, Adrenaline Rush, 180,
and ISO Sprint that contain large doses
of caffeine and other legal stimulants
such as ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng.  
Energy drinks may contain as much as 
80 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a 
cup of coffee; see Brown University,
Health Education: Caffeine and Energy
Boosting Drugs. 
Available at: http://www.brown.edu/
Student_Services/Health_Services/
Health_Education/atod/energydrinks.htm 
8. Bassett MT. Smoking among deprived 
populations: Not just a matter of choice. 
Am J Public Health. 2003;93:1035.
References
4
Brooklyn District Public Health Office
 
Bedford-Stuyvesant 
Bushwick
 
39 (41%) 
20 (27%)
 
8 (9%) 
31 (42%)
 
9 (10%) 
6 (8%)
 
6 (6%) 
5 (7%)
 
8 (9%) 
2 (3%)
 
4 (4%) 
2 (3%)
 
5 (5%) 
0 
 
4 
(4%) 
0 
 
11 (11%) 
5 (7%)
Chinese
Latin American
Pizza
Fried chicken
Caribbean
Burgers
Southern
Seafood/fried fish
Other
5
Eating In, Eating Out, Eating Well: Access to Healthy Food in North and Central Brooklyn
2-Step Recipe for Creating a Healthy Neighborhood Food Environment
Step 1. Provide healthier offerings at local food establishments
In bodegas:
• Stock healthy foods: reduced-fat milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole-grain foods.
• Advertise for health by promoting healthy foods in storefront ads, at the register and 
on shelves and cooler doors. Eliminate cigarette advertising, especially around schools.
• Encourage customers to try new healthy foods through reduced-price campaigns. 
In restaurants:
• Encourage the use of healthier cooking methods and products (for example, eliminate
the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils).
• Provide healthier menu options.
Step 2. Create new venues for purchasing healthy foods
• Establish neighborhood farmers’ markets, cooperatives and community-supported 
agriculture programs.
Recommendations
1% Milk Campaign
The Health Department has
partnered with bodega owners
in Central Brooklyn to promote
the availability of 1% milk.
A Neighborhood Report from the
Brooklyn District Public Health Office
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Resources
Preventing overweight and obesity – healthy eating and physical activity:
• Dietary guidelines for Americans 2005: www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/dga2005.pdf
• Finding your way to a healthier you: www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/brochure.pdf
• Fruits and vegetables – Eat 5 to 9 a day: www.5aday.gov/
• Take small steps to get healthy: www.smallstep.gov/
• Keeping your child healthy and ready to learn: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/scah/scah-healthy.shtml
• Obesity – what everyone should know: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cdp/cdp_pan_know_obesity.shtml 
Choosing healthy foods in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick:
Magnolia Tree Earth Center Community-Supported Agriculture Program
(Bedford-Stuyvesant and surrounding areas)
677 Lafayette Ave, bet. Tompkins & Marcy Aves
Contact: (347) 403-4050
Getting active in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick:
A Guide to Fitness Programs in Bedford Stuyvesant and Bushwick
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/cdp/cdp-resource-brooklyn.pdf
Brooklyn Food and Fitness Task Force
To become a member, contact the Brooklyn DPHO at (646) 253-5700 
Learning about the health of your neighborhoods:
Bedford-Stuyvesant: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/data/2003nhp-brooklyna.pdf
Bushwick: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/data/2003nhp-brooklynk.pdf 
Bedford Stuyvesant Greenmarket
Community Vision Council Bushwick Market
Lewis Ave at McDonough St 
Linden Blvd, bet. Central & Wilson Aves 
Saturdays 8 am – 3 pm 
Wednesdays 9 am – 3 pm  
July - mid-November
Late June – mid-November
Contact: (718) 636-2220, ext. 2227
Contact: (718) 670-3360
Graham Avenue Farmer’s Market
Weeksville Farm Stand
(Bushwick/East Williamsburg)
(Bedford-Stuyvesant/Brownsville)
Graham Ave at Cook St
1698 Bergen St, bet. Buffalo & Rogers Aves 
Saturdays & Sundays 8 am – 5:30 pm
Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm
July – Late October
July – Late September
Contact: (718) 387-6643
Contact: (718) 756-5250
To help reduce health disparities and improve the health of all New Yorkers, the New York City Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene established three District Public Health Offices in 2003 to target public health
efforts and resources to New York City neighborhoods with the highest rates of illness and premature death:
the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem, and North and Central Brooklyn. 
This neighborhood report was prepared by the Brooklyn District Public Health Office. We hope this report
fosters dialogue and collaboration among our many partners: other city agencies, community-based
organizations, hospitals and clinics, businesses, elected officials, and, most important, the New Yorkers
who live and work in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick.
For more information on the District Public Health Offices:
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/dpho/dpho.shtml
Neighborhood Reports 
HPD7346001 - 06.06