Store and Restaurant Advertising and Health of Public Housing Residents

OBJECTIVES: To determine relationships between food and beverage signs and health. METHODS: In 12 public housing neighborhoods, food and alcohol signs were counted for stores and restaurants. Health and demographic data were from 373 adults. RESULTS: Multilevel modeling showed higher BMI was related to more store and restaurant alcohol signs, higher blood pressure, nonsmokers, and females. Higher dietary fat consumption was related to more store and restaurant alcohol and fewer low-calorie healthy signs, lower fruit consumption, fewer minutes walked, and white and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Signs in stores and restaurants are related to BMI and dietary fat consumption among residents.