(Health Care Without Harm) Understanding the built, social, and economic environments in which community members make food decisions as well as the availability of resources to meet daily food needs is critical to effectively address rising rates of diet-related health conditions. Efforts to improve healthy food access and promote healthier community food environments can have a significant impact on population health outcomes.
For these reasons, understanding the community food environment and landscape of community food resources is an essential component of any community health needs assessment and health improvement planning process.
This guidance brief complements the guidance brief on data sources regarding food access, food environments, and food behaviors to assist facilities in understanding healthy food access needs and opportunities in their CHNAs.
