Our Daily Communicative Contexts: More Evidence for the Food Environment Puzzle

Abstract

Much of the research on food environments suggests that problematic access to healthy food restricts its consumption, contributing to adverse outcomes such as obesity, stroke, and heart disease. In addition to these direct relationships, we propose indirect relationships involving the Communication Mediation Model (CMM). Using nationally representative survey data from 1435 adults in the United States, we explore the multipronged role that perceived food environments play in shaping communication, attitudes, and reflective food consumption, considering communicative contexts. Results indicate a negative correlation between the perception of a difficult food environment and reflective consumption, supporting prior research. Most importantly, the food environment is also negatively correlated with news media use, discussion, and attitudes about healthy eating within the CMM. Our findings suggest that indirect communication effects of the food environment on reflective consumption compound the detrimental role of its direct effects.