UC Riverside Study Links Dollar Store Food Quality to Adverse Health Outcomes Across U.S.
New research from UC Riverside indicates a correlation between the quality of food sold at dollar stores and increased rates of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes among consumers. Conversely, the study, published in BMC Public Health, found that access to traditional grocery stores is associated with better health metrics. These findings were consistent across the United States, even after accounting for socioeconomic factors such as income and unemployment levels. The study's lead author, Ryan Bruellman, a UCR genetics, genomics & bioinformatics doctoral student, initiated the research to understand the health impact of unconventional grocery outlets. He utilized data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 500 Cities Project, which covers major continental American metropolitan areas. The dollar stores included in the study were Dollar General, Dollar Tree, 99 Cent store, and Family Dollar, collectively representing 34,000 locations nationwide. Bruellman hig... 
