Food Environments Tied to HF Deaths in Surrounding County
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A new analysis of nearly 3000 counties in the United States found that a poorer local food environment is associated with higher heart failure (HF) mortality at the county level. Counties with high HF mortality had more residents with low access to stores and limited transportation; poorer access to stores for adults 65 years old and older; and fewer grocery stores and supercenters (all P < .001). These counties also had lower participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and lower SNAP participant store access, despite having higher density of SNAP-authorized stores.
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@prantik A pre-pandemic paper found that poverty is the strongest socioeconomic factor associated with HF and coronary heart disease mortality. The overall findings also corroborate at the population level a 2020 study identifying a 1.5-fold excess risk of cardiovascular mortality in US adults with very high food insecurity