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Healthy Food Financing Initiative

The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) is a program created in 2010 by the Obama administration as part of the Let's Move! public health campaign.[1][2] It is a partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Agriculture, which seeks to address inequality in food access, and encourage the growth of food retailers such as grocery stores and farmer's markets in so-called food deserts, where there is limited availability of healthy food options, and a community over-reliance on fast food and convenience stores.[3]: 293 [4]: 446  To address this, the program provides "financing to grocers or real estate developers seeking to open or expand stores in areas without adequate access to affordable, nutritious foods."[5]

As of 2018 the program has awarded $220 million in grants and assistance, leveraged approximately $1 billion through private investment and other sources, and supported approximately 1,000 businesses in 35 states.[6]

HFFI is modeled after a similar project, the New York Fresh Food Financing Initiative (NY FFFI).[3]: 293 [7] PA FFFI was founded in 2004, and as of 2010 had opened around 80 stores providing access to food for around 400,000 people, as well supporting approximately 4,800 related job.[8]

Previous studies of the effectiveness of such a program have had mixed results, but also suffered from small sample sizes. One 2015 study found overall negative effects on diet, and no improvement for "fruit and vegetable intake, whole grain consumption or body mass index" and ultimately recommended further study.[9]

On February 14, 2018, House Bill 5017 was introduced by Ohio Representative Marcia Fudge to reauthorize HFFI.[10]

  1. ^ Stych, Anne (Mar 30, 2018). "Better nutrition is FDA's latest life-saving initiative". American City Business Journals. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  2. ^ Heymann, Jody; Barrera, Magda (13 September 2013). Ensuring a Sustainable Future: Making Progress on Environment and Equity. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199329595. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b Morland, Kimberly B. (2 September 2014). Local Food Environments: Food Access in America. CRC Press. ISBN 9781466567788. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  4. ^ Neff, Roni (8 October 2014). Introduction to the US Food System: Public Health, Environment, and Equity. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118913055. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  5. ^ Harries, Caroline; Koprak, Julia; Young, Candace; Weiss, Stephanie; Parker, Kathryn M.; Karpyn, Allison (2014). "Moving From Policy to Implementation". Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 20 (5): 498–505. doi:10.1097/PHH.0000000000000061. PMC 4204010. PMID 24594793.
  6. ^ "The Healthy Food Financing Initiative: an innovative public-private partnership sparking economic development and improving health" (PDF). healthyfoodaccess.org. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  7. ^ "The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI)" (PDF). Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  8. ^ Holzman, David C. (2010). "Diet and Nutrition: White House Proposes Healthy Food Financing Initiative". Environmental Health Perspectives. 118 (4): A156. doi:10.1289/ehp.118-a156. PMC 2854743. PMID 20359982.
  9. ^ Dubowitz, T.; Ghosh-Dastidar, M.; Cohen, D. A.; Beckman, R.; Steiner, E. D.; Hunter, G. P.; Florez, K. R.; Huang, C.; Vaughan, C. A.; Sloan, J. C.; Zenk, S. N.; Cummins, S.; Collins, R. L. (2 November 2015). "Diet And Perceptions Change With Supermarket Introduction In A Food Desert, But Not Because Of Supermarket Use". Health Affairs. 34 (11): 1858–1868. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0667. PMC 4977027. PMID 26526243.
  10. ^ "H.R.5017 - Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2018". congress.gov. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

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