Overview
- A peer-reviewed UC Riverside study published in June 2026 used CDC 500 Cities data and found that neighborhoods with greater dollar-store food exposure had higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.
- The team mapped roughly 34,000 dollar-store locations from major chains and measured stores within a 10-minute drive, combining those maps with a social vulnerability index to compare local health outcomes.
- Access to traditional grocery stores was associated with better health metrics even after accounting for factors such as income and unemployment, suggesting food quality and store type matter beyond simple proximity.
- Researchers note that the U.S. Census classifies dollar stores as general merchandise, which has led to their routine exclusion from food-access studies and may have hidden their public-health influence.
- Authors recommend practical policy steps—adding fresh produce inside dollar stores, locating farmers markets closer to affected shoppers, and strengthening food-bank links—to improve diets in vulnerable communities and avoid simply closing retailers.