Systems Science Approaches to Improve Access to Healthier Foods: The FRESH Trial

Working with independently owned restaurants, a common source of calorie-rich, nutrient-poor foods in predominantly minority, low-income urban neighborhoods, has the potential to improve dietary quality, and contribute to cancer prevention. This study uses systems science approaches to improve access to healthier foods in independently owned restaurants by: 1) testing the effects of a novel intervention called FRESH (Focus on Restaurant Engagement to Strengthen Health) on dietary quality, health indicators and other outcomes in African American and Latin communities, and 2) developing a system dynamics model to allow stakeholders to virtually test FRESH strategies in their own communities. The resulting restaurant intervention simulation model offers potential cost savings from avoided trial-and-error testing, and will support community-based cancer prevention.