Understanding the Grocery Store Environment in A Michigan Urban Setting: A Case Study in A Bangladeshi Community

The Banglatown area of Hamtramck, Michigan is home to Bangladeshi Americans (26% of the population) and has a 49.1% poverty rate. There are no supermarkets in Hamtramck; however, there are many small food stores. The NEMS-CS tool was used to assess 21 food stores. Of the stores surveyed, 33% of offered 3 or more fruits and vegetables. Thirty-six percent offered brown rice and almost half offered dried legumes. Stores scored poorly on all three categories included in the NEMS-CS score: availability, quality, price. Results of the study contribute to the knowledge base about healthy food availability in urban Bangladeshi communities.