Restricting Mobile Vendors Near
Schools
Introduction
Research Brief
February 2016
Photo source: Flikr Creative Commons/.lmelda
About one-third of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or
obese.1 In an effort to promote healthy eating and reduce obesity
among youth, many schools and districts have adopted wellness
polices that provide guidance for the nutritional content of foods and
beverages available within schools. However, mobile vendors that
locate near schools and sell unhealthy items to students can
compromise schools’ efforts to promote healthy eating. Some
communities have adopted ordinances that prohibit mobile vendors
(including trucks and carts) near schools to restrict students’ access to
unhealthy foods.
This brief examines how likely children and teenagers younger than the age 18 live in communities that adopted ordinances
that prohibit mobile vendors locating within a certain distance of schools and whether exposure to those policies varied by
locale, income, region, and race/ethnicity. Most ordinances did not detail the types of food that can be sold through mobile
vending. Therefore the information presented in this brief only addresses the presence of a policy prohibiting mobile vending
near schools regardless of the type of food being sold. The policies were collected in 2011 and 2012 from 314 catchments
(hereafter referred to as “communities”) made up of 676 jurisdictions located in a nationally representative sample of public
middle and high school enrollment areas. The areas analyzed were based on middle and high school enrollment areas, but
results in this brief are representative of children and teenagers ages 0 to 17. The findings provide guidance for local
policymakers and advocates seeking to create a healthier school environment.
Key Findings
Only 13% of children live in a
community with an ordinance
that restricts or prohibits
mobile vendors from locating
with a certain distance of
schools. In addition,
children’s exposure to
policies that prohibit mobile
vending around schools
differs by region, locale, and
race/ethnicity (see Figures 1
& 2).
Children living in
communities in the Northeast
(6%) and Midwest region
(5%) were significantly less
likely to have adopted
ordinances that prohibit
mobile vending near schools
than children living in the
West region (29%) (see
Figure 1).
Children living in suburban (11%) and rural communities (3%) were significantly less likely to living in communities with policies
that prohibit mobile vending near schools than children living in urban areas (30%) (figure not displayed).
In addition, children living in communities with a majority Hispanic population and majority mixed population were significantly
more likely to be exposed to a policy that prohibits mobile venders near schools than children living in communities with a
majority white population (34% & 27% vs. 6%, respectively). We found no relationship by median household income (see
Figure 2).
Conclusions and Policy Implications
Overall, the prevalence of children who were living in communities with ordinances that prohibited mobile vendors near
schools was low. Children living in communities with such ordinances were significantly more likely to be living in the West
region or in urban areas. Additionally children living in rural areas were less likely to live in areas with ordinances that prohibit
mobile vendors near schools. This may be due to the fact that mobile vending is primarily an urban issue and therefore urban
areas are proactively restricting them. While federal standards governing school meals and the sale of snack foods and
beverages in schools have been strengthened in recent years,2,3 the regulations only affect food sold or served in the school
building. Decisions about whether to allow open campuses at lunch and to allow mobile vendors outside of schools are local
education agency or school district issues.4 Districts and communities should work together on creating a healthy environment
not just within the school building, but also on school property or just beyond school property.5 One area for consideration
would be to examine district policies regarding mobile vendors being allowed on or within a certain distance of school buildings
given that these vendors often sell unhealthy options and may be undermining progress being made within the school
buildings.
Local governments should consider adopting policies that restrict mobile vending near schools to decrease healthy food
access. However, they should consider including an exemption for mobile vendors that sell fruits or vegetables and other
healthy foods.6 Studies suggest that mobile vending that serves nutritious foods has the ability to increase healthy food
consumption.7,8 In addition, organizations including the American Heart Association support alternative policies that require
mobile vendors around schools to meet certain nutritional standards.6 Local governments can incentivize healthy vending by
reducing or waiving permitting fees, disproportionally increase permits for vendors who sell healthy foods, or prioritizing
issuance of permits for mobile vendors who sell fruits and vegetables.9 Communities can also provide locational advantages to
healthy food vendors by allowing them to sell in multiple areas while placing area restrictions on vendors that sell less
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nutritious foods.9 Another policy option is to ban mobile vendors near schools when school is in session. If they do so,
communities will need to determine the appropriate buffer zone area where vendors are prohibited from locating.10
Endnotes
1. Ogden C, Carroll M, Kit B, Flegal K. Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States. 2011-2012. The Journal of the American Medical
Association; 2014;311(8):806-814.
2. Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Final Rule. Federal Register. 2012;77:4088-4167.
3. Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Interim Final Rule. Federal Register.
2013;78:39068-39120.
4. Chriqui JF, Resnick EA, Schneider L, Schermbeck R, Adcock T, Carrion V, Chaloupka FJ. School District Wellness Policies: Evaluating Progress and
Potential for Improving Children’s Health Five Years after the Federal Mandate. School Years 2006–07 through 2010-11. Volume 3. Chicago, IL: Bridging the
Gap Program, Health Policy Center, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2013, www.bridgingthegapresearch.org.
5. Center for Civic Partnerships (2013). Mobile Vending: Opportunities for Collaborative Solutions to Building Healthy Communities. Sacramento, CA: Public
Health Institute. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/cpns/Documents/eBrief%20Mobile%20Vending%20-%20FINAL.PDF Accessed February 1, 2016.
6. ChangeLab Solutions. “Creating a Healthy Food Zone Around Schools;”
http://changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/HealthyFoodZone_FINAL_20130815.pdf Accessed June 15, 2015.
7. American Heart Association. “Mobile Vending Near Schools Policy Statement;” June 2012; http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heartpublic/@wcm/@adv/documents/downloadable/ucm_446658.pdf. Accessed June 16, 2015.
8. Tester JM, Yen IH, Laraia B. Using Mobile Fruit Vendors to Increase Access to Fresh Fruit and Vegetables for Schoolchildren. Prev Chronic Dis
2012;9:110222. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.110222
9. Tester JM, Stevens SA, Yen IH, Laraia BL. An Analysis of Public Health Policy and Legal Issues Relevant to Mobile Food Vending. American Journal of
Public Health. 2010 Nov;100(11):2038-46.
10. ChangeLab Solutions. “Model Healthy Food Zone Ordinance;” http://changelabsolutions.org/publications/model-ord-healthy-food-zone Accessed June 15,
2015.
Suggested Citation: Thrun E, Chriqui JF, Chaloupka FJ. Restricting Mobile Vendors Near
Schools. A BTG Research Brief. Chicago, IL: Bridging the Gap Program, Health Policy Center,
Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago; 2015.
For more on this Research Brief, contact:
Emily Thrun
[email protected]
www.bridgingthegapresearch.org
Bridging the Gap is a nationally recognized research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation dedicated to improving the
understanding of how policies and environmental factors affect diet, physical activity and obesity among youth, as well as youth tobacco use.
For more information, visit www.bridgingthegapresearch.org and follow us on Twitter: @BTGresearch.
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