a. Overweight children and adults are at greater risk for numerous adverse health consequences, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers, asthma, low self-esteem, depression, and other debilitating diseases;

b. In the United States, the medical costs of obesity are rising rapidly with Medicare and Medicaid paying roughly half of these obesity-related costs, estimated to be over $100 billion per year;

c. Many Americans, particularly those in low income neighborhoods, rural areas, and communities of color, live in communities that lack adequate access to full-service grocery stores, and low income areas have more than twice as many convenience stores and four times as many small grocery stores as high income areas;

d. Small food stores, which tend to charge higher prices for food compared to grocery stores and supermarkets, have limited supplies of fresh produce, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products and frequently sell highly processed foods that are high in fat and low in nutrients;

e. Providing assistance to existing small food retailers to stock fresh produce and other healthy foods that promote good nutrition will better provide people with access to healthier foods, and community programs that work with these small food retailers have shown promise in increasing healthy food sales, improving the quality of store offerings, and promoting good nutrition; and

f. It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to provide support to small food retailers operating in New Jersey, in both urban and rural areas, to sell more fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods at affordable prices to neighborhood residents in an effort to improve the health and wellness of all New Jerseyans.

L.2019, c.15, s.2.