Reach for More: Healthier Beverage Vending for Government Agencies in Rural Settings

Rural communities face physical, geographic, social, and economic barriers to good health. These include: limited access to healthy foods, few exercise facilities, lack of public transportation, lack of nutrition education, and more. As a result, older adults in rural areas tend to be more overweight or obese than their suburban and urban counterparts. This report argues that ensuring access to affordable, healthy beverages in rural areas is a key obesity prevention strategy. In addition, it outlines steps rural governments can take to adopt and implement healthy vending.