The public health advocacy group the Food Trust has conducted a study on supermarkets and has found that MA has a shortage of grocery stores and in fact ranks third from the bottom nationally. The study outlines the communities hardest hit. Please see the below link to the report and a CBS report and Boston Globe piece on the study. I have also included a link to the Food Trust in case you would like more information on that organization.
http://www.mphaweb.org/documents/FoodforEveryChild_Massachusetts.pdf
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/03/07/study-theres-a-supermarket-shortage-in-mass/
http://www.thefoodtrust.org/
In addition, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention just released a nationwide study on physical activity. The study covers children and adults and includes data on physical activity levels, children's access to play space as well as a host of other indicators that pertain to physical activity. I have included a link to the actual report as well as a link to the CDC that has more information. State by state results and national averages are found on pages 14-15 in the report.
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/PA_State_Indicator_Report_2010.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/
