Longitudinal geo-referenced field evidence for the heightened BMI responsiveness of obese women to price discounts on carbonated soft drinks

There is increasing interest in the effect that food environments may have on obesity, particularly through mechanisms related to the marketing and consumption of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and sugary beverages. Price promotions, such as temporary price discounts, have been particularly effective in the marketing of carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) among consumers. Research has also suggested that the purchasing behavior of consumer groups may be differentially sensitive to price discounts on CSDs, with obese women particularly sensitive. In addition, the intensity of price discount in a person’s food environment may also vary across geography and over time. This study examines whether the weight change of obese women, compared to overweight or normal BMI women, is more sensitive to the intensity of price discounts on CSDs in the food environment. This study used longitudinal survey data from 1622 women in the Montreal Neighborhood Networks and Health Aging (MoNNET-HA) Panel. Women were asked to report their height and weight in 2008, 2010 and 2013 in order to calculate women’s BMI in 2008 and their change of weight between 2008 and 2013. Women’s exposure to an unhealthy food environment was based on the frequency in which their neighborhood food stores placed price discounts on CSDs in 2008. The price discount frequency on CSDs within women’s neighborhoods was calculated from Nielsen point-of sales transaction data in 2008 and geocoded to participant’s forward sortation area. The prevalence of obesity and overweight among MoNNET-HA female participants was 18.3% in 2008, 19.9% in 2010 and 20.7% in 2013 respectively. Results showed that among obese women, exposure to unhealthy food environments was associated with a 3.25 kilogram (SE = 1.35, p-value = 0.02) weight gain over the five-year study period. Exposure to price discounts on CSDs may disproportionately affect and reinforce weight gain in women who are already obese.

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‘It’s Hard to Make Good Choices and It Costs More’: Adolescents’ Perception of the External School Food Environment

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13041043 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1043

Author(s):

Colette Kelly ◽

Mary Callaghan ◽

Saoirse Nic Gabhainn

Keyword(s):

Food Environment ◽

Food Choice ◽

Discussion Groups ◽

Food Environments ◽

Key Factors ◽

School Food ◽

Price Discounts ◽

Food Outlets ◽

School Food Environment ◽

The Impact

Research on the impact of school and community food environments on adolescent food choice is heavily reliant on objective rather than subjective measures of food outlets around schools and homes. Gaining the perspective of adolescents and how they perceive and use food environments is needed. The aim of this study was to explore adolescent’s perception and use of the food environment surrounding their schools. Purposive sampling was used to recruit schools. Mapping exercises and discussion groups were facilitated with 95 adolescents from six schools. Thematic analysis showed that adolescents are not loyal to particular shops but are attracted to outlets with price discounts, those with ‘deli’ counters and sweets. Cost, convenience and choice are key factors influencing preference for food outlets and foods. Quality, variety and health were important factors for adolescents but these features, especially affordable healthy food, were hard to find. Social factors such as spending time with friends is also an important feature of food environments that deserves further attention. Adolescents’ perceptions of their food environment provide insights into features that can be manipulated to enable healthy choices.

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Snapshots of Urban and Rural Food Environments: EPOCH-Based Mapping in a High-, Middle-, and Low-Income Country from a Non-Communicable Disease Perspective

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12020484 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 484

Author(s):

Mark Spires ◽

Aravinda Berggreen-Clausen ◽

Francis Xavier Kasujja ◽

Peter Delobelle ◽

Thandi Puoane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Low Income ◽

Food Environment ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Matched Pair ◽

Food Environments ◽

Unhealthy Food ◽

Food Retail ◽

Food Items ◽

Retail Outlets

A changing food environment is implicated as a primary contributor to the increasing levels of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to generate snapshots of selected external food environments to inform intervention strategies for NCD prevention in three countries: Uganda (low income), South Africa (middle income) and Sweden (high income), with one matched pair of urban–rural sites per country. Fifty formal and informal food retail outlets were assessed, and descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed. We found that formal food retail outlets in these countries had both positive and negative traits, as they were the main source of basic food items but also made unhealthy food items readily available. The Ugandan setting had predominantly informal outlets, while the Swedish setting had primarily formal outlets and South Africa had both, which fits broadly into the traditional (Uganda), mixed (South Africa) and modern (Sweden) conceptualized food systems. The promotion of unhealthy food products was high in all settings. Uganda had the highest in-community advertising, followed by South Africa and Sweden with the lowest, perhaps related to differences in regulation and implementation. The findings speak to the need to address contextual differences in NCD-related health interventions by incorporating strategies that address the food environment, and for a critical look at regulations that tackle key environment-related factors of food on a larger scale.

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Do we practice what we preach? Assessing the food environment in Malta’s only state hospital

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.262 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

S Cuschieri ◽

D Cauchi

Keyword(s):

State Hospital ◽

Food Environment ◽

Eating Behaviour ◽

Soft Drinks ◽

Food Environments ◽

Study Objective ◽

Vending Machines ◽

Fresh Vegetables ◽

Public Areas ◽

Food And Beverage

Abstract Introduction Food environments are likely to be key contributors to the development of diabetes and obesity. Hospitals should strive to create a model food environment that facilitates and promotes a healthy eating behaviour among visitors, patients and staff. The study objective was to evaluate foods and beverages available for purchase in vending machines at Malta’s only state hospital. Methods An observational study gathered data regarding location, type of food and beverage items available in the vending machines found within the public areas within the only state hospital in Malta. All items on sale were categorized into ’healthy’ and ’unhealthy’ food and beverage according to pre-defined criteria. Results There were 33 vending machines: sixteen offered beverage options, and the remainder contained food items, which displayed exclusively confectionary items. The beverage machines were identically stocked so that bottled water contributed 17%, diet soft drinks 33% and regular soft drinks 50% of overall beverage choices. Fresh vegetables or fruit were not available for sale (except for 1 beverage machine offering fresh squeezed orange juice) with most items on display classified as ‘unhealthy’. Conclusions Hospital food environments should complement health professionals’ efforts in promoting healthier lifestyles, however, the majority of foods and beverages available for purchase at Malta’s only state hospital through vending machines is unhealthy. Urgent action is required to rectify the current situation. Key messages Vending machines offered ’unhealthy’ choices to patients, relatives and staff. Hospital food environment should promote healthier food and beverage options.

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Race, Ethnicity, and Neighborhood Food Environment Are Associated with Adolescent Sugary Drink Consumption During a 5-Year Community Campaign

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities ◽

10.1007/s40615-021-01074-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rebecca Boehm ◽

Kristen Cooksey Stowers ◽

Glenn E. Schneider ◽

Marlene B. Schwartz

Keyword(s):

Black Students ◽

Food Environment ◽

Fast Food ◽

Food Environments ◽

Unhealthy Food ◽

Beverage Consumption ◽

Convenience Stores ◽

Neighborhood Food Environment ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Sugary Drink

Abstract Background A multi-level county-wide campaign to reduce sugary drink consumption was associated with significant decreases in retail sales of soda and fruit drinks. The aim of the current study was to examine changes in adolescent beverage consumption during the campaign by race/ethnicity and neighborhood food environment. Methods Beverage consumption among adolescents was evaluated at four time points in a repeated cross-sectional survey of a racially and ethnically diverse sample of sixth graders (N = 13,129) from public middle schools in the county. Each school’s surrounding attendance zone (i.e., neighborhoods where students live) was characterized as providing high or low exposure to unhealthy food retail (e.g., convenience stores, fast-food restaurants). Logistic and multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate changes in beverage consumption over time by student race/ethnicity and high versus low unhealthy food exposure. Results Over the 5 years, there were significant declines in the overall share of students who reported daily sugary drink consumption (49.4 to 36.9%) and their reported daily calories from these products (220 to 158 calories). However, disparities were observed, with higher levels of consumption among Black and Hispanic youth and among youth living in neighborhoods with more unhealthy food retail. Notably, Black students living in healthier neighborhood food environments reported significant decreases in daily consumption and calories after 5 years, while Black students living in neighborhoods with more convenience stores and fast-food outlets did not. Conclusion These findings suggest that both race/ethnicity and neighborhood food environments are important considerations when designing interventions to reduce sugary drink consumption among adolescents.

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Healthy and unhealthy food environments are linked with neighbourhood socio-economic disadvantage: an innovative geospatial approach to understanding food access inequities

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980020002104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (17) ◽

pp. 3190-3196

Author(s):

Shirelle H Hallum ◽

S Morgan Hughey ◽

Marilyn E Wende ◽

Ellen W Stowe ◽

Andrew T Kaczynski

Keyword(s):

Food Environment ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Economic Disadvantage ◽

Food Environments ◽

Unhealthy Food ◽

Block Group ◽

Food Outlets ◽

Southeastern Us ◽

Total Food ◽

Block Groups

AbstractObjective:This study examined the separate relationships between socio-economic disadvantage and the density of multiple types of food outlets, and relationships between socio-economic disadvantage and composite food environment indices.Design:Cross-sectional data were analysed using geospatial kernel density techniques. Food outlet data included convenience stores, discount stores, fast-food and fast casual restaurants, and grocery stores. Controlling for urbanicity and race/ethnicity, multivariate linear regression was used to examine the relationships between socio-economic disadvantage and density of food outlets.Setting:This study occurred in a large Southeastern US county containing 255 census block groups with a total population of 474 266, of which 77·1 % was Non-Hispanic White, the median household income was $48 886 and 15·0 % of residents lived below 125 % of the federal poverty line.Participants:The unit of analysis was block groups; all data about neighbourhood socio-economic disadvantage and food outlets were publicly available.Results:As block group socio-economic disadvantage increased, so too did access to all types of food outlets. The total food environment index, calculated as the ratio of unhealthy food outlets to all food outlets, decreased as block group disadvantage increased.Conclusions:Those who reside in more disadvantaged block groups have greater access to both healthy and unhealthy food outlets. The density of unhealthy establishments was greater in more disadvantaged areas; however, because of having greater access to grocery stores, disadvantaged populations have less obesogenic total food environments. Structural changes are needed to reduce access to unhealthy food outlets to ensure environmental injustice and reduce obesity risk.

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The Role of Supportive Food Environments to Enable Healthier Choices When Eating Meals Prepared Outside the Home: Findings from Focus Groups of 18 to 30-Year-Olds

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11092217 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 2217 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Margaret Allman-Farinelli ◽

Hassan Rahman ◽

Monica Nour ◽

Lyndal Wellard-Cole ◽

Wendy L. Watson

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Food Environment ◽

Food Choice ◽

Food Environments ◽

Urban Residence ◽

Price Discounts ◽

Special Occasion ◽

Eating Out

Young adults are the highest consumers of food prepared outside home, which has been linked to weight gain. The aim of this qualitative research was to gather opinions from young adults about what influences their food choice when eating out and if they so desired, what might enable healthy choices. Thirty-one adults aged 18 to 30 years participated in four focus groups (females = 24). Predetermined questions were used to guide discussions which were audiotaped then transcribed. The content was organized into themes and sub-themes using NVivo software. Two broad groupings arose—personal behaviors and changes to physical and social food environments. For many, eating out was viewed as a special occasion so that healthy food was not a priority and despite understanding health consequences of poor diets this was not an immediate concern. Price discounts and menu-labelling were suggested and trust in credible organizations and peers’ endorsement of meals and venues expressed. The role of smartphones in the modern food environment emerged as a tool to enable immediate access to many restaurants to order food and access reviews and social media as a source of persuasive food imagery. Current menu-labelling initiatives should continue, food pricing be explored and influence of smartphones on diet further researched. However, these findings may be limited by the high proportion of women and higher socioeconomic status and urban residence of many participants.

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Food procurement in English-language Canadian public schools: Opportunities and challenges

Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation ◽

10.15353/cfs-rcea.v6i1.265 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 75-99

Author(s):

Shawna Holmes

Keyword(s):

Public Schools ◽

Food Environment ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

English Language ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

Food Environments ◽

School Food ◽

Provincial Level ◽

School Food Environment

This paper examines the changes to procurement for school food environments in Canada as a response to changes to nutrition regulations at the provincial level. Interviews with those working in school food environments across Canada revealed how changes to the nutrition requirements of foods and beverages sold in schools presented opportunities to not only improve the nutrient content of the items made available in school food environments, but also to include local producers and/or school gardens in procuring for the school food environment. At the same time, some schools struggle to procure nutritionally compliant foods due to increased costs associated with transporting produce to rural, remote, or northern communities as well as logistic difficulties like spoilage. Although the nutrition regulations have facilitated improvements to food environments in some schools, others require more support to improve the overall nutritional quality of the foods and beverages available to students at school.

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RATIONALE FOR ESTABLISHING A FLOATING PRICE DISCOUNT ON ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS

International scientific journal Internauka Series Economical Sciences ◽

10.25313/2520-2294-2020-11-6487 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Andriy Kolomiyets ◽

Keyword(s):

Cost Savings ◽

Sales Managers ◽

Price Discount ◽

Advertising Appeals ◽

Price List ◽

Price Discounts ◽

Additional Costs ◽

Product Sales ◽

And Storage ◽

Form Effect

The article presents an overview of methods for determining the effectiveness of advertising appeals of the enterprise in conditions of competition. It is shown that the sale of goods in large batches leads to a reduction in sales costs associated with the organization of sales, transportation and storage. Therefore, when providing a quantitative discount, their value should not exceed the amount of cost savings of the seller, which is caused by the sale of goods in large batches. Similar to the effects of real responses to advertising appeals, the effects of the price of the enterprise's products are distinguished: the current effect, the form effect, the competition effect and the transition effect. The process of modeling the effects of the promotion price and the control price is considered, and of interest is the temporary price for the buyer with a discount, which is actually provided by sales managers at the enterprise. Then there will be an effect of discounts on temporary base prices. The price discount is considered as a part of the price of the goods which can be introduced by the enterprises-manufacturers for the purpose of stimulation and interest of the enterprises-sellers to sell production. In the study of product sales, a problem was found related to sales of products in the area of the price discount offered by the price list, which represents the constant prices of the company for a certain period of time. The promotion price is defined as the discount on the products of the enterprise price according to the price list. It is determined that buyers, focusing on the system of discounts, avoid buying hardware in the approach to the transition of prices and increase the volume of purchases after the transition discount. A comparison of retail and base prices, and base and wholesale prices for hardware. It is proved that the company when approaching the price discount loses the profit that could be obtained, and this problem causes losses to both parties and the seller and buyer. It is shown that the policy of promoting price discounts of Metal-Holding encourages consumers to buy more hardware, which is not beneficial to the buyer, because it causes additional costs for storage of the balance. It is concluded that the problem at some weight interval when approaching the existing price discount on the left and right requires the establishment of a floating price discount on the company's products.

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