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Dzudzor MI, Gerber N, Asante FA. Food safety and dietary diversity in African urban cities: evidence from Ghana. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:888. [PMID: 38523308 PMCID: PMC10962103 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18297-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food safety is integral to food security and is increasingly becoming a significant concern in the urban areas of Africa, which are rapidly growing in population. In the case of Ghana, many urban households depend on traditional open-air markets for most of their food needs. However, these urban food markets also depend on domestic food supply chains, which are prone to risks, including poor hygiene and sanitation and weather seasonality. Food safety compliance has associated costs which increase the unit cost of food products. Thus, higher food price is a risk factor to food availability and accessibility-fundamental pillars of food security. METHOD We use food microbial data and food retail data from food market surveys in major cities in Ghana to assess the safety of selected fresh food commodities and how retailers handle the food products they sell. Additionally, based on a two-wave balanced panel household data, we used fixed effects Poisson and Correlated Random Effects (CRE) Probit models to estimate the effect of weather seasonality on the incidence of diarrhoea and urban household dietary diversity score (HDDS). A final sample of 609 households and 565 market respondents participated in the study. RESULTS Our findings show that selected food samples tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus and E.coli and had aflatoxin B1 levels above 5.0 ppb. Additionally, the household incidence of diarrhoea/vomiting, a proxy for food safety status, is higher in the dry season. In the dry season, the household incidence of diarrhoea/vomiting increases on average by a probability of 38% points compared to the rainy season. Regarding HDDS, the average HDDS is 7.3; however, we did not find the effect of seasonality on HDDS to be significant. CONCLUSIONS Although urban food availability and household dietary diversity are not challenges for many urban households, food safety is a challenge in the major food markets in Ghanaian cities and is associated with weather seasonality. Foods available in traditional open-air markets are not always safe for consumption, undermining households' food security. Weak enforcement of food safety regulations contributes to the food safety challenges in Ghanaian urban food markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makafui I Dzudzor
- Centre for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Genscherallee 3, Bonn, D-53113, Germany.
| | - Nicolas Gerber
- Institute for Food and Resource Economics (ILR), University of Bonn, Nussallee 19, Bonn, D-53115, Germany.
| | - Felix A Asante
- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 74, Legon, Accra, Ghana
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Dudziak A, Stoma M, Osmólska E. Analysis of Consumer Behaviour in the Context of the Place of Purchasing Food Products with Particular Emphasis on Local Products. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2413. [PMID: 36767783 PMCID: PMC9915062 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Researchers and marketing specialists study consumer behaviour in the market because it is an important part of economics. There is a growing trend among consumers to buy local products. Consumers know that buying local products is seen to support local producers and entrepreneurs and protect the domestic economy. METHODS A diagnostic survey analysis was conducted among 404 respondents from Eastern Poland in 2022 to achieve the research objectives. The aim was to present the specifics of the phenomenon of consumer behaviour in relation to the place of purchase of food products, with particular emphasis on local products, according to the qualitative approach adopted. An attempt was made to identify and evaluate the attitudes and declarations of individual consumers in this area. A questionnaire was used as the research tool, and its distribution was carried out entirely electronically via the Internet. RESULTS The study showed that shopping habits vary by location and age, with hypermarkets and local stores popular among both men and women, while online shopping and wholesale options were also common. CONCLUSIONS Understanding how consumers make decisions is a complex task, as it involves various factors such as thoughts, emotions and actions that lead to product selection and purchase. These factors can vary based on demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, and location. Studies have shown that Polish consumers are more likely to buy local products from large chain stores than from smaller manufacturer-owned stores, and prefer domestically produced goods, which is reflected in an ethnocentric attitude toward the local market.
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Olatunji E, Obonyo C, Wadende P, Were V, Musuva R, Lwanga C, Turner-Moss E, Pearce M, Mogo ERI, Francis O, Foley L. Cross-Sectional Association of Food Source with Food Insecurity, Dietary Diversity and Body Mass Index in Western Kenya. Nutrients 2021; 14:nu14010121. [PMID: 35010996 PMCID: PMC8747304 DOI: 10.3390/nu14010121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The triple burden of malnutrition in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is partly a result of changing food environments and a shift from traditional diets to high-calorie Western-style diets. Exploring the relationship between food sources and food- and nutrition-related outcomes is important to understanding how changes in food environments may affect nutrition in LMICs. This study examined associations of household food source with household food insecurity, individual dietary diversity and individual body mass index in Western Kenya. Interview-administered questionnaire and anthropometric data from 493 adults living in 376 randomly-selected households were collected in 2019. Adjusted regression analyses were used to assess the association of food source with measures of food insecurity, dietary diversity and body mass index. Notably, participants that reported rearing domesticated animals for consumption (‘own livestock’) had lower odds of moderate or severe household food insecurity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.29 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.96)) and those that reported buying food from supermarkets had lower odds of moderate or severe household food insecurity (borderline significant, OR = 0.37 (95% CI: 0.14, 1.00)), increased dietary diversity scores (Poisson coefficient = 0.17 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.24)) and higher odds of achieving minimum dietary diversity (OR = 2.84 (95% CI: 1.79, 4.49)). Our findings provide insight into the relationship between food environments, dietary patterns and nutrition in Kenya, and suggest that interventions that influence household food source may impact the malnutrition burden in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Olatunji
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK; (E.T.-M.); (M.P.); (E.R.I.M.); (O.F.); (L.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Charles Obonyo
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya; (C.O.); (V.W.); (R.M.); (C.L.)
| | - Pamela Wadende
- Faculty of Education and Human Resources, Kisii University, Kisii 40200, Kenya;
| | - Vincent Were
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya; (C.O.); (V.W.); (R.M.); (C.L.)
| | - Rosemary Musuva
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya; (C.O.); (V.W.); (R.M.); (C.L.)
| | - Charles Lwanga
- Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya; (C.O.); (V.W.); (R.M.); (C.L.)
| | - Eleanor Turner-Moss
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK; (E.T.-M.); (M.P.); (E.R.I.M.); (O.F.); (L.F.)
| | - Matthew Pearce
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK; (E.T.-M.); (M.P.); (E.R.I.M.); (O.F.); (L.F.)
| | - Ebele R. I. Mogo
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK; (E.T.-M.); (M.P.); (E.R.I.M.); (O.F.); (L.F.)
| | - Oliver Francis
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK; (E.T.-M.); (M.P.); (E.R.I.M.); (O.F.); (L.F.)
| | - Louise Foley
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SL, UK; (E.T.-M.); (M.P.); (E.R.I.M.); (O.F.); (L.F.)
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Carducci B, Oh C, Roth DE, Neufeld LM, Frongillo EA, L'Abbe MR, Fanzo J, Herforth A, Sellen DW, Bhutta ZA. Gaps and priorities in assessment of food environments for children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. NATURE FOOD 2021; 2:396-403. [PMID: 37118231 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-021-00299-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
School-aged children and adolescents have complex interactions with their food environments-the point of engagement of individuals with the food system-and are influenced by a diversity of individual, household and organizational factors. Although a wide range of methods have been proposed to define, monitor and evaluate food environments, few are tailored to school-aged children and adolescents. Here, we interrogate published literature on food metrics and methodologies for the characterization of food environments for school-aged children and adolescents living in low- and middle-income counties. We identify key priority actions and potential indicators for better monitoring and evaluation to galvanize policymaking to improve the healthiness of these interactions, which are so crucial to future adult well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Carducci
- Centre for Global Child Health, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research, Learning Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christina Oh
- Centre for Global Child Health, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research, Learning Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel E Roth
- Centre for Global Child Health, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research, Learning Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public, Health University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Joannah and Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Edward A Frongillo
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Mary R L'Abbe
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Joannah and Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Fanzo
- Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, USA
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna Herforth
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel W Sellen
- Centre for Global Child Health, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research, Learning Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Joannah and Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Centre for Global Child Health, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research, Learning Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Dalla Lana School of Public, Health University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Joannah and Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Khonje MG, Ecker O, Qaim M. Effects of Modern Food Retailers on Adult and Child Diets and Nutrition. Nutrients 2020; 12:E1714. [PMID: 32521620 PMCID: PMC7353018 DOI: 10.3390/nu12061714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In many developing countries, food environments are changing rapidly, with modern retailers-such as supermarkets-gaining in importance. Previous studies have suggested that the rise of modern retailers contributes to overweight and obesity. Effects of modern retailers on dietary quality have not been analyzed previously due to the unavailability of individual-level dietary data. Here, we address this research gap with data from randomly selected households in Lusaka, Zambia. Anthropometric and food-intake data from 930 adults and 499 children were analyzed to estimate effects of purchasing food in modern retailers on body weight, height, and dietary quality while controlling for income and other confounding factors. The food expenditure share spent in modern retailers was found to be positively associated with overweight in adults, but not in children. For children, a positive association between expenditures in modern retailers and height was identified. Modern retailers contribute to higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and calories. But they also increase protein and micronutrient intakes among adults and children, mainly through higher consumption of meat and dairy. The findings underline that modern retailers can influence diets and nutrition in positive and negative ways. Differentiated regulatory policies are needed to shape food environments for healthy food choices and nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makaiko G. Khonje
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Olivier Ecker
- International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 1201 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA;
| | - Matin Qaim
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany;
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