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Cobiac LJ, Rogers NT, Adams J, Cummins S, Smith R, Mytton O, White M, Scarborough P. Impact of the UK soft drinks industry levy on health and health inequalities in children and adolescents in England: An interrupted time series analysis and population health modelling study. PLoS Med 2024; 21:e1004371. [PMID: 38547319 PMCID: PMC11008889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The soft drinks industry levy (SDIL) in the United Kingdom has led to a significant reduction in household purchasing of sugar in drinks. In this study, we examined the potential medium- and long-term implications for health and health inequalities among children and adolescents in England. METHODS AND FINDINGS We conducted a controlled interrupted time series analysis to measure the effects of the SDIL on the amount of sugar per household per week from soft drinks purchased, 19 months post implementation and by index of multiple deprivation (IMD) quintile in England. We modelled the effect of observed sugar reduction on body mass index (BMI), dental caries, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) in children and adolescents (0 to 17 years) by IMD quintile over the first 10 years following announcement (March 2016) and implementation (April 2018) of the SDIL. Using a lifetable model, we simulated the potential long-term impact of these changes on life expectancy for the current birth cohort and, using regression models with results from the IMD-specific lifetable models, we calculated the impact of the SDIL on the slope index of inequality (SII) in life expectancy. The SDIL was found to have reduced sugar from purchased drinks in England by 15 g/household/week (95% confidence interval: -10.3 to -19.7). The model predicts these reductions in sugar will lead to 3,600 (95% uncertainty interval: 946 to 6,330) fewer dental caries and 64,100 (54,400 to 73,400) fewer children and adolescents classified as overweight or obese, in the first 10 years after implementation. The changes in sugar purchasing and predicted impacts on health are largest for children and adolescents in the most deprived areas (Q1: 11,000 QALYs [8,370 to 14,100] and Q2: 7,760 QALYs [5,730 to 9,970]), while children and adolescents in less deprived areas will likely experience much smaller simulated effects (Q3: -1,830 QALYs [-3,260 to -501], Q4: 652 QALYs [-336 to 1,680], Q5: 1,860 QALYs [929 to 2,890]). If the simulated effects of the SDIL are sustained over the life course, it is predicted there will be a small but significant reduction in slope index of inequality: 0.76% (95% uncertainty interval: -0.9 to -0.62) for females and 0.94% (-1.1 to -0.76) for males. CONCLUSIONS We predict that the SDIL will lead to medium-term reductions in dental caries and overweight/obesity, and long-term improvements in life expectancy, with the greatest benefits projected for children and adolescents from more deprived areas. This study provides evidence that the SDIL could narrow health inequalities for children and adolescents in England.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda J. Cobiac
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nina T. Rogers
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jean Adams
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Cummins
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Smith
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Mytton
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin White
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Scarborough
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, UK & NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre at Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Keeble M, Adams J, Burgoine T. Changes in Online Food Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associations With Deprivation: Longitudinal Analysis. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e41822. [PMID: 36848236 PMCID: PMC10131934 DOI: 10.2196/41822] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food prepared out of home is typically energy-dense and nutrient-poor. Online food delivery services have become a popular way to purchase such food. The number of accessible food outlets through these services can influence how frequently they are used. Anecdotally, food outlet access through online food delivery services increased in England between 2020 and 2022, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the extent to which this access changed is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate monthly changes in online access to food prepared out of home in England in the context of the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with November 2019 and the extent to which any changes were associated with deprivation. METHODS In November 2019 and monthly between June 2020 and March 2022, we used automated data collection to construct a data set containing information about all food outlets in England registered to accept orders through the leading online food delivery service. Across postcode districts, we identified the number and percentage of food outlets registered to accept orders and the number that was accessible. We used generalized estimating equations (adjusted for population density, the number of food outlets in the physical food environment, and rural/urban classification) to investigate the change in outcomes compared with prepandemic levels (November 2019). We stratified analyses by deprivation quintile (Q). RESULTS Across England, the summed number of food outlets registered to accept orders online increased from 29,232 in November 2019 to 49,752 in March 2022. Across postcode districts, the median percentage of food outlets registered to accept orders online increased from 14.3 (IQR 3.8-26.0) in November 2019 to 24.0 (IQR 6.2-43.5) in March 2022. The median number of food outlets accessible online decreased from 63.5 (IQR 16.0-156.0) in November 2019 to 57.0 (IQR 11.0-163.0) in March 2022. However, we observed variation by deprivation. In March 2022, the median number of outlets accessible online was 175.0 (IQR 104.0-292.0) in the most deprived areas (Q5) compared with 27.0 (IQR 8.5-60.5) in the least deprived (Q1). In adjusted analyses, we estimated that the number of outlets accessible online in the most deprived areas was 10% higher in March 2022 compared with November 2019 (incidence rate ratios: 1.10, 95% CI 1.07-1.13). In the least deprived areas, we estimated a 19% decrease (incidence rate ratios: 0.81, 95% CI 0.79-0.83). CONCLUSIONS The number of food outlets accessible online increased only in the most deprived areas in England. Future research might attempt to understand the extent to which changes in online food access were associated with changes in online food delivery service use and the possible implications on diet quality and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Keeble
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jean Adams
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Burgoine
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Pay (for it) as you go: Prepaid energy meters and the heat-or-eat dilemma. Soc Sci Med 2022; 315:115498. [PMID: 36371931 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The "heat-or-eat" dilemma, a trade-off typically between food consumption and heating, may elevate public health concerns during the 2022 energy-price crisis. Our paper contributes to the literature by exploring the role of domestic energy prepayment meters (PPMs) in the heat-or-eat dilemma, focusing on the association between PPM use and fruit and vegetable consumption. Using a representative sample of 24,811 individuals residing in Great Britain (January 2019-May 2021), we find robust evidence of lower fruit and vegetable consumption amongst individuals using PPMs, compared to those using post-payment energy bill payment methods. On average, our point estimates suggest that individuals using a PPM consume 2.7 fewer portions of fruit and vegetables per week. Our findings hold when bounding analysis is employed to account for omitted variable bias. Using a suite of IV approaches to further alleviate endogeneity concerns we found that our ordinary least squares results are consistent as opposed to IV models. Further robustness analyses highlight the deleterious impact of PPMs on people's healthy eating habits relevant to the consumption of enough fruit and vegetables. Our results suggest that targeted support for PPM users may have beneficial effects on people's fruit and vegetable consumption patterns.
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Law C, Smith R, Cornelsen L. Place matters: out-of-home demand for food and beverages in Great Britain. FOOD POLICY 2022; 107:102215. [PMID: 37766773 PMCID: PMC7615131 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Fiscal policies to influence consumption of food and beverages are increasing globally. Most food demand studies focus on understanding consumer response in the context of food and beverages consumed at home. Yet food and beverages consumed outside of the home play an increasing part in our diets, and demand elasticities for these settings are crucial for assessing the potential impact of such fiscal measures on promoting healthier diets. Utilising a large out-of-home food purchase dataset from Great Britain in 2016-17, this paper analyses the demand for seven food groups across four outlet types, including restaurants, fast-food outlets, food retails and other outlets. We use a demand system approach to estimate price and expenditure elasticites of demand, along with procedures to account for censoring, expenditure and price endogeneity. Our results indicate substantial variations in consumer responses across outlet types. Demand for main meals is expenditure and price elastic in restaurants but inelastic in fast-food outlets. For sugary drinks, the demand is generally price elastic except in fast food outlets. These differences across outlet types highlight the complexity in studying out-of-home food and beverage consumption and the importance of accounting for where consumers buy from when designing, implementing and evaluating consumer responses to fiscal measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherry Law
- Faculty of Public Health & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
| | | | - Laura Cornelsen
- Faculty of Public Health & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
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Yau A, Adams J, Boyland EJ, Burgoine T, Cornelsen L, de Vocht F, Egan M, Er V, Lake AA, Lock K, Mytton O, Petticrew M, Thompson C, White M, Cummins S. Sociodemographic differences in self-reported exposure to high fat, salt and sugar food and drink advertising: a cross-sectional analysis of 2019 UK panel data. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e048139. [PMID: 33827849 PMCID: PMC8031692 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore sociodemographic differences in exposure to advertising for foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) and whether exposure is associated with body mass index (BMI). DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING UK. PARTICIPANTS 1552 adults recruited to the Kantar Fast Moving Consumer Goods panel for London and the North of England. OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported advertising exposure stratified by product/service advertised (processed HFSS foods; sugary drinks; sugary cereals; sweet snacks; fast food or digital food delivery services) and advertising setting (traditional; digital; recreational; functional or transport); BMI and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS Overall, 84.7% of participants reported exposure to HFSS advertising in the past 7 days. Participants in the middle (vs high) socioeconomic group had higher odds of overall self-reported exposure (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.07). Participants in the low (vs high) socioeconomic group had higher odds of reporting exposure to advertising for three of five product categories (ORs ranging from 1.41 to 1.67), advertising for digital food delivery services (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.05), traditional advertising (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.00 to 2.08) and digital advertising (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.14). Younger adults (18-34 years vs ≥65 years) had higher odds of reporting exposure to advertising for digital food delivery services (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.20 to 3.59), digital advertising (OR 3.93; 95% CI 2.18 to 7.08) and advertising across transport networks (OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.11 to 3.48). Exposure to advertising for digital food delivery services (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.88), digital advertising (OR 1.80; 95% CI 1.33 to 2.44) and advertising in recreational environments (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.09) was associated with increased odds of obesity. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to less healthy product advertising was prevalent, with adults in lower socioeconomic groups and younger adults more likely to report exposure. Broader restrictions may be needed to reduce sociodemographic differences in exposure to less healthy product advertising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Yau
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Health Services Research & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jean Adams
- Centre for Diet & Activity Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emma J Boyland
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Thomas Burgoine
- Centre for Diet & Activity Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Laura Cornelsen
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Frank de Vocht
- Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West, Bristol, UK
| | - Matt Egan
- Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Vanessa Er
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Amelia A Lake
- Centre for Public Health Research, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
- Centre for Translational Research in Public Health (Fuse), Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Karen Lock
- Department of Health Services Research & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Oliver Mytton
- Centre for Diet & Activity Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mark Petticrew
- Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Claire Thompson
- Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | - Martin White
- Centre for Diet & Activity Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Steven Cummins
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Have socio-economic inequalities in sugar purchasing widened? A longitudinal analysis of food and beverage consumer data from British households, 2014-2017. Public Health Nutr 2020; 24:1583-1594. [PMID: 33317656 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980020005029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine socio-economic inequalities in decreases in household sugar purchasing in Great Britain (GB). DESIGN Longitudinal, population-based study. SETTING Data were obtained from the GB Kantar Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) panel (2014-2017), a nationally representative panel study of food and beverages bought and brought into the home. We estimated changes in daily sugar purchases by occupational social grade from twenty-three food groups, using generalised estimating equations (household-level clustering). PARTICIPANTS British households who regularly reported food and beverages to the GB Kantar FMCG (n 28 033). RESULTS We found that lower social grades obtained a lower proportion of sugar from healthier foods and a greater proportion of sugar from less healthy foods and beverages. In 2014, differences in daily sugar purchased between the lowest and the highest social grades were 3·9 g/capita/d (95 % CI 2·9, 4·8) for table sugar, 2·4 g (95 % CI 1·8, 3·1) for sugar-sweetened beverages, 2·2 g (95 % CI 1·5, 2·8) for chocolate and confectionery and 1·0 g (95 % CI 0·7, 1·3) for biscuits. Conversely, the lowest social grade purchased less sugar from fruits (2·1 g (95 % CI 1·5, 2·8)) and vegetables (0·7 g (95 % CI 0·5, 0·8)) than the highest social grade. We found little evidence of change in social grade differences between 2014 and 2017. These results suggest that recent overall declines in sugar purchases are largely equally distributed across socio-economic groups. CONCLUSIONS This suggests that recent population-level policy activity to reduce sugar consumption in GB does not appear to exacerbate or reduce existing socio-economic inequalities in sugar purchasing. Low agency, population-level policies may be the best solution to improving population diet without increasing inequalities.
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Rose CM, Gupta S, Buszkiewicz J, Ko LK, Mou J, Cook A, Moudon AV, Aggarwal A, Drewnowski A. Small increments in diet cost can improve compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Soc Sci Med 2020; 266:113359. [PMID: 32949981 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) may involve higher diet costs. This study assessed the relation between two measures of food spending and diet quality among adult participants (N = 768) in the Seattle Obesity Study (SOS III). All participants completed socio-demographic and food expenditure surveys and the Fred Hutch food frequency questionnaire. Dietary intakes were joined with local supermarket prices to estimate individual-level diet costs. Healthy Eating Index (HEI- 2015) scores measured compliance with DGA. Multiple linear regressions using Generalized Estimating Equations with robust standard errors showed that lower food spending was associated with younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, and lower socioeconomic status. Even though higher HEI-2015 scores were associated with higher diet costs per 2000 kcal, much individual variability was observed. A positive curvilinear relationship was observed in adjusted models. At lower cost diets, a $100/month increase in cost (from $150 to $250) was associated with a 20.6% increase in HEI-2015. For higher levels of diet cost (from $350 to $450) there were diminishing returns (2.8% increase in HEI- 2015). These findings indicate that increases in food spending at the lower end of the range have the most potential to improve diet quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea M Rose
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Shilpi Gupta
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - James Buszkiewicz
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Linda K Ko
- Division of Public Health Sciences Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA; Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Jin Mou
- MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation, Tacoma, WA, USA.
| | - Andrea Cook
- Biostatistics Unit, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Dept of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | | | - Anju Aggarwal
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Adam Drewnowski
- Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
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Berger N, Cummins S, Allen A, Smith RD, Cornelsen L. Patterns of beverage purchases amongst British households: A latent class analysis. PLoS Med 2020; 17:e1003245. [PMID: 32898152 PMCID: PMC7478648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beverages, especially sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), have been increasingly subject to policies aimed at reducing their consumption as part of measures to tackle obesity. However, precision targeting of policies is difficult as information on what types of consumers they might affect, and to what degree, is missing. We fill this gap by creating a typology of beverage consumers in Great Britain (GB) based on observed beverage purchasing behaviour to determine what distinct types of beverage consumers exist, and what their socio-demographic (household) characteristics, dietary behaviours, and weight status are. METHODS AND FINDINGS We used cross-sectional latent class analysis to characterise patterns of beverage purchases. We used data from the 2016 GB Kantar Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) panel, a large representative household purchase panel of food and beverages brought home, and restricted our analyses to consumers who purchase beverages regularly (i.e., >52 l per household member annually) (n = 8,675). Six categories of beverages were used to classify households into latent classes: SSBs; diet beverages; fruit juices and milk-based beverages; beer and cider; wine; and bottled water. Multinomial logistic regression and linear regression were used to relate class membership to household characteristics, self-reported weight status, and other dietary behaviours, derived from GB Kantar FMCG. Seven latent classes were identified, characterised primarily by higher purchases of 1 or 2 categories of beverages: 'SSB' (18% of the sample; median SSB volume = 49.4 l/household member/year; median diet beverage volume = 38.0 l), 'Diet' (16%; median diet beverage volume = 94.4 l), 'Fruit & Milk' (6%; median fruit juice/milk-based beverage volume = 30.0 l), 'Beer & Cider' (7%; median beer and cider volume = 36.3 l; median diet beverage volume = 55.6 l), 'Wine' (18%; median wine volume = 25.5 l; median diet beverage volume = 34.3 l), 'Water' (4%; median water volume = 46.9 l), and 'Diverse' (30%; diversity of purchases, including median SSB volume = 22.4 l). Income was positively associated with being classified in the Diverse class, whereas low social grade was more likely for households in the classes SSB, Diet, and Beer & Cider. Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) was more prevalent in the class Diet (41.2%, 95% CI 37.7%-44.7%) despite households obtaining little energy from beverages in that class (17.9 kcal/household member/day, 95% CI 16.2-19.7). Overweight/obesity (BMI > 25 kg/m2) was above average in the class SSB (66.8%, 95% CI 63.7%-69.9%). When looking at all groceries, households from the class SSB had higher total energy purchases (1,943.6 kcal/household member/day, 95% CI 1,901.7-1,985.6), a smaller proportion of energy from fruits and vegetables (6.0%, 95% CI 5.8%-6.3%), and a greater proportion of energy from less healthy food and beverages (54.6%, 95% CI 54.0%-55.1%) than other classes. A greater proportion of energy from sweet snacks was observed for households in the classes SSB (18.5%, 95% CI 18.1%-19.0%) and Diet (18.8%, 95% CI 18.3%-19.3%). The main limitation of our analyses, in common with other studies, is that our data do not include information on food and beverage purchases that are consumed outside the home. CONCLUSIONS Amongst households that regularly purchase beverages, those that mainly purchased high volumes of SSBs or diet beverages were at greater risk of obesity and tended to purchase less healthy foods, including a high proportion of energy from sweet snacks. These households might additionally benefit from policies targeting unhealthy foods, such as sweet snacks, as a way of reducing excess energy intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Berger
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steven Cummins
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Allen
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard D. Smith
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Cornelsen
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Chai LK, Yoong SL, Bucher T, Collins CE, Shrewsbury VA. Children's Intake of Food from Non-Fast-Food Outlets and Child-Specific Menus: A Survey of Parents. CHILDREN-BASEL 2019; 6:children6110123. [PMID: 31683781 PMCID: PMC6915613 DOI: 10.3390/children6110123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Eating out-of-home is associated with higher energy intakes in children. The continued high prevalence of childhood obesity requires a greater understanding of child menu options and eating out frequency to inform appropriate regulatory initiatives. The majority of studies to date have focused on menus from fast-food outlets with few focused on non-fast-food outlets. This study aimed to describe parents’ reports of their child(ren)’s (aged up to 6 years) frequency of consuming foods at non-fast-food outlets, observations of child menus at these outlets, and their purchasing behaviours and future preferences regarding these menus; and if their responses were influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Ninety-five parents completed a 15-item cross-sectional survey. Overall, children from 54% of families consumed food from non-fast-food outlets at least monthly. Of the 87 parents who reported that their child eats at a non-fast-food restaurant, 71 had children who ordered from child menus every time (7%, n = 5), often (29%, n = 22), sometimes (42%, n = 32) or rarely (16%, n = 12), with a further 7% (n = 5) never ordering from these menus. All parents indicated that they would like to see a higher proportion of healthy child menu items than is currently offered. Parents’ responses were not influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Parents’ views support implementation of initiatives to increase availability of healthy options on child menus at non-fast-food outlets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Kheng Chai
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
| | - Sze Lin Yoong
- Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, New South Wales 2287, Australia.
| | - Tamara Bucher
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
- School of Environmental and Life Science, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales 2258, Australia.
| | - Clare E Collins
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
| | - Vanessa A Shrewsbury
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
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Berger N, Cummins S, Smith RD, Cornelsen L. Recent trends in energy and nutrient content of take-home food and beverage purchases in Great Britain: an analysis of 225 million food and beverage purchases over 6 years. BMJ Nutr Prev Health 2019; 2:63-71. [PMID: 33235959 PMCID: PMC7664498 DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2019-000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction In recent years, there has been an increased focus on developing a coherent obesity policy in the UK, which has led to various national policy initiatives aimed at improving population diet. We sought to determine whether there have been concurrent changes in trends in the nutrient content of take-home food and beverage purchases within this policy environment. Methods We used 2012–2017 data from the UK Kantar Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) panel, a nationally representative panel study of food and beverages bought by British households and brought into the home (n≈32 000 per year). Households used hand-held barcode scanners to report over 225 million product-level purchases of food and beverages, for which nutritional information was obtained. We estimated daily per capita purchases of energy and nutrients from 32 healthier and less healthy food groups defined using the nutrient profiling model used by the UK Department of Health. Results From 2012 to 2017, daily purchases of energy from food and beverages taken home decreased by 35.4 kcal (95% CI 25.5 to 45.2) per capita. This is explained by moderate decreases in the purchase of products with high contents in carbohydrate (−13.1 g (−14.4 to –11.8)) and sugar (−4.4 g (−5.1 to –3.7)), despite small increases in protein (1.7 g (1.4 to 2.1)) and saturated fat (0.4 g (0.2 to 0.6)). Food and beverage purchases exceeded daily reference intake values in fat (on average +6%), saturated fat (+43%), sugar (+16%) and protein (+28%) across all years. Although substitutions between individual food groups were large in energy and nutrients purchased, the heterogeneity of these patterns resulted in modest overall changes. Conclusion There have been small declines in the purchase of less healthy food products, which translated to a small reduction of total energy and sugar purchases taken home. However, the rate of change needs to be accelerated in order to substantially reduce the health risks of poor diets, suggesting that more radical policies may be needed to attain larger population effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Berger
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Steven Cummins
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Richard D Smith
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Laura Cornelsen
- Population Health Innovation Lab, Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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