Use of electronic sales data to tailor nutrition education resources for an ethnically diverse population

The Retail Food Sector and Indigenous Peoples in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Scoping Review

Indigenous Peoples in high-income countries experience higher burdens of food insecurity, obesity, and diet-related health conditions compared to national averages. The objective of this systematic scoping review is to synthesize information from the published literature on the methods/approaches, findings, and scope for research and interventions on the retail food sector servicing Indigenous Peoples in high-income countries. A structured literature search in two major international databases yielded 139 relevant peer-reviewed articles from nine countries. Most research was conducted in Oceania and North America, and in rural and remote regions. Several convergent issues were identified across global regions including limited grocery store availability/access, heightened exposure to unhealthy food environments, inadequate market food supplies (i.e., high prices, limited availability, and poor quality), and common underlying structural factors including socio-economic inequality and colonialism. A list of actions that can modify the nature and structure of retailing systems to enhance the availability, accessibility, and quality of healthful foods is identified. While continuing to (re)align research with community priorities, international collaboration may foster enhanced opportunities to strengthen the evidence base for policy and practice and contribute to the amelioration of diet quality and health at the population level.

A comparison of dietary estimates from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey to food and beverage purchase data

OBJECTIVE

We compared self-reported dietary intake from the very remote sample of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (VR-NATSINPAS; n=1,363) to one year of food and beverage purchases from 20 very remote Indigenous Australian communities (servicing ∼8,500 individuals).

METHODS

Differences in food (% energy from food groups) and nutrients were analysed using t-test with unequal variance.

RESULTS

Per-capita energy estimates were not significantly different between the surveys (899 MJ/person/day [95% confidence interval -152,1950] p=0.094). Self-reported intakes of sugar, cereal products/dishes, beverages, fats/oils, milk products/dishes and confectionery were significantly lower than that purchased, while intakes of meat, vegetables, cereal-based dishes, fish, fruit and eggs were significantly higher (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Differences between methods are consistent with differential reporting bias seen in self-reported dietary data. Implications for public health: The NATSINPAS provides valuable, much-needed information about dietary intake; however, self-reported data is prone to energy under-reporting and reporting bias. Purchase data can be used to track population-level food and nutrient availability in this population longitudinally; however, further evidence is needed on approaches to estimate wastage and foods sourced outside the store. There is potential for these data to complement each other to inform nutrition policies and programs in this population.

Fresh fruit and vegetable purchases in an urban supermarket by low-income households

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the predictors of fresh fruit and vegetable purchases in a low-income population and identify subgroups in which interventions to increase such purchases might prove useful.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 209 shopping transactions from 30 households. Individual and household characteristics obtained from primary shopper. Data collected covered April 1-June 30, 2010. Primary outcome was number of servings of fresh produce purchased per week. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Controlling for household size, the average number of servings of fresh produce per week was higher in families with more children (P = .008) and in families with a wider age range of children (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Households with more children purchased more fresh produce. Purchase data combined with shopper household characteristics helped to distinguish relatively high from low purchasers of fresh produce among low-income families.