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Jia SS, Raeside R, Sainsbury E, Wardak S, Phongsavan P, Redfern J, Allman-Farinelli M, Fernandez MA, Partridge SR, Gibson AA. Use of online food retail platforms throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and associated diet-related chronic disease risk factors: A systematic review of emerging evidence. Obes Rev 2024; 25:e13720. [PMID: 38346847 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Food accessibility was considerably impacted by restrictions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, leading to growth in the online food retail sector, which offered contact-free delivery. This systematic review aimed to assess the change in use of online food retail platforms during COVID-19. The secondary aim was to identify diet-related chronic disease risk factors including dietary intake, eating behaviors, and/or weight status associated with the use of online food retail platforms during the pandemic. The review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022320498) and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Nine electronic databases were searched between January 2020 and October 2023. Studies that reported the frequency or change in use of online groceries, meal delivery applications, and/or meal-kit delivery services before and during the pandemic were included. A total of 53 studies were identified, including 46 cross-sectional studies, 4 qualitative studies, 2 longitudinal cohort studies, and 1 mixed-methods study. Overall, 96% (43/45) of outcomes showed an increase in the use of online groceries during COVID-19, while 55% (22/40) of outcomes showed a decrease in meal delivery applications. Eight of nine outcomes associated the use of online food retail with weight gain and emotional eating. Further research is needed to investigate the links between online food retail and obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Si Jia
- Engagement and Co-Design Research Hub, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebecca Raeside
- Engagement and Co-Design Research Hub, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emma Sainsbury
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sara Wardak
- Engagement and Co-Design Research Hub, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Philayrath Phongsavan
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julie Redfern
- Engagement and Co-Design Research Hub, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Margaret Allman-Farinelli
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Nutrition and Dietetics Group, Sydney School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Melissa A Fernandez
- School of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Stephanie R Partridge
- Engagement and Co-Design Research Hub, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alice A Gibson
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Bennett R, Keeble M, Zorbas C, Sacks G, Driessen C, Grigsby-Duffy L, Adams J, Burgoine T, Backholer K. The potential influence of the digital food retail environment on health: A systematic scoping review of the literature. Obes Rev 2024; 25:e13671. [PMID: 38104965 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The digital food retail environment (defined in this study as a digital platform, app or website where food can be purchased by individuals for personal consumption) is an emerging component of the wider food system. We aimed to systematically search and review the literature to understand the potential influence of the digital food retail environment on population diets and health. METHODS Four databases (across health, business, and marketing) and grey literature were searched using terms relating to "food and beverages," "digital," and "purchasing." Identified studies were included if they examined any aspect of the digital food retail environment where outcomes were examined with a health-related focus and were published before September 2023. All study designs were included (quantitative, qualitative, observational, and experimental). Reviews and conference abstracts were excluded. RESULTS We identified 21,382 studies, of which 57 articles were eligible for inclusion. Of the 57 included studies, 30 studies examined online grocery retail, 22 examined online food delivery platforms, and five examined meal kit subscription services. Of the 30 studies examining online grocery retail, six studies reported that customers believed they purchased fewer unhealthy food and beverages when shopping online, compared with shopping in-store. Nevertheless, customers also reported that their ability to choose healthy foods and beverages was reduced when shopping online due to difficulty in product comparison. Studies that examined online food delivery platforms primarily found that they promoted unhealthy foods and beverages more often than healthy options, through extensive use of marketing practices such as price discounts and images, and that unhealthy food offerings on these platforms dominate. Meal kit subscription services offered mostly healthy meals, with studies suggesting that these types of services may help individuals alleviate some of their "mental load" and stress related to cooking meals for their families. CONCLUSIONS The literature describing the digital food retail environment was found to be diverse, with different aspects having potential to impact health in different ways. Some evidence suggests that online grocery retail and meal kit subscription services may have positive population dietary impacts, whereas online food delivery platforms appear likely to promote unhealthy food purchasing. However, the current evidence base is fragmented, with many knowledge gaps. Further research is required to understand the influence of the digital food retail environment on population diets and how these environments can be designed to support healthy food choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Bennett
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Keeble
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christina Zorbas
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary Sacks
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christine Driessen
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lily Grigsby-Duffy
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jean Adams
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas Burgoine
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kathryn Backholer
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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