Development of a survey tool to assess the environmental determinants of health-enabling food retail practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of remote Australia.

BACKGROUND: Environmental factors can impact the ability of food retail businesses to implement best practice health-enabling food retail. METHODS: We co-designed a short-item survey on factors influencing food retail health-enabling practice in a remote Australian setting. Publicly available submissions to an Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities were coded using an existing remote community food systems assessment tool and thematically analysed. Themes informed survey questions that were then prioritised, refined and pre-tested with expert stakeholder input. RESULTS: One-hundred and eleven submissions were coded, and 100 themes identified. Supply chain related data produced the most themes (n = 25). The resulting 26-item survey comprised questions to assess the perceived impact of environmental factors on a store's health-enabling practice (n = 20) and frequency of occurrence (n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: The application of this evidence-informed, co-designed survey will provide a first-time cross-sectional analysis and the potential for ongoing longitudinal data and advocacy on how environmental factors affect the operations of remote stores.

The development of a method for the global health community to assess the proportion of food and beverage companies' sales that are derived from unhealthy foods.

CONTEXT: Corporate engagement with food and beverage companies who produce food associated with health harms is a divisive topic in the global nutrition community, with high-profile cases of conflict of interest increasingly coming under scrutiny. There is a need for an agreed method to support health organizations in deciding whether and how to engage with large food and beverage manufacturers. AIM: The aim of this study was to develop a method to quantify the proportion of sales from food and beverage companies that are derived from unhealthy foods to support organizations in determining which companies might be considered high-risk for engagement. METHODS: The 2015 WHO Euro nutrient profile model was applied to 35,550 products from 1294 brands manufactured by the top 20 global food and beverage companies from seven countries (Australia, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, UK and USA). For the purpose of this study, products that met the WHO Euro criteria were classified as "healthier" and those that failed were classified as "unhealthy". Products were grouped by brand and weighted by the brand's value sales for 2020. The primary outcome was the proportion of each company's sales that were classified as unhealthy and healthier by company and category. RESULTS: Overall, 89% of the top 20 companies' brand sales were classified as unhealthy. For every USD$10 spent on the top 20 companies' brands, only $1.10 was spent on products considered healthier. All companies saw the majority of their sales come from unhealthy foods, including soft drinks, confectionery and snacks. None of Red Bull or Ferrero's sales were classified as healthier and less than 5% of total sales were healthier for Mondelez, Mars, and PepsiCo. Some companies had higher proportions of sales deriving from healthier products, including Grupo Bimbo (48%), Danone (34%) and Conagra (32%), although the majority of their sales were still derived from unhealthy foods. DISCUSSION: The results presented in this study highlight the reliance the leading food and beverage companies have on sales of unhealthy products that are contributing to diet-related disease globally. The method and steps we have laid out here could be used by organizations in the global health community to identify companies that have conflicts of interest when it comes to engaging with governments, international organizations and public health bodies on issues of policy and regulation.

The Navajo Nation Healthy Diné Nation Act: Community Support of a 2% Tax on Unhealthy Foods.

CONTEXT: The Healthy Diné Nation Act (HDNA) of 2014 included a 2% tax on foods of little-to-no-nutritious value ("junk foods") on the Navajo Nation. The law was the first ever in the United States and any Indigenous nation worldwide with a population at a high risk for common nutrition-related conditions. To date, research on community support for food tax legislation among Indigenous nations is entirely lacking. OBJECTIVE: To assess the extent of support for the HDNA and factors associated with support including sociodemographic variables, knowledge of the HDNA, nutrition intake, and pricing preferences. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: The Navajo Nation. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 234 Navajo Nation community members across 21 communities. OUTCOME MEASURES: The percentage of participants who were supportive of the HDNA. RESULTS: Participants were 97% Navajo, on average middle-aged, 67% reported an income below $25 000 annually, and 69.7% were female. Half of the respondents said they "support" (37.4%) or "strongly support" (13.0%) the tax, while another 35% of people said they were neutral or somewhat supportive; 15% did not support the tax. Participants with higher income ( P = .025) and education ( P = .026) and understanding of the legislation ( P < .001 for "very well" vs "not at all") had increased odds of greater support, as did people who believed that the HDNA would make Navajo people healthier (vs not, P < .001). Age, gender, language, and reported nutrition intake (healthy or unhealthy) were not associated with HDNA support, but participants willing to pay 5% or 12%-15% higher prices for fast food and soda had increased odds of greater support ( P values range from .023 to <.001). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of Navajo community members surveyed were moderately supportive of the Navajo Nation tax on unhealthy foods. Higher income and education and understanding of the law were associated with greater support, but nutrition intake was not.

Study Finds US Households, Especially in Rural Areas, Increasingly Shop at Dollar Stores for Food.

This Medical News article discusses a new study of household food purchasing trends from 2008 to 2020.

Impacto da aquisição de alimentos ultraprocessados e da carne bovina sobre a agrobiodiversidade no Brasil (2017-18) / Impact of ultra-processed food and beef acquisition on agrobiodiversity in Brazil (2017-18)

Introdução: A agrobiodiversidade é recurso essencial para a promoção de dietas e sistemas alimentares saudáveis e sustentáveis. Apesar disso, a agrobiodiversidade global está em declínio, especialmente a diversidade de espécies vegetais utilizadas para consumo humano. Objetivo: Esta tese buscou estudar a agrobiodiversidade mobilizada pela aquisição domiciliar de alimentos no Brasil e a influência que padrões de aquisição de alimentos ultraprocessados e de carne bovina exercem sobre a agrobiodiversidade. Métodos: Estudo transversal em que foram analisados dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Orçamentos Familiares 2017-18 a fim de estimar a quantidade total de alimentos adquiridos. Agregados de domicílios (n=575) foram utilizados como unidade de análise do estudo. Os itens alimentares adquiridos foram classificados segundo a classificação Nova. Metodologia inédita de quatro passos foi aplicada para estimar a diversidade de espécies subjacentes às aquisições domiciliares de alimentos. O índice de Shannon foi utilizado para avaliar a diversidade de espécies vegetais mobilizadas. Modelos de regressão linear foram utilizados para testar associações entre a participação da carne bovina e de alimentos ultraprocessados no total adquirido e o índice de Shannon. O primeiro manuscrito apresenta as hipóteses desta tese e ressalta a ausência do debate a respeito dos efeitos dos alimentos ultraprocessados sobre a agrobiodiversidade nas agendas internacionais de sistemas alimentares, biodiversidade e mudanças climáticas. O segundo manuscrito descreve a abordagem metodológica utilizada para estimar a agrobiodiversidade demandada pela dieta, bem como aplicar esta abordagem em dados de aquisição de alimentos no Brasil. O terceiro manuscrito descreve a diversidade de espécies vegetais mobilizadas pela população brasileira, além de investigar o impacto de diferentes padrões de aquisição (de ultraprocessados e de carne bovina) sobre a diversidade de espécies vegetais mobilizadas. Resultados: Mais de 95% da quantidade total de espécies vegetais mobilizadas pela aquisição domiciliar de alimentos no Brasil foram provenientes de apenas seis espécies: braquiária, milho, soja, arroz, cana-de-açúcar e trigo. O valor médio do índice de Shannon relativo à diversidade de espécies vegetais mobilizadas foi de 0,86 indicando baixa diversidade. Os efeitos simultâneos da participação de alimentos ultraprocessados e da carne bovina no total adquirido sobre a diversidade de espécies vegetais mobilizadas mostraram que os valores médios ajustados do índice de diversidade diminuíram significativamente em todos os cenários de aquisição de alimentos ultraprocessados com o aumento da participação de carne no total adquirido. De forma semelhante, o índice de Shannon tendeu a diminuir significativamente em todos os cenários de aquisição de carne bovina com aumento da participação de ultraprocessados no total adquirido, com exceção do último quinto de participação da carne bovina (p>0,05). O índice de Shannon caiu pela metade (51%) passando de um cenário com menor participação de ultraprocessados e de carne bovina (1,22) para um cenário com a maior participação de ambos os grupos (0,60). Conclusões: Os resultados deste estudo demonstram uma baixa diversidade de espécies vegetais mobilizadas por agregados de domicílios brasileiros, com alta concentração em um número muito reduzido de espécies. Observou-se piora da diversidade de espécies mobilizadas com o aumento da participação de alimentos ultraprocessados e da carne bovina.

Introduction: Agrobiodiversity is key for promoting healthy diets and moving towards more sustainable food systems. Despite this, global agrobiodiversity is declining, especially the diversity of plant species used for human consumption. Objective: This thesis aims to study the agrobiodiversity mobilized by household food acquisition in Brazil and the influence that ultra-processed food and beef acquisitions might exert on agrobiodiversity. Methods: Cross-sectional study in which data from the 2017-18 National Household Budget Survey were used to quantify the total amount of foods purchased. Household aggregates (n=575) were used as the unit of analysis. All food items were classified according to the Nova classification system. A sequential, four-step approach was applied to estimate the plant species underlying household food acquisitions. The Shannon index was used to evaluate the diversity of plant species mobilized. Linear regression models were used to test associations between the share of beef and of ultra-processed foods in total food acquisition and the Shannon index. The first manuscript presents the hypotheses of this thesis and highlights the lack of debate around the effects of ultra-processed foods on agrobiodiversity in global food systems fora, biodiversity conventions and climate change conferences. The second manuscript describes the methodological approach used to estimate the agrobiodiversity linked to human diet, and applies this approach to Brazilian food purchase data. The third manuscript describes the diversity of plant species mobilized by the Brazilian population, and investigates the impact of different food acquisition patterns (with a focus on ultra-processed foods and beef) on the diversity of plant species mobilized. Results: More than 95% of the total amount of plant species required by Brazilian household food acquisitions came from only six species - brachiaria, maize, soybean, rice, sugarcane and wheat. The average Shannon index relative to the diversity of plant species that underlie household food acquisitions in Brazil was 0.86, indicating low diversity. Adjusted mean values of the diversity index decreased significantly as the share of beef to total food acquisition increased, in all scenarios of ultra-processed food acquisition. Similarly, the Shannon index tended to significantly decrease with an increase in the share of ultra-processed foods to total food acquisition in all scenarios of beef acquisition, except in the fifth quintile of beef (p>0.05). The Shannon index decreased by half (51%) moving from a scenario with the lowest share of both ultra-processed foods and beef to total food acquisition (1.22) to a scenario with the highest share of both food groups (0.60). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a low diversity of species mobilized by Brazilian household aggregates and a high concentration in a small number of species. The diversity of species mobilized decreased with an increase in both the share of ultra-processed foods and of beef in total food acquisitions.

Using household economic survey data to assess food expenditure patterns and trends in a high-income country with notable health inequities.

This study aimed to identify dietary trends in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and whether inequities in dietary patterns are changing. We extracted data from the Household Economic Survey (HES), which was designed to provide information on impacts of policy-making in NZ, and performed descriptive analyses on food expenditures. Overall, total household food expenditure per capita increased by 0.38% annually over this period. Low-income households spent around three quarters of what high-income households spent on food per capita. High-income households experienced a greater increase in expenditure on nuts and seeds and a greater reduction in expenditure on processed meat. There was increased expenditure over time on fruit and vegetables nuts and seeds, and healthy foods in Maori (Indigenous) households with little variations in non-Maori households. But there was little change in processed meat expenditure for Maori households and expenditure on less healthy foods also increased over time. Routinely collected HES data were useful and cost-effective for understanding trends in food expenditure patterns to inform public health interventions, in the absence of nutrition survey data. Potentially positive expenditure trends for Maori were identified, however, food expenditure inequities in processed meat and less healthy foods by ethnicity and income continue to be substantial.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food prices: Evidence from storable and perishable commodities in India.

The supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak have led to changes in food prices globally. The impact of COVID-19 on the price of essential and perishable food items in developing and emerging economies has been lacking. Using a recent phone survey by the World Bank, this study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prices of the three essential food items in India. The results indicate that price of basic food items such as atta (wheat flour) and rice increased significantly during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. In contrast, during the same period, the price of onions declined significantly. The findings may suggest panic-buying, hoarding, and storability of food items. The results further reveal that remittance income and cash transfers from the government negatively affected commodity prices. Thus, this study's findings suggest that families may have shifted the demand away from essential foods during the pandemic.

Custo da alimentação em São Paulo, Brasil: um estudo de base populacional (2003-2015) / Diet costs in São Paulo, Brazil: populational-based study (2003-2015)

Introdução: Ter uma alimentação adequada e saudável envolve diferentes aspectos, entre os quais o custo é um dos principais determinantes. Objetivo: Investigar os custos da alimentação em amostra representativa da população residente no município de São Paulo em 2003, 2008 e 2015. Métodos: Foram utilizados dados do estudo transversal, base populacional, ISA-Nutrição, com residentes no município de São Paulo. Dados socioeconômicos e estilo de vida foram coletados em visitas domiciliares e inquérito telefônico e, consumo alimentar, por dois recordatórios de 24 horas. Para avaliação da qualidade e classificação da dieta foram utilizados: Índice de Qualidade da Dieta Revisado - IQD-R, grupos de alimentos de proteção ou de risco para doenças cardiometabólicas baseados na classificação What we eat in América? (WEEIA), adaptada para América Latina e análise da aderência às recomendações da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) quanto ao consumo de frutas, verduras e legumes, açúcar, sódio e gordura saturada. A estimativa de custos da alimentação foi baseada em preços dos alimentos das Pesquisas de Orçamento Familiar (POF) do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), sendo adotados critérios definidos de pareamento para linkage (ano de estudo, renda familiar per capita, perfil familiar), incluindo, aplicação de fatores de cocção e conversão, assim como uso de deflatores para comparação entre diferentes períodos. Elasticidades da demanda por alimentos foram analisadas utilizando-se regressão log-linear (endogeneidade/teste Durbin-Wu-Hausman). Associação entre custo e qualidade da dieta foi avaliada por meio de custo-efetividade/incremental. Resultados: De 2003 a 2015, houve aumento nos preços por caloria de cereais integrais e carne vermelha. Por outro lado, queda para frutas, verduras/legumes, feijão, leguminosas, oleaginosas/sementes e peixes/frutos do mar. Elasticidades-preço destes grupos de alimentos apresentaram coeficientes negativos, mostrando tendência de redução do consumo devido ao aumento dos preços. Cereais integrais mostraram complementaridade com oleaginosas e sementes, enquanto verduras/legumes, complementaridade com carnes processadas em 2003 e 2015, e oleaginosas/sementes em 2008 e 2015. Frutas e bebidas açucaradas apresentaram relação de substituição. Em 2015, dietas que apresentaram maior aderência às recomendações dietéticas (IQD-R - maiores pontuações) possuíam maior custo. No entanto, maior aderência às recomendações da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) quanto ao consumo de frutas, verduras/legumes, sódio, açúcares e gordura saturada representou menor custo. Indivíduos que compraram alimentos em feiras livres tiveram menor custo da dieta e aqueles com renda inferior a um salário-mínimo comprometem quase totalidade do orçamento familiar com alimentação (99,49%). Verifica-se maior participação no custo da dieta, do grupo das carnes, independente da qualidade da dieta. Conclusões: O método linkage constituiu-se um recurso importante para avaliação do custo das dietas em estudos em que estas informações estão ausentes. Devido à alta elasticidade-preço no período avaliado (12 anos), consumidores do município de São Paulo responderam ao aumento dos preços com redução do consumo. Grandes mudanças nos preços relativos de bebidas açucaradas deveriam ser necessárias para reduzir seu consumo, com possibilidade de substituição às frutas. Impostos para carnes ou subsídios para legumes e verduras devem considerar potenciais efeitos cruzados. Por outro lado, subsídios, aos cereais integrais, beneficiaria o consumo de oleaginosas e sementes. Maior custo de dietas apresentou maior aderência às recomendações dietéticas e local de compra de alimentos (feiras livres) melhoria na qualidade nutricional da dieta com menor custo.

Introduction: Having an adequate and healthy diet involves different aspects, among which cost is one of the main determinants. Objective: To investigate the costs of food in a representative sample of the population living in São Paulo in samples from the years 2003, 2008 and 2015. Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional, population-based study, ISA-Nutrition, with residents in the municipality of São Paulo in 2003, 2008, and 2015. Socioeconomic and lifestyle data were collected in home visits and telephone survey and, food intake, by two 24-hour recall. To evaluate the quality and classification of diet, we used: the Brazilian Health Eating Index - Revised (BHEI-R); protection or risk groups for cardiometabolic diseases based on the "What we eat in America?" (WEEIA) classification, adapted for Latin America and analysis of adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. The estimation of food costs was based on food prices from the Household Budget Surveys (HBS) of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), adopting well-defined pairing criteria for linkage (year of study, per capita family income, family profile), including the application of cooking and conversion factors, as well as the use of deflators for comparison between different periods. Food demand elasticities were analyzed using log-linear regression (endogeneity/Durbin-Wu-Hausman test). Association between cost and diet quality was assessed using cost-effectiveness/incremental. Results: From 2003 to 2015, there was an increase in prices per calorie for whole grains and red meat. On the other hand, declines for fruits, vegetables/legumes, beans, legumes, oilseeds/seeds, and fish/seafood. The price elasticities of these food groups showed negative coefficients, showing a tendency of consumption to decrease due to price increases. Whole grains showed complementarity with oilseeds and seeds, while vegetables/legumes, complementarity with processed meats in 2003 and 2015, and oilseeds/seeds in 2008 and 2015. Fruits and sugar-sweetened beverages showed a substitution relationship. In 2015, diets that showed higher adherence to dietary recommendations (BHEI-R - higher scores) had higher cost. However, higher adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for fruit, vegetable intake, sodium, sugars, and saturated fat represented lower cost. Individuals who bought food at street markets had lower dietary costs and those with incomes below one minimum wage spent almost the entire family budget on food (99.49%). There was a greater participation of the meat group in the cost of the diet, regardless of the quality of the diet. Conclusions: The linkage method can be an important resource for evaluating the cost of diets in studies where this information is absent. Due to the high price elasticity over the evaluated period (12 years), consumers in São Paulo responded to price increases by reducing consumption. Large changes in the relative prices of sugar-sweetened beverages would be necessary to reduce their consumption, with the possibility of substitution to fruit. Taxes for meat or subsidies for vegetables should consider potential cross effects. Subsidies, to whole grains, would benefit the consumption of oilseeds and seeds. Higher cost of diets showed greater adherence to dietary recommendations and location of food purchase (street markets) improved nutritional diet quality at lower cost.

Altering product placement to create a healthier layout in supermarkets: Outcomes on store sales, customer purchasing, and diet in a prospective matched controlled cluster study.

BACKGROUND: Previous product placement trials in supermarkets are limited in scope and outcome data collected. This study assessed the effects on store-level sales, household-level purchasing, and dietary behaviours of a healthier supermarket layout. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This is a prospective matched controlled cluster trial with 2 intervention components: (i) new fresh fruit and vegetable sections near store entrances (replacing smaller displays at the back) and frozen vegetables repositioned to the entrance aisle, plus (ii) the removal of confectionery from checkouts and aisle ends opposite. In this pilot study, the intervention was implemented for 6 months in 3 discount supermarkets in England. Three control stores were matched on store sales and customer profiles and neighbourhood deprivation. Women customers aged 18 to 45 years, with loyalty cards, were assigned to the intervention (n = 62) or control group (n = 88) of their primary store. The trial registration number is NCT03518151. Interrupted time series analysis showed that increases in store-level sales of fruits and vegetables were greater in intervention stores than predicted at 3 (1.71 standard deviations (SDs) (95% CI 0.45, 2.96), P = 0.01) and 6 months follow-up (2.42 SDs (0.22, 4.62), P = 0.03), equivalent to approximately 6,170 and approximately 9,820 extra portions per store, per week, respectively. The proportion of purchasing fruits and vegetables per week rose among intervention participants at 3 and 6 months compared to control participants (0.2% versus -3.0%, P = 0.22; 1.7% versus -3.5%, P = 0.05, respectively). Store sales of confectionery were lower in intervention stores than predicted at 3 (-1.05 SDs (-1.98, -0.12), P = 0.03) and 6 months (-1.37 SDs (-2.95, 0.22), P = 0.09), equivalent to approximately 1,359 and approximately 1,575 fewer portions per store, per week, respectively; no differences were observed for confectionery purchasing. Changes in dietary variables were predominantly in the expected direction for health benefit. Intervention implementation was not within control of the research team, and stores could not be randomised. It is a pilot study, and, therefore, not powered to detect an effect. CONCLUSIONS: Healthier supermarket layouts can improve the nutrition profile of store sales and likely improve household purchasing and dietary quality. Placing fruits and vegetables near store entrances should be considered alongside policies to limit prominent placement of unhealthy foods. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03518151 (pre-results).

Affordability of Different Isocaloric Healthy Diets in Germany-An Assessment of Food Prices for Seven Distinct Food Patterns.

Affordability of different isocaloric healthy diets in Germany-an assessment of food prices for seven distinct food patterns Background: For decades, low-fat diets were recommended as the ideal food pattern to prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and their long-term complications. Nowadays, several alternatives considering sources and quantity of protein, fat and carbohydrates have arisen and clinical evidence supports all of them for at least some metabolic outcomes. Given this variety in diets and the lack of a single ideal diet, one must evaluate if patients at risk, many of which having a lower income, can actually afford these diets. AIM: We modelled four-week food plans for a typical family of two adults and two school children based on seven different dietary patterns: highly processed standard omnivore diet (HPSD), freshly cooked standard omnivore diet (FCSD), both with German average dietary composition, low-protein vegan diet (VeganD), low-fat vegetarian diet (VegetD), low-fat omnivore diet (LFD), Mediterranean diet (MedD) and high-fat moderate-carb diet (MCD). The isocaloric diets were designed with typical menu variation for all meal times. We then assessed the lowest possible prices for all necessary grocery items in 12 different supermarket chains, avoiding organic foods, special offers, advertised exotic super foods and luxury articles. Prices for dietary patterns were compared in total, stratified by meal time and by food groups. RESULTS: Among all seven dietary patterns, price dispersion by supermarket chains was 12-16%. Lowest average costs were calculated for the VegetD and the FCSD, followed by HPSD, LFD, VeganD, MedD and-on top-MCD. VeganD, MedD and MCD were about 16%, 23% and 67% more expensive compared to the FCSD. Major food groups determining prices for all diets are vegetables, salads and animal-derived products. Calculations for social welfare severely underestimate expenses for any kind of diet. CONCLUSIONS: Food prices are a relevant factor for healthy food choices. Food purchasing is financially challenging for persons with very low income in Germany. Fresh-cooked plant-based diets are less pricy than the unhealthy HPSD. Diets with reduced carbohydrate content are considerably more expensive, limiting their use for people with low income. Minimum wage and financial support for long-term unemployed people in Germany are insufficient to assure a healthy lifestyle.

Let's go fishing: A quantitative analysis of subsistence choices with a special focus on mixed economies among small-scale societies.

The transition to agriculture is regarded as a major turning point in human history. In the present contribution we propose to look at it through the lens of ethnographic data by means of a machine learning approach. More specifically, we analyse both the subsistence economies and the socioecological context of 1290 societies documented in the Ethnographic Atlas with a threefold purpose: (i) to better understand the variability and success of human economic choices; (ii) to assess the role of environmental settings in the configuration of the different subsistence economies; and (iii) to examine the relevance of fishing in the development of viable alternatives to cultivation. All data were extracted from the publicly available cross-cultural database D-PLACE. Our results suggest that not all subsistence combinations are viable, existing just a subset of successful economic choices that appear recurrently in specific ecological systems. The subsistence economies identified are classified as either primary or mixed economies in accordance with an information-entropy-based quantitative criterion that determines their degree of diversification. Remarkably, according to our results, mixed economies are not a marginal choice, as they constitute 25% of the cases in our data sample. In addition, fishing seems to be a key element in the configuration of mixed economies, as it is present across all of them.

Assessing the healthiness of UK food companies' product portfolios using food sales and nutrient composition data.

BACKGROUND: The provision and over-consumption of foods high in energy, saturated fat, free sugars or salt are important risk factors for poor diet and ill-health. In the UK, policies seek to drive improvement through voluntary reformulation of single nutrients in key food groups. There has been little consideration of the overall progress by individual companies. This study assesses recent changes in the nutrient profile of brands and products sold by the top 10 food and beverage companies in the UK. METHODS: The FSA/Ofcom nutrient profile model was applied to the nutrient composition data for all products manufactured by the top 10 food and beverage companies and weighted by volume sales. The mean nutrient profiling score, on a scale of 1-100 with thresholds for healthy products being 62 for foods and 68 for drinks, was used to rank companies and food categories between 2015 and 2018, and to calculate the proportion of individual products and sales that are considered by the UK Government to be healthy. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2018 there was little change in the sales-weighted nutrient profiling score of the top 10 companies (49 to 51; p = 0.28) or the proportion of products classified as healthy (46% to 48%; p = 0.23). Of the top five brands sold by each of the ten companies, only six brands among ten companies improved their nutrient profiling score by 20% or more. The proportion of total volume sales classified as healthy increased from 44% to 51% (p = 0.07) driven by an increase in the volume sales of bottled water, low/no calorie carbonates and juices, but after removing soft drinks, the proportion of foods classified as healthy decreased from 7% to 6% (p = 33). CONCLUSIONS: The UK voluntary reformulation policies, setting targets for reductions in calories, sugar and salt, do not appear to have led to significant changes in the nutritional quality of foods, though there has been progress in soft drinks where the soft drink industry levy also applies. Further policy action is needed to incentivise companies to make more substantive changes in product composition to support consumers to achieve a healthier diet.

The Impact of Environmental Sustainability Labels on Willingness-to-Pay for Foods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Discrete Choice Experiments.

Food production is a major contributor to environmental damage. More environmentally sustainable foods could incur higher costs for consumers. In this review, we explore whether consumers are willing to pay (WTP) more for foods with environmental sustainability labels ('ecolabels'). Six electronic databases were searched for experiments on consumers' willingness to pay for ecolabelled food. Monetary values were converted to Purchasing Power Parity dollars and adjusted for country-specific inflation. Studies were meta-analysed and effect sizes with confidence intervals were calculated for the whole sample and for pre-specified subgroups defined as meat-dairy, seafood, and fruits-vegetables-nuts. Meta-regressions tested the role of label attributes and demographic characteristics on participants' WTP. Forty-three discrete choice experiments (DCEs) with 41,777 participants were eligible for inclusion. Thirty-five DCEs (n = 35,725) had usable data for the meta-analysis. Participants were willing to pay a premium of 3.79 PPP$/kg (95%CI 2.7, 4.89, p ≤ 0.001) for ecolabelled foods. WTP was higher for organic labels compared to other labels. Women and people with lower levels of education expressed higher WTP. Ecolabels may increase consumers' willingness to pay more for environmentally sustainable products and could be part of a strategy to encourage a transition to more sustainable diets.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Foods/Beverages and Nutrients Consumed by U.S. Adolescents When Snacking: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2018.

Snacking contributes a significant portion of adolescents' daily energy intake and is associated with poor overall diet and increased body mass index. Adolescents from low socioeconomic status (SES) households have poorer snacking behaviors than their higher-SES counterparts. However, it is unclear if the types of food/beverages and nutrients consumed during snacking differ by SES among adolescents. Therefore, this study examines SES disparities in the aforementioned snacking characteristics by analyzing the data of 7132 adolescents (12-19 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2018. Results reveal that adolescents from low-income households (poverty-to-income ratio (PIR) ≤ 1.3) have lower odds of consuming the food/beverage categories "Milk and Dairy" (aOR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58-0.95; p = 0.007) and "Fruits" (aOR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.50-0.78; p = 0.001) as snacks and higher odds of consuming "Beverages" (aOR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.19-1.76; p = 0.001) compared to those from high-income households (PIR > 3.5). Additionally, adolescents from low- and middle-income (PIR > 1.3-3.5) households consume more added sugar (7.98 and 7.78 g vs. 6.66 g; p = 0.012, p = 0.026) and less fiber (0.78 and 0.77 g vs. 0.84 g; p = 0.044, p = 0.019) from snacks compared to their high-income counterparts. Future research is necessary to understand factors that influence snacking among adolescents, and interventions are needed, especially for adolescents from low-SES communities.

Food Waste and Its Association with Diet Quality of Foods Purchased in South Florida.

The objective of this study was to explore the associations between food waste and the diet quality of foods purchased and with grocery purchasing behaviors. This was a cross-sectional study among 109 primary household food providers conducting primary shopping. Participants were recruited outside of local grocery stores and were asked to complete a survey assessing amounts of avoidable food waste and grocery purchasing behaviors. The diet quality of the foods purchased was assessed from grocery receipts using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016). Variables were associated using linear regression, analysis of covariance, and point biserial correlations. We found that fresh fruits (63%) and leafy greens (70%) were the foods that were the most wasted. The GPQI-2016 total score was significantly inversely associated with the total amount of food wasted (ß = -0.63; 95% CI: -1.14,-0.12) after adjusting for important confounders. The reason "food past the date printed on the package" was directly correlated with food wasted (r = 0.40; p < 0.01) but inversely correlated with GPQI-2016 score (r = -0.21; p = 0.04). Food wasted, but not the GPQI-2016 score, was significantly higher among those who grocery shop 2-4 times per week compared to 1 time every 1-2 weeks (p = 0.02). In conclusion, food waste is inversely associated with diet quality and directly associated with grocery purchasing frequency.

The Cost of Diets According to Nutritional Quality and Sociodemographic Characteristics: A Population-Based Assessment in Belgium.

BACKGROUND: Prices of foods can influence purchase and, therefore, overall quality of diet. However, a limited number of studies have analyzed the cost of diets according to the overall quality of diets taking into account sociodemographic characteristics. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to estimate cost variations according to diet quality and to identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with such cost differences in adults' diets in Belgium. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study used nationally representative data from Belgium. PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS: Participants were adults (aged 18 to 64 years; n = 1,158) included in the 2014-2015 Belgian National Food Consumption Survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dietary assessment was based on two 24-hour dietary recalls and a food frequency questionnaire. The Mediterranean Diet Score and the Healthy Diet Indicator were used to assess diet quality. Daily diet cost was estimated after linking the consumed foods with the 2014 GfK ConsumerScan Panel food price data. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Associations were estimated using linear regressions. RESULTS: The mean daily diet cost was US$6.51 (standard error of mean [SEM] US$0.08; €5.79 [€0.07]). Adjusted for covariates and energy intake, mean (SEM) daily diet cost was significantly higher in the highest tercile (T3) of both diet quality scores than in the T1 (Mediterranean Diet Score: T1 = US$6.29 [US$0.10]; €5.60 [€0.09] vs T3 = US$6.78 [US$0.11]; €6.03 [€0.10]; Healthy Diet Indicator: T1 = US$6.09 [US$0.10]; €5.42 [€0.09] vs T3 = US$7.13 [US$0.11]; €6.34 [€0.10]). Both diet quality and cost were higher in 35- to 64-year-old respondents (vs 18- to 34-year-olds), workers (vs students), and those with higher education levels (vs the lowest). The association between quality and cost of diets was weaker in men and among individuals with higher education levels. CONCLUSIONS: In Belgium, a high-quality diet was more expensive than a low-quality diet. These findings can be used to inform public health policies.

Cost, microbiological, and nutritional properties of pureed food production in nursing homes. The ABADIA Study / Propiedades nutricionales, microbiológicas y costes de producción de las dietas de textura modificada en las residencias de ancianos. El estudio ABADÍA

Introduction: although nutritional differences between different types of texture-modified diet (TMD) have been evaluated, the resources and costs associated with their preparation have been less studied. Objective: to describe the nutritional, microbiological properties and costs of: 1) in-home produced pureed food (hTMD); 2) concentrated nutrient-dense commercial food products, hand-blended (cTMD); 3) food prepared using the MixxPro® automatic food mixer (cTMD-Mix). Methods: an observational, prospective study carried out in three geriatric nursing-homes. Patients ≥ 65 years, receiving TMD, with a stable clinical condition, estimated survival/expected internment > 1 month, and sufficient cognitive capacity were included. The following data were recorded: 1) patient socio-demographic and clinical variables; 2) TMD compliance and symptoms related to dysphagia during the meal; 3) patient appetite; and 4) kitchen information and resources used to prepare a TMD. Results: sixty-two residents were included (65.0 % women, 88.3 years (SD: 9.3); 43.5 % malnourished, 79.0 % with good appetite). The proportion of food eaten/median kcal served/portion/mean kcal consumed were: hTMD: 95.5 % (SD: 10.7)/92.4 kcal (IQR: 75.6-128.1)/88.2 kcal (IQR: 72.2-122.3); cTMD: 89.2 % (SD: 15.9)/323.4 kcal (IQR: 284.2-454.1)/288.5 kcal (IQR: 253.5-325.1); and cTMD-Mix: 80.3 % (SD: 21.4)/358.0 kcal (IQR: 344.0-372.1)/287.5 kcal (IQR: 276.5-298.8). No microorganisms were detected. The average time spent in preparing each portion and its costs were: hTMD: 11.2 min (SD: 3.89)/€2.33 (SD: 0.63); cTMD: 1.7 min (SD: 0.28)/€2.01 (SD: 0.39); and cTMD-Mix: 1.6 min (SD: 0.00)/€2.00 (SD: 0.33). (AU)

Introducción: aunque existe evidencia acerca de las diferencias nutricionales entre los distintos tipos de dieta de textura modificada (DTM), los recursos y los costos asociados a su preparación se han estudiado menos.Objetivo: describir las propiedades nutricionales, las microbiológicas y los costes de: 1) una dieta triturada de manera artesanal (hDTM); 2) una dieta preparada con alimentación básica adaptada (ABA) (cDTM); y 3) una ABA preparada con el mezclador automático de alimentos MixxPro® (cDTM-Mix). Métodos: estudio observacional prospectivo realizado en tres residencias. Se incluyeron pacientes ≥ de 65 años que recibían DTM, con estado clínico estable, con supervivencia/internamiento estimado > 1 mes y capacidad cognitiva suficiente. Se registraron: 1) las variables sociodemográficas y clínicas del paciente; 2) el cumplimiento y los síntomas relacionados con la disfagia durante la comida; 3) el apetito del paciente, y 4) la información de la cocina y los recursos utilizados para preparar la DTM. Resultados: se incluyeron 62 residentes (65,0 % mujeres, 88,3 años (SD: 9,3), 43,5 % desnutridos, 79,0 % con buen apetito). La proporción de alimentos consumidos/mediana de kcal servidas/porción/media de kcal media consumidas fueron: hDTM 95,5 % (SD: 10,7)/92,4 kcal (IQR: 75,6-128,1)/88,2 kcal (IQR: 72,2-122,3); cDTM: 89.2 % (SD: 15.9)/323,4 kcal (IQR: 284.2-454.1)/288,5 kcal (IQR: 253.5-325.1), y cDTM-Mix: 80,3 % (SD: 21.4)/358,0 kcal (IQR: 344.0-372.1)/287,5 kcal (IQR: 276.5-298.8). No se detectaron microorganismos. El tiempo medio empleado en la preparación y el coste por porción fueron: hDTM: 11,2 min (SD: 3,89)/2,33 € (SD: 0,63); cDTM: 1,7 min (SD: 0,28)/2,01 € (SD: 0,39), y cDTM-Mix: 1,6 min (SD: 0,00)/2,00 € (SD: 0,33). (AU)