Assessing food availability and healthier options in an urban Chinese university: a case study using the Chinese Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey for Stores (C-NEMS-S).
BMC Public Health
; 24(1): 15, 2024 01 02.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38167012
ABSTRACT
Young adults (18-24 years) in universities are frequently exposed to an environment that promotes unhealthy eating behaviors. Using a validated tool, the Chinese Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey for Stores (C-NEMS-S), we assess the food availability and healthier options in a large, urban Chinese university. We employed C-NEMS-S for scoring criteria and weighting. A total of 52 on-campus canteen outlets were audited in an urban university located in Shijiazhuang City, China. General food outlets (n 43) and self-served food outlets (n 7) were further categorized into eight subtypes. Beverage outlets (n 2) were discussed separately from food outlets. C-NEMS-S scores were significantly different across food outlet types (P = 0.0024), especially between noodle and rice outlets (P = 0.0415). Food availability scores for starchy tubers (P < 0.001), dry beans (P < 0.001), vegetables (P = 0.0225), and fruits (P < 0.001) were significantly different across food outlet subtypes. Healthier options were scarce and only appeared in "grains" (n 2) and "meat and poultry" (n 2) categories. Further research on improving the accustomed audit tool and assessing university student diet quality is warranted.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Health Status
/
Diet
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
/
Patient_preference
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
BMC Public Health
Journal subject:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Nueva Zelanda
Country of publication:
Reino Unido