Is the objective food environment associated with perceptions of the food environment?

Objective The present study examined whether objective measures of the food environment are associated with perceptions of the food environment and whether this relationship varies by socio-economic disadvantage.

Design The study is a cross-sectional analysis of self-report surveys and objective environment data. Women reported their perceptions on the nutrition environment. Participants’ homes and food stores were geocoded to measure the objective community nutrition environment. Data on the average price and variety of fruit and vegetables were used to measure the objective consumer nutrition environment.

Setting The study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003–2004.

Subjects Data presented are from a sample of 1393 women aged 18–65 years.

Results Overall the match between the perceived and objective environment was poor, underscoring the limitations in using perceptions of the environment as a proxy for the objective environment. Socio-economic disadvantage had limited impact on the relationship between perceived and objective nutrition environment.

Conclusions Further research is needed to understand the determinants of perceptions of the nutrition environment to enhance our understanding of the role of perceptions in nutrition choices and drivers of socio-economic inequalities in nutrition.

Measuring the `obesogenic` food environment in New Zealand primary schools

Childhood obesity is an increasing health problem in New Zealand and many other countries. Information is needed to guide interventions that reduce the ‘obesogenic’ (obesity-promoting) elements of school environments. The aim of this study was to identify and measure the obesogenic elements of the school environment and the canteen sales of energy-dense foods and drinks. A self-completion questionnaire was developed for assessing each school's nutrition environment and mailed to a stratified random sample of New Zealand schools. The responses from primary schools (n = 200, response rate 61%) were analysed. Only 15.5% of schools had purpose-built canteen facilities and over half ran a food service for profit (31% profit to the school, 24.5% profit for the contractors). Only 16.5% of schools had a food policy, although 91% of those rated the policy as effective or very effective. The most commonly available foods for sale were pies (79%), juice (57%) and sausage rolls (54.5%). Filled rolls were the most expensive item (mean $1.79) and fruit the least expensive (mean $0.47). The ratio of ‘less healthy’ to ‘more healthy’ main choices was 5.6:1, for snacks it was 9.3:1 and for drinks it was 1.4:1. In contrast, ~60% of respondents said that nutrition was a priority for the school. Only 50% felt there was management support for healthy food choices and only 39% agreed that mainly nutritious food was offered by the food service. ‘Less healthy’ choices dominated food sales by more than 2:1, with pies being the top selling item (>55 000 per week). We found that the food environment was not conducive to healthy food choices for the children at New Zealand schools and that this was reflected in the high sales of relatively unhealthy foods from the school food services. Programmes that improve school food through policies, availability, prices and school ethos are urgently needed.

Neighbourhood-socioeconomic variation in women's diet : the role of nutrition environments

Background/Objectives: Living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods is associated with increased risk of a poor diet; however, the mechanisms underlying associations are not well understood. This study investigated whether selected healthy and unhealthy dietary behaviours are patterned by neighbourhood-socioeconomic disadvantage, and if so, whether features of the neighbourhood–nutrition environment explain these associations.

Subjects/Methods: A survey was completed by 1399 women from 45 neighbourhoods of varying levels of socioeconomic disadvantage in Melbourne, Australia. Survey data on fruit, vegetable and fast-food consumption were linked with data on food store locations (supermarket, greengrocer and fast-food store density and proximity) and within-store factors (in-store data on price and availability for supermarkets and greengrocers) obtained through objective audits. Multilevel regression analyses were used to examine associations of neighbourhood disadvantage with fruit, vegetable and fast-food consumption, and to test whether nutrition environment factors mediated these associations.

Results: After controlling for individual-level demographic and socioeconomic factors, neighbourhood disadvantage was associated with less vegetable consumption and more fast-food consumption, but not with fruit consumption. Some nutrition environmental factors were associated with both neighbourhood disadvantage and with diet. Nutrition environmental features did not mediate neighbourhood-disadvantage variations in vegetable or fast-food consumption.

Conclusions: Although we found poorer diets among women living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Melbourne, the differences were not attributable to less supportive nutrition environments in these neighbourhoods.

Explaining the environmentally sustainable consumer behavior: a social capital perspective

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of social capital within a community on the adoption of consumer eco-behaviour or environmentally sustainable behaviour of consumers. The authors draw on the behavioural perspective model (BPM) of consumer behaviour and social capital theory in arguing that social capital shapes a consumer's knowledge of environmental issues and pro-environmental attitudes, which in turn influence a consumer's perceived capability to engage in eco-behaviour. Design/methodology/approach - This study uses partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling of survey data involving 1,044 consumers in the Philippines. It involves testing of a measurement model to examine the validity and reliability of the constructs used in the study. This is followed by testing of the structural models to test the hypothesised relationships of the constructs. Findings - The results suggest the substantive influence of social capital on environmental knowledge, pro-environmental attitudes and eco-capability. Both knowledge and attitudes have positive effects on eco-capability, which in turn positively shapes eco-behaviour. Research limitations/implications - Future studies can examine how social capital as a multi-dimensional construct impacts context-specific consumer behaviour. Practical implications - Social and environmental marketing may focus on social network activation to encourage eco-behaviours of consumers. Social implications - Findings highlight the role of social capital within one's community as a resource channel to encourage environmentally responsible consumer behaviour. Originality/value - The study extends the BPM by offering a social capital view as a more nuanced explanation of consumer eco-behaviour.

Examination of environmental beliefs and its impact on the influence of price, quality and demographic characteristics with respect to green intention

Research indicates that the environment has had a definite impact on consumer behaviour whereby suggesting to target consumers according to their environmental beliefs. This study investigated the consumers' green purchase behaviour using price and quality attributes as contributors to the formation of purchase intention. It attempts to construct a model that may facilitate the better understanding of green consumers' market segments through the use of an intelligent soft computing model. The model is designed to incorporate knowledge, beliefs, demographic profiles and situational variables. This potentially provides a more direct method for companies to gauge consumers' intention to purchase green products. The results showed strong preference for companies to place higher priority on reducing pollution than on increasing profitability. It highlighted different clusters that demonstrate various levels of the strength of intention to purchase and market segment profiles.

Evaluation of the childhood obesity prevention program kids - go for your life

Background
Kids - 'Go for your life' (K-GFYL) is an award-based health promotion program being implemented across Victoria, Australia. The program aims to reduce the risk of childhood obesity by improving the socio-cultural, policy and physical environments in children's care and educational settings. Membership of the K-GFYL program is open to all primary and pre-schools and early childhood services across the State. Once in the program, member schools and services are centrally supported to undertake the health promotion (intervention) activities. Once the K-GFYL program 'criteria' are reached the school/service is assessed and 'awarded'. This paper describes the design of the evaluation of the statewide K-GFYL intervention program.

Methods/Design
The evaluation is mixed method and cross sectional and aims to:
1) Determine if K-GFYL award status is associated with more health promoting environments in schools/services compared to those who are members only;
2) Determine if children attending K-GFYL award schools/services have higher levels of healthy eating and physical activity-related behaviors compared to those who are members only;
3) Examine the barriers to implementing and achieving the K-GFYL award; and
4) Determine the economic cost of implementing K-GFYL in primary schools
Parent surveys will capture information about the home environment and child dietary and physical activity-related behaviors. Environmental questionnaires in early childhood settings and schools will capture information on the physical activity and nutrition environment and current health promotion activities. Lunchbox surveys and a set of open-ended questions for kindergarten parents will provide additional data. Resource use associated with the intervention activities will be collected from primary schools for cost analysis.

Discussion
The K-GFYL award program is a community-wide intervention that requires a comprehensive, multi-level evaluation. The evaluation design is constrained by the lack of a non-K-GFYL control group, short time frames and delayed funding of this large scale evaluation across all intervention settings. However, despite this, the evaluation will generate valuable evidence about the utility of a community-wide environmental approach to preventing childhood obesity which will inform future public health policies and health promotion programs internationally.

Trial Registration
ACTRN12609001075279

Perceived quality and availability of fruit and vegetables are associated with perceptions of fruit and vegetable affordability among socio-economically disadvantaged women

Objective Perceptions that fruit and vegetables are expensive have been found to be associated with lower consumption of fruit and vegetables among disadvantaged women; however, the determinants of these perceptions are relatively unknown. The purpose of the current paper is to examine whether perceived availability and quality of fruit and vegetables, and social support for healthy eating, are associated with perceptions of fruit and vegetable affordability among women residing in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

Design Cross-sectional self-report survey.

Setting The study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia.

Subjects An Australian sample of 4131 women, aged 18–45 years, residing in neighbourhoods ranked in the lowest Victorian tertile of relative disadvantage by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, an index that considers aspects of disadvantage such as residents’ income, education, motor vehicle access and employment.

Results Results showed that irrespective of education, income and other key covariates, women who perceived poor availability and quality of fruit and vegetables in their local neighbourhood were more likely to perceive fruit and vegetables as expensive.

Conclusions Our results suggest that perceptions of fruit and vegetable affordability are not driven exclusively by lack of financial or knowledge-related resources, but also by women's psychological response and interpretation of their local nutrition environment.

Improving availability, promotion and purchase of fruit and vegetable and non sugar-sweetened drink products at community sporting clubs: a randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Amateur sporting clubs represent an attractive setting for health promotion. This study assesses the impact of a multi-component intervention on the availability, promotion and purchase of fruit and vegetable and non sugar -sweetened drink products from community sporting club canteens. We also assessed the impact the intervention on sporting club revenue from the sale of food and beverages. METHOD: A repeat cross-sectional, parallel group, cluster randomized controlled trial was undertaken with amateur community football clubs in New South Wales, Australia. The intervention was conducted over 2.5 winter sporting seasons and sought to improve the availability and promotion of fruit and vegetables and non sugar-sweetened drinks in sporting club canteens. Trial outcomes were assessed via telephone surveys of sporting club representatives and members. RESULTS: Eighty five sporting clubs and 1143 club members participated in the study. Relative to the control group, at follow-up, clubs allocated to the intervention were significantly more likely to have fruit and vegetable products available at the club canteen (OR = 5.13; 95% CI 1.70-15.38), were more likely to promote fruit and vegetable selection using reduced pricing and meal deals (OR = 34.48; 95% CI 4.18-250.00) and members of intervention clubs were more likely to report purchase of fruit and vegetable (OR = 2.58 95% CI; 1.08-6.18) and non sugar -sweetened drink (OR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.09-2.25) products. There was no significant difference between groups in the annual club revenue from food and non-alcoholic beverage sales. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that the intervention can improve the nutrition environment of sporting clubs and the purchasing behaviour of members. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12609000224224 .

Results from New Zealand's 2014 report card on physical activity for children and youth

BACKGROUND: This brief report provides grades for the 2014 New Zealand Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. The Report Card presents a review of current evidence across 9 key indicators, including physical activity (PA), organized sport and free play, sedentary behavior, and community and government initiatives across New Zealand. METHODS: Nationally representative survey data were collated by researchers at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, between June and December 2013. The grade for each indicator is based on the percentage of children and youth meeting a defined benchmark: A is 81%-100%; B is 61%-80%; C is 41%-60%, D is 21%-40%; F is 0%-20%; INC is incomplete data. RESULTS: Overall PA received a score of B, as did Organized Sport Participation and Active Play. PA participation in School Environment scored slightly less with a score of B-. Sedentary Behaviors, Family and Peers, and Community and Built Environment scored a grade of C. Active transportation received a score of C-. An inconclusive grade was given for the Government indicator due to a lack of established international criteria for assessment. CONCLUSIONS: PA participation in New Zealand is satisfactory, but could improve. However, sedentary behavior is high. Of particular concern is the age-related decline in PA participation, particularly among adolescent females, and the increase in sedentary behavior.

Impact of front-of-pack 'traffic-light' nutrition labelling on consumer food purchases in the UK

Front-of-pack ‘traffic-light’ nutrition labelling has been widely proposed as a tool to improve public health nutrition. This study examined changes to consumer food purchases after the introduction of traffic-light labels with the aim of assessing the impact of the labels on the ‘healthiness’ of foods purchased. The study examined sales data from a major UK retailer in 2007. We analysed products in two categories (‘ready meals’ and sandwiches), investigating the percentage change in sales 4 weeks before and after traffic-light labels were introduced, and taking into account seasonality, product promotions and product life-cycle. We investigated whether changes in sales were related to the healthiness of products. All products that were not new and not on promotion immediately before or after the introduction of traffic-light labels were selected for the analysis (n = 6 for ready meals and n = 12 for sandwiches). For the selected ready-meals, sales increased (by 2.4% of category sales) in the 4 weeks after the introduction of traffic-light labels, whereas sales of the selected sandwiches did not change significantly. Critically, there was no association between changes in product sales and the healthiness of the products. This short-term study based on a small number of ready meals and sandwiches found that the introduction of a system of four traffic-light labels had no discernable effect on the relative healthiness of consumer purchases. Further research on the influence of nutrition signposting will be needed before this labelling format can be considered a promising public health intervention.

Practical field use of eye-tracking devices for consumer research in the retail environment

Eye-tracking equipment is now affordable and portable, making it a practical instrument for consumer research. Engineered to best analyze gaze on a plane (e.g., a retail shelf), both portable eye-tracking glasses and computer monitor–mounted hardware can play key roles in analyzing merchandise displays to better understand what consumers view. Researchers and practitioners can use that information to improve the sales efficacy of displays. Eye-tracking hardware was nearly exclusively used to investigate the reading process but can now be used for a broader range of study, namely in retail settings. This article presents an approach to using glasses eye tracker (GET) and light eye tracker (LET) eye-tracking hardware for applied consumer research in the field. We outline equipment use, study construction, data extraction as well as benefits and limitations of the technology collected from several pilot studies.