Urban Retail Food Environments: Relative Availability and Prominence of Exhibition of Healthy vs. Unhealthy Foods at Supermarkets in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Natalia Elorriaga, Daniela L. Moyano, María V. López, Ana S. Cavallo, Laura Gutierrez, Camila B. Panaggio and Vilma Irazola
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Natalia Elorriaga: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Department of Research on Chronic Diseases, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1414CPV, Argentina
Daniela L. Moyano: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Department of Research on Chronic Diseases, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1414CPV, Argentina
María V. López: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Department of Research on Chronic Diseases, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1414CPV, Argentina
Ana S. Cavallo: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Department of Research on Chronic Diseases, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1414CPV, Argentina
Laura Gutierrez: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Department of Research on Chronic Diseases, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1414CPV, Argentina
Camila B. Panaggio: Departamento de Salud, Universidad Nacional de La Matanza (UNLaM), San Justo B1754JEC, Argentina
Vilma Irazola: Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), Department of Research on Chronic Diseases, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1414CPV, Argentina

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: There is growing evidence that the food environment can influence diets. The present study aimed to assess the relative availability and prominence of healthy foods (HF) versus unhealthy products (UP) in supermarkets in Buenos Aires, Argentina and to explore differences by retail characteristics and neighborhood income level. We conducted store audits in 32 randomly selected food retails. Food availability (presence/absence, ratio of cumulative linear shelf length for HF vs. UP) and prominence inside the store (location visibility) were measured based on the International Network for Food and Obesity/NCDs Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) protocol. On average, for every 1 m of shelf length for UP, there was about 25 cm of shelf length for HF (HF/UP ratio: 0.255, SD 0.130). UP were more frequently available in high-prominence store areas (31/32 retails) than HF (9/32 retails). Shelf length ratio differed across commercial chains ( p = 0.0268), but not by store size or type. Retails in the lower-income neighborhoods had a lower HF/UP ratio than those in the higher-income neighborhoods ( p = 0.0329). Availability of the selected HF was overcome largely by the UP, particularly in high prominence areas, and in neighborhoods with lower income level, which may pose an opportunity for public health interventions.

Keywords: healthy food retail; retail food environment; supermarket; food availability; Buenos Aires; INFORMAS; socio-economic factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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