Development and Validation of the Vending Evaluation for Nutrient-Density (VEND)ing Audit

Tanya M. Horacek, Elif Dede Yildirim, Melissa Matthews Schreiber, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Sarah Colby, Adrienne A. White, Karla P. Shelnutt, Melissa D. Olfert, Anne E. Mathews, Kristin Riggsbee, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Jesse Stabile Morrell and Kendra Kattelmann
Additional contact information
Tanya M. Horacek: Department of Public Health Food Studies and Nutrition, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
Elif Dede Yildirim: Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
Melissa Matthews Schreiber: Department of Public Health Food Studies and Nutrition, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
Sarah Colby: Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Adrienne A. White: School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5735, USA
Karla P. Shelnutt: Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Melissa D. Olfert: Division of Animal & Nutritional Sciences, School of Agriculture, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Anne E. Mathews: Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Kristin Riggsbee: Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Lisa Franzen-Castle: Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Jesse Stabile Morrell: Department of Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Kendra Kattelmann: Health and Nutritional Sciences Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Background: This paper describes the development and validation of the Vending Evaluation for Nutrient-Density (VEND)ing audit to comprehensively evaluate vended products based upon healthfulness, price and promotion, and machine accessibility. Methods: A novel vending nutrient-density score was created to determine the healthfulness of vended snack/beverage products. Field tested in United States colleges, VENDing audit (∑nutrient-density + 10 × % healthy products) and Support sub-scores (price + promotion + accessibility) were calculated for snack/beverage machines. Higher scores indicate more healthful vending options and supports for choosing healthfully. Nutrition Environment Measures Survey-Vending (NEMS-V) was used to validate the nutrient-density score for a sub-sample of machines. Sensitivity and specificity were computed by comparing the number of healthy snacks/beverages determined by NEMS-V and the VENDing nutrient-density scores. Results: Researchers conducted the VENDing audit on 228 snack/beverage vending machines at 9 universities within the United States and used both VENDing and NEMS-V on 33 snack and 52 beverage vending machines. Mean VENDing audit scores were 4.5 ± 2.0 (2.6, 3.4) and 2.6 ± 2.0 (0, 12) for snack/beverage machines, respectively. The number of products considered healthy assessed with both the VENDing nutrient-density scores and the NEMS-V were positively correlated for beverages ( r = 0.687, p < 0.001) and snacks ( r = 0.366, p < 0.05). The sensitivity was excellent for beverages (0.83) and moderate for snacks (0.69); while the specificity was moderate for both beverages (0.66) and snacks (0.50). Conclusions: The VENDing audit uses unique, valid, and reliable nutrient-density scoring to evaluate snacks/beverages along a continuum of healthful criteria and comprehensively evaluates the full vending environment.

Keywords: vending machines; food environment; snacks; beverages; nutrient-density score (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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