Sweet, Fat and Salty: Snacks in Vending Machines in Health and Social Care Institutions in Slovenia

Urška Rozman, Igor Pravst, Urška Pivk Kupirovič, Urška Blaznik, Primož Kocbek and Sonja Šostar Turk
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Urška Rozman: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Žitna ulica 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Igor Pravst: Nutrition Institute, Tržaška cesta 40, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Urška Pivk Kupirovič: Nutrition Institute, Tržaška cesta 40, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Urška Blaznik: National Institute of Public Health, Trubarjeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Primož Kocbek: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Žitna ulica 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Sonja Šostar Turk: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Žitna ulica 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-12

Abstract: Vending machines in health and social care facilities are often the only possible choice for a quick snack for workers and visitors, in many cases providing unhealthy dietary choices. Our study aimed to analyse the variety and nutritional quality of foods available in vending machines placed in social and health care institution in Slovenia. The available snacks were quantitatively assessed, using traffic light profiling. The model used for nutrient profiling was that of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Vending machines in 188 institutions were surveyed, resulting in 5625 food-items consisting of 267 unique product labels. Sweet products dominate in vending machines offers (about 70%), while nuts and seeds (8.4%), yoghurts (2.1%), fruits (1.4%) and milk (0.3%) are present in a very small proportion or are not available at all. According to FSANZ, 88.5% of all displayed food items in vending machines can be considered as lower nutritional quality or less healthy products. The authors’ future activities will be focused on ensuring wider availability of healthy dietary choices and on including official guidelines in tender conditions for vending machines in health and social care institutions in Slovenia.

Keywords: snacks; vending machines; social care institutions; health care institutions; Slovenia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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