Availability, Nutritional Profile and Processing Level of Food Products Sold in Vending Machines in a Spanish Public University.

Naiara Martinez-Perez,Marta Arroyo-Izaga

doi:10.3390/ijerph18136842

Abstract

Background. Given the lack of data about the nutritional value and other determinants of the consumption of foods and drinks sold in vending machines in European universities and the relevance of this sector in Spain, it is necessary to obtain scientific data on this topic. The present study aimed to assess the availability, nutritional profile and processing level of food products from vending machines at a Spanish public university and to investigate differences in nutritional profile according to the cost and promotion. Methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Data from all products available (3894) were collected and analysed using the criteria of the Spanish Agency for Consumption, Food Safety and Nutrition and the United Kingdom nutrient profiling model. The items were also classified according to the degree of industrial processing through the NOVA system. Promotion was assessed, taking into account where products were displayed in vending machines. Results. The most common products were sweets (23.4% of the total options), coffee (20.3%) and salty snacks (11.7%). According to the combination of the two criteria used to assess nutritional profile, 48.6% of the products were classified as with low nutritional quality (LNQ). In addition, 73.8% of the items were categorised as “ultra-processed”. Foods (β = 0.31, 95% CI 0.24, 0.39, p < 0.001) and hot drinks (β = 0.46, 95% CI 0.39, 0.52, p < 0.001) with high nutritional quality (HNQ) were more likely to have higher prices than alternatives with LNQ. Both foods and cold drinks that support healthy dietary recommendations were promoted to a lesser extent than those with LNQ (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Almost half of the products were of LNQ and three-quarters had a high level of processing. Moreover, foods and cold drinks with LNQ were less expensive and more often promoted than alternatives with HNQ.

Highlights

Over the last decades, obesity rates have increased [1]
The current study aimed to assess the nutritional profiles of foods and drinks sold in vending machines at a Spanish public university and to investigate differences in these profiles according to the cost and the product’s location in the machine
Consistent with other studies conducted in university environments [5], it was found that almost half of the products offered for sale in vending machines at UPV/EHU were of low nutritional quality (LNQ) and almost three-quarters had a high level of processing

Summary

Introduction

Obesity rates have increased [1]. Precursors for obesity, such as poor nutrition and physical inactivity, that are related to physical and social environments are increasingly recognised [2]. Individuals were viewed as being solely responsible for their lifestyle choices with little regard given to the environments within which the choices were made. Both the social-ecological framework and the reciprocal determinism construct from social cognitive theory posit that environments and behaviours affect each other concurrently [3]. The present study aimed to assess the availability, nutritional profile and processing level of food products from vending machines at a Spanish public university and to investigate differences in nutritional profile according to the cost and promotion. According to the combination of the two criteria used to assess nutritional profile, 48.6% of the products were classified as with low nutritional quality (LNQ).

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion