Nutrition knowledge and attitudes of street food handlers in Mangaung Metro Municipality in free state, South Africa

Abstract

Nutritious and safe food is essential for good health. However not all food handlers especially in the street food trade know how to or are willing to prepare nutritiously balanced meals. Many non-communicable diseases are associated with poor diets, this therefore implies that habitual consumers of street vended foods could be at risk. This study therefore aimed to analyze the nutrition knowledge and attitudes of street food handlers as well as the food types sold. The study followed a cross-sectional, quantitative design using a peer reviewed questionnaire to obtain street food handler demographics, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and food types sold. Questionnaires were administered to 100 food vendors (June–August 2022) with more females (57%) than males (43%) in the sample. The nutrition knowledge responses given by vendors are indicative of a satisfactory knowledge level. None of the participants scored below 33% (i.e., ≤5/15). The vendors had positive attitudes towards nutrition. However, the meals they sold such as fat cakes and processed meats, were mostly fat and energy dense, and these have a potential to cause health issues such obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Studies on nutrition knowledge especially among this demographic are significantly fewer, and no other study of this kind has been conducted in the Free State.