P40 Smart Snacks in College: How Do They Match Up to Popular Alternatives?

Abstract

Background Snacking has been increasing for decades, and snacks are often high in solid fats and added sugars. College campuses provide numerous and overwhelming snacking options that may factor into college weight gain such as vending machines. The Social Cognitive Theory postulates that many factors drive health behaviors. The food environment can strongly influence snacking behaviors of students. Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate the nutritional impact of a healthy snack intervention on a southern college campus. Study Design, Settings, Participants This quasi-experimental study took place in a southern college campus and is part of a larger study evaluating the efficacy of a healthy snack initiative in four residential halls. Half of vending snacks were substituted with snacks complying with federal Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards for K-12 schools. Smart Snacks must meet caloric, fat, sodium, and sugar guidelines. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Data collected in fall 2017 included sales, waste, and stock of snacks in 12 vending machines. Descriptive statistics were computed from the sales data and nutrition information collected through manufacturer's websites.. Results Average sales per week were 427 Smart Snacks and 775 standard non-compliant snacks. On average, each Smart Snack sold offered a reduction of 122 calories, 135.7 mg of sodium, 3.4 g saturated fat, and 8.6 grams of sugar and an increase of 1.1 grams of fiber. Despite overall lower sales of Smart Snacks relative to non-compliant counterparts, 14.9 caloric pounds, calculated from calorie differences, were saved each week in vending sales over a semester-long 50% Smart Snacks intervention. Conclusion The potential nutritional benefit with even a 50% Smart Snack replacement is promising. There are many comparable snacks for vendors to consider that mimic the mouthfeel, taste, and appearance of their original full-fat, full-sodium, and full-sugar counterparts. A vending machine snack adaptation to healthier snack choices may be a viable option for universities to transform the campus eating environment. Funding None.