Food Venues Research Articles

Food insecurity and the consumption of plant-centered meals and high sodium foods among students at three large state universities

Objective: To examine the associations between food insecurity and plant-centered meal consumption and other sodium-related dietary behaviors among university students. Methods: A web-based survey of students at three California state universities was conducted between August 2018 to May 2019. Multivariable logistic regressions examined the associations between food insecurity and four sodium-related dietary behaviors. Interaction terms were introduced to assess if race/ethnicity moderated these associations. Results: High food insecurity was associated with increased odds of reporting ‘likely to order’ plant-centered meals (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.16–2.05). Moderate food insecurity was associated with increased odds of frequently eating processed foods (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.13–1.74). No moderation effects were found for race/ethnicity. Conclusions: University students with high food insecurity appeared receptive to ordering plant-centered meals, whereas those with moderate food insecurity consumed more processed foods. State universities should encourage and offer more low-sodium, plant-centered meal options in their food venues, on- and off-campus, to promote student health.

Between gaze and taste: Senses, imaginaries, and the sustainability of culinary heritage in Greek tourist-oriented tavernes

This article examines food tourism events in permanent tourist-oriented food venues, focusing on Greek tavernes. Drawing on ethnographic research in Greece since 2010, we explore how tourists' expectations and sensory experiences in food events influence culinary heritage and social sustainability. We employ Urry's “tourist gaze” concept, integrating it with a comprehensive analytical framework addressing tourists' and local attendees' sensory experiences in daily food events at culturally significant institutions like Greek Tavernes. Our study illuminates the dominance of tourists' expectations, preconceived imaginaries, and sensory engagements, revealing potential challenges to sustained cultural traditions and culinary heritage. While the “tourist gaze” may perpetuate static cultural dynamics, we identify “tourist (and resident) taste” as a counter-mechanism. Our findings reveal that Greek tavernes, catering to tourist expectations and evolving local taste preferences, strike a delicate balance, enhancing eventful and multisensorial experiences to preserve and develop culinary heritage and social sustainability.

The influence of environmental cleanliness on food perceptions.

Background: Getting consumers to adopt healthier eating habits continues to be a puzzle for marketers and policymakers all over the globe. Nevertheless, research continues to identify factors that can influence consumers' food consumption. Aim: The purpose of this research is to explore how one relatively unexplored factor, namely the cleanliness of the surrounding environment, can affect perceptions and consumption. Methods: An online survey experiment presenting participants with either a clean or dirty environment scenario and asking subsequent questions about their dining experience was utilized. Results: Participants in a clean (vs. dirty) environment perceived their food to be healthier, fresher, and of higher quality, relative to a dirty environment. This effect, in turn, mediated the relationship between condition and perceptions of meal quality. Conclusion: Clean environmental conditions, though not directly related to the food products provided at food venues, can nevertheless have a strong influence on consumers' dining experience.

Did COVID-19 influence fruit and vegetable consumption? Explaining and comparing pandemic peak and post-peak periods

The COVID-19 pandemic, one of the worst global health crises in the last century, impacted nearly every aspect of people's lives, including their dietary choices and food consumption patterns. It arrived during a long shift in American diets featuring increasingly large portions of processed foods as well as fruit and vegetable consumption that is well below recommended levels. Improving the latter has been a key part of policymakers' efforts to improve consumers' diets. This study surveyed individuals in the US South to determine the factors influencing their consumption of fruit and vegetables during the pandemic peak and how these have changed post-peak. During the peak, food venue, demographics, and concerns about diet and the seriousness of the virus heavily affected consumption. Greater amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables were consumed post-peak pandemic. Changes post-peak were predicted by food venue. Cooking meals at home was the main positive predictor for consumption. US policymakers should try and leverage the changes since the peak to promote greater consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Dining Patterns at Campus Food Venues: University Employees’ Perspectives

Dining Patterns at Campus Food Venues: University Employees’ Perspectives

Planning and Promoting an Authentic Slow Food Tourism Corridor in a Suburban Town in the US

Interest in slow tourism is surging as consumers seek immersive experiences and self-enrichment. Only a handful of studies have examined this phenomenon minutely from an authenticity standpoint. To fill this vacuum, by employing a case study technique, this study examines the manner in which authenticity is promoted and showcased in a broad range of iconic food venues in the suburban town of Gilbert (Arizona, USA). Content analysis of the signature websites of fourteen iconic food venues is conducted in addition to an online survey of the venue managers. Based on the results, this study presents a roadmap for developing and promoting a slow food tourism corridor for Gilbert.

Environmental determinants of childhood obesity: a meta-analysis

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of childhood obesity has contributed to the growing global burden of chronic diseases over the life course, which has been largely attributed to obesogenic environments. This giant-scale review was done to translate existing obesogenic environmental studies into evidence-based governance for fighting childhood obesity and promoting life-course health. MethodsFollowing a standard strategy of literature search and inclusion, all obesogenic environmental studies, published since the inception of the electronic databases, were reviewed to identify the evidence on associations with childhood obesity of 16 obesogenic environmental factors, including 10 built environmental factors or indices (ie, land-use mix, street connectivity, residential density, speed limit, urban sprawl, and access to green space, public transport, bike lanes, sidewalks, and neighbourhood aesthetics) and six food environmental factors (ie, access to convenience stores, supermarkets, grocery stores, full-service restaurants, fast-food restaurants, and fruit and vegetable markets). A meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the influence of each factor with sufficient studies on childhood obesity. FindingsA total of 24 155 search results were found and filtered, with 457 studies included in the analysis. All built environmental factors, except speed limit and urban sprawl, were negatively associated with childhood obesity by encouraging physical activity while discouraging sedentary behaviours; the access to all food venues, except convenience stores and fast-food restaurants, was negatively associated with childhood obesity by encouraging their healthy eating behaviours. There were some globally consistent associations, such as between greater access to fast-food restaurants in the neighbourhood and more fast-food consumption, between better access to bike lanes and more physical activity, between better access to sidewalks and reduced sedentary behaviours, and between greater access to green space and more physical activity and less TV or computer screen time. InterpretationFindings have formed the unprecedentedly inclusive evidence for policy making and the establishment of the future research agenda regarding the obesogenic environment. FundingNational Natural Science Foundation of China, Chengdu Technological Innovation R&D Project, Sichuan Provincial Key R&D Program, and Wuhan University Specific Fund for Major School-level Internationalization Initiatives.

A Vanishing Food Infrastructure: The Closure of Food Outlets in Flint in a Pandemic Era

Most food access studies focus on large cities, examine traditional grocery stores, and only consider operational food outlets. This siloed approach exposes a gap in food access literature. Therefore, as a part of our assessment of Flint’s food landscape, we examined closed food outlets in the city and surrounding townships. We investigated the relationship between the racial composition of census tracts and the number and type of defunct food outlets identified. We used Data Axle to collect and verify data on open and closed food outlets between September 2020 and December 2021. We made a final verification of the food outlet closures in June 2022. We used ArcGIS 10.8.1 and SPSS Version 28 to map and analyze the data. We used negative binomial regression models to determine differences in the likelihood of having an additional closed food outlet in census tracts with low and high percentages of Black residents. We also investigated the relationship between a census tract’s median income and the likelihood of having an additional closed food outlet. There were 173 closed food outlets; 81 were in Flint, and 92 were in surrounding townships. The most frequently closed food outlets were restaurants; they accounted for 45.1% of the closures. The mean number of closed food venues in census tracts where less than 40% of the residents were Black was 1.5. The mean was similar in census tracts where 40% or more of the residents were Black; it was 1.6. This difference was not significant. However, the median income of a census tract was a significant predictor of the likelihood of having an additional closed food outlet. Every one-thousand-dollar increase in median income resulted in a 2% less likelihood of having an additional closed food outlet. The results of this study show that there is more to the food landscape of a city than its operational food outlets. Focusing exclusively on active food outlets does not accurately depict a city's food infrastructure.

Street Food and Takeaway Food Purchasing Patterns in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This study aimed to describe street food and takeaway food purchasing patterns in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, throughout the day and by city location. A cross-sectional evaluation of street food and takeaway food customers was conducted in 2017. All eligible vending sites (n = 348) in the vicinity of selected markets and bus stops were included. Data on the food items purchased, and time and geographic location of the purchases were collected. A total of 755 customers purchased 929 food items. Takeaway venues showed higher customer influx (5.0 vs. 2.0 customers observed per 10 min of observation, p < 0.001) and buying rates (6.7 vs. 2.0 items bought per 10 min of observation, p < 0.001; 1.5 vs. 1.0 items bought per customer, p < 0.001) than street food sites. These rates were higher in city peripheries for street food venues, and in city centres for takeaway establishments. The purchase of industrial food products prevailed throughout the day in street food venues, whereas most takeaway purchases comprised homemade foods, with or without industrial beverages. The proportion of customers buying foods and beverages together was higher in takeaway venues (15.3% vs. 6.0%, p < 0.001), especially during lunchtime and in city centres. In street food vending sites, sweet and savoury snacks seemed to be preferred in the afternoon, whereas in takeaway food establishments, savoury pastries and main dishes were mostly purchased at breakfast or lunch, and bread during the morning. Soft drinks and industrial juices were frequently purchased in both types of vending site and at all hours of the day, particularly in the afternoon. Our findings provide an overview of street food and takeaway food buying habits and consumer demands in these cities, reflecting local food culture and dietary behaviours. The identification of the meal contexts and city sub-regions in which specific purchasing practices emerge point to potential priority targets. These insights can be useful when designing interventions adapted to the specificities of these food environments and the food habits of customers.

Quality as a Determining Factor of Satisfying the Consumers’ Needs in Restaurant Business Products and Services

Topicality. Nowadays, the functioning effectiveness of restaurant industry establishments entirely depends on the level of the services and products compliance to the consumers’ requirements. Additionally, it is necessary to mention the urgent determining the consumers’ needs and demands regarding the services and products quality of the restaurant business. Therefore, the question of understanding the essence of such a complex and multifaceted phenomenon as quality becomes relevant for the restaurant establishments. A deep understanding of the quality content and structure makes it possible to elaborate more effective measures in order to improve the quality of restaurant services and products, that meet or even exceed the consumers’ expectations. As a result, it can form the main strategic direction in the competitive environment of the changing restaurant industry. Aim and methods. The aim of the study is to conduct theoretical and practical analysis, systematization and generalization of scientific approaches of blighty and foreign scholars on the interpretation of the quality concept, as well as state standards for services and products quality definition, reasoning the role of services and products quality in satisfying the needs of the restaurant establishments consumers in order to high their competitiveness. The methodological basis of this research form the following methods of scientific analysis: methods of logical generalization, the systemic, functional and systemic-structural analysis. Results. The concept of quality is defined as a set of certain characteristics of services and products that meet the existing or anticipated needs of consumers according to their purposes. The interdependence of the necessity in restaurant establishments providing the high stable level of services and products quality, in accordance with the requirements and needs of modern consumers in the market of goods and services, is proved. It is necessary to elaborate and apply a quality management system for services and products, which is an effective tool for improving the competitiveness of food and drink venues. Conclusions and discussion. The results of scientific research prove that quality is a determining factor in evaluating the success of service and production functioning results, namely manufactured products and given services. This is one of key aspects that characterizes consumers’ demands for services and products quality. In turn, the needs of consumers are a determinant in formation the need for permanent improvement of quality, and implementation in the restaurant industry the quality management system for products and services.

Quantifying the importance and location of SARS-CoV-2 transmission events in large metropolitan areas

Detailed characterization of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission across different settings can help design less disruptive interventions. We used real-time, privacy-enhanced mobility data in the New York City, NY and Seattle, WA metropolitan areas to build a detailed agent-based model of SARS-CoV-2 infection to estimate the where, when, and magnitude of transmission events during the pandemic's first wave. We estimate that only 18% of individuals produce most infections (80%), with about 10% of events that can be considered superspreading events (SSEs). Although mass gatherings present an important risk for SSEs, we estimate that the bulk of transmission occurred in smaller events in settings like workplaces, grocery stores, or food venues. The places most important for transmission change during the pandemic and are different across cities, signaling the large underlying behavioral component underneath them. Our modeling complements case studies and epidemiological data and indicates that real-time tracking of transmission events could help evaluate and define targeted mitigation policies.

The Impact of a Grocery Store Closure in One Rural Highly Obese Appalachian Community on Shopping Behavior and Dietary Intake.

Research has examined how the entry of grocery stores into neighborhoods influences dietary outcomes, yet limited evidence suggests a direct correlation between opening a store and changes in dietary intake. A factor that might influence individuals’ behavior more directly is the closing of a grocery store where residents shop. This study aims to examine how a grocery closure in a rural Appalachian high poverty county is associated with dietary intake. A cohort of n = 152 individuals were recruited to participate in a longitudinal study examining purchasing habits and dietary intake. At time point two, one year later, n = 74 individuals completed the survey via phone. Results indicate those that switched from shopping at a local grocery store to a supercenter significantly increased their dietary intake of fruit (0.2 ± 0.8), fruits and vegetables (1.4 ± 2.7), alcohol (grams) (17.3 ± 54.1), and tomato sauce (0.1 ± 0.3). A local grocery store closure was associated with a change in shopping behavior and dietary intake. Community-level interventions targeting dietary behaviors must account for neighborhood food environment influences, including grocery store availability. Policy aimed at improving food access in rural communities need to consider approaches to improving a variety of food venues with affordable healthy food, while addressing the evolving grocery shopping behaviors of consumers.

Nudging food service users to choose fruit- and vegetable-rich items: Five field studies

Although nudging has been found to promote the choice of healthy foods in lab studies and ad-hoc field studies, relatively little research is available regarding effectiveness in real food venues that operate for profit. The paucity of empirical studies providing “proof of implementation” reveals the difficulty of applying previous empirical findings on nudging to mass-eating food services contexts, which serve meals to a lot of individuals daily. Based on the typology of choice architecture in food choice contexts, we closely collaborated with the in-house food service operator to devise and implement five nudge interventions to promote fruits and vegetables (FV) in university cafeterias. Each study was conducted for one 12-week semester or more over a three-year period. In the first two studies, non-verbal point-of-purchase prompting increased the choice of kale/spinach supplemented smoothies and whole fruits from baskets. In Study 3, the combination of sizing and point-of-purchase non-verbal prompting increased the sale of large size vegetable-rich bowls from a stir-fry grill. In Study 4, the proximity type of nudging by altering the position of the healthier option in a sandwich bar in combination with non-verbal prompting increased the sale of sandwiches containing spinach. In Study 5, the combination of sizing and proximity of large vs. small sized plates and serving spoons had no effect on sale of self-serve items in a salad bar. All the interventions except for Study 5 produced a moderate effect in increasing the choice of FV-rich items. We recommend that hospitality and food service operators consider operational parameters and simultaneously adopt more than one nudging components to achieve a sizable effect. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to implement choice architecture techniques in collaboration with food service companies.

Editorial and News

Editorial and News

From Cloudberries to Chanterelles: Reflections on Baltic Tourism and the Helsinki Herring Festival

Tourism has increased in the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania since their EU membership in 2004. By comparing Baltic food venues with the Helsinki Herring Festival, Potter chronicles her recent epicurean travels – from pizza joints to Michelin Stars – while deepening her appreciation for colorful Baltic culture and its vast history.

COVID-19에 따른 백화점 식품관 이용객의 소비가치와 선택속성, 행동의도의 영향관계

This study was designed to suggest insights on helping stimulate food markets at department stores, and setting marketing directions by analyzing how the selection attributes of department store food market users have changed since COVID-19, and what impact the relationship between the consumption value of department store food market users has had on selection attributes and customer behavior intentions? This study found that consumption value had a positive (+) effect on selection attributes and behavior intentions, and that selection attributes also had a positive (+) effect on behavior intentions. Among consumption values, this study discovered that emotional value had a significant impact on all selection attributes. Therefore, food markets at department stores should look to secure separate resting areas to relieve stress built up from using the department store and relax, offer a wide variety of foods and dining options, design lines of movement to make it easier for users to access amenities, install various cultural facilities and develop programs to lure consumers shopping online due to COVID-19 to brick-and-mortar (offline) stores. Moreover, in addition to just selling food, food markets at department stores should make continued efforts to transform themselves as venues that can deliver comfort and happiness to users by securing space for activities and experiences designed to instill a sense of comfort and pleasure to users and visitors. Thus, the department store industry should devise and implement an aggressive marketing strategy that may include securing a variety of food options and restaurant brands to create a more shopper-friendly environment and attract new customers, creating a comfortable atmosphere and a great ambiance by refreshing/renovating facilities in line with latest trends, securing and developing venues and lines of movement to help customers see, enjoy, and experience everything the department store has to offer, and positioning its food market as a premium food venue with quality customers expect from a department store.

Spatiotemporal Analysis of COVID-19 Spread with Emerging Hotspot Analysis and Space–Time Cube Models in East Java, Indonesia

In this research, we analyzed COVID-19 distribution patterns based on hotspots and space–time cubes (STC) in East Java, Indonesia. The data were collected based on the East Java COVID-19 Radar report results from a four-month period, namely March, April, May, and June 2020. Hour, day, and date information were used as the basis of the analysis. We used two spatial analysis models: the emerging hotspot analysis and STC. Both techniques allow us to identify the hotspot cluster temporally. Three-dimensional visualizations can be used to determine the direction of spread of COVID-19 hotspots. The results showed that the spread of COVID-19 throughout East Java was centered in Surabaya, then mostly spread towards suburban areas and other cities. An emerging hotspot analysis was carried out to identify the patterns of COVID-19 hotspots in each bin. Both cities featured oscillating patterns and sporadic hotspots that accumulated over four months. This pattern indicates that newly infected patients always follow the recovery of previous COVID-19 patients and that the increase in the number of positive patients is higher when compared to patients who recover. The monthly hotspot analysis results yielded detailed COVID-19 spatiotemporal information and facilitated more in-depth analysis of events and policies in each location/time bin. The COVID-19 hotspot pattern in East Java, visually speaking, has an amoeba-like pattern. Many positive cases tend to be close to the city, in places with high road density, near trade and business facilities, financial storage, transportation, entertainment, and food venues. Determining the spatial and temporal resolution for the STC model is crucial because it affects the level of detail for the information of endemic disease distribution and is important for the emerging hotspot analysis results. We believe that similar research is still rare in Indonesia, although it has been done elsewhere, in different contexts and focuses.

Understanding the healthfulness of outlets providing lunch and dinner meals: a census of a rural food retail environment in Victoria, Australia

ObjectiveTo undertake a census of the healthfulness of food venues providing lunch or dinner meals in a rural Australian setting and compare healthfulness by remoteness, using two measurement tools. MethodsA census of the rural local government area food venues was undertaken using two validated tools: the Healthfulness Rating Classification System (HRCS) and the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS‐R). Data were collected covering an area of 3,438 square kilometres in Victoria, Australia, with a population of >21,000. Healthfulness by remoteness was described and variability between tools was explored. ResultsData were collected from all 95 eligible food venues. Both tools classified the food venues as relatively unhealthy. The mean HRCS score was ‐2.9 (unhealthy) and the mean NEMS‐R score was 10.8 (SD 7.0; possible range ‐27 to 64). There were no significant differences in healthiness of venues by remoteness (as measured by the Modified Monash Model), although the outer‐rural region had lower scores. ConclusionsThis census of a rural food retail environment showed low access to healthy menu options along with minimal provision of nutrition information and promotion of healthy food in food venues. This environment has the potential to affect the dietary intake of more than 21,000 rural‐dwelling Australians and action to improve rural food environments is desperately needed. Implications for public healthIf unhealthful rural food environments are not addressed, inequalities in the diet‐related disease burden for rural Australians will continue to persist. This study shows that interventions are needed for independent venues that could be targeted by researchers, local health promotion officers, community nutritionists or community education programs.

Where we eat is who we are: a survey of food-related travel patterns to Singapore\u2019s hawker centers, food courts and coffee shops

BackgroundThe development of empirically-grounded policies to change the obesogenic nature of urban environment has been impeded by limited, inconclusive evidence of the link between food environments, dietary behaviors, and health-related outcomes, in part due to inconsistent methods of classifying and analyzing food environments. This study explores how individual and built environment characteristics may be associated with how far and long people travel to food venues,that can serve as a starting point for further policy-oriented research to develop a more nuanced, context-specific delineations of ‘food environments’ in an urban Asian context.MethodsFive hundred twenty nine diners in eight different neighborhoods in Singapore were surveyed about how far and long they travelled to their meal venues, and by what mode. We then examined how respondents’ food-related travel differed by socioeconomic characteristics, as well as objectively-measured built environment characteristics at travel origin and destination, using linear regression models.ResultsLow-income individuals expended more time traveling to meal destinations than high-income individuals, largely because they utilized slower modes like walking rather than driving. Those travelling from areas with high food outlet density travelled shorter distances and times than those from food-sparse areas, while those seeking meals away from their home and work anchor points had lower thresholds for travel. Respondents also travelled longer distances to food-dense locations, compared to food-sparse locations.ConclusionThose seeking to improve food environments of poor individuals should consider studying an intervention radius pegged to typical walking distances, or ways to improve their transport options as a starting point. Policy-focused research on food environments should also be sensitive to locational characteristics, such as food outlet densities and land use.

Food Trucks: Healthy Enough to Deliver Nutrition Interventions?

Abstract Objectives Food trucks have become very popular away from home food venues. Given their mobility and low overhead, food trucks are potential public health partners in delivering healthy options. However, there is lack of research about healthfulness of their offerings. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the healthfulness of food truck menu items. Methods This study was cross-sectional. Menus from all food trucks (n = 78) in the Detroit area were collected, including a total of 725 menu items. Nutritionist Pro was used to ascertain kilocalorie and nutrient content. Items were classified as healthy if less than 600 kilocalories, saturated fat &amp;lt;=10% of kilocalories, and at least 10% the Daily Value of at least one of calcium, iron, protein, fiber, vitamin D, or potassium. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test results were calculated. Results A total of 178 items (24.6%) were classified as healthy. Most of the healthy items were entrée items (72.5%), but appetizer items were more likely (P = 0.005) and dessert items less likely (P &amp;lt; .001) to be classified as healthy. Among 78 food trucks, there was wide variation in % of items deemed as healthy (range: 0–100%), with 55 (70.5%) offering at least one healthy item. Conclusions Findings of this novel study indicate that while food truck food is generally unhealthy, there is often at least one healthy item on a menu. Food trucks with higher percentages of healthy items likely have a more positive attitude toward healthy food preparation and may be more amenable to partnering on multi-level nutrition interventions involving food environment modification at venues like schools, worksites, community centers, and summer feeding programs. Funding Sources Oakland University School of Health Sciences Research Award.