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The effect of retail food environment interventions on dietary behavior in postsecondary education settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Postsecondary educational institutions, where millions of people work and study worldwide, represent an important context for interventions to improve the retail food environment. The purpose of this research by Barrett et al. (2023) was to compile data about the efficacy of retail food environment interventions in encouraging staff and students in postsecondary educational settings to adopt better eating habits. The authors examined academic databases and found pertinent quasi-experimental research and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until August 2023. Eligible studies evaluated how retail food environment changes affected students’ or employees’ dietary habits (e.g., food purchases or consumption) in postsecondary educational settings. The interventions focused on the following aspects of the food environment: product, pricing, location, and promotion. Secondary outcomes were those related to business (total sales, profit, or revenue). Findings were summarized narratively and organized by the food environment element. Of the 10,126 papers first found, 55 studies (76% quasi-experimental) that described 71 distinct treatments (49 single-element and 22 multi-element) were included. Two-thirds (47 out of 71) of the interventions (32 single-element and 15 multi-element) showed significant improvements in dietary behavior. Single-element interventions focusing on placement (1) and price (3) improved dietary behavior. While 54% of interventions aimed at promotion (19 out of 35) were successful, the majority (9 out of 10, or 90%) of interventions aimed at product availability or convenience (a product factor) enhanced dietary behavior. Purchased or ingested energy significantly decreased, according to a pooled analysis of 12 treatments. Almost all (11 out of 12, or 92%) interventions assessing business-related outcomes reported either a significant increase or no change. This analysis offers positive data demonstrating how well retail food environment interventions work to promote healthy eating habits among employees and students in postsecondary educational settings. [NPID: Food environment, university, college, diet, nutrition]
Year: 2023
