Associations between area deprivation and changes in the digital food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal analysis of three online food delivery platforms

Kalbus, Alexandra; Ballatore, Andrea; Cornelsen, Laura; Greener, Robert; Cummins, Steven

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102976

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Online grocery shopping as well as delivery of meals prepared away from home increased during the pandemic [ 11 , 74 ]. To assess potential bias through purchases made online, we restricted the analysis of take-home purchases to those made in physical outlets in the sensitivity analyses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between the neighbourhood food environment and food and drink purchasing in England during lockdown: A repeated cross-sectional analysis

Kalbus,

Cornelsen,

Ballatore

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Introduction Evidence for the effect of neighbourhood food environment (NFE) exposures on diet in the UK is mixed, potentially due to exposure misclassification. This study used the first national COVID-19 lockdown in England as an opportunity to isolate the independent effects of the NFE exposure on food and drink purchasing, and assessed whether these varied by region. Methods Transaction-level purchasing data for food and drink items for at-home (1,221 households) and out-of-home consumption (171 individuals) were available from the GB Kantar Fast Moving Consumer Goods Panel for London and the North of England. The study period included 23rd March to 10th May 2020 (‘lockdown’), and the same period in 2019 for comparison. NFE exposures included food outlet density and proximity, and NFE composition within a 1 km network buffer around the home. Associations were estimated for both years separately, adjusted for individual and household characteristics, population density and area deprivation. Interaction terms between region and exposures were explored. Results There were no consistent patterns of association between NFE exposures and food and drink purchasing in either time period. In 2019, there was some evidence for a 1.4% decrease in energy purchased from ultra-processed foods for each additional 500 m in the distance to the nearest OOH outlet (IR 0.986, 95% CI 0.977 to 0.995, p = 0.020). In 2020, there was some evidence for a 1.8% reduction in total take-home energy for each additional chain supermarket per km2 in the neighbourhood (IR 0.982, 95% CI 0.969, 0.995, p = 0.045). Region-specific effects were observed in 2019 only. Discussion Findings suggest that the differences in exposure to the NFE may not explain differences in the patterns or healthiness of grocery purchasing. Observed pre-pandemic region-specific effects allude to the importance of geographical context when designing research and policy. Future research may assess associations for those who relied on their NFE during lockdown.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between the neighbourhood food environment and food and drink purchasing in England during lockdown: A repeated cross-sectional analysis

Kalbus,

Cornelsen,

Ballatore

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…Therefore, our sample of participants had enough income to access food through the digital food environments [more apps and delivery options were created] during this pandemic. This digital food environment was effective for linking the food market with consumers 43 , allowing our participants not to reduce non-processed food and even increase processed food. However, in our participants, family functioning had a buffer effect on this increased processed food intake, as high family functioning participants had a lower risk of increasing the consumption of these foods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between family functioning and food consumption during a health and social crisis: A COVID-19 study in Chile

Gálvez Espinoza,

Iglesias Vejar,

Cuevas Essus

et al. 2023

Rev. chil. nutr.

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The COVID-19 pandemic and government measures have challenged family functioning (FF) and eating behaviors. In non-pandemic scenarios, FF has shown a protective role in diet quality. This study aimed to explore the role of FF in family members' food consumption during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. We conducted a cross-sectional, non-probabilistic study. Chilean adults (n= 821) answered an online survey based on the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES) IV and a scale of food intake perceptions (non-processed and processed food). The survey also included an open space for comments (n= 147). Most participants had a medium or high FF category. Participants with higher FF had a lower risk of decreasing the consumption of non-processed foods (RR= 0.58 for fruits and RR= 0.45 for legumes) and lower risk of increasing processed foods (RR= 0.37 for sugar-sweetened beverages, RR= 0.46 for snacks, and RR= 0.64 for chocolates) when compared to lower FF participants and controlling for per-capita income. Participants commented on changes in FF: some had more conflicts and others were happy to be together during the pandemic. Most participants indicated that they maintained or increased non-processed and processed food consumption compared to the pre-pandemic period. They perceived having the opportunity of eating healthier during the pandemic. However, the stress they suffered produced them to eat unhealthily. Therefore, FF had a protective role in diet quality during the pandemic. Policymakers should consider FF when promoting healthy diets, especially in health crises.

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“…These fast-growing services are likely to increase the availability of takeaway food, which the intervention was designed to reduce, thereby reducing its impact. In one UK study, online food delivery services were used at least once per week by approximately 15% of adults in 2018 55 and there is evidence that access is unequal between urban and rural areas 56 From 2020 to 2022, access to online delivery takeaways was found to have increased by 10% for those living in the most deprived areas of England 57. Adults living in the UK who have access to the greatest number of takeaways online were also found to have the greatest odds of using online food delivery services 58 55 . Future research should consider the possibility that place-based interventions such as management zones may to some extent be undermined by new modes of takeaway food purchasing.…”

Section: Limitations: Online Food Deliverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Health impacts of takeaway management zones around schools in six different local authorities across England: a public health modelling study using PRIMEtime

Rogers,

Amies-Cull,

Adams

et al. 2024

Preprint

Self Cite

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BackgroundIn England, the number of takeaway food outlets (‘takeaways’) has been increasing for over two decades. Takeaway management zones around schools are an effective way to restrict the growth of new takeaways but their impacts on population health have not been estimated.MethodsTo model the impact of takeaway management zones on health, we used estimates of change in and exposure to takeaway outlets (across home, work, and commuting buffers) based on a previous evaluation suggesting that 50% of new outlets were prevented from opening because of management zones. Based on previous cross-sectional findings, we used changes in takeaway exposure to estimate changes in BMI, from 2018 to 2040. Finally, we used PRIMEtime, a proportional multistate lifetable model, and BMI change to estimate the impact of the intervention, in a closed-cohort of adults (25-64 years), in terms of incidence of 12 non-communicable diseases, obesity prevalence, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and healthcare costs saved by 2040 in six selected local authorities across the rural-urban spectrum in England (Wandsworth, Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen, Sheffield, North Somerset, and Fenland).ResultsBy 2031, compared to no intervention, reductions in outlet exposure ranged from 3 outlets/person in Fenland to 28 outlets/person in Manchester. This corresponded to per person reductions in BMI of 0.68 and 0.08 kg/m2, respectively. Relative to no intervention, obesity prevalence was estimated to be reduced in both sexes in all LAs, including by 2.3 percentage points (PP) (95% uncertainty interval:2.9PP, 1.7PP) to 1.5PP (95%UI:1.9PP, 1.1PP) in males living in Manchester and Wandsworth by 2040, respectively. Model estimates showed reductions in incidence of disease, including type II diabetes (eg: 964 (95%UI:1565, 870) fewer cases /100,000 population for males in Manchester)), cardiovascular diseases, asthma, certain cancers and low back pain. Savings in healthcare costs (millions(£)) ranged from £0.90 (95%UI: £1,23, £0.54) in Fenland to £5.44 (95%UI:£3.87, £7.45) in Manchester. Gains in QALYs/100,000 person were broadly similar across local authorities.ConclusionsTakeaway management zones in England have the potential to meaningfully contribute towards reducing obesity prevalence and associated healthcare burden in the adult population, both at the local level and across the rural-urban spectrum.

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Associations between area deprivation and changes in the digital food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal analysis of three online food delivery platforms

Cited by 12 publications

References 39 publications

Associations between the neighbourhood food environment and food and drink purchasing in England during lockdown: A repeated cross-sectional analysis

Associations between the neighbourhood food environment and food and drink purchasing in England during lockdown: A repeated cross-sectional analysis

Relationship between family functioning and food consumption during a health and social crisis: A COVID-19 study in Chile

Health impacts of takeaway management zones around schools in six different local authorities across England: a public health modelling study using PRIMEtime

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