Local Retail Food Environment and Consumption of Fruit and Vegetable among Adults in Hong Kong

Abstract

Outside of western countries, the study of the local food environment and evidence for its association with dietary behavior is limited. The aim of this paper was to examine the association between the local retail food environment and consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV) among adults in Hong Kong. Local retail food environment was measured by density of different types of retail food outlets (grocery stores, convenience stores, and fast food restaurants) within a 1000 m Euclidean buffer around individual’s homes using a geographic information system (GIS). The Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) was calculated based on the relative density of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to grocery stores. Logistic regressions were performed to examine associations using cross-sectional data of 1977 adults (18 years or older). Overall, people living in an area with the highest RFEI (Q4, >5.76) had significantly greater odds of infrequent FV consumption (<7 days/week) after covariates adjustment (infrequent fruit consumption: OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.04–1.78; infrequent vegetable consumption: OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.11–2.68) in comparison to the lowest RFEI (Q1, <2.25). Highest density of fast food restaurants (Q4, >53) was also significantly associated with greater odds of infrequent fruit consumption (<7 days/week) (unadjusted model: OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.04–1.73), relative to lowest density of fast food restaurants (Q1, <13). No significant association of density of grocery stores or convenience stores was observed with infrequent FV consumption regardless of the covariates included in the model. Our results suggest that the ratio of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores to grocery stores near people’s home is an important environmental factor in meeting fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines. “Food swamps” (areas with an abundance of unhealthy foods) rather than “food deserts” (areas where there is limited access to healthy foods) seems to be more of a problem in Hong Kong’s urban areas. We advanced international literature by providing evidence in a non-western setting.

The association of dimensions of fruit and vegetable access in the retail food environment with consumption; a systematic review

“…In studies measuring F&V accessibility ( Table 4 ) by geographical distance between residency and RFE, the majority (n = 15) reported no influence or a negative association of distance with F&V consumption or purchasing; ; ; ( Aggarwal et al, 2014 , Caspi et al, 2012a , Curl et al, 2013 , Drisdelle et al, 2020 , Hattori et al, 2013 , Hawkesworth et al, 2017 , Jack et al, 2013 , Liese et al, 2013 , Mason et al, 2013 , Mejia et al, 2015 , Murphy et al, 2017 , Ollberding et al, 2012 , Reitzel et al, 2016 , Thornton et al, 2013 , Yamaguchi et al, 2019 ). 7 studies reported a positive association between shorter distance or increased density/convenience to food stores and higher F&V consumption when measured using a geographical information system (GIS) tool ( Clary et al, 2016 ; Curioni et al, 2020 ; Duran et al, 2016 ; McGuirt et al, 2018 ; Pessoa et al, 2015 ; Thornton et al, 2012 ; Zhang and Huang, 2018 ) and 1 Australian study identified a positive association of food store density with vegetable consumption only ( Thornton et al, 2013 ). A study conducting field audits of healthy food outlets found that neighbourhoods with more healthy food outlets had a 26% lower odds of healthier food purchasing ( Mason et al, 2013 ).…”

Distance from the nearest grocery stores and frequency of store-specific shopping are associated with dietary intake frequency among the community-dwelling independent elderly population

“…A study showed that among young people, those who frequently shop at convenience stores have a low-quality diet (Rummo et al, 2015). The density ratio of convenience stores and fast-food restaurants versus grocery stores was also associated with decreased fruit and vegetable intake (Zhang and Huang, 2018). Recently, however, fresh fruit and vegetables have become available even at convenience stores in Japan.…”

Regional Differences in Semen Quality Between Guangzhou and Hong Kong in South China: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The ethnic origin of the investigated subjects is the same. However, they have apparently different living environment and lifestyles [19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. It seems likely that the differences observed are caused by lifestyle and environmental factors.…”

“…Most of the GZ residents adopted a typical Chinese lifestyle, whereas most of the HK resident have a mixed westernised and Chinese lifestyle. Studies have shown that the lifestyles of HK resident are "less-healthy" including reduced physical activities, more fatty diet, staying up late and generally more stressed [19,20]. Moreover, the living environment in HK are also different from GZ.…”