Using Google data to measure the role of Big Food and fast food in South Africa’s obesity epidemic

Otterbach, Steffen; Oskorouchi, Hamid R.; Rogan, Michael; Qaim, Matin

doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105368

Cited by 38 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…This may be due to community-level factors which were probably not assessed in this study, since 30 % of the variance in the odds for overweight/obesity in this study is attributable to community-level factors. Community-level factors such as availability, accessibility and proximity to fast-food shops and recreational facilities or programmes in communities have been shown to influence the nutritional status of children and adolescents (46)(47)(48) . Another plausible reason for this is that, by reason of exposure, the richest households in Nigeria are already adopting the lifestyle and values of the rich in developed countries where emphasis is placed on healthy food, exercises and a slim figure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual and contextual factors associated with under- and over-nutrition among school-aged children and adolescents in two Nigerian states: a multi-level analysis

Adeomi

Fatusi

Klipstein‐Grobusch

2022

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: This study aimed to identify individual and contextual factors that are associated with under- and over-nutrition among school-aged children and adolescents in two Nigerian states Design: Community-based cross-sectional study Setting: The study was carried out in rural and urban communities of Osun and Gombe States in Nigeria. Participants: A total of 1,200 school-aged children and adolescents Results: Multilevel analysis showed that the full models accounted for about 82% and 39% of the odds of thinness or overweight/obese across the communities respectively. Household size (aOR 1.10; p = 0.001; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.16) increased the odds, while the upper wealth index (aOR 0.43; p = 0.016; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.86) decreased the odds of thinness. Age (aOR 0.86; p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.26 to 8.70), exclusive breastfeeding (aOR 0.46; p = 0.010; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.83), physical activity (aOR 0.55; p = 0.001; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.78) and the upper wealth index (aOR 0.47; p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.88) were inversely related with overweight/obesity, while residing in Osun State (aOR 3.32; p = 0.015; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.70), female gender (aOR 1.73; p = 0.015; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.69) and screen time > 2 hours/day (aOR 2.33; p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.29 to 4.19) were positively associated with overweight/obesity. Conclusions: The study shows that selected community and individual-level factors are strongly associated with thinness and overweight/obesity among school-aged children and adolescents.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual and contextual factors associated with under- and over-nutrition among school-aged children and adolescents in two Nigerian states: a multi-level analysis

Adeomi

Fatusi

Klipstein‐Grobusch

2022

Public Health Nutr.

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“…High levels of unemployment and poverty make healthier options unattainable for most (12) . Both rural and urban poor communities rely heavily on formal supermarkets and/or both formal and informal fast-food outlets and small shops (spazas) to purchase their food (14,15) . Resource constraints drive poor South Africans towards cheap foods resulting in regular consumption of ultra-processed foods (12,13) .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying and comparing various nutrient profiling models against the packaged food supply in South Africa

Frank

Miles

et al. 2022

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: This study aimed to apply the newly developed Chile Adjusted Model (CAM) nutrient profiling model (NPM) to the food supply in South Africa (SA) and compare its performance against existing NPMs as an indication of suitability for use to underpin food policies targeted at discouraging consumption of products high in nutrients associated with poor health. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the SA packaged food supply comparing the CAM to three other NPMs: SA health and nutrition claims (SA HNC), Chilean warning octagon (CWO) 2019, and Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) NPM. Setting: The SA packaged food supply based on products stocked by supermarkets in Cape Town, SA. Participants: Packaged foods and beverages (N=6474) available in 2018 were analyzed. Results: 49% of products contained excessive amounts of nutrients of concern (considered non-compliant) according to the criteria of all four models. Only 10.9% of products were not excessive in any nutrients of concern (considered compliant) according to all NPMs evaluated. The CAM had an overall non-compliance level of 73.2%, and was comparable to the CWO 2019 for foods (71.2% and 71.1% respectively). The CAM was the strictest NPM for beverages (80.4%) due to the criteria of non-sugar sweeteners and free sugars. The SA HNC was the most lenient with non-compliance at 52.9%. This was largely due to the inclusion of nutrients to encourage, which is a criterion for this NPM. Conclusion: For the purpose of discouraging products high in nutrients associated with poor health in SA, the CAM is a suitable NPM.

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“…In addition, these are typically positioned in prime locations within shopping malls, the latter being pervasive even in rural areas. Such food environments increase processed food access and consumption, and recent evidence indicates their link to the country’s rising obesity prevalence [ 40 ]. As a result of competitive pressure from increased imports, large-scale integrated producers shifted their focus from supplying individually quick frozen (IQF) pieces to supermarkets, to developing preferential contracts to supply fast-food outlets that provided better returns.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the country's fast-food industry is burgeoning in both urban and rural locations [39]. Outlets are visited at least once a month by most consumers, and broiler meat, following global trends, plays a dominant role in the products on offer [39][40][41].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

A food systems approach and qualitative system dynamics model to reveal policy issues within the commercial broiler chicken system in South Africa

Queenan

Cuevas²,

Mabhaudhi

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

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Global broiler production and consumption levels continue to rise. South Africa’s broiler system is dominated by commercial production and formal retail trade, with competition from cheap imports. Local broiler policies have narrow, production-driven, short-term aims for industry growth and national food security. However, these have unintended consequences that undermine the system’s future sustainability. Using a food systems approach, this study developed a qualitative system dynamics model of the South African commercial broiler system and used it to engage stakeholders in policy discussions within the boundaries of health, nutrition, and environmental sustainability. A problem statement and key system elements were drawn from a previously published qualitative study and were validated by 15 stakeholders via an online questionnaire. From this, a seed model was developed, expanded into a larger model, and shared in a modular format with stakeholders in virtual meetings, on an individual or institutional basis, for feedback and validation, and for discussion of areas for policy consideration. Refinements were incorporated into the modules, policy considerations were summarised, and crosscutting issues were identified. The model demonstrated the system’s complexity, interlinkages, feedbacks, reinforcing and balancing loops, and behaviour archetypes. The modular presentation format created a suitable platform for stakeholder engagement. Current policies focus on local commercial production, formal markets, and affordability without cognisance of the broader system represented by the model. Inequality pervades throughout the system. Commercial producers, linked to large supermarkets and fast-food chains, dominate the system, presenting barriers to entry. Affordability is unintentionally traded off against non-communicable disease risks through brining of most frozen products, and ultra-processing of fast-food items. Foodborne disease control is critical, given the proportion of vulnerable individuals, and greater coherence of food safety policy is urgently needed. The environmental footprint of broilers, whilst less than that of ruminants, deserves closer scrutiny based on its dependence on intensive cereal production for feed. This study’s food systems approach provides a system-wide perspective and a foundation for policymakers to develop more integrated and transformative policies.

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Using Google data to measure the role of Big Food and fast food in South Africa’s obesity epidemic

Cited by 38 publications

References 58 publications

Individual and contextual factors associated with under- and over-nutrition among school-aged children and adolescents in two Nigerian states: a multi-level analysis

Individual and contextual factors associated with under- and over-nutrition among school-aged children and adolescents in two Nigerian states: a multi-level analysis

Applying and comparing various nutrient profiling models against the packaged food supply in South Africa

A food systems approach and qualitative system dynamics model to reveal policy issues within the commercial broiler chicken system in South Africa

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