RESUMEN

This mixed methods study explored online grocery shopping perceptions by surveying individuals who do and do not receive SNAP benefits (n = 129) and by conducting interviews with SNAP recipients (n = 26) who have grocery shopped online. T-tests assessed survey findings, codebook thematic analysis was used to identify qualitative themes, and results were interpreted collectively. Survey results found no differences in perceptions of online grocery shopping between SNAP and non-SNAP recipients (p-values = 0.2-1.0) and that 97% of SNAP recipients felt comfortable using SNAP online. Five qualitative themes were identified and provided context to the survey results. The study findings can inform policy actions within SNAP.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Most participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) do not fully redeem their benefits due to barriers like transportation, confusing product eligibility, and unclear labeling. Online food shopping enables choice architecture to promote benefit redemption and maximize diet quality. We conducted a mixed-methods pilot randomized-controlled trial to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a pre-filled online grocery shopping cart to improve WIC benefit redemption and diet quality of grocery purchases. Rhode Island WIC participants (n = 24, mean age 29.4 ± 1.1 years, 75% Hispanic, 54% had never grocery shopped online) completed a baseline questionnaire and a simulated shopping episode (SSE), buying WIC and non-WIC items. After a week, we randomized participants into the intervention (personalized, modifiable carts pre-filled with 100% of the 2022 proposed WIC packages) or control (selected their items individually) groups before the second SSE. Both groups had WIC labels. We assessed feasibility using process data and percent agreement to feasibility questions, and acceptability via percent agreement to acceptability questions and post-intervention qualitative interviews. We conducted exploratory analyses to examine differences within and between groups at each timepoint for percent WIC benefit redemption and diet quality of grocery purchases, evaluated using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016) scores. Quantitative study measures suggest that the intervention was feasible and that the personalized, modifiable pre-filled cart was acceptable. These findings were supported during qualitative interviews, where participants highlighted time-savings, flexibility, and WIC labels as facilitators of WIC online shopping. Exploratory results showed significant increases in mean percent redemption of most WIC food categories and non-significant moderate increases in most GPQI-2016 scores. These measures are vital for the future adaptation of a full-scale efficacy trial in real-life settings.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Gather perspectives on healthy retail policies and strategies from a national sample of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants. DESIGN: Anonymous web-based survey fielded in English and Spanish. The survey measured support for healthy retail policies and strategies. SETTING: National Qualtrics panel fielded on September 30 and October 19, 2022. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,559 adult SNAP participants (in the last 12 months) participated in the Qualtrics SNAP survey panel. VARIABLES MEASURED: Overall support for retail policies and strategies was calculated using response frequencies and proportions. ANALYSIS: Cross-tabulations and chi-square tests of independence assessed differences in policy support by online shopping behavior and nutrition security status. Significance was determined at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Most SNAP participants were broadly supportive of policies and strategies to improve the healthy food retail environment. More restrictive policies were less popular than policies that expanded consumer choice. Support also varied by online shopping status and nutrition security status. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Policies and strategies that improve the healthy food retail environment are popular among a national sample of SNAP participants. Policy discussions must understand SNAP participants' perspectives regarding changes to the retail environment that may impact their ability to access healthy foods.

RESUMEN

The objective of this study was to (1) assess via cross-sectional survey the prevalence of food insecurity among African Americans [AAs] after their most recent grocery shopping trip, and (2) examine the grocery shopping factors of importance and characteristics of food-insecure AA grocery shoppers. Most (70.4%) were food-insecure. Food-insecure grocery shoppers were significantly more likely to be younger, less educated, who often skipped meals and/or practiced fasting, accessed a food pantry, were SNAP recipients, were considered to not be in "good" health, and who had higher BMI compared to food-secure shoppers (p ≤ 0.03 * for all). Our data showed that AAs shopped for groceries a mean 2.20 ± 1.29 times per week, for low prices (72.1%), without a weekly budget (58.9%), with a grocery list (44.6%) or using an app (27.6%), for high-quality vegetables (27.5%), for good customer service (22.9%), for store brands (20.8%) and name brands (17.9%).Food-insecure shoppers were significantly more likely to grocery shop more times per week, have a weekly budget, and use an app, but were significantly less likely to report store brands, name brands, good customer service, and high-quality vegetables as grocery factors of importance (p ≤ 0.03 * for all). Grocery strategies such as shopping with a grocery app and/or grocery list could help food-insecure AAs reduce grocery trips, promote meal planning to save money, and avoid skipping meals/fasting, while eating healthier.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Smartphone apps can aid consumers in making healthier and more sustainable food purchases. However, there is still a limited understanding of the different app design approaches and their impact on food purchase choices. An overview of existing food purchase choice apps and an understanding of common challenges can help speed up effective future developments. OBJECTIVE: We examined the academic literature on food purchase choice apps and provided an overview of the design characteristics, opportunities, and challenges for effective implementation. Thus, we contribute to an understanding of how technologies can effectively improve food purchase choice behavior and provide recommendations for future design efforts. METHODS: Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, we considered peer-reviewed literature on food purchase choice apps within IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. We inductively coded and summarized design characteristics. Opportunities and challenges were addressed from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. From the quantitative perspective, we coded and summarized outcomes of comparative evaluation trials. From the qualitative perspective, we performed a qualitative content analysis of commonly discussed opportunities and challenges. RESULTS: We retrieved 55 articles, identified 46 unique apps, and grouped them into 5 distinct app types. Each app type supports a specific purchase choice stage and shares a common functional design. Most apps support the product selection stage (selection apps; 27/46, 59%), commonly by scanning the barcode and displaying a nutritional rating. In total, 73% (8/11) of the evaluation trials reported significant findings and indicated the potential of food purchase choice apps to support behavior change. However, relatively few evaluations covered the selection app type, and these studies showed mixed results. We found a common opportunity in apps contributing to learning (knowledge gain), whereas infrequent engagement presents a common challenge. The latter was associated with perceived burden of use, trust, and performance as well as with learning. In addition, there were technical challenges in establishing comprehensive product information databases or achieving performance accuracy with advanced identification methods such as image recognition. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that designs of food purchase choice apps do not encourage repeated use or long-term adoption, compromising the effectiveness of behavior change through nudging. However, we found that smartphone apps can enhance learning, which plays an important role in behavior change. Compared with nudging as a mechanism for behavior change, this mechanism is less dependent on continued use. We argue that designs that optimize for learning within each interaction have a better chance of achieving behavior change. This review concludes with design recommendations, suggesting that food purchase choice app designers anticipate the possibility of early abandonment as part of their design process and design apps that optimize the learning experience.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In this study, we employed spatially aggregated population mobility data, generated from mobile phone locations in 2021, to investigate patterns of grocery store visits among residents east and northeast of Downtown Los Angeles, in which 60% of the census tracts had previously been designated as "food deserts". Further, we examined whether the store visits varied with neighborhood sociodemographics and grocery store accessibility. We found that residents averaged 0.4 trips to grocery stores per week, with only 13% of these visits within home census tracts, and 40% within home and neighboring census tracts. The mean distance from home to grocery stores was 2.2 miles. We found that people visited grocery stores more frequently when they lived in neighborhoods with higher percentages of Hispanics/Latinos, renters and foreign-born residents, and a greater number of grocery stores. This research highlights the utility of mobility data in elucidating grocery store use, and factors that may facilitate or be a barrier to store access. The results point to limitations of using geographically constrained metrics of food access like food deserts.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

This study uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach to curate many papers and select documents according to specific qualifications to include in a systematic literature review. At the identification stage, there are 1221 abstract documents showing their relation to online grocery shopping. Furthermore, the researcher selected 571 Scopus abstracts at the screening stage, and then through the VOS Viewers software, the researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis. The bibliometric analysis in this study aims to find trending topics and research gaps in online grocery shopping. At the eligibility stage, there are 170 full-text articles related to the issue of online grocery shopping; until the last stage, through manual selection, the researcher determined 43 full-text articles that met the qualifications for in-depth analysis using a systematic literature review approach. The research findings state that there are several main topics on online grocery shopping, such as customer segmentation and shopping preferences, grocery online shopping behavior, and intentions on online grocery shopping. The findings of this study explain the factors that influence the decision to use online grocery shopping that become a reference for further research to design a model of online grocery shopping intentions.

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether household type (eg, families with children) moderated the effects of an optimal defaults grocery intervention and examine intervention effects on grocery purchases to be consumed by the participant vs others in the household. METHODS: Participants (n = 65) diagnosed with or at risk for type 2 diabetes were recruited and randomized into an optimal default online grocery intervention or an online or in-person control group. Grocery receipt data were coded into Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension nutritional quality scores, and energy, carbohydrate, and sugar content were calculated. Repeated measures analysis of variance examined household types (eg, single vs multi-resident) as moderators of intervention effects. Parallel models explored foods purchased for the participant and foods purchased for other household members separately. RESULTS: Household type was not a significant moderator of intervention effects on nutritional quality or other nutrients of interest (P > 0.10). The default intervention significantly increased the nutritional quality of groceries purchased across household types and for other household members besides the participant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Optimal defaults may improve grocery purchases across different household types and extend to others in the household, supporting use across household types.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Engaging young children in food skills such as food planning and preparation early in life may be an important predictor of later child cooking skills. The aim of this study was to examine whether early life involvement in food skills (mean age at baseline = 3.6 years) is prospectively associated with cooking skills among a sample of 60 children (mean age at follow-up = 10.0 years; 83% White) from the Guelph Family Health Study, an ongoing cohort study examining the effect of a home-based obesity prevention intervention. Early life involvement in food skills, i.e., child involvement in grocery shopping and meal preparation, was reported by parents at baseline. Children self-reported their cooking skills at follow-up. After adjusting for child age, child sex, parent age, household income, and intervention status, early life involvement in food skills was significantly associated with later child cooking skills (ß = 0.24, 95% CI (0.02-0.45), p = 0.03). Future studies with larger and more socioeconomically, geographically, and racially diverse samples are needed to confirm these findings.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To assess the barriers and facilitators to online food purchasing through a meal kit and grocery shopping website titled NY SNAP Express among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries. METHODS: A purposive sample of SNAP-eligible adults residing in New York State participated in interviews guided by the Capabilities, Opportunities, Motivations, and Behaviors Model. RESULTS: Barriers to online food purchasing among participants (n = 32) include physiological and health conditions, the weight of food, technology, language, the price of foods, transportation challenges, the stigma associated with SNAP, and concerns regarding the quantity and quality of meal kits. Facilitators include health and nutrition improvements, knowledge and skills, saving money, culturally relevant meals, increased efficiency in food purchases and preparation, and customization. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Online platforms such as NY SNAP Express have the potential to increase nutritious food access and resources among SNAP recipients; however, improvements are necessary to meet the needs of its audience.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Purpose: This study investigates the factors associated with the elderly's intention to use OGS. Building on the Technology Acceptance Model, we propose several elderly-specific and functional-ageing constructs related to the perceived ease of use and usefulness of OGS. Methods: The questionnaire was distributed physically and digitally to non-OGS users aged above 60, living in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, using a non-probability sampling approach. A total of 302 data were analysed using PLS structural equation modelling. Results: The findings indicate that perceived ease of use, functional ability, life-course events, and digital literacy are associated with the elderly's perception of OGS's usefulness, while life-course events, digital literacy, technology anxiety, and facilitating conditions are associated with the perceived ease of use. Conclusion: This study contributes to the OGS literature by addressing ageing complexities with OGS adoption among the elderly population, thereby offering insights for marketers and the government to tailor services and provide relevant support.

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne, 2020, on food grocery purchases. METHODS: Grocery purchase data for 2019 and 2020 were accessed for 1,413 Melbourne households (NielsenIQ Homescan Consumer Panel) and linked to a nutrition composition database (FoodSwitch). RESULTS: Per capita expenditure and dietary energy from groceries increased by 21.2% and 17.7%, respectively, during lockdowns, with marginally larger increases in expenditure and energy purchases from unhealthy products than healthy products (21.9% and 18.0% v 20.2% and 17.5%). The most socioeconomically disadvantaged households spent the least on but purchased the most energy from unhealthy products during lockdowns ($108 and 109MJ per capita per month), with the inverse found for the most advantaged households ($121 and 102MJ per capita per month). An increase in the overall proportion of total expenditure from unhealthy products during lockdowns was identified (+0.7%); however, there was no evidence of a difference in the proportion of energy purchased from unhealthy products. For most quintiles of household socioeconomic disadvantage/advantage, there were no statistically significant changes in the contribution of unhealthy products to total expenditure and energy purchases. CONCLUSIONS: There was no substantial deterioration in the healthiness of grocery purchases during COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne. However, any additional purchases of unhealthy products are a concern. Further research on other sources of foods and drinks is also required to ascertain impacts on broader dietary patterns. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: The increase in energy purchased may have implications for overweight and obesity as a risk factor for COVID-19 and chronic diseases. Governments and retailers may need to consider measures to encourage improved diet quality during future crises.

RESUMEN

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered people's lives in multiple aspects, including grocery shopping behaviors. Yet, the changing trend of grocery shopping frequencies during the COVID-19 and its associations with food deserts remain unclear. We aimed to (1) examine variations of grocery shopping frequencies at county level in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to December 2021; (2) investigate associations between grocery shopping frequencies and food deserts during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (3) explore heterogeneity in grocery shopping frequencies-food desert associations across urban and rural areas. The county-level grocery shopping frequencies were derived from a grocery pattern dataset obtained from SafeGraph. We divided the 22-month period into 5 stages and employed the growth curve modeling to estimate the trajectories of grocery shopping frequencies and the associations between grocery shopping frequencies and food deserts in each stage, separately. Results revealed that grocery shopping frequencies experienced a "W-shaped" pattern from March 2020 to December 2021. Counties with the least percent of food deserts had slower decrease in grocery shopping frequencies at the initial stage and recovered more rapidly at later stages. Counties with the highest percent of food deserts were subject to deprivation amplification as a result of the pandemic. We also found differences existed in the grocery shopping frequencies-food desert associations between metropolitan counties and rural counties. Our findings suggest the impacts of COVID-19 on grocery shopping frequencies varied across different time periods, shedding light on designing different strategies to reduce the risk of contagion while shopping inside of grocery stores. Further, our findings highlight an urgent need to help people living in food deserts (especially in rural counties) to procure healthy foods safely during health emergencies like COVID-19 pandemic which disrupt mobility and social behaviors.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility and implementation of an optimal defaults intervention designed to align grocery purchases with a diet recommended for people with or at-risk for type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: This was a 5-week pilot randomised trial with three groups: in-person grocery shopping, shopping online and shopping online with 'default' carts. Participants were asked to shop normally in Week One, according to group assignment in Weeks Two-Four (intervention period), and as preferred in Week Five. All groups received diabetes-friendly recipes via email each intervention week. SETTING: Participants grocery shopped in person or online. Grocery receipt forms, enrolment information and exit surveys were collected remotely and used to assess feasibility and implementation. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-five adults with or at-risk for type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Sixty-two participants completed the exit survey and fifty-five submitted receipts all 5 weeks. Forty utilised recipes, 95 % of whom indicated recipes were somewhat or very useful. Orange chicken, quesadillas and pork with potato and apples were the most liked recipes. Most Defaults group participants accepted at least some default cart items. Recipes with the highest default acceptance were whole grain pasta and chicken, quesadillas with black beans and chicken with olives. Participants' primary concerns about the intervention were costs associated with online shopping, inability to select preferred foods and some recipes including ingredients household members would not eat. CONCLUSIONS: The study had high retention, data were successfully collected remotely and the intervention was acceptable to most participants. Tailoring recipes to household preferences may be beneficial in future studies.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

One common strategy for governments to tackle the non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic is front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labeling. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is considering implementing a new FOP label that is based on either France's Nutri-Score (NS), which labels all foods (A = healthiest to E = least healthy) based on overall nutritional quality, or the Chilean warning label (WL) approach, which identifies foods to avoid based on select nutritional characteristics. Using a fully functional online grocery store, this study aimed to test these two promising FOP strategies by randomizing 656 KSA adults into one of the three versions of the store to complete a hypothetical grocery shop: no-label (control), NS, and WL. The NS was modified with a sugar percentage tag given that reducing sugar consumption is one of KSA's public health goals. We found that both modified NS labels and Chilean warning labels positively influenced food and beverage choices among KSA participants, but there were differential effects across the two labels. Relative to the control, NS improved the overall diet quality of the shopping baskets, measured by the weighted (by the number of servings) average NS point (ranging from 0, least healthy, to 55, healthiest), by 2.5 points [95% CI: 1.7, 3.4; p < 0.001], whereas results for WL were not statistically significant (0.6 points [95% CI: -0.2,1.5]). With respect to each nutritional attribute, we found that NS reduced sugar intake per serving, whereas WL was effective at decreasing energy and saturated fat intake per serving from food and beverages purchased. Our results suggest that the NS approach that identifies the healthiness of all foods using a holistic approach appears preferable if the purpose of the label is to improve overall diet quality as opposed to addressing select nutrients to avoid.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has brought drastic changes in our daily activities. One of these essential activities is grocery shopping. In compliance with the recommended social distancing standards, many people have switched to online grocery shopping or curbside pickup to minimize possible contagion. Although the shift to online grocery shopping is substantial, it is not clear whether this change would last in the long term. This study examines the attributes and underlying attitudes that may influence individuals' future decisions on online grocery shopping. An online survey was conducted in May 2020 in South Florida to collect data for this study. The survey contained a comprehensive set of questions related to respondents' sociodemographic attributes, shopping and trip patterns, technology use, as well as attitudes toward telecommuting and online shopping. A structural equation model (SEM) was applied to examine the intervening effects of observed as well as latent attitude variables on the likelihood of online grocery shopping after the outbreak. The results indicated that those with more experience in using online grocery shopping platforms were more likely to continue purchasing their groceries online. Individuals with positive attitudes toward technology and online grocery shopping in terms of convenience, efficiency, usefulness, and easiness were more likely to adopt online grocery shopping in the future. On the other hand, pro- driving individuals were less likely to substitute online grocery shopping for in-store shopping. The results suggested that attitudinal factors could have substantial impacts on the propensity toward online grocery shopping.

RESUMEN

Food purchase choices, one of the main determinants of food consumption, is highly influenced by food environments. Given the surge in online grocery shopping because of the COVID-19 pandemic, interventions in digital environments present more than ever an opportunity to improve the nutritional quality of food purchase choices. One such opportunity can be found in gamification. Participants (n = 1228) shopped for 12 items from a shopping list on a simulated online grocery platform. We randomized them into four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design: presence vs. absence of gamification, and high vs. low budget. Participants in the gamification groups saw foods with 1 (least nutritious) to 5 (most nutritious) crown icons and a scoreboard with a tally of the number of crowns the participant collected. We estimated ordinary least squares and Poisson regression models to test the impact of the gamification and budget on the nutritional quality of the shopping basket. In the absence of gamification and low budget, participants collected 30.78 (95% CI [30.27; 31.29]) crowns. In the gamification and low budget condition, participants increased the nutritional quality of their shopping basket by collecting more crowns (B = 4.15, 95% CI [3.55; 4.75], p < 0.001). The budget amount ($50 vs. $30) did not alter the final shopping basket (B = 0.45, 95% CI [-0.02; 1.18], p = 0.057), nor moderated the gamification effect. Gamification increased the nutritional quality of the final shopping baskets and nine of 12 shopping list items in this hypothetical experiment. Gamifying nutrition labels may be an effective strategy to improve the nutritional quality of food choices in online grocery stores, but further research is needed.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In this study, we employ a choice experiment to analyze New York City residents' preferences for online grocery shopping at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We employ a latent class specification to identify three market segments and estimate consumers' willingness to pay for a variety of attributes of online grocery services related to the quality of the stock, delivery characteristics, and the cost of the online order. We characterize consumers in each segment by their observed characteristics as well as fear-related latent variables. On the one hand, we find that individuals who are actively protecting themselves against COVID-19 have a higher willingness to pay for almost all attributes. On the other hand, consumers who avoid crowds have a lower willingness to pay, but they assign relatively higher importance to no-contact delivery.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Federal food assistance programs are working towards online grocery shopping. Online ordering in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is emerging following successful implementation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). OBJECTIVE: To identify anticipated challenges, potential solutions, and expected costs of WIC online ordering. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, mixed-methods, web-based, survey research. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Data were collected from December 2020 to January 2021. Purposeful and snowball sampling included WIC stakeholders involved in developing processes and systems required for WIC online ordering. Respondents represented diverse geographic areas, levels of intraorganizational authority, and WIC benefit card types. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: The research team used a rapid analysis and lean coding approach to identify emergent themes from open-ended survey responses. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of responses across themes and stakeholder types. RESULTS: Respondents (n = 145) described 812 anticipated challenges within 20 themes grouped into five topic areas: rules and regulations; shopping experience; security, confidentiality, fraud, and WIC State agency processes; training, assistance, and education; and equitable access and buy-in. Addressing anticipated regulatory issues were among the few concrete potential solutions described. The two most frequent costs reported were increased staff time and start-up and ongoing technology costs. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several, critical anticipated challenges and considerations that will help prepare WIC state agencies for opportunities to expand online ordering to WIC participants.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Naturalistic online grocery stores could provide a novel setting for evaluating nutrition interventions. In 2021-2022, we recruited US adults (n 144, 59% low-income) to complete two weekly study visits: one in a naturalistic ('mock') online grocery store developed for research and one in a real online grocery store. Participants selected groceries and responded to survey questions. Analyses examined survey responses and expenditures on fifteen food categories (e.g., bread, sugar-sweetened beverages). Nearly all enrolled participants completed both visits (98% retention). Moreover, nearly participants all reported that their selections in the naturalistic store were similar to their usual purchases (95%) and that the naturalistic store felt like a real store (92%). Participants' spending on food categories in the naturalistic store were moderately-to-strongly correlated with their spending in the real store (range of correlation coefficients: 0⋅36-0⋅67, all P-values < 0⋅001). Naturalistic online grocery stores may offer a promising platform for conducting nutrition research.

Asunto(s)