142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

305087
Correlation between the beverage environment at fast food restaurants (using NEMS-B) and beverages purchased

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 : 10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Brian Elbel, PhD, MPH , NYU School of Medicine and NYU Wagner School of Public Service, New York University, New York, NY
Kamila Kiszko, MPH , Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY
Erica Davis , Center for Health Behavior Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Sarah Green , Center for Health Behavior Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Courtney Abrams, MA , Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH , Perelman School of Medicine and School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Background: Sugar Sweetened beverages (SSBs) are among the largest contributors to weight gain. NHANES data shows 65% of SSBs over 16 oz. are sold at fast food restaurants. Fountain sodas are a high-profit item for fast food restaurants, selling for 9x cost versus 1.5x cost for all foods and beverages. Pricing, promotions, advertisements, availability and portion sizes encourage greater consumption.  
Methods: We collected receipts and surveys from customers leaving fast food restaurants in New York and New Jersey. Each item consumed was converted into nutrients, including calories. Each restaurant’s beverage environment was systematically assessed multiple times using a version of the Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey (NEMS) designed for this study, NEMS-B (beverage). All data is cleaned, complete analysis will be presented. We will present correlations of environmental features including availability, promotion, signage, pricing with the size, type, and numbers of beverages purchased.
Results: We collected 8,354 receipts and surveys from customers leaving fast food restaurants, including detailed information about their orders. Round 1 (January– April 2013) included 2069 from New York and 2049 from Newark/Jersey City.  Round 2 (September – November 2013) included 2137 from New York and 2099 from Newark/Jersey City. We used NEMS-B to collect information on portion size, pricing, and promotion at all restaurants where data were collected (N=60).
Discussion: The current food environment encourages overconsumption of SSBs, which puts the public at risk for adverse health outcomes. Understanding the correlation between the beverage environment and purchases and consumption will be a valuable contribution to obesity prevention.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the correlation between the food environment and beverages purchased and consumed at fast food restaurants Evaluate the relationship between beverage price, promotion, and availability and consumers’ beverage choices

Keyword(s): Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Associate Professor of Population Health and Health Policy at the NYU School of Medicine, where I head the Section on Health Choice, Policy and Evaluation within the Department of Population Health. I have a faculty appointment at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. I study how individuals make decisions that influence their health and healthcare, with a particular emphasis on evaluation, obesity and food choice.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.