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Bogard JR, Downs S, Casey E, Farrell P, Gupta A, Miachon L, Naughton S, Staromiejska W, Reeve E. Convenience as a dimension of food environments: A systematic scoping review of its definition and measurement. Appetite 2024; 194:107198. [PMID: 38176442 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Convenience is a major driver of food choice throughout the world, yet it is often inconsistently conceptualised, defined and measured. This limits the scope for food systems policy and interventions to leverage convenience to improve diet and nutrition outcomes. We conducted a systematic literature review to determine how convenience is both defined and measured in food environment and nutrition research. Six databases were systematically searched and studies were screened by two independent reviewers based on pre-defined eligibility criteria, yielding 243 studies for inclusion in the final review. 77% of studies did not explicitly define convenience. Among those that did, the dimensions and components within definitions varied. 83% of studies used perceived measures of convenience rather than objective measures. Convenience was most commonly measured in high income countries (64%) and in relation to the home food environment (53%), followed by formal retail (40%). Very few studies measured convenience in relation to the informal retail or cultivated food environments, and no studies considered convenience in relation to wild food environments. The vast majority of studies did not consider the validity or reliability of the measures of convenience. Based on our findings we propose a definition of convenience as a characteristic that results in reduced requirement for resources including time, physical effort, mental effort and skills by the consumer in relation to the planning, acquisition, preparation, storage, transport, consumption or clean-up of food. This definition can be used to help guide the development of measurement tools that can be used to assess convenience across different dimensions and contexts in a more comprehensive way. We also propose a framework for considering convenience as an entry point in food systems to improve diets and nutrition outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R Bogard
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Shauna Downs
- Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Elodie Casey
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Penny Farrell
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adyya Gupta
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health & Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lais Miachon
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shaan Naughton
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health & Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wiktoria Staromiejska
- Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Erica Reeve
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health & Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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Schneider KR, Fanzo J, Haddad L, Herrero M, Moncayo JR, Herforth A, Remans R, Guarin A, Resnick D, Covic N, Béné C, Cattaneo A, Aburto N, Ambikapathi R, Aytekin D, Barquera S, Battersby J, Beal T, Molina PB, Cafiero C, Campeau C, Caron P, Conforti P, Damerau K, Di Girolamo M, DeClerck F, Dewi D, Elouafi I, Fabi C, Foley P, Frazier TJ, Gephart J, Golden C, Fischer CG, Hendriks S, Honorati M, Huang J, Kennedy G, Laar A, Lal R, Lidder P, Loken B, Marshall Q, Masuda YJ, McLaren R, Miachon L, Muñoz H, Nordhagen S, Qayyum N, Saisana M, Suhardiman D, Sumaila UR, Cullen MT, Tubiello FN, Vivero-Pol JL, Webb P, Wiebe K. The state of food systems worldwide in the countdown to 2030. Nat Food 2023; 4:1090-1110. [PMID: 38114693 PMCID: PMC10730405 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-023-00885-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
This Analysis presents a recently developed food system indicator framework and holistic monitoring architecture to track food system transformation towards global development, health and sustainability goals. Five themes are considered: (1) diets, nutrition and health; (2) environment, natural resources and production; (3) livelihoods, poverty and equity; (4) governance; and (5) resilience. Each theme is divided into three to five indicator domains, and indicators were selected to reflect each domain through a consultative process. In total, 50 indicators were selected, with at least one indicator available for every domain. Harmonized data of these 50 indicators provide a baseline assessment of the world's food systems. We show that every country can claim positive outcomes in some parts of food systems, but none are among the highest ranked across all domains. Furthermore, some indicators are independent of national income, and each highlights a specific aspiration for healthy, sustainable and just food systems. The Food Systems Countdown Initiative will track food systems annually to 2030, amending the framework as new indicators or better data emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R Schneider
- School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Jessica Fanzo
- Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Mario Herrero
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Anna Herforth
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roseline Remans
- Glocolearning, Genk, Belgium
- Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
| | - Alejandro Guarin
- International Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK
| | - Danielle Resnick
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Namukolo Covic
- International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- CGIAR, Montpellier, France
| | - Christophe Béné
- Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
- Wageningen Economic Research Group, Wageningen University, Den Haag, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Nancy Aburto
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Ramya Ambikapathi
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Destan Aytekin
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Simon Barquera
- Research Center of Nutrition and Health, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México
| | | | - Ty Beal
- Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Carlo Cafiero
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Patrick Caron
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Cirad, Montpellier, France
- ART-DEV, Montpellier, France
| | - Piero Conforti
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Kerstin Damerau
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Michael Di Girolamo
- School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Fabrice DeClerck
- Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, Cali, Colombia
- EAT Forum, Montpellier, France
| | - Deviana Dewi
- School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Carola Fabi
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
| | - Pat Foley
- Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, World Food Programme, Panama City, Panama
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Gonzalez Fischer
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Sheryl Hendriks
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, UK
| | | | - Jikun Huang
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Amos Laar
- School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Rattan Lal
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Quinn Marshall
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Lais Miachon
- Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hernán Muñoz
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
- University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Naina Qayyum
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Diana Suhardiman
- Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies/KITLV, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - U Rashid Sumaila
- School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Patrick Webb
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith Wiebe
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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Manohar S, Downs S, Shaikh S, Mak S, Sok S, Graham E, Miachon L, Fanzo J. Riverine food environments and food security: a case study of the Mekong River, Cambodia. Bull World Health Organ 2023; 101:140-148. [PMID: 36733629 PMCID: PMC9874365 DOI: 10.2471/blt.22.288830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rivers are critical, but often overlooked, parts of food systems. They have multiple functions that support the food security, nutrition, health and livelihoods of the communities surrounding them. However, given current unsustainable food system practices, damming and climate change, the majority of the world's largest rivers are increasingly susceptible to environmental degradation, with negative implications for the communities that rely on them. Here we describe the dynamism and multifaceted nature of rivers as food environments (i.e. the place within food systems where people obtain their food) and their role in securing food security including improved diets and overall health. We also provide a conceptual framework that explain rivers as food environments within the broader food system and describe approaches to characterizing these food environments to better inform our understanding of how they influence food security and nutrition outcomes. Applying this framework to the Mekong River in Cambodia, we describe rivers as multifaceted wild food environments embedded within ecosystems, sociocultural and political environments and sectors of influence. We also explain the ways in which individual factors might influence how communities interact with this food environment. Developing and articulating food-related, ecosystem-specific frameworks and their constructs can guide implementation of policies aimed to improve specific public health or environmental sustainability outcomes. Our conceptual framework incorporates the multiple dimensions of rivers, which will aid future work and public health policy framing to better describe, understand and intervene to ensure protection of rivers' biodiversity and ecosystems as well as food security, health and livelihoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Manohar
- Global Food Ethics Policy Program, School of Advanced International Studies, 1776 Massachusetts Avenue, WashingtonDC, 20007, United States of America (USA)
| | - Shauna Downs
- Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, USA
| | - Sabina Shaikh
- Committee on Environment, Geography and Urbanization, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Sithirith Mak
- Department of Natural Resource Management, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Serey Sok
- Research Office, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Elizabeth Graham
- Global Food Ethics Policy Program, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, WashingtonDC, USA
| | - Lais Miachon
- Global Food Ethics Policy Program, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, WashingtonDC, USA
| | - Jessica Fanzo
- Global Food Ethics Policy Program, School of Advanced International Studies, 1776 Massachusetts Avenue, WashingtonDC, 20007, United States of America (USA)
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