ABSTRACT
Excess
calorie consumption and poor/unhealthy diet are major contributors to the
obesity and non-communicable diseases. Since unhealthy diets are driven by
unhealthy food environment and food retailers, in particular supermarkets, are
key shapers of this food environment which influences consumers’ diets. This
study aimed to examine the: availability of healthy foods in
supermarkets and grocery stores in comparison to unhealthy products, evaluate
the nature of availability (food prominence and promotion) and identify the
promotional features. One supermarket and one grocery store was randomly
selected in Awka (Anambra State) by balloting technique based on popularity and
size. Information on all
foods sold in the supermarkets was collected using a Geographic Information System (GIS) enabled open data kit, which allowed data collection using Android mobile devices and data
submission to an online server. Food
availability (presence/absence and shelf space for healthy foods vs unhealthy
products) were measured in ‘cm’ based on the International Network for Food and
Obesity/NCDs Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) protocol. The
prominence inside the store (location visibility) was measured using the
GroPromo tool (high, medium and low prominence). All
promotions were evaluated for healthiness, product
category and promotion type. The level of healthiness consists of a ‘healthy’
group; products which have a positive effect on health management/disease
prevention and can be eaten every day. The ‘unhealthy’ group contain products
which have low nutrient/adverse effects on health or the prevention of chronic
diseases.
From the findings; unhealthy products were frequently available in high
prominent areas of the supermarkets (endcap A, checkout side, checkout edge)
dominating with 58.89% shelf and 49.07% shelf space. At the medium prominence
(entrance, aisle, island and endcap B) the unhealthy products dominated with
4.7% shelf and 7.82% shelf space and finally; were largely overcomed by the
unhealthy products even at the lowest prominence area (edge) with 42.86% shelf
and 43.47% shelf space revealing an alarming scenario. And generally, the surveyed supermarkets were found unhealthy and not
positively contributing to the global target
of halting the rise in obesity and reduce non-communicable diseases by 25% by
2025which
may pose an opportunity for public health intervention.
CHINELO, G (2025). Assessment Of The Availability Of Healthy Food Options In Selected Supermarkets In Awka, Anambra State:- Ifoegbu, Chinelo G. Mouau.afribary.org: Retrieved Jul 11, 2025, from https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-the-availability-of-healthy-food-options-in-selected-supermarkets-in-awka-anambra-state-ifoegbu-chinelo-g-7-2
GRACE, CHINELO. "Assessment Of The Availability Of Healthy Food Options In Selected Supermarkets In Awka, Anambra State:- Ifoegbu, Chinelo G" Mouau.afribary.org. Mouau.afribary.org, 10 Jul. 2025, https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-the-availability-of-healthy-food-options-in-selected-supermarkets-in-awka-anambra-state-ifoegbu-chinelo-g-7-2. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
GRACE, CHINELO. "Assessment Of The Availability Of Healthy Food Options In Selected Supermarkets In Awka, Anambra State:- Ifoegbu, Chinelo G". Mouau.afribary.org, Mouau.afribary.org, 10 Jul. 2025. Web. 11 Jul. 2025. < https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-the-availability-of-healthy-food-options-in-selected-supermarkets-in-awka-anambra-state-ifoegbu-chinelo-g-7-2 >.
GRACE, CHINELO. "Assessment Of The Availability Of Healthy Food Options In Selected Supermarkets In Awka, Anambra State:- Ifoegbu, Chinelo G" Mouau.afribary.org (2025). Accessed 11 Jul. 2025. https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/assessment-of-the-availability-of-healthy-food-options-in-selected-supermarkets-in-awka-anambra-state-ifoegbu-chinelo-g-7-2