Availability of food stores around Brazilian schools

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the availability of food stores in the territory of schools. Ecological study conducted in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with all schools (N=42) and food stores (N=656). Data were collected through the objective evaluation of the environment, and the stores were categorized into healthy, unhealthy, mixed and supermarkets. Bivariate Ripley´s K function assessed the existence of clustering of categories of stores in the territory of schools. All the schools had at least one food store in their territory. Unhealthy stores were the most common and closest to the schools. There were more stores around private schools, offering high school education, located in the central region and in the highest per capita income tercile. The bivariate Ripley´s K function showed evidence of clustering of stores at all analyzed distances (400 to 1.5 km) with up to 3 times more establishments than would be expected if they were randomly distributed. Therefore, schoolchildren were likely exposed to unhealthy food environments, regardless of neighborhood income and location, which may contribute to inadequate food choices.

Obesogenic environment around schools is associated with atherogenic risk in Brazilian children

“…As observed in Figure 1, higher density of the obesogenic environment was observed surrounding downtown schools. A study also founded greater number of food stores in the central region of Viçosa, explained by the presence of Federal University of Viçosa and greater economic importance of the region (Novaes et al, 2022). As a consequence to the greater circulation of people in this region, commercial stores are attracted to this territory in order to attend to students as well as their parents or guardians, thus downtown is a higher income region that concentrates characteristics of an obesogenic environment, such as higher density of ultra‐processed food stores, traffic accidents and crime rates.…”

Characteristics of the obesogenic environment around schools are associated with body fat and low-grade inflammation in Brazilian children

“…In addition, a higher density of fast-food outlets and the number of mobile unhealthy food vendors around schools were associated with a higher BMI in children from Canada and Mexico, respectively (6,18) . A study that evaluated the availability of food stores around schools in Viçosa, Brazil, showed that all schoolchildren were exposed to sales of unhealthy foods (convenience store; grocery store; bar; chocolate store; beverage distributors; snack bar; ice cream shop and mobile unhealthy food vendors), regardless of neighbourhood income and school location (32) . In Brazil, although bars mostly sell alcoholic beverages, they are accessible to children as they also sell soft drinks, snacks and sandwiches, which are consumed by these people.…”

Community food environment and childhood obesity in a medium‐sized Brazilian city: An approach to school and neighborhood environments

“…In addition, in this environment the child is always present and influences the types of food purchased by parents; they most request cookies, chips, chocolate and other goodies (Wilson & Wood, 2004). A study that evaluated the food environment in the territory of schools in Viçosa, Minas Gerais (MG) found that the distance from school to the nearest unhealthy food store was almost 3 times smaller compared to the store with predominantly healthy food thereby facilitating children's access to unhealthy foods (Novaes et al, 2022).…”