Determinants of non-home-prepared food consumption in two low-income areas in Nairobi.

OBJECTIVE: Street foods are an important source of nutrients for poor urban residents. This study aimed to identify determinants of the proportion of daily energy provided by non-home-prepared foods. METHODS: A survey was conducted in a slum and a low- to middle-income area of Nairobi. The survey included 241 men and 254 women. Through a structured questionnaire, data on demographic and socioeconomic factors were collected and food intake was assessed with three standardized 24-hour recalls. A measure of socioeconomic status was constructed with principal component analysis. RESULTS: For women in the slum area, the presence of school-age children and distance to work were determinants of non-home-prepared food consumption, whereas employment status and distance to work were determinants for men in the slum area (P < 0.05). Having their own income and, for those employed, employment status were determinants for women in the low- to middle-income area, whereas socioeconomic status was the determinant for the men (P < 0.05). In the slum area, most non-home-prepared foods were derived from street foods, whereas in the low- to middle-income area, both kiosks and street foods were important sources of non-home-prepared foods. CONCLUSIONS: In the determinants of non-home-prepared energy consumption, we discerned a pattern from rather basic determinants to determinants of a more complicated nature with increasing socioeconomic level of the groups. Furthermore, a shift from street foods to kiosks as the main source of non-home-prepared foods consumed appeared with increasing socioeconomic levels.

Do street food vendors sell a sufficient variety of foods for a healthful diet? The case of Nairobi.

This study examined whether street food vendors sell a sufficient variety of foods for a healthful diet. It was hypothesized that vendors sold only low-cost food groups to enable the buyer to afford the food while the vendor also made a profit. A structured questionnaire was administered to 580 vendors in three selected locations. Data included product names, ingredients, methods of preparation, and the sex of the vendor. A little more than half of the vendors (53%) sold food of only one group; 44% sold cereals. Overall, 36% of vendors, mostly men, sold only carbohydrate products. The percentage of vendors selling foods of more than one group was higher in the working area (53%) than in the slum area (43%, p < .05), and it was higher in both of these areas taken together than in the lower-middle income area (21%, p < .001). Micronutrient and mixed-nutrient products were associated with female vendors. Although a slight majority of all street vendors sell foods of only one group, women vendors are capable of supplying a sufficient variety of food groups that consumers can afford. It appears that consumer purchasing power dictates the food groups provided by vendors, especially cereal-based-foods. A policy on micronutrient fortification of cereal flours and fats used in popular street food preparation needs to be considered. This could be coupled with consumer and vendor education programs focusing on the importance of healthful diets.