Degree of food processing of household acquisition patterns in a Brazilian urban area is related to food buying preferences and perceived food environment.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study examined the association between local food environment and consumers' acquisition of ultra-processed food. METHODS: Households were randomly selected from 36 census tracts in Santos City, Brazil. Mothers, of varying economic status, who had children ages 10 or younger (n = 538) were interviewed concerning: their household food acquisition of 31 groups of food and beverages, perceptions of local food environment, food sources destinations, means of transportation used, and socioeconomic status. Food acquisition patterns were classified based on the degree of industrial food processing. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess the association between consumer behaviors and acquisition patterns. RESULTS: The large variety of fresh produce available in supermarkets was significantly related to lower odds of ultra-processed food purchases. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, higher odds for minimally-processed food acquisition were associated with: frequent use of specialized markets to purchase fruits and vegetables (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.01-2.34), the habit of walking to buy food (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.08-2.30), and perceived availability of fresh produce in participants' neighborhood (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.08-2.30). Acquisition of ultra-processed food was positively associated with the use of taxis as principal means of transportation to food sources (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.08-5.13), and negatively associated with perceived availability of a variety of fruits and vegetables in the neighborhood (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.88). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that interventions aiming to promote acquisition of less processed food in settings similar to Santos, may be most effective if they focus on increasing the number of specialized fresh food markets in local neighborhood areas, improve residents' awareness of these markets' availability, and provide appropriate transportation.

Low-income African-American adults share weight status, food-related psychosocial factors and behaviours with their children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the extent to which low-income African-American children's weight status, psychosocial characteristics and food-related behaviours are associated with that of their adult caregivers. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from baseline evaluation of B'More Healthy Communities for Kids obesity prevention trial were used. Outcomes of interest were children's overweight and/or obesity status, food-related self-efficacy, knowledge, intentions and healthier/less healthy food acquisition scores. The primary exposures were adult caregiver's overweight and/or obesity status, their psychosocial factors and food acquisition scores. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations. RESULTS: Children had higher odds of overweight or obesity if they had an overweight/obese caregiver (odds ratio [OR] 4.04, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.59-10.28) or an obese caregiver (OR 2.50, 95%CI 1.39-4.51). Having a caregiver in the highest quartile of self-efficacy, food intentions and healthy food acquisition patterns was associated with higher odds of their child also having a higher score on these factors (self-efficacy: OR 3.77 [95%CI 1.76-8.04]; food intentions: OR 1.13 [95%CI 1.01-1.27]; and healthy food acquisition: OR 2.19 [95%CI 1.05-4.54]). CONCLUSIONS: Child and adult caregiver weight status and psychosocial characteristics were positively associated in this low-income, urban population. These findings may help inform obesity treatment or prevention programmes and interventions aimed at parents and families.