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The relative price of healthy and less healthy foods available in Australian school canteens

Version 2 2024-06-06, 09:06
Version 1 2018-05-18, 08:50
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 09:06 authored by N Billich, M Adderley, L Ford, I Keeton, C Palermo, Anna PeetersAnna Peeters, Julie WoodsJulie Woods, Kathryn BackholerKathryn Backholer
Abstract School canteens have an important role in modelling a healthy food environment. Price is a strong predictor of food and beverage choice. This study compared the relative price of healthy and less healthy lunch and snack items sold within Australian school canteens. A convenience sample of online canteen menus from five Australian states were selected (100 primary and 100 secondary schools). State-specific canteen guidelines were used to classify menu items into ‘green’ (eat most), ‘amber’ (select carefully) and ‘red’ (not recommended in schools). The price of the cheapest ‘healthy’ lunch (vegetable-based ‘green’) and snack (‘green’ fruit) item was compared to the cheapest ‘less healthy’ (‘amber/red’) lunch and snack item, respectively, using an un-paired t-test. The relative price of the ‘healthy’ items and the ‘less healthy’ items was calculated to determine the proportion of schools that sold the ‘less healthy’ item cheaper. The mean cost of the ‘healthy’ lunch items was greater than the ‘less healthy’ lunch items for both primary (AUD $0.70 greater) and secondary schools ($0.50 greater; p < 0.01). For 75% of primary and 57% of secondary schools, the selected ‘less healthy’ lunch item was cheaper than the ‘healthy’ lunch item. For 41% of primary and 48% of secondary schools, the selected ‘less healthy’ snack was cheaper than the ‘healthy’ snack. These proportions were greatest for primary schools located in more, compared to less, disadvantaged areas. The relative price of foods sold within Australian school canteens appears to favour less healthy foods. School canteen healthy food policies should consider the price of foods sold.

History

Journal

Health Promotion International

Volume

34

Pagination

677-686

Location

England

ISSN

0957-4824

eISSN

1460-2245

Language

English

Notes

In press

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal, C Journal article

Copyright notice

2018, The Authors

Issue

4

Publisher

OXFORD UNIV PRESS