TY - JOUR
T1 - Healthy casetas
T2 - A potential strategy to improve the food environment in low-income schools to reduce obesity in children in Guatemala City
AU - Pehlke, Elisa L.
AU - Letona, Paola
AU - Ramirez-Zea, Manuel
AU - Gittelsohn, Joel
N1 - Funding Information:
The research project described in this article was carried out with financial support of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI, HHSN268200900028C). It was also supported by the INCAP Comprehensive Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (CIIPEC) at the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP); Lilian Navas; Larry Cheskin, MD, and the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center; Benjamin Caballero, MD., PhD.; the Georgeda Buchbinder Fund; and a Kruse Family Publications Award.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elisa L. Pehlke, Paola Letona, Manuel Ramirez-Zea, and Joel Gittelsohn. Published with license by Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Developing countries have undergone transitions driven by globalization and development, accelerating increases in prevalence of overweight and obesity among children. Schools have been identified as effective settings for interventions that target children’s dietary behaviors. In Guatemala, public schools commonly have food kiosks (Casetas) that sell products to children. From July through October 2013, observations during recess, in-depth interviews with school principals (n = 4) and caseta vendors (n = 4), and focus groups with children (n = 48) were conducted. This article explores products available to children at casetas. Factors that affect what casetas offer include regulations and enforcement, vendor investment and earnings, vendor resources, product demand, pricing, and children’s preferences. These factors influence the products that are available and children’s tendency to purchase them. Potential strategies for improvement include healthy food preparation, price manipulation and promotions, raffles and games to encourage healthier choices, and policy to push toward development of healthier products.
AB - Developing countries have undergone transitions driven by globalization and development, accelerating increases in prevalence of overweight and obesity among children. Schools have been identified as effective settings for interventions that target children’s dietary behaviors. In Guatemala, public schools commonly have food kiosks (Casetas) that sell products to children. From July through October 2013, observations during recess, in-depth interviews with school principals (n = 4) and caseta vendors (n = 4), and focus groups with children (n = 48) were conducted. This article explores products available to children at casetas. Factors that affect what casetas offer include regulations and enforcement, vendor investment and earnings, vendor resources, product demand, pricing, and children’s preferences. These factors influence the products that are available and children’s tendency to purchase them. Potential strategies for improvement include healthy food preparation, price manipulation and promotions, raffles and games to encourage healthier choices, and policy to push toward development of healthier products.
KW - Guatemala
KW - childhood obesity
KW - childhood overweight
KW - qualitative research
KW - school food environment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84962789034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84962789034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03670244.2016.1161618
DO - 10.1080/03670244.2016.1161618
M3 - Article
C2 - 27065019
AN - SCOPUS:84962789034
VL - 55
SP - 324
EP - 338
JO - Ecology of Food and Nutrition
JF - Ecology of Food and Nutrition
SN - 0367-0244
IS - 3
ER -