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Recreation Facility Food and Beverage Environments in Ontario, Canada: An Appeal for Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Susan Caswell

    (School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Patti-Jean Naylor

    (Institute of Applied Physical Activity and Health Research, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada)

  • Dana Olstad

    (Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada)

  • Sara Kirk

    (Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada)

  • Louise Mâsse

    (BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada)

  • Kim Raine

    (School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada)

  • Rhona Hanning

    (School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

Abstract

Canadian, municipally funded recreation/sport facilities typically have unhealthy food environments. Ontario, unlike some provinces, lacks a voluntary recreation facility nutrition policy. This study assessed the healthfulness of food environments and vending sales in 16 Ontario recreation/sport facilities and, secondarily, compared data from facilities within municipalities that banned versus permitted plastic bottled-water sales (water-ban, n = 8; water, n = 8) to test the nutritional effects of environmental policy. Concession and vending packaged food/beverage offerings and vending sales were audited twice, eighteen months apart. The products were categorized using nutrition guidelines as Sell Most (SM) , Sell Sometimes (SS) , and Do Not Sell (DNS) . Both water and water-ban facilities offered predominantly (>87%) DNS packaged food items. However, proportions of DNS and SM concession and vending beverages differed ( p < 0.01). DNS beverages averaged 74% and 88% of vending offerings in water and water-ban facilities, respectively, while SM beverages averaged 14% and 1%, respectively. Mirroring offerings, DNS beverages averaged 79% and 90% of vending sales in water versus water-ban facilities. Ontario recreation/sport facilities provided unhealthy food environments; most food/beverage offerings were energy-dense and nutrient-poor. Water bans were associated with increased facility-based exposure to DNS beverage options. A nutrition policy is recommended to make recreation facility food/beverage environments healthier and to mitigate unintended negative consequences of bottled-water bans.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan Caswell & Patti-Jean Naylor & Dana Olstad & Sara Kirk & Louise Mâsse & Kim Raine & Rhona Hanning, 2021. "Recreation Facility Food and Beverage Environments in Ontario, Canada: An Appeal for Policy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:15:p:8174-:d:607150
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vander Wekken, Suzanne & Sørensen, Susanne & Meldrum, John & Naylor, Patti-Jean, 2012. "Exploring industry perspectives on implementation of a provincial policy for food and beverage sales in publicly funded recreation facilities," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(3), pages 279-287.
    2. Patti-Jean Naylor & Laura Bridgewater & Megan Purcell & Aleck Ostry & Suzanne Vander Wekken, 2010. "Publically Funded Recreation Facilities: Obesogenic Environments for Children and Families?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Lana Vanderlee & Sahar Goorang & Kimiya Karbasy & Stefanie Vandevijvere & Mary R L’Abbé, 2019. "Policies to Create Healthier Food Environments in Canada: Experts’ Evaluation and Prioritized Actions Using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Olstad, Dana Lee & Prowse, Rachel J.L. & Raine, Kim D. & Tomlin, Dona & Kirk, Sara F. & McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D. & Mâsse, Louise C. & Caswell, M. Susan & Hanning, Rhona M. & Milford, Todd & Naylor, Patt, 2020. "Baseline results from the Eat, Play, Live trial: A randomized controlled trial within a natural experiment examining the role of nutrition policy and capacity building in improving food environments i," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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