Assessment of the nutritional value of vending machine products and associated purchasing behavior in Lebanese universities

Abstract

PurposeThe aim is to evaluate the nutritive value of vended machine items at university campuses in Lebanon and to explore the factors associated with the use of vending machines among students.Design/methodology/approachCampuses (n = 32) were screened for the presence of vending machines, and items sold in those machines (n = 21) were observed and assessed for their nutritive value. Also, a convenient sample of 603 students completed a web-based questionnaire investigating the association between the use of vending machines with the eating habits and body composition. Independent t-tests or chi-square, in addition to non-parametric test (Mann–Whitney) were conducted. Significance level of 0.05 was used.FindingsVending machine snacks sold in 20 out of 21 universities were high in sugar (32.1 g/100 g), fat (29 g/100 g) and saturated fat (10.5 g/100 g), while for beverages, 20% of the universities had them high in sugar (9.5 g/100 ml), fat (2.9 g/100 g) and saturated fat (1.7 g/100 g). The use of vending machines around campus was associated with significantly higher weekly consumption of crisps, savory snacks and milk. The majority of the participants were vending machine users (77.1%). Vending machine users had a higher weekly consumption of crisps and savory snacks (3.6 ± 4.3 vs 2.3 ± 3.3; p = 0.008) and a higher weekly consumption of milk (4.0 ± 4.2 vs 3.0 ± 3.6; p = 0.036).Originality/valueNo study has determined the nutritive value of vending machines in universities in Lebanon, nor investigated the associated factors with their use.