Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Legon, Ghana.
College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2020 Sep 1;15(9):e0238308. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238308. eCollection 2020.
Unhealthy food vending can expose children to malnutrition and other diet related challenges such as obesity. This study sought to describe types and sources of food in basic schools in urban Accra, and to describe food purchases by pupils.
This was a cross-sectional study of five basic schools (3 public; 2 private) and 644 pupils in the Ga-East Municipality in Ghana. Check-lists were used to document available sources of foods during school hours. Pupils were intercepted after making purchases during breaktime and the type, cost and sources of foods purchased documented. Energy content of foods were read from labels when available or estimated using the Ghana Food Composition database when unlabelled. Frequencies and crosstabs were used to compare food type by source and school type.
Foods were purchased from school canteen, school store, private stores, and 'table-top' vendors. Meals were most frequently purchased (38%) although single purchases were sweetened drinks, savoury snacks and confectioneries. About 53% of retailers located within the schools sold relatively healthier food options. Similar foods with comparable energy content were purchased within and outside of school.
Basic schools in urban Ghana provide ready access to energy dense food options, which are purchased by pupils both within and outside of school premises. Timely interventions inclusive of school food policies can encourage healthier diets among pupils.
不健康的食品销售可能使儿童面临营养不良和其他与饮食相关的挑战，如肥胖。本研究旨在描述加纳阿克拉市区基础学校的食物类型和来源，并描述学生的购买行为。
这是加纳加东市五所基础学校（3 所公立学校，2 所私立学校）和 644 名学生的横断面研究。使用清单记录学校上课期间的食物来源。课间休息时，学生会在购买食物后被拦截，记录购买的食物类型、价格和来源。如果有标签，会读取食物的能量含量；如果没有标签，则使用加纳食物成分数据库进行估计。使用频率和交叉表比较不同来源和学校类型的食物类型。
食物是从学校食堂、学校商店、私人商店和“桌面”小贩处购买的。用餐是最常购买的食物（38%），尽管单次购买的是甜饮料、咸味小吃和糖果。约 53%的零售商位于学校内，销售相对更健康的食物选择。校内和校外购买的是类似的具有可比能量含量的食物。
加纳市区的基础学校为学生提供了方便获得高能量食物的机会，学生在学校内外都购买这些食物。及时的干预措施，包括学校食品政策，可以鼓励学生更健康的饮食。
