A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Health-Promoting Food Retail-Based Interventions

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Res Public Health

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Environmental Health
Public Health

Date 2021 Feb 5

PMID 33540905

Citations 5

Authors

Huong Ngoc Quynh Tran

Emma McMahon

Marj Moodie

Jaithri Ananthapavan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: While the number of retail interventions with impacts on diet- and/or health-related outcomes is increasing, the economic evaluation literature is limited. This review investigated (i) the cost-effectiveness of health-promoting food retail interventions and (ii) key assumptions adopted in these evaluations.

Methods: A systematic review of published academic studies was undertaken (CRD42020153763). Fourteen databases were searched. Eligible studies were identified, analysed, and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results: Eight studies that evaluated 30 retail interventions were included in the review. Common outcomes reported were cost per healthy food item purchased/served or cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted. Four studies undertook cost-utility analyses and half of these studies concluded that retail interventions were cost-effective in improving health outcomes. Most studies did not state any assumptions regarding compensatory behaviour (i.e., purchases/consumption of non-intervention foods or food purchases/consumption from non-intervention settings) and presumed that sales data were indicative of consumption.

Conclusion: The cost-effectiveness of retail-based health-promoting interventions is inconclusive. Future health-promoting retail interventions should regularly include an economic evaluation which addresses key assumptions related to compensatory behaviour and the use of sales data as a proxy for consumption.

Citing Articles

A best practice guide for conducting healthy food retail research: A resource for researchers and health promotion practitioners.

Scapin T, Boelsen-Robinson T, Naughton S, Ananthapavan J, Blake M, Ferguson M Obes Rev. 2025; 26(4):e13870.

PMID: 39887915 PMC: 11884958. DOI: 10.1111/obr.13870.

How supermarket retailers value business outcomes of healthy food retail strategies: a discrete choice experiment.

Alsubhi M, Blake M, Livingstone A, Moodie M, Ananthapavan J Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1450080.

PMID: 39583076 PMC: 11582052. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1450080.

Conducting industry informant interviews to advance healthy food retail initiatives: challenges, opportunities, and lessons.

Zhang A, Antonacci C, Laska M, Winkler M Health Promot Int. 2024; 39(6).

PMID: 39569478 PMC: 11579594. DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daae158.

Implementation and sales impact of a capacity building intervention in Australian sporting facility food outlets: a longitudinal observational study.

Blake M, Romaniuk H, Riesenberg D, Boelsen-Robinson T, Cameron A, Orellana L BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2023; 5(2):171-181.

PMID: 36619339 PMC: 9813625. DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2022-000445.

Cost-Benefit and Cost-Utility Analyses to Demonstrate the Potential Value-for-Money of Supermarket Shelf Tags Promoting Healthier Packaged Products in Australia.

Ananthapavan J, Sacks G, Orellana L, Marshall J, Robinson E, Moodie M Nutrients. 2022; 14(9).

PMID: 35565886 PMC: 9103654. DOI: 10.3390/nu14091919.

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