Evaluation of Energy and Nutrient Content of Food and Beverages in Food Vending Machines: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: This study was carried out to determine the food and beverage types sold in vending machines on university campuses and to evaluate their energy and nutrient content.

Subjects and Method: Food and beverage vending machines located on the central campuses of three big state universities in Ankara were examined in this study. A total of 31 food and beverage vending machines (n=31), more specifically, 15 beverage vending machines and 16 food vending machines located in libraries, administrative buildings and faculty buildings, positioned side by side in the same area, were evaluated.

Results: The foods with the highest median energy content in the serving were croissants (227.5 kcal), wafers (205.2 kcal), cakes (173.2 kcal), sweet biscuits (144.6 kcal) and chocolates (126.6 kcal). The foods with the lowest energy content in their portion were found to be saltine crackers (68.4 kcal), salty biscuits (68.6 kcal) and sandwiches (77.5 kcal). When these different product types in the food groups were examined for their fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt content according to the traffic light labeling system, it was found that the only food categorized as “green” in the evaluation made for all four parameters was sandwiches. According to the fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt contents evaluated according to the traffic light labeling system, the food groups in the “red” category were determined as cakes, sweet biscuits, croissants and chocolates.

Conclusion: This study revealed that the variety of food and beverage in the food vending machines on university campuses is very limited, especially in terms of healthy foods. It is necessary to increase the awareness of dietitians as trainers on the subject and policy makers at the point of development of legislation.