Unpacking the cost of the lunchbox for Australian families

A secondary analysis

Datos Bibliográficos

ID22945689
AutoresAlexandra C Manson (0000-0002-5655-4040, Flinders University), Brittany J Johnson (0000-0001-5492-9219, Flinders University), Luke Wolfenden (0000-0002-6178-3868, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District , Wallsend, NSW 2287 , Australia), Rachel Sutherland (0000-0003-0470-7663, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District , Wallsend, NSW 2287 , Australia), Rebecca K Golley (0000-0001-5197-7987, Flinders University)
Año2024
Volumen39
Número1
Fecha de publicación2024-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
EditorialOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/daad194
PMID38198723
OpenAlexW4390690812
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas38

Ninety per cent of Australian school children bring a home-packed lunch to school, with 44% of the food consumed during school hours being unhealthy. Among other factors, cost is a key consideration for food provision; however, the costs to Australian families are not well understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine what families are currently paying for school lunchboxes in Australian primary schools and to examine associations between food costs and socio-demographic factors with dietary quality. An audit of local retail outlets was used to determine the food costs of lunchbox contents. Costs (AUD) were adjusted for inflation as of early 2023. The lunchboxes of 1026 children aged 4–12 years at 12 Catholic primary schools in New South Wales, Australia, were assessed at the start of the day, using photography assessment methods and a validated School Food Checklist. The mean cost of lunchbox contents was $4.48 AUD (SD 1.53), containing a mean energy of 2699 kJ (SD 859), with 37.3% (SD 23.9) of energy sourced from unhealthy foods. Multiple linear regression analyses found that the strongest predictors of higher lunchbox cost (P < 0.05) were a higher proportion of energy from unhealthy foods (B = 0.016) and lower Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (B = −0.178), when controlling for child socio-demographics. The results indicated that lunchbox food costs to Australian families are comparable to alternative school food service models in Australia and internationally. Results demonstrate the cost of food is not the only barrier to providing a healthy school lunchbox. Demonstrating a need for cost-considerate systematic interventions addressing food provision challenges and socio-economic disparities faced by families.

Audit · Business · Checklist · Demographics · Environmental health · Geography · Sociology · Accounting · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demography · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology