Is greater variety of chocolates and confectionery in supermarkets associated with more consumption?

Kylie 2011, Is greater variety of chocolates and confectionery in supermarkets associated with more consumption?, Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 2 A key contributor to unhealthy weight gain is excess energy intake, which can occur through overeating and/or eating foods considered energy-dense (i.e. foods high in fat and sugar). While the term " snack food " is not clearly defined, it is often used to refer to foods and drinks that are consumed outside the three main daily meals. Many foods that are considered snack foods (e.g. potato chips, chocolate bars, confectionery) are energy-dense, high in sodium and low in micronutrients [1]. Reduction in intake of energy-dense snack foods is likely to result in decreased energy intake and reduced obesity rates [2]. In metropolitan areas, large supermarkets are often the key source of food for the majority of households. A number of factors are likely to trigger within-store purchasing decisions in supermarkets, including product placement, in-store advertisements, and specials [3]. In addition, it is plausible that greater product variety caters to more taste preferences and leads to increased consumption of a product category. Previously, Walker and colleagues reported data from a single Australian supermarket, finding an overwhelmingly high choice of snack foods available, with the majority (over 70%) of the 1070 snack foods and 863 drinks available considered unhealthy [1]. We also previously found a high variety of snack foods available in supermarkets in Melbourne, Australia[4]. In our current investigation we examined associations between the number of different varieties of chocolate and confectionery items stocked in local supermarkets and consumption of these foods over and above what would be expected based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. This analysis used data from 1007 women in 35 neighbourhoods participating in the Socioeconomic Status and Activity in 3 Women (SESAW) study, sampled in 2004 from Melbourne, Australia (methods described previously [4, 5]). We collected information from women on the consumption of chocolate and confectionery, and audited supermarkets within the sampled suburbs to calculate the number of different varieties of these items stocked. Multilevel analysis was used to determine whether the variety of these snack food items in local neighbourhood supermarkets was associated with women's confectionery and chocolate consumption. Our findings showed that the majority of women ate either chocolate (75%) or confectionery (82%) once a week or less; a small percentage of participants ate chocolates (5%) or confectionery (3%) on …