Chief Investigators: Janis Baird and Christina Vogel, Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology and Adjunct Professor of Food Policy, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton

Team:

Dr Sarah Muir, Senior Research Fellow, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton

Dr Kath Woods-Townsend, Principal Research Fellow, School of Healthcare, Enterprise and Innovation

Dr Sarah Crozier, Senior Statistician, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton

Dr Hayward Godwin, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Southampton

Professor Marcus Munafo and Dr Olivia Maynard, Bristol University

Ravita Taheem, Southampton City Council, lead on childhood obesity

Partners: Bristol University, University of Southampton, Southampton City Council

Start: 1 October 2024

End: 31 March 2026

Background

A poor diet significantly contributes to illnesses including heart disease, diabetes and stroke. One in three children are leaving primary school  have obesity or overweight, raising concerns about their future health. The teenage years are crucial because this is when young people start making their own food choices, setting the stage for their lifelong eating habits.

The Problem

The journey to and from school often involves passing by convenience stores which rely on shoppers, such as young people, to impulse-buy products that are high in fat, salt and sugar. The presence of these stores in school neighbourhoods may be linked to the high rates of childhood obesity.

Our Research Focus

Our recent research, funded by NIHR ARC Wessex, looked at how supermarket product placement affects the shopping habits of mothers. Now, we aim to study how the placement of items in smaller convenience stores near schools influences the buying patterns of young people making their own dietary decisions.

Study Design

Our research is planned to run between October 2024 and March 2026. We will use one area in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, to understand what influences what young people's buy from convenience stores near their schools. We will invite around 40 students aged 11-16 years to participate in small focus groups. These groups will discuss their experiences and perceptions of using local convenience stores, including factors like convenience, travel, social influences, product placement, product choice, and promotions. Some students will also be employed as citizen scientists and will be trained to collect data from local stores and will be involved in analysis of findings and development of dissemination materials.

Expected Outcomes

Our findings will provide critical insights for shaping policies. They may help refine existing regulations on food placement and promotions, which currently exempt small businesses, potentially worsening health inequalities among young people.

Engagement and Dissemination

Results will be shared with the young participants in our study and the PPI panel through various media including infographics and we will involve them in wide dissemination to other groups of young people. Nationally, we will present our findings to the Department of Health and Social Care, Chartered Institute of Trading Standards, Impact for Urban Health, and the Association of Convenience Stores. Internationally, our research will be presented in scientific journals and at conferences.