Melissa Fuster1, Enrique R Pouget2, Margaret A Handley2, Krishnendu Ray3, Brian Elbel4, Eddie N Sakowitz1, Kayla Halvey1, Terry Huang5. 1. Department of Health and Nutrition Science, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY. 2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA. 3. Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York, NY. 4. Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, and Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, New York, NY. 5. Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY.
Abstract
Objective: To adapt and apply the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Restaurants (NEMS-R) to Hispanic Caribbean (HC) restaurants and examine associations between restaurant characteristics and nutrition environment measures. Methods: We adapted the NEMS-R for HC cuisines (Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican) and cardiovascular health-promoting factors, and applied the instrument (NEMS-HCR) to a random sample of HC restaurants in New York City (NYC) (N=89). Multivariable linear regression was used to assess independent associations between NEMS-HCR score and restaurant characteristics (cuisine, size, type [counter-style vs sit-down] and price). Results: None of the menus in the restaurants studied listed any main dishes as "healthy" or "light." More than half (52%) offered mostly (>75%) nonfried main dishes, and 76% offered at least one vegetarian option. The most common facilitator to healthy eating was offering reduced portion sizes (21%) and the most common barrier was having salt shakers on tables (40%). NEMS-HCR scores (100-point scale) ranged from 24.1-55.2 (mean=39.7). In multivariable analyses, scores were significantly related to cuisine (with Puerto Rican cuisine scoring lower than Cuban and Dominican cuisines), and size (with small [<22 seats] restaurants scoring lower than larger restaurants). We found a significant quadratic association with midpoint price, suggesting that scores increased with increasing price in the lowest price range, did not vary in the middle range, and decreased with increasing price in the highest range. Conclusions: Our application of the NEMS-R to HC restaurants in NYC revealed areas for potential future interventions to improve food offerings and environmental cues to encourage healthful choices.
Objective: To adapt and apply the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Restaurants (NEMS-R) to Hispanic Caribbean (HC) restaurants and examine associations between restaurant characteristics and nutrition environment measures. Methods: We adapted the NEMS-R for HC cuisines (Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican) and cardiovascular health-promoting factors, and applied the instrument (NEMS-HCR) to a random sample of HC restaurants in New York City (NYC) (N=89). Multivariable linear regression was used to assess independent associations between NEMS-HCR score and restaurant characteristics (cuisine, size, type [counter-style vs sit-down] and price). Results: None of the menus in the restaurants studied listed any main dishes as "healthy" or "light." More than half (52%) offered mostly (>75%) nonfried main dishes, and 76% offered at least one vegetarian option. The most common facilitator to healthy eating was offering reduced portion sizes (21%) and the most common barrier was having salt shakers on tables (40%). NEMS-HCR scores (100-point scale) ranged from 24.1-55.2 (mean=39.7). In multivariable analyses, scores were significantly related to cuisine (with Puerto Rican cuisine scoring lower than Cuban and Dominican cuisines), and size (with small [<22 seats] restaurants scoring lower than larger restaurants). We found a significant quadratic association with midpoint price, suggesting that scores increased with increasing price in the lowest price range, did not vary in the middle range, and decreased with increasing price in the highest range. Conclusions: Our application of the NEMS-R to HC restaurants in NYC revealed areas for potential future interventions to improve food offerings and environmental cues to encourage healthful choices.
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