IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1591: Price and Availability of Sugar-Free, Sugar-Reduced and Low Glycemic Index Cereal Products in Northwestern México

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1591: Price and Availability of Sugar-Free, Sugar-Reduced and Low Glycemic Index Cereal Products in Northwestern México

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14121591

Authors: Jesús Arámburo-Gálvez Noé Ontiveros Marcela Vergara-Jiménez Dalia Magaña-Ordorica Martina Gracia-Valenzuela Francisco Cabrera-Chávez

Sugar-free (SF), sugar-reduced (SR), or low-glycemic-index (low GI) cereal products could be helpful for the dietary treatment of disorders related to glucose homeostasis. However, access and economic aspects are barriers that could hamper their consumption. Thus, the availability and price of such cereal products were evaluated in Northwestern México. The products were categorized in 10 groups. The data were collected in five cities by store visitation (from November 2015 to April 2016). The availability in specialized stores and supermarkets was expressed as availability rates based on the total number of products. The price of the SF, SR, and low GI products were compared with their conventional counterparts. Availability rates were higher in supermarkets than in specialized stores by product numbers (14.29% versus 3.76%, respectively; p < 0.001) and by product categories (53.57% versus 26.92%, respectively; p < 0.001). Five categories of products labeled as SF, SR, and low GI (oats, cookies and crackers, flours, snacks, and tostadas/totopos) had higher prices than their conventional counterparts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, in Northwestern Mexico, the availability of SF, SR, and low GI cereal-based foods is relatively low, and these foods are more expensive than their conventional counterparts.

http://ift.tt/2Cxs3OR