title: Healthy casetas: A potential strategy to improve the food environment in low-income schools to reduce obesity in children in Guatemala City.
abstract: Developing countries have undergone transitions driven by globalization and development, accelerating increases in prevalence of overweight and obesity among children. Schools have been identified as effective settings for interventions that target children's dietary behaviors. In Guatemala, public schools commonly have food kiosks (Casetas) that sell products to children. From July through October 2013, observations during recess, in-depth interviews with school principals (n = 4) and caseta vendors (n = 4), and focus groups with children (n = 48) were conducted. This article explores products available to children at casetas. Factors that affect what casetas offer include regulations and enforcement, vendor investment and earnings, vendor resources, product demand, pricing, and children's preferences. These factors influence the products that are available and children's tendency to purchase them. Potential strategies for improvement include healthy food preparation, price manipulation and promotions, raffles and games to encourage healthier choices, and policy to push toward development of healthier products.
authors.affiliation: a INCAP Comprehensive Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (CIIPEC) , Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) , Guatemala , Guatemala.|b Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: Elisa L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Pehlke
authors.affiliation: a INCAP Comprehensive Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (CIIPEC) , Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) , Guatemala , Guatemala.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Letona
authors.affiliation: a INCAP Comprehensive Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (CIIPEC) , Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) , Guatemala , Guatemala.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Zea
authors.affiliation: b Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gittelsohn
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003906:Developing Countries; D000072001:Diet, Healthy / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D017144:Focus Groups; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000208:ethnology; D005522:Food Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D019456:Health Transition; D006801:Humans; D018803:Models, Economic; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018881:Suburban Health / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Guatemala; childhood obesity; childhood overweight; qualitative research; school food environment