Characterization of Street Food Consumption in Palermo: Possible Effects on Health

Citation

Buscemi, Silvio; Barile, Anna M.; Maniaci, Vincenza; Batsis, John A.; Mattina, Alessandro; & Verga, Salvatore (2011). Characterization of Street Food Consumption in Palermo: Possible Effects on Health. Nutrition Journal, 10, 119. PMCID: PMC3228696

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Street Food (SF) consists of out-of-home food consumption and has old, historical roots with complex social-economic and cultural implications. Despite the emergence of modern fast food, traditional SF persists worldwide, but the relationship of SF consumption with overall health, well-being, and obesity is unknown.
METHODS: This is an observational, cross-sectional study. The study was performed in Palermo, the largest town of Sicily, Italy. Two groups were identified: consumers of SF (n = 687) and conventional restaurant food (RES) consumers (n = 315). Study subjects answered a questionnaire concerning their health conditions, nutritional preferences, frequency of consumption of SF and a score relative to SF consumption ranging from 0 to 20 was calculated.
RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was significantly and independently correlated with the score of street food consumption (r = 0,103; p < 0.002). The prevalence of different diseases, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes, and the use of medications did not differ between the two groups. Milza (a sandwich stuffed with thin slice of bovine spleen and lung) consumers had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (12.2% vs 6.2% in non consumers; p < 0.005) and in this subgroup the use of anti-hypertensive drugs was inversely correlated with the frequency of milza consumption (r = 0.11; P = 0.010).
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that SF consumption in Palermo is associated with a higher BMI and higher prevalence of hypertension in milza consumers. Further studies should evaluate whether frequent SF consumers have unfavourable metabolic and cardiovascular profile.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-10-119

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2011

Journal Title

Nutrition Journal

Author(s)

Buscemi, Silvio
Barile, Anna M.
Maniaci, Vincenza
Batsis, John A.
Mattina, Alessandro
Verga, Salvatore

PMCID

PMC3228696

ORCiD

Batsis - 0000-0002-0845-4416