Table 1 Items captured by the survey instrument for assessing stores
Item | Rationale/how measured |
|---|---|
Date | Essential food establishment data that allows for identification, geocoding, and time stamping. |
Survey start time, survey end time | |
Food establishment name | |
Street address | |
GPS reading | |
Hours of operation | |
Type of store | For classifying the stores (13 possible types). Categories are modified from those developed by the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) [29] used by the United States to classify food establishments. Specifically for Chinese context, even though both are selling cooked or prepared food, a deli is attached to a restaurant, and a take-out store is a stand-alone store. Check all that applied. |
Wet market, supermarket, small market, convenience store, convenience store attached to a gas station, deli, take-out, bakery, street stand/cart, dessert/fruit juice, tobacco/alcohol shop and others | |
Store size | Possibly a proxy for food variety. Estimated by assessing the length of a single floor tile and counting the number of perimeter tiles of each rectangular section of a store. (All stores had tiled floors) |
Length and width | |
Types of items sold | For assessing the availability of basic food items. Nine basic food items were assessed. Food item categories were determined by in-person store visit and consultation with local collaborators. |
Soy products (raw), packaged foods, frozen meals, fresh cooked/prepared foods, basic grain products, processed/preserved dried meat and seafood, cooking oil, cleaned/easy-to-cook/combo meals, and cold desserts/ice cream | |
Indicator food items | For assessing the availability of specific food items that are indicative of either a healthy or unhealthy diet. Fourteen indicator items were assessed. If available, shelf space and product location were further assessed (see below). |
Salty snack, sweet snack, sweet drinks, alcohol, milk/yogurt, bottled water, powdered drinks, tea, instant noodles, pastry/baked goods, tofu products (packaged snack), fruits, vegetables and fresh meat/poultry | |
For indicator food item that is present: | Shelf space assesses whether the indicator item occupies a significant amount of shelf space (significant or not). If certain products occupy more than half of the shelf space, it is counted as significant. |
Shelf space and product location | Product location assesses whether the location of the item is in the front, middle, or back of the store. |