How do online and street vended lunch packets compare with nutritional recommendations for non-communicable disease prevention?

Abstract

Introduction: Out-of-home food consumption has increased significantly over the last few years. The aim of this study was to analyse the energy, macronutrients, fibre and sodium content in lunch packets obtained from the Colombo Municipal Council Area. Methods: Of all available online vendors selling lunch packets (n=40), twenty were randomly selected. A further eight street food vendors were conveniently selected. Three packets were obtained from each vendor, homogenised and analysed. A total of 28 samples were analysed for sodium content using flame-photometry. Contents were weighed to analyse energy, macronutrient and fibre using food composition tables and to assess adequacy of food groups in relation to food based dietary guidelines.