TY - JOUR AU - Foley, Louise AU - Francis, Oliver AU - Musuva, Rosemary AU - Mogo, Ebele RI AU - Turner-Moss, Eleanor AU - Wadende, Pamela AU - Were, Vincent AU - Obonyo, Charles PY - 2020 DA - 2020/12/21 TI - Impacts of a New Supermarket on Dietary Behavior and the Local Foodscape in Kisumu, Kenya: Protocol for a Mixed Methods, Natural Experimental Study JO - JMIR Res Protoc SP - e17814 VL - 9 IS - 12 KW - food retail KW - food environment KW - supermarket KW - natural experiment KW - diet KW - Africa AB - Background: Access to healthy food is considered a key determinant of dietary behavior, and there is mixed evidence that living near a supermarket is associated with a healthier diet. In Africa, supermarkets may contribute to the nutrition transition by offering both healthy and unhealthy foods and by replacing traditional food sellers. In Kisumu, Kenya, a planned hypermarket (ie, a supermarket combined with a department store) will form the basis for a natural experimental evaluation. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the impacts of a new hypermarket on food shopping practices, dietary behaviors, physical activity patterns, and body composition among local residents and to identify concurrent changes in the local foodscape. We also aim to explore how impacts and associations vary by socioeconomic status. Methods: We employ a mixed methods, longitudinal study design. Two study areas were defined: the hypermarket intervention area (ie, Kisumu) and a comparison area with no hypermarket (ie, Homabay). The study is comprised of 4 pieces of primary data collection: a quantitative household survey with local residents, a qualitative study consisting of focus group discussions with local residents and semistructured interviews with government and private sector stakeholders, an audit of the local foodscape using on-the-ground data collection, and an intercept survey of shoppers in the hypermarket. Assessments will be undertaken at baseline and approximately 1 year after the hypermarket opens. Results: Baseline assessments were conducted from March 2019 to June 2019. From a total sampling frame of 400 households, we recruited 376 of these households, giving an overall response rate of 94.0%. The household survey was completed by 516 individuals within these households. Across the two study areas, 8 focus groups and 44 stakeholder interviews were conducted, and 1920 food outlets were geocoded. Conclusions: This study aims to further the understanding of the relationship between food retail and dietary behaviors in Kenya. Baseline assessments for the study have been completed. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/17814 SN - 1929-0748 UR - http://www.researchprotocols.org/2020/12/e17814/ UR - https://doi.org/10.2196/17814 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33346736 DO - 10.2196/17814 ID - info:doi/10.2196/17814 ER -