Abstract:
Nutritious and safe food is essential for good health. However not all food handlers especially in the street food
trade know how to or are willing to prepare nutritiously balanced meals. Many non-communicable diseases are
associated with poor diets, this therefore implies that habitual consumers of street vended foods could be at risk. This
study therefore aimed to analyze the nutrition knowledge and attitudes of street food handlers as well as the food types
sold. The study followed a cross-sectional, quantitative design using a peer reviewed questionnaire to obtain street food
handler demographics, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and food types sold. Questionnaires were administered to 100
food vendors (June–August 2022) with more females (57%) than males (43%) in the sample. The nutrition knowledge
responses given by vendors are indicative of a satisfactory knowledge level. None of the participants scored below 33%
(i.e., ≤5/15). The vendors had positive attitudes towards nutrition. However, the meals they sold such as fat cakes and
processed meats, were mostly fat and energy dense, and these have a potential to cause health issues such obesity and
cardiovascular diseases. Studies on nutrition knowledge especially among this demographic are significantly fewer, and
no other study of this kind has been conducted in the Free State.
