A recent study conducted by the public health institute Sciensano has unveiled an uneven distribution of healthy and unhealthy foods within Flemish supermarkets, as

reported by De Standaard on Friday.

The research encompassed 55 Flemish supermarkets affiliated with Carrefour, Delhaize, Aldi, Lidl, and Colruyt. The findings indicate that, on average, for every 10 meters of unhealthy food items, there were only 3.6 meters of healthy food, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sciensano researcher Stefanie Vandevijvere expressed, "No supermarket comes off well, although the differences between the chains are striking." Aldi, a German discounter, leads the pack, offering nearly 4.5 meters of healthy food for every 10 meters of unhealthy products.

On the contrary, Carrefour performed the worst, providing only 2.2 meters of healthy food for every 10 meters of unhealthy food. Delhaize scored 2.7 meters, while Lidl and Colruyt offered 3.2 meters and 3.4 meters, respectively.

The study highlighted another concern raised by Vandevijvere: "Our research clearly shows that the ratio of healthy to unhealthy is worse in areas where lower socio-economic classes live." In these regions, the risk of obesity is notably elevated, with at least 32 percent of children in deprived areas being overweight by the age of 10, twice the rate compared to other areas.

Furthermore, the study pointed out that the most unhealthy foods are prominently displayed at checkouts or on promotional stands near the beginning of supermarket aisles. In nearly all supermarkets, 80 percent of items near the checkout are food products, and nearly 80 percent of these belong to the category of highly processed foods like chocolate or sweets.