Public health policies to encourage healthy eating habits: recent perspectives.

PubMed

Gorski, Mary T; Roberto, Christina A

2015-01-01

There is an urgent need to address unhealthy dietary patterns at the population level. Poor diet and physical inactivity are key drivers of the obesity pandemic, and they are among the leading causes of preventable death and disability in nearly every country in the world. As countries grapple with the growing obesity prevalence, many innovative policy options to reduce overeating and improve diet quality remain largely unexplored. We describe recent trends in eating habits and consequences for public health, vulnerabilities to unhealthy eating, and the role for public health policies. We reviewed recent public health policies to promote healthier diet patterns, including mandates, restrictions, economic incentives, marketing limits, information provision, and environmental defaults.

A strategy for weight loss based on healthy dietary habits and control of emotional response to food.

PubMed

Pontes Torrado, Yolanda; García-Villaraco Velasco, Ana; Hernández Galiot, Ana; Goñi Cambrodón, Isabel

2015-06-01

A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits are major causes of a negative energy balance and excess body weight. The lifestyle of the Mediterranean diet eating pattern significantly reduces risk factors for non communicable diseases. Moreover, emotions have a powerful effect on feeding behavior. There is a direct relationship between food choices (type and amount), emotions and increased energy intake. To know the emotional behavior of individuals as a function of the relation between food intake and emotions to facilitate the establishment of personalized dietary guidelines based on healthy eating habits and increase the patient fidelity until the desired weight. 99 overweight adult people (81 women and 18 men) were subjected to a weight-reduction program based on the establishment of lifestyle and healthy eating habits. The adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and the effect of emotions on the choice of food and eating habits were determined using Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and Emotional- Eater Questionnaire (EEQ) respectively. The studied population was sedentary, consumed an unhealthy diet and eating behavior was highly affected by emotions. The majority of participants, (66% of women and 71% of men) were classified as emotional eater. During the treatment program eating habits and lifestyle subjects were modified and reduced at least 10% of their body weight. Know the relation between food intake and emotions allows to personalize the dietary strategy for weight loss in overweight and obesity. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Using Temporal Self-Regulation Theory to understand healthy and unhealthy eating intentions and behaviour.

PubMed

Evans, Rachel; Norman, Paul; Webb, Thomas L

2017-09-01

The present research investigated whether Temporal Self-Regulation Theory (TST) can be used to help understand healthy and unhealthy eating intentions and behaviour. A prospective design with two waves of data collection one week apart. An online survey measured the key components of TST (i.e., connectedness, timing and valence beliefs, intentions, past behaviour, habit strength, perceived environmental cues, and self-control) with respect to eating fruit and vegetables (F&V; N = 133) or unhealthy snacks (N = 125). Eating behaviour was assessed one week later. The components of TST explained significant amounts of the variance in intentions and behaviour for intake of F&Vs (22% and 64%, respectively) and unhealthy snacks (18% and 35%, respectively). Beliefs about positive and negative short-term outcomes significantly predicted intentions to perform both behaviours. Intentions and past behaviour significantly predicted consumption of F&Vs, and past behaviour moderated the relationship between intention and behaviour which became stronger as past behaviour increased. Past behaviour and habit strength significantly predicted unhealthy snacking. The findings suggest that TST may be a useful framework for understanding eating intentions and behaviour. However, research did not find support for all of the hypothesised relationships (e.g., self-regulatory capacity did not significantly predict eating behaviour and also failed to moderate the relationships between intentions and behaviour). Research using alternative measures of self-regulatory capacity, along with experimental manipulations of TST variables, may be needed to further understand eating intentions and behaviour. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Healthy eating habits protect against temptations.

PubMed

Lin, Pei-Ying; Wood, Wendy; Monterosso, John

2016-08-01

Can healthy food-choice habits protect people against temptations of consuming large portion sizes and unhealthy foods? In two studies, we show that the answer is yes, good habits serve this protective role, at least in contexts in which people are not deliberating and thus fall back on habitual responses. In the first study, participants trained with unhealthy habits to approach eating chocolate, but not those trained with healthy habits, succumbed to temptation and ate more chocolates when their self-control resources were depleted. Study 2 extended and clarified these findings by demonstrating the role of environmental cues in eliciting healthy habits when self-control resources are depleted. Participants who had been trained to choose carrots habitually to a pictorial stimulus (i.e., habit cue) subsequently resisted choosing M&Ms as long as the cue was present. This effect of habit cues on healthy food choices suggests the usefulness of manipulating such cues as a means of meeting self-regulatory goals such as portion control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthy and unhealthy eating at lower secondary school in Norway.

PubMed

Hilsen, Marit; Eikemo, Terje A; Bere, Elling

2010-11-01

To assess adolescents' eating/drinking habits of a selection of healthy and unhealthy food items at school, variations in gender and socioeconomic status in these eating habits, and variations between the schools. A cross-sectional study among 2870 adolescents (mean age: 15.5 years) within the Fruits and Vegetables Make the Marks (FVMM) project. A survey questionnaire was completed by the pupils in the classroom in the presence of a trained project worker. One school lesson (45 minutes) was used to complete the questionnaire. A total of two healthy (fruit and vegetables (FV), water) and five unhealthy (candy and/or potato chips, sweet bakery, instant noodles, regular soft drinks, and diet soft drinks) food items were assessed by food frequency questions. All variables were dichotomised to less than once a week and once a week or more. Several pupils reported to consume snacks (33%), sweet bakery (36%) and regular soft drinks (24%) at school at least once a week. The proportion of pupils who reported to eat FV at least once a week (40%) was low. Girls and pupils with plans of higher education had a more favourable intake of healthy versus unhealthy food items at school. In two-level variance component analyses the proportional school variation ranged from 3.4% (diet soft drinks) to 30.7% (noodles). A large number of adolescents consume unhealthy food items at school and few eat FV. Large differences were observed between groups of pupils and between the schools in consumption of these foods.

Combination of optical spectroscopy and electrical impedancemetry for nutrition behavior characterizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perchik, Alexey; Pavlov, Konstantin; Vilenskii, Maksim; Popov, Mikhail

2017-07-01

Unhealthy nutrition trends determination technique is described. Combination of optical spectroscopy and electrical impedancemetry will lead to development of a healthcare device that will predict unhealthy eating habits and decrease risk factors of diseases development.

Self-efficacy for healthy eating and peer support for unhealthy eating are associated with adolescents' food intake patterns.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Amanda; Heary, Caroline; Kelly, Colette; Nixon, Elizabeth; Shevlin, Mark

2013-04-01

Adolescence, with its change in dietary habits, is likely to be a vulnerable period in the onset of obesity. It is considered that peers have an important role to play on adolescents' diet, however, limited research has examined the role of peers in this context. This study examined the relationship between self-efficacy for healthy eating, parent and peer support for healthy and unhealthy eating and food intake patterns. Participants were 264 boys and 219 girls (N=483), aged 13-18years, recruited from post-primary schools in Ireland. Self-report measures assessed self-efficacy, parent and peer support for healthy eating, and for unhealthy eating. Dietary pattern analysis, a popular alternative to traditional methods used in nutritional research, was conducted on a FFQ to derive food intake patterns. Two patterns were identified labelled 'healthy food intake' and 'unhealthy food intake'. Multi-group modelling was used to evaluate whether the hypothesized model of factors related to dietary patterns differed by gender. The multi-group model fit the data well, with only one path shown to differ by gender. Lower self-efficacy for healthy eating and higher peer support for unhealthy eating were associated with 'unhealthy food intake'. Higher self-efficacy was associated with 'healthy food intake'. Prevention programs that target self-efficacy for eating and peer support for unhealthy eating may be beneficial in improving dietary choices among adolescents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attentional bias modification encourages healthy eating.

PubMed

Kakoschke, Naomi; Kemps, Eva; Tiggemann, Marika

2014-01-01

The continual exposure to unhealthy food cues in the environment encourages poor dietary habits, in particular consuming too much fat and sugar, and not enough fruit and vegetables. According to Berridge's (2009) model of food reward, unhealthy eating is a behavioural response to biased attentional processing. The present study used an established attentional bias modification paradigm to discourage the consumption of unhealthy food and instead promote healthy eating. Participants were 146 undergraduate women who were randomly assigned to two groups: one was trained to direct their attention toward pictures of healthy food ('attend healthy' group) and the other toward unhealthy food ('attend unhealthy' group). It was found that participants trained to attend to healthy food cues demonstrated an increased attentional bias for such cues and ate relatively more of the healthy than unhealthy snacks compared to the 'attend unhealthy' group. Theoretically, the results support the postulated link between biased attentional processing and consumption (Berridge, 2009). At a practical level, they offer potential scope for interventions that focus on eating well. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bedtime and sleep timing but not sleep duration are associated with eating habits in primary school children.

PubMed

Thivel, David; Isacco, Laurie; Aucouturier, Julien; Pereira, Bruno; Lazaar, Nordine; Ratel, Sébastien; Doré, Eric; Duché, Pascale

2015-04-01

In the context of childhood obesity progression, sleep patterns have been associated with unhealthy eating habits and energy intake. The association between several eating habits and sleep patterns in children has been recently studied. The aim of this study was to explore the association between sleep patterns, eating habits, and physical fitness in primary school children. A total of 236 children of 6 to 10 years old were recruited. Anthropometric characteristics and body composition were measured, and cardiorespiratory (20-m shuttle run test) and musculoskeletal (squat jump and cycling peak power) fitness tests were performed. Parents were asked to fill out an eating habits questionnaire, and children were classified into 4 categories as a function of the number of eating risk factors they presented. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child's bedtime and waking hours during weekdays and weekends. Weight (p < .01), waist circumference, and fat mass (p < .05) were significantly higher in late sleepers (27.6 ± 6.3 kg; 60.1 ± 7.6 cm; 19.52 ± 7.44) compared with normal sleepers (25.4 ± 3.7 kg; 58.2 ± 4.9 cm; 17.44% ± 6.23%). None of the physical fitness parameters were associated with sleep duration, bedtime, wake-up time, nor were they significantly different between late and normal sleepers. Bedtime was significantly earlier in children consuming breakfast everyday (08:30 vs. 09:00 PM, p < .01); later in children snacking (09:15 vs. 09:30 PM, p < .05) or watching TV at lunch (10:00 vs 09:30 PM, p < .05). There is an association between the proportion of normal and late sleepers and the accumulation of healthy eating habits (p < .001). Bedtime and sleep timings (normal or late sleepers) are associated with eating habits in primary school children. It seems necessary to consider the number of unhealthy eating habits adopted by children when studying these associations.

Implementation of a worksite educational program focused on promoting healthy eating habits.

PubMed

Tanagra, Dimitra; Panidis, Dimitris; Tountas, Yannis; Remoudaki, Elina; Alexopoulos, Evangelos C

2013-01-01

To estimate the effectiveness of a short-term educational-counseling worksite program focused on lipid intake, by monitoring the possible change on nutrition knowledge and eating habits. an 8-week educational program based on the Health Belief Model was implemented in a honey packaging and sales company in Greece. 20 out of the 29 employees initially enrolled completed the program. Knowledge level and eating habits were evaluated prior and after the intervention by the "Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire" and the "Food Habits Questionnaire". ANOVA, Spearman rho test and paired Wilcoxon test were employed in statistical analysis. Non smokers and those with higher educational level had healthier eating habits. Knowledge following the intervention was significantly improved concerning recommendations and basic food ingredients but as far as eating habits were concerned, scores were not improved significantly, while intake of fried food was increased. Short-term interventions may produce substantial improvement in knowledge but not necessarily modifications in unhealthy eating habits.

[Health behaviour and health status of nursing staff--a review of the literature].

PubMed

Tracogna, U; Klewer, J; Kugler, J

2002-07-01

Presently around 1.1 million nurses are employed in the German health care system. Due to increased workload and staff reduction, studies on the health behaviour and health condition of nursing staff are increasingly important. Hence we reviewed the literature on health behaviour and health condition of nursing staff. Articles available in Medline and Embase from 1978 to 2000 were included, focussing on smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, eating habits, body-mass index, dental health status, risk behaviour in traffic, workload, burnout syndrome, sports and recreation, job satisfaction, subjective health status, subjective complaints, vaccinations and quality of life. Health behaviour was divided in unhealthy and healthy behaviour. It became obvious that most of the studies focussed on investigation of unhealthy behaviour, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse and poor eating habits. Health promotion was mainly seen as avoiding these unhealthy habits. Only in current studies definitions of health promoting behaviour were developed as a part of a comprehensive life-style.

When Teens' Eating Habits Become Unhealthy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Alexander R.

1984-01-01

Eating disorders than may beset teenagers and seriously affect their health are discussed. Facts about causes, symptoms, and treatments for anorexia nervosa and bulimia, a disorder which involves overeating, followed by self-induced vomiting or purging, are presented. (PP)

Using stop signals to reduce impulsive choices for palatable unhealthy foods.

PubMed

Veling, Harm; Aarts, Henk; Stroebe, Wolfgang

2013-05-01

Exposure to palatable foods in the environment can trigger impulsive reactions to obtain them, which may lead to unhealthy food choices and eating behaviour. Two studies tested the fundamental question whether impulsive unhealthy food choices can be altered by means of linking unhealthy palatable foods to behavioural stop signals. Study 1 adopted a 2 (signal condition: stop signal vs. control) by 2 (appetite: low vs. high) between-subjects design. Study 2 adopted a 2 (signal condition: stop signal vs. control) between-subjects design with frequency to consume unhealthy palatable foods as a continuous factor. Participants performed a task in which behavioural stop signals were either consistently (or not) presented in close temporal proximity to unhealthy palatable snack foods. Next, participants were given the opportunity to select snacks that they would like to consume. Two studies showed that participants were less likely to select unhealthy palatable foods that had been presented near stop signals, and that they selected healthy foods instead. Importantly, this reduction in choices for palatable foods was especially observed when participants' appetite was relatively high (Study 1), or when this food was part of their habit to frequently consume this food (Study 2). These findings show that a short stop signal intervention in which palatable foods are presented in close temporal proximity of stop signals can reduce palatable food choices by modifying an impulsive determinant of eating behaviour. What is already known on this subject? Exposure to unhealthy palatable foods in the environment can lead to impulsive food choices. People's habits towards unhealthy palatable foods and their current state of appetite are important determinants of such impulsive food choices. This impulsive behaviour is hard to change. What this study add? Linking unhealthy palatable foods to behavioural stop signals reduces choices for these foods, and increases healthy food choices. This effect is particularly strong when people's food choices are driven by their current state of appetite or habits. Behavioural stop signals foster healthy eating behaviour by modifying an impulsive determinant of behaviour. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Promoting Lifelong Healthy Eating: An Overview. CDC's Guidelines for School Health Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (DHHS/CDC), Atlanta, GA. Adolescent and School Health Div.

This publication describes the importance of promoting healthy eating habits among school-age children, discussing the benefits of healthy eating (e.g., prevents child and adolescent health problems and health problems later in life) and noting the consequences of unhealthy eating (e.g., hungry childen are more likely to have behavioral,…

[Occupational stress, coping styles and eating habits among Polish employees].

PubMed

Potocka, Adrianna; Mościcka, Agnieszka

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to analyze potential relations between occupational stress, coping styles and ing habits. Questionnaires administered to 160 public administration employees allowed for assessing eating habits, occupational stress and coping styles. The eating habits correlated with work stress (ro-Spearman's = 0.17-0.29). More unhealthy eating patterns were observed in employees characterized by a higher level of stress. Such stressors as overload, lack of control over work and inappropriate work organization were especially related to poorer eating habits. Among the analyzed coping styles, focusing on emotions (ro-S = 0.19) and searching for emotional support most significantly correlated with poorer eating behaviors (ro-S = 0.16). There were statistically significant differences in eating habits, depending on the level of job stress (U = 1583.50, p < 0.05). Employees with high job stress had a stronger tendency to habitual and emotional eating more than those with a medium level of job stress. The relationship between subjective assessment of job stress, coping and eating habits has been confirmed. Taking into account the role of stress and coping, as the potential determinants of eating patterns in humans, more attention should be paid to education and promotion of knowledge about the relationship between stress and human eating behaviors to prevent obesity and eating disorders.

Tempting foods and the affordability axiom: Food cues change beliefs about the costs of healthy eating.

PubMed

Hill, Sarah E; Baskett, Kaily; Bradshaw, Hannah K; Prokosch, Marjorie L; DelPriore, Danielle J; Rodeheffer, Christopher D

2016-12-01

Many consumers report that healthy eating is more expensive than unhealthy eating (the affordability axiom). We hypothesize that endorsement of this belief may be driven by the motivation to eat unhealthy foods. We tested this hypothesis in three studies. Study 1 revealed that the affordability axiom is associated with poorer eating habits and higher Body Mass Index (BMI). Study 2 found that the presence of a tasty food cue in the environment increased endorsement of affordability axiom. Study 3 found that these effects were moderated by one's food intake goals. Food cues led non-dieters to increase endorsement of the affordability axiom, but had the opposite effect among those seeking to restrict their calorie intake. The affordability axiom might persist as a means of validating unhealthy food choices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Independent and combined relationship of habitual unhealthy eating behaviors with depressive symptoms: A prospective study.

PubMed

Huang, Cong; Momma, Haruki; Cui, Yufei; Chujo, Masahiko; Otomo, Atsushi; Sugiyama, Shota; Ren, Zhongyu; Niu, Kaijun; Nagatomi, Ryoichi

2017-01-01

Unhealthy eating has been found to be associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. However, prospective evidence of the combined effects of unhealthy eating and depressive symptoms has not been reported. This study aimed to elucidate the prospective relationship between habitual unhealthy eating habits and depressive symptoms. A 2-year prospective cohort study of 376 Japanese adults aged 24-83 years without depressive symptoms at baseline was conducted. Information about participants' eating behaviors was obtained via a self-administered questionnaire, in which skipping breakfast, eating dinner shortly before bedtime, and snacking after dinner were recorded. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Japanese version of the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale. The 2-year incidence of depressive symptoms was found to be 23.7% (89/376). Covariate-adjusted multivariate Poisson regression analyses showed that habitual snacking after dinner was significantly associated with the incidence of depressive symptoms (relative risk [RR] 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-3.14, p = 0.049), whereas no relationship was found between skipping breakfast or eating dinner shortly before bedtime and depressive symptoms. On the other hand, there was an interaction effect of snacking after dinner and dinner before bedtime on depressive symptoms (p for the interaction = 0.044). Participants with more than two unhealthy eating behaviors had a higher incidence of depressive symptoms compared to those with fewer than two unhealthy eating behaviors (RR 1.71; 95% CI, 1.06-2.77, p = 0.028). This prospective study is the first to reveal the combined relationship between unhealthy eating and the incidence of depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2016. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

Relationships between parents’ academic backgrounds and incomes and building students’ healthy eating habits

PubMed Central

Hoque, Kazi Fardinul; A/P Thanabalan, Revethy

2018-01-01

Background Building healthy eating habit is essential for all people. School and family are the prime institutions to instill this habit during early age. This study is aimed at understanding the impact of family such as parents’ educations and incomes on building students’ healthy eating habits. Methods A survey on building students’ eating habits was conducted among primary school students of grade 4 (11 years) and 5 (12 years) from Kulim district, Malaysia. Data from 318 respondents were analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to find the present scenario of their knowledge, attitude and practices towards their eating habits while one-way ANOVA and independent sample t-test were used to find the differences between their practices based on students’ gender, parents’ educations and incomes. Results The study finds that the students have a good knowledge of types of healthy food but yet their preferences are towards the unhealthy food. Though the students’ gender and parents’ educations are not found significantly related to students’ knowledge, attitude and practices towards healthy eating habits, parents’ incomes have significant influence on promoting the healthy eating habit. Discussion Findings of this study can be useful to guide parents in healthy food choices and suggest them to be models to their children in building healthy eating habits. PMID:29736328

Relationships between parents' academic backgrounds and incomes and building students' healthy eating habits.

PubMed

Hoque, Kazi Enamul; Hoque, Kazi Fardinul; A/P Thanabalan, Revethy

2018-01-01

Building healthy eating habit is essential for all people. School and family are the prime institutions to instill this habit during early age. This study is aimed at understanding the impact of family such as parents' educations and incomes on building students' healthy eating habits. A survey on building students' eating habits was conducted among primary school students of grade 4 (11 years) and 5 (12 years) from Kulim district, Malaysia. Data from 318 respondents were analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to find the present scenario of their knowledge, attitude and practices towards their eating habits while one-way ANOVA and independent sample t -test were used to find the differences between their practices based on students' gender, parents' educations and incomes. The study finds that the students have a good knowledge of types of healthy food but yet their preferences are towards the unhealthy food. Though the students' gender and parents' educations are not found significantly related to students' knowledge, attitude and practices towards healthy eating habits, parents' incomes have significant influence on promoting the healthy eating habit. Findings of this study can be useful to guide parents in healthy food choices and suggest them to be models to their children in building healthy eating habits.

Relationship between weight-related behavioral profiles and health outcomes by sexual orientation and gender.

PubMed

VanKim, Nicole A; Erickson, Darin J; Eisenberg, Marla E; Lust, Katherine; Rosser, B R Simon; Laska, Melissa N

2016-07-01

Examine relationships between weight-related factors and weight status, body dissatisfaction, chronic health conditions, and quality of life across sexual orientation and gender. Two- and four-year college students participated in the College Student Health Survey (n = 28,703; 2009-2013). Risk differences were calculated to estimate relationships between behavioral profiles and weight status, body satisfaction, diagnosis of a chronic condition, and quality of life, stratified by gender and sexual orientation. Four behavioral profiles, characterized as "healthier eating habits, more physically active," "healthier eating habits," "moderate eating habits," and "unhealthy weight control," were utilized based on latent class analyses, estimated from nine weight-related behavioral survey items. Sexual orientation differences in weight and quality of life were identified. For example, sexual minority groups reported significantly poorer quality of life than their heterosexual counterparts (females: 22.5%-38.6% (sexual minority) vs. 19.8% (heterosexual); males: 14.3%-26.7% (sexual minority) vs. 11.8% (heterosexual)). Compared with the "healthier eating habits, more physically active" profile, the "unhealthy weight control" profile was associated with obesity, poor body satisfaction, and poor quality of life in multiple gender/sexual orientation subgroups. Interventions are needed to address obesity, body dissatisfaction, and poor quality of life among sexual minority college students. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

School Food Practices of Prospective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossiter, Melissa; Glanville, Theresa; Taylor, Jennifer; Blum, Ilya

2007-01-01

Background: Schoolteachers can affect students' eating habits in several ways: through nutrition knowledge, positive role modeling, and avoidance of unhealthy classroom food practices. In this study, the knowledge, attitudes, and eating behaviors of prospective teachers as determinants of intended classroom food practices and the school…

[Food and health, a conflictive relationship: the case of Spain].

PubMed

García-Brenes, M David

2010-01-01

This study analyzes the factors that have triggered a gradual deterioration of eating habits and the new social and cultural imperatives that have seriously undermined the well-being of Spanish consumers. It shows that consumption of basic food products to ensure good nutrition has declined, while consumption of unhealthy food products has increased. The consumption of cereals, rice, legumes and wine has significantly declined; meat, milk, dairy products and fat consumption has substantially increased. Moreover, eating habits have changed and diversified, adapting to new constraints imposed by an increasingly industrialized society. Conclusions and recommendations for acquiring healthy eating habits are presented at the end of the paper.

Comparison of US and Indian College Students' Health Behaviors That Contribute to the Development of Chronic Diseasess

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Darson; Kramer, Alaina; Whitlock, Alyssa; Cox, Carol

2016-01-01

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory diseases are the leading chronic diseases worldwide. For American college students, specifically, behavioral risk factors for chronic disease include: insufficient sleep, inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, poor mental health, substance abuse, unhealthy relationships, and unsafe sexual…

Relationship between Self-Rated Health and Lifestyle and Food Habits in Japanese High School Students.

PubMed

Osera, Tomoko; Awai, Mitsuyo; Kobayashi, Misako; Tsutie, Setsuko; Kurihara, Nobutaka

2017-10-18

Self-rated health (SRH), a subjective assessment of health status, is extensively used in the field of public health. It is an important and valid measure that is strongly related to morbidity, mortality, longevity and health status. Adolescence is a crucial period for the formation of health status, because health-risk behaviours (e.g., skipping breakfast) are often established during this period. In this study, we investigated the relationship of SRH with lifestyle and eating habits in Japanese high school students. In this study, 1296 students aged 16-18 years from 11 high schools in Japan participated. A questionnaire was administered to these participants that included a question on SRH, five questions on demographic characteristics, six questions on lifestyle items (e.g., wake-up time), five questions on miscellaneous health issues (e.g., anorexia), and 25 questions on food habits and attitudes towards food. We examined the differences between self-rated healthy and unhealthy groups using logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender and age. A dichotomy regression analysis was performed using a stepwise elimination method. Of the 1296 respondents, 16.7% reported feeling unhealthy, 57.7% of whom were females. The self-rated healthy group had a higher frequency of eating breakfast (odds ratio (OR): 2.13; confidence interval (CI): 1.07-4.24) and liked home meals to a greater extent (OR: 3.12; CI: 1.27-7.65) than the self-rated unhealthy group. The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of other lifestyle factors or unidentified complaints. Our results suggest that liking home meals during adolescence may lead to the development of good eating habits, i.e., eating breakfast, and better SRH.

Relationship between Self-Rated Health and Lifestyle and Food Habits in Japanese High School Students

PubMed Central

Osera, Tomoko; Awai, Mitsuyo; Kobayashi, Misako; Tsutie, Setsuko; Kurihara, Nobutaka

2017-01-01

Self-rated health (SRH), a subjective assessment of health status, is extensively used in the field of public health. It is an important and valid measure that is strongly related to morbidity, mortality, longevity and health status. Adolescence is a crucial period for the formation of health status, because health-risk behaviours (e.g., skipping breakfast) are often established during this period. In this study, we investigated the relationship of SRH with lifestyle and eating habits in Japanese high school students. In this study, 1296 students aged 16–18 years from 11 high schools in Japan participated. A questionnaire was administered to these participants that included a question on SRH, five questions on demographic characteristics, six questions on lifestyle items (e.g., wake-up time), five questions on miscellaneous health issues (e.g., anorexia), and 25 questions on food habits and attitudes towards food. We examined the differences between self-rated healthy and unhealthy groups using logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender and age. A dichotomy regression analysis was performed using a stepwise elimination method. Of the 1296 respondents, 16.7% reported feeling unhealthy, 57.7% of whom were females. The self-rated healthy group had a higher frequency of eating breakfast (odds ratio (OR): 2.13; confidence interval (CI): 1.07–4.24) and liked home meals to a greater extent (OR: 3.12; CI: 1.27–7.65) than the self-rated unhealthy group. The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of other lifestyle factors or unidentified complaints. Our results suggest that liking home meals during adolescence may lead to the development of good eating habits, i.e., eating breakfast, and better SRH. PMID:29057788

Consumption stereotypes and impression management: how you are what you eat.

PubMed

Vartanian, Lenny R; Herman, C Peter; Polivy, Janet

2007-05-01

Consumption stereotypes refer to judgments about others based on their food intake. We review the empirical research on stereotypes based on what and how much people eat. The characteristics stereotypically associated with food intake pertain to domains ranging from gender roles and social appeal to health and weight. For example, people who eat "healthy" foods and smaller meals are seen as more feminine; conversely, those who eat "unhealthy" foods and larger meals are seen as more masculine. We further discuss how these stereotypes can be exploited by the eater to convey a particular impression (e.g., femininity, social appeal). Finally, we discuss the ways in which using food intake as an impression-management tactic can lead to chronic food restriction and unhealthy eating habits.

Adolescent Nutrition: Needs and Recommendations for Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massey-Stokes, Marilyn

2002-01-01

Discusses the importance of healthy dietary behaviors in youth. Lists many ways in which diet can significantly affect the health of adolescents including: nutrition and learning, chronic disease risk, overweight and obesity, unhealthy weight management practices and eating disorders, barriers to healthy eating habits, and overcoming barriers in…

[Use of the Grade of Membership method to identify consumption patterns and eating behaviors among adolescents in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

Cardoso, Letícia de Oliveira; Alves, Luciana Correia; Castro, Inês Rugani Ribeiro de; Leite, Iuri da Costa; Machado, Carla Jorge

2011-02-01

To identify food patterns and eating behaviors among adolescents and to describe the prevalence rates, this study applied the Grade of Membership method to data from a survey on health risk factors among adolescent students in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (N = 1,632). The four profiles generated were: "A" (12.1%) more frequent consumption of all foods labeled as healthy, less frequent consumption of unhealthy foods, and healthy eating behaviors; "B" (45.8%) breakfast and three meals a day as a habit, less frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables and of five markers of unhealthy diet; "C" (22.8%) lack of healthy eating behaviors, less frequent consumption of vegetables, fruit, milk, cold cuts, cookies, and soft drinks; and "D" (19.3%) more frequent consumption of all unhealthy foods and less frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables. The results indicate the need for interventions to promote healthy eating in this age group.

Developmental trends in eating self-regulation and dietary intake in adolescents.

PubMed

Tăut, Diana; Băban, Adriana; Giese, Helge; de Matos, Margarida Gaspar; Schupp, Harald; Renner, Britta

2015-03-01

Research suggests that while capacities for self-regulation gradually improve during adolescence, eating habits become unhealthier. This study investigated whether there are age-related patterns in using self-regulation strategies (SRS) as well as in the self-reported dietary intake of fruit, vegetables, and unhealthy snacks. Moreover, we tested the strength of the relationship between different SRS (aimed at goal versus aimed at temptations) and dietary intake across different ages in adolescents. In total, 11,392 adolescents (49.5% boys, age range 10-17) from nine European countries took part at this study. Eating SRS, daily intake of fruit, vegetables, and unhealthy snacks were assessed. Older adolescents had lower scores on self-regulation measures compared to younger ones, as well as lower intakes of fruit and vegetables and higher intakes of unhealthy snacks. The strength of the associations between strategies aimed at goal and unhealthy dietary intake, as well as between strategies aimed at temptation and healthy dietary intake, were generally small and/or insignificant. There were small age differences in the direction and strength of these patterns. The trends in SRS and dietary intake of fruit, vegetables and unhealthy snacks suggest that middle (13-15-years-old) but also older adolescents might benefit greatly from interventions focused on boosting eating SRS. © 2014 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Novel methods to help develop healthier eating habits for eating and weight disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Turton, Robert; Bruidegom, Kiki; Cardi, Valentina; Hirsch, Colette R; Treasure, Janet

2016-02-01

This paper systematically reviews novel interventions developed and tested in healthy controls that may be able to change the over or under controlled eating behaviours in eating and weight disorders. Electronic databases were searched for interventions targeting habits related to eating behaviours (implementation intentions; food-specific inhibition training and attention bias modification). These were assessed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In healthy controls the implementation intention approach produces a small increase in healthy food intake and reduction in unhealthy food intake post-intervention. The size of these effects decreases over time and no change in weight was found. Unhealthy food intake was moderately reduced by food-specific inhibition training and attention bias modification post-intervention. This work may have important implications for the treatment of populations with eating and weight disorders. However, these findings are preliminary as there is a moderate to high level of heterogeneity in implementation intention studies and to date there are few food-specific inhibition training and attention bias modification studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of children's eating behaviors with parental education, and teachers' health awareness, attitudes and behaviors: a national school-based survey in China.

PubMed

He, Liu; Zhai, Yi; Engelgau, Michael; Li, Weirong; Qian, Hanzhu; Si, Xiang; Gao, Xin; Sereny, Melanie; Liang, Jing; Zhu, Xiaolei; Shi, Xiaoming

2014-12-01

In China, childhood obesity is a growing health issue. Eating behaviors among children can be influenced by both the family and school environment. We examine the association between these environments and eating habits among children. A total of 11 270 fourth to sixth grade school children, 11 270 of their fathers or mothers, and 1348 teachers from 48 schools were sampled using a multistage cluster random sampling method. Questionnaires collected information on eating behaviors among children, non-communicable chronic disease (NCD)-related health knowledge and behaviors among teachers, and education levels among parents. Mixed effect logistic regression models were used to describe the key associations between eating behaviors among children and teacher and parental characteristics. Health awareness, positive health attitudes, never-smoking and regular-exercise among teachers was positively associated with healthy eating behaviors among their students (having breakfast, vegetables and dairy products every day; P < 0.05), and negatively associated with the unhealthy behaviors (daily intake of fried foods and desserts and sugary beverages; P < 0.05). More than one parent having a high school level or above was positively related to healthy eating behaviors among their children (P < 0.05), but its associations with high-calorie eating habits were negative in urban and positive in rural areas (P < 0.05). School-based interventions which target health-related awareness, attitude and behaviors among school teachers may help improve school-aged children's eating behaviors. Parental education levels may help guide efforts to target children at higher risk of unhealthy eating habits. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Influence of parents and friends on children's and adolescents' food intake and food selection.

PubMed

Salvy, Sarah-Jeanne; Elmo, Alison; Nitecki, Lauren A; Kluczynski, Melissa A; Roemmich, James N

2011-01-01

The influence of parents versus friends on youths' eating behavior has not been directly compared, and little is known about the developmental effects of social influences on their eating behavior. The objective was to compare the effects of mothers and friends on children's and adolescents' energy intake from sandwiches and from healthy and unhealthy snacks and dessert foods. Twenty-three children (ages 5-7 y) and 27 adolescents (ages 13-15 y) ate a meal with their mother on one occasion and with a same-sex friend on another occasion. Male and female children consumed less energy from unhealthy snacks when in the presence of their mothers than when in the company of their friends. Conversely, female adolescents consumed less energy from unhealthy snacks and more energy from healthy snacks when they were with their friends than when with their mothers. Food selection is differentially influenced by the source of social influence and the age and sex of the child. Parents may act as an inhibitory influence on unhealthy eating for younger children. Adolescent girls may try to convey a good impression of healthy eating when eating with same-sex friends, but the eating habits of teenage boys are not as influenced by the social context. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00875576.

What's so special about eating? Examining unhealthy diet of adolescents in the context of other health-related behaviours and emotional distress.

PubMed

van Kooten, Maartje; de Ridder, Denise; Vollebergh, Wilma; van Dorsselaer, Saskia

2007-05-01

This study examines to what extent unhealthy diet in adolescents is related to other types of health-risk behaviours (e.g., smoking and alcohol intake). Whereas previous studies have emphasised that adolescents engage in health-risk behaviour because of a tendency to break the rules, the present study hypothesises that unhealthy diet may differ from this general pattern because emotional distress is involved. Data from the cross-sectional Dutch Health Behaviour in School aged Children study (N=5730) were employed to examine this issue. Participants completed questionnaires on eating habits, health-related behaviours, and emotional distress. Factor analysis confirmed the hypothesis that unhealthy diet is only weakly related to other health-risk behaviours. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, emotional distress was not a significant predictor of unhealthy diet. Further research is required to examine which factors other than emotional distress are responsible for engaging in unhealthy diets in adolescence.

Parent Conversations about Healthful Eating and Weight: Associations with Adolescent Disordered Eating Behaviors

PubMed Central

Berge, Jerica M.; MacLehose, Rich; Loth, Katie A.; Eisenberg, Marla; Bucchianeri, Michaela M.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2013-01-01

Objective The prevalence of weight-related problems in adolescents is high. Parents of adolescents may wonder whether talking about eating habits and weight is useful or detrimental. This study aimed to examine the associations between parent conversations about healthful eating and weight and adolescent disordered eating behaviors. Design Cross-sectional analysis using data from two linked multi-level population-based studies. Setting Anthropometric assessments and surveys completed at school by adolescents and surveys completed at home by parents in 2009–2010. Participants Socio-economically and racially/ethnically diverse sample (81% ethnic minority; 60% low income) of adolescents from EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens) 2010 (n = 2,793, mean age=14.4) and parents from F-EAT (Families and Eating and Activity in Teens) (n = 3,709, mean age = 42.3). Main Exposure Parent conversations about healthful eating and weight/size. Outcome Measures Adolescent dieting, unhealthy weight control behaviors, and binge eating. Results Mothers and fathers who engaged in weight-related conversations had adolescents who were more likely to diet, use unhealthy weight control behaviors, and engage in binge eating. Overweight/obese adolescents whose mothers engaged in conversations that were focused only on healthful eating behaviors were less likely to diet and use unhealthy weight control behaviors. Additionally, sub-analyses with adolescents with data from two parents showed that when both parents engaged in healthful eating conversations, their overweight/obese adolescent children were less likely to diet and use unhealthy weight control behaviors. Conclusion Parent conversations focused on weight/size are associated with increased risk for adolescent disordered eating behaviors, whereas conversations focused on healthful eating are protective against disordered eating behaviors. PMID:23797808

Effect of healthy and unhealthy habits on obesity: a multicentric study.

PubMed

Crovetto, Mirta; Valladares, Macarena; Espinoza, Valentina; Mena, Francisco; Oñate, Gloria; Fernandez, Macarena; Durán-Agüero, Samuel

2018-02-19

Our aim was to characterize and compare eating patterns of university students in Chile, by sex and body weight, body mass index, and nutritional status. This was a cross-sectional study. University students (n = 1454) of Chile were evaluated. A self-assessment survey was used to evaluate healthy eating habits using a questionnaire with values between 1 (do not consume) and 5 (consume) for a total of 9 to 45 points (higher values represent better eating habits). Unhealthy habits were assessed with six questions, including consumption of sugary soft drinks, alcohol, fried foods, fast food, and snacks and adding salt to foods without tasting first. Obese students had a lower consumption of healthy foods (P <0.05) compared with normal weight participants. Underweight male participants had higher unhealthy food consumption (P <0.05) and obese women had the lowest score (P <0.05). Protective factors for being overweight/obese were included (odds ratio [OR]  = 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-0.8), consumption of ≥2 servings of vegetables (OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.4-0.7). Risk factors included consumption (more than 1 cup a day) of sugary soft drinks (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.1) and male sex (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.3-2.4). The consumption of vegetables and belonging to an undergraduate program in health sciences at a university contributed to protection against for obesity. On the other hand, male sex and consumption of sugary drinks were found to be risk factors for obesity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Finding the critical cue: implementation intentions to change one's diet work best when tailored to personally relevant reasons for unhealthy eating.

PubMed

Adriaanse, Marieke A; de Ridder, Denise T D; de Wit, John B F

2009-01-01

Implementation intentions promote acting on one's good intentions. But does specifying where and when to act also suffice when goals involve complex change that requires not merely initiating a behavior but rather substituting a habit with a new response? In a pilot study and two experiments, the authors investigated the efficacy of implementation intentions to replace unhealthy snacks with healthy snacks by linking different types of cues for unhealthy snacking (if-part) to healthy snacking (then-part). The pilot study identified cues for unhealthy snacking, differentiating between situational (where/when) and motivational (why) cues. Studies 1 and 2 tested the efficacy of implementation intentions that specified either situational or motivational cues in altering snacking habits. Results showed that implementation intentions specifying motivational cues decreased unhealthy snack consumption whereas the classic specification of where and when did not. Extending previous research, for complex behavior change "why" seems more important than "where and when."

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: General and Oral Health Hazards in Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Mishra, Shanu

2011-01-01

Ubiquitously unhealthy eating and drinking habits and the development of multiple morbidities, including obesity, type-2 diabetes, dental caries and dental erosion have become a major challenge for physicians, dentists and parents. Modernization has provided heaps of option for outdoor eating and sugar-containing drinks. Even the “diet” labeled drinks are considered not free from sugars and enhances calorie input. With the increasing trends of eating unhealthy, sticky and readily available, refined carbohydrate-rich foods and drinks, problems pertaining to body’s metabolic activity and oral health have also been significantly recognized. Dentists and pediatricians can play a pivotal role and should emphasize on patients’ education and counseling on the proper nutritional diet and health. PMID:27672250

Family structure, nonresident father involvement, and adolescent eating patterns.

PubMed

Stewart, Susan D; Menning, Chadwick L

2009-08-01

To examine the relationship between family structure, nonresident father involvement, and adolescent eating patterns. Analyses were performed on data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Wave 1, N = approximately 15,550; Wave 2, N = approximately 11,540), and a subsample of adolescents from each wave who had a nonresident father (Wave 1, N = approximately 3,745; Wave 2, N = 2,358). Multivariate regression provides estimates of the independent effects of family structure and nonresident father involvement on adolescent eating patterns while controlling for potentially confounding sociodemographic characteristics. Compared with children in traditional households (i.e., two biological or adoptive parents), adolescents in nontraditional family households (single parent, step-parent, no parent) were more likely to display unhealthy eating habits such as skipping breakfast and lunch, eating fewer vegetables, consuming more fast food, and had less parental monitoring of meals. Nonresident father involvement was associated with an increased frequency of eating breakfast and lunch and increased consumption of vegetables (Wave 1) but did not affect adolescents' consumption of fast food. Child support was positively associated with the odds that adolescents would consume dinner. Adolescents in living in nontraditional families were more likely than adolescents living with two biological/adoptive parents to display unhealthy eating habits. Nonresident father involvement was generally associated with healthier eating patterns. Health professionals should keep in mind that children's and adolescents' living arrangements can be complex and have the potential to affect what and how they eat.

I Eat Healthier Than You: Differences in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Choices for Oneself and for Others.

PubMed

Sproesser, Gudrun; Kohlbrenner, Verena; Schupp, Harald; Renner, Britta

2015-06-09

The present study investigated self-other biases in actual eating behavior based on the observation of three different eating situations. To capture the complexity of real life food choices within a well-controlled setting, an ecologically valid fake food buffet with 72 different foods was employed. Sixty participants chose a healthy, a typical, and an unhealthy meal for themselves and for an average peer. We found that the typical meal for the self was more similar to the healthy than to the unhealthy meal in terms of energy content: The mean difference between the typical and healthy meals was MΔ = 1368 kJ (327 kcal) as compared to a mean difference between the typical and unhealthy meals of MΔ = 3075 kJ (735 kcal). Moreover, there was evidence that people apply asymmetrical standards for themselves and others: Participants chose more energy for a peer than for themselves (M = 4983 kJ or 1191 kcal on average for the peers' meals vs. M = 3929 kJ or 939 kcal on average for the own meals) and more high-caloric food items for a typical meal, indicating a self-other bias. This comparatively positive self-view is in stark contrast to epidemiological data indicating overall unhealthy eating habits and demands further examination of its consequences for behavior change.

I Eat Healthier Than You: Differences in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Choices for Oneself and for Others

PubMed Central

Sproesser, Gudrun; Kohlbrenner, Verena; Schupp, Harald; Renner, Britta

2015-01-01

The present study investigated self-other biases in actual eating behavior based on the observation of three different eating situations. To capture the complexity of real life food choices within a well-controlled setting, an ecologically valid fake food buffet with 72 different foods was employed. Sixty participants chose a healthy, a typical, and an unhealthy meal for themselves and for an average peer. We found that the typical meal for the self was more similar to the healthy than to the unhealthy meal in terms of energy content: The mean difference between the typical and healthy meals was MΔ = 1368 kJ (327 kcal) as compared to a mean difference between the typical and unhealthy meals of MΔ = 3075 kJ (735 kcal). Moreover, there was evidence that people apply asymmetrical standards for themselves and others: Participants chose more energy for a peer than for themselves (M = 4983 kJ or 1191 kcal on average for the peers’ meals vs. M = 3929 kJ or 939 kcal on average for the own meals) and more high-caloric food items for a typical meal, indicating a self-other bias. This comparatively positive self-view is in stark contrast to epidemiological data indicating overall unhealthy eating habits and demands further examination of its consequences for behavior change. PMID:26066013

Life style and risk of atypical eating disorders in university students: Reality versus perception.

PubMed

Castelao-Naval, Olga; Blanco-Fernández, Ascensión; Meseguer-Barros, Carmen Marina; Thuissard-Vasallo, Israel J; Cerdá, Begoña; Larrosa, Mar

2018-05-18

The objectives of this paper were to determine weight status, eating, and alcohol drinking and smoking habits of university students, to determine the association between these variables with negative self-perception of their eating habits and to assess the risk of developing eating disorders. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 422 university students. The parameters analyzed were: nutritional status, eating habits, alcohol/ tobacco consumption, and risk of eating disorder. Logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with a negative perception of eating habits. Out of the whole population that was analyzed, 5% were underweight, 16% overweight and 4% obese. Fifty-five percent of the sample analyzed did not consume five meals a day. The recommended foods for daily consumption were consumed below recommendations, while sausages/fatty meats, industrial pastries, lean meats, and fish were over-consumed. Overall, the population perceived their eating habits as good/very good (63%). Alcohol and tobacco consumption predominated at weekends. The girls were more image-conscious (80.6% vs. 66%) and fearful of gaining weight (52.5% vs. 23.9%). Almost 30% had a distorted perception of body image. There was a 12.8% risk of atypical anorexia nervosa and 4.7% of atypical bulimia nervosa. College students led unhealthy lifestyles, mainly due to eating habits that do not conform to the establish recommendations. More than 17% are at risk of developing an atypical eating disorder. This information may be of interest in developing preventive actions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

"Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls-Brazil": an obesity prevention program with added focus on eating disorders.

PubMed

Leme, Ana Carolina Barco; Philippi, Sonia Tucunduva; Thompson, Debbe; Nicklas, Theresa; Baranowski, Tom

2018-05-05

To evaluate the immediate post-intervention and 6-month post-intervention effects of a Brazilian school-based randomized controlled trial for girls targeting shared risk factors for obesity and disordered eating. Total of 253 girls, mean of 15.6 (0.05) years from 1st to 3rd grades of high school participated in this 6-month school-based cluster randomized controlled trial. "Healthy Habits, Healthy Girls-Brazil (H3G-Brazil)", originally developed in Australia, emphasized 10 key nutrition and physical activity (PA) messages delivered over 6 months. Disordered eating prevention procedures, i.e., prevention of weight-teasing, body satisfaction, and unhealthy weight control behavior, were added to the intervention. Body dissatisfaction, unhealthy weight control behaviors and social cognitive-related diet, and physical activity variables were assessed at baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 6-month post-intervention. Intervention effects were determined by one-way analysis of covariance or logistic regression, after checking for the clustering effects of school. The control group did not receive intervention prior to follow-up assessment. A conservative significance level was set at p < 0.01. Beneficial effects were detected for PA social support (F = 6.005, p = 0.01), and healthy eating strategies (F = 6.08, p = 0.01) immediate post-intervention; and healthy eating social support (F = 14.731, p = 0.00) and healthy eating strategies (F = 5.812, p = 0.01) at 6-month post-intervention. Intervention group was more likely to report unhealthy weight control behaviors (OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.15-3.21, p = 0.01) at 6-month post-intervention. No other significant immediate or 6-month post effects were detected. H3G-Brazil demonstrated positive 6-month effects on some social cognitive variables but an adverse effect on unhealthy weight control behaviors. Thus, this study was not able to achieve synergy by combining obesity and disordered eating prevention procedures in an intervention among low-income girls in Brazil. Level I: cluster randomized controlled trial.

Gender and Body-Fat Status as Predictors of Parental Feeding Styles and Children's Nutritional Knowledge, Eating Habits and Behaviours.

PubMed

Lipowska, Małgorzata; Lipowski, Mariusz; Jurek, Paweł; Jankowska, Anna M; Pawlicka, Paulina

2018-04-25

The home food environment is critically important for the development of children’s health-related practices. By managing dietary restrictions, providing nutritional knowledge and demonstrating eating behaviours, parents contribute to children’s food preferences and eating patterns. The present study examined nutritional knowledge, eating habits and appetite traits among 387 Polish five-year-old healthy and overfat boys and girls in the context of parental feeding styles and body-fat status. We observed that girls presented healthier eating habits than boys; however, overfat boys had better nutritional knowledge. Children’s body-fat percentage (%BF) was found to be linked with eating behaviours such as low satiety responsiveness and increased food responsiveness in girls as well as low emotional undereating and increased emotional overeating in boys. Our results revealed that overfat mothers, who were more prone to use the encouragement feeding style, rarely had daughters with increased %BF. Parents of overfat girls, however, were less likely to apply encouragement and instrumental feeding styles. Contrary to popular belief and previous studies, overfat women do not necessarily transmit unhealthy eating patterns to their children. Parents’ greater emphasis on managing the weight and eating habits of daughters (rather than sons) probably results from their awareness of standards of female physical attractiveness.

Eating Habits and Dietary Intake: Is Adherence to Dietary Guidelines Associated with Importance of Healthy Eating among Undergraduate University Students in Finland?

PubMed

El Ansari, Walid; Suominen, Sakari; Samara, Anastasia

2015-12-01

Poor eating habits among young adults are a public health concern. This survey examined the eating habits of undergraduate university students in Finland. We assessed students' dietary intake of a variety of food groups, their adherence to international dietary guidelines (whole sample and by gender), and the associations between importance of eating healthy and dietary guidelines adherence (whole sample and by gender). During the 2013-2014 academic year, 1,189 undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Turku in southwestern Finland completed an online self-administered questionnaire. Students reported their eating habits of 12 food groups, the number of daily servings of fruits/vegetables they consume and how important it is for them to eat healthy. For dietary adherence recommendations, we employed WHO guidelines. Chi-square statistic tested the differences in dietary guidelines adherence between males and females and also the associations between the gradients of importance of healthy eating and the self reported eating habits for each of the food groups, for the whole sample and by gender. We observed high levels of dietary adherence (>70%) for most of the 'unhealthy food' items (cake/cookies, snacks, fast food/canned food, and lemonade/soft drinks), and moderate adherence for most of the 'healthy food' items (>50%) (dairy/dairy products, fruit/vegetables servings/day, fresh fruit, salads/raw vegetables and cereal/cereal products). Fish/seafood, meat/sausage products and cooked vegetables had levels <50% for adherence to the guidelines. Women had better adherence for meat/sausage products, fast food/canned food and for most 'healthy food' items (p≤0.001), whereas men had better adherence for sweets (difference=12.8%, p≤0.001), lemonade/soft drinks (difference=16.7%, p≤0.001) and fish/seafood (difference=6.6%, p=0.040) compared to women. Most students considered important to eat healthy (78.8%). The importance of eating healthy was significantly associated with adherence for all food groups besides sweets and cake/cookies. These associations remained significant for women but some of them not for men (cereal/cereal products, snacks and sweets). The results suggest high adherence to the guidelines mainly for 'unhealthy food' groups, and moderate adherence for healthier food groups. There was also accordance between regarding eating healthy as important and actually eating healthy. However, there are improvements to be considered for specific food groups, as well as gender differences when implementing public health strategies related to food intake. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

Nutritional and physical activity behaviours and habits in adolescent population of Belgrade.

PubMed

Djordjević-Nikić, Marina; Dopsaj, Milivoj; Vesković, Ana

2013-06-01

Proper nutrition and regular physical activity are essential parts of a adolescent's overall health. The aim of this research was to evaluated eating and physical activity behaviours and habits, nutritional and food knowledge, beliefs and self-efficacy related to diet and health of the adolescents of the city of Belgrade, Serbia. A dietary questionnaire previously constructed and tested in adolescent population from Italy was self-administrated. We evaluated eating habits, physical activity, meaning of healthy and unhealthy dietary habits and food, self-efficacy, barriers affecting food choices, nutritional and food safety, and body mass index (BMI) of the adolescents. The sample included 707 adolescents, the mean age of 15,8 +/- 2 years enrolled in the first grade at several high schools in Belgrade. Only 27% of the adolescents had satisfactory eating habits; 31% have a very active lifestyle; 7% good nutritional knowledge and 6-12% satisfactory food safety knowledge and hygiene practices. Significant deviations from recommendations for healthy lifestyle was noted in adolescents' habits, knowledge and practice. It is therefore necessary to develop and organize programs for promotion of healthy behaviours adapted to the adolescents' needs.

Determinants of children's eating behavior.

PubMed

Scaglioni, Silvia; Arrizza, Chiara; Vecchi, Fiammetta; Tedeschi, Sabrina

2011-12-01

Parents have a high degree of control over the environments and experiences of their children. Food preferences are shaped by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This article is a review of current data on effective determinants of children's eating habits. The development of children's food preferences involves a complex interplay of genetic, familial, and environmental factors. There is evidence of a strong genetic influence on appetite traits in children, but environment plays an important role in modeling children's eating behaviors. Parents use a variety of strategies to influence children's eating habits, some of which are counterproductive. Overcontrol, restriction, pressure to eat, and a promise of rewards have negative effects on children's food acceptance. Parents' food preferences and eating behaviors provide an opportunity to model good eating habits. Satiety is closely related to diet composition, and foods with low energy density contribute to prevent overeating. Parents should be informed about the consequences of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle and motivated to change their nutritional habits. Parents should be the target of prevention programs because children model themselves on their parents' eating behaviors, lifestyles, eating-related attitudes, and dissatisfaction regarding body image. Pediatricians can have an important role in the prevention of diet-related diseases. Informed and motivated parents can become a model for children by offering a healthy, high-satiety, low-energy-dense diet and promoting self-regulation from the first years of life.

Eating habits and eating behaviors by family dinner frequency in the lower-grade elementary school students

PubMed Central

Lee, Seo Yeon; Ha, Seong Ah; Seo, Jung Sook; Sohn, Cheong Min; Park, Hae Ryun

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Recently, there has been an increased interest in the importance of family meals on children's health and nutrition. This study aims to examine if the eating habits and eating behaviors of children are different according to the frequency of family dinners. SUBJECTS/METHODS The subjects were third-grade students from 70 elementary schools in 17 cities nationwide. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed. The survey questionnaire was composed of items that examined the general characteristics, family meals, eating habits, eating behaviors, and environmental influence on children's eating. The subjects responded to a self-reported questionnaire. Excluding the incomplete responses, the data (n = 3,435) were analyzed using χ2-test or t-test. RESULTS The group that had more frequent family dinners (≥ 5 days/week, 63.4%), compared to those that had less (≤ 4 days/week, 36.6%), showed better eating habits, such as eating meals regularly, performing desirable behaviors during meals, having breakfast frequently, having breakfast with family members (P < 0.001), and not eating only what he or she likes (P < 0.05). Those who had more frequent family dinners also consumed healthy foods with more frequency, including protein foods, dairy products, grains, vegetables, seaweeds (P < 0.001), and fruits (P < 0.01). However, unhealthy eating behaviors (e.g., eating fatty foods, salty foods, sweets, etc.) were not significantly different by the frequency of family dinners. CONCLUSIONS Having dinner frequently with family members was associated with more desirable eating habits and with healthy eating behaviors in young children. Thus nutrition education might be planned to promote family dinners, by emphasizing the benefits of having family meals on children's health and nutrition and making more opportunities for family meals. PMID:25489408

Eating habits and eating behaviors by family dinner frequency in the lower-grade elementary school students.

PubMed

Lee, Seo Yeon; Ha, Seong Ah; Seo, Jung Sook; Sohn, Cheong Min; Park, Hae Ryun; Kim, Kyung Won

2014-12-01

Recently, there has been an increased interest in the importance of family meals on children's health and nutrition. This study aims to examine if the eating habits and eating behaviors of children are different according to the frequency of family dinners. The subjects were third-grade students from 70 elementary schools in 17 cities nationwide. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed. The survey questionnaire was composed of items that examined the general characteristics, family meals, eating habits, eating behaviors, and environmental influence on children's eating. The subjects responded to a self-reported questionnaire. Excluding the incomplete responses, the data (n = 3,435) were analyzed using χ(2)-test or t-test. The group that had more frequent family dinners (≥ 5 days/week, 63.4%), compared to those that had less (≤ 4 days/week, 36.6%), showed better eating habits, such as eating meals regularly, performing desirable behaviors during meals, having breakfast frequently, having breakfast with family members (P < 0.001), and not eating only what he or she likes (P < 0.05). Those who had more frequent family dinners also consumed healthy foods with more frequency, including protein foods, dairy products, grains, vegetables, seaweeds (P < 0.001), and fruits (P < 0.01). However, unhealthy eating behaviors (e.g., eating fatty foods, salty foods, sweets, etc.) were not significantly different by the frequency of family dinners. Having dinner frequently with family members was associated with more desirable eating habits and with healthy eating behaviors in young children. Thus nutrition education might be planned to promote family dinners, by emphasizing the benefits of having family meals on children's health and nutrition and making more opportunities for family meals.

Adolescents' unhealthy eating habits are associated with meal skipping.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Paulo Rogério Melo; Luiz, Ronir Raggio; Monteiro, Luana Silva; Ferreira, Márcia Gonçalves; Gonçalves-Silva, Regina Maria Veras; Pereira, Rosangela Alves

2017-10-01

Meal consumption and diet quality are important for healthy development during adolescence. The aim of this study was to determine the association between meal habits and diet quality in Brazilian adolescents. A school-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008 with a probabilistic sample of adolescents ages 14 to 19 y (N = 1139) from high schools in central-western Brazil. Consumption of breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner was assessed to evaluate adolescents' meal profile. The Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised (BHEI-R) was calculated to evaluate diet quality. The association between meal profile and BHEI-R (global estimates and components) was assessed using multivariate linear regression models. Diet was characterized by unhealthy eating: a low consumption of fruits, vegetables, and milk/dairy, and a high consumption of fats and sodium. An unsatisfactory meal profile was observed in 14% of adolescents, whereas daily consumption of breakfast, lunch, and dinner was reported by 47%, 78%, and 52% of adolescents, respectively. Meal profile was positively associated with diet quality. Daily consumption of breakfast was associated with higher BHEI-R scores, lower sodium intake, and greater consumption of fruits and milk/dairy. Daily consumption of lunch was associated with greater consumption of vegetables and "meats, eggs, and legumes," whereas consumption of dinner was associated with an increased consumption of "whole fruits." This study showed a parallelism between daily consumption of meals with healthier eating and greater adherence to traditional Brazilian food habits. Skipping meals was associated with a low-quality diet, especially concerning to the low consumption of fruits and vegetables and a high intake of sodium and calories from solid fats, added sugars, and alcoholic beverages. Therefore, the adoption of regular meal habits may help adolescents improve their diet quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Which dietary patterns are more likely to be associated with aspects of eco-sustainable food behaviours in Italy?

PubMed

Scalvedi, Maria Luisa; Turrini, Aida; Saba, Anna

2017-12-04

Sustainable food consumption (SFC) policies need further investigation into eating habits to improve interventions to encourage shifting to new consumption patterns respectful of human rights, environment and health. Reversing the usual approach focussed on sustainable consumer, the present study investigates how different eating patterns relate to eco-sustainable food. A cluster analysis was carried out on consumption frequencies of food groups recorded in an Italian national survey on 3004 respondents, providing four eating habit segments, further investigated as for sustainable food attitude and behaviour. Openness to eco-sustainable food is found mostly in the more balanced diet segment, accounting for about one third of the adult Italian population. Inaccessibility, non-affordability, unhealthy diet and a lack of information still negatively condition eating habits to the detriment of more sustainable consumption. These findings could support SFC stakeholders in targeting policies and strategies based on diversified approaches to enhance awareness of SFC issues.

School food practices of prospective teachers.

PubMed

Rossiter, Melissa; Glanville, Theresa; Taylor, Jennifer; Blum, Ilya

2007-12-01

Schoolteachers can affect students' eating habits in several ways: through nutrition knowledge, positive role modeling, and avoidance of unhealthy classroom food practices. In this study, the knowledge, attitudes, and eating behaviors of prospective teachers as determinants of intended classroom food practices and the school environment and its potential impact on classroom food practices were examined and explored. One hundred and three students (response rate 79%) enrolled in the final year of a bachelor of education program with at least 22 weeks of practice teaching completed a self-administered questionnaire adapted from the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at School teaching staff survey. Indexes related to classroom food practices, school food environment, personal health, fat intake, and nutrition knowledge were constructed and explored quantitatively using linear modeling techniques and contingency table analysis. The majority of respondents reported a high fat intake (65%) and had mid-to-low nutrition knowledge (72%). While most respondents (93%) believed that a healthy school food environment was important, two thirds reported unhealthy classroom food practices. Unhealthy classroom food practices were more likely to be used by those intending to teach at the secondary level, those who held a high personal health belief, and those who demonstrated less support for a healthy school environment. These findings suggest that knowledge, attitudes, and food behaviors of prospective teachers may be barriers to promoting healthy food habits to their future students. Further, prospective teachers would benefit from policies and programs that support healthy classroom practices and from compulsory nutrition education in the teacher training curriculum.

Unhealthy Behaviours: An International Comparison

PubMed Central

Ferretti, Fabrizio

2015-01-01

In the current global economy, chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading cause of death and a major health concern for both developed and developing countries. Among other factors, the worldwide spread of NCDs is driven by the globalisation of unhealthy habits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a simple statistic to measure, at the national level, the average population’s exposure to the main NCDs modifiable risk factors. The approach and methodology followed by the United Nations Development Programme to compute the Human Development Index (HDI) is applied to four basic indicators of NCD-related preventable risk factors (alcohol consumption, excess caloric intake, non-balanced diet and tobacco use) in 112 countries worldwide in 2012–14. We obtain a summary composite index, which we call the Unhealthy Behaviour Index (UBI), which ranks countries by the average level of the unhealthy habits (drinking, eating and smoking) of their populations. We find that Belarus and Russian federation are the two countries with the unhealthiest NCD-related lifestyle. With the exception of Canada, the first twenty populations more exposed to the main NCDs preventable risk factors all live in European countries, and mainly in countries of Eastern Europe. Overall, the UBI tends to increase along with the level of human development. In medium, high and very high HDI countries, however, the same level of human development may be associated with very different kinds of NCD-related lifestyles. Finally, economic growth may push populations toward either more unhealthy or healthy habits, depending on the countries’ level of development; the elasticity of unhealthy habits with respect to income per capita is positive (but less than one: on average 0.6) until $30,000, decreases as income rises, and becomes negative (around -0.3) in very high income countries. PMID:26512717

Unhealthy Behaviours: An International Comparison.

PubMed

Ferretti, Fabrizio

2015-01-01

In the current global economy, chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading cause of death and a major health concern for both developed and developing countries. Among other factors, the worldwide spread of NCDs is driven by the globalisation of unhealthy habits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a simple statistic to measure, at the national level, the average population's exposure to the main NCDs modifiable risk factors. The approach and methodology followed by the United Nations Development Programme to compute the Human Development Index (HDI) is applied to four basic indicators of NCD-related preventable risk factors (alcohol consumption, excess caloric intake, non-balanced diet and tobacco use) in 112 countries worldwide in 2012-14. We obtain a summary composite index, which we call the Unhealthy Behaviour Index (UBI), which ranks countries by the average level of the unhealthy habits (drinking, eating and smoking) of their populations. We find that Belarus and Russian federation are the two countries with the unhealthiest NCD-related lifestyle. With the exception of Canada, the first twenty populations more exposed to the main NCDs preventable risk factors all live in European countries, and mainly in countries of Eastern Europe. Overall, the UBI tends to increase along with the level of human development. In medium, high and very high HDI countries, however, the same level of human development may be associated with very different kinds of NCD-related lifestyles. Finally, economic growth may push populations toward either more unhealthy or healthy habits, depending on the countries' level of development; the elasticity of unhealthy habits with respect to income per capita is positive (but less than one: on average 0.6) until $30,000, decreases as income rises, and becomes negative (around -0.3) in very high income countries.

Low intake of vegetables, high intake of confectionary, and unhealthy eating habits are associated with poor sleep quality among middle-aged female Japanese workers.

PubMed

Katagiri, Ryoko; Asakura, Keiko; Kobayashi, Satomi; Suga, Hitomi; Sasaki, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Although workers with poor sleep quality are reported to have problems with work performance, few studies have assessed the association between dietary factors and sleep quality using validated indexes. Here, we examined this association using information acquired from validated questionnaires. A total of 3,129 female workers aged 34 to 65 years were analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed using a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ), and subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The relationship between the intake of several food groups and nutrients and sleep quality was examined using multivariable logistic regression models. The effect of eating habits on sleep quality was also examined. Poor sleep quality was associated with low intake of vegetables (p for trend 0.002) and fish (p for trend 0.04) and high intake of confectionary (p for trend 0.004) and noodles (p for trend 0.03) after adjustment for potential confounding factors (age, body mass index, physical activity, depression score, employment status, alcohol intake and smoking status). Poor sleep quality was also significantly and positively associated with consumption of energy drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages, skipping breakfast, and eating irregularly. In addition, poor sleep quality was significantly associated with high carbohydrate intake (p for trend 0.03). A low intake of vegetables and fish, high intake of confectionary and noodles and unhealthy eating habits were independently associated with poor sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was also associated with high carbohydrate intake in free-living Japanese middle-aged female workers.

Improving the Diets of African-Americans: Challenges and Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Delores C. S.

1998-01-01

Investigated African Americans' dietary patterns in light of national nutrition recommendations. Questionnaires and focus groups indicated that most respondents rated their diets good or excellent, but most had unhealthy eating habits. Most had recently tried to lower fat intake. Milk, whole grains, vegetables, and water were the most difficult…

Lifestyle habits and mortality from all and specific causes of death: 40-year follow-up in the Italian Rural Areas of the Seven Countries Study.

PubMed

Menotti, A; Puddu, P E; Lanti, M; Maiani, G; Catasta, G; Fidanza, A Alberti

2014-03-01

Three lifestyle factors were investigated in a population study to explore their relationships with a long-term mortality. In a cohort of 1564 men aged 45-64 and examined in 1965 within the Italian Rural Areas of the Seven Countries Study, smoking habits, physical activity at work and eating habits (as derived from factor analysis) were determined. During the follow-up 693 men died in 20 years and 1441 in 40 years. In Cox proportional hazards models men smoking cigarettes (versus never smokers), those having a sedentary activity (versus the very active) and those following the Diet Score 1, indexing an unhealthy Diet (versus men with a Diet close to the healthy Mediterranean style) had highly significant hazards ratios (HR) in relations with 20- and 40-year mortality from all causes, coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. HR for all causes in 40 years were 1.44 (95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.27 and 1.64) for smokers, 1.43 (CI 1.23 and 1.67) for sedentary people, and 1.31 (CI 1.15 and 1.50) for men with unhealthy diet. Larger HR were found for CHD, CVD and cancers deaths. Combination of 3 unhealthy risk factors versus their absence was associated with 4.8-year life loss in the 20-year follow-up and 10.7-year in the 40-year follow-up. Lifestyle behavior linked to physical activity and smoking and eating habits is strongly associated with mortality and survival in middle aged men during long-term follow-up.

Dietary habits in adolescent girls with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

PubMed

Eleftheriadou, Maria; Stefanidis, Konstantinos; Lykeridou, Katerina; Iliadis, Iakovos; Michala, Lina

2015-04-01

The phenotype of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is known to worsen with weight gain, increased ingestion of carbohydrates and a sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary habits in a group of adolescent girls with PCOS. Adolescents with PCOS were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire on their eating habits and a recall dietary diary, from which their caloric and macronutrient intake was calculated. Results were compared with those from a group of normal controls. Thirty-five women with PCOS and 46 controls were included. Girls with PCOS were less likely to have cereals for breakfast (20.7 versus 66.7%) and as a result consumed less fibre than controls. They were more likely to eat an evening meal (97.1 versus 78.3%) and eat this over an hour later when compared to controls. Despite having comparable body mass indexes, girls with PCOS ate a daily surplus calorie average of 3% versus controls that had a negative calorie intake of 0.72% (p = 0.047). Ameliorating eating habits early in adolescence in girls with PCOS may improve future metabolic concerns related to a genetic predisposition and worsened by an unhealthy lifestyle.

Building healthy eating habits in childhood: a study of the attitudes, knowledge and dietary habits of schoolchildren in Malaysia.

PubMed

Hoque, Kazi Enamul; Kamaluddin, Megat Ahmad; Abdul Razak, Ahmad Zabidi; Abdul Wahid, Afiq Athari

2016-01-01

Overweight and obesity have increased rapidly in incidence to become a global issue today. Overweight and obesity problems are significantly linked to unhealthy dietary patterns, physical inactivity and misperception of body image. This study aimed to determine whether Malaysian children build healthy eating habits from childhood. A survey on eating habits was conducted among primary school students in standards 4 to 6 in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The findings of the study were reported in the form of descriptive statistics involving frequencies and percentages. Data from 400 respondents were analyzed. Our findings showed that the students understood the definition of healthy food and the types of food that are considered healthy. Although the students knew that food such as deep-fried drumsticks and hamburgers contain a high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol, these foods were still consumed by them. There was also a high consumption of foods that are fried and contain sugar, salt and saturated fat. In choosing food, two major factors contributed to the students' decisions: cleanliness (65.8%) and the preference of their parents (12.3%). Our findings indicate that by implementing the Integrated School Health Program (ISHP) properly, students' eating habits can be improved by creating a school with a healthy environment.

Obesity treatment—more than food and exercise: a qualitative study exploring obese adolescents' and their parents' views on the former's obesity

PubMed Central

Lindelof, Anders; Nielsen, Claus Vinther; Pedersen, Birthe D.

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore obese adolescents’ and their parents’ views on the former's obesity; especially to gain knowledge about barriers and motivational factors that influence obese adolescents’ ability to lose weight. This is a qualitative study involving field observation and semi-structured interviews with obese adolescents and their parents. The analysis takes a phenomenological–hermeneutic approach. Fifteen obese adolescents aged 13–16 years and their parents/grandparents participated in this study (one father, seven mothers, five sets of parents and two sets of grandparents). The results showed that obese adolescents’ are aware that they have unhealthy eating habits and they wish they were able to attain to a healthier diet. Although in poor physical shape, obese adolescents perceive their daily level of exercise as moderate. Obese adolescents blame themselves for being obese and blame their parents for an unhealthy diet, and for being unsupportive regarding exercise. Parents blame their obese child of lacking will power to change eating and exercise habits. As a consequence, the homely atmosphere is often characterised by quarrels and negative feelings. The conclusion is that despite obese adolescents’ intention of reducing weight, underlying issues interfere with this goal. This is particularly related to quarrels with parents, self-blame and misguided understanding of eating and exercising habits. These matters need to be addressed when treating obesity among adolescents. PMID:20640019

Nutritional knowledge and dietary habits survey in high school population.

PubMed

Milosavljević, Dragana; Mandić, Milena L; Banjari, Ines

2015-03-01

During adolescence, young people are in a sensitive transition period when they gradually take over the responsibility for their own eating habits, health attitudes and behaviours and create lifelong habits so it is essential that they adopt healthy habits according to dietary recommendations. Knowledge is one of the factors necessary for the changes in dietary habits. The'objective of this study was to gain insight in nutritional knowledge and dietary habits of adolescents. The sample included 117 adolescents aged 17-19 years. Self-administered, anonymous questionnaire, representing modified version of General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire was used to assess general characteristics, nutritional knowledge about nutrients, dietary recommendations, sources of nutrients, diet-disease relationship, and dietary habits. Less than one third of adolescents showed satisfactory knowledge, but boys, adolescents from rural environment and overweight adolescents showed significantly lower knowledge unlike others. Meal skipping was present habit, especially for breakfast consumption. Especially high consumption of meat and meat products was noted for boys, while fruit and vegetables for girls. Fad dieting was quite practiced habit, especially in girls and overweight adolescents. Among girls, high consumption of sweets was confirmed, while boys showed high consumption of soft drinks. Television presents the main source of infor- mation about nutrition for adolescents. Collected data shows similarity with other research in Europe and North America that confirm strong influence of globalization and fast spread of unhealthy habits. The results pointed out weak spots in nutritional knowledge and revealed unhealthy eating habits. This information is necessary for the development of new approaches to modulate their knowledge and consequently act on their behaviour. Behavioral changes would include higher number of meals per day, regular breakfast consumption, higher intake of fish, lower consumption of meat and meat products, sweetened foods and drinks etc. The final outcome would result in longterm positive impact on dietary habits.

What Is Your Body Mass Index?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanik, H. Bahadir; Memis, Yasin

2016-01-01

Billions of dollars are spent each year in efforts to prevent and treat diseases caused by unhealthy eating habits. Promoting awareness among young children regarding the importance of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for preparing them to sustain healthy lives as adults. This article aims to highlight ways to help students…

The influence of family functioning on the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages among 1- to 12-y-old children in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Renzaho, Andre M N; Dau, Atemthi; Cyril, Sheila; Ayala, Guadalupe X

2014-09-01

Family functioning, which reflects how well family members communicate and interact with each other, is associated with childhood overweight and obesity, but its association with children's eating behaviors remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the association between family functioning and unhealthy food and beverage consumption among children ages 1 to 12 y old. As part of the Victorian Child Health and Wellbeing study, a random sample of 4602 caregivers of children completed an interview during a single telephone interview in 2006. Caregivers reported on their child's consumption of three types of unhealthy foods and beverages, and responses were recoded into weekly consumption of potato crisps and chips, monthly consumption of takeaway foods, and daily consumption of sweet beverages. Family functioning included general functioning (α = 0.89) and parental psychological distress (α = 0.78). Consumption of potato crisps and chips occurred, on average, twice a week, while takeaway foods were consumed an average of three times per month. Consistently and controlling for other covariates, male caregivers had children who consumed takeaway foods more frequently and who drank more daily cups of sweet beverages. Caregiver education and living in a single-parent household were consistently associated with poorer eating habits. In all models, general family functioning and parental psychological distress were associated with poorer eating habits. In addition to traditional methods for improving diet, family-based interventions need to target more general aspects of the family's and caregiver's functioning to improve dietary intake. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Body Weight Misperception and Its Association with Unhealthy Eating Behaviors among Adolescents in China.

PubMed

Yan, Hanyi; Wu, Yingru; Oniffrey, Theresa; Brinkley, Jason; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Xinge; Wang, Yueqiao; Chen, Guoxun; Li, Rui; Moore, Justin B

2018-05-08

This study aims to examine associations between body weight misperception and eating behaviors among Chinese adolescents. Students ( N = 2641) from a middle school and a high school in Wuhan, China participated in a cross-sectional study in May 2016. A questionnaire based on the World Health Organization’s Global School-Based Student Health Survey was employed to assess responses. Self-reported data, including weight, height, body weight perception, and eating habits, were collected. Body Mass Index (BMI) for age z-score was calculated from self-reported height and weight using WHO AnthroPlus. We used descriptive, logistic regression analysis and a Kappa test to analyze the data using SPSS. Overall, 56.6% of participants did not correctly categorize their weight status; these were much more likely to be girls. Compared with the correctly-perceived group, those who underestimated their weight tended to report eating late at night, having dinners with family, and checking nutrition labels. In contrast, weight overestimating students were less likely to report eating late at night, having breakfasts with family, having dinners with family, and discussing nutrition topics over meals. Body weight misperception was associated with unhealthy eating behaviors among Chinese adolescents.

Building healthy eating habits in childhood: a study of the attitudes, knowledge and dietary habits of schoolchildren in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Kamaluddin, Megat Ahmad; Abdul Razak, Ahmad Zabidi; Abdul Wahid, Afiq Athari

2016-01-01

Background Overweight and obesity have increased rapidly in incidence to become a global issue today. Overweight and obesity problems are significantly linked to unhealthy dietary patterns, physical inactivity and misperception of body image. This study aimed to determine whether Malaysian children build healthy eating habits from childhood. Methods A survey on eating habits was conducted among primary school students in standards 4 to 6 in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The findings of the study were reported in the form of descriptive statistics involving frequencies and percentages. Data from 400 respondents were analyzed. Results Our findings showed that the students understood the definition of healthy food and the types of food that are considered healthy. Although the students knew that food such as deep-fried drumsticks and hamburgers contain a high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol, these foods were still consumed by them. There was also a high consumption of foods that are fried and contain sugar, salt and saturated fat. In choosing food, two major factors contributed to the students’ decisions: cleanliness (65.8%) and the preference of their parents (12.3%). Discussion Our findings indicate that by implementing the Integrated School Health Program (ISHP) properly, students’ eating habits can be improved by creating a school with a healthy environment. PMID:27904803

EATING DISORDERS AND DIET MANAGEMENT IN CONTACT SPORTS; EAT-26 QUESTIONNAIRE DOES NOT SEEM APPROPRIATE TO EVALUATE EATING DISORDERS IN SPORTS.

PubMed

Martínez Rodríguez, Alejandro; Vicente Salar, Néstor; Montero Carretero, Carlos; Cervelló Gimeno, Eduardo; Roche Collado, Enrique

2015-10-01

there is a growing concern in the appearance of eating disorders in athletes, especially those that practice sports grouped into weight categories. This affects the way athletes eat, using frequently unhealthy strategies to control weight, especially during the pre-competition period. this study analyses the prevalence of contact sports athletes in developing eating disorders, and how a controlled diet plan can reduce this risk. At the same time, it evaluates the use of the EAT-26 questionnaire to detect such disorders. a randomized frequency study was performed on 244 athletes (158 men, 86 women), who were separated into two groups: those that followed a diet plan given by a nutritionist, and a control group on a free diet. The athletes completed an EAT-26 questionnaire while participating in the University-level National Championships. the free diet group scored significantly higher on the questionnaire. Also, the female athletes controlled diet group scored significantly higher than their male counterparts. the results of the questionnaire indicate that an adequate nutritional program circumvents the use of unhealthy habits to control body weight and therefore avoids developing particular eating disorders. EAT-26 questionnaire does not seem the most appropriate tool to detect these disorders. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Stress, emotional eating behaviour and dietary patterns in children.

PubMed

Michels, Nathalie; Sioen, Isabelle; Braet, Caroline; Eiben, Gabriele; Hebestreit, Antje; Huybrechts, Inge; Vanaelst, Barbara; Vyncke, Krishna; De Henauw, Stefaan

2012-12-01

Psychological stress has been suggested to change dietary pattern towards more unhealthy choices and as such to contribute to overweight. Emotional eating behaviour could be an underlying mediating mechanism. The interrelationship between stress, emotional eating behaviour and dietary patterns has only rarely been examined in young children. Nevertheless, research in children is pivotal as the foundations of dietary habits are established starting from childhood and may track into adulthood. In 437 children (5-12years) of the ChiBS study, stress was measured by questionnaires on stressful events, emotions (happy, angry, sad, anxious) and problems (emotional, peer, conduct and hyperactivity). Data were collected on children's emotional eating behaviour and also on dietary patterns: frequency of fatty foods, sweet foods, snacks (fat and sweet), fruit and vegetables. Stressful events, negative emotions and problems were positively associated with emotional eating. Positive associations were observed between problems and both sweet and fatty foods consumption. Negative associations were observed between events and fruit and vegetables consumption. Overall, stress was associated with emotional eating and a more unhealthy dietary pattern and could thus contribute to the development of overweight, also in children. Nevertheless, emotional eating behaviour was not observed to mediate the stress-diet relation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distress tolerance is linked to unhealthy eating through pain catastrophizing.

PubMed

Emami, Ashley S; Woodcock, Anna; Swanson, Heidi E; Kapphahn, Teresa; Pulvers, Kim

2016-12-01

Low distress tolerance, an important component of emotion regulation, is a risk factor for unhealthy eating. Identifying factors which explain the link between distress tolerance and unhealthy eating can advance the understanding of problematic eating and inform prevention and treatment of obesity and eating disorders. The present study examines pain catastrophizing as a mediator between distress tolerance and unhealthy eating in a nonclinical population, which has received little attention despite being a risk factor for unhealthy eating behaviors. The Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), were administered to 171 college students (62.6% female, 38.6% White, 28.1% Hispanic). There was no evidence of a significant direct effect of distress tolerance on unhealthy eating. However, as hypothesized, there was a significant indirect or mediated effect of pain catastrophizing on the relationship between distress tolerance and unhealthy eating. Individuals low in distress tolerance reported higher pain catastrophizing, and a result, these individuals also reported higher levels of unhealthy eating. These findings introduce pain catastrophizing as an influential variable in the link between distress tolerance and unhealthy eating. Findings suggest that reducing catastrophic thinking about pain may be a worthy target of intervention in reducing unhealthy eating. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Taste loss in the elderly: Possible implications for dietary habits.

PubMed

Sergi, Giuseppe; Bano, Giulia; Pizzato, Simona; Veronese, Nicola; Manzato, Enzo

2017-11-22

Aging may coincide with a declining gustatory function that can affect dietary intake and ultimately have negative health consequences. Taste loss is caused by physiological changes and worsened by events often associated with aging, such as polypharmacy and chronic disease. The most pronounced increase in elderly people's detection threshold has been observed for sour and bitter tastes, but their perception of salty, sweet, and umami tastes also seems to decline with age. It has often been suggested that elderly people who lose their sense of taste may eat less food or choose stronger flavors, but the literature has revealed a more complicated picture: taste loss does not appear to make elderly people prefer stronger flavors, but nutrition surveys have pointed to a greater consumption of sweet and salty foods. Real-life eating habits thus seem to be more influenced by other, social and psychological factors. Elderly gustatory function is worth investigating to identify dietary strategies that can prevent the consequences of unhealthy eating habits in the elderly. This paper discusses age-related changes in taste perception, focusing on their consequences on food preferences, and pointing to some strategies for preserving appropriate dietary habits in elderly people.

[Written and pictorial content in magazines and their possible relationship to eating disorders].

PubMed

Szabó, Kornélia; Túry, Ferenc

2012-02-01

In the current study we reviewed the literature on studies exploring the magazine reading frequency, written and pictorial contents appearing in magazines and their connection to eating disorders. Reading different fashion and fitness magazines has effect on readers through several indirect and direct factors and through trustable and false information. They affect readers' body satisfaction, self-esteem, eating habits and more generally their health behavior. Different theories have been explained to account for these associations and several other studies examined empirically the connection between the frequency of magazine reading and eating disorders, as well as the symptoms leading to eating disorders. We analyzed and summarized articles between 1975 and 2009 from online databases. We used the following sources: Science Direct (http://www.sciencedirect.com/), Springer-Verlag GmbH (http://www.springerlink.com/) and SAGE Publications Ltd (http://online.sagepub. com/). The pictorial and written magazine contents were associated with the development and maintenance of eating disorders or with symptoms that might lead to eating disorders. The publications compared to previous years featured an increased number of advertisements for unhealthy foods, for unhealthy radical diet plans and exercise programs. Furthermore the magazines contained conflicting messages about nutrition, body functions and eating disorders. Written and pictorial magazine contents, messages might increase the risk for development of eating disorders, especially in vulnerable individuals.

The promotion of unhealthy habits in gay, lesbian, and straight intimate partnerships

PubMed Central

Reczek, Corinne

2016-01-01

Health habits are linked to nearly half of U.S. and British deaths annually. While a legacy of research suggests that marriage has important positive consequences for health habits, recent work emphasizes that intimate ties can also deter from healthy habits and promote unhealthy habits. However, few studies examine the mechanisms through which unhealthy habits are promoted in marriage. Moreover, little research explores how unhealthy habits are promoted in intimate ties other than marriage—such as in gay and lesbian cohabiting relationships. The present study analyzes the mechanisms through which gay, lesbian, and straight long-term partners (N = 120) contribute to one another’s unhealthy habits. Three distinct mechanisms emerge. First, respondents identify a process of unilateral health habit diffusion wherein one partner’s health habits directly influence the other partners’ habits. Second, respondents describe bilateral unhealthy habit diffusion, wherein both partner’s unhealthy habits are reinforced via mutual pleasure seeking or mutual failed motivation. Third, respondents describe a discourse of personal responsibility, wherein both partners purposefully fail to deter one another’s unhealthy habits. Analysis further illustrates how these mechanisms operate differently for men and women in gay, lesbian, and straight relationships. PMID:22703888

The promotion of unhealthy habits in gay, lesbian, and straight intimate partnerships.

PubMed

Reczek, Corinne

2012-09-01

Health habits are linked to nearly half of U.S. and British deaths annually. While a legacy of research suggests that marriage has important positive consequences for health habits, recent work emphasizes that intimate ties can also deter from healthy habits and promote unhealthy habits. However, few studies examine the mechanisms through which unhealthy habits are promoted in marriage. Moreover, little research explores how unhealthy habits are promoted in intimate ties other than marriage-such as in gay and lesbian cohabiting relationships. The present study analyzes the mechanisms through which gay, lesbian, and straight long-term partners (N = 120) contribute to one another's unhealthy habits. Three distinct mechanisms emerge. First, respondents identify a process of unilateral health habit diffusion wherein one partner's health habits directly influence the other partners' habits. Second, respondents describe bilateral unhealthy habit diffusion, wherein both partner's unhealthy habits are reinforced via mutual pleasure seeking or mutual failed motivation. Third, respondents describe a discourse of personal responsibility, wherein both partners purposefully fail to deter one another's unhealthy habits. Analysis further illustrates how these mechanisms operate differently for men and women in gay, lesbian, and straight relationships. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing students' decisions to choose healthy or unhealthy snacks at the University of Newcastle, Australia.

PubMed

Pei-Lin, Hsieh

2004-06-01

The aim of this study was to explore factors influencing selection of healthy and unhealthy snacks among students. Ten students who study at the University of Newcastle in Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings indicated that a variety of food was consumed by the students. Students classified snacks generally as unhealthy. Four major themes that emerged were: the perception of healthy and unhealthy snacks, the factors related to selection of healthy and unhealthy snacks, feelings related to consumption of snacks, and ways to avoid unhealthy snacks. Factors influencing choices about healthy or unhealthy snacks were environment, availability of the snacks, study pressure, health problems, habits, and social activity. The limitation of this study was the small size of the sample, resulting in the fact that no general conclusions could be drawn. The results however, could help school nurses to gain a deeper understanding of university students ' snacking patterns. It might also assist school nurses in the development of healthy eating guidance for university students.

Associating a prototypical forbidden food item with guilt or celebration: relationships with indicators of (un)healthy eating and the moderating role of stress and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Kuijer, Roeline G; Boyce, Jessica A; Marshall, Emma M

2015-01-01

The increase in obesity and the many educational messages prompting us to eat a healthy diet have heightened people's concerns about the effects of food choice on health and weight. An unintended side effect may be that such awareness fuels feelings of guilt and worry about food. Although guilt has the potential to motivate behaviour change, it may also lead to feelings of helplessness and loss of control. The current study examined the relationship between a default association of either 'guilt' or 'celebration' with a prototypical forbidden food item (chocolate cake), indicators of healthy eating and choosing food for mood regulation reasons. Following a 'diathesis-stress' perspective, the moderating roles of depressive symptoms and stress were examined. Although a default association of guilt was found to be harmless under some circumstances (i.e. under low stress), those who associated chocolate cake with guilt (vs. celebration) reported unhealthier eating habits and lower levels of perceived behavioural control over healthy eating when under stress, rated mood regulation reasons for food choice as important irrespective of their current affective state, and did not have more positive attitudes towards healthy eating. Implications for public health messages and interventions will be discussed.

The value of unhealthy eating and the ethics of healthy eating policies.

PubMed

Barnhill, Anne; King, Katherine F; Kass, Nancy; Faden, Ruth

2014-09-01

Unhealthy eating can have value for individuals and groups, even while it has disvalue in virtue of being unhealthy. In this paper, we discuss some ways in which unhealthy eating has value and draw out implications for the ethics of policies limiting access to unhealthy food. Discussing the value and disvalue of unhealthy eating helps identify opportunities for reducing unhealthy eating that has little value, and helps identify opportunities for eliminating trade-offs between health and other values by making unhealthy food experiences healthier without eliminating their value. It also helps us think through when it is ethically acceptable, and when it might be ethically unacceptable, to limit valuable experience in order to promote health. Our discussion of the value and disvalue of eating is offered here as a necessary supplement to the familiar discussion of paternalism, autonomous choice, and public policy.

The power of habits: unhealthy snacking behaviour is primarily predicted by habit strength.

PubMed

Verhoeven, Aukje A C; Adriaanse, Marieke A; Evers, Catharine; de Ridder, Denise T D

2012-11-01

Although increasing evidence shows the importance of habits in explaining health behaviour, many studies still rely solely on predictors that emphasize the role of conscious intentions. The present study was designed to test the importance of habit strength in explaining unhealthy snacking behaviour in a large representative community sample (N= 1,103). To test our hypothesis that habits are crucial when explaining unhealthy snacking behaviour, their role was compared to the 'Power of Food', a related construct that addresses sensitivity to food cues in the environment. Moreover, the relation between Power of Food and unhealthy snacking habits was assessed. A prospective design was used to determine the impact of habits in relation to intention, Power of Food and a number of demographic variables. One month after filling out the questionnaire, including measures of habit strength and Power of Food, participants reported their unhealthy snacking behaviour by means of a 7-day snack diary. Results showed that habit strength was the most important predictor, outperforming all other variables in explaining unhealthy snack intake. The findings demonstrate that snacking habits provide a unique contribution in explaining unhealthy snacking behaviour, stressing the importance of addressing habit strength in further research and interventions concerning unhealthy snacking behaviour. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

Consumer knowledge and attitudes toward healthy eating in Croatia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ljubičić, Marija; Sarić, Marijana Matek; Barić, Irena Colić; Rumbak, Ivana; Komes, Draženka; Šatalić, Zvonimir; Guiné, Raquel P F

2017-06-27

Unlike fast and restaurant food, diet rich in fibre is known to contribute significantly to health. The aim of our study was to assess eating habits such as consumption of fibre-rich, fast, and restaurant food of the general population in Croatia. For this purpose we used a validated survey designed by the Polytechnic Institute Viseu in Portugal, which includes questions about demographics, good eating habits related to the consumption of the main sources of dietary fibre (fruit, vegetables, and whole grains), and unhealthy eating habits related to the consumption of fast food and restaurant meals. Between October 2014 and March 2015 we received answers from 2,536 respondents aged between 18-70 years, of whom 67.4 % were women and 32.6 % were men. Most respondents reported consuming one serving of vegetables and one piece of fruit a day, and whole grains every other day. Women and urban residents reported consuming larger amounts of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains than men (p<0.001). Men, in turn, reported eating out and eating fast food more often than women (p<0.001). Eating out highly correlated with eating fast food, which translates to lower consumption of dietary fibre (p<0.001). Higher education correlated positively with the consumption of fibre-rich food, but it also correlated positively with the consumption of fast and restaurant food (p<0.001). While eating fast food is not the predominant dietary practice in Croatia, over 50 % of respondents have reported eating fast food at least once a week. Our data also indicate that consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains falls below the national and international dietary recommendations.

Current Government Actions and Potential Policy Options for Reducing Obesity in Queensland Schools.

PubMed

Alsharairi, Naser A

2018-01-29

School nutrition policies provide promising avenues towards the improvement of children's eating habits and the prevention of obesity. Childhood obesity rates and related chronic diseases are increasing in Queensland, in part as a result of unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity. There is a very high investment by the Queensland government in maintaining healthy weight and promoting nutrition and physical activity among schoolchildren through delivering a range of initiatives across the state. However, there is a lack of evidence concerning the effectiveness of nutrition/physical education and parental involvement programs addressing obesity delivered in Queensland schools. This paper can be used to guide government and policy-makers regarding the most effective policy options that will promote healthy eating and physical activity among Queensland schoolchildren. The aim of this paper is to: (i) summarize current evidence on Queensland government responses to obesity; and (ii) discuss potential policy options that could support healthy eating and regular physical activity, and examine the evidence base for each option and suggest new areas for future research.

Meals and snacks: Children's characterizations of food and eating cues.

PubMed

Marx, Jenna M; Hoffmann, Debra A; Musher-Eizenman, Dara R

2016-02-01

This study examined preschoolers' and their parents' categorizations of eating episodes based on cues used for defining these occasions (i.e., time, portion size, preparation, content, and emotion) as a meal or snack. Thirty-four children aged 4 to 6 saw pictorial representations of each cue, along with a short verbal description, and were asked to place the picture in one of three boxes: "meal", "snack", or "either meal or snack". One parent per child (85% mothers, Mean age = 35.1 years) separately categorized the same items in an online survey. Results illustrated which cues play a role in how parents and children categorize eating occasions as meals or snacks. Parents used 24 of the 32 cue-related items to distinguish between eating occasions as a meal or a snack, while children used only four. Parents and preschoolers were consistent in using cartoon character packaging to indicate a snack, and also used several of the same content cues. The current study highlights the various cues used to categorize an eating occasion, and the unhealthy character of snacks, as participants associated some unhealthy foods and very few healthy foods with snacks. Future research should focus on the role of parents, the home environment, and advertising media in shaping children's characterizations of eating occasions towards development of healthy eating habits and away from problematic eating behaviors that may persist later in life. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eating habits, health status, and concern about health: a study among 1641 employees in the German metal industry.

PubMed

Reime, B; Novak, P; Born, J; Hagel, E; Wanek, V

2000-04-01

Nutrition has been found to be associated with sociodemographic characteristics and concern about health. There is limited knowledge, however, of associations between blue-collar worker's diet, morbidity, and health care utilization. We conducted a survey on eating habits, physical symptoms, health care utilization, health status, and concern about health in two German metal companies. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to employees of whom 1641 participated in the study (response rate 54. 7%). Most employees were characterized by a combination of healthy and unhealthy eating elements. Using linear regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and occupational status, healthy eating was negatively associated with stomach aches and headaches, but not with cardiovascular disease. Restricted activity days and days in hospital were associated with healthy eating, but self-assessed health status and physician consultations were not. Using stepwise multiple regression analysis, age, gender, and concern about health were strongly and morbidity was weakly related to diet. Occupational status, marital status, and number of children were not associated with nutrition. Health promotion programs should motivate younger and male employees to participate in and aim toward increasing concern about health. Copyright 2000 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.

Conscientiousness and (un)healthy eating: the role of impulsive eating and age in the consumption of daily main meals.

PubMed

Olsen, Svein Ottar; Tuu, Ho Huy; Honkanen, Pirjo; Verplanken, Bas

2015-08-01

The present study aims to explore the relationship between conscientiousness and the consumption of healthy versus unhealthy main meals. Impulsive eating was tested as a mediator in this relationship, as well as direct effects of age on those constructs. A nationwide representative sample of 1,006 Norwegian adults (18-70 years) within a prospective design was used to test a theoretical model. The structural equation model (SEM), in combination with bootstrapping procedures in AMOS, was the principal analytical method. Conscientiousness was negatively associated with unhealthy and impulsive eating. Impulsive eating was a partial mediator between conscientiousness and unhealthy eating and a full mediator between conscientiousness and healthy eating. Age was positively correlated with conscientiousness and this relationship had an inverted U-shape form. Finally, age was negatively associated with unhealthy and impulsive eating, and positively associated with healthy eating. This study confirmed the relevance of conscientiousness for healthy, unhealthy, and impulsive eating. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The association between depression and eating styles in four European countries: The MooDFOOD prevention study.

PubMed

Paans, Nadine P G; Bot, Mariska; Brouwer, Ingeborg A; Visser, Marjolein; Roca, Miquel; Kohls, Elisabeth; Watkins, Ed; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2018-05-01

Depression, one of the most prevalent and disabling disorders in Europe, is thought to be associated with unhealthy eating styles. As prevalence of depression and eating styles potentially differ across Europe, the current study aimed to investigate in a large, European sample, the associations of history of major depressive disorder and depression severity with unhealthy eating styles. Baseline data of the MooDFOOD prevention study was used. The current analysis included 990 participants of four European countries (The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain). Analyses of Covariance and linear regression analyses were performed with depression history or depression severity as determinants, and emotional, uncontrolled, and cognitive restrained eating (Three Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised, 18 item) as outcomes. Depression history and severity were associated with more emotional and uncontrolled eating and with less cognitive restrained eating. Mood, somatic, and cognitive symptom clusters were also associated with more emotional and uncontrolled eating, and with less cognitive restrained eating. The somatic depressive symptoms "increased appetite" and "increased weight" were more strongly associated to unhealthy eating styles compared to other symptoms. No differences in associations between depression and unhealthy eating were found between European countries. Our results suggest that depression is related to more unhealthy eating styles. Diminishing unhealthy eating styles in subthreshold depressed persons could potentially reduce adverse health consequences like weight gain, unhealthy dietary patterns and weight-related diseases. It is also possible that interventions that decrease depressive symptoms can lead to a decrease in unhealthy eating styles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Healthy active living for children and youth.

PubMed

2002-05-01

Poor lifestyle habits, such as unhealthy eating and physical inactivity, are major contributors to increased adult morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases. Over the past decade there has been an increase in sedentary lifestyle and obesity in children and adolescents, both in North America and worldwide. Physicians need to be aware of the scope of this problem, provide anticipatory guidance to families and promote healthy active living in their practices.

Health behaviors, care needs and attitudes towards self-prescription: a cross-sectional survey among Dutch medical students.

PubMed

Van der Veer, Tjeerd; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K

2011-01-01

There is a growing awareness of the potent ways in which the wellbeing of physicians impacts the health of their patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health behaviors, care needs and attitudes towards self-prescription of Dutch medical students, and any differences between junior preclinical and senior clinically active students. All students (n = 2695) of a major Dutch medical school were invited for an online survey. Physical activity, eating habits, alcohol consumption, smoking, Body Mass Index, substance use and amount of sleep per night were inquired, as well as their need for different forms of care and their attitude towards self-prescription. Data of 902 students were used. Physical activity levels (90% sufficient) and smoking prevalence (94% non-smokers) were satisfying. Healthy eating habits (51% insufficient) and alcohol consumption (46% excessive) were worrying. Body Mass Indexes were acceptable (20% unhealthy). We found no significant differences in health behaviors between preclinical and clinically active students. Care needs were significantly lower among clinically active students. (p<0.05) Student acceptance of self-prescription was significantly higher among clinically active students. (p<0.001) Unhealthy behaviors are prevalent among medical students, but are no more prevalent during the clinical study phase. The need for specific forms of care appears lower with study progression. This could be worrying as the acceptance of self-care and self-prescription is higher among senior clinical students. Medical faculties need to address students' unhealthy behaviors and meet their care needs for the benefit of both the future physicians as well as their patients.

Differential effects of approach bias and eating style on unhealthy food consumption in overweight and normal weight women.

PubMed

Kakoschke, Naomi; Kemps, Eva; Tiggemann, Marika

2017-11-01

The current study aimed to examine the effects of approach bias for unhealthy food and trait eating style on consumption of unhealthy food in overweight and normal weight individuals. Participants were 245 undergraduate women aged 17 - 26 years. They completed an Approach-Avoidance Task, the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (to assess restrained, emotional, and external eating), and a taste test to measure consumption of unhealthy food. An external eating style predicted increased consumption of unhealthy food. Among overweight participants, external and emotional eating style individually moderated the relationship between approach bias for unhealthy food and subsequent consumption. Specifically, approach bias was positively related to consumption in high external and emotional eaters, but negatively related to consumption in low emotional eaters. These interactions were not observed among normal weight participants. Practically, the results suggest that overweight individuals who are external or emotional eaters may benefit from interventions that aim to modify approach bias towards unhealthy food cues to reduce problematic eating behaviour.

Emotional Freedom Techniques in the Treatment of Unhealthy Eating Behaviors and Related Psychological Constructs in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

PubMed

Stapleton, Peta; Chatwin, Hannah; William, Mary; Hutton, Amanda; Pain, Amanda; Porter, Brett; Sheldon, Terri

2016-01-01

In Australia and throughout much of the world, rates of obesity continue to climb as do the prevalence of eating disorders, particularly in adolescents. Psychological consequences of childhood obesity include low self-esteem, depression, body dissatisfaction, and social maladjustment (Young-Hyman et al., 2012). This feasibility study sought to examine the impact of a six-week Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) group treatment program upon eating behaviours, self-esteem, compassion, and psychological symptoms. Forty-four students were randomly allocated to either the EFT group or the waitlist control group. Results revealed a delayed effect for both groups at post-intervention, with improved eating habits, self-esteem, and compassion at follow-up. Findings provide preliminary support for EFT as an effective treatment strategy for increasing healthy eating behaviours and improving associated weight-related psychopathology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Menu variations for diabetes mellitus patients using Goal Programming model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhoruri, Atmini; Lestari, Dwi; Ratnasari, Eminugroho

2017-08-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) was a chronic metabolic disease characterized by higher than normal blood glucose level (normal blood glucose level = = 80 -120 mg/dl). In this study, type 2 DM which mostly caused by unhealthy eating habits would be investigated. Related to eating habit, DM patients needed dietary menu planning with an extracare regarding their nutrients intake (energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate). Therefore, the measures taken were by organizing nutritious dietary menu for diabetes mellitus patients. Dietary menu with appropriate amount of nutrients was organized by considering the amount of calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In this study, Goal Programming model was employed to determine optimal dietary menu variations for diabetes mellitus patients by paying attention to optimal expenses. According to the data obtained from hospitals in Yogyakarta, optimal menu variations would be analyzed by using Goal Programming model and would be completed by using LINGO computer program.

[Life-style in eating behavior disorders].

PubMed

Calvo Viñuela, I; Aroca Palencia, J; Armero Fuster, M; Díaz Gómez, J; Rico Hernández, M A

2002-01-01

To identify the eating habits and lifestyles of patients with eating behaviour disorders (TCA in its Spanish acronym) who attended our out-patients' clinic at the "La Paz" Teaching Hospital for the first time. A questionnaire was drafted to which patients responded freely and anthropometric data were assessed. The sample comprised 94 patients who were subsequently distributed into two groups: the first group contained 43 offspring of working mothers (HMTF) and the second 46 offspring of mothers who did not work outside the home (HMNTF in its Spanish acronym). In the case of the 5 remaining patients, their mothers had deceased. The results from the group as a whole showed the following lifestyles for Monday-Friday: 34.4% eat alone, 72% watch television while they eat and 68.1% use restrictive behaviour in their eating habits. When assessing the existence of a friend with TCA, the results were significantly higher among those under the age of 20 years (53.7%) versus those older than 20 (26.9%) (p < 0.05). No differences were found in the habits and nutritional status of HMTF and HMNTF since 8.2% of the first had severe caloric malnutrition versus 2.3% in the second group. While 12.2% of the HMTF group eat outside the home on weekdays and 44.9% of them eat alone, 20.5% of the HMNTF group eat outside the home on weekdays and 22.7% of them eat alone. The age of onset of TCA was significantly earlier among the HMTF group (16.6 years) than in the HMNTF group (19.0 years) (p < 0.05). A large number of subjects had a friend with TCA in their close environment and this situation was more frequent among the youngest ones in the group. Some mistaken ideas regarding food have favoured unhealthy eating: in our group a large majority of people eat while watching TV. The development of TCA occurs earlier in connection with a particular family structure: where the mother works outside the home.

Effortless inhibition: habit mediates the relation between self-control and unhealthy snack consumption

PubMed Central

Adriaanse, Marieke A.; Kroese, Floor M.; Gillebaart, Marleen; De Ridder, Denise T. D.

2014-01-01

In contrast to prevailing beliefs, recent research suggests that trait self-control promotes health behavior not because those high in self-control are more successful at resisting single temptations, but rather because they develop adaptive habits. The present paper presents a first empirical test of this novel suggestion by investigating the mediating role of habit in explaining the relation between self-control and unhealthy snacking behavior. Results showed that self-control was negatively associated with unhealthy snack consumption and unhealthy snacking habits. As hypothesized, the relation between self-control and unhealthy snack intake was mediated by habit strength. Self-control was not associated with fruit consumption or fruit consumption habits. These results provide the first evidence for the notion that high self-control may influence the formation of habits and in turn affect behavior. Moreover, results imply that self-control may be particularly influential in case of inhibiting unhealthy food intake rather than promoting healthy food intake. PMID:24904463

[Process and outcome evaluation of the school-based project "Students' enterprises for healthy nutrition"].

PubMed

Eichhorn, Christine; Loss, Julika; Nagel, Eckhard

2007-01-01

Most food consumed in German schools is unhealthy, and evaluations of school-based interventions to improve food habits are scarce. Our study evaluates implementation and impact of "Students' Enterprises for Healthy Nutrition", in which students offer healthy food to their school mates. Standardised questionnaires were obtained from the supervising teachers and 923 students (grade 5-10) from the 4 intervention schools, collecting information on implementation and acceptability of the intervention (process evaluation). Data on eating habits were collected from a cohort of 475 students before and 6 months after the implementation of the Students' Enterprises, using a modified, illustrated version of a 24-hour-recall questionnaire (outcome evaluation). 59% of the students appreciated the Students' Enterprises, which varied substantially between schools, and 7-27% regularly purchased their food there. Reasons for not using the Student's Enterprises were food provision from home, peer pressure, and costs. Besides, there were competing sources of food supply in each school. Data interpretation was difficult due to the heterogeneity of the Students' Enterprises and reduced program integrity. A separate analysis of the different schools showed the reduction of sweets consumption in one school; other improvements of eating habits were not shown. The Students' Enterprises represent a peer-based settings approach and were supported by the students and teachers. Further structural changes and educational means are needed to increase utilisation. Due to demand, the Enterprises' menus risk to be extended to unhealthy food, which may be countered with innovative strategies (e.g. subsidy for healthy food).

The combined unhealthy behaviors of breakfast skipping and smoking are associated with the prevalence of diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Midori; Muto, Takashi; Minakawa, Toshihiro; Shibata, Toshie

2009-08-01

Skipping breakfast has been considered a representative unhealthy behavior, but there is little information about the combined effects of breakfast skipping and other unhealthy health habits, especially smoking. First this cross-sectional study investigated unhealthy behaviors among breakfast skippers, and then examined the impact of the combined association of skipping breakfast and smoking on health. A total of 1,200 adults living in one Japanese community were sent questionnaires to elicit data on age, gender, breakfast-eating frequency, and other lifestyle habits. A total 603 of people returned their questionnaires (response rate: 50.3%), and 493 (230 men and 263 women) questionnaires were considered appropriate for analysis. Smoking rate in men (mean age, 53.7 years) and women (mean age, 50.4 years) was 41.3%, and 9.5%, respectively. Skipping breakfast was more prevalent in people under age 50 years (p < 0.001), and was related to other unhealthy behaviors. Binary logistic regression identified current smoking as the most significant factor related to breakfast skipping (3.10, 95%CI 1.50-6.39). Other factors included, age younger than 50 years (3.04, 95%CI 1.31-7.06) and poor sleeping quality (2.06, 95%CI 1.00-4.25). After examining the combined impact of skipping breakfast and smoking, the highest odds ratio for a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was found among those who smoked and skipped breakfast (4.68, 95% CI: 1.46-15.05). Moreover, skipping breakfast among non-smokers showed a high association with perceived stress (2.83, 95% CI: 1.05-7.61). In conclusion, the combined unhealthy behaviors of skipping breakfast and smoking are associated with the prevalence of diabetes mellitus.

Consumption habits of pregnant women and implications for developmental biology: a survey of predominantly Hispanic women in California.

PubMed

Santiago, Sarah E; Park, Grace H; Huffman, Kelly J

2013-07-01

Healthy post-pregnancy outcomes are contingent upon an informed regimen of prenatal care encouraging healthy maternal consumption habits. In this article, we describe aspects of maternal intake of food, drink, and medication in a population of predominantly Hispanic women in Southern California. Potential implications for unhealthy prenatal dietary choices are discussed. The Food, Beverage, and Medication Intake Questionnaire (FBMIQ) measures common practices of maternal consumption during pregnancy. The FBMIQ was administered to English and Spanish speaking pregnant and recently pregnant (36 weeks pregnant - 8 weeks post-partum) women over the age of 18 who were receiving care from a private medical group in Downey CA. A total of 200 women completed the FBMIQ. Consumption habits of healthy foods and beverages, unhealthy foods, unhealthy beverages, and medication are characterized in this article. Data indicate widespread consumption of fresh fruit, meats, milk and juice and indicate most women used prenatal vitamin supplements. Studies in developmental neuroscience have shown that certain substances may cause teratogenic effects on the fetus when ingested by the mother during pregnancy. Those potentially harmful substances included in our study were Bisphenol-A (BPA), methylmercury, caffeine, alcohol and certain medications. Our results show that a proportion of the women surveyed in our study consumed BPA, methylmercury, caffeine, alcohol, and certain medications at varied levels during pregnancy. This represents an interesting finding and suggests a disconnect between scientific data and general recommendations provided to pregnant mothers by obstetricians. The results of our study demonstrate that a proportion of pregnant women consume substances that are potentially teratogenic and may impact the health and well being of the offspring. It is important to appraise healthy and unhealthy consumption habits in order to encourage healthy practices and alleviate future effects of preventable, toxin-induced developmental issues. Prenatal advising should discourage the consumption of dangerous foods, beverages, and medications that women commonly report eating during pregnancy.

Consumption habits of pregnant women and implications for developmental biology: a survey of predominantly Hispanic women in California

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Healthy post-pregnancy outcomes are contingent upon an informed regimen of prenatal care encouraging healthy maternal consumption habits. In this article, we describe aspects of maternal intake of food, drink, and medication in a population of predominantly Hispanic women in Southern California. Potential implications for unhealthy prenatal dietary choices are discussed. Methods The Food, Beverage, and Medication Intake Questionnaire (FBMIQ) measures common practices of maternal consumption during pregnancy. The FBMIQ was administered to English and Spanish speaking pregnant and recently pregnant (36 weeks pregnant - 8 weeks post-partum) women over the age of 18 who were receiving care from a private medical group in Downey CA. Results A total of 200 women completed the FBMIQ. Consumption habits of healthy foods and beverages, unhealthy foods, unhealthy beverages, and medication are characterized in this article. Data indicate widespread consumption of fresh fruit, meats, milk and juice and indicate most women used prenatal vitamin supplements. Studies in developmental neuroscience have shown that certain substances may cause teratogenic effects on the fetus when ingested by the mother during pregnancy. Those potentially harmful substances included in our study were Bisphenol-A (BPA), methylmercury, caffeine, alcohol and certain medications. Our results show that a proportion of the women surveyed in our study consumed BPA, methylmercury, caffeine, alcohol, and certain medications at varied levels during pregnancy. This represents an interesting finding and suggests a disconnect between scientific data and general recommendations provided to pregnant mothers by obstetricians. Conclusions The results of our study demonstrate that a proportion of pregnant women consume substances that are potentially teratogenic and may impact the health and well being of the offspring. It is important to appraise healthy and unhealthy consumption habits in order to encourage healthy practices and alleviate future effects of preventable, toxin-induced developmental issues. Prenatal advising should discourage the consumption of dangerous foods, beverages, and medications that women commonly report eating during pregnancy. PMID:23815874

Associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and dietary habits in elementary school children.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung Min; Lim, Myung Ho; Kwon, Ho-Jang; Yoo, Seung-Jin; Kim, Eun-Jung; Kim, Jun Won; Ha, Mina; Paik, Ki Chung

2018-08-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between dietary habits and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in elementary school children. The parents of 16,831 participating children assessed the ADHD symptoms of their children by responding to the Korean version of the ADHD rating scale (K-ARS). Parents also responded to the food habit questionnaire, which consists of 8 items regarding the eating pace, the frequency of overeating, and patterns of eating six types of food: fast food, soft drinks, instant noodles, fruit and vegetables, and milk. K-ARS scores were positively associated with higher consumption of foods categorized as unhealthy, including fast food, soft drinks, and instant noodles, and negatively associated with higher consumption of fruit and vegetables categorized as healthy foods. K-ARS scores were also higher in the groups who overate more frequently and ate faster or slower compared to other family members. Our findings may provide useful clinical information for dietary interventions in children with ADHD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Clusters of Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Behaviors are Associated with Body Mass Index Among Adults

PubMed Central

Heerman, William J.; Jackson, Natalie; Hargreaves, Margaret; Mulvaney, Shelagh A.; Schlundt, David; Wallston, Kenneth A.; Rothman, Russell L.

2017-01-01

Objective To identify eating styles from 6 eating behaviors and test their association with Body Mass Index (BMI) among adults. Design Cross-sectional analysis of self-report survey data Setting 12 primary care and specialty clinics in 5 states Participants 11,776 adult patients consented to participate; 9,977 completed survey questions. Variables measured Frequency of eating healthy food; frequency of eating unhealthy food; breakfast frequency; frequency of snacking; overall diet quality; and problem eating behaviors. The primary dependent variable was BMI, calculated from self-reported height and weight data. Analysis Kmeans cluster analysis of eating behaviors was used to determine eating styles. A categorical variable representing each eating style cluster was entered in a multivariate linear regression predicting BMI, controlling for covariates. Results Four eating styles were identified and defined by healthy vs. unhealthy diet patterns and engagement in problem eating behaviors. Each group had significantly higher average BMI than the healthy eating style: healthy with problem eating behaviors (β=1.9, p<0.001); unhealthy (β=2.5, p<0.001), and unhealthy with problem eating behaviors (β=5.1, p<0.001). Conclusions Future attempts to improve eating styles should address not only the consumption of healthy foods, but also snacking behaviors and the emotional component of eating. PMID:28363804

Optimising women's diets. An examination of factors that promote healthy eating and reduce the likelihood of unhealthy eating.

PubMed

Williams, Lauren K; Thornton, Lukar; Crawford, David

2012-08-01

The majority of nutrition promotion research that has examined the determinants of unhealthy or healthy dietary behaviours has focused on factors that promote consumption of these foods, rather than factors that may both promote healthy eating and buffer or protect consumption of unhealthy foods. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that both promote healthy eating and also reduce the likelihood of eating unhealthily amongst women. A community sample of 1013 Australian women participated in a cross-sectional self-report survey that assessed factors associated with diet and obesity. Multiple logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between a range of individual, social and environmental factors and aspects of both healthy and unhealthy eating, whilst controlling for key covariates. Results indicated that women with high self efficacy for healthy eating, taste preferences for fruit and vegetables, family support for healthy eating and the absence of perceived barriers to healthy eating (time and cost) were more likely to consume components of a healthy diet and less likely to consume components of a unhealthy diet. Optimal benefits in overall diet quality amongst women may be achieved by targeting factors associated with both healthy and unhealthy eating in nutrition promotion efforts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-sectional study of randomly selected 18-year-old students showed that body mass index was only associated with sleep duration in girls.

PubMed

Kjartansdottir, Ingibjorg; Arngrimsson, Sigurbjorn A; Bjarnason, Ragnar; Olafsdottir, Anna S

2018-06-01

This study investigated the associations, by sex, between sleep and adiposity, dietary habits, cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic risk in 18-year-old students. We carried out a cross-sectional study of 199 randomly chosen, healthy 18-year-old students (53% girls) in Iceland's capital region. The data collection took place in the winter months of 2012 to 2015. The anthropometric measurements were body mass index, waist circumference and body fat percentage. Sleep duration and dietary habits were self-reported. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured on a stationary bicycle. A subsample of 152 participants gave blood samples. A quarter of the adolescents failed to reach the minimum recommended sleep duration of seven hours per night on weekdays. In girls, the average sleep score was associated with body mass index and waist circumference, after adjusting for cardiorespiratory fitness and unhealthy eating scores. In boys, the average sleep score was not associated with anthropometric measurements, but cardiorespiratory fitness was an independent predictor (p < 0.001). No associations were found between average sleep scores and metabolic profiles in either sex. Sleep duration and adiposity only appeared to be associated in girls and were independent of cardiorespiratory fitness and unhealthy eating. Sleep duration was not related to metabolic risk. ©2018 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Planning what not to eat: ironic effects of implementation intentions negating unhealthy habits.

PubMed

Adriaanse, Marieke A; van Oosten, Johanna M F; de Ridder, Denise T D; de Wit, John B F; Evers, Catharine

2011-01-01

The present studies tested the effectiveness of implementation intentions with an "if [situation], then not [habitual response]" structure. Based on ironic process theory and the literature on the processing of negations, it was expected that these "negation implementation intentions" would, ironically, strengthen the habit (situation-response association) one aims to break. In line with the hypotheses, forming negation implementation intentions resulted in cognitive ironic rebound effects as well as behavioral ironic rebound effects compared to an intention only condition or a replacement implementation intention. Additionally, it was found that negation implementation intentions are most likely to result in ironic rebound effects when the habit to be negated is strong. Although implementation intentions are generally highly effective in facilitating behavior change even when this involves breaking unwanted habits, the present research suggests that they are ineffective when they have a negating structure.

Attachment and eating: A meta-analytic review of the relevance of attachment for unhealthy and healthy eating behaviors in the general population.

PubMed

Faber, Aida; Dubé, Laurette; Knäuper, Bärbel

2018-04-01

Attachment relationships play an important role in people's wellbeing and affliction with physical and mental illnesses, including eating disorders. Seven reviews from the clinical field have consistently shown that higher attachment insecurity-failure to form trusting and reliable relationships with others-systematically characterized individuals with eating disorders. Nevertheless, to date, it is unclear whether (and if so how) these findings apply to the population at large. Consequently, the objective of the present meta-analysis is to quantify the relationship between attachment and unhealthy and healthy eating in the general population. Data from 70 studies and 19,470 participants were converted into r effect sizes and analysed. Results showed that higher attachment insecurity (r = 0.266), anxiety (r = 0.271), avoidance (r = 0.119), and fearfulness (r = 0.184) was significantly associated with more unhealthy eating behaviors, ps = 0.000; conversely, higher attachment security correlated with lower unhealthy eating behaviors (r = -0.184, p = 0.000). This relationship did not vary across type of unhealthy eating behavior (i.e., binge eating, bulimic symptoms, dieting, emotional eating, and unhealthy food consumption). The little exploratory evidence concerning healthy eating and attachment was inconclusive with one exception-healthy eating was associated with lower attachment avoidance (r = -0.211, p = 0.000). Our results extend previous meta-analytic findings to show that lack of trusting and reliable relationships does not only set apart eating disordered individuals from controls, but also characterizes unhealthy eating behaviors in the general population. More evidence is needed to determine how attachment and healthy eating are linked and assess potential mechanisms influencing the attachment-eating relationship. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clusters of Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Behaviors Are Associated With Body Mass Index Among Adults.

PubMed

Heerman, William J; Jackson, Natalie; Hargreaves, Margaret; Mulvaney, Shelagh A; Schlundt, David; Wallston, Kenneth A; Rothman, Russell L

2017-05-01

To identify eating styles from 6 eating behaviors and test their association with body mass index (BMI) among adults. Cross-sectional analysis of self-report survey data. Twelve primary care and specialty clinics in 5 states. Of 11,776 adult patients who consented to participate, 9,977 completed survey questions. Frequency of eating healthy food, frequency of eating unhealthy food, breakfast frequency, frequency of snacking, overall diet quality, and problem eating behaviors. The primary dependent variable was BMI, calculated from self-reported height and weight data. k-Means cluster analysis of eating behaviors was used to determine eating styles. A categorical variable representing each eating style cluster was entered in a multivariate linear regression predicting BMI, controlling for covariates. Four eating styles were identified and defined by healthy vs unhealthy diet patterns and engagement in problem eating behaviors. Each group had significantly higher average BMI than the healthy eating style: healthy with problem eating behaviors (β = 1.9; P < .001), unhealthy (β = 2.5; P < .001), and unhealthy with problem eating behaviors (β = 5.1; P < .001). Future attempts to improve eating styles should address not only the consumption of healthy foods but also snacking behaviors and the emotional component of eating. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Binge eating and emotional eating behaviors among adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Martin, Katharine; Woo, Julia; Timmins, Vanessa; Collins, Jordan; Islam, Alvi; Newton, Dwight; Goldstein, Benjamin I

2016-05-01

This study investigates nutritional behavior among adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder (BP) in comparison to those without history of major psychiatric disorder. 131 participants (82 BP, 49 controls) with a mean age of 16.11 ± 1.61 years were included. The self-reported Quick Weight, Activity, Variety & Excess (WAVE) Screener was used to assess dietary habits, yielding a total nutritional score as well as Excess, Variety, and Household Food Insecurity subscale scores. Specifically, the Variety subscale was used to measure daily consumption of essential nutrients; the Excess subscale measured unhealthy eating behaviors such as binge eating and excessive intake of fat and sugar; and the Household Food Insecurity subscale was used to detect food insecurity. Within-group analysis was conducted on participants with BP to identify correlates of unhealthy diet. BP participants scored significantly lower than controls on the WAVE (t=2.62, p=0.010), specifically the Excess subscale (t=3.26, p=0.001). This was related to higher prevalence of binge eating and emotional eating behaviors among participants with BP compared to controls. Within-group analyses showed that self-reported emotional dysregulation/impulsivity was associated with maladaptive nutritional behaviors (t=3.38, p=0.035). Cross-sectional design. Within-group analyses were underpowered. Diet quality was measured using a brief self-report screener. Adolescents and young adults with BP have poorer nutritional behaviors compared to controls, and this difference is related to stress-induced eating. This demonstrates the need to screen for stress-induced eating and to intervene when needed in order to optimize nutritional behaviors among adolescents and young adults with BP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neighborhood Disparities in Access to Healthy Foods and Their Effects on Environmental Justice

PubMed Central

Dave, Jayna

2012-01-01

Environmental justice is concerned with an equitable distribution of environmental burdens. These burdens comprise immediate health hazards as well as subtle inequities, such as limited access to healthy foods. We reviewed the literature on neighborhood disparities in access to fast-food outlets and convenience stores. Low-income neighborhoods offered greater access to food sources that promote unhealthy eating. The distribution of fast-food outlets and convenience stores differed by the racial/ethnic characteristics of the neighborhood. Further research is needed to address the limitations of current studies, identify effective policy actions to achieve environmental justice, and evaluate intervention strategies to promote lifelong healthy eating habits, optimum health, and vibrant communities. PMID:22813465

Adolescents' eating behaviour in general and in the peer context: testing the prototype-willingness model.

PubMed

Dohnke, Birte; Steinhilber, Amina; Fuchs, Tanja

2015-01-01

To investigate the prototype-willingness model (PWM) for eating behaviour in general and in the peer context in order to gain further evidence on the PWM and social-reactive processes in adolescents' eating behaviour. A longitudinal study was conducted. PWM variables for unhealthy and healthy eating were assessed at baseline in 356 adolescents (mean age 12.61 years). Eating behaviour was measured four weeks after baseline by two indicators: general eating pattern index (self-report) and consumption of unhealthy and healthy snacks in the peer context (behavioural observation). For both, structural equation models were conducted introducing PWM variables for either unhealthy or healthy eating. The PWM was mainly confirmed for the eating pattern index; intention, willingness and prototype perception had direct effects. Differences between unhealthy and healthy eating were found. Moreover, the PWM contributed to the prediction of healthy, but not unhealthy, snack consumption over and above current hunger; willingness had a direct effect. The PWM can be applied to predict and understand adolescents' eating behaviour. Social-reactive processes, namely willingness and prototype perception, are behavioural determinants that should be considered in theory and as novel targets in health promotion interventions.

Relationship between work-family conflict and unhealthy eating: Does eating style matter?

PubMed

Shukri, Madihah; Jones, Fiona; Conner, Mark

2018-04-01

There is increasing evidence to suggest that work-family conflict is implicated in poor eating patterns. Yet, the underlying mechanism remains unexplored. The objectives of the present study were to demonstrate the interplay between work-family conflict, eating style, and unhealthy eating, and to test whether body mass index (BMI) and its interactions further explicate the relationships. In this study, 586 Malaysian adults (normal weight n = 437, overweight n = 149) completed a questionnaire, which included demographic variables, work-family scales, eating style measures, namely, restrained, emotional or external eating and reported food intake. As hypothesized, results showed that family-to-work conflict (FWC), emotional eating and external eating were positively related to unhealthy food consumption. In addition, emotional eating was found to moderate the impact of FCW on eating. These findings are consistent with research that has revealed emotional eating can indeed increase the positive association between stress such as conflict and unhealthy food choices. However, we found no clear support for the interactive effects of BMI. Our research builds on the findings of existing research as it demonstrates the role of eating style in explaining the association between work-family conflict and unhealthy eating. This conclusion has potential implications for appropriate interventions and calls for the enhancement of various policies to tackle obesity and other health problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do eating habits of the population living in Roma settlements differ from those of the majority population in Slovakia?

PubMed

Hijová, Emília; Gecková, Andrea Madarasová; Babinská, Ingrid

2014-03-01

Living in Roma settlements is associated with worse health in comparison with the majority population; this might be partially explained by socioeconomic disadvantages as well as cultural differences, including lifestyle. Eating habits represent an important part of lifestyle closely related to primary causes of morbidity and mortality, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases or cancers. The eating habits of the population living in Roma settlements in comparison with those of the majority population were explored using the cross-sectional epidemiological HepaMeta study conducted in 2011. A representative sample of Roma (n = 452, mean age = 34.7; 35.2% men) and non-Roma (n = 403, mean age = 33.5; 45.9% men) aged 18-55 years living in the Kosice region were asked about breakfasting and recent consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat products, meat, farinaceous dishes, and soft drinks. A logistic regression model was used separately for male and female participants. The population living in Roma settlements reported the recent consumption of fruit, vegetables and dairy products significantly less frequently in comparison with the majority population. Moreover, Roma females, in comparison with non-Roma females, reported significantly more frequently the consumption of meat and soft drinks. No differences were found between Roma and non-Roma in the consumption of meat products and farinaceous dishes. The population living in Roma settlements reported more frequently unhealthy eating habits in comparison with the majority population; this might contribute to worse health status of this population. The differences might be attributed to cultural differences between ethnic as well as socioeconomic groups, reduced availability of certain food items due to segregation or poverty and lower health literacy.

[The perception of values in food commercials on the part of young people with and without eating disorders].

PubMed

Mas-Manchón, Lluís; Rodríguez-Bravo, Ángel; Montoya-Vilar, Norminanda; Morales-Morante, Fernando; Lopes, Elaine; Añaños, Elena; Peres, Rafaella; Martínez, María Eugenia; Grau, Antoni

2015-09-01

Advertising uses stereotyped body images to promote physical ideals and unhealthy eating habits related to food products which are targeted especially at young people. The purpose of this study, carried out in Barcelona (Spain) in May 2013, was to test the perception of 139 young people of university age - with and without eating disorders - regarding 25 values in seven food commercials that did and did not use body image strategies. Results show that only the group of young people with eating disorders considered commercials using body image strategies to have a very negative influence on values such as health, well-being, family and effort. In contrast, the assessment of the two groups regarding the rest of the commercials greatly coincided. These results show that today’s university youth have accepted as normal a beauty canon based on the prevailing social and economic order, while young people in treatment for eating disorders have learned to denaturalize such messages.

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads.

PubMed

Schnettler, Berta; Lobos, Germán; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Ares, Gastón; Hueche, Clementina

2017-10-29

Family is a major determinant of children's and adolescents' eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother-father-adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members' diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile), including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL) scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL) scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: "families with an unhealthy diet" (39.3%), "families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers' diets require changes" (14.3%), and "families that require changes in their diet" (46.4%). These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life.

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads

PubMed Central

Lobos, Germán; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Ares, Gastón; Hueche, Clementina

2017-01-01

Family is a major determinant of children’s and adolescents’ eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother–father–adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members’ diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile), including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL) scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL) scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: “families with an unhealthy diet” (39.3%), “families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers’ diets require changes” (14.3%), and “families that require changes in their diet” (46.4%). These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life. PMID:29109387

Healthy eating decisions require efficient dietary self-control in children: A mouse-tracking food decision study.

PubMed

Ha, Oh-Ryeong; Bruce, Amanda S; Pruitt, Stephen W; Cherry, J Bradley C; Smith, T Ryan; Burkart, Dominic; Bruce, Jared M; Lim, Seung-Lark

2016-10-01

Learning how to make healthy eating decisions, (i.e., resisting unhealthy foods and consuming healthy foods), enhances physical development and reduces health risks in children. Although healthy eating decisions are known to be challenging for children, the mechanisms of children's food choice processes are not fully understood. The present study recorded mouse movement trajectories while eighteen children aged 8-13 years were choosing between eating and rejecting foods. Children were inclined to choose to eat rather than to reject foods, and preferred unhealthy foods over healthy foods, implying that rejecting unhealthy foods could be a demanding choice. When children rejected unhealthy foods, mouse trajectories were characterized by large curvature toward an eating choice in the beginning, late decision shifting time toward a rejecting choice, and slowed response times. These results suggested that children exercised greater cognitive efforts with longer decision times to resist unhealthy foods, providing evidence that children require dietary self-control to make healthy eating-decisions by resisting the temptation of unhealthy foods. Developmentally, older children attempted to exercise greater cognitive efforts for consuming healthy foods than younger children, suggesting that development of dietary self-control contributes to healthy eating-decisions. The study also documents that healthy weight children with higher BMIs were more likely to choose to reject healthy foods. Overall, findings have important implications for how children make healthy eating choices and the role of dietary self-control in eating decisions. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A survey of diet self-efficacy and food intake in students with high and low perceived stress.

PubMed

Nastaskin, Robyn S; Fiocco, Alexandra J

2015-04-23

Given the rise in obesity and obesity-related disorders, understanding the relationship between stress, self-efficacy and food choice in young adulthood may have implications for preventing negative health outcomes later in life that stem from poor eating habits. The current study examined whether stress levels and diet self-efficacy may be associated with unhealthy eating habits in young adults. Male and female undergraduate students (N = 136) completed questionnaires that tap into diet self-efficacy (DSE), perceived stress (PS), sodium, and fat intake. Sex differences in choice of food were predicted, and low levels of perceived stress and high diet self-efficacy were expected to be associated with lower fat and sodium intake. Findings indicate an interaction between perceived stress and diet self-efficacy on fat intake and a main effect for diet self-efficacy on sodium intake in this population. As expected, low levels of perceived stress and high diet self-efficacy were associated with the lowest levels of fat and sodium intake in students. Findings were driven by females. This study provides preliminary evidence that diet self-efficacy and perceived stress levels relate to nutrient intake in young adult females, and that increasing diet self-efficacy and reducing perceived stress in young adult females may lead to reductions in fat and sodium intake, leading to healthier eating habits.

Perceptions and dietary intake of self-described healthy and unhealthy eaters with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Carson, Nancy E; Blake, Christine E; Saunders, Ruth

2015-04-01

The aim of this exploratory study was to examine how community-dwelling adults with severe mental illness describe themselves as eaters and how these eating identities relate to dietary intake. Twenty participants completed one in-depth qualitative interview and three 24-h dietary recalls. Two distinct groups were identified; self-described healthy eaters (n = 10) and self-described unhealthy eaters (n = 10). Healthy eaters emphasized fruits and vegetables, limiting sweets, three meals a day, overcoming cost concerns, and benefits of healthy eating. Unhealthy eaters emphasized junk foods, fried foods, few fruits and vegetables, cost and household barriers to healthy eating, and concerns about consequences of unhealthy eating. Self-described healthy eaters consumed significantly more vegetables and less kilocalories, carbohydrates, fat, and saturated fat than self-described unhealthy eaters. Understanding how eating identities relate to dietary intake provides important insights for development of more effective approaches to promote healthy eating in this high risk population.

Individual Differences in Reward and Somatosensory-Motor Brain Regions Correlate with Adiposity in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Rapuano, Kristina M.; Huckins, Jeremy F.; Sargent, James D.; Heatherton, Todd F.; Kelley, William M.

2016-01-01

The prevalence of adolescent obesity has increased dramatically over the past three decades, and research has documented that the number of television shows viewed during childhood is associated with greater risk for obesity. In particular, considerable evidence suggests that exposure to food marketing promotes eating habits that contribute to obesity. The present study examines neural responses to dynamic food commercials in overweight and healthy-weight adolescents using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Compared with non-food commercials, food commercials more strongly engaged regions involved in attention and saliency detection (occipital lobe, precuneus, superior temporal gyri, and right insula) and in processing rewards [left and right nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)]. Activity in the left OFC and right insula further correlated with subjects' percent body fat at the time of the scan. Interestingly, this reward-related activity to food commercials was accompanied by the additional recruitment of mouth-specific somatosensory-motor cortices—a finding that suggests the intriguing possibility that higher-adiposity adolescents mentally simulate eating behaviors and offers a potential neural mechanism for the formation and reinforcement of unhealthy eating habits that may hamper an individual's ability lose weight later in life. PMID:25994961

Pregnant Adolescents, Beliefs About Healthy Eating, Factors that Influence Food Choices, and Nutrition Education Preferences.

PubMed

Wise, Nancy J

2015-01-01

Healthy eating among pregnant adolescents is essential for the well-being of developing adolescent females and their fetuses, as well as for the prevention of adult chronic illness. Understanding factors that influence and prohibit healthy eating, along with preferences for nutrition education in the pregnant adolescent population, is critical when designing and implementing appropriate nutrition education programs. The purpose of this study was to collect individual viewpoints of pregnant adolescents to facilitate the development of a nutrition intervention. This qualitative study using focus group methodology was conducted among pregnant adolescents. Participants (N = 14) were recruited through and teen parenting programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Focus groups were guided by 6 open-ended questions that were developed based on implications from a previous study that surveyed eating habits of pregnant adolescents. Data were analyzed and coded using verbatim transcripts. Transcripts were read carefully for overall content and identification of major categories and then compared for similar and contrasting data. Four recurring themes emerged that described beliefs about healthy eating, influences on food choices, and nutrition education preferences: 1) pregnant adolescents demonstrate overall knowledge of healthy foods but are unwilling to give up unhealthy foods; 2) parents, offspring, and pregnancy influence healthy eating habits; 3) pregnant adolescents choose foods based on appearance and taste, cravings, convenience, and cost; and 4) pregnancy alters eating habits. Nutrition education in this population should be peer- and adolescent-focused and incorporate preferred methods of learning and favored incentives. Pregnant adolescents are more likely to attend educational programs that are population-specific and peer-focused, and include incentives that make cooking easier, more convenient, and affordable. Program content should be available to potential participants ahead of time. Preferred methods of learning include video format, peer discussion, and hands-on cooking with active participation in food preparation. Foods that are prepared should be visually appealing and adolescent-friendly. © 2015 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Feeding styles, parenting styles and snacking behaviour in children attending primary schools in multiethnic neighbourhoods: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; van de Gaar, Vivian M; Jansen, Wilma; Mieloo, Cathelijne L; van Grieken, Amy; Raat, Hein

2017-07-13

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether feeding styles and parenting styles are associated with children's unhealthy snacking behaviour and whether the associations differ according to children's ethnic background. Cross-sectional data from the population-based 'Water Campaign' study were used. Parents (n=644) of primary school children (6-13 years) completed a questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, feeding style dimensions ('control over eating', 'emotional feeding', 'encouragement to eat' and 'instrumental feeding'), parenting style dimensions ('involvement' and 'strictness') and children's unhealthy snacking behaviour. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether feeding styles and parenting styles were associated with children's unhealthy snacking behaviour. Overall, children whose parents had a higher extent of 'control over eating' had a lower odds of eating unhealthy snacks more than once per day (OR, 0.57; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.76). Further stratified analysis showed that 'control over eating' was associated with less unhealthy snacking behaviour only in children with a Dutch (OR, 0.37; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.68) or a Moroccan/Turkish (OR, 0.44; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.77) ethnic background. 'Encouragement to eat' was associated with a lower odds of eating unhealthy snacks every day in children with a Dutch ethnic background only (OR, 0.48; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.90). 'Instrumental feeding' was associated with a higher odds of eating unhealthy snacks more than once a day in children with a Moroccan/Turkish ethnic background only (OR, 1.43; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.04). Our results suggest that 'control over eating' may be associated with less unhealthy snack consumption in children. The associations of feeding styles and parenting styles with children's unhealthy snacking behaviour differed between children with different ethnic backgrounds. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The reasoned/reactive model: A new approach to examining eating decisions among female college dieters and nondieters.

PubMed

Ruhl, Holly; Holub, Shayla C; Dolan, Elaine A

2016-12-01

Female college students are prone to unhealthy eating patterns that can impact long-term health. This study examined female students' healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors with three decision-making models. Specifically, the theory of reasoned action, prototype/willingness model, and new reasoned/reactive model were compared to determine how reasoned (logical) and reactive (impulsive) factors relate to dietary decisions. Females (N=583, M age =20.89years) completed measures on reasoned cognitions about foods (attitudes, subjective norms, nutrition knowledge, intentions to eat foods), reactive cognitions about foods (prototypes, affect, willingness to eat foods), dieting, and food consumption. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed the new reasoned/reactive model to be the preeminent model for examining eating behaviors. This model showed that attitudes were related to intentions and willingness to eat healthy and unhealthy foods. Affect was related to willingness to eat healthy and unhealthy foods, whereas nutrition knowledge was related to intentions and willingness to eat healthy foods only. Intentions and willingness were related to healthy and unhealthy food consumption. Dieting status played a moderating role in the model and revealed mean-level differences between dieters and nondieters. This study highlights the importance of specific factors in relation to female students' eating decisions and unveils a comprehensive model for examining health behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual Minority Stressors, Internalizing Symptoms, and Unhealthy Eating Behaviors in Sexual Minority Youth

PubMed Central

Katz-Wise, Sabra L.; Calzo, Jerel P.; Scherer, Emily A.; Sarda, Vishnudas; Jackson, Benita; Haines, Jess; Austin, S. Bryn

2015-01-01

Background Sexual minorities are more likely than heterosexuals to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors. Purpose To examine sexual minority stressors and internalizing symptoms as predictors of unhealthy eating behaviors among sexual minority youth. Methods We used longitudinal data from 1461 sexual minority youth in the Growing Up Today Study, across ages 14-28 years. We hypothesized that sexual minority stressors would predict unhealthy eating behaviors, in part due to internalizing symptoms. Linear regression models fit via generalized estimating equations were stratified by gender and sexual orientation. Results Significant positive and inverse associations between stressors and eating behaviors were detected among females and males, with more significant associations among females. Associations were attenuated by up to 71% for females and 12% for males when internalizing symptoms were added to the models. Conclusions Sexual minority stressors predicted unhealthy eating behaviors overall and more so for some sexual orientation and gender groups; associations were partially explained by internalizing symptoms. The conceptual model appears to best describe the experiences of bisexual females. Findings have clinical implications for adolescent health. PMID:26156678

Association between fast food purchasing and the local food environment.

PubMed

Thornton, Lukar E; Kavanagh, A M

2012-12-03

In this study, an instrument was created to measure the healthy and unhealthy characteristics of food environments and investigate associations between the whole of the food environment and fast food consumption. In consultation with other academic researchers in this field, food stores were categorised to either healthy or unhealthy and weighted (between +10 and -10) by their likely contribution to healthy/unhealthy eating practices. A healthy and unhealthy food environment score (FES) was created using these weightings. Using a cross-sectional study design, multilevel multinomial regression was used to estimate the effects of the whole food environment on the fast food purchasing habits of 2547 individuals. Respondents in areas with the highest tertile of the healthy FES had a lower likelihood of purchasing fast food both infrequently and frequently compared with respondents who never purchased, however only infrequent purchasing remained significant when simultaneously modelled with the unhealthy FES (odds ratio (OR) 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32-0.83). Although a lower likelihood of frequent fast food purchasing was also associated with living in the highest tertile of the unhealthy FES, no association remained once the healthy FES was included in the models. In our binary models, respondents living in areas with a higher unhealthy FES than healthy FES were more likely to purchase fast food infrequently (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.00-1.82) however no association was found for frequent purchasing. Our study provides some evidence to suggest that healthier food environments may discourage fast food purchasing.

The association between changes in lifestyle behaviors and the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in middle-aged and older men.

PubMed

Michishita, Ryoma; Matsuda, Takuro; Kawakami, Shotaro; Tanaka, Satoshi; Kiyonaga, Akira; Tanaka, Hiroaki; Morito, Natsumi; Higaki, Yasuki

2017-08-01

This study was designed to evaluate whether changes in lifestyle behaviors are correlated with the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The subjects consisted of 316 men without a history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or renal dysfunction or dialysis treatment. The following lifestyle behaviors were evaluated using a standardized self-administered questionnaire: habitual moderate exercise, daily physical activity, walking speed, eating speed, late-night dinner, bedtime snacking, skipping breakfast, and drinking and smoking habits. The subjects were divided into four categories according to the change in each lifestyle behavior from baseline to the end of follow-up (healthy-healthy, unhealthy-healthy, healthy-unhealthy and unhealthy-unhealthy). A multivariate analysis showed that, with respect to habitual moderate exercise and late-night dinner, maintaining an unhealthy lifestyle resulted in a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) for the incidence of CKD than maintaining a lifestyle (OR 8.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-15.40 for habitual moderate exercise and OR 4.00; 95% CI, 1.38-11.57 for late-night dinner). In addition, with respect to bedtime snacking, the change from a healthy to an unhealthy lifestyle and maintaining an unhealthy lifestyle resulted in significantly higher OR for incidence of CKD than maintaining a healthy lifestyle (OR 4.44; 95% CI, 1.05-13.93 for healthy-unhealthy group and OR 11.02; 95% CI, 2.83-26.69 for unhealthy-unhealthy group). The results of the present study suggest that the lack of habitual moderate exercise, late-night dinner, and bedtime snacking may increase the risk of CKD. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Daily Associations of Stress and Eating in Mother-Child Dyads.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve F; Dzubur, Eldin; Huh, Jimi; Belcher, Britni R; Maher, Jaclyn P; O'Connor, Sydney; Margolin, Gayla

2017-06-01

This study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in mother-child dyads to examine the day-level associations of stress and eating. Mothers and their 8- to 12-year-old children ( N = 167 dyads) completed between three (weekday) and eight (weekend) EMA survey prompts per day at random nonschool times across 8 days. EMA measured perceived stress, and past 2-hour healthy (i.e., fruit and vegetables) and unhealthy (e.g., pastries/sweets, soda/energy drinks) eating. Children reported more healthy and unhealthy eating on days when their mothers also engaged in more healthy and unhealthy eating, respectively. On days when mothers' perceived stress was greater than usual, they reported more healthy eating. Eating behaviors were coupled between mothers and children at the day level. Mothers' stress was related to their own eating but not to children's eating.

Unhealthy lifestyle habits and diabetes-specific health-related quality of life in youths with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Mozzillo, Enza; Zito, Eugenio; Maffeis, Claudio; De Nitto, Elena; Maltoni, Giulio; Marigliano, Marco; Zucchini, Stefano; Franzese, Adriana; Valerio, Giuliana

2017-12-01

Management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) influences several aspects of life, such as adherence to healthy lifestyle habits and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Our aim was to evaluate the association between unhealthy lifestyle habits and HRQoL in adolescents and young adults with T1DM. Two hundred and forty-two Caucasian patients (13-19 years) consecutively enrolled over a 12-month period in three Regional Pediatric Diabetes Centers in Italy. Demographics, clinical, and laboratory parameters, adherence to lifestyle habits (Mediterranean Diet assessed by KIDMED, Physical Activity levels and sedentary behavior by questionnaire) considered either separately or in cluster, and HRQoL by Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Diabetes Module (PedsQL 3.0 DM) were collected. Metabolic control was determined by HbA1c mean of previous year. Only 15 (6.2%) patients fulfilled the cluster of three healthy lifestyle habits without gender differences (p = 0.353); 62 (25.6%) had 1 unhealthy lifestyle habit, and 165 (68.2%) had ≥2. Adolescents meeting physical activity recommendations had better PedsQL scores than those who did not meet. PedsQL total score and specific sub-scales decreased in patients with unhealthy lifestyle habits. High PedsQL was significantly associated with being male, living in South Italy, having lower HbA1c mean levels, and reporting lower adherence to unhealthy lifestyle habits. The clustering of unhealthy lifestyle habits is associated with reduced HRQoL in adolescents and young adults with T1DM. Promoting multiple behavior changes may be a useful approach to improve the health status and the HRQoL in youths with T1DM.

Perceptions of Healthy Eating Among Hispanic Parent-Child Dyads.

PubMed

Lilo, Emily A; Muñoz, Marlene; Cruz, Theresa H

2018-03-01

Limited research exists exploring the perceptions of healthy and unhealthy eating among Hispanic families, yet understanding their perceptions could inform public health practice with regard to nutrition and obesity prevention. This study conducted an exploratory analysis of interview data collected from 25 parent-child dyads as part of a program evaluation to learn more about both parent and child beliefs and practices regarding healthy eating, and in particular fruit and vegetable consumption. Families described an incomplete knowledge regarding healthy eating, specifically how to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, and the benefits of healthy eating as well as risks of unhealthy eating. Parents in particular seemed to identify many of the foods to avoid but were unclear about healthier alternatives. Children focused more on the benefits of healthy eating, while parents spoke more about the risks of unhealthy eating and the challenges of eating vegetables, particularly among families where child weight was also raised as a concern.

Healthy eating patterns associated with acculturation, sex and BMI among Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Reininger, Belinda; Lee, MinJae; Jennings, Rose; Evans, Alexandra; Vidoni, Michelle

2017-05-01

Examine relationships of healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns with BMI, sex, age and acculturation among Mexican Americans. Cross-sectional. Participants completed culturally tailored Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Indices. Multivariable mixed-effect Poisson regression models compared food pattern index scores and dietary intake of specific foods by BMI, sex, age and acculturation defined by language preference and generational status. Participants recruited from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort study, Texas-Mexico border region, between 2008 and 2011. Mexican-American males and females aged 18-97 years (n 1250). Participants were primarily female (55·3 %), overweight or obese (85·7 %), preferred Spanish language (68·0 %) and first-generation status (60·3 %). Among first-generation participants, bilingual participants were less likely to have a healthy eating pattern than preferred Spanish-speaking participants (rate ratio (RR)=0·79, P=0·0218). This association was also found in males (RR=0·81, P=0·0098). Preferred English-speaking females were less likely to consume healthy foods than preferred Spanish-speaking females (RR=0·84, P=0·0293). Among second-generation participants, preferred English-speaking participants were more likely to report a higher unhealthy eating pattern than preferred Spanish-speaking participants (RR=1·23, P=0·0114). Higher unhealthy eating patterns were also found in females who preferred English v. females who preferred Spanish (RR=1·23, P=0·0107) or were bilingual (RR=1·26, P=0·0159). Younger, male participants were more likely to have a higher unhealthy eating pattern. BMI and diabetes status were not significantly associated with healthy or unhealthy eating patterns. Acculturation, age, sex and education are associated with healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns. Nutrition interventions for Mexican Americans should tailor approaches by these characteristics.

Prevalence of body image dissatisfaction and associated factors among physical education students.

PubMed

Ferrari, Elisa Pinheiro; Petroski, Edio Luiz; Silva, Diego Augusto Santos

2013-01-01

To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with body image dissatisfaction among physical education students enrolled in a public university. This study evaluated 236 students and assessed body image perception (silhouette scale), sociodemographic variables (sex, age, parental education, marital status, university course, work, living arrangement, study shift, and income), physical activity level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version), dietary habits, tobacco use, excessive intake of alcohol (questions from the tobacco, alcohol and drugs, and nutrition domains of the FANTASTIC instrument), and nutritional status (body mass index [BMI]). Descriptive analysis, the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and crude and adjusted multinomial regression were used. The prevalence of body image dissatisfaction was 69.5%; 44.1% were dissatisfied with excess weight. BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m² was associated with dissatisfaction with excess weight; factors associated with dissatisfaction with slimness were being male, eating an unhealthy diet, and smoking tobacco. Our findings suggest that female college students with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m² are more likely to present dissatisfaction with excess weight. Being male, eating an unhealthy diet, engaging in physical activity for < 739.61 min/week and smoking tobacco were the variables associated with dissatisfaction with thinness.

Nutritional knowledge and habits of adolescents aged 9 to 13 years in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: a crosssectional study.

PubMed

Al-Yateem, Nabeel; Rossiter, Rachel

2017-10-30

Good nutritional knowledge and behaviour among adolescents is important to avoid health problems that can continue into adulthood. This cross-sectional study aimed to provide baseline data on nutritional knowledge and eating habits of adolescents in Sharjah. Data were collected from 300 adolescents aged 9-13 years attending 4 private schools using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Most students (86%) had poor nutritional knowledge, especially in key areas: nutritional terms, what constitutes healthy snacks and foods, daily nutritional requirements and components of food (e.g. fibre, fat, sugar). Only 34% of the students had healthy eating behaviour: 33% had eaten none or 1 vegetable only in the previous week, 25% had eaten unhealthy snacks 3 or more times, 19% had eaten frequently or daily at fast food outlets, and 36% had skipped breakfast frequently or daily. Culturally-specific, school-based educational interventions are warranted to build sound nutritional knowledge among adolescents and motivate the diet and behaviour changes needed to promote health throughout the lifespan.

[Project to improve abdominal obesity in day care ward psychiatric patients].

PubMed

Liu, Yu-Chieh; Wang, Hui-Yu; Huang, Hui-Ling; Chen, Min-Li

2011-06-01

Over half (57.14%) of patients in our ward suffer from abdominal obesity. This rate is on a continuing upward trend. Reasons for such obesity include lack of physical activity classes, inadequate physical activity, high calorie diets and unhealthy eating habits, chronic diseases and drug side effects, poor motivation to reduce weight, and lack of crisis awareness of abdominal obesity. This project was designed to lessen the problem of abdominal obesity among psychiatric day care inpatients. Resolution measures implemented included: (1) arranging aerobic exercise classes; (2) scheduling classes to teach patients healthy diet habits and knowledge regarding diseases and drugs; (3) holding a waistline reduction competition; (4) displaying health education bulletin boards; (5) holding a quiz contest with prizes for correct answers. The eight abdominally obese patients in the ward achieved an average waist circumference reduction of 2.9 cm and the overall abdominal obesity rate in the ward fell to 35.7%. BMI, eating habits, and awareness of weight loss importance and motivation all improved. The outcome achieved targeted project objectives. We recommend the integration of obesity prevention into routine ward activities and quality control indicators. Nurses should provide patients with weight loss concepts, regularly monitor risk factors, and encourage patient family cooperation to maintain medical care quality.

Individual Differences in Reward and Somatosensory-Motor Brain Regions Correlate with Adiposity in Adolescents.

PubMed

Rapuano, Kristina M; Huckins, Jeremy F; Sargent, James D; Heatherton, Todd F; Kelley, William M

2016-06-01

The prevalence of adolescent obesity has increased dramatically over the past three decades, and research has documented that the number of television shows viewed during childhood is associated with greater risk for obesity. In particular, considerable evidence suggests that exposure to food marketing promotes eating habits that contribute to obesity. The present study examines neural responses to dynamic food commercials in overweight and healthy-weight adolescents using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Compared with non-food commercials, food commercials more strongly engaged regions involved in attention and saliency detection (occipital lobe, precuneus, superior temporal gyri, and right insula) and in processing rewards [left and right nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)]. Activity in the left OFC and right insula further correlated with subjects' percent body fat at the time of the scan. Interestingly, this reward-related activity to food commercials was accompanied by the additional recruitment of mouth-specific somatosensory-motor cortices-a finding that suggests the intriguing possibility that higher-adiposity adolescents mentally simulate eating behaviors and offers a potential neural mechanism for the formation and reinforcement of unhealthy eating habits that may hamper an individual's ability lose weight later in life. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stress-related eating, obesity and associated behavioural traits in adolescents: a prospective population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Jääskeläinen, Anne; Nevanperä, Nina; Remes, Jouko; Rahkonen, Fanni; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Laitinen, Jaana

2014-04-07

Stress-related eating is associated with unhealthy eating and drinking habits and an increased risk of obesity among adults, but less is known about factors related to stress-driven eating behaviour among children and adolescents. We studied the prevalence of stress-related eating and its association with overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, dietary and other health behaviours at the age of 16. Furthermore, we examined whether stress-related eating is predicted by early-life factors including birth size and maternal gestational health. The study population comprised 3598 girls and 3347 boys from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC1986). Followed up since their antenatal period, adolescents underwent a clinical examination, and their stress-related eating behaviour, dietary habits and other health behaviours were assessed using a postal questionnaire. We examined associations using cross-tabulations followed by latent class analysis and logistic regression to profile the adolescents and explain the risk of obesity with behavioural traits. Stress-related eating behaviour was more common among girls (43%) than among boys (15%). Compared with non-stress-driven eaters, stress-driven eaters had a higher prevalence of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity. We found no significant associations between stress-eating and early-life factors. Among girls, tobacco use, shorter sleep, infrequent family meals and frequent consumption of chocolate, sweets, light sodas and alcohol were more prevalent among stress-driven eaters. Among boys, the proportions of those with frequent consumption of sausages, chocolate, sweets, hamburgers and pizza were greater among stress-driven eaters. For both genders, the proportions of those bingeing and using heavy exercise and strict diet for weight control were higher among stress-eaters. Besides a 'healthy lifestyle' cluster, latent class analysis revealed two other patterns ('adverse habits', 'unbalanced weight control') that significantly explained the risk of overweight among boys and girls. Stress-related eating is highly prevalent among 16-year-old girls and is associated with obesity as well as adverse dietary and other health behaviours among both genders, but intrauterine conditions are seemingly uninvolved. In terms of obesity prevention and future health, adolescents who use eating as a passive way of coping could benefit from learning healthier strategies for stress and weight management.

Perceptions of healthy eating amongst Indian adolescents in India and Canada.

PubMed

Correa, Natasha; Rajaraman, Divya; Swaminathan, Sumathi; Vaz, Mario; Jayachitra, K G; Lear, Scott A; Punthakee, Zubin

2017-09-01

Dietary patterns have contributed to the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among Indian adolescents. Yet there are limited studies on their perspectives on healthy eating. The purpose of this study was to understand perceptions and attitudes of Indian-origin adolescents in India and Canada that may contribute to healthy eating behaviour. Qualitative data collection and analysis of 13 focus group discussions (FGD) was conducted among 34 boys and 39 girls (total number of participants: 73) of different weight and socioeconomic status (SES) in rural and urban India, and urban Canada aged 11-18 years. All adolescents perceived homemade foods, and foods high in vitamins, minerals and fiber as healthy. Rural Indian adolescents also identified contaminant-free food as important. Opinions differed regarding the health value of consuming meat, and amongst Canadian adolescents, the health impact of Western versus Indian diets. Identified benefits of healthy eating included improved energy for Indians, and disease prevention for Canadians and urban Indians. Identified barriers across all settings included peers; and availability, access and affordability of unhealthy foods. Urban Indians and Canadian girls also reported academic stress and lack of time as barriers. Canadian girls reported limited parental supervision during mealtimes as an additional barrier. Facilitators to healthy eating included parents, friends and personal preferences for healthy foods. This study suggests potential targets for family-based and school-based education programs and policies to improve dietary habits of Indian and Indo-Canadian adolescents which include, culturally focused nutrition education and guidelines, academic stress management strategies, parental education, food hygiene regulations and restriction on the sale and advertising of unhealthy foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of maternal modeling on body image concerns and eating disturbances in preadolescent girls.

PubMed

Handford, Charlotte M; Rapee, Ronald M; Fardouly, Jasmine

2018-01-01

Research suggests that mothers may influence the development of body image concerns and eating disturbances in their daughters by modeling negative body image beliefs and unhealthy eating behaviors. However, the causal nature of that mode of influence is yet to be established. This study implemented an experimental design to examine the impact of mothers' modeling of negative comments about their own appearance and diet on their daughters' body image concerns and eating behaviors. Participants were 8-12 year old girls and their mothers (N = 50). While viewing thin-ideal magazine advertisements with their daughter, mothers were instructed to make either negative comments about their own weight, shape, and diet or to make no appearance or diet related comments. Daughters' levels of body esteem, body satisfaction, and eating attitudes were assessed pre- and post-manipulation, and their actual eating habits were measured post-manipulation. Girls whose mothers had made self-critical comments about their own appearance and diet reported lower body esteem, lower body satisfaction, more problematic eating attitudes, and ate significantly fewer sweets than girls whose mothers had not made self-critical comments. These results have implications for disordered eating prevention programs, suggesting that greater emphasis be placed on discouraging negative modeling behaviors among mothers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between fast food purchasing and the local food environment

PubMed Central

Thornton, Lukar E; Kavanagh, A M

2012-01-01

Objective: In this study, an instrument was created to measure the healthy and unhealthy characteristics of food environments and investigate associations between the whole of the food environment and fast food consumption. Design and subjects: In consultation with other academic researchers in this field, food stores were categorised to either healthy or unhealthy and weighted (between +10 and −10) by their likely contribution to healthy/unhealthy eating practices. A healthy and unhealthy food environment score (FES) was created using these weightings. Using a cross-sectional study design, multilevel multinomial regression was used to estimate the effects of the whole food environment on the fast food purchasing habits of 2547 individuals. Results: Respondents in areas with the highest tertile of the healthy FES had a lower likelihood of purchasing fast food both infrequently and frequently compared with respondents who never purchased, however only infrequent purchasing remained significant when simultaneously modelled with the unhealthy FES (odds ratio (OR) 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32–0.83). Although a lower likelihood of frequent fast food purchasing was also associated with living in the highest tertile of the unhealthy FES, no association remained once the healthy FES was included in the models. In our binary models, respondents living in areas with a higher unhealthy FES than healthy FES were more likely to purchase fast food infrequently (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.00–1.82) however no association was found for frequent purchasing. Conclusion: Our study provides some evidence to suggest that healthier food environments may discourage fast food purchasing. PMID:23208414

[Serological survey on Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women with history of adverse pregnancy in Bazhou area, Hebei Province].

PubMed

Ming-Hui, Zhu; Li-Juan, Xu; Zhen-Wei, Xue

2016-06-22

To investigate the Toxoplasma gondii infection status in pregnant women with history of adverse pregnancy and risk factors in Bazhou area, Hebei Province. A total of 302 pregnant women with the history of adverse pregnancy were chosen as respondents (an experimental group) in the hospital from March 2012 to December 2015, and 197 pregnant women without the history of adverse pregnancy as a control group. TOX-IgG and TOX-IgM were detected by using ELISA in two groups. The risk factors of Toxoplasma infection were surveyed by questionnaires. The total positive rate of Toxoplasma antibodies was 28.15% (85/302) in the experimental group, which was significantly higher than that [9.64%(19/197)] in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ 2 = 24.76, P ＜0.05). The positive rates of TOX-IgM, TOX-IgG and TOX-IgM + TOX-IgG were 6.95% (21/302), 18.54% (56/302), and 2.65% (8/302) respectively in the experimental group, which were higher than 2.03% (4/197), 7.61% (15/197), and 0% (0/197) respectively in the control group ( χ 2 = 6.07, 11.67, 3.76, all P ＜0.05). The questionnaire survey showed that the proportions of keeping pets, cutting board regardless, liking to eat hot pot or barbecue, eating raw meat, often eating in the restaurant in the pregnant women with Toxoplasma infection were higher than those in the pregnant women without Toxoplasma infection, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ 2 = 22.57, 3.96, 5.87, 7.40, 4.86, all P ＜0.05), and therefore, the above unhealthy habits may be important risk factors. Toxoplasma infection could lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, the above-mentioned unhealthy habits should be avoided, especially during pregnancy period.

Nutrition Facts Use in Relation to Eating Behaviors and Healthy and Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors.

PubMed

Christoph, Mary J; Loth, Katie A; Eisenberg, Marla E; Haynos, Ann F; Larson, Nicole; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2018-03-01

Investigate the relationship between use of Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods and weight-related behaviors. Cross-sectional survey in 2015-2016. Young adult respondents (n = 1,817; 57% women; average age 31.0 ± 1.6 years) to the Project Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults-IV survey, the fourth wave of a longitudinal cohort study. Use of Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods; healthy, unhealthy, and extreme weight control behaviors; intuitive eating; binge eating. Linear and logistic regression models were adjusted for age, ethnicity/race, education, income, and weight status. In women, greater Nutrition Facts use was associated with a 23% and 10% greater likelihood of engaging in healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors, respectively, and a 17% greater chance of engaging in binge eating. In men, greater label use was associated with a 27% and 17% greater likelihood of engaging in healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors, respectively, and a lower level of intuitive eating. Professionals advising patients and clients on weight management may consider possible gender differences in response to weight loss and management guidance. Since label use was related to engagement in some unhealthy behaviors in addition to healthy behaviors, it is important to consider how individuals may use labels, particularly those at risk for, or engaging in, disordered eating behaviors. Future research investigating potential relationships between Nutrition Facts use, intuitive eating, and binge eating is needed. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iranian Female Adolescent’s Views on Unhealthy Snacks Consumption: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Karimi-Shahanjarini, A; Omidvar, N; Bazargan3, M; Rashidian, A; Majdzadeh, R; Shojaeizadeh, D

2010-01-01

Background: Given the increasing prevalence of obesity among Iranian adolescents and the role of consumption of unhealthy snacks in this issue, interventions that focus on factors influencing food choice are needed. This study was designed to delineate factors associated with unhealthy snack use among female Iranian adolescents. Methods: The theory of Planned Behavior served as the framework of the study. Qualitative data were collected via nine focus group discussions in two middle schools (6th to 8th grades) in a socio-economically diverse district in the city of Tehran in spring 2008. The study sample included 90 female adolescents aged 12–15 years. The sampling strategy was purposive method. Data analyzed using the “framework” method. Results: Major factors identified by the respondents were taste, peer pressure, parental influence, easy access to unhealthy snacks, limited availability of healthy snacks, appeal of snacks, habit, high price of healthy snacks, and media advertisements. Nutritional value and healthiness was not one of the first priorities when buying snacks, as adolescents thought it was too early for them to worry about illness and adverse consequences of eating junk foods. Conclusions: For developing culturally sensitive evidence-based interventions that can motivate adolescents to choose healthy snacks, a broad range of factors should be taken into account. PMID:23113027

Iranian Female Adolescent's Views on Unhealthy Snacks Consumption: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Karimi-Shahanjarini, A; Omidvar, N; Bazargan3, M; Rashidian, A; Majdzadeh, R; Shojaeizadeh, D

2010-01-01

Given the increasing prevalence of obesity among Iranian adolescents and the role of consumption of unhealthy snacks in this issue, interventions that focus on factors influencing food choice are needed. This study was designed to delineate factors associated with unhealthy snack use among female Iranian adolescents. The theory of Planned Behavior served as the framework of the study. Qualitative data were collected via nine focus group discussions in two middle schools (6(th) to 8(th) grades) in a socio-economically diverse district in the city of Tehran in spring 2008. The study sample included 90 female adolescents aged 12-15 years. The sampling strategy was purposive method. Data analyzed using the "framework" method. Major factors identified by the respondents were taste, peer pressure, parental influence, easy access to unhealthy snacks, limited availability of healthy snacks, appeal of snacks, habit, high price of healthy snacks, and media advertisements. Nutritional value and healthiness was not one of the first priorities when buying snacks, as adolescents thought it was too early for them to worry about illness and adverse consequences of eating junk foods. For developing culturally sensitive evidence-based interventions that can motivate adolescents to choose healthy snacks, a broad range of factors should be taken into account.

Hungry for an intervention? Adolescents' ratings of acceptability of eating-related intervention strategies.

PubMed

Stok, F Marijn; de Ridder, Denise T D; de Vet, Emely; Nureeva, Liliya; Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Wardle, Jane; Gaspar, Tania; de Wit, John B F

2016-01-05

Effective interventions promoting healthier eating behavior among adolescents are urgently needed. One factor that has been shown to impact effectiveness is whether the target population accepts the intervention. While previous research has assessed adults' acceptance of eating-related interventions, research on the opinion of adolescents is lacking. The current study addressed this gap in the literature. Two thousand seven hundred sixty four adolescents (aged 10-17 years) from four European countries answered questions about individual characteristics (socio-demographics, anthropometrics, and average daily intake of healthy and unhealthy foods) and the acceptability of ten eating-related intervention strategies. These strategies varied in type (either promoting healthy eating or discouraging unhealthy eating), level of intrusiveness, setting (home, school, broader out-of-home environment), and change agent (parents, teacher, policy makers). Based on adolescents' acceptability ratings, strategies could be clustered into two categories, those promoting healthy eating and those discouraging unhealthy eating, with acceptability rated significantly higher for the former. Acceptability of intervention strategies was rated moderate on average, but higher among girls, younger, overweight and immigrant adolescents, and those reporting healthier eating. Polish and Portuguese adolescents were overall more accepting of strategies than UK and Dutch adolescents. Adolescents preferred intervention strategies that promote healthy eating over strategies that discourage unhealthy eating. Level of intrusiveness affected acceptability ratings for the latter type of strategies only. Various individual and behavioral characteristics were associated with acceptability. These findings provide practical guidance for the selection of acceptable intervention strategies to improve adolescents' eating behavior.

Exercise and eating habits among urban adolescents: a cross-sectional study in Kolkata, India.

PubMed

Kumar, Soumitra; Ray, Saumitra; Roy, Debabrata; Ganguly, Kajal; Dutta, Sibananda; Mahapatra, Tanmay; Mahapatra, Sanchita; Gupta, Kinnori; Chakraborty, Kaushik; Das, Mrinal Kanti; Guha, Santanu; Deb, Pradip K; Banerjee, Amal K

2017-05-18

Unhealthy eating and lack of exercise during adolescence culminated into earlier onset and increasing burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide. Among urban Indian adolescents, prevalence of these risk factors of CVD seemed to be high, but data regarding their pattern and predictors was limited. To address this dearth of information, a survey was conducted among urban adolescent school-students in Kolkata, a highly populated metro city in eastern India. During January-June, 2014, 1755 students of 9th-grade were recruited through cluster (schools) random sampling. Informed consents from parents and assents from adolescents were collected. Information on socio-demographics, CVD-related knowledge and perception along with eating and exercise patterns were collected with an internally validated structured questionnaire. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed in SAS-9.3.2. Among 1652 participants (response rate = 94.1%), about 44% had poor overall knowledge about CVD, 24% perceived themselves as overweight and 60% considered their general health as good. Only 18% perceived their future CVD-risk and 29% were engaged in regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise. While 55% skipped meals regularly, 90% frequently consumed street-foods and 54% demonstrated overall poor eating habits. Males were more likely to engage in moderate-to-vigorous exercise [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.40(95% confidence interval = 2.55-4.54)] while students of higher SES were less likely [AOR = 0.59(0.37-0.94)]. Males and those having good CVD-related knowledge were more likely to exercise at least 1 h/day [AOR = 7.77(4.61-13.07) and 2.90(1.46-5.78) respectively]. Those who perceived their future CVD-risk, skipped meals more [2.04(1.28-3.25)] while Males skipped them less [AOR = 0.62(0.42-0.93)]. Subjects from middle class ate street-foods less frequently [AOR = 0.45(0.24-0.85)]. Relatively older students and those belonging to higher SES were less likely to demonstrate good eating habits [AOR = 0.70(0.56-0.89) and 0.23(0.11-0.47) respectively]. A large knowledge-practice gap was evident as students with good CVD-related knowledge were less likely to have good eating habits [AOR = 0.55(0.32-0.94)]. CVD-related knowledge as well as eating and exercise habits were quite poor among adolescent school-students of Kolkata. Additionally, there was a large knowledge-practice gap. Multi-component educational interventions targeting behavioral betterment seemed necessary for these adolescents to improve their CVD-related knowledge, along with appropriate translation of knowledge into exercise and eating practices to minimize future risk of CVDs.

Menopause and Heart Disease

MedlinePlus

... time of menopause and a high-fat diet, smoking or other unhealthy habits begun earlier in life can also take a ... exercise and good nutrition and by eliminating unhealthy habits like smoking, which may contribute to early menopause, increase the ...

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Healthy and Unhealthy Eating.

PubMed

Trapp, Georgina S A; Hickling, Siobhan; Christian, Hayley E; Bull, Fiona; Timperio, Anna F; Boruff, Bryan; Shrestha, Damber; Giles-Corti, Billie

2015-12-01

Few studies use comprehensive ecological approaches considering multilevel factors to understand correlates of healthy (and unhealthy) dietary intake. The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual, social, and environmental factors on composite measures of healthy and unhealthy dietary intake in adults. Participants (n = 565) of the Australian RESIDential Environments (RESIDE) project self-reported dietary intake, home food availability, and behavioral and perceived social and physical environmental influences on food choices. A geographic information system measured proximity of supermarkets from each participant's home. "Healthy" and "unhealthy" eating scores were computed based on adherence to dietary guidelines. Univariate and multivariate models were constructed using linear regression. After full adjustment, "healthy" eating (mean = 6.25, standard deviation [SD] = 1.95) was significantly associated with having confidence to prepare healthy meals (β = 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.13, 0.55]); having more healthy (β = 0.13; 95% CI = [0.09-0.16]) and fewer unhealthy (β = -0.04; 95% CI = [-0.06, -0.02]) foods available at home; and having a supermarket within 800 meters of home (β = 1.39; 95% CI = [0.37, 2.404]). "Unhealthy" eating (mean = 3.53, SD = 2.06) was associated with being male (β = 0.39; 95% CI = [0.02, 0.75]), frequently eating takeaway (β = 0.33; 95% CI = [0.21, 0.46]) and cafe or restaurant meals (β = 0.20; 95% CI = [0.06, 0.33]) and having fewer healthy (β = -0.07; 95% CI = [-0.10, -0.03]) and more unhealthy (β = 0.09; 95% CI = [0.07, 0.10]) foods available within the home. Initiatives to improve adherence to dietary guidelines and reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods needs to be multifaceted; addressing individual factors and access to healthy food choices in both the home and neighborhood food environment. Ensuring proximity to local supermarkets, particularly in new suburban developments, appears to be an important strategy for facilitating healthy eating. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

The nutrition needs of low-income families regarding living healthier lifestyles: Findings from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Davis, Ann M; Befort, Christie; Steiger, Katherine; Simpson, Shanna; Mijares, Martha

2013-03-01

Pediatric obesity and nutrition-related problems continue to be problematic around the world. The purpose of the current qualitative study was to learn more about the barriers low-income, minority families face to healthy living and where they turn for health-related information. Five focus groups were conducted using open-ended standardized questions. Standardized transcript analysis and coding techniques were used to arrive at five saturated themes. The project was conducted in partnership with a community based Early/Head Start agency. Adult parents of preschool children were invited to participate. Results indicate that low-income minority families face many barriers to eating healthily: while families do eat some healthy foods, they also eat many unhealthy foods; they rely primarily on family members for their nutrition information; they have some desire to change their own health habits (but generally not those of their children); and they have inadequate nutritional knowledge. Options for better reaching this population with important health information are discussed. © The Author(s) 2012.

Pocket money, eating behaviors, and weight status among Chinese children: The Childhood Obesity Study in China mega-cities.

PubMed

Li, Miao; Xue, Hong; Jia, Peng; Zhao, Yaling; Wang, Zhiyong; Xu, Fei; Wang, Youfa

2017-07-01

Both the obesity rate and pocket money are rising among children in China. This study examined family correlates of children's pocket money, associations of pocket money with eating behaviors and weight status, and how the associations may be modified by schools' unhealthy food restrictions in urban China. Data were collected in 2015 from 1648 students in 16 primary and middle schools in four mega-cities in China (4 schools/city): Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Xi'an. Cluster robust negative binomial regression models were fit to assess family correlates of pocket money, associations of pocket money with child eating behaviors and weight outcomes, and possible modifying effects of schools' unhealthy food restrictions. Sixty-nine percent of students received pocket money weekly. Students received more pocket money if mothers frequently ate out of home (IRR=2.28 [1.76, 2.94]) and/or family rarely had dinner together (IRR=1.42, 95%=[1.01, 1.99]). Students got less pocket money if parents were concerned about child's future health due to unhealthy eating (IRR=0.56 [0.32,0.98]). Students with more pocket money more frequently consumed (by 25-89%) sugary beverages, snacks, fast food, or at street food stalls, and were 45-90% more likely to be overweight/obese. Associations of pocket money with unhealthy eating and overweight/obesity were weaker in schools with unhealthy food restrictions. Pocket money is a risk factor for unhealthy eating and obesity in urban China. School policies may buffer pocket money's negative influence on students' eating and weight status. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Exploring women's beliefs and perceptions about healthy eating blogs: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Bissonnette-Maheux, Véronique; Provencher, Veronique; Lapointe, Annie; Dugrenier, Marilyn; Dumas, Audrée-Anne; Pluye, Pierre; Straus, Sharon; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Desroches, Sophie

2015-04-08

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death (63%) worldwide. A key behavioral risk factor is unhealthy eating. New strategies must be identified and evaluated to improve dietary habits. Social media, such as blogs, represent a unique opportunity for improving knowledge translation in health care through interactive communication between health consumers and health professionals. Despite the proliferation of food and lifestyle blogs, no research has been devoted to understanding potential blog readers' perceptions of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians. To identify women's salient beliefs and perceptions regarding the use of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians promoting the improvement of their dietary habits. We conducted a qualitative study with female Internet users living in the Quebec City, QC, area with suboptimal dietary habits. First, the women explored 4 existing healthy eating blogs written in French by qualified dietitians. At a focus group 2-4 weeks later, they were asked to discuss their experience and perceptions. Focus group participants were grouped by age (18-34, 35-54, and 55-75 years) and by their use of social media (users/nonusers). Using a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, participants were asked to identify salient beliefs underlying their attitudes (advantages/disadvantages), subjective norms (what people important to them would think), and perceptions of control (facilitators/barriers) regarding the use of a healthy eating blog written by a dietitian to improve dietary habits. Discussion groups were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and a deductive content analysis was performed independently by 2 individuals using the NVivo software (version 10). All participants (N=33) were Caucasian women aged between 22 to 73 year. Main advantages perceived of using healthy eating blogs written by a dietitian were that they provided useful recipe ideas, improved lifestyle, were a credible source of information, and allowed interaction with a dietitian. Disadvantages included increased time spent on the Internet and guilt if recommendations were not followed. Important people who would approve were family, colleagues, and friends. Important people who could disapprove were family and doctors. Main facilitators were visually attractive blogs, receiving an email notification about new posts, and finding new information on the blog. Main barriers were too much text, advertising on the blog, and lack of time. The women in this study valued the credibility of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians and the contact with dietitians they provided. Identifying salient beliefs underlying women's perceptions of using such blogs provides an empirically supported basis for the design of knowledge translation interventions to help prevent chronic diseases.

The role of Compensatory Health Beliefs in eating behavior change: A mixed method study.

PubMed

Amrein, Melanie A; Rackow, Pamela; Inauen, Jennifer; Radtke, Theda; Scholz, Urte

2017-09-01

Compensatory Health Beliefs (CHBs), defined as beliefs that an unhealthy behavior can be compensated for by engaging in another healthy behavior, are assumed to hinder health behavior change. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of CHBs for two distinct eating behaviors (increased fruit and vegetable consumption and eating fewer unhealthy snacks) with a mixed method approach. Participants (N = 232, mean age = 27.3 years, 76.3% women) were randomly assigned to a fruit and vegetable or an unhealthy snack condition. For the quantitative approach, path models were fitted to analyze the role of CHBs within a social-cognitive theory of health behavior change, the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). With a content analysis, the qualitative approach investigated the occurrence of CHBs in smartphone chat groups when pursuing an eating goal. Both analyses were conducted for each eating behavior separately. Path models showed that CHBs added predictive value for intention, but not behavior over and above HAPA variables only in the unhealthy snack condition. CHBs were significantly negatively associated with intention and action planning. Content analysis revealed that people generated only a few CHB messages. However, CHBs were more likely to be present and were also more diverse in the unhealthy snack condition compared to the fruit and vegetable condition. Based on a mixed method approach, this study suggests that CHBs play a more important role for eating unhealthy snacks than for fruit and vegetable consumption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current attitudes and practices of obesity counselling by health care providers.

PubMed

Petrin, Christine; Kahan, Scott; Turner, Monique; Gallagher, Christine; Dietz, William H

Relatively few patients receive obesity counselling consistent with the USPSTF guidelines, and many health care professionals (HCPs) are biased in their attitudes towards obesity management. A national sample of family physicians, internists, OB/GYN physicians, and nurse practitioners (NPs) completed a web-based survey of beliefs, practice, and knowledge regarding obesity management. A majority of HCPs believe that it is both the patient's and the provider's responsibility to ensure that the patient is counselled about obesity. Obesity (77%), obesity-related diseases (79%), or obesity-related risk factors (71%) prompt HCPs to offer obesity counselling; 59% of HCPs wait for the patient to broach the subject of their weight. Increased blood pressure (89%) and heart disease risks (90%) are the most common themes in counselling. Across all HCPs except NPs "exercise" is discussed more frequently than "physical activity" (85% vs 81%), "diet" more frequently than "eating habits" (77% vs 75%), and "obesity" more frequently than "unhealthy weight" (60% vs 45%). NPs are more likely to discuss physical activity, eating habits, and unhealthy weight instead. To improve counselling for obesity, HCPs reported needing more time (70%), training in obesity management (53%), improved reimbursement (53%), and better tools to help patients recognise obesity risks (50%). Obesity-related diseases, risk factors, or obesity alone predict obesity counselling amongst HCPs. Better training in weight management and tools to help patients recognise risks appear to be key elements in helping patients compare the risks of what they may consider invasive therapy against the risks of continued obesity. Copyright © 2016 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diabetes Causation Beliefs Among Spanish-Speaking Patients.

PubMed

Concha, Jeannie Belinda; Mayer, Sallie D; Mezuk, Briana R; Avula, Danielle

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how the inquiry of cultural diabetes causation beliefs can improve Hispanic/Latino patient self-management. Two semistructured focus groups were conducted with 13 Hispanic/Latinos adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Prior to taking part in the group discussion, participants completed a demographic survey and the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised. The top 5 diabetes causation items endorsed by participants per the questionnaire included stress or worry, behavior, hereditary, diet/eating habits, and family problems/worries. The qualitative analysis revealed stress as a recurring theme for a cause of diabetes. Work stress was specifically identified as a contributor to unhealthy eating and diabetes. Most participants were aware of and believed in susto and referred to it as coraje (anger). Participants believed that asking patients about their diabetes causation beliefs and emotional status can help health professionals (1) better understand the patient and (2) identify and prioritize diabetes treatments. Participants also indicated that the role of doctors is important and the encouragement that they give to patients is clinically and spiritually valued. Stress was identified as a cause of diabetes in addition to unhealthy diets and heredity. Asking patients about diabetes causation beliefs and emotional status may help prioritize treatment and management goals. © 2015 The Author(s).

Diabetes Causation Beliefs Among Spanish-Speaking Patients

PubMed Central

Concha, Jeannie Belinda; Mayer, Sallie D.; Mezuk, Briana R.; Avula, Danielle

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore how the inquiry of cultural diabetes causation beliefs can improve Hispanic/Latino patient self-management. Methods Two semistructured focus groups were conducted with 13 Hispanic/Latinos adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Prior to taking part in the group discussion, participants completed a demographic survey and the Illness Perception Questionnaire–Revised. Results The top 5 diabetes causation items endorsed by participants per the questionnaire included stress or worry, behavior, hereditary, diet/eating habits, and family problems/worries. The qualitative analysis revealed stress as a recurring theme for a cause of diabetes. Work stress was specifically identified as a contributor to unhealthy eating and diabetes. Most participants were aware of and believed in susto and referred to it as coraje (anger). Participants believed that asking patients about their diabetes causation beliefs and emotional status can help health professionals (1) better understand the patient and (2) identify and prioritize diabetes treatments. Participants also indicated that the role of doctors is important and the encouragement that they give to patients is clinically and spiritually valued. Conclusions Stress was identified as a cause of diabetes in addition to unhealthy diets and heredity. Asking patients about diabetes causation beliefs and emotional status may help prioritize treatment and management goals. PMID:26568376

Weight gain in freshman college students and perceived health

PubMed Central

de Vos, Paul; Hanck, Christoph; Neisingh, Marjolein; Prak, Dennis; Groen, Henk; Faas, Marijke M.

2015-01-01

Background We determined body weight increase in first year Dutch college students. We had the objective to determine whether the awareness of the unhealthy lifestyle raised concerns and willingness to change habits. Methods Body weight, heartbeat, BMI, body fat percentages, and blood pressure values were collected from 1095 students. Comprehensive statistical analysis was performed on the data. Results The students had a mean weight gain of 1.1 kg and an average BMI gain of 0.35. Members of a student corps gained significantly more weight (1.6 ± 3.1 kg) than non-members (1.0 ± 2.5 kg), while students who are living independently gained an average of 0.5 kg more than students living with their parents (p < 0.05). Approximately 40% of the students changed their eating patterns and 30.7% of the students consumed more alcohol. Conclusions Students experienced hindrance in physical exercise and mental well-being. Students with a high BMI without irregular eating habits were willing to change their lifestyle. However, students who had irregular lifestyles exhibited the lowest willingness to change their eating behaviors and to lose weight. Our study provides insight into means by which adolescents at high risk for weight gain can be approached to improve experienced quality of life. PMID:26844076

Swedish women's food habits during pregnancy up to six months post-partum: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Wennberg, Anna Lena; Isaksson, Ulf; Sandström, Herbert; Lundqvist, Anette; Hörnell, Agneta; Hamberg, Katarina

2016-06-01

Diet influences the health of the foetus and the woman during pregnancy and later in life. It is therefore important to investigate pregnant women's food habits. The aim of this study was to describe women's food habits during pregnancy and up to six months post-partum. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (VIP-FFQ) was distributed to 163 pregnant women on five occasions during and after pregnancy. Data were analysed using Friedman's ANOVA and a Bonferroni post-hoc test. Food habits in relation to the National Food Agency's (NFA) food index. The pregnant women's diets were inadequate according to the NFA food index. A tendency towards an even poorer diet after delivery was identified, something which was related to an increased intake of discretionary food, e.g. sweets, cakes, cookies, crisps, ice cream, and decreased intake of fruit and vegetable. The alcohol consumption was low throughout. The food habits during pregnancy were inadequate compared to recommendations and these habits became unhealthier after delivery. These suggest that dietary counselling needs to be more effective and continued into the lactating period. An increased focus should be given to healthy eating from the life course perspective, not just focus on effects on the foetus and pregnancy outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Media use as a reason for meal skipping and fast eating in secondary school children.

PubMed

Van den Bulck, J; Eggermont, S

2006-04-01

This study examined self-reported meal skipping and eating faster than usual with the goal of watching television or playing computer games. Respondents reported their media use and indicated how often they skipped a meal to watch a favourite television programme or to play a computer game, and how often they ate faster than usual in order to watch television or play a computer game. Respondents were 2546 adolescents of 13 (first year of secondary school) and 16 years (fourth year of secondary school) of age. About one respondent in 10 skipped at least one meal every week for either television viewing or computer game playing. Weekly meal skipping for television viewing occurs more regularly in boys and first-year students, but particularly in teenagers who view 5 h or more daily (15% of the sample). The category of teenagers who play computer games four times a week or more (25.3% of the sample) is at increased risk of meal skipping; those who play more than four times a week are 10 times more likely weekly to skip a meal. A quarter of the adolescents eat faster at least once a week to be able to watch television or play a computer game. Regardless of gender and school year, teenagers' risk of eating faster progressively increases with their use of the media. Those who watch 4 h or more daily are about seven times more likely to skip a meal for television and those who play computer games at least four times a week are nine times more likely weekly to skip a meal. Unhealthy eating habits can be a side effect of heavy or excessive media use. Teenagers' use of television or game computers during nonworking or out-of-school hours partly displaces the amount of time that needs to be spent at meals. Practitioners and educators may try to encourage or restore a pattern of healthful meal consumption habits by reducing the amount of media use, and by supporting parental rule-making regarding children's eating habits and media use.

Understanding maternal dietary choices during pregnancy: The role of social norms and mindful eating.

PubMed

Hutchinson, A D; Charters, M; Prichard, I; Fletcher, C; Wilson, C

2017-05-01

Serious health complications associated with excessive weight have been documented for pregnant women and their babies during pregnancy, birth and beyond. Whilst research has focused on identifying particular foods that can be either detrimental or essential for the developing baby, pregnant women's food choices are likely determined by broader considerations. This study examined social influences as represented in reports of descriptive and injunctive social norms related to healthy eating during pregnancy, and individual differences in mindfulness while eating, as important potential correlates of pregnant women's self-reported diet. Pregnant women (N = 139) completed a questionnaire that measured self-reported consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods, descriptive and injunctive norms related to healthy eating during pregnancy and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to assess the extent to which norms and mindful eating accounted for variance in consumption of both foods. No significant associations were observed between perceived social norms related to diet during pregnancy and self-reported dietary behaviour. Mindful eating was found to play a role in pregnant women's eating behaviour, with the awareness subscale of the MEQ significantly associated with healthy eating and the emotional subscale associated with unhealthy eating. Age was also associated with consumption of unhealthy foods; younger pregnant women reported consuming more unhealthy snacks and fast food meals. The associations between mindful eating and dietary behaviour suggests that improving mindfulness related to food consumption before and during pregnancy may provide a strategy to address excessive gestational weight gain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tackling of unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and obesity: health effects and cost-effectiveness.

PubMed

Cecchini, Michele; Sassi, Franco; Lauer, Jeremy A; Lee, Yong Y; Guajardo-Barron, Veronica; Chisholm, Daniel

2010-11-20

The obesity epidemic is spreading to low-income and middle-income countries as a result of new dietary habits and sedentary ways of life, fuelling chronic diseases and premature mortality. In this report we present an assessment of public health strategies designed to tackle behavioural risk factors for chronic diseases that are closely linked with obesity, including aspects of diet and physical inactivity, in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. England was included for comparative purposes. Several population-based prevention policies can be expected to generate substantial health gains while entirely or largely paying for themselves through future reductions of health-care expenditures. These strategies include health information and communication strategies that improve population awareness about the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity; fiscal measures that increase the price of unhealthy food content or reduce the cost of healthy foods rich in fibre; and regulatory measures that improve nutritional information or restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods to children. A package of measures for the prevention of chronic diseases would deliver substantial health gains, with a very favourable cost-effectiveness profile. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communicating eating-related rules. Suggestions are more effective than restrictions.

PubMed

Stok, F Marijn; de Vet, Emely; de Wit, John B F; Renner, Britta; de Ridder, Denise T D

2015-03-01

A common social influence technique for curbing unhealthy eating behavior is to communicate eating-related rules (e.g. 'you should not eat unhealthy food'). Previous research has shown that such restrictive rules sometimes backfire and actually increase unhealthy consumption. In the current studies, we aimed to investigate if a milder form of social influence, a suggested rule, is more successful in curbing intake of unhealthy food. We also investigated how both types of rules affected psychological reactance. Students (N = 88 in Study 1, N = 51 in Study 2) completed a creativity task while a bowl of M&M's was within reach. Consumption was either explicitly forbidden (restrictive rule) or mildly discouraged (suggested rule). In the control condition, consumption was either explicitly allowed (Study 1) or M&M's were not provided (Study 2). Measures of reactance were assessed after the creativity task. Subsequently, a taste test was administered where all participants were allowed to consume M&M's. Across both studies, consumption during the creativity task did not differ between the restrictive- and suggested-rule-conditions, indicating that both are equally successful in preventing initial consumption. Restrictive-rule-condition participants reported higher reactance and consumed more in the free-eating taste-test phase than suggested-rule-condition participants and control-group participants, indicating a negative after-effect of restriction. RESULTS show that there are more and less effective ways to communicate eating-related rules. A restrictive rule, as compared to a suggested rule, induced psychological reactance and led to greater unhealthy consumption when participants were allowed to eat freely. It is important to pay attention to the way in which eating-related rules are communicated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of food habits and body shape perception of university students in Japan and Korea.

PubMed

Sakamaki, Ruka; Amamoto, Rie; Mochida, Yoshie; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Toyama, Kenji

2005-10-31

Abnormal body weight, dietary concerns, and unhealthy weight loss behaviors are increasingly being observed in young females in Japan. Our previous research has shown that the irregular lifestyles of female Japanese and Chinese students are significantly related to their desire to be thinner. In the present study, we compare the food habits and body shape preferences of female university students in South Korea and Japan to explore body shape perceptions in those populations. A total of 265 female university students aged 19-25 years participated in this study. University students in Korea (n = 141) and university students in Japan (n = 124) completed a self-reported questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the demographic characteristics of the students and parametric variables were analyzed using the Student's t-test. Chi-square analyses were conducted for non-parametric variables. Comparison of body mass index (BMI) distributions in Japan and Korea showed the highest value in the normal category (74%) together with a very low obesity rate (1.2%). Significant differences were observed between the two countries in terms of eating patterns, with more Japanese eating breakfast daily and with Japanese students eating meals more regularly than Korean students. A difference was also observed in frequency of meals, where Korean students reported eating meals two times per day (59%) and the majority of Japanese students reported eating meals three times per day (81%). Although most subjects belonged to the normal BMI category, their ideal BMI classification was the underweight category (BMI: 18.4 +/- 3.4). Few studies have compared the health related practices of Japanese and Korean university students. The present results suggest the necessity of nutrition and health promotion programs for university students, especially programs emphasizing weight management.

Marketing Food and Beverages to Youth Through Sports.

PubMed

Bragg, Marie A; Roberto, Christina A; Harris, Jennifer L; Brownell, Kelly D; Elbel, Brian

2018-01-01

Food and beverage marketing has been identified as a major driver of obesity yet sports sponsorship remains common practice and represents millions of dollars in advertising expenditures. Research shows that food and beverage products associated with sports (e.g., M&M's with National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing logo) generate positive feelings, excitement, and a positive self-image among adults and children. Despite this, self-regulatory pledges made by food companies to limit exposure of unhealthy products to children have not improved the nutritional quality of foods marketed to children. We reviewed the literature about sports-related food marketing, including food and beverage companies' use of sports sponsorships, athlete endorsements, and sports video games. This review demonstrates that sports sponsorships with food and beverage companies often promote energy-dense, nutrient-poor products and while many of these promotions do not explicitly target youth, sports-related marketing affects food perceptions and preferences among youth. Furthermore, endorsement of unhealthy products by professional athletes sends mixed messages; although athletes may promote physical activity, they simultaneously encourage consumption of unhealthy products that can lead to negative health outcomes. We argue that more athletes and sports organizations should stop promoting unhealthy foods and beverages and work with health experts to encourage healthy eating habits among youth. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationships among self-esteem, stress, coping, eating behavior, and depressive mood in adolescents.

PubMed

Martyn-Nemeth, Pamela; Penckofer, Sue; Gulanick, Meg; Velsor-Friedrich, Barbara; Bryant, Fred B

2009-02-01

The prevalence of adolescent overweight is significant, almost 25% in some minorities, and often is associated with depressive symptoms. Psychological and psychosocial factors as well as poor coping skills have been correlated with unhealthy eating and obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among self-esteem, stress, social support, and coping; and to test a model of their effects on eating behavior and depressive mood in a sample of 102 high school students (87% minority). Results indicate that (a) stress and low self-esteem were related to avoidant coping and depressive mood, and that (b) low self-esteem and avoidant coping were related to unhealthy eating behavior. Results suggest that teaching adolescents skills to reduce stress, build self-esteem, and use more positive approaches to coping may prevent unhealthy eating and subsequent obesity, and lower risk of depressive symptoms. 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relative Contribution of Obesity, Sedentary Behaviors and Dietary Habits to Sleep Duration Among Kuwaiti Adolescents

PubMed Central

Al-Haifi, Ahmad A.; AlMajed, Hana Th.; Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa M.; Musaiger, Abdulrahman O.; Arab, Mariam A.; Hasan, Rasha A.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI), eating habits and sedentary behaviours were associated with sleep duration among Kuwaiti adolescents. The study is part of the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study (ATLS), which is a school-based cross-sectional multi-center collaborative study. A sample of 906 adolescents (boys and girls) aged 14-19 years was randomly selected from 6 Kuwaiti Governances using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. The findings revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 50.5% in boys and 46.5% in girls. The majority of boys (76%) and of girls (74%) fell into the short sleep duration category (6 hours/day or less). Sleep duration were found to be negatively associated with BMI (girls only). Watching television (boys and girls) and working on computers (boys only) were also negatively associated with sleep duration. While the consumption of breakfast (both genders) and milk (boys only) was positively associated with sleep duration (p<0.05). In contrast, the consumption of fast foods (both genders), sugar-sweetened drinks and sweets (boys only) potatoes (girls only) were negatively associated with sleep duration (p<0.05). It can be concluded that the majority of Kuwaiti adolescents exhibit insufficient sleep duration which was associated with obesity measure, a combination of poor eating habits and more sedentary behaviors. The findings also suggest gender differences in these associations. Therefore, adequate sleep is an important modifiable risk factor to prevent obesity and was positively associated with some unhealthy lifestyle habits. PMID:26234983

Media and technology use predicts ill-being among children, preteens and teenagers independent of the negative health impacts of exercise and eating habits.

PubMed

Rosen, L D; Lim, A F; Felt, J; Carrier, L M; Cheever, N A; Lara-Ruiz, J M; Mendoza, J S; Rokkum, J

2014-06-01

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under the age of 2 and limited screen time for all children. However, no such guidelines have been proposed for preteens and teenagers. Further, research shows that children, preteens, and teenagers are using massive amounts of media and those with more screen time have been shown to have increased obesity, reduced physical activity, and decreased health. This study examined the impact of technology on four areas of ill-being-psychological issues, behavior problems, attention problems and physical health-among children (aged 4-8), preteens (9-12), and teenagers (13-18) by having 1030 parents complete an online, anonymous survey about their own and their child's behaviors. Measures included daily technology use, daily food consumption, daily exercise, and health. Hypothesis 1, which posited that unhealthy eating would predict impaired ill-being, was partially supported, particularly for children and preteens. Hypothesis 2, which posited that reduced physical activity would predict diminished health levels, was partially supported for preteens and supported for teenagers. Hypothesis 3, that increased daily technology use would predict ill-being after factoring out eating habits and physical activity, was supported. For children and preteens, total media consumption predicted illbeing while for preteens specific technology uses, including video gaming and electronic communication, predicted ill-being. For teenagers, nearly every type of technological activity predicted poor health. Practical implications were discussed in terms of setting limits and boundaries on technology use and encouraging healthy eating and physical activity at home and at school.

Eating among Teens: Do Family Mealtimes Make a Difference for Adolescents' Nutrition?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2006-01-01

Adolescents are at risk for poor dietary intake and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Family meals appear to play an important role in helping adolescents make healthier food choices and avoid engaging in unhealthy weight control and binge eating behaviors. (Contains 2 figures.)

[Sedentary leisure time and food consumption among Brazilian adolescents: the Brazilian National School-Based Adolescent Health Survey (PeNSE), 2009].

PubMed

Camelo, Lidyane do Valle; Rodrigues, Jôsi Fernandes de Castro; Giatti, Luana; Barreto, Sandhi Maria

2012-11-01

The objective of this paper was to investigate whether sedentary leisure time was associated with increased regular consumption of unhealthy foods, independently of socio-demographic indicators and family context. The analysis included 59,809 students from the Brazilian National School-Based Adolescent Health Survey (PeNSE) in 2009. The response variable was sedentary leisure time, defined as watching more than two hours of TV daily. The target explanatory variables were regular consumption of soft drinks, sweets, cookies, and processed meat. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence limits (95%CI) were obtained by multiple logistic regression. Prevalence of sedentary leisure time was 65%. Regular consumption of unhealthy foods was statistically higher among students reporting sedentary leisure time, before and after adjusting for sex, age, skin color, school administration (public versus private), household assets index, and household composition. The results indicate the need for integrated interventions to promote healthy leisure-time activities and healthy eating habits among young people.

Innovation in Diabetes Care: Improving Consumption of Healthy Food Through a “Chef Coaching” Program: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Dill, Diana; Abrahamson, Martin J.; Pojednic, Rachele M.; Phillips, Edward M.

2014-01-01

Nutrition therapy as part of lifestyle care is recommended for people with type 2 diabetes. However, most people with diabetes do not follow this guideline. Changing eating habits involves obtaining knowledge and building practical skills such as shopping, meal preparation, and food storage. Just as fitness coaches use their specific knowledge base in fitness to enhance the effectiveness of their coaching, credentialed chefs trained as health coaches might combine their culinary expertise with coaching in order to improve clients' food choices and lifestyles. This report documents the case of a 55-year-old white male physician, single and living alone, who was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and reported chronic stress, sedentary behavior, and unhealthy eating habits. He participated in a chef coaching program of 8 weekly one-on-one 30-minute coaching sessions via Skype delivered by a chef trained as a health coach. During the first five meetings, the patient's goals were primarily culinary; however, with his success in accomplishing these goals, the patient progressed and expanded his goals to include other lifestyle domains, specifically exercise and work-life balance. At the end of the program, the patient had improved both his nutritional and exercise habits, his confidence in further self-care improvement, and his health parameters such as HgA1c (8.8% to 6.7%; normal <6.5%). We conclude that chef coaching has the potential to help people with diabetes improve their practical culinary skills and implement them so that they eat better and, further, has the potential to help them improve their overall self-care. We intend to further develop chef coaching and assess its potential as we learn from its implementation. PMID:25568831

Association of the duration of residence with obesity-related eating habits and dietary patterns among Latin-American immigrants in Spain.

PubMed

Marín-Guerrero, A C; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando; Guallar-Castillón, P; López-García, Esther; Gutiérrez-Fisac, Juan L

2015-01-28

The dietary patterns of immigrants usually change with the duration of residence and progressively resemble those of the host country. However, very few studies have investigated individuals migrating to countries with a high-quality diet, such as the Mediterranean diet (MD), and none has yet focused on Latin-American immigrants. The present study examined the association of the duration of residence with obesity-related eating habits and dietary patterns among Latin-American immigrants residing in Spain. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008-10 in a representative sample of the adult population residing in Spain. Adherence to the MD was defined as a MD Adherence Screener score ≥ 9. Analyses were conducted by including 419 individuals aged 18-64 years born in Latin-American countries. Compared with immigrants residing in Spain for < 5 years, those residing for ≥ 10 years accounted for a lower percentage of individuals who habitually ate at fast-food restaurants and never trimmed visible fat from meat. Moreover, these immigrants were found to have a lower intake of sugary beverages and a higher intake of Na, saturated fat, fibre, olive oil, vegetables and fish and to more frequently strictly adhere to the MD. A longer duration of residence in Spain was found to be associated with both healthy and unhealthy changes in some eating habits and dietary patterns among Latin-American immigrants. Some of the healthy changes observed contrasted the 'Westernisation' of the diet reported in studies conducted in other Western countries. The results of the present study support the role of the food environment of the host country in the modification of the dietary patterns of immigrants.

Eating habits and preferences among the student population of the Complutense University of Madrid.

PubMed

Martínez Álvarez, Jesús-Román; García Alcón, Rosa; Villarino Marín, Antonio; Marrodán Serrano, M Dolores; Serrano Morago, Lucia

2015-10-01

Studying eating habits can aid in the design of specific measures that reduce the negative effects of an unhealthy diet on health. In this context, the aim of the present study was to examine the eating habits and food preferences of students and their level of satisfaction with the catering services of the university. Survey conducted during 2011 using a questionnaire that asked participants abut their sex, age and frequency of use of catering services placed on campus. Participants were also asked about their level of satisfaction with five aspects (hygiene, quality, taste of food, price and convenience of facilities) of the university catering services, what their preferred dishes were and whether they followed a special diet. Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. Nine hundred and sixty-four students (381 males; 583 females). The students used the university food service 2·3 (sd 1·3) times/week. With respect to satisfaction level, 44·1 % gave an average score (3) to the combination of surveyed aspects (hygiene, quality, taste of food, price and comfort of the dining rooms). Regarding food choices, 61·0 % of students preferred pasta dishes, followed by meat (59·1 %) and salads (32·5 %). The least popular dishes were vegetables (16·8 %), fruits (13·6 %), milk products (12·2 %) and legumes (9·8 %). Of the students, 20·1 % followed special diets. The degree of satisfaction with the university meal service was low and the most common choices of dishes and foods among students were far from the guidelines of the Mediterranean diet. It is necessary to extend policies related to diet to this sector of the population and also to the management and food offer of university canteens.

Innovation in diabetes care: improving consumption of healthy food through a "chef coaching" program: a case report.

PubMed

Polak, Rani; Dill, Diana; Abrahamson, Martin J; Pojednic, Rachele M; Phillips, Edward M

2014-11-01

Nutrition therapy as part of lifestyle care is recommended for people with type 2 diabetes. However, most people with diabetes do not follow this guideline. Changing eating habits involves obtaining knowledge and building practical skills such as shopping, meal preparation, and food storage. Just as fitness coaches use their specific knowledge base in fitness to enhance the effectiveness of their coaching, credentialed chefs trained as health coaches might combine their culinary expertise with coaching in order to improve clients' food choices and lifestyles. This report documents the case of a 55-year-old white male physician, single and living alone, who was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and reported chronic stress, sedentary behavior, and unhealthy eating habits. He participated in a chef coaching program of 8 weekly one-on-one 30-minute coaching sessions via Skype delivered by a chef trained as a health coach. During the first five meetings, the patient's goals were primarily culinary; however, with his success in accomplishing these goals, the patient progressed and expanded his goals to include other lifestyle domains, specifically exercise and work-life balance. At the end of the program, the patient had improved both his nutritional and exercise habits, his confidence in further self-care improvement, and his health parameters such as HgA1c (8.8% to 6.7%; normal <6.5%). We conclude that chef coaching has the potential to help people with diabetes improve their practical culinary skills and implement them so that they eat better and, further, has the potential to help them improve their overall self-care. We intend to further develop chef coaching and assess its potential as we learn from its implementation.

Why do women engage in fat talk? Examining fat talk using Self-Determination Theory as an explanatory framework.

PubMed

Guertin, Camille; Barbeau, Kheana; Pelletier, Luc; Martinelli, Gabrielle

2017-03-01

This study used Self-Determination Theory to examine the motivational processes involved in individuals' engagement in fat talk and its association with unhealthy eating behaviors. Female undergraduate students (N=453) completed an online questionnaire, which assessed general and contextual motivation, importance placed on goals, fat talk, and unhealthy eating behaviors. Structural equation modeling revealed that being generally non-self-determined and placing more importance on extrinsic goals, such as thinness, was associated with fat talk. Fat talk was further associated with non-self-determined motivation for eating regulation, which in turn was associated with unhealthy eating. General self-determination and placing more importance on intrinsic goals, such as health, were not associated with fat talk, but instead, were associated with more adaptive forms of eating regulation and diet quality. Findings further current knowledge on the respective roles of motivation and goals on the engagement in fat talk, and its consequences on eating regulation and behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food Choice and Nutrition: A Social Psychological Perspective.

PubMed

Hardcastle, Sarah J; Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie; Chatzisarantis, Nikos L D

2015-10-01

In this Special Issue, entitled "Food choice and Nutrition: A Social Psychological Perspective", three broad themes have been identified: (1) social and environmental influences on food choice; (2) psychological influences on eating behaviour; and (3) eating behaviour profiling.The studies that addressed the social and environmental influences indicated that further research would do well to promote positive food choices rather than reduce negative food choices; promote the reading and interpretation of food labels and find ways to effectively market healthy food choices through accessibility, availability and presentation. The studies on psychological influences found that intentions, perceived behavioural control, and confidence were predictors of healthy eating. Given the importance of psychological factors, such as perceived behavioural control and self-efficacy, healthy eating interventions should reduce barriers to healthy eating and foster perceptions of confidence to consume a healthy diet. The final theme focused on the clustering of individuals according to eating behaviour. Some "types" of individuals reported more frequent consumption of fast foods, ready meals or convenience meals or greater levels of disinhibitiona nd less control over food cravings. Intervention designs which make use of multi-level strategies as advocated by the Ecological Model of Behaviour change that proposes multi-level (combining psychological, social and environmental) strategies are likely to be more effective in reaching and engaging individuals susceptible to unhealthy eating habits than interventions operating on a single level.

[Food-related lifestyles and eating habits inside and outside the home in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile].

PubMed

Schnettler, Berta; Peña, Juan Pablo; Mora, Marcos; Miranda, Horacio; Sepúlveda, José; Denegri, Marianela; Lobos, Germán

2013-01-01

To distinguish consumer typologies on the basis of their food-related lifestyle in the principal municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, and to characterize these according to their food consumption habits inside and outside the home, sociodemographic characteristics and their level of satisfaction with food-related life. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 951 people in the principal municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago (more than 100,000 inhabitants). The instrument for collecting data included an adaptation of the food-related life (FRL) questionnaire and the satisfaction with food-related life (SWFL) scale. The food consumption habits inside and outside the home were asked about as well as sociodemographic classification variables of those surveyed. Using a cluster analysis, five typologies were distinguished with significant differences in the five components obtained from the FRL with a factorial analysis of the principal components. The typologies presented a different gender, age and socioeconomic level profile and differed in the scores obtained on the SWFL. They differed in the frequency with which the person has lunch, tea ("once" in Chile) and dinner at home. With respect to the meals outside the home, the typologies were distinguished according to the frequency of meals in restaurants, fast food outlets and in the purchase of prepared food. A lifestyle where eating is related to low involvement and enjoyment of food is associated with a person's higher socioeconomic level and lower age. Additionally, a greater frequency of meals in restaurants and the purchase of prepared food combined with a lower frequency of meals at home is associated with unhealthy eating habits of little benefit to the person, which might have a bearing on a lower level of food-related life satisfaction. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Dietary habits and physical activity: Results from cluster analysis and market basket analysis.

PubMed

Liew, Hui-Peng

2018-01-01

The prevalence of obesity remains a major public health concern and there has been a significant increase in childhood obesity in the USA. This study seeks to uncover the major patterns of dietary habits in relation to physical activity, together with students' opinions about the quality of food in the school's cafeteria and vending machines. The empirical work of this study is based on the 2011 Healthy School Program (HSP) Evaluation. HSP assesses the demographic characteristics as well as the dietary habits and exercise patterns of a representative sample of elementary, middle, and high school students in the USA. Findings suggest that students assigned to different clusters have different eating habits, exercise patterns, weight status, weight management, and opinions about the quality of food in the school's cafeteria and vending machines. There is great variation in dietary profiles and lifestyle behaviors among students who identified themselves as either overweight or unsure about their weight status. Findings from this study may inform future interventions regarding how to promote student's healthy food choices when they are still in school. Health promotion initiatives should specifically target students with persistently unhealthier dietary profiles.

Promotion and Prevention Focused Feeding Strategies: Exploring the Effects on Healthy and Unhealthy Child Eating.

PubMed

Melbye, Elisabeth L; Hansen, Håvard

2015-01-01

There is a general lack of research addressing the motivations behind parental use of various feeding practices. Therefore, the present work aims to extend the current literature on parent-child feeding interactions by integrating the traditional developmental psychological perspective on feeding practices with elements of Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) derived from the field of motivational psychology. In this paper, we seek to explain associations between parental feeding practices and child (un)healthy eating behaviors by categorizing parental feeding practices into promotion and prevention focused strategies, thus exploring parent-child feeding interactions within the framework of RFT. Our analyses partly supported the idea that (1) child healthy eating is positively associated with feeding practices characterized as promotion focused, and (2) child unhealthy eating is negatively associated with feeding practices characterized as prevention focused. However, a general observation following from our results suggests that parents' major driving forces behind reducing children's consumption of unhealthy food items and increasing their consumption of healthy food items are strategies that motivate rather than restrict. In particular, parents' provision of a healthy home food environment seems to be essential for child eating.

Promotion and Prevention Focused Feeding Strategies: Exploring the Effects on Healthy and Unhealthy Child Eating

PubMed Central

Melbye, Elisabeth L.; Hansen, Håvard

2015-01-01

There is a general lack of research addressing the motivations behind parental use of various feeding practices. Therefore, the present work aims to extend the current literature on parent-child feeding interactions by integrating the traditional developmental psychological perspective on feeding practices with elements of Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) derived from the field of motivational psychology. In this paper, we seek to explain associations between parental feeding practices and child (un)healthy eating behaviors by categorizing parental feeding practices into promotion and prevention focused strategies, thus exploring parent-child feeding interactions within the framework of RFT. Our analyses partly supported the idea that (1) child healthy eating is positively associated with feeding practices characterized as promotion focused, and (2) child unhealthy eating is negatively associated with feeding practices characterized as prevention focused. However, a general observation following from our results suggests that parents' major driving forces behind reducing children's consumption of unhealthy food items and increasing their consumption of healthy food items are strategies that motivate rather than restrict. In particular, parents' provision of a healthy home food environment seems to be essential for child eating. PMID:26380269

European consumers' perceived seriousness of their eating habits relative to other personal health risks.

PubMed

Hoefkens, Christine; Valli, Veronica; Mazzocchi, Mario; Traill, W Bruce; Verbeke, Wim

2013-11-01

Poor eating habits are a key priority on the European public health agenda due to their large health and economic implications. Healthy eating interventions may be more effective if consumers perceive their eating habits as a more serious personal health risk. This study investigates European consumers' perceived seriousness of their eating habits, its determinants and relative importance among other potential personal health risks including weight, stress and pollution. A quantitative survey was conducted during Spring 2011 among samples representative for age, gender and region in five European countries (n=3003). Participants were neutral towards the seriousness of their eating habits for personal health. Eating habits were ranked third after stress and weight. Gender, age, country, health motive, body mass index, and subjective health status were important determinants of the perceived seriousness of their eating habits, whereas perceived financial condition, smoking and education were insignificant. Eating habits were perceived more seriously by women, Italians, obese, and younger individuals with stronger health motives and fair subjective health status. Nevertheless, other health risks were often considered more important than eating habits. More or specific efforts are required to increase Europeans' awareness of the seriousness of their eating habits for personal health. © 2013.

Emotions in overweight and normal-weight women immediately after eating foods differing in energy.

PubMed

Macht, Michael; Gerer, Jutta; Ellgring, Heiner

2003-11-01

Immediate effects of low-, medium-, and high-energy foods on the emotional state of normal-weight and overweight women were studied experimentally. Nineteen normal-weight (body mass index [BMI]: 19-25 kg/m2) and 19 overweight women (BMI: 26-40 kg/m2) aged 18-40 years received samples of food that differed in energy content (low vs. medium vs. high energy) and rated their emotional state immediately after eating. Perceived characteristics of the foods and associations elicited by the foods were also obtained. Negative emotions (anger, fear, shame, and sadness) and sleepiness increased, while happiness decreased with energy of foods. Emotionally negative associations were more frequent, while positive emotions were less frequent the higher the energy content of the foods. Sadness, shame, fear, and sleepiness after eating high-energy food tended to be more intense in overweight women. Additional analyses demonstrated influences of eating habits, e.g., disinhibition. The higher the energy content of a food stimulus, the more it was viewed as "unhealthy" and "dangerous." It is suggested that immediate food-induced changes of emotions can be explained by activation of associative emotion networks.

Teachers' self-perception of their dietary behavior and needs to teach healthy eating habits in the school.

PubMed

Vio, Fernando; Yañez, Marisol; González, Carmen Gloria; Fretes, Gabriela; Salinas, Judith

2016-04-01

Through focus groups, we explored 22 third- to fifth-grade teachers' perceptions about their eating habits, including barriers and facilitators to healthy eating. It also explored teachers' thoughts about how to teach students healthy eating habits. The information was transcribed and treated using the content analysis technique. Results were evaluated using the concept of majority and minority group and presented in a sequential way: teachers' perceptions about eating habits, barriers to healthy eating, teacher's culinary habits, abilities to teach students healthy eating habits through Information and Communication Technologies, and cooking activities. Teachers' eating habits were poor, with lack of time, money, and will to improve. They had culinary habits skills and the desire to instruct and guide their students in eating healthier food. They need a program with Information and Communication Technologies and cooking workshops to apply in the classroom.

Exploring Women’s Beliefs and Perceptions About Healthy Eating Blogs: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Bissonnette-Maheux, Véronique; Provencher, Veronique; Lapointe, Annie; Dugrenier, Marilyn; Dumas, Audrée-Anne; Pluye, Pierre; Straus, Sharon; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

2015-01-01

Background Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death (63%) worldwide. A key behavioral risk factor is unhealthy eating. New strategies must be identified and evaluated to improve dietary habits. Social media, such as blogs, represent a unique opportunity for improving knowledge translation in health care through interactive communication between health consumers and health professionals. Despite the proliferation of food and lifestyle blogs, no research has been devoted to understanding potential blog readers’ perceptions of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians. Objective To identify women’s salient beliefs and perceptions regarding the use of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians promoting the improvement of their dietary habits. Methods We conducted a qualitative study with female Internet users living in the Quebec City, QC, area with suboptimal dietary habits. First, the women explored 4 existing healthy eating blogs written in French by qualified dietitians. At a focus group 2-4 weeks later, they were asked to discuss their experience and perceptions. Focus group participants were grouped by age (18-34, 35-54, and 55-75 years) and by their use of social media (users/nonusers). Using a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, participants were asked to identify salient beliefs underlying their attitudes (advantages/disadvantages), subjective norms (what people important to them would think), and perceptions of control (facilitators/barriers) regarding the use of a healthy eating blog written by a dietitian to improve dietary habits. Discussion groups were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and a deductive content analysis was performed independently by 2 individuals using the NVivo software (version 10). Results All participants (N=33) were Caucasian women aged between 22 to 73 year. Main advantages perceived of using healthy eating blogs written by a dietitian were that they provided useful recipe ideas, improved lifestyle, were a credible source of information, and allowed interaction with a dietitian. Disadvantages included increased time spent on the Internet and guilt if recommendations were not followed. Important people who would approve were family, colleagues, and friends. Important people who could disapprove were family and doctors. Main facilitators were visually attractive blogs, receiving an email notification about new posts, and finding new information on the blog. Main barriers were too much text, advertising on the blog, and lack of time. Conclusions The women in this study valued the credibility of healthy eating blogs written by dietitians and the contact with dietitians they provided. Identifying salient beliefs underlying women’s perceptions of using such blogs provides an empirically supported basis for the design of knowledge translation interventions to help prevent chronic diseases. PMID:25858777

An examination of sex differences in relation to the eating habits and nutrient intakes of university students.

PubMed

Li, Kin-Kit; Concepcion, Rebecca Y; Lee, Hyo; Cardinal, Bradley J; Ebbeck, Vicki; Woekel, Erica; Readdy, R Tucker

2012-01-01

To examine sex differences in eating habits and nutrient intakes and explore whether eating habits mediate the effects of sex on nutrient intakes and whether sex moderates the effects of eating habits on nutrient intakes. Cross-sectional survey of eating habits and food-intake frequency in a convenience sample of college students. Male students (n = 172) consumed a higher energy content from fat, a larger amount of fiber, and more fruits and vegetables, and engaged less often in various healthful eating habits (eg, reading food labels, having breakfast) than female students (n = 316). Sex predicted the 3 dietary nutrient intakes partially through eating habits. Interactions between sex and eating habits were nonsignificant. Results reinforce that university students' nutrient intakes are less than ideal. Women and men may have different needs for nutritional improvement. However, the effects of health promotion concerning eating habits may be similarly effective between the sexes. Copyright © 2012 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Targeting self-regulation to promote health behaviors in children.

PubMed

Miller, Alison L; Gearhardt, Ashley N; Fredericks, Emily M; Katz, Benjamin; Shapiro, Lilly Fink; Holden, Kelsie; Kaciroti, Niko; Gonzalez, Richard; Hunter, Christine; Lumeng, Julie C

2018-02-01

Poor self-regulation (i.e., inability to harness cognitive, emotional, motivational resources to achieve goals) is hypothesized to contribute to unhealthy behaviors across the lifespan. Enhancing early self-regulation may increase positive health outcomes. Obesity is a major public health concern with early-emerging precursors related to self-regulation; it is therefore a good model for understanding self-regulation and health behavior. Preadolescence is a transition when children increase autonomy in health behaviors (e.g., eating, exercise habits), many of which involve self-regulation. This paper presents the scientific rationale for examining self-regulation mechanisms that are hypothesized to relate to health behaviors, specifically obesogenic eating, that have not been examined in children. We describe novel intervention protocols designed to enhance self-regulation skills, specifically executive functioning, emotion regulation, future-oriented thinking, and approach bias. Interventions are delivered via home visits. Assays of self-regulation and obesogenic eating behaviors using behavioral tasks and self-reports are implemented and evaluated to determine feasibility and psychometrics and to test intervention effects. Participants are low-income 9-12 year-old children who have been phenotyped for self-regulation, stress, eating behavior and adiposity through early childhood. Study goals are to examine intervention effects on self-regulation and whether change in self-regulation improves obesogenic eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Childhood nutrition in the Mississippi Delta: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Gray, Virginia B; Byrd, Sylvia H; Fountain, Brent J; Rader, Nicole E; Frugé, Andrew D

2016-12-01

Childhood obesity in the USA has more than tripled in the last three decades, and the prevalence is higher in the Mississippi Delta. Insight into the social, cultural and environmental factors that influence inequity can inform efforts to mediate health disparities. Focus groups (n = 12) among parents/guardians of elementary school children (n = 44) and teachers (n = 59) in the Mississippi Delta were used to investigate barriers and facilitators of healthy eating. Transcriptions were analyzed for themes. A strong preference for junk food among children and the pervasiveness of junk foods in schools and communities were cited as barriers to healthy eating. Potential facilitators of healthy eating included desire to avoid chronic disease, effort to limit junk food consumption and school support. Despite support for efforts to improve nutrition in the Delta, participants voiced a sense of inevitability related to children's consumption of unhealthy foods. This study suggests that parents and teachers express concern related to eating habits of children, yet they experience barriers to healthy eating which contribute to a sense of disempowerment. Improving health in the Mississippi Delta requires comprehensive strategies that offer its citizens a sense of agency. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Covariations of eating behaviors with other health-related behaviors among adolescents.

PubMed

Neumark-Sztainer, D; Story, M; Toporoff, E; Himes, J H; Resnick, M D; Blum, R W

1997-06-01

The study objectives are: (1) to examine and compare patterns of covariation of a wide range of health behaviors among adolescent boys and girls; (2) to determine whether eating behaviors are part of a larger construct of health-related behaviors and to identify the behaviors with which they share underlying similarities; and (3) to determine whether youth engaging in other health-compromising behaviors are at risk for unhealthy eating. Data were analyzed from the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey, a classroom-administered questionnaire, completed by 36,284 adolescents, in grades 7-12 from 1986-87. Among boys, factor analysis revealed five factors: (1) risk-taking behaviors, (2) school-related behaviors, (3) "quietly" disturbed behaviors (e.g., frequent dieting, self-induced vomiting, suicide attempts), (4) health-promoting behaviors; and (5) exercise. Eating behaviors loaded on the construct of health-promoting behaviors with brushing teeth and seat belt use. Among girls, four similar factors emerged; however, exercise loaded on the construct of health-promoting behaviors. Therefore, eating behaviors loaded with brushing teeth, seat belt use, and exercise among girls. Logistic regression analyses, controlling for sociodemographic and personal variables, revealed that boys and girls engaging in health-promoting behaviors were less likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors, while those engaging in quietly disturbed behaviors, risk-taking behaviors, and problematic school behaviors were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors. Eating behaviors appear to be part of a health-promoting behavioral construct and should not be viewed in isolation from other behaviors. Although eating behaviors do not appear to be part of the "problem behavior syndrome," youth engaging in a wide range of health-compromising behaviors are at risk for unhealthy eating; emphasizing the need to target high-risk youth with health promotion programs.

Cognitive biases to healthy and unhealthy food words predict change in BMI.

PubMed

Calitri, Raff; Pothos, Emmanuel M; Tapper, Katy; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M; Rogers, Peter J

2010-12-01

The current study explored the predictive value of cognitive biases to food cues (assessed by emotional Stroop and dot probe tasks) on weight change over a 1-year period. This was a longitudinal study with undergraduate students (N = 102) living in shared student accommodation. After controlling for the effects of variables associated with weight (e.g., physical activity, stress, restrained eating, external eating, and emotional eating), no effects of cognitive bias were found with the dot probe. However, for the emotional Stroop, cognitive bias to unhealthy foods predicted an increase in BMI whereas cognitive bias to healthy foods was associated with a decrease in BMI. Results parallel findings in substance abuse research; cognitive biases appear to predict behavior change. Accordingly, future research should consider strategies for attentional retraining, encouraging individuals to reorient attention away from unhealthy eating cues.

An Examination of Sex Differences in Relation to the Eating Habits and Nutrient Intakes of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Kin-Kit; Concepcion, Rebecca Y.; Lee, Hyo; Cardinal, Bradley J.; Ebbeck, Vicki; Woekel, Erica; Readdy, R. Tucker

2012-01-01

Objectives: To examine sex differences in eating habits and nutrient intakes and explore whether eating habits mediate the effects of sex on nutrient intakes and whether sex moderates the effects of eating habits on nutrient intakes. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of eating habits and food-intake frequency in a convenience sample of college…

The short-term effects of television advertisements of cariogenic foods on children's dietary choices.

PubMed

Gatou, Tarsitsa; Mamai-Homata, Eleni; Koletsi-Kounari, Haroula; Polychronopoulou, Argy

2016-10-01

To investigate the short-term influence of the advertising of cariogenic foods on children's dietary preferences, and the possible moderating effect of several factors on this influence. One-hundred and eighty-three children, 11-12 years of age, were exposed to advertisements showing sugary food and non-food items, in a within-subject counterbalanced design. Their preferences for unhealthy and healthy foods, and their ability to recall or recognise the advertisements, were measured following both sessions. Information on their dietary habits, leisure activities and sociodemographic details were obtained through a questionnaire completed by their parents. Their decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index, body weight and height were also recorded. A generalised linear mixed model was used to examine the differences in food preferences between experimental conditions, and the associations between children's preferences and the other factors assessed. Exposure to food advertisements significantly decreased the selection of healthy foods. Children with a higher DMFT index chose a higher percentage of unhealthy foods, and children who spent more time watching television chose an increased number of healthy foods, after their exposure to food advertisements. Regardless of condition, girls selected fewer foods than boys. Children with a higher DMFT index selected more unhealthy foods than children with a lower DMFT index. Obese children chose an increased number of healthy foods than those who were overweight and normal weight. Food advertisements can divert, for a short time, children's preference over healthy food choices, and could lead to changes in their eating habits, which may put them at higher risk of dental diseases and obesity. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

Evaluation of a kindergarten-based nutrition education intervention for pre-school children in China.

PubMed

Hu, Chuanlai; Ye, Dongqing; Li, Yingchun; Huang, Yongling; Li, Li; Gao, Yongqing; Wang, Sufang

2010-02-01

To evaluate the impact of nutrition education in kindergartens and to promote healthy dietary habits in children. Prospective cohort study. Four kindergartens with 1252 children were randomized to the intervention group and three with 850 children to the control group. The personal nutritional knowledge, attitudes and dietary behaviours of the parents were also investigated. Each month, children and parents in the intervention group participated in nutrition education activities. The main outcome measures were anthropometrics and diet-related behaviours of the children and the nutritional knowledge and attitudes of the parents at baseline, 6 months (mid-term) and 1 year (post-test). Baseline demographic and socio-economic characteristics were also collected. Seven kindergartens from Hefei, the capital city of Anhui Province, eastern China. Two thousand one hundred and two 4- to 6-year-old pre-schoolers from seven kindergartens participated. The prevalence of children's unhealthy diet-related behaviours decreased significantly and good lifestyle behaviours increased in the group receiving nutrition education compared with controls. Parental eating habits and attitudes to planning their children's diets also changed appreciably in the intervention group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in children's height, weight, height-for-age Z-score or weight-for-age Z-score between the two groups. Kindergarten-based nutrition education improves pre-schoolers' lifestyle behaviours and brings about beneficial changes in parents' attitudes to planning their children's diets and their own personal eating habits.

Mothers' conceptions about excess weight in infancy and the nutritional status of their children.

PubMed

da Silva, Janaína Paula Costa; Sarubbi, Vicente; Nascimento, Viviane Gabriela; Bertoli, Ciro João; Gallo, Paulo Rogério; Leone, Claudio

2016-09-01

To analyze maternal conceptions about excess weight in infancy and the nutritional status of their preschool-aged children. A mixed, exploratory study was performed using semi-structured interviews. Two study groups were defined: a group of 16 mothers of children with excess weight and a group of 15 mothers of eutrophic children. The interviews were submitted to content analysis using CHIC software (Classification Hiérarchique Implicative et Cohésitive¯). The mothers of children with excess weight tended to conceive thin children as malnourished, while those of normal weight children emphasized the influence of family and genetics as determinants of a child's nutritional status. Although there was a certain consensus among the mothers that an unhealthy diet contributes to the risk of a child developing excess weight, the concept of genetics as a determinant of a child's nutritional status was also present in the dialogue from the mothers of both groups. This result indicates a lack of clarity regarding the influence of eating behavior and family lifestyle on weight gain and the formation of a child's eating habits. Both groups indicated that the mother has a decisive role in the eating habits of her child; however, the mothers of children with excess weight did not seem to take ownership of this concept when addressing the care of their own children. Differences in conceptions, including taking ownership of care, may contribute to the development of excess weight in preschool-aged children.

The effects of television advertisements for junk food versus nutritious food on children's food attitudes and preferences.

PubMed

Dixon, Helen G; Scully, Maree L; Wakefield, Melanie A; White, Victoria M; Crawford, David A

2007-10-01

Television (TV) food advertising has attracted criticism for its potential role in promoting unhealthy dietary practices among children. Content analyses indicate junk food advertising is prevalent on Australian children's TV; healthy eating is rarely promoted. This paper presents (a) a cross-sectional survey examining associations between children's regular TV viewing habits and their food-related attitudes and behaviour; and (b) an experiment assessing the impact of varying combinations of TV advertisements (ads) for unhealthy and healthy foods on children's dietary knowledge, attitudes and intentions. The experimental conditions simulated possible models for regulating food ads on children's TV. Participants were 919 grade five and six students from schools in Melbourne, Australia. The survey showed that heavier TV use and more frequent commercial TV viewing were independently associated with more positive attitudes toward junk food; heavier TV use was also independently associated with higher reported junk food consumption. The experiment found that ads for nutritious foods promote selected positive attitudes and beliefs concerning these foods. Findings are discussed in light of methodological issues in media effects research and their implications for policy and practice. It is concluded that changing the food advertising environment on children's TV to one where nutritious foods are promoted and junk foods are relatively unrepresented would help to normalize and reinforce healthy eating.

Risk factors of acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged and adolescent people (< 45 years) in Yantai.

PubMed

Du, Hong; Dong, Chang-Yan; Lin, Qiao-Yan

2015-09-29

Yantai is a developed medium-sized coastal city in Eastern China, having a population of 1.6845 million. With the development of economy, some middle-aged and adolescent people (< 45 years) devote themselves to work and suffer from greater stress, which makes them ignore their own health. Moreover, they have unhealthy lifestyles and lack the knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors. To identify the risk factors for first acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged and adolescent people in Yantai, a developed medium-sized coastal city in Eastern China. A total of 154 consecutive patients with first acute myocardial infarction (< 45 years), were enrolled in case group, and 462 patients without myocardial infarction were enrolled in control group. Three controls with the same sex and age were matched to each case. The risk factors were identified with univariate and multivariate analysis. Unhealthy food habit (eating seafood and meanwhile drinking beer), hypertension, current smokers, self-perceived stress, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sleep insufficience, hypercholesterolaemia and fatigue were independent risk factors for first acute myocardial infarction (P < 0.05). Besides those recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking), eating seafood and meanwhile drinking beer, self-perceived stress, sleep insufficience, obesity and fatigue were also the risk factors for first acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged and adolescent people in Yantai.

Reasons for eating 'unhealthy' snacks in overweight and obese males and females.

PubMed

Cleobury, L; Tapper, K

2014-08-01

Snack foods are often high in fat and sugar. Thus, reducing snack consumption may be a useful weight management strategy. However, individuals may snack for a variety of reasons with different implications for intervention. The present study examined the perceived reasons for eating main meals, 'unhealthy' snacks (i.e. snacks high in fat or sugar) and 'healthy' snacks in overweight and obese participants. Over a period of 5 days, 28 males and 27 females completed a food diary every time they ate. As well as providing details about the type of eating episode and food eaten, they also rated their agreement with 13 different reasons for eating (identified from relevant literature and a pilot study). Across a total of 1084 eating episodes, 358 were coded as snacks, 79% of which were high in either fat or sugar. The results showed that hunger and temptation (external eating) were reported as a reason for eating unhealthy snacks in 49% and 55% of all episodes, respectively. Eating because the individual was feeling fed up, bored or stressed (emotional eating) was given as a reason in 26% of episodes. These findings point to the potential utility of intervention strategies that target cravings, enhance self-control or promote stimulus control. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Using lifestyle analysis to develop wellness marketing strategies for IT professionals in India.

PubMed

Suresh, Sathya; Ravichandran, Swathi

2010-01-01

Revenues for the information technology (IT) industry have grown 10 times over the past decade in India. Although this growth has resulted in increased job opportunities, heavy workloads, unhealthy eating habits, and reduced family time are significant downfalls. To understand lifestyle choices of IT professionals, this study segmented and profiled wellness clients based on lifestyle. Data were collected from clients of five wellness centers. Cluster and discriminant analyses revealed four wellness consumer segments based on lifestyle. Results indicated a need for varying positioning approaches, segmentation, and marketing strategies suited for identified segments. To assist managers of wellness centers, four distinct packages were created that can be marketed to clients in the four segments.

Development and evaluation of a nutritional health program for adolescents

PubMed Central

Djalalinia, Shirin; Ramezani-Tehrani, Fahimeh; Malekafzali, Hossein; Hejazi, Farzaneh; Peykari, Niloofar

2013-01-01

Background: Unhealthy nutritional behaviors are a threat to adolescents. In this regard, we compared different training methods through a participatory interventional study. Materials and Methods: Through proportional random selection, 1823 female students were selected from 15 middle schools of Tehran. Following 2 years of intervention, nutritional habits of three different interventional groups were assessed. Results: Eating breakfast was significantly higher in the trained groups, and the use of weight loss diets was lower in them than in the control group. Also, satisfactory consumption of various kinds of nutrients in the trained groups was more than in the control group. Conclusion: Participatory health training, especially through parents, leads to adolescence nutritional health promotion. PMID:24403948

Classifying eating disorders based on "healthy" and "unhealthy" perfectionism and impulsivity.

PubMed

Slof-Op't Landt, Margarita C T; Claes, Laurence; van Furth, Eric F

2016-07-01

Perfectionism and impulsivity are associated with eating disorders (EDs). The current study examines whether clinically relevant subgroups of women with EDs can be identified based on "healthy" and "unhealthy" perfectionism and impulsivity. Latent profile analyses (LPA) were performed on data of 844 patients (DSM-IV diagnosis: 381 anorexia nervosa, 146 bulimia nervosa, 56 binge-eating disorder, 261 ED not otherwise specified). "Healthy" and "unhealthy" forms of perfectionism and impulsivity were assessed by the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory, respectively. The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire was completed to assess ED psychopathology. Furthermore, in 229 patients additional ED symptoms, depression, self-esteem, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and personality features were assessed. The LPA revealed four profiles; 1. "Healthy Impulsivity" (HI; n = 191), 2. "Unhealthy Impulsivity" (UI; n = 238), 3. "Healthy and Unhealthy Perfectionism" (HP + UP; n = 153), 4. "Healthy Perfectionism" (HP; n = 262). Patients belonging to the "HP + UP" and the "UI" classes reported higher levels of ED psychopathology. More severe comorbid symptoms (depressive, obsessive-compulsive and self-esteem) were found in the patients belonging to the "HP + UP" class. Patients from the "HP + UP" and "HP" classes had higher scores for the personality features Harm Avoidance, Persistence and Cooperativeness. Women with EDs could be meaningfully grouped according to perfectionism and impulsivity. These findings can be used to improve treatment matching and intervention strategies. The use of dimensional features, like perfectionism and impulsivity, in ED research, may enable the identification of fundamental underlying mechanisms and provide more insight into potential mechanisms that may drive or maintain disordered eating. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:673-680). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association of breast-feeding and feeding on demand with child weight status up to 4 years.

PubMed

Gubbels, Jessica S; Thijs, Carel; Stafleu, Annette; van Buuren, Stef; Kremers, Stef P J

2011-06-01

The mechanisms underlying the protective effect of breast-feeding on the development of childhood overweight are unclear. This study examines the association of breast-feeding with weight gain in the first year, and body mass index (BMI) and overweight up to 4 years. In addition, we examine possible mechanisms of this effect (i.e., feeding pattern, eating style, unhealthy snacking behavior). Data originated from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study (N = 2 834). Questionnaires assessed breast-feeding duration up to 12 months, feeding pattern (i.e., feeding on demand or feeding to schedule) at 3 months, BMI at 1, 2 and 4 years, eating style (e.g., slow eating) at age 1, and unhealthy snacking at age 2. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association of breast-feeding and feeding pattern with eating style, unhealthy snacking, BMI z-scores and overweight. Each additional month of breast-feeding was associated with less weight gain in the first year (regression coefficient B = -37.6 g, p < 0.001), a lower BMI z-score at age 1 (B = -0.02, p < 0.01), and a lower odds of being overweight at age 1 (odds ratio = 0.96, p < 0.05). Breast-feeding was associated with fewer unhealthy snacking occasions per week at age 2 (B = -0.19 for each month of breast-feeding, p < 0.001), but was unrelated to eating style. Feeding pattern was unrelated to all outcome variables after adjustment for breast-feeding duration. The study showed a short-term protective effect of breast-feeding against overweight development. Possible mechanisms through which breast-feeding may protect against overweight include less unhealthy snacking behavior, but not feeding pattern or child's eating style.

Associations between the use of social networking sites and unhealthy eating behaviours and excess body weight in adolescents.

PubMed

Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Hamilton, Hayley A

2015-12-14

Unhealthy eating behaviour and excess body weight have been related to sedentary behaviour, particularly screen time, in adolescents; however, little is known about their associations with the use of social networking sites (SNS). We investigated the associations between time spent using SNS and unhealthy eating behaviours (including breakfast skipping, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and energy drinks) and body weight in adolescents. Data on 9858 students (mean age: 15·2 (SD 1·9) years) in grades 7 through 12 were derived from the 2013 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey--a cross-sectional school-based survey of middle and high school students. The majority (81·5%) of students reported daily use of SNS and an additional 10·7% reported using them on an irregular basis. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the use of SNS was associated with increased odds of skipping breakfast (P trend<0·01) and consuming SSB (P trend<0·01) and energy drinks (P trend<0·01) in a dose-response manner with adjustments for age, sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status, tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use as well as BMI. However, there was no evidence of a significant association between use of SNS and BMI before or after adjusting for all the covariates and unhealthy eating behaviours. In conclusion, our results suggest associations between the use of SNS and unhealthy eating behaviours among youth. Given the popularity of SNS, more efforts are needed to better understand the impact of social networks on eating behaviours and risk of excess weight.

Attitudes of Slovenian family practice patients toward changing unhealthy lifestyle and the role of family physicians: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Bulc, Mateja; Kersnik, Janko

2011-01-01

Aim To assess patients’ attitudes toward changing unhealthy lifestyle, confidence in the success, and desired involvement of their family physicians in facilitating this change. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in 15 family physicians’ practices on a consecutive sample of 472 patients (44.9% men, mean age  [± standard deviation] 49.3 ± 10.9 years) from October 2007 to May 2008. Patients were given a self-administered questionnaire on attitudes toward changing unhealthy diet, increasing physical activity, and reducing body weight. It also included questions on confidence in the success, planning lifestyle changes, and advice from family physicians. Results Nearly 20% of patients planned to change their eating habits, increase physical activity, and reach normal body weight. Approximately 30% of patients (more men than women) said that they wanted to receive advice on this issue from their family physicians. Younger patients and patients with higher education were more confident that they could improve their lifestyle. Patients who planned to change their lifestyle and were more confident in the success wanted to receive advice from their family physicians. Conclusion Family physicians should regularly ask the patients about the intention of changing their lifestyle and offer them help in carrying out this intention. PMID:21495204

Food-related parenting practices and child and adolescent weight and weight-related behaviors

PubMed Central

Loth, K; Fulkerson, JA; Neumark-Sztainer, D

2015-01-01

Summary The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has reached a concerning plateau in the past three decades, with overweight or obesity impacting approximately one-third of youth. Unhealthy weight-related behaviors, including dieting, unhealthy weight control practices and binge eating, are also a great public health concern for young people given both their high prevalence and harmful consequences. Food-related parenting practices, including food restriction and pressure-to-eat, have been associated with higher weight status, as well as the use of unhealthy weight-related behaviors, in children and adolescents. Physicians and other health care providers who work with families should discourage parents from using food restriction and pressure-to-eat parenting practices with their child or adolescent. Alternatively, parents should be empowered to promote healthy eating by focusing on making nutritious food items readily available within their home and modeling healthy food choices for their child or adolescent. PMID:26413263

Food-related parenting practices and child and adolescent weight and weight-related behaviors.

PubMed

Loth, K; Fulkerson, J A; Neumark-Sztainer, D

2014-03-01

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has reached a concerning plateau in the past three decades, with overweight or obesity impacting approximately one-third of youth. Unhealthy weight-related behaviors, including dieting, unhealthy weight control practices and binge eating, are also a great public health concern for young people given both their high prevalence and harmful consequences. Food-related parenting practices, including food restriction and pressure-to-eat, have been associated with higher weight status, as well as the use of unhealthy weight-related behaviors, in children and adolescents. Physicians and other health care providers who work with families should discourage parents from using food restriction and pressure-to-eat parenting practices with their child or adolescent. Alternatively, parents should be empowered to promote healthy eating by focusing on making nutritious food items readily available within their home and modeling healthy food choices for their child or adolescent.

Gender Differences in the Relationships between Bullying at School and Unhealthy Eating and Shape-Related Attitudes and Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrow, Claire V.; Fox, Claire L.

2011-01-01

Background: Previous research has found links between being a victim of bullying and reporting more unhealthy eating behaviours and cognitions, particularly in girls. However, little is known about the factors that might mediate these relationships. Aim: The present study compared the relationships between bullying, emotional adjustment,…

Perceptions of Healthy Eating: A Qualitative Study of School-Going Children in South India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swaminathan, S.; Thomas, T.; Kurpad, A. V.; Vaz, M.

2009-01-01

Objective: To document children's views on healthy eating, perceptions of healthy and unhealthy foods and health consequences of consuming unhealthy foods. Design: Baseline data from a three-year longitudinal study. Setting A purposive sample of 307 school children aged 7 to 15 years were recruited from three schools representing various…

Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors during adolescence: Associations with 10-year changes in body mass index

PubMed Central

Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Wall, Melanie; Story, Mary; Standish, Amber R

2011-01-01

Background Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors are common among adolescents and questions exist regarding their long-term effect on weight status. Objective To examine 10-year longitudinal associations between dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors and changes in body mass index (BMI) from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods and Procedures A diverse population-based sample of middle school and high school adolescents was followed for 10 years. Participants (N=1,902) completed surveys in 1998–99 (Project EAT-I), 2003–04 (Project EAT-II), and 2008–09 (Project EAT-III). Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors at Time 1 and Time 2 were used to predict 10-year changes in BMI at Time 3, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and Time 1 BMI. Results Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors at both Time 1 and Time 2 predicted greater BMI increases at Time 3 in males and females, as compared to no use of these behaviors. For example, females using unhealthy weight control behaviors at both Time 1 and Time 2 increased their BMI by 4.63 units as compared to 2.29 units in females not using these behaviors (p<.001). Associations were found in both overweight and non-overweight respondents. Specific weight control behaviors at Time 1 that predicted larger BMI increases at Time 3 included skipping meals and reporting eating very little (females and males), use of food substitutes (males), and diet pill use (females). Conclusions Findings clearly indicate that dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors, as reported by adolescents, predict significant weight gain over time. PMID:22188838

Media and technology use predicts ill-being among children, preteens and teenagers independent of the negative health impacts of exercise and eating habits

PubMed Central

Rosen, L.D.; Lim, A.F.; Felt, J.; Carrier, L.M.; Cheever, N.A.; Lara-Ruiz, J.M.; Mendoza, J.S.; Rokkum, J.

2015-01-01

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under the age of 2 and limited screen time for all children. However, no such guidelines have been proposed for preteens and teenagers. Further, research shows that children, preteens, and teenagers are using massive amounts of media and those with more screen time have been shown to have increased obesity, reduced physical activity, and decreased health. This study examined the impact of technology on four areas of ill-being–psychological issues, behavior problems, attention problems and physical health–among children (aged 4–8), preteens (9–12), and teenagers (13–18) by having 1030 parents complete an online, anonymous survey about their own and their child's behaviors. Measures included daily technology use, daily food consumption, daily exercise, and health. Hypothesis 1, which posited that unhealthy eating would predict impaired ill-being, was partially supported, particularly for children and preteens. Hypothesis 2, which posited that reduced physical activity would predict diminished health levels, was partially supported for preteens and supported for teenagers. Hypothesis 3, that increased daily technology use would predict ill-being after factoring out eating habits and physical activity, was supported. For children and preteens, total media consumption predicted illbeing while for preteens specific technology uses, including video gaming and electronic communication, predicted ill-being. For teenagers, nearly every type of technological activity predicted poor health. Practical implications were discussed in terms of setting limits and boundaries on technology use and encouraging healthy eating and physical activity at home and at school. PMID:25717216

Adolescents' Perception of Causes of Obesity: Unhealthy Lifestyles or Heritage?

PubMed Central

Gonçalves, Helen; González, David A.; Araújo, Cora P.; Muniz, Ludmila; Tavares, Patrícia; Assunção, Maria C.; Menezes, Ana M.B.; Hallal, Pedro C.

2012-01-01

Purpose To evaluate adolescents' perception of the causes of obesity, with emphasis on differences according to nutritional status and socioeconomic position. Methods We conducted qualitative research including 80 adolescents belonging to the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study, and their mothers. We classified adolescent boys and girls into four groups (girls–obese, girls–eutrophic, boys–obese, and boys-eutrophic) according to body mass index for age and sex, and systematically selected them according to family income at age 15 years. Research techniques included semistructured interviews and history of life. Topics covered in the interviews included early experiences with weight management, effect of weight on social relationships, family history, eating habits, and values. Results Low-income obese adolescents and their mothers perceive obesity as a heritage, caused by family genes, side effects of medication use, and stressful life events. However, low-income eutrophic adolescents emphasize the role of unhealthy diets on obesity development. Among the high-income adolescents, those who are obese attribute it to genetic factors and emotional problems, whereas those who are eutrophic mention unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity as the main causes of obesity. Conclusions Perceptions of the causes of obesity in adolescents from a middle-income setting vary by gender, socioeconomic position, and nutritional status. Whereas some blame genetics as responsible for obesity development, others blame unhealthy diets and lifestyles, and others acknowledge the roles of early life experiences and family traditions in the process of obesity development. PMID:23283160

Food advertising towards children and young people in Norway.

PubMed

Bugge, Annechen Bahr

2016-03-01

Despite the fact that no studies have been carried out to map the amount of unhealthy food advertising aimed at Norwegian children and adolescents, it is still widely held belief that this type of advertising is disproportionately common. As a consequence, one of the issues high on the agenda in Norway in the 2000s was the possibility of imposing restrictions on advertising for unhealthy foods to children. The purpose of this study is to contribute with a research-based foundation for implementing this health initiative by mapping food marketing in media channels widely used by children and adolescents. In sum, the study shows that the food industry spends a lot of resources to influence young consumers' eating and drinking habits. Compared with studies from USA, UK and Australia, however, there are, strong indications that there is significantly less unhealthy food advertising in Scandinavian countries. Similar to a previous Swedish study, this study shows that Norwegian children and young people were exposed to little advertising for unhealthy food products through media channels such as TV, the Internet, magazines, comics and cinemas. The study also supports critical remarks from some researchers that the extensive use of the international discourse as a political argument and recommendation for Norwegian conditions is not accurate. For the future it may be beneficial to look more closely at the relationship between advertising and health policy, and how this relationship can be further developed to improve children and young people's diet. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-sectional survey of daily junk food consumption, irregular eating, mental and physical health and parenting style of British secondary school children.

PubMed

Zahra, J; Ford, T; Jodrell, D

2014-07-01

Previous research has established that poor diets and eating patterns are associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. This study explored the relationships between two specific eating behaviours (daily junk food consumption and irregular eating) and self-reported physical and mental health of secondary school children, and their association with perceived parenting and child health. 10 645 participants aged between 12 and 16 completed measures of junk food consumption, irregular eating, parental style, and mental and physical health through the use of an online survey implemented within 30 schools in a large British city. 2.9% of the sample reported never eating regularly and while 17.2% reported daily consumption of junk food. Young people who reported eating irregularly and consuming junk food daily were at a significantly greater risk of poorer mental (OR 5.41, 95% confidence interval 4.03-7.25 and 2.75, 95% confidence interval 1.99-3.78) and physical health (OR 4.56, 95% confidence interval 3.56-5.85 and 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.63-2.47). Authoritative parenting was associated with healthier eating behaviours, and better mental and physical health in comparison to other parenting styles. A worrying proportion of secondary school children report unhealthy eating behaviours, particularly daily consumption of junk food, which may be associated with poorer mental and physical health. Parenting style may influence dietary habits. Interventions to improve diet may be more beneficial if also they address parenting strategies and issues related to mental and physical health. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is it nutrients, food items, diet quality or eating behaviours that are responsible for the association of children's diet with sleep?

PubMed

Khan, Mohammad K A; Faught, Erin L; Chu, Yen Li; Ekwaru, John P; Storey, Kate E; Veugelers, Paul J

2017-08-01

Both diet quality and sleep duration of children have declined in the past decades. Several studies have suggested that diet and sleep are associated; however, it is not established which aspects of the diet are responsible for this association. Is it nutrients, food items, diet quality or eating behaviours? We surveyed 2261 grade 5 children on their dietary intake and eating behaviours, and their parents on their sleep duration and sleep quality. We performed factor analysis to identify and quantify the essential factors among 57 nutrients, 132 food items and 19 eating behaviours. We considered these essential factors along with a diet quality score in multivariate regression analyses to assess their independent associations with sleep. Nutrients, food items and diet quality did not exhibit independent associations with sleep, whereas two groupings of eating behaviours did. 'Unhealthy eating habits and environments' was independently associated with sleep. For each standard deviation increase in their factor score, children had 6 min less sleep and were 12% less likely to have sleep of good quality. 'Snacking between meals and after supper' was independently associated with sleep quality. For each standard deviation increase in its factor score, children were 7% less likely to have good quality sleep. This study demonstrates that eating behaviours are responsible for the associations of diet with sleep among children. Health promotion programmes aiming to improve sleep should therefore focus on discouraging eating behaviours such as eating alone or in front of the TV, and snacking between meals and after supper. © 2016 European Sleep Research Society.

Military experience can influence Women's eating habits.

PubMed

Breland, Jessica Y; Donalson, Rosemary; Nevedal, Andrea; Dinh, Julie V; Maguen, Shira

2017-11-01

Disordered eating, ranging from occasional binge eating or restriction to behaviors associated with eating disorder diagnoses, is common among military personnel and veterans. However, there is little information on how military service affects eating habits. To describe possible pathways between military service and disordered eating among women veterans, a high risk group. Twenty women veterans who reported changing eating habits in response to stress participated in audio-recorded focus groups or dyadic interviews between April 2013 and October 2014. We used thematic analysis of transcripts to identify and understand women's self-reported eating habits before, during, and after military service. Participants reported entering the military with varied eating habits, but little disordered eating. Participants described several ways military environments affected eating habits, for example, by promoting fast, irregular, binge-like eating and disrupting the reward value of food. Participants believed military-related stressors, which were often related to gender, also affected eating habits. Such stressors included military sexual trauma and the need to meet military weight requirements in general and after giving birth. Participants also reported that poor eating habits continued after military service, often because they remained under stress. For some women, military service can result in socialization to poor eating habits, which when combined with exposure to stressors can lead to disordered eating. Additional research is needed, including work to understand possible benefits associated with providing support in relation to military weight requirements and the transition out of military service. Given the unique experiences of women in the military, future work could also focus on health services surrounding pregnancy-related weight change and the stress associated with being a woman in predominantly male military environments. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Stress-related eating, obesity and associated behavioural traits in adolescents: a prospective population-based cohort study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Stress-related eating is associated with unhealthy eating and drinking habits and an increased risk of obesity among adults, but less is known about factors related to stress-driven eating behaviour among children and adolescents. We studied the prevalence of stress-related eating and its association with overweight, obesity, abdominal obesity, dietary and other health behaviours at the age of 16. Furthermore, we examined whether stress-related eating is predicted by early-life factors including birth size and maternal gestational health. Methods The study population comprised 3598 girls and 3347 boys from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC1986). Followed up since their antenatal period, adolescents underwent a clinical examination, and their stress-related eating behaviour, dietary habits and other health behaviours were assessed using a postal questionnaire. We examined associations using cross-tabulations followed by latent class analysis and logistic regression to profile the adolescents and explain the risk of obesity with behavioural traits. Results Stress-related eating behaviour was more common among girls (43%) than among boys (15%). Compared with non-stress-driven eaters, stress-driven eaters had a higher prevalence of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity. We found no significant associations between stress-eating and early-life factors. Among girls, tobacco use, shorter sleep, infrequent family meals and frequent consumption of chocolate, sweets, light sodas and alcohol were more prevalent among stress-driven eaters. Among boys, the proportions of those with frequent consumption of sausages, chocolate, sweets, hamburgers and pizza were greater among stress-driven eaters. For both genders, the proportions of those bingeing and using heavy exercise and strict diet for weight control were higher among stress-eaters. Besides a ‘healthy lifestyle’ cluster, latent class analysis revealed two other patterns (‘adverse habits’, ‘unbalanced weight control’) that significantly explained the risk of overweight among boys and girls. Conclusions Stress-related eating is highly prevalent among 16-year-old girls and is associated with obesity as well as adverse dietary and other health behaviours among both genders, but intrauterine conditions are seemingly uninvolved. In terms of obesity prevention and future health, adolescents who use eating as a passive way of coping could benefit from learning healthier strategies for stress and weight management. PMID:24708823

Drunkorexia: an emerging trend in young adults.

PubMed

Lupi, Matteo; Martinotti, Giovanni; Di Giannantonio, Massimo

2017-12-01

Several studies demonstrated an association between alcohol consumption and unhealthy food habits. Particularly, in young adults it has been observed the tendency to use extreme forms of weight control as a way to compensate planned binge drinking. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 4275 healthy subjects (43.9% males; 56.1% females), aged between 18 and 26 (mean age 22.04). The survey investigated socio-economic characteristics, drinking habits with a specific focus on binge consumption, abnormal eating behaviours and psychoactive substance use. 34.1% of the overall sample reported to limit their calorie intake before drinking, with no significant gender difference. A significant correlation was found between drunkorexic attitudes and, respectively, binge drinking behaviours (p < .01), use of cocaine (p < .01), and use of Novel Psychoactive Substances (p < .01). Our data identified drunkorexia as a common behaviour among Italian young adults. Raising awareness on drunkorexia may help health care providers to timely address and approach its possible short- and long-term consequences. Level V (descriptive study).

No toy for you! The healthy food incentives ordinance: paternalism or consumer protection?

PubMed

Etow, Alexis M

2012-01-01

The newest approach to discouraging children's unhealthy eating habits, amidst increasing rates of childhood obesity and other diet-related diseases, seeks to ban something that is not even edible. In 2010, San Francisco enacted the Healthy Food Incentives Ordinance, which prohibits toys in kids' meals if the meals do not meet certain nutritional requirements. Notwithstanding the Ordinance's impact on interstate commerce or potential infringement on companies' commercial speech rights and on parents' rights to determine what their children eat, this Comment argues that the Ordinance does not violate the dormant Commerce Clause, the First Amendment, or substantive due process. The irony is that although the Ordinance likely avoids the constitutional hurdles that hindered earlier measures aimed at childhood obesity, it intrudes on civil liberties more than its predecessors. This Comment analyzes the legality of the Healthy Food Incentives Ordinance to understand its implications on subsequent legislation aimed at combating childhood obesity and on the progression of public health law.

Social and psychological factors affecting eating habits among university students in a Malaysian medical school: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ganasegeran, Kurubaran; Al-Dubai, Sami A R; Qureshi, Ahmad M; Al-abed, Al-abed A A; Am, Rizal; Aljunid, Syed M

2012-07-18

Eating habits have been a major concern among university students as a determinant of health status. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of eating habits and its associated social and psychological factors among medical students. A cross sectional study was conducted among 132 medical students of pre-clinical phase at a Malaysian university. A self-administered questionnaire was used which included questions on socio-demography, anthropometry, eating habits and psychosocial factors. Mean (± SD) age of the respondents was 22.7 (± 2.4) years and (the age) ranged from 18 to 30 years. More than half had regular meals and breakfast (57.6% &, 56.1% respectively). Majority (73.5%) consumed fruits less than three times per week, 51.5% had fried food twice or more a week and 59.8% drank water less than 2 liters daily. Eating habits score was significantly low among younger students (18-22 years), smokers, alcohol drinkers and those who did not exercise. (p<0.05). Four psychological factors out of six, were significantly associated with eating habits (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, age and 'eating because of feeling happy' were significantly associated with eating habits score (p<0.05). Most of the students in this study had healthy eating habits. Social and psychological factors were important determinants of eating habits among medical students.

The Relationship between Television Viewing and Unhealthy Eating: Implications for Children and Media Interventions

PubMed Central

Harris, Jennifer L.; Bargh, John A.

2009-01-01

The concern over increasing rates of obesity and associated health issues have led to calls for solutions to the potentially unhealthy influence of television and food advertising on children's diets. Research demonstrates that children's food preferences are acquired through learning processes, and that these preferences have long-lasting effects on diet. We examined food preferences and eating behaviors among college students, and assessed the relative influence of two potential contributors: parental communication and television experience. In line with previous studies with children, prior television experience continued to predict unhealthy food preferences and diet in early adulthood, and perceived taste had the most direct relationship to both healthy and unhealthy diets. In addition, both television experience and parenting factors independently influenced preferences and diet. These findings provide insights into the potential effectiveness of alternative media interventions to counteract the unhealthy influence of television on diet, including nutrition education, parental communication and media literacy education to teach children to defend against unwanted influence, and reduced exposure to unhealthy messages. PMID:20183373

Potential Association between Breakfast Skipping and Concomitant Late-Night-Dinner Eating with Metabolic Syndrome and Proteinuria in the Japanese Population.

PubMed

Kutsuma, Ayano; Nakajima, Kei; Suwa, Kaname

2014-01-01

Skipping breakfast is considered to be an unhealthy eating habit linked to predispositions to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Because eating dinner late at night can elicit subsequent breakfast skipping, we investigated if skipping breakfast concomitant with late-night-dinner eating (LNDE) was associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and proteinuria in the general Japanese population. We examined self-reported habitual breakfast skipping and LNDE, MetS (modified ATP-III criteria), and proteinuria in a cross-sectional study of 60,800 Japanese adults aged 20-75 years. A total of 14,068 subjects (23.1%) skipped breakfast, of whom approximately half (52.8%) skipped breakfast alone (without LNDE). The percentages of subjects who skipped breakfast showed a J-shaped relationship with body mass index (BMI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that skipping breakfast concomitant with LNDE (n = 6,645) was significantly associated with MetS and proteinuria, even after adjusting for relevant confounders (odds ratio (95% CI), 1.17 (1.08-1.28), P = 0.0003, and 1.37 (1.24-1.52), P < 0.0001, resp.). Skipping breakfast alone and LNDE alone were not associated with MetS and proteinuria, respectively. In conclusion, habitual breakfast skipping concomitant with LNDE may represent poorer eating behavior than skipping breakfast alone, associated with MetS, asymptomatic proteinuria, obesity, and low body weight in the general Japanese population.

Individualized Tailor-Made Dietetic Intervention Program at Schools Enhances Eating Behaviors and Dietary Habits in Obese Hispanic Children of Low Socioeconomic Status

PubMed Central

Moreno-Sànchez, Diana; Gutierrez, Norma G.; Lamadrid-Zertuche, Ana C.; Hernandez-Torre, Martin M.

2014-01-01

Hispanic children and those from low-socioeconomic status are predisposed to unhealthy eating habits and obesity. Aim. to implement an individualized, face-to-face, parent supported, and school-partnership dietetic intervention to promote healthy eating habits and decrease body mass index. Prospective school year dietetic intervention of 101 obese, Hispanic, low-socioeconomic school-age children representative of Monterrey, Mexico, consisted of anthropometrics, dietetic assessment, energy-restriction tailor-made daily menus, and parental education every three weeks. Student's t-test was used for means comparison. A significant decrease was found in body mass index percentile (96.43 ± 3.32 to 93.42 ± 8.12/P = 0.00) and energy intake/day of −755.7 kcal/day (P = 0.00). Among other energy dense foods with significant decline in servings/day and servings/week were processed meats (3.13 ± 1.43 to 2.19 ± 1.04/P = 0.00 and 5.60 ± 1.75 to 4.37 ± 2.10/P = 0.00, resp.), saturated fat (1.47 ± 1.08 to 0.78 ± 0.79/P = 0.00 and 2.19 ± 2.18 to 1.1 ± 1.36/P = 0.00), sweetened beverages (2.79 ± 1.99 to 1.42 ± 1.21 and 6.21 ± 1.72 to 3.89 ± 2.80/P = 0.00), and desserts and refined-grain bakery (1.99 ± 1.54 to 1.32 ± 1.59 and 2.85 ± 2.54 to 1.57 ± 2.20/P = 0.00). There was a significant increase in servings/day and servings/week of water (2.98 ± 2.02 to 4.91 ± 2.37 and 6.62 ± 2.03 to 6.87 ± 0.91/P = 0.00, resp.) and nutrient dense foods such as fruits (1.31 ± 0.89 to 1.66 ± 0.96 and 3.34 ± 2.24 to 4.28 ± 2.43/P = 0.00) and fish and poultry (3.76 ± 2.15 to 4.54 ± 2.25/P = 0.00). This intervention created healthy eating habits and decreased body mass index in a high risk population. Trial registration number: NCT01925976. PMID:24592170

High Blood Pressure

MedlinePlus

... also make blood pressure rise. Eating too much sodium Unhealthy eating patterns, particularly eating too much sodium, ... you an adult who is curious about how sodium affects your blood pressure? This study is testing ...

Family influences on breakfast frequency and quality among primary school pupils in Warsaw and its surrounding areas.

PubMed

Zielińska, Monika; Hamułka, Jadwiga; Gajda, Karolina

2015-01-01

Regular consumption of a well balanced breakfast is a pre-requisite for normal growth and child development, along with the acquisition of proper eating habits. The family environment is crucial place where children learn such patterns of behaviour that form the basis for their development. To determine how family factors affect the regular eating of breakfast and types of foodstuffs consumed in primary school pupils, including food purchases made from vending machines and school tuck shops. Subjects were 836 pupils (435 girls and 401 boys, aged 6 - 13) from Warsaw and the surrounding areas. Appropriate socio-demographic data and relevant eating habits were obtained from direct interviewing of the subjects by means of a custom designed questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed by the Kohonen type cluster analysis model and Chi-square test (Chi(2)); (p≤0.05). Three clusters of pupils were identified by their differing socio-demographics and eating habits (eg. rates of breakfast consumption, buying from vending machines or school tuck shops). The first and third clusters were mainly pupils from two-parent families with parents proportionally spending similar times at work, where respective breakfast (87% and 91%) and second breakfast (77% and 72%) consumption rates were also similar together with food shopping rates during school time (respectively 69% and 63%). Pupils with single-parents, multi-generation families or if both parents were profession- ally active, predominated in the second cluster. These ate breakfast (73%) and second breakfast (67%) more rarely, but more frequently shopped for food at school (84%). A small number of pupils had a packed second breakfast from home, rarely ate sandwiches, fruit and/or vegetables and dairy products but ate more sweets, sweet rolls and savoury snacks. However, a large number of subjects bought sandwiches, fresh fruit and/or vegetables and fast-food at school. Family factors were found to affect eating habits in children and adolescents regarding how often breakfast was eaten and the type of foodstuffs consumed. High consumptions of unhealthy food items for second breakfast were also observed. Single-parent pupils, those in multi-generation families or if both parents are employed rarely brought second breakfasts from home but frequently bought food from vending machines and school tuck shops. The results of the presented findings are significant towards planning an appropriate educational campaigns and health programmes targeted at children, adolescents and their families.

Health behaviors of Korean female nursing students in relation to obesity and osteoporosis.

PubMed

Park, Da-In; Choi-Kwon, Smi; Han, Kihye

2015-01-01

It has been reported that young adults' dietary habits and health behaviors have significant effects on obesity and bone health. However, there is a lack of thorough understanding of the prevalence of unhealthy behaviors and potential relationships to obesity and osteoporosis among young females. This cross-sectional study examined dietary habits, health behaviors, anthropometric measurements, and bone mineral density of 160 female nursing students. A relatively large number of students had vitamin D (n = 104, 65%) and calcium (n = 84, 52.5%) deficiencies but displayed excessive cholesterol (n = 86, 53.8%) and sodium (n = 137, 85.6%) intakes. Unhealthy dietary and health habits such as nighttime snacking, coffee drinking, low milk drinking, and lack of exercise were also noted. Despite their knowledge on health, a large portion of nursing students displayed unhealthy dietary habits and health. Tailored strategies and education to narrow the gap between health behavioral knowledge and practice are urgently needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Obesity, eating behaviour and mental health among university students in Mexico City.

PubMed

Lazarevich, Irina; Irigoyen-Camacho, María Esther; Velázquez-Alva, María del Consuelo

2013-11-01

Psychological factors are important in the development of obesity; however these are frequently underestimated in intervention programs. To examine the association of mental health with altered eating behavior related to weigh gain, and with abdominal obesity among college students in order to provide more comprehensive guidelines for intervention programs. A cross-sectional study was performed with 1,122 university students (from a total population of 1,820 freshmen students) at the Metropolitan Autonomous University, Mexico City. Body mass index and waist circumference (WC) were recorded. A six items questionnaire was applied to assess altered eating behavior. Self-reported questionnaires for depression (Beck Depression Inventory), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder Scale of Carrol and Davidson), and impulsiveness symptoms (Plutchik Impulsivity Scale) were used. Multiple logistic regression models were performed. An increased WC was associated with depression symptoms (OR=1.4), female sex (OR=1.5), and age (OR=1.1). Students with altered eating behaviors showed elevated levels of impulsivity (e.g. have difficulties to stop eating, OR=4.2) and depression (e.g. have problem to eat at regular times, OR=6.98). In addition, higher WC was associated with female sex, parents' obesity, and unhealthy eating behaviors (e.g. have difficulties to stop eating, OR=1.42; and constantly feel hungry, and eat too much, OR=2.25). Although preventive programs directed at development of adequate eating habits and physical activity are considered a key component of intervention programs, strategies for the management of emotions, the promotion of positive mood and impulsivity-reduction techniques are a necessary complement for a comprehensive approach to overweight and obesity. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Eating behaviour of university students in Germany: Dietary intake, barriers to healthy eating and changes in eating behaviour since the time of matriculation.

PubMed

Hilger, Jennifer; Loerbroks, Adrian; Diehl, Katharina

2017-02-01

A healthy diet plays a key role in preventing obesity and non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes. This is true for all age groups, including young adults. While unhealthy eating habits among young adults, in particular university students, have been identified in former studies, this group has been neglected in existing health promotion strategies. Our aim was to explore baseline dietary intake, common barriers to healthy eating, and changes in eating behaviour among university students since the time of matriculation. We used data from the quantitative part of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Study (NuPhA), a cross-sectional online survey (data collection: 2014/10/31-2015/01/15). Students were recruited from all over Germany. Overall, 689 university students (30.5% male; mean age: 22.69) from more than 40 universities across Germany participated. We found that there is room for improvement with regard to the consumption of specific food groups, for example, fruits and vegetables. The main barriers to healthy eating were lack of time due to studies, lack of healthy meals at the university canteen, and high prices of healthy foods. Cluster analysis revealed that barriers to healthy eating might affect only specific subgroups, for instance freshmen. Changes in eating behaviour since matriculation were found in the consumption of meat, fish, and regular meals. Future qualitative studies may help to explore why university students change their eating behaviour since the time of matriculation. Such knowledge is necessary to inform health promotion strategies in the university setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of weight status, dietary habits and beliefs, physical activity, and nutritional knowledge among university students.

PubMed

Yahia, Najat; Wang, Daniel; Rapley, Melyssa; Dey, Rajarshi

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess weight status, dietary habits, physical activity, dietary beliefs, and nutrition knowledge among a sample of students from Central Michigan University. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a sample of undergraduate students in Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 at Central Michigan University. Participating students completed an online questionnaire that included questions related to their eating habits, physical activity and lifestyle, dietary beliefs, and nutritional knowledge. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Percentage body fat and visceral fat score were determined using a Tanita body composition analyser (SC-331S). Outcomes of this study indicated that 78% of female students were within the healthy weight range compared to 52% of male students. Visceral body fat and waist circumference scores were higher in males than in females. Most students showed 'satisfactory' dietary habits. Almost half of the students reported drinking two glasses of milk and consuming two cups of fruits and vegetables daily. Physical activity and lifestyle score indicated that most of the students were not physically active. Only 7% of students reported having a very active lifestyle, and 4% had quite good nutritional knowledge. The majority of students, particularly females, were within the healthy body weight range. Students' dietary habits were satisfactory. However, physical activity, students' knowledge of healthy and unhealthy diet habits, and nutritional knowledge needed improvement. Developing gender-specific programmes for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours among students is recommended. © Royal Society for Public Health 2015.

Mothers’ conceptions about excess weight in infancy and the nutritional status of their children

PubMed Central

da Silva, Janaína Paula Costa; Sarubbi Junior, Vicente; Nascimento, Viviane Gabriela; Bertoli, Ciro João; Gallo, Paulo Rogério; Leone, Claudio

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To analyze maternal conceptions about excess weight in infancy and the nutritional status of their preschool-aged children. METHODS: A mixed, exploratory study was performed using semi-structured interviews. Two study groups were defined: a group of 16 mothers of children with excess weight and a group of 15 mothers of eutrophic children. The interviews were submitted to content analysis using CHIC software (Classification Hiérarchique Implicative et Cohésitive®). RESULTS: The mothers of children with excess weight tended to conceive thin children as malnourished, while those of normal weight children emphasized the influence of family and genetics as determinants of a child’s nutritional status. Although there was a certain consensus among the mothers that an unhealthy diet contributes to the risk of a child developing excess weight, the concept of genetics as a determinant of a child’s nutritional status was also present in the dialogue from the mothers of both groups. This result indicates a lack of clarity regarding the influence of eating behavior and family lifestyle on weight gain and the formation of a child’s eating habits. Both groups indicated that the mother has a decisive role in the eating habits of her child; however, the mothers of children with excess weight did not seem to take ownership of this concept when addressing the care of their own children. CONCLUSION: Differences in conceptions, including taking ownership of care, may contribute to the development of excess weight in preschool-aged children. PMID:27652830

Clustering and correlates of screen-time and eating behaviours among young adolescents.

PubMed

Pearson, Natalie; Griffiths, Paula; Biddle, Stuart Jh; Johnston, Julie P; McGeorge, Sonia; Haycraft, Emma

2017-05-31

Screen-time and eating behaviours are associated in adolescents, but few studies have examined the clustering of these health behaviours in this age group. The identification of clustered health behaviours, and influences on adolescents' clustered health behaviours, at the time when they are most likely to become habitual, is important for intervention design. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and clustering of health behaviours in adolescents, and examine the sociodemographic, individual, behavioural, and home social and physical environmental correlates of clustered health behaviours. Adolescents aged 11-12 years (n = 527, 48% boys) completed a questionnaire during class-time which assessed screen-time (ST), fruit and vegetable (FV), and energy-dense (ED) snack consumption using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Health behaviours were categorised into high and low frequencies based on recommendations for FV and ST and median splits for ED snacks. Adolescents reported on their habits, self-efficacy, eating at the television (TV), eating and watching TV together with parents, restrictive parenting practices, and the availability and accessibility of foods within the home. Behavioural clustering was assessed using an observed over expected ratio (O/E). Correlates of clustered behaviours were examined using multivariate multinomial logistic regression. Approximately 70% reported having two or three health risk behaviours. Overall, O/E ratios were close to 1, which indicates clustering. The three risk behaviour combination of low FV, high ED, and high ST occurred more frequently than expected (O/E ratio = 1.06 95% CI 1.01, 1.15. Individual, behavioural, and social and physical home environmental correlates were differentially associated with behavioural clusters. Correlates consistently associated with clusters included eating ED snacks while watching TV, eating at the TV with parents, and the availability and accessibility of ED snack foods within the home. There is a high prevalence of screen time and unhealthy eating, and screen time is coupled with unhealthy dietary behaviours. Strategies and policies are required that simultaneously address reductions in screen time and changes to habitual dietary patterns, such as TV snacking and snack availability and accessibility. These may require a combination of individual, social and environmental changes alongside conscious and more automatic (nudging) strategies.

Meals described as healthy or unhealthy match public health education in England.

PubMed

Laguna-Camacho, Antonio; Booth, David A

2015-04-01

Dietary guidelines for the general public aim to lower the incidence of nutrition-related diseases by influencing habitual food choices. Yet little is known about how well the guidelines are matched by the actual practices that people regard as healthy or unhealthy. In the present study, British residents were asked in a cognitive interview to write a description of an occasion when either they ate in an unhealthy way or the eating was healthy. The reported foods and drinks, as well as sort of occasion, location, people present and time of day, were categorised by verbal and semantic similarities. The number of mentions of terms in each category was then contrasted between groups in exact probability tests. Perceived unhealthy and healthy eating occasions differed reliably in the sorts of foods and the contexts reported. There was also full agreement with the national guidelines on eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, eating small amounts of foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar, drinking plenty of water, and cutting down on alcohol. There was a tendency to regard choices of bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods as healthy. Reported healthy and unhealthy eating did not differ in incidences of meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein or of dairy foods and milk. These results indicate that operationally clear recommendations by health professionals are well understood in this culture but members of the public do not make clear distinctions in the case of foods that can be included in moderate amounts in a healthy diet. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Destroying God's Temple? Physical Inactivity, Poor Diet, Obesity, and Other "Sin" Behaviors.

PubMed

Faries, Mark D; McClendon, Megan; Jones, Eric J

2017-02-17

On average, our participants (N = 112), who self-proclaimed to be Christians, believed that physically inactive lifestyles, unhealthy eating, overeating, and being obese destroy the body, God's temple. However, these beliefs were less definitive, than those of other common "sin" behaviors, such as drug use, smoking, and excessive drinking of alcohol. In addition, destroying the body with physical inactivity or poor diet was not necessarily viewed as sinful. Subsequently, these beliefs did not relate to self-reported physical activity, dietary behavior, or body mass index. It is possible that inactivity, poor dietary habits, and obesity are not internalized into the spiritual perspective as destroying the body, God's temple, in the same way as other "sin" behaviors.

Remote health monitoring using mobile phones and Web services.

PubMed

Agarwal, Sparsh; Lau, Chiew Tong

2010-06-01

Diabetes and hypertension have become very common perhaps because of increasingly busy lifestyles, unhealthy eating habits, and a highly competitive workplace. The rapid advancement of mobile communication technologies offers innumerable opportunities for the development of software and hardware applications for remote monitoring of such chronic diseases. This study describes a remote health-monitoring service that provides an end-to-end solution, that is, (1) it collects blood pressure readings from the patient through a mobile phone; (2) it provides these data to doctors through a Web interface; and (3) it enables doctors to manage the chronic condition by providing feedback to the patients remotely. This article also aims at understanding the requirements and expectations of doctors and hospitals from such a remote health-monitoring service.

Product Attributes and Purchasing Behaviour: How Parents' Food Choices Can Act on Their Children's BMI? Empirical Evidence from a Case Study.

PubMed

Telese, Antonietta; Scarpato, Debora; Rotondo, Giacomo; Simeone, Mariarosaria

2016-01-01

Given the epidemic proportions and economic costs associated with nutrition related diseases in Western countries, an empirical study was carried-out between September and December 2014 in Campania, the Italian region with the highest prevalence of obese children. The survey was conducted in a secondary school and involved 145 children, aged 11 to 14, and their parents, with the ultimate aim of studying the relationship between the behaviour of parents regarding the use of nutrition labels, the attention to product quality and the body weight of their children. The results from our study showed that unhealthy diet concerned stems from the misguided food choices of their parents, who are responsible for their children's dietary habits, lifestyle and body weight. In order to incentivise adults and young people to change their food choices and eating behaviour in favour of healthy and sustainable lifestyles, some useful measures could involve the improvement of political marketing and advertising, labelling clarity and better information and awareness campaigns to do sport and eat healthily. Finally some recent patents related to healthy reformulated food products and communication strategies, with specific regard to healthy eating, have been reviewed.

Social and psychological factors affecting eating habits among university students in a Malaysian medical school: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Eating habits have been a major concern among university students as a determinant of health status. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of eating habits and its associated social and psychological factors among medical students. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted among 132 medical students of pre-clinical phase at a Malaysian university. A self-administered questionnaire was used which included questions on socio-demography, anthropometry, eating habits and psychosocial factors. Results Mean (±SD) age of the respondents was 22.7 (±2.4) years and (the age) ranged from 18 to 30 years. More than half had regular meals and breakfast (57.6% &, 56.1% respectively). Majority (73.5%) consumed fruits less than three times per week, 51.5% had fried food twice or more a week and 59.8% drank water less than 2 liters daily. Eating habits score was significantly low among younger students (18–22 years), smokers, alcohol drinkers and those who did not exercise. (p<0.05). Four psychological factors out of six, were significantly associated with eating habits (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, age and ‘eating because of feeling happy’ were significantly associated with eating habits score (p<0.05). Conclusion Most of the students in this study had healthy eating habits. Social and psychological factors were important determinants of eating habits among medical students. PMID:22809556

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Healthy and Unhealthy Eating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trapp, Georgina S. A.; Hickling, Siobhan; Christian, Hayley E.; Bull, Fiona; Timperio, Anna F.; Boruff, Bryan; Shrestha, Damber; Giles-Corti, Billie

2015-01-01

Background: Few studies use comprehensive ecological approaches considering multilevel factors to understand correlates of healthy (and unhealthy) dietary intake. The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual, social, and environmental factors on composite measures of healthy and unhealthy dietary intake in adults.…

Breastfeeding FAQs: Your Eating and Drinking Habits

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Breastfeeding FAQs: Your Eating and Drinking Habits KidsHealth / For Parents / Breastfeeding FAQs: Your Eating and Drinking Habits What's in ...

Efficacy Trial of a Selective Prevention Program Targeting Both Eating Disorder Symptoms and Unhealthy Weight Gain among Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stice, Eric; Rohde, Paul; Shaw, Heather; Marti, C. Nathan

2012-01-01

Objective: Evaluate a selective prevention program targeting both eating disorder symptoms and unhealthy weight gain in young women. Method: Female college students at high-risk for these outcomes by virtue of body image concerns (N = 398; M age = 18.4 years, SD = 0.6) were randomized to the Healthy Weight group-based 4-hr prevention program,…

Eating your feelings? Testing a model of employees' work-related stressors, sleep quality, and unhealthy eating.

PubMed

Liu, Yihao; Song, Yifan; Koopmann, Jaclyn; Wang, Mo; Chang, Chu-Hsiang Daisy; Shi, Junqi

2017-08-01

Although organizational research on health-related behaviors has become increasingly popular, little attention has been paid to unhealthy eating. Drawing on the self-regulation perspective, we conducted 2 daily diary studies to examine the relationships between work-related stressors, sleep quality, negative mood, and eating behaviors. Study 1 sampled 125 participants from 5 Chinese information technology companies and showed that when participants experienced higher levels of job demands in the morning, they consumed more types of unhealthy food and fewer types of healthy food in the evening. In addition, sleep quality from the previous night buffered the effect of morning job demands on evening unhealthy food consumption. Study 2 used data from 110 customer service employees from a Chinese telecommunications company and further demonstrated a positive association between morning customer mistreatment and evening overeating behaviors, as well as the buffering effect of sleep quality. Results from Study 2 also supported afternoon negative mood as a mediator linking morning customer mistreatment to evening overeating behaviors. Finally, our findings revealed that the buffering effect of sleep quality was channeled through employees' vigor in the morning, which subsequently weakened the effect of customer mistreatment on negative mood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of an Intuitive Eating Education Program on High School Students' Eating Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healy, Nicole; Joram, Elana; Matvienko, Oksana; Woolf, Suzanne; Knesting, Kimberly

2015-01-01

Purpose: There is a growing need for school-based nutritional educational programs that promote healthy eating attitudes without increasing an unhealthy focus on restrictive eating or promoting a poor body image. Research suggests that "intuitive eating" ("IE") approaches, which encourage individuals to focus on internal body…

The relationships between eating habits, smoking and alcohol consumption, and body mass index among baby boomers.

PubMed

Worsley, Anthony; Wang, Wei C; Hunter, Wendy

2012-02-01

The study was to examine the eating habits of baby boomers and to investigate the relationship of these and other lifestyle habits on their reported body mass indices (BMI). A questionnaire was administered by mail to a random sample of people aged 40 years and above, drawn from the Electoral Rolls in Victoria, Australia. Part of the questionnaire contained questions about the respondents' eating habits, smoking status and alcohol use, as well as self reported heights and weights and demographic characteristics. Eight hundred and forty-four people (out of 1470) returned usable questionnaires. Statistically significant differences were found between the eating habits of men and women. Generally, more women snacked on high energy dense foods (e.g., confectionery). More men took larger mouthfuls than women. The eating habits of women appeared to be more formal than men's. Four constructs named: unconstrained eating, traditional eating style, gulping, and chocolate and junk food were derived from the eating behaviour literature. Structural equation modelling showed that eating behaviour was associated with BMI along with current smoking, ex-smoking status, alcohol consumption, and demographics. Eating habits and other lifestyle behaviours appear to be associated with BMI though in different pathways for men and women. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between an unhealthy lifestyle and other factors with hypertension among hill tribe populations of Mae Fah Luang District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand.

PubMed

Duangtep, Yuwadee; Narksawat, Kulaya; Chongsuwat, Rawadee; Rojanavipart, Peungchon

2010-05-01

An unhealthy lifestyle may lead to hypertension which can cause strokes and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to identify the specific unhealthy lifestyle practices which could cause hypertension among hill tribe populations in Mae Fah Luang District of Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. In 2006, 196 patients with hypertension were selected from 2 district hospitals and 13 health centers as cases, and 196 normotensive subjects from a local neighborhood were chosen as controls. Trained health personnel collected data by interviewing subjects from both groups regarding unhealthy lifestyles and other factors. All participants had a physical examination at the time of interview. The results from multiple logistic regression analysis show the factors associated with hypertension among the hill tribe people studied were smoking (OR 2.48; 95% CI 1.43-4.30, p = 0.001), no or irregular exercise (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.16-2.99, p = 0.005), being overweight (OR 2.96; 95% CI 1.69-5.18, p < 0.002), having obesity (OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.04-6.73, p < 0.018) and having a high frequency intake of fatty foods (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.23-3.18, p < 0.013). The findings suggest the need for significant lifestyle changes in regards to smoking, eating habits and leisure time exercise programs. The adoption of such lifestyle changes would result in a reduced chance of being hypertensive, which could later reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Adolescents' perception of causes of obesity: unhealthy lifestyles or heritage?

PubMed

Gonçalves, Helen; González, David A; Araújo, Cora P; Muniz, Ludmila; Tavares, Patrícia; Assunção, Maria C; Menezes, Ana M B; Hallal, Pedro C

2012-12-01

To evaluate adolescents' perception of the causes of obesity, with emphasis on differences according to nutritional status and socioeconomic position. We conducted qualitative research including 80 adolescents belonging to the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study, and their mothers. We classified adolescent boys and girls into four groups (girls-obese, girls-eutrophic, boys-obese, and boys-eutrophic) according to body mass index for age and sex, and systematically selected them according to family income at age 15 years. Research techniques included semistructured interviews and history of life. Topics covered in the interviews included early experiences with weight management, effect of weight on social relationships, family history, eating habits, and values. Low-income obese adolescents and their mothers perceive obesity as a heritage, caused by family genes, side effects of medication use, and stressful life events. However, low-income eutrophic adolescents emphasize the role of unhealthy diets on obesity development. Among the high-income adolescents, those who are obese attribute it to genetic factors and emotional problems, whereas those who are eutrophic mention unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity as the main causes of obesity. Perceptions of the causes of obesity in adolescents from a middle-income setting vary by gender, socioeconomic position, and nutritional status. Whereas some blame genetics as responsible for obesity development, others blame unhealthy diets and lifestyles, and others acknowledge the roles of early life experiences and family traditions in the process of obesity development. Copyright © 2012 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What everyone else is eating: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of informational eating norms on eating behavior.

PubMed

Robinson, Eric; Thomas, Jason; Aveyard, Paul; Higgs, Suzanne

2014-03-01

There is interest in the hypothesis that social norms are a determinant of healthy and unhealthy dietary practices. The objective of our work was to assess the weight of evidence that experimentally manipulated information about eating norms influences food intake and choice. This systematic review of experimental studies examined whether providing information about other peoples' eating habits influences food intake or choices. To inform the review, three electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and the Social Sciences Citation Index) were searched during July 2012. A narrative approach was used to synthesize studies that examined the influence of norms on food choice and meta-analyses were used to synthesize the effect that informational eating norms have on quantity of food consumed. Fifteen experimental studies were reviewed. There was evidence that both high intake norms (Z=3.84; P=0.0001; standardized mean difference 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.63) and low intake norms (Z=2.78; P=0.005; standard mean difference -0.35, 95% confidence interval -0.59 to -0.10) exerted moderate influence on amounts of food eaten. There was consistent evidence that norms influenced food choices; norm information indicating that others make low-energy or high-energy food choices significantly increased the likelihood that participants made similar choices. Information about eating norms influences choice and quantity of food eaten, which could be used to promote healthy changes to dietary behavior. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reducing consumption of confectionery foods: A post-hoc segmentation analysis using a social cognition approach.

PubMed

Naughton, Paul; McCarthy, Mary; McCarthy, Sinéad

2017-10-01

Considering confectionary consumption behaviour this cross-sectional study used social cognition variables to identify distinct segments in terms of their motivation and efforts to decrease their consumption of such foods with the aim of informing targeted social marketing campaigns. Using Latent Class analysis on a sample of 500 adults four segments were identified: unmotivated, triers, successful actors, and thrivers. The unmotivated and triers segments reported low levels of perceived need and perceived behavioural control (PBC) in addition to high levels of habit and hedonic hunger with regards their consumption of confectionery foods. Being a younger adult was associated with higher odds of being in the unmotivated and triers segments and being female was associated with higher odds of being in the triers and successful actors segments. The findings indicate that in the absence of strong commitment to eating low amounts of confectionery foods (i.e. perceived need) people will continue to overconsume free sugars regardless of motivation to change. It is therefore necessary to identify relevant messages or 'triggers' related to sugar consumption that resonate with young adults in particular. For those motivated to change, counteracting unhealthy eating habits and the effects of hedonic hunger may necessitate changes to food environments in order to make the healthy choice more appealing and accessible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived Social Support from Friends and Parents for Eating Behavior and Diet Quality among Low-income, Urban, Minority Youth

PubMed Central

Steeves, Elizabeth Anderson; Jones-Smith, Jessica; Hopkins, Laura; Gittelsohn, Joel

2016-01-01

Objective Evidence of associations between social support and dietary intake among adolescents is mixed. This study examines relationships between social support for healthy and unhealthy eating from friends and parents, and associations with diet quality. Design Cross-sectional analysis of survey data. Setting Baltimore, MD. Participants 296 youth ages 9-15 years, 53% female, 91% African American, participating in the B’More Healthy Communities for Kids study. Main Outcome Measure(s) Primary dependent variable: Diet quality measured using Healthy Eating Index 2010 overall score, calculated from the Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire. Independent variables: Social support from parents and friends for healthy eating (4 questions analyzed as a scale) and unhealthy eating (3 questions analyzed individually), age, gender, race, and household income, reported via questionnaire. Analysis Adjusted multiple linear regressions. Alpha, p<0.05. Results Friend and parent support for healthy eating did not have statistically significant relationships with overall HEI scores. Youth who reported their parents offering high fat foods or sweets more frequently had lower overall HEI scores (β=−1.65; SE=0.52; 95% CI: −2.66 to −0.63). Conclusions and Implications These results are novel and demonstrate the need for additional studies examining support for unhealthy eating. These preliminary findings may be relevant to researchers as they develop family-based nutrition interventions. PMID:26865358

Perceived Social Support From Friends and Parents for Eating Behavior and Diet Quality Among Low-Income, Urban, Minority Youth.

PubMed

Anderson Steeves, Elizabeth; Jones-Smith, Jessica; Hopkins, Laura; Gittelsohn, Joel

2016-05-01

Evidence of associations between social support and dietary intake among adolescents is mixed. This study examines relationships between social support for healthy and unhealthy eating from friends and parents, and associations with diet quality. Cross-sectional analysis of survey data. Baltimore, MD. 296 youth aged 9-15 years, 53% female, 91% African American, participating in the B'More Healthy Communities for Kids study. Primary dependent variable: diet quality measured using Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI) overall score, calculated from the Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire. Social support from parents and friends for healthy eating (4 questions analyzed as a scale) and unhealthy eating (3 questions analyzed individually), age, gender, race, and household income, reported via questionnaire. Adjusted multiple linear regressions (α, P < .05). Friend and parent support for healthy eating did not have statistically significant relationships with overall HEI scores. Youth who reported their parents offering high-fat foods or sweets more frequently had lower overall HEI scores (β = -1.65; SE = 0.52; 95% confidence interval, -2.66 to -0.63). These results are novel and demonstrate the need for additional studies examining support for unhealthy eating. These preliminary findings may be relevant to researchers as they develop family-based nutrition interventions. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family meals and disordered eating in adolescents: are the benefits the same for everyone?

PubMed

Loth, Katie; Wall, Melanie; Choi, Chien-Wen; Bucchianeri, Michaela; Quick, Virginia; Larson, Nicole; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-01-01

To examine the association between family meals and disordered eating behaviors within a diverse sample of adolescents and further investigate whether family-level variables moderate this association. Data from adolescents (EAT 2010: Eating and Activity in Teens) and their parents (Project F-EAT: Families and Eating and Activity among Teens) were collected in 2009-2010. Surveys were completed by 2,382 middle and high school students (53.2% girls, mean age = 14.4 years) from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, public schools. Parents/guardians (n = 2,792) completed surveys by mail or phone. Greater frequency of family meals was associated with decreased odds of engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors in boys, and dieting, unhealthy and extreme weight control behaviors in girls. Results indicate that the protective effects of family meals are, in general, robust to family-level variables; 64 interactions were examined and only seven were statistically significant. For example, among girls, the protective nature of family meals against dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors was diminished if they also reported family weight-related teasing (both p < .01). The results confirmed previous research indicating that participation in family meals is protective against disordered eating for youth, particularly girls. However, results suggest that in some cases, the protection offered by family meals may be modified by family-level variables. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Family Meals and Disordered Eating in Adolescents: Are the Benefits the Same for Everyone?

PubMed Central

Loth, Katie; Wall, Melanie; Choi, Chien-Wen; Bucchianeri, Michaela; Quick, Virginia; Larson, Nicole; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2016-01-01

Objective To examine the association between family meals and disordered eating behaviors within a diverse sample of adolescents and further investigate whether family-level variables moderate this association. Method Data from adolescents (EAT 2010: Eating and Activity in Teens) and their parents (Project F-EAT: Families and Eating and Activity among Teens) were collected in 2009–2010. Surveys were completed by 2,382 middle and high school students (53.2% girls, mean age = 14.4 years) from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, public schools. Parents/guardians (n = 2,792) completed surveys by mail or phone. Results Greater frequency of family meals was associated with decreased odds of engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors in boys, and dieting, unhealthy and extreme weight control behaviors in girls. Results indicate that the protective effects of family meals are, in general, robust to family-level variables; 64 interactions were examined and only seven were statistically significant. For example, among girls, the protective nature of family meals against dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors was diminished if they also reported family weight-related teasing (both p < .01). Discussion The results confirmed previous research indicating that participation in family meals is protective against disordered eating for youth, particularly girls. However, results suggest that in some cases, the protection offered by family meals may be modified by family-level variables. PMID:25130186

Eating Disorders: Facts about Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spearing, Melissa

Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two main types of eating disorders. Eating disorders frequently co-occur with…

UnAdulterated - children and adults' visual attention to healthy and unhealthy food.

PubMed

Junghans, Astrid F; Hooge, Ignace T C; Maas, Josje; Evers, Catharine; De Ridder, Denise T D

2015-04-01

Visually attending to unhealthy food creates a desire to consume the food. To resist the temptation people have to employ self-regulation strategies, such as visual avoidance. Past research has shown that self-regulatory skills develop throughout childhood and adolescence, suggesting adults' superior self-regulation skills compared to children. This study employed a novel method to investigate self-regulatory skills. Children and adults' initial (bottom-up) and maintained (top-down) visual attention to simultaneously presented healthy and unhealthy food were examined in an eye-tracking paradigm. Results showed that both children and adults initially attended most to the unhealthy food. Subsequently, adults self-regulated their visual attention away from the unhealthy food. Despite the children's high self-reported attempts to eat healthily and importance of eating healthily, children did not self-regulate visual attention away from unhealthy food. Children remained influenced by the attention-driven desire to consume the unhealthy food whereas adults visually attended more strongly to the healthy food thereby avoiding the desire to consume the unhealthy option. The findings emphasize the necessity of improving children's self-regulatory skills to support their desire to remain healthy and to protect children from the influences of the obesogenic environment. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Use of Fitness and Nutrition Apps: Associations With Body Mass Index, Snacking, and Drinking Habits in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Vangeel, Jolien; Lachat, Carl; Beullens, Kathleen; Vervoort, Leentje; Goossens, Lien; Maes, Lea; Deforche, Benedicte; De Henauw, Stefaan; Braet, Caroline; Eggermont, Steven; Kolsteren, Patrick; Van Camp, John; Van Lippevelde, Wendy

2017-01-01

Background Efforts to improve snacking and drinking habits are needed to promote a healthy body mass index (BMI) in adolescents. Although commercial fitness and nutrition mobile phone apps are widely used, little is known regarding their potential to improve health behaviors, especially in adolescents. In addition, evidence on the mechanisms through which such fitness and nutrition apps influence behavior is lacking. Objectives This study assessed whether the use of commercial fitness or nutrition apps was associated with a lower BMI and healthier snacking and drinking habits in adolescents. Additionally, it explored if perceived behavioral control to eat healthy; attitudes to eat healthy for the good taste of healthy foods, for overall health or for appearance; social norm on healthy eating and social support to eat healthy mediated the associations between the frequency of use of fitness or nutrition apps and BMI, the healthy snack, and beverage ratio. Methods Cross-sectional self-reported data on snack and beverage consumption, healthy eating determinants, and fitness and nutrition app use of adolescents (N=889; mean age 14.7 years, SD 0.8; 54.8% [481/878] boys; 18.1% [145/803] overweight) were collected in a representative sample of 20 schools in Flanders, Belgium. Height and weight were measured by the researchers. The healthy snack ratio and the healthy beverage ratio were calculated as follows: gram healthy snacks or beverages/(gram healthy snacks or beverages+gram unhealthy snacks or beverages)×100. Multilevel regression and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the proposed associations and to explore multiple mediation. Results A total of 27.6% (245/889) of the adolescents used fitness, nutrition apps or both. Frequency of using nutrition apps was positively associated with a higher healthy beverage ratio (b=2.96 [1.11], P=.008) and a higher body mass index z-scores (zBMI; b=0.13 [0.05], P=.008. A significant interaction was found between the frequency of using nutrition and for the zBMI (b=−0.03 [0.02], P=.04) and the healthy snack ratio (b=−0.84 [0.37], P=.03). Attitude to eat healthy for appearance mediated both the fitness app use frequency-zBMI (a × b=0.02 [0.01], P=.02) and the nutrition app use frequency-zBMI (a × b=0.04 [0.01], P=.001) associations. No mediation was observed for the associations between the frequency of use of fitness or nutrition apps and the healthy snack or beverage ratio. Conclusions Commercial fitness and nutrition apps show some association with healthier eating behaviors and BMI in adolescents. However, effective behavior change techniques should be included to affect key determinants of healthy eating. PMID:28442455

Feeding styles, parenting styles and snacking behaviour in children attending primary schools in multiethnic neighbourhoods: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Wang, Lu; van de Gaar, Vivian M; Jansen, Wilma; Mieloo, Cathelijne L; van Grieken, Amy; Raat, Hein

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate whether feeding styles and parenting styles are associated with children’s unhealthy snacking behaviour and whether the associations differ according to children’s ethnic background. Method Cross-sectional data from the population-based ‘Water Campaign’ study were used. Parents (n=644) of primary school children (6–13 years) completed a questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, feeding style dimensions (‘control over eating’, ‘emotional feeding’, ‘encouragement to eat’ and ‘instrumental feeding’), parenting style dimensions (‘involvement’ and ‘strictness’) and children’s unhealthy snacking behaviour. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether feeding styles and parenting styles were associated with children’s unhealthy snacking behaviour. Result Overall, children whose parents had a higher extent of ‘control over eating’ had a lower odds of eating unhealthy snacks more than once per day (OR, 0.57; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.76). Further stratified analysis showed that ‘control over eating’ was associated with less unhealthy snacking behaviour only in children with a Dutch (OR, 0.37; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.68) or a Moroccan/Turkish (OR, 0.44; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.77) ethnic background. ‘Encouragement to eat’ was associated with a lower odds of eating unhealthy snacks every day in children with a Dutch ethnic background only (OR, 0.48; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.90). ‘Instrumental feeding’ was associated with a higher odds of eating unhealthy snacks more than once a day in children with a Moroccan/Turkish ethnic background only (OR, 1.43; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.04). Conclusion Our results suggest that ‘control over eating’ may be associated with less unhealthy snack consumption in children. The associations of feeding styles and parenting styles with children’s unhealthy snacking behaviour differed between children with different ethnic backgrounds. PMID:28710213

The barriers and enablers of healthy eating among young adults: a missing piece of the obesity puzzle: A scoping review.

PubMed

Munt, A E; Partridge, S R; Allman-Farinelli, M

2017-01-01

Young adults in Western countries are gaining weight faster than their parents and are more likely to gain weight than any other age cohort. Despite this, investigation into the complex young adults' food choice motives, which enable and prevent healthy eating, has not been widely investigated. A scoping review was conducted involving an extensive literature search of four major electronic databases: Medline, Embase, PsychInfo and CINAHL. Data were collected from 34 articles: study descriptions numerically analysed and key findings thematically analysed. The key barriers found included: male apathy towards diet; unhealthy diet of friends and family; expected consumption of unhealthy foods in certain situations; relative low cost of unhealthy foods; lack of time to plan, shop, prepare and cook healthy foods; lack of facilities to prepare, cook and store healthy foods; widespread presence of unhealthy foods; lack of knowledge and skills to plan, shop, prepare and cook healthy foods; lack of motivation to eat healthily (including risk-taking behaviour). The key enablers found included: female interest in a healthy diet; healthy diet of friends and family; support/encouragement of friends and family to eat healthy; desire for improved health; desire for weight management; desire for improved self-esteem; desire for attractiveness to potential partners and others; possessing autonomous motivation to eat healthy and existence and use of self-regulatory skills. This research provides evidence that can be used to tailor interventions for healthy eating and overweight and obesity in this population. However, government intervention in addressing food access, affordability, marketing and taxation remains essential to any significant change. © 2016 World Obesity Federation.

Mediators of longitudinal associations between television viewing and eating behaviours in adolescents

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Television viewing has been associated with poor eating behaviours in adolescents. Changing unhealthy eating behaviours is most likely to be achieved by identifying and targeting factors shown to mediate the association between these behaviours. However, little is known about the mediators of the associations between television viewing and eating behaviours. The aim of this study was to examine mediators of the longitudinal associations between television viewing (TV) and eating behaviours among Australian adolescents. Method Eating behaviours were assessed using a web-based survey completed by a community-based sample of 1729 adolescents from years 7 and 9 of secondary schools in Victoria, Australia, at baseline (2004-2005) and two years later. TV viewing and the potential mediators (snacking while watching TV and perceived value of TV viewing) were assessed via the web-based survey at baseline. Results Adolescents who watched more than two hours of TV/day had higher intakes of energy-dense snacks and beverages, and lower intakes of fruit two years later. Furthermore, the associations between TV viewing and consumption of energy-dense snacks, energy-dense drinks and fruit were mediated by snacking while watching TV. Perceived value of TV viewing mediated the association between TV viewing and consumption of energy-dense snacks, beverages and fruit. Conclusion Snacking while watching TV and perceived value of TV viewing mediated the longitudinal association between TV viewing and eating behaviours among adolescents. The efficacy of methods to reduce TV viewing, change snacking habits while watching TV, and address the values that adolescents place on TV viewing should be examined in an effort to promote healthy eating among adolescents. PMID:21450065

Food parenting and child snacking: a systematic review.

PubMed

Blaine, Rachel E; Kachurak, Alexandria; Davison, Kirsten K; Klabunde, Rachel; Fisher, Jennifer Orlet

2017-11-03

While the role of parenting in children's eating behaviors has been studied extensively, less attention has been given to its potential association with children's snacking habits. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review to describe associations between food parenting and child snacking, or consuming energy dense foods/foods in between meals. Six electronic databases were searched using standardized language to identify quantitative studies describing associations of general and feeding-specific parenting styles as well as food parenting practices with snacking behaviors of children aged 2-18 years. Eligible peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1980 and 2017 were included. Data were extracted using a standard protocol by three coders; all items were double coded to ensure consistency. Forty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Few studies focused on general feeding (n = 3) or parenting styles (n = 10). Most studies focused on controlling food parenting practices (n = 39) that were not specific to snacking. Parental restriction of food was positively associated with child snack intake in 13/23 studies, while pressure to eat and monitoring yielded inconsistent results. Home availability of unhealthy foods was positively associated with snack intake in 10/11 studies. Findings related to positive parent behaviors (e.g. role modeling) were limited and yielded mixed results (n = 9). Snacking was often assessed using food frequency items and defined post-hoc based on nutritional characteristics (e.g. energy-dense, sugary foods, unhealthy, etc.). Timing was rarely included in the definition of a snack (i.e. chips eaten between meals vs. with lunch). Restrictive feeding and home access to unhealthy foods were most consistently associated with snacking among young children. Research is needed to identify positive parenting behaviors around child snacking that may be used as targets for health promotion. Detailed definitions of snacking that address food type, context, and purpose are needed to advance findings within the field. We provide suggested standardized terminology for future research.

The influence of parental practices on child promotive and preventive food consumption behaviors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yee, Andrew Z H; Lwin, May O; Ho, Shirley S

2017-04-11

The family is an important social context where children learn and adopt eating behaviors. Specifically, parents play the role of health promoters, role models, and educators in the lives of children, influencing their food cognitions and choices. This study attempts to systematically review empirical studies examining the influence of parents on child food consumption behavior in two contexts: one promotive in nature (e.g., healthy food), and the other preventive in nature (e.g., unhealthy food). From a total of 6,448 titles extracted from Web of Science, ERIC, PsycINFO and PubMED, seventy eight studies met the inclusion criteria for a systematic review, while thirty seven articles contained requisite statistical information for meta-analysis. The parental variables extracted include active guidance/education, restrictive guidance/rule-making, availability, accessibility, modeling, pressure to eat, rewarding food consumption, rewarding with verbal praise, and using food as reward. The food consumption behaviors examined include fruits and vegetables consumption, sugar-sweetened beverages, and snack consumption. Results indicate that availability (Healthy: r = .24, p < .001; Unhealthy: r = .34, p < .001) and parental modeling effects (Healthy: r = .32, p < .001; Unhealthy: r = .35, p < .001) show the strongest associations with both healthy and unhealthy food consumption. In addition, the efficacy of some parenting practices might be dependent on the food consumption context and the age of the child. For healthy foods, active guidance/education might be more effective (r = .15, p < .001). For unhealthy foods, restrictive guidance/rule-making might be more effective (r = -.11, p < .01). For children 7 and older, restrictive guidance/rule-making could be more effective in preventing unhealthy eating (r = - .20, p < .05). For children 6 and younger, rewarding with verbal praise can be more effective in promoting healthy eating (r = .26, p < .001) and in preventing unhealthy eating (r = - .08, p < .01). This study illustrates that a number of parental behaviors are strong correlates of child food consumption behavior. More importantly, this study highlights 3 main areas in parental influence of child food consumption that are understudied: (1) active guidance/education, (2) psychosocial mediators, and (3) moderating influence of general parenting styles.

Potential Association between Breakfast Skipping and Concomitant Late-Night-Dinner Eating with Metabolic Syndrome and Proteinuria in the Japanese Population

PubMed Central

Kutsuma, Ayano; Suwa, Kaname

2014-01-01

Skipping breakfast is considered to be an unhealthy eating habit linked to predispositions to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Because eating dinner late at night can elicit subsequent breakfast skipping, we investigated if skipping breakfast concomitant with late-night-dinner eating (LNDE) was associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and proteinuria in the general Japanese population. We examined self-reported habitual breakfast skipping and LNDE, MetS (modified ATP-III criteria), and proteinuria in a cross-sectional study of 60,800 Japanese adults aged 20–75 years. A total of 14,068 subjects (23.1%) skipped breakfast, of whom approximately half (52.8%) skipped breakfast alone (without LNDE). The percentages of subjects who skipped breakfast showed a J-shaped relationship with body mass index (BMI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that skipping breakfast concomitant with LNDE (n = 6,645) was significantly associated with MetS and proteinuria, even after adjusting for relevant confounders (odds ratio (95% CI), 1.17 (1.08–1.28), P = 0.0003, and 1.37 (1.24–1.52), P < 0.0001, resp.). Skipping breakfast alone and LNDE alone were not associated with MetS and proteinuria, respectively. In conclusion, habitual breakfast skipping concomitant with LNDE may represent poorer eating behavior than skipping breakfast alone, associated with MetS, asymptomatic proteinuria, obesity, and low body weight in the general Japanese population. PMID:24982814

Dietary habits of Wroclaw Medical University students (Poland)

PubMed

Ilow, Rafał; Regulska-Ilow, Bożena; Różańska, Dorota

The World Health Organization considers an unhealthy diet to be related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases development. The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary habits among Wroclaw Medical University students with a view towards the nutritional risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The study was conducted between the years 2004-2012. The study group consisted of 892 women and 276 men. The respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire based on the principles outlined in “The Polish food-based dietary guidelines”. There were numerous eating habits not in compliance with the recommendations. Men failed to take ≥ 3 meals/ day (10.1% vs 6.3%) at a significantly higher frequency than women. Food products exhibiting a high glycaemic index (GI) were preferred over low GI, especially among men. About 62% of women and 75% of men failed to consume ≥ 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day. Women chose low-fat dairy products and meat significantly more frequently than men. 73% of women and 67% of men declared that they consumed vegetable oils on an irregular basis. About 8% of women and 11% of men used salt without restrictions, while 58% and 64% respectively, used sugar to sweeten beverages. Improper nutritional habits were observed in a high part of the studied students, especially among men. It is therefore strongly suggested that the rules of proper nutrition be promoted among this group.

How to Set up an Effective Food Tax? Comment on “Food Taxes: A New Holy Grail?”

PubMed Central

Bonnet, Céline

2013-01-01

Whereas public information campaigns have failed to reverse the rising trend in obesity, economists support food taxes as they suggest they can force individuals to change their eating behavior and make the agro-food industry think more about healthy food products. Excise taxes based on the unhealthy nutrient content would be more effective since they impact more on unhealthy food products than VAT (value-added-tax) taxes. Taxes based only on junk food products would avoid perverse effects on healthy nutrient. However, as eating behavior of consumers is complex, a modeling analysis would allow to assess unexpected effects on other unhealthy nutrients or products. PMID:24596873

How to Set up an Effective Food Tax? Comment on "Food Taxes: A New Holy Grail?".

PubMed

Bonnet, Céline

2013-09-01

Whereas public information campaigns have failed to reverse the rising trend in obesity, economists support food taxes as they suggest they can force individuals to change their eating behavior and make the agro-food industry think more about healthy food products. Excise taxes based on the unhealthy nutrient content would be more effective since they impact more on unhealthy food products than VAT (value-added-tax) taxes. Taxes based only on junk food products would avoid perverse effects on healthy nutrient. However, as eating behavior of consumers is complex, a modeling analysis would allow to assess unexpected effects on other unhealthy nutrients or products.

Perceived Work Ability in the Light of Long-Term and Stress-Related Unhealthy Behaviors-a Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Nevanperä, Nina; Seitsamo, Jorma; Ala-Mursula, Leena; Remes, Jouko; Hopsu, Leila; Auvinen, Juha; Tammelin, Tuija; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Laitinen, Jaana

2016-04-01

Most of the few studies that exist on the longitudinal associations between health behaviors and work ability target to single health behaviors. To investigate how lifetime clusters of unhealthy behaviors associate with perceived work ability in early midlife. The study population consisted of 46-year-old men and women (n = 3107) born in Northern Finland in 1966. Their current perceived work ability compared to lifetime best, and their unhealthy behaviors (physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol consumption) were assessed by questionnaires. We determined clusters of unhealthy behaviors at the ages of 14, 31, and 46 and created lifetime development trajectories of health behaviors. We also assessed stress-related eating and drinking at the ages of 31 and 46. Cross-tabulations and multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between clusters of health behaviors, stress-related eating and drinking, and work ability at 46 years. The analyses were controlled for basic education and physical strenuousness of work, psychosocial job characteristics, perceived work ability, and BMI (kg/m(2)) at 31 years. Four health behavior trajectories emerged: always healthy, moderate (reference group), deteriorated. and always unhealthy. Among men, always unhealthy behaviors [OR (95 % confidence interval) 2.81 (1.35, 5.86)], and among women, deteriorated health behaviors [1.67 (1.07, 2.58)] associated with poor perceived work ability at 46 years. In addition, stress-related eating and drinking associated independently with poor perceived work ability at 46 years [men 2.58 (1.62, 4.12) and women 2.48 (1.70, 3.61)]. Long-lasting and stress-related unhealthy behaviors increase the risk of poor work ability in midlife.

Stress and eating behaviors in children and adolescents: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Hill, Deborah C; Moss, Rachael H; Sykes-Muskett, Bianca; Conner, Mark; O'Connor, Daryl B

2018-04-01

It is well established that stress is linked to changes in eating behaviors. Research using adult populations has shown that stress is associated with both increases and decreases in the amount and type of food consumed. However, due to a lack of research reviews, the relationship between stress and eating behaviors in children is unclear. This systematic research review and meta-analysis aimed to identify whether stress is associated with healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors in children aged 8-18 years. Studies were included in the review if they measured stress and included a measure of food consumption. All unique studies retrieved (N = 28,070) were assessed for their eligibility at title, abstract and full text levels. A total of 13 studies were included in the final review and data were analysed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Using random-effects modelling, overall stress was not associated with a change in overall eating behaviors. However, additional analyses indicated stress was associated with unhealthy eating behaviors in both younger (Hedge's g = 0.283, p < 0.001) and older (Hedge's g = 0.274, p = 0.001) children. In contrast, stress was not associated with healthy eating behaviors in younger children (Hedge's g = 0.093, p = 0.156), but was negatively associated with healthy eating behaviors in older children (Hedge's g = -0.384, p < 0.001). The current findings are concerning as they suggest the impact of stress on unhealthy eating may begin as early as 8 or 9 years old. Future research ought to investigate further the role of psychological, behavioral and endocrine factors in the development of stress-related eating in children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Exploratory Analysis of Game Telemetry from a Pediatric mHealth Intervention.

PubMed

Padman, Rema; Gupta, Disha; Sri Prakash, Bhargav; Krishnan, Chelladurai; Panchatcharam, K

2017-01-01

Pediatric obesity is a growing epidemic, with unhealthy eating habits and poor physical activity being major contributors. While video and mobile games have been shown to have a positive impact on behavior change in children, the mechanisms underlying game play that impact outcomes of interest are poorly understood. This research aims to examine the impact of a novel mobile gaming app on the design of behavioral interventions by learning from the rich and unique game telemetry generated from a randomized controlled trial of the app use by school children. In this exploratory analysis, we extract a partial dataset to build and analyze chronological sequences of game plays to understand key patterns in the game mechanics that players utilize as they navigate the game, and possible implications of the results.

[Chronic disease management: mistaken approach in the elderly].

PubMed

Veras, Renato Peixoto

2012-12-01

Lifestyle changes, including unhealthy eating habits and high rates of physical inactivity and stress, along with an increase in life expectancy have been accompanied by increasing rates of chronic non-communicable diseases. Chronic diseases are the main causes of death and disability in Brazil. Chronic disease management is one of the most important challenges facing health managers who are constantly seeking interventions and strategies to reduce costs and hospital admissions and to prevent other conditions. However, most existing models of health care have focused exclusively on disease, but it is a mistaken approach. An integrated approach is required to effectively meet patient needs. The purpose of this article was to further discuss policies and strategies for the development of new models of care for the elderly with an emphasis on prevention and resolution actions.

Barriers to avoiding fast-food consumption in an environment supportive of unhealthy eating.

PubMed

Thornton, Lukar E; Jeffery, Robert W; Crawford, David A

2013-12-01

To investigate factors (ability, motivation and the environment) that act as barriers to limiting fast-food consumption in women who live in an environment that is supportive of poor eating habits. Cross-sectional study using self-reports of individual-level data and objectively measured environmental data. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with frequency of fast-food consumption. Socio-economically disadvantaged areas in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Women (n 932) from thirty-two socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods living within 3 km of six or more fast-food restaurants. Women were randomly sampled in 2007–2008 as part of baseline data collection for the Resilience for Eating and Activity Despite Inequality (READI) study. Consuming low amounts of fast food was less likely in women with lower perceived ability to shop for and cook healthy foods, lower frequency of family dining, lower family support for healthy eating, more women acquaintances who eat fast food regularly and who lived further from the nearest supermarket. When modelled with the other significant factors, a lower perceived shopping ability, mid levels of family support and living further from the nearest supermarket remained significant. Among those who did not perceive fruits and vegetables to be of high quality, less frequent fast-food consumption was further reduced for those with the lowest confidence in their shopping ability. Interventions designed to improve women's ability and opportunities to shop for healthy foods may be of value in making those who live in high-risk environments better able to eat healthily.

Effects of perceived weight discrimination on willingness to adopt unhealthy behaviours: influence of genomic information.

PubMed

Beekman, Janine B; Ferrer, Rebecca A; Klein, William M P; Persky, Susan

2016-01-01

Weight-based discrimination negatively influences health, potentially via increased willingness to engage in unhealthful behaviours. This study examines whether the provision of genomic obesity information in a clinical context can lead to less willingness to engage in unhealthy eating and alcohol consumption through a mediated process including reduced perceptions of blame and discrimination. A total of 201 overweight or obese women aged 20-50 interacted with a virtual physician in a simulated clinical primary care environment, which included physician-delivered information that emphasised either genomic or behavioural underpinnings of weight and weight loss. Perceived blame and weight discrimination from the doctor, and willingness to eat unhealthy foods and consume alcohol. Controlling for BMI and race, participants who received genomic information perceived less blame from the doctor than participants who received behavioural information. In a serial multiple mediation model, reduced perceived blame was associated with less perceived discrimination, and in turn, lower willingness to eat unhealthy foods and drink alcohol. Providing patients with genomic information about weight and weight loss may positively influence interpersonal dynamics between patients and providers by reducing perceived blame and perceived discrimination. These improved dynamics, in turn, positively influence health cognitions.

Investigating sex differences in psychological predictors of snack intake among a large representative sample.

PubMed

Adriaanse, Marieke A; Evers, Catharine; Verhoeven, Aukje A C; de Ridder, Denise T D

2016-03-01

It is often assumed that there are substantial sex differences in eating behaviour (e.g. women are more likely to be dieters or emotional eaters than men). The present study investigates this assumption in a large representative community sample while incorporating a comprehensive set of psychological eating-related variables. A community sample was employed to: (i) determine sex differences in (un)healthy snack consumption and psychological eating-related variables (e.g. emotional eating, intention to eat healthily); (ii) examine whether sex predicts energy intake from (un)healthy snacks over and above psychological variables; and (iii) investigate the relationship between psychological variables and snack intake for men and women separately. Snack consumption was assessed with a 7d snack diary; the psychological eating-related variables with questionnaires. Participants were members of an Internet survey panel that is based on a true probability sample of households in the Netherlands. Men and women (n 1292; 45 % male), with a mean age of 51·23 (sd 16·78) years and a mean BMI of 25·62 (sd 4·75) kg/m2. Results revealed that women consumed more healthy and less unhealthy snacks than men and they scored higher than men on emotional and restrained eating. Women also more often reported appearance and health-related concerns about their eating behaviour, but men and women did not differ with regard to external eating or their intentions to eat more healthily. The relationships between psychological eating-related variables and snack intake were similar for men and women, indicating that snack intake is predicted by the same variables for men and women. It is concluded that some small sex differences in psychological eating-related variables exist, but based on the present data there is no need for interventions aimed at promoting healthy eating to target different predictors according to sex.

How does the business cycle affect eating habits?

PubMed

Dave, Dhaval M; Kelly, Inas Rashad

2012-01-01

As economic expansions raise employment and wages, associated shifts in income and time constraints would be expected to also impact individuals' health. This study utilizes information from the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (1990-2009) to explore the relationship between the state unemployment rate and the consumption of various healthy and unhealthy foods in the United States. Estimates, based on fixed effects methodologies, indicate that unemployment is associated with reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables and increased consumption of "unhealthy" foods such as snacks and fast food. Heterogeneous responses are also identified through detailed sample stratifications and by isolating the effect for those predicted to be at highest risk of unemployment based on their socioeconomic characteristics. Among individuals predicted to be at highest risk of being unemployed, a one percentage point increase in the resident state's unemployment rate is associated with a 3-6% reduction in the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The impact is somewhat higher among younger, low-educated, and married adults. Supplementary analyses also explore specific mediating pathways, and point to reduced family income and adverse mental health as significant channels underlying the procyclical nature of healthy food consumption. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of combined avoidance and control training on implicit food evaluation and choice.

PubMed

Kakoschke, Naomi; Kemps, Eva; Tiggemann, Marika

2017-06-01

Continual exposure to food cues in the environment contributes to unhealthy eating behaviour. According to dual-process models, such behaviour is partly determined by automatic processing of unhealthy food cues (e.g., approach bias), which fails to be regulated by controlled processing (e.g., inhibitory control). The current study aimed to investigate the effect of combined avoidance and control training on implicit evaluation (liking), choice, and consumption of unhealthy snack food. Participants were 240 undergraduate women who were randomly allocated to one of four experimental conditions of a 2 (avoidance training: training versus control) x 2 (control training: training versus control) between-subjects design. The combined training group had a more negative implicit evaluation of unhealthy food than either of the two training conditions alone or the control condition. In addition, participants trained to avoid unhealthy food cues subsequently made fewer unhealthy snack food choices. No significant group differences were found for food intake. Participants were women generally of a healthy weight. Overweight or obese individuals may derive greater benefit from combined training. Results lend support to the theoretical predictions of dual-process models, as the combined training reduced implicit liking of unhealthy food. At a practical level, the findings have implications for the effectiveness of interventions targeting unhealthy eating behaviour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is parenting style related to children's healthy eating and physical activity in Latino families?

PubMed

Arredondo, Elva M; Elder, John P; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Campbell, Nadia; Baquero, Barbara; Duerksen, Susan

2006-12-01

Parenting styles influence a child's risk for obesity. The goals of this study are to evaluate the influence of (i) parenting style on children's health behaviors (physical activity and dietary intake), (ii) children's sociodemographic characteristics on parenting style and on children's health behaviors and (iii) parents' sociodemographic characteristics on their use of controlling styles to promote a healthy home environment. Survey and anthropometric data were collected from a community sample of Latino parents (n = 812) and their children in kindergarten through second grade. Parental use of positive reinforcement and monitoring was associated with children's healthy eating and exercise. Also, parents' use of appropriate disciplining styles was associated with healthier eating, while parental use of control styles was associated with unhealthy eating. The daughters of parents who used controlling styles ate more unhealthy foods than did the sons. Older, employed and more acculturated parents used less controlling styles than their counterparts. Parenting interventions targeting children's dietary intake and physical activity should encourage parents to use more positive reinforcement and monitor their children's health behaviors as these parenting styles are associated with healthier behaviors. Moreover, intervention researchers may want to encourage Latino parents to use less controlling styles with girls as this parenting style increased girls' risk for unhealthy eating.

[Development of the pregnancy nutrition knowledge scale and its relationship with eating habits in pregnant women visiting community health center].

PubMed

Kim, Hae Won

2009-02-01

This study was done to develop a pregnancy nutrition knowledge scale and to examine the relationships between pregnancy nutrition knowledge and eating habits in pregnant women. With convenient sampling, 189 pregnant women who used community health centers for their ante-natal care were recruited. Data were collected using a self administered questionnaire including items on pregnancy nutrition knowledge (18 items) developed by researcher and items on eating habits (14 items). Cronbach's alpha and exploratory factor analysis were examined to test reliability and construct validity of the scale. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to identify the relationship between pregnancy nutrition knowledge and eating habits. Cronbach's alpha of 18 items was .80. In factor analysis using principal components, 6 factors explained 65% of the total variance. The level of pregnancy nutrition knowledge was not sufficient but correlations between pregnancy nutrition knowledge and some of eating habits were significant. Specifically, pregnancy nutrition knowledge was positively correlated with good eating habits and negatively with bad eating habits. The pregnancy nutrition knowledge scale developed in this study is acceptable for nutrition education led by nurses. Pregnancy nutrition knowledge and eating habits are considered as major variables for ante-natal nutrition education. In future studies, explorations are needed on dietary intake and physiological indices in pregnant women, comparison of women at risk with those not at risk, and development of nutritional education programs for pregnant women.

Patterns and prevalence of disordered eating and weight control behaviors in women ages 25-45.

PubMed

Reba-Harrelson, L; Von Holle, A; Hamer, R M; Swann, R; Reyes, M L; Bulik, C M

2009-12-01

The current study describes detailed eating behaviors, dieting behaviors, and attitudes about shape and weight in 4023 women ages 25 to 45. The survey was delivered on-line and participants were identified using a national quota-sampling procedure. Disordered eating behaviors, extreme weight loss measures, and negative cognitions about shape and weight were widely endorsed by women in this age group and were not limited to White participants. Thirty-one percent of women without a history of anorexia nervosa or binge eating reported having purged to control weight, and 74.5% of women reported that their concerns about shape and weight interfered with their happiness. Unhealthy approaches to weight control and negative attitudes about shape and weight are pervasive even among women without eating disorders. The development of effective approaches to address the impact of these unhealthy behaviors and attitudes on the general well-being and functioning of women is required.

The pull of the past: when do habits persist despite conflict with motives?

PubMed

Neal, David T; Wood, Wendy; Wu, Mengju; Kurlander, David

2011-11-01

To identify the factors that disrupt and maintain habit performance, two field experiments tested the conditions under which people eat out of habit, leading them to resist motivational influences. Habitual popcorn eaters at a cinema were minimally influenced by their hunger or how much they liked the food, and they ate equal amounts of stale and fresh popcorn. Yet, mechanisms of automaticity influenced habit performance: Participants ate out of habit, regardless of freshness, only when currently in the context associated with past performance (i.e., a cinema; Study 1) and only when eating in a way that allowed them to automatically execute the response cued by that context (i.e., eating with their dominant hand; Study 2). Across all conditions, participants with weaker cinema-popcorn-eating habits ate because of motivations such as liking for the popcorn. The findings reveal how habits resist conflicting motives and provide insight into promising mechanisms of habit change.

Genetic Influences on Adolescent Eating Habits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaver, Kevin M.; Flores, Tori; Boutwell, Brian B.; Gibson, Chris L.

2012-01-01

Behavioral genetic research shows that variation in eating habits and food consumption is due to genetic and environmental factors. The current study extends this line of research by examining the genetic contribution to adolescent eating habits. Analysis of sibling pairs drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health)…

Obesity and the Unbalanced Energy Equation: Exercise versus Eating Habit Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

And Others; Dahlkoetter, JoAnn

1979-01-01

Compared relative effectiveness of exercise and eating habit change individually and in combination for weight loss and physical conditioning. Results indicated significant improvement for all treatment groups. Groups who exercised showed most improvement in physical fitness. Combining exercise and eating habit change yielded best results in…

A Role for Exercise in Attenuating Unhealthy Food Consumption in Response to Stress

PubMed Central

Leow, Shina; Jackson, Ben; Alderson, Jacqueline A.; Guelfi, Kym J.; Dimmock, James A.

2018-01-01

It is well established that both acute and chronic stress can be detrimental to health and wellbeing by directly increasing the risk of several chronic diseases and related health problems. In addition, stress may contribute to ill-health indirectly via its downstream effects on individuals’ health-related behaviour, such as promoting the intake of unhealthy palatable foods high in fat and sugar content. This paper reviews (a) the research literature on stress-models; (b) recent research investigating stress-induced eating and (c) the potential physiological and psychological pathways contributing to stress-induced eating. Particular attention is given to (d) the role of physical exercise in attenuating acute stress, with exploration of potential mechanisms through which exercise may reduce unhealthy food and drink consumption subsequent to stressor exposure. Finally, exercise motivation is discussed as an important psychological influence over the capacity for physical exercise to attenuate unhealthy food and drink consumption after exposure to stressors. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of how physical exercise might alleviate stress-induced unhealthy food choices. PMID:29415424

A Role for Exercise in Attenuating Unhealthy Food Consumption in Response to Stress.

PubMed

Leow, Shina; Jackson, Ben; Alderson, Jacqueline A; Guelfi, Kym J; Dimmock, James A

2018-02-06

It is well established that both acute and chronic stress can be detrimental to health and wellbeing by directly increasing the risk of several chronic diseases and related health problems. In addition, stress may contribute to ill-health indirectly via its downstream effects on individuals' health-related behaviour, such as promoting the intake of unhealthy palatable foods high in fat and sugar content. This paper reviews (a) the research literature on stress-models; (b) recent research investigating stress-induced eating and (c) the potential physiological and psychological pathways contributing to stress-induced eating. Particular attention is given to (d) the role of physical exercise in attenuating acute stress, with exploration of potential mechanisms through which exercise may reduce unhealthy food and drink consumption subsequent to stressor exposure. Finally, exercise motivation is discussed as an important psychological influence over the capacity for physical exercise to attenuate unhealthy food and drink consumption after exposure to stressors. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of how physical exercise might alleviate stress-induced unhealthy food choices.

Characteristics of eating habits and physical activity in relation to body mass index among adolescents.

PubMed

Djordjevic-Nikic, Marina; Dopsaj, Milivoj

2013-01-01

To assess eating habits and the level of physical activity in adolescents and develop a predictive model for the body mass index (BMI) based on these variables. In this cross-sectional study, eating habits and the level of physical activity were assessed using a questionnaire validated in adolescents. Body mass and height collected during the last annual checkup were extracted from personal medical records. The sample included 330 boys and 377 girls (mean age 15.8 ± 0.2 years) who were first-year high school students in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Responses to each of the 14 questions about eating habits and 6 questions about physical activity were scored from the least (0) to the most (3) desired behaviors. These ratings were then averaged to arrive to an aggregate score for each domain. The BMI was calculated according to the standard method. A series of regression analyses was performed to derive the best model for predicting BMI in boys and girls based on individual eating habits and physical activity items, first separately and then combined. In the sample, 24.5% of boys and 9.5% of girls were overweight or obese. Girls' eating habits were better than boys (mean aggregate score 2.3 ± 0.3 and 2.1 ± 0.3, respectively, p < 0.001), whereas the level of physical activity was greater in boys than girls (2.1 ± 0.6 vs 1.9 ± 0.6, p < 0.001). The differences between boys and girls in the BMI, eating habits, and physical activity remained significant after controlling for their knowledge about healthy eating and education level of their parents. Eating habits were a better predictor of BMI than physical activity, particularly in boys (R (2) = 0.13 vs R (2) = 0.02) compared to girls (R (2) = 0.04 vs R (2) = 0.01). Combining eating habits and physical activity in the multivariate model of BMI resulted in a better predictive accuracy in boys (R (2) = 0.17) but not girls (R (2) = 0.04). Eating habits and physical activity differ between adolescent boys and girls and can predict BMI, particularly in boys. The results suggest the need to develop gender-specific programs for promoting healthy lifestyle among adolescents in our country.

Associated Factors for Self-Reported Binge Eating among Male and Female Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledoux, Sylvie; And Others

1993-01-01

Adolescents (n=3,287) completed questionnaire concerning eating behaviors. Found that binge eaters had disorderly eating habits (skipping meals, snacking, eating sweets, unbalanced diets), concern with body shape (feeling too fat), and depressive symptoms more often than nonbinge eaters did. Relationship between binging episodes and eating habits,…

Perceived Parenting Style and the Eating Practices of College Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Seraphine Pitt; Brown, Kelli McCormack; McDermott, Robert J.; Bryant, Carol A.; Kromrey, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

Background: Unhealthy eating contributes to morbidity in adolescents and college students and is an antecedent of premature mortality in adulthood. It has been suggested that the increase in independence (i.e., living away from parents) of adolescents contributes to their poor eating behaviors. Some literature reports that specific parenting…

A brief mindfulness intervention reduces unhealthy eating when hungry, but not the portion size effect.

PubMed

Marchiori, David; Papies, Esther K

2014-04-01

The present research examined the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention to foster healthy eating. Specifically, we tested whether a brief mindfulness manipulation can prevent the portion size effect, and reduce overeating on unhealthy snacks when hungry. 110 undergraduate participants (MAge=20.9±2.3; MBMI=22.3±2.5) were served a small or a large portion of chocolate chip cookies after listening to an audio book or performing a mindfulness exercise (i.e., body scan). Current level of hunger was assessed unobtrusively on a visual analog scale before the eating situation. Calorie intake from chocolate chip cookies. When presented with a large compared to a small portion, participants consumed more cookies (+83kcal). This was not affected by the mindfulness intervention or by hunger. However, while control participants ate more unhealthy food when hungry than when not hungry (+67kcal), participants in the mindfulness condition did not (+1kcal). Findings confirm the prevalence and robustness of the portion size effect and suggest that it may be independent from awareness of internal cues. Prevention strategies may benefit more from targeting awareness of the external environment. However, mindfulness-based interventions may be effective to reduce effects of hunger on unhealthy food consumption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Young children's food brand knowledge. Early development and associations with television viewing and parent's diet.

PubMed

Tatlow-Golden, Mimi; Hennessy, Eilis; Dean, Moira; Hollywood, Lynsey

2014-09-01

Brand knowledge is a prerequisite of children's requests and choices for branded foods. We explored the development of young children's brand knowledge of foods highly advertised on television - both healthy and less healthy. Participants were 172 children aged 3-5 years in diverse socio-economic settings, from two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland with different regulatory environments. Results indicated that food brand knowledge (i) did not differ across jurisdictions; (ii) increased significantly between 3 and 4 years; and (iii) children had significantly greater knowledge of unhealthy food brands, compared with similarly advertised healthy brands. In addition, (iv) children's healthy food brand knowledge was not related to their television viewing, their mother's education, or parent or child eating. However, (v) unhealthy brand knowledge was significantly related to all these factors, although only parent eating and children's age were independent predictors. Findings indicate that effects of food marketing for unhealthy foods take place through routes other than television advertising alone, and are present before pre-schoolers develop the concept of healthy eating. Implications are that marketing restrictions of unhealthy foods should extend beyond television advertising; and that family-focused obesity prevention programmes should begin before children are 3 years of age. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Impact of the economic crisis on the right to a healthy diet. SESPAS report 2014].

PubMed

Antentas, Josep Maria; Vivas, Esther

2014-06-01

The present article analyzes the impact of the economic crisis on food consumption in Spain, the most affected social profiles, and the consequences of changing patterns of food consumption on health. This article is based on official reports and previous empirical studies. The crisis has affected diet and food consumption. Families are attempting to spend less money on food. Food insecurity is rising and the most affected groups are those spending a higher proportion of their income on food. Cuts in food spending run parallel with unhealthy eating habits that encourage obesity. Consequently, the crisis contributes to undermining the right to a healthy diet, recognized by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of the United Nations. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Association between cognitive impairment and eating habits in elderly Chinese subjects over 90 years of age.

PubMed

Gao, Lingyun; Dong, Birong; Hao, Qiu Kui; Ding, Xiang

2013-08-01

Eating habits may have a key influence on cognitive function, however, the relationship between dietary intake and cognitive impairment in the elderly Chinese population has not been explored. The present study investigated the association between cognitive impairment and eating habits in elderly Chinese subjects >90 years of age. This study comprised data from subjects included in the 2005 Project of Longevity and Ageing in Dujiangyan, China. Subjects were divided into two groups: cognitive impairment group and normal group. Sociodemographic and dietary habit data were collected and cognitive function was assessed in all subjects using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Data from 763 subjects (249 men, 514 women) were included. There was no statistically significant difference in eating habits between the two groups. Education level in the cognitive impairment group was significantly lower than in the normal group. Significant between-group differences were detected in factors relating to subjects' professions. Eating habits were not related to cognitive impairment in elderly Chinese people >90 years of age.

The Role of Habit and Perceived Control on Health Behavior among Pregnant Women.

PubMed

Mullan, Barbara; Henderson, Joanna; Kothe, Emily; Allom, Vanessa; Orbell, Sheina; Hamilton, Kyra

2016-05-01

Many pregnant women do not adhere to physical activity and dietary recommendations. Research investigating what psychological processes might predict physical activity and healthy eating (fruit and vegetable consumption) during pregnancy is scant. We explored the role of intention, habit, and perceived behavioral control as predictors of physical activity and healthy eating. Pregnant women (N = 195, Mage = 30.17, SDage = 4.46) completed questionnaires at 2 time points. At Time 1, participants completed measures of intention, habit, and perceived behavioral control. At Time 2, participants reported on their behavior (physical activity and healthy eating) within the intervening week. Regression analysis determined whether Time 1 variables predicted behavior at Time 2. Interaction terms also were tested. Final regression models indicated that only intention and habit explained significant variance in physical activity, whereas habit and the interaction between intention and habit explained significant variance in healthy eating. Simple slopes analysis indicated that the relationship between intention and healthy eating behavior was only significant at high levels of habit. Findings highlight the influence of habit on behavior and suggest that automaticity interventions may be useful in changing health behaviors during pregnancy.

Is frequency of fast food and sit-down restaurant eating occasions differentially associated with less healthful eating habits?

PubMed

Close, Michael A; Lytle, Leslie A; Viera, Anthony J

2016-12-01

Studies have shown that frequency of fast food restaurant eating and sit-down restaurant eating is differentially associated with nutrient intakes and biometric outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine whether frequency of fast food and sit-down restaurant eating occasions was differentially associated with less healthful eating habits, independent of demographic characteristics. Data were collected from participants in 2015 enrolled in a worksite nutrition intervention trial ( n  = 388) in North Carolina who completed self-administered questionnaires at baseline. We used multiple logistic regressions to estimate associations between frequency of restaurant eating occasions and four less healthful eating habits, controlling for age, sex, race, education, marital status, and worksite. On average, participants in the highest tertile of fast food restaurant eating (vs. lowest tertile) had increased odds of usual intake of processed meat (OR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.71, 5.28), red meat (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.33, 4.00), refined grain bread (OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.23, 4.10), and sweet baked goods and candy (OR = 3.50, 95% CI = 2.00, 6.12). No associations were found between frequency of sit-down restaurant eating and less healthful eating habits. We conclude that greater frequency of fast food restaurant eating is associated with less healthful eating habits. Our findings suggest that taste preferences or other factors, independent of demographic characteristics, might explain the decision to eat at fast food or sit-down restaurants.

Parents' barriers and strategies to promote healthy eating among school-age children.

PubMed

Nepper, Martha J; Chai, Weiwen

2016-08-01

The home environment is considered one of the most important settings in regards to the development of healthy eating habits among children. The primary purpose of this study was to explore parents' barriers and strategies in promoting healthy eating in the home. The secondary objective was to determine whether the barriers and strategies parents had were different between healthy weight and overweight/obese school-age children. Semi-structured individual interviews with 14 parents of healthy weight and 11 parents of overweight/obese children (6-12 years) were conducted in family homes from August 2014 to March 2015. Transcripts were recorded and codes and themes were verified by the research team and one qualitative expert. Themes emerging from both parents of healthy weight and overweight/obese children were: 1) Parents are busy and strapped for time; 2) Cost is a barrier in providing healthy food, but parents are resourceful; 3) Children ask for junk food regularly, but parents have strategies to manage; 4) Picky eaters are a challenge but parents know they have to overcome this barrier; and 5) Early exposure to unhealthy eating influences children's food choices but strategies can help. However, parents of overweight/obese children felt a lack of support from their spouses/partners for healthy eating in the home, which was not expressed among parents of healthy weight children. Additionally, barriers and strategies were similar among parents of children from different age groups [6-9 years vs. 10-12 years (pre-adolescents)]. Our results suggest while parents faced some challenges in promoting healthy eating in the home, they utilized several strategies to overcome these barriers, which are valuable for direct intervention to improve home food environment and manage children's weight. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting healthy eating in pregnancy: what kind of support services do women say they want?

PubMed

Olander, Ellinor K; Atkinson, Lou; Edmunds, Jemma K; French, David P

2012-07-01

To identify characteristics of the services and support women want to enable them to eat healthily during pregnancy to make a potential future service acceptable to this population. An unhealthy diet during pregnancy may have a significant influence on pregnancy outcome, either directly through nutrient deficiencies or indirectly through maternal weight gain. Many pregnant women in the United Kingdom gain too much weight in pregnancy, and this weight gain may lead to an increased risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and having an obese child. Thus, there is a need for interventions aimed at improving healthy eating in pregnancy. It is crucial in developing successful interventions to understand how participation can be maximised by optimising intervention acceptability. Four focus groups were conducted; two with prenatal women (n = 9) and two with postnatal women (n = 14). Discussion focused on identifying relevant characteristics of a service targeting prenatal and postnatal women's eating to ensure that a future service was acceptable to the women. The participants' responses were clustered into three broad themes: (1) early information leading to routine formation of healthier eating habits, (2) the delivery of practical sessions to increase information and (3) health professionals providing support and signposting to services. The participants reported wanting a practical service held in a convenient location, preferably led by women who have been pregnant themselves. The participants also reported wanting to be offered this service in pregnancy to help them get into a routine before they gave birth. Several suggestions for how this service should be marketed were mentioned, including through midwives and the internet. This research provides practical information for how to design support for prenatal women to increase their knowledge and practical skills regarding eating healthily during their pregnancy.

Body image, disordered eating and anabolic steroid use in female bodybuilders.

PubMed

Goldfield, Gary S

2009-01-01

Body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating practices are common among sports and activities that require low body fat or low body weight for enhanced performance. Competitive Bodybuilding is a sport that requires participants to be exceptionally lean and mesomorphic, thus participants may be vulnerable to developing unhealthy eating and weight control practices, as well as using anabolic steroids. This study compares competitive female bodybuilders (CFBBs) and recreational female weight-training controls (RFWTs) on a broad scope of eating related and general psychological characteristics. Anonymous questionnaires, designed to assess eating attitudes, body image, weight and shape preoccupation, prevalence of binge eating, body modification practices (including anabolic steroids), lifetime rates of eating disorders, and general psychological characteristics, were completed by 20 CFBBs and 25 RFWTs. High rates of weight and shape preoccupation, body dissatisfaction, bulimic practices, and anabolic steroid use were reported among CFBBs, and to a lesser degree, RFWTs. Differences between groups on general psychological factors were not statistically significant and effect sizes were small. CFBBs appear to share many eating-related features with women with bulimia nervosa but few psychological traits. Longitudinal research is needed to ascertain whether women with disordered eating or a history of bulimia nervosa disproportionately gravitate to competitive bodybuilding, and/or whether competitive bodybuilding fosters body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, bulimia nervosa, and anabolic steroid use.

Associations between usual school lunch attendance and eating habits and sedentary behaviour in French children and adolescents.

PubMed

Dubuisson, C; Lioret, S; Dufour, A; Volatier, J L; Lafay, L; Turck, D

2012-12-01

Our objective was to investigate whether school lunch attendance was associated with overall eating habits and sedentary behaviour in a French sample of children and adolescents. Data for the study were taken from the second French cross-sectional dietary survey (INCA2-2006-07). In total, 1413 school children aged 3-17 years old were classified according to their school type and their usual school lunch attendance. Eating habits included meal regularity, dietary diversity, purchase in vending machine, snacking habits and frequency of eating in fast-foods. Two composite indices of eating habits were derived from multiple correspondence analyses. Sedentary behaviour was assessed by the average daily screen times for TV and computer. The association between school lunch attendance and each variable was tested. Multivariate association between school lunch attendance and the composite indices of eating habits and sedentary behaviours was studied. In all, 69.0% (CI(95%): 64.2-73.9) of secondary school children and 63.0% (CI(95%): 58.5-67.5) of pre- and elementary school children usually attended school lunch at least once a week. Pre- and elementary school children attending school lunches showed a higher dietary diversity score (P=0.02) and ate morning snacks more frequently (P=0.02). In secondary school children, attending school canteen was related to a lower rate of skipping breakfast (P=0.04) and main meals (P=0.01). In all school children, school lunch attendance was simultaneously associated with healthier overall eating habits and less sedentary behaviour. In France, children attending school canteens seem to have healthier eating habits and display less sedentary behaviour, independently of their socio-economic and demographic background.

[Relationships between smoking and eating habits or behavior in male students].

PubMed

Sogabe, Natsuko; Maruyama, Rieko; Sato, Kazuto; Goseki-Sone, Masae

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between smoking and eating habits or behavior in male students. We performed a questionnaire regarding smoking, eating habits, eating behavior, and the frequency of food intake for 277 male students. We also measured bone mass by a quantitative ultrasound device, along with height, weight, body fat, and gripping power. The percentage of students who had a smoking habit was 22.4%. No significant differences in physical factors between the smoker and non-smoker groups were observed. However, there was significant variation for having meals regularly, and for the habit of assessing their own eating behavior (both P < 0.05). The percentage of students who wanted to obtain nutritional support for maintaining their health, or desiring nutritional support in order to keep a good body style was significantly lower in the smoker group compared to the non-smoker group (P < 0.05, respectively). Moreover, the percentage of students who had a habit of drinking alcohol or skipping meals was significantly higher in the smoker group (P = 0.002). In addition, the percentage of smoking students who had a habit of exercise was significantly lower (P < 0.001). In this study, we obtained useful data regarding relationships between smoking and eating habits in male students. These results suggested that appropriate nutritional education is important in the smoker group of male students for promotion of their health.

Eating Habits and Associated Factors Among Adolescent Students in Jordan.

PubMed

Dalky, Heyam F; Al Momani, Maysa H; Al-Drabaah, Taghreed Kh; Jarrah, Samiha

2017-08-01

The study aimed to assess adolescent patterns of eating habits, determine factors influencing these patterns, and identify male and female differences related to eating habits. Using a cross-sectional study approach, a sample of adolescents ( N = 423) in randomly selected clusters chosen from government and private schools in the south of Jordan completed self-administered questionnaires relating to socio-demographic data and personal eating habits. Results showed that parents, peers, and mass media are contributing factors, with peer pressure likely outweighing parental guidance. Males were more likely to be influenced by peers than females, whereas females were more likely to be influenced by media-based advertising. Lower body mass indices correlate with eating breakfast, which a majority of adolescents reported they do not do. Interventions targeted toward improving eating and active behaviors should involve peers as well as parents.

Study of eating attitudes and behaviours in junior college students in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Tendulkar, Prajakta; Krishnadas, Rajeev; Durge, Vijay; Sharma, Sumit; Nayak, Sapna; Kamat, Sanjeev; Dhavale, Hemangee

2006-10-01

Eating disorders have been described as possible 'culture-bound syndromes', with roots in Western cultural values and conflicts. They may, in fact, be more prevalent within various non-Western cultural groups than previously recognised, as Western values become more widely accepted. Cross-cultural experiences suggest that cultural change itself may be associated with increased vulnerability to eating disorders, especially when Western values about physical aesthetics are involved. to assess the eating attitudes and behaviours among adolescents in the urban ethnic city, Mumbai, a survey was conducted amongst 451 college students. the study, based in four junior colleges, comprised 451 subjects who completed a semi-structured questionnaire, a 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and the Personal Assessment Inventory (IPAT). the results revealed faulty eating habits in 13.3% of the subjects. A statistically significant proportion perceived them-selves to have problems with eating, substance use, dieting and exercise practices, resorting to extreme measures to achieve weight loss. A high rate of faulty eating habits was observed in males. Higher scores on depression and suicidal ideation were reported in the population with faulty eating habits. a significant percentage of college-going populations in urban settings probably have faulty eating habits.

The social image of food: Associations between popularity and eating behavior.

PubMed

König, Laura M; Giese, Helge; Stok, F Marijn; Renner, Britta

2017-07-01

One factor that determines what we eat and why we eat is our social environment. In the present research, two online studies examined the relationship between food intake and social images. Specifically, the present research assessed the relationship between the food intake university students ascribed to peers who varied in popularity and own self-reported food intake, and whether this relationship was moderated by identification with the peer group. Participants (N = 97 in Study 1; N = 402 in Study 2) were randomly presented with one of four (Study 1) or two of eight (Study 2) vignettes describing a popular or unpopular student (male or female) from their university without receiving any information about the peer's eating behavior. Subsequently, healthy and unhealthy eating ascribed to the peers and own self-reported eating behavior were assessed. Results indicated that popular peers were perceived to eat more healthily than unpopular peers. Moreover, eating behavior ascribed to popular peers were associated with own healthy and unhealthy eating. Importantly, the relationship between healthy eating behavior ascribed to popular peers and own healthy eating behavior was moderated by identification with the student group - the more participants identified with their peers, the more their own eating was aligned with the healthy eating ascribed to a popular peer. Hence, the popularity of others seems to shape perceptions of the food they eat and may facilitate healthy eating via social influence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

It's my party and I eat if I want to. Reasons for unhealthy snacking.

PubMed

Verhoeven, Aukje A C; Adriaanse, Marieke A; de Vet, Emely; Fennis, Bob M; de Ridder, Denise T D

2015-01-01

Investigating the reasons that people give for unhealthy snacking behavior is important for developing effective health interventions. Little research, however, has identified reasons that apply to a large audience and most studies do not integrate multiple factors, precluding any conclusions regarding their relative importance. The present study explored reasons for unhealthy snacking among a representative community sample. Participants (N = 1544) filled out the newly developed Reasons to Snack inventory assessing an elaborate range of motives at baseline and 1-month follow-up. Exploratory and replication factor analyses identified six categories: opportunity induced eating, coping with negative emotions, enjoying a special occasion, rewarding oneself, social pressure, and gaining energy. The highest mean scores were obtained for enjoying a special occasion and opportunity induced eating. Regression analyses with participant characteristics as independent variables and each category of reasons as dependent variables showed differences for age. For all reasons except to enjoy a special occasion, younger people reported a higher score. Women indicated a higher score than men on coping with negative emotions, enjoying a special occasion and gaining energy. People who diet to a stronger extent reported a higher score for snacking because of social pressure, to reward oneself and to cope with negative emotions, with the latter also being related to a higher BMI. Finally, a higher education was associated with enjoying a special occasion. Future health interventions could allocate more attention to diminishing unhealthy snacking with regard to the six identified categories, specifically focusing on enjoying a special occasion and opportunity induced eating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snacking now or later? Individual differences in following intentions or habits explained by time perspective.

PubMed

Onwezen, M C; Van 't Riet, J; Dagevos, H; Sijtsema, S J; Snoek, H M

2016-12-01

Even when individuals are aware of long-term health effects of their diet, and form healthy intentions, they often engage in relatively unhealthy snacking habits. Some individuals fall back on unhealthy habits more easily than others. We aim to explore whether time perspective can explain why some individuals are more prone to rely on habits and others on intentions. Study 1 (N = 1503) provides a first exploration of the role of time perspective by exploring individual differences in perception of long-term and short-term consequences. In accordance with our hypotheses, Study 1 shows that habits are associated with short-term consequences and intentions with long-term consequences. Study 2 (N = 1497) shows that the effects of habits on snacking behaviour are strengthened by a present time perspective, whereas the effects of intentions on snacking behaviour are strengthened by a future time perspective. These findings imply that there is a fundamental difference in the guiding function of intentions and habits which might explain individual differences in following intentions versus habits. Individuals with a long-term perspective are more inclined to follow intentions and individuals with a short-term perspective are more inclined to follow habits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What Helps Children Eat Well? A Qualitative Exploration of Resilience among Disadvantaged Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lauren K.; Veitch, Jenny; Ball, Kylie

2011-01-01

It is well known that persons of low socioeconomic position consume generally a less healthy diet. Key determinants of unhealthy eating among disadvantaged individuals include aspects of the family and external environment. Much less is known about family and environmental determinants of healthy eating among social disadvantaged children. The aim…

[Eating attitudes, attitudes related to weight gain, and body satisfaction of pregnant adolescents].

PubMed

Oliboni, Carolina Marques; Alvarenga, Marle Dos Santos

2015-12-01

To assess attitudes about eating, weight gain and body image of pregnant adolescents. Pregnant adolescents (n=67) were assessed using the Body Image Questionnaire, the Attitude towards Weight Gain during Pregnancy scale (AWGP) and questions about risk behaviors for eating disorders and unhealthy weight control practices. Associations between variables were analyzed by ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson and Spearman tests. The influence of the independent variables regarding skipping meals, body satisfaction and binge eating was evaluated by logistic regression. The average age of the adolescents was 15.3 years (SD=1.14) and their average gestational age was 21.9 weeks (SD=6.53). The average AWGP score was 52.6 points, indicating a positive attitude towards weight gain, and 82.1% of the pregnant girls were satisfied with their bodies. Obese girls had more body dissatisfaction (p=0.001), and overweight girls thought more about food (p=0.02) and eating (p=0.03). The frequency of reported binge eating was 41.8%, and the frequency of skipping meals was 19%. Regression analysis showed that the current Body Mass Index (p=0.03; OR=1.18) and the importance of body awareness and fitness before pregnancy (p=0.03; OR=4.63) were predictors of skipping meals. Higher socioeconomic level (p=0.04; OR=0.55) and greater concern with weight gain (p=0.03; OR=0.32) predicted binge eating. Even though the majority of the pregnant adolescents had positive attitudes toward weight gain and body satisfaction, those heavier and more concerned with weight gain had a higher risk of unhealthy attitudes, while those of lower social class, less concerned with weight gain and less embarrassed about their bodies during pregnancy, had a lower risk of unhealthy attitudes.

Taking dietary habits into account: A computational method for modeling food choices that goes beyond price

PubMed Central

Jones-Smith, Jessica C.; Igusa, Takeru

2017-01-01

Computational models have gained popularity as a predictive tool for assessing proposed policy changes affecting dietary choice. Specifically, they have been used for modeling dietary changes in response to economic interventions, such as price and income changes. Herein, we present a novel addition to this type of model by incorporating habitual behaviors that drive individuals to maintain or conform to prior eating patterns. We examine our method in a simulated case study of food choice behaviors of low-income adults in the US. We use data from several national datasets, including the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the USDA, to parameterize our model and develop predictive capabilities in 1) quantifying the influence of prior diet preferences when food budgets are increased and 2) simulating the income elasticities of demand for four food categories. Food budgets can increase because of greater affordability (due to food aid and other nutritional assistance programs), or because of higher income. Our model predictions indicate that low-income adults consume unhealthy diets when they have highly constrained budgets, but that even after budget constraints are relaxed, these unhealthy eating behaviors are maintained. Specifically, diets in this population, before and after changes in food budgets, are characterized by relatively low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high consumption of fat. The model results for income elasticities also show almost no change in consumption of fruit and fat in response to changes in income, which is in agreement with data from the World Bank’s International Comparison Program (ICP). Hence, the proposed method can be used in assessing the influences of habitual dietary patterns on the effectiveness of food policies. PMID:28542615

Taking dietary habits into account: A computational method for modeling food choices that goes beyond price.

PubMed

Beheshti, Rahmatollah; Jones-Smith, Jessica C; Igusa, Takeru

2017-01-01

Computational models have gained popularity as a predictive tool for assessing proposed policy changes affecting dietary choice. Specifically, they have been used for modeling dietary changes in response to economic interventions, such as price and income changes. Herein, we present a novel addition to this type of model by incorporating habitual behaviors that drive individuals to maintain or conform to prior eating patterns. We examine our method in a simulated case study of food choice behaviors of low-income adults in the US. We use data from several national datasets, including the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the USDA, to parameterize our model and develop predictive capabilities in 1) quantifying the influence of prior diet preferences when food budgets are increased and 2) simulating the income elasticities of demand for four food categories. Food budgets can increase because of greater affordability (due to food aid and other nutritional assistance programs), or because of higher income. Our model predictions indicate that low-income adults consume unhealthy diets when they have highly constrained budgets, but that even after budget constraints are relaxed, these unhealthy eating behaviors are maintained. Specifically, diets in this population, before and after changes in food budgets, are characterized by relatively low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high consumption of fat. The model results for income elasticities also show almost no change in consumption of fruit and fat in response to changes in income, which is in agreement with data from the World Bank's International Comparison Program (ICP). Hence, the proposed method can be used in assessing the influences of habitual dietary patterns on the effectiveness of food policies.

Effects of lifestyle on micronuclei frequency in human lymphocytes in Japanese hard-metal workers.

PubMed

Huang, Peixin; Huang, Bin; Weng, Huachun; Nakayama, Kunio; Morimoto, Kanehisa

2009-04-01

The risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other major causes of mortality are largely attributable to lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol drinking, hours of working and sleeping, physical activity, diet, and stress. Earlier studies have suggested that an unhealthy lifestyle is also associated with increased lymphocyte sensitivity to mutagens, oxidative DNA damage level, and leukocyte DNA damage. In order to explore the genotoxicity of unhealthy lifestyle, we evaluated the effect of overall lifestyle as well as some individual lifestyle factors on micronuclei (MN) frequency in cultured human lymphocytes. The study was conducted among 208 healthy adult (19 to 59 years) male Japanese hard-metal workers. The subjects were divided into groups according to their self-reported good, moderate, and poor lifestyles based on their responses to a questionnaire regarding eight health practices (cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, sleeping hours, working hours, physical exercise, eating breakfast, balanced nutrition, and mental stress), the presence or absence of each of which was summed to obtain a health practice index (HPI: range 0-8). Peripheral blood was taken and the cytokinesis-block micronuclei (CBMN) assay was performed. Total lifestyle quality as measured by the HPI was strongly negatively associated with MN frequency in cultured human lymphocytes (p<0.01). Nutritional imbalance, lack of regular exercise (<2 times per week), insufficient sleep (< or =6 h per day), and overtime working (> or =9 h per day) each contributed significantly to higher MN frequency (all p<0.05). In the smoker group, a significantly higher MN frequency was only found in heavy smokers (p<0.05). On the other hand, mental stress, eating breakfast, and alcohol drinking had no effect on MN frequency. Taken together, these findings indicate that poor lifestyle habits significantly increase MN frequency in human lymphocytes.

Individual and Environmental Factors Influencing Adolescents’ Dietary Behavior in Low- and Middle-Income Settings

PubMed Central

Verstraeten, Roosmarijn; Leroy, Jef L.; Pieniak, Zuzanna; Ochoa-Avilès, Angélica; Holdsworth, Michelle; Verbeke, Wim; Maes, Lea; Kolsteren, Patrick

2016-01-01

Objective Given the public health importance of improving dietary behavior in chronic disease prevention in low- and middle-income countries it is crucial to understand the factors influencing dietary behavior in these settings. This study tested the validity of a conceptual framework linking individual and environmental factors to dietary behavior among Ecuadorian adolescents aged 10–16 years. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 784 school-going Ecuadorian adolescents in urban and rural Southern Ecuador. Participants provided data on socio-economic status, anthropometry, dietary behavior and its determining factors. The relationships between individual (perceived benefits and barriers, self-efficacy, habit strength, and a better understanding of healthy food) and environmental factors (physical environment: accessibility to healthy food; social environment: parental permissiveness and school support), and their association with key components of dietary behavior (fruit and vegetables, sugary drinks, breakfast, and unhealthy snack intake) were assessed using structural equation modeling. Results The conceptual model performed well for each component of eating behavior, indicating acceptable goodness-of-fit for both the measurement and structural models. Models for vegetable intake and unhealthy snacking showed significant and direct effects of individual factors (perceived benefits). For breakfast and sugary drink consumption, there was a direct and positive association with socio-environmental factors (school support and parental permissiveness). Access to healthy food was associated indirectly with all eating behaviors (except for sugary drink intake) and this effect operated through socio-environmental (parental permissiveness and school support) and individual factors (perceived benefits). Conclusion Our study demonstrated that key components of adolescents’ dietary behaviors are influenced by a complex interplay of individual and environmental factors. The findings indicate that the influence of these factors varied by type of dietary behavior. PMID:27447169

Individual and Environmental Factors Influencing Adolescents' Dietary Behavior in Low- and Middle-Income Settings.

PubMed

Verstraeten, Roosmarijn; Leroy, Jef L; Pieniak, Zuzanna; Ochoa-Avilès, Angélica; Holdsworth, Michelle; Verbeke, Wim; Maes, Lea; Kolsteren, Patrick

2016-01-01

Given the public health importance of improving dietary behavior in chronic disease prevention in low- and middle-income countries it is crucial to understand the factors influencing dietary behavior in these settings. This study tested the validity of a conceptual framework linking individual and environmental factors to dietary behavior among Ecuadorian adolescents aged 10-16 years. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 784 school-going Ecuadorian adolescents in urban and rural Southern Ecuador. Participants provided data on socio-economic status, anthropometry, dietary behavior and its determining factors. The relationships between individual (perceived benefits and barriers, self-efficacy, habit strength, and a better understanding of healthy food) and environmental factors (physical environment: accessibility to healthy food; social environment: parental permissiveness and school support), and their association with key components of dietary behavior (fruit and vegetables, sugary drinks, breakfast, and unhealthy snack intake) were assessed using structural equation modeling. The conceptual model performed well for each component of eating behavior, indicating acceptable goodness-of-fit for both the measurement and structural models. Models for vegetable intake and unhealthy snacking showed significant and direct effects of individual factors (perceived benefits). For breakfast and sugary drink consumption, there was a direct and positive association with socio-environmental factors (school support and parental permissiveness). Access to healthy food was associated indirectly with all eating behaviors (except for sugary drink intake) and this effect operated through socio-environmental (parental permissiveness and school support) and individual factors (perceived benefits). Our study demonstrated that key components of adolescents' dietary behaviors are influenced by a complex interplay of individual and environmental factors. The findings indicate that the influence of these factors varied by type of dietary behavior.

Diet quality and physical activity in relation to childhood obesity.

PubMed

An, Ruopeng

2017-04-01

Healthy lifestyles such as being physically active and eating a healthy diet help reduce the childhood obesity risk. However, population-level studies on the relationship between lifestyles and childhood obesity typically focus on either physical activity or diet but seldom both. This study examined physical activity and diet quality in relation to obesity in a nationally representative sample of U.S. children and adolescents. The study sample of 2818 children 6-17 years old came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2006 waves. A healthy eating index (HEI)-2010 was constructed based on two nonconsecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Participants at or above the 60th percentile of the HEI-2010 score were classified as consuming a healthy diet. Participants engaging in at least 60 min of moderate-vigorous physical activity daily measured by accelerometer were classified as being physically active. Adjusted average marginal effect of diet quality and physical activity on obesity was calculated based on estimates from logistic regressions. Compared with those consuming a healthy diet who are physically active, the estimated probabilities for overweight and obesity were 19.03 (95% confidence interval: 11.31, 26.74) and 15.84 (10.48, 21.21) percentage points higher among children consuming an unhealthy diet and who are physically inactive, 16.53 (7.58, 25.48) and 13.48 (5.68, 21.29) percentage points higher among children consuming a healthy diet but who are physically inactive and 3.22 (-3.43, 9.88) and 3.10 (-3.08, 9.29) percentage points higher among children consuming an unhealthy diet but physically active, respectively. Healthy habit formation at an early age is essential in obesity prevention.

[Frequency of healthy eating habits measured by the 10 Steps to Healthy Eating score proposed by the Ministry of Health: Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil].

PubMed

Vinholes, Daniele Botelho; Assunção, Maria Cecília Formoso; Neutzling, Marilda Borges

2009-04-01

This study aimed to measure frequency of healthy eating habits and associated factors using the 10 Steps to Healthy Eating score proposed by the Ministry of Health in the adult population in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted on a cluster sample of 3,136 adult residents in Pelotas. The frequency of each step to healthy eating was collected with a pre-coded questionnaire. Data analysis consisted of descriptive analysis, followed by bivariate analysis using the chi-square test. Only 1.1% of the population followed all the recommended steps. The average number of steps was six. Step four, salt intake, showed the highest frequency, while step nine, physical activity, showed the lowest. Knowledge of the population's eating habits and their distribution according to demographic and socioeconomic variables is important to guide local and national strategies to promote healthy eating habits and thus improve quality of life.

Break the bonds of emotional eating

MedlinePlus

... evidence for a new perspective on weight-related shame. Appetite . 2012;59(2):570-575. PMID: 22810015 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22810015 . Cornil Y, Chandon P. From fan to fat? Vicarious losing increases unhealthy eating, but self-affirmation ...

Altered dynamics between neural systems sub-serving decisions for unhealthy food

PubMed Central

He, Qinghua; Xiao, Lin; Xue, Gui; Wong, Savio; Ames, Susan L.; Xie, Bin; Bechara, Antoine

2014-01-01

Using BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques, we examined the relationships between activities in the neural systems elicited by the decision stage of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), and food choices of either vegetables or snacks high in fat and sugar. Twenty-three healthy normal weight adolescents and young adults, ranging in age from 14 to 21, were studied. Neural systems implicated in decision-making and inhibitory control were engaged by having participants perform the IGT during fMRI scanning. The Youth/Adolescent Questionnaire, a food frequency questionnaire, was used to obtain daily food choices. Higher consumption of vegetables correlated with higher activity in prefrontal cortical regions, namely the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and lower activity in sub-cortical regions, namely the right insular cortex. In contrast, higher consumption of fatty and sugary snacks correlated with lower activity in the prefrontal regions, combined with higher activity in the sub-cortical, insular cortex. These results provide preliminary support for our hypotheses that unhealthy food choices in real life are reflected by neuronal changes in key neural systems involved in habits, decision-making and self-control processes. These findings have implications for the creation of decision-making based intervention strategies that promote healthier eating. PMID:25414630

A descriptive narrative of healthy eating: a social marketing approach using psychographics in conjunction with interpersonal, community, mass media and new media activities.

PubMed

Dutta-Bergman, Mohar J

2003-01-01

This paper explores the profile of healthy and unhealthy eating consumers in terms of demographic, psychographic and communicative variables. Data from 3,388 respondents to the 1999 DDB Needham Life Style Study were analyzed. The results show the healthy eaters to be environmentally conscious and health-oriented, suggesting an underlying theme of personal and social responsibility. The communicative activities of healthy eaters demonstrate an information orientation while unhealthy eaters are more entertainment oriented. Practical and social implications are discussed for social marketers regarding target segmentation and message design.

Fast-food outlets and grocery stores near school and adolescents' eating habits and overweight in Finland.

PubMed

Virtanen, Marianna; Kivimäki, Hanne; Ervasti, Jenni; Oksanen, Tuula; Pentti, Jaana; Kouvonen, Anne; Halonen, Jaana I; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi

2015-08-01

Environmental factors may affect adolescents' eating habits and thereby body weight. However, the contribution of school neighbourhood environment is poorly understood. This study examined the association between proximity of a fast-food outlet or grocery store to school and adolescents' eating habits and overweight. Participants were 23 182 adolescents (mean age 15 years) who responded to a classroom survey in 181 lower secondary schools in Finland (2008-09). School location was linked to data on distance from school to the nearest fast-food outlet or grocery store (≤100 m, 101-500 m, >500 m) using global positioning system-coordinate databases. Outcomes were irregular eating habits (skipping breakfast, skipping free school lunch, skipping free school-provided snacks and not having family dinners), the accumulation of these habits and overweight, including obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m(2)). Thirteen percentage of the participants were overweight. Having a fast-food outlet or grocery store near school was associated with skipping often breakfast and free school lunch, and the accumulation of irregular eating habits. The proximity of a fast-food outlet or grocery store was associated with a 1.25-fold (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.52) risk of overweight among adolescent with a low socioeconomic status but not among those with higher socioeconomic status. This association was partly (12%) explained by the accumulation of irregular eating habits. Among adolescents from low socioeconomic background, the presence of fast-food retailers near schools is associated with accumulation of irregular eating habits and greater overweight. These findings suggest that obesogenic school neighbourhoods may contribute to social inequalities in overweight. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

ERICA: prevalence of healthy eating habits among Brazilian adolescents

PubMed Central

Barufaldi, Laura Augusta; Abreu, Gabriela de Azevedo; Oliveira, Juliana Souza; dos Santos, Debora França; Fujimori, Elizabeth; Vasconcelos, Sandra Mary Lima; de Vasconcelos, Francisco de Assis Guedes; Tavares, Bruno Mendes

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of eating habits considered healthy in adolescents according to sex, age, education level of the mother, school type, session of study, and geographic region. METHODS The assessed data come from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a cross-sectional, national and school-based study. Adolescents of 1,247 schools of 124 Brazilian municipalities were evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire with a section on aspects related to eating behaviors. The following eating behaviors were considered healthy: consuming breakfast, drinking water, and having meals accompanied by parents or legal guardians. All prevalence estimates were presented proportionally, with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in healthy eating habits prevalences according to other variables. The module survey of the Stata program version 13.0 was used to analyze complex data. RESULTS We evaluated 74,589 adolescents (72.9% of the eligible students). Of these, 55.2% were female, average age being 14.6 years (SD = 1.6). Among Brazilian adolescents, approximately half of them showed healthy eating habits when consuming breakfast, drinking five or more glasses of water a day, and having meals with parents or legal guardians. All analyzed healthy eating habits showed statistically significant differences by sex, age, type of school, session of study, or geographic region . CONCLUSIONS We suggest that specific actions of intersectoral approach are implemented for the dissemination of the benefits of healthy eating habits. Older female adolescents (15 to 17 years old) who studied in public schools, resided in the Southeast region, and whose mothers had lower education levels, should be the focus of these actions since they present lower frequencies concerning the evaluated healthy habits. PMID:26910548

ERICA: prevalence of healthy eating habits among Brazilian adolescents.

PubMed

Barufaldi, Laura Augusta; Abreu, Gabriela de Azevedo; Oliveira, Juliana Souza; dos Santos, Debora França; Fujimori, Elizabeth; Vasconcelos, Sandra Mary Lima; de Vasconcelos, Francisco de Assis Guedes; Tavares, Bruno Mendes

2016-02-01

OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of eating habits considered healthy in adolescents according to sex, age, education level of the mother, school type, session of study, and geographic region. METHODS The assessed data come from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a cross-sectional, national and school-based study. Adolescents of 1,247 schools of 124 Brazilian municipalities were evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire with a section on aspects related to eating behaviors. The following eating behaviors were considered healthy: consuming breakfast, drinking water, and having meals accompanied by parents or legal guardians. All prevalence estimates were presented proportionally, with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in healthy eating habits prevalences according to other variables. The module survey of the Stata program version 13.0 was used to analyze complex data. RESULTS We evaluated 74,589 adolescents (72.9% of the eligible students). Of these, 55.2% were female, average age being 14.6 years (SD = 1.6). Among Brazilian adolescents, approximately half of them showed healthy eating habits when consuming breakfast, drinking five or more glasses of water a day, and having meals with parents or legal guardians. All analyzed healthy eating habits showed statistically significant differences by sex, age, type of school, session of study, or geographic region . CONCLUSIONS We suggest that specific actions of intersectoral approach are implemented for the dissemination of the benefits of healthy eating habits. Older female adolescents (15 to 17 years old) who studied in public schools, resided in the Southeast region, and whose mothers had lower education levels, should be the focus of these actions since they present lower frequencies concerning the evaluated healthy habits.

Television food advertising directed towards Bulgarian children.

PubMed

Galcheva, S V; Iotova, V M; Stratev, V K

2008-10-01

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem worldwide with a prevalence rising to epidemic proportions. Television viewing is suspected as an important contributor and along with food advertisements significantly influence children's unhealthy dietary habits, purchase requests and adiposity. To examine the exposure of Bulgarian children to television food advertising and to make a content analysis of the food/beverage advertisements during children's television programmes. 41.5 h of children's television programming on three national networks, were videotaped. All recorded food advertisements were evaluated to identify the marketing strategies used for the stimulation of children's purchase requests. Food/beverage advertisements accounted for 124 (33.4%) of all commercials, with 96.8% being for unhealthy foods. 57% of them were aimed specifically at children as the most advertised products were salty/sweetened snacks and cereals, sweets, soft drinks/carbohydrate juices and salty foods, with no fruit or vegetable commercials. Food advertisements used more themes of adventure, animation, music and gifts to attract children's attention, and gave information based on the product's taste, physical qualities, novelty, presence of premiums/prizes. Of all food/beverage advertisements, 27.4% contained health-related information about the products; three-quarters of the advertisements were shot with young normal-weight actors with a good/healthy appearance. Almost all recorded food advertisements do not support the Bulgarian dietary recommendations for healthy and balanced eating. More activities to reduce the unhealthy food promotion to children are mandatory as restrictions by type of advertised food, target group or limits on the advertisements' account and times shown, as well as parental/self-regulation.

[Eating habits in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and associated factors in elderly hypertensive individuals].

PubMed

Gadenz, Sabrina Dalbosco; Benvegnú, Luís Antônio

2013-12-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the elderly. In this study, healthy eating habits and associated factors in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in elderly hypertensive individuals were identified. It involved a cross-sectional study gathering primary data in a family health unit in a city in the interior of the state of Rio Grande do Sul and 212 elderly hypertensive individuals participated in the study. A higher prevalence among the lower age bracket of elderly individuals, female, with little schooling and low income was revealed. Healthy eating habits among the elderly hypertensive individuals assessed are below those recommended in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Social and economic factors, health characteristics and the use of health services influenced the adoption of healthy eating habits. The results of this study suggest that elderly hypertensive individuals find it difficult to adopt healthy eating habits. This contributes further to the definition of strategies for routine prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases in the elderly.

Nutritional habits in Italian university students.

PubMed

Teleman, Adele Anna; de Waure, Chiara; Soffiani, Valentina; Poscia, Andrea; Di Pietro, Maria Luisa

2015-01-01

Dietary habits have been indicated by research as key elements in both disease pathogenesis and prevention and health promotion. We analyzed data collected from Italian university students regarding consumption of fruits, vegetables, fast-foods, sweets, energizing drinks, and coffee, average number of eating episodes per day and regularity of breakfast habits. 44% of the university student population eats in average at least 1 portion of fruit per day. 22.5% eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day. 8.5% eats in average 5 times per day with 48.6% declaring an average of 3 eating episodes per day. 11.3% consumes eccessive amounts of caffeine. 49.1% of the females reaches the recommended consumption of fruit, compared to only 33.8% of males (p < 0.05). 27.7% of females eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day, compared to 12.0% of males (p < 0.05). Eccessive coffee drinkers pass from 8.9% in the 18-21 age group to 16% in the 25-30 year old age group (p < 0.05). This study showed that the eating habits of young adults do not follow national recommendations. Less than 50% of university students eats at least 1 portion of fruit per day and less than 1 out of 4 eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day. Less than 10% of the students eats in average 5 times per day and more than 1 out of 3 does not have breakfast regularly every morning. Interventions targeting university students are required in order to increase their knowledge on healthy eating habits and to ameliorate their dietary behaviours.

Occupational Disparities in the Association between Self-Reported Salt-Eating Habit and Hypertension in Older Adults in Xiamen, China

PubMed Central

Yuan, Manqiong; Chen, Wei; Teng, Bogang; Fang, Ya

2016-01-01

Blood pressure responses to sodium intake are heterogeneous among populations. Few studies have assessed occupational disparities in the association between sodium intake and hypertension in older people. We used cross-sectional data from 14,292 participants aged 60 years or older in Xiamen, China, in 2013. Self-reported salt-eating habit was examined with three levels: low, medium, and high. The main lifetime occupation was classified into indoor laborer and outdoor laborer. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations of hypertension with self-reported salt-eating habit, main lifetime occupation, and their interactions by adjusting for some covariates, with further stratification by sex. Overall, 13,738 participants had complete data, of whom 30.22% had hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension was 31.57%, 28.63%, and 31.97% in participants who reported to have low, medium, and high salt-eating habit, respectively. Outdoor laborers presented significantly lower prevalence of hypertension than indoor laborers (26.04% vs. 34.26%, p < 0.001). Indoor laborers with high salt-eating habit had the greatest odds of hypertension (OR = 1.32, 95% CI [1.09–1.59]). An increased trend of odds in eating habit as salt-heavier was presented in indoor laborers (p-trend = 0.048), especially for women (p-trend = 0.001). No clear trend presented in men. Conclusively, sex-specific occupational disparities exist in the association between self-reported salt-eating habit and hypertension in older individuals. Overlooking the potential moderating role of sex and occupation might affect the relationship between sodium intake and hypertension. PMID:26805865

Uncontrolled eating in adolescents: The role of impulsivity and automatic approach bias for food.

PubMed

Booth, Charlotte; Spronk, Desiree; Grol, Maud; Fox, Elaine

2018-01-01

Obesity is a global problem reaching epidemic proportions and can be explained by unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles. Understanding the psychological processes underlying unhealthy eating behaviour is crucial for the development of effective obesity prevention programmes. Dual-process models implicate the interplay between impaired cognitive control and enhanced automatic responsivity to rewarding food cues as key risk factors. The current study assessed the influence of four different components of trait impulsivity (reflecting impaired cognitive control) and automatic approach bias for food (reflecting automatic responsivity to food) on uncontrolled eating in a large sample (N = 504) of young adolescents. Of the four impulsivity factors, negative urgency was found to be the strongest predictor of uncontrolled eating. Interestingly, we found that lack of premeditation was a key risk factor for uncontrolled eating, but only when approach bias for food was high, supporting a dual-process model. Lack of perseverance showed a similar interactive pattern to a lesser degree and sensation-seeking did not predict uncontrolled eating. Together, our results show that distinct components of trait impulsivity are differentially associated with uncontrolled eating behaviour in adolescents, and that automatic processing of food cues may be an important factor in modulating this relationship. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Unhealthy lifestyle in early psychoses: the role of life stress and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

PubMed

Manzanares, Núria; Monseny, Rosa; Ortega, Laura; Montalvo, Itziar; Franch, Joan; Gutiérrez-Zotes, Alfonso; Reynolds, Rebecca M; Walker, Brian R; Vilella, Elisabet; Labad, Javier

2014-01-01

An unhealthy lifestyle is thought to contribute to the metabolic syndrome in subjects with psychoses. In the present study we aimed to study whether life stress or cortisol measures may influence dietary patterns in subjects with early stages of psychoses. We studied 81 subjects with early psychoses (65 subjects with a psychotic disorder [PD] and <5 years of illness; 16 subjects at risk for psychosis [high-risk, HR]) and a control group of 25 healthy subjects (HS). Dietary habits were examined by a dietician, who registered food intake (24h recall). Physical activity was assessed by validated questionnaire. Life stress was assessed with Holmes-Rahe Social Readjustment Scale. Fasting morning salivary and plasma cortisol levels were determined. We found that PD and HR reported an unhealthier lifestyle with more smoking, reduced physical activity and poorer dietary habits. HR reported increased intake of calories and saturated fatty acids and reduced protein consumption, when compared to HS. Life stress was a predictor of these adverse behaviours, although we found opposite associations in HR and PD. Life stress was associated with increased intake of refined sugar in PD and decreased intake in HR and HS. Salivary cortisol was related to increased intake of saturated fat only in HR subjects, but cortisol levels in plasma or saliva were not associated with other dietary habits or obesity measures (BMI, waist circumference). Our study suggests that unhealthy diet in early psychoses is influenced by stress, but our data do not support this effect being mediated by hypercortisolism. Future preventive interventions in psychosis may target dietary habits, particularly for those who are at risk for psychosis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Neighbourhood deprivation and community nutrition environment: associations between the social and built environment and food availability].

PubMed

Latawitz, Toni; Spielau, Ulrike; Lipek, Tobias; Gausche, Ruth; Lück, Martina; Kiess, Wieland; Grande, Gesine; Igel, Ulrike

2018-05-16

Eating habits are influenced by individual socioeconomic status (SES). As the association between neighbourhood characteristics and food availability is still unclear, we investigated the community nutrition environment in different neighbourhoods. Using official data of the city of Leipzig, we selected three neighbourhoods which differed in terms of their social (2 deprived vs. 1 affluent) and built (1 large housing estates vs. 2 historic buildings) environment. Data on food outlets were assessed via direct observation (ground truthing). Social and residential environment characteristics are associated with food availability. The proportion of fast food outlets is higher in deprived neighbourhoods compared to the affluent one (25%, 30.4% vs. 13.5%). Neighbourhoods with historic buildings offer a greater variety of food outlets. The greater availability of unhealthy food may contribute to the development of obesity. Preventive measures should consider the physical and social environment. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Eat less and exercise more - is it really enough to knock down the obesity pandemia?

PubMed

Hubácek, J A

2009-01-01

Reduced physical activity and abundant energy intake are two most common factors leading to uncontrolled body weight gain. But these factors are not under entire internal consciousness control; they are also partially genetically determined and are affected by for example food marketing practices. In addition to these two widely accepted factors, there are some other factors, whose could also contribute to the recent increase of obesity prevalence. For example, non-exercise activity thermogenesis, sleeping habits, more stable inside room temperatures (using of heating and air conditioning), high prescription of medications with weight gain as side effect, psychosocial factors, unfavourable socioeconomic status and unpleasant urban environment are the background factors which should not be omitted if obesity/BMI determination should be fully understood and kept under control. In conclusion, unhealthy life style is necessary, but not sufficient for obesity development.

Why did I get cancer? Perceptions of childhood cancer survivors in Korea.

PubMed

Yi, Jaehee; Kim, Min Ah; Parsons, Bridget G; Wu, Yelena P

2018-04-01

This study explored whether and how childhood cancer survivors in Korea ask and resolve the question of what may have caused their cancer. Thirty-one childhood cancer survivors participated in in-depth interviews about their self-questioning process in this regard. The findings indicate that Korean childhood cancer survivors pondered this question alone due to the stigma attached to cancer in the family and society. Their answers included internal factors (doing "bad things," having unhealthy eating habits, engaging in magical thinking, having a stress-prone personality, or having a biological susceptibility) or external factors (stressors, random events, the environment, or medical conditions). How they perceived the cause of cancer had an impact on aspects of their current lives. Psychosocial care standards or guidelines are needed in regard to the provision of a safe environment in which Korean cancer survivors and their parents can share their perceptions and process their thoughts.

Adolescents' food preferences in china: do household living arrangements matter?

PubMed

Deng, Suo

2011-01-01

Family circumstance has long been considered one important factor that shapes children's eating habits including preferences for particular foods. However, less scholarly efforts have been devoted to understanding children's food preferences in extended family households. Drawn on data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2006 (n = 662), this exploratory study compares food preferences of adolescents living in extended families with those residing in nuclear families. T-test results show that adolescents living in extended families (n = 202) had unhealthier food preferences compared with those living in nuclear families (n = 460). They showed more liking for fast food, salted snack food, and sugared drinks, and less liking for vegetables and fruits. Regression results present that controlling for other relevant variables, household structure was significantly associated with adolescents' food preferences (p < .01). These results, albeit exploratory, shed light on possible nutritional education and intervention in the cultural context of China.

Social Norms Shift Preferences for Healthy and Unhealthy Foods

PubMed Central

Templeton, Emma M.; Stanton, Michael V.; Zaki, Jamil

2016-01-01

This research investigated whether people change their food preferences and eating behavior in response to health-based social norms. One hundred twenty participants rated a series of healthy and unhealthy food images. After each rating, participants sometimes viewed a rating that ostensibly represented the average rating of previous participants. In fact, these average ratings were manipulated to convey a particular social norm. Participants either saw average ratings that favored healthy foods, favored unhealthy foods, or did not see any average ratings. Participants then re-rated those same food images after approximately ten minutes and again three days later. After the norm manipulation, participants were given the chance to take as many M&Ms as they wanted. Participants exposed to a healthy social norm consistently reported lower preferences for unhealthy foods as compared to participants in the other two conditions. This preference difference persisted three days after the social norm manipulation. However, health-based social norm manipulations did not influence the amount of M&Ms participants took. Although health-based social norm manipulations can influence stated food preferences, in this case they did not influence subsequent eating behavior. PMID:27861518

Dietary habits and life style among the students of a private medical university Karachi.

PubMed

Nisar, Nighat; Qadri, Majid Hafeez; Fatima, Kiran; Perveen, Shakeela

2008-12-01

To determine the dietary habits and life style of the students of a private medical university in Karachi. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Baqai Medical University, from August 2005 to September 2005. A total of 384 medical students from the batches of 2002 to 2005 participated in this study. A pre-tested semi structured questionnaire was self administered to the students after taking their consent. The data included socio-demographic characteristics, life style, exercise, dietary habits and family history of diabetes mellitus. The collected data was analyzed by statistical program SPSS version 11. Out of the total participants, 53.4% were male and 46.6% were female students. The mean age was 20 +/- 1.58 years. The average income of the household of students was 50,000 Pakistani rupees per month. Only 7% students were tobacco users. About 33% students had a history of diabetes mellitus among their parents. Nearly 97% reported consumption of junk food while 60% reported use of whole grain food in their diet. Seventy percent students walked 30 minutes and 47% exercised daily. According to the body mass index, 58.3% students were of normal weight and 41.7% were overweight. No significant difference was found among male and female students when dietary habits and life style were compared by sex. Junk food and soft-drink consumption was associated with being overweight. Eating whole grain food and doing exercise showed a protective association against overweight. Unhealthy lifestyle and poor dietary habits were highly prevalent in the overweight study population. Type-2 diabetes mellitus was common among parents and grandparents of the students making them prone to this disorder. Our study concluded that dietary and exercise counselling is necessary as a preventive strategy.

Dietary habits and life style among the students of a private medical university Karachi.

PubMed

Nisar, Nighat; Qadri, Majid Hafeez; Fatima, Kiran; Perveen, Shakeela

2009-02-01

To determine the dietary habits and life style of the students of a private medical university in Karachi. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Baqai Medical University, from August 2005 to September 2005. A total of 384 medical students from the batches of 2002 to 2005 participated in this study. A pre-tested semi structured questionnaire was self administered to the students after taking their consent. The data included sociodemographic characteristics, life style, exercise, dietary habits and family history of diabetes mellitus. The collected data was analyzed by statistical program SPSS version 11. Out of the total participants, 53.4% were male and 46.6% were female students. The mean age was 20 +/- 1.58 years. The average income of the household of students was 50,000 Pakistani rupees per month. Only 7% students were tobacco users. About 33% students had a history of diabetes mellitus among their parents. Nearly ninety-seven percent reported consumption of junk food while 60% reported use of whole grain food in their diet. Seventy percent students walked 30 minutes and 47% exercised daily. According to the body mass index, 58.3% students were of normal weight and 41.7% were overweight. No significant difference was found among male and female students when dietary habits and life style were compared by sex. Junk food and soft-drink consumption was associated with being overweight. Eating whole grain food and doing exercise showed a protective association against overweight. Unhealthy lifestyle and poor dietary habits were highly prevalent in the overweight study population. Type-2 diabetes mellitus was common among parents and grandparents of the students making them prone to this disorder. Our study concluded that dietary and exercise counselling is necessary as a preventive strategy.

Healthy Eating Habits among the Population of Serbia: Gender and Age Differences

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to examine healthy eating habits of the population of Serbia through three dimensions: knowledge, problems, and feelings as well as to determine whether there are any differences between genders and among different age-groups. The research instrument was an Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ) which consisted of 35 items. There were 382 respondents involved in the study. The reliability and factor structure of the questionnaire were verified by using factor analysis. The results of MANOVA showed that there is a significant difference in the habits concerning healthy eating between men and women [F (3,378)=4.26, p=0.006; Wilks’ Lambda=0.97]. When the results for the dependent variables (knowledge, problems, and feelings) were considered separately, it was determined that there is no significant difference between men and women, which confirms the results of the t-test. The effect of age on the three dimensions of healthy eating habits was examined within three age-groups, by using ANOVA. The results showed that knowledge about healthy eating increases with age [F (2,379)=6.14, p=0.002] as well as positive feelings which occur as a result of healthy eating [F (2,379)=3.66, p=0.027]. Unlike ANOVA, MANOVA showed difference among the age-groups only when it came to the ‘knowledge’ variable. This study is important as it shows the current state of awareness on healthy eating habits in the researched populace and may be the basis for further research in this field in Serbia. PMID:25995724

Integrating nutrition education into the cardiovascular curriculum changes eating habits of second-year medical students.

PubMed

Vargas, Eric J; Zelis, Robert

2014-01-01

Survey of medical curricula continues to show that nutrition education is not universally adequate. One measure of nutritional educational competence is a positive change in student eating habits. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether integrating nutrition education within the second-year cardiovascular course for medical students, using the "Rate Your Plate" (RYP) questionnaire, coupled with knowledge of student personal 30-year risk of a cardiovascular event was useful in changing students' eating behaviors. Thirty-two students completed an unpublished 24-item questionnaire (modified-RYP) about their eating habits in the spring of their first year. The same students then completed the questionnaire in the spring of their second year. Paired t test was used to analyze the difference in RYP scores. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for the Framingham 30-year cardiovascular event risk and change in RYP score to examine whether risk knowledge may have changed eating habits. Mean scores at baseline and 1 year later were 57.19 and 58.97, respectively (paired t test, P < .01). Correlation coefficient between 30-year relative risk, adjusted for family history, and change in RYP score was -0.322. Although medical students were eating healthy at baseline, integration of nutrition education within the second-year cardiovascular medical curriculum was associated with improved heart healthy eating habits. Because student attitudes about prevention counseling are influenced by personal eating habits, this suggests that students with a more healthy diet will be more likely to recommend the same for their patients. Copyright © 2014 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Healthy eating habits among the population of Serbia: gender and age differences.

PubMed

Jovičić, Ana Đ

2015-03-01

The purpose of the study is to examine healthy eating habits of the population of Serbia through three dimensions: knowledge, problems, and feelings as well as to determine whether there are any differences between genders and among different age-groups. The research instrument was an Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ) which consisted of 35 items. There were 382 respondents involved in the study. The reliability and factor structure of the questionnaire were verified by using factor analysis. The results of MANOVA showed that there is a significant difference in the habits concerning healthy eating between men and women [F (3,378)=4.26, p=0.006; Wilks' Lambda=0.97]. When the results for the dependent variables (knowledge, problems, and feelings) were considered separately, it was determined that there is no significant difference between men and women, which confirms the results of the t-test. The effect of age on the three dimensions of healthy eating habits was examined within three age-groups, by using ANOVA. The results showed that knowledge about healthy eating increases with age [F (2,379)=6.14, p=0.002] as well as positive feelings which occur as a result of healthy eating [F (2,379)=3.66, p=0.027]. Unlike ANOVA, MANOVA showed difference among the age-groups only when it came to the 'knowledge' variable. This study is important as it shows the current state of awareness on healthy eating habits in the researched populace and may be the basis for further research in this field in Serbia.

[The auto-addictive hypothesis of pathological eating disorders].

PubMed

Lienard, Yasmine; Vamecq, Joseph

2004-10-23

The pathogenic role of self-addiction. Addiction to an endogenous chemical is a new paradigm termed 'self-addiction'. It may contribute to the development of certain habits, the pathological nature of which may set-in on the basis of this "self-addictive"dimension. Pathological eating habits could be inscribed in this perspective. Two extreme situations. In well-fed populations, the ingestion of food does not represent a limiting phase in the global feeding process. Its pathological management may, however, lead to two extreme situations: the absence of ingestion (anorexia) and excessive ingestion (bulimia). In favour of the self-addictive hypothesis. Eating disorders are associated with abnormal levels of endorphins and share clinical similarities with psychoactive drug abuse. The key role of endorphins has recently been demonstrated in animals with regard to certain aspects of normal, pathological and experimental eating habits (food restriction combined with stress, locomotor hyperactivity). The factors leading to pathological eating habits. Neurobiological bases for eating disorders and their durability have recently come to light in the recent implication of abnormalities in the recompense system in the onset of addiction. The endorphin self-addictive model in fact appears the most pertinent with regard to the clinical profile of eating habits and integrates the role of stress.

Irregular eating of meals in adolescence and the metabolic syndrome in adulthood: results from a 27-year prospective cohort.

PubMed

Wennberg, Maria; Gustafsson, Per E; Wennberg, Patrik; Hammarström, Anne

2016-03-01

The objective was to investigate whether irregular eating of meals in adolescence predicts the metabolic syndrome and its components in adulthood, and if any specific meal is of particular importance. Prospective cohort study with 27 years of follow-up. Information on meals (breakfast, school lunch and dinner with family), lifestyle (alcohol consumption, smoking habits, physical activity, consumption of sweets and pastries) at age 16 years was assessed from questionnaires, and presence or not of the metabolic syndrome and its components were defined at age 43 years in 889 participants (82·1% of total cohort). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals. The Northern Swedish Cohort; all school-leavers of the 9th grade in the town Luleå in 1981. Adolescents (age 16 years). Irregular eating of meals at age 16 years was associated with higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome at age 43 years (OR=1·74; 95% CI 1·12, 2·71), but this was explained by concurrent unhealthy lifestyle at age 16 years. Poor breakfast at age 16 years was the only meal associated with the metabolic syndrome at age 43 years, independent of other meals, BMI (kg/m2) and lifestyle at age 16 years (OR=1·67; 95% CI 1·00, 2·80). Irregular eating of meals in adolescence predicted the metabolic syndrome in adulthood, but not independently of BMI and lifestyle in adolescence. Poor breakfast in adolescence was the only specific meal associated with future metabolic syndrome, even after adjustments. Breakfast eating should be encouraged in adolescence.

Eating Disorders: A Problem in Athletics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burckes-Miller, Mardie E.; Black, David R.

1988-01-01

A review of research regarding athletes' eating habits suggests that they may practice eating disorder habits and poor weight management behaviors as well as have poor attitudes and knowledge regarding nutrition, indicating their immediate need for appropriate education about the possible detrimental effects of such practices. (CB)

Salad Daze.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Rebecca

1996-01-01

Some young people refuse to eat anything that once had a face. Since a vegetarian child can make food choices just as unhealthy as those of a meat-eating child, nutritionists recommend that school food-service directors adapt traditional nutritional foods that children like to a vegetarian menu. (MLF)

[Eating habits of patients with severe obesity].

PubMed

Reséndiz Barragán, Aída Monserrat; Hernández Altamirano, Sheila Viridiana; Sierra Murguía, Mariana Alejandra; Torres Tamayo, Margarita

2014-11-30

Severe obesity is a health problem that has medical, emotional and economic consequences. The etiology of severe obesity is multifactorial; however, it is known that the eating habits represent a major factor in the development of this disease. This study aimed to identify eating patterns and specific habits that need to be changed to achieve weight loss. An observational, descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study with 250 candidates for bariatric surgery, 79.2% women and 20.8% men aged 37.7 ± 10.2 years and 44.3 ± 7.7 kg/m2 BMI patients was performed. It was found that "drinking water", "eat faster than most people", "leave the plate empty", "have long fasts", "sweet cravings", and "drinking soda" were the most common habits in patients with severe obesity. The existence of significant differences between the habits of men and women and between BMI strata or groups are also discussed. "Snacking" and "eat until you feel uncomfortable" were significantly different between men and women and "eat by yourself because you feel ashamed of eating with others" was significant between BMI strata. It was concluded that it is important that the treatment of these patients includes assessment techniques and behavior modification aimed at these habits. It is recommended to include in future studies patients with normal weight and overweight as well as the use of instruments with adequate psychometric properties. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Taste at first (person) sight: Visual perspective modulates brain activity implicitly associated with viewing unhealthy but not healthy foods.

PubMed

Basso, Frédéric; Petit, Olivia; Le Bellu, Sophie; Lahlou, Saadi; Cancel, Aïda; Anton, Jean-Luc

2018-06-12

Every day, people are exposed to images of appetizing foods that can lead to high-calorie intake and contribute to overweight and obesity. Research has documented that manipulating the visual perspective from which eating is viewed helps resist temptation by altering the appraisal of unhealthy foods. However, the neural basis of this effect has not yet been examined using neuroimaging methods. Moreover, it is not known whether the benefits of this strategy can be observed when people, especially overweight, are not explicitly asked to imagine themselves eating. Last, it remains to be investigated if visual perspective could be used to promote healthy foods. The present work manipulated camera angles and tested whether visual perspective modulates activity in brain regions associated with taste and reward processing while participants watch videos featuring a hand grasping (unhealthy or healthy) foods from a plate during functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI). The plate was filmed from the perspective of the participant (first-person perspective; 1PP), or from a frontal view as if watching someone else eating (third-person perspective; 3PP). Our findings reveal that merely viewing unhealthy food cues from a 1PP (vs. 3PP) increases activity in brain regions that underlie representations of rewarding (appetitive) experiences (amygdala) and food intake (superior parietal gyrus). Additionally, our results show that ventral striatal activity is positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) during exposure to unhealthy foods from a 1PP (vs. 3PP). These findings suggest that unhealthy foods should be promoted through third-person (video) images to weaken the reward associated with their simulated consumption, especially amongst overweight people. It appears however that, as such, manipulating visual perspective fails to enhance the perception of healthy foods. Their promotion thus requires complementary solutions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An association between the internalization of body image, depressive symptoms and restrictive eating habits among young males.

PubMed

Fortes, Leonardo de Sousa; Meireles, Juliana Fernandes Filgueiras; Paes, Santiago Tavares; Dias, Fernanda Coelho; Cipriani, Flávia Marcele; Ferreira, Maria Elisa Caputo

2015-11-01

The scope of this study was to analyze the relationship between the internalization of body image and depressive symptoms with restrictive eating habits among young males. Three hundred and eighty-three male adolescents, aged between twelve and seventeen, took part in this survey. The "Overall Internalization" and "Athletic Internalization" sub-scales taken from the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) were used to evaluate the internalization of body images. The Major Depression Inventory (MDI) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms. The "Diet" sub-scale from the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used to evaluate restrictive eating habits. The logistic regression findings indicated 2.01 times greater chances of youngsters with a high level of overall internalization adopting restrictive eating habits (Wald = 6.16; p = 0.01) when compared with those with low levels. On the other hand, the regression model found no significant association between "Athletic Internalization" (Wald = 1.16; p = 0.23) and depressive symptoms (Wald = 0.81; p = 0.35) with eating restrictions. The findings made it possible to conclude that only overall internalization was related to eating restrictions among young males.

Unhealthy diet practice and symptoms of stress and depression among adolescents in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia.

PubMed

Tajik, Esra; Latiffah, Abd Latiff; Awang, Hamidin; Siti Nur'Asyura, Adznam; Chin, Yit Siew; Azrin Shah, Abu Bakar; Patricia Koh, Chai Hsia; Mohd Izudin Hariz, Che Ghazali

2016-01-01

Missing main meals and an unhealthy snacking pattern can lead to poor diet quality and consequently to the presence of chronic diseases among which mental disorder is no exception. Since there is little research on diet, skipping meals and psychological status in Asian countries, this study tries to determine eating behaviour and predicting symptoms of stress and depression of adolescents in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Form 1 secondary school-going adolescents (n 1565, response rate: 90%) in southern Malaysia from April to May 2013. A self-administered structured and validated questionnaire (socio-demographic, eating behaviour questionnaire, and depression, anxiety and stress scales (DASS-21)) was used for data collection. Among respondents, 803 (51.3%) were female, 1125 were Malay (71.9%) with a mean age of 13.7 (SD=0.8) years. Logistic regression analysis indicated that students who were underweight (OR=3.07, 95% CI 1.21, 7.76), obese (OR=2.64, 95% CI 1.01, 6.87), used to eat out of home (OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.28, 2.13), eat dinner (>4 days/week) (OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.04, 2.43) were more likely to have depression or stress symptoms. Moreover, participants with 4-7 days/week eating breakfast (OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.21, 0.89) were less likely to be at mild/moderate stress. Findings underscore the effect of unhealthy eating practices among adolescents on mental health. Targeted education should be implemented to improve psychological well-being. Copyright © 2015 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social interactions of eating behaviour among high school students: a cellular automata approach

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents is a global epidemic posing problems for both developed and developing nations. The prevalence is particularly alarming in developed nations, such as the United States, where approximately one in three school-aged adolescents (ages 12-19) are overweight or obese. Evidence suggests that weight gain in school-aged adolescents is related to energy imbalance exacerbated by the negative aspects of the school food environment, such as presence of unhealthy food choices. While a well-established connection exists between the food environment, presently there is a lack of studies investigating the impact of the social environment and associated interactions of school-age adolescents. This paper uses a mathematical modelling approach to explore how social interactions among high school adolescents can affect their eating behaviour and food choice. Methods In this paper we use a Cellular Automata (CA) modelling approach to explore how social interactions among school-age adolescents can affect eating behaviour, and food choice. Our CA model integrates social influences and transition rules to simulate the way individuals would interact in a social community (e.g., school cafeteria). To replicate these social interactions, we chose the Moore neighbourhood which allows all neighbours (eights cells in a two-dimensional square lattice) to influence the central cell. Our assumption is that individuals belong to any of four states; Bring Healthy, Bring Unhealthy, Purchase Healthy, and Purchase Unhealthy, and will influence each other according to parameter settings and transition rules. Simulations were run to explore how the different states interact under varying parameter settings. Results This study, through simulations, illustrates that students will change their eating behaviour from unhealthy to healthy as a result of positive social and environmental influences. In general, there is one common characteristic of changes across time; students with similar eating behaviours tend to form groups, represented by distinct clusters. Transition of healthy and unhealthy eating behaviour is non-linear and a sharp change is observed around a critical point where positive and negative influences are equal. Conclusions Conceptualizing the social environment of individuals is a crucial step to increasing our understanding of obesogenic environments of high-school students, and moreover, the general population. Incorporating both contextual, and individual determinants found in real datasets, in our model will greatly enhance calibration of future models. Complex mathematical modelling has a potential to contribute to the way public health data is collected and analyzed. PMID:23046793

Social physique anxiety and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors in adolescents: moderating effects of sport, sport-related characteristics, and gender.

PubMed

Lanfranchi, Marie-Christine; Maïano, Christophe; Morin, Alexandre J S; Therme, Pierre

2015-02-01

The involvement of adolescents presenting high levels of social physique anxiety (SPA) in sport practice has been hypothesized as potentially problematic in terms of being associated with disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors (DEAB). Indeed, sport practice itself has been reported to be associated with higher levels of SPA and DEAB, and sport settings may sometimes promote unhealthy life habits. Nevertheless, current studies are few and present several limitations. The objective of the present study was to examine these relationships among adolescents involved or not in various types (i.e., leanness and individual) and contexts (i.e., organized and competitive) of sport practice. The sample included 766 French adolescents (337 boys and 429 girls), aged between 11 and 18 years, involved (n = 335) or not (n = 431) in sport practice. SPA and DEAB were assessed using French adaptations of the SPA scale and the Eating Attitudes Test-26. The results reveal a significant and positive association between SPA and the DEAB scales. Furthermore, they show a positive relationship between SPA and (a) vomiting-purging behaviors in adolescents involved in individual sports and (b) generic DEAB (i.e., a subscale covering fear of getting fat, food preoccupation, and eating-related guilt), particularly in adolescents involved in individual sports. The relationship between SPA and DEAB does not differ according to adolescents' involvement in sport practice or according to their involvement in organized, competitive, or leanness sport practice more specifically. However, higher levels of SPA and DEAB were observed in adolescents involved in individual sports.

Associations between breakfast eating habits and health-promoting lifestyle, suboptimal health status in Southern China: a population based, cross sectional study.

PubMed

Chen, Jieyu; Cheng, Jingru; Liu, Yanyan; Tang, Yang; Sun, Xiaomin; Wang, Tian; Xiao, Ya; Li, Fei; Xiang, Lei; Jiang, Pingping; Wu, Shengwei; Wu, Liuguo; Luo, Ren; Zhao, Xiaoshan

2014-12-11

Suboptimal health status (SHS) is the intermediate health state between health and disease, refers to medically undiagnosed or functional somatic syndromes, and has been a major global public health challenge. However, both the etiology and mechanisms associated with SHS are still unclear. Breakfast eating behavior is a dietary pattern marker and previous studies have presented evidence of associations between failure to consume breakfast and increased diseases. Accordingly, in view of the significance of breakfast eating behaviors with respect to health status, the associations between breakfast eating habits and healthy lifestyle, SHS require further elucidation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted within a clustered sample of 24,159 individuals aged 12-80 years in 2012-13 within the population of Southern China. Breakfast eating habits were categorically defined by consumption frequency ('scarcely, sometimes or always'). Health-promoting lifestyle was assessed via the health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP-II). SHS was evaluated using the medical examination report and Sub-health Measurement Scale V1.0 (SHMS V1.0). Of the 24,159 participants, the prevalence rates for the 'health' , 'SHS' , and 'disease' were 18.8%, 46.0%, and 35.2%, respectively. Overall, 19.6% of participants reported 'scarce' breakfast eating habits, with frequent breakfast eaters scoring higher on both HPLP-II and SHMS V1.0. After demographic adjustment, regression analyses revealed a significant association between breakfast eating habits and healthy lifestyle (p <0.001). There were lower levels of breakfast consumption regularity amongst individuals with SHS than those with disease. Categorically 'scarce' breakfast eaters were approximately three times more likely to be assigned SHS (OR: 2.745, 95% CI: 2.468-3.053), while infrequent breakfast eaters ('sometimes') were just less than twice as likely to be assessed as being of SHS (OR: 1.731, 95% CI: 1.595-1.879). Breakfast eating habits are significantly associated with a healthy lifestyle, and appear to be a useful predictor of a healthy lifestyle. Irregular breakfast eating habits are related to an increased risk of SHS; increased breakfast eating frequency may contribute to lowering the prevalence of SHS in Southern China.

Impact of different policies on unhealthy dietary behaviors in an urban adult population: an agent-based simulation model.

PubMed

Zhang, Donglan; Giabbanelli, Philippe J; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Zimmerman, Frederick J

2014-07-01

Unhealthy eating is a complex-system problem. We used agent-based modeling to examine the effects of different policies on unhealthy eating behaviors. We developed an agent-based simulation model to represent a synthetic population of adults in Pasadena, CA, and how they make dietary decisions. Data from the 2007 Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey and other empirical studies were used to calibrate the parameters of the model. Simulations were performed to contrast the potential effects of various policies on the evolution of dietary decisions. Our model showed that a 20% increase in taxes on fast foods would lower the probability of fast-food consumption by 3 percentage points, whereas improving the visibility of positive social norms by 10%, either through community-based or mass-media campaigns, could improve the consumption of fruits and vegetables by 7 percentage points and lower fast-food consumption by 6 percentage points. Zoning policies had no significant impact. Interventions emphasizing healthy eating norms may be more effective than directly targeting food prices or regulating local food outlets. Agent-based modeling may be a useful tool for testing the population-level effects of various policies within complex systems.

Alteration in eating habits among shift workers of a poultry processing plant in southern Brazil.

PubMed

de Freitas, Elisângela da Silva; Canuto, Raquel; Henn, Ruth Liane; Olinto, Beatriz Anselmo; Macagnan, Jamile Block Araldi; Pattussi, Marcos Pascoal; Busnello, Fernanda Michelin; Olinto, Maria Teresa Anselmo

2015-08-01

The relationship between shift work and the eatinghabits of workers was investigated in a slaughterhouse in southern Brazil. It involved a cross-sectional study with 1,206 workers of both sexes between 18 and 50 years of age. A standardized questionnaire was used to gather demographic, socioeconomic, work shift and eating habit information. The shift of work was categorized into daytime and nighttime, based on the starting and ending times of the shift. The eating habits of workers were evaluated as follows: number and type of meals eaten during the 24 hours of a normal day, the inappropriateness of the hoursof these meals and the dietaryrisk score. This was built on the risk score of the weekly consumption of 13 food items. After adjusting for potential confounders, non-Caucasian and younger male workers were more likely to manifest eating risk habits. Nighttimeshift workers consumed ahigher number of meals/day with greater inappropriateness of meal times than daytimeshift workers. The night shift can negatively influence the eating habits of workers of that shift.

Quality of diet and food choices of Finnish young men: a sociodemographic and health behaviour approach.

PubMed

Bingham, Clarissa M L; Jallinoja, Piia; Lahti-Koski, Marjaana; Absetz, Pilvikki; Paturi, Merja; Pihlajamäki, Harri; Sahi, Timo; Uutela, Antti

2010-06-01

Eating habits of Finns have improved dramatically in 40 years. The proportion of fat in the diet has decreased and vegetable and fruit consumption increased. Knowledge of Finnish young men's dietary habits is limited. The aim was to assess food choices and quality of diet among young men and to analyse how background and health behaviour factors explain it. In 2007, data on eating habits, sociodemographic background factors and health behaviours of 17-21-year-old men (n 2905) entering military service were collected by self-administrated questionnaire. Two indexes - core food index (CFI) and extra food index (EFI) - were formed to describe daily and redundant snacking-type eating, respectively. Associations of background factors and health behaviours on the indexes were analysed by general linear modelling. In all, 13 % consumed fruits and berries daily and 8 % consumed vegetables, whereas 24 % consumed pizza and 19 % consumed hamburgers more than once a week. CFI increased with educational level (P < 0.001) and was explained by background and health behaviour (smoking, physical activity and eating breakfast). EFI was inversely associated with BMI (P < 0.001) and explained by health behaviour: (smoking, physical activity, drinking beer and eating breakfast). These results indicate that in early adulthood, eating habits cluster with other health behaviours among men. In this age group, education is associated with core food but not with extra food eating habits. Furthermore, seasonal variation is seen in both types of eating. When promoting healthy eating, a distinction between core foods and extra foods by using feasible indexes will be helpful in targeting the efforts.

Pro-eating disorder search patterns: the possible influence of celebrity eating disorder stories in the media.

PubMed

Lewis, Stephen P; Klauninger, Laura; Marcincinova, Ivana

2016-01-01

Pro eating disorder websites often contain celebrity-focused content (e.g., images) used as thinspiration to engage in unhealthy eating disorder behaviours. The current study was conducted to examine whether news media stories covering eating disorder disclosures of celebrities corresponded with increases in Internet searches for pro eating disorder material. Results indicated that search volumes for pro eating disorder terms spiked in the month immediately following such news coverage but only for particularly high-profile celebrities. Hence, there may be utility in providing recovery-oriented resources within the search results for pro-eating disorder Internet searches and within news stories of this nature.

Diet qualities: healthy and unhealthy aspects of diet quality in preschool children.

PubMed

Anderson, Sarah E; Ramsden, Megan; Kaye, Gail

2016-06-01

Diet quality indexes combine the healthy and unhealthy aspects of diet within a single construct, but few studies have evaluated their association. Emerging evidence suggests that predictors differ for the more and less healthy components of children's diets. Our objectives were to determine whether preschool-aged children's frequency of eating healthy foods was inversely related to their intake of unhealthy foods and to determine whether this differed by household income, maternal education, or child race-ethnicity. We analyzed data from a representative sample of 8900 US children (mean age: 52.5 mo) who were born in 2001 and participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. Primary caregivers reported the frequency with which children consumed fruit, vegetables, milk, juice, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), fast food, sweets, and salty snacks in the past week. Response options ranged from none to ≥4 times/d. We created healthy (fruit, vegetables, milk) and unhealthy (SSBs, fast food, sweets, salty snacks) diet scores. Healthy diet behaviors were defined as ≥2 daily servings of fruit, vegetables, and milk. The prevalence of consuming fruit, vegetables, and milk ≥2 times/d (i.e., having 3 healthy diet behaviors) was 18.5%, and a similar proportion (17.6%) of children had none of these healthy behaviors. Contrary to our hypotheses, children with more healthy diet behaviors did not have lower unhealthy diet scores. The intake of healthy foods was not inversely associated with unhealthy foods overall or within any subgroup. Overall, the Spearman rank correlation between healthy and unhealthy diet scores was positive (r = 0.09). From the lowest to the highest strata of household income, these correlations were 0.12, 0.14, 0.14, 0.05, and 0.00, respectively. No evidence was found in US preschool-aged children of an inverse association between eating healthy and unhealthy foods. The implications of combining healthy and unhealthy aspects of diet quality within an overall index should be considered by researchers. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Children's eating behavior, feeding practices of parents and weight problems in early childhood: results from the population-based Generation R Study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Weight problems that arise in the first years of life tend to persist. Behavioral research in this period can provide information on the modifiable etiology of unhealthy weight. The present study aimed to replicate findings from previous small-scale studies by examining whether different aspects of preschooler’s eating behavior and parental feeding practices are associated with body mass index (BMI) and weight status -including underweight, overweight and obesity- in a population sample of preschool children. Methods Cross-sectional data on the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Child Feeding Questionnaire and objectively measured BMI was available for 4987 four-year-olds participating in a population-based cohort in the Netherlands. Results Thirteen percent of the preschoolers had underweight, 8% overweight, and 2% obesity. Higher levels of children’s Food Responsiveness, Enjoyment of Food and parental Restriction were associated with a higher mean BMI independent of measured confounders. Emotional Undereating, Satiety Responsiveness and Fussiness of children as well as parents’ Pressure to Eat were negatively related with children’s BMI. Similar trends were found with BMI categorized into underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity. Part of the association between children’s eating behaviors and BMI was accounted for by parental feeding practices (changes in effect estimates: 20-43%), while children’s eating behaviors in turn explained part of the relation between parental feeding and child BMI (changes in effect estimates: 33-47%). Conclusions This study provides important information by showing how young children’s eating behaviors and parental feeding patterns differ between children with normal weight, underweight and overweight. The high prevalence of under- and overweight among preschoolers suggest prevention interventions targeting unhealthy weights should start early in life. Although longitudinal studies are necessary to ascertain causal directions, efforts to prevent or treat unhealthy child weight might benefit from a focus on changing the behaviors of both children and their parents. PMID:23110748

Healthy Eating Practices: Perceptions, Facilitators, and Barriers Among Youth With Diabetes

PubMed Central

Gellar, Lauren A.; Schrader, Kelly; Nansel, Tonja R.

2008-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of healthy eating by youth with diabetes as well as facilitators of and barriers to healthy eating behavior. Methods One hundred forty youth aged 7 to 16 years with diabetes participated in 18 focus groups. Sample race/ethnicity was 71% white, 18% African American, 6% Hispanic, and 5% other; 69% of the participants were female. Results Healthy eating was defined primarily in terms of eating fruits and vegetables, low fat, low sugar, and eating to keep blood sugar in range. However, there were notable differences in perceptions of healthy eating versus perceptions of eating practices good for diabetes management. Specifically, “free” foods (foods high in fat but low in carbohydrate) were commonly reported as being good for diabetes management. Major barriers to healthy eating included widespread availability of unhealthy foods, preparation time, and social situations. Parental behaviors, including monitoring food choices and positive modeling, were the most commonly reported facilitators of healthy eating. Conclusion Findings suggest that youth with diabetes have a general understanding of healthy eating and face similar barriers and facilitators to healthy eating as nondiabetic children do. However, the diabetes regimen may influence their understanding of healthy eating, sometimes negatively. Diabetes nutrition education sessions should emphasize the connection between healthy eating and both short-and long-term diabetes outcomes, and they should highlight strategies to reduce saturated fat consumption while avoiding excessive carbohydrate consumption. The diabetes educator can play an integral role in promoting healthy dietary practices by facilitating parental involvement, designing action plans for managing social situations, and increasing awareness of healthier alternatives to widely available unhealthy foods. PMID:17684168

Association between Diet and Lifestyle Habits and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Guo, Yu-Bin; Zhuang, Kang-Min; Kuang, Lei; Zhan, Qiang; Wang, Xian-Fei; Liu, Si-De

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Recent papers have highlighted the role of diet and lifestyle habits in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but very few population-based studies have evaluated this association in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between diet and lifestyle habits and IBS. Methods A food frequency and lifestyle habits questionnaire was used to record the diet and lifestyle habits of 78 IBS subjects and 79 healthy subjects. Cross-tabulation analysis and logistic regression were used to reveal any association among lifestyle habits, eating habits, food consumption frequency, and other associated conditions. Results The results from logistic regression analysis indicated that IBS was associated with irregular eating (odds ratio [OR], 3.257), physical inactivity (OR, 3.588), and good quality sleep (OR, 0.132). IBS subjects ate fruit (OR, 3.082) vegetables (OR, 3.778), and legumes (OR, 2.111) and drank tea (OR, 2.221) significantly more frequently than the control subjects. After adjusting for age and sex, irregular eating (OR, 3.963), physical inactivity (OR, 6.297), eating vegetables (OR, 7.904), legumes (OR, 2.674), drinking tea (OR, 3.421) and good quality sleep (OR, 0.054) were independent predictors of IBS. Conclusions This study reveals a possible association between diet and lifestyle habits and IBS. PMID:25266811

Factors related to dietary habits and body mass index among Turkish school children: a Cox's interaction model-based study.

PubMed

Haney, Meryem Ozturk; Erdogan, Semra

2013-06-01

To report a study conducted to describe the determinants of Turkish school-aged children's dietary habits and body mass index. Over the past two decades, children's unhealthy dietary habits and obesity have increased rapidly. Nurses have an essential role in minimizing health-risk behaviours and promoting healthy lifestyles. Using the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior to measure children's dietary habits and body mass index values helps to prepare health-promotion interventions. A descriptive, correlational study. The study was conducted, based on a sample of 420 fifth-grade students and their parents in one city in Turkey. The data were collected during 2007 using a questionnaire designed to assess the dietary habits and anthropometric indices. Data were analysed using quantitative analysis to identify key variables. The girls scored healthier on dietary habits than did the boys. Although dietary self-efficacy was statistically significant as an explanatory variable of dietary habits for both genders, the dietary attitude was the only explanatory variable of dietary habits for the girls. No difference was detected in the prevalence of overweight between boys and girls. Nurses are well-situated to give children dietary self-efficacy improvement, dietary attitude enhancement, and family-centred and school-based intervention programmes to reduce their unhealthy dietary habits. The model guides researchers to identify the background characteristics of children that result in the body mass index. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dietary Habits and Eating Practices and Their Association with Overweight and Obesity in Rural and Urban Black South African Adolescents

PubMed Central

Sedibe, Modiehi Heather; Pisa, Pedro T.; Feeley, Alison B.; Pedro, Titilola M.; Kahn, Kathleen

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate differences/similarities in dietary habits and eating practices between younger and older, rural and urban South African adolescents in specific environments (home, community and school) and their associations with overweight and obesity. Dietary habits, eating practices, and anthropometric measurements were performed on rural (n = 392, mean age = 13 years) and urban (n = 3098, mean age = 14 years) adolescents. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between dietary habits and eating practices, with overweight and obesity risk. Differences in dietary habits and eating practices by gender and by site within the three environments were identified. After adjusting for gender, site, dietary habits, and eating practices within the home, community and school environment, eating the main meal with family some days (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.114–2.835; p ≤ 0.02), eating the main meal with family almost every day (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.106–2.343; p ≤ 0.01), and irregular frequency of consuming breakfast on weekdays (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.007–1.896; p ≤ 0.05) were all associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity. For “Year 15” adolescents, irregular frequency of consuming breakfast on weekends within the home environment (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.099–2.129, p ≤ 0.01), was associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity. For both early- and mid-adolescents, being male (OR = 0.401, 95% CI = 0.299–0.537; p ≤ 0.00; OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.218–0.397; p ≤ 0.00) was associated with reduced risk of overweight and obesity, while residing in a rural setting (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.324–0.924; p ≤ 0.02) was associated with reduced risk of overweight and obesity only among early-adolescents. Only dietary habits and eating practices within the home environment were associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity. PMID:29382137

Mineral decline due to modernization of food habits.

PubMed

Henry, Christiani Jeyakumar; Bi, Xinyan; Lim, Joseph; Lau, Evelyn

2016-01-01

Calcium and other micronutrients are essential for health and well-being. Dairy products are the main sources of calcium in western countries. In most regions of Asia, the consumption of these products is limited due to the lactose intolerance and costs. A major contributor to the micronutrients intake in this region is the consumption of small fish, such as anchovies. Traditionally, dried anchovies are consumed as a whole body. Recently, an increasingly popular method of eating anchovies has been to eat it in a cleaned, eviscerated form. This brief communication highlights how "modernization" of food habits may have unintentional nutritional consequences. A minor change in the dietary habits of eating cleaned anchovies may lead to a reduction in micronutrients intake. This reinforces the need for caution when we modernize our traditional eating habits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adolescents' hypochondriacal fears and beliefs: Relationship with demographic features, psychological distress, well-being and health-related behaviors.

PubMed

Sirri, Laura; Ricci Garotti, Maria Grazia; Grandi, Silvana; Tossani, Eliana

2015-10-01

There is little previous literature on hypochondriacal attitudes in teens. We examined the relationship between adolescents' hypochondriacal fears and beliefs, demographic features, psychological distress and well-being, and health-related behaviors. Nine hundred and forty-eight students (53.4% males), aged 14-19years (mean 15.8±1.3years), completed the Illness Attitude Scales, the Symptom Questionnaire, and the Psychological Well-Being scales. Demographic features and health-related behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, illicit substance use, and sedentary, eating and sleep habits) were also collected. Hypochondriacal concerns were significantly higher among females and correlated with increased psychological distress and reduced well-being. One hundred and forty-nine participants (15.7% of the sample) reached the threshold of the "hypochondriacal responses", identified by Kellner as a screening method for clinically significant hypochondriacal symptoms. The "hypochondriacal responses" were significantly associated with higher levels of psychological distress, decreased well-being, and some unhealthy behaviors: smoking, use of illicit substances, physical inactivity, and short sleep. Female gender, physical inactivity, and higher levels of hostility independently predicted the "hypochondriacal responses" pattern. A substantial percentage of adolescents experience significant concerns about health. Excessive illness fears are associated with less healthy behaviors. A thorough assessment of illness-related concerns may be crucial for the prevention of both the development of more structured forms of abnormal illness behavior (e.g., severe health anxiety) and the engagement in some unhealthy lifestyles in adolescents. However, it may also be that unhealthy behaviors lead to increased preoccupation with one's own health through adolescents' implicit knowledge about possible consequences of such behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does self-prepared food taste better? Effects of food preparation on liking.

PubMed

Dohle, Simone; Rall, Sina; Siegrist, Michael

2016-05-01

The aim was to examine whether self-preparation of food increases the liking of healthy and unhealthy foods. The study used a 2 (preparation: self-prepared vs. other-prepared) × 2 (healthiness: healthy vs. unhealthy) between-subjects design. Female participants (N = 120) tasted food that was either self-prepared or other-prepared, and that either contained markedly healthy or unhealthy ingredients. Interindividual differences in dietary restraint were also assessed. Liking and perceived healthiness of the food served as the main dependent variables. A significant interaction effect of food preparation and healthiness of the food on liking was revealed: Self-preparation increased the liking of the healthy but not of the unhealthy food. This effect was particularly strong for individuals with high levels of dietary restraint. Moreover, the combined effect of food preparation and healthiness of the food on liking was mediated by perceived healthiness of the food. The results bolster public health programs trying to encourage people to eat less prepared ready-to-eat foods and more self-prepared food. Because time available for home food preparation is often limited, programmatic efforts to encourage food preparation could be extended to schools and workplaces. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

'We eat together; today she buys, tomorrow I will buy the food': adolescent best friends' food choices and dietary practices in Soweto, South Africa.

PubMed

Voorend, Carlijn G N; Norris, Shane A; Griffiths, Paula L; Sedibe, Modiehi H; Westerman, Marjan J; Doak, Colleen M

2013-03-01

To explore if and how female adolescents engage in shared eating and joint food choices with best friends within the context of living in urban Soweto, South Africa. A qualitative, exploratory, multiple case study was conducted using semi-structured duo interviews of best friend pairs to ascertain their eating patterns, friendship and social interactions around dietary habits. Participants were recruited from three high schools in the urban township of Soweto, South Africa. Fifty-eight female adolescents (twenty-nine friend pairs) still in high school (mean age of 18 years) were enrolled. Although overweight rates were high, no association between friends was found; neither did friends share dieting behaviours. Both at school and during visits to the shopping mall, foods were commonly shared and money pooled together by friends to make joint purchases. Some friends carefully planned expenditures together. Foods often bought at school were mostly unhealthy. Availability, price and quality were reported to affect choice of foods purchased at school. Preference shaped joint choices within the shopping mall environment. Food sharing practices should be investigated in other settings so as to identify specific behaviours and contexts for targeted and tailored obesity prevention interventions. School-based interventions focusing on price and portion size should be considered. In the Sowetan context, larger portions of healthy food may improve dietary intake of fruit and vegetables where friends are likely to share portions.

Association between chilli food habits with iron status and insulin resistance in a Chinese population.

PubMed

Li, Jiang; Wang, Rui; Xiao, Cheng

2014-04-01

Some studies have indicated that the consumption of chilli-containing foods can influence iron absorption and affect serum insulin and glucose concentrations, which may help to alleviate diabetes or prediabetes. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between chilli food habits with iron status and insulin resistance in the Chinese population. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric data, and chilli food habit data collected from 8433 adults (aged 18 to 99), in 2009, as part of the China Health and Nutrition Survey, a large-scale longitudinal, household-based survey in China. Chilli food habits were assessed using chilli food eating frequencies (no eating, sometimes eating, often eating, and usually eating) and chilli food types (a little bit hot, moderately hot, and very hot). Fasting serum ferritin, insulin, and fasting plasma glucose were also measured. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin resistance. Compared with the chilli-eating group, the no eating group had higher HOMA-IR levels for both men and women (P<.05). There were significant differences in HOMA-IR (P<.05) for both men and women and in ferritin (P<.001) for women according to different chilli food types. However, there was no significant difference in the ferritin level and HOMA-IR components for different chilli food eating frequencies in both sex groups. Chilli food habits, especially the different hotness levels of chilli food, were associated with iron status and insulin resistance in the Chinese population. Additional studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms of action and to establish causal inference.

Exploring taste hyposensitivity in Japanese senior high school students.

PubMed

Ohnuki, Mari; Shinada, Kayoko; Ueno, Masayuki; Zaitsu, Takashi; Wright, Fredrick Allan Clive; Kawaguchi, Yoko

2012-02-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of taste hyposensitivity and the relationships between sex, oral health status, and eating habits with taste hyposensitivity in Japanese senior high school students. Oral examinations, sweet and salt whole-mouth taste tests, and a questionnaire about eating habits were conducted on 234 senior high school students. Factors affecting taste hyposensitivity were investigated using a multivariate analysis. Sweet-taste hyposensitivity was observed in 7.3% of the students, and salt-taste hyposensitivity in 22.2%. Approximately 3% of the students had both sweet- and salt-taste hyposensitivity, and 22.6% had either sweet- or salt-taste hyposensitivity. In total, 26% had a taste hyposensitivity. There were significant relationships between the intake of instant noodles with sweet-taste hyposensitivity, and the intake of vegetables or isotonic drinks with salt-taste hyposensitivity. There was a significant association between eating habits and taste hyposensitivity in Japanese senior high school students. Taste tests would be a helpful adjunct for students to recognize variations in taste sensitivity, and a questionnaire about their eating habits might provide an effective self-review of their eating habits, and therefore, provide motivation to change. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

How Family Socioeconomic Status, Peer Behaviors, and School-Based Intervention on Healthy Habits Influence Adolescent Eating Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno-Maldonado, Concepción; Ramos, Pilar; Moreno, Carmen; Rivera, Francisco

2018-01-01

Psychologists in schools can play an important role in developing policies and programs to promote healthy eating habits. This study analyses the contributions of family socioeconomic status, peer influence (schoolmates' food consumption), and school-based nutrition interventions to explain adolescent eating behaviors. Data were obtained from the…

Memorizing fruit: The effect of a fruit memory-game on children's fruit intake.

PubMed

Folkvord, Frans; Anastasiadou, Dimitra Tatiana; Anschütz, Doeschka

2017-03-01

Food cues of palatable food are omnipresent, thereby simulating the intake of unhealthy snack food among children. As a consequence, this might lead to a higher intake of energy-dense snacks and less fruit and vegetables, a habit that increases the risk of developing chronic diseases. The aim of this experimental study is to examine whether playing a memory game with fruit affects fruit intake among young children. We used a randomized between-subject design with 127 children (age: 7-12 y) who played a memory-game, containing either fruit ( n  = 64) or non-food products ( n  = 63). While playing the memory-game in a separate room in school during school hours, free intake of fruit (mandarins, apples, bananas, and grapes) was measured. Afterwards, the children completed self-report measures, and length and weight were assessed. The main finding is that playing a memory-game containing fruit increases overall fruit intake ( P  = 0.016). Children who played the fruit version of the memory-game ate more bananas ( P  = 0.015) and mandarins ( P  = 0.036) than children who played the non-food memory-game; no effects were found for apples ( P  > 0.05) and grapes ( P  > 0.05). The findings suggest that playing a memory-game with fruit stimulates fruit intake among young children. This is an important finding because children eat insufficient fruit, according to international standards, and more traditional health interventions have limited success. Healthy eating habits of children maintain when they become adults, making it important to stimulate fruit intake among children in an enjoyable way. Nederlands Trial Register TC = 5687.

Medical Care and Your 8- to 12-Month-Old

MedlinePlus

... that have taken place so far, although your discussions with your doctor about behavior and habits may ... car seat while riding in the car? A discussion of eating habits : Is your baby eating more ...

[A survey on the dietary and health habits according to action styles for unbalanced diets among female university students].

PubMed

Nagashima, Kumiko; Sakaguchi, Sanae; Sakaguchi, Takehiro

2002-05-01

A survey of woman's students, who had grown up in a time of change-over of Japanese customs regarding food, was conducted to investigate dietary habits, a focus on actions in response to with set needs, The aim was to obtain to measure prospective health maintenance and promotion. The authors carried out a questionnaire for woman's students in 6 universities of Kanto area (a junior college and graduate courses were included) in years 1999 and 2000. In actions regarding the diet, 19.1% of the 815 students responded "I eat everything without fail", 17.7% "I eat almost everything irrespective of likes and dislikes", 24.5% "I strive to eat everything", 19.8% "I leave almost everything I dislike", and 18.5% "I don't eat what I dislike". The students who responded "I leave almost everything I dislike" and "I don't eat what I dislike" had low scores in the questionnaire for dietary and health habits, and they tended to like noodles and popular snacks, and also made frequent use of fast food restaurants. There was not a problem with the majority, but about 30% of the students were judged as confirming an unbalanced diet by this questionnaire. It was found that there were "gaps" and "bad habits" in the regular diet. Moreover, we recognized a tendency to prefer convenience and taste to nutritional balance. This simple questionnaire is suitable for rapid identification of unbalanced distory habits, and both "gaps" and "bad habits" in the regular system diet. It is the most important that we induce students who leave or don't eat what they dislike, to strive to eat everything, irrespective of likes and dislikes.

Influences on Healthy-Eating Decision Making in Latino Adolescent Children of Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers.

PubMed

Kilanowski, Jill F

2016-01-01

Latino children demonstrate high rates of unhealthy weight, and children of Latino migrant and seasonal agricultural workers are heavier than their Latino peers. This one-group, cross-sectional, mixed-methods pilot study explored healthy-eating decision making with 12- to 14-year-olds recruited from a Midwest summer migrant education program. Demographics, decision-making, self-efficacy, and social support survey instruments were used, along with gender-specific focus groups. In the convenience sample, which included 24 participants, students felt varying degrees of uncertainty when choosing healthy foods in social situations, and 67% made poor-quality decisions. Parents offered greater support for healthy eating compared with friends. Qualitative analyses identified three themes: healthy decision making includes fruits, vegetables, and physical activity; mothers have influence over health and healthy decisions; and friends encourage unhealthy food choices. Influences on healthy-eating decision making in Latino adolescent children of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, which were previously missing from the literature, were identified. Future research includes development of interventions to assist these adolescents with healthy-eating decision making. Copyright © 2016 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does neighbourhood composition modify the association between acculturation and unhealthy dietary behaviours?

PubMed

Zhang, Donglan; van Meijgaard, Jeroen; Shi, Lu; Cole, Brian; Fielding, Jonathan

2015-08-01

Studies have shown that immigrants' acculturation is associated with numerous unhealthy behaviours. Yet, the role of environmental factors in modifying the effect of acculturation on health behaviours has received little attention. This study aims to create a more nuanced understanding of the health effects of acculturation by examining how neighbourhood immigrant composition modifies the association between individuals' eating patterns and acculturation. Cross-sectional Data from Los Angeles County Health Survey 2007 adult sample were linked to data on retail food establishments and US Census 2000 neighbourhood characteristics. Acculturation was measured by language spoken at home and years stayed in the US. Eating fast food more than once per week and eating zero serving of fruit or vegetables during the previous day were used as proxy indicators for unhealthy dietary behaviour. Multilevel logistic regression models were performed in the full sample and in the sample with only Latino adults. Immigrants' lack of acculturation and living in a neighbourhood with a high percentage immigrants were associated with healthier dietary behaviour. We also identified that lack of acculturation conveyed a significantly stronger protective effect on regular fast-food consumption for immigrants living in neighbourhoods with higher percentage immigrants (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.93). Among immigrants in Los Angeles County, living in a neighbourhood with a high density of other immigrants attenuates the negative effects of acculturation on healthy eating behaviours. Healthy eating promotion efforts should build on this protective effect in outreach to acculturating immigrant communities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Gender, school and academic year differences among Spanish university students at high-risk for developing an eating disorder: An epidemiologic study

PubMed Central

Sepulveda, Ana R; Carrobles, Jose A; Gandarillas, Ana M

2008-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of the university population at high-risk of developing an eating disorder and the prevalence of unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviours amongst groups at risk; gender, school or academic year differences were also explored. Methods A cross-sectional study based on self-report was used to screen university students at high-risk for an eating disorder. The sample size was of 2551 university students enrolled in 13 schools between the ages of 18 and 26 years. The instruments included: a social-demographic questionnaire, the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), the Symptom Check List 90-R (SCL-90-R), and the Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). The sample design is a non-proportional stratified sample by academic year and school. The prevalence rate was estimated controlling academic year and school. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate adjusted associations between gender, school and academic year. Results Female students presented unhealthy weight-control behaviours as dieting, laxatives use or self-induced vomiting to lose weight than males. A total of 6% of the females had a BMI of 17.5 or less or 2.5% had amenorrhea for 3 or more months. In contrast, a higher proportion of males (11.6%) reported binge eating behaviour. The prevalence rate of students at high-risk for an eating disorder was 14.9% (11.6–18) for males and 20.8% (18.7–22.8) for females, according to an overall cut-off point on the EDI questionnaire. Prevalence rates presented statistically significant differences by gender (p < 0.001) but not by school or academic year. Conclusion The prevalence of eating disorder risk in university students is high and is associated with unhealthy weight-control practices, similar results have been found in previous studies using cut-off points in questionnaires. These results may be taken into account to encourage early detection and a greater awareness for seeking treatment in order to improve the diagnosis, among students on university campuses. PMID:18373852

Eating Habits of Malaysian Children: Findings of the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS).

PubMed

Chong, Kar Hau; Wu, Suet Kei; Noor Hafizah, Yatiman; Bragt, Marjolijn C E; Poh, Bee Koon

2016-07-01

This article aims to describe the eating habits of Malaysian children using a nationally representative data set from the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) in Malaysia. A total of 2797 children aged 2 to 12 years were included in this analysis. Eating habits and dietary intakes of children were assessed using questionnaires. Overall, 56.1% of children consumed 3 main meals every day. Approximately 20% of children snacked 3 times per day, whereas 9.7% ate fast food on a weekly basis. Irregular meal patterns were significantly associated with lower micronutrient intakes, and the groups with higher odds for this pattern were older children, Malays, and those living in rural areas. Considering the relatively high rate of irregular meal consumption and its potential influence on dietary nutrient intake, persistent efforts must be continued to promote and inculcate healthy eating habits among children from an early age. © 2016 APJPH.

"If it's not Iron it's Iron f*cking biggest Ironman": personal trainers's views on health norms, orthorexia and deviant behaviours.

PubMed

Håman, Linn; Lindgren, Eva-Carin; Prell, Hillevi

2017-12-01

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) describes a pathological obsession with healthy eating to avoid ill health. In the Swedish context, ON is also understood in terms of unhealthy exercise. Fitness gyms are popular health-promoting places, but exercise-related problems, disordered eating and ON-like behaviour are increasing. Personal trainers (PTs) play an important role in detecting unhealthy behaviours. The aim of the present study was to illuminate PTs' understandings of healthy and unhealthy exercise and eating behaviours in relation to orthorexia nervosa in a fitness gym context. Five focus groups with 14 PTs were conducted. These were analysed using interpretative qualitative content analysis and Becker's model "Kinds of Deviance." In contrast to PTs' health norms (practicing balanced behaviours and contributing to well-being), ON was expressed mainly in terms of exercise behaviour and as being excessive and in total control. The PTs maintain that extreme behaviours are legitimized by an aggressive exercise trend in society and that they fear to falsely accuse clients of being pathological. Certain sport contexts (bodybuilding, fitness competitions and elite sports) and specific groups (fitness professionals) contribute to complicating PTs' negotiations due to a competition, performance and/or profession norm, making it difficult to determine whether or not to intervene.

Impact of Different Policies on Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors in an Urban Adult Population: An Agent-Based Simulation Model

PubMed Central

Giabbanelli, Philippe J.; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; Zimmerman, Frederick J.

2014-01-01

Objectives. Unhealthy eating is a complex-system problem. We used agent-based modeling to examine the effects of different policies on unhealthy eating behaviors. Methods. We developed an agent-based simulation model to represent a synthetic population of adults in Pasadena, CA, and how they make dietary decisions. Data from the 2007 Food Attitudes and Behaviors Survey and other empirical studies were used to calibrate the parameters of the model. Simulations were performed to contrast the potential effects of various policies on the evolution of dietary decisions. Results. Our model showed that a 20% increase in taxes on fast foods would lower the probability of fast-food consumption by 3 percentage points, whereas improving the visibility of positive social norms by 10%, either through community-based or mass-media campaigns, could improve the consumption of fruits and vegetables by 7 percentage points and lower fast-food consumption by 6 percentage points. Zoning policies had no significant impact. Conclusions. Interventions emphasizing healthy eating norms may be more effective than directly targeting food prices or regulating local food outlets. Agent-based modeling may be a useful tool for testing the population-level effects of various policies within complex systems. PMID:24832414

Qualitative investigation of factors contributing to effective nutrition education for Navajo families.

PubMed

Cunningham-Sabo, Leslie; Bauer, Mark; Pareo, Shirley; Phillips-Benally, Shirleen; Roanhorse, Julia; Garcia, Linda

2008-07-01

Obesity rates in American Indian and Alaskan Native children are a major health threat, yet effective ways to address this remain elusive. Building on an earlier dietary assessment of Navajo Head Start families which indicated a gap in parental nutrition awareness despite a strong program emphasis, the aim of this project was to identify culturally relevant nutrition education strategies for Navajo parents and educators of young children. Eight focus group interviews were conducted with 41 parents and early childhood education paraprofessionals to identify contributors to both healthful and unhealthy food ways of Navajo preschoolers. were presented in two community venues to verify the themes and discuss implications. Results Barriers to healthful eating included availability/cost, parenting/control, preferences/habits, time pressures, and knowledge/education. Enablers to healthful eating included the categories of schools/education, and support/modeling. Reactions to these findings during community forums suggested (1) the need for stronger parenting and parental control over the food environment; (2) community-level action to address these barriers; and (3) the need for knowledge and culturally relevant educational strategies for caregivers and children. Implications for interventions include building upon existing community resources to enhance culturally relevant and respectful parental, family, and community support for affordable and acceptable food experiences and choices for young children and their families.

Eating habits of children and adolescents from rural regions depending on gender, education, and economic status of parents.

PubMed

Kołłątaj, Witold; Sygit, Katarzyna; Sygit, Marian; Karwat, Irena Dorota; Kołłątaj, Barbara

2011-01-01

The proper lifestyle of a child, including proper eating habits, should be monitored to ensure proper physical and psychological development. This applies particularly to rural areas which are economically, socially and educationally backward. The study included 1,341 rural schoolchildren and adolescents aged 9-13 years (734 females, 607 males). The representative survey research was conducted in 2008, making use of an original survey questionnaire. The results showed that the majority of respondents eat improperly. 83.2% of them have regular breakfast, and 62.6% have regular light lunch. Most respondents do not eat more than 4 meals a day (usually 3-4). It is worrying that the consumption of sweets is high (34.9% of the surveyed group eat them regularly), whereas fruit and vegetable consumption is low. In this study, relationships between types of diet and such descriptive variables as gender, parents' educational status, and economic situation of the households are described. In families where the parents have a higher education and the household situation is good, the eating habits are much better. The list of poor dietary habits of pupils from rural schools includes skipping breakfast and/or light lunch, high consumption of sweets and low consumption of fruit and vegetables. There are correlations between improper dietary habits and gender of the children and adolescents, educational status of parents, economic situation of households, and housing conditions.

An exploratory survey of eating behaviour patterns in adolescent students.

PubMed

Arata, A; Battini, V; Chiorri, C; Masini, B

2010-12-01

Empirical research has always treated adolescents' eating habits from a variable-centered perspective, but this approach may miss the configurations of eating behaviours that uniquely describe discrete groups of individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate prototypical patterns of eating habits in a large sample of Italian adolescents and their behavioural and psychological correlates. Data were gathered from 1388 students (F=60%, mean age 14.90±1.34 yrs), who were asked to fill in an original questionnaire surveying dietary habits, body weight attitudes, body image, sport activities and sources of information about food. Perfectionism, self-esteem, self-efficacy and care for food were also assessed as well-known psychological risk factors for Eating Disorders. Five prototypical eating behaviour patterns were identified through cluster analysis. Cluster membership was associated (p<0.05) with gender, age and age- and gender-correct BMI percentile, perceived relevance of physical appearance in achieving success in life; one's weight and body image evaluation, dieting, physical activity, self-efficacy, self-esteem and care for food. Clusters did not differ in perfectionism score and in frequency of consulting different sources of information about food and weight, except in the case of dieticians. The identification of prototypical eating habits patterns revealed a large range of wrong eating attitudes and behaviours among Italian adolescents. Such data suggest the need to develop and implement adequate prevention programs.

"Most of Them Are Junk Food but We Did Put Fruit on There and We Have Water"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waddingham, Suzanne; Stevens, Stella; Macintyre, Kate; Shaw, Kelly

2015-01-01

Purpose: The Australian Dietary Guidelines support good health and disease prevention. Children with healthy eating habits established early in life have been shown to continue these habits into adulthood compared with those children who have poor eating habits in their younger years. The nutritional intake of many Australian children is not in…

The Relationship bBetween Health and Fitness Magazine Reading and Eating-Disordered Weight-Loss Methods among High School Girls.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomsen, Steven R.; Weber, Michele M.; Brown, Lora Beth

2001-01-01

Investigated the relationship between reading women's health and fitness magazines and using eating disordered diet methods (laxatives, appetite suppressants/diet pills, vomiting, and over-restricting calories) among adolescent high school girls. Student surveys found positive associations between reading frequency and use of unhealthy weight…

Preschool children with lower executive function may be more vulnerable to emotional-based eating in the absence of hunger

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Decreased executive function has been linked to unhealthy eating behaviors and obesity in older children and adults, however little is known about this relationship in young children. A pilot project in a research-based preschool was conducted to examine the relationships between executive function...

Children's Eating Behavior: The Importance of Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bevans, Katherine B.; Sanchez, Betty; Teneralli, Rachel; Forrest, Christopher B.

2011-01-01

Background: To enhance the impact of school nutrition programs on children's health, more information is needed on the associations between healthy and unhealthy food offerings during school lunch periods and children's eating behavior. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the contributions of food offerings and participation in school lunch…

Weight Discrimination and Unhealthy Eating-related Behaviors

PubMed Central

Sutin, Angelina; Robinson, Eric; Daly, Michael; Terracciano, Antonio

2016-01-01

Individuals with obesity often experience unfair treatment because of their body weight. Such experiences are associated with binge eating, but less is known about its association with other eating-related behaviors and whether these relations are specific to discrimination based on weight or extend to other attributions for discrimination. The present research uses a large national sample (N=5,129) to examine whether weight discrimination is associated with diet and meal rhythmicity, in addition to overeating, and whether these associations generalize to nine other attributions for discrimination. We found that in addition to overeating, weight discrimination was associated with more frequent consumption of convenience foods and less regular meal timing. These associations were generally similar across sex, age, and race. Discrimination based on ancestry, gender, age, religion, and physical disability were also associated with overeating, which suggests that overeating may be a general coping response to discrimination. Unfair treatment because of body weight is associated with unhealthy eating-related behaviors, which may be one pathway through which weight discrimination increases risk for weight gain and obesity. PMID:26877216

Weight discrimination and unhealthy eating-related behaviors.

PubMed

Sutin, Angelina; Robinson, Eric; Daly, Michael; Terracciano, Antonio

2016-07-01

Individuals with obesity often experience unfair treatment because of their body weight. Such experiences are associated with binge eating, but less is known about its association with other eating-related behaviors and whether these relations are specific to discrimination based on weight or extend to other attributions for discrimination. The present research uses a large national sample (N = 5129) to examine whether weight discrimination is associated with diet and meal rhythmicity, in addition to overeating, and whether these associations generalize to nine other attributions for discrimination. We found that in addition to overeating, weight discrimination was associated with more frequent consumption of convenience foods and less regular meal timing. These associations were generally similar across sex, age, and race. Discrimination based on ancestry, gender, age, religion, and physical disability were also associated with overeating, which suggests that overeating may be a general coping response to discrimination. Unfair treatment because of body weight is associated with unhealthy eating-related behaviors, which may be one pathway through which weight discrimination increases risk for weight gain and obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits in childhood:a cohort study.

PubMed

Dutra, Gisele Ferreira; Kaufmann, Cristina Correa; Pretto, Alessandra Doumid Borges; Albernaz, Elaine Pinto

2016-04-01

Worldwide, about 22 million children under five years old are overweight. Environmental factors are the main trigger for this epidemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the eating and physical activity habits in a cohort of eight-year-old children in Pelotas, Brazil. Eating habits were assessed based on the Ten Steps to Healthy Eating proposed by the Ministry of Health. To assess the level of physical activity, the physical activity questionnaire for children and adolescents (PAQ-C) was used. Of the 616 interviewed children at 8 years, it was observed that 50.3% were male; 70.3% were white and just over half belonged to economic class C. None of the children were classified as very active and none acceded to a daily consumption of six servings of the cereals, tubers, and roots. The steps that had higher adhesion were 8 (do not add salt to ready foods); 4 (consumption of beans, at least 5 times per week) and 1 (have 3 meals and 2 snacks per day), respectively. The high prevalence of physical inactivity and low level of healthy eating habits confirm the importance of strategies to support and encourage the practice of physical activity and healthy eating among youth.

Body dissatisfaction and body mass in girls and boys transitioning from early to mid-adolescence: additional role of self-esteem and eating habits.

PubMed

Mäkinen, Mauno; Puukko-Viertomies, Leena-Riitta; Lindberg, Nina; Siimes, Martti A; Aalberg, Veikko

2012-06-08

In the transition from early to mid-adolescence, gender differences in pubertal development become significant. Body dissatisfaction is often associated with body mass, low self-esteem and abnormal eating habits. The majority of studies investigating body dissatisfaction and its associations have been conducted on female populations. However, some evidence suggests that males also suffer from these problems and that gender differences might already be observed in adolescence. To examine body dissatisfaction and its relationship with body mass, as well as self-esteem and eating habits, in girls and boys in transition from early to mid-adolescence. School nurses recorded the heights and weights of 659 girls and 711 boys with a mean age of 14.5 years. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory were used as self-appraisal scales. Eating data were self-reported. The girls were less satisfied with their bodies than boys were with theirs (mean score (SD): 30.6 (SD 12.2) vs. 18.9 (SD 9.5); p < 0.001). The girls expressed most satisfaction with their bodies when they were underweight, more dissatisfaction when they were of normal weight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys also expressed most satisfaction when they were underweight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys reported higher levels of self-esteem than did the girls (mean (SD): 31.3 (4.8) vs. 28.0 (5.9); p < 0.001). The adolescents self-reporting abnormal eating habits were less satisfied with their bodies than those describing normal eating habits (mean (SD): 33.0 (12.9) vs. 21.2 (10.2); p < 0.001). Body mass, self-esteem and eating habits revealed a significant relationship with body dissatisfaction in the transitional phase from early to mid-adolescence in girls and boys, but significant gender differences were also found.

Eating habits, body-esteem and self-esteem in Scottish children and adolescents.

PubMed

Hoare, P; Cosgrove, L

1998-11-01

Two hundred ninety-nine girls, from primary school grade 6 to senior school grade 4 classes in a Scottish, independent, single-gender school completed three questionnaires assessing body-esteem, self-esteem, and eating behavior. The aim of the study was threefold: to see whether there was a significant increase in more abnormal eating habits during adolescence; to see whether there was a significant decline in body-esteem during adolescence; and to see whether there was any association between eating habits, body-esteem, and self-esteem. The results provided some evidence in support of the first two hypotheses and also indicated a strong association between a low level of self-esteem and dislike of body shape, and an abnormal pattern of eating. The risks and implications of dieting in this age group are also discussed.

A qualitative study of psychological, social and behavioral barriers to appropriate food portion size control

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Given the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity, there is a clear need for meaningful practical healthy eating advice - not only in relation to food choice, but also on appropriate food portion sizes. As the majority of portion size research to date has been overwhelmingly quantitative in design, there is a clear need to qualitatively explore consumers’ views in order to fully understand how food portion size decisions are made. Using qualitative methodology this present study aimed to explore consumers’ views about factors influencing their portion size selection and consumption and to identify barriers to appropriate portion size control. Methods Ten focus groups with four to nine participants in each were formed with a total of 66 persons (aged 19–64 years) living on the island of Ireland. The semi-structured discussions elicited participants’ perceptions of suggested serving size guidance and explored the influence of personal, social and environmental factors on their food portion size consumption. Audiotapes of the discussions were professionally transcribed verbatim, loaded into NVivo 9, and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis procedure. Results The rich descriptive data derived from participants highlight that unhealthy portion size behaviors emanate from various psychological, social and behavioral factors. These bypass reflective and deliberative control, and converge to constitute significant barriers to healthy portion size control. Seven significant barriers to healthy portion size control were apparent: (1) lack of clarity and irrelevance of suggested serving size guidance; (2) guiltless eating; (3) lack of self-control over food cues; (4) distracted eating; (5) social pressures; (6) emotional eating rewards; and (7) quantification habits ingrained from childhood. Conclusions Portion size control strategies should empower consumers to overcome these effects so that the consumption of appropriate food portion sizes becomes automatic and habitual. PMID:23915381

Breakfast skipping is associated with cyberbullying and school bullying victimization. A school-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Roumeliotis, Paul; Farrow, Claire V; Shi, Yuanfeng F

2014-08-01

Breakfast skipping is a health concern that has well-known negative consequences physically and psychologically. It is therefore important to understand why children skip breakfast. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the experience of bullying and cyberbullying impacts upon breakfast skipping and to further evaluate whether the inability for youths to cope with bullying victimization affects their mental health (depression), and in turn predicts breakfast skipping. Data were obtained from the Eastern Ontario 2011 Youth Risk Behaviour Survey, a cross-sectional regional school-based survey of middle and high school students (11-20 years old) across the five counties of Eastern Ontario, Canada (N = 3035). Self-reported data about children's experiences of bullying victimization, breakfast eating habits, socio-economical status, depression, and other risk behaviours were analysed. Approximately half of the participants (50.4%) reported not eating breakfast on a regular basis: 26.3% and 24.1% reported often (usually eat breakfast three times or more per week) and frequent (usually eat breakfast twice a week or less) breakfast skipping behaviour, respectively. Victims of both cyberbullying and school bullying presented greater likelihood of often (adjusted relative risk ratio (RR) = 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.17-2.06) and frequent (RR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.28-3.03) breakfast skipping. Mediation analysis further showed that depression fully mediated the relationship between school bullying victimization and frequent breakfast skipping. Moreover, depression partially mediated the associations between both cyberbullying and school bullying with frequent breakfast skipping. These findings highlight the potential interrelationships between cyberbullying, school bullying and depression in predicting unhealthy breakfast skipping behaviour in children. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A qualitative study of psychological, social and behavioral barriers to appropriate food portion size control.

PubMed

Spence, Michelle; Livingstone, M Barbara E; Hollywood, Lynsey E; Gibney, Eileen R; O'Brien, Sinéad A; Pourshahidi, L Kirsty; Dean, Moira

2013-08-01

Given the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity, there is a clear need for meaningful practical healthy eating advice - not only in relation to food choice, but also on appropriate food portion sizes. As the majority of portion size research to date has been overwhelmingly quantitative in design, there is a clear need to qualitatively explore consumers' views in order to fully understand how food portion size decisions are made. Using qualitative methodology this present study aimed to explore consumers' views about factors influencing their portion size selection and consumption and to identify barriers to appropriate portion size control. Ten focus groups with four to nine participants in each were formed with a total of 66 persons (aged 19-64 years) living on the island of Ireland. The semi-structured discussions elicited participants' perceptions of suggested serving size guidance and explored the influence of personal, social and environmental factors on their food portion size consumption. Audiotapes of the discussions were professionally transcribed verbatim, loaded into NVivo 9, and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis procedure. The rich descriptive data derived from participants highlight that unhealthy portion size behaviors emanate from various psychological, social and behavioral factors. These bypass reflective and deliberative control, and converge to constitute significant barriers to healthy portion size control. Seven significant barriers to healthy portion size control were apparent: (1) lack of clarity and irrelevance of suggested serving size guidance; (2) guiltless eating; (3) lack of self-control over food cues; (4) distracted eating; (5) social pressures; (6) emotional eating rewards; and (7) quantification habits ingrained from childhood. Portion size control strategies should empower consumers to overcome these effects so that the consumption of appropriate food portion sizes becomes automatic and habitual.

The association between self-rated eating habits and dietary behavior in two Latino neighborhoods: Findings from Proyecto MercadoFRESCO.

PubMed

Sharif, Mienah Z; Rizzo, Shemra; Marino, Enrique; Belin, Thomas R; Glik, Deborah C; Kuo, Alice A; Ortega, Alexander N; Prelip, Michael L

2016-06-01

Latinos are the largest racial and ethnic minority group in the United States and bear a disproportionate burden of obesity related chronic disease. Despite national efforts to improve dietary habits and prevent obesity among Latinos, obesity rates remain high. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between self-rated dietary quality and dietary behavior among Latinos and how this may vary by socio-demographics to help inform future public health efforts aiming to improve eating habits and obesity rates. Cross-sectional study using a series of chi-square tests, the non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and logistic regression to explore self-rated eating habits. Two urban, low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. 1000 adults who self-identified as their household's primary food purchaser and preparer were interviewed from 2012 to 2013. Households were randomly selected based on their proximity to corner stores participating in a project to improve the food environment. Most respondents (59%) report "good" eating habits. Significant associations between "good" eating habits and overall health, fruit and vegetable consumption were observed (p < 0.001). Despite these promising findings, we also find high levels of regular soda and energy-dense food consumption. This study revealed a general understanding that healthy dietary habits are associated with fruit and vegetable consumption among Latinos in two urban neighborhoods. However, there is a need for more targeted health promotion and nutrition education efforts on the risks associated with soda and energy-dense food consumption to help improve dietary habits and obesity levels in low-income Latino communities.

Individual Differences and Short-Term Military Factors Associated With Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors Among Active Duty and Reserve Army Soldiers

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

syndrome eating disorders (Eisenberg & Neumark-Sztainer, 2008; Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002; Rukavina & Pokrajac-Bulian, 2006). Although the...risk for developing full- syndrome eating disorders. Repeated periods of extreme weight loss behavior may reinforce that purging, fasting, or excessive...exercise are “good” ways to lose weight. In fact, many individuals with full syndrome eating disorders start by engaging in repeated periods of

Development of an Intervention Programme to Encourage High School Students to Stay in School for Lunch Instead of Eating at Nearby Fast-Food Restaurants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaulieu, Dominique; Godin, Gaston

2012-01-01

Many schools have recently adopted food policies and replaced unhealthy products by healthy foods. Consequently, adolescents are more likely to consume a healthy meal if they stay in school for lunch to eat a meal either prepared at home or purchased in school cafeterias. However, many continue to eat in nearby fast-food restaurants. The present…

Children's psychosocial stress and emotional eating: A role for leptin?

PubMed

Michels, Nathalie; Sioen, Isabelle; Ruige, Johannes; De Henauw, Stefaan

2017-05-01

Psychosocial stress can be a health threat by stimulating unhealthier eating behaviors. We aim to test the role of the hormone leptin in the association between stress and diet/emotional eating as detected in primary school children. In a two-wave longitudinal study with 308 Belgian children (5-12y) in 2010-2012, the association of fasting serum leptin with reported stress (negative events and emotional problems), measured stress by salivary cortisol (overall cortisol output and awakening response), emotional eating and food consumption frequency was examined. Analyses were split by sex. Mediation and moderation by leptin change were tested. One stress marker (overall cortisol output) was significantly correlated with high leptin levels, but only in girls and cross-sectionally. Only in boys, leptin was associated with low emotional eating. Leptin was not a significant predictor of unhealthy food consumption. Leptin change was not a mediator but an enhancing moderator in the link between stress (high cortisol output and emotional problems) and emotional eating in girls: high reports of emotional eating in 2012 were present in the case of combined high 2-year leptin increase and high stress at baseline. Stress (represented by emotional problems and high daily cortisol) seems to lead to hyperleptinemia in girls; and the combination of high stress and hyperleptinemia might make girls more vulnerable to stress-induced eating. No functional data on leptin sensitivity were present, but results might suggest that stress induces lower sensitivity to the anorexigenic leptin activity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:471-480). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Boredom proneness and emotion regulation predict emotional eating.

PubMed

Crockett, Amanda C; Myhre, Samantha K; Rokke, Paul D

2015-05-01

Emotional eating is considered a risk factor for eating disorders and an important contributor to obesity and its associated health problems. It has been suggested that boredom may be an important contributor to overeating, but has received relatively little attention. A sample of 552 college students was surveyed. Linear regression analyses found that proneness to boredom and difficulties in emotion regulation simultaneously predicted inappropriate eating behavior, including eating in response to boredom, other negative emotions, and external cues. The unique contributions of these variables to emotional eating were discussed. These findings help to further identify which individuals could be at risk for emotional eating and potentially for unhealthy weight gain. © The Author(s) 2015.

Eating habits associated with Echinostoma malayanum infections in the Philippines.

PubMed

Tangtrongchitr, A; Monzon, R B

1991-12-01

A survey of 61 residents belonging to 12 pre-selected families (having at least one member positive for echinostomiasis malayanum) from Barangay Malibago, Echague, Isabela (northern Luzon) suggested that infections with Echinostoma malayanum follow a "familial trend". The parasite is endemic because the raw ingestion of Lymnaea (Bullastra) cumingiana, the second intermediate host in the Philippines, is a learned habit passed down from one generation to the next. A questionnaire on eating habits revealed that Lymnaea (Bullastra) cumingiana or "birabid" was usually prepared raw or half-cooked after treatment with salt or "bagoong" (salted fish paste). It was abundant in rice fields during the wet months of the year, thus implying a seasonal infection pattern since eating frequency was affected by availability. Those who ate this snail reported a long duration of indulgence with this habit. In contrast, Pila luzonica or "kuhol", the second intermediate host of E. ilocanum, is subjected to similar eating practices but is rarely ingested raw or "half-cooked". Other than snails, shrimps, fish (Tilapia sp.) and meat are also eaten raw. This suggests that the local population is potentially susceptible to other food-borne helminthiases. Extensive use of mass media and public health education is necessary to awaken the awareness of the people to the potential hazards associated with their traditional eating habits.

Obesity and eating habits among college students in Saudi Arabia: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Al-Rethaiaa, Abdallah S; Fahmy, Alaa-Eldin A; Al-Shwaiyat, Naseem M

2010-09-19

During the last few decades, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) experienced rapid socio-cultural changes caused by the accelerating economy in the Arabian Gulf region. That was associated with major changes in the food choices and eating habits which, progressively, became more and more "Westernized". Such "a nutritional transition" has been claimed for the rising rates of overweight and obesity which were recently observed among Saudi population. Therefore, the objectives of the current work were to 1) determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a sample of male college students in KSA and 2) determine the relationship between the students' body weight status and composition and their eating habits. A total of 357 male students aged 18-24 years were randomly chosen from College of Health Sciences at Rass, Qassim University, KSA for the present study. A Self-reported questionnaire about the students' eating habits was conducted, and their body mass index (BMI), body fat percent (BF%), and visceral fat level (VFL) were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software, and the Chi-square test was conducted for variables. The current data indicated that 21.8% of the students were overweight and 15.7% were obese. The total body fat exceeded its normal limits in 55.2% of the participants and VFL was high in 21.8% of them. The most common eating habits encountered were eating with family, having two meals per day including breakfast, together with frequent snacks and fried food consumption. Vegetables and fruits, except dates, were not frequently consumed by most students. Statistically, significant direct correlations were found among BMI, BF% and VFL (P < 0.001). Both BMI and VFL had significant inverse correlation with the frequency of eating with family (P = 0.005 and 0.007 respectively). Similar correlations were also found between BMI and snacks consumption rate (P = 0.018), as well as, between VFL and the frequency of eating dates (P = 0.013). Our findings suggest the need for strategies and coordinated efforts at all levels to reduce the tendency of overweight, obesity and elevated body fat, and to promote healthy eating habits in our youth.

Prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting as weight-control strategy among adolescents in Taiwan.

PubMed

Liou, Yiing Mei; Hsu, Ya-Wen; Ho, Jow-Fei; Lin, Che-Hung; Hsu, Wen-Yen; Liou, Tsan-Hon

2012-01-01

This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting to control body weight among adolescents in Taiwan. Over the past decades, the rate of obesity among children in Taiwan has nearly tripled. Educational authorities have devoted considerable effort to prevent the increase in childhood obesity. An observational exploratory design to investigate the problem of using unhealthy weight-reduction strategy. This study consists of a cross-sectional study aimed at collecting national representative data. We chose 120 representative schools using a three-stage stratified systematic sampling design with probability proportionate to the size of the population in Taiwan. Participants consisted of 8673 girls and 7043 boys, aged 10-18 old. Of the participants, 13% reported using self-induced vomiting, the prevalence being highest in participants aged 10-12 (15·9%) and lowest in participants aged 16-18 (7·5%). Several factors were significantly and positively associated with the use of self-induced vomiting as a weight-loss strategy, specifically subjects who (1) watched television, used computer, surfed the Internet or played video games for greater than or equal to two hours/day, (2) consumed fried food every day and (3) ate night-time snacks every day (odds ratio = 1·55, 2·10 and 1·51, respectively; p < 0·05). Eating breakfast every day and sleeping for more than eight hours a day were both protective factors against the use of self-induced vomiting to control body weight (odds ratio = 0·43 and 0·86, respectively; p < 0·05). Self-induced vomiting was prevalent among adolescents who had tried to lose weight; sedentary lifestyle, shorter sleep length and unhealthy eating habits may contribute significantly to this behaviour among these adolescents. School nurses who are helping adolescents lose weight should also pay attention to the possibility they are using self-induced vomiting as a weight-control strategy. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Changes of food habits during pregnancy and breast-feeding].

PubMed

Pinheiro, Joana; Seabra, Daniela

2008-01-01

Many women have incorrect notions of what they can eat during pregnancy and/or breast-feeding, due to preconceived ideas or myths related with the ingestion of some types of food. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alteration of food habits in pregnant women and identifying the myths related with eating habits in pregnant and breast-feeding women. A questionnaire of food habits alteration in pregnant women, the origin of the alterations and the reasons for such, as well as the eventual knowledge about which food interferes with pregnancy and/or breast-feeding and the Information about the alteration of weight during pregnancy and relevant clinical history were asked. The data were analysed though SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), version13.0 for Windows. This study shows that although the majority of the alterations of food eating habits were done in a proper manner, there are still many inadequate or unnecessary food habit changes done in an empirical form, or based on myths, or indicated by some health professionals.

Does a low-income urban population practise healthy dietary habits?

PubMed

Azizan, Nurul Ain; Thangiah, Nithiah; Su, Tin Tin; Majid, Hazreen Abdul

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the unhealthy dietary habits and practices in a low-income community in an urban area and determine the associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a low-income housing area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data were collected using a questionnaire via face-to-face interviews by trained enumerators in order to obtain details on sociodemographic characteristics and dietary practices. Descriptive statistics showed that 86.7% of the respondents in the low-income community consumed fruit and vegetables less than five times per day, 11.7% consumed carbonated and sweetened drinks more than twice per day and about 25% consumed fast food more than four times per month. In total, 65.2% (n=945) did not have healthy dietary practices. Binary logistic regression showed that age, education and ethnicity were significant predictors of unhealthy dietary practices among the low-income community. Those in the 30-59 years age group had higher odds (odds ratio 1.65, p=0.04) of practising an unhealthy diet as compared with those older than 60 years of age. Unhealthy dietary practices were found to be common among the low-income group living in an urban area. Healthy lifestyle intervention should be highlighted so that it can be adopted in the low-income group.

[Motivation to change unhealthy life styles and cardiovascular risk].

PubMed

Pérez-Manchón, David; Alvarez-García, Gema María; González-López, Esteban

2014-01-01

Study the relationship between motivation to change unhealthy life styles and cardiovascular risk. Cross sectional study, random, stratified by age, carried out in the field of primary care with a sample of 369 people. It was felt that with smoking or smoking cessation active consumption less than a year, the physical habit was valued at work and leisure, food habits were assessed in adherence to mediterranean diet and the stages of motivation were categorized precontemplative phase to maintenance phase. The cardiovascular risk was stratified with the SCORE table calibrated in Spain. The 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women, with an average age of 41.2 years. The prevalence of smoking was 31.4% (95% CI 26.56-36,30), 58% in sedentary lifestyle (95% CI 52.27-62,63) and 68% for bad diet (95% CI 63.97-73,69). The 69.8% of smokers, 77.8% of sedentary and 48.4% of people without proper diet was precontemplative to change their lifestyles. Precontemplative stages in unhealthy life styles have association with risk factors and increase the global cardiovascular risk. The transtheoretical model is a useful tool for the assessment of unhealthy behaviors in lifestyles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Wearable Eating Habit Sensing System Using Internal Body Sound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuzo, Masaki; Komori, Shintaro; Takashima, Tomoko; Lopez, Guillaume; Tatsuta, Seiji; Yanagimoto, Shintaro; Warisawa, Shin'ichi; Delaunay, Jean-Jacques; Yamada, Ichiro

Continuous monitoring of eating habits could be useful in preventing lifestyle diseases such as metabolic syndrome. Conventional methods consist of self-reporting and calculating mastication frequency based on the myoelectric potential of the masseter muscle. Both these methods are significant burdens for the user. We developed a non-invasive, wearable sensing system that can record eating habits over a long period of time in daily life. Our sensing system is composed of two bone conduction microphones placed in the ears that send internal body sound data to a portable IC recorder. Applying frequency spectrum analysis on the collected sound data, we could not only count the number of mastications during eating, but also accurately differentiate between eating, drinking, and speaking activities. This information can be used to evaluate the regularity of meals. Moreover, we were able to analyze sound features to classify the types of foods eaten by food texture.

The effects of social support and stress perception on bulimic behaviors and unhealthy food consumption.

PubMed

Kwan, Mun Yee; Gordon, Kathryn H

2016-08-01

Two studies tested a model where perceived stress was the proposed mediator for the relationship between perceived social support and bulimic behaviors, and between perceived social support and unhealthy food consumption among undergraduate students. Study 1 was a longitudinal, online study in which undergraduate students completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Bulimia Test-Revised at the Time 1 assessment, and the Perceived Stress Scale and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire at the Time 2 assessment, approximately four weeks later. Study 2 was an experimental study in which female participants were randomly assigned into a group with or without social support. Stress was induced with a speech task, followed by a bogus taste task paradigm designed to assess unhealthy food consumption. Bootstrap analyses revealed an indirect effect of perceived social support on bulimic behaviors and unhealthy food consumption through perceived stress. Perceived social support was associated with lower perceived stress in both studies. Lower perceived stress was associated with less self-reported bulimic behaviors in Study 1 and greater consumption of unhealthy foods in Study 2. The negative association between perceived stress and calorie consumption in Study 2 was moderated by dietary restraint. Findings suggest that stress perception helps to explain the relationship between perceived social support and bulimic behaviors, and between perceived social support and calorie consumption. Stress perception may be an important treatment target for eating disorder symptoms among undergraduate students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A sad mood increases attention to unhealthy food images in women with food addiction.

PubMed

Frayn, Mallory; Sears, Christopher R; von Ranson, Kristin M

2016-05-01

Food addiction and emotional eating both influence eating and weight, but little is known of how negative mood affects the attentional processes that may contribute to food addiction. The purpose of this study was to compare attention to food images in adult women (N = 66) with versus without food addiction, before and after a sad mood induction (MI). Participants' eye fixations were tracked and recorded throughout 8-s presentations of displays with healthy food, unhealthy food, and non-food images. Food addiction was self-reported using the Yale Food Addiction Scale. The sad MI involved watching an 8-min video about a young child who passed away from cancer. It was predicted that: (1) participants in the food addiction group would attend to unhealthy food significantly more than participants in the control group, and (2) participants in the food addiction group would increase their attention to unhealthy food images following the sad MI, due to increased emotional reactivity and poorer emotional regulation. As predicted, the sad MI had a different effect for those with versus without food addiction: for participants with food addiction, attention to unhealthy images increased following the sad MI and attention to healthy images decreased, whereas for participants without food addiction the sad MI did not alter attention to food. These findings contribute to researchers' understanding of the cognitive factors underlying food addiction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth, the Mediterranean diet and the buying power of adolescents in Greece.

PubMed

Grammatikopoulou, Maria G; Gkiouras, Konstantinos; Daskalou, Efstratia; Apostolidou, Eirini; Theodoridis, Xenophon; Stylianou, Charilaos; Galli-Tsinopoulou, Assimina; Tsigga, Maria; Dardavessis, Theodore; Chourdakis, Michael

2018-06-01

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate associations between pocket money, Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and growth among Greek adolescents. A total of 319 (157 boys and 162 girls) Greek adolescents, aged 10-18 years participated in the study. Pocket money was recorded, MD adherence was assessed with the KIDMED score and growth was evaluated using the World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts. Participants receiving pocket money exceeding 6.0€ daily demonstrated increased fast-food consumption and breakfast skipping. Overall, a negative relationship was revealed between pocket money and obesity. However, lower allowance receivers were less likely to be obese, consume fruit per day and more likely to consume breakfast and sweets, compared to average pocket money receivers. Increased MD adherence was associated with a lower risk of overweight and as expected, unhealthy eating habits were observed among obese adolescents. Interrelationships tend to exist between MD adherence, pocket money and growth among adolescents.

Perceived Child Weight Status, Family Structure and Functioning, and Support for Health Behaviors in a Sample of Bariatric Surgery Patients.

PubMed

Pratt, Keeley J; Ferriby, Megan; Noria, Sabrena; Skelton, Joseph; Taylor, Christopher; Needleman, Bradley

2018-01-29

The purpose of this study is to describe the associations between bariatric surgery patients' perspectives of their child's weight status, family support for eating and exercise behavior change, and family structure and functioning. A cross-sectional descriptive design with pre- and postsurgery (N = 224) patients was used. Demographics, perceptions of child weight status, family support for eating habits and exercise, and family functioning were assessed from patients at a University Bariatric Clinic. Patients who perceived their child to be overweight/obese reported more impaired family functioning, less family exercise participation, and more discouragement for eating habit change in the family compared to patients who did not perceive their child to be overweight/obese. Single parents more often perceived their children to be overweight/obese, and had more impaired family functioning, and less support for changing eating habits and family exercise participation. Patients with impaired family functioning reported less support for changing eating habits and family exercise participation. Bariatric patients who perceived their child to be overweight/obese and identified as single parents reported more impaired family functioning and less support for eating habits and family participation in exercise. Assessing pre- and postsurgery measures from parents and children will allow the further identification of relationship variables that can be targeted to promote positive family changes that benefit parents and children long-term. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding perceived determinants of nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour: a theory-informed qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Power, Brian T; Kiezebrink, Kirsty; Allan, Julia L; Campbell, Marion K

2017-01-01

Unhealthy eating and physical activity behaviours are common among nurses but little is known about determinants of eating and physical activity behaviour in this population. The present study used a theoretical framework which summarises the many possible determinants of different health behaviours (the Theoretical Domains Framework; TDF) to systematically explore the most salient determinants of unhealthy eating and physical activity behaviour in hospital-based nurses. Semi-structured qualitative interviews based on the TDF were conducted with nurses ( n  = 16) to explore factors that behavioural theories suggest may influence nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour. Important determinants of the target behaviours were identified using both inductive coding (of categories emerging from the data) and deductive coding (of categories derived from the TDF) of the qualitative data. Thirteen of the fourteen domains in the TDF were found to influence nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour. Within these domains, important barriers to engaging in healthy eating and physical activity behaviour were shift work, fatigue, stress, beliefs about negative consequences, the behaviours of family and friends and lack of planning. Important factors reported to enable engagement with healthy eating and physical activity behaviours were beliefs about benefits, the use of self-monitoring strategies, support from work colleagues, confidence, shift work, awareness of useful guidelines and strategies, good mood, future holidays and receiving compliments. This study used a theory-informed approach by applying the TDF to identify the key perceived determinants of nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour. The findings suggest that future efforts to change nurses' eating and physical activity behaviours should consider targeting a broad range of environmental, interpersonal and intrapersonal level factors, consistent with a socio-ecological perspective.

An Investigation into the Lifestyle, Health Habits and Risk Factors of Young Adults

PubMed Central

Al-Nakeeb, Yahya; Lyons, Mark; Dodd, Lorna J.; Al-Nuaim, Anwar

2015-01-01

This project examined the lifestyle, health habits and risk factors of young adults at Qatar University. It explored the clustering and differences in dietary habits, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PA) amongst male and female students, both Qatari and non-Qatari. Seven hundred thirty two students aged 18–25 years completed a self-reported questionnaire and an objective measure of BMI. Males and females had a high prevalence of being overweight and obesity and low levels of PA, according to well-established international standards. Three clusters were identified based on the students’ lifestyle and dietary habits. Cluster 1 (high risk factors) included those who engaged the least in healthy dietary practices and consumed the most unhealthy foods, participated in less PA and had the highest BMI. Cluster 2 (moderate risk factors) included those with considerably more habits falling into the moderate category, engagement in the most PA, the least TV and computer viewing time and had the lowest BMI. Cluster 3 (low risk factors) included those who engaged the most with the four healthy dietary practices, the least with the four unhealthy dietary practices and participated in moderate PA per week. This project provides valuable data that could be used by policy makers to address issues concerning student’s health. PMID:25913183

Appropriateness of the food-pics image database for experimental eating and appetite research with adolescents.

PubMed

Jensen, Chad D; Duraccio, Kara M; Barnett, Kimberly A; Stevens, Kimberly S

2016-12-01

Research examining effects of visual food cues on appetite-related brain processes and eating behavior has proliferated. Recently investigators have developed food image databases for use across experimental studies examining appetite and eating behavior. The food-pics image database represents a standardized, freely available image library originally validated in a large sample primarily comprised of adults. The suitability of the images for use with adolescents has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the appropriateness of the food-pics image library for appetite and eating research with adolescents. Three hundred and seven adolescents (ages 12-17) provided ratings of recognizability, palatability, and desire to eat, for images from the food-pics database. Moreover, participants rated the caloric content (high vs. low) and healthiness (healthy vs. unhealthy) of each image. Adolescents rated approximately 75% of the food images as recognizable. Approximately 65% of recognizable images were correctly categorized as high vs. low calorie and 63% were correctly classified as healthy vs. unhealthy in 80% or more of image ratings. These results suggest that a smaller subset of the food-pics image database is appropriate for use with adolescents. With some modifications to included images, the food-pics image database appears to be appropriate for use in experimental appetite and eating-related research conducted with adolescents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eating behaviour and eating disorders in students of nutrition sciences.

PubMed

Korinth, Anne; Schiess, Sonja; Westenhoefer, Joachim

2010-01-01

Sometimes the suspicion is put forward that nutrition students show more disordered eating patterns, which may be among the motivating factors to study nutrition. At the same time, it is not clear whether the students' increasing knowledge about diet and nutrition is associated with a more healthy eating behaviour or with an unhealthy obsession with food choices. Cross-sectional comparison of nutrition students from German universities during the first year of their studies (n 123) and during higher semesters (n 96), with a control group from other study programmes (n 68 and n 46, respectively). Dietary restraint, disinhibition, the tendency towards orthorexia nervosa and healthy food choices were assessed using a questionnaire. Nutrition students showed higher levels of dietary restraint than the control group. Disinhibition and orthorexia nervosa did not differ between nutrition students and controls. Orthorexic tendencies were lower in the more advanced nutrition students. Healthy food choices did not differ among students in the first year. More advanced nutrition students showed healthier food choices, whereas the corresponding controls showed slightly more unhealthy food choices. Nutrition students, more than other students, tend to restrict their food intake in order to control their weight, but they do not have more disturbed or disordered eating patterns than other students. Moreover, during the course of their studies, they adopt slightly more healthy food choices and decrease their tendency to be obsessive in their eating behaviour.

Television viewing and unhealthy diet: implications for children and media interventions.

PubMed

Harris, Jennifer L; Bargh, John A

2009-10-01

The concern over increasing rates of obesity and associated health issues has led to calls for solutions to the potentially unhealthy influence of television and food advertising on children's diets. Research demonstrates that children's food preferences are acquired through learning processes, and that these preferences have long-lasting effects on diet. We examined food preferences and eating behaviors among college students, and assessed the relative influence of 2 potential contributors: parental communication and television experience. In line with previous studies with children, prior television experience continued to predict unhealthy food preferences and diet in early adulthood, and perceived taste had the most direct relationship to both healthy and unhealthy diets. In addition, both television experience and parenting factors independently influenced preferences and diet. These findings provide insights into the potential effectiveness of alternative media interventions to counteract the unhealthy influence of television on diet, including a) nutrition education; b) parental communication and media literacy education to teach children to defend against unwanted influence; and c) reduced exposure to unhealthy messages.

Spread of Health Behaviors in Young Couples: How Relationship Power Shapes Relational Influence

PubMed Central

Cornelius, Talea; Desrosiers, Alethea; Kershaw, Trace

2016-01-01

Introduction Romantic relationships provide a context in which partners can influence each other’s health behaviors (e.g., weight-related behaviors, substance use). Partner influence may be especially pronounced among newly parenting adolescent and young adult couples because of the desire to maintain relationships (and therefore openness to influence), and because parenting-related challenges can pose risk for uptake of unhealthy behaviors. Two understudied factors that might affect partner influence on health behaviors include relative power within the relationship and prior levels of engagement in health behaviors. Methods The current study explored longitudinal partner influence effects in a sample of newly parenting adolescent and young adult females and their male partners (Ncouples = 157) recruited from four obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Connecticut between July 2007 and February 2011. Five health behaviors in two domains were explored: weight-related behaviors (unhealthy eating, exercise) and substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use). Relationship power and previous levels of health behaviors were examined as moderators. Variations across gender were also examined. Results Results of dyadic analysis showed partner influences for alcohol use. Partner influence depended on relationship power for eating, alcohol, and marijuana use, and on previous behavior for cigarette use. Results also varied by gender – only female-to-male influence was found for unhealthy eating and cigarette use. Higher relationship power was protective against smoking escalation for females. Discussion These results differ from previous research findings mainly on male-to-female influences. Such asymmetries may reflect traditional female dominance in food preparation, as well as shifts in power balances postpartum. Targeting relational power dynamics may buffer the spread and escalation of unhealthy behaviors in young parents, with implications for the health of both members of a couple as well as their children. PMID:27494239

Spread of health behaviors in young couples: How relationship power shapes relational influence.

PubMed

Cornelius, Talea; Desrosiers, Alethea; Kershaw, Trace

2016-09-01

Romantic relationships provide a context in which partners can influence each other's health behaviors (e.g., weight-related behaviors, substance use). Partner influence may be especially pronounced among newly parenting adolescent and young adult couples because of the desire to maintain relationships (and therefore openness to influence), and because parenting-related challenges can pose risk for uptake of unhealthy behaviors. Two understudied factors that might affect partner influence on health behaviors include relative power within the relationship and prior levels of engagement in health behaviors. The current study explored longitudinal partner influence effects in a sample of newly parenting adolescent and young adult females and their male partners (Ncouples = 157) recruited from four obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Connecticut between July 2007 and February 2011. Five health behaviors in two domains were explored: weight-related behaviors (unhealthy eating, exercise) and substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use). Relationship power and previous levels of health behaviors were examined as moderators. Variations across gender were also examined. Results of dyadic analysis showed partner influences for alcohol use. Partner influence depended on relationship power for eating, alcohol, and marijuana use, and on previous behavior for cigarette use. Results also varied by gender - only female-to-male influence was found for unhealthy eating and cigarette use. Higher relationship power was protective against smoking escalation for females. These results differ from previous research findings mainly on male-to-female influences. Such asymmetries may reflect traditional female dominance in food preparation, as well as shifts in power balances postpartum. Targeting relational power dynamics may buffer the spread and escalation of unhealthy behaviors in young parents, with implications for the health of both members of a couple as well as their children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral intervention reduces unhealthy eating behaviors in preschool children via a behavior card approach.

PubMed

Lin, Ming; Pan, Li-Ping; Han, Juan; Li, Li; Jiang, Jing-Xiong; Jin, Run-Ming

2016-12-01

Many eating behaviors form in childhood, and some unhealthy behaviors may persist into adulthood and have potential impacts on people's health. This study evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral intervention in reducing consumption of Western fast food, sweetened beverages, fried food in preschool children, and changing parents' rewarding behaviors that encourage the consumption of the unhealthy foods. The research was a cluster randomized trial of seven kindergartens, involving 1138 children aged 3-6 years and their parents in Beijing, China. Parents and children allocated to the intervention group received two lectures and printed resources, including behavior cards, educational sheets. Children's behavior cards, applied with behavior-changing techniques, were used to intervene, and monitor behavior changes over time. Children in the control group just followed their usual health education curriculum in kindergartens. Intervention effects on food consumption behaviors were assessed by examining pre- and post-questionnaires. Of the 1138 children screened at baseline, 880 (77.3%) were measured at the end of the intervention period. The intervention lasted from March to June in 2010. The results showed that consumption of Western fast food, sweetened beverages, and fried food was decreased among the intervention group (P<0.001). Proportions of parents using Western fast food as rewards for their children were decreased (P=0.002). From March to June 2010, the frequency of each target behavior in children tended to decrease over the intervention period (P<0.001). Most parents favored regularly-delivered behavior cards or materials for behavioral intervention. In conclusion, the behavioral intervention encourages the healthier eating behaviors of children and reduces the parents' practice of using unhealthy foods as reward.

How French subjects describe well-being from food and eating habits? Development, item reduction and scoring definition of the Well-Being related to Food Questionnaire (Well-BFQ©).

PubMed

Guillemin, I; Marrel, A; Arnould, B; Capuron, L; Dupuy, A; Ginon, E; Layé, S; Lecerf, J-M; Prost, M; Rogeaux, M; Urdapilleta, I; Allaert, F-A

2016-01-01

Providing well-being and maintaining good health are main objectives subjects seek from diet. This manuscript describes the development and preliminary validation of an instrument assessing well-being associated with food and eating habits in a general healthy population. Qualitative data from 12 groups of discussion (102 subjects) conducted with healthy subjects were used to develop the core of the Well-being related to Food Questionnaire (Well-BFQ). Twelve other groups of discussion with subjects with joint (n = 34), digestive (n = 32) or repetitive infection complaints (n = 30) were performed to develop items specific to these complaints. Five main themes emerged from the discussions and formed the modular backbone of the questionnaire: "Grocery shopping", "Cooking", "Dining places", "Commensality", "Eating and drinking". Each module has a common structure: items about subject's food behavior and items about immediate and short-term benefits. An additional theme - "Eating habits and health" - assesses subjects' beliefs about expected benefits of food and eating habits on health, disease prevention and protection, and quality of ageing. A preliminary validation was conducted with 444 subjects with balanced diet; non-balanced diet; and standard diet. The structure of the questionnaire was further determined using principal component analyses exploratory factor analyses, with confirmation of the sub-sections food behaviors, immediate benefits (pleasure, security, relaxation), direct short-term benefits (digestion and satiety, energy and psychology), and deferred long-term benefits (eating habits and health). Thirty-three subscales and 14 single items were further defined. Confirmatory analyses confirmed the structure, with overall moderate to excellent convergent and divergent validity and internal consistency reliability. The Well-BFQ is a unique, modular tool that comprehensively assesses the full picture of well-being related to food and eating habits in the general population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confident body, confident child: A randomized controlled trial evaluation of a parenting resource for promoting healthy body image and eating patterns in 2- to 6-year old children.

PubMed

Hart, Laura M; Damiano, Stephanie R; Paxton, Susan J

2016-05-01

Body image and eating patterns develop in early childhood and are influenced by the family environment. This research evaluated Confident Body, Confident Child (CBCC), an intervention for parents of 2- to 6-year-old children, designed to promote body satisfaction, healthy eating, and weight management in early childhood. A randomized controlled trial compared four groups: (A) received the CBCC resource pack and a workshop, (B) received the CBCC resource pack only, (C) received a nutrition-only resource and (D) received no interventions until all questionnaires were completed (i.e., functioned as waitlist control). Measures of parenting variables relevant to child body image and eating patterns, parent-report of child weight, and evaluation questions about the resource, were implemented pre- and post-intervention. At 6-weeks post-intervention, the CBCC resource was associated with significant reductions in parents' intentions to use behaviors that increase the risk of negative body attitudes or unhealthy eating in their children, in parents' use of feeding practices associated with childhood overweight, and in television watching during family meals. Significant increases in parents' intentions to use positive behaviors and knowledge of child body image and healthy eating patterns were also found. Superior results were found for the CBCC resource + workshop condition, suggesting it is the preferred delivery method. CBCC positively impacts parenting variables associated with childhood risk for body dissatisfaction, unhealthy eating and weight. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:458-472). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

“If it’s not Iron it’s Iron f*cking biggest Ironman”: personal trainers’s views on health norms, orthorexia and deviant behaviours

PubMed Central

Håman, Linn; Lindgren, Eva-Carin; Prell, Hillevi

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Orthorexia nervosa (ON) describes a pathological obsession with healthy eating to avoid ill health. In the Swedish context, ON is also understood in terms of unhealthy exercise. Fitness gyms are popular health-promoting places, but exercise-related problems, disordered eating and ON-like behaviour are increasing. Personal trainers (PTs) play an important role in detecting unhealthy behaviours. The aim of the present study was to illuminate PTs’ understandings of healthy and unhealthy exercise and eating behaviours in relation to orthorexia nervosa in a fitness gym context. Five focus groups with 14 PTs were conducted. These were analysed using interpretative qualitative content analysis and Becker’s model “Kinds of Deviance.” In contrast to PTs’ health norms (practicing balanced behaviours and contributing to well-being), ON was expressed mainly in terms of exercise behaviour and as being excessive and in total control. The PTs maintain that extreme behaviours are legitimized by an aggressive exercise trend in society and that they fear to falsely accuse clients of being pathological. Certain sport contexts (bodybuilding, fitness competitions and elite sports) and specific groups (fitness professionals) contribute to complicating PTs’ negotiations due to a competition, performance and/or profession norm, making it difficult to determine whether or not to intervene. PMID:28826371

Developing the IDEFICS community-based intervention program to enhance eating behaviors in 2- to 8-year-old children: findings from focus groups with children and parents.

PubMed

Haerens, L; De Bourdeaudhuij, I; Barba, G; Eiben, G; Fernandez, J; Hebestreit, A; Kovács, E; Lasn, H; Regber, S; Shiakou, M; De Henauw, S

2009-06-01

One purpose of 'identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants' (IDEFICS) is to implement a standardized community-based multi-component healthy eating intervention for younger children in eight different countries. The present study describes important influencing factors for dietary behaviors among children aged 2-8 years old in order to determine the best approaches for developing the dietary components of the standardized intervention. Twenty focus groups with children (74 boys, 81 girls) and 36 focus groups with 189 parents (28 men, 161 women) were conducted. Only in two countries, children mentioned receiving nutrition education at school. Rules at home and at school ranged from not allowing the consumption of unhealthy products to allowing everything. The same diversity was found for availability of (un)healthy products at home and school. Parents mentioned personal (lack of time, financial constraints, preferences), socio-environmental (family, peer influences), institutional (school policies) and physical-environmental (availability of unhealthy products, price, season) barriers for healthy eating. This focus group research provided valuable information to guide the first phase in the IDEFICS intervention development. There was a large variability in findings within countries. Interventions should be tailored at the personal and environmental level to increase the likelihood of behavioral change.

Eating habits and obesity among Lebanese university students

PubMed Central

Yahia, Najat; Achkar, Alice; Abdallah, Abbass; Rizk, Sandra

2008-01-01

Background In the past year Lebanon has been experiencing a nutritional transition in food choices from the typical Mediterranean diet to the fast food pattern. As a consequence, the dietary habits of young adults have been affected; thus, overweight and obesity are increasingly being observed among the young. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity on a sample of students from the Lebanese American University (in Beirut) and to examine their eating habits. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 220 students (43.6% male and 56.4% female), aged 20 ± 1.9 years, were chosen randomly from the Lebanese American University (LAU) campus during the fall 2006 semester. Students were asked to fill out a self-reported questionnaire that included questions on their eating, drinking and smoking habits. Also, their weight, height, percentage body fat and body mass index were measured. Body mass index (BMI) was used to assess students' weight status. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (version 13.0) to determine overweight and obesity among students and to categorize eating habits. Results This study showed that the majority of the students (64.7%) were of normal weight (49% male students compared to 76.8% female students). The prevalence of overweight and obesity was more common among male students compared to females (37.5% and 12.5% vs. 13.6% and 3.2%, respectively). In contrast, 6.4% female students were underweight as compared to 1% males. Eating habits of the students showed that the majority (61.4%) reported taking meals regularly. Female students showed healthier eating habits compared to male students in terms of daily breakfast intake and meal frequency. 53.3% of female students reported eating breakfast daily or three to four times per week compared to 52.1% of male students. There was a significant gender difference in the frequency of meal intake (P = 0.001). Intake of colored vegetables and fruits was common among students. A total of 30.5% reported daily intake of colored vegetables with no gender differences (31.5% females vs. 29.2% males). Alcohol intake and smoking were not common among students. Conclusion In spite of the overall low prevalence of overweight and obesity in the studied sample, results indicate that university students would possibly benefit from a nutrition and health promotion program to reduce the tendency of overweight and obesity, especially among male students, and to improve students' eating habits. PMID:18973661

[Healthy eating and the difficulties faced in making it a reality: perceptions of parents/guardians of pre-school children in Belo Horizonte/MG, Brazil].

PubMed

Bento, Isabel Cristina; Esteves, Juliana Maria de Melo; França, Thaís Elias

2015-08-01

A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted to establish the perceptions of 77 guardians of preschool children enrolled in a Child Day Care Center in Belo Horizonte/Minas Gerais State, regarding what is a healthy diet and the difficulties faced in having a healthy diet. The instrument used was a pretested semi-structured questionnaire containing leading questions obtained in face-to-face interviews. For data analysis, the Collective Subject Discourse technique was used, which elicited data organization of a verbal nature. It was revealed that the guardians have a notion of what healthy diet is, however their answers implied inadequate eating habits. They attributed insufficient financial resources, lack of time and ingrained eating habits as being the main difficulties in having a healthy diet. These three difficulties are the reasons given by some guardians who do not believe they have a healthy diet. The conclusion drawn is that the guardians need to have a better diet, because their eating habits influence their children's eating habits. These findings revealed the need for food and nutrition education strategies to enable the guardians to recognize and have a healthy diet.

Parents' perceptions of their children's weight, eating habits, and physical activities at home and at school.

PubMed

Jaballas, Elvira; Clark-Ott, Dorothy; Clasen, Carla; Stolfi, Adrienne; Urban, Marianne

2011-01-01

Parental perceptions of their young children's weight and habits may play an important role in determining whether children develop and maintain healthy lifestyles. This study was conducted to determine perceptions of parents of third-grade children in an urban school setting regarding their children's weight, eating habits, and physical activities. Parents anonymously completed surveys about their child's weight, eating habits, and daily activities. The survey also asked about how schools could encourage healthy eating and increased physical activity. Overall, 26% of the parents perceived their child to be overweight and expressed concern, but 40% of these parents believed that overweight is a condition that will be outgrown. Parents who reported eating more than eight meals per week with their child were less likely to report their child as overweight and more likely to believe that their child's physical activity level was appropriate. Most parents of third-grade students demonstrated concern regarding their child's weight and perceive obesity as a problem. Parents support school interventions such as nutrition education and fitness classes. Copyright © 2011 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutrient intake and food habits of soccer players: analyzing the correlates of eating practice.

PubMed

García-Rovés, Pablo M; García-Zapico, Pedro; Patterson, Angeles M; Iglesias-Gutiérrez, Eduardo

2014-07-18

Despite the impact and popularity of soccer, and the growing field of soccer-related scientific research, little attention has been devoted to the nutritional intake and eating habits of soccer players. Moreover, the few studies that have addressed this issue suggest that the nutritional intake of soccer players is inadequate, underscoring the need for better adherence to nutritional recommendations and the development and implementation of nutrition education programs. The objective of these programs would be to promote healthy eating habits for male and female soccer players of all ages to optimize performance and provide health benefits that last beyond the end of a player's career. To date, no well-designed nutrition education program has been implemented for soccer players. The design and implementation of such an intervention requires a priori knowledge of nutritional intake and other correlates of food selection, such as food preferences and the influence of field position on nutrient intake, as well as detailed analysis of nutritional intake on match days, on which little data is available. Our aim is to provide an up-to-date overview of the nutritional intake, eating habits, and correlates of eating practice of soccer players.

Nutrient Intake and Food Habits of Soccer Players: Analyzing the Correlates of Eating Practice

PubMed Central

García-Rovés, Pablo M.; García-Zapico, Pedro; Patterson, Ángeles M.; Iglesias-Gutiérrez, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Despite the impact and popularity of soccer, and the growing field of soccer-related scientific research, little attention has been devoted to the nutritional intake and eating habits of soccer players. Moreover, the few studies that have addressed this issue suggest that the nutritional intake of soccer players is inadequate, underscoring the need for better adherence to nutritional recommendations and the development and implementation of nutrition education programs. The objective of these programs would be to promote healthy eating habits for male and female soccer players of all ages to optimize performance and provide health benefits that last beyond the end of a player’s career. To date, no well-designed nutrition education program has been implemented for soccer players. The design and implementation of such an intervention requires a priori knowledge of nutritional intake and other correlates of food selection, such as food preferences and the influence of field position on nutrient intake, as well as detailed analysis of nutritional intake on match days, on which little data is available. Our aim is to provide an up-to-date overview of the nutritional intake, eating habits, and correlates of eating practice of soccer players. PMID:25045939

Body dissatisfaction and body mass in girls and boys transitioning from early to mid-adolescence: additional role of self-esteem and eating habits

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the transition from early to mid-adolescence, gender differences in pubertal development become significant. Body dissatisfaction is often associated with body mass, low self-esteem and abnormal eating habits. The majority of studies investigating body dissatisfaction and its associations have been conducted on female populations. However, some evidence suggests that males also suffer from these problems and that gender differences might already be observed in adolescence. Aims To examine body dissatisfaction and its relationship with body mass, as well as self-esteem and eating habits, in girls and boys in transition from early to mid-adolescence. Methods School nurses recorded the heights and weights of 659 girls and 711 boys with a mean age of 14.5 years. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory were used as self-appraisal scales. Eating data were self-reported. Results The girls were less satisfied with their bodies than boys were with theirs (mean score (SD): 30.6 (SD 12.2) vs. 18.9 (SD 9.5); p < 0.001). The girls expressed most satisfaction with their bodies when they were underweight, more dissatisfaction when they were of normal weight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys also expressed most satisfaction when they were underweight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys reported higher levels of self-esteem than did the girls (mean (SD): 31.3 (4.8) vs. 28.0 (5.9); p < 0.001). The adolescents self-reporting abnormal eating habits were less satisfied with their bodies than those describing normal eating habits (mean (SD): 33.0 (12.9) vs. 21.2 (10.2); p < 0.001). Conclusions Body mass, self-esteem and eating habits revealed a significant relationship with body dissatisfaction in the transitional phase from early to mid-adolescence in girls and boys, but significant gender differences were also found. PMID:22540528

Using formative research to develop a worksite health promotion program for African American women.

PubMed

Zunker, Christie; Cox, Tiffany L; Wingo, Brooks C; Knight, Bern'Nadette; Jefferson, Wendy K; Ard, Jamy D

2008-01-01

To describe the development of a culturally appropriate worksite health promotion program (WHPP) designed to promote increased physical activity and improved nutrition in a high risk group of African American women. The program was based on EatRight, which is a lifestyle-oriented weight control program that focuses on food volume, rather than calories. Formative research included four nominal group technique (NGT) sessions conducted with 14 African American women from the selected worksite to gather input on job factors that affected their weight and daily life factors that affected their amount of physical activity. Their responses were used to adapt existing EatRight materials to target areas of special need for this unique group. Themes emerged from the NGT sessions that indicated stress at work and an environment of unhealthy eating, in addition to social eating and lack of social support for healthy eating added to unhealthy eating patterns at work. In response to physical activity, the primary themes included lack of time to exercise, stress of multiple family roles and responsibilities, and perceived physical barriers to physical activity. Based on the NGT themes, EatRight materials were adapted and additional topics (e.g., increasing social support, overcoming limitations, and time management) were included to develop a WHPP that addressed issues that the participants identified as relevant for their work and home lives. Conducting the NGT sessions and EatRight classes in the work environment, we were able to provide a convenient, familiar environment which fostered social support among participants. We believe that a culturally appropriate modification of EatRight holds great promise in addressing health disparities seen among African American women by offering education on lifestyle changes that will decrease weight through nutrition and physical activity.

Overeating with and without loss of control: associations with weight status, weight-related characteristics, and psychosocial health

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Andrea B.; Loth, Katie A.; MacLehose, Richard F.; Pisetsky, Emily M.; Berge, Jerica M.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-01-01

Objective The relative importance of loss of control and overeating in the relationship between binge eating and eating-related and general psychopathology has been debated in the literature. This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of overeating with and without loss of control within a diverse, population-based sample of adolescents. Method A highly diverse (81.1% non-White) sample of adolescents (n=2,793) from EAT-2010 (Eating and Activity in Teens) completed self-report questionnaires assessing eating-related psychopathology, substance use, non-suicidal self-injury, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. Results Overeating without loss of control was reported by 6.9% of girls and 5.0% of boys, while 9.6% of girls and 6.3% of boys reported overeating with loss of control (binge eating). Overall, overeating (with or without loss of control) was positively associated with unhealthy or extreme weight control behaviors, dieting, non-suicidal self-injury, lower body satisfaction and self-esteem, and higher depressive symptoms relative to no overeating. Among girls, binge eating was associated with unhealthy or extreme weight control behaviors, lower self-esteem, and higher depressive symptoms relative to overeating without loss of control, while in boys, binge eating was associated with greater cigarette usage, lower body satisfaction, and greater depressive symptoms than overeating without loss of control (although cigarette usage was comparable in boys reporting binge eating and no overeating). Discussion Any overeating, with or without loss of control, was associated with multiple adverse correlates among adolescents. Loss of control was uniquely associated with multiple health indicators, further highlighting its importance as a marker of severity of overeating. PMID:26368333

Overeating with and without loss of control: Associations with weight status, weight-related characteristics, and psychosocial health.

PubMed

Goldschmidt, Andrea B; Loth, Katie A; MacLehose, Richard F; Pisetsky, Emily M; Berge, Jerica M; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-12-01

The relative importance of loss of control and overeating in the relationship between binge eating and eating-related and general psychopathology has been debated in the literature. This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of overeating with and without loss of control within a diverse, population-based sample of adolescents. A highly diverse (81.1% non-White) sample of adolescents (n = 2,793) from EAT-2010 (Eating and Activity in Teens) completed self-report questionnaires assessing eating-related psychopathology, substance use, nonsuicidal self-injury, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. Overeating without loss of control was reported by 6.9% of girls and 5.0% of boys, while 9.6% of girls and 6.3% of boys reported overeating with loss of control (binge eating). Overall, overeating (with or without loss of control) was positively associated with unhealthy or extreme weight control behaviors, dieting, nonsuicidal self-injury, lower body satisfaction, and self-esteem, and higher depressive symptoms relative to no overeating. Among girls, binge eating was associated with unhealthy or extreme weight control behaviors, lower self-esteem, and higher depressive symptoms relative to overeating without loss of control, while in boys, binge eating was associated with greater cigarette usage, lower body satisfaction, and greater depressive symptoms than overeating without loss of control (although cigarette usage was comparable in boys reporting binge eating and no overeating). Any overeating, with or without loss of control, was associated with multiple adverse correlates among adolescents. Loss of control was uniquely associated with multiple health indicators, further highlighting its importance as a marker of severity of overeating. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychosocial and Environmental Determinants of Eating Behaviors, Physical Activity, and Weight Change among College Students: A Qualitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaCaille, Lara J.; Dauner, Kim Nichols; Krambeer, Rachel J.; Pedersen, Jon

2011-01-01

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify factors that college students perceived as contributing to healthy and unhealthy eating patterns, physical activity (PA) levels, and weight change. Participants: Forty-nine 18- to 22-year-old students at a midwestern university participated. Methods: Six focus groups (3 with each gender) were…

The Role and Impact of Student Leadership on Participants in a Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutuskey, Lila; McCaughtry, Nate; Shen, Bo; Centeio, Erin; Garn, Alex

2016-01-01

Objective: In the USA there are rising rates of obesity among children, at least in part due to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. Implementing school-based health interventions with elementary school children focused on youth empowerment could lead to improved health environments and behaviours. The purpose of the present study was to…

Beliefs about exercise: relationship to eating psychopathology and core beliefs among young female exercisers.

PubMed

Meyer, C; Blissett, J; Alberry, R; Sykes, A

2013-01-01

This study had two objectives. First, to determine links between levels of eating psychopathology and beliefs about exercise among young women. Second, to determine the predictive effects of unhealthy core beliefs on exercise beliefs. A convenience sample of 185 young female exercisers completed the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), the Exercise Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ) and the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ). The participants' mean scores on the EDI were as follows: drive for thinness=0.69 (SD=0.82); body dissatisfaction=1.30 (SD=0.86); and bulimia=0.33 (SD=0.42). There were significant, positive correlations of all three EDI scales with EBQ social and EBQ appearance subscales. In addition, YSQ Defectiveness/Shame beliefs predicted EBQ social scores, while YSQ Unrelenting Standards predicted EBQ appearance scores. Those women with relatively unhealthy eating attitudes are likely to believe that exercise will prevent negative social consequences, and are likely to be motivated to exercise in order to preserve or enhance their physical appearance. These same types of exercise belief (regarding social consequences and appearance) are predicted by feelings of defectiveness and shame and by unrelenting high personal standards. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Folate deficiency

MedlinePlus

... as phenytoin, sulfasalazine, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) Eating an unhealthy diet that does not include enough fruits and vegetables Kidney dialysis Symptoms Folic acid deficiency may cause: Fatigue, irritability, or diarrhea Poor growth Smooth and ...

NCSU Food Service Survey Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gracie, Larry W.

Student perception of food service facilities at North Carolina State University was surveyed in 1977. Of 1,100 randomly selected residence hall students, 799 responses were obtained. Respondents were asked to evaluate food service facilities and to report their eating habits. Study was limited to eating habits in their rooms, in campus…

Fresh Food Program Promotes Healthy Eating Habits among Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kish, Stacy

2008-01-01

Communities across the nation are fighting the increased incidence of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes. With funding from USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), a group in Illinois is promoting environmental sustainability and healthy eating habits in young Americans. Seven Generations Ahead's…

Clustering eating habits: frequent consumption of different dietary patterns among the Italian general population in the association with obesity, physical activity, sociocultural characteristics and psychological factors.

PubMed

Denoth, Francesca; Scalese, Marco; Siciliano, Valeria; Di Renzo, Laura; De Lorenzo, Antonino; Molinaro, Sabrina

2016-06-01

(a) To identify clusters of eating patterns among the Italian population aged 15-64 years, focusing on typical Mediterranean diet (Med-diet) items consumption; (b) to examine the distribution of eating habits, as identified clusters, among age classes and genders; (c) evaluate the impact of: belonging to a specific eating cluster, level of physical activity (PA), sociocultural and psychological factors, as elements determining weight abnormalities. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected using self-reporting questionnaires administered to a sample of 33,127 subjects participating in the Italian population survey on alcohol and other drugs (IPSAD(®)2011). The cluster analysis was performed on a subsample (n = 5278 subjects) which provided information on eating habits, and adapted to identify categories of eating patterns. Stepwise multinomial regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations between weight categories and eating clusters, adjusted for the following background variables: PA levels, sociocultural and psychological factors. Three clusters were identified: "Mediterranean-like", "Western-like" and "low fruit/vegetables". Frequent consumption of Med-diet patterns was more common among females and elderly. The relationship between overweight/obesity and male gender, educational level, PA, depression and eating disorders (p < 0.05) was confirmed. Belonging to a cluster other than "Mediterranean-like" was significantly associated with obesity. The low consumption of Med-diet patterns among youth, and the frequent association of sociocultural, psychological issues and inappropriate lifestyle with overweight/obesity, highlight the need for an interdisciplinary approach including market policies, to promote a wider awareness of the Mediterranean eating habit benefits in combination with an appropriate lifestyle.

How brain response and eating habits modulate food energy estimation.

PubMed

Mengotti, P; Aiello, M; Terenzi, D; Miniussi, C; Rumiati, R I

2018-05-01

The estimates we do of the energy content of different foods tend to be inaccurate, depending on several factors. The elements influencing such evaluation are related to the differences in the portion size of the foods shown, their energy density (kcal/g), but also to individual differences of the estimators, such as their body-mass index (BMI) or eating habits. Within this context the contribution of brain regions involved in food-related decisions to the energy estimation process is still poorly understood. Here, normal-weight and overweight/obese women with restrained or non-restrained eating habits, received anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (AtDCS) to modulate the activity of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) while they performed a food energy estimation task. Participants were asked to judge the energy content of food images, unaware that all foods, for the quantity presented, shared the same energy content. Results showed that food energy density was a reliable predictor of their energy content estimates, suggesting that participants relied on their knowledge about the food energy density as a proxy for estimating food energy content. The neuromodulation of the dlPFC interacted with individual differences in restrained eating, increasing the precision of the energy content estimates in participants with higher scores in the restrained eating scale. Our study highlights the importance of eating habits, such as restrained eating, in modulating the activity of the left dlPFC during food appraisal. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eating habits of patients with cleft lip and palate terated with fixed appliances.

PubMed

Wysocka, Magdalena; Cudziło, Dorota; Kawala, Beata; Kopczyński, Przemysław

2014-01-01

Health education, built on the basis of various models as a lifelong process, has a considerable impact on eating habits. Correct nutritional patterns are particularly important during the period of intense growth and adolescence. The need to observe dietary recommendations concerns healthy, as well as sick persons, especially those with chronic diseases. To-date the data on the dietary habits of patients with cleft lip and palate during orthodontic treatment have been scarce. The objective of the study was to determine the eating habits of patients with cleft lip and palate before and during orthodontic treatment with a fixed appliance. The study covered 125 patients with cleft lip and palate, aged 14 to 31. The research tool was an own questionnaire assessing the dietary behaviour and oral hygiene habits during the treatment with a fixed orthodontic appliance. In the course of the orthodontic treatment with a fixed appliance, 79 patients (57.6%) did not change their eating patterns and 32 patients (24%) changed them to a moderate degree. The mean of 53 patients (42.7%) changed their hygienic habits considerably. The number of meals remained the same, however in the period when patients suffered pain after orthodontic adjustment appointments, the number of persons having 4-5 meals a day decreased by 32%. It is worth considering that no statistically significant changes were recorded as regards the habit of having sweet snacks and the insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables. Difficulties with correct oral hygiene were reported after the consumption of e.g. spinach (59.8%), cucumber (57.6%), berries (54.4%), meat (58.2%). Eating habits of a considerable percentage of patients with a cleft defect, before or during the treatment with a fixed appliance, do not comply with healthy nutrition recommendations. The dietary education of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment is necessary to ensure proper oral health and prevent diet-related illnesses.

Effect of price and information on the food choices of women university students in Saudi Arabia: An experimental study.

PubMed

Halimic, Aida; Gage, Heather; Raats, Monique; Williams, Peter

2018-04-01

To explore the impact of price manipulation and healthy eating information on intended food choices. Health information was provided to a random half of subjects (vs. information on Saudi agriculture). Each subject chose from the same lunch menu, containing two healthy and two unhealthy entrees, deserts and beverages, on five occasions. Reference case prices were 5, 3 and 2 Saudi Arabian Reals (SARs). Prices of healthy and unhealthy items were manipulated up (taxed) and down (subsidized) by 1 SAR in four menu variations (random order); subjects were given a budget enabling full choice within any menu. The number of healthy food choices were compared with different price combinations, and between information groups. Linear regression modelling explored the effect of relative prices of healthy/unhealthy options and information on number of healthy choices controlling for dietary behaviours and hunger levels. University campus, Saudi Arabia, 2013. 99 women students. In the reference case, 49.5% of choices were for healthy items. When the price of healthy items was reduced, 58.5% of selections were healthy; 57.2% when the price of unhealthy items rose. In regression modelling, reducing the price of healthy items and increasing the price of unhealthy items increased the number of healthy choices by 5% and 6% respectively. Students reporting a less healthy usual diet selected significantly fewer healthy items. Providing healthy eating information was not a significant influence. Price manipulation offers potential for altering behaviours to combat rising youth obesity in Saudi Arabia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What factors are associated with frequent unhealthy snack-food consumption among Australian secondary-school students?

PubMed

Niven, Philippa; Scully, Maree; Morley, Belinda; Baur, Louise; Crawford, David; Pratt, Iain S; Wakefield, Melanie

2015-08-01

To examine demographic and behavioural correlates of unhealthy snack-food consumption among Australian secondary-school students and the association between their perceptions of availability, convenience and intake with consumption. Cross-sectional survey of students' eating, physical activity and sedentary behaviours using validated instruments administered via an online questionnaire. Australian secondary schools across all states/territories. Secondary-school students aged 12-17 years participating in the 2009-10 National Secondary Students' Diet and Activity (NaSSDA) survey (n 12 188). Approximately one in five students (21 %) reported consuming unhealthy snack foods ≥14 times/week ('frequent snackers'). After adjusting for all covariates, older students and those with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m² were less likely to be frequent snackers, while students who reported high fast-food and high sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and those who watched television for >2 h/d were more likely to snack frequently. Furthermore, after adjusting for all covariates and demographic factors, students who agreed that snack foods are usually available at home, convenient to buy and that they eat too many snack foods were more likely to be snacking frequently. Conversely, students who agreed that fruit is a convenient snack were less likely to be frequent snackers. Frequent unhealthy snack-food consumption appears to cluster with other poor health behaviours. Perceptions of availability and convenience are factors most readily amenable to change, and findings suggest interventions should focus on decreasing the availability of unhealthy snack foods in the home and promoting healthier options such as fruit as convenient snacks.

School and workplace meals promote healthy food habits.

PubMed

Raulio, Susanna; Roos, Eva; Prättälä, Ritva

2010-06-01

The present study is to describe, on the basis of recent Finnish population surveys, (i) the frequencies of school and worksite canteen use, (ii) the determinants of having a hot lunch during school or working hours and (iii) the associations of lunch eating patterns with food habits. The study summarises mainly basic reports and studies concerning catering services conducted in Finland based on nationally representative population surveys.Design and subjectsCross-sectional study. The most important surveys cited in this paper are the School Health Promotion Study, the Work and the Working Conditions survey, the National FINDIET 2002 Study, and the Health Behavior and Health among Finnish Adult Population survey. School lunch is eaten by on average 70-90 % of children aged 9-18 years. Of all employees, 30 % eat at a worksite canteen daily, whereas 30 % of men and 45 % of women eat packed lunches. Nationally representative cross-sectional population surveys show that the use of catering services is associated with more healthy food habits; schoolchildren eating school meals and employees eating lunch at a worksite canteen tend to make food choices closer to nutritional recommendations as compared to those not using catering services to the same degree. Some evidence exists that catering services in schools and worksites contribute to healthy eating habits in the population. In order to verify the positive role of catering services more scientific research with prospective and intervention design studies will be needed.

Disentangling neighborhood contextual associations with child body mass index, diet, and physical activity: The role of built, socioeconomic, and social environments

PubMed Central

Carroll-Scott, Amy; Gilstad-Hayden, Kathryn; Rosenthal, Lisa; Peters, Susan M.; McCaslin, Catherine; Joyce, Rebecca; Ickovics, Jeannette R.

2014-01-01

Obesity prevalence among US children and adolescents has tripled in the past three decades. Consequently, dramatic increases in chronic disease incidence are expected, particularly among populations already experiencing health disparities. Recent evidence identifies characteristics of “obesogenic” neighborhood environments that affect weight and weight-related behaviors. This study aimed to examine associations between built, socioeconomic, and social characteristics of a child’s residential environment on body mass index (BMI), diet, and physical activity. We focused on pre-adolescent children living in New Haven, Connecticut to better understand neighborhood environments’ contribution to persistent health disparities. Participants were 1048 fifth and sixth grade students who completed school-based health surveys and physical measures in fall 2009. Student data were linked to US Census, parks, retailer, and crime data. Analyses were conducted using multilevel modeling. Property crimes and living further from a grocery store were associated with higher BMI. Students living within a 5-min walk of a fast food outlet had higher BMI, and those living in a tract with higher density of fast food outlets reported less frequent healthy eating and more frequent unhealthy eating. Students’ reported perceptions of access to parks, playgrounds, and gyms were associated with more frequent healthy eating and exercise. Students living in more affluent neighborhoods reported more frequent healthy eating, less unhealthy eating, and less screen time. Neighborhood social ties were positively associated with frequency of exercise. In conclusion, distinct domains of neighborhood environment characteristics were independently related to children’s BMI and health behaviors. Findings link healthy behaviors with built, social, and socioeconomic environment assets (access to parks, social ties, affluence), and unhealthy behaviors with built environment inhibitors (access to fast food outlets), suggesting neighborhood environments are an important level at which to intervene to prevent childhood obesity and its adverse consequences. PMID:23642646

Associations between dietary habits and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in a Hong Kong Chinese working population--the "Better Health for Better Hong Kong" (BHBHK) health promotion campaign.

PubMed

Ko, Gary T C; Chan, Juliana C N; Tong, Spencer D Y; Chan, Amy W Y; Wong, Patrick T S; Hui, Stanley S C; Kwok, Ruby; Chan, Cecilia L W

2007-01-01

Diet and nutritional status have been shown to play pivotal roles in the occurrence of many chronic diseases. In this study, we examined the patterns of dietary habits and their relationships with risk factors for cardiovascular and chronic diseases in Hong Kong working populations. In April 2000, a 5-year territory-wide health promotion campaign supported by the Li Ka Shing Foundation was launched in Hong Kong by the Health InfoWorld of Hospital Authority. Between July 2000 and March 2002, 4841 Chinese subjects [2375 (49.1%) men and 2466 (50.9%) women, mean age: 42.4 +/- 8.9 years (median: 43.0 years, range: 17-83 years)] from the general working class were recruited. Subjects were randomly selected using computer generated codes according to the distribution of occupational groups. A dietary questionnaire was used to assess 6 core dietary habits: daily fruit intake, vegetable intake, fluid intake, sugary drinks, regularity of daily meals and number of dining out each day. Overall, men had a worse cardiovascular risk profile and less desirable dietary habits than women. Those who had more unhealthy dietary habits were more likely to be obese and current smokers. Using logistic regression analysis with the dietary habits as independent variables, we found that obesity, smoking and constipation were independently associated with various unhealthy dietary patterns. In conclusion, there were close associations between dietary habits and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in Hong Kong. More effective community education about healthy lifestyle is required in Hong Kong.

Food beliefs and practices in urban poor communities in Accra: implications for health interventions.

PubMed

Boatemaa, Sandra; Badasu, Delali Margaret; de-Graft Aikins, Ama

2018-04-02

Poor communities in low and middle income countries are reported to experience a higher burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and nutrition-related NCDs. Interventions that build on lay perspectives of risk are recommended. The objective of this study was to examine lay understanding of healthy and unhealthy food practices, factors that influence food choices and the implications for developing population health interventions in three urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana. Thirty lay adults were recruited and interviewed in two poor urban communities in Accra. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed thematically. The analysis was guided by the socio-ecological model which focuses on the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, structural and policy levels of social organisation. Food was perceived as an edible natural resource, and healthy in its raw state. A food item retained its natural, healthy properties or became unhealthy depending on how it was prepared (e.g. frying vs boiling) and consumed (e.g. early or late in the day). These food beliefs reflected broader social food norms in the community and incorporated ideas aligned with standard expert dietary guidelines. Healthy cooking was perceived as the ability to select good ingredients, use appropriate cooking methods, and maintain food hygiene. Healthy eating was defined in three ways: 1) eating the right meals; 2) eating the right quantity; and 3) eating at the right time. Factors that influenced food choice included finances, physical and psychological state, significant others and community resources. The findings suggest that beliefs about healthy and unhealthy food practices are rooted in multi-level factors, including individual experience, family dynamics and community factors. The factors influencing food choices are also multilevel. The implications of the findings for the design and content of dietary and health interventions are discussed.

Unhealthy food consumption in adolescence: role of sedentary behaviours and modifiers in 11-, 13- and 15-year-old Italians

PubMed Central

Lemma, Patrizia; Berchialla, Paola; Cappello, Nazario; Inchley, Joanna; Dalmasso, Paola; Charrier, Lorena; Cavallo, Franco

2016-01-01

Abstract Backgrounds and aim: Unhealthy eating behaviours increase with age and have been associated with adverse health consequences in adulthood. We examined the influence of screen-based sedentary behaviours (SBs) on unhealthy food consumption, such as energy-dense foods and sweetened drinks, among a representative sample of nearly 60 000 adolescents and assessed the role of possible modifiers. Methods: Data come from the Italian 2009–10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Data on Eating patterns, SBs, physical activity, peers network, BMI and socio-economic status (SES) were collected following the HBSC study protocol. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used. Results: Unhealthy food consumption was significantly associated with a lower intake of fruit and vegetables and with the increase of SBs in both sexes and in all ages. The risk was interestingly higher in normal weight adolescents, in those with wider relationships with peers and in low SES children. Conclusions: This study adds evidence to support the importance of investing more resources in educational initiatives both to increase parents’ awareness to support adolescents on dietary choices and on time spent in screen-based behaviours, independently of their adiposity status; and to develop youth’s ability to access and appropriately use media and technologies. Policy makers should also increase their attention on introducing regulatory policies on television food advertising to which youth are exposed. PMID:27085192

Association between perceived stress, alcohol consumption levels and obesity in Koreans.

PubMed

Yoon, Seung-Jin; Kim, Hae-Joon; Doo, Miae

2016-01-01

Coping with stress often leads to unhealthy behaviors that can have an impact on the development of obesity. Therefore, this study is investigate the effect of perceived stress level on alcohol consumption habits, as well as the effect of the interaction between alcohol consumption habits and stress level on obesity in Koreans. We analyzed perceived stress, alcohol consumption habits (alcohol consumption status, quantity, and alcohol use disorders identification test) and the anthropometrics of 6,229 subjects from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The gender-based differences of the effect of the perceived level of stress on alcohol consumption habits and anthropometric measurements, as well as the interaction of the perceived level of stress and alcohol consumption habits on prevalence or ORs of obesity were analyzed. The subjects with high perceived stress showed higher proportions for unhealthy alcohol consumption habits than those with low perceived stress [ORs (95% CIs)=1.35 (1.19-1.54), 1.95 (1.68-2.26), and 1.87 (1.60-2.19) for alcohol consumption status, alcohol consumption quantity, and alcohol use disorders identification test, respectively]. Men showed significant interactions between the perceived stress and all alcohol consumption habits with respect to obesity [ORs (95% CIs)=1.28 (1.06-1.55), 1.81 (1.52-2.16), and 1.40 (1.17-1.68) for alcohol consumption status, alcohol consumption quantity, and alcohol use disorders identification test, respectively]. Among women, interactions between the perceived stress and alcohol consumption status [ORs (95% CIs)=0.70 (0.60-0.83)] and alcohol consumption quantity [ORs (95% CIs)=0.93 (0.54-1.36)] in relation to obesity were found to be significant. Our study demonstrated that the perceived stress influenced alcohol consumption habits that may have impacted obesity.

Rural Hispanic populations at risk in developing diabetes: sociocultural and familial challenges in promoting a healthy diet.

PubMed

Heuman, Amy N; Scholl, Juliann C; Wilkinson, Kenton

2013-01-01

Type II diabetes affects Hispanic populations disproportionately and is the fifth leading cause of death for Hispanic people in the United States ( Smith & Barnett, 2005 ). Risk of diabetes is of great concern throughout the United States and is clearly of epidemic proportions for regions such as the Southwest and Texas where the primary minority populations are Mexican American. We conducted four focus groups with a total of 49 Hispanic participants (23 adults and 26 adolescents) from rural West Texas communities to gain insights about participants' eating habits, knowledge of diabetes, and potential barriers to preventive care. From the data, we identified a three-tiered predisposition or vulnerability to diabetes-heredity; preferences for unhealthy, culturally based food; and temptations from U.S. mainstream fast food culture. These vulnerabilities added to the sociocultural concerns that participants identified-importance of parental and familial modeling; challenges to healthy eating based on a culturally based diet and mainstream fast food culture; and a lack of support from the larger sociocultural networks such as teachers, community leaders, and the media. From these data, we have a better understanding of familial and sociocultural factors that need to be addressed in the development of preventive public awareness and educational plans. We outline implications for practitioners and educators from an integrated cultural biomedical approach.

Socioeconomic inequalities in children's diet: the role of the home food environment.

PubMed

Ranjit, Nalini; Wilkinson, Anna V; Lytle, Leslie M; Evans, Alexandra E; Saxton, Debra; Hoelscher, Deanna M

2015-07-27

It is well documented in the literature that low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with lower consumption of healthy foods and that these differences in consumption patterns are influenced by neighborhood food environments. Less understood is the role that SES differences in physical and social aspects of the home food environment play in consumption patterns. Using data on 4th grade children from the 2009-2011 Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) study, we used mixed-effects regression models to test the magnitude of differences in the SPAN Health Eating Index (SHEI) by parental education as an indicator of SES, and the extent to which adjusting for measures of the home food environment, and measures of the neighborhood environment accounted for these SES differences. Small but significant differences in children’s SHEI by SES strata exist (-1.33 between highest and lowest SES categories, p<0.01). However, incorporating home food environment and neighborhood environment measures in this model eliminates these differences (-0.7, p=0.145). Home food environment explains a greater portion of the difference. Both social (mealtime structure) and physical aspects (food availability) of the home food environment are strongly associated with consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods. Our findings suggest that modifiable parent behaviors at home can improve children’s eating habits and that the neighborhood may impact diet in ways other than through access to healthy food.

Physical activity, dietary practices, and other health behaviors of at-risk youth attending alternative high schools.

PubMed

Kubik, Martha Y; Lytle, Leslie; Fulkerson, Jayne A

2004-04-01

This study assessed the interest of alternative high school staff in intervention research on students' eating and physical activity habits and the feasibility of conducting such research in alternative school settings. A two-phase descriptive design incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methods. In fall/winter 2001-2002, alternative high school administrators in Minnesota were surveyed (response rate = 83%; n = 130/157). During summer 2002, one-on-one, semistructured interviews were conducted with key school personnel (n = 15) from urban and suburban schools. Findings indicated few schools had been invited to participate in research on nutrition (11%) and physical activity (7%). However, more than 80% of administrators reported interest in their students participating in such research. Most schools offered health and PE classes and had access to indoor gym facilities and outdoor play areas. While most schools offered a school lunch program, participation was low, cold lunches were common, and food often was unappealing. Beverage and snack vending machines were common. Overall, the physical environment of most alternative schools did not support physical activity and healthy eating as normative behavior. Interest in interventions on physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary practices, and other priority health-risk behavior common in students attending alternative schools was high among teachers and administrators. Results suggest research in alternative high schools is feasible and successful implementation and evaluation of programs possible.

Longitudinal association between child stress and lifestyle.

PubMed

Michels, Nathalie; Sioen, Isabelle; Boone, Liesbet; Braet, Caroline; Vanaelst, Barbara; Huybrechts, Inge; De Henauw, Stefaan

2015-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been linked with an unhealthy lifestyle but the relation's direction remains unclear. Does stress induce sleeping problems, comfort food consumption, and lower physical activity, or do these unhealthy lifestyle factors enhance stress? This study examined the bidirectional stress-lifestyle relation in children. The relation between stress and lifestyle was examined over 2 years in 312 Belgian children 5-12 years old as part of the Children's Body Composition and Stress study. Stress-related aspects were measured by questionnaires concerning negative events, negative emotions, and behavioral problems. The following lifestyle factors were assessed: physical activity (by accelerometers), sleep duration, food consumption (sweet food, fatty food, snacks, fruits and vegetables), and eating behavior (emotional, external, restrained). Bidirectional relations were examined with cross-lagged analyses. Certain stress aspects increased physical activity, sweet food consumption, emotional eating, restrained eating, and external eating (βs = .140-.319). All relations were moderated by sex and age: Dietary effects were mainly in the oldest children and girls; stress increased physical activity in the youngest, whereas it tended to decrease physical activity in the oldest. One reversed direction effect was found: Maladaptive eating behaviors increased anxiety feelings. Relations were mainly unidirectional: Stress influenced children's lifestyle. Stress stimulated eating in the absence of hunger, which could facilitate overweight. Consequently, families should realize that stress may influence children's diet, and problem-solving coping skills should be acquired. In contrast to recent findings, stress might also stimulate physical activity in the youngest as positive stress coping style.

Adolescents' Response to Parental Efforts to Influence Eating Habits: When Parental Warmth Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lessard, Jared; Greenberger, Ellen; Chen, Chuansheng

2010-01-01

Previous findings have shown both beneficial and adverse effects of parents' attempts to influence adolescents' eating habits. The current study examined the differential effect of parents' persuasion (e.g., encouragement, giving information) and pressure tactics (e.g., guilt induction, ridicule) and the moderating influence of parental warmth on…

Using Education, Exposure, and Environments to Increase Preschool Children's Knowledge about Fruit and Vegetables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemeier, Brandi S.; Tande, Desiree L.; Hwang, Joyce; Stastny, Sherri; Hektner, Joel M.

2010-01-01

Because children's eating habits predict their adult eating habits, educating children about healthy foods is essential (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000). A Midwest Extension Service created and delivered an educational experience for preschool children to increase knowledge of fruits and vegetables. The knowledge assessment…

Self-affirmation improves self-control over snacking among participants low in eating self-efficacy.

PubMed

Churchill, Susan; Jessop, Donna C; Green, Ricky; Harris, Peter R

2018-04-01

Individuals low in eating self-efficacy are at particular risk of engaging in unhealthy eating behaviours, including the consumption of high calorie snacks. The elevated levels of snacking displayed by these individuals can largely be attributed to their experiencing low self-control over the avoidance of such foods (Hankonen, Kinnunen, Absetz, & Jallinoja, 2014). Interventions are thus required to boost self-control over snacking among those low in eating self-efficacy. Self-affirmation has been shown to boost self-control among individuals with depleted resources in other domains (Schmeichel & Vohs, 2009). The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that a self-affirmation manipulation would similarly increase self-control over snacking for individuals low in eating self-efficacy. At baseline, participants (N = 70) completed measures of dietary restraint and eating self-efficacy. In the main study, participants completed either a self-affirmation or a control task immediately before undertaking a joystick category judgment task that assessed self-control over snacking. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed the predicted significant interaction between eating self-efficacy and self-affirmation, demonstrating that self-affirmation moderated the association between eating self-efficacy and self-control over snacking. Johnson-Neyman regions of significance confirmed that for participants low in eating self-efficacy the self-affirmation manipulation resulted in higher levels of self-control. Unexpectedly, however, for participants high in eating self-efficacy the self-affirmation manipulation was found to be associated with lower levels of self-control. Findings supported the hypothesis that a self-affirmation manipulation would boost self-control over snacking among individuals low in eating self-efficacy. Self-affirmation may thus provide a useful technique for strengthening self-control in relation to the avoidance of unhealthy foods among individuals who find it difficult to manage challenging dietary situations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time orientation and eating behavior: Unhealthy eaters consider immediate consequences, while healthy eaters focus on future health.

PubMed

Dassen, Fania C M; Houben, Katrijn; Jansen, Anita

2015-08-01

Time orientation could play an important role in eating behavior. The current study investigated whether eating behavior is associated with the Consideration of Future Consequences scale (CFC). Specifically, it was examined whether unhealthy eaters consider the future less and are more concerned with immediate gratification. A related measure of time orientation is delay discounting, a process by which a reinforcer becomes less valuable when considered later in time. Recent research argues that the relation between time orientation and health behaviors is measured best at a behavior-specific level. In the current study, we explored the relationships between CFC and discount rate - both general and food-specific - and their influence on healthy eating. Participants with ages 18 to 60 (N = 152; final sample N = 146) filled in an online questionnaire consisting of the CFC, a food-specific version of the CFC (CFC-food), the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) and an adapted MCQ version with snack food as a reinforcer. Self-reported healthy eating was positively related to the future subscale (r = .48, p < .001) and negatively to the immediate subscale of the CFC-food (r = -.43, p < .001). The general CFC and discount rate (MCQ and MCQ-snack) were not related to healthy eating (all p > .05). In order to predict behavior, measurements of time orientation should thus be tailored to the behavior of interest. Based on current results, shifting one's concern from the immediate consequences of eating to a more future-oriented perspective may present an interesting target for future interventions aimed at promoting healthy eating and reducing overweight. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Obesogenic habits among children and their families in response to initiation of gluten-free diet.

PubMed

Levran, Neriya; Wilschanski, Michael; Livovsky, Jessica; Shachar, Edna; Moskovitz, Moti; Assaf-Jabrin, Lama; Shteyer, Eyal

2018-06-01

Initiation of a lifelong, gluten-free diet (GFD) in children with celiac disease (CD) influences the child's life in many ways. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of GFD on the child and his/her family's eating habits and lifestyle behaviors. To study this, we asked children and their parents completed the Family Eating and Activity Habits Questionnaire (FEAHQ) at the time of diagnosis of CD and at least 6 months after initiation of GFD and a questionnaires assessing symptoms related to CD and adherence to the GFD diet. We analyzed questionnaires from 40 children with CD and their families. There were 21 females, ranging in age from 4 to 15.7 years (median age 7.4 years±2.8 years). The control group comprised 15 healthy children. After initiation of GFD the family ate more junk food including snacks and candies (p = 0.05), with the significant change reported by children and fathers (p = 0.001 and 0.03 respectively). All family members in the control group had significantly less snacks. Parents and children reported a significant increase in obesogenic eating styles, such as eating from the cooking pot and eating while doing other activities (mothers, p = 0.001; fathers, 0.02; and children, 0.02 respectively). Our study shows that initiation of GFD in children with CD leads to changes in eating habits and staple food eating that may lead to a more obesogenic environment. Care givers, pediatricians, gastroenterologists, and dieticians alike should be aware of these implications and educate families towards a healthier lifestyle and diet beyond the GFD itself. What's Known: • Gluten-free diet has been shown to affect various psychosocial aspects of children with celiac disease. • Obesity and celiac are associated. What is New: • Initiation of gluten-free diet led to increased eating of junk food both in the patient and his/her family. • After initiation of GFD pro-obesogenic eating habits is increased.

Effectiveness of a Behavior Change Program on Physical Activity and Eating Habits in Patients With Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Gerage, Aline Mendes; Benedetti, Tânia Rosane Bertoldo; Ritti-Dias, Raphael Mendes; Dos Santos, Ana Célia Oliveira; de Souza, Bruna Cadengue Coêlho; Almeida, Fábio Araujo

2017-12-01

This study aimed to analyze the effect of a behavior change program, called Vida Ativa Melhorando a Saúde (VAMOS), on physical activity, eating habits, and quality of life in patients with hypertension. A randomized controlled trial was carried out in 90 patients with hypertension (57.8 ± 9.9 y). They were randomly assigned to 2 groups: VAMOS group (n = 45) and control group (n = 45). The VAMOS group participated in a behavioral change program aimed at motivating changes in physical activity and nutrition behavior for 12 weeks. Physical activity, eating habits, quality of life, self-efficacy, and social support were evaluated at preintervention and postintervention. The control group increased sedentary time (407 ± 87 vs 303 ± 100 min/d; P < .05) and sedentary bouts (434 ± 86 vs 336 ± 98 min/d; P < .05) and reduced total physical activity (553 ± 87 vs 526 ± 86 min/d; P < .05). The VAMOS group improved the general healthy eating habits score (36.9 ± 6.6 vs 43.4 ± 5.8; P < .05) and quality of life (44% vs 92%; P < .05). The VAMOS program was effective in improving eating habits and quality of life in patients with hypertension.

Development and Preliminary Validation of Chinese Preschoolers’ Eating Behavior Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuhai; Wang, Baoxi; Sun, Lijun; Shang, Lei

2014-01-01

Background The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire for caregivers to assess the eating behavior of Chinese preschoolers. Methods To assess children’s eating behaviors, 152 items were derived from a broad review of the literature related to epidemiology surveys and the assessment of children’s eating behaviors. All of these items were reviewed by 50 caregivers of preschoolers and 10 experienced pediatricians. Seventy-seven items were selected for use in a primary questionnaire. After conducting an exploratory factor analysis and a variability analysis on the data from 313 preschoolers used to evaluate this primary questionnaire, we deleted 39 of these 77 items. A Chinese Preschoolers’ Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CPEBQ) was finally established from the remaining 38 items. The structure of this questionnaire was explored by factor analysis, and its reliability, validity and discriminative ability were evaluated with data collected from caregivers of 603 preschoolers. Results The CPEBQ consisted of 7 dimensions and 38 items. The 7 dimensions were food fussiness, food responsiveness, eating habit, satiety responsiveness, exogenous eating, emotional eating and initiative eating. The Cronbach’s α coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.92, and the test-retest reliability was 0.72. There were significant differences between the scores of normal-weight, overweight and obese preschoolers when it was referred to food fussiness, food responsiveness, eating habits, satiety responsiveness and emotional eating (p<0.05). Differences in caregiver’s education levels also had significant effects on scores for food fussiness, eating habits and exogenous eating (p<0.05). Conclusions The CPEBQ satisfies the conditions of reliability and validity, in accordance with psychometric demands. The questionnaire can be employed to evaluate the characteristics of Chinese preschoolers’ eating behaviors; therefore, it can be used in child health care practice and research. PMID:24520359

[Educational nutritional intervention as an effective tool for changing eating habits and body weight among those who practice physical activities].

PubMed

Teixeira, Pryscila Dryelle Sousa; Reis, Bruna Zavarize; Vieira, Diva Aliete dos Santos; Costa, Dayanne da; Costa, Jamille Oliveira; Raposo, Oscar Felipe Falcão; Wartha, Elma Regina Silva de Andrade; Netto, Raquel Simões Mendes

2013-02-01

The scope of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two methods of educational nutritional intervention together with women who practice regular physical activities by fostering the adoption of healthy eating habits. The study population consisted of 52 women aged between 19 and 59 who frequented the Academia da Cidade Program in Aracaju in the State of Sergipe. The study was a randomized comparison of two intervention groups and was of the pre-test/post-test variety. The educational activities were based on two protocols - one less intensive (P1 Group) and one more intensive (P2 Group) - over a period of two months. The variables analyzed were nutritional knowledge, anthropometric measurements and changes in eating habits. The changes identified were improvement in eating habits and reduction in weight and Body Mass Index for the P2 group. The modifications identified referred mainly to increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, reduction of fat in cooking, reduction in the volume of food eaten per meal and increased meal frequency. In relation to nutritional knowledge, only 2 of the 12 questions showed significant changes. The most intensive method proved effective in changing dietary habits leading to weight loss.

What Is Cancer?

MedlinePlus

... on the head causes brain cancer or that bad people get cancer. This isn't true! Kids don't do anything wrong to get cancer. But some unhealthy habits, especially cigarette smoking or drinking too much alcohol ...

Prehypertension

MedlinePlus

... But for a growing number of kids, poor lifestyle habits, such as an unhealthy diet, obesity and lack of exercise, contribute to elevated blood pressure and high blood ... to begin making lifestyle changes or, if you have certain conditions such ...

School-based nutrition education: lessons learned and new perspectives.

PubMed

Pérez-Rodrigo , C; Aranceta , J

2001-02-01

Nutrition is a major environmental influence on physical and mental growth and development in early life. Food habits during infancy can influence preferences and practices in later life and some evidence suggests fair to moderate tracking of food habits from childhood to adolescence. Studies support that good nutrition contributes to improving the wellbeing of children and their potential learning ability, thus contributing to better school performance. Children and young people who learn healthy eating habits, are encouraged to be physically active, to avoid smoking and to learn to manage stress, have the potential for reduced impact of chronic diseases in adulthood. Nutrition education is a key element to promoting lifelong healthy eating and exercise behaviours and should start from the early stages of life; it should also address the specific nutritional needs associated with pregnancy, including reinforcing breastfeeding. Food habits are complex in nature and multiple conditioning factors interact in their development. Young children do not choose what they eat, but their parents decide and prepare the food for them. During infancy and early childhood the family is a key environment for children to learn and develop food preferences and eating habits. As they grow and start school, teachers, peers and other people at school, together with the media and social leaders, become more important. Progressively children become more independent and start making their own food choices. The peer group is very important for adolescents and has a major influence in developing both food habits and lifestyles. Community trials suggest that nutrition education is an accessible effective tool in health promotion programmes with a focus on the development of healthy eating practices.

Stakeholder perspectives on national policy for regulating the school food environment in Mexico.

PubMed

Monterrosa, Eva C; Campirano, Fabricio; Tolentino Mayo, Lizbeth; Frongillo, Edward A; Hernández Cordero, Sonia; Kaufer-Horwitz, Martha; Rivera, Juan A

2015-02-01

In Mexico, the school environment has been promoting sale of unhealthy foods. There is little empirical evidence on multi-stakeholder perspectives around national school food policy to regulate this. We studied stakeholders' perspectives on the proposed regulation for school sale of unhealthy foods. Comments about the regulation were available from an open consultation process held in June 2010 before the approval and implementation of the regulation. To examine perspectives, we coded 597 comments for beliefs, expectations and demands in NVivo. We created matrices by actors: academics, parents, citizens, health professionals and food industry. For academics, citizens and health professionals, the primary issue regarding the regulation was obesity, while for parents it was health of children. Academics, citizens, health professionals and parents believed that government was responsible for health of citizens, expected that this regulation would improve eating habits and health (i.e. less obesity and chronic diseases), and demanded that unhealthy foods be removed from schools. Parents demanded immediate action for school food policy that would protect their children. Citizens and health professionals demanded nutrition education and healthy food environment. Food industry opposed the regulation because it would not solve obesity or improve diet and physical activity behaviours. Instead, industry would lose income and jobs. Food industry demanded policy aimed at families that included nutrition education and physical activity. There was substantial consensus in narratives and perspectives for most actor types, with the primary narrative being the food environment followed by shared responsibility. Food industry rejected both these narratives, espousing instead the narrative of personal responsibility. Consensus among most actor groups supports the potential success of implementation of the regulation in Mexican schools. With regard to addressing childhood obesity, sound government policy is needed to balance different perspectives and desired outcomes among societal actors, particularly in Mexico between food industry and other actors. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Eating extra calories when sick - children

MedlinePlus

Getting more calories - children; Chemotherapy - calories; Transplant - calories; Cancer treatment - calories ... Change your children's eating habits to help them get more calories. Let your child eat when hungry, not just at mealtimes. ...

Assessment of Adherence to Eating Habit and Exercise Components in a Behavioral Weight Control Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zegman, Marilyn A.

Although the augmental value of exercise to behavioral weight control programs has been suggested, demonstration of this value is dependent upon an assessment of adherence to change in eating habits and activity patterns. Self-report measures of adherence were obtained from overweight college women undergoing treatment that involved either dietary…

The Relationship Between Nutritional Knowledge and Eating Habits of Selected College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Patsy; And Others

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between nutritional knowledge and eating habits of college students. Data were collected from 1,930 college juniors and seniors on 69 college and university campuses in 25 states. The students were members of the national home economics honor society and non-home economics students, male…

Adolescents' Perceptions of Healthy Eating and Communication about Healthy Eating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Kara; Prendergast, Gerard; Gronhoj, Alice; Bech-Larsen, Tino

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore Chinese adolescents' perceptions of healthy eating, their perceptions of various socializing agents shaping their eating habits, and their opinions about various regulatory measures which might be imposed to encourage healthy eating. Design/methodology/approach: Four focus group interview sessions…

Teeth, vomiting and diet: a study of the dental characteristics of seventeen anorexia nervosa patients.

PubMed Central

Hurst, P. S.; Lacey, L. H.; Crisp, A. H.

1977-01-01

Seventeen anorexia nervosa patients were examined dentally and their dietary histories and eating habits studied. Analysis of the data confirmed earlier observations dental deterioration associated with anorexia nervosa. The deterioration included a pattern of enamel dissolution in cases of vomiting, regurgitation, and/or the consumption of large amounts of citrus fruits; and an altered caries response due to abnormal carbohydrate consumption. Despite the patient's probably insistent denial of 'anorectic' eating habits, the general practitioner should consider the existence of anorexia nervosa in the presence of such abnormal features, especially in young women. The relationship of these findings to larger populations with similar eating habits is discussed. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 PMID:887527

A Comparison of Eating Attitudes Between Vegans/Vegetarians and Nonvegans/Nonvegetarians in Terms of Orthorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

Çiçekoğlu, Pınar; Tunçay, Güzin Yasemin

2018-04-01

This descriptive study was performed to compare signs of orthorexia nervosa and eating habits and attitudes of vegans/vegetarians and nonvegans/nonvegetarians. The study sample included 62 people, of whom 31 were vegan/vegetarian and 31 were nonvegan/nonvegetarian. Data were gathered with a personal characteristics form, Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11, Eating Attitudes Test-40 and Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory. There were not any significant differences between scores for Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11, Eating Attitudes Test-40 and Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (p>0,05). As scores for Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 decreased, predisposition to orthorexia nervosa increased. Therefore, although correlation coefficients were negative, they were considered positive. There was a significant, negative relation between Eating Habits Test-40 scores and Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 scores (r=-0.290, p=0.002) and between Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory scores and Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 scores (r=-0.319, p=0.012). As poor eating habits and obsessive symptoms increased, so did orthorectic symptoms. In light of obtained results, it seems that people become vegan/vegetarian mainly for ethical reasons and that veganism/vegetarianism is not associated with obsession of healthy eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food neophobia, life satisfaction and family eating habits in university students.

PubMed

Schnettler, Berta; Höger, Yesli; Orellana, Ligia; Miranda, Horacio; Lobos, Germán; Sepúlveda, José; Sanchez, Mercedes; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Grunert, Klaus G; Salinas-Oñate, Natalia

2017-04-03

The aim of this study was to categorize university students based on their association between food neophobia and levels of subjective well-being, in general and in the food domain, and their perception of their family's eating habits. A survey was conducted among 372 university students from southern Chile. The questionnaire included the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL), Health-related Quality of Life Index (HRQOL-4), and Family Eating Habits Questionnaire (FEHQ). Three student types were distinguished by cluster analysis: Group 1 (26.9%) had the highest scores on the FNS, SWLS and SWFL. Group 2 (40.8%) had a high score on the FNS but the lowest scores on the SWLS and SWFL. Group 3 (32.3%) had the lowest FNS score and high scores on the SWLS and SWFL. Group 2 stood out in having a low score on the FEHQ's component for cohesiveness of family eating. These results suggest that both neophobic and non-neophobic students have positive levels of satisfaction with life and food-related life, and that satisfaction among neophobic students is related to family eating patterns, especially cohesiveness in family eating.

Bad eating habits as the main cause of obesity among children.

PubMed

Kuźbicka, Karolina; Rachoń, Dominik

2013-01-01

Obesity is undoubtedly one of the biggest medical problems of the 21st century. Regrettably, the problem affects more and more children and adolescents. 10% of world's school-aged children have an excess body weight and a quarter of these children are obese. In Europe every fifth school-aged child suffers from an excess body weight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Polish adolescents is about 14%. An excess body weight can be the consequence of genetic factors, endocrine disorders or certain drugs. However, "simple obesity" is the most common, consequence of providing too much energy from food products in comparison to energy expenditure (caloric excess). Today's lifestyle promotes the development of obesity. The lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and energy-rich diet are the main causes of an excess body fat accumulation. Because of improper eating behaviours children consume an excess amount of energy; and their diet is deficient in elements necessary for proper development. The examples of such bad eating habits are: snacking highly processed and calorie-rich foods between meals eating in front of the TV screen, skipping breakfasts, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, "eating out" frequently and "emotional eating". Bad eating behaviours are crucial factors for the development of obesity. Eating habits are usually formed in early childhood and parents play a very important role in their development.

[Selected eating habits and caries occurrence in adolescents].

PubMed

Krzywiec, Ewa; Zalewska, Magdalena; Wójcicka, Anna; Jabłoński, Robert; Olejnik, Beata Janina; Grabowska, Stanisława Zyta; Jamiołkowski, Jacek; Czerech, Ewa; Łuszcz, Anna; Stepek, Agata; Maciorkowska, Elibieta

2012-01-01

Normal nutrition is an important element of caries prophylaxis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of chosen bad eating habits on caries occurrence in adolescents. The examination was carried out in the group of 367 (68.5% girls and 31.5% boys) pupils of the 3rd year of high schools in Białystok in 2011. Own questionnaire was used for the evaluation of eating habits. Caries intensity (PUW) was assessed by dental examination. To verify statistic hypotheses, the level of significance was estimated at p < 0.05. All calculation was performed with the use of the Statistic programme Statistica 7.0 (StatSoft). It was stated that 5 meals a day were consumed by 29.4% of examined pupils, 4 meals were eaten by 33.2%, 3 meals--by 31.3%, 2 meals--by 5.4%, and one meal was consumed by 0.5% of pupils. There were 55.3% of pupils who had irregular meals while 24.3% did not eat breakfast and 62.9%--did not have elevenses. Eating between meals was stated in 96.7% of pupils. Sweets consumption was revealed as follows: 16.8% several times a day, 19%--once a day, 40.5%--several times a week, 18.5%--several times a month, 5.2%--rarely or never. "Fast food" was not consumed by 34% of examined pupils while 54.6% consumed such meals several times a month, 10.9%--several times a week, and 0.5%--once a day. Higher level of caries intensity was observed in girls (mean coefficient PUW = 11.3) than in boys (mean coefficient PUW = 10.8). Mean coefficient PUW = 11.5 concerned pupils with consumption of fast food several times a month while PUW = 11.0 in those who consumed it several times a week, and PUW = 10.7 in pupils who eat rarely or never such food. As far as eating sweets, PUW was higher than mean (12.4) in pupils who eat sweets several times a day. Persons who eat between meals were characterized by higher coefficient (PUW = 13.0) as compared to those who eat between meals rarely (PUW = 11.3) and those who do not eat between meals (PUW = 8.9). (1) Bad eating habits (irregular meals, skipping breakfast, eating between meals as well as overeating sweets) in the developmental age can be a significant caries coefficient in adolescents. 2. High mean coefficient PUW in the examined group of 18-year-old pupils, in relation to abnormal eating habits in the significant percentage of those pupils, indicates the necessity of health education as far as caries prophylaxis is concerned.

The relation of post-work ruminative thinking with eating behaviour.

PubMed

Cropley, Mark; Michalianou, Georgia; Pravettoni, Gabriella; Millward, Lynne J

2012-02-01

Inability to unwind about work during leisure time has been associated with a number of negative health outcomes. This study was concerned with a possible behavioural pathway between unwinding and disease and examined the relationship between work-related rumination and food choice. Work-related rumination is arguably a core to understanding the 'unwinding process', and food choice is a well-established indicator of nutritional health. Two hundred and sixty-eight full-time workers from a range of white-collar occupations completed a self-report measure of ruminative thinking about work and an eating behaviour questionnaire. Three types of ruminative thinking were identified by factor analysis and labelled affective rumination, problem-solving pondering and detachment. In terms of food choice, high-relative to low-affective ruminators reported eating more unhealthy foods, and low detachers reported eating less cooked meals and more processed foods compared to high detachers. Problem-solving pondering was not associated with food choice, and none of the factors were associated with healthy food choice. It was concluded that failure to unwind from work is not necessarily related to unhealthy food choices. What appears to be the crucial factor is the type of perseverative thinking that people engage in post-work. Limitations and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Palatable food consumption in children: interplay between (food) reward motivation and the home food environment.

PubMed

De Decker, Annelies; Verbeken, Sandra; Sioen, Isabelle; Van Lippevelde, Wendy; Braet, Caroline; Eiben, Gabriele; Pala, Valeria; Reisch, Lucia A; De Henauw, Stefaan

2017-04-01

To understand the importance of the home food environment on unhealthy food consumption in children high in reward sensitivity, this study tested the hypothesis that the home availability of unhealthy food moderates the effect of reward sensitivity on children's fast-food consumption frequency, exerted via food cue responsiveness. Children between 7.5 and 14 years (n = 174, 50.6% boys) reported on reward sensitivity and food cue responsiveness (by means of the subscale 'external eating'). Their height and weight were measured. Parents reported on their children's fast-food consumption frequency, food cue responsiveness (by means of the subscale 'food responsiveness'), and on the home availability of unhealthy foods. Two moderated mediation models were conducted, one with the parent- and one with the child-reported food cue responsiveness as mediator. Findings suggested that with a high home availability of unhealthy foods, (a) a higher fast-food consumption frequency was found in children high in reward sensitivity and (b) the relation between reward sensitivity and the fast-food consumption frequency was mediated by external eating. The findings point at the importance of the home food environment in children high in reward sensitivity. They suggest to limit the home availability of unhealthy foods. What is Known: • Reward sensitivity (RS) is positively associated with children's palatable food consumption • In adolescents, this effect is mediated by food cue responsiveness, which determines the strength of an individual's motivation to obtain food when perceiving food cues What is New: • Children high in RS may be more vulnerable to palatable food cues in their everyday food environment because of a higher food cue responsiveness • The home food environment may be an important determining factor of the palatable food consumption of these children.

Lack of long-lasting consequences of starvation on eating pathology in Jewish Holocaust survivors of Nazi concentration camps.

PubMed

Bachar, Eytan; Canetti, Laura; Berry, Elliot M

2005-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether Holocaust survivors will show the same eating pathologies that were found in other participants who had also undergone starvation. Fifty-five Holocaust survivors and 43 matched control participants answered a questionnaire designed to explore eating problems and pathologies described in the literature as lasting for decades after a period of severe food restriction. Confirmation of the survivors' reports was obtained from their children. No significant differences in current eating habits were found between the Holocaust survivors and their matched controls. Prolonged starvation in Holocaust survivors did not lead to disordered eating habits in the sample. These results conflict with the notion that severe starvation consistently leads to food preoccupation and disordered eating. Copyright (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

[The assessment of food intake and declared satisfaction in medical students].

PubMed

Malara, Beata; Woźniak, Joanna; Miarczyńska-Jończyk, Halina; Jośko, Jadwiga; Jaskólecki, Henryk; Tyrpień, Mirosław

2003-01-01

Proper nutrition is one of the basic factors of the external environment which substantially influence the assurance and upkeep of a one's good state of health until old age. For students of medicine, i.e. prospective doctors, acquisition of knowledge and clinical experience should be accompanied by raising qualifications in the field of preventive treatment so that in future they can not only cure but also promote health. The aim of the present study was to analyse students' nutrition habits and to evaluate the declared satisfaction with the way of feeding. In preparation of the present paper the author used anonymous questionnaire method employing an inquiry form. The research included 416 students of the 4th and 5th years of study of the Medicine Department and 3rd and 4th year students of the Stomatology Division in 2001-2002 years. In the female group one could observe a larger consumption of vegetables and fruit, dairy products, poultry, fish and seeds of leguminous plants. Men more often eat animal fat and red meat. The analysis of the number of meals eaten shows that majority of women eat only one hot meal a day and do not eat supper. Whereas men twice as often do not eat breakfasts, they eat two or more hot meals a day and 70% of them declare they eat supper. Every second questioned person eats sweetmeats even several times a day, and only 7.7% of the population does not have the habit of intermittent eating. Analysis of the research material allowed to draw the following conclusions: 1. There is a statistically significant interdependence between the amount and quality of consumed food and the sex. 2. Women's nutritious habits are more adequate than men's nutrition habits to the dietetic prescriptions of the Institute of Food and Nutrition]. 3. Most of the men are satisfied with their nutritious habits, and the dissatisfied group is dominated by women. 4. The obtained results point to a necessity to work out and implement pro-health education within the field of young people's nutrition.

The Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Fast Food and Soda Consumption and Unhealthy Weight Loss Behaviors Among Young Women

PubMed Central

Hirth, Jacqueline M.; Rahman, Mahbubur

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective This study examines the association of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms with fast food and soda consumption, unhealthy dieting behaviors, and body mass index (BMI) in a group of young women. Methods This study was conducted on cross-sectional data gathered from 3181 females 16–24 years of age attending five publicly funded clinics in Texas. The associations among PTSD, fast food consumption frequency, soda consumption frequency, unhealthy dieting behaviors, and BMI were examined using binary and ordinal logistic regression. Results PTSD symptoms were associated with an increased frequency of consumption of fast food and soda as well as unhealthy dieting behaviors but not with increased body mass index (BMI). Conclusions PTSD symptoms adversely affect both eating and dieting behaviors of young women. These behaviors may have negative long-term consequences for the health of females with PTSD symptoms. PMID:21751875

Predictors of dietary quality in low-income pregnant women: a path analysis.

PubMed

Fowles, Eileen R; Bryant, Miranda; Kim, SungHun; Walker, Lorraine O; Ruiz, Roberta Jeanne; Timmerman, Gayle M; Brown, Adama

2011-01-01

Despite the potential importance of nutrition to pregnancy outcomes, little is known about the factors influencing dietary quality, especially during the first trimester. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships of distress (an index of depression and stress), social support, and eating habits with dietary quality in low-income pregnant women. A cross-sectional design and path analytic methods was used in a clinic-based sample of low-income women (n = 118) in their first trimester of pregnancy. Women completed questionnaires and received training on estimating food portion sizes. Three 24-hour dietary recalls were collected over 2 weeks. Overall dietary quality was assessed using the Dietary Quality Index-Pregnancy. The final path model fit well (comparative fit index [CFI] = .97, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .05) and revealed that distress had a direct effect on poor eating habits (β = .36) and a direct (β = -.23) and indirect effect on dietary quality (β = -.30). Poor eating habits had a direct effect on dietary quality (β = -.18). Social support had no effect on dietary quality. Age had significant direct effects on education (β = .39) and nutritional knowledge (β = .18) and an indirect effect on dietary quality (total effect, β = .19). Maternal age, education, and nutritional knowledge did not have significant effects on psychosocial variables. Psychosocial distress and poor eating habits contributed to inadequate dietary quality. Assessing for depression, stress, poor eating habits, and overall dietary quality during the crucial first trimester may identify women needing more intensive dietary monitoring and intervention throughout pregnancy.

Clustering of chronic disease risk factors with tobacco smoking habits among adults in the work place in Sousse, Tunisia.

PubMed

Sonia, Hmad; Jihene, Maatoug; Imed, Harrabi; Rim, Ghammem; Mylene, Belkacem; Mounir, Saadi; Souad, Amimi; Khaoula, Knani; Mustafa, Al'Absi; Harry, Lando; Najib, Mrizak; Hassen, Ghannem

2016-01-01

The aim of our study was to explore the major non-communicable risk factors (unhealthy diet, sedentarily, alcohol consumption) of smokers and nonsmokers in workplaces. A cross-sectional study was derived from an initial assessment in workplaces which was part of a community-based intervention to prevent chronic disease risk factors conducted in 2009 in the region of Sousse, Tunisia. The surveyed subjects were employees in six factories spread across three delegations in the region. Overall, 1770 of 2250 employees participated in the assessment. In this study, the clustering of non-communicable diseases risk factors with smoking habits was made only for male employees including in this study 1099 among 2250. Data were collected at worksites by a questionnaire, via interview or self-report. The main items assessed socio-demographics characteristics, smoking status, eating habits, level of physical activity and alcohol use of the participants. The percentage of male smokers was 54.0%(n=594). Their average age of daily smoking initiation was 19.22 (±4.24 years). The percentage of male smokers consuming 5 fruits and vegetables per day was significantly lower than nonsmokers (57.2% vs 63.5%, p=0.04). The proportion of male smokers consuming alcohol was about three times that of nonsmokers (16.5% vs 5.8%, p=0.001). The proportion of male employees who agree with anti-smoking laws in work places was higher for nonsmokers than for smokers. A strong association existed between smoking and risky lifestyles factors in the work place. Such findings are potentially useful in directing intervention efforts regarding smoking cessation in occupational settings.

Clustering of chronic disease risk factors with tobacco smoking habits among adults in the work place in Sousse, Tunisia

PubMed Central

Sonia, Hmad; Jihene, Maatoug; Imed, Harrabi; Rim, Ghammem; Mylene, Belkacem; Mounir, Saadi; Souad, Amimi; Khaoula, Knani; Mustafa, Al’Absi; Harry, Lando; Najib, Mrizak; Hassen, Ghannem

2016-01-01

Introduction The aim of our study was to explore the major non-communicable risk factors (unhealthy diet, sedentarily, alcohol consumption) of smokers and nonsmokers in workplaces. Methods A cross-sectional study was derived from an initial assessment in workplaces which was part of a community-based intervention to prevent chronic disease risk factors conducted in 2009 in the region of Sousse, Tunisia. The surveyed subjects were employees in six factories spread across three delegations in the region. Overall, 1770 of 2250 employees participated in the assessment. In this study, the clustering of non-communicable diseases risk factors with smoking habits was made only for male employees including in this study 1099 among 2250. Data were collected at worksites by a questionnaire, via interview or self-report. The main items assessed socio-demographics characteristics, smoking status, eating habits, level of physical activity and alcohol use of the participants. Results The percentage of male smokers was 54.0%(n=594). Their average age of daily smoking initiation was 19.22 (±4.24 years). The percentage of male smokers consuming 5 fruits and vegetables per day was significantly lower than nonsmokers (57.2% vs 63.5%, p=0.04). The proportion of male smokers consuming alcohol was about three times that of nonsmokers (16.5% vs 5.8%, p=0.001). The proportion of male employees who agree with anti-smoking laws in work places was higher for nonsmokers than for smokers. Conclusion A strong association existed between smoking and risky lifestyles factors in the work place. Such findings are potentially useful in directing intervention efforts regarding smoking cessation in occupational settings. PMID:27800075

Stages of Change Model for Participation in Physical Activity during Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Haakstad, Lene Annette Hagen; Voldner, Nanna; Bø, Kari

2013-01-01

Background. The transtheoretical model (TTM) has been successful in promoting health behavioral change in the general population. However, there is a scant knowledge about physical activity in relation to the TTM during pregnancy. Hence, the aims of the present study were (1) to assess readiness to become or stay physically active according to the TTM and (2) to compare background and health variables across the TTM. Methods. Healthy pregnant women (n = 467) were allocated to the study from Oslo University Hospital, Norway. The participants filled in a validated self-administered questionnaire, physical activity pregnancy questionnaire (PAPQ) in gestation, weeks 32–36. The questionnaire contained 53 questions with one particular question addressing the TTM and the five stages: (1) precontemplation stage, (2) contemplation stage, (3) preparation stage, (4) action stage, and (5) maintenance stage. Results. More than half of the participants (53%) were involved in regular exercise (stages 4-5); however, only six specified that they had recently started an exercise program (stage 4). About 33% reported engaging in some physical activity, but not regularly (stage 3). The results showed that receiving advice from health professionals to exercise during pregnancy increased the likeliness of being in stages 4-5, while higher age, multiparity, pregravid overweight, unhealthy eating habits, pelvic girdle pain, and urinary incontinence were more prevalent with low readiness to change exercise habits (stages 1–3). Conclusion. According to the TTM, more than half of the participants reported to be physically active. Moreover, most of the participants classified as inactive showed a high motivational readiness or intention to increase their physical activity level. Hence, pregnancy may be a window of opportunity for the establishment of long-term physical activity habits. PMID:23431448

Nutrition as a component of the performance triad: how healthy eating behaviors contribute to soldier performance and military readiness.

PubMed

Purvis, Dianna L; Lentino, Cynthia V; Jackson, Theresa K; Murphy, Kaitlin J; Deuster, Patricia A

2013-01-01

Nutrition is a critical element of Soldier health and performance. Food choices, meal timing, and dietary intake behaviors contribute to nutritional fitness. The objectives of this study were to describe Soldier dietary behaviors and quantify the association between healthy eating behaviors and demographic, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors. The Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Global Assessment Tool (GAT) assesses emotional, social, family, and spiritual fitness. In 2012, 57 pilot questions were added to the GAT to create a physical dimension that included nutrition assessments. Participants included 13,858 Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers: 83% male; 85% enlisted; a mean age of 28±9 years. A Healthy Eating Score (HES-5) was calculated from 5 questions assessing frequency of fruit, vegetable, whole grain, dairy, and fish intake (Cronbach α=0.81). Associations between HES-5 and other dietary habits, physical activity patterns, and GAT psychosocial dimension scores were examined. Soldiers who ate breakfast regularly (6 times/week or more), drank 7 servings or more of water/day, and met weekly exercise recommendations were more likely to be in the highest HES-5 quartile than those who did not. Those who passed their Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) in the top quartile were also more likely to report high HES-5 scores than those who failed (P<.001). Soldiers with healthy anthropometric measures and the highest emotional, social, family, and spiritual fitness scores were also more likely to be in the top HES-5 quartile than those with unhealthy measures and with the lowest fitness scores (P<.001). The HES-5 may be a useful index for characterizing dietary intake behaviors. Healthy dietary intake behaviors are associated with all dimensions of health, physical fitness, and psychosocial status.

Pizza and pop and the student identity: the role of referent group norms in healthy and unhealthy eating.

PubMed

Louis, Winnifred; Davies, Sarah; Smith, Joanne; Terry, Deborah

2007-02-01

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (I. Ajzen, 1985, 1991) and referent group (student) norms and identification (D. J. Terry & M. A. Hogg, 1996), the authors longitudinally predicted healthy eating intentions and behavior in a sample of 137 university students. Specifically, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control predicted intentions at Time 1, which predicted self-reported behavior at Time 2. There was also a link between intentions and observed behavior at Time 2. Beyond the planned behavior variables, referent group norms for university students' eating behavior interacted with participants' identification as students to predict healthy eating intentions. The authors discussed implications for researcher's conceptualization of normative influence and for interventions into this group's eating behavior.

Effects of Nutrition Health Intervention on Pupils' Nutrition Knowledge and Eating Habits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raiha, Teija; Tossavainen, Kerttu; Turunen, Hannele; Enkenberg, Jorma; Kiviniemi, Vesa

2012-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of nutrition health intervention on pupils' nutrition knowledge and eating habits from grade seven to grade nine. The study was part of the ENHPS (since 2008, Schools for Health in Europe (SHE)) program in Finland, and more specifically its sub-project titled "From Puijo to the…

Dietary Intakes and Eating Habits of College Athletes: Are Female College Athletes Following the Current Sports Nutrition Standards?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriver, Lenka H.; Betts, Nancy M.; Wollenberg, Gena

2013-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess dietary intakes and eating habits of female college athletes and compared them with the minimum sports nutrition standards. Participants: Data were obtained from 52 female college athletes from a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I university between January 2009 and May…

A Cluster-Analytical Approach towards Physical Activity and Eating Habits among 10-Year-Old Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabbe, Dieter; De Bourdeaudhuij, I.; Legiest, E.; Maes, L.

2008-01-01

The purpose was to investigate whether clusters--based on physical activity (PA) and eating habits--can be found among children, and to explore subgroups' characteristics. A total of 1725 10-year olds completed a self-administered questionnaire. K-means cluster analysis was based on the weekly quantity of vigorous and moderate PA, the excess index…

[Nutritional habits in children and adolescents practicing fencing. Part 1. Meal consumption].

PubMed

Radzimirska-Graczyk, Monika; Chalcarz, Wojciech

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess habits related to eating meals in children and adolescents who attended sports schools. The days with training and the days free of training were analysed separately. The questionnaires on the number and frequency of eating meals were filled in by 141 children and adolescents who practised fencing and attended sports classes in primary and secondary schools. The influence of gender and age on the number and frequency of eating meals was analysed by means of the SPSS 12.0 PL for Windows computer programme. The studied children's and adolescents' habits related to eating meals were highly unfavourable, especially in females from secondary school, mainly due to a very low percentage of students who ate meals regularly, lunch in particular. Boys ate more meals than girls. Especially disconcerting was a very low number of meals eaten by females from secondary school, which may imply a risk of anorexia. Children and adolescents who attend sports schools should be educated on nutrition and the relation between food habits, nutritional status and achieving success in sport. Females from secondary schools should be informed about the danger of anorexia.

[Life style and monitoring of the dietary intake of students at the Melilla campus of the University of Granada].

PubMed

Navarro-Prado, Silvia; González-Jiménez, Emilio; Montero-Alonso, Miguel A; López-Bueno, Marta; Schmidt-RioValle, Jacqueline

2015-06-01

University students represent a social group at risk, from the nutrionally point of view because they usually have inappropiate nutritional habits and lifestyle. Analize the students' lifestyle from the Campus of University of Granada in Melilla. Analize the evolution of the eating habits of these students during the academic year 2013-2014. A longitudinal study was carried out during the academic year 2013-2014, the lifestyle was evaluated and, in a ongoing way, the eating habits in a representative sample of 257 students, 90 men (35%) and 167 women (65%), all of them from the campus of University of Granada in Melilla. The results get worst as the academic year progresses and they are characterized by a significant reduction (p < 0.001) of carbohydrates intake as well as a significant increase (p < 0.001) of the lipido and proteína intake, especially, rich in saturated fat and a low-fiber diet. The population studied shows a sedentary lifestyle. As the academic year progresses, the students' eating habits get worst distance from the Mediterranian Diet pattern with the consequent risk at the development of cardiovascular diseases and metabolism disorder. So, it is necesary to get into these results in order to identify the influential factors in their eating habits and take the appropiate actions. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Salty-snack eating, television or video-game viewing, and asthma symptoms among 10- to 12-year-old children: the PANACEA study.

PubMed

Arvaniti, Fotini; Priftis, Kostas N; Papadimitriou, Anastasios; Yiallouros, Panayiotis; Kapsokefalou, Maria; Anthracopoulos, Michael B; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B

2011-02-01

Salty-snack consumption, as well as the amount of time children spend watching television or playing video games, have been implicated in the development of asthma; however, results are still conflicting. The aim of this work was to evaluate the association of salty-snack eating and television/video-game viewing with childhood asthma symptoms. Cross-sectional study. Seven hundred children (323 male), 10 to 12 years old, from 18 schools located in the greater area of Athens were enrolled. Children and their parents completed questionnaires, which evaluated, among other things, dietary habits. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the KIDMED (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents) score. The association of children's characteristics with asthma symptoms was performed by calculating the odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Overall lifetime prevalence of asthma symptoms was 23.7% (27.6% boys, 20.4% girls; P=0.03). Forty-eight percent of children reported salty-snack consumption (≥ 1 times/week). Salty-snack consumption was positively associated with the hours of television/video-game viewing (P=0.04) and inversely with the KIDMED score (P=0.02). Consumption of salty snacks (>3 times/week vs never/rare) was associated with a 4.8-times higher likelihood of having asthma symptoms (95% confidence interval: 1.50 to 15.8), irrespective of potential confounders. The associations of salty-snack eating and asthma symptoms were more prominent in children who watched television or played video games >2 hours/day. In addition, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with the likelihood of asthma symptoms. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as salty-snack eating and television/video-game viewing were strongly associated with the presence of asthma symptoms. Future interventions and public health messages should be focused on changing these behaviors from the early stages of life. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modelling the role of dietary habits and eating behaviours on the development of acute coronary syndrome or stroke: aims, design, and validation properties of a case-control study.

PubMed

Kastorini, Christina-Maria; Milionis, Haralampos J; Goudevenos, John A; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B

2010-09-14

In this paper the methodology and procedures of a case-control study that will be developed for assessing the role of dietary habits and eating behaviours on the development of acute coronary syndrome and stroke is presented. Based on statistical power calculations, 1000 participants will be enrolled; of them, 250 will be consecutive patients with a first acute coronary event, 250 consecutive patients with a first ischaemic stroke, and 500 population-based healthy subjects (controls), age and sex matched to the cases. Socio-demographic, clinical, dietary, psychological, and other lifestyle characteristics will be measured. Dietary habits and eating behaviours will be evaluated with a special questionnaire that has been developed for the study.

[Physical activity and healthy eating in Brazilian students: a review of intervention programs].

PubMed

Souza, Evanice Avelino de; Barbosa Filho, Valter Cordeiro; Nogueira, Júlia Aparecida Devidé; Azevedo Júnior, Mario Renato de

2011-08-01

This article provides a systematic literature review on physical activity and/or healthy eating interventions among Brazilian students. Complete articles published from 2004 to 2009 were searched in the SciELO, MEDLINE, and CAPES electronic databases, in the articles' references, and through contacts with authors. Six studies covered nutritional interventions, another six analyzed nutrition and physical activity, and one discussed changes in body composition. Interventions produced different results according to their objectives: increase in weekly physical activity; improvement in eating habits and knowledge on nutrition; and decrease in overweight and obesity. School health promotion programs are essential for raising awareness on the relevance of health promotion and the adoption of healthy habits. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to produce evidence on sustainability of programs and healthy habits.

The effects of socioeconomic status and short stature on overweight, obesity and the risk of metabolic complications in adults

PubMed Central

Restrepo, Alejandro Estrada; Rueda, Juan Diego Gomez; Aguirre, Cristina Carreño; López, Lorena Patricia Mancilla

2013-01-01

Objective: to observe the relationship between socioeconomic status, height and nutritional problems related to obesity, overweight and risk of metabolic complications in men and women of Medellin (Colombia). Methods: cross-sectional study with a sample of 5556 adults between 18 and 69 years of age. We assessed weight, height and waist circumference. Socioeconomic variables were evaluated by family income, socioeconomic stratum and academic level achieved. Results: we found that in men and women the height reached in adulthood is associated with socioeconomic conditions as measured by the socioeconomic strata and family income. In women, height, age, and socioeconomic strata are associated with obesity, overweight and risk of obesity, and risk of metabolic complications. Conclusion: These results are not only from individual unhealthy habits, such as eating patterns based on high density foods combined with low energy expenditure, but also from the cumulative effect of food deprivation throughout life. Therefore, policies intended to prevent them should take a preventive approach that begins before birth and continues during childhood and adulthood. PMID:24892612

The role of food in the Polish migrant adjustment journey.

PubMed

Brown, Lorraine; Paszkiewicz, Irena

2017-02-01

In 2015, there were 916,000 Poles living in the UK, making them the largest group of non-UK nationals at 16.5 percent of the population. Though increasingly research has focused on the consequences of this migration for both migrants themselves and the receiving country, little research has looked at food habits. This paper will explore the role of food in the Polish migrant adjustment journey. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with nine Polish migrants. In this study, Polish migrants described the move to a new culture as a time of stress and loneliness. Due to a lack of money, they were forced to eat local food, which exacerbated their unease, as they found it to be tasteless and unhealthy. As soon as their financial situation improved, they reverted to a Polish diet, relying on ingredients brought from home, from London, or more recently, purchased from local Polish shops. This gave them comfort, and all participants acknowledged the vital role of food in their adjustment to life in a new culture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the association between television advertising of healthy and unhealthy foods, self-control, and food intake in three European countries.

PubMed

Giese, Helge; König, Laura M; Tăut, Diana; Ollila, Hanna; Băban, Adriana; Absetz, Pilvikki; Schupp, Harald; Renner, Britta

2015-03-01

Building upon previous results, the present study explored the relationship between exposure to unhealthy and healthy food TV commercials, trait self-control, and food intake. In total, 825 Finns (53% female), 1,055 Germans (55% female), and 971 Romanians (55% female) aged 8-21 reported advertisement exposure, self-control, and food intake. Altogether, participants indicated higher exposure to unhealthy compared to healthy food advertisements (F(1, 2848) = 354.73, p < .001, partial η(2)  = .111). Unhealthy food advertisement exposure was positively associated with unhealthy food intake (all β ≥ .16, p < .001). Healthy food advertisement exposure was positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption (β = .10, p < .001). Self-control was associated with higher consumption of healthy (β ≥ .09, p < .001) and lower consumption of unhealthy foods (all β ≥ -.11, p < .001). Yet, findings of advertising and self-control were mainly independent (interactions: β ≤ |.07|, p ≥ .002). Even though the results suggest that healthy advertisement exposure and self-control might be beneficial for children's and adolescents' diet, self-control might be insufficient to alleviate the positive relationship between unhealthy food advertising and unhealthy eating. © 2014 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Charting Availability of Processed and Unprocessed Foods in School Neighbourhood Nutrition Environments in an Urban Australian Setting

PubMed Central

Oaken, Holly; Vaughan, Lisa; Fa'avale, Nicola

2017-01-01

School Neighbourhood Nutrition Environments (SNNEs) can facilitate or impede healthy eating. This study describes the SNNEs surrounding 6 Good Start Program (GSP) schools in 5 suburbs in Logan, Queensland. Relative density of healthy and unhealthy food outlets was calculated for SNNEs surrounding GSP (6) and non-GSP (10) schools within the 5 suburbs. Relative accessibility of minimally processed and highly processed food and drink in SNNEs of the 6 GSP schools was determined using shelf measurements of snack foods. Unhealthy outlets greatly outnumber healthy outlets (mean relative density 15.6%, median 19.1%). The majority of outlets stock predominantly highly processed food and drink. Study areas are dominated by unhealthy food outlets and highly processed food. PMID:28553361

The role of food experiences during early childhood in food pleasure learning.

PubMed

Nicklaus, Sophie

2016-09-01

Infants are born equipped to ingest nutrients, but have to learn what to eat. This must occur early, because the mode of feeding evolves dramatically, from "tube" feeding in utero to eating family foods. Eating habits established during early years contribute to the development of subsequent eating habits. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand the most important early periods (between birth and 2 years, i.e. onset of food neophobia) for the development of eating habits and the drivers of this development. The role of pleasure in eating is central, especially during childhood when cognitive drivers of food choices may be less prominent than later in life. It is not easy to define and measure pleasure of eating in early childhood. However, it is possible to identify the characteristics of the eating experience which contribute to drive infant's eating and to shape preferences (food sensory properties; food rewarding properties; social context of eating). The learning processes involve repeated exposure (including to a variety of flavours), association with post-absorptive consequences and with contextual signals (including family members). The important early periods for learning food pleasure start being well identified. Beyond the first flavour discoveries during the prenatal and lactation periods (through the infant's exposure to flavours from foods of the mother's diet), the most important phase may be the beginning of complementary feeding. Infants discover the sensory (texture, taste and flavour) and nutritional properties (energy density) of the foods that will ultimately compose their adult diet; parents are still in charge of providing appropriate foods, timing, context for eating. Inter-individual differences in food pleasure learning, related to temperamental dimensions, or to sensory sensitivity also have to be taken into account. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing healthy eating habits among college students: an application of the health belief model.

PubMed

Deshpande, Sameer; Basil, Michael D; Basil, Debra Z

2009-01-01

Poor eating habits are an important public health issue that has large health and economic implications. Many food preferences are established early, but because people make more and more independent eating decisions as they move through adolescence, the transition to independent living during the university days is an important event. To study the phenomenon of food selection, the heath belief model was applied to predict the likelihood of healthy eating among university students. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the validity of the health belief model (HBM) among 194 students, followed by gender-based analyses. The data strongly supported the HBM. Social change campaign implications are discussed.

The Role of Personality Traits in Young Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption.

PubMed

Conner, Tamlin S; Thompson, Laura M; Knight, Rachel L; Flett, Jayde A M; Richardson, Aimee C; Brookie, Kate L

2017-01-01

This project investigated how individual differences in the big-five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) predicted plant-food consumption in young adults. A total of 1073 participants from two samples of young adults aged 17-25 reported their daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and two unhealthy foods for comparison purposes using an Internet daily diary for 21 or 13 days (micro-longitudinal, correlational design). Participants also completed the Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) measure of personality, and demographic covariates including gender, age, ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI). Analyses used hierarchical regression to predict average daily fruit and vegetable consumption as separate dependent variables from the demographic covariates (step 1) and the five personality traits (step 2). Results showed that young adults higher in openness and extraversion, and to some extent conscientiousness, ate more fruits and vegetables than their less open, less extraverted, and less conscientious peers. Neuroticism and agreeableness were unrelated to fruit and vegetable consumption. These associations were unique to eating fruit and vegetables and mostly did not extend to unhealthy foods tested. Young adult women also ate more fruit and vegetables than young adult men. Results suggest that traits associated with greater intellect, curiosity, and social engagement (openness and extraversion), and to a lesser extent, discipline (conscientiousness) are associated with greater plant-food consumption in this population. Findings reinforce the importance of personality in establishing healthy dietary habits in young adulthood that could translate into better health outcomes later in life.

Food and drink sponsorship of children's sport in Australia: who pays?

PubMed

Kelly, Bridget; Baur, Louise A; Bauman, Adrian E; King, Lesley; Chapman, Kathy; Smith, Ben J

2011-06-01

The creation of health promoting sports clubs may support the promotion and adoption of healthy behaviours by children. Sponsorship is one aspect of clubs, with potential influence on clubs and their participants. In particular, sponsorship influences brand awareness and attitudes, so that the sponsorship of children's sport by unhealthy food companies may contribute to food preferences and poor eating habits. This study aimed to determine the nature and extent of food and beverage sponsorship of children's sport. Sports clubs (n = 108) for the nine most popular sports for children aged 5-14 were randomly sampled from three large geographical areas in Australia. A purpose-designed telephone questionnaire was developed to determine the extent of sponsorship. Experts from different fields were approached (n = 10) to generate a consensus on the elements of sponsors that are more/less health promoting. The survey response rate was 99%. Of the 347 sponsors identified, 17% were food or beverage companies. Fifty percent of food company sponsorship arrangements did not meet criteria for healthy sponsors. For most clubs, less than a quarter of their income came from sponsorship. A considerable proportion of clubs with food company sponsors had the company's signage on players' uniforms (53%), distributed rewards using the company's name (24%) or gave vouchers to players for the company's products (29%). Any restriction of unhealthy food and beverage company sponsorship of children's sport may not result in major funding difficulties for clubs, as this funding represents a relatively small proportion of their income base, even though it provides major promotional opportunities to sponsors.

[Food consumption patterns among adolescents].

PubMed

Palenzuela Paniagua, S M; Pérez Milena, A; Pérula de Torres, L A; Fernández García, J A; Maldonado Alconada, J

2014-01-01

Adolescence is a critical time for the establishment of healthy eating habits. The objective was to analyze food consumption patterns among adolescents and their relationship with family and social factors. Multicentre observational cross-sectional descriptive study using a food frequency questionnaire for the last week. It was answered anonymously. The adolescent's age/gender, parents' studies/occupation and school's location/type were included. The population sample was composed of 1,095 adolescents in sixth grade at primary schools from an Andalusian region. They were chosen by polietapic random sampling that distinguished between public/private and capital/provincial schools. 1,005 surveys were analyzed. The mean age is 11.45 (SD: 0.59). Fifty-three percent were male. The intake of dairy products (only two-thirds taken daily), pasta, fruit and vegetables (daily consumption of 30%) is deficient. Sixty-four point five percent consume legumes weekly. Fish consumption is equal to meat, with a preference for poultry. More than half consume red meat daily. Olive oil is preferred. The intake of "empty calories" (fast food, candies, soft drink) is high. Through multivariate analysis the existence of clusters of healthy and unhealthy foods, related to the social status of the parents and the type of school, is proved. A healthy diet based on the nutritional pyramid is not the consumption pattern in the adolescents surveyed. There is a low consumption of diary products, legumes, fruits and vegetables. There is a relationship between the social class of the family and consumption patterns (healthy and unhealthy). Health strategies are needed to modify such inappropriate consumption.

[Influencing factors for reproductive health of female workers in petrochemical industry].

PubMed

Kou, Z X; Wang, S L; Chen, Z L; He, Y H; Yu, W L; Mei, L Y; Zhang, H D

2018-02-20

Objective: To investigate the reproductive health status of female workers in petrochemical industry, and to provide a reference for improving reproductive health status and developing preventive and control measures for female workers in petrochemical industry. Methods: A face-to-face questionnaire survey was performed from January to October, 2016. The Questionnaire on Women's Reproductive Health was used to investigate the reproductive health of female workers in petrochemical industry. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for reproductive health of female workers in petrochemical industry. Results: Among the 7485 female workers, 1 268 (40.9%) had abnormal menstrual period, 1 437 (46.4%) had abnormal menstrual volume, 177 (28.5%) had hyperplasia of mammary glands, and 1 807 (24.6%) had gynecological inflammation. The reproductive system diseases in female workers in petrochemical industry were associated with the factors including age, marital status, education level, unhealthy living habits, abortion, overtime work, work shift, workload, video operation, occupational exposure, positive events, and negative events, and among these factors, negative events (odds ratio[ OR ]= 1.856) , unhealthy living habits ( OR =1.542) , and positive events ( OR =1.516) had greater impact on reproductive system diseases. Conclusion: Many chemical substances in the occupational environment of petrochemical industry can cause damage to the reproductive system, which not only affects the health of the female workers, but also poses potential threats to the health of their offspring. Occupational exposure, unhealthy living habits, overtime work, and work shift have great influence on reproductive system diseases in female workers.

[Health effects of living habits].

PubMed

Vuori, Ilkka

2015-01-01

Single healthy living habits such as non-smoking and regular physical activity decrease the risk of common non-communicable diseases, unsuccessful aging and premature death to a small to moderate degree. Their cumulative effects are, however, large. Only a small minority of people adhere well to all healthy living habits or even the healthiest ones. Consequently, the population attributable fractions of major public health problems due to unhealthy lifestyles are large. Substantial improvement of public health calls for policies and programs to influence the root causes of the lifestyles in the multiple environments and systems where they are developed, maintained, and changed.

Effectiveness of lifestyle interventions to reduce binge eating symptoms in African American and Hispanic women

PubMed Central

Mama, Scherezade K.; Schembre, Susan M.; O’Connor, Daniel P.; Kaplan, Charles D.; Bode, Sharon; Lee, Rebecca E.

2015-01-01

Objective Lifestyle interventions that promote physical activity and healthy dietary habits may reduce binge eating symptoms and be more feasible and sustainable among ethnic minority women, who are less likely to seek clinical treatment for eating disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate (1) whether participating in a lifestyle intervention is a feasible way to decrease binge eating symptoms (BES) and (2) whether changes in BES differed by intervention (physical activity vs. dietary habits) and binge eating status at baseline (binger eater vs. non-binge eater) in African American and Hispanic women. Method Health Is Power (HIP) was a longitudinal randomized controlled trial to promote physical activity and improve dietary habits. Women (N=180) who completed anthropometric measures and questionnaires assessing fruit and vegetable and dietary fat intake, BES and demographics at baseline and post-intervention six months later were included in the current study. Results Over one-fourth (27.8%) of participants were categorized as binge-eaters. Repeated measures ANCOVA analyses ANOVA demonstrated significant two- and three-way interactions. Decreases in BES over time were greater in binge eaters than in non-binge eaters (F(1,164)=33.253, p<.001), and women classified as binge eaters who participated in the physical activity intervention reported greater decreases in BES than non-binge eaters in the dietary habits intervention (F(1,157)=5.170, p=.024). Discussion Findings suggest behavioral interventions to increase physical activity may lead to reductions in BES among ethnic minority women and ultimately reduce the prevalence of binge eating disorder and health disparities in this population. PMID:26188275

Effectiveness of lifestyle interventions to reduce binge eating symptoms in African American and Hispanic women.

PubMed

Mama, Scherezade K; Schembre, Susan M; O'Connor, Daniel P; Kaplan, Charles D; Bode, Sharon; Lee, Rebecca E

2015-12-01

Lifestyle interventions that promote physical activity and healthy dietary habits may reduce binge eating symptoms and be more feasible and sustainable among ethnic minority women, who are less likely to seek clinical treatment for eating disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate (1) whether participating in a lifestyle intervention is a feasible way to decrease binge eating symptoms (BES) and (2) whether changes in BES differed by intervention (physical activity vs. dietary habits) and binge eating status at baseline (binger eater vs. non-binge eater) in African American and Hispanic women. Health Is Power (HIP) was a longitudinal randomized controlled trial to promote physical activity and improve dietary habits. Women (N = 180) who completed anthropometric measures and questionnaires assessing fruit and vegetable and dietary fat intake, BES and demographics at baseline and post-intervention six months later were included in the current study. Over one-fourth (27.8%) of participants were categorized as binge-eaters. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant two- and three-way interactions. Decreases in BES over time were greater in binge eaters than in non-binge eaters (F(1,164) = 33.253, p < .001), and women classified as binge eaters who participated in the physical activity intervention reported greater decreases in BES than non-binge eaters in the dietary habits intervention (F(1,157) = 5.170, p = .024). Findings suggest behavioral interventions to increase physical activity may lead to reductions in BES among ethnic minority women and ultimately reduce the prevalence of binge eating disorder and health disparities in this population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Eating characteristics of Chilean indigenous and non-indigenous adolescent girls].

PubMed

Araneda, Jacqueline; Amigo, Hugo; Bustos, Patricia

2010-03-01

During childhood and adolescence, eating habits become established which are instrumental in determining eating behavior later in life. Various authors have described the acculturation of the Mapuche people toward Western culture. The objective of this study was to analyze the eating characteristics of indigenous and non-indigenous adolescent girls in the Araucania Region of Chile. A cross-sectional design was used with a probabilistic sample of 281 adolescents comprised of 139 indigenous and 142 non-indigenous girls attending 168 elementary schools. A modified food frequency questionnaire was applied, designed to obtain information about eating habits and consumption of Mapuche foods. The eating schedules are similar in both ethnic groups, with dinner being the meal that is least consumed. Total snack consumption per week has a mean of 7 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 5 to 10 without any differences between ethnic groups; of these snacks, only 2 were healthy (IQR = 1 to 3). The indigenous girls had a higher probability of consumption of native foods including mote (boiled wheat) (OR = 2.00; IC = 0.93-4.29), muday (fermented cereal alcohol) (OR = 3.45; IC = 1.90-6.27), and yuyo (field mustard) (OR = 4.40; IC = 2.06-9.39). The study's conclusion is that the the eating habits and behavior of indigenous adolescents are similar to those of non-indigenous girls, though the former still consume more indigenous foods.

A Prospective Study of Breakfast Eating and Incident Coronary Heart Disease in a Cohort of Male U.S. Health Professionals

PubMed Central

Cahill, Leah E; Chiuve, Stephanie E; Mekary, Rania A; Jensen, Majken K; Flint, Alan J; Hu, Frank B; Rimm, Eric B

2013-01-01

Background Among adults, skipping meals is associated with excess bodyweight, hypertension, insulin resistance, and elevated fasting lipid concentrations. However, it remains unknown whether specific eating habits irrespective of dietary composition influence coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. The objective of this study was to prospectively examine eating habits and risk of CHD. Methods and Results Eating habits including breakfast eating were assessed in 1992 in 26,902 American men aged 45-82 years from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer. During 16 years of follow-up, 1,527 incident CHD cases were diagnosed. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for CHD, adjusted for demographic, diet, lifestyle, and other CHD risk factors. Men who skipped breakfast had a 27% higher risk of CHD as compared with men who did not (RR=1.27, 95% CI:1.06-1.53). Compared with men who did not eat late at night, those who ate late at night had a 55% higher CHD risk (RR=1.55, 95% CI:1.05-2.29). These associations were mediated by BMI, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. No association was observed between eating frequency (times/day) and risk of CHD. Conclusions Eating breakfast was associated with significantly lower CHD risk in this cohort of male health professionals. PMID:23877060

Implementation of clinical practice guidelines on lifestyle interventions in Swedish primary healthcare - a two-year follow up.

PubMed

Kardakis, Therese; Jerdén, Lars; Nyström, Monica E; Weinehall, Lars; Johansson, Helene

2018-04-02

Implementation of interventions concerning prevention and health promotion in health care has faced particular challenges resulting in a low frequency and quality of these services. In November 2011, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare released national clinical practice guidelines to counteract patients' unhealthy lifestyle habits. Drawing on the results of a previous study as a point of departure, the aim of this two-year follow up was to assess the progress of work with lifestyle interventions in primary healthcare as well as the uptake and usage of the new guidelines on lifestyle interventions in clinical practice. Longitudinal study among health professionals with survey at baseline and 2 years later. Development over time and differences between professional groups were calculated with Pearson chi-square test. Eighteen percent of the physicians reported to use the clinical practice guidelines, compared to 58% of the nurses. Nurses were also more likely to consider them as a support in their work than physicians did. Over time, health professionals usage of methods to change patients' tobacco habits and hazardous use of alcohol had increased, and the nurses worked to a higher extent than before with all four lifestyles. Knowledge on methods for lifestyle change was generally high; however, there was room for improvement concerning methods on alcohol, unhealthy eating and counselling. Forty-one percent reported to possess thorough knowledge of counselling skills. Even if the uptake and usage of the CPGs on lifestyle interventions so far is low, the participants reported more frequent counselling on patients' lifestyle changes concerning use of tobacco and hazardous use of alcohol. However, these findings should be evaluated acknowledging the possibility of selection bias in favour of health promotion and lifestyle guidance, and the loss of one study site in the follow up. Furthermore, this study indicates important differences in physicians and nurses' attitudes to and use of the guidelines, where the nurses reported working to a higher extent with all four lifestyles compared to the first study. These findings suggest further investigations on the implementation process in clinical practice, and the physicians' uptake and use of the CPGs.

Eating habits, physical activity, nutrition knowledge, and self-efficacy by obesity status in upper-grade elementary school students.

PubMed

Ha, Seong Ah; Lee, Seo Yeon; Kim, Kyung A; Seo, Jung Sook; Sohn, Cheong Min; Park, Hae Ryun; Kim, Kyung Won

2016-12-01

Childhood obesity has increased in recent decades in Korea. This study was designed to examine differences in the eating habits, physical activity (PA), nutrition knowledge, and self-efficacy of children by obesity status. Subjects were 5th-grade children from 70 elementary schools in 17 cities nationwide. Two-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed. Survey questionnaire included items related to general characteristics, eating habits, PA, nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy. Excluding incomplete responses, 3,531 data were analyzed using SPSS. Subjects were categorized into overweight·obesity (OW) and normal weight (NW) groups based on body mass index percentiles for age by sex. A total of 21.5% of subjects was overweight or obese. There were significant differences in gender, perceived stress, perception of body shape, body satisfaction, and interest in weight control between the OW and NW groups ( P < 0.001). With respect to eating habits, the OW group ate breakfast ( P < 0.05) and snacks ( P < 0.01) less frequently, ate bigger meals ( P < 0.001), and demonstrated less desirable behaviors during meals ( P <0.05 in boys) compared to the NW group. The OW group participated in less PA than the NW group, especially boys. OW boys spent less time walking during weekdays ( P < 0.05) or the weekend ( P < 0.001), spent more time being sedentary during weekdays or the weekend ( P < 0.001), and exercised a fewer number of days ( P < 0.01). For girls, the OW group spent more time being sedentary during the weekend ( P < 0.01) and exercised a fewer number of days by walking or bicycle riding ( P < 0.05) than the NW group. Nutrition knowledge was not significantly different between the OW and NW groups. Self-efficacy ( P < 0.01 in boys), especially PA self-efficacy ( P < 0.01), was significantly lower in the OW than NW group. This study revealed differences in eating habits, PA, and self-efficacy between OW and NW children. Obesity management programs for children need to focus on increasing self-efficacy, modifying eating habits, and increasing PA.