76 FR 22603 - Geographic Preference Option for the Procurement of Unprocessed Agricultural Products in Child...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-22

... Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service... Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and... and 10.553, respectively. The Special Milk Program is listed under No. 10.556. The Child and Adult...

Trends in consumption of ultra-processed foods and obesity in Sweden between 1960 and 2010.

PubMed

Juul, Filippa; Hemmingsson, Erik

2015-12-01

To investigate how consumption of ultra-processed foods has changed in Sweden in relation to obesity. Nationwide ecological analysis of changes in processed foods along with corresponding changes in obesity. Trends in per capita food consumption during 1960-2010 were investigated using data from the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Food items were classified as group 1 (unprocessed/minimally processed), group 2 (processed culinary ingredients) or group 3 (3·1, processed food products; and 3·2, ultra-processed products). Obesity prevalence data were pooled from the peer-reviewed literature, Statistics Sweden and the WHO Global Health Observatory. Nationwide analysis in Sweden, 1960-2010. Swedish nationals aged 18 years and older. During the study period consumption of group 1 foods (minimal processing) decreased by 2 %, while consumption of group 2 foods (processed ingredients) decreased by 34 %. Consumption of group 3·1 foods (processed food products) increased by 116 % and group 3·2 foods (ultra-processed products) increased by 142 %. Among ultra-processed products, there were particularly large increases in soda (315 %; 22 v. 92 litres/capita per annum) and snack foods such as crisps and candies (367 %; 7 v. 34 kg/capita per annum). In parallel to these changes in ultra-processed products, rates of adult obesity increased from 5 % in 1980 to over 11 % in 2010. The consumption of ultra-processed products (i.e. foods with low nutritional value but high energy density) has increased dramatically in Sweden since 1960, which mirrors the increased prevalence of obesity. Future research should clarify the potential causal role of ultra-processed products in weight gain and obesity.

Vitamins and Minerals

MedlinePlus

... The water-soluble vitamins — C and the B-complex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, ... day, as well as the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and calories. Whole or unprocessed foods — ...

Detection and quantitation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in raw milk by direct qPCR

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There has been a shift in US food consumption patterns toward unprocessed foods perceived to be healthier. Part of this trend is increasing consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk. Raw milk can be a source of pathogens that cause serious or fatal illness, particularly in immuno-compromised individ...

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and socioeconomic position: a cross-sectional analysis of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health.

PubMed

Simões, Bárbara Dos Santos; Cardoso, Letícia de Oliveira; Benseñor, Isabela Judith Martins; Schmidt, Maria Inês; Duncan, Bruce Bartholow; Luft, Vivian Cristine; Molina, Maria Del Carmen Bisi; Barreto, Sandhi Maria; Levy, Renata Bertazzi; Giatti, Luana

2018-03-05

The objective of the study was to estimate the contribution of ultra-processed foods to total caloric intake and investigate whether it differs according to socioeconomic position. We analyzed baseline data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil 2008-2010; N = 14.378) and data on dietary intake using a food frequency questionnaire, assigning it into three categories: unprocessed or minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods. We measured the associations between socioeconomic position (education, per capita household income, and occupational social class) and the percentage of caloric contribution of ultra-processed foods, using generalized linear regression models adjusted for age and sex. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients contributed to 65.7% of the total caloric intake, followed by ultra-processed foods (22.7%). After adjustments, the percentage of caloric contribution of ultra-processed foods was 20% lower among participants with incomplete elementary school when compared to postgraduates. Compared to individuals from upper income classes, the caloric contribution of ultra-processed foods was 10%, 15% and 20% lower among the ones from the three lowest income, respectively. The caloric contribution of ultra-processed foods was also 7%, 12%, 12%, and 17% lower among participants in the lowest occupational social class compared to those from high social classes. Results suggest that the caloric contribution of ultra-processed foods is higher among individuals from high socioeconomic positions with a dose-response relationship for the associations.

Can farm milk consumption prevent allergic diseases?

PubMed

Braun-Fahrländer, C; von Mutius, E

2011-01-01

Cow's milk is an important part of human diet and a source of food allergy for some individuals. Medical guidance strongly discourages consumption of raw milk because of the known health risk associated with pathogenic bacteria present in unpasteurized milk. Despite these risks there is a growing body of epidemiological evidence suggesting that consumption of unprocessed cow's milk does not increase but rather decreases the risk of asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation. The article reviews the epidemiological literature and discusses components of unprocessed milk potentially responsible for this protection. It focuses on the role of bacteria in raw milk, the fatty acid profile, whey proteins and finally the role of allergens in milk. Although the epidemiological evidence consistently suggest a protective role of unprocessed cow's milk consumption on the development of asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitization the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood and the consumption of raw milk cannot be recommended as a preventive measure for allergic diseases. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Everyday distinction and omnivorous orientation: An analysis of food choice, attitudinal dispositions and social background.

PubMed

Kahma, Nina; Niva, Mari; Helakorpi, Satu; Jallinoja, Piia

2016-01-01

In recent years studies on cultural consumption have experienced a Bourdieusian renaissance. This is indicated by a growing body of research analysing distinctions in different areas of culture, and numerous studies on the homology thesis applying the concepts of distinction, field and capital. Concurrently, however, it has been argued that instead of distinctive tastes, distinction and class status are increasingly manifested by cultural omnivorousness. For a good part studies focussing on distinction in food have analysed eating out and stylization through restaurant preferences, rather than everyday food choices. In this article we investigate everyday food choices from the perspective of distinction and omnivorousness. Our analysis draws on cross-sectional quantitative data collected in 2012 among 15-64-year-old Finns (N = 2601). The article maps out the relationship between food choice frequencies, dispositions and social background with Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). The results show that the consumption of fruit and vegetables, ready-meals and convenience foods were among the most divisive food choices. The first structuring dimension juxtaposed processed, fatty and sugared foods with unprocessed foods and fresh ingredients. This dimension was associated with healthiness and weight control as dispositions. On the second structuring dimension there were differences in the valuation of taste, pleasure and sociability, and a contrast between moderate and restrictive choices. Particularly the first dimension was associated with educational, occupational, and gender differences. Distinction within everyday food choices was manifested in the use of healthy and unprocessed foods and 'moderate hedonism' in contrast to more restrictive tastes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creatine and creatinine contents in different diet types for dogs - effects of source and processing.

PubMed

Dobenecker, B; Braun, U

2015-12-01

The concentrations of creatine and its degradation product creatinine were determined in a variety of unprocessed as well as processed feedstuffs suitable for dogs. Unprocessed feedstuffs were categorised as single feedstuffs, bone and raw food diets (BARF), and small vertebrates, for example prey animals. Processed feedstuffs were categorised as meat/meat and bone meals, complete wet diets and complete dry diets. The feedstuffs were chosen to cover a broad range of each of the three defined processed and unprocessed feed categories available on the market without further subclustering. The creatine content of the samples was compared on a dry matter, protein and energy basis. The relation of creatine to crude protein permitted a rating of the meat quality in terms of muscle tissue. We found no difference in creatine concentrations between the three categories of unprocessed feedstuffs (raw single feedstuffs, prey and BARF diets), neither on a dry matter basis nor when expressed relative to crude protein and metabolisable energy respectively. Significantly lower levels were determined in meat/meat and bone meal and commercial dry diets (e.g. 303 mg creatine/MJ ME in unprocessed vs. 6 mg/MJ ME in processed feedstuffs; p < 0.001). We conclude that in relation to ME, the exclusive use of conventionally processed diets for dogs, especially dry diets, leads to considerably lower intake of creatine which is a natural compound of the diet of this carnivorous and omnivorous species. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Utilization of food outlets and intake of minimally processed and ultra-processed foods among 7 to 14-year-old schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Corrêa, Elizabeth Nappi; Retondario, Anabelle; Alves, Mariane de Almeida; Bricarello, Liliana Paula; Rockenbach, Gabriele; Hinnig, Patrícia de Fragas; Neves, Janaina das; Vasconcelos, Francisco de Assis Guedes de

2018-03-29

Access to food retailers is an environmental determinant that influences what people consume. This study aimed to test the association between the use of food outlets and schoolchildren's intake of minimally processed and ultra-processed foods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in public and private schools in Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, from September 2012 to June 2013. The sample consisted of randomly selected clusters of schoolchildren aged 7 to 14 years, who were attending 30 schools. Parents or guardians provided socioeconomic and demographic data and answered questions about use of food outlets. Dietary intake was surveyed using a dietary recall questionnaire based on the previous day's intake. The foods or food groups were classified according to the level of processing. Negative binomial regression was used for data analysis. We included 2,195 schoolchildren in the study. We found that buying foods from snack bars or fast-food outlets was associated with the intake frequency of ultra-processed foods among 11-14 years old in an adjusted model (incidence rate ratio, IRR: 1.11; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.01;1.23). Use of butchers was associated with the intake frequency of unprocessed/minimally processed foods among children 11-14 years old in the crude model (IRR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01;1.22) and in the adjusted model (IRR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.06;1.17). Use of butchers was associated with higher intake of unprocessed/minimally processed foods while use of snack bars or fast-food outlets may have a negative impact on schoolchildren's dietary habits.

Household availability of ultra-processed foods and obesity in nineteen European countries.

PubMed

Monteiro, Carlos Augusto; Moubarac, Jean-Claude; Levy, Renata Bertazzi; Canella, Daniela Silva; Louzada, Maria Laura da Costa; Cannon, Geoffrey

2018-01-01

To assess household availability of NOVA food groups in nineteen European countries and to analyse the association between availability of ultra-processed foods and prevalence of obesity. Ecological, cross-sectional study. Europe. Estimates of ultra-processed foods calculated from national household budget surveys conducted between 1991 and 2008. Estimates of obesity prevalence obtained from national surveys undertaken near the budget survey time. Across the nineteen countries, median average household availability amounted to 33·9 % of total purchased dietary energy for unprocessed or minimally processed foods, 20·3 % for processed culinary ingredients, 19·6 % for processed foods and 26·4 % for ultra-processed foods. The average household availability of ultra-processed foods ranged from 10·2 % in Portugal and 13·4 % in Italy to 46·2 % in Germany and 50·4 % in the UK. A significant positive association was found between national household availability of ultra-processed foods and national prevalence of obesity among adults. After adjustment for national income, prevalence of physical inactivity, prevalence of smoking, measured or self-reported prevalence of obesity, and time lag between estimates on household food availability and obesity, each percentage point increase in the household availability of ultra-processed foods resulted in an increase of 0·25 percentage points in obesity prevalence. The study contributes to a growing literature showing that the consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases. Its findings reinforce the need for public policies and actions that promote consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods and make ultra-processed foods less available and affordable.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health. Evidence from Canada.

PubMed

Moubarac, Jean-Claude; Martins, Ana Paula Bortoletto; Claro, Rafael Moreira; Levy, Renata Bertazzi; Cannon, Geoffrey; Monteiro, Carlos Augusto

2013-12-01

To investigate consumption of ultra-processed products in Canada and to assess their association with dietary quality. Application of a classification of foodstuffs based on the nature, extent and purpose of food processing to data from a national household food budget survey. Foods are classified as unprocessed/minimally processed foods (Group 1), processed culinary ingredients (Group 2) or ultra-processed products (Group 3). All provinces and territories of Canada, 2001. Households (n 5643). Food purchases provided a mean per capita energy availability of 8908 (se 81) kJ/d (2129 (se 19) kcal/d). Over 61·7 % of dietary energy came from ultra-processed products (Group 3), 25·6 % from Group 1 and 12·7 % from Group 2. The overall diet exceeded WHO upper limits for fat, saturated fat, free sugars and Na density, with less fibre than recommended. It also exceeded the average energy density target of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Group 3 products taken together are more fatty, sugary, salty and energy-dense than a combination of Group 1 and Group 2 items. Only the 20 % lowest consumers of ultra-processed products (who consumed 33·2 % of energy from these products) were anywhere near reaching all nutrient goals for the prevention of obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases. The 2001 Canadian diet was dominated by ultra-processed products. As a group, these products are unhealthy. The present analysis indicates that any substantial improvement of the diet would involve much lower consumption of ultra-processed products and much higher consumption of meals and dishes prepared from minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients.

Simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation of unprocessed food waste into ethanol using thermophilic anaerobic bacteria.

PubMed

Dhiman, Saurabh Sudha; David, Aditi; Shrestha, Namita; Johnson, Glenn R; Benjamin, Kenneth M; Gadhamshetty, Venkataramana; Sani, Rajesh K

2017-11-01

The one-pot CRUDE (Conversion of Raw and Untreated Disposal into Ethanol) process was developed for simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation of unprocessed food waste into ethanol using thermophilic (growing at 65°C) anaerobic bacteria. Unlike existing waste to energy technologies, the CRUDE process obviates the need for any pre-treatment or enzyme addition. A High-Temperature-High-Pressure (HTHP) distillation technique was also applied that facilitated efficient use of fermentation medium, inoculum recycling, and in-situ ethanol collection. For material balancing of the process, each characterized component was represented in terms of C-mol. Recovery of 94% carbon at the end confirmed the operational efficiency of CRUDE process. The overall energy retaining efficiency calculated from sugars to ethanol was 1262.7kJdryweightkg -1 of volatile solids using HTHP. These results suggest that the CRUDE process can be a starting point for the development of a commercial ethanol production process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy contribution of NOVA food groups and sociodemographic determinants of ultra-processed food consumption in the Mexican population.

PubMed

Marrón-Ponce, Joaquín A; Sánchez-Pimienta, Tania G; Louzada, Maria Laura da Costa; Batis, Carolina

2018-01-01

To identify the energy contributions of NOVA food groups in the Mexican diet and the associations between individual sociodemographic characteristics and the energy contribution of ultra-processed foods (UPF). We classified foods and beverages reported in a 24 h recall according to the NOVA food framework into: (i) unprocessed or minimally processed foods; (ii) processed culinary ingredients; (iii) processed foods; and (iv) UPF. We estimated the energy contribution of each food group and ran a multiple linear regression to identify the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and UPF energy contribution. Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012. Individuals ≥1 years old (n 10 087). Unprocessed or minimally processed foods had the highest dietary energy contribution (54·0 % of energy), followed by UPF (29·8 %), processed culinary ingredients (10·2 %) and processed foods (6·0 %). The energy contribution of UPF was higher in: pre-school-aged children v. other age groups (3·8 to 12·5 percentage points difference (pp)); urban areas v. rural (5·6 pp); the Central and North regions v. the South (2·7 and 8·4 pp, respectively); medium and high socio-economic status v. low (4·5 pp, in both); and with higher head of household educational level v. without education (3·4 to 7·8 pp). In 2012, about 30 % of energy in the Mexican diet came from UPF. Our results showed that younger ages, urbanization, living in the North region, high socio-economic status and high head of household educational level are sociodemographic factors related to higher consumption of UPF in Mexico.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods predicts diet quality in Canada.

PubMed

Moubarac, Jean-Claude; Batal, M; Louzada, M L; Martinez Steele, E; Monteiro, C A

2017-01-01

This study describes food consumption patterns in Canada according to the types of food processing using the Nova classification and investigates the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and the nutrient profile of the diet. Dietary intakes of 33,694 individuals from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey aged 2 years and above were analyzed. Food and drinks were classified using Nova into unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods and ultra-processed foods. Average consumption (total daily energy intake) and relative consumption (% of total energy intake) provided by each of the food groups were calculated. Consumption of ultra-processed foods according to sex, age, education, residential location and relative family revenue was assessed. Mean nutrient content of ultra-processed foods and non-ultra-processed foods were compared, and the average nutrient content of the overall diet across quintiles of dietary share of ultra-processed foods was measured. In 2004, 48% of calories consumed by Canadians came from ultra-processed foods. Consumption of such foods was high amongst all socioeconomic groups, and particularly in children and adolescents. As a group, ultra-processed foods were grossly nutritionally inferior to non-ultra-processed foods. After adjusting for covariates, a significant and positive relationship was found between the dietary share of ultra-processed foods and the content in carbohydrates, free sugars, total and saturated fats and energy density, while an inverse relationship was observed with the dietary content in protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, D, B6 and B12, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, as well as zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Lowering the dietary share of ultra-processed foods and raising consumption of hand-made meals from unprocessed or minimally processed foods would substantially improve the diet quality of Canadian. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous determination of three pesticides and their metabolites in unprocessed foods using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Rong, Lili; Wu, Xiaohu; Xu, Jun; Dong, Fengshou; Liu, Xingang; Pan, Xinglu; Du, Pengqiang; Wei, Dongmei; Zheng, Yongquan

2018-02-01

We have developed a rapid, multi-compound analytical method for measuring residues of the pesticides thiamethoxam and its metabolite, clothianidin; fipronil and its three metabolites, fipronil sulfone, fipronil sulfide, and fipronil desulfinyl; and pyraclostrobin in unprocessed foods (rice, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, and bananas) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Acetonitrile was used as the extraction solvent, and an octadecylsilane-dispersive SPE was used to clean up the analytes, which were then separated through a UPLC HSS T3 column connected to a tandem mass spectrometer via an electrospray ionisation source. The linearity of this method for the target analytes was excellent (R 2  ≥0.990) in the concentration range of 5-1000 μg kg -1 . The average recoveries of the seven compounds at concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000 μg kg -1 from six spiked matrix samples ranged from 73.6 to 110.6%, all with RSD values of ≤19.7%. The limit of quantification was 10 μg kg -1 . The method validated the effectiveness of the method for routine monitoring the residue of these pesticides and their metabolites in foods.

Composition and functional properties of unprocessed and locally processed seeds from three underutilized food sources in Nigeria.

PubMed

Giami, S Y; Wachuku, O C

1997-01-01

Chemical and functional properties of unprocessed (raw) and locally processed seeds of Brachystegia eurycoma, Detarium microcarpum and Mucuna sloanei that affect their utilization as sources of human food were investigated. The seeds, which are underutilized food sources in Nigeria, were subjected to local processing methods which included roasting, boiling, dehulling/shelling, soaking and the changes in composition and functional properties were estimated. Chemical analyses showed that the crude protein contents of the raw seeds ranged from 12.2 to 23.2%; fat varied from 4.9 to 12.0%. The level of phytic acid in the raw seeds (192.4-215 mg/100 g) was observed to be lower than the levels found in some commonly consumed pulses in Nigeria. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between crude protein contents and the least gelation concentrations of the raw and processed samples, but processing (roasting, boiling, dehulling and soaking) significantly (p = 0.011) improved in vitro protein digestibility, water and fat absorption capacity and decreased the bulk density, nitrogen solubility and the phytic acid and polyphenol contents of the samples. Processed samples had high water (3.4-3.8 g/g) and fat (1.8-2.1 g/g) absorption capacities and hence may be useful as functional agents in fabricated foods such as bakery products and ground meat formulations.

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 share of ultra-processed foods and the overall nutritional quality of diets in the US: evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Martínez Steele, Euridice; Popkin, Barry M; Swinburn, Boyd; Monteiro, Carlos A

2017-02-14

Recent population dietary studies indicate that diets rich in ultra-processed foods, increasingly frequent worldwide, are grossly nutritionally unbalanced, suggesting that the dietary contribution of these foods largely determines the overall nutritional quality of contemporaneous diets. Yet, these studies have focused on individual nutrients (one at a time) rather than the overall nutritional quality of the diets. Here we investigate the relationship between the energy contribution of ultra-processed foods in the US diet and its content of critical nutrients, individually and overall. We evaluated dietary intakes of 9,317 participants from 2009 to 2010 NHANES aged 1+ years. Food items were classified into unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods. First, we examined the average dietary content of macronutrients, micronutrients, and fiber across quintiles of the energy contribution of ultra-processed foods. Then, we used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify a nutrient-balanced dietary pattern to enable the assessment of the overall nutritional quality of the diet. Linear regression was used to explore the association between the dietary share of ultra-processed foods and the balanced-pattern PCA factor score. The scores were thereafter categorized into tertiles, and their distribution was examined across ultra-processed food quintiles. All models incorporated survey sample weights and were adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, family income, and educational attainment. The average content of protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium in the US diet decreased significantly across quintiles of the energy contribution of ultra-processed foods, while carbohydrate, added sugar, and saturated fat contents increased. An inverse dose-response association was found between ultra-processed food quintiles and overall dietary quality measured through a nutrient-balanced-pattern PCA-derived factor score characterized by being richer in fiber, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C, and having less saturated fat and added sugars. This study suggests that decreasing the dietary share of ultra-processed foods is a rational and effective way to improve the nutritional quality of US diets.

Diet Quality-The Greeks Had It Right!

PubMed

Anderson, John J B; Nieman, David C

2016-10-14

The Mediterranean diet is upheld in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines as an example of an eating pattern that promotes good health, a healthy body weight, and disease prevention throughout the lifespan. The Mediterranean eating pattern is based on a variety of unprocessed plant foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that are high in polyphenols. The majority of polyphenols arrive in the colon where bacteria degrade them into smaller phenolics that can be translocated via the portal vein to the liver. In the liver, the phenolics undergo additional biotransformation prior to release into the circulation and transport to specific tissues where bioactive effects take place before removal in the urine. Recent epidemiologic studies using improved assessment techniques support that high versus low dietary polyphenol intake predicts reduced risk for neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and early death from all causes. Emerging science reveals that many of these health-related benefits can be traced to the biotransformed, gut-derived phenolics. In conclusion, the high consumption of unprocessed plant foods by inhabitants of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea has been linked to multiple health and disease prevention benefits that are in large part due to a varied intake of polyphenols.

Diet Quality—The Greeks Had It Right!

PubMed Central

Anderson, John J. B.; Nieman, David C.

2016-01-01

The Mediterranean diet is upheld in the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines as an example of an eating pattern that promotes good health, a healthy body weight, and disease prevention throughout the lifespan. The Mediterranean eating pattern is based on a variety of unprocessed plant foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that are high in polyphenols. The majority of polyphenols arrive in the colon where bacteria degrade them into smaller phenolics that can be translocated via the portal vein to the liver. In the liver, the phenolics undergo additional biotransformation prior to release into the circulation and transport to specific tissues where bioactive effects take place before removal in the urine. Recent epidemiologic studies using improved assessment techniques support that high versus low dietary polyphenol intake predicts reduced risk for neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and early death from all causes. Emerging science reveals that many of these health-related benefits can be traced to the biotransformed, gut-derived phenolics. In conclusion, the high consumption of unprocessed plant foods by inhabitants of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea has been linked to multiple health and disease prevention benefits that are in large part due to a varied intake of polyphenols. PMID:27754409

Long-term processed and unprocessed red meat consumption and risk of heart failure: A prospective cohort study of women.

PubMed

Kaluza, Joanna; Åkesson, Agneta; Wolk, Alicja

2015-08-15

Epidemiologic studies of red meat consumption in relation to risk of heart failure (HF) are limited. We examined the associations between long-term unprocessed red meat and processed red meat consumption and incidence of HF in women. The population-based prospective Swedish Mammography Cohort included 34,057 women, aged 48-83 years, with no history of HF or ischemic heart disease at baseline (in 1997). Meat consumption was assessed using a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in 1997 as well as FFQ administered in 1987-90. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During a mean follow-up of 13.2 years, 2806 women were diagnosed with HF. Consumption of processed meat (FFQ 1997) was statistically significant positively associated with HF incidence. Women who consumed ≥ 50 g/day processed red meat compared to those who consumed < 25 g/day had a 1.23 (95% CI: 1.09-1.39, P-trend=0.003) higher risk of HF. Long-term high consumption of processed red meat (average from 1987 to 1997) ≥ 50 g/day in comparison to < 25 g/day was associated with HR: 1.30 (95% CI: 1.05-1.60, P-trend=0.002). Women who consistently consumed (in both 1987 and 1997) ≥ 50 g/day vs. < 25 g/day had a 1.78 (95% CI: 1.00-3.16) higher risk of HF. Consumption of unprocessed meat was not associated with increased risk of HF incidence. Findings from this prospective study of women indicate that processed red meat, but not unprocessed red meat, consumption is associated with an increased risk of HF incidence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of relative food item size on optimal tooth cusp sharpness during brittle food item processing

PubMed Central

Berthaume, Michael A.; Dumont, Elizabeth R.; Godfrey, Laurie R.; Grosse, Ian R.

2014-01-01

Teeth are often assumed to be optimal for their function, which allows researchers to derive dietary signatures from tooth shape. Most tooth shape analyses normalize for tooth size, potentially masking the relationship between relative food item size and tooth shape. Here, we model how relative food item size may affect optimal tooth cusp radius of curvature (RoC) during the fracture of brittle food items using a parametric finite-element (FE) model of a four-cusped molar. Morphospaces were created for four different food item sizes by altering cusp RoCs to determine whether optimal tooth shape changed as food item size changed. The morphospaces were also used to investigate whether variation in efficiency metrics (i.e. stresses, energy and optimality) changed as food item size changed. We found that optimal tooth shape changed as food item size changed, but that all optimal morphologies were similar, with one dull cusp that promoted high stresses in the food item and three cusps that acted to stabilize the food item. There were also positive relationships between food item size and the coefficients of variation for stresses in food item and optimality, and negative relationships between food item size and the coefficients of variation for stresses in the enamel and strain energy absorbed by the food item. These results suggest that relative food item size may play a role in selecting for optimal tooth shape, and the magnitude of these selective forces may change depending on food item size and which efficiency metric is being selected. PMID:25320068

Convenience on the menu? A typological conceptualization of family food expenditures and food-related time patterns.

PubMed

Daniels, Sarah; Glorieux, Ignace; Minnen, Joeri; van Tienoven, T P; Weenas, Djiwo

2015-05-01

One of the most fundamental, but also controversial, food trends of the past years is convenience food. This article investigates the underexplored relationship between the heterogeneity in (convenience) food consumption (a feature of a food culture's cuisine) and meal patterns (characteristics of a food culture's structure). This study hopes to illustrate that convenience food can be interpreted both as a means to maintain a food culture's structure and as a means to overturn it. Latent Class Cluster Analysis is performed using data from the HBS 2005 survey on families' food expenditures to conceptualize convenience-orientation and to examine the relationships with families' meal behaviors. Whereas outsourcing cooking is most prevalent among single-person households; two-or more-person households are most likely to buy unprocessed and natural foods and to spend most time cooking and eating in. A higher consumption of convenience food is also more likely to affect individuals' kitchen than table habits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary Consumption Practices and Cancer Risk In African Americans in the Rural South

PubMed Central

Bovell-Benjamin, Adelia; Dawkins, Norma; Pace, Ralphenia; Shikany, James M.

2017-01-01

This study describes the dietary consumption practices of a sample of African Americans in the rural South. A qualitative research design involving a cross-sectional food diary was utilized. Complete datasets were collected from 114 participants, 66% female, between the ages of 19 and 79 years. The consumption of a variety of fruits, non-starchy vegetables and unprocessed cereals in daily meals was low in this sample. Frequent consumption of fried foods; fast foods; sugary, carbonated beverages; processed, high-fat and high-sodium foods; and low fruit and non-starchy vegetable intake were evident. The findings are crucial to the development for culturally-specific nutrition education intervention programs for African Americans in the rural South targeted at the modification of not only diet, but food preparation methods to reduce cancer risk. PMID:20675946

Dietary BCAA Intake Is Associated with Demographic, Socioeconomic and Lifestyle Factors in Residents of São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Pallottini, Ana Carolina; Sales, Cristiane Hermes; Vieira, Diva Aliete Dos Santos; Marchioni, Dirce Maria; Fisberg, Regina Mara

2017-05-02

Identifying which risk groups have a higher intake of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) is important for the planning of public policies. This study was undertaken to investigate BCAA consumption, the foods contributing to that consumption and their association with demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. Data from the Health Survey of São Paulo, a cross-sectional population-based survey ( n = 1662; age range 12-97 years), were used. Dietary intake was measured using 24-h dietary recalls. Baseline characteristics were collected. Associations between BCAA intake and demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors were determined using linear regression. Total BCAA intake was 217.14 mg/kg·day (Leu: 97.16 mg/kg·day; Ile: 56.44 mg/kg·day; Val: 63.54 mg/kg·day). BCAA intake was negatively associated with female sex in adolescents and adult groups, with no white race in adolescents, and with former smoker status in adults. Conversely, BCAA was positively associated with household per capita income in adolescents and adults. No associations were observed in the older adults group. Main food contributors to BCAA were unprocessed red meat, unprocessed poultry, bread and toast, beans and rice. Adolescents and adults were the most vulnerable to having their BCCA intake influenced by demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors.

Substitutions of red meat, poultry and fish and risk of myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Würtz, Anne M L; Hansen, Mette D; Tjønneland, Anne; Rimm, Eric B; Schmidt, Erik B; Overvad, Kim; Jakobsen, Marianne U

2016-05-01

Red meat has been suggested to be adversely associated with risk of myocardial infarction (MI), but previous studies have rarely taken replacement foods into consideration. We aimed to investigate optimal substitutions between and within the food groups of red meat, poultry and fish for MI prevention. We followed up 55 171 women and men aged 50-64 years with no known history of MI at recruitment. Diet was assessed by a validated 192-item FFQ at baseline. Adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI for specified food substitutions of 150 g/week. During a median follow-up time of 13·6 years, we identified 656 female and 1694 male cases. Among women, the HR for replacing red meat with fatty fish was 0·76 (95 % CI 0·64, 0·89), whereas the HR for replacing red meat with lean fish was 1·00 (95 % CI 0·89, 1·14). Similarly, replacing poultry with fatty but not lean fish was inversely associated with MI: the HR was 0·81 (95 % CI 0·67, 0·98) for fatty fish and was 1·08 (95 % CI 0·92, 1·27) for lean fish. The HR for replacing lean with fatty fish was 0·75 (95 % CI 0·60, 0·94). Replacing processed with unprocessed red meat was not associated with MI. Among men, a similar pattern was found, although the associations were not statistically significant. This study suggests that replacing red meat, poultry or lean fish with fatty fish is associated with a lower risk of MI.

Balanced diets in food systems: emerging trends and challenges for human health.

PubMed

Sammugam, Lakhsmi; Pasupuleti, Visweswara Rao

2018-04-25

Processed foods, generally known as modified raw foods produced by innovative processing technologies alters the food constituents such natural enzymes, fatty acids, micronutrients, macronutrients and vitamins. In contrast to fresh and unprocessed foods, processed foods are guaranteed to be safer, imperishable, long lasting and consist high level of nutrients bioactivity. Currently, the evolution in food processing technologies is necessary to face food security and safety, nutrition demand, its availability and also other global challenges in the food system. In this scenario, this review consists of information on two food processing technologies, which effects on processed foods before and after processing and the impact of food products on human health. It is also very well established that understanding the type and structure of foods to be processed can assist food processing industries towards advancement of novel food products. In connection with this fact, the present article also discusses the emerging trends and possible modifications in food processing technologies with the combination of conventional and modern techniques to get the suitable nutritional and safety qualities in food.

On the Relationship Between Tooth Shape and Masticatory Efficiency: A Finite Element Study.

PubMed

Berthaume, Michael A

2016-05-01

Dental topography has successfully linked disparate tooth shapes to distinct dietary categories, but not to masticatory efficiency. Here, the relationship between four dental topographic metrics and brittle food item breakdown efficiency during compressive biting was investigated using a parametric finite element model of a bunodont molar. Food item breakdown efficiency was chosen to represent masticatory efficiency as it isolated tooth-food item interactions, where most other categories of masticatory efficiency include several aspects of the masticatory process. As relative food item size may affect the presence/absence of any relationship, four isometrically scaled, hemispherical, proxy food items were considered. Topographic metrics were uncorrelated to food item breakdown efficiency irrespective of relative food item size, and dental topographic metrics were largely uncorrelated to one another. The lack of a correlation between topographic metrics and food item breakdown efficiency is not unexpected as not all food items break down in the same manner (e.g., nuts are crushed, leaves are sheared), and only one food item shape was considered. In addition, food item breakdown efficiency describes tooth-food item interactions and requires location and shape specific information, which are absent from dental topographic metrics. This makes it unlikely any one efficiency metric will be correlated to all topographic metrics. These results emphasize the need to take into account how food items break down during biting, ingestion, and mastication when investigating the mechanical relationship between food item shape, size, mechanical properties, and breakdown, and tooth shape. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microbial contamination of used dental handpieces.

PubMed

Smith, Gordon; Smith, Andrew

2014-09-01

Microbial contamination of used, unprocessed internal components of dental handpieces (HPs) was assessed. HPs were dismantled aseptically, immersed in phosphate-buffered saline, ultrasonicated, and cultured. A median of 200 CFU per turbine (n = 40), 400 CFU per spray channel (n = 40), and 1000 CFU per item of surgical gear (n = 20) was detected. Isolates included oral streptococci, Pseudomonas spp, and Staphylococcus aureus. Recovery of S aureus confirms the need for appropriate HP cleaning and sterilization after each patient to prevent cross-infection. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Red meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis123

PubMed Central

Pan, An; Sun, Qi; Bernstein, Adam M; Schulze, Matthias B; Manson, JoAnn E; Willett, Walter C

2011-01-01

Background: The relation between consumption of different types of red meats and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains uncertain. Objective: We evaluated the association between unprocessed and processed red meat consumption and incident T2D in US adults. Design: We followed 37,083 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2006), 79,570 women in the Nurses’ Health Study I (1980–2008), and 87,504 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991–2005). Diet was assessed by validated food-frequency questionnaires, and data were updated every 4 y. Incident T2D was confirmed by a validated supplementary questionnaire. Results: During 4,033,322 person-years of follow-up, we documented 13,759 incident T2D cases. After adjustment for age, BMI, and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, both unprocessed and processed red meat intakes were positively associated with T2D risk in each cohort (all P-trend <0.001). The pooled HRs (95% CIs) for a one serving/d increase in unprocessed, processed, and total red meat consumption were 1.12 (1.08, 1.16), 1.32 (1.25, 1.40), and 1.14 (1.10, 1.18), respectively. The results were confirmed by a meta-analysis (442,101 participants and 28,228 diabetes cases): the RRs (95% CIs) were 1.19 (1.04, 1.37) and 1.51 (1.25, 1.83) for 100 g unprocessed red meat/d and for 50 g processed red meat/d, respectively. We estimated that substitutions of one serving of nuts, low-fat dairy, and whole grains per day for one serving of red meat per day were associated with a 16–35% lower risk of T2D. Conclusion: Our results suggest that red meat consumption, particularly processed red meat, is associated with an increased risk of T2D. PMID:21831992

Red meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis.

PubMed

Pan, An; Sun, Qi; Bernstein, Adam M; Schulze, Matthias B; Manson, JoAnn E; Willett, Walter C; Hu, Frank B

2011-10-01

The relation between consumption of different types of red meats and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains uncertain. We evaluated the association between unprocessed and processed red meat consumption and incident T2D in US adults. We followed 37,083 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2006), 79,570 women in the Nurses' Health Study I (1980-2008), and 87,504 women in the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2005). Diet was assessed by validated food-frequency questionnaires, and data were updated every 4 y. Incident T2D was confirmed by a validated supplementary questionnaire. During 4,033,322 person-years of follow-up, we documented 13,759 incident T2D cases. After adjustment for age, BMI, and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, both unprocessed and processed red meat intakes were positively associated with T2D risk in each cohort (all P-trend <0.001). The pooled HRs (95% CIs) for a one serving/d increase in unprocessed, processed, and total red meat consumption were 1.12 (1.08, 1.16), 1.32 (1.25, 1.40), and 1.14 (1.10, 1.18), respectively. The results were confirmed by a meta-analysis (442,101 participants and 28,228 diabetes cases): the RRs (95% CIs) were 1.19 (1.04, 1.37) and 1.51 (1.25, 1.83) for 100 g unprocessed red meat/d and for 50 g processed red meat/d, respectively. We estimated that substitutions of one serving of nuts, low-fat dairy, and whole grains per day for one serving of red meat per day were associated with a 16-35% lower risk of T2D. Our results suggest that red meat consumption, particularly processed red meat, is associated with an increased risk of T2D.

Meat intake and risk of diverticulitis among men.

PubMed

Cao, Yin; Strate, Lisa L; Keeley, Brieze R; Tam, Idy; Wu, Kana; Giovannucci, Edward L; Chan, Andrew T

2018-03-01

Diverticulitis is a common disease with a substantial clinical and economic burden. Besides dietary fibre, the role of other foods in the prevention of diverticulitis is underexplored. We prospectively examined the association between consumption of meat (total red meat, red unprocessed meat, red processed meat, poultry and fish) with risk of incident diverticulitis among 46 461 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2012). Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs. During 651 970 person-years of follow-up, we documented 764 cases of incident diverticulitis. Compared with men in the lowest quintile (Q1) of total red meat consumption, men in the highest quintile (Q5) had a multivariable RR of 1.58 (95% CI 1.19 to 2.11; p for trend=0.01). The increase in risk was non-linear, plateauing after six servings per week (p for non-linearity=0.002). The association was stronger for unprocessed red meat (RR for Q5 vs Q1: 1.51; 95% CI 1.12 to 2.03; p for trend=0.03) than for processed red meat (RR for Q5 vs Q1: 1.03; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.35; p for trend=0.26). Higher consumption of poultry or fish was not associated with risk of diverticulitis. However, the substitution of poultry or fish for one serving of unprocessed red meat per day was associated with a decrease in risk of diverticulitis (multivariable RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.99). Red meat intake, particularly unprocessed red meat, was associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis. The findings provide practical dietary guidance for patients at risk of diverticulitis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

36 CFR 223.188 - Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. 223.188 Section 223.188 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST... Program § 223.188 Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. No person who acquires...

36 CFR 223.188 - Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. 223.188 Section 223.188 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST... Program § 223.188 Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. No person who acquires...

36 CFR 223.188 - Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. 223.188 Section 223.188 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST... Program § 223.188 Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. No person who acquires...

36 CFR 223.188 - Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. 223.188 Section 223.188 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST... Program § 223.188 Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. No person who acquires...

36 CFR 223.188 - Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed Federal timber. 223.188 Section 223.188 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST... Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990 Program § 223.188 Prohibitions against exporting unprocessed...

A Review of the Fundamentals of Diet

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Dietary recommendations should be individualized for each patient, but certain basic principles apply to most people. A healthful diet should include a wide variety of whole, unprocessed foods that are free of additives and, if possible, grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other potentially toxic agricultural chemicals. For people who do not have specific food intolerances, such a diet generally includes liberal amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. For most people, animal foods such as eggs, fish, chicken, beef, and dairy products can be healthfully consumed in moderation. It is not necessary to consume animal foods to maintain good health. In fact, compared with omnivores, vegetarians have a lower risk of developing a number of chronic diseases. However, vegetarians must carefully plan their diet so as not to develop nutritional deficiencies. PMID:24381826

Dietary BCAA Intake Is Associated with Demographic, Socioeconomic and Lifestyle Factors in Residents of São Paulo, Brazil

PubMed Central

Pallottini, Ana Carolina; Sales, Cristiane Hermes; Vieira, Diva Aliete dos Santos; Marchioni, Dirce Maria; Fisberg, Regina Mara

2017-01-01

Background: Identifying which risk groups have a higher intake of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) is important for the planning of public policies. This study was undertaken to investigate BCAA consumption, the foods contributing to that consumption and their association with demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. Methods: Data from the Health Survey of São Paulo, a cross-sectional population-based survey (n = 1662; age range 12–97 years), were used. Dietary intake was measured using 24-h dietary recalls. Baseline characteristics were collected. Associations between BCAA intake and demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors were determined using linear regression. Results: Total BCAA intake was 217.14 mg/kg·day (Leu: 97.16 mg/kg·day; Ile: 56.44 mg/kg·day; Val: 63.54 mg/kg·day). BCAA intake was negatively associated with female sex in adolescents and adult groups, with no white race in adolescents, and with former smoker status in adults. Conversely, BCAA was positively associated with household per capita income in adolescents and adults. No associations were observed in the older adults group. Main food contributors to BCAA were unprocessed red meat, unprocessed poultry, bread and toast, beans and rice. Conclusions: Adolescents and adults were the most vulnerable to having their BCCA intake influenced by demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. PMID:28468321

7 CFR 65.220 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Processed food item. 65.220 Section 65.220 Agriculture..., PEANUTS, AND GINSENG General Provisions Definitions § 65.220 Processed food item. Processed food item... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., chocolate, breading, tomato sauce...

7 CFR 65.220 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Processed food item. 65.220 Section 65.220 Agriculture..., PEANUTS, AND GINSENG General Provisions Definitions § 65.220 Processed food item. Processed food item... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., chocolate, breading, tomato sauce...

7 CFR 65.220 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Processed food item. 65.220 Section 65.220 Agriculture..., PEANUTS, AND GINSENG General Provisions Definitions § 65.220 Processed food item. Processed food item... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., chocolate, breading, tomato sauce...

7 CFR 65.220 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Processed food item. 65.220 Section 65.220 Agriculture..., PEANUTS, AND GINSENG General Provisions Definitions § 65.220 Processed food item. Processed food item... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., chocolate, breading, tomato sauce...

7 CFR 65.220 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Processed food item. 65.220 Section 65.220 Agriculture..., PEANUTS, AND GINSENG General Provisions Definitions § 65.220 Processed food item. Processed food item... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., chocolate, breading, tomato sauce...

Attention! Can choices for low value food over high value food be trained?

PubMed

Zoltak, Michael J; Veling, Harm; Chen, Zhang; Holland, Rob W

2018-05-01

People choose high value food items over low value food items, because food choices are guided by the comparison of values placed upon choice alternatives. This value comparison process is also influenced by the amount of attention people allocate to different items. Recent research shows that choices for food items can be increased by training attention toward these items, with a paradigm named cued-approach training (CAT). However, previous work till now has only examined the influence of CAT on choices between two equally valued items. It has remained unclear whether CAT can increase choices for low value items when people choose between a low and high value food item. To address this question in the current study participants were cued to make rapid responses in CAT to certain low and high value items. Next, they made binary choices between low and high value items, where we systematically varied whether the low and high value items were cued or uncued. In two experiments, we found that participants overall preferred high over low value food items for real consumption. More important, their choices for low value items increased when only the low value item had been cued in CAT compared to when both low and high value items had not been cued. Exploratory analyses revealed that this effect was more pronounced for participants with a relatively small value difference between low and high value items. The present research thus suggests that CAT may be used to boost the choice and consumption of low value items via enhanced attention toward these items, as long as the value difference is not too large. Implications for facilitating choices for healthy food are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diverse Food Items Are Similarly Categorized by 8- to 13-Year-Old Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beltran, Alicia; Knight Sepulveda, Karina; Watson, Kathy; Baranowski, Tom; Baranowski, Janice; Islam, Noemi; Missaghian, Mariam

2008-01-01

Objective: Assess how 8- to 13-year-old children categorized and labeled food items for possible use as part of a food search strategy in a computerized 24-hour dietary recall. Design: A set of 62 cards with pictures and names of food items from 18 professionally defined food groups was sorted by each child into piles of similar food items.…

The Color Red Supports Avoidance Reactions to Unhealthy Food.

PubMed

Rohr, Michaela; Kamm, Friederike; Koenigstorfer, Joerg; Groeppel-Klein, Andrea; Wentura, Dirk

2015-01-01

Empirical evidence suggests that the color red acts like an implicit avoidance cue in food contexts. Thus specific colors seem to guide the implicit evaluation of food items. We built upon this research by investigating the implicit meaning of color (red vs. green) in an approach-avoidance task with healthy and unhealthy food items. Thus, we examined the joint evaluative effects of color and food: Participants had to categorize food items by approach-avoidance reactions, according to their healthfulness. Items were surrounded by task-irrelevant red or green circles. We found that the implicit meaning of the traffic light colors influenced participants' reactions to the food items. The color red (compared to green) facilitated automatic avoidance reactions to unhealthy foods. By contrast, approach behavior toward healthy food items was not moderated by color. Our findings suggest that traffic light colors can act as implicit cues that guide automatic behavioral reactions to food.

Effect of extrusion on phytochemical profiles in milled fractions of black rice.

PubMed

Ti, Huihui; Zhang, Ruifen; Zhang, Mingwei; Wei, Zhencheng; Chi, Jianwei; Deng, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yan

2015-07-01

The phytochemical profile and antioxidant activities of unprocessed and extruded milled fractions of black rice were investigated. Extrusion increased the free phenolics, anthocyanins and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and decreased the bound forms. The total phenolics, anthocyanins and ORAC increased by 12.6%, 5.4% and 19.7%, respectively, in bran. Extrusion decreased both free and bound phenolics and anthocyanins while ORAC values decreased by 46.5%, 88.4% and 33.1%, respectively, in polished rice and by 71.2%, 87.9% and 14.7%, respectively, in brown rice. A total of seven phenolics, gallic, chlorogenic, vanillic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids, were detected in both forms. Cyanidin 3-glucoside (Cy-3-G), cyanidin 3-rutinoside and peonidin 3-glucoside were also detected with Cy-3-G found in the highest amounts in unprocessed and extruded rice bran. These results provide the basis for the development of different milled fractions of extruded black rice with balanced nutritional characteristics for today's functional food markets. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Defining value through quantity and quality-Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) undervalue food quantities when items are broken.

PubMed

Parrish, Audrey E; Evans, Theodore A; Beran, Michael J

2015-02-01

Decision-making largely is influenced by the relative value of choice options, and the value of such options can be determined by a combination of different factors (e.g., the quantity, size, or quality of a stimulus). In this study, we examined the competing influences of quantity (i.e., the number of food items in a set) and quality (i.e., the original state of a food item) of choice items on chimpanzees' food preferences in a two-option natural choice paradigm. In Experiment 1, chimpanzees chose between sets of food items that were either entirely whole or included items that were broken into pieces before being shown to the chimpanzees. Chimpanzees exhibited a bias for whole food items even when such choice options consisted of a smaller overall quantity of food than the sets containing broken items. In Experiment 2, chimpanzees chose between sets of entirely whole food items and sets of initially whole items that were subsequently broken in view of the chimpanzees just before choice time. Chimpanzees continued to exhibit a bias for sets of whole items. In Experiment 3, chimpanzees chose between sets of new food items that were initially discrete but were subsequently transformed into a larger cohesive unit. Here, chimpanzees were biased to choose the discrete sets that retained their original qualitative state rather than toward the cohesive or clumped sets. These results demonstrate that beyond a food set's quantity (i.e., the value dimension that accounts for maximization in terms of caloric intake), other seemingly non-relevant features (i.e., quality in terms of a set's original state) affect how chimpanzees assign value to their choice options. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Household Food Security in Isfahan Based on Current Population Survey Adapted Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Rafiei, Morteza; Rastegari, Hosein Ali; Ghiasi, Mojdeh; Shahsanaie, Vahid

2013-01-01

Background: Food security is a state in which all people at every time have physical and economic access to adequate food to obviate nutritional needs and live a healthy and active life. Therefore, this study was performed to quantitatively evaluate the household food security in Esfahan using the localized version of US Household Food Security Survey Module (US HFSSM). Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in year 2006 on 3000 households of Esfahan. The study instrument used in this work is 18-item US food security module, which is developed into a localized 15-item questionnaire. This study is performed in two stages of families with no children (under 18 years old) and families with children over 18 years old. Results: The results showed that item severity coefficient, ratio of responses given by households and item infit and outfit coefficient in adult's and children's questionnaire respectively. According to obtained data, scale score of +3 in adults group is described as determination limit of slight food insecurity and +6 is stated as the limit for severe food insecurity. For children's group, scale score of +2 is defined to be the limit of slight food insecurity and +5 is the determination limit of severe food insecurity. Conclusions: The main hypothesis of this survey analysis is based on the raw scale score of USFSSM The item of “lack of enough money for buying food” (item 2) and the item of “lack of balanced meal” (3rd item) have the lowest severity coefficient. Then, the ascending rate of item severity continues in first item, 4th item and keeps increasing into 10th item. PMID:24498498

Do impulsive individuals benefit more from food go/no-go training? Testing the role of inhibition capacity in the no-go devaluation effect.

PubMed

Chen, Zhang; Veling, Harm; Dijksterhuis, Ap; Holland, Rob W

2018-05-01

Not responding to food items in a go/no-go task can lead to devaluation of these food items, which may help people regulate their eating behavior. The Behavior Stimulus Interaction (BSI) theory explains this devaluation effect by assuming that inhibiting impulses triggered by appetitive foods elicits negative affect, which in turn devalues the food items. BSI theory further predicts that the devaluation effect will be stronger when food items are more appetitive and when individuals have low inhibition capacity. To test these hypotheses, we manipulated the appetitiveness of food items and measured individual inhibition capacity with the stop-signal task. Food items were consistently paired with either go or no-go cues, so that participants responded to go items and not to no-go items. Evaluations of these items were measured before and after go/no-go training. Across two preregistered experiments, we consistently found no-go foods were liked less after the training compared to both go foods and foods not used in the training. Unexpectedly, this devaluation effect occurred for both appetitive and less appetitive food items. Exploratory signal detection analyses suggest this latter finding might be explained by increased learning of stimulus-response contingencies for the less appetitive items when they are presented among appetitive items. Furthermore, the strength of devaluation did not consistently correlate with individual inhibition capacity, and Bayesian analyses combining data from both experiments provided moderate support for the null hypothesis. The current project demonstrated the devaluation effect induced by the go/no-go training, but failed to obtain further evidence for BSI theory. Since the devaluation effect was reliably obtained across experiments, the results do reinforce the notion that the go/no-go training is a promising tool to help people regulate their eating behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One portion size of foods frequently consumed by Korean adults

PubMed Central

Choi, Mi-Kyeong; Hyun, Wha-Jin; Lee, Sim-Yeol; Park, Hong-Ju; Kim, Se-Na

2010-01-01

This study aimed to define a one portion size of food items frequently consumed for convenient use by Koreans in food selection, diet planning, and nutritional evaluation. We analyzed using the original data on 5,436 persons (60.87%) aged 20 ~ 64 years among 8,930 persons to whom NHANES 2005 and selected food items consumed by the intake frequency of 30 or higher among the 500 most frequently consumed food items. A total of 374 varieties of food items of regular use were selected. And the portion size of food items was set on the basis of the median (50th percentile) of the portion size for a single intake by a single person was analyzed. In cereals, the portion size of well polished rice was 80 g. In meats, the portion size of Korean beef cattle was 25 g. Among vegetable items, the portion size of Baechukimchi was 40 g. The portion size of the food items of regular use set in this study will be conveniently and effectively used by general consumers in selecting food items for a nutritionally balanced diet. In addition, these will be used as the basic data in setting the serving size in meal planning. PMID:20198213

Unprocessed Red and Processed Meats and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes – An Updated Review of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Micha, Renata; Michas, Georgios

2012-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that effects of red meat consumption on coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes could vary depending on processing. We reviewed the evidence for effects of unprocessed (fresh/frozen) red and processed (using sodium/other preservatives) meat consumption on CHD and diabetes. In meta-analyses of prospective cohorts, higher risk of CHD is seen with processed meat consumption (RR per 50 g: 1.42, 95 %CI = 1.07–1.89), but a smaller increase or no risk is seen with unprocessed meat consumption. Differences in sodium content (~400 % higher in processed meat) appear to account for about two-thirds of this risk difference. In similar analyses, both unprocessed red and processed meat consumption are associated with incident diabetes, with higher risk per g of processed (RR per 50 g: 1.51, 95 %CI = 1.25–1.83) versus unprocessed (RR per 100 g: 1.19, 95 % CI = 1.04–1.37) meats. Contents of heme iron and dietary cholesterol may partly account for these associations. The overall findings suggest that neither unprocessed red nor processed meat consumption is beneficial for cardiometabolic health, and that clinical and public health guidance should especially prioritize reducing processed meat consumption. PMID:23001745

Do healthier foods cost more in Saudi Arabia than less healthier options?

PubMed Central

Gosadi, Ibrahim M.; Alshehri, Muner A.; Alawad, Saud H.

2016-01-01

Objectives: To investigate whether healthy foods in Saudi Arabia cost more compared with less healthy options. Method: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during June and July 2015. The study targeted well-known market chains in the city of Riyadh. The selection of food items was purposive to include healthy and less healthy food items in each category. Price, caloric value, salt, fat, sugar, and fiber contents for each food item were collected. To test for the correlation between nutritional contents and average price, Spearman’s correlation coefficients were calculated. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test for the presence of average price difference between healthy and less healthy food items. Results: A total of 162 food items were collected. Sixty-six food items were classified as healthy compared with 96 less healthier options. The calculated correlation coefficients indicate an association between increased cost of food with increased caloric values (0.649 p=0.0000001), increased fat content (0.610 p=0.0000003), and increased salt contents (0.273 p=0.001). Prices of food items with higher fiber contents showed a weaker association (0.191 p=0.015). The overall average cost of healthy food was approximately 10 Saudi riyals cheaper than less healthy food (p=0.000001). Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that the cost of healthy food is lower than that of less healthy items in the Saudi market. PMID:27570859

Nutritional quality of food items on fast-food 'kids' menus': comparisons across countries and companies.

PubMed

Hobin, Erin; White, Christine; Li, Ye; Chiu, Maria; O'Brien, Mary Fodor; Hammond, David

2014-10-01

To compare energy (calories), total and saturated fats, and Na levels for 'kids' menu' food items offered by four leading multinational fast-food chains across five countries. A content analysis was used to create a profile of the nutritional content of food items on kids' menus available for lunch and dinner in four leading fast-food chains in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. Food items from kids' menus were included from four fast-food companies: Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), McDonald's and Subway. These fast-food chains were selected because they are among the top ten largest multinational fast-food chains for sales in 2010, operate in high-income English-speaking countries, and have a specific section of their restaurant menus labelled 'kids' menus'. The results by country indicate that kids' menu foods contain less energy (fewer calories) in restaurants in the USA and lower Na in restaurants in the UK. The results across companies suggest that kids' menu foods offered at Subway restaurants are lower in total fat than food items offered at Burger King and KFC, and food items offered at KFC are lower in saturated fat than items offered at Burger King. Although the reasons for the variation in the nutritional quality of foods on kids' menus are not clear, it is likely that fast-food companies could substantially improve the nutritional quality of their kids' menu food products, translating to large gains for population health.

7 CFR 60.119 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Processed food item. 60.119 Section 60.119 Agriculture... FOR FISH AND SHELLFISH General Provisions Definitions § 60.119 Processed food item. Processed food... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., breading, tomato sauce), except that...

7 CFR 60.119 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Processed food item. 60.119 Section 60.119 Agriculture... FOR FISH AND SHELLFISH General Provisions Definitions § 60.119 Processed food item. Processed food... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., breading, tomato sauce), except that...

7 CFR 60.119 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Processed food item. 60.119 Section 60.119 Agriculture... FOR FISH AND SHELLFISH General Provisions Definitions § 60.119 Processed food item. Processed food... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., breading, tomato sauce), except that...

7 CFR 60.119 - Processed food item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Processed food item. 60.119 Section 60.119 Agriculture... FOR FISH AND SHELLFISH General Provisions Definitions § 60.119 Processed food item. Processed food... other covered commodity or other substantive food component (e.g., breading, tomato sauce), except that...

Unprocessed Meat Consumption and Incident Cardiovascular Diseases in Korean Adults: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES)

PubMed Central

Park, Kyong; Son, Jakyung; Jang, Jiyoung; Kang, Ryungwoo; Chung, Hye-Kyung; Lee, Kyong Won; Lee, Seung-Min; Lim, Hyunjung; Shin, Min-Jeong

2017-01-01

Meat consumption has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in Western societies; however, epidemiological data are limited on the Korean population. Therefore, we examined the associations between unprocessed meat consumption and CVD incidence in Korea. Data were derived from the Ansung-Ansan cohort (2001–2012), including 9370 adults (40–69 years) without CVD or cancer at baseline. Total unprocessed meat consumption was estimated as the sum of unprocessed red meat (beef, pork, and organ meat) and poultry consumption. In the fully adjusted Cox regression model, the relative risks of CVD across increasing quintiles of total unprocessed meat intake were 1.0 (reference), 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55, 0.95), 0.57 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.78), 0.69 (95% CI: 0.51, 0.95), and 0.69 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.97), but no significant linear trend was detected (p for trend = 0.14). Frequent poultry consumption was significantly associated with a decreased CVD risk; this association showed a dose-response relationship (p for trend = 0.04). This study showed that a moderate intake of total unprocessed meat was inversely associated with CVD risk. A significant inverse association between poultry consumption and incident CVD was observed in Korean adults, requiring further confirmation in other populations. PMID:28505126

Proximate, Antinutrients and Mineral Composition of Raw and Processed (Boiled and Roasted) Sphenostylis stenocarpa Seeds from Southern Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ndidi, Uche Samuel; Ndidi, Charity Unekwuojo; Olagunju, Abbas; Muhammad, Aliyu; Billy, Francis Graham; Okpe, Oche

2014-01-01

This research was aimed at evaluating the proximate composition, level of anti-nutrients, and the mineral composition of raw and processed Sphenostylis stenocarpa seeds and at examining the effect of processing on the parameters. From the proximate composition analysis, the ash content showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the processed and unprocessed (raw) samples. However, there was significant difference (P < 0.05) in the levels of moisture, crude lipid, nitrogen-free extract, gross energy, true protein, and crude fiber between the processed and unprocessed S. stenocarpa. Analyses of the antinutrient composition show that the processed S. stenocarpa registered significant reduction in levels of hydrogen cyanide, trypsin inhibitor, phytate, oxalate, and tannins compared to the unprocessed. Evaluation of the mineral composition showed that the level of sodium, calcium, and potassium was high in both the processed and unprocessed sample (150–400 mg/100 g). However, the level of iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium was low in both processed and unprocessed samples (2–45 mg/100 g). The correlation analysis showed that tannins and oxalate affected the levels of ash and nitrogen-free extract of processed and unprocessed seeds. These results suggest that the consumption of S. stenocarpa will go a long way in reducing the level of malnutrition in northern Nigeria. PMID:24967265

Diverse food items are similarly categorized by 8- to 13-year-old children.

PubMed

Beltran, Alicia; Knight Sepulveda, Karina; Watson, Kathy; Baranowski, Tom; Baranowski, Janice; Islam, Noemi; Missaghian, Mariam

2008-01-01

Assess how 8- to 13-year-old children categorized and labeled food items for possible use as part of a food search strategy in a computerized 24-hour dietary recall. A set of 62 cards with pictures and names of food items from 18 professionally defined food groups was sorted by each child into piles of similar food items. Participants attended the Children's Nutrition Research Center in the summer 2006. 148 8- to 13-year-old children (132 English speaking, 16 primarily Spanish speaking). Sorting of food items into common groupings and their names. Robinson matrices for identification of clusters of food items. Children created on average 11.1 (+/- 4.4) piles with 5.4 (+/- 4.9) cards per pile. Robinson matrix clusters captured 92.4% of the variance in the sorting of food cards. No substantial differences in Robinson clustering were detected across subcategories for each of the demographic characteristics. The label names provided by the children were most frequently categorized as "Taxonomic-Professional" (42.5%), such as meat, fruit, and drinks; or "Script" (26.4%), such as breakfast food, desserts, and snacks. Children categorized food items into similar clusters but used diverse names to label them. These categories may be used to facilitate food search for researchers in a computerized 24-hour dietary recall for children in this age group.

Frequency of consumption of cariogenic food items by 4-month-old to 24-month-old children: comparison between two rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

MacKeown, Jennifer M; Faber, Mieke

2005-03-01

The objective of the study was to compare the frequency of consumption of cariogenic food items among 4-month-old to 24-month-old children in two neighbouring rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: Nyuswa/Embo (Area A) (n = 127) and Ndunakazi (Area B) (n = 105). Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Mothers or caregivers were interviewed by a team of Zulu-speaking fieldworkers. The percentage of children consuming the individual food items (consumers) and the weekly consumption for consumers were calculated for the two areas separately. The food items were ranked in descending order according to the combined group of children and reported for each area within five selected food groups (carbohydrates, sugars, fruit and vegetables, milk and milk products, and other foods and snacks). Food items were 'flagged' according to their cariogenic potential. Fisher's exact test on absolute numbers tested for significant differences in the frequency of intake between individual food items between the two groups. Significance was set at P < 0.05. The frequency of consumption of certain listed cariogenic food items showed significant differences between the two areas. A higher percentage of children in Area A than in Area B consumed most of the food items and also more frequently. Children mainly consumed foods with a cariogenic score of 2, solid foods with 8-20% sugars as well as foods high in starch with less than 10% sugars. This knowledge is essential to gain insight into the eating pattern among rural communities and will provide a baseline for developing and adapting dietary advice specifically for young rural South African children with particular emphasis on the prevention of dental caries.

Unexpected Neighborhood Sources of Food and Drink: Implications for Research and Community Health.

PubMed

Lucan, Sean C; Maroko, Andrew R; Seitchik, Jason L; Yoon, Dong Hum; Sperry, Luisa E; Schechter, Clyde B

2018-06-11

Studies of neighborhood food environments typically focus on select stores (especially supermarkets) and/or restaurants (especially fast-food outlets), make presumptions about healthfulness without assessing actual items for sale, and ignore other kinds of businesses offering foods/drinks. The current study assessed availability of select healthful and less-healthful foods/drinks from all storefront businesses in an urban environment and considered implications for food-environment research and community health. Cross-sectional assessment in 2013 of all storefront businesses (n=852) on all street segments (n=1,253) in 32 census tracts of the Bronx, New York. Investigators assessed for healthful items (produce, whole grains, nuts, water, milk) and less-healthful items (refined sweets, salty/fatty fare, sugar-added drinks, and alcohol), noting whether items were from food businesses (e.g., supermarkets and restaurants) or other storefront businesses (OSB, e.g., barber shops, gyms, hardware stores, laundromats). Data were analyzed in 2017. Half of all businesses offered food/drink items. More than one seventh of all street segments (more than one third in higher-poverty census tracts) had businesses selling food/drink. OSB accounted for almost one third of all businesses offering food/drink items (about one quarter of businesses offering any healthful items and more than two thirds of businesses offering only less-healthful options). Food environments include many businesses not primarily focused on selling foods/drinks. Studies that do not consider OSB may miss important food/drink sources, be incomplete and inaccurate, and potentially misguide interventions. OSB hold promise for improving food environments and community health by offering healthful items; some already do. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Red meat intake is positively associated with non-fatal acute myocardial infarction in the Costa Rica Heart Study.

PubMed

Wang, Dongqing; Campos, Hannia; Baylin, Ana

2017-08-01

The adverse effect of red meat consumption on the risk for CVD is a major population health concern, especially in developing Hispanic/Latino countries in which there are clear trends towards increased consumption. This population-based case-control study examined the associations between total, processed and unprocessed red meat intakes and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction (MI) in Costa Rica. The study included 2131 survivors of a first non-fatal acute MI and 2131 controls individually matched by age, sex and area of residence. Dietary intake was assessed with a FFQ. OR were estimated by using conditional logistic regression. Higher intakes of total and processed red meat were associated with increased odds of acute MI. The OR were 1·31 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·65) and 1·29 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·65) for the highest quintiles of total red meat (median: 110·8 g or 1 serving/d) and processed red meat intake (median: 36·1 g or 5 servings/week), respectively. There were increasing trends in the odds of acute MI with higher total (P trend=0·01) and processed (P trend=0·02) red meat intakes. Unprocessed red meat intake was not associated with increased odds of acute MI. Substitutions of 50 g of alternative foods (fish, milk, chicken without skin and chicken without fat) for 50 g of total, processed and unprocessed red meat were associated with lower odds of acute MI. The positive association between red meat intake and acute MI in Costa Rica highlights the importance of reducing red meat consumption in middle-income Hispanic/Latino populations.

The Impact of Disclosure of Nutrition Information on Consumers' Behavioral Intention in Korea.

PubMed

Choi, Jinkyung

2015-01-01

To investigate the effect of nutritional information disclosure on consumers' nutritional perception, attitude, and behavioral intention to purchase the food item. Questionnaires were distributed measuring nutritional perception, attitude, and behavioral intention with different nutritional information about the food (no information, calories only, and six nutritional content information items: food weight(g), calories(kcal), protein(g), sugar(g), sodium(g), and saturated fat(g)). Food items shown to the respondents were hamburgers and bibimbap. Descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple regression were used in order to examine the effects of nutritional information levels and different food items on consumers' behavioral intentions. Nutritional perception, food attitude, and food choice intention were all affected by levels of nutritional information and different food items. Also, food attitude was a predictor of food choice behavioral intention and was affected by different food items as well. However, results of the study found that objective and subjective knowledge of individuals are not related to their nutritional perception, attitude, and behavioral intention. Results of this study would help restaurant managers to prepare for consumers' demand on disclosure of nutritional information and adjust their menu ingredients for consumers' healthy food inquiries in order to respond to consumers' interests in nutritional information and ensure consumers satisfaction with the perceived nutritional value of food.

Bioprotective Role of Yeasts

PubMed Central

Muccilli, Serena; Restuccia, Cristina

2015-01-01

The yeasts constitute a large group of microorganisms characterized by the ability to grow and survive in different and stressful conditions and then to colonize a wide range of environmental and human ecosystems. The competitive traits against other microorganisms have attracted increasing attention from scientists, who proposed their successful application as bioprotective agents in the agricultural, food and medical sectors. These antagonistic activities rely on the competition for nutrients, production and tolerance of high concentrations of ethanol, as well as the synthesis of a large class of antimicrobial compounds, known as killer toxins, which showed clearly a large spectrum of activity against food spoilage microorganisms, but also against plant, animal and human pathogens. This review describes the antimicrobial mechanisms involved in the antagonistic activity, their applications in the processed and unprocessed food sectors, as well as the future perspectives in the development of new bio-drugs, which may overcome the limitations connected to conventional antimicrobial and drug resistance. PMID:27682107

Mediate gamma radiation effects on some packaged food items

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inamura, Patricia Y.; Uehara, Vanessa B.; Teixeira, Christian A. H. M.; del Mastro, Nelida L.

2012-08-01

For most of prepackaged foods a 10 kGy radiation dose is considered the maximum dose needed; however, the commercially available and practically accepted packaging materials must be suitable for such application. This work describes the application of ionizing radiation on several packaged food items, using 5 dehydrated food items, 5 ready-to-eat meals and 5 ready-to-eat food items irradiated in a 60Co gamma source with a 3 kGy dose. The quality evaluation of the irradiated samples was performed 2 and 8 months after irradiation. Microbiological analysis (bacteria, fungus and yeast load) was performed. The sensory characteristics were established for appearance, aroma, texture and flavor attributes were also established. From these data, the acceptability of all irradiated items was obtained. All ready-to-eat food items assayed like manioc flour, some pâtés and blocks of raw brown sugar and most of ready-to-eat meals like sausages and chicken with legumes were considered acceptable for microbial and sensory characteristics. On the other hand, the dehydrated food items chosen for this study, such as dehydrated bacon potatoes or pea soups were not accepted by the sensory analysis. A careful dose choice and special irradiation conditions must be used in order to achieve sensory acceptability needed for the commercialization of specific irradiated food items.

Evaluation of a photographic food atlas as a tool for quantifying food portion size in the United Arab Emirates

PubMed Central

Platat, Carine; El Mesmoudi, Najoua; El Sadig, Mohamed; Tewfik, Ihab

2018-01-01

Although, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has one of the highest prevalence of overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes in the world, however, validated dietary assessment aids to estimate food intake of individuals and populations in the UAE are currently lacking. We conducted two observational studies to evaluate the accuracy of a photographic food atlas which was developed as a tool for food portion size estimation in the UAE. The UAE Food Atlas presents eight portion sizes for each food. Study 1 involved portion size estimations of 13 food items consumed during the previous day. Study 2 involved portion size estimations of nine food items immediately after consumption. Differences between the food portion sizes estimated from the photographs and the weighed food portions (estimation error), as well as the percentage differences relative to the weighed food portion for each tested food item were calculated. Four of the evaluated food items were underestimated (by -8.9% to -18.4%), while nine were overestimated (by 9.5% to 90.9%) in Study 1. Moreover, there were significant differences between estimated and eaten food portions for eight food items (P<0.05). In Study 2, one food item was underestimated (-8.1%) while eight were overestimated (range 2.52% to 82.1%). Furthermore, there were significant differences between estimated and eaten food portions (P<0.05) for six food items. The limits of agreement between the estimated and consumed food portion size were wide indicating a large variability in food portion estimation errors. These reported findings highlight the need for further developments of the UAE Food Atlas to improve the accuracy of food portion size intake estimations in dietary assessments. Additionally, recalling food portions from the previous day did not seem to increase food portion estimation errors in this study. PMID:29698434

Quality control of plant food supplements.

PubMed

Sanzini, Elisabetta; Badea, Mihaela; Santos, Ariana Dos; Restani, Patrizia; Sievers, Hartwig

2011-12-01

It is essential to guarantee the safety of unprocessed plants and food supplements if consumers' health is to be protected. Although botanicals and their preparations are regulated at EU level, at least in part, there is still considerable discretion at national level, and Member States may choose to classify a product either as a food supplement or as a drug. Accurate data concerning the finished products and the plant used as the starting point are of major importance if risks and safety are to be properly assessed, but in addition standardized criteria for herbal preparation must be laid down and respected by researchers and manufacturers. Physiologically active as well as potentially toxic constituents need to be identified, and suitable analytical methods for their measurement specified, particularly in view of the increasing incidence of economically motivated adulteration of herbal raw materials and extracts. It remains the duty of food operators to keep up with the scientific literature and to provide sufficient information to enable the adaptation of specifications, sampling schemes and analytical methods to a fast-changing environment.

Development of a New Branded UK Food Composition Database for an Online Dietary Assessment Tool

PubMed Central

Carter, Michelle C.; Hancock, Neil; Albar, Salwa A.; Brown, Helen; Greenwood, Darren C.; Hardie, Laura J.; Frost, Gary S.; Wark, Petra A.; Cade, Janet E.

2016-01-01

The current UK food composition tables are limited, containing ~3300 mostly generic food and drink items. To reflect the wide range of food products available to British consumers and to potentially improve accuracy of dietary assessment, a large UK specific electronic food composition database (FCDB) has been developed. A mapping exercise has been conducted that matched micronutrient data from generic food codes to “Back of Pack” data from branded food products using a semi-automated process. After cleaning and processing, version 1.0 of the new FCDB contains 40,274 generic and branded items with associated 120 macronutrient and micronutrient data and 5669 items with portion images. Over 50% of food and drink items were individually mapped to within 10% agreement with the generic food item for energy. Several quality checking procedures were applied after mapping including; identifying foods above and below the expected range for a particular nutrient within that food group and cross-checking the mapping of items such as concentrated and raw/dried products. The new electronic FCDB has substantially increased the size of the current, publically available, UK food tables. The FCDB has been incorporated into myfood24, a new fully automated online dietary assessment tool and, a smartphone application for weight loss. PMID:27527214

Development of a New Branded UK Food Composition Database for an Online Dietary Assessment Tool.

PubMed

Carter, Michelle C; Hancock, Neil; Albar, Salwa A; Brown, Helen; Greenwood, Darren C; Hardie, Laura J; Frost, Gary S; Wark, Petra A; Cade, Janet E

2016-08-05

The current UK food composition tables are limited, containing ~3300 mostly generic food and drink items. To reflect the wide range of food products available to British consumers and to potentially improve accuracy of dietary assessment, a large UK specific electronic food composition database (FCDB) has been developed. A mapping exercise has been conducted that matched micronutrient data from generic food codes to "Back of Pack" data from branded food products using a semi-automated process. After cleaning and processing, version 1.0 of the new FCDB contains 40,274 generic and branded items with associated 120 macronutrient and micronutrient data and 5669 items with portion images. Over 50% of food and drink items were individually mapped to within 10% agreement with the generic food item for energy. Several quality checking procedures were applied after mapping including; identifying foods above and below the expected range for a particular nutrient within that food group and cross-checking the mapping of items such as concentrated and raw/dried products. The new electronic FCDB has substantially increased the size of the current, publically available, UK food tables. The FCDB has been incorporated into myfood24, a new fully automated online dietary assessment tool and, a smartphone application for weight loss.

Diverse Food Items Are Similarly Categorized by 8- to 13-year-old Children

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study objective was to assess how 8- to 13-year-old children categorized and labeled food items, for possible use as part of a food search strategy in a computerized 24-hour dietary recall. A set of 62 cards with pictures and names of food items from 18 professionally defined food groups was sor...

Brief assessment of food insecurity accurately identifies high-risk US adults.

PubMed

Gundersen, Craig; Engelhard, Emily E; Crumbaugh, Amy S; Seligman, Hilary K

2017-06-01

To facilitate the introduction of food insecurity screening into clinical settings, we examined the test performance of two-item screening questions for food insecurity against the US Department of Agriculture's Core Food Security Module. We examined sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of various two-item combinations of questions assessing food insecurity in the general population and high-risk population subgroups. 2013 Current Population Survey December Supplement, a population-based US survey. All survey participants from the general population and high-risk subgroups. The test characteristics of multiple two-item combinations of questions assessing food insecurity had adequate sensitivity (>97 %) and specificity (>70 %) for widespread adoption as clinical screening measures. We recommend two specific items for clinical screening programmes based on their widespread current use and high sensitivity for detecting food insecurity. These items query how often the household 'worried whether food would run out before we got money to buy more' and how often 'the food that we bought just didn't last and we didn't have money to get more'. The recommended items have sensitivity across high-risk population subgroups of ≥97 % and a specificity of ≥74 % for food insecurity.

Impressions of functional food consumers.

PubMed

Saher, Marieke; Arvola, Anne; Lindeman, Marjaana; Lähteenmäki, Liisa

2004-02-01

Functional foods provide a new way of expressing healthiness in food choices. The objective of this study was to apply an indirect measure to explore what kind of impressions people form of users of functional foods. Respondents (n=350) received one of eight versions of a shopping list and rated the buyer of the foods on 66 bipolar attributes on 7-point scales. The shopping lists had either healthy or neutral background items, conventional or functional target items and the buyer was described either as a 40-year-old woman or man. The attribute ratings revealed three factors: disciplined, innovative and gentle. Buyers with healthy background items were perceived as more disciplined than those having neutral items on the list, users of functional foods were rated as more disciplined than users of conventional target items only when the background list consisted of neutral items. Buyers of functional foods were regarded as more innovative and less gentle, but gender affected the ratings on gentle dimension. The impressions of functional food users clearly differ from those formed of users of conventional foods with a healthy image. The shopping list method performed well as an indirect method, but further studies are required to test its feasibility in measuring other food-related impressions.

Development of an item bank for food parenting practices based on published instruments and reports from Canadian and US parents.

PubMed

O'Connor, Teresia M; Pham, Truc; Watts, Allison W; Tu, Andrew W; Hughes, Sheryl O; Beauchamp, Mark R; Baranowski, Tom; Mâsse, Louise C

2016-08-01

Research to understand how parents influence their children's dietary intake and eating behaviors has expanded in the past decades and a growing number of instruments are available to assess food parenting practices. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on how constructs should be defined or operationalized, making comparison of results across studies difficult. The aim of this study was to develop a food parenting practice item bank with items from published scales and supplement with parenting practices that parents report using. Items from published scales were identified from two published systematic reviews along with an additional systematic review conducted for this study. Parents (n = 135) with children 5-12 years old from the US and Canada, stratified to represent the demographic distribution of each country, were recruited to participate in an online semi-qualitative survey on food parenting. Published items and parent responses were coded using the same framework to reduce the number of items into representative concepts using a binning and winnowing process. The literature contributed 1392 items and parents contributed 1985 items, which were reduced to 262 different food parenting concepts (26% exclusive from literature, 12% exclusive from parents, and 62% represented in both). Food parenting practices related to 'Structure of Food Environment' and 'Behavioral and Educational' were emphasized more by parent responses, while practices related to 'Consistency of Feeding Environment' and 'Emotional Regulation' were more represented among published items. The resulting food parenting item bank should next be calibrated with item response modeling for scientists to use in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in the nutritional quality of fast-food items marketed at restaurants, 2010 v. 2013.

PubMed

Soo, Jackie; Harris, Jennifer L; Davison, Kirsten K; Williams, David R; Roberto, Christina A

2018-03-27

To examine the nutritional quality of menu items promoted in four (US) fast-food restaurant chains (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell) in 2010 and 2013. Menu items pictured on signs and menu boards were recorded at 400 fast-food restaurants across the USA. The Nutrient Profile Index (NPI) was used to calculate overall nutrition scores for items (higher scores indicate greater nutritional quality) and was dichotomized to denote healthier v. less healthy items. Changes over time in NPI scores and energy of promoted foods and beverages were analysed using linear regression. Four hundred fast-food restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell; 100 locations per chain). NPI of fast-food items marketed at fast-food restaurants. Promoted foods and beverages on general menu boards and signs remained below the 'healthier' cut-off at both time points. On general menu boards, pictured items became modestly healthier from 2010 to 2013, increasing (mean (se)) by 3·08 (0·16) NPI score points (P<0·001) and decreasing (mean (se)) by 130 (15) kJ (31·1 (3·65) kcal; P<0·001). This pattern was evident in all chains except Taco Bell, where pictured items increased in energy. Foods and beverages pictured on the kids' section showed the greatest nutritional improvements. Although promoted foods on general menu boards and signs improved in nutritional quality, beverages remained the same or became worse. Foods, and to a lesser extent, beverages, promoted on menu boards and signs in fast-food restaurants showed limited improvements in nutritional quality in 2013 v. 2010.

Construction and validation of a psychometric scale to measure awareness on consumption of irradiated foods.

PubMed

Rusin, Tiago; Araújo, Wilma Maria Coelho; Faiad, Cristiane; Vital, Helio de Carvalho

2017-01-01

Although food irradiation has been used to ensure food safety, most consumers are unaware of the basic concepts of irradiation, misinterpreting information and demonstrating a negative attitude toward food items treated with ionizing radiation. This research is aimed at developing a tool to assess the awareness on the consumption of irradiated food. The sample was composed by employees from different social classes and school levels of Brazilian universities, who reflect the end-users of the irradiated foods, representative of the views of lay consumers. The total number of respondents was 614. In order to assess the Awareness Scale on Consumption of Irradiated Foods (ASCIF), an instrument has been developed and submitted to semantic tests and judge's validation. The instrument, that included 32 items, contemplated four construct factors: concepts (6 items), awareness (10 items), labeling (7 items) and safety of Irradiated foods (9 items). The data were collected by electronic means, through the site . By using exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) 4 factors have been found. They summarize the 31 items included. These factors account for 64.32% of the variance of the items and the internal consistency of the factors has been deemed good. An Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) was conducted to evaluate the factor structure of the instrument. The proposed instrument has been found to meet consistency criteria as an efficient tool for indicating assessing potential challenges and opportunities for the irradiated food markets.

Construction and validation of a psychometric scale to measure awareness on consumption of irradiated foods

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Although food irradiation has been used to ensure food safety, most consumers are unaware of the basic concepts of irradiation, misinterpreting information and demonstrating a negative attitude toward food items treated with ionizing radiation. This research is aimed at developing a tool to assess the awareness on the consumption of irradiated food. The sample was composed by employees from different social classes and school levels of Brazilian universities, who reflect the end-users of the irradiated foods, representative of the views of lay consumers. The total number of respondents was 614. In order to assess the Awareness Scale on Consumption of Irradiated Foods (ASCIF), an instrument has been developed and submitted to semantic tests and judge’s validation. The instrument, that included 32 items, contemplated four construct factors: concepts (6 items), awareness (10 items), labeling (7 items) and safety of Irradiated foods (9 items). The data were collected by electronic means, through the site . By using exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) 4 factors have been found. They summarize the 31 items included. These factors account for 64.32% of the variance of the items and the internal consistency of the factors has been deemed good. An Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) was conducted to evaluate the factor structure of the instrument. The proposed instrument has been found to meet consistency criteria as an efficient tool for indicating assessing potential challenges and opportunities for the irradiated food markets. PMID:29220375

The relative price of healthy and less healthy foods available in Australian school canteens.

PubMed

Billich, Natassja; Adderley, Marijke; Ford, Laura; Keeton, Isabel; Palermo, Claire; Peeters, Anna; Woods, Julie; Backholer, Kathryn

2018-04-12

School canteens have an important role in modelling a healthy food environment. Price is a strong predictor of food and beverage choice. This study compared the relative price of healthy and less healthy lunch and snack items sold within Australian school canteens. A convenience sample of online canteen menus from five Australian states were selected (100 primary and 100 secondary schools). State-specific canteen guidelines were used to classify menu items into 'green' (eat most), 'amber' (select carefully) and 'red' (not recommended in schools). The price of the cheapest 'healthy' lunch (vegetable-based 'green') and snack ('green' fruit) item was compared to the cheapest 'less healthy' ('amber/red') lunch and snack item, respectively, using an un-paired t-test. The relative price of the 'healthy' items and the 'less healthy' items was calculated to determine the proportion of schools that sold the 'less healthy' item cheaper. The mean cost of the 'healthy' lunch items was greater than the 'less healthy' lunch items for both primary (AUD $0.70 greater) and secondary schools ($0.50 greater; p < 0.01). For 75% of primary and 57% of secondary schools, the selected 'less healthy' lunch item was cheaper than the 'healthy' lunch item. For 41% of primary and 48% of secondary schools, the selected 'less healthy' snack was cheaper than the 'healthy' snack. These proportions were greatest for primary schools located in more, compared to less, disadvantaged areas. The relative price of foods sold within Australian school canteens appears to favour less healthy foods. School canteen healthy food policies should consider the price of foods sold.

36 CFR 223.201 - Limitations on unprocessed timber harvested in Alaska.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990 Program § 223.201 Limitations on unprocessed timber harvested in... or serious deterioration of logs unsalable locally because of an unforeseen loss of market, (c...

"Nutrition in the promotion of your health" pride, prejudice and propaganda.

PubMed

Yellowlees, W

1987-01-01

The association between the organic movement and 'alternative medicine' may have been one reason for the failure of the McCarrison Society in Britain to appeal to many National Health Service doctors and dentists. This is unfortunate because the aims of the McCarrison Society have nothing to do with any system of medical care. Our hope is to prevent disease by promoting McCarrison's teaching that man is perfectly adapted to his food supply as it occurs in nature and that the greatest single cause of the diseases of industrial peoples is their dependence on foods made worthless or harmful by processing and refining. This teaching applies to the modern epidemic of coronary heart disease. The evidence incriminating natural unprocessed fat as a cause of this disease is unconvincing.

Food safety hazards lurk in the kitchens of young adults.

PubMed

Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Maurer, Jaclyn; Wheatley, Virginia; Cottone, Ellen; Clancy, Michele

2007-04-01

Food mishandling in home kitchens likely causes a significant amount of foodborne disease; however, little is known about the food safety hazards lurking in home kitchens. The purposes of this study were to audit the kitchens of young adults with education beyond high school to identify food safety problems and develop recommendations for education efforts. Researchers developed a criterion-referenced home kitchen observation instrument to assess compliance of home food storage and rotation practices (e.g., temperature), sanitation and chemical storage, and general kitchen condition (e.g., infestation) with recommended practices. The instrument contained seven scales: Kitchen Cleanliness (eight items), Appliance Cleanliness (three items), Cleaning Supplies Availability (eight items), Temperatures (Food Thermometer Access & Refrigerator/Freezer Temperatures) (five items), Cold Food Storage (seven items), Dry Food Storage (eight items), and Poisons Storage (two items). Descriptive statistics were conducted to describe the study population, as a whole, and by gender. A total of 154 young adults (mean age, 20.7+/- 1.3 SD) enrolled in a northeastern university participated. Participants scored 70% or higher on Poisons Storage, Dry Food Storage, Kitchen Cleanliness, and Cleaning Supplies Availability scales but less than 60% on the Appliance Cleanliness and Cold Food Storage scales. Performance was lowest on the Temperatures scale. Females scored significantly higher than males on the Kitchen Cleanliness and Cleaning Supply Availability scales. Average refrigerator and freezer temperatures were higher than recommendations. Food safety education targeted at this young adult population needs to evolve into focused messages pertaining to the key food safety violations in this population.

Eat Right-Live Well! Supermarket Intervention Impact on Sales of Healthy Foods in a Low-Income Neighborhood.

PubMed

Surkan, Pamela J; Tabrizi, Maryam J; Lee, Ryan M; Palmer, Anne M; Frick, Kevin D

2016-02-01

To evaluate a multifaceted supermarket intervention promoting healthier alternatives to commonly purchased foods. Sales of 385 foods promoted between July and October, 2012 in the Eat Right-Live Well! intervention supermarket were compared with sales in a control supermarket. Two supermarkets in geographically separate, low-income, urban neighborhoods. One control and 1 intervention supermarket. Product labeling, employee training, community outreach, and in-store promotions, including taste tests. Number of items sold; absolute and percent differences in sales. Difference-in-difference analyses compared absolute and percent changes between stores and over time within stores. Sub-analyses examined taste-tested items and specific food categories, and promoted items labeled with high fidelity. Comparing pre- and postintervention periods, within-store difference-in-differences for promoted products in the intervention store (25,776 items; 23.1%) was more favorable than the control (9,429 items; 6.6%). The decrease in taste-tested items' sales was smaller in the intervention store (946 items; 5.5%) than the control store (14,666 items; 26.6%). Increased sales of foods labeled with high fidelity were greater in the intervention store (25,414 items; 28.0%) than the control store (7,306 items; 6.3%). Store-based interventions, particularly high-fidelity labeling, can increase promoted food sales. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of adding an Italian theme to a restaurant on the perceived ethnicity, acceptability, and selection of foods.

PubMed

Bell, R; Meiselman, H L; Pierson, B J; Reeve, W G

1994-02-01

We investigated whether a change in the perceived ethnicity of a food can be produced without manipulating the food item itself, and if that change in ethnic perception is accompanied by a change in acceptability and food selection behavior. Italian and British foods were offered in a British restaurant for four days. Foods were offered for 2 days under control conditions, when the restaurant was decorated as usual. The identical foods then were offered in the restaurant for 2 more days under experimental conditions, when ethnic names were used on the menu to describe foods, and the restaurant was decorated with an Italian theme. Perceived ethnicity and acceptability of items were rated by customers each day, and item selection was tracked. The Italian theme increased selection of pasta and dessert items, and decreased the selection of fish. The Italian theme also increased the perceived Italian ethnicity of British pasta items, fish and veal, and increased the perceived Italian ethnicity of the meal overall. These findings show that changes in perceived ethnicity and food selection can be accomplished without altering food items, but merely by manipulating the environment, and may imply a unique strategy for increasing perceived menu variety.

Unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption and risk of stroke in the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

PubMed

Amiano, P; Chamosa, S; Etxezarreta, N; Arriola, L; Sánchez, M-J; Ardanaz, E; Molina-Montes, E; Chirlaque, M-D; Moreno-Iribas, C; Huerta, J-M; Egües, N; Navarro, C; Requena, M; Quirós, J-R; Fonseca-Nunes, A; Jakszyn, P; González, C-A; Dorronsoro, M

2016-03-01

High intakes of unprocessed red or processed meat may increase the risk of stroke. We aimed to examine the association between unprocessed red meat, processed meat and total red meat consumption and risk of total stroke and ischaemic stroke. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted based on the data for 41,020 men and women aged 29-69 years at baseline. During a mean follow-up of 13.8 years, 674 incident cases of stroke (531 ischaemic strokes, 79 haemorrhagic strokes, 42 subarachnoid haemorrhages and 22 mixed or unspecified events) were identified. After multiple adjustment, unprocessed red meat, processed meat and total red meat consumption were not correlated with incidence of total stroke or ischaemic stroke in either men or women. The hazard ratios (HRs) for unprocessed red meat and processed meat and risk of total stroke comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles were, respectively, 0.81 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54-1.21; P-trend=0.15) and 0.92 (95% CI 0.64-1.32; P-trend=0.82) in men and 1.21 (95% CI 0.79-1.85; P-trend=0.10) and 0.81 (95% CI 0.51-1.27; P-trend=0.17) in women. The HRs for unprocessed red meat and processed meat and risk of ischaemic stroke were, respectively, 0.80 (95% CI 0.51-1.25; P-trend=0.51) and 0.86 (95% CI 0.57-1.29; P-trend=0.77) in men and 1.24 (95% CI 0.74-2.05; P-trend=0.13) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.47-1.42; P-trend=0.31) in women. In the Spanish European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption were not associated with risk of stroke in men or women.

Reduced-Item Food Audits Based on the Nutrition Environment Measures Surveys.

PubMed

Partington, Susan N; Menzies, Tim J; Colburn, Trina A; Saelens, Brian E; Glanz, Karen

2015-10-01

The community food environment may contribute to obesity by influencing food choice. Store and restaurant audits are increasingly common methods for assessing food environments, but are time consuming and costly. A valid, reliable brief measurement tool is needed. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate reduced-item food environment audit tools for stores and restaurants. Nutrition Environment Measures Surveys for stores (NEMS-S) and restaurants (NEMS-R) were completed in 820 stores and 1,795 restaurants in West Virginia, San Diego, and Seattle. Data mining techniques (correlation-based feature selection and linear regression) were used to identify survey items highly correlated to total survey scores and produce reduced-item audit tools that were subsequently validated against full NEMS surveys. Regression coefficients were used as weights that were applied to reduced-item tool items to generate comparable scores to full NEMS surveys. Data were collected and analyzed in 2008-2013. The reduced-item tools included eight items for grocery, ten for convenience, seven for variety, and five for other stores; and 16 items for sit-down, 14 for fast casual, 19 for fast food, and 13 for specialty restaurants-10% of the full NEMS-S and 25% of the full NEMS-R. There were no significant differences in median scores for varying types of retail food outlets when compared to the full survey scores. Median in-store audit time was reduced 25%-50%. Reduced-item audit tools can reduce the burden and complexity of large-scale or repeated assessments of the retail food environment without compromising measurement quality. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The limits of endowment effects in great apes (Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus).

PubMed

Kanngiesser, Patricia; Santos, Laurie R; Hood, Bruce M; Call, Josep

2011-11-01

The endowment effect describes the bias that people often value things that they possess more than things they do not possess. Thus, they are often reluctant to trade items in their possession for items of equivalent value. Some nonhuman primates appear to share this bias with humans, but it remains an open question whether they show endowment effects to the same extent as humans do. We investigated endowment effects in all four great ape species (Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus) by varying whether apes were endowed with food items (Experiment 1, N = 22) or tools that were instrumental in retrieving food (Experiment 2, N = 23). We first assessed apes' preferences for items of a pair and their willingness to trade items in their possession. We then endowed apes with one item of a pair and offered them to trade for the other item. Apes showed endowment effects for food, but not for tools. In Experiment 3, we endowed bonobos (N = 4) and orangutans (N = 5) with either one or 12 food items. Endowment effects did not differ between species and were not influenced by the number of endowed food items. Our findings suggest that endowment effects in great apes are restricted to immediate food gratification and remain unaffected by the quantity of food rewards. However, endowment effects do not seem to extend to other, nonconsumable possessions even when they are instrumental in retrieving food. In general, apes do not show endowment effects across a range of different commodities as humans typically do.

Biased towards food: Electrophysiological evidence for biased attention to food stimuli.

PubMed

Kumar, Sanjay; Higgs, Suzanne; Rutters, Femke; Humphreys, Glyn W

2016-12-01

We investigated the neural mechanisms involved in bias for food stimuli in our visual environment using event related lateralized (ERL) responses. The participants were presented with a cue (food or non-food item) to either identify or hold in working memory. Subsequently, they had to search for a target in a 2-item display where target and distractor stimuli were each flanked by a picture of a food or a non-food item. The behavioural data showed that performance was strongly affected by food cues, especially when food was held in WM compared to when the cues were merely identified. The temporal dynamics of electrophysiological measures of attention (the N1pc and N2pc) showed that the orienting of attention towards food stimuli was associated with two different mechanisms; an early stage of attentional suppression followed by a later stage of attentional orienting towards food stimuli. In contrast, non-food cues were associated only with the guidance of attention to or away from cued stimuli on valid and invalid trials. The results demonstrate that food items, perhaps due to their motivational significance modulate the early orienting of attention, including an initial suppressive response to food items. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Melt in Consumer Food Environments in Low-income Urban Neighborhoods.

PubMed

Trapl, Erika S; Pike, Stephanie N; Borawski, Elaine; Flocke, Susan A; Freedman, Darcy A; Walsh, Colleen C; Schneider, Christine; Yoder, Laura

2017-11-01

We systematically evaluated changes in availability, price, and quality of perishable food items from the beginning to the end of the month in lowincome, urban neighborhoods. The sample included grocery stores or supermarkets in Cleveland, Ohio, within neighborhoods with >30% of population receiving food assistance. We collected data for 2 sequential months during the first and fourth weeks of each month. Two coders evaluated stores, collecting measures of availability, price, and quality for 50 items. We examined difference in number and proportion of items available at the beginning of the month (BOM) to items remaining available at the end of the month (EOM), as well as quality and price of those items. Across 48 stores, availability at EOM was lower than BOM; as store size increased, reduction in availability (ie, food melt) was significantly (p < .01) less pronounced. Overall, items became less expensive at the EOM whereas quality remained consistent; we noted no statistically significant differences by store type for price or quality. Food melt differentially affects individuals in neighborhoods without grocery stores. Findings reveal composition of food environments is dynamic rather than static, influencing food-purchasing choices among lowincome consumers.

Unprocessed real-time imaging of vitreoretinal surgical maneuvers using a microscope-integrated spectral-domain optical coherence tomography system.

PubMed

Hahn, Paul; Migacz, Justin; O'Connell, Rachelle; Izatt, Joseph A; Toth, Cynthia A

2013-01-01

We have recently developed a microscope-integrated spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (MIOCT) device towards intrasurgical cross-sectional imaging of surgical maneuvers. In this report, we explore the capability of MIOCT to acquire real-time video imaging of vitreoretinal surgical maneuvers without post-processing modifications. Standard 3-port vitrectomy was performed in human during scheduled surgery as well as in cadaveric porcine eyes. MIOCT imaging of human subjects was performed in healthy normal volunteers and intraoperatively at a normal pause immediately following surgical manipulations, under an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol, with informed consent from all subjects. Video MIOCT imaging of live surgical manipulations was performed in cadaveric porcine eyes by carefully aligning B-scans with instrument orientation and movement. Inverted imaging was performed by lengthening of the reference arm to a position beyond the choroid. Unprocessed MIOCT imaging was successfully obtained in healthy human volunteers and in human patients undergoing surgery, with visualization of post-surgical changes in unprocessed single B-scans. Real-time, unprocessed MIOCT video imaging was successfully obtained in cadaveric porcine eyes during brushing of the retina with the Tano scraper, peeling of superficial retinal tissue with intraocular forceps, and separation of the posterior hyaloid face. Real-time inverted imaging enabled imaging without complex conjugate artifacts. MIOCT is capable of unprocessed imaging of the macula in human patients undergoing surgery and of unprocessed, real-time, video imaging of surgical maneuvers in model eyes. These capabilities represent an important step towards development of MIOCT for efficient, real-time imaging of manipulations during human surgery.

Processed and unprocessed red meat consumption and hypertension in women.

PubMed

Lajous, Martin; Bijon, Anne; Fagherazzi, Guy; Rossignol, Emilie; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise

2014-09-01

High processed red meat consumption is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The high sodium content of processed red meat could increase blood pressure and explain the association with cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the relation between the consumption of unprocessed and processed red meat and incident hypertension. In a prospective cohort of 44,616 disease-free French women who responded to a validated dietary questionnaire, we observed 10,256 incident cases of hypertension between 1993 and 2008. Cases were identified through self-reports of diagnosed or treated hypertension. Multivariate Cox regression models were adjusted for age, education, smoking, physical activity, body mass index, menopause, menopausal hormone therapy, and alcohol, bread, coffee, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Women who consumed ≥5 servings of processed red meat/wk (50 g = 1 serving) had a 17% higher rate of hypertension than that of women who consumed <1 serving/wk (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.26; P-trend = 0.0002). No association was observed between unprocessed red meat consumption and hypertension. When women who consumed ≥5 servings of unprocessed red meat/wk (100 g = 1 serving) were compared with women who consumed <1 serving unprocessed red meat/wk, the multivariate HR was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.08; P-trend = 0.63). In this large prospective cohort of French women, we observed an association between the consumption of processed red meat and hypertension. We observed no association for unprocessed red meat consumption and hypertension. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

An Innovative Method for Monitoring Food Quality and the Healthfulness of Consumers’ Grocery Purchases

PubMed Central

Tran, Le-Thuy T.; Brewster, Philip J.; Chidambaram, Valliammai; Hurdle, John F.

2017-01-01

This study presents a method laying the groundwork for systematically monitoring food quality and the healthfulness of consumers’ point-of-sale grocery purchases. The method automates the process of identifying United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Patterns Equivalent Database (FPED) components of grocery food items. The input to the process is the compact abbreviated descriptions of food items that are similar to those appearing on the point-of-sale sales receipts of most food retailers. The FPED components of grocery food items are identified using Natural Language Processing techniques combined with a collection of food concept maps and relationships that are manually built using the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, the What We Eat In America food categories, and the hierarchical organization of food items used by many grocery stores. We have established the construct validity of the method using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, but further evaluation of validity and reliability will require a large-scale reference standard with known grocery food quality measures. Here we evaluate the method’s utility in identifying the FPED components of grocery food items available in a large sample of retail grocery sales data (~190 million transaction records). PMID:28475153

An Innovative Method for Monitoring Food Quality and the Healthfulness of Consumers' Grocery Purchases.

PubMed

Tran, Le-Thuy T; Brewster, Philip J; Chidambaram, Valliammai; Hurdle, John F

2017-05-05

This study presents a method laying the groundwork for systematically monitoring food quality and the healthfulness of consumers' point-of-sale grocery purchases. The method automates the process of identifying United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Patterns Equivalent Database (FPED) components of grocery food items. The input to the process is the compact abbreviated descriptions of food items that are similar to those appearing on the point-of-sale sales receipts of most food retailers. The FPED components of grocery food items are identified using Natural Language Processing techniques combined with a collection of food concept maps and relationships that are manually built using the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, the What We Eat In America food categories, and the hierarchical organization of food items used by many grocery stores. We have established the construct validity of the method using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, but further evaluation of validity and reliability will require a large-scale reference standard with known grocery food quality measures. Here we evaluate the method's utility in identifying the FPED components of grocery food items available in a large sample of retail grocery sales data (~190 million transaction records).

The shortened food expectations--Long-term care questionnaire: Assessing nursing home residents' satisfaction with food and food service.

PubMed

Crogan, Neva L; Evans, Bronwynne C

2006-11-01

Lack of nursing home resident satisfaction with meals often results in reduced food intake, leading to poor nutritional status, weight loss, functional decline, and depression. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and initial testing of the 28-item revised Food Expectations-Long-Term Care (FoodEx-LTC) questionnaire with a convenience sample of nursing home residents (N = 61). Because of possible respondent burden, the original 44-item, five-domain FoodEx-LTC was revised, resulting in the deletion of 16 redundant items and those with inter-item correlations less than .25. Coefficient alpha scores ranged from .65 to .82, and test-retest correlations ranged from .79 to .88, dependent on domain. This revised instrument has good initial validity and reliability, resulting in a shorter instrument that accurately assesses nursing home resident satisfaction with food and food service.

77 FR 14423 - Certain Food Containers, Cups, Plates, Cutlery, and Related Items, and Packaging Thereof; Notice...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-09

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [DN 2883] Certain Food Containers, Cups, Plates, Cutlery, and... Containers, Cups, Plates, Cutlery, and Related Items, and Packaging Thereof, DN 2883; the Commission is... importation of certain food containers, cups, plates, cutlery, and related items, and packaging thereof. The...

Internal validity of a household food security scale is consistent among diverse populations participating in a food supplement program in Colombia

PubMed Central

Hackett, Michelle; Melgar-Quinonez, Hugo; Uribe, Martha C Alvarez

2008-01-01

Objective We assessed the validity of a locally adapted Colombian Household Food Security Scale (CHFSS) used as a part of the 2006 evaluation of the food supplement component of the Plan for Improving Food and Nutrition in Antioquia, Colombia (MANA – Plan Departamental de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional de Antioquia). Methods Subjects included low-income families with pre-school age children in MANA that responded affirmatively to at least one CHFSS item (n = 1,319). Rasch Modeling was used to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the items through measure and INFIT values. Differences in CHFSS performance were assessed by area of residency, socioeconomic status and number of children enrolled in MANA. Unidimensionality of a scale by group was further assessed using Differential Item Functioning (DIF). Results Most CHFSS items presented good fitness with most INFIT values within the adequate range of 0.8 to 1.2. Consistency in item measure values between groups was found for all but two items in the comparison by area of residency. Only two adult items exhibited DIF between urban and rural households. Conclusion The results indicate that the adapted CHFSS is a valid tool to assess the household food security of participants in food assistance programs like MANA. PMID:18500988

Internal validity of a household food security scale is consistent among diverse populations participating in a food supplement program in Colombia.

PubMed

Hackett, Michelle; Melgar-Quinonez, Hugo; Uribe, Martha C Alvarez

2008-05-23

We assessed the validity of a locally adapted Colombian Household Food Security Scale (CHFSS) used as a part of the 2006 evaluation of the food supplement component of the Plan for Improving Food and Nutrition in Antioquia, Colombia (MANA - Plan Departamental de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional de Antioquia). Subjects included low-income families with pre-school age children in MANA that responded affirmatively to at least one CHFSS item (n = 1,319). Rasch Modeling was used to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the items through measure and INFIT values. Differences in CHFSS performance were assessed by area of residency, socioeconomic status and number of children enrolled in MANA. Unidimensionality of a scale by group was further assessed using Differential Item Functioning (DIF). Most CHFSS items presented good fitness with most INFIT values within the adequate range of 0.8 to 1.2. Consistency in item measure values between groups was found for all but two items in the comparison by area of residency. Only two adult items exhibited DIF between urban and rural households. The results indicate that the adapted CHFSS is a valid tool to assess the household food security of participants in food assistance programs like MANA.

Development of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessing Dietary Intake in Children and Adolescents in South America.

PubMed

Saravia, Luisa; González-Zapata, Laura I; Rendo-Urteaga, Tara; Ramos, Jamile; Collese, Tatiana Sadalla; Bove, Isabel; Delgado, Carlos; Tello, Florencia; Iglesia, Iris; Gonçalves Sousa, Ederson Dassler; De Moraes, Augusto César Ferreira; Carvalho, Heráclito Barbosa; Moreno, Luis A

2018-03-01

This study aimed to describe the development of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary intake in South American children and adolescents. A total of 345 children (aged 3-10 years) and 357 adolescents (aged 11-17 years) were included for analysis. The FFQ was designed to be self-administered and to assess dietary intake over the past 3 months. It was developed in Spanish and translated into Portuguese. Multiple approaches were considered to compile the food list, and 11 food groups were included. A food photo booklet was produced as supporting material. The FFQ items maintained a common core list among centers (47 items) and country-specific foods. The FFQ for Buenos Aires and Lima had a total of 63 items; there were 55 items for the FFQ in Medelin, 60 items for Montevideo, 58 items for Santiago, 67 items for Sao Paulo, and 68 items for Teresina. Alcohol was also incorporated in the adolescents' FFQ. We developed a semiquantitative, culturally adapted FFQ to assess dietary intake in children and adolescents in South America. It has an optimal size allowing its completion in a high proportion of the population; therefore, it can be used in epidemiological studies with South American children and adolescents. © 2018 The Obesity Society.

JPRS Report, Near East & South Asia, India

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-23

said, one field, particularly in consumer industries , small-scale which favoured total decentralisation with each republic sector and self-employment...glass fibres of all types. All food processing industries other than milk food , malted foods , and flour, but excluding the items reserved for Ceramics...small-scale sector. (i) ceramics for industrial uses. All items of packaging for food processing industries Cement Products: excluding the items

Advertising influences on young children's food choices and parental influence.

PubMed

Ferguson, Christopher J; Muñoz, Monica E; Medrano, Maria R

2012-03-01

To evaluate whether advertising for food influences choices made by children, the strength of these influences, and whether they might be easily undone by parental influences. Children between 3 and 8 years of age (n=75) were randomized to watch a series of programs with embedded commercials. Some children watched a commercial for a relatively healthy food item, the other children watched a commercial for a less healthy item, both from the same fast-food company. Children were also randomized either to receive parental encouragement to choose the healthy item or to choose whichever item they preferred. Results indicated that children were more likely to choose the advertised item, despite parental input. Parental input only slightly moderated this influence. Although advertising impact on children's food choices is moderate in size, it appears resilient to parental efforts to intervene. Food advertisements directed at children may have a small but meaningful effect on their healthy food choices. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Catches the Eye but Not for Everyone: A BMI–Contingent Attentional Bias in Rapid Detection of Nutriments

PubMed Central

Nummenmaa, Lauri; Hietanen, Jari K.; Calvo, Manuel G.; Hyönä, Jukka

2011-01-01

An organism's survival depends crucially on its ability to detect and acquire nutriment. Attention circuits interact with cognitive and motivational systems to facilitate detection of salient sensory events in the environment. Here we show that the human attentional system is tuned to detect food targets among nonfood items. In two visual search experiments participants searched for discrepant food targets embedded in an array of nonfood distracters or vice versa. Detection times were faster when targets were food rather than nonfood items, and the detection advantage for food items showed a significant negative correlation with Body Mass Index (BMI). Also, eye tracking during searching within arrays of visually homogenous food and nonfood targets demonstrated that the BMI-contingent attentional bias was due to rapid capturing of the eyes by food items in individuals with low BMI. However, BMI was not associated with decision times after the discrepant food item was fixated. The results suggest that visual attention is biased towards foods, and that individual differences in energy consumption - as indexed by BMI - are associated with differential attentional effects related to foods. We speculate that such differences may constitute an important risk factor for gaining weight. PMID:21603657

Reliability and validity of a short form household food security scale in a Caribbean community.

PubMed

Gulliford, Martin C; Mahabir, Deepak; Rocke, Brian

2004-06-16

We evaluated the reliability and validity of the short form household food security scale in a different setting from the one in which it was developed. The scale was interview administered to 531 subjects from 286 households in north central Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. We evaluated the six items by fitting item response theory models to estimate item thresholds, estimating agreement among respondents in the same households and estimating the slope index of income-related inequality (SII) after adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity. Item-score correlations ranged from 0.52 to 0.79 and Cronbach's alpha was 0.87. Item responses gave within-household correlation coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.78. Estimated item thresholds (standard errors) from the Rasch model ranged from -2.027 (0.063) for the 'balanced meal' item to 2.251 (0.116) for the 'hungry' item. The 'balanced meal' item had the lowest threshold in each ethnic group even though there was evidence of differential functioning for this item by ethnicity. Relative thresholds of other items were generally consistent with US data. Estimation of the SII, comparing those at the bottom with those at the top of the income scale, gave relative odds for an affirmative response of 3.77 (95% confidence interval 1.40 to 10.2) for the lowest severity item, and 20.8 (2.67 to 162.5) for highest severity item. Food insecurity was associated with reduced consumption of green vegetables after additionally adjusting for income and education (0.52, 0.28 to 0.96). The household food security scale gives reliable and valid responses in this setting. Differing relative item thresholds compared with US data do not require alteration to the cut-points for classification of 'food insecurity without hunger' or 'food insecurity with hunger'. The data provide further evidence that re-evaluation of the 'balanced meal' item is required.

Validity and Reliability of General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for Adults in Uganda

PubMed Central

Bukenya, Richard; Ahmed, Abhiya; Andrade, Jeanette M.; Grigsby-Toussaint, Diana S.; Muyonga, John; Andrade, Juan E.

2017-01-01

This study sought to develop and validate a general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ) for Ugandan adults. The initial draft consisted of 133 items on five constructs associated with nutrition knowledge; expert recommendations (16 items), food groups (70 items), selecting food (10 items), nutrition and disease relationship (23 items), and food fortification in Uganda (14 items). The questionnaire validity was evaluated in three studies. For the content validity (study 1), a panel of five content matter nutrition experts reviewed the GNKQ draft before and after face validity. For the face validity (study 2), head teachers and health workers (n = 27) completed the questionnaire before attending one of three focus groups to review the clarity of the items. For the construct and test-rest reliability (study 3), head teachers (n = 40) from private and public primary schools and nutrition (n = 52) and engineering (n = 49) students from Makerere University took the questionnaire twice (two weeks apart). Experts agreed (content validity index, CVI > 0.9; reliability, Gwet’s AC1 > 0.85) that all constructs were relevant to evaluate nutrition knowledge. After the focus groups, 29 items were identified as unclear, requiring major (n = 5) and minor (n = 24) reviews. The final questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α > 0.95), test-retest reliability (r = 0.89), and differentiated (p < 0.001) nutrition knowledge scores between nutrition (67 ± 5) and engineering (39 ± 11) students. Only the construct on nutrition recommendations was unreliable (Cronbach α = 0.51, test-retest r = 0.55), which requires further optimization. The final questionnaire included topics on food groups (41 items), selecting food (2 items), nutrition and disease relationship (14 items), and food fortification in Uganda (22 items) and had good content, construct, and test-retest reliability to evaluate nutrition knowledge among Ugandan adults. PMID:28230779

Assessing food selection in a health promotion program: validation of a brief instrument for American Indian children in the southwest United States.

PubMed

Koehler, K M; Cunningham-Sabo, L; Lambert, L C; McCalman, R; Skipper, B J; Davis, S M

2000-02-01

Brief dietary assessment instruments are needed to evaluate behavior changes of participants in dietary intervention programs. The purpose of this project was to design and validate an instrument for children participating in Pathways to Health, a culturally appropriate, cancer prevention curriculum. Validation of a brief food selection instrument, Yesterday's Food Choices (YFC), which contained 33 questions about foods eaten the previous day with response choices of yes, no, or not sure. Reference data for validation were 24-hour dietary recalls administered individually to 120 students selected randomly. The YFC and 24-hour dietary recalls were administered to American Indian children in fifth- and seventh-grade classes in the Southwest United States. Dietary recalls were coded for food items in the YFC and results were compared for each item using percentage agreement and the kappa statistic. Percentage agreement for all items was greater than 60%; for most items it was greater than 70%, and for several items it was greater than 80%. The amount of agreement beyond that explained by chance (kappa statistic) was generally small. Three items showed substantial agreement beyond chance (kappa > or = 0.6); 2 items showed moderate agreement (kappa = 0.40 to 0.59) most items showed fair agreement (kappa = 0.20 to 0.39). The food items showing substantial agreement were hot or cold cereal, low-fat milk, and mutton or chile stew. Fried or scrambled eggs and deep-fried foods showed moderate agreement beyond chances. Previous development and validation of brief food selection instruments for children participating in health promotion programs has had limited success. In this study, instrument-related factors that apparently contributed to poor agreement between data from the YFC and 24-hour dietary recall were inclusion of categories of foods vs specific foods; food knowledge, preparation, and vocabulary, item length, and overreporting of attractive foods. Collecting and scoring the 24-hour recall data may also have contributed to poor agreement. Further development of brief instruments for evaluating changes in children's behavior in dietary programs is necessary. Factors related to the YFC that need further development may be issues that are also important in the development of effective, brief dietary assessments for children as individual clients or patients.

Monitoring the changes to the nutrient composition of fast foods following the introduction of menu labelling in New South Wales, Australia: an observational study.

PubMed

Wellard-Cole, Lyndal; Goldsbury, David; Havill, Michelle; Hughes, Clare; Watson, Wendy L; Dunford, Elizabeth K; Chapman, Kathy

2018-04-01

The present study examined the energy (kilojoule) content of Australian fast-food menu items over seven years, before and after introduction of menu board labelling, to determine the impact of the introduction of the legislation. Analysis of the median energy contents per serving and per 100g of fast-food menu items. Change in energy content of menu items across the years surveyed and differences in energy content of standard and limited-time only menu items were analysed. Five of Australia's largest fast food chains: Hungry Jack's, KFC, McDonald's, Oporto and Red Rooster. All standard and limited-time only menu items available at each fast-food chain, collected annually for seven years, 2009-2015. Although some fast-food chains/menu item categories had significant increases in the energy contents of their menus at some time points during the 7-year period, overall there were no significant or systematic decreases in energy following the introduction of menu labelling (P=0·19 by +17 kJ/100 g, P=0·83 by +8 kJ/serving). Limited-time only items were significantly higher in median energy content per 100 g than standard menu items (+74 kJ/100 g, P=0·002). While reformulation across the entire Australian fast-food supply has the potential to positively influence population nutrient intake, the introduction of menu labelling legislation in New South Wales, Australia did not lead to reduced energy contents across the five fast-food chains. To encourage widespread reformulation by the fast-food industry and enhance the impact of labelling legislation, the government should work with industry to set targets for reformulation of nutrient content.

Energy-dense fast food products cost less: an observational study of the energy density and energy cost of Australian fast foods.

PubMed

Wellard, Lyndal; Havill, Michelle; Hughes, Clare; Watson, Wendy L; Chapman, Kathy

2015-12-01

To examine the association between energy cost and energy density of fast food products. Twenty Sydney outlets of the five largest fast food chains were surveyed four times. Price and kilojoule data were collected for all limited-time-only menu items (n=54) and a sample of standard items (n=67). Energy cost ($/kilojoule) and energy density (kilojoules/gram) of menu items were calculated. There was a significant inverse relationship between menu item energy density and energy cost (p<0.001). Salads had the highest energy cost, while value items, meals that included a dessert and family meals had the lowest. Fast food chains could provide a wider range of affordable, lower-energy foods, use proportional pricing of larger serve sizes, or change defaults in meals to healthier options. More research is required to determine the most effective strategy to reduce the negative impact of fast food on the population's diet. Current pricing in the fast food environment may encourage unhealthier purchases. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

A leukocyte activation test identifies food items which induce release of DNA by innate immune peripheral blood leucocytes.

PubMed

Garcia-Martinez, Irma; Weiss, Theresa R; Yousaf, Muhammad N; Ali, Ather; Mehal, Wajahat Z

2018-01-01

Leukocyte activation (LA) testing identifies food items that induce a patient specific cellular response in the immune system, and has recently been shown in a randomized double blinded prospective study to reduce symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We hypothesized that test reactivity to particular food items, and the systemic immune response initiated by these food items, is due to the release of cellular DNA from blood immune cells. We tested this by quantifying total DNA concentration in the cellular supernatant of immune cells exposed to positive and negative foods from 20 healthy volunteers. To establish if the DNA release by positive samples is a specific phenomenon, we quantified myeloperoxidase (MPO) in cellular supernatants. We further assessed if a particular immune cell population (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) was activated by the positive food items by flow cytometry analysis. To identify the signaling pathways that are required for DNA release we tested if specific inhibitors of key signaling pathways could block DNA release. Foods with a positive LA test result gave a higher supernatant DNA content when compared to foods with a negative result. This was specific as MPO levels were not increased by foods with a positive LA test. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors resulted in inhibition of positive food stimulated DNA release. Positive foods resulted in CD63 levels greater than negative foods in eosinophils in 76.5% of tests. LA test identifies food items that result in release of DNA and activation of peripheral blood innate immune cells in a PKC dependent manner, suggesting that this LA test identifies food items that result in release of inflammatory markers and activation of innate immune cells. This may be the basis for the improvement in symptoms in IBS patients who followed an LA test guided diet.

Developing a Questionnaire to Evaluate College Students' Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior, Self-efficacy, and Environmental Factors Related to Canned Foods.

PubMed

Richards, Rickelle; Brown, Lora Beth; Williams, D Pauline; Eggett, Dennis L

2017-02-01

Develop a questionnaire to measure students' knowledge, attitude, behavior, self-efficacy, and environmental factors related to the use of canned foods. The Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Canned Foods Alliance survey were used as frameworks for questionnaire development. Cognitive interviews were conducted with college students (n = 8). Nutrition and survey experts assessed content validity. Reliability was measured via Cronbach α and 2 rounds (1, n = 81; 2, n = 65) of test-retest statistics. Means and frequencies were used. The 65-item questionnaire had a test-retest reliability of .69. Cronbach α scores were .87 for knowledge (9 items), .86 for attitude (30 items), .80 for self-efficacy (12 items), .68 for canned foods use (8 items), and .30 for environment (6 items). A reliable questionnaire was developed to measure perceptions and use of canned foods. Nutrition educators may find this questionnaire useful to evaluate pretest-posttest changes from canned foods-based interventions among college students. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feeding ecology of subyearling Chinook salmon in riverine and reservoir habitats of the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rondorf, Dennis W.; Gray, Gerard A.; Fairley, Robert B.

1990-01-01

In the Columbia River, we found the diet of subyearling chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to be predominately caddisflies (Trichoptera; 64% by weight) in riverine nursery habitats, but mostly Daphnia spp. and terrestrial insects in reservoir habitats. A preference analysis indicated that subyearlings did not eat food items in proportion to food availability; they preferred small zooplankters least and terrestrial insects most. Rank in preference of food items was correlated positively with rank in size of available food items, but not with rank in number in the diet. Only rank in number of prey items available in the habitat was consistently correlated with rank in number in the diet. The shift in diet to Daphnia spp. and terrestrial insects in the reservoir was due primarily to the high availability of those food items and the low availability of others. The switch to food items abundant in reservoirs enabled subyearling chinook salmon to use the reservoirs as nursery areas. However, the use of Daphnia spp. may entail a higher foraging cost per energy unit gained because of the small size of the prey.

Fox Squirrels Match Food Assessment and Cache Effort to Value and Scarcity

PubMed Central

Delgado, Mikel M.; Nicholas, Molly; Petrie, Daniel J.; Jacobs, Lucia F.

2014-01-01

Scatter hoarders must allocate time to assess items for caching, and to carry and bury each cache. Such decisions should be driven by economic variables, such as the value of the individual food items, the scarcity of these items, competition for food items and risk of pilferage by conspecifics. The fox squirrel, an obligate scatter-hoarder, assesses cacheable food items using two overt movements, head flicks and paw manipulations. These behaviors allow an examination of squirrel decision processes when storing food for winter survival. We measured wild squirrels' time allocations and frequencies of assessment and investment behaviors during periods of food scarcity (summer) and abundance (fall), giving the squirrels a series of 15 items (alternating five hazelnuts and five peanuts). Assessment and investment per cache increased when resource value was higher (hazelnuts) or resources were scarcer (summer), but decreased as scarcity declined (end of sessions). This is the first study to show that assessment behaviors change in response to factors that indicate daily and seasonal resource abundance, and that these factors may interact in complex ways to affect food storing decisions. Food-storing tree squirrels may be a useful and important model species to understand the complex economic decisions made under natural conditions. PMID:24671221

Comparison of the Availability and Cost of Foods Compatible With a Renal Diet Versus an Unrestricted Diet Using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey.

PubMed

Sullivan, Catherine M; Pencak, Julie A; Freedman, Darcy A; Huml, Anne M; León, Janeen B; Nemcek, Jeanette; Theurer, Jacqueline; Sehgal, Ashwini R

2017-05-01

Hemodialysis patients' ability to access food that is both compatible with a renal diet and affordable is affected by the local food environment. Comparisons of the availability and cost of food items suitable for the renal diet versus a typical unrestricted diet were completed using the standard Nutrition Environment Measures Survey and a renal diet-modified Nutrition Environment Measures Survey. Cross-sectional study. Twelve grocery stores in Northeast Ohio. Availability and cost of food items in 12 categories. The mean total number of food items available differed significantly (P ≤ .001) between the unrestricted diet (38.9 ± 4.5) and renal diet (32.2 ± 4.7). The mean total cost per serving did not differ significantly (P = 0.48) between the unrestricted diet ($5.67 ± 2.50) and renal diet ($5.76 ± 2.74). The availability of renal diet food items is significantly less than that of unrestricted diet food items, but there is no difference in the cost of items that are available in grocery stores. Further work is needed to determine how to improve the food environment for patients with chronic diseases. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

36 CFR 223.133 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... taking delivery of unprocessed Federal timber purchased by another party for the period of debarment... to any partner, principal officer, director, owner or co-owner, or joint venturer. Person means any... may reasonably be expected to enter into a contract to purchase or receive delivery of unprocessed...

36 CFR 223.133 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Federal lands and from taking delivery of unprocessed Federal timber purchased by another party for the..., such notice may be sent to any partner, principal officer, director, owner or co-owner, or joint... or receive delivery of unprocessed Federal timber in violation of the Act or its implementing...

Seasonal food habits of the coyote in the South Carolina coastal plain.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schrecengost, J. D.; Kilgo, J. C.; Mallard, D.

2008-07-01

Abstract - Spatial and temporal plasticity in Canis latrans (coyote) diets require regional studies to understand the ecological role of this omnivorous canid. Because coyotes have recently become established in South Carolina, we investigated their food habits by collecting 415 coyote scats on the Savannah River Site in western South Carolina from May 2005-July 2006. Seasonally available soft mast was the most common food item in 12 of the 15 months we sampled. Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer) was the most common food item during December (40%) and March (37%). During May-June, fruits of Prunus spp. and Rubus spp. were themore » most commonly occurring food items. Fawns were the most common mammalian food item during May and June of both years despite low deer density.« less

Seasonal food habits of the coyote in the South Carolina coastal plain.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schrecengost, J., D.; Kilgo, J., C.; Mallard, D.

2008-07-01

Spatial and temporal plasticity in Canis latrans (coyote) diets require regional studies to understand the ecological role of this omnivorous canid. Because coyotes have recently become established in South Carolina, we investigated their food habits by collecting 415 coyote scats on the Savannah River Site in western South Carolina from May 2005-July 2006. Seasonally available soft mast was the most common food item in 12 of the 15 months we sampled. Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer) was the most common food item during December (40%) and March (37%). During May-June, fruits of Prunus spp. and Rubus spp. were the most commonlymore » occurring food items. Fawns were the most common mammalian food item during May and June of both years despite low deer density.« less

Quantity judgments of sequentially presented food items by capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella).

PubMed

Evans, Theodore A; Beran, Michael J; Harris, Emily H; Rice, Daniel F

2009-01-01

Recent assessments have shown that capuchin monkeys, like chimpanzees and other Old World primate species, are sensitive to quantitative differences between sets of visible stimuli. In the present study, we examined capuchins' performance in a more sophisticated quantity judgment task that required the ability to form representations of food quantities while viewing the quantities only one piece at a time. In three experiments, we presented monkeys with the choice between two sets of discrete homogeneous food items and allowed the monkeys to consume the set of their choice. In Experiments 1 and 2, monkeys compared an entirely visible food set to a second set, presented item-by-item into an opaque container. All monkeys exhibited high accuracy in choosing the larger set, even when the entirely visible set was presented last, preventing the use of one-to-one item correspondence to compare quantities. In Experiment 3, monkeys compared two sets that were each presented item-by-item into opaque containers, but at different rates to control for temporal cues. Some monkeys performed well in this experiment, though others exhibited near-chance performance, suggesting that this species' ability to form representations of food quantities may be limited compared to previously tested species such as chimpanzees. Overall, these findings support the analog magnitude model of quantity representation as an explanation for capuchin monkeys' quantification of sequentially presented food items.

Reliability of a store observation tool in measuring availability of alcohol and selected foods.

PubMed

Cohen, Deborah A; Schoeff, Diane; Farley, Thomas A; Bluthenthal, Ricky; Scribner, Richard; Overton, Adrian

2007-11-01

Alcohol and food items can compromise or contribute to health, depending on the quantity and frequency with which they are consumed. How much people consume may be influenced by product availability and promotion in local retail stores. We developed and tested an observational tool to objectively measure in-store availability and promotion of alcoholic beverages and selected food items that have an impact on health. Trained observers visited 51 alcohol outlets in Los Angeles and southeastern Louisiana. Using a standardized instrument, two independent observations were conducted documenting the type of outlet, the availability and shelf space for alcoholic beverages and selected food items, the purchase price of standard brands, the placement of beer and malt liquor, and the amount of in-store alcohol advertising. Reliability of the instrument was excellent for measures of item availability, shelf space, and placement of malt liquor. Reliability was lower for alcohol advertising, beer placement, and items that measured the "least price" of apples and oranges. The average kappa was 0.87 for categorical items and the average intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83 for continuous items. Overall, systematic observation of the availability and promotion of alcoholic beverages and food items was feasible, acceptable, and reliable. Measurement tools such as the one we evaluated should be useful in studies of the impact of availability of food and beverages on consumption and on health outcomes.

Effect of Processing on Postprandial Glycemic Response and Consumer Acceptability of Lentil-Containing Food Items.

PubMed

Ramdath, D Dan; Wolever, Thomas M S; Siow, Yaw Chris; Ryland, Donna; Hawke, Aileen; Taylor, Carla; Zahradka, Peter; Aliani, Michel

2018-05-11

The consumption of pulses is associated with many health benefits. This study assessed post-prandial blood glucose response (PPBG) and the acceptability of food items containing green lentils. In human trials we: (i) defined processing methods (boiling, pureeing, freezing, roasting, spray-drying) that preserve the PPBG-lowering feature of lentils; (ii) used an appropriate processing method to prepare lentil food items, and compared the PPBG and relative glycemic responses (RGR) of lentil and control foods; and (iii) conducted consumer acceptability of the lentil foods. Eight food items were formulated from either whole lentil puree (test) or instant potato (control). In separate PPBG studies, participants consumed fixed amounts of available carbohydrates from test foods, control foods, or a white bread standard. Finger prick blood samples were obtained at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after the first bite, analyzed for glucose, and used to calculate incremental area under the blood glucose response curve and RGR; glycemic index (GI) was measured only for processed lentils. Mean GI (± standard error of the mean) of processed lentils ranged from 25 ± 3 (boiled) to 66 ± 6 (spray-dried); the GI of spray-dried lentils was significantly ( p < 0.05) higher than boiled, pureed, or roasted lentil. Overall, lentil-based food items all elicited significantly lower RGR compared to potato-based items (40 ± 3 vs. 73 ± 3%; p < 0.001). Apricot chicken, chicken pot pie, and lemony parsley soup had the highest overall acceptability corresponding to "like slightly" to "like moderately". Processing influenced the PPBG of lentils, but food items formulated from lentil puree significantly attenuated PPBG. Formulation was associated with significant differences in sensory attributes.

Effect of Processing on Postprandial Glycemic Response and Consumer Acceptability of Lentil-Containing Food Items

PubMed Central

Wolever, Thomas M. S.; Hawke, Aileen; Zahradka, Peter; Aliani, Michel

2018-01-01

The consumption of pulses is associated with many health benefits. This study assessed post-prandial blood glucose response (PPBG) and the acceptability of food items containing green lentils. In human trials we: (i) defined processing methods (boiling, pureeing, freezing, roasting, spray-drying) that preserve the PPBG-lowering feature of lentils; (ii) used an appropriate processing method to prepare lentil food items, and compared the PPBG and relative glycemic responses (RGR) of lentil and control foods; and (iii) conducted consumer acceptability of the lentil foods. Eight food items were formulated from either whole lentil puree (test) or instant potato (control). In separate PPBG studies, participants consumed fixed amounts of available carbohydrates from test foods, control foods, or a white bread standard. Finger prick blood samples were obtained at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after the first bite, analyzed for glucose, and used to calculate incremental area under the blood glucose response curve and RGR; glycemic index (GI) was measured only for processed lentils. Mean GI (± standard error of the mean) of processed lentils ranged from 25 ± 3 (boiled) to 66 ± 6 (spray-dried); the GI of spray-dried lentils was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than boiled, pureed, or roasted lentil. Overall, lentil-based food items all elicited significantly lower RGR compared to potato-based items (40 ± 3 vs. 73 ± 3%; p < 0.001). Apricot chicken, chicken pot pie, and lemony parsley soup had the highest overall acceptability corresponding to “like slightly” to “like moderately”. Processing influenced the PPBG of lentils, but food items formulated from lentil puree significantly attenuated PPBG. Formulation was associated with significant differences in sensory attributes. PMID:29751679

Levels of inorganic constituents in raw nuts and seeds on the Swedish market.

PubMed

Rodushkin, I; Engström, E; Sörlin, D; Baxter, D

2008-03-25

The levels of approximately 70 elements were determined in different culinary nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, bitter almonds, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, pistachios, pine nuts, peanuts and coconuts) and seeds (pumpkin and sunflower) available on the Swedish market. The study was limited to raw, virtually unprocessed nuts and seeds (both shelled and unshelled) excluding mixed, roasted or salted products. In total, 44 products from different suppliers were analyzed, with the number of samples per nut/seed variety reflecting the availability of unprocessed products in retail outlets, varying from two for bitter almonds and pistachios to six for hazelnuts and walnuts. This selection includes samples from at least 11 different countries of origin. The optimized analytical procedure consists of microwave-assisted sample digestion using a HNO3/HF mixture, followed by multi-elemental analysis by double focusing, sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The analyses were accompanied by rigorous quality control measures including thorough control of potential sample contamination at all analytical stages, participation in inter-laboratory performance assessment schemes, and the analysis of certified reference materials of plant origin. Concentrations thus obtained were compared with data from product labels (where available), food composition tables and other relevant surveys, demonstrating, depending on the elements in question, close agreement as well as considerable differences.

36 CFR 223.187 - Determinations of unprocessed timber.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AGRICULTURE SALE AND DISPOSAL OF NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM TIMBER, SPECIAL FOREST PRODUCTS, AND FOREST BOTANICAL...) and its implementing regulations. I fully understand that exporting unprocessed timber originating... domestically is a violation of this Act, its implementing regulations, and the False Statements Act (18 U.S.C...

Sodium levels in Canadian fast-food and sit-down restaurants.

PubMed

Scourboutakos, Mary J; L'Abbé, Mary R

2013-01-31

To evaluate the sodium levels in Canadian restaurant and fast-food chain menu items. Nutrition information was collected from the websites of major sit-down (n=20) and fast-food (n=65) restaurants across Canada in 2010 and a database was constructed. Four thousand and forty-four meal items, baked goods, side dishes and children's items were analyzed. Sodium levels were compared to the recommended adequate intake level (AI), tolerable upper intake level (UL) and the US National Sodium Reduction Initiative (NSRI) targets. On average, individual sit-down restaurant menu items contained 1455 mg sodium/serving (or 97% of the AI level of 1500 mg/day). Forty percent of all sit-down restaurant items exceeded the AI for sodium and more than 22% of sit-down restaurant stir fry entrées, sandwiches/wraps, ribs, and pasta entrées with meat/seafood exceeded the daily UL for sodium (2300 mg). Fast-food restaurant meal items contained, on average, 1011 mg sodium (68% of the daily AI), while side dishes (from sit-down and fast-food restaurants) contained 736 mg (49%). Children's meal items contained, on average, 790 mg/serving (66% of the sodium AI for children of 1200 mg/day); a small number of children's items exceeded the children's daily UL. On average, 52% of establishments exceeded the 2012 NSRI density targets and 69% exceeded the 2014 targets. The sodium content in Canadian restaurant foods is alarmingly high. A population-wide sodium reduction strategy needs to address the high levels of sodium in restaurant foods.

Training impulsive choices for healthy and sustainable food.

PubMed

Veling, Harm; Chen, Zhang; Tombrock, Merel C; Verpaalen, Iris A M; Schmitz, Laura I; Dijksterhuis, Ap; Holland, Rob W

2017-06-01

Many people find it hard to change their dietary choices. Food choice often occurs impulsively, without deliberation, and it has been unclear whether impulsive food choice can be experimentally created. Across 3 exploratory and 2 confirmatory preregistered experiments we examined whether impulsive food choice can be trained. Participants were cued to make motor responses upon the presentation of, among others, healthy and sustainable food items. They subsequently selected these food items more often for actual consumption when they needed to make their choices impulsively as a result of time pressure. This effect disappeared when participants were asked to think about their choices, merely received more time to make their choices, or when choosing required attention to alternatives. Participants preferred high to low valued food items under time pressure and without time pressure, suggesting that the impulsive choices reflect valid preferences. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to train impulsive choices for food items while leaving deliberative choices for these items unaffected, and connect research on attention training to dual-process theories of decision making. The present research suggests that attention training may lead to behavioral change only when people behave impulsively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Old Fashioned vs. Ultra-Processed-Based Current Diets: Possible Implication in the Increased Susceptibility to Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease in Childhood.

PubMed

Aguayo-Patrón, Sandra V; Calderón de la Barca, Ana M

2017-11-15

Ultra-processed foods are ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat products created to replace traditional homemade meals and dishes due to convenience and accessibility. Because of their low-fiber and high-fat and sugar composition, these foodstuffs could induce a negative impact on health. They are partially responsible for obesity and chronic non-transmissible diseases; additionally, they could impact in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. The rationale is that the nutritional composition of ultra-processed foodstuffs can induce gut dysbiosis, promoting a pro-inflammatory response and consequently, a "leaky gut". These factors have been associated with increased risk of autoimmunity in genetically predisposed children. In addition, food emulsifiers, commonly used in ultra-processed products could modify the gut microbiota and intestinal permeability, which could increase the risk of autoimmunity. In contrast, unprocessed and minimally processed food-based diets have shown the capacity to promote gut microbiota eubiosis, anti-inflammatory response, and epithelial integrity, through bacterial butyrate production. Thus, to decrease the susceptibility to autoimmunity, genetically predisposed children should avoid ultra-processed food products and encourage the consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods.

Reducing the potential for processing contaminant formation in cereal products.

PubMed

Curtis, Tanya Y; Postles, Jennifer; Halford, Nigel G

2014-05-01

Processing contaminants may be defined as substances that are produced in a food when it is cooked or processed, are not present or are present at much lower concentrations in the raw, unprocessed food, and are undesirable either because they have an adverse effect on product quality or because they are potentially harmful. The presence of very low levels of processing contaminants in common foods is becoming an increasingly important issue for the food industry, as developments in analytical techniques and equipment bring foods under closer and closer scrutiny. This review considers the formation of lipid oxidation products, hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids to prevent lipid oxidation and the associated risk of trans fatty acid formation. The formation of acrylamide in the Maillard reaction is described, as well as the genetic and agronomic approaches being taken to reduce the acrylamide-forming potential of cereal grain. The multiple routes for the formation of furan and associated chemicals, including hydroxymethylfurfuryl, are also described. The evolving regulatory and public perception situations for these processing contaminants and their implications for the cereal supply chain are discussed, emphasising the need for cereal breeders to engage with the contaminants issue.

2012 Feds Feed Families

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-09-12

Stennis Space Center employees concluded their 2012 Feds Feed Families effort at the end of August with collection of 6,701 pounds of nonperishable food items. NASA Office of Human Capital Manager Dorsie Jones (second from right) joined office employees (l to r) Apolonia Acker, Cecile Saltzman, Cabrina Bell and Jeanie Frederick during pickup of the final food items. Stennis food items are contributed to the Hancock County Food Pantry in Bay St. Louis and the Mt. Olive Soup Kitchen in Slidell, La.

A photographic method to measure food item intake. Validation in geriatric institutions.

PubMed

Pouyet, Virginie; Cuvelier, Gérard; Benattar, Linda; Giboreau, Agnès

2015-01-01

From both a clinical and research perspective, measuring food intake is an important issue in geriatric institutions. However, weighing food in this context can be complex, particularly when the items remaining on a plate (side dish, meat or fish and sauce) need to be weighed separately following consumption. A method based on photography that involves taking photographs after a meal to determine food intake consequently seems to be a good alternative. This method enables the storage of raw data so that unhurried analyses can be performed to distinguish the food items present in the images. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to validate a photographic method to measure food intake in terms of differentiating food item intake in the context of a geriatric institution. Sixty-six elderly residents took part in this study, which was performed in four French nursing homes. Four dishes of standardized portions were offered to the residents during 16 different lunchtimes. Three non-trained assessors then independently estimated both the total and specific food item intakes of the participants using images of their plates taken after the meal (photographic method) and a reference image of one plate taken before the meal. Total food intakes were also recorded by weighing the food. To test the reliability of the photographic method, agreements between different assessors and agreements among various estimates made by the same assessor were evaluated. To test the accuracy and specificity of this method, food intake estimates for the four dishes were compared with the food intakes determined using the weighed food method. To illustrate the added value of the photographic method, food consumption differences between the dishes were explained by investigating the intakes of specific food items. Although they were not specifically trained for this purpose, the results demonstrated that the assessor estimates agreed between assessors and among various estimates made by the same assessor. The results also revealed that the accuracy of this method was not dependent on the type of food studied, thus, the photographic method was not specific to a particular food type. Finally, the photographic method was able to provide more detailed data because it allowed differentiation between food item intakes. These findings clearly suggest that the photographic method is a valid and useful method to measure food intake in geriatric institutions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 1206.152 - Valuation standards-unprocessed gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Valuation standards-unprocessed gas. 1206.152 Section 1206.152 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL... section. The notification shall be by letter to the ONRR Director for Office of Natural Resources Revenue...

30 CFR 1206.152 - Valuation standards-unprocessed gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Valuation standards-unprocessed gas. 1206.152 Section 1206.152 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL... section. The notification shall be by letter to the ONRR Director for Office of Natural Resources Revenue...

30 CFR 1206.152 - Valuation standards-unprocessed gas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Valuation standards-unprocessed gas. 1206.152 Section 1206.152 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL... section. The notification shall be by letter to the ONRR Director for Office of Natural Resources Revenue...

36 CFR 223.201 - Limitations on unprocessed timber harvested in Alaska.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Limitations on unprocessed timber harvested in Alaska. 223.201 Section 223.201 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SALE AND DISPOSAL OF NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM TIMBER, SPECIAL FOREST PRODUCTS, AND...

Development and Preliminary Testing of the Food Choice Priorities Survey (FCPS): Assessing the Importance of Multiple Factors on College Students' Food Choices.

PubMed

Vilaro, Melissa J; Zhou, Wenjun; Colby, Sarah E; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Riggsbee, Kristin; Olfert, Melissa D; Barnett, Tracey E; Mathews, Anne E

2017-12-01

Understanding factors that influence food choice may help improve diet quality. Factors that commonly affect adults' food choices have been described, but measures that identify and assess food choice factors specific to college students are lacking. This study developed and tested the Food Choice Priorities Survey (FCPS) among college students. Thirty-seven undergraduates participated in two focus groups ( n = 19; 11 in the male-only group, 8 in the female-only group) and interviews ( n = 18) regarding typical influences on food choice. Qualitative data informed the development of survey items with a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important). An expert panel rated FCPS items for clarity, relevance, representativeness, and coverage using a content validity form. To establish test-retest reliability, 109 first-year college students completed the 14-item FCPS at two time points, 0-48 days apart ( M = 13.99, SD = 7.44). Using Cohen's weighted κ for responses within 20 days, 11 items demonstrated moderate agreement and 3 items had substantial agreement. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure (9 items). The FCPS is designed for college students and provides a way to determine the factors of greatest importance regarding food choices among this population. From a public health perspective, practical applications include using the FCPS to tailor health communications and behavior change interventions to factors most salient for food choices of college students.

Frequency of consuming foods predicts changes in cravings for those foods during weight loss: The POUNDS Lost Study

PubMed Central

Apolzan, John W.; Myers, Candice A.; Champagne, Catherine M.; Beyl, Robbie A.; Raynor, Hollie A.; Anton, Stephen A.; Williamson, Donald A.; Sacks, Frank M.; Bray, George A.; Martin, Corby K.

2017-01-01

Objective Food cravings are thought to be the result of conditioning or pairing hunger with consumption of certain foods. Methods In a two-year weight loss trial, subjects were randomized to one of four diets that varied in macronutrient content. The Food Craving Inventory (FCI) was used to measure cravings at baseline, 6, and 24 months. Also, food intake was measured at those time points. To measure free-living consumption of food items measured in the FCI, items on the FCI were matched to the foods consumed from the food intake assessments. Secondarily, we analyzed the amount of food consumed on food intake assessments from foods on the FCI. Results 367 subjects who were overweight and obese were included. There was an association between change from baseline FCI item consumption and change in cravings at months 6 (p<0.001) and 24 (p<0.05). There was no association between change from baseline amount of energy consumed per FCI item and change in cravings. Conclusions Altering frequency of consuming craved foods is positively associated with cravings; however, changing the amount of foods consumed does not appear to alter cravings. These results support the conditioning model of food cravings and provide guidance on how to reduce food cravings. PMID:28618170

Energy Content of U.S. Fast-Food Restaurant Offerings 14-Year Trends

PubMed Central

Bauer, Katherine W.; Hearst, Mary O.; Earnest, Alicia A.; French, Simone A.; Oakes, J. Michael; Harnack, Lisa J.

2012-01-01

Background Within the past decade there has been increasing attention to the role of fast food in the American diet, including a rise in legislative and media-based efforts that address the healthfulness of fast food. However, no studies have been undertaken to evaluate changes in the energy content of fast-food chain restaurant menu items during this period. Purpose To examine changes in the energy content of lunch/dinner menu offerings at eight of the leading fast-food chain restaurants in the U.S. between 1997/1998 and 2009/2010. Methods Menu offerings and nutrient composition information were obtained from archival versions of the University of Minnesota Nutrition Coordinating Center Food and Nutrient Database. Nutrient composition information for items was updated biannually. Changes in median energy content of all lunch/dinner menu offerings and specific categories of menu items among all restaurants and for individual restaurants were examined. Data were collected between 1997 and 2010 and analysis was conducted in 2011. Results Spanning 1997/1998 and 2009/2010, the number of lunch/dinner menu items offered by the restaurants in the study increased by 53%. Across all menu items, the median energy content remained relatively stable over the study period. Examining specific food categories, the median energy content of desserts and condiments increased, the energy content of side items decreased, and energy content of entrees and drinks remained level. Conclusions While large increases in the number of menu items were observed, there have been few changes in the energy content of menu offerings at the leading fast-food chain restaurants examined in this study. PMID:23079171

Added sugars and ultra-processed foods in Spanish households (1990-2010).

PubMed

Latasa, P; Louzada, M L D C; Martinez Steele, E; Monteiro, C A

2017-12-26

To study the association between ultra-processed foods acquisitions and added sugar content of total food purchases in Spanish households in 2010. Changes over time (1990-2000-2010) in ultra-processed food purchases and added sugars content of total food purchases are also compared. We used data from three nationally representative Household Budget Surveys (HBS) conducted in 1990, 2000 and 2010. Number of studied households was 21,012, 33,730 and 22,116, respectively. Purchased foods and drinks were classified according to NOVA food groups as ultra-processed foods, processed foods, unprocessed or minimally processed foods, or processed culinary ingredients. Linear and Poisson regressions were used to estimate the association between quintiles of energy contribution of ultra-processed foods and added sugars contents of total food purchases in 2010. Changes over time were assessed using tests of linear trend and Student's t test. In 2010, ultra-processed foods represented 31.7% of daily energy acquisitions and 80.4% of all added sugars. Added sugars content of food purchases raised from 7.3% in the lowest to 18.2% in the highest quintiles of energy contribution of ultra-processed foods. The risk of exceeding 10% energy from added sugars quadrupled between the lowest and highest quintiles. The percentage of ultra-processed foods on all food purchases almost tripled between 1990 and 2010 (from 11.0 to 31.7%), paralleling the increase of added sugars content (from 8.4 to 13.0%). Cutting down exceeding added sugars availability in Spain may require a reduction in ultra-processed food purchasing.

Korean War Logistics, The First One Hundred Days, 25 June 1950 to 2 October 1950

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-16

for troop acceptability. Fresh food items such as eggs, fruit , vegetables and meat were shipped from Japan while the bulk of fresh foods were shipped...received extra issues of food, supplemental items, e.g., coffee and fruit juice , and had priority on fresh food items.42 Ration supplement packs with...Officer arrived in Pusan on 30 June 1950, with 80 KMAG officers and enlisted personnel plus two civilians to assist him in the oper- ation of the port

Adolescents' presentation of food in social media: An explorative study.

PubMed

Holmberg, Christopher; E Chaplin, John; Hillman, Thomas; Berg, Christina

2016-04-01

The study aimed to explore how adolescents communicate food images in a widely used social media image-sharing application. We examined how and in what context food was presented and the type of food items that were frequently portrayed by following a youth related hashtag on Instagram. The hashtag #14år ("14 years") was used to find adolescent users on Instagram: these users public photo streams were then searched for food items they had shared with others. Food items were identified and categorized based on type of food and how the food items were presented. Most of the adolescent users (85%) shared images containing food items. A majority of the images (67.7%) depicted foods high in calories but low in nutrients. Almost half of these images were arranged as a still life with food brand names clearly exposed. Many of these images were influenced by major food marketing campaigns. Fruits and vegetables occurred in 21.8% of all images. This food group was frequently portrayed zoomed in with focus solely on the food, with a hashtag or caption expressing palatability. These images were often presented in the style of a cook book. Food was thus presented in varied ways. Adolescents themselves produced images copying food advertisements. This has clear health promotion implications since it becomes more challenging to monitor and tackle young people's exposure to marketing of unhealthy foods in these popular online networks because images are part of a lifestyle that the young people want to promote. Shared images contain personal recommendations, which mean that they may have a more powerful effect than commercial advertising. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genotype status of the dopamine-related catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene corresponds with desirability of “unhealthy” foods

PubMed Central

Wallace, Deanna L.; Aarts, Esther; Uquillas, Federico d’Oleire; Dang, Linh C.; Greer, Stephanie M.; Jagust, William J.; D’Esposito, Mark

2015-01-01

The role of dopamine is extensively documented in weight regulation and food intake in both animal models and humans. Yet the role of dopamine has not been well studied in individual differences for food desirability. Genotype status of the dopamine-related catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been shown to influence dopamine levels, with greater COMT enzymatic activity in val/val individuals corresponding to greater degradation of dopamine. Decreased dopamine has been associated with poorer cognitive control and diminished goal-directed behavior in various behavioral paradigms. Additionally, dopaminergic-rich regions such as the frontal cortex and dorsal striatum have been shown to be important for supporting food-related decision-making. However, the role of dopamine, as assessed by COMT genotype status, in food desirability has not been fully explored. Therefore, we utilized an individual’s COMT genotype status (n=61) and investigated food desirability based on self-rated “healthy” and “unhealthy” food perceptions. Here we found val/val individuals (n=19) have greater desirability for self-rated “unhealthy” food items, but not self-rated “healthy” food items, as compared to val/met (n=24) and met/met (n=18) individuals (p<0.005). Utilizing an objective health measure for the food items, we also found val/val and val/met individuals have greater desirability for objectively defined “unhealthy” food items, as compared to met/met individuals (p<0.01). This work further substantiates a role of dopamine in food-related behaviors and more specifically in relationship to food desirability for “unhealthy” food items. PMID:25963102

Dietary self-control influences top-down guidance of attention to food cues.

PubMed

Higgs, Suzanne; Dolmans, Dirk; Humphreys, Glyn W; Rutters, Femke

2015-01-01

Motivational objects attract attention due to their rewarding properties, but less is known about the role that top-down cognitive processes play in the attention paid to motivationally relevant objects and how this is affected by relevant behavioral traits. Here we assess how thinking about food affects attentional guidance to food items and how this is modulated by traits relating to dietary self-control. Participants completed two tasks in which they were presented with an initial cue (food or non-food) to either hold in working memory (memory task) or to merely attend to (priming task). Holding food items in working memory strongly affected attention when the memorized cue re-appeared in the search display. Tendency towards disinhibited eating was associated with greater attention to food versus non-food pictures in both the priming and working memory tasks, consistent with greater attention to food cues per se. Successful dieters, defined as those high in dietary restraint and low in tendency to disinhibition, showed reduced attention to food when holding food-related information in working memory. These data suggest a strong top-down effect of thinking about food on attention to food items and indicate that the suppression of food items in working memory could be a marker of dieting success.

76 FR 30051 - Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-24

... Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Food and Drug... for providing nutrition information for standard menu items in certain chain restaurants and similar... restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are a part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing...

Food labeling; nutrition labeling of standard menu items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments. Final rule.

PubMed

2014-12-01

To implement the nutrition labeling provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Affordable Care Act or ACA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is requiring disclosure of certain nutrition information for standard menu items in certain restaurants and retail food establishments. The ACA, in part, amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), among other things, to require restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name and offering for sale substantially the same menu items to provide calorie and other nutrition information for standard menu items, including food on display and self-service food. Under provisions of the ACA, restaurants and similar retail food establishments not otherwise covered by the law may elect to become subject to these Federal requirements by registering every other year with FDA. Providing accurate, clear, and consistent nutrition information, including the calorie content of foods, in restaurants and similar retail food establishments will make such nutrition information available to consumers in a direct and accessible manner to enable consumers to make informed and healthful dietary choices.

Using Shaping to Increase Foods Consumed by Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Abby; Davis, Tonya; Crandall, Madison; Phipps, Laura; Weston, Regan

2017-01-01

The current study used differential reinforcement and shaping to increase the variety of foods accepted by children with autism who demonstrated significant feeding inflexibility. Participants were introduced to four new food items via a hierarchical exposure, which involved systematically increasing the desired response with the food item. Level…

Research on factors allowing a risk assessment of spore-forming pathogenic bacteria in cooked chilled foods containing vegetables: a FAIR collaborative project.

PubMed

Carlin, F; Girardin, H; Peck, M W; Stringer, S C; Barker, G C; Martinez, A; Fernandez, A; Fernandez, P; Waites, W M; Movahedi, S; van Leusden, F; Nauta, M; Moezelaar, R; Torre, M D; Litman, S

2000-09-25

Vegetables are frequent ingredients of cooked chilled foods and are frequently contaminated with spore-forming bacteria (SFB). Therefore, risk assessment studies have been carried out, including the following: hazard identification and characterisation--from an extensive literature review and expertise of the participants, B. cereus and C. botulinum were identified as the main hazards; exposure assessment--consisting of determination of the prevalence of hazardous SFB in cooked chilled foods containing vegetables and in unprocessed vegetables, and identification of SFB representative of the bacterial community in cooked chilled foods containing vegetables, determination of heat-resistance parameters and factors affecting heat resistance of SFB, determination of the growth kinetics of SFB in vegetable substrate and of the influence of controlling factors, validation of previous work in complex food systems and by challenge testing and information about process and storage conditions of cooked chilled foods containing vegetables. The paper illustrates some original results obtained in the course of the project. The results and information collected from scientific literature or from the expertise of the participants are integrated into the microbial risk assessment, using both a Bayesian belief network approach and a process risk model approach, previously applied to other foodborne hazards.

Nutrient density: addressing the challenge of obesity.

PubMed

Drewnowski, Adam

2017-10-30

Obesity rates are increasing worldwide. Potential reasons include excessive consumption of sugary beverages and energy-dense foods instead of more nutrient-rich options. On a per kJ basis, energy-dense grains, added sugars and fats cost less, whereas lean meats, seafood, leafy greens and whole fruit generally cost more. Given that consumer food choices are often driven by price, the observed social inequities in diet quality and health can be explained, in part, by nutrition economics. Achieving a nutrient-rich diet at an affordable cost has become progressively more difficult within the constraints of global food supply. However, given the necessary metrics and educational tools, it may be possible to eat better for less. New metrics of nutrient density help consumers identify foods, processed and unprocessed, that are nutrient-rich, affordable and appealing. Affordability metrics, created by adding food prices to food composition data, permit calculations of both kJ and nutrients per penny, allowing for new studies on the economic drivers of food choice. Merging dietary intake data with local or national food prices permits the estimation of individual-level diet costs. New metrics of nutrient balance can help identify those food patterns that provide optimal nutritional value. Behavioural factors, including cooking at home, have been associated with nutrition resilience, defined as healthier diets at lower cost. Studies of the energy and nutrient costs of the global food supply and diverse food patterns will permit a better understanding of the socioeconomic determinants of health. Dietary advice ought to be accompanied by economic feasibility studies.

There’s more to food store choice than proximity: a questionnaire development study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Proximity of food stores is associated with dietary intake and obesity; however, individuals frequently shop at stores that are not the most proximal. Little is known about other factors that influence food store choice. The current research describes the development of the Food Store Selection Questionnaire (FSSQ) and describes preliminary results of field testing the questionnaire. Methods Development of the FSSQ involved a multidisciplinary literature review, qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts, and expert and community reviews. Field testing consisted of 100 primary household food shoppers (93% female, 64% African American), in rural and urban Arkansas communities, rating FSSQ items as to their importance in store choice and indicating their top two reasons. After eliminating 14 items due to low mean importance scores and high correlations with other items, the final FSSQ questionnaire consists of 49 items. Results Items rated highest in importance were: meat freshness; store maintenance; store cleanliness; meat varieties; and store safety. Items most commonly rated as top reasons were: low prices; proximity to home; fruit/vegetable freshness; fruit/vegetable variety; and store cleanliness. Conclusions The FSSQ is a comprehensive questionnaire for detailing key reasons in food store choice. Although proximity to home was a consideration for participants, there were clearly other key factors in their choice of a food store. Understanding the relative importance of these different dimensions driving food store choice in specific communities may be beneficial in informing policies and programs designed to support healthy dietary intake and obesity prevention. PMID:23773428

There's more to food store choice than proximity: a questionnaire development study.

PubMed

Krukowski, Rebecca A; Sparks, Carla; DiCarlo, Marisha; McSweeney, Jean; West, Delia Smith

2013-06-17

Proximity of food stores is associated with dietary intake and obesity; however, individuals frequently shop at stores that are not the most proximal. Little is known about other factors that influence food store choice. The current research describes the development of the Food Store Selection Questionnaire (FSSQ) and describes preliminary results of field testing the questionnaire. Development of the FSSQ involved a multidisciplinary literature review, qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts, and expert and community reviews. Field testing consisted of 100 primary household food shoppers (93% female, 64% African American), in rural and urban Arkansas communities, rating FSSQ items as to their importance in store choice and indicating their top two reasons. After eliminating 14 items due to low mean importance scores and high correlations with other items, the final FSSQ questionnaire consists of 49 items. Items rated highest in importance were: meat freshness; store maintenance; store cleanliness; meat varieties; and store safety. Items most commonly rated as top reasons were: low prices; proximity to home; fruit/vegetable freshness; fruit/vegetable variety; and store cleanliness. The FSSQ is a comprehensive questionnaire for detailing key reasons in food store choice. Although proximity to home was a consideration for participants, there were clearly other key factors in their choice of a food store. Understanding the relative importance of these different dimensions driving food store choice in specific communities may be beneficial in informing policies and programs designed to support healthy dietary intake and obesity prevention.

Arctic Small Rodents Have Diverse Diets and Flexible Food Selection

PubMed Central

Soininen, Eeva M.; Ravolainen, Virve T.; Bråthen, Kari Anne; Yoccoz, Nigel G.; Gielly, Ludovic; Ims, Rolf A.

2013-01-01

The ecology of small rodent food selection is poorly understood, as mammalian herbivore food selection theory has mainly been developed by studying ungulates. Especially, the effect of food availability on food selection in natural habitats where a range of food items are available is unknown. We studied diets and selectivity of grey-sided voles (Myodes rufocanus) and tundra voles (Microtus oeconomus), key herbivores in European tundra ecosystems, using DNA metabarcoding, a novel method enabling taxonomically detailed diet studies. In order to cover the range of food availabilities present in the wild, we employed a large-scale study design for sampling data on food availability and vole diets. Both vole species had ingested a range of plant species and selected particularly forbs and grasses. Grey-sided voles also selected ericoid shrubs and tundra voles willows. Availability of a food item rarely affected its utilization directly, although seasonal changes of diets and selection suggest that these are positively correlated with availability. Moreover, diets and selectivity were affected by availability of alternative food items. These results show that the focal sub-arctic voles have diverse diets and flexible food preferences and rarely compensate low availability of a food item with increased searching effort. Diet diversity itself is likely to be an important trait and has previously been underrated owing to methodological constraints. We suggest that the roles of alternative food item availability and search time limitations for small rodent feeding ecology should be investigated. Nomenclature Annotated Checklist of the Panarctic Flora (PAF), Vascular plants. Available at: http://nhm2.uio.no/paf/, accessed 15.6.2012. PMID:23826371

Examining the nutritional quality of food and beverage consumed at Melbourne aquatic and recreation centres.

PubMed

Boelsen-Robinson, Tara; Chung, Alexandra; Khalil, Marianne; Wong, Evelyn; Kurzeme, Ariana; Peeters, Anna

2017-04-01

Examine the nutritional quality of food and beverages consumed across a sample of community aquatic and recreation centres in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Interviewer-administered surveys of randomly selected patrons attending four aquatic and recreation centres were conducted to ascertain food and beverage items consumed over two data collection periods (May-June 2014, January-February 2015). We selected centres in and around metropolitan Melbourne with a sit-down cafeteria and children's swimming classes. We classified items by government nutrient profiling guidelines; 'green' (best choice), 'amber' (choose carefully) or 'red' (limit). A total of 2,326 surveys were conducted (response rate 63%). Thirty-five per cent of surveyed patrons consumed food or beverages while at the centre; 54% of patrons purchased from the café and 61% brought items to the centre. More than half the food consumed from the café was 'red', increasing to 92% for children. One in five children visiting the centre consumed a 'red' item bought from the centre café. The nutritional quality of food and beverages consumed at recreation centres was generally poor, with the on-site cafés providing the majority of discretionary items consumed. Implications for public health: Community aquatic and recreation centres provide an opportunity to promote healthy eating by increasing the provision of healthy options and limiting discretionary food and drink items. © 2017 The Authors.

Eye gaze tracking reveals heightened attention to food in adults with binge eating when viewing images of real-world scenes.

PubMed

Popien, Avery; Frayn, Mallory; von Ranson, Kristin M; Sears, Christopher R

2015-08-01

Individuals with eating disorders often exhibit food-related biases in attention tasks. To assess the engagement and maintenance of attention to food in adults with binge eating, in the present study, eye gaze tracking was used to compare fixations to food among non-clinical adults with versus without binge eating while they viewed images of real-world scenes. Fifty-seven participants' eye fixations were tracked and recorded throughout 8-second presentations of scenes containing high-calorie and/or low-caloriefood items in various settings (restaurants, social gatherings, etc.). Participants with binge eating fixated on both high-calorie and low-calorie food items significantly more than controls, and this was the case when the high- and low-calorie food items were presented in the same image and in different images. Participants with binge eating also fixated on food items significantly earlier in the presentations. A time course analysis that divided each 8-second presentation into 2-second intervals revealed that participants with binge eating attended to food items more than control participants throughout the 8-second presentation. These results have implications for theory regarding the initiation and maintenance of binge eating. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Commercial portion-controlled foods in research studies: how accurate are label weights?

PubMed

Conway, Joan M; Rhodes, Donna G; Rumpler, William V

2004-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of label weights as surrogates for actual weights in commercial portion-controlled foods used in a research setting. Actual weights of replicate samples of 82 portion-controlled food items and 17 discrete units of food from larger packaging were determined over time. Comparison was made to the package label weights for the portion-controlled food items and the per-serving weights for the discrete units. The study was conducted at the US Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center's Human Study Facility, which houses a metabolic kitchen and human nutrition research facility. The primary outcome measures were the actual and label weights of 99 food items consumed by human volunteers during controlled feeding studies. Statistical analyses performed The difference between label and actual weights was tested by the paired t test for those data that complied with the assumptions of normality. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for the remainder of the data. Compliance with federal guidelines for packaged weights was also assessed. There was no statistical difference between actual and label weights for only 37 food items. The actual weights of 15 portion-controlled food items were 1% or more less than label weights, making them potentially out of compliance with federal guidelines. With advance planning and continuous monitoring, well-controlled feeding studies could incorporate portion-controlled food items and discrete units, especially beverages and confectionery products. Dietetics professionals should encourage individuals with diabetes and others on strict dietary regimens to check actual weights of portion-controlled products carefully against package weights.

Development and validation of the Perceived Food Environment Questionnaire in a French-Canadian population.

PubMed

Carbonneau, Elise; Robitaille, Julie; Lamarche, Benoît; Corneau, Louise; Lemieux, Simone

2017-08-01

The present study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing perceived food environment in a French-Canadian population. A questionnaire, the Perceived Food Environment Questionnaire, was developed assessing perceived accessibility to healthy (nine items) and unhealthy foods (three items). A pre-test sample was recruited for a pilot testing of the questionnaire. For the validation study, another sample was recruited and completed the questionnaire twice. Exploratory factor analysis was performed on the items to assess the number of factors (subscales). Cronbach's α was used to measure internal consistency reliability. Test-retest reliability was assessed with Pearson correlations. Online survey. Men and women from the Québec City area (n 31 in the pre-test sample; n 150 in the validation study sample). The pilot testing did not lead to any change in the questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-subscale structure. The first subscale is composed of six items assessing accessibility to healthy foods and the second includes three items related to accessibility to unhealthy foods. Three items were removed from the questionnaire due to low loading on the two subscales. The subscales demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0·77 for healthy foods and 0·62 for unhealthy foods) and test-retest reliability (r=0·59 and 0·60, respectively; both P<0·0001). The Perceived Food Environment Questionnaire was developed for a French-Canadian population and demonstrated good psychometric properties. Further validation is recommended if the questionnaire is to be used in other populations.

Evaluation of the immunogenicity of dietary proteins in cats and the influence of the canning process.

PubMed

Cave, Nicholas J; Marks, Stanley L

2004-10-01

To characterize the antigen-specific immune response to dietary proteins in cats and evaluate whether there was a qualitative or quantitative difference between the responses to dietary proteins when those proteins were fed unprocessed or as part of a canned diet. 14 healthy domestic shorthair cats. Cats were fed 2 dietary proteins (soy and casein) either as unprocessed aqueous suspensions or as part of canned diets for 21 days. Serum IgG and IgA and salivary IgA were assayed by indirect ELISA, and antigen-specific proliferation of mesenteric lymph node-derived lymphocytes was determined. Robust serum IgG and IgA responses to dietary proteins were elicited, irrespective of the form in which they were fed. Salivary IgA responses to unprocessed proteins were not detected. However, a significant salivary IgA response to the protein isolated from the canned casein diet was observed in cats fed canned casein but not in those fed unprocessed casein. Lymphocyte proliferation to the antigens was slight, and there were no significant differences between groups. Results indicated that cats develop robust serum IgG and IgA responses to dietary proteins when fed as either aqueous suspensions or as part of canned diets. For certain proteins, there may be an increase and a qualitative difference in the immunogenicity of canned diets, compared with unprocessed proteins. Canned diets may not be ideal for management of cats with enteritis.

Energy content of U.S. fast-food restaurant offerings: 14-year trends.

PubMed

Bauer, Katherine W; Hearst, Mary O; Earnest, Alicia A; French, Simone A; Oakes, J Michael; Harnack, Lisa J

2012-11-01

Within the past decade, there has been increasing attention to the role of fast food in the American diet, including a rise in legislative and media-based efforts that address the healthfulness of fast food. However, no studies have been undertaken to evaluate changes in the energy content of fast-food chain restaurant menu items during this period. To examine changes in the energy content of lunch/dinner menu offerings at eight of the leading fast-food chain restaurants in the U.S. between 1997-1998 and 2009-2010. Menu offerings and nutrient composition information were obtained from archival versions of the University of Minnesota Nutrition Coordinating Center Food and Nutrient Database. Nutrient composition information for items was updated biannually. Changes in median energy content of all lunch/dinner menu offerings and specific categories of menu items among all restaurants and for individual restaurants were examined. Data were collected between 1997 and 2010 and analysis was conducted in 2011. Spanning 1997-1998 and 2009-2010, the number of lunch/dinner menu items offered by the restaurants in the study increased by 53%. Across all menu items, the median energy content remained relatively stable over the study period. Examining specific food categories, the median energy content of desserts and condiments increased, the energy content of side items decreased, and energy content of entrées and drinks remained level. Although large increases in the number of menu items were observed, there have been few changes in the energy content of menu offerings at the leading fast-food chain restaurants examined in this study. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Skylab food system laboratory support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanford, D.

1974-01-01

A summary of support activities performed to ensure the quality and reliability of the Skylab food system design is reported. The qualification test program was conducted to verify crew compartment compatibility, and to certify compliance of the food system with nutrition, preparation, and container requirements. Preflight storage requirements and handling procedures were also determined. Information on Skylab food items was compiled including matters pertaining to serving size, preparation information, and mineral, calorie, and protein content. Accessory hardware and the engraving of food utensils were also considered, and a stowage and orientation list was constructed which takes into account menu use sequences, menu items, and hardware stowage restrictions. A food inventory system was established and food thermal storage tests were conducted. Problems and comments pertaining to specific food items carried onboard the Skylab Workshop were compiled.

Healthfulness of Foods Advertised in Small and Nontraditional Urban Stores in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, 2014.

PubMed

Barnes, Timothy L; Pelletier, Jennifer E; Erickson, Darin J; Caspi, Caitlin E; Harnack, Lisa J; Laska, Melissa N

2016-11-10

Shopping at small food stores, such as corner stores and convenience stores, is linked with unhealthful food and beverage purchases, poor diets, and high risk of obesity. However, information on how foods and beverages are marketed at small stores is limited. The objective of this study was to examine advertisements and product placements for healthful and less healthful foods and beverages at small stores in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. We conducted in-store audits of 119 small and nontraditional food retailers (corner/small grocery stores, food-gas marts, pharmacies, and dollar stores) randomly selected from licensing lists in Minneapolis-St. Paul in 2014. We analyzed data on exterior and interior advertisements of foods and beverages and product placement. Exterior and interior advertisements for healthful foods and beverages were found in less than half of stores (exterior, 37% [44 of 119]; interior, 20% [24 of 119]). Exterior and interior advertisements for less healthful items were found in approximately half of stores (exterior, 46% [55 of 119]); interior, 66% [78 of 119]). Of the 4 store types, food-gas marts were most likely to have exterior and interior advertisements for both healthful and less healthful items. Corner/small grocery stores and dollar stores had fewer advertisements of any type. Most stores (77%) had at least 1 healthful item featured as an impulse buy (ie, an item easily reached at checkout), whereas 98% featured at least 1 less healthful item as an impulse buy. Findings suggest imbalanced advertising and product placement of healthful and less healthful foods and beverages at small food stores in Minneapolis-St. Paul; less healthful items were more apt to be featured as impulse buys. Future interventions and polices should encourage reductions in advertisements and impulse-buy placements of unhealthful products, particularly in food-gas marts, and encourage advertisements of healthful products.

Leveraging community-academic partnerships to improve healthy food access in an urban, Kansas City, Kansas, community.

PubMed

Mabachi, Natabhona M; Kimminau, Kim S

2012-01-01

Americans can combat overweight (OW) and obesity by eating unprocessed, fresh foods. However, all Americans do not have equal access to these recommended foods. Low-income, minority, urban neighborhoods in particular often have limited access to healthy resources, although they are vulnerable to higher levels of OW and obesity. This project used community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to investigate the food needs of residents and develop a business plan to improve access to healthy food options in an urban, Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood. Partner community organizations were mobilized to conduct a Community Food Assessment survey. The surveys were accompanied by flyers that were part of the communication engagement strategy. Statistical analysis of the surveys was conducted. We engaged low-income, minority population (40% Latino, 30% African American) urban communities at the household level. Survey results provided in-depth information about residents' food needs and thoughts on how to improve food access. Results were reported to community members at a town hall style meeting. Developing a strategic plan to engage a community and develop trust is crucial to sustaining a partnership particularly when working with underserved communities. This project demonstrates that, if well managed, the benefits of academic and community partnerships outweigh the challenges thus such relationships should be encouraged and supported by communities, academic institutions, local and national government, and funders. A CBPR approach to understanding an urban community's food needs and opinions is important for comprehensive food access planning.

Australia's evolving food practices: a risky mix of continuity and change.

PubMed

Venn, Danielle; Banwell, Cathy; Dixon, Jane

2017-10-01

To investigate trends in five key aspects of Australian food practice which have been implicated in diet-related health risks, specifically energy intake. They are: the replacement of home-prepared foods by commercially prepared foods; consumer reliance on ultra-processed foods; de-structured dining; increased pace of eating; and a decline in commensal eating. Data were from repeated cross-sections from the national Household Expenditure and Time Use Surveys. Trends in food practice aspects were examined using indicators of food expenditure across different food groups and time spent eating and cooking, including where, when and with whom eating activities took place. Australia, 1989-2010. Nationally representative samples of Australian households. The share of the total food budget spent on food away from home rose steadily from 22·8 % in 1989 to 26·5 % in 2010, while spending on ultra-processed foods increased. The basic patterning of meals and the pace of eating changed little, although people spent more time eating alone and at restaurants. Cooking time declined considerably, particularly for women. These changes have occurred over the same time that obesity and diet-related, non-communicable diseases have increased rapidly in Australia. Some aspects are implicated more than others: particularly the shift from domestic cooking to use of pre-prepared and ultra-processed foods, a reduction in time spent in food preparation and cooking, as well as an upsurge in time and money devoted to eating away from home. These are all likely to operate through the higher energy content of commercially prepared, compared with unprocessed or lightly processed, foods.

Food of nestling green-backed herons in West Central Mississippi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ensor, K.L.; Dusi, J.L.; White, D.H.

1986-01-01

Food habits of the green-backed heron have received much attention recently, though little data exists in the literature on food items fed to nestlings. Analysis of 74 nestling boluses collected between 5 May and 10 July 1985 included four categories: a) number of prey items, b) % of total individuals by number, c) % frequency of herons with that particular prey item, d) % of total diet by weight. By class, fish dominated the diet, followed by insects, amphibians, crustaceans, and arachnids in descending order. Amphibians, however, had a higher % of total diet by weight than insects. The mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) made up the largest part of the diet by # of prey items and % of total individuals by #. Bowfin (Amia calva) was the major prey item by weight. Back-swimmers (F. Notonectidae) occurred in more boluses than any other prey item. Lengths of prey items by class will also be discussed.

Analysis of the U.S. Navy Food Service Recruiting Program. Part 1. Attitudes and Reenlistment Plans of Food Service Enlistees

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-01

the Navy? (PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY TO WHERE YOU WORKED) FAST FOOD FRANCHISE CAFETERIA • BAKERY DELICATESSEN _ARANT NONE COFFEE SHOP 26. Was any...service equipment (item 20), working conditions in the galley and bakery (item 17), the quality of an MS’s co-workers (item 12), the chances for MS’s to... bakery 4.5 14.3 6.0 79.7 18. Food service work is routine and boring 3.7 5.6 16.3 78.1 19. You’d have lots of adventure 5.0 66.9 1.3 31.8 20. Food

Mechanisms of Choice Behavior Shift Using Cue-approach Training.

PubMed

Bakkour, Akram; Leuker, Christina; Hover, Ashleigh M; Giles, Nathan; Poldrack, Russell A; Schonberg, Tom

2016-01-01

Cue-approach training has been shown to effectively shift choices for snack food items by associating a cued button-press motor response to particular food items. Furthermore, attention was biased toward previously cued items, even when the cued item is not chosen for real consumption during a choice phase. However, the exact mechanism by which preferences shift during cue-approach training is not entirely clear. In three experiments, we shed light on the possible underlying mechanisms at play during this novel paradigm: (1) Uncued, wholly predictable motor responses paired with particular food items were not sufficient to elicit a preference shift; (2) Cueing motor responses early - concurrently with food item onset - and thus eliminating the need for heightened top-down attention to the food stimulus in preparation for a motor response also eliminated the shift in food preferences. This finding reinforces our hypothesis that heightened attention at behaviorally relevant points in time is key to changing choice behavior in the cue-approach task; (3) Crucially, indicating choice using eye movements rather than manual button presses preserves the effect, thus demonstrating that the shift in preferences is not governed by a learned motor response but more likely via modulation of subjective value in higher associative regions, consistent with previous neuroimaging results. Cue-approach training drives attention at behaviorally relevant points in time to modulate the subjective value of individual items, providing a mechanism for behavior change that does not rely on external reinforcement and that holds great promise for developing real world behavioral interventions.

Hunger enhances consistent economic choices in non-human primates.

PubMed

Yamada, Hiroshi

2017-05-24

Hunger and thirst are fundamental biological processes that drive consumption behavior in humans and non-human animals. While the existing literature in neuroscience suggests that these satiety states change how consumable rewards are represented in the brain, it remains unclear as to how they change animal choice behavior and the underlying economic preferences. Here, I used combined techniques from experimental economics, psychology, and neuroscience to measure food preferences of marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus), a recently developed primate model for neuroscience. Hunger states of animals were manipulated by scheduling feeding intervals, resulting in three different conditions: sated, non-sated, and hungry. During these hunger states, animals performed pairwise choices of food items, which included all possible pairwise combinations of five different food items except for same-food pairs. Results showed that hunger enhanced economic rationality, evident as a decrease of transitivity violations (item A was preferred to item B, and B to C, but C was preferred to A). Further analysis demonstrated that hungry monkeys chose more-preferred items over less-preferred items in a more deterministic manner, while the individual food preferences appeared to remain stable across hunger states. These results suggest that hunger enhances consistent choice behavior and shifts animals towards efficient outcome maximization.

The Role of Water Consumption on Consumption of the Ration, Cold Weather

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-22

like slightly) on the scale. The items with the highest ratings were mostly in the sweet dessert category, including the fig bar (8.1), the blueberry...higher percentages of the sweet dessert items. Table 8 Mean 4cceptance of RCW Items Item: Hedonic Rating* Previous Ratinga Oatmeal (Apple & Cinnamon) 6.7...4.3 5.4 Ease of Heating 3.9 --- Taste of Food 5.1 6.2 Appearance of Food 4.6 6.3 Amount of Food per Daily Pack 3.6 4.6 Variety per Daily Pack 4.3 5.3

Development of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire for Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To investigate the association between dietary components and development of chronic diabetic complications, the dietary evaluation should include a long period, months or years. The present manuscript aims to develop a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and a portfolio with food photos to assess the usual intake pattern of Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes to be used in future studies. Methods Dietary data using 3-day weighed diet records (WDR) from 188 outpatients with type 2 diabetes were used to construct the list of usually consumed foods. Foods were initially clustered into eight groups: “cereals, tubers, roots, and derivatives”; “vegetables and legumes”; “fruits”; “beans”; “meat and eggs”; “milk and dairy products”; “oils and fats”, and “sugars and sweets”. The frequency of food intake and the relative contribution of each food item to the total energy and nutrient intakes were calculated. Portion sizes were determined according to the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th percentiles of intake for each food item. Results A total of 62 food items were selected based on the 3-day WDR and another 27 foods or how they are prepared and nine beverages were included after the expert examination. Also, a portfolio with food photos of each included food item and portion sizes was made to assist the patients in identifying the consumed portion. Conclusions We developed a practical quantitative FFQ and portfolio with photos of 98 food items covering those most commonly consumed in the past 12 months, to assess the usual diet pattern of patients with type 2 diabetes in Southern Brazil. PMID:23938026

Food parenting practices for 5 to 12 year old children: a concept map analysis of parenting and nutrition experts input.

PubMed

O'Connor, Teresia M; Mâsse, Louise C; Tu, Andrew W; Watts, Allison W; Hughes, Sheryl O; Beauchamp, Mark R; Baranowski, Tom; Pham, Truc; Berge, Jerica M; Fiese, Barbara; Golley, Rebecca; Hingle, Melanie; Kremers, Stef P J; Rhee, Kyung E; Skouteris, Helen; Vaughn, Amber

2017-09-11

Parents are an important influence on children's dietary intake and eating behaviors. However, the lack of a conceptual framework and inconsistent assessment of food parenting practices limits our understanding of which food parenting practices are most influential on children. The aim of this study was to develop a food parenting practice conceptual framework using systematic approaches of literature reviews and expert input. A previously completed systematic review of food parenting practice instruments and a qualitative study of parents informed the development of a food parenting practice item bank consisting of 3632 food parenting practice items. The original item bank was further reduced to 110 key food parenting concepts using binning and winnowing techniques. A panel of 32 experts in parenting and nutrition were invited to sort the food parenting practice concepts into categories that reflected their perceptions of a food parenting practice conceptual framework. Multi-dimensional scaling produced a point map of the sorted concepts and hierarchical cluster analysis identified potential solutions. Subjective modifications were used to identify two potential solutions, with additional feedback from the expert panel requested. The experts came from 8 countries and 25 participated in the sorting and 23 provided additional feedback. A parsimonious and a comprehensive concept map were developed based on the clustering of the food parenting practice constructs. The parsimonious concept map contained 7 constructs, while the comprehensive concept map contained 17 constructs and was informed by a previously published content map for food parenting practices. Most of the experts (52%) preferred the comprehensive concept map, while 35% preferred to present both solutions. The comprehensive food parenting practice conceptual map will provide the basis for developing a calibrated Item Response Modeling (IRM) item bank that can be used with computerized adaptive testing. Such an item bank will allow for more consistency in measuring food parenting practices across studies to better assess the impact of food parenting practices on child outcomes and the effect of interventions that target parents as agents of change.

Validation of a home food inventory among low-income Spanish- and Somali-speaking families.

PubMed

Hearst, Mary O; Fulkerson, Jayne A; Parke, Michelle; Martin, Lauren

2013-07-01

To refine and validate an existing home food inventory (HFI) for low-income Somali- and Spanish-speaking families. Formative assessment was conducted using two focus groups, followed by revisions of the HFI, translation of written materials and instrument validation in participants’ homes. Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, USA. Thirty low-income families with children of pre-school age (fifteen Spanish-speaking; fifteen Somali-speaking) completed the HFI simultaneously with, but independently of, a trained staff member. Analysis consisted of calculation of both item-specific and average food group kappa coefficients, specificity, sensitivity and Spearman’s correlation between participants’ and staff scores as a means of assessing criterion validity of individual items, food categories and the obesogenic score. The formative assessment revealed the need for few changes/additions for food items typically found in Spanish-speaking households. Somali-speaking participants requested few additions, but many deletions, including frozen processed food items, non-perishable produce and many sweets as they were not typical food items kept in the home. Generally, all validity indices were within an acceptable range, with the exception of values associated with items such as ‘whole wheat bread’ (k = 0.16). The obesogenic score (presence of high-fat, high-energy foods) had high criterion validity with k = 0.57, sensitivity = 91.8%, specificity = 70.6% and Spearman correlation = 0.78. The revised HFI is a valid assessment tool for use among Spanish and Somali households. This instrument refinement and validation process can be replicated with other population groups.

Validation of a short, qualitative food frequency questionnaire in French adults participating in the MONA LISA-NUT study 2005-2007.

PubMed

Giovannelli, Jonathan; Dallongeville, Jean; Wagner, Aline; Bongard, Vanina; Laillet, Brigitte; Marecaux, Nadine; Ruidavets, Jean Bernard; Haas, Bernadette; Ferrieres, Jean; Arveiler, Dominique; Simon, Chantal; Dauchet, Luc

2014-04-01

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are often used to evaluate individuals' food intakes in epidemiologic studies because of their simplicity and low cost. To assess the validity of a short (24 items), qualitative FFQ used in the MONA LISA-NUT study. Cross-sectional study of a representative sample in three French counties. The sample included 2,630 participants aged 35 to 65 years from the MONA LISA-NUT study. Food consumption was measured with the FFQ and via food records for 3 consecutive days. Plasma fatty acids were measured from a subset of participants. The FFQ items' validity was assessed by calculating crude and deattenuated Pearson correlation coefficients between frequencies reported by the FFQ and average weights reported by the food records. Furthermore, the validity of some items of the FFQ measuring the consumption of fatty foods was assessed by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients between frequencies of consumption of these foods and dosages of the corresponding plasma fatty acids: fish and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), olive oil and oleic acid, margarine and elaidic acid, and dairy products and pentadecanoic and heptadecanoic acids. The mean of the deattenuated Pearson correlation coefficients for all items was 0.46, with values ranging from 0.22 (fried food) to 0.77 (breakfast cereal). The correlation coefficient was ≤ 0.4 for one third of the 24 items. Moderate correlations were found between fish and EPA/DHA (EPA: r=0.43, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.51; DHA: r=0.39, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.47), but not for other food items. One third of the 24 items in the short, qualitative FFQ evaluated here were not sufficiently valid. However, for the food groups most commonly studied in the literature, this FFQ had the same degree of validity as other questionnaires designed to classify subjects according to their level of intake. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Children's Menu Items at Full- and Quick-Service Restaurants.

PubMed

Eissa, Mona A; Hearne, Katherine; Saavedra, Nora

2018-04-01

The proportion of food consumed by children from restaurants tripled during the last 4 decades and that coincided with the increased rate of obesity. Despite the presence of data linking quick-service (QS) food consumption to poor diet quality, studies comparing the nutrition content of the children's menu items at QS restaurants (QSRs) with those at full-service restaurants (FSRs) are limited. The objectives of this study were to examine the nutrition content of common children's menu items at both QSRs and FSRs and compare these data with recommendations reported by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, Eighth Edition . Using the 2014 data of the MenuStat project, 10 food items that are on both QSR and FSR children's menus were selected. Data from each restaurant category were aggregated and the overall average of the nutritional content of each individual food item was calculated and compared between the two restaurant categories. The average of calories, fat, carbohydrates, and added sugar of most items on the children's menu of QSRs are lower than those of FSRs. Also, most food items on children's menus of FSRs, and to a lesser extent those of QSRs, exceeded the national recommended calories and fat content per meal. Although some children's menu items of QSRs have less fat and fewer calories compared with those of FSRs, most menu items in both FSRs and QSRs do not meet national dietary recommendations. Healthcare professionals may expand discussions with patients to include both restaurant categories when counseling them and their families on obesity prevention. Also, educating children and families about reading the nutritional content information of children's menu items when eating out to make an informed choice can be a tool in fighting childhood obesity.

Gluten-Free Foods in Rural Maritime Provinces: Limited Availability, High Price, and Low Iron Content.

PubMed

Jamieson, Jennifer A; Gougeon, Laura

2017-12-01

We investigated the price difference between gluten-free (GF) and gluten-containing (GC) foods available in rural Maritime stores. GF foods and comparable GC items were sampled through random visits to 21 grocery stores in nonurban areas of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Wilcoxon rank tests were conducted on price per 100 g of product, and on the price relative to iron content; 2226 GF foods (27.2% staple items, defined as breads, cereals, flours, and pastas) and 1625 GC foods were sampled, with an average ± SD of 66 ± 2.7 GF items per store in rural areas and 331 ± 12 in towns. The median price of GF items ($1.76/100 g) was more expensive than GC counterparts ($1.05/100 g) and iron density was approximately 50% less. GF staple foods were priced 5% higher in rural stores than in town stores. Although the variety of GF products available to consumers has improved, higher cost and lower nutrient density remain issues in nonurban Maritime regions. Dietitians working in nonurban areas should consider the relative high price, difficult access, and low iron density of key GF items, and work together with clients to find alternatives and enhance their food literacy.

75 FR 39026 - Disclosure of Nutrient Content Information for Standard Menu Items Offered for Sale at Chain...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-07

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES> Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0298] Disclosure of Nutrient Content Information for Standard Menu Items Offered for Sale at Chain Restaurants or Similar Retail Food Establishments and for Articles of Food Sold From Vending Machines AGENCY: Food and...

Energy density, nutrient adequacy, and cost per serving can provide insight into food choices in the lower Mississippi delta.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Compare differences across food groups for food cost, energy and nutrient profiles of 100 items from a cross-sectional survey of 225 stores in a representative sample of 18 counties across the [Blinded for Review]. Energy, nutrient, and cost profiles for food items were calculated using Naturally Nu...

Analysis of advanced glycation endproducts in selected food items by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry: Presentation of a dietary AGE database.

PubMed

Scheijen, Jean L J M; Clevers, Egbert; Engelen, Lian; Dagnelie, Pieter C; Brouns, Fred; Stehouwer, Coen D A; Schalkwijk, Casper G

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to validate an ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in food items and to analyze AGEs in a selection of food items commonly consumed in a Western diet. N(ε)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), N(ε)-(1-carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) and N(δ)-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1) were quantified in the protein fractions of 190 food items using UPLC-MS/MS. Intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision were 2-29%. The calibration curves showed perfect linearity in water and food matrices. We found the highest AGE levels in high-heat processed nut or grain products, and canned meats. Fruits, vegetables, butter and coffee had the lowest AGE content. The described method proved to be suitable for the quantification of three major AGEs in food items. The presented dietary AGE database opens the possibility to further quantify actual dietary exposure to AGEs and to explore its physiological impact on human health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of flood pulses on the trophic ecology of four piscivorous fishes from the eastern Amazon.

PubMed

Barbosa, T A P; Rosa, D C O; Soares, B E; Costa, C H A; Esposito, M C; Montag, L F A

2018-06-08

This study investigated the effect of hydrological periods on the feeding activity and trophic interactions of four piscivorous fishes from the middle Xingu River, Brazil: pike-characid Boulengerella cuvieri, dogtooth characin Hydrolycus armatus, dogtooth characin Hydrolycus tatauaia and South American silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus. Repletion Index (I R %), Alimentary Index (I Ai %) and food web properties were calculated for each species. A total of 825 specimens were collected. The I R showed changes in feeding intensity of B. cuvieri, H. armatus and H. tatauaia among hydrological periods. Flood pulse showed no influence on composition and importance of food items consumed. Trophic connections showed that connectivity ranged from 0.025 to 0.038. The highest number of trophic connections (75) occurred in the high-water period, when 51 food items were recorded and the lowest number of trophic connections (43) occurred in receding water, with 31 food items. In all food webs, over 45% of food items were consumed by only one species (ultra-peripheral items), which is common in piscivorous fishes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Reach Out and Eat: Food and Beverages Depicted in Books for Preschoolers.

PubMed

England, Jessica L; Linchey, Jennifer; Madsen, Kristine A; Patel, Anisha I

2015-11-01

To examine food and beverage depictions in books for preschoolers. Books for preschoolers from Reach Out and Read (ROR; n = 42), public library (n = 27), and Publisher's Weekly booklists (n = 31) were examined for nutritive and empty-calorie food and beverage depictions. It was found that 66% of books depicted at least 1 food or beverage. More books depicted nutritive items than empty-calorie items (87.5% vs 54.7%, P < .001). There was a trend toward fewer empty-calorie depictions in ROR books than in other booklists. Yet nearly half of ROR books depicted at least 1 empty-calorie item. ROR books also accounted for 5 of 10 books with the most empty-calorie item depictions and 3 of 4 books with branding. With regard to messaging, approximately a third of books with the most empty-calorie depictions promoted unhealthy foods. When selecting books for ROR, it may be important to consider food and beverage depictions and messages. © The Author(s) 2015.

Reach Out and Eat: Food and Beverages Depicted in Books for Preschoolers

PubMed Central

England, Jessica L.; Linchey, Jennifer; Madsen, Kristine A.; Patel, Anisha I.

2015-01-01

Objective To examine food and beverage depictions in books for preschoolers. Methods Books for preschoolers from Reach Out and Read (ROR; n = 42), public library (n = 27), and Publisher's Weekly booklists (n = 31) were examined for nutritive and empty-calorie food and beverage depictions. Results It was found that 66% of books depicted at least I food or beverage. More books depicted nutritive items than empty-calorie items (87.5% vs 54.7%, P < .001). There was a trend toward fewer empty-calorie depictions in ROR books than in other booklists. Yet nearly half of ROR books depicted at least I empty-calorie item. ROR books also accounted for 5 of 10 books with the most empty-calorie item depictions and 3 of 4 books with branding. With regard to messaging, approximately a third of books with the most empty-calorie depictions promoted unhealthy foods. Conclusions When selecting books for ROR, it may be important to consider food and beverage depictions and messages. PMID:25715825

Price, promotion, and availability of nutrition information: a descriptive study of a popular fast food chain in New York City.

PubMed

Basch, Corey Hannah; Ethan, Danna; Rajan, Sonali

2013-08-25

Legislation in NYC requires chain restaurants to post calorie information on menu boards in an effort to help consumers make more informed decisions about food and beverage items they are purchasing. While this is a step in the right direction in light of the current obesity epidemic, there are other issues that warrant attention in a fast food setting, namely the pricing of healthy food options, promotional strategies, and access to comprehensive nutrition information. This study focused on a popular fast-food chain in NYC. The study's aims were threefold: (1) to determine the cost differential between the healthiest meal item on the chain's general menu and meal items available specifically on a reduced cost menu for one dollar (US$1.00); (2) to identify and describe the promotions advertised in the windows of these restaurants, as well as the nutrition content of promoted items; and (3) to ascertain availability of comprehensive nutrition information to consumers within the restaurants. We found the healthiest meal item to be significantly higher in price than less nutritious meal items available for $1.00 (t=146.9, p<.001), with the mean cost differential equal to $4.33 (95% CI: $4.27, $4.39). Window promotions generally advertised less healthful menu items, which may aid in priming customers to purchase these versus more healthful options. Comprehensive nutrition information beyond calorie counts was not readily accessible prior to purchasing. In addition to improving access to comprehensive nutrition information, advertising more of and lowering the prices of nutritious options may encourage consumers to purchase healthier foods in a fast food setting. Additional research in this area is needed in other geographic locations and restaurant chains. 

Price, Promotion, and Availability of Nutrition Information: A Descriptive Study of a Popular Fast Food Chain in New York City

PubMed Central

Basch, Corey Hannah; Ethan, Danna; Rajan, Sonali

2013-01-01

Legislation in NYC requires chain restaurants to post calorie information on menu boards in an effort to help consumers make more informed decisions about food and beverage items they are purchasing. While this is a step in the right direction in light of the current obesity epidemic, there are other issues that warrant attention in a fast food setting, namely the pricing of healthy food options, promotional strategies, and access to comprehensive nutrition information. This study focused on a popular fast-food chain in NYC. The study’s aims were threefold: (1) to determine the cost differential between the healthiest meal item on the chain’s general menu and meal items available specifically on a reduced cost menu for one dollar (US$1.00); (2) to identify and describe the promotions advertised in the windows of these restaurants, as well as the nutrition content of promoted items; and (3) to ascertain availability of comprehensive nutrition information to consumers within the restaurants. We found the healthiest meal item to be significantly higher in price than less nutritious meal items available for $1.00 (t = 146.9, p < .001), with the mean cost differential equal to $4.33 (95% CI $4.27, $4.39). Window promotions generally advertised less healthful menu items, which may aid in priming customers to purchase these versus more healthful options. Comprehensive nutrition information beyond calorie counts was not readily accessible prior to purchasing. In addition to improving access to comprehensive nutrition information, advertising more of and lowering the prices of nutritious options may encourage consumers to purchase healthier foods in a fast food setting. Additional research in this area is needed in other geographic locations and restaurant chains. PMID:24171876

Evaluation of the effect of processing methods on the nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of two under-utilized Nigerian grain legumes.

PubMed

Oke, M O; Sobowale, S S; Ogunlakin, G O

2013-12-15

The nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of African Yam Bean (AYB) and Lima bean flours under different processing methods were determined. Nutritional and anti-nutritional properties studied include moisture content, crude protein, crude fibre, ash content, ether extract, carbohydrate, tannin, protease inhibitor and phytate. The moisture content of AYB flours ranged from 9.31 to 9.61% while that of lima beans ranged from 9.32 to 9.56%. There is a significant different among the samples when the unprocessed AYB (control) and the processed AYB were compared. The same trend was also observed with lima bean flours. However, some nutrient did not show significant variations with processing. It was observed that samples of soaked/de-hulled AYB have the least protease inhibitor of 0.73 mg/100 g and it is significantly different from the unprocessed samples. Soaked/de-hulled flours of both AYB and lima beans have the most percentage decrease in anti-nutritional content. Lima bean flours were observed to have higher anti-nutritional content than AYB. The percentage decrease of anti-nutritional factors in the samples is proportionally higher than that of the nutrients. The nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of the samples suggest that processed African Yam Bean (AYB) and Lima bean flours would have useful application in fabricated foods.

Structural Validation of a French Food Frequency Questionnaire of 94 Items.

PubMed

Gazan, Rozenn; Vieux, Florent; Darmon, Nicole; Maillot, Matthieu

2017-01-01

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are used to estimate the usual food and nutrient intakes over a period of time. Such estimates can suffer from measurement errors, either due to bias induced by respondent's answers or to errors induced by the structure of the questionnaire (e.g., using a limited number of food items and an aggregated food database with average portion sizes). The "structural validation" presented in this study aims to isolate and quantify the impact of the inherent structure of a FFQ on the estimation of food and nutrient intakes, independently of respondent's perception of the questionnaire. A semi-quantitative FFQ ( n  = 94 items, including 50 items with questions on portion sizes) and an associated aggregated food composition database (named the item-composition database) were developed, based on the self-reported weekly dietary records of 1918 adults (18-79 years-old) in the French Individual and National Dietary Survey 2 (INCA2), and the French CIQUAL 2013 food-composition database of all the foods ( n  = 1342 foods) declared as consumed in the population. Reference intakes of foods ("REF_FOOD") and nutrients ("REF_NUT") were calculated for each adult using the food-composition database and the amounts of foods self-reported in his/her dietary record. Then, answers to the FFQ were simulated for each adult based on his/her self-reported dietary record. "FFQ_FOOD" and "FFQ_NUT" intakes were estimated using the simulated answers and the item-composition database. Measurement errors (in %), spearman correlations and cross-classification were used to compare "REF_FOOD" with "FFQ_FOOD" and "REF_NUT" with "FFQ_NUT". Compared to "REF_NUT," "FFQ_NUT" total quantity and total energy intake were underestimated on average by 198 g/day and 666 kJ/day, respectively. "FFQ_FOOD" intakes were well estimated for starches, underestimated for most of the subgroups, and overestimated for some subgroups, in particular vegetables. Underestimation were mainly due to the use of portion sizes, leading to an underestimation of most of nutrients, except free sugars which were overestimated. The "structural validation" by simulating answers to a FFQ based on a reference dietary survey is innovative and pragmatic and allows quantifying the error induced by the simplification of the method of collection.

Measurement of household food security in the USA and other industrialised countries.

PubMed

Radimer, Kathy L; Radimer, Kathy L

2002-12-01

To describe the history and current status of household food security measurement. In the 1980s evidence of rising levels of hunger was a concern for many, but disputed by some, Americans. Acknowledgement and quantification of hunger was hindered by the lack of an accepted definition and measure of hunger. Qualitative research at Cornell provided a conceptual framework, description, definition and survey items for hunger. The Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project developed an instrument used in numerous communities. Based upon these initiatives, widely accepted definitions of hunger and food insecurity, and the US Household Food Security Module for its measurement, now exist. The module classifies households as food-secure, or food-insecure without hunger or with moderate or severe hunger, and contains household-, adult- and child-referent items. Its inclusion in the Current Population Survey (CPS) since 1995 has yielded annual estimates of food insecurity. A six-item short form of the module, for surveys with severe time constraints, classifies households only as food-secure or food-insecure without or with hunger and contains no child-specific items. Surveys using the 18-item or short-form module can compare results with published national data from the CPS. Information about the module is available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodsecurity and http://www.fns.usda/fsec. Current research on food security measurement includes measurement of individual food insecurity and hunger, module performance regarding hunger duration and frequency, performance of the module in population sub-groups, and the effect of translations on module meaning and performance. National surveys in Canada, New Zealand and Australia also have measured food security.

Food environments in university dorms: 20,000 calories per dorm room and counting.

PubMed

Nelson, Melissa C; Story, Mary

2009-06-01

Few young adults meet national dietary recommendations. Although home food availability likely has important influences on dietary intake, little research has examined this issue among young adults. The objective of this research was to conduct a detailed, observational assessment of food and beverages available in college-student dormitory rooms. Dormitory-residing students (n=100) were recruited from a large, public university. Research staff completed a detailed inventory of food and beverages in the dorm rooms, including nutrient contents and purchasing sources. Data were collected and analyzed in 2008. The mean number of food and beverage items per participant was 47 (range: 0-208), with 4% of participants not having any food or beverages. More than 70% of students had each of the following types of items: salty snacks, cereal or granola bars, main dishes, desserts or candy, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Fewer students had low-calorie beverages, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, tea/coffee, and 100% fruit/vegetable juice. The average number of calories per dorm room was 22,888. Items purchased by parents had a higher calorie and fat content than items purchased by students. Findings indicate that students maintain a wide array of food and beverages in their dormitory rooms. Parents purchased a substantial amount of food for their children's dormitory rooms, and these food items were less healthful than the food that students purchased. The foods observed in college students' living spaces may have an important impact on eating habits. Overall, young adult-oriented obesity prevention efforts are needed, and improving the various facets of campus food environments may mark an important component of such strategies.

Restrictive Food Intake As A Choice – A Paradigm for Study

PubMed Central

Steinglass, Joanna; Foerde, Karin; Kostro, Katrina; Shohamy, Daphna; Timothy Walsh, B.

2014-01-01

Objective: Inadequate intake and preference for low-calorie foods are salient behavioral features of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The neurocognitive mechanisms underlying pathological food choice have not been characterized. This study aimed to develop a new paradigm for experimentally modeling maladaptive food choice in AN. Method: Individuals with AN (n=22) and healthy controls (HC, n=20) participated in a computer-based Food Choice Task, adapted for individuals with eating disorders. Participants first rated 43 food images (including high-fat and low-fat items) for Healthiness and Tastiness; an item rated neutral on both blocks was then selected as the Reference item. On each of 42 subsequent trials participants were asked to choose between the food item presented and the Reference item. Results: The AN group was less likely to choose high-fat foods relative to HC, as evidenced both in multilevel logistic regression (z=2.59, p=0.009) and ANOVA (F(1,39)=7.80, p=0.008) analyses. Health ratings influenced choice significantly more in AN relative to HC (z=2.7, p=0.006), and were more related to Taste among AN (χ2=4.10, p=0.04). Additionally, Taste ratings declined with duration of illness(r=−0.50, p=0.02). Conclusions: The Food Choice Task captures the preference for low-fat foods among individuals with AN. The findings suggest that the experience of tastiness changes over time and may contribute to perpetuation of illness. By providing an experimental quantitative measure of food restriction, this task opens the door to new experimental investigations into the cognitive, affective and neural factors contributing to maladaptive food choices characteristic of AN. PMID:25130380

Restrictive food intake as a choice--a paradigm for study.

PubMed

Steinglass, Joanna; Foerde, Karin; Kostro, Katrina; Shohamy, Daphna; Walsh, B Timothy

2015-01-01

Inadequate intake and preference for low-calorie foods are salient behavioral features of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The neurocognitive mechanisms underlying pathological food choice have not been characterized. This study aimed to develop a new paradigm for experimentally modeling maladaptive food choice in AN. Individuals with AN (n = 22) and healthy controls (HC, n = 20) participated in a computer-based Food Choice Task, adapted for individuals with eating disorders. Participants first rated 43 food images (including high-fat and low-fat items) for Healthiness and Tastiness; an item rated neutral on both blocks was then selected as the Reference item. On each of 42 subsequent trials participants were asked to choose between the food item presented and the Reference item. The AN group was less likely to choose high-fat foods relative to HC, as evidenced both in multilevel logistic regression (z = 2.59, p = .009) and ANOVA (F(1,39) = 7.80, p = .008) analyses. Health ratings influenced choice significantly more in AN relative to HC (z = 2.7, p = .006), and were more related to Taste among AN (χ(2) = 4.10, p = .04). Additionally, taste ratings declined with duration of illness (r = -.50, p = .02). The Food Choice Task captures the preference for low-fat foods among individuals with AN. The findings suggest that the experience of tastiness changes over time and may contribute to perpetuation of illness. By providing an experimental quantitative measure of food restriction, this task opens the door to new experimental investigations into the cognitive, affective, and neural factors contributing to maladaptive food choices characteristic of AN. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Convenience-based food purchase patterns: identification and associations with dietary quality, sociodemographic factors and attitudes.

PubMed

Peltner, Jonas; Thiele, Silke

2018-02-01

The present study aimed to derive food purchase patterns considering the convenience level of foods. Associations between identified patterns and dietary quality were analysed, as well as household characteristics associated with the dietary patterns. A Convenience Food Classification Scheme (CFCS) was developed. After classifying basic food groups into the CFCS, the formed groups were used to apply a factor analysis to identify convenience-based food purchase patterns. For these patterns nutrient and energy densities were examined. Using regression analysis, associations between the adherence to the patterns and household characteristic and attitude variables were analysed. The study used representative German food purchase data from 2011. Approximately 12 million purchases of 13 131 households were recorded in these data. Three convenience-based patterns were identified: a low-convenience, a semi-convenience and a ready-to-eat food pattern. Tighter adherence to the semi-convenience pattern was shown to result in the lowest nutrient and highest energy densities. Important factors influencing adherence to the patterns were household size, presence of children and attitudes. Working full-time was negatively associated with adherence to the low-convenience pattern and positively with the ready-to-eat pattern. Convenience foods were an important part of households' food baskets which in some cases led to lower nutritional quality. Therefore, it is important to offer convenience foods higher in nutrient density and lower in energy density. Interventions targeted on enhancing cooking skills could be an effective strategy to increase purchases of unprocessed foods, which, in turn, could also contribute to an improved diet quality.

Effects of an icon-based menu labelling initiative on consumer food choice.

PubMed

Kerins, Claire; Cunningham, Katie; Finucane, Francis M; Gibson, Irene; Jones, Jenni; Kelly, Colette

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an icon-based menu labelling initiative on consumer buying behaviour. This quasi-experimental study recruited a convenience sample of eight food service establishments, all with at least one menu item meeting the heart healthy criteria. Data from sales of all menu items sold over an 8-week period were collated 4 weeks prior to and 4 weeks during the display of information icons related to healthy food choices on menus. The absolute change in menu item sales showed a non-significant trend towards an increase in healthier menu item selections. Furthermore, there was no association between the type of food service establishment and the percentage change in labelled menu item sales. The study did not find a statistically significant influence of the icon-based menu labels on consumer food choice. Given the limited amount of research that examines alternative menu labelling formats in real-world settings, more studies are necessary to confirm these results. Further research is needed to identify the optimal format, content and impact of menu labels on consumer behaviour.

15 CFR 754.4 - Unprocessed western red cedar.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...” in the “Reason for Control” paragraph in the “License Requirements” section of ECCN 1C988 on the CCL... the export of unprocessed western red cedar covered by ECCN 1C988 (Western red cedar (thuja plicata... defined in ECCN 1C988, that has not been processed into: (i) Lumber of American Lumber Standards Grades of...

15 CFR 754.4 - Unprocessed western red cedar.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...” in the “Reason for Control” paragraph in the “License Requirements” section of ECCN 1C988 on the CCL... the export of unprocessed western red cedar covered by ECCN 1C988 (Western red cedar (thuja plicata... defined in ECCN 1C988, that has not been processed into: (i) Lumber of American Lumber Standards Grades of...

15 CFR 754.4 - Unprocessed western red cedar.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...” in the “Reason for Control” paragraph in the “License Requirements” section of ECCN 1C988 on the CCL... the export of unprocessed western red cedar covered by ECCN 1C988 (Western red cedar (thuja plicata... processed lumber containing wane on one or more sides, as defined in ECCN 1C988, that has not been processed...

15 CFR 754.4 - Unprocessed western red cedar.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...” in the “Reason for Control” paragraph in the “License Requirements” section of ECCN 1C988 on the CCL... the export of unprocessed western red cedar covered by ECCN 1C988 (Western red cedar (thuja plicata... defined in ECCN 1C988, that has not been processed into: (i) Lumber of American Lumber Standards Grades of...

15 CFR 754.4 - Unprocessed western red cedar.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...” in the “Reason for Control” paragraph in the “License Requirements” section of ECCN 1C988 on the CCL... the export of unprocessed western red cedar covered by ECCN 1C988 (Western red cedar (thuja plicata... defined in ECCN 1C988, that has not been processed into: (i) Lumber of American Lumber Standards Grades of...

An EBIC study of dislocation networks in unprocessed and unprocessed web silicon ribbon. [for solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fieldler, F. S.; Ast, D.

1982-01-01

Experimental techniques for the preparation of electron beam induced current samples of Web-dentritic silicon are described. Both as grown and processed material were investigated. High density dislocation networks were found close to twin planes in the bulk of the material. The electrical activity of these networks is reduced in processed material.

Cluster of botulism among Dutch tourists in Turkey, June 2008.

PubMed

Swaan, C M; van Ouwerkerk, I M; Roest, H J

2010-04-08

In June 2008, three Dutch tourists participating in a mini-cruise in Turkey needed urgent repatriation for antitoxin treatment because of symptoms of botulism. Because there was a shortage of antitoxin in the Netherlands, an emergency delivery was requested from the manufacturer in Germany. An outbreak investigation was initiated into all nine cruise members, eight of whom developed symptoms. C. botulinum type B was isolated in stool culture from four of them. No other patients were notified locally. Food histories revealed locally purchased unprocessed black olives, consumed on board of the ship, as most likely source, but no left-overs were available for investigation. C. botulinum type D was detected in locally purchased canned peas, and whilst type D is not known to be a cause of human intoxication, its presence in a canned food product indicates an inadequate preserving process. With increasing tourism to areas where food-borne botulism is reported regularly special requests for botulism antitoxin may become necessary. Preparing an inventory of available reserve stock in Europe would appear to be a necessary and valuable undertaking.

Nutritional Genomics, Polyphenols, Diets, and Their Impact on Dietetics

PubMed Central

Barnes, Stephen

2009-01-01

Nutritional genomics offers a way to optimize human health and the quality of life. It is an attractive endeavor, but one with substantial challenges. It encompasses almost all known aspects of science, ranging from the genomes of humans, plants and microorganisms, to the highest levels of food science, analytical science, computing and statistics of large systems, as well as human behavior. The underlying biochemistry that is targeted by the principal issues in nutritional genomics is described and entails genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. A major feature relevant to nutritional genomics is the single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes that interact with nutrients and other bioactive food components. These genetic changes may lead to alterations in absorption, metabolism and functional responses to bioactive nutritional factors. Bioactive food components may also regulate gene expression at the transcriptome, protein abundance and/or protein turnover levels. Even if all of these variables are known, additional variables to be taken into account include the nutritional variability of the food (unprocessed and processed), the amount that is actually eaten, and the eating-related behaviors of those consuming the food. These challenges are explored within the context of soy intake. Finally, the importance of international co-operation in nutritional genomics research is presented. PMID:18954579

Old Fashioned vs. Ultra-Processed-Based Current Diets: Possible Implication in the Increased Susceptibility to Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease in Childhood

PubMed Central

Aguayo-Patrón, Sandra V.; Calderón de la Barca, Ana M.

2017-01-01

Ultra-processed foods are ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat products created to replace traditional homemade meals and dishes due to convenience and accessibility. Because of their low-fiber and high-fat and sugar composition, these foodstuffs could induce a negative impact on health. They are partially responsible for obesity and chronic non-transmissible diseases; additionally, they could impact in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. The rationale is that the nutritional composition of ultra-processed foodstuffs can induce gut dysbiosis, promoting a pro-inflammatory response and consequently, a “leaky gut”. These factors have been associated with increased risk of autoimmunity in genetically predisposed children. In addition, food emulsifiers, commonly used in ultra-processed products could modify the gut microbiota and intestinal permeability, which could increase the risk of autoimmunity. In contrast, unprocessed and minimally processed food-based diets have shown the capacity to promote gut microbiota eubiosis, anti-inflammatory response, and epithelial integrity, through bacterial butyrate production. Thus, to decrease the susceptibility to autoimmunity, genetically predisposed children should avoid ultra-processed food products and encourage the consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods. PMID:29140275

Point-of-Purchase Labels and Reward Cards Improve Sales of Healthy Foods in University Dining Halls.

PubMed

Biden, Catherine R; Matthews, June I; Laframboise, Natalie A; Zok, Anne; Dworatzek, Paula D N; Seabrook, Jamie A

2018-06-12

To compare sales of Food Resources and Education for Student Health (FRESH) Approved versus non-FRESH Approved menu cycle items pre- and postimplementation of the FRESH program. Sales data from 2011-2015 of FRESH Approved versus non-FRESH Approved menu items were analyzed. Fruit and milk items sold, net sales, and the cost of free fruit and milk redeemed through the FRESH Reward Card (FRC) program, were also analyzed. FRESH Approved items sold more often than non-FRESH Approved items in the latter 2 years (P = 0.01). Prices of FRESH Approved menu items were significantly lower than non-FRESH Approved items for all years (e.g., $1.52 ± $0.94 vs $2.21 ± $1.02 per serving in 2014-2015; P < 0.001). Across all FRESH implementation years, FRESH Approved menu items were found more often on the 6-week menu (P < 0.05). The number of fruit items sold increased from a baseline of 143 052 to 170 954, and net sales increased from $135 450 to $154 248 after 3 years of the FRC implementation. FRESH Approved items were less expensive, available more often, and had higher sales. The FRC increased net fruit sales despite the cost of free fruit. Highlighting and reducing the cost of healthy foods are promising practices to improve campus food environments.

Food preferences and factors influencing food selectivity for children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Schreck, Kimberly A; Williams, Keith

2006-01-01

Although clinicians and parents widely accept that children with autism spectrum disorder exhibit more feeding problems than their typically developing peers, little information is available concerning the characteristic food items accepted by these children or the possible factors contributing to these feeding problems. This article used an informant-based questionnaire to survey parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (N=138) to determine: (a) the types of feeding problems their children typically exhibit, (b) the food items their children prefer, (c) the relationship of feeding problems to family eating preferences, and (d) the relationship of the diagnostic characteristics of autism to feeding behavior. Results indicated that the children preferred fewer types of food items within groups than their families; however, family food preferences appeared to influence food selection more than the diagnostic characteristics of autism.

Mechanisms of Choice Behavior Shift Using Cue-approach Training

PubMed Central

Bakkour, Akram; Leuker, Christina; Hover, Ashleigh M.; Giles, Nathan; Poldrack, Russell A.; Schonberg, Tom

2016-01-01

Cue-approach training has been shown to effectively shift choices for snack food items by associating a cued button-press motor response to particular food items. Furthermore, attention was biased toward previously cued items, even when the cued item is not chosen for real consumption during a choice phase. However, the exact mechanism by which preferences shift during cue-approach training is not entirely clear. In three experiments, we shed light on the possible underlying mechanisms at play during this novel paradigm: (1) Uncued, wholly predictable motor responses paired with particular food items were not sufficient to elicit a preference shift; (2) Cueing motor responses early – concurrently with food item onset – and thus eliminating the need for heightened top–down attention to the food stimulus in preparation for a motor response also eliminated the shift in food preferences. This finding reinforces our hypothesis that heightened attention at behaviorally relevant points in time is key to changing choice behavior in the cue-approach task; (3) Crucially, indicating choice using eye movements rather than manual button presses preserves the effect, thus demonstrating that the shift in preferences is not governed by a learned motor response but more likely via modulation of subjective value in higher associative regions, consistent with previous neuroimaging results. Cue-approach training drives attention at behaviorally relevant points in time to modulate the subjective value of individual items, providing a mechanism for behavior change that does not rely on external reinforcement and that holds great promise for developing real world behavioral interventions. PMID:27047435

The Influence of Labeling the Vegetable Content of Snack Food on Children's Taste Preferences: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope, Lizzy; Wolf, Randi L.

2012-01-01

Objective: This pilot study examined whether informing children of the presence of vegetables in select snack food items alters taste preference. Methods: A random sample of 68 elementary and middle school children tasted identical pairs of 3 snack food items containing vegetables. In each pair, 1 sample's label included the food's vegetable (eg,…

Adolescent Healthful Foods Inventory: Development of an Instrument to Assess Adolescents' Willingness to Consume Healthful Foods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuerty, Amber B.; Cater, Melissa; Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon; Tuuri, Georgianna

2016-01-01

Interventions to increase adolescents' healthful food and beverage consumption often fail to demonstrate change. An alternative is to measure a shift in willingness to consume these items as an indicator of movement toward change. A survey was developed to estimate willingness to consume a variety of foods and beverages. Twenty items were…

Food Adulteration and Consumer Awareness in Dhaka City, 1995-2011

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Tahmeed

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT We conducted this study to investigate the magnitude of food adulteration during 1995–2011 and consumer awareness in Dhaka city. We reviewed results of food sample testing by Public Health Food Laboratory of Dhaka City Corporation, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, Consumers Association of Bangladesh publications, reports from lay press, including those on mobile magistrate court operations. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 96 residents of Dhaka city, using a structured questionnaire in 2006. The overall proportion of food samples adulterated decreased during 2001-2005, and 40-54% of daily-consumed food was adulterated during 1995-2011. More than 35 food items were commonly adulterated. Consumers considered expiry date and quality or freshness as the best criteria while buying packaged and open food items respectively; only 11 (12%) respondents considered approval of regulatory authority for buying packaged food items. More than half of the food consumed in Dhaka city is adulterated, which warrants actions by the Government, the industry, and the consumers. PMID:25395908

Food adulteration and consumer awareness in Dhaka City, 1995-2011.

PubMed

Nasreen, Sharifa; Ahmed, Tahmeed

2014-09-01

We conducted this study to investigate the magnitude of food adulteration during 1995-2011 and consumer awareness in Dhaka city. We reviewed results of food sample testing by Public Health Food Laboratory of Dhaka City Corporation, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, Consumers Association of Bangladesh publications, reports from lay press, including those on mobile magistrate court operations. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 96 residents of Dhaka city, using a structured questionnaire in 2006. The overall proportion of food samples adulterated decreased during 2001-2005, and 40-54% of daily-consumed food was adulterated during 1995-2011. More than 35 food items were commonly adulterated. Consumers considered expiry date and quality or freshness as the best criteria while buying packaged and open food items respectively; only 11 (12%) respondents considered approval of regulatory authority for buying packaged food items. More than half of the food consumed in Dhaka city is adulterated, which warrants actions by the Government, the industry, and the consumers.

Healthy Concessions: High School Students' Responses to Healthy Concession Stand Changes.

PubMed

Laroche, Helena H; Hradek, Christine; Hansen, Kate; Hanks, Andrew S; Just, David R; Wansink, Brian

2017-02-01

A previous sales data analysis demonstrated success in selling healthier items at a concession stand. Questions remained regarding student satisfaction and whether the intervention reached non-health-conscious students. Cross-sectional anonymous samples of students at a large midwestern high school were surveyed before and after an intervention improved the number of healthier items available at the concession stand. The survey was completed by 301 students preintervention and 314 students postintervention. Satisfaction remained good (3.7 preintervention and 3.6 postintervention). Satisfaction with the variety and taste of foods increased. We compared students who felt having healthy items were important at the concessions to those who did not. Overall satisfaction with concessions did not differ between groups. The latter group (healthy items not important) reported improved satisfaction with food variety (2.8 to 3.1, p = .02) and the former reported improved satisfaction with healthy foods (2.5 to 2.9, p = .03) and overall taste (3.2 to 3.4, p = .02). Of the healthy items not important students 76% reported purchasing at least 1 new healthier food. Adding healthier foods to school concession stands has positive effects on student satisfaction, sales, and reaches all students whether or not they care about having healthy items available. © 2017, American School Health Association.

The growing price gap between more and less healthy foods: analysis of a novel longitudinal UK dataset.

PubMed

Jones, Nicholas R V; Conklin, Annalijn I; Suhrcke, Marc; Monsivais, Pablo

2014-01-01

The UK government has noted the public health importance of food prices and the affordability of a healthy diet. Yet, methods for tracking change over time have not been established. We aimed to investigate the prices of more and less healthy foods over time using existing government data on national food prices and nutrition content. We linked economic data for 94 foods and beverages in the UK Consumer Price Index to food and nutrient data from the UK Department of Health's National Diet and Nutrition Survey, producing a novel dataset across the period 2002-2012. Each item was assigned to a food group and also categorised as either "more healthy" or "less healthy" using a nutrient profiling model developed by the Food Standards Agency. We tested statistical significance using a t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. The mean (standard deviation) 2012 price/1000 kcal was £2.50 (0.29) for less healthy items and £7.49 (1.27) for more healthy items. The ANOVA results confirmed that all prices had risen over the period 2002-2012, but more healthy items rose faster than less healthy ones in absolute terms:£0.17 compared to £0.07/1000 kcal per year on average for more and less healthy items, respectively (p<0.001). Since 2002, more healthy foods and beverages have been consistently more expensive than less healthy ones, with a growing gap between them. This trend is likely to make healthier diets less affordable over time, which may have implications for individual food security and population health, and it may exacerbate social inequalities in health. The novel data linkage employed here could be used as the basis for routine food price monitoring to inform public health policy.

Healthfulness of Foods Advertised in Small and Nontraditional Urban Stores in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota, 2014

PubMed Central

Pelletier, Jennifer E.; Erickson, Darin J.; Caspi, Caitlin E.; Harnack, Lisa J.; Laska, Melissa N.

2016-01-01

Introduction Shopping at small food stores, such as corner stores and convenience stores, is linked with unhealthful food and beverage purchases, poor diets, and high risk of obesity. However, information on how foods and beverages are marketed at small stores is limited. The objective of this study was to examine advertisements and product placements for healthful and less healthful foods and beverages at small stores in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota. Methods We conducted in-store audits of 119 small and nontraditional food retailers (corner/small grocery stores, food–gas marts, pharmacies, and dollar stores) randomly selected from licensing lists in Minneapolis–St. Paul in 2014. We analyzed data on exterior and interior advertisements of foods and beverages and product placement. Results Exterior and interior advertisements for healthful foods and beverages were found in less than half of stores (exterior, 37% [44 of 119]; interior, 20% [24 of 119]). Exterior and interior advertisements for less healthful items were found in approximately half of stores (exterior, 46% [55 of 119]); interior, 66% [78 of 119]). Of the 4 store types, food–gas marts were most likely to have exterior and interior advertisements for both healthful and less healthful items. Corner/small grocery stores and dollar stores had fewer advertisements of any type. Most stores (77%) had at least 1 healthful item featured as an impulse buy (ie, an item easily reached at checkout), whereas 98% featured at least 1 less healthful item as an impulse buy. Conclusion Findings suggest imbalanced advertising and product placement of healthful and less healthful foods and beverages at small food stores in Minneapolis–St. Paul; less healthful items were more apt to be featured as impulse buys. Future interventions and polices should encourage reductions in advertisements and impulse-buy placements of unhealthful products, particularly in food–gas marts, and encourage advertisements of healthful products. PMID:27831683

Ultra-processed foods in human health: a critical appraisal.

PubMed

Gibney, Michael J; Forde, Ciarán G; Mullally, Deirdre; Gibney, Eileen R

2017-09-01

The NOVA classification of foods proposes 4 categories: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPFDs). It is argued that the latter relies heavily on modifications to foods, resulting in enhanced amounts of salt, added sugar, and fat as well as the use of additives in an attempt to make this food category highly palatable. It further argues that controlling food processing, rather than examining nutrients, should be foremost in shaping nutrition policy. This commentary challenges many of the basic arguments of using the NOVA food classification system to examine the link between food and health. We believe that there is no evidence to uphold the view that UPFDs give rise to hyperpalatable foods associated with a quasi-addictive effect and that the prevailing European Union and US data fail to uphold the assertion that UPFDs, which dominate energy intake, give rise to dietary patterns that are low in micronutrients. With regard to the use of the NOVA food classification in the development of food-based dietary guidelines, we show that the very broad definition of UPFDs makes this impossible. Finally, the available evidence does not support the view that the globalization of food is the driver of increased intakes of UPFDs in low- to middle-income countries but rather that this is driven by small indigenous companies. On balance, therefore, there seems to be little advantage from the use of the NOVA classification compared with the current epidemiologic approach, which relies on the linkage of nutrient intakes to chronic disease with subsequent identification of foods that merit consideration in public health nutrition strategies. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Thermostable Shelf Life Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perchonok, M. H.; Antonini, D. K.

2008-01-01

The objective of this project is to determine the shelf life end-point of various food items by means of actual measurement or mathematical projection. The primary goal of the Advanced Food Technology Project in these long duration exploratory missions is to provide the crew with a palatable, nutritious and safe food system while minimizing volume, mass, and waste. The Mars missions could be as long as 2.5 years with the potential of the food being positioned prior to the crew arrival. Therefore, it is anticipated that foods that are used during the Mars missions will require a 5 year shelf life. Shelf life criteria are safety, nutrition, and acceptability. Any of these criteria can be the limiting factor in determining the food's shelf life. Due to the heat sterilization process used for the thermostabilized food items, safety will be preserved as long as the integrity of the package is maintained. Nutrition and acceptability will change over time. Since the food can be the sole source of nutrition to the crew, a significant loss in nutrition may determine when the shelf life endpoint has occurred. Shelf life can be defined when the food item is no longer acceptable. Acceptability can be defined in terms of appearance, flavor, texture, or aroma. Results from shelf life studies of the thermostabilized food items suggest that the shelf life of the foods range from 0 months to 8 years, depending on formulation.

Thermostabilized Shelf Life Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perchonok, Michele H.; Catauro, Patricia M.

2009-01-01

The objective of this project is to determine the shelf life end-point of various food items by means of actual measurement or mathematical projection. The primary goal of the Advanced Food Technology Project in these long duration exploratory missions is to provide the crew with a palatable, nutritious and safe food system while minimizing volume, mass, and waste. The Mars missions could be as long as 2.5 years with the potential of the food being positioned prior to the crew arrival. Therefore, it is anticipated that foods that are used during the Mars missions will require a 5 year shelf life. Shelf life criteria are safety, nutrition, and acceptability. Any of these criteria can be the limiting factor in determining the food's shelf life. Due to the heat sterilization process used for the thermostabilized food items, safety will be preserved as long as the integrity of the package is maintained. Nutrition and acceptability will change over time. Since the food can be the sole source of nutrition to the crew, a significant loss in nutrition may determine when the shelf life endpoint has occurred. Shelf life can be defined when the food item is no longer acceptable. Acceptability can be defined in terms of appearance, flavor, texture, or aroma. Results from shelf life studies of the thermostabilized food items suggest that the shelf life of the foods range from 0 months to 8 years, depending on formulation.

Assessing the levels of food shortage using the traffic light metaphor by analyzing the gathering and consumption of wild food plants, crop parts and crop residues in Konso, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Humanitarian relief agencies use scales to assess levels of critical food shortage to efficiently target and allocate food to the neediest. These scales are often labor-intensive. A lesser used approach is assessing gathering and consumption of wild food plants. This gathering per se is not a reliable signal of emerging food stress. However, the gathering and consumption of some specific plant species could be considered markers of food shortage, as it indicates that people are compelled to eat very poor or even health-threatening food. Methods We used the traffic light metaphor to indicate normal (green), alarmingly low (amber) and fully depleted (red) food supplies and identified these conditions for Konso (Ethiopia) on the basis of wild food plants (WFPs), crop parts (crop parts not used for human consumption under normal conditions; CPs) and crop residues (CRs) being gathered and consumed. Plant specimens were collected for expert identification and deposition in the National Herbarium. Two hundred twenty individual households free-listed WFPs, CPs, and CRs gathered and consumed during times of food stress. Through focus group discussions, the species list from the free-listing that was further enriched through key informants interviews and own field observations was categorized into species used for green, amber and red conditions. Results The study identified 113 WFPs (120 products/food items) whose gathering and consumption reflect the three traffic light metaphors: red, amber and green. We identified 25 food items for the red, 30 food items for the amber and 65 food items for the green metaphor. We also obtained reliable information on 21 different products/food items (from 17 crops) normally not consumed as food, reflecting the red or amber metaphor and 10 crop residues (from various crops), plus one recycled stuff which are used as emergency foods in the study area clearly indicating the severity of food stress (red metaphor) households are dealing with. Our traffic light metaphor proved useful to identify and closely monitor the types of WFPs, CPs, and CRs collected and consumed and their time of collection by subsistence households in rural settings. Examples of plant material only consumed under severe food stress included WFPs with health-threatening features like Dobera glabra (Forssk.) Juss. ex Poir. and inkutayata, parts of 17 crops with 21 food items conventionally not used as food (for example, maize tassels, husks, empty pods), ten crop residues (for example bran from various crops) and one recycled food item (tata). Conclusions We have complemented the conventional seasonal food security assessment tool used by humanitarian partners by providing an easy, cheap tool to scale food stress encountered by subsistence farmers. In cognizance of environmental, socio-cultural differences in Ethiopia and other parts of the globe, we recommend analogous studies in other parts of Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world where recurrent food stress also occurs and where communities intensively use WFPs, CPs, and CRs to cope with food stress. PMID:22871123

No appetite efficacy of a commercial structured lipid emulsion in minimally processed drinks.

PubMed

Smit, H J; Keenan, E; Kovacs, E M R; Wiseman, S A; Mela, D J; Rogers, P J

2012-09-01

Fabuless (Olibra) is a commercially structured lipid emulsion, claimed to be a food ingredient that is effective for food intake and appetite reduction. The present study assessed its efficacy in a yoghurt-based mini-drink undergoing low or minimal food manufacturing (thermal and shear) processes. Study 1: Twenty-four healthy volunteers (16 female, 8 male; age: 18-47 years; body mass index (BMI): 17-28 kg m(-2)) took part in a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel crossover trial. Consumption of a minimally processed 'preload' mini-drink (containing two different doses of Fabuless or a control fat) at 2 h after breakfast was followed by appetite and mood ratings, and food intake measured in ad libitum meals at 3 and 7 h post consumption of the preload. Study 2: As Study 1 (16 female, 8 male; age: 20-54 years; BMI: 21-30 kg m(-2)). A chilled, virtually unprocessed, preload breakfast mini-drink (containing minimally processed Fabuless or a control fat) was provided 5 min after a standardised breakfast, followed by appetite and mood ratings, and food intake measured in ad libitum meals at 4 and 8 h post consumption of the preload. The structured lipid emulsion tested had no significant effect on the primary measures of food intake or appetite. Even when exposed to minimal food-manufacturing conditions, Fabuless showed no efficacy on measures of appetite and food intake.

Chefs' opinions about reducing the calorie content of menu items in restaurants.

PubMed

Obbagy, Julie E; Condrasky, Margaret D; Roe, Liane S; Sharp, Julia L; Rolls, Barbara J

2011-02-01

Modifying the energy content of foods, particularly foods eaten away from home, is important in addressing the obesity epidemic. Chefs in the restaurant industry are uniquely placed to influence the provision of reduced-calorie foods, but little is known about their opinions on this issue. A survey was conducted among chefs attending US culinary meetings about strategies for creating reduced-calorie foods and opportunities for introducing such items on restaurant menus. The 432 respondents were from a wide variety of employment positions and the majority had been in the restaurant industry for ≥ 20 years. Nearly all chefs (93%) thought that the calories in menu items could be reduced by 10-25% without customers noticing. To decrease the calories in two specific foods, respondents were more likely to select strategies for reducing energy density than for reducing portion size (P < 0.004). Low consumer demand was identified as the greatest barrier to including reduced-calorie items on the menu by 38% of chefs, followed by the need for staff skills and training (24%), and high ingredient cost (18%). The majority of respondents (71%) ranked taste as the most influential factor in the success of reduced-calorie items (P < 0.0001). The results of this survey indicate that opportunities exist for reducing the energy content of restaurant items. Ongoing collaboration is needed between chefs and public health professionals to ensure that appealing reduced-calorie menu items are more widely available in restaurants and that research is directed toward effective ways to develop and promote these items.

Chefs’ opinions about reducing the calorie content of menu items in restaurants

PubMed Central

Obbagy, Julie E.; Condrasky, Margaret D.; Roe, Liane S.; Sharp, Julia L.; Rolls, Barbara J.

2011-01-01

Modifying the energy content of foods, particularly foods eaten away from home, is important in addressing the obesity epidemic. Chefs in the restaurant industry are uniquely placed to influence the provision of reduced-calorie foods, but little is known about their opinions on this issue. A survey was conducted among chefs attending U.S. culinary meetings about strategies for creating reduced-calorie foods and opportunities for introducing such items on restaurant menus. The 432 respondents were from a wide variety of employment positions and the majority had been in the restaurant industry for 20 years or more. Nearly all chefs (93%) thought that the calories in menu items could be reduced by 10 to 25% without customers noticing. To decrease the calories in two specific foods, respondents were more likely to select strategies for reducing energy density than for reducing portion size (p<0.004). Low consumer demand was identified as the greatest barrier to including reduced-calorie items on the menu by 38% of chefs, followed by the need for staff skills and training (24%), and high ingredient cost (18%). The majority of respondents (71%) ranked taste as the most influential factor in the success of reduced-calorie items (p<0.0001). The results of this survey indicate that opportunities exist for reducing the energy content of restaurant items. Ongoing collaboration is needed between chefs and public health professionals to ensure that appealing reduced-calorie menu items are more widely available in restaurants and that research is directed towards effective ways to develop and promote these items. PMID:20814414

Numerical judgments by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in a token economy.

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Evans, Theodore A; Hoyle, Daniel

2011-04-01

We presented four chimpanzees with a series of tasks that involved comparing two token sets or comparing a token set to a quantity of food. Selected tokens could be exchanged for food items on a one-to-one basis. Chimpanzees successfully selected the larger numerical set for comparisons of 1 to 5 items when both sets were visible and when sets were presented through one-by-one addition of tokens into two opaque containers. Two of four chimpanzees used the number of tokens and food items to guide responding in all conditions, rather than relying on token color, size, total amount, or duration of set presentation. These results demonstrate that judgments of simultaneous and sequential sets of stimuli are made by some chimpanzees on the basis of the numerousness of sets rather than other non-numerical dimensions. The tokens were treated as equivalent to food items on the basis of their numerousness, and the chimpanzees maximized reward by choosing the larger number of items in all situations.

Dietary patterns and whole grain cereals in the Scandinavian countries--differences and similarities. The HELGA project.

PubMed

Engeset, Dagrun; Hofoss, Dag; Nilsson, Lena M; Olsen, Anja; Tjønneland, Anne; Skeie, Guri

2015-04-01

To identify dietary patterns with whole grains as a main focus to see if there is a similar whole grain pattern in the three Scandinavian countries; Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Another objective is to see if items suggested for a Nordic Food Index will form a typical Nordic pattern when using factor analysis. The HELGA study population is based on samples of existing cohorts: the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study, the Swedish Västerbotten cohort and the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health study. The HELGA study aims to generate knowledge about the health effects of whole grain foods. The study included a total of 119 913 participants. The associations among food variables from FFQ were investigated by principal component analysis. Only food groups common for all three cohorts were included. High factor loading of a food item shows high correlation of the item to the specific diet pattern. The main whole grain for Denmark and Sweden was rye, while Norway had highest consumption of wheat. Three similar patterns were found: a cereal pattern, a meat pattern and a bread pattern. However, even if the patterns look similar, the food items belonging to the patterns differ between countries. High loadings on breakfast cereals and whole grain oat were common in the cereal patterns for all three countries. Thus, the cereal pattern may be considered a common Scandinavian whole grain pattern. Food items belonging to a Nordic Food Index were distributed between different patterns.

Pest risk assessment of the importation into the United States of unprocessed Pinus logs and chips from Australia

Treesearch

John T Kliejunas; Harold H. Burdsall; Gregg A. DeNitto; Andris Eglitis; Dennis A. Haugen; Michael I. Haverty; Jessie A. Micales-Glaeser

2006-01-01

The unmitigated pest risk potential for the importation of unprocessed logs and chips of species of Pinus (Pinus radiata, P. elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii, P. taeda L., and P. caribaea var. hondurensis, principally) from Australia into the United States was assessed by estimating the likelihood and consequences of introduction of representative insects and pathogens...

Schoolchildren's Consumption of Competitive Foods and Beverages, Excluding a la Carte

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kakarala, Madhuri; Keast, Debra R.; Hoerr, Sharon

2010-01-01

Background: Competitive foods/beverages are those in school vending machines, school stores, snack bars, special sales, and items sold a la carte in the school cafeteria that compete with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal program offerings. Grouping a la carte items with less nutritious items allowed in less regulated venues may…

The price of healthy and unhealthy foods in Australian primary school canteens.

PubMed

Wyse, Rebecca; Wiggers, John; Delaney, Tessa; Ooi, Jia Ying; Marshall, Josephine; Clinton-McHarg, Tara; Wolfenden, Luke

2017-02-01

To describe the price of Australian school canteen foods according to their nutritional value. Primary school canteen menus were collected as part of a policy compliance randomised trial. For each menu item, dietitians classified its nutritional value; 'green' ('good sources of nutrients'), 'amber' ('some nutritional value'), 'red' ('lack adequate nutritional value') and assigned a food category (e.g. 'Drinks', 'Snacks'). Pricing information was extracted. Within each food category, ANOVAs assessed differences between the mean price of 'green', 'amber' and 'red' items, and post-hoc tests were conducted. Seventy of the 124 invited schools participated. There were significant differences in the mean price of 'green', 'amber' and 'red foods' across categories, with 'green' items more expensive than 'amber' items in main-meal categories ('Sandwiches' +$0.43, 'Hot Foods' +$0.71), and the reverse true for non-meal categories ('Drinks' -$0.13, 'Snacks' -$0.18, 'Frozen Snacks' -$0.25^). Current pricing may not encourage the purchasing of healthy main-meal items by and for students. Further investigation of pricing strategies that enhance the public health benefit of existing school canteen policies and practices are warranted. Implications for Public Health: Providing support to canteen managers regarding healthy canteen policies may have a positive impact on public health nutrition. © 2016 The Authors.

Energy Density, Nutrient Adequacy, and Cost per Serving Can Provide Insight into Food Choices in the Lower Mississippi Delta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connell, Carol L.; Zoellner, Jamie M.; Yadrick, M. Kathleen; Chekuri, Srinivasa C.; Crook, Lashaundrea B.; Bogle, Margaret L.

2012-01-01

Objective: To compare differences across food groups for food cost, energy, and nutrient profiles of 100 items from a cross-sectional survey of 225 stores in 18 counties across the Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Methods: Energy, nutrient, and cost profiles for food items were calculated by using Naturally Nutrient…

Point-of-purchase nutrition information influences food-purchasing behaviors of college students: a pilot study.

PubMed

Freedman, Marjorie R; Connors, Rachel

2010-08-01

The goal of point-of-purchase (POP) nutrition information is to help consumers make informed, healthful choices. Despite limited evaluation, these population-based approaches are being advocated to replace traditional, more expensive, individual behavior-change strategies. Few studies have examined the effect of POP information on buying patterns of college students, a group with high obesity rates and poor eating habits. This quasi-experimental pilot project sought to determine whether the "Eat Smart" POP program affected food-purchasing habits of multiethnic college students shopping at an on-campus convenience store. Baseline sales data of foods in the cereal, soup, cracker, and bread categories were collected for 6 weeks during Fall 2008. After Winter break, a few food items within each of these food categories were labeled as healthful using a "Fuel Your Life" shelf tag, and sales data were then collected for 5 weeks. In each of the four food categories, nontagged foods were available at the identical price as tagged items. Following intervention, there were increased sales of tagged items (measured as a percentage of total sales) in the cereal, soup, and cracker categories, while sales of bread decreased. Although none of these changes were statistically significant, the intervention resulted in a 3.6%+/-1.6% (P=0.082) increase in the percentage of sales from tagged items. Thus, providing POP nutrition information in a college campus convenience store may promote healthful food choices. A longer study examining the effect of POP on sales of items in other food categories is warranted. 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inter-rater reliability of a food store checklist to assess availability of healthier alternatives to the energy-dense snacks and beverages commonly consumed by children.

PubMed

Izumi, Betty T; Findholt, Nancy E; Pickus, Hayley A; Nguyen, Thuan; Cuneo, Monica K

2014-06-01

Food stores have gained attention as potential intervention targets for improving children's eating habits. There is a need for valid and reliable instruments to evaluate changes in food store snack and beverage availability secondary to intervention. The aim of this study was to develop a valid, reliable, and resource-efficient instrument to evaluate the healthfulness of food store environments faced by children. The SNACZ food store checklist was developed to assess availability of healthier alternatives to the energy-dense snacks and beverages commonly consumed by children. After pretesting, two trained observers independently assessed the availability of 48 snack and beverage items in 50 food stores located near elementary and middle schools in Portland, Oregon, over a 2-week period in summer 2012. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the kappa statistic. Overall, the instrument had mostly high inter-rater reliability. Seventy-three percent of items assessed had almost perfect or substantial reliability. Two items had moderate reliability (0.41-0.60), and no items had a reliability score less than 0.41. Eleven items occurred too infrequently to generate a kappa score. The SNACZ food store checklist is a first-step toward developing a valid and reliable tool to evaluate the healthfulness of food store environments faced by children. The tool can be used to compare availability of healthier snack and beverage alternatives across communities and measure change secondary to intervention. As a wider variety of healthier snack and beverage alternatives become available in food stores, the checklist should be updated.

High hydrostatic pressure processing reduces the glycemic index of fresh mango puree in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Elizondo-Montemayor, Leticia; Hernández-Brenes, Carmen; Ramos-Parra, Perla A; Moreno-Sánchez, Diana; Nieblas, Bianca; Rosas-Pérez, Aratza M; Lamadrid-Zertuche, Ana C

2015-04-01

Dietary guidelines recommend the daily consumption of fruits; however, healthy and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects receive conflicting messages regarding ingestion of fruits, such as mango, because of its sugar content. We investigated the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing of fresh mango puree (MP) on the glycemic indexes (GIs) and postprandial glycemic responses of 38 healthy Mexican subjects in a randomized cross-over clinical trial. Physicochemical characterization of MP included sugar profiles by HPLC-ELSD, starch, fibers, moisture, viscosity, swelling capacity and solubility properties of alcohol insoluble residue (AIR). The mean GI for HHP-MP was significantly lower (32.7 ± 13.4) than that of unprocessed-MP (42.7 ± 19.5). A significantly higher proportion of subjects showed a low GI following the consumption of HHP-MP compared to unprocessed-MP and none of them showed a high GI for the HHP-MP, compared to a significantly higher proportion for the unprocessed-MP. The viscosity and AIR solubility values of HHP-MP samples were significantly higher, which influenced glucose peaking later (Tmax) at 45 minutes and induced 20% lower AUC values than unprocessed-MP, corresponding to greater retardation indexes. The study findings support data stating that low GI fruits are appropriate for glycemic control and that mango may be included as part of healthy subjects' diets and potentially T2DM subjects' diets. Furthermore, HHP processing of mango may offer additional benefits for glycemic control, as its performance regarding GI, AUC and Tmax was significantly better than that of the unprocessed-MP. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the impact of this commercial non-thermal pasteurization technology on glucose metabolism.

2013-2014 Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies Items Designated as Fortified

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) is used to convert food and beverages consumed in What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA, NHANES) into gram amounts and determine their nutrient values. The file of Items Designated as Fortified in F...

Macronutrient Composition of Menu Offerings in Fast Food Restaurants in the U.S.

PubMed

Jarlenski, Marian P; Wolfson, Julia A; Bleich, Sara N

2016-10-01

A high intake of fast food is associated with increased obesity risk. This study assessed recent changes in caloric content and macronutrient composition in large U.S. fast food restaurants. Data from the MenuStat project included 11,737 menu items in 37 fast food restaurants from 2012 to 2014. Generalized linear models were used to examine changes in the caloric content and corresponding changes in the macronutrient composition (non-sugar carbohydrates, sugar, unsaturated fat, saturated fat, and protein) of menu items over time. Additionally, macronutrient composition was compared in menu items newly introduced in 2013 and 2014, relative to 2012. Analyses, conducted in January 2016, controlled for restaurant and were stratified by menu categories. Overall, there was a 22-calorie reduction in food items from 2012 to 2014. Beverages had a 46-calorie increase, explained by an increase in calories from sugar (12 calories) and saturated fat (16 calories). Newly introduced main courses in 2014 had 59 calories fewer than those on 2012 menus, explained by a 54-calorie reduction in unsaturated fat, while other macronutrient content remained fairly constant. Newly introduced dessert items in 2014 had 90 calories more than those on 2012 menus, explained primarily by an increase of 57 calories of sugar. Overall, there were relatively minor changes in menu items' caloric and macronutrient composition. Although declines in caloric content among newly introduced fast food main courses may improve the public's caloric intake, it appears that the macronutrient composition of newly introduced items did not shift to a healthier profile. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Government food service policies and guidelines do not create healthy school canteens.

PubMed

de Silva-Sanigorski, Andrea; Breheny, Tara; Jones, Laura; Lacy, Kathleen; Kremer, Peter; Carpenter, Lauren; Bolton, Kristy; Prosser, Lauren; Gibbs, Lisa; Waters, Elizabeth; Swinburn, Boyd

2011-04-01

In 2006, the Victorian Government adopted the School Canteens and other school Food Services (SCFS) Policy that bans the sale of sweet drinks and confectionary and recommends the proportions of menu items based on a traffic light system of food classification. This study aims to determine whether compliance with the policy improves the nutritional profile of the menus. Items from food service menus were assessed for compliance with the SCFS policy and categorised as 'everyday' ('green'), 'select carefully' ('amber') or 'occasionally' ('red') (n=106). Profile analysis assessed differences in the nutritional profile of the menus between sub-groups. Overall, 37% of menus contained items banned under the policy. The largest proportion of items on the assessed menus were from the 'amber' category (mean: 51.0%), followed by 'red' (29.3%) and 'green' (20.3%). No menus met the traffic light-based recommendations and there was no relationship between policy compliance and the proportion of items in each of the three categories. To increase the healthiness of the school food service we recommend a greater investment in resources and infrastructure to implement existing policies, and establishing stronger monitoring and support systems. © 2011 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2011 Public Health Association of Australia.

Consumers' conceptualization of ultra-processed foods.

PubMed

Ares, Gastón; Vidal, Leticia; Allegue, Gimena; Giménez, Ana; Bandeira, Elisa; Moratorio, Ximena; Molina, Verónika; Curutchet, María Rosa

2016-10-01

Consumption of ultra-processed foods has been associated with low diet quality, obesity and other non-communicable diseases. This situation makes it necessary to develop educational campaigns to discourage consumers from substituting meals based on unprocessed or minimally processed foods by ultra-processed foods. In this context, the aim of the present work was to investigate how consumers conceptualize the term ultra-processed foods and to evaluate if the foods they perceive as ultra-processed are in concordance with the products included in the NOVA classification system. An online study was carried out with 2381 participants. They were asked to explain what they understood by ultra-processed foods and to list foods that can be considered ultra-processed. Responses were analysed using inductive coding. The great majority of the participants was able to provide an explanation of what ultra-processed foods are, which was similar to the definition described in the literature. Most of the participants described ultra-processed foods as highly processed products that usually contain additives and other artificial ingredients, stressing that they have low nutritional quality and are unhealthful. The most relevant products for consumers' conceptualization of the term were in agreement with the NOVA classification system and included processed meats, soft drinks, snacks, burgers, powdered and packaged soups and noodles. However, some of the participants perceived processed foods, culinary ingredients and even some minimally processed foods as ultra-processed. This suggests that in order to accurately convey their message, educational campaigns aimed at discouraging consumers from consuming ultra-processed foods should include a clear definition of the term and describe some of their specific characteristics, such as the type of ingredients included in their formulation and their nutritional composition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Apollo food technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M. C., Jr.; Heidelbaugh, N. D.; Rambaut, P. C.; Rapp, R. M.; Wheeler, H. O.; Huber, C. S.; Bourland, C. T.

1975-01-01

Large improvements and advances in space food systems achieved during the Apollo food program are discussed. Modifications of the Apollo food system were directed primarily toward improving delivery of adequate nutrition to the astronaut. Individual food items and flight menus were modified as nutritional countermeasures to the effects of weightlessness. Unique food items were developed, including some that provided nutritional completeness, high acceptability, and ready-to-eat, shelf-stable convenience. Specialized food packages were also developed. The Apollo program experience clearly showed that future space food systems will require well-directed efforts to achieve the optimum potential of food systems in support of the physiological and psychological well-being of astronauts and crews.

Estimation of Microbial Contamination of Food from Prevalence and Concentration Data: Application to Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Vegetables▿

PubMed Central

Crépet, Amélie; Albert, Isabelle; Dervin, Catherine; Carlin, Frédéric

2007-01-01

A normal distribution and a mixture model of two normal distributions in a Bayesian approach using prevalence and concentration data were used to establish the distribution of contamination of the food-borne pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes in unprocessed and minimally processed fresh vegetables. A total of 165 prevalence studies, including 15 studies with concentration data, were taken from the scientific literature and from technical reports and used for statistical analysis. The predicted mean of the normal distribution of the logarithms of viable L. monocytogenes per gram of fresh vegetables was −2.63 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g, and its standard deviation was 1.48 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g. These values were determined by considering one contaminated sample in prevalence studies in which samples are in fact negative. This deliberate overestimation is necessary to complete calculations. With the mixture model, the predicted mean of the distribution of the logarithm of viable L. monocytogenes per gram of fresh vegetables was −3.38 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g and its standard deviation was 1.46 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g. The probabilities of fresh unprocessed and minimally processed vegetables being contaminated with concentrations higher than 1, 2, and 3 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g were 1.44, 0.63, and 0.17%, respectively. Introducing a sensitivity rate of 80 or 95% in the mixture model had a small effect on the estimation of the contamination. In contrast, introducing a low sensitivity rate (40%) resulted in marked differences, especially for high percentiles. There was a significantly lower estimation of contamination in the papers and reports of 2000 to 2005 than in those of 1988 to 1999 and a lower estimation of contamination of leafy salads than that of sprouts and other vegetables. The interest of the mixture model for the estimation of microbial contamination is discussed. PMID:17098926

Multispectral imaging system for contaminant detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poole, Gavin H. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An automated inspection system for detecting digestive contaminants on food items as they are being processed for consumption includes a conveyor for transporting the food items, a light sealed enclosure which surrounds a portion of the conveyor, with a light source and a multispectral or hyperspectral digital imaging camera disposed within the enclosure. Operation of the conveyor, light source and camera are controlled by a central computer unit. Light reflected by the food items within the enclosure is detected in predetermined wavelength bands, and detected intensity values are analyzed to detect the presence of digestive contamination.

Pest risk assessment of the importation into the United States of unprocessed logs and chips of eighteen Eucalypt species from Australia.

Treesearch

John T. Kliejunas; Harold H., Jr. Burdsall; Gregg A. DeNitto; Andris Eglitis; Dennis A. Haugen; Michael I. Harverty; Jessie A. Micales; Mark R. Powell

2003-01-01

The unmitigated pest risk potential for the importation of unprocessed logs and chips of 18 species of eucalypts (Eucalyptus amygdalina, E. cloeziana, E. delegatensis, E. diversicolor, E. dunnii, E. globulus, E. grandis, E. nitens, E. obliqua, E. ovata, E. pilularis, E. regnans, E. saligna, E. sieberi, E. viminalis, Corymbia calophylla, C. citriodora, and C. maculata)...

A nudge in a healthy direction. The effect of nutrition labels on food purchasing behaviors in university dining facilities.

PubMed

Cioffi, Catherine E; Levitsky, David A; Pacanowski, Carly R; Bertz, Fredrik

2015-09-01

Despite legislation that requires restaurants to post nutritional labels on their products or menu items, the scientific literature provides inconsistent support for the idea that adding labels to foods will change buying patterns. Lack of success of previous research may be that sample sizes have been too small and durations of studies too short. To assess the effect of nutrition labeling on pre-packaged food purchases in university dining facilities. Weekly sales data for a sample of pre-packaged food items were obtained and analyzed, spanning three semesters before and three semesters after nutritional labels were introduced on to the sample of foods. The labels summarized caloric content and nutrient composition information. Mean nutrient composition purchased were calculated for the sample of foods. Labeled food items were categorized as high-calorie, low-calorie, high-fat, or low-fat foods and analyzed for change as a function of the introduction of the labels. Data were obtained from all retail dining units located at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY where the pre-packaged food items were sold. Results indicated that the introduction of food labels resulted in a 7% reduction of the mean total kcals purchased per week (p < 0.001) from the labeled foods. Total fat purchased per week were also reduced by 7% (p < 0.001). Percent of sales from "low-calorie" and "low-fat" foods (p < 0.001) increased, while percent of sales from "high-calorie" and "high-fat" foods decreased (p < 0.001). The results suggest that nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods in a large university dining hall produces a small but significant reduction of labeled high calorie and high fat foods purchased and an increase in low calorie, low fat foods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An investigation into between-meal food desires among hospitalised haematological cancer patients.

PubMed

Okkels, S L; Bredie, W L P; Klausen, T W; Beck, A M

2016-04-01

Hospitalised haematological cancer patients often suffer from reduced appetite and food intake, which negatively influences the patients' well-being and nutritional status. The aim of this study was to identify specific between-meal food desires in a patient group, in order to increase food intake. The study was conducted using a picture-aided questionnaire, and relating the preferences to factors that could easily be implemented in the hospital menu, such as time of the day and texture. Moreover, the results of the questionnaire were verified by acceptance tests on six selected food items. A structured 42 items food questionnaire was developed and used to quantify appetitive food desires in patients during morning (11 am) and afternoon (3 pm) sessions. Food items were scored according to patients' preferences and immediate desire to eat. A total of 112 hospitalised haematological cancer patients, screened for nutrition-related symptoms, participated. Univariate statistical models were used to investigate the influence of time-of-day and food texture on between-meal desires. Fresh fruit, ice cream, cheese and mashed potatoes with bacon were the most desired food items. Patients showed significant higher desire to eat in the morning as opposed to the afternoon. Moreover, texture had an influence on food desire, where liquid food was more desired than food with soft or coarse texture. Ranking of food desires among hospitalised cancer patients showed inclination for fresh fruit, ice cream, mashed potatoes with bacon, and cheese. Time of the day (morning) and texture (liquid) had the greatest and most positive impact on food desires. The findings may be easily implemented in hospital food service routines for cancer patients, and might positively contribute to patients' well-being and nutrition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Competitive foods available in Pennsylvania public high schools.

PubMed

Probart, Claudia; McDonnell, Elaine; Weirich, J Elaine; Hartman, Terryl; Bailey-Davis, Lisa; Prabhakher, Vaheedha

2005-08-01

This study examined the types and extent of competitive foods available in public high schools in Pennsylvania. We developed, pilot tested, and distributed surveys to school foodservice directors in a random sample of 271 high schools in Pennsylvania. Two hundred twenty-eight surveys were returned, for a response rate of 84%. Statistical analyses were performed: Descriptive statistics were used to examine the extent of competitive food sales in Pennsylvania public high schools. The survey data were analyzed using SPSS software version 11.5.1 (2002, SPSS base 11.0 for Windows, SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). A la carte sales provide almost dollar 700/day to school foodservice programs, almost 85% of which receive no financial support from their school districts. The top-selling a la carte items are "hamburgers, pizza, and sandwiches." Ninety-four percent of respondents indicated that vending machines are accessible to students. The item most commonly offered in vending machines is bottled water (71.5%). While food items are less often available through school stores and club fund-raisers, candy is the item most commonly offered through these sources. Competitive foods are widely available in high schools. Although many of the items available are low in nutritional value, we found several of the top-selling a la carte options to be nutritious and bottled water the item most often identified as available through vending machines.

Dietary choline and betaine intakes vary in an adult multiethnic population.

PubMed

Yonemori, Kim M; Lim, Unhee; Koga, Karin R; Wilkens, Lynne R; Au, Donna; Boushey, Carol J; Le Marchand, Loïc; Kolonel, Laurence N; Murphy, Suzanne P

2013-06-01

Choline and betaine are important nutrients for human health, but reference food composition databases for these nutrients became available only recently. We tested the feasibility of using these databases to estimate dietary choline and betaine intakes among ethnically diverse adults who participated in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study. Of the food items (n = 965) used to quantify intakes for the MEC FFQ, 189 items were exactly matched with items in the USDA Database for the Choline Content of Common Foods for total choline, choline-containing compounds, and betaine, and 547 items were matched to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference for total choline (n = 547) and 148 for betaine. When a match was not found, choline and betaine values were imputed based on the same food with a different form (124 food items for choline, 300 for choline compounds, 236 for betaine), a similar food (n = 98, 284, and 227, respectively) or the closest item in the same food category (n = 6, 191, and 157, respectively), or the values were assumed to be zero (n = 1, 1, and 8, respectively). The resulting mean intake estimates for choline and betaine among 188,147 MEC participants (aged 45-75) varied by sex (372 and 154 mg/d in men, 304 and 128 mg/d in women, respectively; P-heterogeneity < 0.0001) and by race/ethnicity among Caucasians, African Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and Native Hawaiians (P-heterogeneity < 0.0001), largely due to the variation in energy intake. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of assessing choline and betaine intake and characterize the variation in intake that exists in a multiethnic population.

Dietary Choline and Betaine Intakes Vary in an Adult Multiethnic Population123

PubMed Central

Yonemori, Kim M.; Lim, Unhee; Koga, Karin R.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Au, Donna; Boushey, Carol J.; Le Marchand, Loïc; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Murphy, Suzanne P.

2013-01-01

Choline and betaine are important nutrients for human health, but reference food composition databases for these nutrients became available only recently. We tested the feasibility of using these databases to estimate dietary choline and betaine intakes among ethnically diverse adults who participated in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study. Of the food items (n = 965) used to quantify intakes for the MEC FFQ, 189 items were exactly matched with items in the USDA Database for the Choline Content of Common Foods for total choline, choline-containing compounds, and betaine, and 547 items were matched to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference for total choline (n = 547) and 148 for betaine. When a match was not found, choline and betaine values were imputed based on the same food with a different form (124 food items for choline, 300 for choline compounds, 236 for betaine), a similar food (n = 98, 284, and 227, respectively) or the closest item in the same food category (n = 6, 191, and 157, respectively), or the values were assumed to be zero (n = 1, 1, and 8, respectively). The resulting mean intake estimates for choline and betaine among 188,147 MEC participants (aged 45–75) varied by sex (372 and 154 mg/d in men, 304 and 128 mg/d in women, respectively; P-heterogeneity < 0.0001) and by race/ethnicity among Caucasians, African Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and Native Hawaiians (P-heterogeneity < 0.0001), largely due to the variation in energy intake. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of assessing choline and betaine intake and characterize the variation in intake that exists in a multiethnic population. PMID:23616508

Further examination of factors that influence preference for positive versus negative reinforcement.

PubMed

Kodak, Tiffany; Lerman, Dorothea C; Volkert, Valerie M; Trosclair, Nicole

2007-01-01

Factors that influence choice between qualitatively different reinforcers (e.g., a food item or a break from work) are important to consider when arranging treatments for problem behavior. Previous findings indicate that children who engage in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands may choose a food item over the functional reinforcer during treatment (DeLeon, Neidert, Anders, & Rodriguez-Catter, 2001; Lalli et al., 1999). However, a number of variables may influence choice between concurrently available forms of reinforcement. An analogue for treatment situations in which positive reinforcement for compliance is in direct competition with negative reinforcement for problem behavior was used in the current study to evaluate several variables that may influence choice. Participants were 5 children who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and who engaged in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands. In the first phase, the effects of task preference and schedule of reinforcement on choice between a 30-s break and a high-preference food item were evaluated. The food item was preferred over the break, regardless of the preference level of the task or the reinforcement schedule, for all but 1 participant. In the second phase, the quality of the break was manipulated by combining escape with toys, attention, or both. Only 1 participant showed preference for the enriched break. In the third phase, choice of a medium- or low-preference food item versus the enriched break was evaluated. Three of 4 participants showed preference for the break over the less preferred food item. Results extend previous research by identifying some of the conditions under which individuals who engage in escape-maintained behavior will prefer a food reinforcer over the functional one.

Further Examination of Factors that Influence Preference for Positive Versus Negative Reinforcement

PubMed Central

Kodak, Tiffany; Lerman, Dorothea C; Volkert, Valerie M; Trosclair, Nicole

2007-01-01

Factors that influence choice between qualitatively different reinforcers (e.g., a food item or a break from work) are important to consider when arranging treatments for problem behavior. Previous findings indicate that children who engage in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands may choose a food item over the functional reinforcer during treatment (DeLeon, Neidert, Anders, & Rodriguez-Catter, 2001; Lalli et al., 1999). However, a number of variables may influence choice between concurrently available forms of reinforcement. An analogue for treatment situations in which positive reinforcement for compliance is in direct competition with negative reinforcement for problem behavior was used in the current study to evaluate several variables that may influence choice. Participants were 5 children who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and who engaged in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands. In the first phase, the effects of task preference and schedule of reinforcement on choice between a 30-s break and a high-preference food item were evaluated. The food item was preferred over the break, regardless of the preference level of the task or the reinforcement schedule, for all but 1 participant. In the second phase, the quality of the break was manipulated by combining escape with toys, attention, or both. Only 1 participant showed preference for the enriched break. In the third phase, choice of a medium- or low-preference food item versus the enriched break was evaluated. Three of 4 participants showed preference for the break over the less preferred food item. Results extend previous research by identifying some of the conditions under which individuals who engage in escape-maintained behavior will prefer a food reinforcer over the functional one. PMID:17471792

Design and development of a meal system for the elderly. [public health - nutrition/diet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Food preference surveys (taste tests) were performed for 95 food items (which were selected from an original list of 150 items), and 21 menus were developed from the survey results. Each menu contains an entree, two side dishes, dessert, and a beverage. Food manufacturing specifications for freeze dried foods, frozen foods, and beverages are examined, and product labeling and packaging requirements are discussed. The nutritional value of the various foods is listed in tabular form, and sample product labels are shown. Cost estimates per serving are also included.

Evaluation of a short food frequency questionnaire used among Norwegian children.

PubMed

Lillegaard, Inger Therese L; Overby, Nina Cecilie; Andersen, Lene Frost

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) against a four-day precoded food diary (PFD) with regard to frequency of food intake among Norwegian 9- and 13-year-olds. A total of 733 9-year-olds and 904 13-year-olds completed first a short FFQ and one to two weeks later a four-day PFD. The short FFQ included questions about 23 food items, including different drinks, fruits, vegetables, bread, fish, pizza, sweets, chocolate and savoury snacks. The PFD covered the whole diet. When comparing mean intake from the PFD with comparable food items in the FFQ, all food items showed that increasing intake measured with the PFD corresponded with increasing intake with the short FFQ. However, participants reported a significantly higher frequency of intake for most foods with the short FFQ compared with PFD, except for soft drinks with sugar and sweets. The median Spearman correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.36 among the 9-year-olds and 0.32 among the 13-year-olds. Often eaten foods such as fruits and vegetables had higher correlations than seldom eaten foods such as pizza and potato chips. The median correlation coefficients for drinks alone were higher (r=0.47) for both age groups. Results indicate that the short FFQ was able to identify high and low consumers of food intake and had a moderate capability to rank individuals according to food intake. Drinks, fruits and vegetables had better correlations with the PFD than infrequently eaten food items.

Evaluation of a short food frequency questionnaire used among Norwegian children

PubMed Central

Lillegaard, Inger Therese L.; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Andersen, Lene Frost

2012-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) against a four-day precoded food diary (PFD) with regard to frequency of food intake among Norwegian 9- and 13-year-olds. Subjects and design A total of 733 9-year-olds and 904 13-year-olds completed first a short FFQ and one to two weeks later a four-day PFD. The short FFQ included questions about 23 food items, including different drinks, fruits, vegetables, bread, fish, pizza, sweets, chocolate and savoury snacks. The PFD covered the whole diet. Results When comparing mean intake from the PFD with comparable food items in the FFQ, all food items showed that increasing intake measured with the PFD corresponded with increasing intake with the short FFQ. However, participants reported a significantly higher frequency of intake for most foods with the short FFQ compared with PFD, except for soft drinks with sugar and sweets. The median Spearman correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.36 among the 9-year-olds and 0.32 among the 13-year-olds. Often eaten foods such as fruits and vegetables had higher correlations than seldom eaten foods such as pizza and potato chips. The median correlation coefficients for drinks alone were higher (r=0.47) for both age groups. Conclusions Results indicate that the short FFQ was able to identify high and low consumers of food intake and had a moderate capability to rank individuals according to food intake. Drinks, fruits and vegetables had better correlations with the PFD than infrequently eaten food items. PMID:22259597

Neurobiological evidence for attention bias to food, emotional dysregulation, disinhibition and deficient somatosensory awareness in obesity with binge eating disorder.

PubMed

Aviram-Friedman, Roni; Astbury, Nerys; Ochner, Christopher N; Contento, Isobel; Geliebter, Allan

2018-02-01

To refine the biobehavioral markers of binge eating disorder (BED). We conducted fMRI brain scans using images of high energy processed food (HEPF), low energy unprocessed food (LEUF), or non-foods (NF) in 42 adults (obese with BED [obese -BED; n=13] and obese with no BED [obese non-BED; n=29]) selected via ads. Two blood oxygenated level dependent (BOLD) signal contrast maps were examined: food versus nonfood, and HEPF versus LEUF. In addition, score differences on the disinhibition scale were correlated with BOLD signals. food versus nonfood showed greater BOLD activity for BED in emotional, motivational and somatosensory brain areas: insula, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), Brodmann areas (BA) 19 & 32, inferior parietal lobule (IPL), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and lingual, postcentral, middle temporal and cuneate gyri (p≤0.005; k≥88). HEPF versus LEUF showed greater BOLD activity for BED in inhibitory brain regions: BA 6, middle and superior frontal gyri (p<0.01; k≥119). The groups also differed in the relationships between disinhibition and BOLD activity in the postcentral gyrus (PCG; p=0.04) and ACC-BA 32 (p=0.02). For all participants jointly, PCG BOLD amplitude predicted greater disinhibition (p=0.04). Food images elicited neural activity indicating attention bias (cuneate & PCG), emotion dysregulation (BA 19 & 32), and disinhibition (MFG, BA6 & SFG) in obese with BED. These may help tailor a treatment for the obesity with BED phenotype. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Measuring the food environment in three rural towns in New South Wales, Australia.

PubMed

Innes-Hughes, Christine; Boylan, Sinead; King, Lesley A; Lobb, Elizabeth

2012-08-01

Food availability affects eating habits, and in the Australian context, refers to the numbers and locations of food retail and food service outlets and the types and range of foods in those outlets. The aim of this study was to assess the community and consumer food environment in three small rural towns in New South Wales, Australia. Geographical analyses were used to measure the diversity, variety and locations of food outlets (community food environment); and checklists were used to assess the availability of selected indicator foods within food outlets (consumer food environment). Supermarkets provided access to the full range of healthy indicator foods, with convenience stores selling a more limited set of healthy food items. There were high numbers of take-away food outlets in each town that had no, or a limited number of, healthy food items. Energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods such as soft drinks and potato crisps were readily available across all food retail outlets in all towns. This study illustrates a valid, reliable and practical way of systematically describing food availability at a local level. The findings emphasise the ubiquity of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, and suggest that interventions to promote the availability of healthier food items in take-away food outlets are required. Further research is required to assess other factors which may affect residents' food access, such as cost and transport.

Evaluating compliance to a low glycaemic index (GI) diet in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

PubMed

Egan, Nicola; Read, Anna; Riley, Paddy; Atiomo, William

2011-03-08

A low Glycaemic Index (GI) diet may decrease some long-term health risks in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) such as endometrial cancer. This study was performed to assess compliance to a low GI diet in women with PCOS. Food diaries prospectively collected over 6 months from women on a low GI diet or healthy eating diet were analysed retrospectively. The women were recruited for a pilot randomised control trial investigating whether a low GI diet decreased the risk of Endometrial Cancer. Nine women with PCOS completed 33 food diaries (17 from women on a low GI diet and 16 from women on a healthy eating diet) recording 3023 food items (low GI group:n = 1457; healthy eating group:n = 1566). Data was analysed using Foster-Powell international values inserted into an SPSS database as no scientifically valid established nutrition software was found. The main outcome measures were mean item GI and Glyacemic Load (GL), mean meal GL, percentage high GI foods and mean weight loss. Women allocated the low GI diet had a statistically significant lower GI of food items (33.67 vs 36.91, p < 0.05), lower percentage of high GI foods (4.3% vs 12.1%, p < 0.05) and lower GL of food items and meals. Women with PCOS on a low GI diet consumed food items with a significantly lower mean GI and GL compared to the healthy eating diet group. Longer term compliance needs evaluation in subsequent studies to ascertain that this translates to reduced long term health risks. ISRCTN: ISRCTN86420258.

Using lytic bacteriophages to eliminate or significantly reduce contamination of food by foodborne bacterial pathogens.

PubMed

Sulakvelidze, Alexander

2013-10-01

Bacteriophages (also called 'phages') are viruses that kill bacteria. They are arguably the oldest (3 billion years old, by some estimates) and most ubiquitous (total number estimated to be 10(30) -10(32) ) known organisms on Earth. Phages play a key role in maintaining microbial balance in every ecosystem where bacteria exist, and they are part of the normal microflora of all fresh, unprocessed foods. Interest in various practical applications of bacteriophages has been gaining momentum recently, with perhaps the most attention focused on using them to improve food safety. That approach, called 'phage biocontrol', typically includes three main types of applications: (i) using phages to treat domesticated livestock in order to reduce their intestinal colonization with, and shedding of, specific bacterial pathogens; (ii) treatments for decontaminating inanimate surfaces in food-processing facilities and other food establishments, so that foods processed on those surfaces are not cross-contaminated with the targeted pathogens; and (iii) post-harvest treatments involving direct applications of phages onto the harvested foods. This mini-review primarily focuses on the last type of intervention, which has been gaining the most momentum recently. Indeed, the results of recent studies dealing with improving food safety, and several recent regulatory approvals of various commercial phage preparations developed for post-harvest food safety applications, strongly support the idea that lytic phages may provide a safe, environmentally-friendly, and effective approach for significantly reducing contamination of various foods with foodborne bacterial pathogens. However, some important technical and nontechnical problems may need to be addressed before phage biocontrol protocols can become an integral part of routine food safety intervention strategies implemented by food industries in the USA. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Association of neighbourhood food availability with the consumption of processed and ultra-processed food products by children in a city of Brazil: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Leite, Fernanda Helena Marrocos; de Carvalho Cremm, Elena; de Abreu, Débora Silva Costa; Oliveira, Maria Aparecida de; Budd, Nadine; Martins, Paula Andrea

2018-01-01

To investigate the association between neighbourhood food availability and the consumption of ready-to-consume products (RCP), either processed or ultra-processed, and unprocessed/minimally processed foods (UF-MPF) by children. Cross-sectional. 24 h Dietary recalls were collected from children from January 2010 to June 2011. Neighbourhood food availability data were collected from 672 food stores located within 500 m of participants' homes, using an adapted and validated instrument. Neighbourhood-level socio-economic status (SES) was obtained by calculating the mean years of household head's education level in each census tract covered by 500 m buffers. Foods that were consumed by children and/or available in the food stores were classified based on their degree of industrial processing. Multilevel random-effect models examined the association between neighbourhood food availability and children's diets. Santos, Brazil. Children (n 513) under 10 years old (292 aged <6 years, 221 aged ≥6 years). The availability of RCP in food stores was associated with increased RCP consumption (P<0·001) and decreased UF-MPF consumption (P<0·001). The consumption of UF-MPF was positively associated with neighbourhood-level SES (P<0·01), but not with the availability of UF-MPF in the neighbourhood. Results suggest that food policies and interventions that aim to reduce RCP consumption in Santos and similar settings should focus on reducing the availability in food stores. The results also suggest that interventions should not only increase the availability of UF-MPF in lower-SES neighbourhoods, but should strive to make UF-MPF accessible within these environments.

Pattern of food intolerance in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms.

PubMed

Caselli, Michele; Lo Cascio, Natalina; Rabitti, Stefano; Eusebi, Leonardo H; Zeni, Elena; Soavi, Cecilia; Cassol, Francesca; Zuliani, Giovanni; Zagari, Rocco M

2017-12-01

Many food items have been involved in gastro-esophageal reflux disease pathogenesis and dietary modification has been proposed as first-line treatment. Test-based exclusion diets have shown to significantly reduce reflux symptoms. We aimed to assess the patterns of food intolerance in a series of patients with typical gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms (GERS). We retrospectively evaluated all patients with typical reflux symptoms, attending the Centre Study Association on Food Intolerance and Nutrition of Ferrara from January 2010 to October 2015, who resulted positive to at least one food item at the Leucocytotoxic Test. The presence and severity of typical GERS (heartburn and/or acid regurgitation) were assessed using the Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease Impact Scale (GIS) questionnaire. Only individuals with a GIS Score of at least 5 points were included. Almost all patients (91.1%) were intolerant to at least 5 food items. The most frequent food intolerance (more than 33% of patients) were found for milk (55.4%), lettuce (46.4%), coffee (43.7%), brewer's yeast (42.9%), pork (42.9%), tuna (37.5%), rice (35.7%), sole (34.8%), asparagus (34.8%) and eggs (33.9%). Nine different clusters of food intolerance were detected. Patients with typical gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms seem to have intolerance to multiple food items, some of which (lettuce, brewer's yeast, tuna, rice, sole and asparagus) have not yet been associated to gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Point-of-purchase nutrition information influences food-purchasing behaviors of college students: a pilot study.

PubMed

Freedman, Marjorie R; Connors, Rachel

2011-05-01

The goal of point-of-purchase (POP) nutrition information is to help consumers make informed, healthful choices. Despite limited evaluation, these population-based approaches are being advocated to replace traditional, more expensive, individual behavior-change strategies. Few studies have examined the effect of POP information on buying patterns of college students, a group with high obesity rates and poor eating habits. This quasi-experimental pilot project sought to determine whether the "Eat Smart" POP program affected food-purchasing habits of multiethnic college students shopping at an on-campus convenience store. Baseline sales data of foods in the cereal, soup, cracker, and bread categories were collected for 6 weeks during Fall 2008. After Winter break, a few food items within each of these food categories were labeled as healthful using a "Fuel Your Life" shelf tag, and sales data were then collected for 5 weeks. In each of the four food categories, nontagged foods were available at the identical price as tagged items. Following intervention, there were increased sales of tagged items (measured as a percentage of total sales) in the cereal, soup, and cracker categories, while sales of bread decreased. Although none of these changes were statistically significant, the intervention resulted in a 3.6%±1.6% (P=0.082) increase in the percentage of sales from tagged items. Thus, providing POP nutrition information in a college campus convenience store may promote healthful food choices. A longer study examining the effect of POP on sales of items in other food categories is warranted. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lexical-semantic deficits in processing food and non-food items.

PubMed

Rumiati, Raffaella I; Foroni, Francesco; Pergola, Giulio; Rossi, Paola; Silveri, Maria Caterina

2016-12-01

The study of category specific deficits in brain-damaged patients has been instrumental in explaining how knowledge about different types of objects is organized in the brain. Much of this research focused on testing putative semantic sensory/functional subsystems that could explain the observed dissociations in performance between living things (e.g., animals and fruits/vegetables) and non-living things (e.g., tools). As neuropsychological patterns that did not fit the original living/non-living distinction were observed, an alternative organization of semantic memory in domains constrained by evolutionary pressure was hypothesized. However, the category of food, that contains both living-natural items, such as an apple, and nonliving-manufactured items as in the case of a hamburger, has never been systematically investigated. As such, food category could turn out to be very useful to test whether the brain organizes the knowledge about food in sensory/functional subsystems, in a specific domain, or whether both approaches might need to be integrated. In the present study we tested the ability of patients with Alzheimer dementia (AD) and with Primary Progressive Aphasias (PPA) as well as healthy controls to perform a confrontation naming task, a categorization task, and a comprehension of edible (natural and manufactured food) and non edible items (tools and non-edible natural things) task (Tasks 1-3). The same photographs of natural and manufactured food were presented together with a description of food's sensory or functional property that could be either congruent or incongruent with that particular food (Task 4). Patients were overall less accurate than healthy individuals, and PPA patients were generally more impaired than AD patients, especially on the naming task. Food tended to be processed better than non-food in two out of three tasks (categorization and comprehension tasks). Patient groups showed no difference in naming food and non-food items, while controls were more accurate with non-food than food (controlling for the linguistic variables and calorie content). AD patients named manufactured food more accurately than natural food (with PPA and controls showing no difference). Recognition of food and, to some extent, of manufactured food seems to be more resilient to brain damage, possibly by virtue of its survival relevance. Furthermore, on Task 4 patients showed an advantage for the sensory-natural pairs over sensory-manufactured combination. Overall, findings do not fit an existing model of semantic memory and suggest that properties intrinsic to the food items (such as the level of transformation and the calorie content) or even to the participants like the Body Mass Index (as shown in another study reviewed here) should be considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stennis employees join Feds Feed Families effort

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-09

Cabrina Bell (l to r) and Jeanie Frederick with the Stennis Space Center Office of Human Capital help Hancock County Food Pantry representatives Edward Catone and Frank Manchester load collected food items July 9 as part of the 2010 Feds Feed Families campaign. The second annual national food drive was launched last month and involves federal agencies and employees across the country. Organizers hope to collect 1.2 million pounds of food items throughout the summer.

Feeding ecology of Gila boraxobius (Osteichthyes: Cyprindae) endemic to a thermal lake in southeastern Oregon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, J.E.; Williams, C.D.

1980-06-30

Gila boraxobius is a dwarf species of cyprinid endemic to a thermal lake in southeastern Oregon. Despite a relatively depauperate fauna and flora in the lake, 24 food items were found in intestines of G. boraxobius. Ten of the 24 foods, including six insects, were of terrestrial origin. The relative importance of food items fluctuated seasonally. Diatoms, chironomid larvae, microcrustaceans, and dipteran adults were the primary foods during spring. In summer, diatoms decreased and terrestrial insects increased in importance. During autumn important foods were terrestrial insects, chironomid larvae, and diatoms. Diatoms and microcrustaceans increased in importance during winter. Chironomid larvaemore » were of importance in winter, when the importance of terrestrial food items decreased substantially. Similar food habits were observed between juveniles and adults, except that adults consumed more gastropods and diatoms and juveniles consumed more copepods and terrestrial insects. Gila boraxobius feeds opportunistically with individuals commonly containing mostly one food item. Fish typically feed by picking foods from soft bottom sediments or from rocks. However, fish will feed throughout the water column or on the surface if food is abundant there. Gila boraxobius feeds throughout the day, with a peak in feeding activity just after sunset. A daily ration of 11.1 percent body weight was calculated for the species during June. A comparison of food habits among G. boraxobius and populations of G. alvordensis during the summer shows that all are opportunistic in feeding, but that G. boraxobius relies more heavily on terrestrial foods.« less

Maternal presence and environmental enrichment affect food neophobia of piglets

PubMed Central

Oostindjer, Marije; Muñoz, Julia Mas; Van den Brand, Henry; Kemp, Bas; Bolhuis, J. Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Young omnivores show food neophobia in order to avoid the potential harmful effects of ingesting unfamiliar food items. We investigated whether the presence of the mother and an enriched rearing environment would reduce food neophobia in piglets. A mother may provide information on suitable food types to include in the diet, whereas an enriched environment may stimulate behavioural development and reduce reactivity towards novel stimuli (including food). Five barren-reared or enriched-reared piglets per litter were exposed to two novel food items in the presence, and the other five per litter in the absence, of the mother in a 7 min test. Maternal presence reduced food neophobia profoundly as reflected in a reduced latency to touching the food, a higher proportion of piglets sampling the two different food items and a higher intake. Latency to touch the food, however, was affected by maternal presence more strongly for barren-reared piglets than for enriched-reared piglets, and in the absence of the sow, consumption of one novel food type and time spent in the feeding area were higher for enriched-reared piglets. Environmental enrichment does have the potential to reduce food neophobia, but the presence of the mother during the encounter with novel food seems more efficient in decreasing food neophobia of piglets. PMID:20554557

Development of a Robust Static Punch Experiment for Screening Unprocessed Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Unidirectional Cross-Ply Material

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

Cross-Ply Material by David Gray, Robert Kaste , and Paul Moy ARL-TR-7090 September 2014...Screening Unprocessed Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Unidirectional Cross-Ply Material David Gray, Robert Kaste , and Paul...ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) David Gray, Robert Kaste , and Paul Moy 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7

The share of ultra-processed foods determines the overall nutritional quality of diets in Brazil.

PubMed

Louzada, Maria Laura da Costa; Ricardo, Camila Zancheta; Steele, Euridice Martinez; Levy, Renata Bertazzi; Cannon, Geoffrey; Monteiro, Carlos Augusto

2018-01-01

To estimate the dietary share of ultra-processed foods and to determine its association with the overall nutritional quality of diets in Brazil. Cross-sectional. Brazil. A representative sample of 32 898 Brazilians aged ≥10 years was studied. Food intake data were collected. We calculated the average dietary content of individual nutrients and compared them across quintiles of energy share of ultra-processed foods. Then we identified nutrient-based dietary patterns, and evaluated the association between quintiles of dietary share of ultra-processed foods and the patterns' scores. The mean per capita daily dietary energy intake was 7933 kJ (1896 kcal), with 58·1 % from unprocessed or minimally processed foods, 10·9 % from processed culinary ingredients, 10·6 % from processed foods and 20·4 % from ultra-processed foods. Consumption of ultra-processed foods was directly associated with high consumption of free sugars and total, saturated and trans fats, and with low consumption of protein, dietary fibre, and most of the assessed vitamins and minerals. Four nutrient-based dietary patterns were identified. 'Healthy pattern 1' carried more protein and micronutrients, and less free sugars. 'Healthy pattern 2' carried more vitamins. 'Healthy pattern 3' carried more dietary fibre and minerals and less free sugars. 'Unhealthy pattern' carried more total, saturated and trans fats, and less dietary fibre. The dietary share of ultra-processed foods was inversely associated with 'healthy pattern 1' (-0·16; 95 % CI -0·17, -0·15) and 'healthy pattern 3' (-0·18; 95 % CI -0·19, -0·17), and directly associated with 'unhealthy pattern' (0·17; 95 % CI 0·15, 0·18). Dietary share of ultra-processed foods determines the overall nutritional quality of diets in Brazil.

Salmonella and eggs: from production to plate.

PubMed

Whiley, Harriet; Ross, Kirstin

2015-02-26

Salmonella contamination of eggs and egg shells has been identified as a public health concern worldwide. A recent shift in consumer preferences has impacted on the egg industry, with a push for cage-free egg production methods. There has also been an increased desire from consumers for raw and unprocessed foods, potentially increasing the risk of salmonellosis. In response to these changes, this review explores the current literature regarding Salmonella contamination of eggs during the production processing through to food handling protocols. The contamination of eggs with Salmonella during the production process is a complex issue, influenced by many variables including flock size, flock age, stress, feed, vaccination, and cleaning routines. Currently there is no consensus regarding the impact of caged, barn and free range egg production has on Salmonella contamination of eggs. The literature regarding the management and control strategies post-collection, during storage, transport and food handling is also reviewed. Pasteurisation and irradiation were identified as the only certain methods for controlling Salmonella and are essential for the protection of high risk groups, whereas control of temperature and pH were identified as potential control methods to minimise the risk for foods containing raw eggs; however, further research is required to provide more detailed control protocols and education programs to reduce the risk of salmonellosis from egg consumption.

Salmonella and Eggs: From Production to Plate

PubMed Central

Whiley, Harriet; Ross, Kirstin

2015-01-01

Salmonella contamination of eggs and egg shells has been identified as a public health concern worldwide. A recent shift in consumer preferences has impacted on the egg industry, with a push for cage-free egg production methods. There has also been an increased desire from consumers for raw and unprocessed foods, potentially increasing the risk of salmonellosis. In response to these changes, this review explores the current literature regarding Salmonella contamination of eggs during the production processing through to food handling protocols. The contamination of eggs with Salmonella during the production process is a complex issue, influenced by many variables including flock size, flock age, stress, feed, vaccination, and cleaning routines. Currently there is no consensus regarding the impact of caged, barn and free range egg production has on Salmonella contamination of eggs. The literature regarding the management and control strategies post-collection, during storage, transport and food handling is also reviewed. Pasteurisation and irradiation were identified as the only certain methods for controlling Salmonella and are essential for the protection of high risk groups, whereas control of temperature and pH were identified as potential control methods to minimise the risk for foods containing raw eggs; however, further research is required to provide more detailed control protocols and education programs to reduce the risk of salmonellosis from egg consumption. PMID:25730295

21 CFR 1.233 - What optional items are included in the registration form?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... extracts) and 11b (e.g., grain products, amino acids); (i) Type of storage, if the facility is primarily a... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What optional items are included in the registration form? 1.233 Section 1.233 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND...

21 CFR 1.233 - What optional items are included in the registration form?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... extracts) and 11b (e.g., grain products, amino acids); (i) Type of storage, if the facility is primarily a... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What optional items are included in the registration form? 1.233 Section 1.233 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND...

Dietary intake among adults in Trinidad and Tobago and development of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire to highlight nutritional needs for lifestyle interventions.

PubMed

Ramdath, D Dan; Hilaire, Debbie G; Cheong, Kimlyn D; Sharma, Sangita

2011-09-01

To create a food list and develop a draft quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) for Trinidad and Tobago. A mixed sampling method was used to obtain a representative sample and trained interviewers administered 24-h dietary recalls. Portion sizes were assessed and the most frequently reported foods were tabulated. Results are from 155 men and 169 women aged 21-64 years. The most frequently reported food items were: full-cream milk (64%), rice (61%), and sweetened fruit drinks (50%). Carbonated drinks were consumed by 28%. The most frequently consumed fruits were banana (23%) and citrus (22%); < 20% consumed a vegetable food item. The final QFFQ contains 146 items: 19 breads/cakes/cereals; seven rice/pastas/noodles; 12 dairy; 26 meats/poultry/fish/soy products; 15 fruits; 34 vegetables; six legumes; 11 other; 12 drinks; four alcoholic drinks. A list of commonly consumed foods in Trinidad and Tobago was obtained and a draft QFFQ was prepared.

Price and convenience: The influence of supermarkets on consumption of ultra-processed foods and beverages in Brazil.

PubMed

Machado, Priscila Pereira; Claro, Rafael Moreira; Canella, Daniela Silva; Sarti, Flávia Mori; Levy, Renata Bertazzi

2017-09-01

To evaluate the influence of convenience and price of ultra-processed foods and beverages on purchases at supermarkets. The study used data on food and beverage acquisition for household consumption from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey, performed in a random sample of 55,970 households between 2008 and 2009. Foods and beverages were categorized into four groups, according to characteristics of food processing. Retail stores were grouped into supermarkets and other food stores. Proportion of calories from foods and beverages purchased at supermarkets and other food stores, and respective mean prices (R$/1000 kcal), were calculated according to households' geographical and socioeconomic characteristics. Effect of convenience in household purchases at retail stores was expressed by the acquisition of several food items at the same store. The influence of convenience and prices of ultra-processed products on purchases at supermarkets was analyzed using log-log regression model with estimation of elasticity coefficients. The mean prices of foods and beverages purchased at supermarkets were 37% lower in comparison to other food stores. The share of ultra-processed foods and beverages in purchases made at supermarkets was 25% higher than at other food stores. An increase of 1% in prices of ultra-processed food items led to a 0.59% reduction in calorie acquisition at supermarkets (R 2  = 0.75; p < 0.001). On the other hand, an increase of 1% in the number of food items purchased at supermarkets resulted in 1.83% increase in calorie acquisition of ultra-processed foods and beverages (p < 0.001). Convenience and lower relative prices of food items purchased at supermarkets, in comparison to other food stores, are relevant to explain higher share of purchases of ultra-processed foods and beverages at supermarkets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Storing empty calories and chronic disease risk: snack-food products, nutritive content, and manufacturers in Philadelphia corner stores.

PubMed

Lucan, Sean C; Karpyn, Allison; Sherman, Sandy

2010-05-01

Corner stores are part of the urban food environment that may contribute to obesity and diet-related diseases, particularly for low-income and minority children. The snack foods available in corner stores may be a particularly important aspect of an urban child's food environment. Unfortunately, there is little data on exactly what snack foods corner stores stock, or where these foods come from. We evaluated snack foods in 17 Philadelphia corner stores, located in three ethnically distinct, low-income school neighborhoods. We recorded the manufacturer, calories, fat, sugar, and sodium for all snack items, excluding candy and prepared foods. We then compared the nutritive content of assessed snack items to established dietary recommendations and a school nutrition standard. In total, stores stocked 452 kinds of snacks, with only 15% of items common between all three neighborhoods. Total and unique snacks and snack food manufacturers varied by neighborhood, but distributions in snack type varied negligibly: overall, there were no fruit snacks, no vegetable snacks, and only 3.6% of all snacks (by liberal definition) were whole grain. The remainder (96.4% of snacks) was highly processed foods. Five of 65 manufacturers supplied 73.4% of all kinds of snack foods. Depending on serving size definition, 80.0-91.5% of snack foods were "unhealthy" (by the school nutrition standard), including seven of 11 wholegrain products. A single snack item could supply 6-14% of a day's recommended calories, fat, sugar, and sodium on average (or 56-169% at the extreme) for a "typical" child. We conclude that corner store snack food inventories are almost entirely unhealthful, and we discuss possible implications and next steps for research and intervention.

Storing Empty Calories and Chronic Disease Risk: Snack-Food Products, Nutritive Content, and Manufacturers in Philadelphia Corner Stores

PubMed Central

Karpyn, Allison; Sherman, Sandy

2010-01-01

Corner stores are part of the urban food environment that may contribute to obesity and diet-related diseases, particularly for low-income and minority children. The snack foods available in corner stores may be a particularly important aspect of an urban child’s food environment. Unfortunately, there is little data on exactly what snack foods corner stores stock, or where these foods come from. We evaluated snack foods in 17 Philadelphia corner stores, located in three ethnically distinct, low-income school neighborhoods. We recorded the manufacturer, calories, fat, sugar, and sodium for all snack items, excluding candy and prepared foods. We then compared the nutritive content of assessed snack items to established dietary recommendations and a school nutrition standard. In total, stores stocked 452 kinds of snacks, with only 15% of items common between all three neighborhoods. Total and unique snacks and snack food manufacturers varied by neighborhood, but distributions in snack type varied negligibly: overall, there were no fruit snacks, no vegetable snacks, and only 3.6% of all snacks (by liberal definition) were whole grain. The remainder (96.4% of snacks) was highly processed foods. Five of 65 manufacturers supplied 73.4% of all kinds of snack foods. Depending on serving size definition, 80.0-91.5% of snack foods were “unhealthy” (by the school nutrition standard), including seven of 11 wholegrain products. A single snack item could supply 6-14% of a day’s recommended calories, fat, sugar, and sodium on average (or 56-169% at the extreme) for a “typical” child. We conclude that corner store snack food inventories are almost entirely unhealthful, and we discuss possible implications and next steps for research and intervention. PMID:20405225

Measuring the food environment: shelf space of fruits, vegetables, and snack foods in stores.

PubMed

Farley, Thomas A; Rice, Janet; Bodor, J Nicholas; Cohen, Deborah A; Bluthenthal, Ricky N; Rose, Donald

2009-09-01

Dietary patterns may be influenced by the availability and accessibility within stores of different types of foods. However, little is known about the amount of shelf space used for healthy and unhealthy foods in different types of stores. We conducted measurements of the length of shelf space used for fruits, vegetables, and snack foods items in 419 stores in 217 urban census tracts in southern Louisiana and in Los Angeles County. Although supermarkets offered far more shelf space of fruits and vegetables than did other types of stores, they also devoted more shelf space to unhealthy snacks (mean 205 m for all of these items combined) than to fruits and vegetables (mean 117 m, p < 0.001). After supermarkets, drug stores devoted the most shelf space to unhealthy items. The ratio of the total shelf space for fruits and vegetables to the total shelf space for these unhealthy snack items was the lowest (0.10 or below) and very similar in convenience stores, drug stores, and liquor stores, was in a middle range (0.18 to 0.30) in small food stores, and was highest in medium-sized food stores (0.40 to 0.61) and supermarkets (0.55 to 0.72). Simple measurements of shelf space can be used by researchers to characterize the healthfulness of the food environment and by policymakers to establish criteria for favorable policy treatment of stores.

Audio-Enhanced Tablet Computers to Assess Children's Food Frequency From Migrant Farmworker Mothers.

PubMed

Kilanowski, Jill F; Trapl, Erika S; Kofron, Ryan M

2013-06-01

This study sought to improve data collection in children's food frequency surveys for non-English speaking immigrant/migrant farmworker mothers using audio-enhanced tablet computers (ATCs). We hypothesized that by using technological adaptations, we would be able to improve data capture and therefore reduce lost surveys. This Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), a paper-based dietary assessment tool, was adapted for ATCs and assessed consumption of 66 food items asking 3 questions for each food item: frequency, quantity of consumption, and serving size. The tablet-based survey was audio enhanced with each question "read" to participants, accompanied by food item images, together with an embedded short instructional video. Results indicated that respondents were able to complete the 198 questions from the 66 food item FFQ on ATCs in approximately 23 minutes. Compared with paper-based FFQs, ATC-based FFQs had less missing data. Despite overall reductions in missing data by use of ATCs, respondents still appeared to have difficulty with question 2 of the FFQ. Ability to score the FFQ was dependent on what sections missing data were located. Unlike the paper-based FFQs, no ATC-based FFQs were unscored due to amount or location of missing data. An ATC-based FFQ was feasible and increased ability to score this survey on children's food patterns from migrant farmworker mothers. This adapted technology may serve as an exemplar for other non-English speaking immigrant populations.

Evaluation of the US Army Institute of Public Health Destination Monitoring Program, a food safety surveillance program.

PubMed

Rapp-Santos, Kamala; Havas, Karyn; Vest, Kelly

2015-01-01

The Destination Monitoring Program, operated by the US Army Public Health Command (APHC), is one component that supports the APHC Veterinary Service's mission to ensure safety and quality of food procured for the Department of Defense (DoD). This program relies on retail product testing to ensure compliance of production facilities and distributors that supply food to the DoD. This program was assessed to determine the validity and timeliness by specifically evaluating whether sample size of items collected was adequate, if food samples collected were representative of risk, and whether the program returns results in a timely manner. Data was collected from the US Army Veterinary Services Lotus Notes database, including all food samples collected and submitted from APHC Region-North for the purposes of destination monitoring from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. For most food items, only one sample was submitted for testing. The ability to correctly identify a contaminated food lot may be limited by reliance on test results from only one sample, as the level of confidence in a negative test result is low. The food groups most frequently sampled by APHC correlated with the commodities that were implicated in foodborne illness in the United States. Food items to be submitted were equally distributed among districts and branches, but sections within large branches submitted relatively few food samples compared to sections within smaller branches and districts. Finally, laboratory results were not available for about half the food items prior to their respective expiration dates.

Estimates of self-reported dietary behavior related to oral health among adolescents according to the type of food

PubMed Central

do AMARAL, Regiane Cristina; SCABAR, Luiz Felipe; SLATER, Betzabeth; FRAZÃO, Paulo

2014-01-01

Objective To compare estimates of food behavior related to oral health obtained through a self-report measure and 24 hour dietary recalls (R24h). Method We applied three R24h and one self-report measure in 87 adolescents. The estimates for eleven food items were compared at individual and group levels. Results No significant differences in mean values were found for ice cream, vegetables and biscuits without filling. For the remaining items, the values reported by the adolescents were higher than the values estimated by R24h. The percentage of adolescents who reported intake frequency of 1 or more times/ day was higher than the value obtained through R24h for all food items except soft drinks. The highest values of crude agreement between the instruments, individually, were found in the biscuits without filling (75.9%) and ice cream (72.4%). Conclusion The results suggest that adolescents tend to report a degree of exposure to the food items larger than what they actually experience in their daily lives. PMID:25466475

Plant protein and animal proteins: do they differentially affect cardiovascular disease risk?

PubMed

Richter, Chesney K; Skulas-Ray, Ann C; Champagne, Catherine M; Kris-Etherton, Penny M

2015-11-01

Proteins from plant-based compared with animal-based food sources may have different effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Numerous epidemiologic and intervention studies have evaluated their respective health benefits; however, it is difficult to isolate the role of plant or animal protein on CVD risk. This review evaluates the current evidence from observational and intervention studies, focusing on the specific protein-providing foods and populations studied. Dietary protein is derived from many food sources, and each provides a different composite of nonprotein compounds that can also affect CVD risk factors. Increasing the consumption of protein-rich foods also typically results in lower intakes of other nutrients, which may simultaneously influence outcomes. Given these complexities, blanket statements about plant or animal protein may be too general, and greater consideration of the specific protein food sources and the background diet is required. The potential mechanisms responsible for any specific effects of plant and animal protein are similarly multifaceted and include the amino acid content of particular foods, contributions from other nonprotein compounds provided concomitantly by the whole food, and interactions with the gut microbiome. Evidence to date is inconclusive, and additional studies are needed to further advance our understanding of the complexity of plant protein vs. animal protein comparisons. Nonetheless, current evidence supports the idea that CVD risk can be reduced by a dietary pattern that provides more plant sources of protein compared with the typical American diet and also includes animal-based protein foods that are unprocessed and low in saturated fat. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Plant Protein and Animal Proteins: Do They Differentially Affect Cardiovascular Disease Risk?12

PubMed Central

Richter, Chesney K; Skulas-Ray, Ann C; Champagne, Catherine M; Kris-Etherton, Penny M

2015-01-01

Proteins from plant-based compared with animal-based food sources may have different effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Numerous epidemiologic and intervention studies have evaluated their respective health benefits; however, it is difficult to isolate the role of plant or animal protein on CVD risk. This review evaluates the current evidence from observational and intervention studies, focusing on the specific protein-providing foods and populations studied. Dietary protein is derived from many food sources, and each provides a different composite of nonprotein compounds that can also affect CVD risk factors. Increasing the consumption of protein-rich foods also typically results in lower intakes of other nutrients, which may simultaneously influence outcomes. Given these complexities, blanket statements about plant or animal protein may be too general, and greater consideration of the specific protein food sources and the background diet is required. The potential mechanisms responsible for any specific effects of plant and animal protein are similarly multifaceted and include the amino acid content of particular foods, contributions from other nonprotein compounds provided concomitantly by the whole food, and interactions with the gut microbiome. Evidence to date is inconclusive, and additional studies are needed to further advance our understanding of the complexity of plant protein vs. animal protein comparisons. Nonetheless, current evidence supports the idea that CVD risk can be reduced by a dietary pattern that provides more plant sources of protein compared with the typical American diet and also includes animal-based protein foods that are unprocessed and low in saturated fat. PMID:26567196

Rapid Assembly Module for Traypacks

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

napkins , trays, utensils, garbage bags, etc. Food items will be dry, canned, or other retorted goods that are shelf-stable and require no...marked on the floor of the container with ink . When an alternative configuration is selected, a new manual will be issued by the PI. The revised manual...50 solders one meal. Accessories will include such items as cups, napkins , trays, utensils, garbage bags, etc. Food items will be dry, canned, or

Nutrient Intakes of the Enlisted Personnel Aboard the USS Saratoga Before and After Implementing ’Fast Food’ to the Food Service System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

intakes. In 1978, vitamin A fortified milk shakes (dry base) and vitamin C fortified extruded French fried potatoes and vitamin C fortified non...dry base) and vitamin C fortified extruded French fried potatoes and vitamin C fortified non-carbonated beverages were provided with the "Fast Food...identification of any unusual food items, and assignment of each food item as a component of either a meal or between-meal snack . The LAIR Nutrient Factor File

Development of a standardized measure to assess food quality: a proof of concept.

PubMed

Jomaa, L H; Hwalla, N C; Zidek, J M

2016-11-09

Food-based dietary guidelines are promoted to improve diet quality. In applying dietary recommendations, such as the MyPlate, the number of servings in a food group is the unit of measure used to make food selections. However, within each food group, different foods can vary greatly in their nutritional quality despite often having similar energy (caloric) values. This study aimed to develop a novel unit of measure that accounts for both the quantity of energy and the quality of nutrients, as defined by caloric and micronutrient density, respectively, in foods and to demonstrate its usability in identifying high quality foods within a food group. A standardized unit of measure reflecting the quality of kilocalories for nutrition (qCaln) was developed through a mathematical function dependent on the energy content (kilocalories per 100 g) and micronutrient density of foods items within a food group. Nutrition composition of 1806 food items was extracted from the USDA nutrient database. For each food item analyzed, qCaln ratios were calculated to compare qCaln to its caloric content. Finally, a case example was developed comparing two plates adapted from the MyPlate. Examples of food items with highest and lowest qCaln ratios were displayed for five food groups: vegetables, fruits/fruit juices, milk/dairy products, meats/meat alternatives, and breads/cereals. Additionally, the applicability of the qCaln was presented through comparing two plates, adopted from the USDA MyPlate, to show differences in food quality. The newly developed qCaln measure can be used to rank foods in terms of their nutrient density while accounting for their energy content. The proposed metric can provide consumers, public health professionals, researchers, and policy makers with an easy-to-understand measure of food quality and a practical tool to assess diet quality among individuals and population groups.

Estimation of gastric emptying time (GET) in clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) using X-radiography technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Khoo Mei; Ghaffar, Mazlan Abd.

2014-09-01

This study examines the movement of food item and the estimation of gastric emptying time using the X-radiography techniques, in the clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) fed in captivity. Fishes were voluntarily fed to satiation after being deprived of food for 72 hours, using pellets that were tampered with barium sulphate (BaSO4). The movement of food item was monitored over different time of feeding. As a result, a total of 36 hours were needed for the food items to be evacuated completely from the stomach. Results on the modeling of meal satiation were also discussed. The size of satiation meal to body weight relationship was allometric, with the power value equal to 1.28.

Estimation of gastric emptying time (GET) in clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) using X-radiography technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ling, Khoo Mei; Ghaffar, Mazlan Abd.

2014-09-03

This study examines the movement of food item and the estimation of gastric emptying time using the X-radiography techniques, in the clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) fed in captivity. Fishes were voluntarily fed to satiation after being deprived of food for 72 hours, using pellets that were tampered with barium sulphate (BaSO{sub 4}). The movement of food item was monitored over different time of feeding. As a result, a total of 36 hours were needed for the food items to be evacuated completely from the stomach. Results on the modeling of meal satiation were also discussed. The size of satiation meal tomore » body weight relationship was allometric, with the power value equal to 1.28.« less

Are school vending machines loaded with calories and fat: an assessment of 106 middle and high schools.

PubMed

Pasch, Keryn E; Lytle, Leslie A; Samuelson, Anne C; Farbakhsh, Kian; Kubik, Martha Y; Patnode, Carrie D

2011-04-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which vending offerings in 106 schools in the St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota metropolitan area, met criteria for types of beverages, fat, and calories based on selected criteria offered by the Institute of Medicine. Schools where youth participants were attending for the 2006-2007 school year were identified and invited to participate in the study (n = 143); 81% of schools (n = 116) agreed to participate. Of the 116 schools, 106 had vending machines. Across schools with vending machines (n = 106), 5085 food and 8442 beverage items were offered. Overall, only 18% of beverage items met criteria for calories and type of beverage; significantly more items in public schools met the criteria as compared to private schools (19% vs 12%; p < .01). This difference was also significant for high schools as compared to middle schools (18% vs 22%; p < .01). For food items, 41% met calorie criteria, 45% met fat criteria, and 22% met both fat and calorie criteria. Significantly more food items met both criteria in public than private schools (22% vs 18%; p = .01), while high schools (22%) and middle schools (21%) were similar. A very small proportion of foods (< 5%) would have met the full criteria suggested by the Institute of Medicine for competitive foods. Overall, foods and beverages offered in vending machines continue to be high in fat and calories. Public schools are doing a slightly better job of providing healthy foods as compared to private schools. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Are School Vending Machines Loaded with Calories and Fat: An Assessment of 106 Middle and High Schools

PubMed Central

PASCH, KERYN E.; LYTLE, LESLIE A.; SAMUELSON, ANNE C.; FARBAKHSH, KIAN; KUBIK, MARTHA Y.; PATNODE, CARRIE D.

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which vending offerings in 106 schools in the St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota metropolitan area met criteria for types of beverages, fat and calories based on selected criteria offered by the Institute of Medicine. Methods Schools where youth participants were attending for the 2006-2007 school year were identified and invited to participate in the study (n=143); 81% of schools (n=116) agreed to participate. Results Of the 116 schools, 106 had vending machines. Across schools with vending machines (n=106), 5085 food and 8442 beverage items were offered. Overall, only 18% of beverage items met criteria for calories and type of beverage; significantly more items in public schools met the criteria as compared to private schools (19% vs. 12%; p<0.01). This difference was also significant for high schools as compared to middle schools (18% vs. 22%; p<0.01). For food items, 41% met calorie criteria, 45% met fat criteria, and 22% met both fat and calorie criteria. Significantly more food items met both criteria in public than private schools (22% vs. 18%; p=0.01), while high schools (22%) and middle schools (21%) were similar. A very small proportion of foods (<5%) would have met the full criteria suggested by the Institute of Medicine for competitive foods.. Conclusion Overall, foods and beverages offered in vending machines continue to be high in fat and calories. Public schools are doing a slightly better job of providing healthy foods as compared to private schools. PMID:21392013

Developing measures of food and nutrition security within an Australian context.

PubMed

Archer, Claire; Gallegos, Danielle; McKechnie, Rebecca

2017-10-01

To develop a measure of food and nutrition security for use among an Australian population that measures all pillars of food security and to establish its content validity. The study consisted of two phases. Phase 1 involved focus groups with experts working in the area of food security. Data were assessed using content analysis and results informed the development of a draft tool. Phase 2 consisted of a series of three online surveys using the Delphi technique. Findings from each survey were used to establish content validity and progressively modify the tool until consensus was reached for all items. Australia. Phase 1 focus groups involved twenty-five experts working in the field of food security, who were attending the Dietitians Association of Australia National Conference, 2013. Phase 2 included twenty-five experts working in food security, who were recruited via email. Findings from Phase 1 supported the need for an Australian-specific tool and highlighted the failure of current tools to measure across all pillars of food security. Participants encouraged the inclusion of items to measure barriers to food acquisition and the previous single item to enable comparisons with previous data. Phase 2 findings informed the selection and modification of items for inclusion in the final tool. The results led to the development of a draft tool to measure food and nutrition security, and supported its content validity. Further research is needed to validate the tool among the Australian population and to establish inter- and intra-rater reliability.

Whole-Body Counter(WBC) and food radiocesium contamination surveys in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture.

PubMed

Hosokawa, Yoichiro; Nomura, Kazuki; Tsushima, Eiki; Kudo, Kohsei; Noto, Yuka; Nishizawa, Yoshiko

2017-01-01

This study examined the internal Cs exposure of residents and the Cs present in food products produced in Namie. Whole-body counter (WBC) was used for the measurement of internal exposure per each whole body of examinees. The food products which appeared to be used for consumption, were brought by residents and commercially available food items were excluded. Most of them were wild plants or food items produced by residents. Four years of data from April 2012 to March 2013 (fiscal 2012) and April 2015 to March 2016 (Fiscal 2015) were analyzed and studied. The average radioactivity measured by WBC was approximately 5 Bq for Cs-134, and 20 Bq for Cs-137 and the average committed effective dose was approximately 1 μSv. The average for the residents with detectable radioactivity was 25 μSv, and the human health effects are considered to be extremely low risk. However, the radioactivity of the affected individuals showed a higher value than the theoretical attenuation rate. The majority (83.2%) of individuals exhibiting radioactivity were over 50 years old. The number of food products brought in for detection decreased as the study period progressed, but the number of food products with radioactivity had increased. While the items with a higher detection rate of radioactivity included fruits such as citron and persimmon, shiitake mushrooms exhibited the highest radioactivity. Moreover, the radioactivity of seven items in these 10 items decreased from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2015. Mushrooms had high radioactivity and were produced over a wide area. We suggest that the elderly try to enjoy life and eat wild plants in moderation while inspecting food products. Therefore, we will continue to work in raising awareness of radiation and its potential presence in food products and thus the continuing necessity of monitoring radioactivity in food in the future.

Whole-Body Counter(WBC) and food radiocesium contamination surveys in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture

PubMed Central

Nomura, Kazuki; Tsushima, Eiki; Kudo, Kohsei; Noto, Yuka; Nishizawa, Yoshiko

2017-01-01

Purpose This study examined the internal Cs exposure of residents and the Cs present in food products produced in Namie. Whole-body counter (WBC) was used for the measurement of internal exposure per each whole body of examinees. Methods The food products which appeared to be used for consumption, were brought by residents and commercially available food items were excluded. Most of them were wild plants or food items produced by residents. Four years of data from April 2012 to March 2013 (fiscal 2012) and April 2015 to March 2016 (Fiscal 2015) were analyzed and studied. Results The average radioactivity measured by WBC was approximately 5 Bq for Cs-134, and 20 Bq for Cs-137 and the average committed effective dose was approximately 1 μSv. The average for the residents with detectable radioactivity was 25 μSv, and the human health effects are considered to be extremely low risk. However, the radioactivity of the affected individuals showed a higher value than the theoretical attenuation rate. The majority (83.2%) of individuals exhibiting radioactivity were over 50 years old. The number of food products brought in for detection decreased as the study period progressed, but the number of food products with radioactivity had increased. While the items with a higher detection rate of radioactivity included fruits such as citron and persimmon, shiitake mushrooms exhibited the highest radioactivity. Moreover, the radioactivity of seven items in these 10 items decreased from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2015. Mushrooms had high radioactivity and were produced over a wide area. Conclusion We suggest that the elderly try to enjoy life and eat wild plants in moderation while inspecting food products. Therefore, we will continue to work in raising awareness of radiation and its potential presence in food products and thus the continuing necessity of monitoring radioactivity in food in the future. PMID:28334042

Competitive foods in schools: Availability and purchasing in predominately rural small and large high schools

PubMed Central

Nollen, Nicole L.; Befort, Christie; Davis, Ann McGrath; Snow, Tricia; Mahnken, Jonathan; Hou, Qingjiang; Story, Mary; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES Schools have an important role to play in obesity prevention, but little is known about the food environment in small, predominately rural schools. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the availability and student purchasing of foods sold outside of the reimbursable meals program through a la carte (ALC) or vending (i.e., competitive foods) in small (n = 7) and large (n = 6) Kansas high schools. METHODS A cross-sectional observational study design was used to capture the number of ALC and vending items available and purchased, and the fat and caloric content of all available and purchased items on a single school day between January and May 2005. RESULTS Small schools had significantly fewer vending machines than large schools [median=3.0 (range=2.0–5.0) versus 6.5 (range=4.0–8.0), p<0.01]. Vending and ALC items at small schools contained a median of 2.3 fewer fat grams per item (p≤0.05), while vending products contained a median of 25.0 fewer calories per item (p≤0.05) than at large schools. Significantly less fat (median= −15.4 grams/student) and fewer calories (median= −306.8 kcal/student) were purchased per student from all competitive food sources and from ALC (median= −12.9 fat grams and −323.3 kcal/student) by students in small schools compared to students in large schools (p≤0.05). CONCLUSIONS The findings, which highlight less availability and lower energy content from competitive foods at small compared to large schools, have implications for understanding how small schools support their food service programs with limited dependence on competitive foods and the impact that food and nutrition professionals can have on the school environment by providing more oversight into the nutritional quality of foods available. PMID:19394472

Plate waste of adults in the United States measured in free-living conditions

PubMed Central

Allen, H. Raymond

2018-01-01

We analyze food-item level data collected from 50 adults from the United States using the Remote Food Photography Method® to provide the first estimates of plate waste gathered from adults across multiple consecutive meals and days in free-living conditions, and during laboratory-based meals with fixed food items and quantities. We find average plate waste in free-living conditions is 5.6 grams (7.7 kcals) per item and that 3.3% of all food selected is returned as plate waste, where the percent waste figure is substantially lower than previously published plate waste estimates gathered primarily from dine-out settings in the United States such as buffets and institutional settings with limited-choice meals (e.g., school cafeterias). Plate waste from the same participants during the laboratory-based meals is significantly higher with an average of 203.2 grams of solid plate waste per meal (531.3 kcals) or 39.1% of the food provided, which is similar to the plate waste percentages found reported in some school cafeteria settings. The amount of plate waste generated in free-living conditions is significantly positively associated with portion size selected for an item. In a multivariate analysis that controls for macronutrient profile, items selected from the vegetables, fats/oils/dressings, and grains categories are associated with significantly greater amounts of plate waste per item. We find no significant associations between free-living plate waste and gender, age, race or body mass index but find that women leave more plate waste in the lab meal where portion sizes are pre-determined by the researcher and similar for all respondents. We discuss possible implications of these findings for programs focused on reducing plate waste and food waste among consumers. PMID:29444094

In Nutrition, Can We “See” What Is Good for Us?123

PubMed Central

Barnes, Stephen; Prasain, Jeevan; Kim, Helen

2013-01-01

The selection of foods to eat is a complex interplay of vision, taste, smell, and texture. In addition to micro- and macronutrients, plant-based foods also contain several classes of phytochemicals. In many cases, the phytochemicals account for the various colors of foods. Although aesthetically pleasing, the color of foods may mislead consumers as to their phytochemical content, which is particularly true with regard to polyphenols. Polyphenols are a broad class of compounds with antioxidant and other health benefits. Human vision is limited to a small window (390–765 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum. Many important phytochemicals (e.g., vitamin C) have no absorbance in this range. Therefore, the human eye cannot directly judge the vitamin C content of foods. Being able to see in the ultraviolet range allows bees to locate the pollen-rich region of flowers, whereas pit vipers locate their prey by being able to “see” them in the infrared range. Assessing the impact of phytochemicals on human health depends on several factors. Colorless phytochemicals in unprocessed foods may be lost during the cooking process because no visual guide exists to ensure their retention. The molecular structures of phytochemicals influence the extent to which they are altered by cooking processes and the methods by which they are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Extensive metabolism by phase I/II enzymes and by the gut microbiome may also create compounds that the eye is never allowed to appreciate. PMID:23674801

Design and development of food safety knowledge and attitude scales for consumer food safety education.

PubMed

Medeiros, Lydia C; Hillers, Virginia N; Chen, Gang; Bergmann, Verna; Kendall, Patricia; Schroeder, Mary

2004-11-01

The objective of this study was to design and develop food safety knowledge and attitude scales based on food-handling guidelines developed by a national panel of food safety experts. Knowledge (n=43) and attitude (n=49) questions were developed and pilot-tested with a variety of consumer groups. Final questions were selected based on item analysis and on validity and reliability statistical tests. Knowledge questions were tested in Washington State with participants in low-income nutrition education programs (pretest/posttest n=58, test/retest n=19) and college students (pretest/posttest n=34). Attitude questions were tested in Ohio with nutrition education program participants (n=30) and college students (non-nutrition majors n=138, nutrition majors n=57). Item analysis, paired sample t tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alpha were used. Reliability and validity tests of individual items and the question sets were used to reduce the scales to 18 knowledge questions and 10 attitude questions. The knowledge and attitude scales covered topics ranked as important by a national panel of experts and met most validity and reliability standards. The 18-item knowledge questionnaire had instructional sensitivity (mean score increase of more than three points after instruction), internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha >.75), and produced similar results in test-retest without intervention (coefficient of stability=.81). Knowledge of correct procedures for hand washing and avoiding cross-contamination was widespread before instruction. Knowledge was limited regarding avoiding food preparation while ill, cooking hamburgers, high-risk foods, and whether cooked rice and potatoes could be stored at room temperature. The 10-item attitude scale had an appropriate range of responses (item difficulty) and produced similar results in test-retest ( P

Prepared Food Availability in U.S. Food Stores: A National Study.

PubMed

Zenk, Shannon N; Powell, Lisa M; Isgor, Zeynep; Rimkus, Leah; Barker, Dianne C; Chaloupka, Frank J

2015-10-01

Prepared, ready-to-eat foods comprise a significant part of Americans' diets and are increasingly obtained from food stores. Yet, little is known about the availability and healthfulness of prepared, ready-to-eat food offerings at stores. This study examines associations among community characteristics (racial/ethnic composition, poverty level, urbanicity) and availability of both healthier and less-healthy prepared foods in U.S. supermarkets, grocery stores, and convenience stores. Observational data were collected from 4,361 stores in 317 communities spanning 42 states in 2011 and 2012. Prepared food availability was assessed via one healthier food (salads or salad bar), three less-healthy items (pizza, hot dog/hamburger, taco/burrito/taquito), and one cold sandwich item. In 2014, multivariable generalized linear models were used to test associations with community characteristics. Overall, 63.6% of stores sold prepared foods, with 20.0% offering prepared salads and 36.4% offering at least one less-healthy item. Rural stores were 26% less likely to carry prepared salads (prevalence ratio [PR]=0.74, 95% CI=0.62, 0.88) and 14% more likely to carry at least one less-healthy prepared food item (PR=1.14, 95% CI=1.00, 1.30). Convenience stores in high-poverty communities were less likely to carry prepared salads than those in low-poverty communities (PR=0.64, 95% CI=0.47, 0.87). Among supermarkets, prepared salads were more likely to be carried in majority-white, low-poverty communities than in non-white, high-poverty communities. Increasing the healthfulness of prepared foods within stores may offer an important opportunity to improve the food environment. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinants of seed removal distance by scatter-hoarding rodents in deciduous forests.

PubMed

Moore, Jeffrey E; McEuen, Amy B; Swihart, Robert K; Contreras, Thomas A; Steele, Michael A

2007-10-01

Scatter-hoarding rodents should space food caches to maximize cache recovery rate (to minimize loss to pilferers) relative to the energetic cost of carrying food items greater distances. Optimization models of cache spacing make two predictions. First, spacing of caches should be greater for food items with greater energy content. Second, the mean distance between caches should increase with food abundance. However, the latter prediction fails to account for the effect of food abundance on the behavior of potential pilferers or on the ability of caching individuals to acquire food by means other than recovering their own caches. When considering these factors, shorter cache distances may be predicted in conditions of higher food abundance. We predicted that seed caching distances would be greater for food items of higher energy content and during lower ambient food abundance and that the effect of seed type on cache distance variation would be lower during higher food abundance. We recorded distances moved for 8636 seeds of five seed types at 15 locations in three forested sites in Pennsylvania, USA, and 29 forest fragments in Indiana, U.S.A., across five different years. Seed production was poor in three years and high in two years. Consistent with previous studies, seeds with greater energy content were moved farther than less profitable food items. Seeds were dispersed less far in seed-rich years than in seed-poor years, contrary to predictions of conventional models. Interactions were important, with seed type effects more evident in seed-poor years. These results suggest that, when food is superabundant, optimal cache distances are more strongly determined by minimizing energy cost of caching than by minimizing pilfering rates and that cache loss rates may be more strongly density-dependent in times of low seed abundance.

Corner store purchases made by adults, adolescents and children: items, nutritional characteristics and amount spent.

PubMed

Lent, Michelle R; Vander Veur, Stephanie; Mallya, Giridhar; McCoy, Tara A; Sanders, Timothy A; Colby, Lisa; Rauchut Tewksbury, Colleen; Lawman, Hannah G; Sandoval, Brianna; Sherman, Sandy; Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Foster, Gary D

2015-06-01

Corner stores, also known as bodegas, are prevalent in low-income urban areas and primarily stock high-energy foods and beverages. Little is known about individual-level purchases in these locations. The purpose of the present study was to assess corner store purchases (items, nutritional characteristics and amount spent) made by children, adolescents and adults in a low-income urban environment. Evaluation staff used 9238 intercept surveys to directly examine food and beverage purchases. Intercepts were collected at 192 corner stores in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Participants were adult, adolescent and child corner store shoppers. Among the 9238 intercept surveys, there were 20 244 items. On average, at each corner store visit, consumers purchased 2.2 (sd 2.1) items (1.3 (sd 2.0) foods and 0.9 (sd 0.9) beverages) that cost $US 2.74 (sd $US 3.52) and contained 2786.5 (sd 4454.2) kJ (666.0 (sd 1064.6) kcal). Whether the data were examined as a percentage of total items purchased or as a percentage of intercepts, the most common corner store purchases were beverages, chips, prepared food items, pastries and candy. Beverage purchases occurred during 65.9% of intercepts and accounted for 39.2% of all items. Regular soda was the most popular beverage purchase. Corner store purchases averaged 66.2 g of sugar, 921.1 mg of sodium and 2.5 g of fibre per intercept. Compared with children and adolescents, adults spent the most money and purchased the most energy. Urban corner store shoppers spent almost $US 3.00 for over 2700 kJ (650 kcal) per store visit. Obesity prevention efforts may benefit from including interventions aimed at changing corner store food environments in low-income, urban areas.

Restaurants With Calories Displayed On Menus Had Lower Calorie Counts Compared To Restaurants Without Such Labels

PubMed Central

Bleich, Sara N.; Wolfson, Julia A.; Jarlenski, Marian P.; Block, Jason P.

2016-01-01

Beginning in December 2016, calorie labeling on menus will be mandatory for US chain restaurants and many other establishments that serve food, such as ice cream shops and movie theaters. But before the federal mandate kicks in, several large chain restaurants have begun to voluntarily display information about the calories in the items on their menus. This increased transparency may be associated with lower overall calorie content of offered items. This study used data for the period 2012–14 from the MenuStat project, a data set of menu items at sixty-six of the largest US restaurant chains. We compared differences in calorie counts of food items between restaurants that voluntarily implemented national menu labeling and those that did not. We found that the mean per item calorie content in all years was lower for restaurants that voluntarily posted information about calories (the differences were 139 calories in 2012, 136 in 2013, and 139 in 2014). New menu items introduced in 2013 and 2014 showed a similar pattern. Calorie labeling may have important effects on the food served in restaurants by compelling the introduction of lower-calorie items. PMID:26526245

Restaurants With Calories Displayed On Menus Had Lower Calorie Counts Compared To Restaurants Without Such Labels.

PubMed

Bleich, Sara N; Wolfson, Julia A; Jarlenski, Marian P; Block, Jason P

2015-11-01

Beginning in December 2016, calorie labeling on menus will be mandatory for US chain restaurants and many other establishments that serve food, such as ice cream shops and movie theaters. But before the federal mandate kicks in, several large chain restaurants have begun to voluntarily display information about the calories in the items on their menus. This increased transparency may be associated with lower overall calorie content of offered items. This study used data for the period 2012-14 from the MenuStat project, a data set of menu items at sixty-six of the largest US restaurant chains. We compared differences in calorie counts of food items between restaurants that voluntarily implemented national menu labeling and those that did not. We found that the mean per item calorie content in all years was lower for restaurants that voluntarily posted information about calories (the differences were 139 calories in 2012, 136 in 2013, and 139 in 2014). New menu items introduced in 2013 and 2014 showed a similar pattern. Calorie labeling may have important effects on the food served in restaurants by compelling the introduction of lower-calorie items. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Multi-step routes of capuchin monkeys in a laser pointer traveling salesman task.

PubMed

Howard, Allison M; Fragaszy, Dorothy M

2014-09-01

Prior studies have claimed that nonhuman primates plan their routes multiple steps in advance. However, a recent reexamination of multi-step route planning in nonhuman primates indicated that there is no evidence for planning more than one step ahead. We tested multi-step route planning in capuchin monkeys using a pointing device to "travel" to distal targets while stationary. This device enabled us to determine whether capuchins distinguish the spatial relationship between goals and themselves and spatial relationships between goals and the laser dot, allocentrically. In Experiment 1, two subjects were presented with identical food items in Near-Far (one item nearer to subject) and Equidistant (both items equidistant from subject) conditions with a laser dot visible between the items. Subjects moved the laser dot to the items using a joystick. In the Near-Far condition, one subject demonstrated a bias for items closest to self but the other subject chose efficiently. In the second experiment, subjects retrieved three food items in similar Near-Far and Equidistant arrangements. Both subjects preferred food items nearest the laser dot and showed no evidence of multi-step route planning. We conclude that these capuchins do not make choices on the basis of multi-step look ahead strategies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perceptions of portion size and energy content: implications for strategies to affect behaviour change.

PubMed

Brindal, Emily; Wilson, Carlene; Mohr, Philip; Wittert, Gary

2012-02-01

To assess Australian consumers' perception of portion size of fast-food items and their ability to estimate energy content. Cross-sectional computer-based survey. Australia. Fast-food consumers (168 male, 324 female) were asked to recall the items eaten at the most recent visit to a fast-food restaurant, rate the prospective satiety and estimate the energy content of seven fast-food or 'standard' meals relative to a 9000 kJ Guideline Daily Amount. Nine dietitians also completed the energy estimation task. Ratings of prospective satiety generally aligned with the actual size of the meals and indicated that consumers perceived all meals to provide an adequate amount of food, although this differed by gender. The magnitude of the error in energy estimation by consumers was three to ten times that of the dietitians. In both males and females, the average error in energy estimation for the fast-food meals (females: mean 3911 (sd 1998) kJ; males: mean 3382 (sd 1957) kJ) was significantly (P < 0·001) larger than for the standard meals (females: mean 2607 (sd 1623) kJ; males: mean 2754 (sd 1652) kJ). In women, error in energy estimation for fast-food items predicted actual energy intake from fast-food items (β = 0·16, P < 0·01). Knowledge of the energy content of standard and fast-food meals in fast-food consumers in Australia is poor. Awareness of dietary energy should be a focus of health promotion if nutrition information, in its current format, is going to alter behaviour.

Ethical imperatives against item restriction in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

PubMed

Chrisinger, Benjamin W

2017-07-01

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) is the federal government's largest form of food assistance, and a frequent focus of political and scholarly debate. Previous discourse in the public health community and recent proposals in state legislatures have suggested limiting the use of SNAP benefits on unhealthy food items, such as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). This paper identifies two possible underlying motivations for item restriction, health and morals, and analyzes the level of empirical support for claims about the current state of the program, as well as expectations about how item restriction would change participant outcomes. It also assesses how item restriction would reduce individual agency of low-income individuals, and identifies mechanisms by which this may adversely affect program participants. Finally, this paper offers alternative policies to promote healthier purchasing and eating among SNAP participants that can be pursued without reducing individual agency. Health advocates and officials must more fully weigh the attendant risks of implementing SNAP item restrictions, including the reduction of individual agency of a vulnerable population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leaching of uranium from glass and ceramic foodware and decorative items

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landa, Edward R.; Councell, Terry B.

1992-01-01

Beginning as early as the first century A. D. and continuing until at least the 1970s, uranium was used as a coloring agent in glass and in ceramic glazes. The leaching of uranium from such items is of interest as some were designed for food storage or serving. Thirty-three glass items and two ceramic items were leached sequentially with deionized water, dilute acetic acid, and 1 M nitric acid to assess realistic and worst-case scenario leaching by foods and beverages. The maximum quantity of uranium leached from the uranium-bearing glasses was about 30 µg L-1, while that from the ceramic-glazed items was about 300,000 µg L-1.

Food buying habits of people who buy wine or beer: cross sectional study.

PubMed

Johansen, Ditte; Friis, Karina; Skovenborg, Erik; Grønbaek, Morten

2006-03-04

To investigate whether people who buy wine buy healthier food items than those who buy beer. Cross sectional study. Supermarkets in Denmark. Data Information on number, type of item, and total charge from 3.5 million transactions over a period of six months. Wine buyers bought more olives, fruit and vegetables, poultry, cooking oil, and low fat cheese, milk, and meat than beer buyers. Beer buyers bought more ready cooked dishes, sugar, cold cuts, chips, pork, butter or margarine, sausages, lamb, and soft drinks than wine buyers. Wine buyers made more purchases of healthy food items than people who buy beer.

Optimising the selection of food items for FFQs using Mixed Integer Linear Programming.

PubMed

Gerdessen, Johanna C; Souverein, Olga W; van 't Veer, Pieter; de Vries, Jeanne Hm

2015-01-01

To support the selection of food items for FFQs in such a way that the amount of information on all relevant nutrients is maximised while the food list is as short as possible. Selection of the most informative food items to be included in FFQs was modelled as a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model. The methodology was demonstrated for an FFQ with interest in energy, total protein, total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, total carbohydrates, mono- and disaccharides, dietary fibre and potassium. The food lists generated by the MILP model have good performance in terms of length, coverage and R 2 (explained variance) of all nutrients. MILP-generated food lists were 32-40 % shorter than a benchmark food list, whereas their quality in terms of R 2 was similar to that of the benchmark. The results suggest that the MILP model makes the selection process faster, more standardised and transparent, and is especially helpful in coping with multiple nutrients. The complexity of the method does not increase with increasing number of nutrients. The generated food lists appear either shorter or provide more information than a food list generated without the MILP model.

Conceptualizing and contextualizing food insecurity among Greenlandic children

PubMed Central

Niclasen, Birgit; Molcho, Michal; Arnfjord, Steven; Schnohr, Christina

2013-01-01

Objective To review the context of food insecurity in Greenlandic children, to review and compare the outcomes related to food insecurity in Greenlandic children, in other Arctic child populations and in other western societies, and to explore the measure used by the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Design The study includes literature reviews, focus group interviews with children and analyses of data from the HBSC study. HBSC is an international cross-national school-based survey on child and adolescent health and health behaviour in the age groups 11, 13 and 15 years and performed in more than 40 countries. The item on food insecurity is “Some young people go to school or to bed hungry because there is not enough food in the home. How often does this happen to you?” (with the response options: “Always”, “Often”, “Sometimes”, or “Never”). Results The context to food security among Inuit in Arctic regions was found to be very similar and connected to a westernization of the diet and contamination of the traditional diet. The major challenges are contamination, economic access to healthy food and socio-demographic differences in having a healthy diet. The literature on outcomes related to food insecurity in children in Western societies was reviewed and grouped based on 8 domains. Using data from the Greenlandic HBSC data from 2010, the item on food security showed negative associations on central items in all these domains. Focus group interviews with children revealed face and content validity of the HBSC item. Conclusion Triangulation of the above-mentioned findings indicates that the HBSC measure of food shortage is a reliable indicator of food insecurity in Greenlandic schoolchildren. However, more research is needed, especially on explanatory and mediating factors. PMID:23687639

Mr. Wizard's Supermarket Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbert, Don

Activities which can be done with items purchased in supermarkets form the basis of this book. The activities are arranged into sections by type of item; breakfast foods; dried foods; soups; baking ingredients; gelatin; condiments; coffee; salad dressing; dairy products; meats; cleaning supplies; cookware; juices; picnic supplies; paper towels;…

Neighborhood food environment role in modifying psychosocial stress-diet relationships.

PubMed

Zenk, Shannon N; Schulz, Amy J; Izumi, Betty T; Mentz, Graciela; Israel, Barbara A; Lockett, Murlisa

2013-06-01

Exposure to highly palatable foods may increase eating in response to stress, but this behavioral response has not been examined in relation to the neighborhood food environment. This study examined whether the neighborhood food environment modified relationships between psychosocial stress and dietary behaviors. Probability-sample survey (n=460) and in-person food environment audit data were used. Dietary behaviors were measured using 17 snack food items and a single eating-out-of-home item. Chronic stress was derived from five subscales; major life events was a count of nine items. The neighborhood food environment was measured as availability of large grocery stores, small grocery stores, and convenience stores, as well as proportion of restaurants that were fast food. Two-level hierarchical regression models were estimated. Snack food intake was positively associated with convenience store availability and negatively associated with large grocery store availability. The measures of chronic stress and major life events were generally not associated with either dietary behavior overall, although Latinos were less likely to eat out at high levels of major life events than African Americans. Stress-neighborhood food environment interactions were not statistically significant. Important questions remain regarding the role of the neighborhood food environment in the stress-diet relationship that warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frequency and types of foods advertised on Saturday morning and weekday afternoon English- and Spanish-language American television programs.

PubMed

Bell, Robert A; Cassady, Diana; Culp, Jennifer; Alcalay, Rina

2009-01-01

To describe food advertised on networks serving children and youth, and to compare ads on English-language networks with ads on Spanish networks. Analysis of television food advertisements appearing on Saturday morning and weekday afternoons in 2005-2006. A random sample of 1,130 advertisements appearing on 12 networks catering to Spanish-language, children, youth, Black youth, and general audiences were analyzed. Each advertisement was coded for the nature of the item promoted, the selling propositions used, and any nutritional claims made. Cross-tabulations using Fisher's exact test (P < .05 criterion). One-fifth of commercials were for food. Food ads were especially prevalent on Saturday programs and children's networks. Seventy percent of food ads were for items high in sugar or fat. More than one fourth of food advertisements were for fast-food restaurants, which were especially common on MTV and Spanish-language networks. Ads for fruits and vegetables were rare (1.7%). One nutrition-related public service announcement was found for every 63 food ads. Food advertisements continue to promote less-healthful items. Until marketing of high calorie, low-nutrient food to children is restricted, education and media literacy remain the best strategies for mitigating advertising effects.

Neighborhood food environment role in modifying psychosocial stress-diet relationships

PubMed Central

Zenk, Shannon N.; Schulz, Amy J.; Izumi, Betty T.; Mentz, Graciela; Israel, Barbara A.; Lockett, Murlisa

2013-01-01

Exposure to highly palatable foods may increase eating in response to stress, but this behavioral response has not been examined in relation to the neighborhood food environment. This study examined whether the neighborhood food environment modified relationships between psychosocial stress and dietary behaviors. Probability-sample survey (n=460) and in-person food environment audit data were used. Dietary behaviors were measured using 17 snack food items and a single eating-out-of-home item. Chronic stress was derived from five subscales; major life events was a count of 9 items. The neighborhood food environment was measured as availability of large grocery stores, small grocery stores, and convenience stores, as well as proportion of restaurants that were fast food. Two-level hierarchical regression models were estimated. Snack food intake was positively associated with convenience store availability and negatively associated with large grocery store availability. The measures of chronic stress and major life events were generally not associated with either dietary behavior overall, although Latinos were less likely to eat out at high levels of major life events than African Americans. Stress-neighborhood food environment interactions were not statistically significant. Important questions remain regarding the role of the neighborhood food environment in the stress-diet relationship that warrant further investigation. PMID:23415977

Nutritional quality and price of university food bank hampers.

PubMed

Willows, Noreen D; Au, Vivian

2006-01-01

Food insecurity appears to be a growing problem for post-secondary students, but little study has been made of the 51 campus-based food banks that exist. In 2003-04, the University of Alberta Campus Food Bank (CFB) distributed hampers intended to supply four days of food to 630 unique clients, of whom 207 (32.8%) were children. The nutritional adequacy of food hampers and cost saving to students were evaluated in the current study. Hampers prepared for one adult, and for one adult with one child, were nutritionally evaluated and scored for number of servings according to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Two types of hampers were evaluated: those containing only non-perishable items, and those containing non-perishable and perishable items. Hamper contents were priced to establish the cost saving to students. The study revealed that a student with one child would receive up to 58.02 Canadian dollars worth of food in a hamper that contained perishable items. All hampers met the recommended minimum servings for each food group, but were very low in fat and protein from animal sources. Because students can obtain hampers only twice each month, the CFB is not the solution to food insecurity on campus. Awareness of the issue of post-secondary student food insecurity needs to be raised.

LANDSAT-D data format control book. Volume 6, appendix K: Unprocessed multispectral scanner high density tape (HDT-RM/HDT-GM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andersen, K. E.

1981-01-01

Unprocessed MSS data which is recorded on HDT-RM (a 28 track, high density tape) and on HDT-GM (a 14 track, nonbias recorded, high density tape) are inputs for the LANDSAT 4 data management system. All MSS data initially recorded on HDT-GM are copied to HDT-RM prior to processing. This specification establishes the requirements for the format of the LANDSAT D HDT-RM/HDT-GM.

Attitudes and preferences of consumers toward food allergy labeling practices by diagnosis of food allergies.

PubMed

Ju, Se-Young; Park, Jong-Hwan; Kwak, Tong-Kyoung; Kim, Kyu-Earn

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to investigate food allergens and prevalence rates of food allergies, followed by comparison of consumer attitudes and preferences regarding food allergy labeling by diagnosis of food allergies. A total of 543 individuals living in Seoul and Gyeonggi area participated in the survey from October 15 to 22 in 2013. The results show that the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed food allergies was 17.5%, whereas 6.4% of respondents self-reported food allergies. The most common allergens of doctor-diagnosed and self-reported food allergy respondents were peaches (30.3%) and eggs (33.3%), respectively, followed by peanuts, cow's milk, and crab. Regarding consumer attitudes toward food labeling, checking food allergens as an item was only significantly different between allergic and non-allergic respondents among all five items (P < 0.001). All respondents reported that all six items (bold font, font color, box frame, warning statement, front label, and addition of potential allergens) were necessary for an improved food allergen labeling system. PLSR analysis determined that the doctor-diagnosed group and checking of food allergens were positively correlated, whereas the non-allergy group was more concerned with checking product brands. An effective food labeling system is very important for health protection of allergic consumers. Additionally, government agencies must develop policies regarding prevalence of food allergies in Korea. Based on this information, the food industry and government agencies should provide clear and accurate food labeling practices for consumers.

Food commercials increase preference for energy-dense foods, particularly in children who watch more television.

PubMed

Boyland, Emma J; Harrold, Joanne A; Kirkham, Tim C; Corker, Catherine; Cuddy, Jenna; Evans, Deborah; Dovey, Terence M; Lawton, Clare L; Blundell, John E; Halford, Jason C G

2011-07-01

Our aim was to determine if levels of television viewing (a proxy measure for habitual commercial exposure) affect children's food preference responses to television food commercials. A total of 281 children aged 6 to 13 years from northwest England viewed toy or food television commercials followed by a cartoon on 2 separate occasions; they then completed 3 food preference measures, a commercial recognition task, and a television viewing questionnaire. After viewing the food commercials, all children selected more branded and nonbranded fat-rich and carbohydrate-rich items from food preference checklists compared with after viewing the toy commercials. The food preferences of children with higher habitual levels of television viewing were more affected by food commercial exposure than those of low television viewers. After viewing food commercials, high television viewing children selected a greater number of branded food items compared with after the toy commercials as well as compared with the low television viewers. Children correctly recognized more food commercials than toy commercials. Exposure to television food commercials enhanced high television viewers' preferences for branded foods and increased reported preferences for all food items (branded and nonbranded) relative to the low television viewers. This is the first study to demonstrate that children with greater previous exposure to commercials (high television viewers) seemed to be more responsive to food promotion messages than children with lower previous advertising exposure. Copyright © 2011 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The opportunity cost of animal based diets exceeds all food losses.

PubMed

Shepon, Alon; Eshel, Gidon; Noor, Elad; Milo, Ron

2018-04-10

Food loss is widely recognized as undermining food security and environmental sustainability. However, consumption of resource-intensive food items instead of more efficient, equally nutritious alternatives can also be considered as an effective food loss. Here we define and quantify these opportunity food losses as the food loss associated with consuming resource-intensive animal-based items instead of plant-based alternatives which are nutritionally comparable, e.g., in terms of protein content. We consider replacements that minimize cropland use for each of the main US animal-based food categories. We find that although the characteristic conventional retail-to-consumer food losses are ≈30% for plant and animal products, the opportunity food losses of beef, pork, dairy, poultry, and eggs are 96%, 90%, 75%, 50%, and 40%, respectively. This arises because plant-based replacement diets can produce 20-fold and twofold more nutritionally similar food per cropland than beef and eggs, the most and least resource-intensive animal categories, respectively. Although conventional and opportunity food losses are both targets for improvement, the high opportunity food losses highlight the large potential savings beyond conventionally defined food losses. Concurrently replacing all animal-based items in the US diet with plant-based alternatives will add enough food to feed, in full, 350 million additional people, well above the expected benefits of eliminating all supply chain food waste. These results highlight the importance of dietary shifts to improving food availability and security. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

The opportunity cost of animal based diets exceeds all food losses

PubMed Central

Shepon, Alon

2018-01-01

Food loss is widely recognized as undermining food security and environmental sustainability. However, consumption of resource-intensive food items instead of more efficient, equally nutritious alternatives can also be considered as an effective food loss. Here we define and quantify these opportunity food losses as the food loss associated with consuming resource-intensive animal-based items instead of plant-based alternatives which are nutritionally comparable, e.g., in terms of protein content. We consider replacements that minimize cropland use for each of the main US animal-based food categories. We find that although the characteristic conventional retail-to-consumer food losses are ≈30% for plant and animal products, the opportunity food losses of beef, pork, dairy, poultry, and eggs are 96%, 90%, 75%, 50%, and 40%, respectively. This arises because plant-based replacement diets can produce 20-fold and twofold more nutritionally similar food per cropland than beef and eggs, the most and least resource-intensive animal categories, respectively. Although conventional and opportunity food losses are both targets for improvement, the high opportunity food losses highlight the large potential savings beyond conventionally defined food losses. Concurrently replacing all animal-based items in the US diet with plant-based alternatives will add enough food to feed, in full, 350 million additional people, well above the expected benefits of eliminating all supply chain food waste. These results highlight the importance of dietary shifts to improving food availability and security. PMID:29581251

Audio-Enhanced Tablet Computers to Assess Children’s Food Frequency From Migrant Farmworker Mothers

PubMed Central

Kilanowski, Jill F.; Trapl, Erika S.; Kofron, Ryan M.

2014-01-01

This study sought to improve data collection in children’s food frequency surveys for non-English speaking immigrant/migrant farmworker mothers using audio-enhanced tablet computers (ATCs). We hypothesized that by using technological adaptations, we would be able to improve data capture and therefore reduce lost surveys. This Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), a paper-based dietary assessment tool, was adapted for ATCs and assessed consumption of 66 food items asking 3 questions for each food item: frequency, quantity of consumption, and serving size. The tablet-based survey was audio enhanced with each question “read” to participants, accompanied by food item images, together with an embedded short instructional video. Results indicated that respondents were able to complete the 198 questions from the 66 food item FFQ on ATCs in approximately 23 minutes. Compared with paper-based FFQs, ATC-based FFQs had less missing data. Despite overall reductions in missing data by use of ATCs, respondents still appeared to have difficulty with question 2 of the FFQ. Ability to score the FFQ was dependent on what sections missing data were located. Unlike the paper-based FFQs, no ATC-based FFQs were unscored due to amount or location of missing data. An ATC-based FFQ was feasible and increased ability to score this survey on children’s food patterns from migrant farmworker mothers. This adapted technology may serve as an exemplar for other non-English speaking immigrant populations. PMID:25343004

New Year's res-illusions: food shopping in the new year competes with healthy intentions.

PubMed

Pope, Lizzy; Hanks, Andrew S; Just, David R; Wansink, Brian

2014-01-01

How do the holidays--and the possible New Year's resolutions that follow--influence a household's purchase patterns of healthier foods versus less healthy foods? This has important implications for both holiday food shopping and post-holiday shopping. 207 households were recruited to participate in a randomized-controlled trial conducted at two regional-grocery chain locations in upstate New York. Item-level transaction records were tracked over a seven-month period (July 2010 to March 2011). The cooperating grocer's proprietary nutrient-rating system was used to designate "healthy," and "less healthy" items. Calorie data were extracted from online nutritional databases. Expenditures and calories purchased for the holiday period (Thanksgiving-New Year's), and the post-holiday period (New Year's-March), were compared to baseline (July-Thanksgiving) amounts. During the holiday season, household food expenditures increased 15% compared to baseline ($105.74 to $121.83; p<0.001), with 75% of additional expenditures accounted for by less-healthy items. Consistent with what one would expect from New Year's resolutions, sales of healthy foods increased 29.4% ($13.24/week) after the holiday season compared to baseline, and 18.9% ($9.26/week) compared to the holiday period. Unfortunately, sales of less-healthy foods remained at holiday levels ($72.85/week holiday period vs. $72.52/week post-holiday). Calories purchased each week increased 9.3% (450 calories per serving/week) after the New Year compared to the holiday period, and increased 20.2% (890 calories per serving/week) compared to baseline. Despite resolutions to eat more healthfully after New Year's, consumers may adjust to a new "status quo" of increased less-healthy food purchasing during the holidays, and dubiously fulfill their New Year's resolutions by spending more on healthy foods. Encouraging consumers to substitute healthy items for less-healthy items may be one way for practitioners and public health officials to help consumers fulfill New Year's resolutions, and reverse holiday weight gain.

Food items contributing most to variation in antioxidant intake; a cross-sectional study among Norwegian women.

PubMed

Qureshi, Samera Azeem; Lund, Annette Christin; Veierød, Marit Bragelien; Carlsen, Monica Hauger; Blomhoff, Rune; Andersen, Lene Frost; Ursin, Giske

2014-01-16

Fruit and vegetable intake has been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes mellitus. It is possible that antioxidants play a large part in this protective effect. However, which foods account for the variation in antioxidant intake in a population is not very clear. We used food frequency data from a population-based sample of women to identify the food items that contributed most to the variation in antioxidant intake in Norwegian diet. We used data from a study conducted among participants in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), the national program which invites women aged 50-69 years to mammographic screening every 2 years. A subset of 6514 women who attended the screening in 2006/2007 completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Daily intake of energy, nutrients and antioxidant intake were estimated. We used multiple linear regression analysis to capture the variation in antioxidant intake. The mean (SD) antioxidant intake was 23.0 (8.5) mmol/day. Coffee consumption explained 54% of the variation in antioxidant intake, while fruits and vegetables explained 22%. The twenty food items that contributed most to the total variation in antioxidant intake explained 98% of the variation in intake. These included different types of coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, walnuts, oranges, cinnamon and broccoli. In this study we identified a list of food items which capture the variation in antioxidant intake among these women. The major contributors to dietary total antioxidant intake were coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, walnuts, oranges, cinnamon and broccoli. These items should be assessed in as much detail as possible in studies that wish to capture the variation in antioxidant intake.

Tracing lead contamination in foods in the city of Kolkata, India.

PubMed

Das, Avijit; Krishna, Kvss; Kumar, Rajeev; Das, Anindya; Sengupta, Siladitya; Ghosh, Joy Gopal

2016-11-01

Lead isotopic ratios (LIR) of eight common food items, street dust, coal, diesel, sediments, lead ore and rainwater from India have been reported for the first time in this paper. This study characterized the source and extent of lead pollution in the different foodstuff consumed in Kolkata, a major metropolis of eastern India. The atmospheric lead input to the food items, sold openly in busy roadside markets of the city, has been quantified. The mean 207/206 and 208/206 LIRs of the eight food items ranged from 0.8847 to 0.8924 and 2.145 to 2.167, respectively. Diesel had the highest mean 207/206 and 208/206 values of 0.9015 and 2.1869, respectively, apart from the lead ore. The food items had a mean lead concentration between 3.78 and 43.35 mg kg -1 . The two ratio scatter plots of all the different environmental matrices were spread linearly between the uncontaminated Ichapur sediment and diesel. The 207/206 LIRs of the coal with a mean of 0.8777 did not fall in the linear trend, while the street dust and food samples overlapped strongly. The rainwater sample had a 207/206 LIR of 0.9007. Contaminated sediments in Dhapa, the repository of the city's municipal garbage, had a mean 207/206 LIR of 0.8658. The corresponding value obtained from the sewage-fed vegetable grown there was 0.8058. The present study indicated that diesel was one of the main contributor to Pb pollution. The atmospheric lead contribution to the food items was in the range of 68.48-86.66 %.

Are we Aware of what we are, we are what we Eat- An Epidemiological Survey.

PubMed

Kaur, Manpreet; M Hegde, Amitha

2008-09-01

The lure of convenience in addition to good taste gets people to junk food addiction. With the advent of television even in the remotest areas people have become more aware of the fast food items available. Children watch television where fast food continues to dominate the food advertisements viewed by children. The easily available fast food in and around school campus and with little knowledge of the far reaching effects of these food items consumed, children fall an easy prey to junk food. Children are unaware of the food they eat and the effects it has on their growth and development. This survey reflects the large percentageof children who surrender to the temptation junk food consumption with little knowledge of its far sighted effects on their health.

Finishes for Wood Bowls, Butcher Blocks, Other Items Used for Food, and Children's Toys

Treesearch

Mark T. Knaebe

2013-01-01

The durability and beauty of wood make it an attractive material for bowls, butcher blocks, and other items used to serve or prepare food. Wood also tends to be less prone to harbor bacteria than are some other materials such as plastic.

Food Service Supervisor. Dietetic Support Personnel Achievement Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater.

This guide contains a series of multiple-choice items and guidelines to assist instructors in composing criterion-referenced tests for use in the food service supervisor component of Oklahoma's Dietetic Support Personnel training program. Test items addressing each of the following occupational duty areas are provided: human relations; nutrient…

Food Production Worker. Dietetic Support Personnel Achievement Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater.

This guide contains a series of multiple-choice items and guidelines to assist instructors in composing criterion-referenced tests for use in the food production worker component of Oklahoma's Dietetic Support Personnel training program. Test items addressing each of the following occupational duty areas are provided: human relations; hygiene and…

Food Service Worker. Dietetic Support Personnel Achievement Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater.

This guide contains a series of multiple-choice items and guidelines to assist instructors in composing criterion-referenced tests for use in the food service worker component of Oklahoma's Dietetic Support Personnel training program. Test items addressing each of the following occupational duty areas are provided: human relations; personal…

Validity of photographs for food portion estimation in a rural West African setting.

PubMed

Huybregts, L; Roberfroid, D; Lachat, C; Van Camp, J; Kolsteren, P

2008-06-01

To validate food photographs for food portion size estimation of frequently consumed dishes, to be used in a 24-hour recall food consumption study of pregnant women in a rural environment in Burkina Faso. This food intake study is part of an intervention evaluating the efficacy of prenatal micronutrient supplementation on birth outcomes. Women of childbearing age (15-45 years). A food photograph album containing four photographs of food portions per food item was compiled for eight selected food items. Subjects were presented two food items each in the morning and two in the afternoon. These foods were weighed to the exact weight of a food depicted in one of the photographs and were in the same receptacles. The next day another fieldworker presented the food photographs to the subjects to test their ability to choose the correct photograph. The correct photograph out of the four proposed was chosen in 55% of 1028 estimations. For each food, proportions of underestimating and overestimating participants were balanced, except for rice and couscous. On a group level, mean differences between served and estimated portion sizes were between -8.4% and 6.3%. Subjects who attended school were almost twice as likely to choose the correct photograph. The portion size served (small vs. largest sizes) had a significant influence on the portion estimation ability. The results from this study indicate that in a West African rural setting, food photographs can be a valuable tool for the quantification of food portion size on group level.

Food marketing targeting youth and families: what do we know about stores where moms actually shop?

PubMed

Grigsby-Toussaint, Diana S; Rooney, Mary R

2013-01-01

Although efforts are underway to examine marketing that targets the youth and families in the retail food store environment, few studies have specifically focused on stores that families identify as their primary sites for food shopping. Between November 2011 and April 2012, we examined the frequency and types of marketing techniques of 114 packaged and nonpackaged items in 24 food stores that mothers of young children in Champaign County, IL, said they commonly frequented. Chi-square tests were used to determine whether significant differences existed between items with regard to marketing by store type, store food-assistance-program acceptance (i.e., WIC), and claims. Overall, stores accepting WIC and convenience stores had higher frequencies of marketing compared to non-WIC and grocery stores. Fruits and vegetables had the lowest frequency of any marketing claim, while salty snacks and soda had the highest frequency of marketing claims. Nutrition claims were the most common across all items, followed by taste, suggested use, fun, and convenience. Television tie-ins and cartoons were observed more often than movie tie-ins and giveaways. Our results suggest an opportunity to promote healthful items more efficiently by focusing efforts on stores where mothers actually shop.

Availability of Vending Machines and School Stores in California Schools.

PubMed

Cisse-Egbuonye, Nafissatou; Liles, Sandy; Schmitz, Katharine E; Kassem, Nada; Irvin, Veronica L; Hovell, Melbourne F

2016-01-01

This study examined the availability of foods sold in vending machines and school stores in United States public and private schools, and associations of availability with students' food purchases and consumption. Descriptive analyses, chi-square tests, and Spearman product-moment correlations were conducted on data collected from 521 students aged 8 to 15 years recruited from orthodontic offices in California. Vending machines were more common in private schools than in public schools, whereas school stores were common in both private and public schools. The food items most commonly available in both vending machines and school stores in all schools were predominately foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV). Participant report of availability of food items in vending machines and/or school stores was significantly correlated with (1) participant purchase of each item from those sources, except for energy drinks, milk, fruits, and vegetables; and (2) participants' friends' consumption of items at lunch, for 2 categories of FMNV (candy, cookies, or cake; soda or sports drinks). Despite the Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004, FMNV were still available in schools, and may be contributing to unhealthy dietary choices and ultimately to health risks. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Availability of vending machines and school stores in California schools

PubMed Central

Liles, Sandy; Schmitz, Katharine E.; Kassem, Nada O.F; Irvin, Veronica L; Hovell, Melbourne F.

2015-01-01

Background This study examined the availability of foods sold in vending machines and school stores in US public and private schools, and associations of availability with students' food purchases and consumption. Methods Descriptive analyses, chi-square tests, and Spearman product-moment correlations were conducted on data collected from 521 students aged 8 to15 years recruited from orthodontic offices in California. Results Vending machines were more common in private schools than in public schools, while school stores were common in both private and public schools. The food items most commonly available in both vending machines and school stores in all schools were predominately foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV). Participant report of availability of food items in vending machines and/or school stores was significantly correlated with: (1) participant purchase of each item from those sources, except for energy drinks, milk, fruits, and vegetables; and (2) participants' friends' consumption of items at lunch, for two categories of FMNV (candy, cookies, or cake; soda or sports drinks). Conclusions Despite the Child Nutrition and WIC reauthorization Act of 2004, FMNV were still available in schools, and may be contributing to unhealthy dietary choices and ultimately to health risks. PMID:26645420

Absorption of omega-3 fats from carbohydrate and proteinaceous food matrices before and after storage.

PubMed

Smith, Tracey J; Barrett, Ann; Anderson, Danielle; Wilson, Marques A; Young, Andrew J; Montain, Scott J

2015-05-01

Development of n-3 fortified, shelf-stable foods is facilitated by encapsulated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), since natural n-3 food sources cannot withstand high temperature and prolonged shelf life. Organoleptic stability of n-3 fortified, shelf-stable foods has been demonstrated, but chemical changes in the food matrix throughout storage could conceivably impact digestibility of the protein-based encapsulant thereby compromising n-3 bioavailability. We assessed the effect of prolonged high-temperature storage and variations in food matrix (proteinaceous or carbohydrate) on the time course and magnitude of blood fatty acids changes associated with ingestion of n-3 fortified foods. Low-protein (i.e., cake) and high-protein (i.e., meat sticks) items were supplemented with 600 mg encapsulated DHA+EPA, and frozen either immediately after production (FRESH) or after 6 months storage at 100°F (STORED). Fourteen volunteers consumed one item per week (randomized) for 4 weeks. Blood samples obtained at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 h post-consumption were analyzed for circulating long-chain omega 3 fatty acids (LCn3). There was no difference in LCn3 area under the curve between items. LCn3 in response to cakes peaked at 2-h (FRESH: 54.0 ± 16.8 μg/mL, +18%; STORED: 53.0 ± 13.2 μg/mL, +20%), while meats peaked at 4-h (FRESH: 51.9 ± 12.5 μg/mL, +22%; STORED: 53.2 ± 16.9 μg/mL, +18%). There were no appreciable differences in time course or magnitude of n-3 appearance in response to storage conditions for either food types. Thus, bioavailability of encapsulated DHA/EPA, within low- and high-protein food items, was not affected by high-temperature shelf-storage. A shelf-stable, low- or high-protein food item with encapsulated DHA/EPA is suitable for use in shelf-stable foods.

Cross-cultural measurement invariance in the satisfaction with food-related life scale in older adults from two developing countries.

PubMed

Schnettler, Berta; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Lobos, Germán; Lapo, María; Grunert, Klaus G; Adasme-Berríos, Cristian; Hueche, Clementina

2017-05-30

Nutrition is one of the major determinants of successful aging. The Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL) scale measures a person's overall assessment regarding their food and eating habits. The SWFL scale has been used in older adult samples across different countries in Europe, Asia and America, however, there are no studies that have evaluated the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the scale in older adult samples. Therefore, we evaluated the measurement invariance of the SWFL scale across older adults from Chile and Ecuador. Stratified random sampling was used to recruit a sample of older adults of both genders from Chile (mean age = 71.38, SD = 6.48, range = 60-92) and from Ecuador (mean age = 73.70, SD = 7.45, range = 60-101). Participants reported their levels of satisfaction with food-related life by completing the SWFL scale, which consists of five items grouped into a single dimension. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine cross-cultural measurement invariance of the SWFL scale. Results showed that the SWFL scale exhibited partial measurement invariance, with invariance of all factor loadings, invariance in all but one item's threshold (item 1) and invariance in all items' uniqueness (residuals), which leads us to conclude that there is a reasonable level of partial measurement invariance for the CFA model of the SWFL scale, when comparing the Chilean and Ecuadorian older adult samples. The lack of invariance in item 1 confirms previous studies with adults and emerging adults in Chile that suggest this item is culture-sensitive. We recommend revising the wording of the first item of the SWFL in order to relate the statement with the person's life. The SWFL scale shows partial measurement invariance across older adults from Chile and Ecuador. A 4-item version of the scale (excluding item 1) provides the basis for international comparisons of satisfaction with food-related life in older adults from developing countries in South America.

Processed and unprocessed red meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes among French women.

PubMed

Lajous, Martin; Tondeur, Laura; Fagherazzi, Guy; de Lauzon-Guillain, Blandine; Boutron-Ruaualt, Marie-Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise

2012-01-01

To evaluate the relation of processed and unprocessed red meat and incident type 2 diabetes. We conducted a prospective study among 66,118 disease-free French women with dietary information from a validated questionnaire. Between 1993 and 2007, we identified 1,369 cases of incident diabetes. Multivariate analyses were adjusted for age, education, region, smoking, BMI, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, physical activity, parental history of diabetes, menopause, hormone replacement therapy, alcohol, calories, n-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, coffee, fiber, and fruits and vegetables. Comparing the highest category of processed meat intake, ≥5 servings/week (median, 48 g/day), to the lowest, <1 serving/week (median, 5 g/day), processed meat was significantly associated with incident diabetes (hazard ratio 1.30 [95% CI 1.07-1.59], P trend = 0.0007; for 1 serving/day, 1.29 [1.14-1.45]). Unprocessed red meat was not associated with diabetes. In this large prospective cohort of French women, a direct association was observed only for processed red meat and type 2 diabetes.

Effect of high-pressure processing and milk on the anthocyanin composition and antioxidant capacity of strawberry-based beverages.

PubMed

Tadapaneni, Ravi Kiran; Banaszewski, Katarzyna; Patazca, Eduardo; Edirisinghe, Indika; Cappozzo, Jack; Jackson, Lauren; Burton-Freeman, Britt

2012-06-13

The present study investigated processing strategies and matrix effects on the antioxidant capacity (AC) and polyphenols (PP) content of fruit-based beverages: (1) strawberry powder (Str) + dairy, D-Str; (2) Str + water, ND-Str; (3) dairy + no Str, D-NStr. Beverages were subjected to high-temperature-short-time (HTST) and high-pressure processing (HPP). AC and PP were measured before and after processing and after a 5 week shelf-life study. Unprocessed D-Str had significantly lower AC compared to unprocessed ND-Str. Significant reductions in AC were apparent in HTST- compared to HPP-processed beverages (up to 600 MPa). PP content was significantly reduced in D-Str compared to ND-Str and in response to HPP and HTST in all beverages. After storage (5 weeks), AC and PP were reduced in all beverages compared to unprocessed and week 0 processed beverages. These findings indicate potentially negative effects of milk and processing on AC and PP of fruit-based beverages.

EEG-based auditory attention decoding using unprocessed binaural signals in reverberant and noisy conditions?

PubMed

Aroudi, Ali; Doclo, Simon

2017-07-01

To decode auditory attention from single-trial EEG recordings in an acoustic scenario with two competing speakers, a least-squares method has been recently proposed. This method however requires the clean speech signals of both the attended and the unattended speaker to be available as reference signals. Since in practice only the binaural signals consisting of a reverberant mixture of both speakers and background noise are available, in this paper we explore the potential of using these (unprocessed) signals as reference signals for decoding auditory attention in different acoustic conditions (anechoic, reverberant, noisy, and reverberant-noisy). In addition, we investigate whether it is possible to use these signals instead of the clean attended speech signal for filter training. The experimental results show that using the unprocessed binaural signals for filter training and for decoding auditory attention is feasible with a relatively large decoding performance, although for most acoustic conditions the decoding performance is significantly lower than when using the clean speech signals.

Relative Validity and Reliability of a 1-Week, Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for Women Participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

PubMed

Sanjeevi, Namrata; Freeland-Graves, Jeanne; George, Goldy Chacko

2017-12-01

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) plays a critical role in reducing food insecurity by distribution of benefits at a monthly interval to participants. Households that receive assistance from SNAP spend at least three-quarters of benefits within the first 2 weeks of receipt. Because this expenditure pattern may be associated with lower food intake toward the end of the month, it is important to develop a tool that can assess the weekly diets of SNAP participants. The goal of this study was to develop and assess the relative validity and reliability of a semiquantitative 1-week food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) tailored to a population of women participating in SNAP. The FFQ was derived from an existing 195-item FFQ that was based on a reference period of 1 month. This 195-item FFQ has been validated in a population of low-income postpartum women who were recruited from central Texas during 2004. Mean daily servings of each food item in the 195-item FFQ completed by women who took part in the 2004 validation study were calculated to determine the most frequently consumed food items. Emphasis on these items led to the creation of a shorter, 1-week FFQ of only 95 items. This new 1-week instrument was compared with 3-day diet records to evaluate relative validity in a sample of women participating in SNAP. For reliability, the FFQ was administered a second time, separated by a 1-month time interval. The validity study included 70 female SNAP participants who were recruited from the partner agencies of the Central Texas Food Bank from March to June 2015. A subsample of 40 women participated in the reliability study. Outcome measures were mean nutrient intake values obtained from the two tests of the 95-item FFQ and 3-day diet records. Deattenuated Pearson correlation coefficients examined relationships in nutrient intake between the 95-item FFQ and 3-day diet records, and a paired samples t test determined differences in mean nutrient intake. Weighted Cohen's κ indicated agreement in quartile classification of study participants by the 95-item FFQ and 3-day diet records, according to nutrient intake. Test-retest reliability was assessed by intraclass correlations and weighted Cohen's κ. Mean deattenuated Pearson correlation between the FFQ and 3-day diet records was 0.61, and the weighted Cohen's κ=0.39. Finally, the average test-retest correlation and weighted Cohen's κ of the FFQ was 0.66 and 0.50, respectively. These results suggest that the 1-week, 95-item FFQ demonstrated acceptable relative validity and reliability in low-income women participating in SNAP in southwestern United States. Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Choice Architecture: An Intervention in a Secondary School and its Impact on Students' Plant-based Food Choices.

PubMed

Ensaff, Hannah; Homer, Matt; Sahota, Pinki; Braybrook, Debbie; Coan, Susan; McLeod, Helen

2015-06-02

With growing evidence for the positive health outcomes associated with a plant-based diet, the study's purpose was to examine the potential of shifting adolescents' food choices towards plant-based foods. Using a real world setting of a school canteen, a set of small changes to the choice architecture was designed and deployed in a secondary school in Yorkshire, England. Focussing on designated food items (whole fruit, fruit salad, vegetarian daily specials, and sandwiches containing salad) the changes were implemented for six weeks. Data collected on students' food choice (218,796 transactions) enabled students' (980 students) selections to be examined. Students' food choice was compared for three periods: baseline (29 weeks); intervention (six weeks); and post-intervention (three weeks). Selection of designated food items significantly increased during the intervention and post-intervention periods, compared to baseline (baseline, 1.4%; intervention 3.0%; post-intervention, 2.2%) χ(2)(2) = 68.1, p < 0.001. Logistic regression modelling also revealed the independent effect of the intervention, with students 2.5 times as likely (p < 0.001) to select the designated food items during the intervention period, compared to baseline. The study's results point to the influence of choice architecture within secondary school settings, and its potential role in improving adolescents' daily food choices.

Development of a food frequency questionnaire for Sri Lankan adults

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) are commonly used in epidemiologic studies to assess long-term nutritional exposure. Because of wide variations in dietary habits in different countries, a FFQ must be developed to suit the specific population. Sri Lanka is undergoing nutritional transition and diet-related chronic diseases are emerging as an important health problem. Currently, no FFQ has been developed for Sri Lankan adults. In this study, we developed a FFQ to assess the regular dietary intake of Sri Lankan adults. Methods A nationally representative sample of 600 adults was selected by a multi-stage random cluster sampling technique and dietary intake was assessed by random 24-h dietary recall. Nutrient analysis of the FFQ required the selection of foods, development of recipes and application of these to cooked foods to develop a nutrient database. We constructed a comprehensive food list with the units of measurement. A stepwise regression method was used to identify foods contributing to a cumulative 90% of variance to total energy and macronutrients. In addition, a series of photographs were included. Results We obtained dietary data from 482 participants and 312 different food items were recorded. Nutritionists grouped similar food items which resulted in a total of 178 items. After performing step-wise multiple regression, 93 foods explained 90% of the variance for total energy intake, carbohydrates, protein, total fat and dietary fibre. Finally, 90 food items and 12 photographs were selected. Conclusion We developed a FFQ and the related nutrient composition database for Sri Lankan adults. Culturally specific dietary tools are central to capturing the role of diet in risk for chronic disease in Sri Lanka. The next step will involve the verification of FFQ reproducibility and validity. PMID:22937734

If we offer it, will children buy it? Sales of healthy foods mirrored their availability in a community sport, commercial setting in Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Olstad, Dana Lee; Goonewardene, Laksiri A; McCargar, Linda J; Raine, Kim D

2015-04-01

Community sports settings are often sources of unhealthy foods for children. Many managers in these settings are reluctant to increase availability of healthy food options because they perceive that healthy foods are not profitable. This study assessed the independent contribution of increased availability of healthy foods to their sales in a community sport, commercial context. Change in revenues per patron was also examined. The availability of healthy items was increased from 9.1% at baseline (35 days) to 25.0% during the intervention period (40 days), returning to 9.1% postintervention (6 days). Purchases of all patrons who bought foods/beverages (n=17,262 items sold) from two concessions at an outdoor community pool were assessed from baseline to postintervention. Chi-square analyses assessed differences in the proportion of healthy and unhealthy items sold, as well as in the proportion of total revenues per patron across periods. A trained observer also recorded qualitative observations pertaining to a subset of patrons' (n=221) dietary behaviors and activities. Healthy items represented 7.7%, 22.7%, and 9.8% of sales during the preintervention, intervention, and postintervention periods, respectively (p<0.01). Sales of healthy beverages exceeded sales of all other product types. The proportion of total revenues per patron did not differ by period. Food availability was an important environmental determinant of food purchasing behaviors in this community commercial context, given that sales of healthy foods closely mirrored their availability. Increased availability of healthy foods in community and commercial settings is important because concurrent changes within multiple environments will be required to improve children's dietary behaviors.

Being impulsive and obese increases susceptibility to speeded detection of high-calorie foods.

PubMed

Bongers, Peggy; van de Giessen, Elsmarieke; Roefs, Anne; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Booij, Jan; van den Brink, Wim; Jansen, Anita

2015-06-01

Overeating and obesity are associated with impulsivity. In studies among patients with a substance use disorder, impulsivity was found to be associated with substance-related attentional bias. This study examined whether obesity, impulsivity and food craving are associated with an attentional bias for high-calorie food. Obese (n = 185, mean BMI = 38.18 ± 6.17) and matched healthy-weight (n = 134, mean BMI = 22.35 ± 1.63) men (27.9%) and women (72.1%), aged 18-45 years, took part in the study. Participants were tested on several self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity (i.e., response inhibition and reward sensitivity) and self-reported trait craving. In addition, they performed a visual search task to measure attentional bias for high- and low-caloric foods. Self-reported impulsivity influenced the relationship between weight status and detection speed of high- and low-caloric food items: High-impulsive participants with obesity were significantly faster than high-impulsive healthy-weight participants in detecting a high-caloric food item among neutral items, whereas no such difference was observed among low-impulsive participants. No significant effects were found on low-caloric food items, for trait craving or any of the behavioral measures of impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity, but not trait craving or behavioral measures of impulsivity, is associated with an attentional bias for high-caloric foods, but only in people with obesity. It is in particular the speedy detection of high-caloric foods in the environment that characterizes the impulsive person with obesity, which in turn may cause risky eating patterns in a society were high-caloric food is overly present. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Measurement of the dimensions of food insecurity in developed countries: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Ashby, Stephanie; Kleve, Suzanne; McKechnie, Rebecca; Palermo, Claire

2016-11-01

Food insecurity is a salient health issue comprised of four dimensions - food access, availability, utilization and stability over time. The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic literature review to identify all multi-item tools that measure food insecurity and explore which of the dimensions they assess. Five databases were searched (CENTRAL, CINAHL plus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, TRIP) for studies published in English since 1999. Inclusion criteria included human studies using multi-item tools to measure food security and studies conducted in developed countries. Manuscripts describing the US Department of Agriculture Food Security Survey Module, that measures 'food access', were excluded due to wide acceptance of the validity and reliability of this instrument. Two authors extracted data and assessed the quality of the included studies. Data were summarized against the dimensions of food insecurity. A systematic review of the literature. The majority of tools were developed in the USA and had been used in different age groups and cultures. Eight multi-item tools were identified. All of the tools assessed the 'food access' dimension and two partially assessed the dimensions 'food utilization' and 'stability over time', respectively. 'Food availability' was not assessed by existing tools. Current tools available for measuring food insecurity are subjective, limited in scope, with a majority assessing only one dimension of food insecurity (access). To more accurately assess the true burden of food insecurity, tools should be adapted or developed to assess all four dimensions of food insecurity.

Food Preference, Acceptance and Consumption in a Simulated, Isolated- Duty Station

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-05-01

study food habits in a controlled isolation environment ,the fo6d choice and consumption behavior of the crew of a simulated, isolated-duty sta...Instructions for Consumption Diary 78 Appendix C: Food Items on Preference Survey List which were not on Menu 80 Appendix D: Item Name Changes Made to...U 1 SUMMARY The effectiveness of isolated duty stations depends on unusually careful planning to compensate for storage and logistical limitations

Profits, commercial food supplier involvement, and school vending machine snack food availability: implications for implementing the new competitive foods rule.

PubMed

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M; Hood, Nancy E; Colabianchi, Natalie; O'Malley, Patrick M; Johnston, Lloyd D

2014-07-01

The 2013-2014 school year involved preparation for implementing the new US Department of Agriculture (USDA) competitive foods nutrition standards. An awareness of associations between commercial supplier involvement, food vending practices, and food vending item availability may assist schools in preparing for the new standards. Analyses used 2007-2012 questionnaire data from administrators of 814 middle and 801 high schools in the nationally representative Youth, Education, and Society study to examine prevalence of profit from and commercial involvement with vending machine food sales, and associations between such measures and food availability. Profits for the school district were associated with decreased low-nutrient, energy-dense (LNED) food availability and increased fruit/vegetable availability. Profits for the school and use of company suppliers were associated with increased LNED availability; company suppliers also were associated with decreased fruit/vegetable availability. Supplier "say" in vending food selection was associated with increased LNED availability and decreased fruit/vegetable availability. Results support (1) increased district involvement with school vending policies and practices, and (2) limited supplier "say" as to what items are made available in student-accessed vending machines. Schools and districts should pay close attention to which food items replace vending machine LNED foods following implementation of the new nutrition standards. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Frequent Canned Food Use is Positively Associated with Nutrient-Dense Food Group Consumption and Higher Nutrient Intakes in US Children and Adults

PubMed Central

Comerford, Kevin B.

2015-01-01

In addition to fresh foods, many canned foods also provide nutrient-dense dietary options, often at a lower price, with longer storage potential. The aim of this study was to compare nutrient-dense food group intake and nutrient intake between different levels of canned food consumption in the US. Consumption data were collected for this cross-sectional study from 9761 American canned food consumers (aged two years and older) from The NPD Group’s National Eating Trends® (NET®) database during 2011–2013; and the data were assessed using The NPD Group’s Nutrient Intake Database. Canned food consumers were placed into three groups: Frequent Can Users (≥6 canned items/week); n = 2584, Average Can Users (3–5 canned items/week); n = 4445, and Infrequent Can Users (≤2 canned items/week); n = 2732. The results provide evidence that Frequent Can Users consume more nutrient-dense food groups such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and protein-rich foods, and also have higher intakes of 17 essential nutrients including the shortfall nutrients—potassium, calcium and fiber—when compared to Infrequent Can Users. Therefore, in addition to fresh foods, diets higher in nutrient-dense canned food consumption can also offer dietary options which improve nutrient intakes and the overall diet quality of Americans. PMID:26184294

Gender and age are associated with healthy food purchases via grocery voucher redemption

PubMed Central

Hardin-Fanning, F; Gokun, Y

2015-01-01

Introduction Grocery vouchers that specifically target foods associated with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk result in increased consumption of those foods. In regions with disproportionately high CVD rates, there is little research concerning the impact of vouchers on purchases of risk-reducing foods when there are no restrictions placed on grocery voucher redemption. Since many food assistance programs place few restrictions on type of foods that can be purchased, identifying demographic factors associated with purchasing habits is a prerequisite to promoting healthy eating. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of age, gender, education and income level with purchasing of healthful foods through the use of a grocery voucher in a rural food desert (poverty rate of ≥20% and ≥33% of residents living >16 km from a large grocery store) with high rates of chronic disease. Methods The effectiveness of an intervention that included a media campaign, a $5 grocery voucher, local heart healthy food branding and a grocery store event was tested. Brief nutritional articles were published in both local newspapers during four consecutive weeks. These articles explained the physiological actions of healthy foods and listed a health-promoting recipe. During the fourth week of the media campaign, a voucher for a $5 grocery gift card redeemable at one of either community grocery stores was also printed in both local newspapers. In each store, foods that are known to be associated with a reduced risk of CVD were marked with a blue logo. Participants (N=311) completed a questionnaire that assessed demographics and usual servings of fruits, vegetables and grains. Participants received a $5 grocery card and a list of labelled foods. Returned grocery receipts were stapled to the questionnaires to analyse the relationship between demographics and food choices. Results Participants who bought at least one labelled food item were older (M=48.5, SD=14.7) than those who did not buy any of these items (M=42.3, SD=16.4; p=0.0008). There was a significant association between labelled food purchases and gender, with 47% of male participants purchasing at least one labelled food item compared with 63% of females in the study (p = 0.008). There were no significant associations between purchase of labelled food items and either education or income. The significant predictors were age (p=0.003) and gender (p=0.01). For every 10 year increase in age, there was a 29% increase in the likelihood that at least one labelled food item would be purchased. Male participants were 48% less likely to purchase at least one designated food item than female participants were. Conclusions Younger adults and men may be less responsive to media-based educational strategies, heart-healthy food labelling and grocery vouchers to defray the cost of healthy eating than older adults and women. Previous studies show that concerns about cost and availability of foods are greater factors in the decision to purchase these foods than demographic characteristics. However, age and gender are associated with the likelihood of using grocery vouchers for the purchase of healthful foods. Additional research is needed to determine whether different educational strategies paired with food labelling and grocery vouchers may be successful strategies to promote purchase of healthful foods, particularly for men and younger adults. PMID:25063239

Gender and age are associated with healthy food purchases via grocery voucher redemption.

PubMed

Hardin-Fanning, Frances; Gokun, Yevgeniya

2014-01-01

Grocery vouchers that specifically target foods associated with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk result in increased consumption of those foods. In regions with disproportionately high CVD rates, there is little research concerning the impact of vouchers on purchases of risk-reducing foods when there are no restrictions placed on grocery voucher redemption. Since many food assistance programs place few restrictions on type of foods that can be purchased, identifying demographic factors associated with purchasing habits is a prerequisite to promoting healthy eating. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of age, gender, education and income level with purchasing of healthful foods through the use of a grocery voucher in a rural food desert (poverty rate of ≥20% and ≥33% of residents living >16 km from a large grocery store) with high rates of chronic disease. The effectiveness of an intervention that included a media campaign, a $5 grocery voucher, local heart healthy food branding and a grocery store event was tested. Brief nutritional articles were published in both local newspapers during four consecutive weeks. These articles explained the physiological actions of healthy foods and listed a health-promoting recipe. During the fourth week of the media campaign, a voucher for a $5 grocery gift card redeemable at one of either community grocery stores was also printed in both local newspapers. In each store, foods that are known to be associated with a reduced risk of CVD were marked with a blue logo. Participants (N=311) completed a questionnaire that assessed demographics and usual servings of fruits, vegetables and grains. Participants received a $5 grocery card and a list of labelled foods. Returned grocery receipts were stapled to the questionnaires to analyse the relationship between demographics and food choices. Participants who bought at least one labelled food item were older (M=48.5, SD=14.7) than those who did not buy any of these items (M=42.3, SD=16.4; p=0.0008). There was a significant association between labelled food purchases and gender, with 47% of male participants purchasing at least one labelled food item compared with 63% of females in the study (p = 0.008). There were no significant associations between purchase of labelled food items and either education or income. The significant predictors were age (p=0.003) and gender (p=0.01). For every 10 year increase in age, there was a 29% increase in the likelihood that at least one labelled food item would be purchased. Male participants were 48% less likely to purchase at least one designated food item than female participants were. Younger adults and men may be less responsive to media-based educational strategies, heart-healthy food labelling and grocery vouchers to defray the cost of healthy eating than older adults and women. Previous studies show that concerns about cost and availability of foods are greater factors in the decision to purchase these foods than demographic characteristics. However, age and gender are associated with the likelihood of using grocery vouchers for the purchase of healthful foods. Additional research is needed to determine whether different educational strategies paired with food labelling and grocery vouchers may be successful strategies to promote purchase of healthful foods, particularly for men and younger adults.

[Protein deficiency - a rare nutrient deficiency].

PubMed

Johansson, Gunnar

2018-05-21

There is a widespread myth that we have to be careful about what we eat so that we do not cause protein deficiency. We know today that it is virtually impossible to design a calorie-sufficient diet, whether it is based on meat, fish, eggs, various vegetarian diets or even unprocessed whole natural plant foods, which is lacking in protein and any of the amino acids. The body is capable of taking incomplete proteins and making them complete by utilizing the amino acid recycling mechanism. The majority of amino acids absorbed from the intestinal tract are derived from recycled body protein. Research shows that high levels of animal protein intake may significantly increase the risk of premature mortality from all causes, among them cardiovascular diseases, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Mixed deep learning and natural language processing method for fake-food image recognition and standardization to help automated dietary assessment.

PubMed

Mezgec, Simon; Eftimov, Tome; Bucher, Tamara; Koroušić Seljak, Barbara

2018-04-06

The present study tested the combination of an established and a validated food-choice research method (the 'fake food buffet') with a new food-matching technology to automate the data collection and analysis. The methodology combines fake-food image recognition using deep learning and food matching and standardization based on natural language processing. The former is specific because it uses a single deep learning network to perform both the segmentation and the classification at the pixel level of the image. To assess its performance, measures based on the standard pixel accuracy and Intersection over Union were applied. Food matching firstly describes each of the recognized food items in the image and then matches the food items with their compositional data, considering both their food names and their descriptors. The final accuracy of the deep learning model trained on fake-food images acquired by 124 study participants and providing fifty-five food classes was 92·18 %, while the food matching was performed with a classification accuracy of 93 %. The present findings are a step towards automating dietary assessment and food-choice research. The methodology outperforms other approaches in pixel accuracy, and since it is the first automatic solution for recognizing the images of fake foods, the results could be used as a baseline for possible future studies. As the approach enables a semi-automatic description of recognized food items (e.g. with respect to FoodEx2), these can be linked to any food composition database that applies the same classification and description system.

The School Food Environment and Student BMI and Food Consumption: 2004 to 2007 National Data

PubMed Central

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M.; O’Malley, Patrick M.; Delva, Jorge; Johnston, Lloyd D.

2009-01-01

Purpose This study identifies trends in the availability of various food choices in United States’ middle and high schools from 2004–2007, and examines the potential associations between such food availability and students’ self-reported eating habits and BMI-related outcomes. Methods Data are based on nationally representative samples of 78,442 students in 684 secondary schools surveyed from 2004 to 2007 as part of the Youth, Education, and Society (YES) study and the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study. In the YES study, school administrators and food service managers completed self-administered questionnaires on their school’s food environment. In the MTF study, students in the same schools completed self-administered questionnaires, providing data used to construct BMI and food consumption measures. Results Overall, there was a decrease in the availability of regular sugar/fat food items in both middle and high schools, and some indication of an increase high school availability of reduced fat food items through school lunch or a la carte. Some minimal evidence was found for relationships between the school food environment and student BMI-related outcomes and food consumption measures. Conclusions United States secondary schools are making progress in the types of foods offered to students, with food items of lower nutritional value becoming less prevalent in recent years. Continued monitoring of food environment trends may help clarify if and how such factors relate to youth health outcomes. PMID:19699436

What counts for ants? How return behaviour and food search of Cataglyphis ants are modified by variations in food quantity and experience.

PubMed

Bolek, Siegfried; Wittlinger, Matthias; Wolf, Harald

2012-09-15

When finding more food than one is able to carry home, should one come back to the site to exploit it further? This question is crucial for central place foragers that provide for a home place with brood or nest mates. The benefit of returning has to be weighed against the chance of finding food elsewhere and the resources available. Desert ants Cataglyphis fortis are well-studied examples when it comes to navigating back and forth between their nest and a foraging area, due to their primary reliance on path integration in the open and featureless desert habitat. The ants use path integration not only for a safe return from their foraging trips but also for future returns to plentiful feeding sites. The direction from the nest that has previously yielded food items is preferred for future foraging trips, a phenomenon termed sector fidelity. What prompts the ants to return to a particular site, and how faithfully they search for that place, has not been well studied. We examine the evaluation of food sources in channel experiments by varying both the number of food items in a feeder and the number of visits to the feeder before testing search distances of foragers returning to the feeding site. Ants exhibited more focused searches for plentiful food sources than for sources with only few food items upon their first return visit. After several successful visits, the ants always searched thoroughly for the food source, independent of the amount of food offered. Thus, desert ants consider both food abundance and reliability of food encounter, with corroborative learning of reliability gradually overriding the initial preference for plentiful feeders. The density of food items appears to be used by the ants as a proxy for food abundance. On the level of our analysis, the searches performed in the experimental channels are indistinguishable from those performed in the open desert terrain. The present results not only demonstrate how otherwise well-studied desert ants assess yield and experience with reliability of food sources, but also establish a model system for future study of how itemised food sources are exploited.

Diets of greater prairie chickens on the Sheyenne National Grasslands

Treesearch

Mark A. Rumble; Jay A. Newell; John E. Toepfer

1988-01-01

Diets of greater prairie chickens on the Sheyenne National Grassland of North Dakota were examined. During the winter months agricultural crops (primarily corn) were the predominant food items. Green vegetation was consumed in greater quantities as spring progressed. Dandelion flowers and alfalfa/sweetclover were the major vegetative food items through the summer. Both...

Food and Nutrition (Intermediate). Performance Objectives and Criterion-Referenced Test Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Instructional Materials Lab.

This document contains competencies and criterion-referenced test items for the Intermediate Food and Nutrition semester course in Missouri that were derived from the duties and tasks of the Missouri homemaker and identified and validated by home economics teachers and subject matter specialists. The guide is designed to assist home economics…

Teaching Physical Geography with Toys, Household Items, and Food

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnahan, Laura; Pankratz, Mary Jo; Alberts, Heike

2014-01-01

While many college physical geography instructors already use a wide variety of creative teaching approaches in their classes, others have not yet been exposed to teaching with toys, household items, or food. The goal in this article is to present some ideas for teaching college-level physical geography (weather/climate and geomorphology) for…

Neurobiologically Validated Models of Errors in Decision-Making: Strategies for Remediation and Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-20

performed a series of bid trials where they reported their willingness-to-pay for each of 30 snack food items; potential trial realization was...willingness-to-pay for each of 30 snack food items; potential trial realization was conducted at the end of the experiment via an auction procedure

DETERMINATION OF A STANDARD FOOD ITEM FOR ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDE CONSUMPTION IN THE DIETARY INTAKE OF YOUNG CHILDREN

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to establish a standard food item for the collection of residential use pesticides from household surfaces commonly encountered by young children while eating. The amount of a pesticide that young children ingest during eating is influenced by the ...

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.

Reliability of a survey tool for measuring consumer nutrition environment in urban food stores.

PubMed

Hosler, Akiko S; Dharssi, Aliza

2011-01-01

Despite the increase in the volume and importance of food environment research, there is a general lack of reliable measurement tools. This study presents the development and reliability assessment of a tool for measuring consumer nutrition environment in urban food stores. Cross-sectional design. A racially diverse downtown portion (6 ZIP code areas) in Albany, New York. A sample of 39 food stores was visited by our research team in 2009 to 2010. These stores were randomly selected from 123 eligible food stores identified through multiple government lists and ground-truthing. The Food Retail Outlet Survey Tool was developed to assess the presence of selected food and nonfood items, placement, milk prices, physical characteristics of the store, policy implementation, and advertisements on outside windows. For in-store items, agreement of observations between experienced and lightly trained surveyors was assessed. For window advertisement assessments, inter-method agreement (on-site sketch vs digital photo), and inter-rater agreement (both on-site) among lightly trained surveyors were evaluated. Percent agreement, Kappa, and prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa were calculated for in-store observations. Interclass correlation coefficients were calculated for window observations. Twenty-seven of the 47 in-store items had 100% agreement. The prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa indicated excellent agreement (≥0.90) on all items, except aisle width (0.74) and dark-green/orange colored fresh vegetables (0.85). The store type (nonconvenience store), the order of visits (first half), and the time to complete survey (>10 minutes) were associated with lower reliability in these 2 items. Both the inter-method and inter-rater agreements for window advertisements were uniformly high (intraclass correlation coefficient ranged 0.94-1.00), indicating high reliability. The Food Retail Outlet Survey Tool is a reliable tool for quickly measuring consumer nutrition environment. It can be effectively used by an individual who attended a 30-minute group briefing and practiced with 3 to 4 stores.

Attitudes and preferences of consumers toward food allergy labeling practices by diagnosis of food allergies

PubMed Central

Ju, Se-young; Park, Jong-Hwan; Kim, Kyu-earn

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to investigate food allergens and prevalence rates of food allergies, followed by comparison of consumer attitudes and preferences regarding food allergy labeling by diagnosis of food allergies. SUBJECTS/METHODS A total of 543 individuals living in Seoul and Gyeonggi area participated in the survey from October 15 to 22 in 2013. RESULTS The results show that the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed food allergies was 17.5%, whereas 6.4% of respondents self-reported food allergies. The most common allergens of doctor-diagnosed and self-reported food allergy respondents were peaches (30.3%) and eggs (33.3%), respectively, followed by peanuts, cow's milk, and crab. Regarding consumer attitudes toward food labeling, checking food allergens as an item was only significantly different between allergic and non-allergic respondents among all five items (P < 0.001). All respondents reported that all six items (bold font, font color, box frame, warning statement, front label, and addition of potential allergens) were necessary for an improved food allergen labeling system. PLSR analysis determined that the doctor-diagnosed group and checking of food allergens were positively correlated, whereas the non-allergy group was more concerned with checking product brands. CONCLUSIONS An effective food labeling system is very important for health protection of allergic consumers. Additionally, government agencies must develop policies regarding prevalence of food allergies in Korea. Based on this information, the food industry and government agencies should provide clear and accurate food labeling practices for consumers. PMID:26425282

Validating the food behavior questions from the elementary school SPAN questionnaire.

PubMed

Thiagarajah, Krisha; Fly, Alyce D; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Bai, Yeon; Lo, Kaman; Leone, Angela; Shertzer, Julie A

2008-01-01

The School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) questionnaire was developed as a surveillance instrument to measure physical activity, nutrition attitudes, and dietary and physical activity behaviors in children and adolescents. The SPAN questionnaire has 2 versions. This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of food consumption items from the elementary school version of the SPAN questionnaire. Validity was assessed by comparing food items selected on the questionnaire with food items reported from a single 24-hour recall covering the same reference period. 5 elementary schools in Indiana. Fourth-grade student volunteers (N = 121) from 5 elementary schools. Agreement between responses to SPAN questionnaire items and reference values obtained through 24-hour dietary recall. The agreement between the questionnaire and the 24-hour recall was measured using Spearman correlation, percentage agreement, and kappa statistic. Correlation between SPAN item responses and recall data ranged from .25 (bread and related products) to .67 (gravy). The percentage agreement ranged from 26% (bread and related products) to 90% (gravy). The kappa statistic varied from .06 (chocolate candy) to .60 (beans). Results from this study indicate that the SPAN questionnaire can be administered in the classroom quickly and easily to measure many previous day dietary behaviors of fourth graders. However, questions addressing consumption of "vegetables," "candy," and "snacks" need further investigation.

Predictors of nutrition label viewing during food purchase decision making: an eye tracking investigation.

PubMed

Graham, Dan J; Jeffery, Robert W

2012-02-01

Nutrition label use could help consumers eat healthfully. Despite consumers reporting label use, diets are not very healthful and obesity rates continue to rise. The present study investigated whether self-reported label use matches objectively measured label viewing by monitoring the gaze of individuals viewing labels. The present study monitored adults viewing sixty-four food items on a computer equipped with an eye-tracking camera as they made simulated food purchasing decisions. ANOVA and t tests were used to compare label viewing across various subgroups (e.g. normal weight v. overweight v. obese; married v. unmarried) and also across various types of foods (e.g. snacks v. fruits and vegetables). Participants came to the University of Minnesota's Epidemiology Clinical Research Center in spring 2010. The 203 participants were ≥18 years old and capable of reading English words on a computer 76 cm (30 in) away. Participants looked longer at labels for 'meal' items like pizza, soup and yoghurt compared with fruits and vegetables, snack items like crackers and nuts, and dessert items like ice cream and cookies. Participants spent longer looking at labels for foods they decided to purchase compared with foods they decided not to purchase. There were few between-group differences in nutrition label viewing across sex, race, age, BMI, marital status, income or educational attainment. Nutrition label viewing is related to food purchasing, and labels are viewed more when a food's healthfulness is ambiguous. Objectively measuring nutrition label viewing provides new insight into label use by various sociodemographic groups.

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

[A test to measure the degree of knowledge on food and nutrition at the onset of elementary school].

PubMed

Ivanovic Marincovich, D; Castro Gómez, C G; Ivanovic Marincovich, R

1997-06-01

The objective of this work was to design a test to measure the degree of knowledge on food and nutrition in school-age children from elementary first and second grades. A graphic instrument was designed according to the psychological child development and was based on the specific objectives pursued by the curriculum programs of the Ministry of Education. The test was developed around the following topics through 15 items: Area 1: Basic Concepts on Food and Nutrition (9 items) and Area 2: Food, Personal and Environmental Hygiene (9 items). The test was pilot tested on 103 school-age children of both grades (1:1), of both sexes (1:1), belonging to Peñalolén and Las Condes counties from Chile's Metropolitan Region and from high and low socioeconomic status (SES) (1:1), measured through the Graffar's Modified Method. The final version of the test was applied in a representative sample of 1.482 school-age children from Chile's Metropolitan Region from elementary first and second grades during 1986-1987. Content validity was assured by a team of judges and by the curriculum programs. Reliability was assessed by the Spearman correlation with the Spearman-Brown correction. Item-test consistency was determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient. Data were processed by the statistical analysis system (SAS) package. Results showed that reliability coefficient was 0.84 and item-test consistency was equal or above 0.25 in all items. It can be concluded that this test can be useful to determine the degree of knowledge on food and nutrition at the onset of elementary school, both in Chile and in other countries.

Predicting fatty acid profiles in blood based on food intake and the FADS1 rs174546 SNP.

PubMed

Hallmann, Jacqueline; Kolossa, Silvia; Gedrich, Kurt; Celis-Morales, Carlos; Forster, Hannah; O'Donovan, Clare B; Woolhead, Clara; Macready, Anna L; Fallaize, Rosalind; Marsaux, Cyril F M; Lambrinou, Christina-Paulina; Mavrogianni, Christina; Moschonis, George; Navas-Carretero, Santiago; San-Cristobal, Rodrigo; Godlewska, Magdalena; Surwiłło, Agnieszka; Mathers, John C; Gibney, Eileen R; Brennan, Lorraine; Walsh, Marianne C; Lovegrove, Julie A; Saris, Wim H M; Manios, Yannis; Martinez, Jose Alfredo; Traczyk, Iwona; Gibney, Michael J; Daniel, Hannelore

2015-12-01

A high intake of n-3 PUFA provides health benefits via changes in the n-6/n-3 ratio in blood. In addition to such dietary PUFAs, variants in the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene are also associated with altered PUFA profiles. We used mathematical modeling to predict levels of PUFA in whole blood, based on multiple hypothesis testing and bootstrapped LASSO selected food items, anthropometric and lifestyle factors, and the rs174546 genotypes in FADS1 from 1607 participants (Food4Me Study). The models were developed using data from the first reported time point (training set) and their predictive power was evaluated using data from the last reported time point (test set). Among other food items, fish, pizza, chicken, and cereals were identified as being associated with the PUFA profiles. Using these food items and the rs174546 genotypes as predictors, models explained 26-43% of the variability in PUFA concentrations in the training set and 22-33% in the test set. Selecting food items using multiple hypothesis testing is a valuable contribution to determine predictors, as our models' predictive power is higher compared to analogue studies. As unique feature, we additionally confirmed our models' power based on a test set. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Risk of predation makes foragers less choosy about their food.

PubMed

Charalabidis, Alice; Dechaume-Moncharmont, François-Xavier; Petit, Sandrine; Bohan, David A

2017-01-01

Animals foraging in the wild have to balance speed of decision making and accuracy of assessment of a food item's quality. If resource quality is important for maximizing fitness, then the duration of decision making may be in conflict with other crucial and time consuming tasks, such as anti-predator behaviours or competition monitoring. Individuals facing the risk of predation and/or competition should adjust the duration of decision making and, as a consequence, their level of choosiness for resources. When exposed to predation, the forager could either maintain its level of choosiness for food items but accept a reduction in the amount of food items consumed or it could reduce its level of choosiness and accept all prey items encountered. Under competition risk, individuals are expected to reduce their level of choosiness as slow decision making exposes individuals to a higher risk of opportunity costs. To test these predictions, the level of choosiness of a seed-eating carabid beetle, Harpalus affinis, was examined under 4 different experimental conditions of risk: i) predation risk; ii) intraspecific competition; iii) interspecific competition; and, iv) control. All the risks were simulated using chemical cues from individual conspecifics or beetles of different species that are predatory or granivorous. Our results show that when foraging under the risk of predation, H. affinis individuals significantly reduce their level of choosiness for seeds. Reductions in level of choosiness for food items might serve as a sensible strategy to reduce both the total duration of a foraging task and the cognitive load of the food quality assessment. No significant differences were observed when individuals were exposed to competition cues. Competition, (i.e opportunity cost) may not be perceived as risk high enough to induce changes in the level of choosiness. Our results suggest that considering the amount of items consumed, alone, would be a misleading metric when assessing individual response to a risk of predation. Foraging studies should therefore also take in account the decision making process.

Assessment of food offerings and marketing strategies in the food-service venues at California Children's Hospitals.

PubMed

Lesser, Lenard I; Hunnes, Dana E; Reyes, Phedellee; Arab, Lenore; Ryan, Gery W; Brook, Robert H; Cohen, Deborah A

2012-01-01

Marketing strategies and food offerings in hospital cafeterias can impact dietary choices. Using a survey adapted to assess food environments, the purpose of this study was to assess the food environment available to patients, staff, and visitors at the food-service venues in all 14 California children's hospitals. We modified a widely-used tool to create the Nutritional Environment Measures Survey for Cafeterias (NEMS-C) by partnering with a hospital wellness committee. The NEMS-C summarizes the number of healthy items offered, whether calorie labeling is present, if there is signage promoting healthy or unhealthy foods, pricing structure, and the presence of unhealthy combination meals. The range of possible scores is zero (unhealthy) to 37 (healthy). We directly observed the food-service venues at all 14 tertiary care children's hospitals in California and scored them. Inter-rater reliability showed 89% agreement on the assessed items. For the 14 hospitals, the mean score was 19.1 (SD = 4.2; range, 13-30). Analysis revealed that nearly all hospitals offered diet drinks, low-fat milk, and fruit. Fewer than one-third had nutrition information at the point of purchase and 30% had signs promoting healthy eating. Most venues displayed high calorie impulse items such as cookies and ice cream at the registers. Seven percent (7%) of the 384 entrees served were classified as healthy according to NEMS criteria. Most children's hospitals' food venues received a mid-range score, demonstrating there is considerable room for improvement. Many inexpensive options are underused, such as providing nutritional information, incorporating signage that promotes healthy choices, and not presenting unhealthy impulse items at the register. Copyright © 2012 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language-trained chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) name what they have seen but look first at what they have not seen.

PubMed

Beran, Michael J; Smith, J David; Perdue, Bonnie M

2013-05-01

Metacognition can be defined as knowing what one knows, and the question of whether nonhuman animals are metacognitive has driven an intense debate. We tested 3 language-trained chimpanzees in an information-seeking task in which the identity of a food item was the critical piece of information needed to obtain the food. The chimpanzees could either report the identity of the food immediately or first check a container in which the food had been hidden. In two experiments, the chimpanzees were significantly more likely to visit the container first on trials in which they could not know its contents but were more likely to just name the food item without looking into the container on trials in which they had seen its contents. Thus, chimpanzees showed efficient information-seeking behavior that suggested they knew what they had or had not already seen when it was time to name a hidden item.

Estimated content percentages of volatile liquids and fat extractables in ready-to-eat foods.

PubMed

Daft, J L; Cline, J K; Palmer, R E; Sisk, R L; Griffitt, K R

1996-01-01

Content percentages of volatile liquids and fat extractables in 340 samples of ready-to-eat foods were determined gravimetrically. Volatile liquids were determined by drying samples in a microwave oven with a self-contained balance; results were printed out automatically. Fat extractables were extracted from the samples with mixed ethers; extracts were dried and weighed manually. The samples, 191 nonfat and 149 fatty (containing ca 2% or more fat) foods, represent about 5000 different food items and include infant and toddler, ethnic, fast, and imported items. Samples were initially prepared for screening of essential and toxic elements and chemical contamination by chopping and mixing into homogenous composites. Content determinations were then made on separate portions from each composite. Content results were put into a database for evaluation. Overall, mean results from both determinations agree with published data for moisture and fat contents of similar food items. Coefficients of variation, however, were lower for determination of volatile liquids than for that of fat extractables.

Derailing healthy choices: an audit of vending machines at train stations in NSW.

PubMed

Kelly, Bridget; Flood, Victoria M; Bicego, Cecilia; Yeatman, Heather

2012-04-01

Train stations provide opportunities for food purchases and many consumers are exposed to these venues daily, on their commute to and from work. This study aimed to describe the food environment that commuters are exposed to at train stations in NSW. One hundred train stations were randomly sampled from the Greater Sydney Metropolitan region, representing a range of demographic areas. A purpose-designed instrument was developed to collect information on the availability, promotion and cost of food and beverages in vending machines. Items were classified as high/low in energy according to NSW school canteen criteria. Of the 206 vending machines identified, 84% of slots were stocked with high-energy food and beverages. The most frequently available items were chips and extruded snacks (33%), sugar-sweetened soft drinks (18%), chocolate (12%) and confectionery (10%). High energy foods were consistently cheaper than lower-energy alternatives. Transport sites may cumulatively contribute to excess energy consumption as the items offered are energy dense. Interventions are required to improve train commuters' access to healthy food and beverages.

Comparison of a short version of the Food Frequency Questionnaire with its long version--a cross-sectional analysis in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Mannato, Livia Welter; Pereira, Taisa Sabrina Silva; Velasquez-Melendez, Gustavo; Cardoso, Letícia de Oliveira; Benseñor, Isabela Martins; Molina, Maria del Carmen Bisi

2015-01-01

The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the preferred instrument for obtaining dietary information in epidemiological studies. A short form of the FFQ was compared with the original version that was used in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), and also with three 24-hour dietary recalls. Cross-sectional study carried out in six Brazilian state capitals. Multiple linear regression was used to reduce the original food and drink list of the FFQ, which had contained 114 food items. The frequency of consumption and nutritional composition of the foods were also taken into consideration. To assess the validity of the shortened FFQ, the energy and nutrients values of the 24-hour dietary recalls were deattenuated and log-transformed. The list of the FFQ of ELSA-Brasil was reduced to 76 food items. The intraclass correlation coefficients in the validation study ranged from 0.17 (selenium) to 0.66 (calcium). The number of items was reduced by 33%, while still maintaining relatively good capacity to measure energy and selected nutrients.

Sample size allocation for food item radiation monitoring and safety inspection.

PubMed

Seto, Mayumi; Uriu, Koichiro

2015-03-01

The objective of this study is to identify a procedure for determining sample size allocation for food radiation inspections of more than one food item to minimize the potential risk to consumers of internal radiation exposure. We consider a simplified case of food radiation monitoring and safety inspection in which a risk manager is required to monitor two food items, milk and spinach, in a contaminated area. Three protocols for food radiation monitoring with different sample size allocations were assessed by simulating random sampling and inspections of milk and spinach in a conceptual monitoring site. Distributions of (131)I and radiocesium concentrations were determined in reference to (131)I and radiocesium concentrations detected in Fukushima prefecture, Japan, for March and April 2011. The results of the simulations suggested that a protocol that allocates sample size to milk and spinach based on the estimation of (131)I and radiocesium concentrations using the apparent decay rate constants sequentially calculated from past monitoring data can most effectively minimize the potential risks of internal radiation exposure. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

A mixed-method examination of food marketing directed towards children in Australian supermarkets.

PubMed

Campbell, Sarah; James, Erica L; Stacey, Fiona G; Bowman, Jennifer; Chapman, Kathy; Kelly, Bridget

2014-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of children's food requests, and parents' experiences of food marketing directed towards children, in the supermarket environment. A mixed-method design was used. Firstly, intercept interviews were conducted with parents accompanied by a child/children on exiting supermarkets (sampled from a large regional centre in Australia). Parents were asked about the prevalence and types of food requests by child/children during their supermarket visit and whether they purchased these foods. Secondly, focus groups (n = 13) and telephone interviews (n = 3) were conducted exploring parents' experiences of supermarket shopping with children and the impact of child-directed marketing. Of the 158 intercept survey participants (30% response rate), 73% reported a food request during the supermarket visit. Most requested food items (88%) were unhealthy foods, with chocolate/confectionery being the most common food category requested (40%). Most parents (70%) purchased at least one food item requested during the shopping trip. Qualitative interviews identified four themes associated with food requests and prompts in the supermarket: parents' experience of pester power in the supermarket; prompts for food requests in the supermarket; parental responses to pestering in the supermarket environment, and; strategies to manage pestering and minimize requests for food items. Food requests from children are common during supermarket shopping. Despite the majority of the requests being unhealthy, parents often purchase these foods. Parents reported difficulties dealing with constant requests and expressed desire for environmental changes including confectionery-free checkouts, minimization of child friendly product placement and reducing children's exposure to food marketing.

Infrared spectroscopic imaging for noninvasive detection of latent fingerprints.

PubMed

Crane, Nicole J; Bartick, Edward G; Perlman, Rebecca Schwartz; Huffman, Scott

2007-01-01

The capability of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging to provide detailed images of unprocessed latent fingerprints while also preserving important trace evidence is demonstrated. Unprocessed fingerprints were developed on various porous and nonporous substrates. Data-processing methods used to extract the latent fingerprint ridge pattern from the background material included basic infrared spectroscopic band intensities, addition and subtraction of band intensity measurements, principal components analysis (PCA) and calculation of second derivative band intensities, as well as combinations of these various techniques. Additionally, trace evidence within the fingerprints was recovered and identified.

Ultra-processed foods and added sugars in the US diet: evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Martínez Steele, Eurídice; Baraldi, Larissa Galastri; Louzada, Maria Laura da Costa; Moubarac, Jean-Claude; Mozaffarian, Dariush; Monteiro, Carlos Augusto

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate the contribution of ultra-processed foods to the intake of added sugars in the USA. Ultra-processed foods were defined as industrial formulations which, besides salt, sugar, oils and fats, include substances not used in culinary preparations, in particular additives used to imitate sensorial qualities of minimally processed foods and their culinary preparations. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2010. Participants We evaluated 9317 participants aged 1+ years with at least one 24 h dietary recall. Main outcome measures Average dietary content of added sugars and proportion of individuals consuming more than 10% of total energy from added sugars. Data analysis Gaussian and Poisson regressions estimated the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and intake of added sugars. All models incorporated survey sample weights and adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, family income and educational attainment. Results Ultra-processed foods comprised 57.9% of energy intake, and contributed 89.7% of the energy intake from added sugars. The content of added sugars in ultra-processed foods (21.1% of calories) was eightfold higher than in processed foods (2.4%) and fivefold higher than in unprocessed or minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients grouped together (3.7%). Both in unadjusted and adjusted models, each increase of 5 percentage points in proportional energy intake from ultra-processed foods increased the proportional energy intake from added sugars by 1 percentage point. Consumption of added sugars increased linearly across quintiles of ultra-processed food consumption: from 7.5% of total energy in the lowest quintile to 19.5% in the highest. A total of 82.1% of Americans in the highest quintile exceeded the recommended limit of 10% energy from added sugars, compared with 26.4% in the lowest. Conclusions Decreasing the consumption of ultra-processed foods could be an effective way of reducing the excessive intake of added sugars in the USA. PMID:26962035

Exchanging a few commercial, regularly consumed food items with improved fat quality reduces total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Ulven, Stine M; Leder, Lena; Elind, Elisabeth; Ottestad, Inger; Christensen, Jacob J; Telle-Hansen, Vibeke H; Skjetne, Anne J; Raael, Ellen; Sheikh, Navida A; Holck, Marianne; Torvik, Kristin; Lamglait, Amandine; Thyholt, Kari; Byfuglien, Marte G; Granlund, Linda; Andersen, Lene F; Holven, Kirsten B

2016-10-01

The healthy Nordic diet has been previously shown to have health beneficial effects among subjects at risk of CVD. However, the extent of food changes needed to achieve these effects is less explored. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of exchanging a few commercially available, regularly consumed key food items (e.g. spread on bread, fat for cooking, cheese, bread and cereals) with improved fat quality on total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and inflammatory markers in a double-blind randomised, controlled trial. In total, 115 moderately hypercholesterolaemic, non-statin-treated adults (25-70 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental diet group (Ex-diet group) or control diet group (C-diet group) for 8 weeks with commercially available food items with different fatty acid composition (replacing SFA with mostly n-6 PUFA). In the Ex-diet group, serum total cholesterol (P<0·001) and LDL-cholesterol (P<0·001) were reduced after 8 weeks, compared with the C-diet group. The difference in change between the two groups at the end of the study was -9 and -11 % in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, respectively. No difference in change in plasma levels of inflammatory markers (high-sensitive C-reactive protein, IL-6, soluble TNF receptor 1 and interferon-γ) was observed between the groups. In conclusion, exchanging a few regularly consumed food items with improved fat quality reduces total cholesterol, with no negative effect on levels of inflammatory markers. This shows that an exchange of a few commercially available food items was easy and manageable and led to clinically relevant cholesterol reduction, potentially affecting future CVD risk.

Chironomidae feeding habits in different habitats from a Neotropical floodplain: exploring patterns in aquatic food webs.

PubMed

Butakka, C M M; Ragonha, F H; Train, S; Pinha, G D; Takeda, A M

2016-02-01

Ecological studies on food webs have considerably increased in recent decades, especially in aquatic communities. Because Chironomidae family are highly specious, occurring in almost all aquatic habitats is considered organisms-key to initiate studies on ecological relationships and trophic webs. We tested the hypothesis that the diversity of the morphospecies diet reflects differences on both the food items available among habitats and the preferences of larval feeding. We analyzed the gut content of the seven most abundant Chironomidae morphospecies of the different habitats from the Upper Paraná River. We categorized the food items found into algae, fungal spores, fragments of plants, algae and animal fragments and sponge spicules. We observed the algae predominance in the gut content of morphospecies from lakes. Considering the different regions from each lake, we registered the highest food abundance in the littoral regions in relation to the central regions. From the variety of feeding habits (number of item kinds), we classified Chironomus strenzkei, Tanytarsus sp.1, Procladius sp.1 as generalist morphospecies. We found a nested pattern between food items and Chironomidae morphospecies, where some items were common to all taxa (e.g., Bacillariophyceae algae, especially), while others were found in specific morphospecies (e.g., animals fragments found in Procladius sp.1). The algae represented the most percentage of gut contents of Chironomidae larvae. This was especially true for the individuals from littoral regions, which is probably due to the major densities of algae associated to macrophytes, which are abundant in these regions. Therefore, the feeding behavior of these morphospecies was generalist and not selective, depending only of the available resources.

The Child-care Food and Activity Practices Questionnaire (CFAPQ): development and first validation steps.

PubMed

Gubbels, Jessica S; Sleddens, Ester Fc; Raaijmakers, Lieke Ch; Gies, Judith M; Kremers, Stef Pj

2016-08-01

To develop and validate a questionnaire to measure food-related and activity-related practices of child-care staff, based on existing, validated parenting practices questionnaires. A selection of items from the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) and the Preschooler Physical Activity Parenting Practices (PPAPP) questionnaire was made to include items most suitable for the child-care setting. The converted questionnaire was pre-tested among child-care staff during cognitive interviews and pilot-tested among a larger sample of child-care staff. Factor analyses with Varimax rotation and internal consistencies were used to examine the scales. Spearman correlations, t tests and ANOVA were used to examine associations between the scales and staff's background characteristics (e.g. years of experience, gender). Child-care centres in the Netherlands. The qualitative pre-test included ten child-care staff members. The quantitative pilot test included 178 child-care staff members. The new questionnaire, the Child-care Food and Activity Practices Questionnaire (CFAPQ), consists of sixty-three items (forty food-related and twenty-three activity-related items), divided over twelve scales (seven food-related and five activity-related scales). The CFAPQ scales are to a large extent similar to the original CFPQ and PPAPP scales. The CFAPQ scales show sufficient internal consistency with Cronbach's α ranging between 0·53 and 0·96, and average corrected item-total correlations within acceptable ranges (0·30-0·89). Several of the scales were significantly associated with child-care staff's background characteristics. Scale psychometrics of the CFAPQ indicate it is a valid questionnaire that assesses child-care staff's practices related to both food and activities.

Food Marketing Targeting Youth and Families: What Do We Know about Stores Where Moms Actually Shop?

PubMed Central

Grigsby-Toussaint, Diana S.; Rooney, Mary R.

2013-01-01

Although efforts are underway to examine marketing that targets the youth and families in the retail food store environment, few studies have specifically focused on stores that families identify as their primary sites for food shopping. Between November 2011 and April 2012, we examined the frequency and types of marketing techniques of 114 packaged and nonpackaged items in 24 food stores that mothers of young children in Champaign County, IL, said they commonly frequented. Chi-square tests were used to determine whether significant differences existed between items with regard to marketing by store type, store food-assistance-program acceptance (i.e., WIC), and claims. Overall, stores accepting WIC and convenience stores had higher frequencies of marketing compared to non-WIC and grocery stores. Fruits and vegetables had the lowest frequency of any marketing claim, while salty snacks and soda had the highest frequency of marketing claims. Nutrition claims were the most common across all items, followed by taste, suggested use, fun, and convenience. Television tie-ins and cartoons were observed more often than movie tie-ins and giveaways. Our results suggest an opportunity to promote healthful items more efficiently by focusing efforts on stores where mothers actually shop. PMID:24163701

[Statistical validity of the Mexican Food Security Scale and the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale].

PubMed

Villagómez-Ornelas, Paloma; Hernández-López, Pedro; Carrasco-Enríquez, Brenda; Barrios-Sánchez, Karina; Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael; Melgar-Quiñónez, Hugo

2014-01-01

This article validates the statistical consistency of two food security scales: the Mexican Food Security Scale (EMSA) and the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA). Validity tests were conducted in order to verify that both scales were consistent instruments, conformed by independent, properly calibrated and adequately sorted items, arranged in a continuum of severity. The following tests were developed: sorting of items; Cronbach's alpha analysis; parallelism of prevalence curves; Rasch models; sensitivity analysis through mean differences' hypothesis test. The tests showed that both scales meet the required attributes and are robust statistical instruments for food security measurement. This is relevant given that the lack of access to food indicator, included in multidimensional poverty measurement in Mexico, is calculated with EMSA.

Nutritional imbalance endorsed by televised food advertisements.

PubMed

Mink, Michael; Evans, Alexandra; Moore, Charity G; Calderon, Kristine S; Deger, Shannon

2010-06-01

The ubiquity of television in American culture makes it a potential contributor to the obesogenic (obesity-causing) environment. Televised food advertisements, which encourage viewers to eat the foods promoted for sale, constitute a de facto set of dietary endorsements. The purpose of this study was to compare the nutritional content of food choices endorsed on television to nutritional guidelines. Using a cross-sectional design, food advertisements were observed during 84 hours of primetime and 12 hours of Saturday-morning televised broadcast during the fall of 2004. One-sample t tests were used to compare the food group servings of observed food items to the recommended daily servings and to compare the nutrient content of observed food items to the Daily Values. Results suggest that a diet consisting of observed food items would provide 2,560% of the recommended daily servings for sugars, 2,080% of the recommended daily servings for fat, 40% of the recommended daily servings for vegetables, 32% of the recommended daily servings for dairy, and 27% of the recommended daily servings for fruits. The same diet would substantially oversupply protein, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, while substantially undersupplying carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins A, E, and D, pantothenic acid, iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, copper, and potassium. Overall, the food choices endorsed on television fail to meet nutrition guidelines and encourage nutritional imbalance. 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food Choice Architecture: An Intervention in a Secondary School and its Impact on Students’ Plant-based Food Choices

PubMed Central

Ensaff, Hannah; Homer, Matt; Sahota, Pinki; Braybrook, Debbie; Coan, Susan; McLeod, Helen

2015-01-01

With growing evidence for the positive health outcomes associated with a plant-based diet, the study’s purpose was to examine the potential of shifting adolescents’ food choices towards plant-based foods. Using a real world setting of a school canteen, a set of small changes to the choice architecture was designed and deployed in a secondary school in Yorkshire, England. Focussing on designated food items (whole fruit, fruit salad, vegetarian daily specials, and sandwiches containing salad) the changes were implemented for six weeks. Data collected on students’ food choice (218,796 transactions) enabled students’ (980 students) selections to be examined. Students’ food choice was compared for three periods: baseline (29 weeks); intervention (six weeks); and post-intervention (three weeks). Selection of designated food items significantly increased during the intervention and post-intervention periods, compared to baseline (baseline, 1.4%; intervention 3.0%; post-intervention, 2.2%) χ2(2) = 68.1, p < 0.001. Logistic regression modelling also revealed the independent effect of the intervention, with students 2.5 times as likely (p < 0.001) to select the designated food items during the intervention period, compared to baseline. The study’s results point to the influence of choice architecture within secondary school settings, and its potential role in improving adolescents’ daily food choices. PMID:26043039

The discrimination of discrete and continuous amounts in African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

PubMed

Aïn, Syrina Al; Giret, Nicolas; Grand, Marion; Kreutzer, Michel; Bovet, Dalila

2009-01-01

A wealth of research in infants and animals demonstrates discrimination of quantities, in some cases nonverbal numerical perception, and even elementary calculation capacities. We investigated the ability of three African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) to select the largest amount of food between two sets, either discrete food items (experiment 1) or as volume of a food substance (experiment 2). The two amounts were presented simultaneously and were visible at the time of choice. Parrots were tested several times for all possible combinations between 1 and 5 seeds or 0.2 and 1 ml of food substance. In both conditions, subjects performed above chance for almost all combinations. Accuracy was negatively correlated with the ratio, that is performance improved with greater differences between amounts. Therefore, these results with both individual items and volume discrimination suggest that parrots use an analogue of magnitude, rather than object-file mechanisms to quantify items and substances.

State sales tax rates for soft drinks and snacks sold through grocery stores and vending machines, 2007.

PubMed

Chriqui, Jamie F; Eidson, Shelby S; Bates, Hannalori; Kowalczyk, Shelly; Chaloupka, Frank J

2008-07-01

Junk food consumption is associated with rising obesity rates in the United States. While a "junk food" specific tax is a potential public health intervention, a majority of states already impose sales taxes on certain junk food and soft drinks. This study reviews the state sales tax variance for soft drinks and selected snack products sold through grocery stores and vending machines as of January 2007. Sales taxes vary by state, intended retail location (grocery store vs. vending machine), and product. Vended snacks and soft drinks are taxed at a higher rate than grocery items and other food products, generally, indicative of a "disfavored" tax status attributed to vended items. Soft drinks, candy, and gum are taxed at higher rates than are other items examined. Similar tax schemes in other countries and the potential implications of these findings relative to the relationship between price and consumption are discussed.

Food Choices of Minority and Low-Income Employees

PubMed Central

Levy, Douglas E.; Riis, Jason; Sonnenberg, Lillian M.; Barraclough, Susan J.; Thorndike, Anne N.

2012-01-01

Background Effective strategies are needed to address obesity, particularly among minority and low-income individuals. Purpose To test whether a two-phase point-of-purchase intervention improved food choices across racial, socioeconomic (job type) groups. Design A 9-month longitudinal study from 2009 to 2010 assessing person-level changes in purchases of healthy and unhealthy foods following sequentially introduced interventions. Data were analyzed in 2011. Setting/participants Participants were 4642 employees of a large hospital in Boston MA who were regular cafeteria patrons. Interventions The first intervention was a traffic light–style color-coded labeling system encouraging patrons to purchase healthy items (labeled green) and avoid unhealthy items (labeled red). The second intervention manipulated “choice architecture” by physically rearranging certain cafeteria items, making green-labeled items more accessible, red-labeled items less accessible. Main outcome measures Proportion of green- (or red-) labeled items purchased by an employee. Subanalyses tracked beverage purchases, including calories and price per beverage. Results Employees self-identified as white (73%), black (10%), Latino (7%), and Asian (10%). Compared to white employees, Latino and black employees purchased a higher proportion of red items at baseline (18%, 28%, and 33%, respectively, p<0.001) and a lower proportion of green (48%, 38%, and 33%, p<0.001). Labeling decreased all employees’ red item purchases (−11.2% [95% CI= −13.6%, −8.9%]) and increased green purchases (6.6% [95% CI=5.2%, 7.9%]). Red beverage purchases decreased most (−23.8% [95% CI= −28.1%, −19.6%]). The choice architecture intervention further decreased red purchases after the labeling. Intervention effects were similar across all race/ethnicity and job types (p>0.05 for interaction between race or job type and intervention). Mean calories per beverage decreased similarly over the study period for all racial groups and job types, with no increase in per-beverage spending. Conclusions Despite baseline differences in healthy food purchases, a simple color-coded labeling and choice architecture intervention improved food and beverage choices among employees from all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. PMID:22898116

Food choices of minority and low-income employees: a cafeteria intervention.

PubMed

Levy, Douglas E; Riis, Jason; Sonnenberg, Lillian M; Barraclough, Susan J; Thorndike, Anne N

2012-09-01

Effective strategies are needed to address obesity, particularly among minority and low-income individuals. To test whether a two-phase point-of-purchase intervention improved food choices across racial, socioeconomic (job type) groups. A 9-month longitudinal study from 2009 to 2010 assessing person-level changes in purchases of healthy and unhealthy foods following sequentially introduced interventions. Data were analyzed in 2011. Participants were 4642 employees of a large hospital in Boston MA who were regular cafeteria patrons. The first intervention was a traffic light-style color-coded labeling system encouraging patrons to purchase healthy items (labeled green) and avoid unhealthy items (labeled red). The second intervention manipulated "choice architecture" by physically rearranging certain cafeteria items, making green-labeled items more accessible and red-labeled items less accessible. Proportion of green- (or red-) labeled items purchased by an employee. Subanalyses tracked beverage purchases, including calories and price per beverage. Employees self-identified as white (73%); black (10%); Latino (7%); and Asian (10%). Compared to white employees, Latino and black employees purchased a higher percentage of red items at baseline (18%, 28%, and 33%, respectively, p<0.001) and a lower percentage of green (48%, 38%, and 33%, p<0.001). Labeling decreased all employees' red item purchases (-11.2%, 95% CI= -13.6%, -8.9%) and increased green purchases (6.6%, 95% CI=5.2%, 7.9%). Red beverage purchases decreased most (-23.8%, 95% CI= -28.1%, -19.6%). The choice architecture intervention further decreased red purchases after the labeling. Intervention effects were similar across all race/ethnicity and job types (p>0.05 for interaction between race or job type and intervention). Mean calories per beverage decreased similarly over the study period for all racial groups and job types, with no increase in per-beverage spending. Despite baseline differences in healthy food purchases, a simple color-coded labeling and choice architecture intervention improved food and beverage choices among employees from all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between red meat intake and biomarkers of inflammation and glucose metabolism in women123

PubMed Central

Ley, Sylvia H; Sun, Qi; Willett, Walter C; Eliassen, A Heather; Wu, Kana; Pan, An; Grodstein, Fran; Hu, Frank B

2014-01-01

Background: Greater red meat intake is associated with an increased type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk. However, the relation of red meat intake to biomarkers of inflammation and glucose metabolism has not been investigated thoroughly. Objective: We hypothesized that greater red meat intake would be associated with biomarkers of inflammation and glucose metabolism, which would be partly explained by body mass index (BMI). Design: We analyzed cross-sectional data from diabetes-free female participants in the Nurses’ Health Study (n = 3690). Multiple linear regression was conducted to assess the associations of total, unprocessed, and processed red meat intakes (quartile categories) with plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, adiponectin, fasting insulin, and hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c). Results: Greater total, unprocessed, and processed red meat intakes were associated with higher plasma CRP, ferritin, fasting insulin, and Hb A1c and lower adiponectin after adjustment for demographic information (P-trend ≤ 0.03 for all). Adiponectin was not associated with any type of red meat intake when further adjusted for medical and lifestyle factors. After adjustment for BMI, most of these associations with inflammatory and glucose metabolic biomarkers were substantially attenuated and no longer significant. BMI accounted for a statistically significant proportion of associations with CRP, Hb A1c, and fasting insulin (P-contribution ≤ 0.02 for all) but not with ferritin. Substituting a serving of total red meat intake with alternative protein food in a combination of poultry, fish, legumes, and nuts was associated with significantly lower CRP (β ± SE: −0.106 ± 0.043), ferritin (−0.212 ± 0.075), Hb A1c (−0.052 ± 0.015), and fasting insulin (−0.119 ± 0.036) (all P ≤ 0.02 for comparison of extreme quartiles for all). Conclusions: Greater red meat intake is associated with unfavorable plasma concentrations of inflammatory and glucose metabolic biomarkers in diabetes-free women. BMI accounts for a significant proportion of the associations with these biomarkers, except for ferritin. Substituting red meat with another protein food is associated with a healthier biomarker profile of inflammatory and glucose metabolism. PMID:24284436

Eating Well While Dining Out: Collaborating with Local Restaurants to Promote Heart Healthy Menu Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thayer, Linden M.; Pimentel, Daniela C.; Smith, Janice C.; Garcia, Beverly A.; Sylvester, Laura Lee; Kelly, Tammy; Johnston, Larry F.; Ammerman, Alice S.; Keyserling, Thomas C.

2017-01-01

Background: Because Americans commonly consume restaurant foods with poor dietary quality, effective interventions are needed to improve food choices at restaurants. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate a restaurant-based intervention to help customers select and restaurants promote heart healthy menu items with healthful…

21 CFR 1140.34 - Sale and distribution of nontobacco items and services, gifts, and sponsorship of events.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... services, gifts, and sponsorship of events. 1140.34 Section 1140.34 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG... services, gifts, and sponsorship of events. (a) No manufacturer and no distributor of imported cigarettes...) No manufacturer, distributor, or retailer may offer or cause to be offered any gift or item (other...

Further Examination of Factors that Influence Preference for Positive versus Negative Reinforcement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kodak, Tiffany; Lerman, Dorothea C.; Volkert, Valerie M.; Trosclair, Nicole

2007-01-01

Factors that influence choice between qualitatively different reinforcers (e.g., a food item or a break from work) are important to consider when arranging treatments for problem behavior. Previous findings indicate that children who engage in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands may choose a food item over the functional reinforcer…

Linking Supermarket Sales Data To Nutritional Information: An Informatics Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Brinkerhoff, Kristina M.; Brewster, Philip J.; Clark, Edward B.; Jordan, Kristine C.; Cummins, Mollie R.; Hurdle, John F.

2011-01-01

Grocery sales are a data source of potential value to dietary assessment programs in public health informatics. However, the lack of a computable method for mapping between nutrient and food item information represents a major obstacle. We studied the feasibility of linking point-of-sale data to USDA-SR nutrient database information in a sustainable way. We analyzed 2,009,533 de-identified sales items purchased by 32,785 customers over a two-week period. We developed a method using the item category hierarchy in the supermarket’s database to link purchased items to records from the USDA-SR. We describe our methodology and its rationale and limitations. Approximately 70% of all items were mapped and linked to the SR; approximately 90% of all items could be mapped with an equivalent expenditure of additional effort. 100% of all items were mapped to USDA standard food groups. We conclude that mapping grocery sales data to nutritional information is feasible. PMID:22195115

Are great apes able to reason from multi-item samples to populations of food items?

PubMed

Eckert, Johanna; Rakoczy, Hannes; Call, Josep

2017-10-01

Inductive learning from limited observations is a cognitive capacity of fundamental importance. In humans, it is underwritten by our intuitive statistics, the ability to draw systematic inferences from populations to randomly drawn samples and vice versa. According to recent research in cognitive development, human intuitive statistics develops early in infancy. Recent work in comparative psychology has produced first evidence for analogous cognitive capacities in great apes who flexibly drew inferences from populations to samples. In the present study, we investigated whether great apes (Pongo abelii, Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus, Gorilla gorilla) also draw inductive inferences in the opposite direction, from samples to populations. In two experiments, apes saw an experimenter randomly drawing one multi-item sample from each of two populations of food items. The populations differed in their proportion of preferred to neutral items (24:6 vs. 6:24) but apes saw only the distribution of food items in the samples that reflected the distribution of the respective populations (e.g., 4:1 vs. 1:4). Based on this observation they were then allowed to choose between the two populations. Results show that apes seemed to make inferences from samples to populations and thus chose the population from which the more favorable (4:1) sample was drawn in Experiment 1. In this experiment, the more attractive sample not only contained proportionally but also absolutely more preferred food items than the less attractive sample. Experiment 2, however, revealed that when absolute and relative frequencies were disentangled, apes performed at chance level. Whether these limitations in apes' performance reflect true limits of cognitive competence or merely performance limitations due to accessory task demands is still an open question. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

New Year’s Res-Illusions: Food Shopping in the New Year Competes with Healthy Intentions

PubMed Central

Pope, Lizzy; Hanks, Andrew S.; Just, David R.; Wansink, Brian

2014-01-01

Objective How do the holidays – and the possible New Year’s resolutions that follow – influence a household’s purchase patterns of healthier foods versus less healthy foods? This has important implications for both holiday food shopping and post-holiday shopping. Methods 207 households were recruited to participate in a randomized-controlled trial conducted at two regional-grocery chain locations in upstate New York. Item-level transaction records were tracked over a seven-month period (July 2010 to March 2011). The cooperating grocer’s proprietary nutrient-rating system was used to designate “healthy,” and “less healthy” items. Calorie data were extracted from online nutritional databases. Expenditures and calories purchased for the holiday period (Thanksgiving-New Year’s), and the post-holiday period (New Year’s-March), were compared to baseline (July-Thanksgiving) amounts. Results During the holiday season, household food expenditures increased 15% compared to baseline ($105.74 to $121.83; p<0.001), with 75% of additional expenditures accounted for by less-healthy items. Consistent with what one would expect from New Year’s resolutions, sales of healthy foods increased 29.4% ($13.24/week) after the holiday season compared to baseline, and 18.9% ($9.26/week) compared to the holiday period. Unfortunately, sales of less-healthy foods remained at holiday levels ($72.85/week holiday period vs. $72.52/week post-holiday). Calories purchased each week increased 9.3% (450 calories per serving/week) after the New Year compared to the holiday period, and increased 20.2% (890 calories per serving/week) compared to baseline. Conclusions Despite resolutions to eat more healthfully after New Year’s, consumers may adjust to a new “status quo” of increased less-healthy food purchasing during the holidays, and dubiously fulfill their New Year’s resolutions by spending more on healthy foods. Encouraging consumers to substitute healthy items for less-healthy items may be one way for practitioners and public health officials to help consumers fulfill New Year’s resolutions, and reverse holiday weight gain. PMID:25514158

Composition of key offensive odorants released from fresh food materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Yong-Hyun

2014-06-01

A refrigerator loaded with a variety of foods without sealed packaging can create quite an olfactory nuisance, and it may come as a surprise that fresh foods emit unpleasant odorants just as those that are decaying. To learn more about nuisance sources in our daily lives, we measured a list of 22 compounds designated as the key offensive odorants (e.g., reduced sulfur, nitrogenous, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and carbonyls) from nine types of common food items consumed in S. Korea: raw beef, raw fish, spam, yolks and albumin of boiled eggs (analyzed separately), milk, cheese, onions, and strawberries. The odor intensity (OI) of each food item was computed initially with the aid of previously used empirical equations. This indicates that the malodor properties of target foods tend to be governed by a few key odorants such as VFA, S, and N compounds. The extent of odorant mixing of a given food was then evaluated by exploring the correlation between the human olfaction (e.g., dilution-to-threshold (D/T) ratio) and the odor potential determined indirectly (instrumentally) such as odor activity value (OAV) or sum of odor intensity (SOI). The overall results of our study confirm the existence of malodorant compounds released from common food items and their contribution to their odor characteristics to a certain degree.

Meat analog: a review.

PubMed

Malav, O P; Talukder, S; Gokulakrishnan, P; Chand, S

2015-01-01

The health-conscious consumers are in search of nutritious and convenient food item which can be best suited in their busy life. The vegetarianism is the key for the search of such food which resembles the meat in respect of nutrition and sensory characters, but not of animal origin and contains vegetable or its modified form, this is the point when meat analog evolved out and gets shape. The consumers gets full satisfaction by consumption of meat analog due to its typical meaty texture, appearance and the flavor which are being imparted during the skilled production of meat analog. The supplement of protein in vegetarian diet through meat alike food can be fulfilled by incorporating protein-rich vegetative food grade materials in meat analog and by adopting proper technological process which can promote the proper fabrication of meat analog with acceptable meat like texture, appearance, flavor, etc. The easily available vegetables, cereals, and pulses in India have great advantages and prospects to be used in food products and it can improve the nutritional and functional characters of the food items. The various form and functional characters of food items are available world over and attracts the meat technologists and the food processors to bring some innovativeness in meat analog and its presentation and marketability so that the acceptability of meat analog can be overgrown by the consumers.

Processed and Unprocessed Red Meat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Analysis by Tumor Location and Modification by Time

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xuehong; Pan, An; Wang, Molin; Fuchs, Charles S.; Le, Ngoan; Chan, Andrew T.; Willett, Walter C.; Ogino, Shuji; Giovannucci, Edward L.; Wu, Kana

2015-01-01

Although the association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) is well established, the association across subsites of the colon and rectum remains uncertain, as does time of consumption in relation to cancer development. As these relationships are key for understanding the pathogenesis of CRC, they were examined in two large cohorts with repeated dietary measures over time, the Nurses’ Health Study (n = 87,108 women, 1980–2010) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (n = 47,389 men, 1986–2010). Cox proportional hazards regression models generated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), which were pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. In combined cohorts, there were 2,731 CRC cases (1,151 proximal colon, 816 distal colon, and 589 rectum). In pooled analyses, processed red meat was positively associated with CRC risk (per 1 serving/day increase: HR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01–1.32; P for trend 0.03) and particularly with distal colon cancer (per 1 serving/day increase; HR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.09–1.69; P for trend 0.006). Recent consumption of processed meat (within the past 4 years) was not associated with distal cancer. Unprocessed red meat was inversely associated with risk of distal colon cancer and a weak non-significant positive association between unprocessed red meat and proximal cancer was observed (per 1 serving/day increase: distal HR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68–0.82; P for trend <0.001; proximal HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.92–1.40; P for trend 0.22). Thus, in these two large cohorts of US health professionals, processed meat intake was positively associated with risk of CRC, particularly distal cancer, with little evidence that higher intake of unprocessed red meat substantially increased risk of CRC. Future studies, particularly those with sufficient sample size to assess associations by subsites across the colon are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate potentially distinct mechanisms underlying the relationship between processed meat and subtypes of unprocessed red meat with CRC. PMID:26305323

Processed and Unprocessed Red Meat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Analysis by Tumor Location and Modification by Time.

PubMed

Bernstein, Adam M; Song, Mingyang; Zhang, Xuehong; Pan, An; Wang, Molin; Fuchs, Charles S; Le, Ngoan; Chan, Andrew T; Willett, Walter C; Ogino, Shuji; Giovannucci, Edward L; Wu, Kana

2015-01-01

Although the association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) is well established, the association across subsites of the colon and rectum remains uncertain, as does time of consumption in relation to cancer development. As these relationships are key for understanding the pathogenesis of CRC, they were examined in two large cohorts with repeated dietary measures over time, the Nurses' Health Study (n = 87,108 women, 1980-2010) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (n = 47,389 men, 1986-2010). Cox proportional hazards regression models generated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), which were pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. In combined cohorts, there were 2,731 CRC cases (1,151 proximal colon, 816 distal colon, and 589 rectum). In pooled analyses, processed red meat was positively associated with CRC risk (per 1 serving/day increase: HR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01-1.32; P for trend 0.03) and particularly with distal colon cancer (per 1 serving/day increase; HR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.09-1.69; P for trend 0.006). Recent consumption of processed meat (within the past 4 years) was not associated with distal cancer. Unprocessed red meat was inversely associated with risk of distal colon cancer and a weak non-significant positive association between unprocessed red meat and proximal cancer was observed (per 1 serving/day increase: distal HR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68-0.82; P for trend <0.001; proximal HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.92-1.40; P for trend 0.22). Thus, in these two large cohorts of US health professionals, processed meat intake was positively associated with risk of CRC, particularly distal cancer, with little evidence that higher intake of unprocessed red meat substantially increased risk of CRC. Future studies, particularly those with sufficient sample size to assess associations by subsites across the colon are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate potentially distinct mechanisms underlying the relationship between processed meat and subtypes of unprocessed red meat with CRC.

Nutrition, Health, and Regulatory Aspects of Digestible Maltodextrins

PubMed Central

Hofman, Denise L.; van Buul, Vincent J.; Brouns, Fred J. P. H.

2016-01-01

Digestible maltodextrins are low-sweet saccharide polymers consisting of D-glucose units linked primarily linearly with alpha-1,4 bonds, but can also have a branched structure through alpha-1,6 bonds. Often, maltodextrins are classified by the amount of reducing sugars present relative to the total carbohydrate content; between 3 and 20 percent in the case of digestible maltodextrins. These relatively small polymers are used as food ingredients derived by hydrolysis from crops naturally rich in starch. Through advances in production technology, the application possibilities in food products have improved during the last 20 years. However, since glucose from digested maltodextrins is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine, the increased use has raised questions about potential effects on metabolism and health. Therefore, up-to-date knowledge concerning production, digestion, absorption, and metabolism of maltodextrins, including potential effects on health, were reviewed. Exchanging unprocessed starch with maltodextrins may lead to an increased glycemic load and therefore post meal glycaemia, which are viewed as less desirable for health. Apart from beneficial food technological properties, its use should accordingly also be viewed in light of this. Finally, this review reflects on regulatory aspects, which differ significantly in Europe and the United States, and, therefore, have implications for communication and marketing. PMID:25674937

Nutrition, Health, and Regulatory Aspects of Digestible Maltodextrins.

PubMed

Hofman, Denise L; van Buul, Vincent J; Brouns, Fred J P H

2016-09-09

Digestible maltodextrins are low-sweet saccharide polymers consisting of D-glucose units linked primarily linearly with alpha-1,4 bonds, but can also have a branched structure through alpha-1,6 bonds. Often, maltodextrins are classified by the amount of reducing sugars present relative to the total carbohydrate content; between 3 and 20 percent in the case of digestible maltodextrins. These relatively small polymers are used as food ingredients derived by hydrolysis from crops naturally rich in starch. Through advances in production technology, the application possibilities in food products have improved during the last 20 years. However, since glucose from digested maltodextrins is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine, the increased use has raised questions about potential effects on metabolism and health. Therefore, up-to-date knowledge concerning production, digestion, absorption, and metabolism of maltodextrins, including potential effects on health, were reviewed. Exchanging unprocessed starch with maltodextrins may lead to an increased glycemic load and therefore post meal glycaemia, which are viewed as less desirable for health. Apart from beneficial food technological properties, its use should accordingly also be viewed in light of this. Finally, this review reflects on regulatory aspects, which differ significantly in Europe and the United States, and, therefore, have implications for communication and marketing.

Evolution of Mediterranean diets and cuisine: concepts and definitions.

PubMed

Radd-Vagenas, Sue; Kouris-Blazos, Antigone; Singh, Maria Fiatarone; Flood, Victoria M

2017-01-01

The Mediterranean diet has been demonstrated to provide a range of health benefits in observational and clinical trials and adopted by various dietary guidelines. However, a broad range of definitions exist impeding synthesis across trials. This review aims to provide a historical description of Mediterranean diets, from the ancient to the modern, to inform future educational and diet index tool development representing the 'traditional' Mediterranean diet. Nine databases were searched from inception to July 2015 to identify papers defining the Mediterranean diet. The definition accepted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was also reviewed. The 'traditional' Mediterranean diet is described as high in unprocessed plant foods (grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts/seeds and extra virgin olive oil), moderate in fish/shellfish and wine and low in meat, dairy, eggs, animal fats and discretionary foods. Additional elements relating to cuisine and eating habits identified in this review include frequent intake of home cooked meals; use of moist, lower temperature, cooking methods; eating main meals in company; reduced snacking occasions; fasting practice; ownership of a vegetable garden; use of traditional foods and combinations; and napping after the midday meal. Scope exists for future tools to incorporate additional elements of the 'traditional' Mediterranean diet to improve the quality, consistency, and synthesis of ongoing research on the Mediterranean diet.

Diabetes prevention information in Japanese magazines with the largest print runs. Content analysis using clinical guidelines as a standard.

PubMed

Noda, Emi; Mifune, Taka; Nakayama, Takeo

2013-01-01

To characterize information on diabetes prevention appearing in Japanese general health magazines and to examine the agreement of the content with that in clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of diabetes in Japan. We used the Japanese magazines' databases provided by the Media Research Center and selected magazines with large print runs published in 2006. Two medical professionals independently conducted content analysis based on items in the diabetes prevention guidelines. The number of pages for each item and agreement with the information in the guidelines were determined. We found 63 issues of magazines amounting to 8,982 pages; 484 pages included diabetes prevention related content. For 23 items included in the diabetes prevention guidelines, overall agreement of information printed in the magazines with that in the guidelines was 64.5% (471 out of 730). The number of times these items were referred to in the magazines varied widely, from 247 times for food items to 0 times for items on screening for pregnancy-induced diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Among the 20 items that were referred to at least once, 18 items showed more than 90% agreement with the guidelines. However, there was poor agreement for information on vegetable oil (2/14, 14%) and for specific foods (5/247, 2%). For the fatty acids category, "fat" was not mentioned in the guidelines; however, the term frequently appeared in magazines. "Uncertainty" was never mentioned in magazines for specific food items. The diabetes prevention related content in the health magazines differed from that defined in clinical practice guidelines. Most information in the magazines agreed with the guidelines, however some items were referred to inappropriately. To disseminate correct information to the public on diabetes prevention, health professionals and the media must collaborate.

Developing and validating a scale to measure Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) in elementary school children in Iran.

PubMed

Doustmohammadian, Aazam; Omidvar, Nasrin; Keshavarz-Mohammadi, Nastaran; Abdollahi, Morteza; Amini, Maryam; Eini-Zinab, Hassan

2017-01-01

Food and nutrition literacy is an emerging term which is increasingly used in policy and research. Though research in this area is growing, progression is limited by the lack of an accepted method to measure food and nutrition literacy. The aim of this study is to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess food and nutrition literacy in elementary school children in the city of Tehran. The study was conducted in three phases. To develop Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) questionnaire, a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative study were initially performed to identify food and nutrition literacy dimensions and its components. Content and face validity of the questionnaire were evaluated by an expert panel as well as students. In the second phase, construct validity of the scale was evaluated using Explanatory Factor Analyses (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA). In the last phase (confirmatory phase), the final version of the questionnaire was evaluated on 400 students. Findings show Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) of the 62-item questionnaire at acceptable levels of 0.87 and 0.92, respectively. EFA suggested a six-factor construct, namely, understanding food and nutrition information, knowledge, functional, interactive, food choice, and critical. The results of CFA indicated acceptable fit indices for the proposed models. All subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha≥0.70), except for critical skill subscale (0.48). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.90, CI: 0.83-0.94) indicated that Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) scale had satisfactory stability. Each phase of development progressively improved the questionnaire, which resulted in a 46-item (42 likert-type items and 4 true-false items) Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) scale. The questionnaire measured two domains with 6 subscales, including: 1) cognitive domain: understanding and knowledge; 2) skill domain: functional, food choice, interactive, and critical skills. The developed food and nutrition literacy scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure food and nutrition literacy in children. This measure lays a solid empirical and theoretical foundation for future research and tailored interventions to promote food and nutrition literacy in this age group.

Reliability and validity of television food advertising questionnaire in Malaysia.

PubMed

Zalma, Abdul Razak; Safiah, Md Yusof; Ajau, Danis; Khairil Anuar, Md Isa

2015-09-01

Interventions to counter the influence of television food advertising amongst children are important. Thus, reliable and valid instrument to assess its effect is needed. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of such a questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered twice on 32 primary schoolchildren aged 10-11 years in Selangor, Malaysia. The interval between the first and second administration was 2 weeks. Test-retest method was used to examine the reliability of the questionnaire. Intra-rater reliability was determined by kappa coefficient and internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated using factor analysis. The test-retest correlation showed moderate-to-high reliability for all scores (r = 0.40*, p = 0.02 to r = 0.95**, p = 0.00), with one exception, consumption of fast foods (r = 0.24, p = 0.20). Kappa coefficient showed acceptable-to-strong intra-rater reliability (K = 0.40-0.92), except for two items under knowledge on television food advertising (K = 0.26 and K = 0.21) and one item under preference for healthier foods (K = 0.33). Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicated acceptable internal consistency for all scores (0.45-0.60). After deleting two items under Consumption of Commonly Advertised Food, the items showed moderate-to-high loading (0.52, 0.84, 0.42 and 0.42) with the Scree plot showing that there was only one factor. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin was 0.60, showing that the sample was adequate for factor analysis. The questionnaire on television food advertising is reliable and valid to assess the effect of media literacy education on television food advertising on schoolchildren. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nutritional habits in functional dyspepsia and its subgroups: a comparative study.

PubMed

Göktaş, Zeynep; Köklü, Seyfettin; Dikmen, Derya; Öztürk, Ömer; Yılmaz, Bülent; Asıl, Mehmet; Korkmaz, Hüseyin; Tuna, Yaşar; Kekilli, Murat; Karamanoğlu Aksoy, Evrim; Köklü, Hayretdin; Demir, Aslıhan; Köklü, Gülşah; Arslan, Serab

2016-08-01

Research data demonstrating nutritional habits of functional dyspepsia (FD) patients are very limited. This is the first study to evaluate nutritional habits in FD subgroups according to Rome III criteria. Our aim was to evaluate nutritional habits of FD patients and determine the food items that may provoke a dyspepsia symptom. A total of 168 adults with FD and 135 healthy control subjects participated in the study. FD subjects were divided into epigastric pain syndrome (EP-FD), postprandial distress syndrome (PS-FD), mixed (MX-FD) subgroups according to Rome Criteria III. Subjects completed a questionnaire that included a short-form food frequency questionnaire. Furthermore, subjects were asked to list the food items that were causing a dyspepsia symptom. Functional dyspepsia subjects had a slightly higher BMI (26.1 ± 4.97 kg/m(2)) than control subjects (24.6 ± 4.08 kg/m(2)). The most common symptom triggering foods among all the FD groups were fried and fatty foods (27.1%), hot spices (26.4%), and carbonated drinks (21.8%). In FD subgroups, carbonated drinks were more likely to cause a symptom in PS-FD group (37.3%) than MX-FD (25.7%) and EP-FD (22.1%) groups. There was no difference in frequency of main meals and snacks among any of the groups. Fatty and spicy foods and carbonated drinks were the most common symptom triggering food items in FD group. In subgroups, carbonated drinks and legumes were more likely to cause a symptom in PS-FD. Removing these food items during the course of treatment might help alleviate the symptoms.

Food and beverage promotions in Vancouver schools: A study of the prevalence and characteristics of in-school advertising, messaging, and signage

PubMed Central

Velazquez, Cayley E.; Black, Jennifer L.; Ahmadi, Naseam

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive profile of food-related advertising, messaging, and signage in Vancouver schools and to examine differences in the prevalence and characteristics of promotions between elementary and secondary schools. All food-related promotions were photographed in 23 diverse Vancouver public schools between November 2012 and April 2013. Key attributes, including the location, size, and main purpose of each promotion, as well as the type of food and/or beverage advertised and compliance with provincial school nutrition guidelines, were coded. Descriptive statistics assessed the prevalence and characteristics of promotions. Cross-tabulations examined whether the promotional landscape differed between elementary and secondary schools. All secondary and 80% of elementary schools contained food or beverage promotions (median = 17, range = 0–57 promotions per school). Of the 493 promotions documented, approximately 25% depicted “choose least” or “not recommended” items, prohibited for sale by provincial school nutrition guidelines. Nearly 1/3 of promotions advertised commercial items (e.g., brand name beverages such as Pepsi), in violation of the Board of Education's advertising policies and only 13% conveyed nutrition education messages. Close to half of all promotions were created by students for class projects, many of which marketed minimally nutritious items. In Vancouver schools, food-related promotions are common and are more prevalent in secondary than elementary schools. Students are regularly exposed to messaging for nutritionally poor items that are not in compliance with provincial school nutrition guidelines and which violate school board advertising policies. Stronger oversight of food-related promotional materials is needed to ensure that schools provide health promoting food environments. PMID:26844147

Food and beverage promotions in Vancouver schools: A study of the prevalence and characteristics of in-school advertising, messaging, and signage.

PubMed

Velazquez, Cayley E; Black, Jennifer L; Ahmadi, Naseam

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive profile of food-related advertising, messaging, and signage in Vancouver schools and to examine differences in the prevalence and characteristics of promotions between elementary and secondary schools. All food-related promotions were photographed in 23 diverse Vancouver public schools between November 2012 and April 2013. Key attributes, including the location, size, and main purpose of each promotion, as well as the type of food and/or beverage advertised and compliance with provincial school nutrition guidelines, were coded. Descriptive statistics assessed the prevalence and characteristics of promotions. Cross-tabulations examined whether the promotional landscape differed between elementary and secondary schools. All secondary and 80% of elementary schools contained food or beverage promotions (median = 17, range = 0-57 promotions per school). Of the 493 promotions documented, approximately 25% depicted "choose least" or "not recommended" items, prohibited for sale by provincial school nutrition guidelines. Nearly 1/3 of promotions advertised commercial items (e.g., brand name beverages such as Pepsi), in violation of the Board of Education's advertising policies and only 13% conveyed nutrition education messages. Close to half of all promotions were created by students for class projects, many of which marketed minimally nutritious items. In Vancouver schools, food-related promotions are common and are more prevalent in secondary than elementary schools. Students are regularly exposed to messaging for nutritionally poor items that are not in compliance with provincial school nutrition guidelines and which violate school board advertising policies. Stronger oversight of food-related promotional materials is needed to ensure that schools provide health promoting food environments.

Preliminary validation of the Malay Yale Food Addiction Scale: Factor structure and item analysis in an obese population.

PubMed

Swarna Nantha, Yogarabindranath; Abd Patah, Norafidza Ashiquin; Ponnusamy Pillai, Mahalakshmi

2016-12-01

Researchers suggest that the rise in obesity rates may be explained by the addictive properties of certain types of food. In view of the growing obesity epidemic in South-East Asia, there is a need for a psychometric tool to assess the concept of food addiction amongst high-risk populations. The objective of this study is to translate the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) into the Malay language and subsequently validate its use in an obese population. Between the year 2014 and 2015, a total of 250 obese adults were assessed for food addiction utilizing the Malay version of the YFAS at a primary care clinic. An assessment of the psychometric properties of the scale was performed to determine the factor structure, item statistics and internal consistency of the scale. A one factorial structure of YFAS was confirmed in this study through factor analysis. All items except 4 (items 19, 22, 24 and 25) had factor loadings >0.42. The internal reliability (KR-20) coefficient of the one-factor solution was α = 0.76. The mean YFAS symptom count was M = 2.74 (SD = 1.57) with 10.4% (N = 26) of the participants received the diagnosis of food addiction. The determination of construct validity and the identification of other latent variables in the Malay food addiction model is necessary prior to the formal utilization of the scale as a tool to detect addictive eating patterns in the community. Copyright © 2016 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictors of nutrition label viewing during food purchase decision making: an eye tracking investigation

PubMed Central

Graham, Dan J; Jeffery, Robert W

2015-01-01

Objective Nutrition label use could help consumers eat healthfully. Despite consumers reporting label use, diets are not very healthful and obesity rates continue to rise. The present study investigated whether self-reported label use matches objectively measured label viewing by monitoring the gaze of individuals viewing labels. Design The present study monitored adults viewing sixty-four food items on a computer equipped with an eye-tracking camera as they made simulated food purchasing decisions. ANOVA and t tests were used to compare label viewing across various subgroups (e.g. normal weight υ. overweight υ. obese; married υ. unmarried) and also across various types of foods (e.g. snacks υ. fruits and vegetables). Setting Participants came to the University of Minnesota’s Epidemiology Clinical Research Center in spring 2010. Subjects The 203 participants were ≥18 years old and capable of reading English words on a computer 76 cm (30 in) away. Results Participants looked longer at labels for ‘meal’ items like pizza, soup and yoghurt compared with fruits and vegetables, snack items like crackers and nuts, and dessert items like ice cream and cookies. Participants spent longer looking at labels for foods they decided to purchase compared with foods they decided not to purchase. There were few between-group differences in nutrition label viewing across sex, race, age, BMI, marital status, income or educational attainment. Conclusions Nutrition label viewing is related to food purchasing, and labels are viewed more when a food’s healthfulness is ambiguous. Objectively measuring nutrition label viewing provides new insight into label use by various sociodemographic groups. PMID:21733280

Structure and Bonding of Carbon in Clays from CI Carbonaceous Chondrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garview, Laurence a. J.; Buseck, Peter R.

2005-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites (CC) contain a diverse suite of C-rich materials. Acid dissolution of these meteorites leaves a C-rich residue with chemical and structural affinities to kerogen. This material has primarily been analyzed in bulk, and much information has been provided regarding functional groups and elemental and isotopic compositions. However, comparatively little work has been done on C in unprocessed meteorites. Studies of CCs suggest a spatial relationship of some C-rich materials with products of aqueous alteration. Recent studies revealed discrete submicronsized, C-rich particles in Tagish Lake and a range of CM2 meteorites. A challenge is to correlate the findings from the bulk acid-residue studies with those of high-spatial resolution-mineralogical and spectroscopic observations of unprocessed meteorites. Hence, the relationship between the C-rich materials in the acid residues and its form and locations in the unprocessed meteorite remains unclear. Here we provide information on the structure and bonding of C associated with clays in CI carbonaceous chondrites. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

[Food and beverages available in automatic food dispensers in health care facilities of the Portugal North Health Region].

PubMed

Rodrigues, Filipa Gomes; Ramos, Elisabete; Freitas, Mário; Neto, Maria

2010-01-01

Patients and health staff frequently need to stay in health care facilities for quite a long time. Therefore, it's necessary to create the conditions that allow the ingestion of food during those periods, namely through the existence of automatic food dispensers. However, the available food and beverages might not always be compatible with a healthy diet. The aim of this work was to evaluate if the food and beverages available in automatic food dispensers in public Ambulatory Care Facilities (ACF) and Hospitals of the Portugal North Health Region were contributing to a healthy diet, during the year of 2007. A questionnaire was elaborated and sent to the Coordinators of the Health Sub-Regions and to the Hospital Administrators. The questionnaire requested information about the existence of automatic food dispensers in the several departments of each health care facility, as well as which food and beverages were available and most sold. Afterwards, the pre-processing of the results involved the classification of the food and beverages in three categories: recommended, sometimes recommended and not recommended. The questionnaire reply ratio was 71% in ACF and 83% in Hospitals. Automatic food dispensers were available in all the Hospitals and 86.5% of ACF. It wasn't possible to acquire food in 37% of the health facility departments. These departments were all located in ACF. The more frequently available beverages in departments with automatic food dispensers were coffee, still water, tea, juices and nectars and soft drinks. Still water, coffee, yogurt, juices and nectars and soft drinks were reported as the most sold. The more frequently avaliable food items were chocolate, recommended cookies, not recommended cakes, recommended sandwiches and sometimes recommended croissants. The food items reported as being the most sold were recommended sandwiches, chocolate, recommended cookies, sometimes recommended croissants and not recommended cookies. The beverages in the recommended and sometimes recommended groups were the most frequently available and sold. The not recommended food items were reported as being the most available, while both the recommended and not recommended food items were equally reported as being the most sold. Results show that unhealthy food and beverages are widely available in public health care facilities of the Portugal North Health Region.

The phylogenetic roots of cognitive dissonance.

PubMed

West, Samantha; Jett, Stephanie E; Beckman, Tamra; Vonk, Jennifer

2010-11-01

We presented 7 Old World monkeys (Japanese macaques [Macaca fuscata], gray-cheeked mangabey [Lophocebus albigena], rhesus macaques [Macaca mulatta], bonnet macaque [Macaca radiate], and olive baboon [Papio anubis]), 3 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), 6 members of the parrot (Psittacinae) family, and 4 American black bears (Ursus americanus) with a cognitive dissonance paradigm modeled after Egan, Santos, and Bloom (2007). In experimental trials, subjects were given choices between 2 equally preferred food items and then presented with the unchosen option and a novel, equally preferred food item. In control trials, subjects were presented with 1 accessible and 1 inaccessible option from another triad of equally preferred food items. They were then presented with the previously inaccessible item and a novel member of that triad. Subjects, as a whole, did not prefer the novel item in experimental or control trials. However, there was a tendency toward a subject by condition interaction. When analyzed by primate versus nonprimate categories, only primates preferred the novel item in experimental but not control trials, indicating that they resolved cognitive dissonance by devaluing the unchosen option only when an option was derogated by their own free choice. This finding suggests that this phenomenon might exist within but not outside of the primate order. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Validity of a self-report survey tool measuring the nutrition and physical activity environment of primary schools.

PubMed

Nathan, Nicole; Wolfenden, Luke; Morgan, Philip J; Bell, Andrew C; Barker, Daniel; Wiggers, John

2013-06-13

Valid tools measuring characteristics of the school environment associated with the physical activity and dietary behaviours of children are needed to accurately evaluate the impact of initiatives to improve school environments. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of Principal self-report of primary school healthy eating and physical activity environments. Primary school Principals (n = 42) in New South Wales, Australia were invited to complete a telephone survey of the school environment; the School Environment Assessment Tool - SEAT. Equivalent observational data were collected by pre-service teachers located within the school. The SEAT, involved 65 items that assessed food availability via canteens, vending machines and fundraisers and the presence of physical activity facilities, equipment and organised physical activities. Kappa statistics were used to assess agreement between the two measures. Almost 70% of the survey demonstrated moderate to almost perfect agreement. Substantial agreement was found for 10 of 13 items assessing foods sold for fundraising, 3 of 6 items assessing physical activity facilities of the school, and both items assessing organised physical activities that occurred at recess and lunch and school sport. Limited agreement was found for items assessing foods sold through canteens and access to small screen recreation. The SEAT provides researchers and policy makers with a valid tool for assessing aspects of the school food and physical activity environment.

Athletes' opinions of food provision at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games: the influence of culture and sport.

PubMed

Burkhart, Sarah J; Pelly, Fiona E

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether athletes' opinion of food provision in the main dining hall of the athletes' village at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games varied according to cultural background, sport, stage of competition, and previous experience at similar events. A previously developed questionnaire was distributed over 3 meal periods to 351 athletes dining in the main dining hall during the course of the games (Sept. 23 to Oct. 4, 2010). Despite the challenges of food provision in a non-Western region, the availability of food and beverage items was rated highly. However, athletes from Western regions tended to rate food-provision qualities lower than athletes from non-Western regions. Most athletes found it easy to find items to meet their nutrition needs; however, requests for sports foods, snacks, and culturally specific items were received. Power/sprint athletes were more critical of the food provision, whereas athletes from aesthetic sports tended to rate it more highly. Athletes farther from competition gave higher ratings for taste, while athletes who had more experience in this type of environment also tended to be more critical of the food provision. Overall daily mean opinion scores for taste and menu variety decreased over the games period. The results of this study can help organizers and caterers ensure that appropriate food and beverage are provided for athletes at major competition events.

Factors that influence beverage choices at meal times. An application of the food choice kaleidoscope framework.

PubMed

Mueller Loose, S; Jaeger, S R

2012-12-01

Beverages are consumed at almost every meal occasion, but knowledge about the factors that influence beverage choice is less than for food choice. The aim of this research was to characterize and quantify factors that influence beverage choices at meal times. Insights into what beverages are chosen by whom, when and where can be helpful for manufacturers, dieticians/health care providers, and health policy makers. A descriptive framework - the food choice kaleidoscope (Jaeger et al., 2011) - was applied to self-reported 24h food recall data from a sample of New Zealand consumers. Participants (n=164) described 8356 meal occasions in terms of foods and beverages consumed, and the contextual characteristics of the occasion. Beverage choice was explored with random-parameter logit regressions to reveal influences linked to food items eaten, context factors and person factors. Thereby this study contributed to the food choice kaleidoscope research approach by expressing the degree of context dependency in the form of odds ratios and according significance levels. The exploration of co-occurrence of beverages with food items suggests that beverage-meal item combinations can be meal specific. Furthermore, this study integrates psychographic variables into the 'person' mirror of the food choice kaleidoscope. A measure of habit in beverage choice was obtained from the inter-participant correlation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The REFLECT statement: methods and processes of creating reporting guidelines for randomized controlled trials for livestock and food safety.

PubMed

O'Connor, A M; Sargeant, J M; Gardner, I A; Dickson, J S; Torrence, M E; Dewey, C E; Dohoo, I R; Evans, R B; Gray, J T; Greiner, M; Keefe, G; Lefebvre, S L; Morley, P S; Ramirez, A; Sischo, W; Smith, D R; Snedeker, K; Sofos, J; Ward, M P; Wills, R

2010-01-01

The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health, and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that may not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials. A two-day consensus meeting was held on November 18-19, 2008 in Chicago, IL, United States of America, to achieve the objective. Prior to the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock-production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors, and associate editors. Prior to the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items may need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines For Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety (LFS) and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist, and an additional sub-item was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item. The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health, and food-safety outcomes.

The REFLECT statement: methods and processes of creating reporting guidelines for randomized controlled trials for livestock and food safety by modifying the CONSORT statement.

PubMed

O'Connor, A M; Sargeant, J M; Gardner, I A; Dickson, J S; Torrence, M E; Dewey, C E; Dohoo, I R; Evans, R B; Gray, J T; Greiner, M; Keefe, G; Lefebvre, S L; Morley, P S; Ramirez, A; Sischo, W; Smith, D R; Snedeker, K; Sofos, J; Ward, M P; Wills, R

2010-03-01

The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that may not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials. A 2-day consensus meeting was held on 18-19 November 2008 in Chicago, IL, USA, to achieve the objective. Prior to the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock-production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors and associate editors. Prior to the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items may need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist and an additional sub-item was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item. The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health and food-safety outcomes.

The REFLECT statement: methods and processes of creating reporting guidelines for randomized controlled trials for livestock and food safety.

PubMed

O'Connor, A M; Sargeant, J M; Gardner, I A; Dickson, J S; Torrence, M E; Dewey, C E; Dohoo, I R; Evans, R B; Gray, J T; Greiner, M; Keefe, G; Lefebvre, S L; Morley, P S; Ramirez, A; Sischo, W; Smith, D R; Snedeker, K; Sofos, J N; Ward, M P; Wills, R

2010-01-01

The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health, and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that may not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials. A two-day consensus meeting was held on November 18-19, 2008 in Chicago, Ill, United States of America, to achieve the objective. Prior to the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors, and associate editors. Prior to the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items may need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety (LFS) and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist, and an additional sub-item was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item. The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health, and food-safety outcomes.

A content analysis of food references in television programming specifically targeting viewing audiences aged 11 to 14 years.

PubMed

Roseman, Mary G; Poor, Morgan; Stephenson, Tammy J

2014-01-01

Examine food in cable television programming specifically targeting 11- to 14-year-olds ("tweens"). Content analysis of food-related scenes (FRS)-in which food was shown, mentioned, and/or consumed-in 880 minutes of programming was conducted. Five days of afternoon/early evening television programs on the Disney Channel. Food references were compared with USDA MyPlate and classified according to modified Ratio of Recommended to Restricted Food Components. The authors found 331 FRS, averaging 16.6 scenes/h. Preponderance of FRS was physiological needs (40.7%), followed by display (10%), party (8.5%), social event (8%), and retail store (6.6%). Snacks dominated 41% of FRS, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner were much lower in frequency. Half of FRS was visual only, followed by verbal only. Food references were not congruent with MyPlate recommendations; 42% of food items did not fit into MyPlate food groups. Only 24% of food items were fruit or vegetables, which is considerably less than recommended by MyPlate guidelines. Using modified Ratio of Recommended to Restricted Food Components, 66% of food items scored < 1.0, signifying less nutritious. Tween television programming regularly includes non-nutritious food, which likely influences tweens' attitudes and behaviors. Television programming may consider past approaches to tobacco smoking and health messages on television. More attention is warranted regarding television programming by nutrition educators, researchers, health professionals, and industry specialists. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Importance-satisfaction analysis of street food sanitation and choice factor in Korea and Taiwan.

PubMed

Joo, Nami; Park, Sanghyun; Lee, Bohee; Yoon, Jiyoung

2015-06-01

The present study investigated Korean and Taiwan adults on the importance of and the satisfaction with street food sanitation and street food choice factor, in order to present management and improvement measures for street foods. The present study conducted a survey on 400 randomly chosen adults (200 Korean, 200 Taiwanese). General characteristics, eating habits, street food intake frequency, and preference by type of street food of respondents were checked. Respondents' importance and satisfaction of street food hygiene and selection attributes were also measured. In order to test for the difference between groups, χ(2)-test and t-test were performed. ISA was also performed to analyze importance and satisfaction. Results showed that the importance of sanitation was significantly higher than satisfaction on all items in both Korea and Taiwan, and the satisfaction with sanitation was higher in Taiwan than in Korea. According to ISA results with street food sanitation, satisfaction was low while importance was high in both Korea and Taiwan. In terms of street food choice factor, importance scores were significantly higher than satisfaction scores on all items. In addition, satisfaction scores on all items except 'taste' were significantly higher in Taiwan than in Korea. A manual on sanitation management of street foods should be developed to change the knowledge and attitude toward sanitation by putting into practice a regularly conducted education. Considering the popularity of street foods and its potential as a tourism resource to easily publicize our food culture, thorough management measures should be prepared on sanitation so that safe street food culture should be created.

Food choice in the laboratory pigeon.

PubMed

Biedermann, Traci; Garlick, Dennis; Blaisdell, Aaron P

2012-09-01

Although food reward plays a large role in learning and behavioral experiments, there have been few studies examining the most motivating food reward for pigeons. Brown (1969) found that pigeons had a tendency to prefer peas, while Killeen et al. (1993) found pigeons to prefer peas and popcorn in Experiment 1A. We looked to further explore these options as well as expand upon the types of foods examined beyond mainly grains and seeds. Pigeons were presented with six novel foods (granulated peanuts, popping corn, freeze-dried mealworms, bread crumbs, split peas, and sunflower hearts) allocated into two sets of three food items. Once the most consumed food from each food set was determined, they were pooled together with sorghum seeds (a familiar food) to form a third set. Sunflower hearts were the most consumed of all the food items, followed by corn and granulated peanuts. We discuss the potential factors mediating consumption choice, including nutritional profile and food particle size. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food choice in the laboratory pigeon

PubMed Central

Biedermann, Traci; Garlick, Dennis; Blaisdell, Aaron P.

2012-01-01

Although food reward plays a large role in learning and behavioral experiments, there have been few studies examining the most motivating food reward for pigeons. Brown (1969) found that pigeons had a tendency to prefer peas, while Killeen, Cate, and Tran (1993) found pigeons to prefer peas and popcorn in Experiment 1A. We looked to further explore these options as well as expand upon the types of foods examined beyond mainly grains and seeds. Pigeons were presented with six novel foods (granulated peanuts, popping corn, freeze-dried mealworms, bread crumbs, split peas, and sunflower hearts) allocated into two sets of three food items. Once the most consumed food from each food set was determined, they were pooled together with sorghum seeds (a familiar food) to form a third set. Sunflower hearts were the most consumed of all the food items, followed by corn and granulated peanuts. We discuss the potential factors mediating consumption choice, including nutritional profile and food particle size. PMID:22750307

Great apes prefer cooked food.

PubMed

Wobber, Victoria; Hare, Brian; Wrangham, Richard

2008-08-01

The cooking hypothesis proposes that a diet of cooked food was responsible for diverse morphological and behavioral changes in human evolution. However, it does not predict whether a preference for cooked food evolved before or after the control of fire. This question is important because the greater the preference shown by a raw-food-eating hominid for the properties present in cooked food, the more easily cooking should have been adopted following the control of fire. Here we use great apes to model food preferences by Paleolithic hominids. We conducted preference tests with various plant and animal foods to determine whether great apes prefer food items raw or cooked. We found that several populations of captive apes tended to prefer their food cooked, though with important exceptions. These results suggest that Paleolithic hominids would likewise have spontaneously preferred cooked food to raw, exapting a pre-existing preference for high-quality, easily chewed foods onto these cooked items. The results, therefore, challenge the hypothesis that the control of fire preceded cooking by a significant period.

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.

Feeding ecology of Liza ramada (Risso, 1810) (Pisces, Mugilidae) in a south-western estuary of Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida, P. R.

2003-05-01

The feeding activity of the Liza ramada population inhabiting the Mira estuary (Portugal) is reduced during the winter and summer months. At the beginning of the spawning migration (i.e. November) an increase in the amount of food ingested was noticed. In the upper estuary, the feeding behaviour is independent of the tidal cycle, although there is some evidence of a daily rhythm in the food consumption rate, with a reduction during the night. No significant correlation was found between the quantity of particulate organic matter and the concentration of microalgae present in the stomach contents, and it seems that the bulk of the organic matter ingested by the thin-lipped grey mullets comes from a different origin than planktonic or benthic microalgae. The L. ramada population showed a positive selection for sediment particles between 55 and 250 μm in diameter. In general, the diet composition of this species showed a low diversity of food items. A total of 52 food items were identified in the stomach contents, the Bacillariophyceae being the dominant group. The genera Melosira and Ciclotella were the most common and abundant food items, although the genera Navicula, Nitzschia and Surirella were also classified as preferential food items. It was found that the volume of ploughed sediment that resulted from the feeding activity of the thin-lipped grey mullets, and the correspondent disturbed area increased exponentially with the length of the fish.

Variations on the "Blue-Bottle" Demonstration Using Food Items That Contain FD&C Blue #1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staiger, Felicia A.; Peterson, Joshua P.; Campbell, Dean J.

2015-01-01

Erioglaucine dye (FD&C Blue #1) can be used instead of methylene blue in the classic "blue-bottle" demonstration. Food items containing FD&C Blue #1 and reducing species such as sugars can therefore be used at the heart of this demonstration, which simply requires the addition of strong base such as sodium hydroxide lye.

Slime moulds use heuristics based on within-patch experience to decide when to leave.

PubMed

Latty, Tanya; Beekman, Madeleine

2015-04-15

Animals foraging in patchy, non-renewing or slowly renewing environments must make decisions about how long to remain within a patch. Organisms can use heuristics ('rules of thumb') based on available information to decide when to leave the patch. Here, we investigated proximate patch-departure heuristics in two species of giant, brainless amoeba: the slime moulds Didymium bahiense and Physarum polycephalum. We explicitly tested the importance of information obtained through experience by eliminating chemosensory cues of patch quality. In P. polycephalum, patch departure was influenced by the consumption of high, and to a much lesser extent low, quality food items such that engulfing a food item increased patch-residency time. Physarum polycephalum also tended to forage for longer in darkened, 'safe' patches. In D. bahiense, engulfment of any food item increased patch residency irrespective of that food item's quality. Exposure to light had no effect on the patch-residency time of D. bahiense. Given that these organisms lack a brain, our results illustrate how the use of simple heuristics can give the impression that individuals make sophisticated foraging decisions. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

[Study of the dietary preferences and the social-psychological factors that affect the dietary behaviors of high school and university students].

PubMed

Kasamaki, Junichi

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to elucidate the correlation among dietary intake, dietary preferences, and social-psychological factors in the youth and to examine the factors that affect such dietary behaviors as snacking, skipping breakfast, and taking a biased nutrition. A survey was carried out using a questionnaire with closed questions on multiple items such as dietary behaviors, psychosocial stress, dietary externalization, information and consciousness about health. The survey was conducted on 1,056 high school students and 1,323 university students in Japan. As a result of the factor analysis among the groups of male/female and high school/university students, relationships were found between the items of "preferences for snacking" and "snack food intakes" among all these groups. Those who like sweets and snacks tended to snack between lunch and dinner or after dinner by themselves more often than those who do not. In contrast to men, intermediate correlations were found between the item of "a meal as a diversion" and each of the items of "snack food intake," "preferences for fried foods/sautéed foods/meat dishes," and "preferences for snacking," among women who do not live alone, regardless of their being high school or university students. The item of "stress over human relationships/academic performance" was shown to have similarly weak correlations with the items of "reasons for skipping breakfast" and "nutrition intake" in the groups of male and female high school students. The less they value nutrition intake, the more they tend to be conscious of stress over human relationships/academic performance.

School nutrition survey.

PubMed

O'Connor, M; Kiely, D; Mulvihill, M; Winters, A; Bollard, C; Hamilton, A; Corrigan, C; Moore, E

1993-05-01

Food we eat has an important influence on health and well-being. Many eating habits are established in childhood. 456 children aged eight to 12 years participated in this survey of food eaten at school. Of all the food items eaten as a snack, 48.6% were categorised as junk. 75.8% of the sandwiches brought to school for lunch were made with white bread. Of the remaining food items brought for lunch 63.5% were of the junk variety. Compared with those who brought a snack or lunch from home, those given money to buy their own were more likely to eat junk (p < 0.01). Food eaten at school reflects approximately one third of a child's daily food intake but health food practises for even a third of food intake may be of a value for health and long term eating habits. Nutritional education with the reinforcement of high nutritional standards in schools could improve the situation.

Staff Food-Related Behaviors and Children's Tastes of Food Groups during Lunch at Child Care in Oklahoma.

PubMed

Anundson, Katherine; Sisson, Susan B; Anderson, Michael; Horm, Diane; Soto, Jill; Hoffman, Leah

2017-10-04

Young children should consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods to support growth, while limiting added fat and sugar. A majority of children between the ages of 3 and 5 years attend child care in the United States, which makes this environment and the child-care staff influential at meals. The aim was to determine the association between best-practice food-related behaviors and young children's tastes of fruit, vegetable, low-fat dairy, and high-fat/high-sugar foods at child care. This was a cross-sectional study. A community-based study with 201 children ages 3 to 5 years from 25 early care and education centers, including 11 tribally affiliated centers and two Head Start programs across Oklahoma. Data collection occurred from fall 2011 to spring 2014. Classroom observations used the Environmental Policy Assessment Observation tool to measure the staff behaviors and environment. Staff behavior was compared at three different levels: the composite score of staff nutrition behavior, each constituent staff behavior, and staff behaviors grouped into broader feeding behaviors. Tasted food was measured through the Dietary Observation in Child Care method. The children's meals were categorized into the following food groups: fruit, vegetable, low-fat dairy, fried vegetable, fried meat, high-fat meat, and high-fat/high-sugar food. Descriptive statistics were calculated for relevant variables. Relationships between the constituent staff behaviors and food groups that children tasted were compared using multilevel mixed-model analysis. The mean number of tasted fruit or vegetable items was higher and the mean number of tasted high-fat/high-sugar food items was lower when staff: 1) determined fullness before plate removal when less than half of food was eaten, 2) ate with the children, 3) and talked about healthy food. The utilization of the three staff behaviors and their association with higher mean tastes of nutrient-dense items and lower mean tastes of high-fat/high-sugar food items among exposed children demonstrated support for the use of the best practices in early care and education centers. Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pricing and Availability Intervention in Vending Machines at Four Bus Garages

PubMed Central

Hannan, Peter J; Harnack, Lisa J; Mitchell, Nathan R; Toomey, Traci L; Gerlach, Anne

2009-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effects of lowering prices and increasing availability on sales of healthy foods and beverages from 33 vending machines in four bus garages as part of a multi-component worksite obesity prevention intervention. Methods Availability of healthy items was increased to 50% and prices were lowered at least 10% in the vending machines in two metropolitan bus garages for an 18-month period. Two control garages offered vending choices at usual availability and prices. Sales data were collected monthly from each of the vending machines at the four garages. Results Increases in availability to 50% and price reductions of an average of 31% resulted in 10-42% higher sales of the healthy items. Employees were most price-responsive for snack purchases. Conclusions Greater availability and lower prices on targeted food and beverage items from vending machines was associated with greater purchases of these items over an eighteen-month period. Efforts to promote healthful food purchases in worksite settings should incorporate these two strategies. PMID:20061884

Pricing and availability intervention in vending machines at four bus garages.

PubMed

French, Simone A; Hannan, Peter J; Harnack, Lisa J; Mitchell, Nathan R; Toomey, Traci L; Gerlach, Anne

2010-01-01

To evaluate the effects of lowering prices and increasing availability on sales of healthy foods and beverages from 33 vending machines in 4 bus garages as part of a multicomponent worksite obesity prevention intervention. Availability of healthy items was increased to 50% and prices were lowered at least 10% in the vending machines in two metropolitan bus garages for an 18-month period. Two control garages offered vending choices at usual availability and prices. Sales data were collected monthly from each of the vending machines at the four garages. Increases in availability to 50% and price reductions of an average of 31% resulted in 10% to 42% higher sales of the healthy items. Employees were mostly price responsive for snack purchases. Greater availability and lower prices on targeted food and beverage items from vending machines was associated with greater purchases of these items over an 18-month period. Efforts to promote healthful food purchases in worksite settings should incorporate these two strategies.

Junk food seen at pediatric clinic visits: is it a problem?

PubMed

Frazier, Johnnie P; Land, Megan; Hsieh, Pei-Hsuan; Barratt, Michelle S

2014-04-01

To document the prevalence of junk foods seen at clinic visits. A cross-sectional 23-item survey of observed food items were completed by medical staff using a convenience sample of families from June 2, 2011 to March 2, 2012. The study was conducted in pediatric clinics affiliated with the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. A convenience sample consisting of 738 families with children from 4 months to 16 years old presenting for visits were included in the study. Children exclusively breast and formula fed was excluded. Junk food was observed 20.9% at the clinic visits. Junk food was often seen at clinic visits. There was a trend toward higher body mass index in patients whose families had junk food at the visit.

Extrusion conditions affect chemical composition and in vitro digestion of select food ingredients.

PubMed

Dust, Jolene M; Gajda, Angela M; Flickinger, Elizabeth A; Burkhalter, Toni M; Merchen, Neal R; Fahey, George C

2004-05-19

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of extrusion conditions on chemical composition and in vitro hydrolytic and fermentative digestion of barley grits, cornmeal, oat bran, soybean flour, soybean hulls, and wheat bran. Extrusion conditions altered crude protein, fiber, and starch concentrations of ingredients. Organic matter disappearance (OMD) increased for extruded versus unprocessed samples of barley grits, cornmeal, and soybean flour that had been hydrolytically digested. After 8 h of fermentative digestion, OMD decreased as extrusion conditions intensified for barley grits and cornmeal but increased for oat bran, soybean hulls, and wheat bran. Total short-chain fatty acid production decreased as extrusion conditions intensified for barley grits, soybean hulls, and soybean flour. These data suggest that the effects of extrusion conditions on ingredient composition and digestion are influenced by the unique chemical characteristics of individual substrates.

76 FR 30050 - Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-24

... Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments; Correction AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... restaurants and similar retail food establishments. The document published with several errors in cross...)(2) that an authorized official may register an individual restaurant or similar retail food...

Folic acid content in thermostabilized and freeze-dried space shuttle foods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, H. W.; Nillen, J. L.; Kloeris, V. L.

1995-01-01

This study was designed to determine whether freeze-dried and thermostabilized foods on a space shuttle contain adequate folate and to investigate any effects of freeze-drying on folacin. Frozen vegetables were analyzed after three states of processing: thawed; cooked; and rehydrated. Thermostabilized items were analyzed as supplied with no further processing. Measurable folate decreased in some freeze-dried vegetables and increased in others. Folacin content of thermostabilized food items was comparable with published values. We concluded that although the folacin content of some freeze-dried foods was low, adequate folate is available from the shuttle menu to meet RDA guidelines.

Soviet and American ASTP crew sample candidate food items

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Candidate food items being considered for the joint U.S.-USSR Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission are sampled by three ASTP crewmen in bldg 4 at JSC. They are, left to right, Cosmonaut Valeriy N. Kubasov, engineer on the Soviet ASTP crew; Astronaut Vance D. Brand, command module pilot of the American ASTP crew; and Cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov, commander of the Soviet ASTP crew. Kubasov is marking a food rating chart on which the crewmen mark their choices, likes and dislikes of the food being sampled. Brand is drinking orange juice from an accordian-like dispenser. Leonov is eating butter cookies.

The availability of snack food displays that may trigger impulse purchases in Melbourne supermarkets.

PubMed

Thornton, Lukar E; Cameron, Adrian J; McNaughton, Sarah A; Worsley, Anthony; Crawford, David A

2012-03-15

Supermarkets play a major role in influencing the food purchasing behaviours of most households. Snack food exposures within these stores may contribute to higher levels of consumption and ultimately to increasing levels of obesity, particularly within socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. We aimed to examine the availability of snack food displays at checkouts, end-of-aisle displays and island displays in major supermarket chains in the least and most socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Melbourne. Within-store audits of 35 Melbourne supermarkets. Supermarkets were sampled from the least and most socioeconomically disadvantaged suburbs within 30 km of the Melbourne CBD. We measured the availability of crisps, chocolate, confectionery, and soft drinks (diet and regular) at the checkouts, in end-of-aisle displays, and in island bin displays. Snack food displays were most prominent at checkouts with only five stores not having snack foods at 100% of their checkouts. Snack foods were also present at a number of end-of-aisle displays (at both the front (median 38%) and back (median 33%) of store), and in island bin displays (median number of island displays: 7; median total circumference of island displays: 19.4 metres). Chocolate items were the most common snack food item on display. There was no difference in the availability of these snack food displays by neighbourhood disadvantage. As a result of the high availability of snack food displays, exposure to snack foods is almost unavoidable in Melbourne supermarkets, regardless of levels of neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage. Results of this study could promote awareness of the prominence of unhealthy food items in chain-brand supermarkets outlets.

Neural Signaling of Food Healthiness Associated with Emotion Processing.

PubMed

Herwig, Uwe; Dhum, Matthias; Hittmeyer, Anna; Opialla, Sarah; Scherpiet, Sigrid; Keller, Carmen; Brühl, Annette B; Siegrist, Michael

2016-01-01

The ability to differentiate healthy from unhealthy foods is important in order to promote good health. Food, however, may have an emotional connotation, which could be inversely related to healthiness. The neurobiological background of differentiating healthy and unhealthy food and its relations to emotion processing are not yet well understood. We addressed the neural activations, particularly considering the single subject level, when one evaluates a food item to be of a higher, compared to a lower grade of healthiness with a particular view on emotion processing brain regions. Thirty-seven healthy subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while evaluating the healthiness of food presented as photographs with a subsequent rating on a visual analog scale. We compared individual evaluations of high and low healthiness of food items and also considered gender differences. We found increased activation when food was evaluated to be healthy in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus in whole brain analyses. In ROI analyses, perceived and rated higher healthiness was associated with lower amygdala activity and higher ventral striatal and orbitofrontal cortex activity. Females exerted a higher activation in midbrain areas when rating food items as being healthy. Our results underline the close relationship between food and emotion processing, which makes sense considering evolutionary aspects. Actively evaluating and deciding whether food is healthy is accompanied by neural signaling associated with reward and self-relevance, which could promote salutary nutrition behavior. The involved brain regions may be amenable to mechanisms of emotion regulation in the context of psychotherapeutic regulation of food intake.

Food insecurity is associated with past and present economic disadvantage and body mass index.

PubMed

Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, S; Lahelma, E

2001-11-01

Fears and experiences of food restriction influence eating behavior but the association between past and present economic disadvantage, food insecurity and body size is poorly understood. Therefore, we examined these associations in a nationwide, representative sample of 25- to 64-y-old Finnish men and women (n = 6506). The respondents were classified by their body mass index (BMI) into four groups: thin, normal, overweight and obese. Economic disadvantage was assessed by three indicators including low household income, unemployment during past 5 y and long-term economic problems in childhood. Food insecurity was assessed by five separate items concerning economic fears and experiences related to sufficient supply of food during the past 12 mo, and a combined scale in which those with affirmative responses to four to five items were classified as hungry. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted using both the BMI grouping and indicators of economic disadvantage as independent variables to predict food insecurity, controlling simultaneously for age, educational attainment and sex. The results showed that low household income, recent unemployment and economic problems in childhood were all predictors of food insecurity. Thin people were most likely to be hungry and showed most food insecurity in five separate items. In addition, obese people reported more buying cheaper food due to economic problems and fears or experiences of running out of money to buy food than did normal weight subjects. In conclusion, both past and present economic disadvantage is associated with various aspects of food insecurity. The association between food insecurity and BMI is curvilinear.

Using a market basket to explore regional food systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Food market baskets are research concepts that consist of representative food items produced and/or consumed in a geographic region. They are frequently used instruments in food environment and cost studies. An interdisciplinary systems project entitled the Enhancing Food Security in the Northeast (...

Practitioners' opinions on Food and Nutrition Care Indicators in assisted living facilities for older adults.

PubMed

Chao, Shirley Y; Dwyer, Johanna T; Houser, Robert F; Tennstedt, Sharon; Jacques, Paul

2008-09-01

This study assessed the utility of the 57-indicator Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist for assessing food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults among registered dietitians (RDs). They were members of two American Dietetic Association practice groups focusing on aging and long-term care and were also employed in assisted-living facilities. The 1,281 respondents rated the importance of each checklist item and provided their views on the role of assisted-living facilities and their level of agreement with statements regarding the importance of residents' autonomy for making food choices and their ability to make wise dietary choices. Registered dietitians practicing in assisted-living facilities considered all of the domains on food and nutrition quality indicators on the Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist to be highly important (92% of dining room environment items, 83% of foodservice operations, 92% of general nutrition, and 89% of therapeutic nutrition items). They preferred a service style that included both health and amenities, as did national health and aging experts. Registered dietitians should work with other professionals to further validate the checklist, promote its use, and establish optimal service models for food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults.

Analysis of 200 food items for benzo[a]pyrene and estimation of its intake in an epidemiologic study.

PubMed

Kazerouni, N; Sinha, R; Hsu, C H; Greenberg, A; Rothman, N

2001-05-01

Animal studies have shown that dietary intake of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), causes increased levels of tumors at several sites, particularly in the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, the role of dietary intake of BaP and cancer in humans is not clear. We created a BaP database of selected food products that could be linked to Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) to estimate BaP intake. BaP levels were measured for each food line-item (composite samples) which consisted of a variety of foods in a FFQ. Composite sample parts were derived from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) which represents the most common food items consumed by the general population. Meat samples were cooked by different techniques in controlled conditions, and by various restaurants and fast-food chains. Non-meat products were purchased from the major national supermarket chains. The quantities of BaP were measured using a thin-layer chromatography (TLC)/spectrofluorometer technique and were highly correlated with both BaP (r=0.99) [corrected] and sum of carcinogenic PAH (r=0.98) measured by HPLC technique. We linked our database to the results from a FFQ and estimated the daily BaP intake of various food items in 228 subjects in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The highest levels of BaP (up to about 4 ng BaP/g of cooked meat) were found in grilled/barbecued very well done steaks and hamburgers and in grilled/barbecued well done chicken with skin. BaP concentrations were lower in meats that were grilled/barbecued to medium done and in all broiled or pan-fried meat samples regardless of doneness level. The BaP levels in non-meat items were generally low. However, certain cereals and greens (e.g. kale, collard greens) had levels up to 0.5 ng/g. In our population, the bread/cereal/grain, and grilled/barbecued meat, respectively, contributed 29 and 21 percent to the mean daily intake of BaP. This database may be helpful in initial attempts to assess dietary BaP exposures in studies of cancer etiology.

Differentials in measures of dietary quality among adolescents in Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Belachew, Tefera; Hadley, Craig; Lindstrom, David

2008-04-01

nutritionally adequate, safe and good quality diet is essential for human health, school performance, and employment output. Dietary diversity, consumption of animal source food and food variety score are commonly used measures of dietary quality. This study aimed to assess gender & sociodemographic differentials in measures of dietary quality among male and female adolescents. As part of the Jimma Family Longitudinal Study of Youth households with a youth between 13-17 years were randomly sampled from Jimma Town, the small towns and nearby rural Kebeles. Dietary diversity was assessed by asking youth about the consumption of 32 different food items included in the survey, which were regrouped into four major food groups. The four groups included animal source foods (10 items), fruits-vegetables (11 items), cereals (7 items) and legumes-nuts (2 items). From these food groups, measures of dietary diversity, food variety score, and animal source food consumption were calculated Logistic regression model was done using SPSS for windows version 12.0.1 to determine the odds ratios and predicted probabilities of consuming diversified diet. Overall, 826 (39.7%), 819 (39.4%) and 955 (45.9%) of adolescents had low quality diet as measured by dietary diversity, consumption of animal source food and food variety score, respectively. Predictors of a diversi-fied diet consumption were male gender, (1.3 OR, 95% CI 1.1, 1, 5), living in small towns (1.7 OR (95% 1.3, 2.1) and being a member of household in the high-income quartile (2.1 OR 95% CI 1.5, 2.8). Intake of animal source foods was associated with the highest level of education achieved in the household (1.4 OR 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8), being male (1.3 OR 95% CI: 1.1, 1.5), being in a households with highest income quartile (2.3 OR 95% CI: 1.6, 3.1). Adolescents who lived in households with the highest income quartile and those who lived in the small towns were 1.6 and 1.4 times more likely to have high food variety score. Large proportion of adolescents consumed low quality diets, which may effect on their education and work productivity and contribute to an intergenerational cycle of malnutrition. Interventions designed to improve dietary quality should target female adolescents, those in the poorest households, and households with low levels of education. Rural areas should also be targeted Thus targeted interventions to promote dietary quality and programmatic interventions to increases schooling may positively influence dietary quality in this area.

A comparison of the Health Star Rating system when used for restaurant fast foods and packaged foods.

PubMed

Dunford, Elizabeth K; Wu, Jason H Y; Wellard-Cole, Lyndal; Watson, Wendy; Crino, Michelle; Petersen, Kristina; Neal, Bruce

2017-10-01

In June 2014, the Australian government agreed to the voluntary implementation of an interpretive 'Health Star Rating' (HSR) front-of-pack labelling system for packaged foods. The aim of the system is to make it easier for consumers to compare the healthiness of products based on number of stars. With many Australians consuming fast food there is a strong rationale for extending the HSR system to include fast food items. To examine the performance of the HSR system when applied to fast foods. Nutrient content data for fast food menu items were collected from the websites of 13 large Australian fast-food chains. The HSR was calculated for each menu item. Statistics describing HSR values for fast foods were calculated and compared to results for comparable packaged foods. Data for 1529 fast food products were compared to data for 3810 packaged food products across 16 of 17 fast food product categories. The mean HSR for the fast foods was 2.5 and ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 and corresponding values for the comparator packaged foods were 2.6 and 0.5 to 5.0. Visual inspection of the data showed broadly comparable distributions of HSR values across the fast food and the packaged food categories, although statistically significant differences were apparent for seven categories (all p < 0.04). In some cases these differences reflected the large sample size and the power to detect small variations across fast foods and packaged food, and in others it appeared to reflect primarily differences in the mix of product types within a category. These data support the idea that the HSR system could be extended to Australian fast foods. There are likely to be significant benefits to the community from the use of a single standardised signposting system for healthiness across all fresh, packaged and restaurant foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of the Trying New Foods Scale: A preschooler self-assessment of willingness to try new foods.

PubMed

Johnson, Susan L; Moding, Kameron J; Maloney, Katheryn; Bellows, Laura L

2018-05-26

Food neophobia, or reluctance to try new foods, emerges typically in early childhood and can impact child food acceptance and dietary quality. Measures of child neophobia have largely been developed from an adult point of view and the items focusing on fear and disgust were created from observations of children's behaviors or from adult assumptions regarding the source of children's reluctance to try new foods. Using group interviews with 3-5-y-old children (n = 229) we investigated what the experience of being asked trying new foods is like for preschoolers. From their answers, we crafted a new assessment, The Trying New Foods Scale, designed to ask children about their self-competence to try new foods. Next, we measured preschoolers' responses (n = 233; 3-5 years of age; 107 boys, 126 girls) to these items and observed their willingness to taste 7 novel foods and their affective ratings of the foods as measures of criterion validity. A principal components analysis (PCA) revealed a single 9-item component for the Trying New Foods Scale (mean ± s.d. = 3.08 ± 0.70; α = 0.88). Children's Trying New Foods Scale score positively correlated with their willingness to try foods ratio (r = 0.21, p = .001). Initial findings indicate that the Trying New Foods Scale for preschoolers has good psychometric characteristics, including preliminary evidence of criterion validity. Children who perceived themselves as more willing to try foods actually performed the behavior of trying more foods and rated the foods more favorably than children who reported lower self-competence to try foods. Understanding neophobia from the perspective of the young child, and their perceptions of self-competence related to trying new foods, may facilitate our ability to evaluate young children's food acceptance patterns. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Measurement of ethical food choice motives.

PubMed

Lindeman, M; Väänänen, M

2000-02-01

The two studies describe the development of three complementary scales to the Food Choice Questionnaire developed by Steptoe, Pollard & Wardle (1995). The new items address various ethical food choice motives and were derived from previous studies on vegetarianism and ethical food choice. The items were factor analysed in Study 1 (N=281) and the factor solution was confirmed in Study 2 (N=125), in which simple validity criteria were also included. Furthermore, test-retest reliability was assessed with a separate sample of subjects (N=36). The results indicated that the three new scales, Ecological Welfare (including subscales for Animal Welfare and Environment Protection), Political Values and Religion, are reliable and valid instruments for a brief screening of ethical food choice reasons. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

A measure of satisfaction with food-related life.

PubMed

Grunert, Klaus G; Dean, Moira; Raats, Monique M; Nielsen, Niels Asger; Lumbers, Margaret

2007-09-01

A measure of satisfaction with food-related life is developed and tested in three studies in eight European countries. Five items are retained from an original pool of seven; these items exhibit good reliability as measured by Cronbach's alpha, good temporal stability, convergent validity with two related measures, and construct validity as indicated by relationships with other indicators of quality of life, including the Satisfaction With Life and the SF-8 scales. It is concluded that this scale will be useful in studies trying to identify factors contributing to satisfaction with food-related life.

Food Service System Opinions, Food Preferences, and Foil Pack Food Ratings of Air Force Launch Control Facility Consumers

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-01

product prototypes were developed in a contract with Western Regional Research Laboratory (WRRL), USDA. All were egg -based or contained eggs as a principal...ingredient. Of these, three were chosen for the evaluation: french toast, scrambled eggs , and puffy omelet. The omelet item was modified to a ham and...charge; no other choices, such as other eggs to order or breakfast meats, were to be offered; (3) to offer the test items on their third or ’changeover

Heightened Vagal Activity during High-Calorie Food Presentation in Obese compared with Non-obese Individuals - Results of a Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Udo, Tomoko; Weinberger, Andrea H.; Grilo, Carlos M.; Brownell, Kelly D.; DiLeone, Ralph J.; Lampert, Rachel; Matlin, Samantha L.; Yanagisawa, Katherine; McKee, Sherry A.

2013-01-01

Summary Eating behaviors are highly cue-dependent. Changes in mood states and exposure to palatable food both increase craving and consumption of food. Vagal activity supports adaptive modulation of physiological arousal and has an important role in cue-induced appetitive behaviors. Using high-frequency heart rate variability (HF HRV), this preliminary study compared vagal activity during positive and negative mood induction, and presentation of preferred high-calorie food items between obese (n = 12; BMI ≥ 30) and non-obese individuals (n = 14; 18.5 < BMI < 30). Participants completed two laboratory sessions (negative vs. positive mood conditions). Following 3-hours of food deprivation, all participants completed a mood induction, and then were exposed to their preferred high-calorie food items. HF HRV was assessed throughout. Obese and non-obese individuals were not significantly different in HF HRV during positive or negative mood induction. Obese individuals showed significantly greater levels of HF HRV during presentation of their preferred high-calorie food items than non-obese individuals, particularly in the positive mood condition. This is the first study to demonstrate increased vagal activity in response to food cues in obese individuals compared with non-obese individuals. Our findings warrant further investigation on the potential role of vagally-mediated cue reactivity in overeating and obesity. PMID:24847667

Human dietary δ(15)N intake: representative data for principle food items.

PubMed

Huelsemann, F; Koehler, K; Braun, H; Schaenzer, W; Flenker, U

2013-09-01

Dietary analysis using δ(15)N values of human remains such as bone and hair is usually based on general principles and limited data sets. Even for modern humans, the direct ascertainment of dietary δ(15)N is difficult and laborious, due to the complexity of metabolism and nitrogen fractionation, differing dietary habits and variation of δ(15)N values of food items. The objective of this study was to summarize contemporary regional experimental and global literature data to ascertain mean representative δ(15)N values for distinct food categories. A comprehensive data set of more than 12,000 analyzed food samples was summarized from the literature. Data originated from studies dealing with (1) authenticity tracing or origin control of food items, and (2) effects of fertilization or nutrition on δ(15)N values of plants or animals. Regional German food δ(15)N values revealed no major differences compared with the mean global values derived from the literature. We found that, in contrast to other food categories, historical faunal remains of pig and poultry are significantly enriched in (15)N compared to modern samples. This difference may be due to modern industrialized breeding practices. In some food categories variations in agricultural and feeding regimens cause significant differences in δ(15)N values that may lead to misinterpretations when only limited information is available. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of a Comprehensive Assessment of Food Parenting Practices: The Home Self-Administered Tool for Environmental Assessment of Activity and Diet Family Food Practices Survey.

PubMed

Vaughn, Amber E; Dearth-Wesley, Tracy; Tabak, Rachel G; Bryant, Maria; Ward, Dianne S

2017-02-01

Parents' food parenting practices influence children's dietary intake and risk for obesity and chronic disease. Understanding the influence and interactions between parents' practices and children's behavior is limited by a lack of development and psychometric testing and/or limited scope of current measures. The Home Self-Administered Tool for Environmental Assessment of Activity and Diet (HomeSTEAD) was created to address this gap. This article describes development and psychometric testing of the HomeSTEAD family food practices survey. Between August 2010 and May 2011, a convenience sample of 129 parents of children aged 3 to 12 years were recruited from central North Carolina and completed the self-administered HomeSTEAD survey on three occasions during a 12- to 18-day window. Demographic characteristics and child diet were assessed at Time 1. Child height and weight were measured during the in-home observations (following Time 1 survey). Exploratory factor analysis with Time 1 data was used to identify potential scales. Scales with more than three items were examined for scale reduction. Following this, mean scores were calculated at each time point. Construct validity was assessed by examining Spearman rank correlations between mean scores (Time 1) and children's diet (fruits and vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages, snacks, sweets) and body mass index (BMI) z scores. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine differences in mean scores between time points, and single-measure intraclass correlations were calculated to examine test-retest reliability between time points. Exploratory factor analysis identified 24 factors and retained 124 items; however, scale reduction narrowed items to 86. The final instrument captures five coercive control practices (16 items), seven autonomy support practices (24 items), and 12 structure practices (46 items). All scales demonstrated good internal reliability (α>.62), 18 factors demonstrated construct validity (significant association with child diet, P<0.05), and 22 demonstrated good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient>0.61). The HomeSTEAD family food practices survey provides a brief, yet comprehensive and psychometrically sound assessment of food parenting practices. Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat content per 1,000 kilocalories: temporal trends in fast-food restaurants, United States, 2000-2013.

PubMed

Urban, Lorien E; Roberts, Susan B; Fierstein, Jamie L; Gary, Christine E; Lichtenstein, Alice H

2014-12-31

Intakes of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat remain high despite recommendations to limit these nutrients for cardiometabolic risk reduction. A major contributor to intake of these nutrients is foods prepared outside the home, particularly from fast-food restaurants. We analyzed the nutrient content of frequently ordered items from 3 US national fast-food chains: fried potatoes (large French fries), cheeseburgers (2-oz and 4-oz), and a grilled chicken sandwich. We used an archival website to obtain data on sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat content for these items from 2000 through 2013. The amount of each nutrient per 1,000 kcal was calculated to determine whether there were trends in product reformulation. Sodium content per 1,000 kcal differed widely among the 3 chains by food item, precluding generalizations across chains. During the 14-year period, sodium content per 1,000 kcal for large French fries remained high for all 3 chains, although the range narrowed from 316-2,000 mg per 1,000 kcal in 2000 to 700-1,420 mg per 1,000 kcal in 2013. Among the items assessed, cheeseburgers were the main contributor of saturated fat, and there was little change in content per 1,000 kcal for this item during the 14-year period. In contrast, there was a sharp decline in saturated and trans fat content of large French fries per 1,000 kcal. Post-2009, the major contributor of trans fat per 1,000 kcal was cheeseburgers; trans fat content of this item remained stable during the 14-year period. With the exception of French fries, little evidence was found during the 14-year period of product reformulation by restaurants to become more consistent with dietary guidance to reduce intakes of sodium and saturated fat.

Department of Defense Food Procurement: Background and Status

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-24

Produce, Food Safety Office, and Supplier Support. A description of the work of each business unit follows. Under Food Services, the Subsistence Prime...Produce Unit distributes over 300 different produce items to schools.15 The Food Safety Office is responsible for food safety and quality assurance

Processed red meat contribution to dietary patterns and the associated cardio-metabolic outcomes.

PubMed

Lenighan, Yvonne M; Nugent, Anne P; Li, Kaifeng F; Brennan, Lorraine; Walton, Janette; Flynn, Albert; Roche, Helen M; McNulty, Breige A

2017-08-01

Evidence suggests that processed red meat consumption is a risk factor for CVD and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This analysis investigates the association between dietary patterns, their processed red meat contributions, and association with blood biomarkers of CVD and T2D, in 786 Irish adults (18-90 years) using cross-sectional data from a 2011 national food consumption survey. All meat-containing foods consumed were assigned to four food groups (n 502) on the basis of whether they contained red or white meat and whether they were processed or unprocessed. The remaining foods (n 2050) were assigned to twenty-nine food groups. Two-step and k-means cluster analyses were applied to derive dietary patterns. Nutrient intakes, plasma fatty acids and biomarkers of CVD and T2D were assessed. A total of four dietary patterns were derived. In comparison with the pattern with lower contributions from processed red meat, the dietary pattern with greater processed red meat intakes presented a poorer Alternate Healthy Eating Index (21·2 (sd 7·7)), a greater proportion of smokers (29 %) and lower plasma EPA (1·34 (sd 0·72) %) and DHA (2·21 (sd 0·84) %) levels (P<0·001). There were no differences in classical biomarkers of CVD and T2D, including serum cholesterol and insulin, across dietary patterns. This suggests that the consideration of processed red meat consumption as a risk factor for CVD and T2D may need to be re-assessed.

Reproducibility of food consumption frequencies derived from the Children's Eating Habits Questionnaire used in the IDEFICS study.

PubMed

Lanfer, A; Hebestreit, A; Ahrens, W; Krogh, V; Sieri, S; Lissner, L; Eiben, G; Siani, A; Huybrechts, I; Loit, H-M; Papoutsou, S; Kovács, E; Pala, V

2011-04-01

To investigate the reproducibility of food consumption frequencies derived from the food frequency section of the Children's Eating Habits Questionnaire (CEHQ-FFQ) that was developed and used in the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) project to assess food habits in 2- to 9-year-old European children. From a subsample of 258 children who participated in the IDEFICS baseline examination, parental questionnaires of the CEHQ were collected twice to assess reproducibility of questionnaire results from 0 to 354 days after the first examination. Weighted Cohen's kappa coefficients (κ) and Spearman's correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to assess agreement between the first and second questionnaires for each food item of the CEHQ-FFQ. Stratification was performed for sex, age group, geographical region and length of period between the first and second administrations. Fisher's Z transformation was applied to test correlation coefficients for significant differences between strata. For all food items analysed, weighted Cohen's kappa coefficients (κ) and Spearman's correlation coefficients (r) were significant and positive (P<0.001). Reproducibility was lowest for diet soft drinks (κ=0.23, r=0.32) and highest for sweetened milk (κ=0.68, r=0.76). Correlation coefficients were comparable to those of previous studies on FFQ reproducibility in children and adults. Stratification did not reveal systematic differences in reproducibility by sex and age group. Spearman's correlation coefficients differed significantly between northern and southern European countries for 10 food items. In nine of them, the lower respective coefficient was still high enough to conclude acceptable reproducibility. As expected, longer time (>128 days) between the first and second administrations resulted in a generally lower, yet still acceptable, reproducibility. Results indicate that the CEHQ-FFQ gives reproducible estimates of the consumption frequency of 43 food items from 14 food groups in European children.

Idiosyncratic responses of grizzly bear habitat to climate change based on projected food resource changes.

PubMed

Roberts, David R; Nielsen, Scott E; Stenhouse, Gordon B

2014-07-01

Climate change vulnerability assessments for species of conservation concern often use species distribution and ecological niche modeling to project changes in habitat. One of many assumptions of these approaches is that food web dependencies are consistent in time and environmental space. Species at higher trophic levels that rely on the availability of species at lower trophic levels as food may be sensitive to extinction cascades initiated by changes in the habitat of key food resources. Here we assess climate change vulnerability for Ursus arctos (grizzly bears) in the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains using projected changes to 17 of the most commonly consumed plant food items. We used presence-absence information from 7088 field plots to estimate ecological niches and to project changes in future distributions of each species. Model projections indicated idiosyncratic responses among food items. Many food items persisted or even increased, although several species were found to be vulnerable based on declines or geographic shifts in suitable habitat. These included Hedysarum alpinum (alpine sweet vetch), a critical spring and autumn root-digging resource when little else is available. Potential habitat loss was also identified for three fruiting species of lower importance to bears: Empetrum nigrum (crowberry), Vaccinium scoparium (grouseberry), and Fragaria virginiana (strawberry). A general trend towards uphill migration of bear foods may result in higher vulnerability to bear populations at low elevations, which are also those that are most likely to have human-bear conflict problems. Regardless, a wide diet breadth of grizzly bears, as well as wide environmental niches of most food items, make climate change a much lower threat to grizzly bears than other bear species such as polar bears and panda bears. We cannot exclude, however, future alterations in human behavior and land use resulting from climate change that may reduce survival rates.

Food access and cost in American Indian communities in Washington State.

PubMed

O'Connell, Meghan; Buchwald, Dedra S; Duncan, Glen E

2011-09-01

Limited access to foods that make up a nutritious diet at minimal cost may influence eating behaviors and, ultimately, obesity. This study examined the number and type of food stores (convenience, grocery, supermarket) on federal reservations in Washington State, and the availability and cost of foods in the US Department of Agriculture Community Food Security Assessment Toolkit market basket, to describe the food environment of American Indians. Stores were identified by telephone survey of tribal headquarters, a commercial database, and on-site visitation. Foods were assessed using a standardized instrument containing 68 items in seven major food groups during April and May 2009. Store type and availability and cost of foods were recorded on a checklist. Fifty stores were identified on 22 American Indian reservations, including 25 convenience, 16 grocery, and 9 supermarkets. Across all stores, about 38% of checklist items were available, with supermarkets having the most and convenience stores the fewest. Foods from the dairy and sugars/sweets groups were the most prevalent, while fresh fruits/vegetables were the least. Cost of the most commonly available items was lowest in supermarkets. Seventeen reservations did not have a supermarket on their reservation, and the nearest off-reservation supermarket was about 10 miles from the tribe's headquarters, which was used as the standard for distance calculations. These results demonstrate that American Indians living on federal reservations in Washington State may have limited access to foods that make up a nutritious diet at minimal cost. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The home food environment of overweight gatekeepers in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Poelman, Maartje P; de Vet, Emely; Velema, Elizabeth; Seidell, Jacob C; Steenhuis, Ingrid H M

2015-07-01

The aim of the present study was to gain insight into (i) processed snack-food availability, (ii) processed snack-food salience and (iii) the size of dinnerware among households with overweight gatekeepers. Moreover, associations between gatekeepers' characteristics and in-home observations were determined. A cross-sectional observation of home food environments was conducted as part of a baseline measurement of a larger study. Home food environments of overweight and obese gatekeepers in the Netherlands. Household gatekeepers (n 278). Mean household size of the gatekeepers was 3.0 (SD 1.3) persons. Mean age of the gatekeepers was 45.7 (SD 9.2) years, 34.9% were overweight and 65.1% were obese. Of the gatekeepers, 20.9% had a low level of education and 42.7% had a high level of education. In 70% of the households, eight or more packages of processed snack foods were present. In 54% of the households, processed snack foods were stored close to non-processed food items and in 78% of households close to non-food items. In 33% of the households, processed snack foods were visible in the kitchen and in 15% of the households processed snack foods were visible in the living room. Of the dinnerware items, 14% (plates), 57% (glasses), 78% (dessert bowls), 67% (soup bowls) and 58% (mugs) were larger than the reference norms of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre Foundation. Older gatekeepers used significantly smaller dinnerware than younger gatekeepers. Environmental factors endorsing overconsumption are commonly present in the home environments of overweight people and could lead to unplanned eating or passive overconsumption.

Restaurant menus: calories, caloric density, and serving size.

PubMed

Scourboutakos, Mary J; L'Abbé, Mary R

2012-09-01

The increasing trend toward eating out, rather than at home, along with concerns about the adverse nutritional profile of restaurant foods has prompted the introduction of calorie labeling. However, the calorie content in food from sit-down and fast-food restaurants has not been analyzed. The calorie content of restaurant foods was analyzed in order to better understand how factors that determine calorie content may potentially influence the effectiveness of calorie labeling. Nutritional information was collected from the websites of major (N=85) sit-down and fast-food restaurants across Canada in 2010. A total of 4178 side dishes, entrées, and individual items were analyzed in 2011. There was substantial variation in calories both within and across food categories. In all food categories, sit-down restaurants had higher calorie counts compared to fast-food restaurants (p<0.05). Both serving size and caloric density were positively correlated with calories; however, serving size was more strongly correlated (r = 0.62) compared to caloric density (r = 0.29). On average, items that were higher in calories had a larger serving size compared to items that were lower in calories (p<0.05); however, they were often not different in terms of caloric density. Variation in calories per serving was seen when comparing various types of food, types of establishments, and the specific establishments that provided the foods. Compared to caloric density, serving size was shown to be a more important driver of calories per serving in restaurant foods. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumption of Unprocessed and Processed Red Meat and the Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study of Men.

PubMed

Kaluza, Joanna; Larsson, Susanna C; Linden, Anders; Wolk, Alicja

2016-12-01

Consumption of both processed and unprocessed red meat has been associated with a higher risk of major chronic diseases. However, only processed meat consumption has been studied in relation to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Therefore, we endeavored to determine the association between the risk of COPD and consumption of processed and unprocessed red meat while taking into account smoking status. The population-based prospective Cohort of Swedish Men included 43,848 men who were 45-79 years of age and had no history of COPD or cancer at baseline. Meat consumption was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire in 1997. During 13.2 years of follow-up, 1,909 COPD cases were ascertained. Consumption of processed meat was associated with risk of COPD: Compared with men who consumed less than 25 g/day of processed meat, men who consumed 75 g/day or more had a multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio of 1.21 (95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.44; P for trend = 0.03). The positive association was confined to current smokers (P for interaction = 0.003); among smokers who consumed 75 g/day or more of processed red meat, the hazard ratio was 1.26 (95% confidence interval: 1.00, 1.60) when compared with persons who consumed less than 25 g/day. Consumption of unprocessed red meat was not associated with COPD incidence. Findings from this prospective study indicate that high consumption of processed red meat is associated with an increased COPD risk among smokers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Grapefruit-felodipine interaction: effect of unprocessed fruit and probable active ingredients.

PubMed

Bailey, D G; Dresser, G K; Kreeft, J H; Munoz, C; Freeman, D J; Bend, J R

2000-11-01

To determine whether unprocessed grapefruit can cause a drug interaction, whether the active ingredients are naturally occurring, and whether specific furanocoumarins or flavonoids are involved. The oral pharmacokinetics of felodipine and its dehydrofelodipine metabolite were determined after administration of felodipine 10 mg extended-release tablet with 250 mL commercial grapefruit juice, homogenized grapefruit segments, or extract of segment-free parts equivalent to one unprocessed fruit or water in a randomized four-way crossover study. Inhibition of recombinant CYP3A4 by furanocoumarins (bergamottin, 6',7'-epoxybergamottin, 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin) and flavonoids (naringenin optical isomers) was determined. Furanocoumarin and naringenin precursor (naringin) concentrations were measured in each grapefruit treatment. Felodipine AUC with commercial grapefruit juice, grapefruit segments, or grapefruit extract was on average 3-fold higher than that with water. Felodipine peak concentration was higher, but the half-life was unchanged. The dehydrofelodipine/felodipine AUC ratio was reduced. The furanocoumarins produced mechanism-based and competitive inhibition of CYP3A4. Bergamottin was the most potent mechanism-based inhibitor. Naringenin isomers produced only competitive inhibition. Bergamottin, 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin, and naringin concentrations varied among grapefruit treatments but were sufficient to inhibit markedly in vitro CYP3A4 activity. Unprocessed grapefruit can cause a drug interaction with felodipine. The active ingredients are naturally occurring in the grapefruit. Bergamottin is likely important in drug interactions with commercial grapefruit juice. 6',7'-Dihydroxybergamottin and naringin may be more important in grapefruit segments because they are present in higher concentrations. Any therapeutic concern for a drug interaction with commercial grapefruit juice should now be extended to include whole fruit and possibly confectioneries made from grapefruit peel.

Contribution of atmospheric nitrate to stream-water nitrate in Japanese coniferous forests revealed by the oxygen isotope ratio of nitrate.

PubMed

Tobari, Y; Koba, K; Fukushima, K; Tokuchi, N; Ohte, N; Tateno, R; Toyoda, S; Yoshioka, T; Yoshida, N

2010-05-15

Evaluation of the openness of the nitrogen (N) cycle in forest ecosystems is important in efforts to improve forest management because the N supply often limits primary production. The use of the oxygen isotope ratio (delta(18)O) of nitrate is a promising approach to determine how effectively atmospheric nitrate can be retained in a forest ecosystem. We investigated the delta(18)O of nitrate in stream water in order to estimate the contribution of atmospheric NO(3) (-) in stream-water NO(3) (-) (f(atm)) from 26 watersheds with different stand ages (1-87 years) in Japan. The stream-water nitrate concentrations were high in young forests whereas, in contrast, old forests discharged low-nitrate stream water. These results implied a low f(atm) and a closed N cycle in older forests. However, the delta(18)O values of nitrate in stream water revealed that f(atm) values were higher in older forests than in younger forests. These results indicated that even in old forests, where the discharged N loss was small, atmospheric nitrate was not retained effectively. The steep slopes of the studied watersheds (>40 degrees ) which hinder the capturing of atmospheric nitrate by plants and microbes might be responsible for the inefficient utilization of atmospheric nitrate. Moreover, the unprocessed fraction of atmospheric nitrate in the stream-water nitrate in the forest (f(unprocessed)) was high in the young forest (78%), although f(unprocessed) was stable and low for other forests (5-13%). This high f(unprocessed) of the young forest indicated that the young forest retained neither atmospheric NO(3) (-) nor soil NO(3) (-) effectively, engendering high stream-water NO(3) (-) concentrations. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Importance-satisfaction analysis of street food sanitation and choice factor in Korea and Taiwan

PubMed Central

Joo, Nami; Park, Sanghyun; Lee, Bohee

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The present study investigated Korean and Taiwan adults on the importance of and the satisfaction with street food sanitation and street food choice factor, in order to present management and improvement measures for street foods. SUBJECTS/METHODS The present study conducted a survey on 400 randomly chosen adults (200 Korean, 200 Taiwanese). General characteristics, eating habits, street food intake frequency, and preference by type of street food of respondents were checked. Respondents' importance and satisfaction of street food hygiene and selection attributes were also measured. In order to test for the difference between groups, χ2-test and t-test were performed. ISA was also performed to analyze importance and satisfaction. RESULTS Results showed that the importance of sanitation was significantly higher than satisfaction on all items in both Korea and Taiwan, and the satisfaction with sanitation was higher in Taiwan than in Korea. According to ISA results with street food sanitation, satisfaction was low while importance was high in both Korea and Taiwan. In terms of street food choice factor, importance scores were significantly higher than satisfaction scores on all items. In addition, satisfaction scores on all items except 'taste' were significantly higher in Taiwan than in Korea. CONCLUSIONS A manual on sanitation management of street foods should be developed to change the knowledge and attitude toward sanitation by putting into practice a regularly conducted education. Considering the popularity of street foods and its potential as a tourism resource to easily publicize our food culture, thorough management measures should be prepared on sanitation so that safe street food culture should be created. PMID:26060542

Comparison of Fast-Food and Non-Fast-Food Children's Menu Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serrano, Elena L.; Jedda, Virginia B.

2009-01-01

Objective: Compare the macronutrient content of children's meals sold by fast-food restaurants (FFR) and non-fast-food restaurants (NFF). Design: All restaurants within the designated city limits were surveyed. Non-fast-food children's meals were purchased, weighed, and analyzed using nutrition software. All fast-food children's meals were…

Convenience food products. Drivers for consumption.

PubMed

Brunner, Thomas A; van der Horst, Klazine; Siegrist, Michael

2010-12-01

Convenience is one of the big trends in the food business. The demand for convenience food products is steadily increasing; therefore, understanding convenience food consumption is an important issue. Despite being vital properties of convenience food, saving time and effort have not been very successful constructs for predicting convenience food consumption. To examine a wide range of possible drivers for convenience food consumption, the present study uses a convenience food frequency questionnaire that asks about consumption behavior. A paper-and-pencil questionnaire was sent out to a representative sample of people in German-speaking Switzerland and yielded N = 918 complete datasets from persons mainly responsible for buying and preparing food in the household. The various convenience food products could be categorized into four groups, which we labeled as highly processed food items, moderately processed food items, single components, and salads. Fifteen drivers were found to have a significant impact either on total convenience consumption or on one of the identified categories. Strong predictors were age, concern about naturalness, nutrition knowledge, and cooking skills. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lessons learned from evaluations of California's statewide school nutrition standards.

PubMed

Woodward-Lopez, Gail; Gosliner, Wendi; Samuels, Sarah E; Craypo, Lisa; Kao, Janice; Crawford, Patricia B

2010-11-01

We assessed the impact of legislation that established nutrition standards for foods and beverages that compete with reimbursable school meals in California. We used documentation of available foods and beverages, sales accounts, and surveys of and interviews with students and food service workers to conduct 3 studies measuring pre- and postlegislation food and beverage availability, sales, and student consumption at 99 schools. Availability of nutrition standard-compliant foods and beverages increased. Availability of noncompliant items decreased, with the biggest reductions in sodas and other sweetened beverages, regular chips, and candy. At-school consumption of some noncompliant foods dropped; at-home consumption of selected noncompliant foods did not increase. Food and beverage sales decreased at most venues, and food service à la carte revenue losses were usually offset by increased meal program participation. Increased food service expenditures outpaced revenue increases. Regulation of competitive foods improved school food environments and student nutritional intake. Improvements were modest, partly because many compliant items are fat- and sugar-modified products of low nutritional value. Additional policies and actions are needed to achieve more substantive improvements in school nutrition environments and student nutrition and health.

Accounting for product substitution in the analysis of food taxes targeting obesity.

PubMed

Miao, Zhen; Beghin, John C; Jensen, Helen H

2013-11-01

We extend the existing literature on food taxes targeting obesity. We systematically incorporate the implicit substitution between added sugars and solid fats into a comprehensive food demand system and evaluate the effect of taxes on sugars and fats. The approach conditions how food and obesity taxes affect total calorie intake. The proposed methodology accounts for the ability of consumers to substitute leaner low-fat and low-sugar items for rich food items within the same food group. We calibrate this demand system approach using recent food intake data and existing estimates of price and income elasticities of demand. The demand system accounts for both the within-food group substitution and the substitution across these groups. Simulations of taxes on added sugars and solid fat show that the tax impact on consumption patterns is understated and the induced welfare loss is overstated when not allowing for the substitution possibilities within food groups. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The compositional mosaic of Fusarium species and their mycotoxins in unprocessed cereals, food and feed products in Belgium.

PubMed

Vanheule, Adriaan; Audenaert, Kris; De Boevre, Marthe; Landschoot, Sofie; Bekaert, Boris; Munaut, Françoise; Eeckhout, Mia; Höfte, Monica; De Saeger, Sarah; Haesaert, Geert

2014-07-02

Global food safety depends on continuous monitoring of food contaminants such as mycotoxins in cereals and cereal-derived products. Here, we combine this type of investigation with quantitative occurrence data on Fusarium infestation of these products in extensive correlation studies. Finally, this contributes to a thorough understanding of the presence, origin and physiology of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) related mycotoxins and the correlations within their ranks. Two hundred and thirty-seven samples were analyzed from diverse cereal matrices, representing the most important stages of the cereal food and feed chain in Belgium. Food, feed and non-processed field samples were investigated, with a strong emphasis on whole-grain food products. Two approaches were pursued to estimate the full scope of FHB and its repercussions: UPLC-MS/MS was applied to detect twelve different mycotoxins, and Q-PCR was used to measure the presence of ten Fusarium species. We found that different matrices have different characteristic contamination profiles, and extensive correlation studies identified certain mycotoxins for future assessment (e.g. moniliformin produced by the Fusarium avenaceum/Fusarium tricinctum species group). The investigated harvest year of 2012 yielded many non-processed field materials containing elevated levels of deoxynivalenol (DON), while even in a so-called DON-year less prevalent toxins such as T-2 and HT-2 might be considered problematic due to their consistent co-occurrence with related mycotoxins. Our data illustrate complex interactions between the many Fusarium species that are responsible for FHB and their mycotoxins. Correlation studies demonstrate that consistent co-occurrence of mycotoxins is not to be neglected, and pinpoint issues for future surveillance and legislation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Home food and activity assessment. Development and validation of an instrument for diverse families of young children.

PubMed

Boles, Richard E; Burdell, Alexandra; Johnson, Susan L; Gavin, William J; Davies, Patricia L; Bellows, Laura L

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to refine and psychometrically test an instrument measuring the home food and activity environment of geographically and economically diverse families of preschool aged children. Caregivers of preschool aged children (n = 83) completed a modified self-report questionnaire. Reliably trained researchers conducted independent observations on 25 randomly selected homes. Agreement statistics were conducted at the item level (154 total items) to determine reliability. Frequency counts were calculated to identify item availability. Results showed Kappa statistics were high (.67-1.00) between independent researchers but varied between researchers and parents resulting in 85 items achieving criterion validity (Kappa >.60). Analyses of reliable items revealed the presence in the home of a high frequency of unhealthy snack foods, high fat milk and low frequency of availability of fruits/vegetables and low fat milk. Fifty-two percent of the homes were arranged with a television in the preschool child's bedroom. Physical Activity devices also were found to have high frequency availability. Families reporting lower education reported higher levels of sugar sweetened beverages and less low-fat dairy (p < .05) compared with higher education families. Low-income families (<$27K per year) reported significantly fewer Physical Activity devices (p < .001) compared with higher income families. Hispanic families reported significantly higher numbers of Sedentary Devices (p < .05) compared with non-Hispanic families. There were no significant differences between demographic comparisons on available fruits/vegetables, meats, whole grains, and regular fat dairy. A modified home food and activity instrument was found to reliably identify foods and activity devices with geographically and economically diverse families. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation of the Food Liking Questionnaire in a French-Canadian Population

PubMed Central

Carbonneau, Elise; Bradette-Laplante, Maude; Lamarche, Benoît; Provencher, Véronique; Bégin, Catherine; Robitaille, Julie; Desroches, Sophie; Corneau, Louise; Lemieux, Simone

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing food liking in a French-Canadian population. A questionnaire was developed, in which participants were asked to rate their degree of liking of 50 food items. An expert panel evaluated the content validity. For the validation study, 150 men and women completed the questionnaire twice. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed to assess the number of subscales of the questionnaire. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the subscales were evaluated. Concurrent validity was assessed through correlations between liking scores and self-reported frequencies of consumption. Comments from the experts led to changes in the list of foods included in the questionnaire. The EFA revealed a two-factor structure for the questionnaire (i.e., savory and sweet foods) and led to the removal of nine items, resulting in a 32-item questionnaire. The two subscales revealed good internal consistency (Cronbach alphas: 0.85 and 0.89) and test-retest reliability (p = 0.84 and 0.86). The questionnaire demonstrated adequate concurrent validity, with moderate correlations between food liking and self-reported frequency of consumption (r = 0.19–0.39, ps < 0.05). This new Food Liking Questionnaire assessing liking of a variety of savory and sweet foods demonstrated good psychometric properties in every validation step. This questionnaire will be useful to explore the role of food liking and its interactions with other factors in predicting eating behaviors and energy intake. PMID:29292754

Development and Validation of the Food Liking Questionnaire in a French-Canadian Population.

PubMed

Carbonneau, Elise; Bradette-Laplante, Maude; Lamarche, Benoît; Provencher, Véronique; Bégin, Catherine; Robitaille, Julie; Desroches, Sophie; Vohl, Marie-Claude; Corneau, Louise; Lemieux, Simone

2017-12-08

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing food liking in a French-Canadian population. A questionnaire was developed, in which participants were asked to rate their degree of liking of 50 food items. An expert panel evaluated the content validity. For the validation study, 150 men and women completed the questionnaire twice. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed to assess the number of subscales of the questionnaire. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the subscales were evaluated. Concurrent validity was assessed through correlations between liking scores and self-reported frequencies of consumption. Comments from the experts led to changes in the list of foods included in the questionnaire. The EFA revealed a two-factor structure for the questionnaire (i.e., savory and sweet foods) and led to the removal of nine items, resulting in a 32-item questionnaire. The two subscales revealed good internal consistency (Cronbach alphas: 0.85 and 0.89) and test-retest reliability ( p = 0.84 and 0.86). The questionnaire demonstrated adequate concurrent validity, with moderate correlations between food liking and self-reported frequency of consumption ( r = 0.19-0.39, p s < 0.05). This new Food Liking Questionnaire assessing liking of a variety of savory and sweet foods demonstrated good psychometric properties in every validation step. This questionnaire will be useful to explore the role of food liking and its interactions with other factors in predicting eating behaviors and energy intake.

Urban versus suburban perceptions of the neighborhood food environment as correlates of adolescent food purchasing

PubMed Central

Hearst, Mary O.; Pasch, Keryn E.; Laska, Melissa N.

2012-01-01

Objective To assess the relationship between adolescent perception of time to walk to neighborhood food retail outlets and purchasing of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), fast and convenience food items and test for differences by urban versus suburban environment. Design Cross-sectional observational study. Setting Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota. Subjects Adolescents from two studies completed survey-based measures on perceptions of time to walk to food retail outlets from home, purchasing patterns of SSB and fast and convenience store items, perceptions of personal safety and pedestrian infrastructure and demographic characteristics. Descriptive analysis, Spearman correlations and multivariate linear regression, accounting for clustering, were conducted using SAS. Results There were 634 adolescents, approximately half male, predominately white, with a middle-class background. Greater perceived time to food outlets were associated with less frequent purchasing of SSB, convenience store foods and fast food items. Multivariate models showed that a perceived shorter walking time (i.e. 1–5 versus 31+ minutes) was significantly associated with more SSB purchasing. SSB purchases were also significantly associated with the number of food outlets within a 10–minute walk (B=0.05, p=0.02). Conclusions A reduction in consumption of SSB and other energy dense snacks is an important obesity prevention approach. An approach offering alternatives or reducing exposure in addition to education to alter purchasing habits may contribute to improving dietary habits and reducing the obesity epidemic. PMID:21859510

Foods and Beverages Available at SNAP-Authorized Drugstores in Sections of North Carolina.

PubMed

Racine, Elizabeth F; Kennedy, Ashley; Batada, Ameena; Story, Mary

2017-09-01

To assess healthy food availability in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-authorized drugstores by store chain and neighborhood income level in 3 regions of North Carolina. Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Twenty-five counties in North Carolina. A total of 108 drugstores (36 CVS Health, 36 Rite Aid, and 36 Walgreens). Fifty foods and beverages offered at drugstores, categorized as healthier and less healthy. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to test differences in the availability of foods and beverages by chain and neighborhood income. Of the 50 foods/beverages observed, 11 were available at all drugstores. Three of the 36 (8%) healthier items were available at all stores (100% fruit juice, water, and high-fiber cereal) whereas 8 of the 14 less healthy items (57%) were available at all stores (chips, sports drinks, energy drinks, regular soda, diet soda, sugar-sweetened beverages, beer, and wine). Only 3% of drugstores offered fresh vegetables and 4% offered fresh fruits. Less than 20% offered frozen chicken or beef. For 36 healthier foods, 11 differed by chain (28%); for less healthy foods 2 of 14 differed by chain (7%). Foods and beverages offered did not vary by neighborhood income. Although drugstores offer some healthier items, few offer fresh produce. As the drugstore industry changes, it is important for the nutrition community to study the impact of these changes on food purchasing behavior and ultimately health. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Calories in the classroom: celebration foods offered and consumed during classroom parties at an elementary school in a low-income, urban community.

PubMed

Isoldi, Kathy K; Dalton, Sharron

2012-08-01

The school food environment is an important area of exploration in investigating the potential for schoolchildren to consume foods and beverages containing excess calories on school grounds. Several venues offer schoolchildren access to lownutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages. Classroom celebrations offer such a venue; however, little is known about current practices during these events. Trained observers recorded foods and beverages offered, activities engaged in, and goody bag distribution during six separate classroom celebrations. Additionally, foods and beverages consumed by 24 individual students were recorded in detail for calorie estimation. The majority of food items offered during classroom celebrations were low-nutrient, calorie-dense items. The mean caloric contribution for all 24 students was 444 ± 221 calories, with a range of 130–905 calories, and a median intake of 386 calories. Mean total estimated calorie intake per grade level was 225 ± 90, 286 ± 105, and 550 ± 212 calories for students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and 1st grade, respectively. Only one-third of all the parties observed included activities other than eating. Our observations reveal that food items offered during classroom celebrations offer children opportunities to consume low-nutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages on the school campus. More research is needed to support these findings, and to identify the best practice to implement for effective school wellness policies aimed at regulating classroom celebrations.

Food marketing to children through toys: response of restaurants to the first U.S. toy ordinance.

PubMed

Otten, Jennifer J; Hekler, Eric B; Krukowski, Rebecca A; Buman, Matthew P; Saelens, Brian E; Gardner, Christopher D; King, Abby C

2012-01-01

On August 9, 2010, Santa Clara County CA became the first U.S. jurisdiction to implement an ordinance that prohibits the distribution of toys and other incentives to children in conjunction with meals, foods, or beverages that do not meet minimal nutritional criteria. Restaurants had many different options for complying with this ordinance, such as introducing more healthful menu options, reformulating current menu items, or changing marketing or toy distribution practices. To assess how ordinance-affected restaurants changed their child menus, marketing, and toy distribution practices relative to non-affected restaurants. Children's menu items and child-directed marketing and toy distribution practices were examined before and at two time points after ordinance implementation (from July through November 2010) at ordinance-affected fast-food restaurants compared with demographically matched unaffected same-chain restaurants using the Children's Menu Assessment tool. Affected restaurants showed a 2.8- to 3.4-fold improvement in Children's Menu Assessment scores from pre- to post-ordinance with minimal changes at unaffected restaurants. Response to the ordinance varied by restaurant. Improvements were seen in on-site nutritional guidance; promotion of healthy meals, beverages, and side items; and toy marketing and distribution activities. The ordinance appears to have positively influenced marketing of healthful menu items and toys as well as toy distribution practices at ordinance-affected restaurants, but did not affect the number of healthful food items offered. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influencing food choices by training: Evidence for modulation of frontoparietal control signals

PubMed Central

Bakkour, Akram; Hover, Ashleigh M.; Mumford, Jeanette A.; Poldrack, Russell A.

2014-01-01

To overcome unhealthy behaviors, one must be able to make better choices. Changing food preferences is an important strategy in addressing the obesity epidemic and its accompanying public health risks. However, little is known about how food preferences can be effectively affected and what neural systems support such changes. In this study we investigated a novel extensive training paradigm where participants chose from specific pairs of palatable junk food items and were rewarded for choosing the items with lower subjective value over higher value ones. In a later probe phase, when choices were made for real consumption, participants chose the lower-valued item more often in the trained pairs compared to untrained pairs. We replicated the behavioral results in an independent sample of participants while they were scanned with fMRI. We found that as training progressed there was decreased recruitment of regions that have been previously associated with cognitive control, specifically left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and bilateral parietal cortices. Furthermore, we found that connectivity of the left dlPFC was greater with primary motor regions by the end of training for choices of lower-valued items that required exertion of self-control, suggesting a formation of a stronger stimulus-response association. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to influence food choices through training, and that this training is associated with a decreasing need for top-down frontoparietal control. The results suggest that training paradigms may be promising as the basis for interventions to influence real world food preferences. PMID:24116842

Influencing food choices by training: evidence for modulation of frontoparietal control signals.

PubMed

Schonberg, Tom; Bakkour, Akram; Hover, Ashleigh M; Mumford, Jeanette A; Poldrack, Russell A

2014-02-01

To overcome unhealthy behaviors, one must be able to make better choices. Changing food preferences is an important strategy in addressing the obesity epidemic and its accompanying public health risks. However, little is known about how food preferences can be effectively affected and what neural systems support such changes. In this study, we investigated a novel extensive training paradigm where participants chose from specific pairs of palatable junk food items and were rewarded for choosing the items with lower subjective value over higher value ones. In a later probe phase, when choices were made for real consumption, participants chose the lower-valued item more often in the trained pairs compared with untrained pairs. We replicated the behavioral results in an independent sample of participants while they were scanned with fMRI. We found that, as training progressed, there was decreased recruitment of regions that have been previously associated with cognitive control, specifically the left dorsolateral pFC and bilateral parietal cortices. Furthermore, we found that connectivity of the left dorsolateral pFC was greater with primary motor regions by the end of training for choices of lower-valued items that required exertion of self-control, suggesting a formation of a stronger stimulus-response association. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to influence food choices through training and that this training is associated with a decreasing need for top-down frontoparietal control. The results suggest that training paradigms may be promising as the basis for interventions to influence real-world food preferences.

Assessment of School-Based Quasi-Experimental Nutrition and Food Safety Health Education for Primary School Students in Two Poverty-Stricken Counties of West China.

PubMed

Shen, Minxue; Hu, Ming; Sun, Zhenqiu

2015-01-01

Few studies on nutrition and food safety education intervention for students in remote areas of China were reported. The study aimed to assess the questionnaire used to measure the knowledge, attitude and behavior with respect to nutrition and food safety, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a quasi-experimental nutrition and food safety education intervention among primary school students in poverty-stricken counties of west China. Twelve primary schools in west China were randomly selected from Zhen'an of Shaanxi province and Huize of Yunnan province. Six geographically dispersed schools were assigned to the intervention group in a nonrandom way. Knowledge, attitude and behavior questionnaire was developed, assessed, and used for outcome measurement. Students were investigated at baseline and the end of the study respectively without follow-up. Students in intervention group received targeted nutrition and food safety lectures 0.5 hour per week for two semesters. Item response theory was applied for assessment of questionnaire, and a two-level difference-in-differences model was applied to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. The Cronbach's alpha of the original questionnaire was 0.84. According to item response model, 22 knowledge items, 6 attitude items and 8 behavior items showed adequate discrimination parameter and were retained. 378 and 478 valid questionnaires were collected at baseline and the end point. Differences of demographic characteristics were statistically insignificant between the two groups. Two-level difference-in-differences models showed that health education improved 2.92 (95% CI: 2.06-3.78) and 2.92 (95% CI: 1.37-4.47) in knowledge and behavior scores respectively, but had no effect on attitude. The questionnaire met the psychometric standards and showed good internal consistence and discrimination power. The nutrition and food safety education was effective in improving the knowledge and behavior of primary school students in the two poverty-stricken counties of China.

Developing and validating a scale to measure Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) in elementary school children in Iran

PubMed Central

Doustmohammadian, Aazam; Omidvar, Nasrin; Keshavarz-Mohammadi, Nastaran; Abdollahi, Morteza; Amini, Maryam; Eini-Zinab, Hassan

2017-01-01

Background Food and nutrition literacy is an emerging term which is increasingly used in policy and research. Though research in this area is growing, progression is limited by the lack of an accepted method to measure food and nutrition literacy. The aim of this study is to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess food and nutrition literacy in elementary school children in the city of Tehran. Methods The study was conducted in three phases. To develop Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) questionnaire, a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative study were initially performed to identify food and nutrition literacy dimensions and its components. Content and face validity of the questionnaire were evaluated by an expert panel as well as students. In the second phase, construct validity of the scale was evaluated using Explanatory Factor Analyses (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA). In the last phase (confirmatory phase), the final version of the questionnaire was evaluated on 400 students. Results Findings show Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) of the 62-item questionnaire at acceptable levels of 0.87 and 0.92, respectively. EFA suggested a six-factor construct, namely, understanding food and nutrition information, knowledge, functional, interactive, food choice, and critical. The results of CFA indicated acceptable fit indices for the proposed models. All subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha≥0.70), except for critical skill subscale (0.48). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.90, CI: 0.83–0.94) indicated that Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) scale had satisfactory stability. Each phase of development progressively improved the questionnaire, which resulted in a 46-item (42 likert-type items and 4 true-false items) Food and Nutrition Literacy (FNLIT) scale. The questionnaire measured two domains with 6 subscales, including: 1) cognitive domain: understanding and knowledge; 2) skill domain: functional, food choice, interactive, and critical skills. Conclusion The developed food and nutrition literacy scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure food and nutrition literacy in children. This measure lays a solid empirical and theoretical foundation for future research and tailored interventions to promote food and nutrition literacy in this age group. PMID:28654646

Influence of licensed characters on children's taste and snack preferences.

PubMed

Roberto, Christina A; Baik, Jenny; Harris, Jennifer L; Brownell, Kelly D

2010-07-01

The goal was to study how popular licensed cartoon characters appearing on food packaging affect young children's taste and snack preferences. Forty 4- to 6-year-old children tasted 3 pairs of identical foods (graham crackers, gummy fruit snacks, and carrots) presented in packages either with or without a popular cartoon character. Children tasted both food items in each pair and indicated whether the 2 foods tasted the same or one tasted better. Children then selected which of the food items they would prefer to eat for a snack. Children significantly preferred the taste of foods that had popular cartoon characters on the packaging, compared with the same foods without characters. The majority of children selected the food sample with a licensed character on it for their snack, but the effects were weaker for carrots than for gummy fruit snacks and graham crackers. Branding food packages with licensed characters substantially influences young children's taste preferences and snack selection and does so most strongly for energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. These findings suggest that the use of licensed characters to advertise junk food to children should be restricted.

The availability of snack food displays that may trigger impulse purchases in Melbourne supermarkets

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Supermarkets play a major role in influencing the food purchasing behaviours of most households. Snack food exposures within these stores may contribute to higher levels of consumption and ultimately to increasing levels of obesity, particularly within socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. We aimed to examine the availability of snack food displays at checkouts, end-of-aisle displays and island displays in major supermarket chains in the least and most socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Melbourne. Methods Within-store audits of 35 Melbourne supermarkets. Supermarkets were sampled from the least and most socioeconomically disadvantaged suburbs within 30 km of the Melbourne CBD. We measured the availability of crisps, chocolate, confectionery, and soft drinks (diet and regular) at the checkouts, in end-of-aisle displays, and in island bin displays. Results Snack food displays were most prominent at checkouts with only five stores not having snack foods at 100% of their checkouts. Snack foods were also present at a number of end-of-aisle displays (at both the front (median 38%) and back (median 33%) of store), and in island bin displays (median number of island displays: 7; median total circumference of island displays: 19.4 metres). Chocolate items were the most common snack food item on display. There was no difference in the availability of these snack food displays by neighbourhood disadvantage. Conclusions As a result of the high availability of snack food displays, exposure to snack foods is almost unavoidable in Melbourne supermarkets, regardless of levels of neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage. Results of this study could promote awareness of the prominence of unhealthy food items in chain-brand supermarkets outlets. PMID:22420759

Commutability of food microbiology proficiency testing samples.

PubMed

Abdelmassih, M; Polet, M; Goffaux, M-J; Planchon, V; Dierick, K; Mahillon, J

2014-03-01

Food microbiology proficiency testing (PT) is a useful tool to assess the analytical performances among laboratories. PT items should be close to routine samples to accurately evaluate the acceptability of the methods. However, most PT providers distribute exclusively artificial samples such as reference materials or irradiated foods. This raises the issue of the suitability of these samples because the equivalence-or 'commutability'-between results obtained on artificial vs. authentic food samples has not been demonstrated. In the clinical field, the use of noncommutable PT samples has led to erroneous evaluation of the performances when different analytical methods were used. This study aimed to provide a first assessment of the commutability of samples distributed in food microbiology PT. REQUASUD and IPH organized 13 food microbiology PTs including 10-28 participants. Three types of PT items were used: genuine food samples, sterile food samples and reference materials. The commutability of the artificial samples (reference material or sterile samples) was assessed by plotting the distribution of the results on natural and artificial PT samples. This comparison highlighted matrix-correlated issues when nonfood matrices, such as reference materials, were used. Artificially inoculated food samples, on the other hand, raised only isolated commutability issues. In the organization of a PT-scheme, authentic or artificially inoculated food samples are necessary to accurately evaluate the analytical performances. Reference materials, used as PT items because of their convenience, may present commutability issues leading to inaccurate penalizing conclusions for methods that would have provided accurate results on food samples. For the first time, the commutability of food microbiology PT samples was investigated. The nature of the samples provided by the organizer turned out to be an important factor because matrix effects can impact on the analytical results. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Food's visually perceived fat content affects discrimination speed in an orthogonal spatial task.

PubMed

Harrar, Vanessa; Toepel, Ulrike; Murray, Micah M; Spence, Charles

2011-10-01

Choosing what to eat is a complex activity for humans. Determining a food's pleasantness requires us to combine information about what is available at a given time with knowledge of the food's palatability, texture, fat content, and other nutritional information. It has been suggested that humans may have an implicit knowledge of a food's fat content based on its appearance; Toepel et al. (Neuroimage 44:967-974, 2009) reported visual-evoked potential modulations after participants viewed images of high-energy, high-fat food (HF), as compared to viewing low-fat food (LF). In the present study, we investigated whether there are any immediate behavioural consequences of these modulations for human performance. HF, LF, or non-food (NF) images were used to exogenously direct participants' attention to either the left or the right. Next, participants made speeded elevation discrimination responses (up vs. down) to visual targets presented either above or below the midline (and at one of three stimulus onset asynchronies: 150, 300, or 450 ms). Participants responded significantly more rapidly following the presentation of a HF image than following the presentation of either LF or NF images, despite the fact that the identity of the images was entirely task-irrelevant. Similar results were found when comparing response speeds following images of high-carbohydrate (HC) food items to low-carbohydrate (LC) food items. These results support the view that people rapidly process (i.e. within a few hundred milliseconds) the fat/carbohydrate/energy value or, perhaps more generally, the pleasantness of food. Potentially as a result of HF/HC food items being more pleasant and thus having a higher incentive value, it seems as though seeing these foods results in a response readiness, or an overall alerting effect, in the human brain.

Prevalence of Phosphorus-Based Additives in the Australian Food Supply: A Challenge for Dietary Education?

PubMed

McCutcheon, Jemma; Campbell, Katrina; Ferguson, Maree; Day, Sarah; Rossi, Megan

2015-09-01

Phosphorus-based food additives may pose a significant risk in chronic kidney disease given the link between hyperphosphatemia and cardiovascular disease. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of phosphorus-based food additives in best-selling processed grocery products and to establish how they were reported on food labels. A data set of 3000 best-selling grocery items in Australia across 15 food and beverage categories was obtained for the 12 months ending December 2013 produced by the Nielsen Company's Homescan database. The nutrition labels of the products were reviewed in store for phosphorus additives. The type of additive, total number of additives, and method of reporting (written out in words or as an E number) were recorded. Presence of phosphorus-based food additives, number of phosphorus-based food additives per product, and the reporting method of additives on product ingredient lists. Phosphorus-based additives were identified in 44% of food and beverages reviewed. Additives were particularly common in the categories of small goods (96%), bakery goods (93%), frozen meals (75%), prepared foods (70%), and biscuits (65%). A total of 19 different phosphorus additives were identified across the reviewed products. From the items containing phosphorus additives, there was a median (minimum-maximum) of 2 (1-7) additives per product. Additives by E number (81%) was the most common method of reporting. Phosphorus-based food additives are common in the Australian food supply. This suggests that prioritizing phosphorus additive education may be an important strategy in the dietary management of hyperphosphatemia. Further research to establish a database of food items containing phosphorus-based additives is warranted. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A traffic light food labeling intervention increases consumer awareness of health and healthy choices at the point-of-purchase.

PubMed

Sonnenberg, Lillian; Gelsomin, Emily; Levy, Douglas E; Riis, Jason; Barraclough, Susan; Thorndike, Anne N

2013-10-01

We surveyed customers in a hospital cafeteria in Boston, Massachusetts before and after implementation of traffic light food labeling to determine the effect of labels on customers' awareness and purchase of healthy foods. Cafeteria items were identified as red (unhealthy), yellow (less healthy), or green (healthy). Customers were interviewed before (N=166) and after (N=223) labeling was implemented. Each respondent was linked to cash register data to determine the proportion of red, yellow, and green items purchased. Data were collected from February-April 2010. We compared responses to survey questions and mean proportion of red, yellow, and green items per transaction between customers interviewed during baseline and customers interviewed during the intervention. Survey response rate was 60%. Comparing responses during labeling intervention to baseline, more respondents identified health/nutrition as an important factor in their purchase (61% vs. 46%, p=0.004) and reported looking at nutrition information (33% vs. 15%, p<0.001). Respondents who noticed labels during the intervention and reported that labels influenced their purchases were more likely to purchase healthier items than respondents who did not notice labels (p<0.001 for both). Traffic light food labels prompted individuals to consider their health and to make healthier choices at point-of-purchase. © 2013.

Choking Prevention

MedlinePlus

... Hazard Items Keep items that are choking hazards away from babies and young children. These include: Coins ... to a younger child. Keep the following foods away from children younger than 4 years: Hot dogs ...

Availability of more healthful food alternatives in traditional, convenience, and nontraditional types of food stores in two rural Texas counties.

PubMed

Bustillos, Brenda; Sharkey, Joseph R; Anding, Jenna; McIntosh, Alex

2009-05-01

Limited research has focused on the availability of more healthful food alternatives in traditional food stores (supermarkets and grocery stores) in rural areas. Current market trends suggest that food items may be available for purchase in stores other than traditional food stores. An observational survey was developed and used on-site to document the availability and variety of fruit and vegetables (fresh, canned, and frozen), meats (meat, poultry, fish, and eggs), dairy (milk, yogurt, and cheese), and grains (whole grains and refined grains) in all traditional food stores, convenience stores, and nontraditional food stores (dollar stores and mass merchandisers) in two rural Texas counties. Descriptive statistics and t tests identified that although the widest selection of more healthful food items was available in supermarkets, not all supermarkets carried all items. Grocery stores carried less variety of fresh fruits (8+/-0.7 vs 4.7+/-0.3; P<0.01) and vegetables (10.7+/-0.2 vs 6+/-0; P<0.001) than supermarkets. Fresh fruits and vegetables were not readily available in convenience or nontraditional food stores. Among convenience and nontraditional food stores, "dollar" stores offered the best variety of more healthful canned fruits and vegetables, whole-wheat bread, and whole-grain cereal. Mass merchandisers and dollar stores offered a greater variety of more healthful types of canned tuna and poultry, reduced-fat and skim milk, and low-fat tortillas. In these rural counties, traditional food stores offered greater availability of more healthful food choices across food groups. More healthful food choices in canned fruits and vegetables, canned meat and fish, milk, and grains were also available in dollar stores, mass merchandisers, and convenience stores. Results suggest that a complete understanding of the food environment, especially in rural areas, requires knowledge of the availability and variety of healthful food in all types of stores that are accessible to families.

Skylab food system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, W. H.

1974-01-01

The Skylab food program was a major effort involving a complex spectrum of activities necessary for the preparation of a crew feeding system. Approximately 17,000 individual food packages and support items, weighing more than 1225 kg, were launched into space as a single unit on board the orbital workshop. This unit provided the three (three-man) Skylab crews with nourishing foods and beverages for a total of 156 days, as well as with eating utensils and accessory items. Additionally, provisions for 5 days (15 man-days) were provided in each of the three command and service modules in a manner similar to that of the Apollo flights. The Skylab food system not only provided the crew with a palatable balanced diet in a familiar and acceptable manner but also supported the formidable mineral balance medical experiment series (M070).

On the displacement of leisure items by food during multiple-stimulus preference assessments.

PubMed Central

Bojak, S L; Carr, J E

1999-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that when food and leisure stimuli are combined in multiple-stimulus preference assessments, individuals typically select food more often, although the leisure stimuli also have known reinforcing properties. The purpose of the current study was to replicate this effect and determine its durability by examining the effect after mealtimes. Four adults who had been diagnosed with severe mental retardation were given three initial multiple-stimulus (without replacement) preference assessments (i.e., food, leisure stimuli, and combined). All participants selected food items as the most preferred stimuli in the combined assessments. Combined assessments were then administered immediately before and after the evening meal for each participant for 1 week. The results showed similar data both before and after mealtimes. PMID:10641304

Impulsivity-based thrifty eating phenotype and the protective role of n-3 PUFAs intake in adolescents.

PubMed

Reis, R S; Dalle Molle, R; Machado, T D; Mucellini, A B; Rodrigues, D M; Bortoluzzi, A; Bigonha, S M; Toazza, R; Salum, G A; Minuzzi, L; Buchweitz, A; Franco, A R; Pelúzio, M C G; Manfro, G G; Silveira, P P

2016-03-15

The goal of the present study was to investigate whether intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects brain responses to palatable foods and whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the human brain) serum levels moderate the association between IUGR and brain and behavioral responses to palatable foods. Brain responses to palatable foods were investigated using a functional magnetic resonance imaging task in which participants were shown palatable foods, neutral foods and non-food items. Serum DHA was quantified in blood samples, and birth weight ratio (BWR) was used as a proxy for IUGR. The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) was used to evaluate eating behaviors. In the contrast palatable food > neutral items, we found an activation in the right superior frontal gyrus with BWR as the most important predictor; the lower the BWR (indicative of IUGR), the greater the activation of this region involved in impulse control/decision making facing the viewing of palatable food pictures versus neutral items. At the behavioral level, a general linear model predicting external eating using the DEBQ showed a significant interaction between DHA and IUGR status; in IUGR individuals, the higher the serum DHA, the lower is external eating. In conclusion, we suggest that IUGR moderates brain responses when facing stimuli related to palatable foods, activating an area related to impulse control. Moreover, higher intake of n-3 PUFAs can protect IUGR individuals from developing inappropriate eating behaviors, the putative mechanism of protection would involve decreasing intake in response to external food cues in adolescents/young adults.

Comparison of planned menus and centre characteristics with foods and beverages served in New York City child-care centres.

PubMed

Breck, Andrew; Dixon, L Beth; Kettel Khan, Laura

2016-10-01

The present study evaluated the extent to which child-care centre menus prepared in advance correspond with food and beverage items served to children. The authors identified centre and staff characteristics that were associated with matches between menus and what was served. Menus were collected from ninety-five centres in New York City (NYC). Direct observation of foods and beverages served to children were conducted during 524 meal and snack times at these centres between April and June 2010, as part of a larger study designed to determine compliance of child-care centres with city health department regulations for nutrition. Child-care centres were located in low-income neighbourhoods in NYC. Overall, 87 % of the foods and beverages listed on the menus or allowed as substitutions were served. Menu items matched with foods and beverages served for all major food groups by >60 %. Sweets and water had lower match percentages (40 and 32 %, respectively), but water was served 68 % of the time when it was not listed on the menu. The staff person making the food and purchasing decisions predicted the match between the planned or substituted items on the menus and the foods and beverages served. In the present study, child-care centre menus included most foods and beverages served to children. Menus planned in advance have potential to be used to inform parents about which child-care centre to send their child or what foods and beverages their enrolled children will be offered throughout the day.

Comparison of planned menus and centre characteristics with foods and beverages served in New York City child-care centres

PubMed Central

Breck, Andrew; Dixon, L Beth; Khan, Laura Kettel

2016-01-01

Objective The present study evaluated the extent to which child-care centre menus prepared in advance correspond with food and beverage items served to children. The authors identified centre and staff characteristics that were associated with matches between menus and what was served. Design Menus were collected from ninety-five centres in New York City (NYC). Direct observation of foods and beverages served to children were conducted during 524 meal and snack times at these centres between April and June 2010, as part of a larger study designed to determine compliance of child-care centres with city health department regulations for nutrition. Setting Child-care centres were located in low-income neighbourhoods in NYC. Results Overall, 87% of the foods and beverages listed on the menus or allowed as substitutions were served. Menu items matched with foods and beverages served for all major food groups by > 60%. Sweets and water had lower match percentages (40 and 32%, respectively), but water was served 68% of the time when it was not listed on the menu. The staff person making the food and purchasing decisions predicted the match between the planned or substituted items on the menus and the foods and beverages served. Conclusions In the present study, child-care centre menus included most foods and beverages served to children. Menus planned in advance have potential to be used to inform parents about which child-care centre to send their child or what foods and beverages their enrolled children will be offered throughout the day. PMID:27280341

Validity of food consumption indicators in the Lao context: moving toward cross-cultural standardization.

PubMed

Baumann, Soo Mee; Webb, Patrick; Zeller, Manfred

2013-03-01

Cross-cultural validity of food security indicators is commonly presumed without questioning the suitability of generic indicators in different geographic settings. However, ethnic differences in the perception of and reporting on, food insecurity, as well as variations in consumption patterns, may limit the comparability of results. Although research on correction factors for standardization of food security indicators is in process, so far no universal indicator has been identified. The current paper considers the ability of the Food Consumption Score (FCS) developed by the World Food Programme in southern Africa in 1996 to meet the requirement of local cultural validity in a Laotian context. The analysis is based on research that seeks to identify options for correcting possible biases linked to cultural disparities. Based on the results of a household survey conducted in different agroecological zones of Laos in 2009, the FCS was validated against a benchmark of calorie consumption. Changing the thresholds and excluding small amounts of food items consumed were tested as options to correct for biases caused by cultural disparities. The FCS in its original form underestimates the food insecurity level in the surveyed villages. However, the closeness of fit of the FCS to the benchmark classification improves when small amounts of food items are excluded from the assessment. Further research in different cultural settings is required to generate more insight into the extent to which universal thresholds can be applied to dietary diversity indicators with or without locally determined correction factors such as the exclusion of small amounts of food items.

Impulsivity-based thrifty eating phenotype and the protective role of n-3 PUFAs intake in adolescents

PubMed Central

Reis, R S; Dalle Molle, R; Machado, T D; Mucellini, A B; Rodrigues, D M; Bortoluzzi, A; Bigonha, S M; Toazza, R; Salum, G A; Minuzzi, L; Buchweitz, A; Franco, A R; Pelúzio, M C G; Manfro, G G; Silveira, P P

2016-01-01

The goal of the present study was to investigate whether intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects brain responses to palatable foods and whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the human brain) serum levels moderate the association between IUGR and brain and behavioral responses to palatable foods. Brain responses to palatable foods were investigated using a functional magnetic resonance imaging task in which participants were shown palatable foods, neutral foods and non-food items. Serum DHA was quantified in blood samples, and birth weight ratio (BWR) was used as a proxy for IUGR. The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) was used to evaluate eating behaviors. In the contrast palatable food > neutral items, we found an activation in the right superior frontal gyrus with BWR as the most important predictor; the lower the BWR (indicative of IUGR), the greater the activation of this region involved in impulse control/decision making facing the viewing of palatable food pictures versus neutral items. At the behavioral level, a general linear model predicting external eating using the DEBQ showed a significant interaction between DHA and IUGR status; in IUGR individuals, the higher the serum DHA, the lower is external eating. In conclusion, we suggest that IUGR moderates brain responses when facing stimuli related to palatable foods, activating an area related to impulse control. Moreover, higher intake of n-3 PUFAs can protect IUGR individuals from developing inappropriate eating behaviors, the putative mechanism of protection would involve decreasing intake in response to external food cues in adolescents/young adults. PMID:26978737

Wear Properties of ECAP-Processed AM80 Magnesium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopi, K. R.; Shivananda Nayaka, H.; Sahu, Sandeep

2017-07-01

AM80 magnesium alloy was subjected to equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), and microstructural evolution was studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Grain size was found to decrease up to 3 µm after four passes. An increase in number of ECAP passes led to a corresponding increase in hardness of the processed samples. Unprocessed and ECAP-processed samples were subjected to wear test using pin-on-disk wear test machine to study the wear behavior. Effects of varying loads (30 and 40 N) with sliding distances (2500 and 5000 m) were studied. The results showed reduction in wear mass loss for the ECAP-processed samples in comparison with unprocessed condition. Coefficient of friction (COF) was studied for different loads, and improvement in COF values was observed for ECAP-processed samples compared to unprocessed condition. Worn surfaces were studied using SEM and energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometer, and they exhibited plastic deformation, delamination, plowing, wear debris and oxidation in the sliding direction. X-ray diffraction analysis was conducted on the worn surfaces to identify the phases. It revealed the presence of magnesium oxide and magnesium aluminum oxide which led to oxidation wear in the sliding direction. Wear mechanism was found to be abrasive and oxidation wear.

High-resolution analysis of the mechanical behavior of tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudnut, Alexa W.; Armani, Andrea M.

2017-06-01

The mechanical behavior and properties of biomaterials, such as tissue, have been directly and indirectly connected to numerous malignant physiological states. For example, an increase in the Young's Modulus of tissue can be indicative of cancer. Due to the heterogeneity of biomaterials, it is extremely important to perform these measurements using whole or unprocessed tissue because the tissue matrix contains important information about the intercellular interactions and the structure. Thus, developing high-resolution approaches that can accurately measure the elasticity of unprocessed tissue samples is of great interest. Unfortunately, conventional elastography methods such as atomic force microscopy, compression testing, and ultrasound elastography either require sample processing or have poor resolution. In the present work, we demonstrate the characterization of unprocessed salmon muscle using an optical polarimetric elastography system. We compare the results of compression testing within different samples of salmon skeletal muscle with different numbers of collagen membranes to characterize differences in heterogeneity. Using the intrinsic collagen membranes as markers, we determine the resolution of the system when testing biomaterials. The device reproducibly measures the stiffness of the tissues at variable strains. By analyzing the amount of energy lost by the sample during compression, collagen membranes that are 500 μm in size are detected.

Food Group Categories of Low-Income African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Elizabeth B.; Holmes, Shane

2011-01-01

Objective: Describe lay food group categories of low-income African American women and assess the overlap of lay food groups and MyPyramid food groups. Design: A convenience sample of African American mothers from a low-income Chicago neighborhood performed a card-sorting task in which they grouped familiar food items into food groups. Setting:…

Profits, Commercial Food Supplier Involvement, and School Vending Machine Snack Food Availability: Implications for Implementing the New Competitive Foods Rule

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M.; Hood, Nancy E.; Colabianchi, Natalie; O'Malley, Patrick M.; Johnston, Lloyd D.

2014-01-01

Background: The 2013-2014 school year involved preparation for implementing the new US Department of Agriculture (USDA) competitive foods nutrition standards. An awareness of associations between commercial supplier involvement, food vending practices, and food vending item availability may assist schools in preparing for the new standards.…