Changes In Food Intake Patterns Research Articles

P071 COVID-Related Diet Changes in a Multiethnic Sample of College Students

BackgroundResearch suggests varied dietary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including an increase in meal and snack frequency. While some studies report an increase in home cooking and fresh produce consumption, others report less favorable changes in diet patterns. Limited research examines these patterns in college students.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study explored self-reported changes in food intake patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in a multiethnic sample of college students.Study Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA web-based survey was administered to students enrolled in a general education introductory nutrition course during the 2020-2021 academic year. Two open-ended items were used to capture self-reported changes in food intake and drivers of those changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Food insecurity was assessed using the USDA six-item food security module.Measurable Outcome/AnalysisTwo researchers collaborated to develop a codebook and then assign codes independently to open-ended responses. Chi-square tests were used to investigate relationships between food security status and reported diet changes.ResultsParticipants (n = 436) were predominantly (77%) female; 39% identified as Hispanic/Latino, 33% identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, and 19% identified as Caucasian. A majority of participants (n = 295, 67.7%) reported diet changes as a result of the pandemic. Participants indicated mixed impacts on food intake, such as an increase or decrease in food intake, snacking more, eating less healthy, or eating healthier. Participants attributed diet changes to increased health consciousness, increased time at home, eating more home-prepared foods, changes in activity level, and increased feelings of boredom. Among respondents who reported a COVID-related diet impact, those experiencing food insecurity were more likely to report eating less healthy because of the pandemic (P = 0.01).ConclusionsA majority of students reported a change in food intake; while the type of change varied, food insecurity emerged as a factor significantly associated with self-reported dietary changes considered less healthy.FundingNone

Effect of a nutrition education programme on the metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at a level 5 Hospital in Kenya: \u201ca randomized controlled trial\u201d

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), is a life-threatening condition of global public health concern. It worsens in the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), a complex disorder characterized by co-occurrence of at least three of such factors as hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. However, lifestyle interventions reduce the risk of both MetS and T2D, and nutrition education can empower individuals on the appropriate, lifestyle changes. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of a nutrition education programme, with and without inclusion of peer to peer support, on MetS in T2D patients.MethodsThis was a randomized controlled trial with two intervention groups and one control. One of the intervention groups involved a nutrition education programme with peer-to-peer support (NEP); the other involved only the education program, while the control received standard care. Each group had 51 participants. The nutrition education programme was conducted for 2 h per week for 8 weeks. In addition, the NEP had weekly peer-to-peer interactions for 8 weeks. All groups had follow-up sessions for 6 months. Data on MetS risk factors as well as food intake patterns and physical activity levels were taken at baseline and at different time points during the study. Analysis of Co-variance and regression were used in the analysis.ResultsThe MetS prevalence improved in the NEP (90 to 52%) and NE (86 to 69%), while it worsened in C (88 to 91%). There was improvement in the mean values of the anthropometric parameters in the NEP and NE which worsened in the control group. There was a general improvement in mean values of blood lipids, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in all the groups, with NEP showing the greatest improvements, followed by NE, except for triglycerides and HDL where the control group had better improvement than the NE. Changes in the anthropometric and metabolic indicators mirrored the changes in food intake patterns and physical activity, where the greatest improvements occurred in the NEP.ConclusionsNutrition education with inclusion of peer to peer support was of clinical benefit in improving metabolic outcomes and reducing MetS in T2DM patients.Trial registrationThe study has been registered retrospectively by Pan African Clinical Trial Registry; Registration No: PACTR201910518676391.

Changes in food intake patterns during 2000\u20132007 and 2008\u20132016 in the population-based Northern Sweden Diet Database

BackgroundFood intake patterns provide a summary of dietary intake. Few studies have examined trends in food intake patterns over time in large, population-based studies. We examined food intake patterns and related sociodemographic and individual characteristics in the large Northern Sweden Diet Database during the two time windows 2000–2007 and 2008–2016.MethodsIn total, 100 507 participants (51% women) who had filled in a 64-item food frequency questionnaire and provided background and sociodemographic data between 2000 and 2016 were included. Food intake patterns were evaluated for women and men separately for the two time windows 2000–2007 and 2008–2016, respectively. Latent class analysis was used to identify distinct, latent clusters based on 40 food groups.ResultsAmong both women and men, a greater proportion of participants were classified into food intake patterns characterized by high-fat spread and high-fat dairy during 2008–2016 compared to 2000–2007. In the earlier time window, these high-fat clusters were related to lower educational level and smoking. Simultaneously, the proportion of women and men classified into a cluster characterized by high intake of fruit, vegetables, and fibre decreased from the earlier to the later time window.ConclusionFrom a public health perspective, the increase in clusters with a high conditional mean for high-fat spread and high-fat dairy and decrease in clusters with a high conditional mean for fruit and vegetables, during the time period 2008–2016 compared to 2000–2007, is worrisome as it indicates a shift away from the recommended food habits. Subgroups of women and men with less healthy dietary patterns in the time window 2008–2016 with lower education, lower age, higher body mass index, lower levels of physical activity and more smoking were identified and future interventions may be targeted towards these groups.

Sex Steroids Regulation of Appetitive Behavior

Appetite is the desire to satisfy the need to consume food, felt as hunger. It is regulated by the balance of food intake and energy expenditure via signals between the brain, the digestive tract and the adipose tissue. Males and females vary in terms of eating behavior as well as the way the body fat is stored. Energy balance and body fat distribution are part of the sexual dimorphism in many mammalian species including human beings. These sex dissimilarities could be related to the different sex steroid hormone profile in each sex. Gonadal steroid hormones play an important role in the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis. Human epidemiological and experimental animal studies have shown that estradiol has a key role in the control of food intake and energy balance. Estradiol has long been known to inhibit feeding in animals. There are important changes in food intake patterns during the estrous cycle, with a reduction of food intake around the time of ovulation, when estradiol presents its highest levels. Men have less total fat and more central fat distribution which carries a much greater risk for metabolic disorders while women have more total fat and more gluteal/femoral subcutaneous fat distribution. Men and postmenopausal women accumulate more fat in the intraabdominal depot. This review is focused on the mechanism by which sex steroids affect feeding behavior and fat distribution.

Changes in food intake patterns associated with body weight loss during a 12-week health promotion program and a 9-month follow-up period in a Japanese population

Recently, food intake pattern analysis associated with body weight has been conducted instead of traditional dietary analysis focusing on a single nutrient or food group, but there have been few studies examining the association between change in food intake patterns and body weight loss. In this study, short- and long-term relationships between changes in food intake patterns and body weight loss were examined. Subjects were 506 overweight/obese men and women who participated in a 12-week health promotion program and a follow-up check 9 months later. Diet was assessed with a FFQ and food intake patterns named "Plant foods and seafood" and "Sweets, meats, dairy products and alcohol" were derived by cluster analysis using the intake of 17 food groups at the baseline. During the program, body weight loss of the subjects changed pattern from "Sweets, meats, dairy products and alcohol" to "Plant foods and seafood" (SP group) was significantly larger than that of the subjects who showed an opposite pattern change (PS group) or the subjects who maintained "Sweets, meats, dairy products and alcohol" pattern after adjusting for age, sex, body weight at the baseline, changes in energy intake and exercise habit. Body weight loss of the SP group was also significantly greater than that of the PS group during the follow-up period. Changes in food intake patterns were related to body weight loss and changing the pattern from "Sweets, meats, dairy products and alcohol" to "Plant foods and seafood" was most effective for short- and long-term body weight loss.:

Changes in Hypothalamic Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Neuropeptide Y, and Proopiomelanocortin Gene Expression during Chronic Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Deprivation of Rats

Chronic rapid eye movement (paradoxical) sleep deprivation (REM-SD) of rats leads to two conspicuous pathologies: hyperphagia coincident with body weight loss, prompted by elevated metabolism. Our goals were to test the hypotheses that 1) as a stressor, REM-SD would increase CRH gene expression in the hypothalamus and that 2) to account for hyperphagia, hypothalamic gene expression of the orexigen neuropeptide Y (NPY) would increase, but expression of the anorexigen proopiomelanocortin (POMC) would decrease. Enforcement of REM-SD of adult male rats for 20 d with the platform (flowerpot) method led to progressive hyperphagia, increasing to approximately 300% of baseline; body weight steadily declined by approximately 25%. Consistent with changes in food intake patterns, NPY expression rapidly increased in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus by d 5 of REM-SD, peaking at d 20; by contrast, POMC expression decreased progressively during REM-SD. CRH expression was increased by d 5, both in mRNA and ability to detect neuronal perikaryal staining in paraventricular nucleus with immunocytochemistry, and it remained elevated thereafter with modest declines. Taken together, these data indicate that changes in hypothalamic neuropeptides regulating food intake are altered in a manner consistent with the hyperphagia seen with REM-SD. Changes in CRH, although indicative of REM-SD as a stressor, suggest that the anorexigenic actions of CRH are ineffective (or disabled). Furthermore, changes in NPY and POMC agree with current models of food intake behavior, but they are opposite to their acute effects on peripheral energy metabolism and thermogenesis.

A longitudinal study of food intake patterns and obesity in adult Danish men and women.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that specific food intake patterns or changes in food intake patterns were related to future changes in body mass index (BMI). Longitudinal observational study, with clinical and questionnaire examinations at baseline and two follow-up surveys, after 5 and 11 years. In all, 3785 men and women attended at baseline, of which 2436 aged 30-60 y attended all three examinations. A 26-item food frequency questionnaire, standardised measurements of height and weight and a lifestyle questionnaire. Food intake patterns were identified by factor analysis. Regression models including: scores on each factor, BMI, smoking, leisure time physical activity, education, parity, age; and as outcomes: baseline BMI, BMI change between baseline, 5- and 11-y follow-up and obesity at 11-y follow-up, respectively. For men, three factors labelled 'Green', 'Sweet' and 'Traditional', and for women, two factors labelled 'Green' and 'Sweet-Traditional' were identified. Scores on the 'Sweet' and 'Sweet-Traditional' factors were inversely associated with baseline BMI. For men, baseline 'Traditional' factor score and, for women, baseline 'Sweet-Traditional' factor score was inversely associated with subsequent 11- and 5-y BMI change, respectively. Using the three examinations, a more advanced longitudinal model, which included preceding changes in BMI and factor scores, was tested but no significant associations between factor scores, changes in factor scores and subsequent BMI changes or obesity were found. In this longitudinal study of a Danish population, food intake factors could not consistently predict changes in BMI or obesity development.

Household Income, Food Availability, and Commercial Crop Production by Smallholder Farmers in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

Crop commercialization among smallholder farmers in developing countries has often been signaled as being detrimental to the economic conditions and food security of the farmers' households.' High variability in market prices of farm products and farm inputs poses significant risks to household income, as do inefficient marketing institutions and inadequate rural infrastructure. Lack of adequate access to credit prohibits smallholder farmers from assuming such risks. Commercialized farm households become more dependent on market conditions for adequate availability of food, as cash crops displace food crops and household consumption of own-produced staple foods is reduced. Thus, the household's vulnerability to food insecurity tends to be increased. Labor inputs by household members are often higher in cash than food crops, which may increase the household's food needs.2 Changes in food intake patterns have been associated with a change toward cash crop production, which often results in diminished nutritional quality of the diet.3 The income and food effects of shifts from subsistence to commer-

Influence of the changes in food intake patterns and smoking and drinking habits on stroke. 20-Year follow-up survey in the Oki-islands, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

In 1968 (the first survey), the food intake patterns and smoking and drinking habits of the 3,546 male and 4,350 female inhabitants aged 40-74, of the Oki-Islands, Shimane, Japan were investigated. The response rates were 64% for males and 65% for females. A second survey according the same protocol was carried out from 1987 to 1988. A total of 1,140 males and 1,694 females were randomly selected from the cohort members who were completely followed up from 1968 to 1987. The overall response rates at the second survey were 91.2% for male and 88.9% for female. The results are summarized as follows: 1. 'Saltless' dietary habits significantly advanced in both sexes of all age groups (40-49, 50-59, and 60-74 years old in 1968) and in both hypertensives and normotensives; the frequency of pickle intake significantly decreased, while that of miso soup intake did not change. Nutritional improvement was remarkable in that the frequency of fish, meat, eggs, milk, green vegetable and fruit intakes increased in both sexes of all age groups and in both hypertensives and normotensives. 2. The frequency of smoking significantly decreased in all age groups and in both male hypertensives and normotensives, in contrast with that of drinking. The frequencies of smoking and drinking showed the same tendencies in females. 3. The frequencies of smoking, drinking, and miso soup intake were higher in males who died from strokes than in those who died from other causes from 1968 to 1987, in contrast with the intakes of eggs and milk.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The quantitative effect of infection on the use of food by young children in poor countries

A framework based on a consistent and explicit set of assumptions is developed for evaluating the effect of infection on the intake and efficiency of use of food by children under 5 years old in poor countries. A variety of data is used to obtain quantitative estimates of catabolic losses, clinical and subclinical absorbtive losses, changes in food intake patterns, and losses due to high infant and childhood mortality. Although additional data are required before these estimates can be considered reliable, it appears that about 9% of the food available to a cohort of children under 5 years old in Bangladesh is not used for maintenance, growth, or activity of those children who survive to their 5th birthday. The amount of food that is not used effectively may be reduced to about 3% in a (hypothetical) situation where all sources of infection are eliminated but other conditions remain unchanged. The estimates suggest that the most important factors contributing to this inefficiency are reduced intake through food withdrawal and anorexia, and high mortality in young childhood. The potential nutritional effects of various public health programs are tentatively assessed.