Snack Food Consumption Research Articles

Perceived stress, depression and food consumption frequency in the college students of China seven cities

The aim of the study was to explore the association between perceived stress, depression and food consumption frequency. A self-administered questionnaire that included the perceived stress scale, the depression scale and dietary intake was used in the baseline survey of a cohort study of 2579 local college students over 7 cities in China. Gender and city differences were found in perceived stress scores and depression scores. There were also significant differences among diverse smoking levels and among perceived weight categories in perceived stress and depression scores. Stepwise logistic regression models found that frequency of consumption of fresh fruit, ready-to-eat food and snack food had apparently independent effects on perceived stress, whereas the intake level of fresh fruit, ready-to-eat food and fast food was significantly associated with depression. The link between food consumption frequency, perceived stress and depression suggests that diet intervention may be considered a mediate strategy integrated in psychology prevention program among normal population of the college.

Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity: Short-Term Effects of a Mass Media Campaign

Soaring obesity levels present a severe health risk in the United States, especially in low-income minority populations. High-frequency paid television and radio advertising, as well as bus and streetcar signage. A mass media campaign in New Orleans to promote walking and fruit and vegetable consumption in a low-income, predominantly African-American urban population. Messages tailored with consideration of the African-American majority. Random-digit-dial telephone surveys using cross-sectional representative samples at baseline in 2004 and following the onset of the campaign in 2005. Survey items on campaign message recall; attitudes toward walking, snack food avoidance, and fruit and vegetable consumption; and behaviors related to fruit and vegetable consumption, snack food consumption, and utilitarian and leisure walking. From baseline, there were significant increases in message recall measures, positive attitudes toward fruit and vegetable consumption, and positive attitudes toward walking. Behaviors did not change significantly. In 2005, message recall measures were associated with positive levels of each of the outcome variables. Over 5 months, the media campaign appeared to have stimulated improvements in attitudes toward healthy diet and walking behaviors addressed by the campaign. These findings encourage the continuation of the media campaign, with future evaluation to consider whether the behavioral measures change.

The Effect of Single Serving Versus Entire Package Nutritional Information on Consumption Norms and Actual Consumption of a Snack Food

Objective Increasing serving sizes have been identified as contributors to the obesity epidemic. Researchers suggest that consumers are in need of cues that provide norms for the appropriate amount of food to consume. The impact of one potential cue, the provision of nutritional information for a single serving as well as the entire package (“dual-column labels”) versus single-serving nutritional information only (“single-column labels”), was investigated on the consumption of a snack food for dieters and nondieters. Design In a between-subjects experimental design, participants were provided with a snack food product and nutrition label. After the opportunity for consumption, they were provided with a survey instrument. Setting The study took place in a classroom setting. Participants Undergraduate students were randomly assigned to the single-column versus dual-column label treatment groups and were classified as dieters (n=45) or nondieters (n=67) based on self-reported dieting behavior. Intervention Participants were exposed to either a single-column or dual-column nutrition label. Main Outcome Measures Perceptions of consumption norms; use, importance, and understanding of nutrition labels; and the actual amount consumed by each individual were measured. Analysis Analysis of variance was used to analyze data from the study. Results Nondieting participants, but not dieting participants, ate significantly less when exposed to the dual-column label compared to the single-column label ( P<.05). Although there was a significant difference in the amount consumed by dieters and nondieters in the case of the single-column label ( P<.05), the presence of a dual-column label attenuated this effect. In addition, dieters reported paying greater attention to ( P<.01), better perceived the necessity of ( P<.01), and had better understanding of ( P<.05) label information than nondieters. In addition, dieters considered the provided serving to be more adequate than nondieters ( P<.05). Implications for Research and Practice Compared to standard, single-column labels, dual-column nutritional labels have a greater impact on the snack food consumption of nondieters.

Eating in the Absence of Hunger: A Genetic Marker for Childhood Obesity in Prepubertal Boys?

Eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) may be a behavioral trait through which obesity-promoting genes promote positive energy balance. The primary aim of this study was to compare children born at high vs. low risk for obesity with respect to EAH at 5 years of age. This was an observational investigation of families enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Infant Growth Study. Five-year-old children born at high (N = 28) or low (N = 25) risk for obesity on the basis of maternal prepregnancy body weight were evaluated at a hospital-based laboratory. Children consumed 11 snack foods ad libitum after consuming an ad libitum dinner and reporting fullness. Parents reported on snack foods at home and their own eating styles. Nutritive sucking at 3 months of age was evaluated by computerized apparatus. EAH in high-risk boys (mean +/- standard error = 326 +/- 66 kJ] was more than twice that of low-risk boys (mean +/- standard error = 151 +/- 39 kJ), p = 0.03. Among girls, there was a trend for EAH to be associated with increased parental limitations on daughter snack food consumption at home (p = 0.06). EAH was unrelated to 3-month sucking behavior. Genes that promote childhood obesity may partially exert their influence through EAH, an effect that was limited to boys born at risk for obesity. The unique influences of genes and home environment on this trait should be disaggregated in subsequent studies.

Effect of Left Prefrontal Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Food Craving

Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex is implicated in craving for drugs and food. This study explores the effect of prefrontal cortex stimulation on food craving. In a randomized double-blind parallel group study, 28 women, who reported frequent cravings for food were exposed to foods that typically elicit strong cravings before and after a single session of real or sham 10-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at an intensity of 110% individual motor threshold. Self-reported food craving during exposure to the experimental foods remained stable before and after real stimulation compared with sham stimulation in which cravings increased over the experimental session. Consumption of snack foods within a 5-min period after stimulation did not differ between groups. Prefrontal stimulation inhibits the development of craving. A longer period of observation is necessary to establish whether there is an effect on food consumption.

BIRTHPLACE, LENGTH OF TIME IN THE U.S., AND LANGUAGE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DIET AMONG INNER-CITY PUERTO RICAN WOMEN KEYWORDS

This study examined whether the length of time in the U.S., language use, and birthplace were associated with food consumption among 174 low-income Puerto Rican women in Hartford, Connecticut. A condensed food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to examine the dietary intake for various food groups and composite food groups among the studied women. Length of time in the U.S. was positively associated with the frequency of consumption of artificial drinks such as sodas and fruit drinks (P=.048). Respondents in households where English was the primary language spoken reported a higher frequency of consumption of artificial drinks when compared to those living in bilingual and monolingual Spanish-speaking households (P=0.05). The frequency of consumption of snack foods (e.g., chips) was greater among bilingual speakers than monolingual Spanish speakers (P=.01). Finally, women born in Puerto Rico drank fruit juices more frequently than those born in the U.S. (P=.02). There were no other statistically significant differences found for other FFQ categories (e.g., vegetables, dairy products, meats). These findings suggest that acculturation is associated with changes in food habits, some of which may be conducive to weight gain. This project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Stamp Program through the Family Nutrition grant at the University of Connecticut and by a grant from the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station (SAES) to Rafael Pérez-Escamilla. We are very grateful to Maria Diaz, Arelys Pedraza, and Jocelyn Cruz for conducting interviews and to Nicole Falk for assisting with the literature review. We thank Ann M. Ferris, Ph.D., R.D. for her support to this project.

Inspiring or dispiriting? The effect of diet commercials on snack food consumption in high school and college-aged women

Recent research offers conflicting views of whether women high in dietary restraint are inspired or demoralized after viewing thin-ideal images. We conducted two studies to explore the impact of diet commercials featuring the thin-ideal image on snack food consumption. In Study 1, 91 high school women watched a sad movie interrupted with diet or neutral commercials. In Study 2, 102 college women saw diet commercials early or midway through a sad movie. In Study 1, high restraint participants consumed more snacks after exposure to diet commercials than to neutral commercials. In Study 2, early commercials reduced snacking in low restraint women but not in high restraint women. Thin-ideal images embedded in diet commercials do not inspire high restraint women but can modify the eating of low restraint women.

Coca-colonization of diets in the Yucatan

Over the past three decades, tourism-based economic development has transformed social and economic conditions in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Mayan communities have become directly involved in the changing economy as the main source of inexpensive labor for construction and service jobs at tourism centers, and as sites of ecotourism and archeotourism. In this paper, we address how these macro-processes of change intersect locally with the commoditization of food systems, diets and nutrition in four Yucatec Mayan communities with differing relationships to the tourist economy. Yucatec Mayan diets have become increasingly dependent on purchased foods, and reflect a greater consumption of commercialized processed foods. Coca-Cola, an international icon of US culture, along with other local and internationally owned calorie-dense but nutrient-poor snack foods, is now a common element of Mayan diets, leading to what we call “coca-colonization.” The consequences of this diet, likely exacerbated by the increased consumption of snack foods, include an apparent increase in overweight and obese adults as well as signs of growth stunting in children. The Maya we talked with recognize both the potential disruption that tourism brings to all aspects of their lives and the necessity of jobs that tourism creates to meet their families’ basic needs.

The Role of Parents in Factors that Contribute to Obesity in Children

0383 The growing incidence of obesity and its close association with chronic disease and adverse health outcomes presents an enormous challenge to our health care system, and has become a serious public health concern. This study focuses on the contribution of parental factors related to eating behavior and physical activity level (PAL) on the development of childhood obesity. PURPOSE: Specifically, this study was conducted to investigate the influence of parental attitudes on factors contributing to childhood obesity. METHODS: A total of 947 surveys were distributed to parents of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade children from 5 central NY schools. Parents (n = 127) completed the 92-item survey for themselves and the target child (M = 8.7 ± 1.0 yr). Data analyses included descriptive statistics examining parent and child eating behavior, PAL and weight status as well as Pearson and point-biserial correlations, Chi-Square Goodness of Fit and Independent T-tests (a = .05) to examine the relationships between variables. RESULTS: Data showed that 79% of overweight parents had overweight children while 30% of normal weight parents had overweight children. When asked to classify their child's weight status (normal vs. overweight), parents were fairly accurate (88%), however, of the misclassifications (12%), 15 of the 16 parents (94%) classified their overweight child as normal weight. No relationship was found between a child's eating behavior (healthy/unhealthy) and BMI (rpb = −0.06, p = 0.65), however, physical activity level was correlated (r = 0.68, p < .01) to BMI. Examination of children's eating behavior revealed that children's consumption of dairy, carbohydrates and snack food were not related to the child's BMI and that all children ate sweets at higher than recommended levels. CONCLUSION: Overall, results from this study revealed a disconnect between parent attitude toward their child's weight and PAL and the child's actual weight status and energy expenditure. Therefore, even though parents recognize the inadequacies in their child's eating behaviors, children continue to follow unhealthy eating patterns. Results also show a tendency for children to model some of the eating behaviors of their parents suggesting the need for further research in this area.

The Role of Parents in Factors that Contribute to Obesity in Children

0383 The growing incidence of obesity and its close association with chronic disease and adverse health outcomes presents an enormous challenge to our health care system, and has become a serious public health concern. This study focuses on the contribution of parental factors related to eating behavior and physical activity level (PAL) on the development of childhood obesity. PURPOSE: Specifically, this study was conducted to investigate the influence of parental attitudes on factors contributing to childhood obesity. METHODS: A total of 947 surveys were distributed to parents of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade children from 5 central NY schools. Parents (n = 127) completed the 92-item survey for themselves and the target child (M = 8.7 ± 1.0 yr). Data analyses included descriptive statistics examining parent and child eating behavior, PAL and weight status as well as Pearson and point-biserial correlations, Chi-Square Goodness of Fit and Independent T-tests (a = .05) to examine the relationships between variables. RESULTS: Data showed that 79% of overweight parents had overweight children while 30% of normal weight parents had overweight children. When asked to classify their child's weight status (normal vs. overweight), parents were fairly accurate (88%), however, of the misclassifications (12%), 15 of the 16 parents (94%) classified their overweight child as normal weight. No relationship was found between a child's eating behavior (healthy/unhealthy) and BMI (rpb = −0.06, p = 0.65), however, physical activity level was correlated (r = 0.68, p < .01) to BMI. Examination of children's eating behavior revealed that children's consumption of dairy, carbohydrates and snack food were not related to the child's BMI and that all children ate sweets at higher than recommended levels. CONCLUSION: Overall, results from this study revealed a disconnect between parent attitude toward their child's weight and PAL and the child's actual weight status and energy expenditure. Therefore, even though parents recognize the inadequacies in their child's eating behaviors, children continue to follow unhealthy eating patterns. Results also show a tendency for children to model some of the eating behaviors of their parents suggesting the need for further research in this area.

Energy‐Dense Snack Food Intake in Adolescence: Longitudinal Relationship to Weight and Fatness

The longitudinal relationship between the consumption of energy-dense snack (EDS) foods and relative weight change during adolescence is uncertain. Using data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Growth and Development Study, the current analysis was undertaken to examine the longitudinal relationship of EDS food intake with relative weight status and percentage body fat and to examine how EDS food consumption is related to television viewing. One hundred ninety-six nonobese premenarcheal girls 8 to 12 years old were enrolled between 1990 and 1993 and followed until 4 years after menarche. At each annual follow-up visit, data were collected on percentage body fat (%BF), BMI z score, and dietary intake. Categories of EDS foods considered were baked goods, ice cream, chips, sugar-sweetened soda, and candy. At study entry, girls had a mean +/- SD BMI z score of -0.27 +/- 0.89, consumed 2.3 +/- 1.7 servings of EDS foods per day, and consumed 15.7 +/- 8.1% of daily calories from EDS foods. Linear mixed effects modeling indicated no relationship between BMI z score or %BF and total EDS food consumption. Soda was the only EDS food that was significantly related to BMI z score over the 10-year study period, but it was not related to %BF. In addition, a significant, positive relationship was observed between EDS food consumption and television viewing. In this cohort of initially nonobese girls, overall EDS food consumption does not seem to influence weight status or fatness change over the adolescent period.

Addressing children's oral health inequalities in Northern Ireland: a research-practice-community partnership initiative

Objective. Northern Ireland has a high prevalence of childhood dental caries,reflecting heavy consumption of cariogenic snack foods. To develop a policy topromote and facilitate healthier eating, researchers, practitioners, and theschool community formed a partnership, together creating the Boost BetterBreaks (BBB) school-based policy. The policy was developed with and sup-ported by dieticians, health promotion officers, teachers, school meal advisors,and local suppliers of school milk. Eighty percent of primary schools andpreschool groups within the Southern Health and Social Services Board areinvolved in the program, which permits the consumption of only milk and fruitat break time.Methods. The authors assessed the effectiveness of the partnership using datafrom its first two years.Results. Results of the first two years of evaluation are positive. Initial findingsindicate that the program had a positive effect in increasing the mean numberof sound teeth in children attending schools in areas in which socioeconomicconditions are poor.Conclusion. This initiative suggests that collaboration can facilitate improve-ment in children’s dental health and that careful targeting of the policy toschools in poor areas has the potential to narrow disparities.

Effects of dietary fat, nutrition labels, and repeated consumption on sensory-specific satiety

This study investigated whether energy from fat, nutrition information, and/or repeated consumption of a palatable snack food affects the development of sensory-specific satiety (SSS). Participants (51 males and 44 females) ate an afternoon snack of potato chips in a laboratory for two 10-day (Monday–Friday) sessions in a repeated measures, cross-over design. In one 10-day session, participants were given regular, full-fat potato chips (22.2 kJ/g; 150 kcal/oz) and, in the other, they were given potato chips made with olestra (11.8 kJ/g; 80 kcal/oz), a non-absorbable fat replacer. Information about the fat and energy content of the chips was provided to half the participants, while the other half was not informed. In both sessions, participants were instructed to consume the potato chips ad libitum. Initial ratings of sensory properties of the two types of chips did not differ significantly. In SSS tests, participants rated sensory properties of the chips and four test foods (turkey, strawberry yogurt, cookie, and carrot) on days 1, 5, and 10 of the 10-day sessions. Following consumption, ratings of pleasantness of taste and texture and prospective consumption of both types of chips declined compared to the test foods. Further analyses showed that the development of SSS was not affected by the fat and energy content of the chips, the provision of nutrition information, or repeated consumption.

Olestra Consumption Does Not Predict Serum Concentrations of Carotenoids and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Free-Living Humans: Early Results from the Sentinel Site of the Olestra Post-Marketing Surveillance Study

In 1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved olestra, a fat substitute, for use in snack foods. Previous studies had shown that olestra consumption could reduce absorption of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins. To determine the association between consumption of olestra-containing snack foods and serum concentrations of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins in a free-living population, we interviewed independent population-based cross-sectional samples of 1043 adults before olestra was available and 933 adults 9 mo after olestra snacks were introduced into the marketplace in Marion County, IN, the first major test market for olestra. A cohort composed of 403 adults from the first survey, oversampling those most frequently reporting olestra consumption during follow-up telephone interviews, completed a second survey. We assessed diet, lifestyle factors and olestra consumption, and collected blood for assays for the serum concentrations of six carotenoids, four fat-soluble vitamins and lipids. Nine months after the introduction of olestra into the marketplace, 15.5% of Marion County residents reported consuming an olestra-containing snack in the previous month, with a median frequency among consumers of 3.0 times per month. There were no significant associations or consistent trends for decreased serum carotenoids or fat-soluble vitamins associated with olestra consumption, although cohort members consuming >/=2 g/d of olestra had adjusted total serum carotenoids 15% lower compared with baseline. There were increases in serum vitamin K concentrations associated with olestra consumption (P = 0.03 in the cross section and P = 0.06 in the cohort). In summary, there was no statistically significant evidence in this free-living population of associations between olestra consumption and decreased serum concentrations of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins.

Situational Segmentation Opportunities in the Snack Food Market

This research demonstrates the importance of situational influence on snack food consumption by delineating a situationally defined market structure for a broadly defined array of snacks. This is done by characterizing 17 snacks with respect to pertinent situational factors and clustering the snacks in terms of the similarity of their situational characterizations. Findings reveal three multi-product snack clusters including (1) On-the-Go, (2) Home Alone, and (3) Socializing snack clusters and suggest manners in which snacks from each cluster can be more effectively marketed from a situational conceptualization. The conceptual approach is a useful departure from conventional approaches lhat often rely on consumer demographics and product attributes.

Integration in Teacher Education: Building Units around Ordinary, Everyday Objects

In an average lifetime the typical American eats 35,138 cookies; 269 gallons of ice cream; 1,483 pounds of candy; 443 pounds of potato chips; 67 pounds of corn chips; 85 pounds of pret zels; 4,194 quarts of popcorn; and 152 pies (Heymann, 1991). United States is the number one nation in snack food consumption (Shapiro, 1992). We pooh-pooh the wet noodles who warn us of the dangers of our excesses and put away 500 million Twinkies a year (Sutton & Markey, 1993). It is not just snacks that fuel us: in an average lifetime we also eat 5,842 bowls of pasta; 18,216 bowls of cereal; and drink 56,044 cups of coffee (Heymann, 1991). We have more than a passing interest in food. Every cultur ally literate American can describe Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, Three Musketeers (not the Dumas novel), Chee-tos, Shredded Wheat, Ritz crackers, and Wonder Bread. If economic conditions do not limit what we consume, we are big eaters. This is nothing new. Even in the early 1800s, James Fenimore Cooper said that, The Americans are the grossest feeders of any civilized nation known (Lasky, 1977). Although food is a large part of students' daily lives and they have learned about it through a hands-on approach, we rarely ask students to research the topic of familiar foods in-depth. A thematic unit on food can integrate history, science, and the social sciences of eco nomics, geography, and psychology into the middle school curriculum. It can provide lessons in human qualities that we admire. It also can encourage students to conduct research from original sources and can pol ish their letter writing skills as they seek corporate infor mation on a particular brand name food. A thematic unit on food can incorporate an analysis of advertising propaganda techniques used by manufacturers, and such a unit can show the interconnectedness of life.

Assessment of the Nutritional Effects of Olestra, a Nonabsorbed Fat Replacement: Introduction and Overview ,

Olestra is a mixture of polyesters formed from sucrose and fatty acids derived from edible fats and oils. It is not absorbed or digested and can serve as a zero-calorie replacement for dietary fat. Because olestra is lipophilic and not absorbed, it has the potential to interfere with the absorption of other dietary components, especially lipophilic ones, when it is in the digestive tract with those components. A series of studies were conducted in the domestic pig and in healthy adult humans to define the nature and extent of olestra's effect on fat-soluble vitamins, selected water-soluble micronutrients, and macronutrients, and to demonstrate that the effects of olestra on the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins can be offset by adding extra amounts of the affected vitamins to olestra foods. Before conducting the human and pig studies, the intake of olestra from the consumption of snack foods made with olestra was estimated for various subgroups. The potential for olestra to affect the absorption of nonessential but potentially beneficial dietary phytochemicals was also assessed. In addition, an assessment of how consumption patterns influence the effect of olestra on the absorption of the highly lipophilic carotenoids was made. Finally, the results from the pig and human studies were used to assess the potential for olestra to affect the nutritional status of subgroups of the population who have particularly high nutrient needs or unique dietary patterns that may lead to large olestra-to-nutrient intake ratios.

Attitude, knowledge and habits of high school pupils in Israel regarding oral health

The purpose of this project was to study the habits, knowledge and attitudes of 132 high school students in regards to their teeth and oral health. An inflated amount of consumption of snack food and sweet beverages between meals was reported. Seventy-two point seven percent claimed to brush their teeth at least twice daily. Forty-nine point three percent claimed to visit their dentist annually. The results also demonstrated a poor general knowledge and misconceptions concerning teeth, food and oral health throughout the years of high school studies. Knowledge levels correlated with with age. More than half of the pupils attributed esthetical importance to the teeth appearance. The students' knowledge concerning prevention stemmed mainly from their dentist, parents, and the media and only 2.6% learned anything from formal school teaching. In the light of the students' poor knowledge, it would appear that resources should be invested in schools at the elementary and high school level for oral hygiene and caries prevention education in the hope of improving bad habits and perpetuating improved oral health and hygiene.

What did I eat yesterday? Determinants of accuracy in 24‐hour food memories

AbstractLarge‐scale diet‐related epidemiological work relies on the quality of self‐reported food consumption. As this epidemiological work forms the basis of knowledge of the relationship of diet to disease, it is essential that the self‐reports of personal diet are understood. It is generally accepted that foods consumed are under‐reported, even over as short a period as 24 hours. However, little is known about the potential systematic biases that may affect the quality of self‐reported food intake. The current study examines the accuracy of memories of the consumption of snack foods eaten in the previous 24 hours and investigates factors that may bias these memories. All participants had previously participated in a randomized intervention trial to lower dietary fat intake to 20 per cent of calories. Fifty‐six women (intervention and control) tasted eight snack foods in a laboratory setting. They were telephoned a day later and asked to recall the type of snack foods (M&amp;Ms, pretzels, etc.) and the quantity of each food they consumed. Subjects in general under‐reported the number of selections and the quantity of each item consumed. Women who accurately recalled an item, reported more liking for that item compared to those who forgot the item. Women currently maintaining a low‐fat diet were less accurate in their recall of low‐fat items than women on a high‐fat diet. Low‐fat eaters, however, may be slightly better at recalling how much of certain foods they consumed. Results have implications for survey research and understanding the psychological influences on reports of food consumption used in large‐scale diet studies.

Children′s Snack Food Consumption Patterns in Germany and England

Primary schoolchildren′s snack food consumption patterns and food preferences were investigated by interview technique in schools in Germany and England and analysed on the basis of culture, sex and social class. There were significant differences in the proportions of children who took chocolate to school in the various social classes in both England and Germany and there were also highly significant differences in the total number of chocolate bars consumed each week by the different social classes in both countries. Food choices from a table display containing a range of snack foods popular in both countries showed highly significant differences between German and English children with German children preferring a much higher proportion of “healthy food options”, e.g. fruit, yogurt, milchschnitte (sponge cake snack), etc. compared with English children who chose four chocolate products out of their five most preferred items. Reasons for such differences could be related to advertising pressures, nutrition education experience, parental attitudes, convenience and availability, income constraints and psychological factors.