Food Selection Patterns Research Articles

The Challenge of Regulating Health Claims and Food Fortification

The Food and Drug Administration has several options that will assist the Public Health Service in implementing its September 1992 recommendation that all women of childbearing age consume 0.4 mg of folic acid dail to reduce their risk of having a pregnancy affected with a neural tube defect. The FDA can authorize the use of a health claim on labels and in the labeling of foods that characterizes the relationship between a nutrient and a health-related condition. Fortification of cereal-grain products with folic acid is a second option that has the potential for reaching most women of childbearing age without requiring them to change their food selection patterns. Consideration of these options has been intertwined with rapid developments in the scientific database that is the foundation of the health claim, by conflicting opinions regarding the effectiveness for women in the target population of FDA’s proposed level of cereal-grain fortification, by lack of systematic safety data regarding the impact of fortification on persons in the general population and by changes in the regulatory environment in which the agency acts.

PENGUATAN NILAI KEPEDULIAN LINGKUNGAN PADA SISWA JENJANG PENDIDIKAN DASAR

Human activities have contributed to environmental degradation. Improvement efforts are needed, one of which is through instilling pro-environmental behavior in children at the elementary education. This program aims to build and increase environmental awareness in elementary school. This community empowerment is carried out used the learning by doing method through the provision of materials, mentoring, and coaching. The participants had high enthusiasm for learning material about environmental education. Through the learning by doing method, the values ​​of concern for the environment can be easily accepted by children because they are in a happy and comfortable atmosphere, resulting in an increase in knowledge, sensitivity, and participation in conservation actions as the basic capital for forming pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. This successed has the potential to encourage wider implementation in everyday life, including waste management behavior, clean water use, electricity use, yard management, food selection, and consumption patterns. This program is one of the role models to fill the void in environmental education in the national education curriculum through the support of all parties, including academia, the private sector, government, community, and the media to mainstream environmental education in the non-formal sector in order to form a generation that cares about the environment and has the commitment to manage and maintain its sustainability in order to achieve sustainable development.

Food selection and habitat use patterns of immature green turtles (Chelonia mydas) on Caribbean seagrass beds dominated by the alien species Halophila stipulacea

Marine herbivores face rapid changes in the coastal ecosystems where they forage. In the Caribbean, the recent and fast expansion of the invasive phanerogam species Halophila stipulacea is threatening native seagrass ecosystems. So far, H. stipulacea is escaping most Caribbean herbivores, certainly because of its recent introduction or lower nutritional value. We investigated the impact of H. stipulacea invasion on fine-scale foraging habitat selection and food resource selection of immature green turtles at critical foraging sites in Les Anses d′Arlet, Martinique. The analysis of seagrass distribution and nutritional content, together with turtle behaviour and resource selection, showed that H. stipulacea may be of contrasting interest to green turtles. Compositional analysis confirmed the lower nutritional value of H. stipulacea compared to the native species, but the invasive species showed higher digestibility than native ones, which calls into question the energetic advantage of consuming the native plants over the exotic plant. Thus, although green turtles mostly selected the native seagrass Thalassia testudinum in multispecies seagrass beds, some individuals fed on H. stipulacea . Accordingly, in bays entirely invaded by H. stipulacea , one possibility for resident green turtles is to increase foraging on this species, but, if so, the consequences on their growth and survival still remain to be determined. As the expansion of H. stipulacea may have been facilitated by factors such as shipping, anchor scarring and fishing activities, protection of native seagrass beds and immature green turtles from human disturbances is urgently required to ensure the long-term adaptation of green turtles to this new foraging environment. • High variability of diet composition in immature green turtles in Martinique. • Turtles preferentially selected T. testudinum in multi-species seagrass beds. • H. stipulacea may represent 0–100% of the diet whatever native plants availability. • H. stipulacea has lower nutritional value but higher digestibility than native plants. • Human activities promote H. stipulacea development to the detriment of native species.

Understanding food selection and dieting patterns: type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and their families

Background. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing from year to year, especially in Indonesia. The risk of T2DM starts at the dinner table in the family. Meal planning plays an important role in reducing the potential complications associated with poor glycemic, lipid and blood pressure control. Focusing on reducing sugar, fat and sodium intake and incorporating culture-appropriate foods will improve adherence. However, T2DM patients develop conflicting eating disorders in which there is a gap between nutrition and self-fulfillment regarding eating control. The purpose of this research is to explore the understanding of the diabetes patient and their family in determining the selection of food and eating pattern during the disease. Materials and methods. This study explores the understanding of T2DM patients and their families in the Depok and Jakarta. The purposive sampling method used 14 participants and 7 family members. The data obtained from participant observation and in-depth interviews then analyzed using thematic analysis. Using a descriptive phenomenological method with a semi structured in-depth interview. The interviews were conducted face to face from October 2017— July 2018 and were analyzed by thematic analysis Collaizi’s method. Results. This study found 4 important themes: 1) food is believed to affect high blood sugar; 2) changes in diet after diabetes; 3) the main concern of the family is to keep eating but not make it a burden; and 4) the challenge faced by participants and their families is the lack of information. This study recommends continuing education and partnerships from nurses about the importance of the relationship between diet and blood glucose levels. Conclusions. People are inclined to rely on simple strategies that limit search when making food choices. The ability of patients and families regarding food ingredients to maintain blood sugar stability is the concern of nurses in providing nutritional education. Food labels can (and to some extent do) provide a wide variety of desirable information, ranging from food content to production details, the food’s carbon footprint, and its origins.

Diversity and resource selection of dung beetles in a relictual mountain forest in Brazil

Most of the tropical ecosystems are now altered, consequently modifying the species diversity, composition and feeding behaviours. Precisely, the survival of species is dependent on their characteristics to endure the novel environments immersed in human-dominated landscapes. Thus, comparative studies of how different community attributes and trophic guilds respond to changes in land use would be useful. In this study, we analyzed diversity, composition and food selection of dung beetles in an Atlantic forest enclave (Ombrophilous forest remnant) from North-eastern Brazil. We sampled dung beetles using 60 pitfall traps distributed in our study region. Diversity and composition were estimated by using Hill numbers (or the effective number of species) and biomass of individuals and were compared among three types of vegetation structure (forest, forest edge and open pastures) and four different types of baits (human, pig, chicken and cattle excrements). We found that diversity measures weighted by biomass allowed better detection of the variation between habitat types and food preference than weighted by the number of individuals. The dung beetle biomass indicates that the spatial dominance of open pastures promote a drastic impoverishment of dung beetle diversity and composition. We also found that β diversity shows an evidence of homogenization on the resource food selection, related with the preference in the attraction of dung beetles to exotic omnivores. Our results show that replacing forests with cattle pastures modifies diversity, species composition, and resource food selection patterns, which could affect the ecosystem provision by dung beetles. Despite our study region is immersed in a human-dominated-landscape, forest remnants continue to hold a high diversity assemblage compared with most degraded environments.

Perceived Stress and Dietary Behavior of Adolescent Girls

Abstract Objectives The study was designed to examine the relationship between stress and dietary behavior of female students (15–18 years). Methods A total of 300 adolescent girls (15–18 yrs.) were selected from Junior college, Hyderabad. A structured questionnaire had been used to collect the general profile of the adolescent girls. Height and weight of the subjects were measured by standardized methods. The food frequency questionnaire and 24 hour recall (3 days) has also been taken. Cohen's perceived stress scale was used to assess the stress levels among the adolescent girls. Results Over half of the students were found some level of stress, 13% were suffering from severe stress levels, 30.0% had moderate stress and another 15.6% had mild stress. Students who have experienced severe to moderate levels of stress were more likely to eat cereal products (P < 0.05), fried items and the highly processed food items (P < 0.05). The mean intake of fruits and vegetables was significantly low (P < 0.05) among the students having severe and moderate stress. The carbohydrate and fat intake was found significantly (P < 0.05) higher among the severe and moderately stressed students. Conclusions These results show a clear difference in food selection patterns between stressed and non-stressed female students with stress being a more significant predictor of unhealthy food selection. Further research is needed using a qualitative approach to understand how stress and eating behaviour are related among adolescent students. Funding Sources It's a cross sectional study, no funds received from any organizations or institute.

Comparative ecological and behavioral study of Macaca assamensis and M. mulatta in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal

Resource partitioning reduces the competition between different species within the same habitat, promoting their coexistence. To understand how such species co-adapt to reduce conflicts, we examined the behavior of two primates, Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) and rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), from April 2017 to March 2018 in Sivapuri Nagarjun National Park (SNNP), Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. We performed 1580 and 1261 scan sessions on wild multi-male/multi-female groups of Assamese and rhesus macaques, respectively, at 15-min sampling intervals. Assamese macaques consumed fewer plant species (38 species) than rhesus macaques (88 species). Overlapping food sources between the macaque species resulted in a Pianka index of 0.5. Assamese macaques consumed more items of tree, climber, and vine species, whereas rhesus macaques fed on more shrub, herb, and grass species. The proportions of plant parts consumed by the two species differed—more leaves, fruits and cones were used by Assamese macaques than rhesus macaques, whereas more flowers, seeds, and pods were consumed by rhesus macaques than Assamese macaques. Assamese macaques had a smaller home range (0.55 km2) than rhesus macaques (4.23 km2), and Assamese macaques had a shorter daily moving distance (1.6 km) than rhesus macaques (4.0 km). Although feeding time did not differ between the two macaque species, less time was devoted to social activities by Assamese macaques (16.0%) than by rhesus macaques (33.7%). Assamese macaques were generally arboreal, with 94.0% of their activities in trees, whereas rhesus macaques were largely terrestrial, with 58.5% of their activities on the ground. These differences in food selection, home-range size, ranging and activity patterns, and habitat use suggest that Assamese and rhesus macaques reduce resource competition through resource partitioning to coexist in a landscape matrix.

Food Selection Under Stress Among Undergraduate Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BackgroundUniversity students might experience numerous sources of stress in their daily lives. Previous research has found that stress affects food selection patterns, but the effect might vary by country and sex. No previous study conducted in Saudi Arabia has assessed the association between stress and dietary habits among university students. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association between perceived stress and food selection patterns among undergraduate students by sex at King Saud University (KSU).MethodsA cross-sectional study of 400 students attending the College of Applied Medical Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was conducted. The self-administered questionnaire that was used consisted of three sections: sociodemographic, food frequency questionnaire, and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale.ResultsApproximately (59.0%) of the participants reported suffering from some level of stress, with more females (64.5%) experiencing stress than males (54.0%). The univariate analysis showed that under stress, more females (68.0%) reported eating more than usual than males (49.0%), while the percentage of respondents that reported eating less than usual was higher for females (23.0%) than that for males (31.0%). The McNemar test indicated that under stress, there was an increased preference for salty flavors, which was not associated with sex. Significantly more females (82.0%) than males (64.5%) reported preferring sweets under stress. More males reported preferring bitter and savory flavors than females. Under stress, females preferred homemade food, while males preferred takeout foods. More females (68.0%) reported losing control and overeating than males (49.0%). A logistic regression showed that for female students, perceived stress was associated with frequent consumption of sweets, cake/cookies, snacks and beverages and less frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables. For males, the consumption of fast food and meat was significantly positively associated with perceived stress.ConclusionPerceived stress led to unhealthy changes in eating patterns in both sexes, as evidenced by reports of an increased preference for sweets, snacks and cake/cookies among females and an increased preference for fast food and meat among males. These results may be potentially important targets for interventions for stress-related food consumption.

Spatial aggregation of fruits explains food selection in a neotropical primate (Alouatta pigra)

The availability and spatial distribution of food resources affect animal behavior and survival. Black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) have a foraging strategy to balance their nutrient intake that involves mixing their consumption of leaves and fruits. The spatial aggregation of food items should impact this strategy, but how it does so is largely unknown. We quantified how leaf and fruit intake combined (here termed food set selection) was spatially aggregated in patches and how food aggregation varied across seasons. Using variograms we estimated patch diameter and with Generalized Least Square models determined the effect of food spatial aggregation on food selection. Only fruits were structured in patches in the season of highest availability (dry-season). The patches of food set selection had a diameter between 6.9 and 14 m and were explained by those of mature fruit availability which were between 18 and 19 m in diameter. Our results suggest that the spatial pattern of food selection is influenced by patches of large fruit-bearing trees, not by particular species. Fruit also occur along spatial gradients, but these do not explain food selection, suggesting that howlers maximize food intake in response to local aggregation of fruit that are limiting during certain seasons. We demonstrate how the independent spatial modelling of resources and behavior enables the definition of patches and testing their spatial relationship.

Dietary diversity of an ecological and macronutritional generalist primate in a harsh high-latitude habitat, the Taihangshan macaque (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis).

Recent advances in niche theory have stressed the importance of understanding dietary generalism at multiple levels, including the range of habitat and foods exploited by a species, foods exploited within populations, and patterns of nutrient intake. Here we apply this framework to examine the dietary strategy of the Macaca mulatta, a primate species that is second only to humans in their breadth of geographical distribution, and occupy diverse ecological habitats from cold temperate to tropical latitudes. Arecent study showed that the Taihangshan subspecies ( M. mulatta tcheliensis) in China, which is found at the northern latitudinal limit of the species range, respond to ecologically constrained interannual variation in the macronutrient ratios of the spring diet in a way that theory predicts should be associated with ecological generalism. Here we further extend this study, examining the relationships between seasonal variation in food availability and the patterns of food selection across a full year. We found that, despite the ecological and macronutritional generalism of the species, Taihangshan macaques subsist on a relatively small range of foods (57 different foods, spread across 8 categories comprising seeds, fruits, buds, flowers, leaves, herbs, young bark, and twigs), but face considerable seasonal variation in the combinations available. In spring and summer, when seeds were scarce, leaves accounted for 60.3 ± 13.8% of their diet (dry matter [DM] %), and herbs contributed 31.7 ± 22.2%. However, in autumn and winter, when seeds were abundant, they contributed 68.5 ± 22.7% of the diet while herbs accounted for 18.9 ± 12.9% on a DM. Although young bark and twigs were available in all seasons, the macaques only fed on them in winter. We present comparative data from the literature on the diets of M. mulatta and other Macaca species, to interpret this pattern of resource use within the framework of multilevel niche theory.

Distribution of Western Hoolock Gibbons and Nutritional Status of Food Plants in Cachar District of Assam, India: Reaching Out to Local Communities for Conservation

Western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is listed as an endangered mammal in IUCN Red List. It is also listed in CITES Appendix I and in the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. In the present work the status and distribution of Western hoolock gibbons in Cachar district of Assam, India was explored by conducting field studies from September 2012 to August 2013 using line transect and call count methods. Group composition, group size and adult sex ratio of nine gibbon groups and one solitary male were recorded. Groups comprised 36 % adult males, 32 % adult females, 10 % sub‑adult males, 11 % juveniles and 11 % infants and the encounter rate was 0.17. Group size ranged from 2 to 5 and mean group size was 2.8 ± 1.1. Nutritional status of food plants consumed by Western hoolock gibbons were analyzed and chemical composition was determined. Proximate analysis revealed that the mean value of crude protein (9.73 ± 0.4), crude fibre (16.1 ± 0.6), ether extract (1.07 ± 0.06), NFE (66.24 ± 0.43) and ash (7.03 ± 0.27) in plant samples. A moderate positive correlation was noted between higher protein content and higher crude fibre content in food plants (r = 0.48), which is likely to influence food selection and feeding pattern. Timber felling, fuel‑wood collection, agriculture and expansion of tea estates were identified as major threats to conservation of Western hoolock gibbons. The present study recommends taking up awareness programmes and formulation of policy interventions involving the local communities to arrive at a participatory biodiversity conservation plan at local levels particularly involving the village councils (gram panchayats).

Salad bar selection patterns of elementary school children

From the perspective of child-focused nutrition research, the analysis of the school cafeteria culture and environment is critical. Most children eat at least one meal at school per school day, thus elementary schools are a good setting for influencing the early development of healthy eating habits. The salad bar in particular has gained attention as a means of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. The purpose of the present study was to provide insight about the types of items children choose or do not choose from the salad bar. Our aims were to document elementary school children's food selection patterns by examining photographs of 2903 cafeteria trays. Our results show students in this study took very few items – and a substantial number did not take any at all. We examined three factors, gender, grade, and item placement, in relation to food selection. Gender was the most significant factor, with girls being more likely to choose both fruits and vegetables. Students in lower grades were more likely to select vegetables and to choose more of them. Finally, item placement did not affect choice. Our findings lead us to suggest the importance of integrating information about fruits and vegetables into the school curriculum and that schools strongly consider which items to offer because our results indicate children consistently do not choose certain items and probably do not conceive of them in the context of the adult concept of a salad. Finally, because a child's choice of food is not always a simple act we suggest ethnographic research on how children perceive and use salad bars would provide important insight into the value of retaining or expanding salad bars in elementary schools.

Response of the Calanoid Copepod Clausocalanus furcatus, to Atmospheric Deposition Events: Outcomes from a Mesocosm Study

Atmospheric deposition is assumed to stimulate heterotrophic processes in highly oligotrophic marine systems, controlling the dynamics and trophic efficiency of planktonic food webs, and is expected to be influenced by climate change. During an 8-day mesocosm experiment, we investigated the channeling, of the Saharan dust (SD) and mixed aerosols (A) effects on microplankton, up to the copepod trophic level in ultra-oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean waters. Using mesocosms with SD and A treatments, the feeding response of the dominant copepod Clausocalanus furcatus was assessed every second day. We hypothesised that increased food availability under atmospheric deposition would result in increased copepod ingestion rates, selectivity and production. Overall, no robust pattern of food selection was documented, and daily rations on the prey assemblage of all mesocosms were very low, thereby indicating severe food limitation of C. furcatus. Although increased food availability was not actually true, after a few days, ingestion of ciliates was maximised, followed by egg production, in both the SD and A treatments, indicating their importance in the diet of this copepod as well as a response of C. furcatus feeding performance. Our results help in understanding trophic efficiency of marine food webs in ultra-oligotrophic environments under atmospheric deposition. We suggest that future mesocosm research in oligotrophic waters should consider more than one copepod species.

Food and Beverage Selection Patterns among Menu Label Users and Nonusers: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundBy May 5, 2017, restaurants with 20 or more locations nationwide will be required to post calorie information on menus and menu boards. Previous research shows that those who use menu labels purchase fewer calories, but how users are saving calories is unknown. ObjectiveTo assess food and beverage selection patterns among menu label users and nonusers. DesignSecondary, cross-sectional analysis using data from a study examining sociodemographic disparities in menu label usage at a national fast-food restaurant chain. Participants/settingParticipants were recruited outside restaurant locations, using street-intercept survey methodology. Consenting customers submitted receipts and completed a brief oral survey. Receipt data were used to categorize food and beverage purchases. Main outcome measureSide, beverage, and entrée purchases. Sides and beverages were classified as healthier and less-healthy options consistent with the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Healthier options contained items promoted in the guidelines, such as whole fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and 100% fruit juice; less-healthy options contained solid fat or added sugar. Entrées were categorized as lower-, medium-, and higher-calorie options, based on quartile cutoffs. Statistical analysesMultinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for purchases among menu label users and nonusers, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and total price paid. ResultsHealthier sides were selected by 7.5% of users vs 2.5% of nonusers; healthier beverages were selected by 34.0% of users vs 11.6% of nonusers; and lowest-calorie entrées were selected by 28.3% of users vs 30.1% of nonusers. Compared with nonusers (n=276), users (n=53) had a higher probability of purchasing healthier sides (PR=5.44; P=0.034), and healthier beverages (PR=3.37; P=0.005). No significant differences were seen in the purchasing patterns of entrées. ConclusionsTargeting educational campaigns to side and beverage purchasing behaviors may increase the effectiveness of menu labeling.

Using Healthy Defaults in Walt Disney World Restaurants to Improve Nutritional Choices.

A retrospective study of kids' meals purchased at Walt Disney World was conducted to determine acceptance rates for healthy sides and beverages. Purchase data from all 145 Walt Disney World restaurants were analyzed using a log-linear model and a Poisson regression. Across all restaurants, 47.9% and 66.3% of guests accepted healthy default sides and beverages, respectively. Acceptance rates of sides and beverages were higher at quick-service restaurants (49.4% and 67.8%, respectively) compared to table-service restaurants (40.3% and 45.6%, respectively). The healthy defaults reduced calories (21.4%), fat (43.9%), and sodium (43.4%) for kids' meal sides and beverages. This study contributes by examining the use of kids' meal healthy defaults in quick-service and table-service restaurant formats at the world's largest theme park, a previously unstudied setting, and by providing the largest ever healthy default data set. The results suggest that healthy defaults can shift food and beverage selection patterns toward healthier options.

Young Adults’ Food Selection Patterns: Relations With Binge Eating and Restraint

Young Adults’ Food Selection Patterns:Relations With Binge Eating and Restraint Janet A. Lydecker, Allison A. Palmberg, Katherine Vatalaro Hill, and Suzanne E. Mazzeo Binge eating is increasingly prevalent in college students (White, Reynolds-Malear, & Cordero, 2011). Binge episodes involve eating an objectively large quantity of food in a discrete amount of time and a perceived lost control over eating (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Strong negative affect commonly precedes and follows each episode. Binge eating is associated with severe obesogenic consequences such as diabetes, impaired heart function, and intestinal problems (Thompson, Roehrig, & Kinder, 2007). Individuals who binge eat report impaired functioning in personal, occupational, and social domains (Hudson, Hiripi, Pope, & Kessler, 2007). Addressing behaviors antecedent to a binge, such as food selection and acquisition, is an important part of understanding and creating interventions for this maladaptive behavior. Extant research has evaluated the selection and acquisition of food in laboratory settings (Raymond, Bartholome, Lee, Peterson, & Raatz, 2007), but fails to account for access to food within a specific community, such as a college campus. Context is important in understanding and treating binge eating because it influences perceived behavioral control of food selection. Universities provide ideal settings for the study of food selection because students have measurable options for food, a variety of choices within close proximity to where they live, and more equitable access to food options because of limited locations and dining plans, which have somewhat buffered prices. College is also a period during which young adults begin to make independent and long-lasting choices about what and how they eat (Cousineau, Goldstein, & Franko, 2004). Despite the critical developmental [End Page 493] period and unique environment, associations among students’ eating options, behaviors, and environment have not been evaluated together. Knowing how disordered eating relates to dining options will inform development of college-based interventions. The emotion regulation theory of binge eating (Chen, Matthews, Allen, Kuo, & Linehan, 2008) views disordered eating as a maladaptive attempt to cope with intense emotions, rather than a response to physiological hunger (Napolitano & Himes, 2011). Eating carries an expectation of escape from negative affect through the transfer of attention from the negative affect to a concrete object (i.e., food; Heatherton & Baumeister, 1991). Binge eating is a maladaptive coping strategy because it provides initial momentary relief, but ultimately negative affect (e.g., guilt and disgust) follows (APA, 2013). Before emotional eating can occur, students must (consciously or nonconsciously) decide what foods they will emotionally eat and must acquire the food. Awareness of food selection behavior can help college health providers assist students in identifying trigger foods and locations. This study contributes to existing research by assessing whether food selection differs in the presence of an emotion within the unique context of a college campus. METHOD Data were collected in two phases. First, 500 participants completed online surveys and received class credit for participating. Surveys measured disordered eating using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (Mazzeo, Aggen, Anderson, Tozzi, & Bulik, 2003), a 36-item survey with three subscales: Restraint (TFEQ-R), Disinhibition (TFEQ-D), and Hunger (TFEQ-H). Surveys also asked where students ate both typically and when feeling emotions, using all locations accepting the institution’s dining plan. Second, 283 participants voluntarily completed a survey using an audience response system during class. These surveys also asked where students ate typically and when feeling strong emotions, but used categories of locations accepting the dining plan. Participants keyed answers using handheld devices called clickers. Clickers offer a nonjudgmental, nonthreatening format for self-report, because participants answer without providing identifiable data and large samples can be collected in a group context (LaBrie, Earleywine, Lamb, & Shelesky, 2006). Online survey respondents were students in psychology classes at a large Mid-Atlantic university (n = 500; Mage = 19.71). Clicker survey respondents were from large, nonpsychology classes at the same university (n = 283; Mage = 20.98). Online survey respondents were racially diverse: 22.8% African American (n = 114), 15.2% Asian American (n = 76), and 45.8% White (n = 229), largely representative of this urban, public university. Participants selected among ethnicity categories and had the option to use a write-in space. Clicker surveys did not collect ethnicity data to maintain...

Synthesis: foraging decisions link plants, herbivores and human beings

Herbivores make decisions about where to forage and what combinations and sequences of foods to eat, integrating influences that span generations, with choices manifest daily within a lifetime. These influences begin in utero and early in life; they emerge daily from interactions among internal needs and contexts unique to biophysical and social environments; and they link the cells of plants with the palates of herbivores and humans. This synthesis summarises papers in the special issue of Animal Production Science that explore emerging understanding of these dynamics, and suggests implications for future research that can help people manage livestock for the benefit of landscapes and people by addressing (1) how primary and secondary compounds in plants interact physiologically with cells and organs in animals to influence food selection, (2) temporal and spatial patterns of foraging behaviours that emerge from these interactions in the form of meal dynamics across landscapes, (3) ways humans can manage foraging behaviours and the dynamics of meals for ecological, economic and social benefits, and (4) models of foraging behaviour that integrate the aforementioned influences.

Modelling preference and diet selection patterns by grazing ruminants: a development in a mechanistic model of a grazing dairy cow, MINDY

The work presented here represents additions to the mechanistic and dynamic model of a grazing dairy cow (MINDY). The additions include a module representing preference and selection, based on two theories, namely, post-ingestive feedback and discomfort. The model was evaluated by assessing its ability to simulate patterns of preference and selection in response to a variety of feeding management. The improvements detailed here enable a realistic simulation of patterns of food selection by grazing ruminants, based on a range of feeding situations from different studies with cattle and sheep. These simulations indicate that the concepts encoded in MINDY capture several of the underlying biological mechanisms that drive preferences and selective behaviour. Thus, simulations using MINDY allow prediction of daily and diurnal patterns of selection based on preference, derived from some post-ingestive feedbacks and total discomfort. Estimates of herbage intake and parallel measurements of ingestive behaviour, rumen function and metabolism in grazing ruminants pose experimental and technical difficulties, and matching these processes to animal preference and selective behaviour is a greater challenge. As a consequence, advances in knowledge of foraging behaviour and dietary choice are slow and costly. On completion of more thorough testing, MINDY can be used as a tool for exploratory mechanistic research, to design and organise experimental programs to address a range of factors that control intake and its ecology, helping advance knowledge faster and at a low cost.

Stress and dietary behaviour among first-year university students in Australia: Sex differences

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the relationship between stress and food selection patterns by sex among first-year undergraduate students studying in an Australian university. MethodsParticipating in this cross-sectional study were 728 (331 men and 397 female students) first-year students, ages >18 y, attending the Gold Coast Campus of Griffith University. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of three sections: sociodemographic information, stress measures, and a 7-d food frequency questionnaire. ResultsMore than half (52.9%) of the participants were found to suffer from some level of stress, with relatively more female students (57.4%) suffering than men (47.4%). Men who experienced mild to moderate levels of stress were two to three times more likely to eat cereal foods (P < 0.01), fish/seafood (P < 0.001), and protein powder (P < 0.05). They also tended to eat more meat alternatives (P < 0.05), highly processed foods (P < 0.05), and to drink more alcohol (P < 0.05) than unstressed male students. However, they were less likely to consume vegetables and fruit (P < 0.05) compared with their unstressed counterparts. The trend analysis results indicated significant dose–response patterns in the relationship between stress level and consumption of cereal food, meat alternatives, vegetables and fruit (negative trend), highly processed food, protein powder, beverages and alcoholic beverages (all P < 0.05). Female students who experienced mild to moderate stress were 2.22 times more likely to eat processed food (P < 0.01) than unstressed female students. Female students who experienced severe stress were less likely to consume meat alternatives (P < 0.05) than their unstressed counterparts. Significant dose–response trends were found in the relationship between stress levels and the consumption of meat alternatives, vegetables and fruit (both negative trends), and processed food (all P < 0.01). ConclusionThese results demonstrate a clear difference in food selection patterns between stressed male and female students, with stress being a more significant predictor of unhealthy food selection among male students. Further research is needed using a qualitative approach to understand how stress and eating behavior are related in university students.

Association between Stress and Dietary Behaviours among Undergraduate Students in Kuwait Gender Differences

Results: Of the total participants, 43% were found to suffer from some level of stress, with slightly more females (44%) than males (40.9%). When examined the severity of stress level, 28.4% of the females and 22% of the males had moderate to severe form of stress. Stressed female students were more likely to eat fast foods (OR 1.75; 95% CI: 1.02-3:00), snacks (OR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.16-3:43) and beverages (OR 2.28; 95% CI: 1.30-3.98) than unstressed female students. For male students, none of the food consumption groups were associated with stress. Conclusion: These results show a clear difference in food selection patterns between stressed male and female students with stress being strongly associated with unhealthy food selection among female students than male students. These findings emphasize the importance for the development of specific intervention programs to decrease stress and improve healthy behaviour especially among female university students and thus reduce the potential negative implications of stress on health.