Healthy Items Research Articles

UTILIZING EXPERIMENTAL COMBINATION DESIGN: OPTIMIZATION OF FOOD BAR RECIPE BASED ON PURPLE SWEET POTATO

Modern food technology can create nutritious goods that are useful and simple to consume. Food bars are convenient, calorie-dense, and healthy items. It is usually made from a variety of culinary ingredients combined and then molded into a sturdy, handy product. The goal of this study is to create a food bar using a blend of dried strawberries (DS), moringa flour (MF), mung bean flour (MBF), and purple sweet potato paste (PSPP). The formulation of DS, MBF, MF, and PSPP was improved by utilizing a mixture design of experiments with Minitab software. The predicted outcomes of this formulation are maximal antioxidant activity, maximum total flavonoids, and maximum total phenolic. Using 54.84% purple sweet potato paste (PSPP), 6.21% moringa flour (MF), 33.95% mung bean flour (MBF), and 5.00% dried strawberries (DS) allowed for an ideal maximal antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity was 16.44 mg TE/g; the total flavonoid was 11.35 mg QE/g; and the total phenolic was 10.70 mg GAE/g.

The role of attention and health goals in nudging healthy food choice.

Nudging is a promising intervention technique that supports people in pursuing their healthy eating goals. Recent research suggests that, despite previous assumptions, disclosure of the presence of a nudge does not compromise nudge effectiveness. However, it is unknown whether attention to a nudge affects nudge effects. We assessed the role of attention systematically, by examining explicit and implicit attention to nudges, while also exploring healthy eating goals as a potential moderator. Participants were assigned to a nudge (i.e., a shopping basket inlay with pictures of healthy items) or control condition (i.e., a shopping basket inlay with neutral pictures) and chose a snack in an experimental supermarket field study. Explicit and implicit attention (with a mobile eye-tracker) to nudges, healthiness of snack choice, and healthy eating goals were assessed. Results showed that attention to the nudge did not hamper the nudge's effect. Furthermore, individuals with strong healthy eating goals made healthier food choices in the nudge condition. Individuals with weak to non-existent healthy eating goals were not influenced by the nudge. Findings are in line with the viewpoint that nudging does not by definition work 'in the dark', and suggests that nudges support people in adhering to their healthy eating goal.

Food Is Medicine for Individuals Affected by Homelessness: Findings from a Participatory Soup Kitchen Menu Redesign.

Health disparities among people experiencing homelessness are likely exacerbated by limited access to healthy, fresh, and minimally processed foods. Soup kitchens and shelters serve as essential food safety nets for preventing hunger in this population, and community interest is growing in the potential of "food is medicine" interventions to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of people who receive meals from these providers. This study describes our two-phase approach to first identify and prioritize nutrition needs within an urban soup kitchen community and then test and implement new recipes and menu guidelines to help the standard soup kitchen menu better align with those priorities. We began by first conducting a nutrition needs assessment, including a collection of intercept surveys from a convenience sample of soup kitchen guests to better understand their nutrition-related health needs, dental issues, food preferences, and menu satisfaction (n = 112), as well as a nutrition analysis of the standard menu based on seven randomly selected meals. Most respondents reported at least one chronic health condition, with depressive disorders (50.9%) and cardiovascular diseases (49.1%) being the most common. Nearly all guests requested more fruits and vegetables at mealtimes, and results from the menu analysis revealed opportunities to lower meal contents of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars and to raise micronutrient, fiber, and omega-3 content. We then applied these nutrition needs assessment findings to inform the second phase of the project. This phase included the identification of new food inventory items to help support cardiovascular and mental health-related nutrition needs, taste test sampling of new healthy menu items with soup kitchen guests, and hands-on culinary medicine training to kitchen staff on newly-developed "food is medicine" guidelines to support menu transformation. All taste tests of new menu items received over 75% approval, which exceeded satisfaction ratings of the standard menu collected during the phase 1 needs assessment. Findings from this community-based participatory research project confirm the great potential for hunger safety net providers to support critical nutrition needs within this vulnerable population through strategic menu changes. However, more research is needed on the longitudinal impacts of such changes on health indicators over time.

Pembuatan Produk Fermentasi Yogurt Sebagai Pangan Sehat Bagi Guru MTs Arifah Gowa

The training activity for making fermented yogurt products, conducted at MTS Arifah Gowa, aims to empower MTS teachers and enhance the knowledge of training participants regarding the production of fermented yogurt products as a healthy, convenient, and cost-effective food item with economic value. This activity was conducted in three stages: firstly, providing materials and facilitating discussions with participants; secondly, instructing them in the proper and correct yogurt-making practices; and finally, conducting an evaluation and administering a questionnaire to assess the participants' responses to the training activities provided. Based on the results of the questionnaire evaluation, all training participants expressed satisfaction with this activity, achieving a score of (3.64), indicating that the evaluation results fall within the "very good" category.

The effect of spatial separation on food and drink choices from an online menu

Emerging research suggests that modifying the presentation context of healthy food items can subtly ‘nudge’ individuals to make healthier choices. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of spatial separation between high and low nutritional value items on food and drink choices from an online fast-food menu. Participants (N = 210 women) were presented with one of three pictorial menus in which high nutritional value food and drink items were presented spatially mixed, grouped, or separate from low nutritional value items. Participants were asked to make one selection from each menu category (a main, drink, and dessert), and then completed a measure of dietary restraint. Overall, there was no main effect of menu condition. However, dietary restraint status moderated the effect of menu condition on healthy choices. In particular, women who scored low (but not those who scored high) on dietary restraint were positively influenced by the experimental manipulation, making approximately 14 % healthier selections when high nutritional value items were presented separately from low nutritional value items. This was principally the case for desserts, and to a lesser extent drinks. The findings have practical implications for the design of online fast-food menus to promote healthier food and drink selections.

Almarai Company: Regional Growth in the Arabian Gulf Market

Almarai is one of the well-known Fast Moving Consumer Goods brands in the region of Middle East, and is leading the market in majority of its product categories throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This case study aims to enrich our understanding about the success story of Almarai company in the GCC region. It focuses on analysing the dairy market in GCC and presenting SWOT analysis for the company. Additionally, this case study highlights the marketing mix strategies adopted by Almarai to maintain and grow its business in the GCC region. Finally, the key challenges faced by the dairy industry in the GCC region are presented. As a market leader in the region in dairy segment, the success of Almarai is attributed to its regular analysis of consumers’ demands and search of available options for introducing healthy items with high-quality nutritional values to satisfy their tastes and preferences. In order to achieve its vision, there is an emphasis on innovation at Almarai, and the company uses scientific methods to create new goods with the goal of expanding its product line and improving the lives of its customers.

Effect of nutrient, processing and hedonic claims on food-related perceptions: An experimental online study in Brazil and Germany

Prior studies on perceived healthiness of foods have often compared nutrient and hedonic claims, neglecting comparisons to a control condition. The effect of food claims focusing on the food processing level has received considerably less research attention, although food processing has been included in dietary guidelines in Brazil. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the effect of a control and processing claim, additionally to the effects of a nutrient.and hedonic claim, on perceptions related to a food item typically considered “less healthy” (chocolate cake). We further compared these effects between Brazil and Germany, a country where food processing is currently not included in dietary guidelines. A total of 634 lay adults were recruited in a cross-sectional online study and randomised to see the photo of a piece of cake with one of the four different claim conditions and to report their health-related perceptions of the cake. The main analyses included two-way ANCOVAs (4 claims x 2 countries) for each dependent variable controlled for gender, age and level of hunger; followed by post hoc tests. Overall, results revealed that in both countries, the claims highlighting nutrients or processing aspects rendered the perceptions of the cake healthier compared to the control claim. These effects were more pronounced among Brazilian than among German participants. Food-related perceptions mostly did not differ between the hedonic and control claim and did not differ at all between the nutrient and processing claims. In conclusion, it is noteworthy that, even for an inherently considered “less healthy food item” (chocolate cake) nutrient and processing claims increase healthiness perceptions. While our findings may imply that in both countries lay people are highly susceptible to nutrient claims, food processing aspects seem to be similarly relevant.

EU consumer awareness of food safety and healthy diets: Are there synergies to benefit a sustainable protein transition?

This paper aims to gain more insight into potential synergies between food safety and healthy diets with a sustainable protein transition (i.e., reducing protein over-consumption and replacing animal protein with plant protein) in the EU. The paper is based on a systematic analysis of the survey on food safety, organized by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as part of Eurobarometer wave 97.2 (Spring 2022). Consumers responded somewhat differently to the survey items on chemical contaminants in food than to those on biological hazards in food, plant health and animal health and welfare. They were somewhat more aware of and concerned about the former than the latter. They also had different ideas on the most important healthy diet items. Cluster analysis identified five clusters who, inter alia, focused on conventional options (e.g., eating fewer calories) or the protein replacement options. Multilevel logistic regression analysis showed that food safety awareness and concern variables, explicitly including farm animal welfare, were somewhat stronger associated with the protein replacement cluster than with the conventional cluster. Hence, synergies between food safety and healthy diet issues may stimulate the replacement (not reduction) aspects of a sustainable protein transition. The Discussion suggests that further research should investigate how improving the quality of a week menu with a high diversity of protein sources can help to promote the reduction of over-consumption.

A Cold Case—Glucosinolate Levels in Kale Cultivars Are Differently Influenced by Cold Temperatures

Among the Brassica oleracea L. crops, kale has gained increased global recognition in recent years as a healthy food item due to its high nutritional value and versatility. Additionally, the diversity of different kale varieties has started to be explored across large latitudes from the Mediterranean to north temperate climates. Specifically, glucosinolates are the predominant phytochemicals found in kale leaves, contributing to the specific taste of this vegetable, and they are affected by environmental factors such as temperature. To date, no study has investigated the effect of chilling on glucosinolate diversity and, thus, the taste in genetically different kale cultivars at the same time. Given the variability of glucosinolates observed among cultivars, we evaluated the impact of acclimation to cold temperatures on glucosinolate levels in curly kale, Lacinato kale, and a feral type using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS). We targeted the short-term impact (after 12 h) on glucosinolates as well as the longer-term effect (after seven days) of cold acclimation. Our results revealed different molecular patterns regarding the change in glucosinolates in the feral type compared to curly kale and Lacinato-type kale. In the latter ones, primary aliphatic glucosinolates were induced (the glucoraphanin in Lacinato kale increased by more than 200%). The indole glucobrassicin was not significantly affected. Conversely, in the feral type the indole glucobrassicin was reduced by 35% after cold acclimation, whereas aliphatic glucosinolates were hardly affected. The results indicate that both genetic and environmental factors are important for the composition of glucosinolate patterns in kale. In conclusion, to obtain plants with an improved nutritional value, considering both temperature and the choice of cultivar is crucial during kale cultivation. Future breeding attempts of kale should also emphasize the cultivar-dependent cold acclimation patterns reported here.

Associations between food and beverage purchases and skin carotenoids among diverse small food retail store customers.

To determine if customer purchases at small food stores are associated with healthfulness of the diet as approximated by skin carotenoids. Cross-sectional survey of customers in small food stores regarding demographics and food purchases. Food and beverage purchases were classified as "healthy" or "non-healthy" and "carotenoid" versus "non-carotenoid" using a systematic classification scheme. Fruit and vegetable intake was objectively assessed using a non-invasive device to measure skin carotenoids. Associations between variables of interest were examined using Pearson's correlation coefficients, t-tests, and multiple linear regression analyses. Twenty-two small food retail stores in rural (n = 7 stores) and urban (n = 15) areas of North Carolina. Customers of small food stores. Of study participants (n = 1,086), 55.1% were male, 60.0% were African American/Black, 4.2% were Hispanic, with a mean age of 43.5 years. Overall, 36% purchased at least one healthy item, and 7.6% of participants purchased a carotenoid-containing food/beverage. Healthy foods and beverages purchased included produce, lean meats, 100% juices, plain popcorn, plain nuts, milk, and yogurt. Unhealthy items included non-100% juices, crackers, chips, candy, cakes, and donuts. Purchase of a healthy or carotenoid-containing item was positively associated with skin carotenoid scores (p=0.002 and 0.006, respectively). A relatively small proportion of customers purchased any healthy or carotenoid-containing foods and beverages, and those who did purchase healthy options had higher skin carotenoid scores. Future research should confirm these findings in different populations.

Cost and affordability of a healthy diet for urban populations in Thailand and the Philippines before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic severely affected global food security, but analyses of its impact on the cost and affordability of a healthy diet are limited. This study examines the immediate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cost and affordability of a healthy diet among urban households in Bangkok, Thailand and Manila, the Philippines.MethodsWe used official food price and household income and food expenditure data from the national statistics offices. The cost of recommended diet (CoRD) method was employed to assess the minimum cost of a healthy diet, following the healthy diet recommendations provided in the national food-based dietary guidelines of the specific countries. Regression discontinuity design was estimated to determine the COVID-19 effect on food prices and scenario analysis done to determine the effect of reduced food budgets with and without government relief programs.ResultsThe results show that the average cost of the recommended diet was US$ 1.55 per person/day in Bangkok and US$ 3.76 in Manila (2019 prices in purchasing power parities) immediately before the pandemic. This diet is generally affordable for all households in Bangkok, but only for 37% of households (4.98 million people) in Manila, indicating much higher poverty in the latter. The pandemic and associated government measures decreased the cost of the recommended diet with 6.5% in Bangkok (p = 0.001) but not in Manila (p = 0.167). Assuming contractions in people’s food budgets of 15–20%, the recommended diet became unaffordable for 0.08–0.12 million people in Bangkok and 6.32–7.73 million people in Manila during the pandemic. Government relief largely compensated for this loss in Bangkok, but relief payments in Manila were not enough to compensate the effect.ConclusionThese results show that the main effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the affordability of healthy diets was through the effect on reduced incomes of the poor rather than through prices. Government relief measures should target low-income households to give them the means to purchase healthy food items.

Supporting Healthier Grocery-Shopping Habits for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Using Self-Management and Technology: A Single-Case Pilot

While there are many benefits to healthy nutrition, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have poor nutrition habits. Identifying effective practices to promote healthy nutrition for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is critical. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a health app and self-management intervention in supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in making healthier nutrition choices. A changing criterion single-case research design was used with three adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to determine if there was a functional relation between a health app and self-management intervention, and the number of healthy food and drink items purchased when grocery shopping. The combination of the health app with self-management intervention was effective in increasing the number of healthy food and drink items two participants bought at the grocery store. Participants reported that they enjoyed using the app, scanning food and drink items was fun, and the goal-setting and self-monitoring components were easy to understand. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Freeze-Dried Banana Slices Carrying Probiotic Bacteria.

Findings on diet-health relationships have induced many people to adopt healthier diets, including the substitution of energy-dense snacks with healthier items, e.g., those containing probiotic microorganisms. The aim of this research was to compare two methods to produce probiotic freeze-dried banana slices-one of them consisting of impregnating slices with a suspension of probiotic Bacillus coagulans, the other based on coating the slices with a starch dispersion containing the bacteria. Both processes resulted in viable cell counts above 7 log ufc.g-1, although the presence of the starch coating prevented a significant loss in viability during freeze-drying. The coated slices were less crispy than the impregnated ones, according to the shear force test results. However, the sensory panel (with more than 100 panelists) did not perceive significant texture differences. Both methods presented good results in terms of probiotic cell viability and sensory acceptability (the coated slices being significantly more accepted than the non-probiotic control slices).

The numerical stroop effect on consumer preference to order healthy food

This article explores an alternative strategy to subtly nudge decisions in preference for healthy menu items – managing calorie presentation to create a Numerical Stroop Effect drawing upon the numerical magnitude representation theory. Across two experiments, the research finds that incongruent (vs. congruent) numerical magnitude representation of food calories (e.g., small 7 and large 5) increases consumers' preference to order healthy items. The study reveals the effect’s underlying mechanism through perceived healthiness along with the boundary factors of consumers’ health consciousness and time pressure. Specifically, low health-conscious consumers show a preference to order healthy items when exposed to incongruent magnitude representation of food calories, particularly when they experience high time pressure. The research contributes to the hospitality literature with an in-depth understanding of the less explored effect of numerical magnitude representation. This research also provides an easily implementable menu strategy to influence consumers’ dining preferences for healthier alternatives.

Effect of a relative pricing intervention and active merchandising on snack purchases: interrupted time series analysis of a hospital retailer-led strategy

BackgroundPricing policies have been shown to be an effective lever for promoting healthier dietary choices in consumer food environments. It is not yet well understood how pricing can be used to encourage healthier substitute purchases. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a retailer-led relative pricing intervention on weekly purchases of targeted snack foods and beverages.MethodsThis was an ecological analysis in a real-world large tertiary hospital consumer food environment setting in urban Canada, comprised of four retail outlets: two large cafeterias, one smaller cafeteria, and one grab-and-go café. An interrupted time series analysis was designed to evaluate the effect of Snacking Made Simple, a retailer-led relative pricing intervention applied to 10 popular snack foods and beverages (n = 87 weeks, 66 weeks baseline and 21 weeks intervention, April 2018 to December 2019), on weekly purchase differences between healthier and less healthy targeted items, adjusted for weekly sales volume. Five healthier items were price discounted, alongside a price increase for five less healthy items. The intervention was actively merchandised in keeping with behaviour change theory.ResultsWeekly purchases of targeted snacks became healthier during the intervention period (β = 21.41, p = 0.0024). This followed a baseline period during which weekly purchases of less healthy targeted snacks had outpaced over time those of healthier targeted snacks (β = -11.02, p = 3.68E-14). We estimated that, all else being equal, a hypothetical 9.43 additional weeks of the intervention would be required to transition to net-healthier targeted snack purchases in this environment. The effects of the intervention varied by retail outlet, and the outcome appears driven by specific food items; further, examining merchandising implementation, we posited whether direct versus indirect substitution may have affected purchasing outcomes.ConclusionsRelative pricing may be a promising way to incentivize healthier substitute purchasing in the consumer food environment. Added attention to merchandising strategy as well as value-add factors within food categories and their effects on price salience may be an important factor in effective intervention design.

Impact of community-driven interventions on dietary and physical activity outcomes among a cohort of adults in a rural Appalachian county in Eastern Kentucky, 2019-2022.

Several environmental level factors exacerbate poor health outcomes in rural populations in the United States, such as lack of access to healthy food and locations to be physically active, which support healthy choices at the individual level. Thus, utilizing innovative place-based approaches in rural locations is essential to improve health outcomes. Leveraging community assets, like Cooperative Extension, is a novel strategy for implementing community-driven interventions. This prospective cohort study (n = 152), recruited in 2019 and surveyed again in 2020 and 2021, examined individual level changes in diet and physical activity in one rural Appalachian county. During this time, multiple community-driven interventions were implemented alongside Cooperative Extension and several community partners. Across the three-year study, the cohort indicated increases in other vegetables and water and reductions in fruits and legumes. There were also reductions in less healthy items such as French fries and sugar-sweetened beverages. The cohort also reported being less likely to engage in physical activity. Our findings suggest that key community-driven programs may have indirect effects on dietary and physical activity choices over time. Outcomes from this study are relevant for public health practitioners and community organizations working within rural Appalachian communities to address health-related behaviors.

Improvements in School Food Offerings over Time: Variation by School Characteristics.

The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) improved the nutritional quality of food served in schools. This longitudinal study examined school food offerings over time from school year 2010-11 to 2017-18 in public schools (n = 148) in four New Jersey cities. Six food indices were used to assess the number of healthy and unhealthy items offered as part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), in vending machines, and à la carte (i.e., competitive foods). Multilevel, multivariable linear regression with quadratic terms was used to model the trends over time. Interaction terms were added to examine whether the time trends varied by school-level factors, such as proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals (FRPMs), race/ethnicity of enrolled students, and school level. Over the study period, healthy items offered in the NSLP increased (p < 0.001), while unhealthy items in the NSLP decreased (p < 0.001). Significantly different rates of declines in NSLP unhealthy offering were observed among schools at the two extremes of FRPM eligibility (p < 0.05). The trends for healthy and unhealthy foods offered in competitive foods showed significant non-linear trends, and differences were observed for school-level race/ethnicity, with worse outcomes for schools with majority Black student enrollment.

Healthier diets for all? A systematic review and meta-analysis examining socioeconomic equity of the effect of increasing availability of healthier foods on food choice and energy intake.

Widespread availability of unhealthy food and drink products may contribute to socioeconomic patterning in obesity. Therefore, increasing the availability of healthier foods may be one approach to reducing obesity without widening existing inequalities. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impact of increasing the availability of healthier food and drink on consumer behavior among individuals with higher and lower socioeconomic position (SEP). Eligible studies were required to use experimental designs to compare conditions of higher vs lower availability of healthier vs less healthy options on food choice-related outcomes and measure SEP. Thirteen eligible studies were included. Odds of choosing a healthy item were higher when availability was increased for higher (OR = 5.0, 95% CI: 3.3, 7.7) and lower (OR = 4.9, CI: 3.0, 8.0) SEP. Increased availability of healthier foods was also associated with a decrease in energy content of selections for higher (-131 kcal; CI: -76, -187) and lower (-109 kcal; CI: -73, -147) SEP. There was no SEP moderation. Increasing the relative availability of healthier foods may be an equitable and effective approach to improve population-level diet and address obesity, though more research is required testing this in real-world environments.

The nature and persistence of the effects of posthypnotic suggestions on food preferences: The final report of an online study.

The persistence of food preferences, which are crucial for diet-related decisions, is a significant obstacle to changing unhealthy eating behavior. To overcome this obstacle, the current study investigates whether posthypnotic suggestions (PHSs) can enhance food-related decisions by measuring food choices and subjective ratings. After assessing hypnotic susceptibility in Session 1, at the beginning of Session 2, a PHS was delivered aiming to increase the desirability of healthy food items (e.g., vegetables and fruit). After the termination of hypnosis, a set of two tasks was administrated twice, once when the PHS was activated and once deactivated in counterbalanced order. The task set consisted of rating 170 pictures of food items, followed by an online supermarket where participants were instructed to select enough food from the same item pool for a fictitious week of quarantine. After 1 week, Session 3 mimicked Session 2 without renewed hypnosis induction to assess the persistence of the PHS effects. The Bayesian hierarchical modeling results indicate that the PHS increased preferences and choices of healthy food items without altering the influence of preferences in choices. In contrast, for unhealthy food items, not only both preferences and choices were decreased due to the PHS, but also their relationship was modified. That is, although choices became negatively biased against unhealthy items, preferences played a more dominant role in unhealthy choices when the PHS was activated. Importantly, all effects persisted over 1 week, qualitatively and quantitatively. Our results indicate that although the PHS affected healthy choices through resolve, i.e., preferred more and chosen more, unhealthy items were probably chosen less impulsively through effortful suppression. Together, besides the translational importance of the current results for helping the obesity epidemic in modern societies, our results contribute theoretically to the understanding of hypnosis and food choices.

Development and validation of a predictive nomogram for sarcopenia among older people in China.

Development and validation of a predictive nomogram for sarcopenia among older people in China.