List Of Foods Research Articles

Adaptation of the Diet Quality Questionnaire as a global public good for use in 140 countries

BackgroundFood group consumption data is useful for measuring and monitoring diet quality. To collect valid data across contexts, consistent and rigorous adaptation of survey questions is needed. ObjectivesThe objective of this research is to adapt food group consumption survey questions for 140 countries, by identifying the most common (sentinel) food items in each food group using a structured, participatory process and global standards for classification. MethodsSurvey questions were adapted for 29 food groups of the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ) and for additional questions for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) indicators. For each country, adaptation comprised: (1) review of existing questionnaires, dietary intake data, and other information to draft food lists; (2) key informant (KI) interviews with 5-12 experts to identify and prioritize sentinel items including terminology; (3) comparison of items across countries within the same region to identify discrepancies, and follow-up with KIs to resolve them. Results1,016 KIs contributed to the adapted DQQs for 140 countries and IYCF DQQs for 96 countries, amounting to approximately 9,550 hours of collective effort (68 person-hours/country on average) from 2020-2024. The process revealed numerous challenges and decisions to ensure consistent classification of items and valid question formulation. ConclusionCountry-specific questions adhering to global standards, and adapted through cumulative and iterative input of local experts, enable the collection of food group consumption data that is valid and comparable across time and geographies. The adapted survey questions have been implemented in the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Gallup World Poll in 94 countries, generating the first cross-country data on minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and other diet quality indicators. The finalized country-adapted DQQs and IYCF DQQs were translated to 143 national languages and are published online as a global public good for population-level diet quality measurement.

Particle size analysis of iron hydroxide adipate tartrate (IHAT) in a food supplement: Interlaboratory testing of a dynamic light scattering method

Iron hydroxide adipate tartrate (IHAT) is a nano-scale material with a diameter of less than 5 nm intended for use as iron source in food supplements. It is the first engineered nanomaterial that was authorised as novel food in the European Union in 2022 (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1373) and subsequently added to the European Union list of novel foods. Official control laboratories of EU Member States are required to conduct compliance testing of novel foods, including IHAT, against approved specifications. In the case of IHAT, the authorised specifications include the constituent particle size, referred to in the implementing regulation as ‘primary particle size’. In this study, a method to determine the constituent particle size distribution of IHAT using the volume-based hydrodynamic diameter with dynamic light scattering is proposed and tested in an interlaboratory comparison study involving five experienced European food control and food research laboratories. Three test materials were examined, including an early batch of IHAT without the flow agent, a damaged material unintentionally exposed to water, and the final commercial product that included the flow agent. The results demonstrate that dynamic light scattering can reliably measure the particle size of particles in the low nanometre range if samples are prepared and measured following a robust, easy-to-reproduce, and standardised protocol. The results obtained for the commercial product met the compliance requirements specified in the annex of the Commission Implementing Regulation in all laboratories for the primary particle size distribution (Dv(10/50/90)). The method proposed in this study could represent an initial step towards the full validation of the method.

Evaluating User Experiences and Preferred Features of a Web-Based 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool: Usability Study.

Intake24, a web-based 24-hour dietary recall tool developed in the United Kingdom, was adapted for use in New Zealand (Intake24-NZ) through the addition of a New Zealand food list, portion size images, and food composition database. Owing to the customizations made, a thorough evaluation of the tool's usability was required. Detailed qualitative usability studies are well suited to investigate any challenges encountered while completing a web-based 24-hour recall and provide meaningful data to inform enhancements to the tool. This study aims to evaluate the usability of Intake24-NZ and identify improvements to enhance both the user experience and the quality of dietary intake data collected. We used a mixed methods approach comprising two components: (1) completion of a single 24-hour dietary recall using Intake24-NZ with both screen observation recordings and collation of verbal participant feedback on their experience and (2) a survey. A total of 37 participants aged ≥11 years self-completed the dietary recall and usability survey (men and boys: 14/37, 38% and women and girls: 23/37, 62%; Māori: 10/37, 27% and non-Māori: 27/37, 73%). Although most (31/37, 84%) reported that Intake24-NZ was easy to use and navigate, data from the recorded observations and usability survey revealed challenges related to the correct use of search terms, search results obtained (eg, type and order of foods displayed), portion size estimation, and associated food prompts (eg, did you add milk to your tea?). This comprehensive usability study identified challenges experienced by users in completing a dietary recall in Intake24-NZ. The results informed a series of improvements to enhance user experience and the quality of dietary data collected with Intake24-NZ, including adding new foods to the food list, optimizing the search function and ordering of search results, creating new portion size images, and providing clearer instructions to the users.

An overview of hidden food allergens: need for change to the priority food allergen lists?

Many food allergens not actually included in the European priority list of allergenic foods have the potential to cause severe allergic reactions and could escape correct identification and behave as "hidden allergens". Moreover, the adoption in recent years of novel diets based on plant products and new sustainable foods or the use of specific food additives have contributed to the onset of new emerging allergens of public health importance. The knowledge of hidden allergens is important both for physicians and for patients to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of food allergies, in order to decrease eventual improper diagnosis of idiopathic anaphylaxis. In this review, the characteristics of the most frequent hidden allergens and their diagnostic tools are described. A detailed history with a careful review of the ingredient lists, an understanding of possible cross-reactions or contaminations with other foods, together with an allergological evaluation consisting of in vivo or in vitro tests and, where necessary, an oral food challenge, are recommended for the successful identification of the culprit allergen. In future, it will be very important to implement these diagnostic tools, especially in the field of molecular allergology, and reporting allergens on labels should become mandatory.

Healthcare professionals' experience with nutritional care beyond formal quality systems - A qualitative study.

Numerous formal strategies, screening tools, and interventions have been used to prevent malnutrition in long-term care patients. Despite these efforts, the proportion of screened patients is low, and a large proportion are malnourished. Previous research has revealed that healthcare professionals use a broad approach in their nutritional care but has also emphasised the need for further investigation into these approaches. To explore how healthcare professionals working in long-term care experience and apply nutritional care. A descriptive, exploratory, qualitative design containing 240 h of participant observation, 12 focus groups and 2 individual interviews. Twelve nursing homes and home care units in three Norwegian municipalities. Participant observation of interactions between healthcare professionals and patients. Forty-three registered nurses participated in focus group or individual interviews. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis identified three themes: The first theme, limited significance of nutritional screening, showed that healthcare professionals experienced the limited value of nutritional screening, as it often did not capture patients' nutritional challenges. They also perceived nutritional screening as unsuitable for patients at the end of their lives, those with overweight-related complications, or undergoing rehabilitation. In addition, nutritional screening was perceived as something healthcare professionals did for their managers or administrators, not because it was crucial to providing good nutritional care. The second theme, provision of individualised food, captures the healthcare professionals' efforts in adapting and preparing food according to the patient's preferences. Facilitation to enable patients to make individual food choices and the use of food cards or lists were two approaches to individualising nutrition care. The third theme, making meals more than about food, elucidated how healthcare professionals used meals to help patients cope with their situations and experience social belonging. Conversations about or around meals were used to provide patients with a sense of belonging to their past or present situation. The meals were also used as a diversion strategy for patients with unrest, as arenas for daily activity training, and for meaningful social interactions between patients around the tables. Nutritional screening and prevention of malnutrition are only one part of healthcare professionals' nutritional care. Individualised food and meals that create coping, a sense of belonging, and social experiences are equally important parts of their care. Emphasising healthcare professional's person-centred approach to nutritional care would be beneficial, as it could strengthen and further develop long-term nutritional care services.

Smart farming: Leveraging IoT and deep learning for sustainable tomato cultivation and pest management

Since the world's population is rising continuously, more cultivable land is being utilized for their dwellings. As a result, the amount of food supply is decreasing day by day. In order to address the food shortage, a proper plan and technological breakthroughs is must. Tomato is a kind of vegetable which has the healthy ingredients and essential for our daily food list. The proposed system suggests an IoT based tomato cultivation and pest management system, with the help of deep learning methods. In the IoT implementation, camera module and moisture sensor are used to collect images of tomato plant, soil condition respectively. Based on the moisture content, the water pump will supply the water when it necessary. Besides, the real-time images of tomato leaf will be sent to the server to identify and classify natural enemies like various insect species. In the proposed system seven types of pests are identified with the help of ten deep learning models like InceptionV3, Xception, InceptionResNetV2, MobileNet, MobileNetV2, MobileNetV3Large, MobileNetV3Small, DenseNet121, DenseNet169, DenseNet201. This study has trained with leaves and insects separately to identify whether an image from a tomato plant is insectoid or not. 458 images of pests and 912 images of leaves are utilized in the proposed architecture. The accuracy of classifying insects or leaves using DenseNet201 is 100 ​%. The highest accuracy of 94 ​% is obtained to classify the different insects using the DenseNet201 model.

MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Statement: Management of oral complications of targeted therapy.

A MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) is aimed at generating a concise tool for clinicians that concentrates practical information needed for the management of oral complications of cancer patients. This CPS is focused on the management of oral complications of targeted therapy. This CPS was developed based on critical evaluation of the literature followed by a structured discussion of a group of leading experts, members of the Oral Care Study Group of MASCC/ISOO. Targeted agents were identified using the National Cancer Institute's list of Food and Drug Administration approved targeted therapy drugs. The information is presented in the form of succinct bullets and tables to generate a short manual about the best standard of care. Oral toxicities secondary to targeted therapy include various mucosal conditions, gingival conditions, jawbone disease, dysesthesia, taste change, and dry mouth. For the purpose of this CPS, we focused on oral mucosal conditions, gingival conditions, taste change, and dysesthesia. The treatment of oral toxicities depends on the symptom severity. Topical steroids and immunomodulators are often used as first-line therapy for oral mucosal toxicities. Treatment approaches for oral dysesthesia and taste change primarily revolve around symptoms management. Typically, therapy protocols align with the therapeutic algorithms employed for other neuropathic pain conditions, incorporating topical pharmacological interventions to achieve relief. Other oral toxicity requires a more specific approach. Management of oral toxicities from targeted molecular therapies is designed to alleviate patient discomfort and optimize treatment outcomes. Collaboration between medical and oral health professionals is necessary for best management practices.

Development of a greener and sustainable method to determine acrylamide in corn products by LC-MS/MS: Evaluation of levels in corn-based products

Acrylamide (AA) is produced through the reaction between sugars and amino acids present in starchy foods cooked at high temperature. It is classified as probably carcinogenic to humans. In 2019, the European Commission reported a list of foods for monitoring the presence of AA, which includes cereal snacks. This study presents the development and validation of an analytical approach for detecting AA in popcorn and corn-based snacks. It includes solid-liquid extraction and clean-up with dispersive solid phase extraction followed by analysis through liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The proposed method was characterized in terms of recoveries (84–105%), and precision (< 16.1%). Limits of quantification were 17 and 60 μg kg−1 for corn and popcorn, respectively. Sustainability of the methodology was evaluated using AGREEprep and BAGI, providing values of 0.43 and 65.0, respectively. Twenty-four corn-based products were analyzed, with AA levels from 219 to 418 μg kg−1.

Development and Implementation of a Novel Approach to Dietary Education for People With Inadequate Health Literacy and Advanced Kidney Disease

To describe the process of developing and implementing a novel approach to renal diet education by changing from a nutrient-based food list to a pictorial meal compilation approach through the skill steps: plan, select, cook, eat. The skill-based teaching method accommodates low literacy levels and respects cultural values. This teaching style aligns the complex renal diet guidelines with family living. Each meal plan is based on a balanced diet and includes family preferences. Appropriate cooking methods and food swaps that match renal diet specifications are included. The accompanying Cook for Life cookbook demonstrates how to prepare the new kidney-friendly family meal. Recipes were supplied by a local Māori elder and his whānau and tested by the dietitian. The cookbook is provided to all patients receiving renal dietetic education. The teaching method has undergone several iterations to accommodate feedback from dietitians, nurses, doctors, and patients. This included patient engagement to develop the Storybook, a pictorial representation of typical meals consumed in the community with a corresponding food substitution to illustrate how to compile kidney-friendly meals. Analysis of feedback regarding this approach indicates high levels of acceptance and engagement with this new teaching style. This practical skill-based dietary education teaching style appears to be a feasible, acceptable, culturally sensitive, and appropriate approach to dietary education for people who live with kidney disease. Patient engagement in the design of this approach supports effective learning and behavior change.

Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women: Partitioning Misclassifications by Proxy Data Collection Methods using Weighed Food Records as the Reference in Ethiopia

BackgroundNonquantitative list-based or open 24-h recalls (24-HRs) have been shown to overestimate the prevalence of Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W), as compared with direct quantitative observations. However, the main sources of error are unknown. ObjectivesTo assess the measurement agreement of proxy data collection methods for MDD-W, as compared with weighed food records (WFRs). MethodsApplying a noninferiority design, data were collected from 431 nonpregnant females in Ethiopia. MDD-W estimates from both proxy data collection methods were compared with the WFR prevalence by McNemar’s chi-square tests, Cohen’s Kappa, and receiver operator characteristic analyses. Ten-point food group diversity scores (FGDS) were compared by Bland–Altman plots, Wilcoxon matched-pairs tests, and weighted Kappa. Food group misclassifications were partitioned into errors related to respondent biases or the questionnaire development. ResultsList-based and open 24-HRs overreported MDD-W by 8 and 4 percentage points, respectively, as compared with WFR (objective MDD-W prevalence: 8%). Furthermore, list-based 24-HRs overestimated FGDS by 0.4 points (limits of agreement [LOA]: −1.1, 2.0), whereas open 24-HRs led to a 0.3 point (LOA: −1.2, 1.7) overestimate. Food groups most likely to be misreported using proxy data collection methods were “pulses,” “nuts and seeds,” “dairy products,” and “other fruits.” Underreporting of consumption occurred among <4% of females for all food groups. Furthermore, respondent biases were the predominant cause of food group overreporting, except for the “pulses” and “other vegetables” food groups, where food items incorrectly included on the food list were the main source of errors. ConclusionsFood group consumption misclassifications by proxy data collection methods were mainly attributable to females overreporting consumption because of respondent biases or the criterion for foods to be counted, rather than the suboptimal development of the food list in Ethiopia. To obtain precise and accurate MDD-W estimates at the (sub)national level, rigorous context-specific food list development, questionnaire pilot testing, and enumerator training are recommended to mitigate identified biases.

DNA Barcoding Revealed a High Percentage of Mislabeling in Commercial Fish Products: The First Empirical Survey in South Texas

Seafood mislabeling is a widespread problem that have produced a growing distrust of seafood industry. In this study, we examined the prevalence of mislabeling in fish samples from regional markets in the greater Houston area and close-by coastal communities. A total of 63 fish fillet samples were purchased, labeled, and stored at -20˚C in individual packages until DNA extraction. DNA fragments of roughly 700 base pairs encoding cytochrome oxidase I (COI) were PCR-amplified from each DNA sample. With 99.6–100% nucleotide identity in the GenBank and BOLD databases, all samples were correctly identified at the species level. The scientific names identified by DNA barcoding were matched with legally acceptable market names using the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Seafood List. Out of the 63 samples examined, 13 samples (20.6%) were mislabeled. Moreover, 24 samples (38.1%) did not use the acceptable market names, indicating that the FDA policy is poorly implemented in seafood industry. The first DNA barcoding survey this area warranted the need of continuous monitoring and the dissemination of the regulation combined with taxonomic knowledge.

Insider Threats to the Military Health System: A Systematic Background Check of TRICARE West Providers.

To address the pandemic, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) expanded its TRICARE civilian provider network by 30.1%. In 2022, the DHA Annual Report stated that TRICARE's provider directories were only 80% accurate. Unlike Medicare, the DHA does not publicly reveal National Provider Identification (NPI) numbers. As a result, TRICARE's 9.6 million beneficiaries lack the means to verify their doctor's credentials. Since 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has excluded 17,706 physicians and other providers from federal health programs due to billing fraud, neglect, drug-related convictions, and other offenses. These providers and their NPIs are included on the OIG's List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE). Patients who receive care from excluded providers face higher risks of hospitalization and mortality. We sought to assess the extent to which TRICARE screens health care provider names on their referral website against criminal databases. Between January 1-31, 2023, we used TRICARE West's provider directory to search for all providers within a 5-mile radius of 798 zip codes (38 per state, ≥10,000 residents each, randomly entered). We then copied and pasted all directory results' first and last names, business names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, degree types, practice specialties, and active or closed statuses into a CSV file. We cross-referenced the search results against US and state databases for medical and criminal misconduct, including the OIG-LEIE and General Services Administration's (GSA) SAM.gov exclusion lists, the HHS Office of Civil Rights Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) breach reports, 15 available state Medicaid exclusion lists (state), the International Trade Administration's Consolidated Screening List (CSL), 3 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) debarment lists, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) list of January 6 federal defendants, and the OIG-HHS list of fugitives (FUG). Our provider search yielded 111,619 raw results; 54 zip codes contained no data. After removing 72,156 (64.65%) duplicate entries, closed offices, and non-TRICARE West locations, we identified 39,463 active provider names. Within this baseline sample group, there were 2398 (6.08%) total matches against all exclusion and sanction databases, including 2197 on the OIG-LEIE, 2311 on the GSA-SAM.gov list, 2 on the HIPAA list, 54 on the state Medicaid exclusion lists, 69 on the CSL, 3 on the FDA lists, 53 on the FBI list, and 10 on the FUG. TRICARE's civilian provider roster merits further scrutiny by law enforcement. Following the National Institute of Standards and Technology 800, the DHA can mitigate privacy, safety, and security clearance threats by implementing an insider threat management model, robust enforcement of the False Claims Act, and mandatory security risk assessments. These are the views of the author, not the Department of Defense or the US government.

FoodEx2 Harmonization of the Food Consumption Database from the Italian IV SCAI Children's Survey.

Estimating the habitual food and nutrient intakes of a population is based on dietary assessment methods that collect detailed information on food consumption. Establishing the list of foods to be used for collecting data in dietary surveys is central to standardizing data collection. Comparing foods across different data sources is always challenging. Nomenclatures, detail, and classification into broad food groups and sub-groups can vary considerably. The use of a common system for classifying and describing foods is an important prerequisite for analyzing data from different sources. At the European level, EFSA has addressed this need through the development and maintenance of the FoodEx2 classification system. The aim of this work is to present the FoodEx2 harmonization of foods, beverages, and food supplements consumed in the IV SCAI children's survey carried out in Italy. Classifying foods into representative food categories predefined at European level for intake and exposure assessment may lead to a loss of information. On the other hand, a major advantage is the comparability of data from different national databases. The FoodEx2 classification of the national food consumption database represented a step forward in the standardization of the data collection and registration. The large use of FoodEx2 categories at a high level of detail (core and extended terms) combined with the use of descriptors (facets) has minimized information loss and made the reference food categories at country level comparable with different food databases at national and international level.

Association of the habitual dietary intake with the fatty liver index and effect modification by metabotypes in the population-based KORA-Fit study

BackgroundNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging threat for public health with diet being a major risk factor in disease development and progression. However, the effects of habitual food consumption on fatty liver are still inconclusive as well as the proposed role of the individuals’ metabolic profiles. Therefore, the aim of our study is to examine the associations between diet and NAFLD with an emphasis on the influence of specific metabotypes in the general population.MethodsA total of 689 participants (304 men and 385 women) of the KORA-Fit (S4) survey, a follow-up study of the population-based KORA cohort study running in the Region of Augsburg, Germany, were included in this analysis. Dietary information was derived from repeated 24-h food lists and a food frequency questionnaire. The intake of energy and energy-providing nutrients were calculated using the national food composition database. The presence of fatty liver was quantified by the fatty liver index (FLI), and metabotypes were calculated using K-means clustering. Multivariable linear regression models were used for the analysis of habitual food groups and FLI; for the evaluation of macronutrients, energy substitution models were applied.ResultsA higher consumption of nuts and whole grains, and a better diet quality (according to Alternate Healthy Eating Index and Mediterranean Diet Score) were associated with lower FLI values, while the intake of soft drinks, meat, fish and eggs were associated with a higher FLI. The isocaloric substitution of carbohydrates with polyunsaturated fatty acids was associated with a decreased FLI, while substitution with monounsaturated fatty acids and protein showed increased FLI. Statistically significant interactions with the metabotype were observed for most food groups.ConclusionThe consumption of plant-based food groups, including nuts and whole grains, and diet quality, were associated with lower FLI values, whereas the intake of soft drinks and products of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs) were associated with a higher FLI. The observed statistically significant interactions with the metabotype for most food groups could help to develop targeted prevention strategies on a population-based level if confirmed in independent prospective studies.

Adapting Intake24 for Aotearoa - New Zealand

National nutrition surveys play a pivotal role in shaping public health policies and programmes by providing valuable insights into dietary intake and the nutritional wellbeing of a population. A team from the University of Auckland and Massey University worked alongside the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Primary Industries to develop the methods and tools for a future New Zealand Nutrition Survey. Throughout these developmental stages, we partnered and engaged with Māori as tangata whenua, and other key ethnic groups in Aotearoa - New Zealand, ensuring that their unique dietary practices and preferences were accurately captured. This presentation centres on the adaptation of Intake24, an innovative web-based 24-hour dietary recall tool, to optimize dietary data collection within the New Zealand context. The adaptation process involved several key steps including rationalisation of a New Zealand-specific food list, incorporating cultural dishes, adding new portion size estimation aids, and further customisation of the user interface(1). We provide new insights into the user experience and the tool’s functionality, sharing findings from field testing and valuable user feedback. This approach ensures collection of dietary data that is truly representative of the New Zealand population and acknowledges the rich diversity and dietary nuances within the country. As such, this adapted New Zealand version of Intake24 could serve as an essential tool for use in a future National Nutrition Survey or other research initiatives to collect accurate, culturally sensitive, and actionable nutrition data providing evidence to inform future public health programmes and policies.

Development and Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Use in Epidemiological Studies Among North Karnataka Population

Background: Dietary records, such as food diaries (FD) and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs), are widely employed in large-scale epidemiological analyses. Given the regional diversity in dietary habits, this study aimed to develop and assess the reproducibility and construct validity of a novel FFQ tailored for northern Karnataka (FFQ-NK). Methodology: A detailed food list was created based on food use and market surveys in the region. Utilizing data from 24-hour diet recalls and a supplemental focus group discussion, a 116-item semi-quantitative FFQ was developed for adults in north Karnataka. Setting and Subjects: Involving 100 participants from north Karnataka, the FFQ was interviewer administered and the participants also completed three 24-hour dietary recalls (DR), serving as a reference for validity assessment. Results: Though the FFQ indicated higher food and nutrient intake compared to food records. Significant correlations were found for nutrient intake. Pearson’s correlation coefficients between FFQs and DRs ranged from 0.717-0.965 (isoflavonols to energy). Conclusions: The developed and validated FFQ is a valuable tool for epidemiological studies requiring nutrient intake estimates in the north Karnataka population. It serves as an effective dietary assessment tool for individuals aged 20 and older in large-scale epidemiological studies.

Guidelines for the Use of 2023 Food Exchange Lists for Diabetes Meal Planning

Nutrition therapy is plays a pivotal role in diabetes prevention and blood glucose control among diabetics. The contents of the revision of the food exchange lists are as follows. First, the National Standard Food Ingredient Table 10.0 database was used, and the existing classification system and the standard amount of representative nutrients for each food group were maintained. Second, the food list increased significantly from 339 to 435 types in 2010, reflecting survey results from diabetes educators on the addition and deletion of foods. Third, an example of distribution of food groups by energy was planned based on the intake ratio of macronutrients and the ratio of intake of various carbohydrates (40~45%, 50~55%, and 60~65%) to facilitate use in meal patterns in consideration of the patient’s usual eating habits. Fourth, various meal planning methods and diets were presented for individualized meals. Fifth, because of the rapid changes to information on healthy diabetic meals and practices, as well as limitations on updates and revisions, the method of accessing and interpreting data is included in detail.

Development of a new method for assessing the availability of low-sodium foods in Japan

Objectives Food environment improvement involving salt reduction requires improving access to and labeling low-sodium foods. Assessing the implementation status of these measures is also necessary. However, to date, no established methods exist for assessing the availability of low-sodium foods in communities. In this study, we aimed to devise a survey on the availability of low-sodium foods as a community food environment assessment method in order to establish common assessment methods, criteria, and practical measures, as well as standardization nationwide.Methods A preliminary survey on the availability of low-sodium foods was conducted in Kitakyushu City in four stores with nationwide representation. Consent for providing information on handled product lists was obtained. The on-site lists collected through direct investigation by surveyors were compared with the handled product lists provided by the stores and analyzed to identify survey challenges and examine feasibility and the potential for accuracy. The definition of low-sodium foods, which emerged as a challenge in the preliminary survey, was confirmed. Preliminary survey data were carefully reviewed to establish classification criteria for low-sodium foods and create a low-sodium food list to serve as a reference for on-site surveys. Forms for recording the results of on-site surveys and a survey manual were developed. Registered dietitians conducted on-site surveys using the manual to confirm its applicability.Results The preliminary survey results revealed that the on-site lists had fewer omissions and greater feasibility than store-provided lists. After clearly defining low-sodium foods, we established classification criteria (three major categories, seven subcategories, and 37 minor categories) considering the ease of on-site investigations and purchases. Three forms for recording survey results were developed, including a standard input form allowing detailed documentation of the availability of individual low-sodium foods, an aggregation form for a quantitative assessment of low-sodium foods availability, and a display form visualizing the availability of low-sodium foods by store. Furthermore, a survey manual was developed explaining the purpose and approach of the low-sodium foods availability survey, definition and classification criteria for low-sodium foods, and the three forms for recording survey results. Findings indicated that all registered dietitians could conduct on-site surveys using the manual and successfully collect and organize data.Conclusion On-site surveys using the manual and documentation forms enabled easy and accurate assessments of low-sodium foods availability. Thus, this standardized method to assess the availability of low-sodium foods could be a food environment assessment method for regional salt reduction initiatives.

Body Mass Index, Eating Habits and Physical Activities of College Students at Catanduanes State University Panganiban Campus

The transition from high school to university is a critical phase when students struggle to make healthy eating choices with adequate nutrition, affecting their academic status. This descriptive-correlational research investigated the body mass index, eating habits, and physical activities of one hundred twenty-four (124) Bachelor of Elementary Education college students at Catanduanes State University, Panganiban Campus, Catanduanes, Philippines. The researcher used the mean frequency to tabulate the result of the student’s socio-demographic profile, physical activities, and eating habits and the Pearson chi-square to determine the relationship of the variables. Analyzed data on sex revealed that the majority or 50.80% of the respondents have normal BMI, only 3 or 2.42% are obese; year level, majority or 29.03% are first year while 0.80% or 1 is irregular; family income is below Php 9,520; physical activities, majority or 54.83% “rarely” exercise while only 0.81% does it “usually”; eating habits, the respondents “seldom” skip meals aside from majority “seldom” eat the aforementioned list of foods by mealtime. No correlations were established between sex, physical activities, and BMI only along variable-eating habits (Pearson chi-square 14.484, p= 0.025). Thus, healthy eating habits constitute improved food knowledge and education, meal planning, participation in food preparation, and exercise, which reinforces a higher level of physical fitness associated with an increase in academic achievement.

Persistent Barriers of the Gluten-Free Basic Food Basket: Availability, Cost, and Nutritional Composition Assessment.

Gluten-related disorders are treated with a gluten-free diet. The "basic food basket" (BFB) consists of a list of basic foods consumed by low-income groups in society, including those lowest-cost versions within each food category. To evaluate the cost, availability, and nutritional quality of the BFB and gluten-free BFB (GF-BFB), foods were photographed, registering their cost, availability, and nutritional characteristics, in high quality and mid-range supermarkets, wholesalers, health shops, and corner shops, matching each regular BFB product with a gluten-free equivalent. Of the 1177 potential products, the selection of lowest-cost foods yielded 55 and 47 products (BFB and GF-BFB, respectively). Breads/cereals and drinks showed the highest differences (279% and 146%, respectively) while meats and sausages showed the lowest ones (18.6%). The GF-BFB cost represents 30.1% of the minimum wage, which covers the cost of 5.2 and 3.3 of the BFB and GF-BFB per month, respectively. Availability ranged between 22.7 and 42.4%. Lower availability was associated with poorer nutritional quality in the GF-BFB, which provides 5% less energy, 26% more fat, and 25% less protein than the BFB. Only 47% of gluten-free products declared their "gluten-free" condition. The results strongly suggest that the GF-BFB must be redesigned to be both gluten-free and nutritionally adequate.