Local Shops Research Articles

Biowaste utilisation to fabricate corrosion retarding nanofiller MA/LS (Mango kernel ash/Lauric acid treated SiO2) blended epoxy coating for low alloyed carbon steel in saline medium

In present work, Mango fruit biowaste (collected from local juice shop) was utilised to fabricate MA/LS (Mango kernel ash/Lauric acid treated SiO2) composite by simple sol-gel technique, to fabricate low cost and non-hazardous corrosion retarding nanofiller for epoxy coating. Fabricated composite was added as nanofiller in epoxy to get composite epoxy coating (EP/MA-LS) and then was examined for corrosion resistance by utilising EIS and salt spray analysis. EP/MA-LS has offered excellent Rp value of 2.27 × 108 Ω cm2 as observed from EIS FRA measurement and protection efficiency of 89.32 % (measured from potentiodynamic linear polarisation) even after 51 days of prolong exposure in 3.5 % NaCl. Wettability examination of EP/MA-LS has demonstrated high hydrophobicity with contact angle of 122.3°. Improved thermal stability and better compactness was also observed for EP/MA-LS on examining with TGA and SEM respectively.

Investigating Factors Influencing Acceptance of Pink Tax on Personal Care Products Among Chinese Urban Women

Abstract: The pink tax is an unfair economic practice where products and services of the same quality are charged at different prices toward female and male consumers. This paper investigated what factors will contribute to young Chinese female consumers acceptance and attitudes toward the practice of the pink tax. It adopted quantitative methods and collected data from 500 questionnaires distributed across five major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Qingdao. This study found that socio-demographic factors such as marital status, educational attainment, disposable income, family structure, and Hukou and home ownership status would influence consumers. Consumers pursuit of product packaging, product attributes, high-end shopping locations, as well as some emotional burdens further lead to higher acceptance of the pink tax. This paper addresses the gap of socio-demographic factors associated with pink tax and China since most previous researches investigated pink tax in developed country from an economic perspective.

Children’s Perspectives of Neighbourhood Spaces: Gender-Based Insights From Participatory Mapping and GIS Analysis

Although several urban design and planning features, such as community spaces, green infrastructure, and traffic measures that prioritise pedestrians and children, have been identified as important characteristics of child-friendly cities and neighbourhoods, there remains a gap in our understanding regarding the specific elements of children’s daily environments that influence their experiences. This study focuses on the everyday activity spaces of children (aged 9–12) living in physically and socially diverse neighbourhoods of low-to-average income in Ankara, Turkey. Drawing on findings from thematic and qualitative GIS-based analyses of 40 participatory map-based focus groups with 217 children, this study aims to understand how neighbourhood design influences children’s everyday experiences across different neighbourhood types and genders. By visualising children’s perceptions of their neighbourhoods and activity spaces, and thematically analysing their comments related to neighbourhood design features that may facilitate positive and negative experiences, this child-centred study contributes to the limited research on children’s experiences of place. Our findings revealed key neighbourhood design features influencing children’s experiences and highlighted gender-based differences. While natural settings were valued across settings and genders, boys reported more physical activities in open spaces while girls more frequently emphasised the need for accessible playgrounds and natural settings. Children in urban neighbourhoods frequented streets, parks, and local shops more often, while those in suburban and sprawling areas preferred amenities near their homes. The study demonstrates that children’s positive everyday experiences can be supported by modifying the neighbourhood design, providing valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers on developing more child-friendly neighbourhoods.

Access to gluten-free foods for people with coeliac disease in New Zealand.

A strict gluten-free (GF) diet is the current mainstay of treatment for coeliac disease (CD). A limited range of GF foods are available on prescription for those with CD. GF foods purchased in shops are typically more expensive than gluten-containing equivalents. This study sought to understand how New Zealanders with CD obtain GF products and the changes associated with this. Coeliac New Zealand members were asked to complete an anonymous electronic survey in June 2023. Although 24% of the 522 respondents had accessed GF foods on prescription in the past, only 2% currently used the service. One-third of the respondents were unaware of the service. Cost and limited product range were the key reasons for not accessing prescriptions. Most non-prescription GF foods were purchased from a supermarket, with 54% spending over $50 per week on GF foods. Most respondents (90%) would prefer a discount card to purchase GF products. Preferences regarding the prescription service would be to collect products from a local shop (84%) or a pharmacy (42%). This study indicates a very low uptake of GF products on prescription, with awareness, cost, product range and convenience limiting use of the service. Most respondents would prefer financial support for discounted GF products.

Produce prescription benefits redemption and activity in an observational study of 2,680 Massachusetts Medicaid members

BackgroundFood is Medicine interventions are increasingly employed to address food and nutrition insecurity and diet sensitive conditions, and advance health equity. Produce prescription (PRx) programs hold particular promise, providing funds to purchase fruits and vegetables as part of a treatment plan. Despite early evidence, key knowledge gaps remain regarding redemption and activity rates, identified as critical but understudied factors with research, clinical, and policy implications. ObjectiveThis prospective observational study investigates benefits utilization in a population of 2,680 Massachusetts Medicaid members enrolled in the Fresh Connect PRx intervention between July 2020 – December 2022. DesignWe examined trends overall, by duration of participation, alongside program changes, and by individual-level characteristics, providing a more complete picture of key correlates to benefits utilization. ResultsParticipants enrolling during program periods with access to larger number of stores had up to 14.5% absolute higher redemption rates (95% CI 10.4, 18.7) and, separately, five-fold greater likelihood of shopping each month (OR 5.0, 95% CI 3.7, 6.7) than those enrolled with fewest locations. Within individuals in the program 24 months, participation increased with time, with active shoppers rising from 65% in month 1 to 75% in month 12 to 85% in month 24; and redemption rising from 31% to 68% to 88% over the same period. Redemption was also higher for females compared to males (5.9% higher, 95% CI 3.0, 8.7), Asian compared to White participants (18.3% higher, 95% CI 10.6, 26.1) and for participants reporting Spanish as their preferred language compared to English (13.9% higher, 95% CI 10.9, 16.9). ConclusionsActivity and redemption can each be high in PRx, and may be positively associated with more shopping locations, longer participation and program implementation experience, and specific participant demographic factors. These findings inform interpretation of prior and design of future research on PRx, health outcomes, and health care utilization.

Comparative Analysis of Self-Medication Practices with Antibiotics Among Non-Medical and Medical College Students in India

Background: Self-medication is prevalent globally, making the processes easier but raising potential hazards like antibiotic resistance. College students, influenced by social media, exhibit alarming self-medication behaviours. This cross-sectional study surveyed undergraduate students across medical, nursing, and non-health science institutions to assess the self-medication habits, knowledge and attitude of students. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across various educational institutions from August 2023 to February 2024, targeting undergraduate students aged 18 and over. Using a pre-validated questionnaire, data on socio-demography, self-medication with antibiotics, and related knowledge were collected via Google Forms. The sample size was doubled to 1175 for better statistical power. Data analysis was performed using standard statistical tools. Results: Analysis of data demonstrated that a substantive proportion of students self-medicate with antibiotics. For medical students, convenience was the biggest issue and for non-medical students, it was cost-saving coupled with distrust in doctors. The most common complaint received for self-medication was throat pain. Medical students used textbooks for necessary information whereas non-medical students went to local shops for advice. Patterns differed somewhat in comparison with international studies, indicating regional differences. Strikingly, medical students predominantly relied on academic knowledge and previous experiences while using antibiotics, whereas non-medical students often obtained antibiotics from shops or the internet, making them vulnerable to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Conclusion: This highlights the importance of implementing specific interventions to reduce unsafe self-medication practices in students.

Examining Competitive Strategies in Growing Coffee Industry with Game Theory

The coffee market in Turkey is growing rapidly, leading to fierce competition between international, national and local coffee shops. It has become extremely important for the local economy that local businesses can compete and survive with these more institutionalized structures that also have brand advantages in competition. In this study, game theory was used as a tool to analyse the competitive strategies of companies operating in the coffee market by designing both zero-sum and non-zero-sum games. Considering that the expectations, tastes, preferences and consumption habits of the generations may be different, 1600 people were surveyed in Erzurum province by grouping them as Generation X, Y and Z according to their year of birth. Different game matrices were created with the data obtained from the surveys. The games were designed to identify the prominent strategies among coffee shops for each generation. The results showed that, regardless of generation, local coffee shops stand out from international and national coffee chains in terms of space comfort. In addition, local shops also stand out in terms of meeting consumer expectations. In order to gain a competitive advantage, local coffee shops should focus on developing strategies related to the space comfort. Developing this strategy provides opportunities for local businesses to increase their market share. It is also observed that Generation Z has higher expectations in all strategies compared to other generations.

Ion chromatographic quantification of nine cationic components in pre-blast and post-blast residues of pyrotechnic samples

AbstractAn ion chromatographic method and its application have been described to quantify nine cationic components (lithium, sodium, ammonium, methylammonium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium) in pyrotechnics (firecracker and firework) samples. The samples in this study were purchased from local shops in Ternate City, North Maluku. The method performed a mixed eluent with 4 mM HNO3 and 0.015 mM Na2EDTA, combined with a Metrosep C4-150/4.0 separation column for all quantifications. Excellent chromatograms were achieved, and the nine cationic components were eluted in less than 18 min. The calibration graphs of the quantifications were linear in the range of 1.25–37.5 mg L−1. The detection limit (LOD) at S/N = 3 was below 0.098 ppm (mg L−1). This method was applied to the pre-blast and post-blast residues of pyrotechnics samples, and the simultaneous quantification of the nine cationic components in these samples was achieved with satisfactory results.

Potential Impacts of Diversification of Food Retail Working Hours on Consumer Behaviour and the Benefits for Local Producers in Latvia

The capability of large food retail chains to respond quickly to changes in consumer behaviour and their dominant market position affects all food market players and often conflicts with the interests of national food producers, which can reduce the presence of locally sourced products in the food product mix in the country. Accordingly, the present research aims to identify the impacts of the diversification of opening hours of food supermarkets on consumer shopping habits and the implications for creating an advantage for small and medium agri-food producers in selling their products. The research applied a quantitative approach to identify the main trends in society (n = 2738), with a survey including 31 variables to quantify consumer behaviour, values, and opinions and seven socio-demographic variables. If a decision was made in Latvia to close grocery shops on Sundays or reduce their opening hours on weekends, 85% of consumers indicated that they would be unlikely to change their usual shopping location and would plan to shop at a supermarket on other days. The choice between farmers’ markets and local food shops on Sundays would be made by 45% of consumers, with more than half (53%) of them shopping at local food shops at least a few times a month. The research uniquely investigated the impact of reducing supermarket opening hours on the competitive advantage of small and medium-sized agri-food producers. The findings revealed that reducing supermarket opening hours does not confer a competitive advantage to the producers or significantly shift consumer preferences towards their products.

Ameliorated Viability of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Fruit Juice Isolated from Indigenous Dahi with Prebiotics (Asparagus falcatus and Zingiber officinale)

Dahi is a fermented milk product containing probiotic lactic acid bacteria. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and characterize lactic acid-producing bacteria from native Dahi and evaluate their viability in orange juice using natural prebiotics. Dahi samples were obtained from local shops in Chattogram and Bogura, Bangladesh. Lactic acid-producing bacteria were isolated using MRS (de Mann Rogosa and Sharpe) medium. The isolated bacteria were identified through colony morphology, biochemical tests, and probiotic characteristics. Molecular identification was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting conserved 16S rDNA regions. Isolates of the genus Lactobacillus and Lactococcus lactis sp. Lactis were confirmed and used to develop probiotic orange juice. Prebiotics (Asparagus falcatus and Zingiber officinale) were added to the juice to support probiotic growth. The inoculated cell’s viability and the juice’s physicochemical parameters were evaluated during fermentation (48 hours) and storage (28 days). All fruit juice samples showed a mean number of viable cells of at least 1×105 CFU/mL during the 48-hour fermentation and 28-day storage in the refrigerator. Using natural prebiotics positively affected the survival of lactic acid bacteria, as demonstrated by bacterial colony growth on Petri dishes. Developing probiotic fruit juice enriched with prebiotics could be an effective alternative for individuals allergic or intolerant to milk-based products. Incorporating lactic acid bacteria from native Dahi into orange juice, combined with natural prebiotics, resulted in viable probiotic cells throughout fermentation and storage.

Time-varying exposure to food retailers and cardiovascular disease hospitalization and mortality in the netherlands: a nationwide prospective cohort study.

Very few studies to date investigated the prospective association of changes in exposure to the food environment with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We aim to explore if time-varying exposure to the food environment was associated with hospitalization and mortality due to total and specific types of CVD in The Netherlands. In this prospective cohort study, 4,641,435 Dutch adults aged 35 + years who did not change residence in 2002-2018 were identified through registry data. Exposure to the food environment was defined as time-varying Food Environment Healthiness Index (FEHI) scores (range: - 5 to 5) and time-varying kernel density of specific food retailers (e.g., fast food outlets, supermarkets) around the home location between 2004 and 2018. The main outcome measures were hospitalization and mortality due to overall CVD, stroke, HF, and CHD occurring between 2004 and 2020, based on hospital and death registries. In Cox regression models, each unit increase in the FEHI was associated with a lower hospitalization and mortality of CVD (hospitalization hazard ratio (HRh) = 0.90 (0.89 to 0.91), mortality hazard ratio (HRm) = 0.85 (0.82 to 0.89)), CHD (HRh = 0.88 (0.85 to 0.91), HRm = 0.80 (0.75 to 0.86)), stroke (HRh = 0.89 (0.84 to 0.93)), HRm = 0.89 (0.82 to 0.98)), and HF (HRh = 0.90 (0.84-0.96), HRm = 0.84 (0.76 to 0.92)). Increased density of local food shops, fast food outlets, supermarkets, and convenience stores and decreased density of food delivery outlets and restaurants were associated with a higher risk of CVD, CHD, stroke, and HF hospitalization and mortality. In this observational longitudinal study, changes in exposure to a healthier food environment over 14years were associated with a risk reduction in CVD hospitalization and mortality, in particular in urbanized areas and for younger adults and those with higher incomes.

Dietary practices of children and adolescents residing in an area of Chakdaha Block, Nadia district, West Bengal.

Childhood and adolescence are crucial developmental stages during the life course. They develop and establish lifelong dietary and lifestyle habits. Unhealthy food environments that influence the risk of obesity and other nutrition-related NCDs by affecting the dietary patterns. Assessment of dietary patterns and factors affecting them will help to provide targeted interventions to improve the same. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged more than 6 months and adolescents by interviewing their mothers regarding the dietary patterns. A two-stage sampling method was followed for selection of the participants. A total of 325 participants were interviewed. Dietary diversity (DD) was present in 55.4% of the participants. Children of mothers who were educated beyond middle school (aOR = 3.81 (1.87-7.73), P = 0.000) and children who stayed in a joint family (aOR = 1.73 (1.11-2.72) P < 0.05) had higher odds of having dietary diversity in their diet, after adjusting for age and sex. Fast food shop location (aOR = 0.14 (0.05-0.38), P value = 0.000) was found to have a significant association with fast food intake among participants. Children and adolescents residing in the study area have a distinct dietary pattern compared to prevalent dietary practices in India. To improve dietary diversity of children and adolescents, maternal education, family dynamics, and community food environment, which include fast food and market locations, can be points of targeted interventions.

Unlocking Customer Loyalty in Indonesian Local Coffee Shops: An In-depth Analysis of The Influential Factors

Research aims: The purpose of this study is to investigate and assess the impact of various factors on customer loyalty within Indonesian local coffee shops. Specifically, the research aims to explore how value co-creation, product quality, store ambiance, and service quality influence consumer satisfaction. Additionally, the study will examine the relationships among switching costs, customer loyalty, and trust, as well as the mechanisms by which switching costs and trust affect loyalty through the mediating role of satisfaction. Through this comprehensive analysis, the study seeks to provide insights into the dynamics of customer loyalty in the coffee shop industry.Design/Methodology/Approach: In this study, the main quantitative research method was cross-sectional surveys. The hypotheses were assessed using SEM-PLS and Smart PLS.Research findings: The research findings provide valuable insights related to the factors that influence consumer loyalty in the local coffee shop industry in Indonesia, emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction, switching costs, trust, and the role of mediating factors in fostering long-term loyalty among customersTheoretical Contribution/Originality: The theoretical contribution and originality of the study lie in its exploration of value co-creation, mediating factors, empirical analysis techniques, localized context, and practical implications within the context of consumer loyalty in local coffee shops in Indonesia. These aspects contribute to advancing knowledge in the field of consumer behavior and loyalty within the coffee shop industry.Practitioners/Policy Implications: By implementing these practical implications, practitioners and policymakers in the coffee shop industry can enhance customer satisfaction, build loyalty, and create a competitive advantage in the market. These recommendations aim to improve customer experiences, strengthen relationships, and drive business growth in the local coffee shop sector in Indonesia.Research Limitations/Implications: The research model may have limitations in capturing the full complexity of customer loyalty dynamics. Including additional variables or exploring different theoretical frameworks could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing loyalty.

Explanatory models and animal health-seeking behavior for East Coast fever in rural Kenya: an ethnographic study.

Explanatory models of disease focus on individuals' and groups' understandings of diseases, revealing a disconnect between livestock keepers and animal health providers. Animal health providers rely on models grounded in their veterinary training and experience. At the same time, livestock keepers may construct models based on traditional knowledge and their lived experience with East Coast fever in their cattle herds. To better understand East Coast fever and develop more efficient management strategies, this ethnographic study used the explanatory models' framework to provide a structured way for comprehending and contrasting different beliefs and understandings of East Coast fever as perceived by the livestock keepers across the different livestock production systems. Multiple data collection methods were employed, including unstructured observations, 30 in-depth interviews (IDIs), 18 focus group discussions (FGDs), and 25 key informant interviews (KIIs). Adult cattle, calves and sheep were perceived as susceptible to East Coast fever. However, there were varying perceptions of livestock susceptible to East Coast fever in the different livestock production systems. East Coast fever was attributed to multiple factors, including ticks, tsetse flies, mosquitos, birds, stagnant, dirty, or contaminated water, and livestock-wildlife interactions. However, some aspects were specific to the production system. Livestock keepers classified diseases based on observable signs, grouping diseases with similar signs under the same classification. Moreover, livestock keepers described different forms of East Coast fever ranging from treatable to fatal, which could be distinguished by the signs they presented. Self-treatment with drugs from the local agro-vet shops was the initial course of action during suspected cases of East Coast fever. Animal health practitioners were the last resort if self-treatment did not produce the desired outcome. Livestock keepers perceived avoidance of stagnant or contaminated water, tick control, and fencing as effective control measures for East Coast fever in their livestock herd. Very few livestock keepers were aware of an East Coast fever vaccine. Mechanistic explanations hold little significance in controlling East Coast fever. Instead, understanding and addressing livestock keepers' beliefs regarding ECF is crucial for promoting behaviors that support interventions across different livestock production systems.

Impact of Pictorial Health Warnings on Cigarette Packs among Current Smokers of Sub-Metropolitan City of Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Pictorial health warning on cigarette packs is one of the strategies undertaken by Nepal Government as per the directive of World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to control smoking. It has been more than a decade since the introduction of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs in Nepal. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the pictorial warnings among current smokers of Dharan, Nepal.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among current smokers visiting local shops located near ward offices of Dharan after obtaining ethical approval from Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 204/080/01 -IRC). A structured and validated Nepali questionnaire was used to interview the smokers about the impact of the pictorial warnings based on their noticeability, behavioural and cognitive responses. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The responses of the participants were tabulated in frequencies and percentages.Results: The pictorial warnings were noticed by 277 (98.93%) participants in past one month out of which 11 (3.93%) smokers had always read or looked closely at them. Smoking less frequently was the behaviour change reported by 70 (25%) participants and smoking less around others was reported by and 56 (20%) participants. In total, 189 (67.50%) smokers had thought about the harms of smoking and 160 (57.14%) had intention to quit smoking due to the pictorial warnings.Conclusions: The pictorial health warnings were not so effective in bringing about changes in smoking behaviour of smokers.

Greening the cup: Green marketing strategies of Milk Tea Shops in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija

This study investigates the adoption of green marketing strategies by milk tea shops in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, focusing on their motivations, benefits, strategies employed, and challenges faced. Utilizing a quantitative research design, data were collected through a structured questionnaire from local milk tea shop owners and managers. The findings reveal that the primary motivation for adopting green marketing is to fulfill corporate social responsibilities and gain a competitive advantage. Shops recognize substantial benefits, including increased consumer awareness, enhanced brand reputation, and potential cost savings. Key strategies employed include using biodegradable packaging, promoting reusable items, and implementing portion control measures. Despite these efforts, challenges such as high costs, consumer skepticism, and complex environmental certifications persist. The results indicate a strong commitment to sustainability but also highlight the need for improved consumer education and cost-effective solutions. Recommendations include investing in educational campaigns to enhance consumer understanding of green marketing benefits, exploring affordable, sustainable materials, and developing clear, structured green marketing plans. Addressing these challenges can enhance the effectiveness of green marketing strategies and support long-term sustainability in the milk tea sector.

Discarded fishing net pollution in coastal areas of Bangladesh

Discarded fishing nets, a major source of marine litter, significantly threaten the marine environment and contribute to plastic pollution due to the synthetic polymers they contain. Though Bangladesh is a maritime country with 0.5 million of fishers dependent on coastal and marine fishing, there have been no studies to date on the plastic pollution impact of fishing nets. This study demonstrates the fishing nets associated with marine litter in two coastal locations of Bangladesh, Charfesson and Cox's Bazar. Fishing net samples were collected from local net shops and semi-structured interviews were taken of the shop owners to gather information about available fishing nets. This was complemented by photo-quadrat surveys to document waste fishing net materials on the shore in both locations. Among the 17 net samples, there were 12 types of gill nets, which showed a wide range of variation in price, material types, and longevity. Through the FTIR analysis, we identified the presence of Nylon 6, Polyethylene, Polyvinyl chloride, Polypropylene and Polyethylene terephthalate in the collected fishing net samples. Photoquadrat surveys found that fishing nets are related to plastic pollution in coastal areas. This study addressed the knowledge gap regarding the diversity and chemical characteristics of fishing nets and the resulting litter in Bangladesh.

The Influence of Electronic Word of Mouth, Customer Perception and Green Brand Image on Green Purchase Decision with Mediation of Green Attitude on Products Local Green Coffee Shop

This research was conducted to determine the perceptions and attitudes of the public from purchasing products at the Local Green Coffee Shop. Through the variables of Electronic Word Of Mouth, Customer Perception, Green Brand Image to Green Purchase Decision which is mediated by Green Attitude on local green coffee shop products. The object of this research is someone who is active in social media and transacts at a local Green Coffee Shop, domiciled in Jabodetabek, Bandung, Surabaya and Bali. This research was conducted by 125 respondents. This study uses purposive sampling techniques to measure the perceptions and attitudes of the sample. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used along with the SmartPLS 4.0 analysis tool. The results showed that Electronic Word Of Mouth has a positive and significant effect on Green Purchase Decision; Customer Perception has a positive and insignificant effect on Green Purchase Decision; Green Brand Image has a positive and significant effect on Green Purchase Decision; Green Attitude positively and significantly mediates the relationship between Electronic Word Of Mouth and Green Purchase Decision; and Green Attitude positively and insignificantly mediates the relationship between Customer Perception. The findings of this study are expected to serve as a reference for coffee shop owners and teenagers who want to establish a Green Coffee Shop.

Health risk assessment of trace metal concentrations in cereal-based infant foods from Arba Minch Town, Ethiopia

The study aimed to determine the trace metal concentrations and assess the associated health risk of consuming cereal-based infant foods sold in supermarkets and local shops (baltena) in Arba Minch town, Ethiopia. Samples were subjected to a microwave digestion process and the trace elements were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). The method’s accuracy was validated through a recovery test, yielding optimal results within the range of 94–100 %. The average concentrations of trace elements in the infant food samples were as follows: Iron (36.51–47.58 mg/kg), Copper (1.86–2.57 mg/kg), Zinc (13.90–21.56 mg/kg), Nickel (0.02–0.04 mg/kg), Chromium (0.034–0.10 mg/kg), Cobalt (0.012–0.02 mg/kg). Notably, potentially toxic heavy metals like Cadmium and Lead were not detected in the samples. The hazard quotient (HQ) for (6−9) month old infants was less than one (HQ<1) for all the trace elements analyzed. The same holds good for (9−12) month old infants except few food samples such as Selam, Zini, Mimi and Mulga baltena, which had HQ values greater than one (HQ>1). It is inferred that the continuous consumption of these foods might cause risk over a longer period.

A PRELIMINARY OBSERVED SELF EVALUATION STUDY OF STATUTORY TOBACCO REGULATION ACT IN AND AROUND SCHOOLS OF MYSURU DISTRICT

This preliminary survey investigates the proximity and prevalence of tobacco outlets shop near schools, aiming to understand the potential exposure of school-aged children to tobacco products specially cigarettes. The study focuses on identifying the density and location of tobacco shops within a defined radius of educational institutions. Data were collected from multiple schools in various regions of Mysuru city and rural areas, using geographical information systems (GIS) to map and analyze the distribution of these outlets using the latitude and longitude of the location. The findings reveal a significant number of tobacco outlets situated within close proximity to schools, raising concerns about the accessibility of tobacco products to minors. Although the school management is strictly following the rules in the virtue of COPTA act 2003 of displaying board of prohibition, restriction, prevention and punishments of usage tobacco products. The results underscore the need for stricter zoning regulations and public health interventions to reduce the exposure and appeal of tobacco products to young people. This survey provides a foundational analysis that can inform policy makers and community leaders in their efforts to create healthier environments for children and adolescents.