Meal Environment Research Articles

Adolescent home food environments and socioeconomic position.

Many adolescents have diets that are less than optimal, particularly adolescents of low socioeconomic position (SEP). The determinants of SEP differences in adolescent dietary intake are poorly understood. This study examined the home food environments of adolescents and specifically investigated whether low SEP adolescents have less supportive home meal environments, fewer eating rules and poorer home availability of fruit and vegetables than adolescents of high SEP. A cross-sectional, self-reported survey was administered to 3,264 adolescents in years 7 and 9, from 37 secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. Adolescent perceptions of the home meal environment, eating rules and home food availability were described and compared across SEP, which was measured using maternal education. Maternal education was linked to various aspects of the home meal environment, as well as home food availability, but not to eating rules. Low SEP adolescents were more likely to report that they were always allowed to watch television during meal times, and that unhealthy foods were always or usually available at home. In contrast, high SEP adolescents were more likely to report that vegetables were always served at dinner, that the evening meal was never an unpleasant time and always or usually a time for family connectedness, and that fruit was always or usually available at home. This study highlights aspects of the home food environment that might explain SEP variation in adolescent diets. Feasible ways of increasing home availability of healthy foods, and encouraging home meal environments to be supportive of healthy eating should be explored, particularly in households of low SEP adolescents.

Commentary on Mamhidir A‐G, Karlsson I, Norberg A, Kihlgren M (2007) Weight increase in patients with dementia, and alteration in meal routines and meal environment after integrity promoting care. Journal of Clinical Nursing 16, 987–996

Commentary on Mamhidir A‐G, Karlsson I, Norberg A, Kihlgren M (2007) Weight increase in patients with dementia, and alteration in meal routines and meal environment after integrity promoting care. <i>Journal of Clinical Nursing</i> 16, 987–996

Application of the meal environment as a tool to improve health?

AbstractThe aim of this paper was to look into meal experiences with a focus on acceptance and satisfaction in institutional eating locations, primarily in the caring sector. The situation and the context have the ability to influence the acceptability of a meal, as well as the amount eaten. Context factors can be at least important in determining acceptance of food and beverage as sensory factors. Variables such as location, physical and social environment, expectations, description of foods and choice can have an impact on the acceptance of a meal. In addition, proper response to guests’ needs and requests can lead to satisfaction. Improvement of the atmosphere in the eating location during the meal has been shown to be a meaningful way to stabilize health and nutritional status, as well as having an impact on the energy intake in patients. When the food and beverage meets certain expectations, the room and the meeting can enhance the atmosphere, and therefore the entire quality of the meal experience.

Development of a School Nutrition–Environment State Policy Classification System (SNESPCS)

As policy strategies are rapidly being developed to address childhood overweight, a system was developed to systematically and reliably classify state policies related to the school nutrition environment. This study describes the development process, the inter-rater reliability to code state policies enacted as of December 2003, and the variability in state policies related to the school nutrition environment. The development of the School Nutrition Environment State Policy Classification System (SNESPCS) included a comprehensive review of published literature, reports from government and nongovernmental sources, input from an expert panel, and select experts. Baseline statutes and regulations for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia were retrieved from Westlaw (data retrieved in 2005-2006 and analyzed in 2006) and pilot testing of the system was conducted. SNESPCS included 11 policy areas that relate to a range of environmental and surveillance domains. At baseline, states had no (advertising/promotion and preferential pricing) or modest (school meal environment, reimbursable school meals, coordinating or advisory councils, body mass index screening) activities in many of the policy areas. As of 2003, 60% of the states had policies related to the sale of foods in school that compete with the school meal program. Evaluation of policies that affect the school-nutrition environment is in its earliest stage. SNESPCS provides a mechanism for assessing variation in state policies that can be incorporated in an evaluation framework aimed at elucidating the impact of state policies on the school environment, social norms, and children's dietary behaviors in schools.

Weight increase in patients with dementia, and alteration in meal routines and meal environment after integrity promoting care

To follow weight changes in patients with moderate and severe dementia and analyse how these changes related to biological and psychological parameters after staff education and support in integrity promoting care. A further aim was to describe meal environment and routines relative to the intervention. Weight loss in patients with dementia and in particular Alzheimer's disease is common. The aetiology appears multifactorial with the meal environment and a decreased independence while eating among the factors. Over a three-month intervention period, an integrity-promoting care training programme was conducted with the staff of a long-term ward. Alzheimer's disease patients, 18 from an intervention ward and 15 from a control ward were included and possible effects were evaluated. Weighing was conducted at the start and after completion of the intervention. Weight changes were analysed in relation to psychological and biochemical parameters. In addition, the staff wrote diaries about, for example changes made in the environment and in their work. The most prominent difference observed was weight increases in 13 of 18 patients compared with two of 15 patients in the control ward. No weight changes were related to the type of dementia. The individual weight changes correlated significantly to changes in the intellectual functions. Relationships between weight change, increased motor function and increased appetite were non-significant. There was no significant relationship between weight changes and changes in biochemical parameters. According to the staff, increased contact with the patients and a more pleasant atmosphere resulted when the meal environment and routines were changed. Weight gain in patients with moderate and severe dementia was achieved by adjusting the meal environment to the individual's needs. Staff education was profitable, as increased competence seemed to promote individually adapted feeding situations. Ensuring good meal situations need to be given high priority.

Positive Effects of Family Dinner Are Undone by Television Viewing

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to test the independent associations of eating dinner as a family and having the television on during dinner with child feeding behaviors. Parents/guardians of children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in New York state were surveyed (n=1,336). Main outcome variables were frequencies of serving fruits, vegetables, and milk. Main exposure variables were the number of days per week the family ate dinner together and the number of days per week the television was on during dinner. Multiple logistic regressions assessed the association between the exposure variables and each of the main outcome measures controlling for race/ethnicity and parental educational attainment. Each night the family ate dinner together was positively associated with serving fruits (odds ratio [OR]=1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07 to 1.21) or vegetables (OR=1.15, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.23). Serving fruits (OR= 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99) or vegetables (OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.98) decreased with each night the television was on during dinner. Neither family dinner nor television on during dinner was significantly associated with serving milk. Family dinners and dinners without television on are independent predictors of servings of fruits or vegetables offered to preschool children. Because dietary habits and preferences are established early in life, parents should be counseled to promote family meal environments that support healthful eating.

1P2-N-122 箸を用いた食事介助ロボットによる環境支援システム(医療福祉ロボティクス・メカトロニクス2,生活を支援するロボメカ技術のメガインテグレーション)

1P2-N-122 箸を用いた食事介助ロボットによる環境支援システム(医療福祉ロボティクス・メカトロニクス2,生活を支援するロボメカ技術のメガインテグレーション)

Are family meal patterns associated with disordered eating behaviors among adolescents?

Purpose To examine associations between family meal patterns (frequency, priority, atmosphere, and structure of family meals) and disordered eating (unhealthy weight control behaviors, binge eating, and chronic dieting) in adolescent girls and boys. Methods Survey and anthropometric data were collected from 4746 ethnically diverse adolescents from public middle and senior high schools who participated in the Project EAT study (Eating Among Teens). Variables of interest included family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors. Logistic regressions were performed to examine associations between family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors adjusting for body mass index, sociodemographic characteristics, family connectedness, and weight pressures within the home. Results In general, adolescents who reported more frequent family meals, high priority for family meals, a positive atmosphere at family meals, and a more structured family meal environment were less likely to engage in disordered eating. For example, 18.1% of girls who reported 1–2 family meals/week engaged in extreme weight control behaviors compared with 8.8% of girls who reported 3–4 family meals/week. Making family meals a priority, in spite of scheduling difficulties, emerged as the most consistent protective factor for disordered eating. Associations between family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors tended to be stronger among girls than among boys. Family meal patterns were more consistently associated with unhealthy weight control behaviors than with chronic dieting and binge eating. Although associations between family meals and disordered eating were weakened after adjusting for more global familial factors, including family connectedness and weight-specific pressures within the home, a number of the associations remained statistically significant, suggesting an independent relationship between family meals and disordered eating. Conclusion Family meals have the potential to play an important role in the prevention of unhealthy weight control behaviors among youth. Findings suggest that attention needs to be directed toward increasing family meal frequency and creating a positive environment for family meals.

Are family meal patterns associated with disordered eating behaviors among adolescents?

Purpose To examine associations between family meal patterns (frequency, priority, atmosphere, and structure of family meals) and disordered eating (unhealthy weight control behaviors, binge eating, and chronic dieting) in adolescent girls and boys. Methods Survey and anthropometric data were collected from 4746 ethnically diverse adolescents from public middle and senior high schools who participated in the Project EAT study (Eating Among Teens). Variables of interest included family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors. Logistic regressions were performed to examine associations between family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors adjusting for body mass index, sociodemographic characteristics, family connectedness, and weight pressures within the home. Results In general, adolescents who reported more frequent family meals, high priority for family meals, a positive atmosphere at family meals, and a more structured family meal environment were less likely to engage in disordered eating. For example, 18.1% of girls who reported 1–2 family meals/week engaged in extreme weight control behaviors compared with 8.8% of girls who reported 3–4 family meals/week. Making family meals a priority, in spite of scheduling difficulties, emerged as the most consistent protective factor for disordered eating. Associations between family meal patterns and disordered eating behaviors tended to be stronger among girls than among boys. Family meal patterns were more consistently associated with unhealthy weight control behaviors than with chronic dieting and binge eating. Although associations between family meals and disordered eating were weakened after adjusting for more global familial factors, including family connectedness and weight-specific pressures within the home, a number of the associations remained statistically significant, suggesting an independent relationship between family meals and disordered eating. Conclusion Family meals have the potential to play an important role in the prevention of unhealthy weight control behaviors among youth. Findings suggest that attention needs to be directed toward increasing family meal frequency and creating a positive environment for family meals.

MAXIMIZING OUTCOME OF DEMENTIA TREATMENT:THE ROLE OF NUTRITION

The dementia syndromes are multifactorial regarding etiology, prevention, diagnosis,therapy, and rehabilitation, which include genetics, histopathology, biochemistry as well as sociopsychology, clinical medicine and caring sciences. This review concentrates on nutritional aspects. This includes body composition, where sarcopenia and water deprivations are important issues. Body weight and body water decrease with age which together with the well-known deterioration of thirst perception in old age may give rise to e.g., circulatory collapse and confusion, which is such a common symptom in the elderly not the least in demented patients. We have shown that an improved meal environment in nursing home patients markedly improves the psychosocial and nutritional situation. Aspects on feeding behavior have been shown to be important as well. Epidemiologically, recent 18-year longitudinal data from the gerontological and geriatric population studies in Göteborg, Sweden(H70) suggest that overweight at high ages is a risk factor for dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, in women. Furthermore, overweight and obesity are important contributors to the presence of white matter lesions in the elderly.

Associations between Perceived Family Meal Environment and Parent Intake of Fruit, Vegetables, and Fat

Objective To describe the family mealtime environment and assess associations with adult fruit, vegetable, and fat intake. Design Telephone survey. Participants A convenience sample of 277 adults in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area were recruited through 4 schools. The sample was 85% female and 70% married. The mean number of children in the household was 2.6 (range 1 to 9). Variables Measured Adult fruit and vegetable intake, fat intake, and perceptions of the mealtime environment. Analysis Descriptive and mixed-model linear regression. Results Participants reported that the television was frequently on during dinner meals and almost one third felt that their family was too busy to eat dinner together. A higher frequency of television viewing during dinner was associated with lower fruit and vegetable consumption and higher fat consumption. Planning meals in advance was associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption; however, 46% of the adults did not plan meals in advance. Arguments concerning eating behavior during dinner were associated with higher fat consumption. Conclusion and Implications The family meal environment is associated with adult eating patterns and should be considered when designing nutrition messages for families.

Discussion

Mealtimes are an important part of the hospital stay for patients and have significance for the patients' recovery and treatment as well as for their overall experience of their hospital stay. However, more knowledge is needed to understand the activities performed for the benefit of the patients and what the staff experience and describe to be meaningful or challenging when serving patients their meals. This study investigates the notion of hospitality in understanding the everyday activity of serving meals to older adult patients. The study is based on 20 semi-structured interviews with assistant nurses, registered nurses, and meal hosts at two hospitals in Sweden. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified that capture the everyday activities of serving meals to older adult patients from the staff's perspectives: Managing the patient's best interest, Managing time, Managing the food service frame and Managing the meal environment. The findings suggest that hospitality is performed when these are managed, and that hospitality therefore is performed in negotiation with and within the given organisational frames in the hospitals. When these frames are stretched, the staff do more than is expected and carry out a caring and knowing performance that complements the already person-centred care approach in place. Essentially, the staff find that when having time, but also when taking time with the patients during the mealtime, they are able to increase the patients' food intake and create positive mealtime moments, hence emphasising the need for studying welcoming organisational structures that can enable the staff to perform hospitable mealtimes for the older adult patients.

Mind in Matter: An Introduction to Material Culture Theory and Method

Mind in Matter: An Introduction to Material Culture Theory and Method