Poor Dietary Choices Research Articles

Housing wealth, food spending, and diet quality: Evidence from panel data

AbstractDiet is important in determining positive health outcomes. Income constraints are often provided as an explanation for poor dietary choices made by households. We test this hypothesis by exploiting shocks to household budgets driven by changes in house prices. Using a comprehensive panel of household food purchases matched to house price data, we find that house prices have a positive impact on food expenditure, but no impact on diet quality. We also find that the total quantity of food purchased increases as budget constraints are relaxed suggesting that changes in quantity are the primary driver of the expenditure change. Finally, we demonstrate that the impact of budget constraints is larger for lower income and younger age households.

Social Jetlag Is Associated With Poor Diet and Increased Inflammation in the ZOE PREDICT 1 Cohort

ObjectivesSocial jetlag is a habitual pattern of short sleep on work days relative to longer, often later, ‘catch-up sleep’, on work-free days. This chronic pattern of inconsistent sleep times has been associated with poor dietary choices and unfavourable body weight and cardiometabolic health outcomes. We explored associations between social jetlag with dietary intake, body composition, and cardio-metabolic health in the densely phenotyped PREDICT 1 cohort. MethodsParticipants (n = 931) who self-reported habitual sleep on week-days and weekend days, (males, n = 258 and females, n = 673, aged 18–65 years) were identified from the ZOE PREDICT 1 study, a multi-centre dietary intervention study of 1002 healthy UK individuals (NCT03479866). Demographic information (age, gender, education level, ethnicity, menopausal status), habitual diet (FFQ), cardiometabolic blood biomarkers and postprandial responses to standardized test meals in clinic and free-living settings were collected. Social jetlag was calculated as a difference of ≥ 1.5 h in sleep midpoint on week versus weekend days. Differences in diet and cardiometabolic risk factors were tested (analysis of covariance) adjusting for sex, age, BMI, ethnicity and socio-economic status. ResultsOnly 3% (n = 26) of participants were short sleepers (< 7 h), 25% (n = 237) were long sleepers (> 9 h) and 16% (n = 145) had social jetlag. The social jetlag group had a higher proportion of males (39% vs 25%) and were younger (mean ± SD) (38.4 ± 11.3 y vs 46.8 ± 11.7 y). Social jetlag was associated with less healthy diets (healthy plant based dietary index) and lower intakes of fruits, nuts and number of plants consumed, as well as higher intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages (p < 0.05 for all). Fasting concentrations of glycoprotein acetylation (GlycA), a composite marker of systemic inflammation, was slightly higher (1.35 ± 0.19 mmol/L vs 1.32 ± 0.18 mmol/L, p = 0.034) in participants with social jetlag. ConclusionsOur findings support the complex relationship between sleep patterns, diet quality and markers of cardiometabolic health. Multi-factorial diet and lifestyle approaches are needed to improve health, now underpinned by emerging knowledge about the potential long-term impacts of modest circadian misalignments and low grade inflammation. Funding SourcesZOE Ltd.

Bowel Health in U.S. Shift Workers: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study (NHANES).

Working outside of regular daytime hours is increasingly common in current societies and poses a substantial challenge to an individual’s biological rhythm. Disruptions of the gastrointestinal tract’s circadian rhythm and poor dietary choices subsequent to shiftwork may predispose the shift workforce to an increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders, including constipation, peptic ulcer disease, and erosive gastritis. We investigated bowel health in a US population of shift workers, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and compared bowel movement (BM) frequency and defecation patterns between 2007 day workers and 458 shift workers (representing 55,305,037 US workers). Using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques, our results suggested no association between shiftwork status and BM frequency, bowel leakage of gas, and stool consistency. Constipation prevalence was high but comparable in both groups (6.90% vs. 7.09%). The low fiber intake observed in both groups (15.07 vs. 16.75 g/day) could play a potential role here. The two groups did not differ with regard to other nutrients that may influence BM frequency and stool consistency (e.g., carbohydrate or caffeine intake). Additional studies including food group analyses and fecal biomarkers are warranted for a better understanding of GI health in shift workers.

TELEVISION WATCHING, DIETARY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIORS AND OBESITY: OBSERVATIONS FROM A SEMI RURAL INDIAN POPULATION

Background: Obesity is considered to have increased in epidemic proportions throughout the globe, more so in developing countries like India. Obesity is primarily associated with sedentary lifestyle with poor dietary choices and less physical activity. Television is one of the sedentary activities is often associated with consumption of oily foods. This has compounded the problem of obesity and lead to associated health problems including hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Results: The questionnaire study involved 369 subjects in a rural setup. Majority of the studied population watched TV and major chunk of them were middle aged people. The time involved in TV viewing was higher in the same population, which is a sedentary form of activity. Statistical correlation was observed between education, income status, oily food consumption and Television viewing. Physical activity was notably higher in the non-TV viewing subjects. BMI, which is measure of obesity, was increased in the TV viewers, coupled with lifestyle disorders like Diabetes, Hypertension and arthritis. Alcohol and tobacco usage too was shown to increase with Television viewing. The dietary choices of TV watching subjects were of less nutritive value with more sugar and oil consumption. Conclusion: Indian studies correlating television viewing and obesity in the adult population are lacking. The study shows a significant correlation of increased TV viewing with obesity in the middle-aged population and the associated health problems related to it.

Influence of socio-economic status on lifestyle preferences contributing to childhood obesity: A cross-sectional study

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is the major determinant for lifestyle preferences in individuals, contributing to development of metabolic diseases like obesity. Aims: This study was undertaken to study the influence of SES on lifestyle preferences, namely dietary habits, food beliefs, physical activity, and their contribution to childhood obesity in school children of Pune city. Settings and Design: School-based, cross-sectional, observational study. Materials and Methods: Following approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee, the study was conducted in schools representing high, medium, and low SES in Pune. Children of either sex, aged 9–14 years were recruited after obtaining parental consent and verbal assent of children. Anthropometry and body composition along with dietary choices, food beliefs, and physical activity was recorded using predesigned questionnaires. Statistical Analysis: Parametric data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation, whereas nonparametric data are expressed as median (range). Distribution of children into different weight categories and data regarding unhealthy food consumption frequency and food beliefs is expressed in percentages. Results: Of 424 total recruited children, obesity prevalence was the highest in high SES school children (10.49%) while overweight prevalence was high in middle SES school children (18.11%). Middle SES school had maximum children with high waist circumference and body fat percentage along with high frequency of unhealthy food consumption. Surprisingly, activity profile from middle SES school was significantly better as compared to other schools. Conclusion: Children from middle SES school with maximum prevalence of overweight displayed poor dietary choices, average food beliefs, and habits pressing the need for aggressive strategies for obesity prevention.

Effect of Dietary Habits on Mental and Physical Health: A Systemic Review

Mental and physical health issues have increased over the past few decades. Individual’s lifestyle, environment, dietary habits, physical and mental fitness are associated with each other. Generally, youngsters adopt unhealthy dietary habits, such as poor diet, little or no milk intake, meal skipping, preference for energy dense over nutrient dense diet, and inadequate intake of vegetables and fruits. During their university life, students face many changes including poor dietary choices, study stress, anxiety, depression, food insecurity, skipping meals, poor fruit and milk consumption. All of this may lead to many chronic diseases later in life. Processed food causes a lot of health issues. Individuals are more susceptible to irritable bowel syndrome, liver disorders, and amenorrhea due to unhealthy dietary consumption. For this reason, moderation in diet is necessary. A well-balanced nutritious diet consists of five food groups including whole-grains, milk, fruits and vegetables, meat and nuts, and oil which lower disease risk and increase the lifespan. Body size idealism is also the lead cause of eating disorder, especially among teenage girls. The objective of this study was to overview the association of dietary habits with the physical and mental health of people by analyzing the findings of previously published literature. Poor dietary choices and habits lead to poor physical health, classroom performance, and memory retention. It also leads to psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression.

New Zealand women\u2019s experiences of managing gestational diabetes through diet: a qualitative study

BackgroundFor women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) poor dietary choices can have deleterious consequences for both themselves and their baby. Diet is a well-recognised primary strategy for the management of GDM. Women who develop GDM may receive dietary recommendations from a range of sources that may be inconsistent and are often faced with needing to make several dietary adaptations in a short period of time to achieve glycaemic control. The aim of this study was to explore how women diagnosed with GDM perceive dietary recommendations and how this information influences their dietary decisions during pregnancy and beyond.MethodsWomen diagnosed with GDM before 30 weeks’ gestation were purposively recruited from two GDM clinics in Auckland, New Zealand. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysed to identify themes describing women’s perceptions and experiences of dietary recommendations for the management of GDM.ResultsEighteen women from a diverse range of sociodemographic backgrounds participated in the study. Three interconnected themes described women’s perceptions of dietary recommendations and experiences in managing their GDM through diet: managing GDM is a balancing act; using the numbers as evidence, and the GDM timeframe. The primary objective of dietary advice was perceived to be to control blood glucose levels and this was central to each theme. Women faced a number of challenges in adhering to dietary recommendations. Their relationships with healthcare professionals played a significant role in their perception of advice and motivation to adhere to recommendations. Many women perceived the need to follow dietary recommendations to be temporary, with few planning to continue dietary adaptations long-term.ConclusionsThe value of empathetic, individually tailored advice was highlighted in this study. A greater emphasis on establishing healthy dietary habits not just during pregnancy but for the long-term health of both mother and baby is needed.

A qualitative exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on food decisions of economically disadvantaged families in Northern Ireland

BackgroundThe first UK-wide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 had a serious financial impact on low-income households, a population already in higher risk of food insecurity and poor dietary choices. Qualitative data on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on food decisions of UK families are scarce. This study aimed to explore how the measures to control the spread of COVID-19 influenced the food-related decisions of socioeconomically deprived families in Northern Ireland.MethodsA qualitative study captured data from online individual interviews. Participation was open for parents of children 2–17 years old living on a tight budget in urban and rural areas of Northern Ireland. A sampling matrix enabled equal representation of single- and two-parent households, as well as parents of younger children (<12y) and adolescents (≥12y). Data were collected by using the methods of Photovoice and mapping exercise. Data were analysed through a thematic approach.ResultsTwelve online interviews were conducted and five distinct themes were identified reflecting families’ food-related decisions that were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown: 1) food planning; 2) food purchasing; 3) meal preparation; 4) eating and feeding behaviours and 5) eating food prepared outside the house.ConclusionsThe restrictions put in place to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 influenced all aspects of dietary decisions of low-income families. Changes observed during this period included frequent consumption of homemade meals, but also increased unhealthy snacking. Infrequent food shopping encouraged good meal planning, but was also a barrier to securing adequate fresh food. Food-related support including school meal assistance contributed to families’ food security, particularly those of single parents.

Association of Club Sports Participation and TV in the Bedroom with Dietary Pattern in Austrian Adolescents

Poor lifestyle choices in adolescents, including low physical activity (PA), excess screen time, and unhealthy dietary habits, are major threats to their health in the future. Unhealthy behaviors such as insufficient PA, high TV time, and poor dietary choices also tend to cluster, but information on the combined association of screen time, sports participation, and dietary habits is limited in Austrian youth. To examine the association among these behaviors, 165 adolescents (74 girls and 91 boys) between 11 and 14 years of age completed a food frequency questionnaire during regular class hours. Additionally, participants reported whether they participated in club sports and whether they had a TV in the bedroom. The results showed that there were no interaction effects of club sports participation and TV in the bedroom on dietary habits. There were also no significant associations between participation in club sports and dietary habits. Having a TV in the bedroom, however, was associated with more frequent consumption of fast food and soft drinks. These results highlight the detrimental effects of unsupervised access to a TV on dietary habits in youth. As many lifestyle habits are established during adolescence and retained in adulthood, this age is important to develop a healthy lifestyle. Although club sports provide a viable setting to promote health, the results of this study indicate that the potential of club sports to educate children on nutrition is underused.

Training Medical Students in Diet Assessment and Brief Counseling.

Poor dietary choices are a leading cause of chronic disease, but nutrition is rarely discussed in clinical practice. Nutrition is taught in less than a third of medical schools and physicians in practice empirically report low levels of comfort and self-efficacy in discussing nutrition with patients. A two-part presentation was created and shared with second-year medical students at a college of medicine. Students were given pre-work that included a brief (15 minutes) pre-recorded presentation and an e-resource entitled “Practical Nutrition for the Primary Care Provider” and then engaged in a live virtual session with a brief lecture and question and answer period (45 minutes). A survey was administered following the live presentation to evaluate the extent to which the presentation met the stated objectives and could impact participants’ future practice. One-hundred and six students participated in the live lecture. Eighty-eight students (83%) provided survey feedback. Over two-thirds of respondents indicated that the presentation completely met the objectives, 57% indicated that they would definitely talk to patients with chronic disease about nutrition, and 52% indicated they would incorporate diet assessment in visits with patients with chronic disease. Nutrition is integral to disease prevention and management. Many students provided comments on the importance of the topic and benefit of the information. Further research is necessary to determine the optimal time and place for nutrition education in medical training. This presentation and e-resource are evidence-based, brief, and provided tools for participants to access once in practice.

A Study to Assess the Effect of Food Consumption Pattern on Health Status among Nursing Students at Dinsha Patel College of Nursing, Nadiad

College students are at risk for making poor dietary choices that can cause significant health problems. Adescriptive study was conducted to assess the effect of food consumption pattern on health status amongnursing students at Dinsha Patel College of Nursing, Nadiad. A sample of 101students was selected bysystematic random sampling technique. Five point Likert Scale was used to assess the food consumptionpattern. The data was analyzed by using the descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of present studyreveals 50(49%) students have more than 11 g/dl hemoglobin level, 56(55%) students are underweight,73(72 %) students believes that they are taking balance diet. There is a statistically significant associationwith the perception regarding balanced diet and food consumption pattern and no significant associationwith other socio demographic variables such as age, sex, education, BMI, Hemoglobin level, religion,eating habits, residential status. The result shows 37(36.6%) students had unhealthy, 44(43.5%) studentshad average healthy, 19(18.8%) students had healthy diet pattern The study concluded that there is a need forhealth education programs that promote healthy food consumption pattern for nursing students.

Correlates of food intake and mealtime behaviors among Kuwaiti adolescents.

Eating meals with the family improves the food choices of adolescents. Studies conducted on Kuwaiti adolescents have reported suboptimal dietary intake; however, it is unclear what meal-related behaviors and family dynamics influence dietary choices in young Kuwaiti adolescents.This study explored the food intake and meal-related behaviors of young adolescents in relation to their mother's educational level, parental employment, and family size and to identify meal-related behaviors associated with poor dietary choices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a modified and validated version of the International Health Behavior in School Children questionnaire recruiting 774 adolescents aged 14-16 years from all six governorates of Kuwait. A higher level of the mother's education was associated with higher odds of eating fruits and breakfast. A stay-at-home mother was associated with higher odds of consuming milk and home-made desserts. Larger family size was associated with higher odds of eating fruits, and a higher frequency of family meals was associated with higher odds of consuming vegetables and whole grain bread. All unhealthy snacks, including sweets, potato chips, french fries, home-made desserts, and sugar-sweetened beverages, were associated with higher odds of watching TV during mealtime. A higher level of mother's education level, large family size, and family meals encouraged consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, milk, and breakfast, but consuming empty calorie snacks is very common. Family involvement in developing healthy meal-related behaviors is imperative for shaping healthy eating habits of adolescents.

Gamified Nutrition Education with Mastery Learning and Spaced Repetition Theory – Can Improve Nutrition Knowledge

ABSTRACT Background: Children often consume up to 30% of calories from snacks that are usually low in nutrient value. Over time, poor dietary choices can contribute to an increased risk of obesity and related health problems. Purpose: Describe the development and utilization of the Self-paced Nutrition Activity on Choices for Knowledge (S.N.A.C.K.) nutrition education game to elicit and reinforce healthier snack choices by children aged 9 to 13 years. Methods: Children engaged in S.N.A.C.K. on a provided tablet for 15 to 25 minutes, at week 0 and 4. The game was self-paced, providing education about the Nutrition Facts Label, and consisted of three assessments to evaluate knowledge and application. Results: Data from 41 children, 59% normal weight, and 41% overweight/obese, were included in the analysis. Significant improvements in knowledge and utilization of the Nutrition Facts Label were observed immediately after education, with further advancement after a second session four weeks later. Discussion: In this study, children immediately improved, and sustained, their newly acquired nutrition knowledge with a single 15 to 25 minute session with S.N.A.C.K. Translation to Health Education Practice: Educators could incorporate this consistent and accurate education into their curriculum to reinforce a child’s nutrition knowledge over time. A AJHE Self-Study quiz is online for this article via the SHAPE America Online Institute (SAOI)http://portal.shapeamerica.org/trn-Webinars

Experiences with and Perception of a Web-Based Mindfulness, Nutrition, and Fitness Platform Reported by First-Year University Students: A Qualitative Study

BackgroundMy Viva Plan (MVP) (https://www.myvivainc.com/) is a web-based application developed by a dietitian that aims to support healthy living by providing resources and self-monitoring tools to help promote a healthy diet, healthy mind, and physical fitness. First-year university students have the potential to benefit because poor dietary choices, limited physical activity, and high stress are prevalent in this population. In addition, they are also active technology users. ObjectiveThis study aims to understand experiences and perception of MVP by first-year university students using this tool as part of a 12-week randomized controlled trial. DesignOne-on-one semistructured interviews were conducted following a 12-week intervention involving use of MVP. Participants/settingFirst-year university students from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (n = 32). InterventionParticipants were instructed to use MVP as much as possible for 12 weeks in either the fall/2018 or winter/2019 semesters. Qualitative data analysisInterviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed abductively using content analysis. ResultsParticipants reported varied use of MVP across the 12-week period. Data were categorized using the HealthChange Methodology (Behaviors, Emotions, 37 Situations, Thinking) framework. Participants provided various examples of emotions (eg, motivation, stress), situations (eg, time, living arrangements, finances), and thinking (eg, self-awareness, level of satisfaction with MVP, and how MVP was or could be better tailored for students) that acted as either facilitators or barriers to MVP use and explained their behaviors associated with this tool. ConclusionsOverall, participant behaviors regarding MVP varied and were influenced by several factors, including their emotions, situations, and thinking. The Behaviors, Emotions, Situations, Thinking framework may be helpful for dietitians to identify barriers and facilitators affecting their client’s use of ehealth tools for lifestyle behavior change. This information can be used to optimize client support when using these tools.

Unhealthy Lifestyle and Gut Dysbiosis: A Better Understanding of the Effects of Poor Diet and Nicotine on the Intestinal Microbiome.

The study of the intestinal or gut microbiome is a newer field that is rapidly gaining attention. Bidirectional communication between gut microbes and the host can impact numerous biological systems regulating immunity and metabolism to either promote or negatively impact the host’s health. Habitual routines, dietary choices, socioeconomic status, education, host genetics, medical care and environmental factors can all contribute to the composition of an individual’s microbiome. A key environmental factor that may cause negative outcomes is the consumption of nicotine products. The effects of nicotine on the host can be exacerbated by poor dietary choices and together can impact the composition of the gut microbiota to promote the development of metabolic disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This review explores the contribution of nicotine, poor dietary choices and other unhealthy lifestyle factors to gut dysbiosis.

Cash Plus Social and Behavioral Change Communication Approaches to Improve Food Security: Findings From Formative Research With Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

ObjectivesThis study aimed to complement existing cash transfer programs and at improving food security among Syrian refugees (SR) in Lebanon by (1) examining their food literacy and food purchasing behaviors and (2) developing a social and behavioral change communication (SBCC) strategy.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted (Jan – Feb 2020) in two phases: Phase1 included 2 focus group discussions (FGD) among 21 SR women receiving cash assistance in Tyre, Lebanon to identify food literacy gaps and preferred health communication channels. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants (KI) from international and non-governmental organizations working with SR; Phase 2 utilized qualitative findings for the development of a culturally-appropriate SBCC strategy to improve the food purchasing and healthy dietary behaviors of SR. Five months after phase 2, key findings were shared with KI through interviews in a form of ‘member checking’ to enhance data credibility and inform the interpretations of study findings in the context of COVID-19. An inductive approach to textual analysis was used to identify key themes and sub-themes for interpretation.ResultsThree major themes emerged from phase 1 data: Theme 1 reflected the highly precarious conditions of settlement camps that make it difficult for refugees to be food secure. Theme 2 suggested several determinants of food purchasing behaviors (limited nutrition knowledge, poor dietary habits contributing to sub-optimal dietary diversity, and limited exposure to nutrition education on food resource management and budgeting). Theme 3 revealed important nutrition education needs, as well as preferred channels to receive such information (e.g., group education, one-on-one counselling sessions, and WhatsApp-based messaging). Other communication channels suggested by KI, and that differed from those suggested by the refugee community in phase 1, included mass media campaigns and community mobilization.ConclusionsDue to both environmental challenges and individual-level factors, SR living in Tyre, Lebanon were found to have poor dietary choices, thus an SBSS strategy tailored to their needs may help improve their food purchasing behaviors and alleviate their food insecurity levels.Funding SourcesUniversity Research Board grant at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.

An evaluation of the prevalence of physical health comorbidities in patients with severe and enduring mental illness following admission to the general adult psychiatric inpatient wards in Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

AimsThis evaluation aimed to establish the prevalence of physical health comorbidities in SMI patients admitted to the general adult wards in Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.BackgroundMean life expectancy in individuals with severe and enduring mental illness (SMI) is 15-20 years shorter than that of the general population. A significant proportion of excess mortality in patients with SMI is due to natural causes, e.g. cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes mellitus. Although SMI patients are at greater risk of developing chronic physical health problems, they often receive worse health care than the general population. SMI patients more likely to engage in unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, such as poor dietary choices, smoking and physical inactivity; Antipsychotic medication prescribed to these patients can cause adverse metabolic side effects.MethodA list of all inpatients on the eight general adult wards in the Trust was obtained in September 2020, producing a sample of 135 inpatients.An audit tool was designed, capturing demographic data – gender, age, ethnicity, and also recording whether the patient had a diagnosis of an SMI (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder). The presence of any physical health comorbidities and whether the inpatient was a smoker was also recorded.ResultOf the 135 inpatients, 10 didn't have any physical health monitoring completed and were excluded from the sample, making the final sample 125 inpatients. 68 of the inpatients were male, 57 were female. 98 had a diagnosis of an SMI, 27 did not. Most inpatients were of “white British” ethnicity. Of the 98 SMI patients, 14 had type II diabetes mellitus, 11 had essential hypertension, 12 had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 22 were obese (i.e. a BMI &gt; 30 kg/m2). 70 of the 98 patients with an SMI were smokers.ConclusionAs expected, a significant proportion of patients with SMI admitted to the general adult inpatient wards are smokers. Whilst admission to hospital may not be considered an ideal time to get patients to consider quitting smoking, admission does at least provide an opportunity to educate patients on the negative effects on physical health that smoking has. This evaluation has highlighted that physical health comorbidities are common in this patient group. Admission to the psychiatric ward provides a golden opportunity to provide education to patients on the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and also to assess any physical health comorbidities and ensure the management of any such comorbidities is optimised prior to discharge.

Dietary intake of persons with depressive and psychotic disorders in Singapore

Nutritional psychiatry is an emerging field of study that investigates the role of diet and nutrition in mental health. Studies conducted in the general population have linked depressive symptoms with poor dietary patterns. The aim of this study was to characterise the dietary intake and analyse the dietary pattern using the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) in a sample of psychiatric patients in a multiethnic Asian nation. Participants were recruited from an outpatient clinic and an inpatient unit at the Institute of Mental Health in Singapore. Self-reported dietary habits of a sample of psychiatric patients (N=380) were analysed using DASH. To examine the variables associated with DASH scores, a linear regression was conducted with the full sample and sociodemographic variables. Persons with depressive disorders had a mean DASH score of 21.3 (±4.2), while persons with psychotic disorders had a mean DASH score of 21.2 (±4.9). Respondents who were older (B=1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91-2.96, P<0.001), female (B=1.09, 95% CI 0.07-2.11, P=0.04) and economically inactive (B=1.98, 95% CI 0.006-3.96, P=0.049) were more likely to report a higher diet quality compared with their respective counterparts, while smokers (B= -1.39, 95% CI -2.45 to -0.34, P=0.009) tended to report a lower diet quality compared with their non-smoking counterparts. Dietary patterns of persons with mental disorders were characterised. A host of sociodemographic factors, and not diagnosis of mental disorders, influenced the dietary quality of people with depressive and psychotic disorders. Clinicians treating psychiatric patients need to be aware of the nuanced reasons behind poor dietary choices and provide targeted psychoeducation to specific subgroups within the patient population.

The effect of a food addiction explanatory model of eating behaviours on weight-based stigma: An experimental investigation

Weight stigmatization and discrimination are pervasive issues that have numerous adverse consequences for those with excess weight. It has been proposed that some individuals may be addicted to hyperpalatable processed foods, resulting in weight promoting eating behaviours. The current study replicated and extended a study examining the effect of a food addiction explanation for eating behaviours on weight-based stigma and weight-controllability beliefs. Undergraduate students (N = 757) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions where they read a newspaper article accompanied by a photo of a woman 1) who was either of a higher body mass index (BMI) or a lower BMI, and 2) that attributed her eating behaviours to either food addiction or poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Stigma towards the woman and individuals with a higher BMI in general were assessed. Results indicated that the woman with a higher BMI elicited greater weight stigma. Attributing weight to food addiction increased perceptions of psychopathology towards the woman, whereas attributing weight to poor dietary and lifestyle choices elicited judgment towards the woman. Neither explanation about eating behaviours elicited stigma towards individuals with a higher BMI in general. Findings suggest that a food addiction explanation alone may not be sufficient to reduce weight stigma.

A Exploratory Study to Assess the Food Choices among College Students of Pune City

Introduction: Students studying in college make poor dietary choices which causes significant healthproblems to their health. Various students have their meals in the dining facilities of college were theyhave limited healthy food options.1,2,3 If the students will not gain the adequate nutritional on daily basisthis will be effect there academic and physical performance. The purpose of this study was to identify thefood choices opted by the college students. Objectives of the Study: To assess the food choices amongcollege students of Pune City.2. To associate the selected demographic variables with the food choicesamong college students of Pune City. Methodology: Quantitative research approach was adopted for thisstudy to accomplish the objectives of the study. In this study, Non-experimental Descriptive survey designwas used. The investigator conducted the study in urban area of Pune City. In the present study, the collegestudents of Pune City. Who fulfilled the inclusive criteria were the samples. The sample size was 221.Result: The result of the above study reveals that the college students have and habit of consuming fastfood during their lunch meal. During breakfast most of them take beverages and do not prefer fast food andmajority of them almost take the full meal .It can be identified that they eat only one health meal duringtheir dinner which is not enough for the students to fulfill their nutritional requirement of the day. Manystudents eat fast food and also there consumption of fast food was also very high and most of them eat thisfast food during their lunch meal which is not good for their health. Future research and awareness shouldbe created among college students to make them aware about the healthy eating habits and food which canbe implemented in their diet in daily meals