Portion Size Research Articles

'It was called a grab bag and nobody wanted to grab them': Teachers' perceptions of school lunches during the COVID-19 pandemic - a regional case study.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought changes to primary school lunches leading to concerns over nutritional quality and uptake of lunches by vulnerable children. Regional data from Tayside, Scotland, showed that only 55% of children who were eligible for free school meals took these (normal uptake pre-pandemic was 66%). The current work aimed to identify teachers' perceptions of meal provisioning in primary schools during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among primary school teachers across Tayside, Scotland. Using an online survey (21 questions combining multiple choice formats and open text) and interviews, primary school teachers shared their views on food quality, quantity, meal choices and factors influencing uptake of primary school lunches. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed with respect to factors influencing consumption. The survey was completed by 41 teachers and 8 participated in a follow up interview. Around one-third (29%) of primary school teachers believed the quality of lunches had decreased and cited poor appearance of food, use of takeaway containers and food wastage. The lunch format was viewed negatively principally relating to the substitution of hot lunches with cold sandwiches, portion sizes, choice and perceived value for money. Concerns were expressed about acceptability and how far the meals contributed to food security. Further work on food provisioning is needed in order to identify ways to provide a nutritional safety net for vulnerable children.

P31-078-23 Validity of the Portion Size and MyFitnessPal Mobile Apps for Estimating Energy Intake by Demographic Characteristics: A Randomized Laboratory-Based Evaluation

P31-078-23 Validity of the Portion Size and MyFitnessPal Mobile Apps for Estimating Energy Intake by Demographic Characteristics: A Randomized Laboratory-Based Evaluation

OR09-03-23 Development of an Automated Smartphone App Feature To Accurately Estimate Food Portion Sizes

OR09-03-23 Development of an Automated Smartphone App Feature To Accurately Estimate Food Portion Sizes

PTFS06-05-23 Portion Size Estimation of Food in a Bowl From Images

PTFS06-05-23 Portion Size Estimation of Food in a Bowl From Images

Nutraceuticals Prepared with Specific Strains of Probiotics for Supplementing Gut Microbiota in Hosts Allergic to Certain Foods or Their Additives

Certain nutrients cause discomfort, sensitivity reaction, and an intolerance for certain foods or their ingredients when ingested by some consumers. Food reactions and gut inflammation-related problems are increasing worldwide. The primary form of management would be the avoidance of such foods, followed by treatment of their symptoms. Adopting a nutritional–therapeutic approach and establishing practices for the inclusion of functional foods and nutraceuticals in the diet could improve the ecology of gut microbiota and alleviate inflammation in the GIT. For this purpose, specific species of microorganisms characterized as probiotic strains have been studied to produce functional food and fermented beverage products. Commercially sold, such items are labelled as probiotic products, displaying the name/s of strain/s and the viable numbers of them contained in the portion size of the products. The importance of the growth of probiotic functional foods is that they can be consumed as a source of nutrition and their intake helps in the subsistence and recuperation of friendly gut bacteria. Probiotics have been reported for their role in ameliorating the risk of food reactions. Probiotic administration has been implemented for its role as an auxiliary improvement and for the prevention of food sensitivities common among pediatric patients. Probiotic products based on non-dairy substrates have potential as nutraceuticals for lactose intolerant consumers who are allergic to dairy milk products. Therefore, the aim of this article is to review GRAS microbial species characterized as probiotics up to the level of their specific strain’s name and/or number. These have been used to produce nutraceuticals that are sources of beneficial bacteria for easing discomfort and allergic reactions by maintaining an inflammation-free gut.

Service-Learning Through Community-Based Nutrition Teaching Equips Medical Students With Sustained Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Habits

Introduction Nutrition education and counseling are critical to patient health. Primary care physicians are positioned to provide this counseling; however, due to a lack of nutrition education, many physicians-in-training lack these skills. This study evaluates the knowledge and self-efficacy of Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) of University of Southern California (USC) Primary Care Program (PCP) medical students after leading community-based nutrition classes. Methods First-year PCP KSOM students completed a survey immediately after teaching nutrition classes (Phase I: Spring 2017-Spring 2020) and 1-4 years after teaching (Phase II: August 2021). Open-ended responses were coded thematically, and descriptive data were analyzed in Qualtrics. Results There were 93 phase I respondents; however, not everyone answered every question. Among 45 question respondents, students reported learning about macronutrients (29%), portion sizes (16%), glycemic index (15%), and metabolic syndrome (12%). Among 57 question respondents, 49% reported having knowledge to now counsel patients about nutrition. There were 60 phase II respondents. Students reported sustained, increased nutrition knowledge (88%) and confidence (85%) from baseline, and making healthy personal dietary changes. Discussion It is important for physicians-in-training to gain nutrition education early in their career. This training can benefit student knowledge, behavior change, confidence, and their future patients through counseling.

Comparing the web-based and traditional self-reported 24-hour dietary recall data in the PakNutriStudy

BackgroundThe flaws in dietary assessment methods can generate misleading information and thus may impact on the interventions planned based on that information. Context specific digitalization of dietary assessment tools is a potential way forward to reduce biases and resources involved in data handling. MethodsTwo versions of Twenty-Four Hour Recall (24HR) (traditional [24HR Ver-01] and digital [24HR Ver-02]) were tested for data agreement and feasibility by gathering cross sectional paired data on both the versions from 102 participants (18–25 years age). The web based 24HR was setup using the system of Intake24 (New Castle University) with incorporation of South Asian food data base for beverages. ResultsThe data sets obtained from 24HR Ver-01 and 24HR Ver-02 on beverage consumption (food items as well as portion sizes) were compared for agreement. The highest percentage of agreement of food item reporting between 24HR Ver-01 and 24HR Ver-01 was during the lunch time. The average kappa value (κ =0.375833) for all the meals indicated a fair agreement betweenVer-01 and 24HR Ver-02 The correlation of portion sizes reported using 24HR Ver-01 and 24 HR Ver-02 was statisticallysignificant for morning snack, lunch and dinner (r = 0.465; r = 0.324; r = 0.407 respectively). According to Bland Altman plot, least agreement between the two versions was found in the portion sizes reported for morning snacks. Data collectors found 24 HR Ver-02 easier in terms of data processing but it was regarded time taking and less convenient by the participants. ConclusionThe Intake 24 (digital version of 24HR) can be a preferred tool of data collection as the data collected through it may reach fairly good levels of accuracy. Future directions for research like conducting a follow up study with cross over design, expanding the study using food items other than beverages, and testing the digital dietary assessment tool against an objective gold standard of dietary intake can be helpful in reaching more conclusive evidence.

Perceived inequality in society may not motivate increased food intake in the absence of personal socioeconomic disadvantage

BackgroundGreater levels of socioeconomic inequality across societies have been associated with higher rates of obesity and cardiometabolic disease. While these relationships could be attributed to poorer quality of health services and lower access to healthier lifestyles among disadvantaged groups in societies with greater economic inequality, this explanation does not account for those who experience relative economic security in such unequal societies (e.g., the middle and upper classes). Here, we tested whether perceptions of greater disparities between social classes in one’s society (i.e., perceived societal inequality) may promote eating behaviors that risk excess energy intake.MethodsIn two studies, participants completed an experimental manipulation that situated them as middle class within a hypothetical society that was presented to have either large disparities in socioeconomic resources between classes (high inequality condition) or low disparities (low inequality condition), while keeping the participants’ objective socioeconomic standing constant across conditions. In Study 1 (pre-registered), participants (n = 167) completed the perceived societal inequality manipulation before a computerized food portion selection task to measure desired portion sizes for a variety of foods. Study 2 (n = 154) involved a similar design as Study 1, but with inclusion of a neutral control condition (no awareness of class disparities) followed by ad libitum consumption of potato chips.ResultsWhile the high inequality condition successfully elicited perceptions of one’s society as having greater socioeconomic inequalities between classes, it did not generate consistent feelings of personal socioeconomic disadvantage. Across both studies, we observed no differences between conditions in average selected portion sizes or actual energy intake.ConclusionsTaken together with prior research on the effects of subjective socioeconomic disadvantage on increased energy intake, these findings suggest that perceptions of inequality in one’s society may be insufficient to stimulate heightened energy intake in the absence of personal socioeconomic disadvantage or inadequacy.

Slim or Plus-Size Burrito? A natural experiment of consumers’ restaurant choice

Anthropomorphic food labels, such as “Thin cookie” or “Fat burger”, are often used to describe the size and shape of food and have been shown to affect consumers’ food choices. More crucially, this effect may differ among vulnerable populations such as individuals with overweight and obesity due to self-image similitudes. We explore how anthropomorphic food labels influence the food choices of restaurant patrons with different weight status. We conduct a natural field experiment in a restaurant where the portion sizes in the menu are labeled using anthropomorphic human body features. Small/Large portions are presented as Slim/Regular in one treatment to reflect a desirable weight status. In a second treatment, Small/Large portions are presented as Regular/Plus Size to represent a less ideal weight status. Overall, we find that the Regular/Plus Size label increases the selection of small portions by 14.3 percentage points when objective portion size information is provided. In particular, individuals with overweight/obesity are 23.4 percentage points more likely to choose a small portion item under the Regular/Plus Size label compared to the Slim/Regular label. These results have marketing and policy implications for food labeling and their effect on food consumption among vulnerable populations.

A randomized, open-label, parallel pilot study investigating metabolic product kinetics of the novel ketone ester, bis-hexanoyl (R)-1,3-butanediol, over one week of ingestion in healthy adults.

Introduction: Bis-hexanoyl (R)-1,3-butanediol (BH-BD) is a novel ketone ester that, when consumed, is hydrolyzed into hexanoic acid (HEX) and (R)-1,3-butanediol (BDO) which are subsequently metabolized into beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Methods: We undertook a randomized, parallel, open-label study in healthy adults (n = 33) to elucidate blood BHB, HEX and BDO concentrations for 8h following consumption of three different serving sizes (SS) of BH-BD (12.5, 25 and 50g/day) before (Day 0) and after 7days of daily BH-BD consumption (Day 7). Results: Maximal concentration and area under the curve of all metabolites increased proportionally to SS and were greatest for BHB followed by BDO then HEX on both Day 0 and 7. Metabolite half-life tended to decrease with increasing SS for BHB and HEX. Time to peak concentration increased with increasing SS for BHB and BDO on both days. In vitro incubation of BH-BD in human plasma demonstrated BH-BD undergoes rapid spontaneous hydrolysis. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that orally ingested BH-BD is hydrolyzed into products that appear in the plasma and undergo conversion to BHB in a SS dependent manner, and that metabolism of BH-BD neither becomes saturated at serving sizes up to 50g nor displays consistent adaptation after 7days of daily consumption.

Usage of online food delivery in food waste generation in China during the crisis of COVID‐19

SummaryThis study connects food waste (FW) with online food delivery (OFD) service and aims to explore the impacts of the usage of OFD service on FW generation in China during the COVID‐19 lockdown period. Through responses from 123 consumers of OFD service in China, results show that the usage of OFD service did not accelerate FW generation in China during the COVID‐19 lockdown period. We found that consumers tended to order excessive food when using OFD services for some economic reasons before the pandemic, which was a significant driver behind FW generation in the OFD segment. However, most consumers admitted that they tended to stockpile food at the beginning of the lockdown period. Because of the impacts of COVID‐19 on consumer appetite and portion size, there was an overall decrease in FW generation during the COVID‐19 lockdown period in China. Therefore, it is suggested that restaurants provide adjusted portions of ordered food based on the scientific investigation or provide more pre‐packaged food for a long shelf‐life. Consequently, these measures will lead to less FW generation in the OFD service segment in China.

Development of dish-based population-specific food frequency questionnaire for dietary assessments in Afghanistan

Purpose: Dietary intake assessment has an essential role in chronic disease studies and general public health outcomes. To measure dietary intakes in epidemiologic studies, various dietary assessment methods are used. Among them, food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) can provide useful measures of dietary intake. This study aimed to report the development of a population-specific dish-based food frequency questionnaire (DFQ) to assess long-term usual dietary intakes in Afghanistan. Design/Methodology/Approach: We considered the Willet format and followed these steps; listing commonly consumed Afghani foods, determining food groups, defining portion sizes, and determining the frequency response options for each food item. We prepared a comprehensive list of foods and dishes commonly used in Afghanistan. We categorized dishes and food items in the questionnaire into eight major groups. Portion sizes for food items and mixed dishes were defined based on the most commonly consumed and understandable portion sizes for each item among the Afghan general population. The frequency response options for each food item were defined separately in a row against the food list. Findings: We developed a new population-specific DFQ in Afghanistan containing 103 food items or dishes, which can be used as an instrument for the assessment of long-term dietary intakes as well as diet-disease associations in Afghanistan. Originality/Value: This is the first ever-developed dietary assessment tool in Afghanistan.

How leaf-cutting ants gauge leaf portion size

They might not be able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, but leaf-cutting ants are insect superheroes, capable of carrying leaf pieces up to six times their body mass to cultivate fungus in their borrows. But how do the charismatic creatures determine the size of the fragments they carve with their mandibles? Do they use their bodies as a simple ruler, or do they use information about the position of their bodies to adjust how far they cut, adapting to the thickness of a leaf while dismembering it? Knowing that the insects alter the trajectory of a cut when sculpting ®Parafilm of different thicknesses, Flavio Roces from the University of Würzburg, Germany, decided to find out how the ants govern the size of the portions they trim. But first he, Daniela Römer and Rebecca Exl (also from University of Würzburg) needed to get to grips with how the insects snip out regular leaf fragments.Exl fashioned fake leaves from ®Parafilm – one layer for thin leaves (0.13 mm), three for thick leaves (0.38 mm) – rubbed them with crushed bramble leaves or rose oil to make them more appealing to the ants and installed them in the foraging area of a lab-based Atta sexdens ant colony. As soon as an ant climbed aboard, Exl retrieved the pseudoleaf and positioned it in front of a camera to record the ant's manoeuvres.Initially, the ant lay along the edge of the leaf, with the hind and middle leg on the side nearest the edge gripping the ®Parafilm. Then, it snipped upward, gradually rotating its body until upright as it cut in an arc, attaching the second hind limb when its body was almost vertical. As the ant continued cutting, it rotated further, eventually releasing the first hind limb from the leaf edge while still holding on with the second hind limb, until it severed the chunk by cutting through the leaf edge after swivelling the body through 180 deg. And when Exl compared the ants’ posture as they cut through thick and thin leaves, she realised that they adapted their technique, crouching their legs to reduce their reach to cut smaller elliptically shaped fragments when provided with thick leaves.But how were the ants controlling the size of the fragments they incised? Could knowledge about the position of their hind legs gripping the leaf edge guide their cutting trajectory? This time, Exl waited until each ant was halfway through a cut before gently inserting a piece of paper between the ant and the fake leaf to release its grip as it continued snipping. Without knowledge of the position of their legs relative to the leaf edge, some of the ants cut smaller elliptical portions. They were using information provided by their hind legs gripping the leaf edge to guide the trajectory of their cut. However, some ants were still able to cut similarly sized fragments. Were they using some other sensory information to guide their trajectory? Could hairs at the front of the neck, which detect the position of the head, contribute to their sense of cutting direction?Exl cautiously shaved off these hairs and allowed the ants to cut a ®Parafilm leaf while gently detaching the insect's limbs from the edge with the paper guard, and this time the ants completely lost track of direction, producing randomly shaped fragments that were nothing like the elliptical pieces they had cut previously. Leaf-cutting ants depend on knowledge of the position of their hind legs gripping the leaf edge and the position of their head to keep them cutting on the curve and ensure that they never cut fragments that exceed their exceptional strength.

Development and internal validation of a non-invasive clinical tool to predict sufficient omega-3 levels in early pregnancy

BackgroundComplications from preterm birth (PTB) are the leading cause of death and disability in those under five years. Whilst the role of omega-3 (n-3) supplementation in reducing PTB is well-established, growing evidence suggests supplementation use in those replete may increase the risk of early PTB. Aim: To develop a non-invasive tool to identify individuals with total n-3 serum levels above 4.3% of total fatty acids in early pregnancy.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study recruiting 331 participants from three clinical sites in Newcastle, Australia. Eligible participants (n = 307) had a singleton pregnancy between 8 and 20 weeks’ gestation at recruitment. Data on factors associated with n-3 serum levels were collected using an electronic questionnaire; these included estimated intake of n-3 (including food type, portion size, frequency of consumption), n-3 supplementation, and sociodemographic factors. The optimal cut-point of estimated n-3 intake that predicted mothers with total serum n-3 levels likely above 4.3% was developed using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for maternal age, body mass index, socioeconomic status, and n-3 supplementation use. Total serum n-3 levels above 4.3% was selected as previous research has demonstrated that mothers with these levels are at increased risk of early PTB if they take additional n-3 supplementation during pregnancy. Models were evaluated using various performance metrics including sensitivity, specificity, area under receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve, true positive rate (TPR) at 10% false positive rate (FPR), Youden Index, Closest to (0,1) Criteria, Concordance Probability, and Index of Union. Internal validation was performed using 1000-bootstraps to generate 95% confidence intervals for performance metrics generated.ResultsOf 307 eligible participants included for analysis, 58.6% had total n-3 serum levels above 4.3%. The optimal model had a moderate discriminative ability (AUROC 0.744, 95% CI 0.742–0.746) with 84.7% sensitivity, 54.7% specificity and 37.6% TPR at 10% FPR.ConclusionsOur non-invasive tool was a moderate predictor of pregnant women with total serum n-3 levels above 4.3%; however, its performance is not yet adequate for clinical use.Trial registrationThis trial was approved by the Hunter New England Human Research Ethics Committee of the Hunter New England Local Health District (Reference 2020/ETH00498 on 07/05/2020 and 2020/ETH02881 on 08/12/2020).

#3911 DIETARY OXALIC ACID INTAKE AND PLASMA OXALIC ACID CONCENTRATION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Abstract Background and Aims High oxalic acid concentration may be caused by genetic disorders, enteric diseases, but also by kidney insufficiency per se. It may result in kidney oxalic acid stones, kidney function decline, and failure. This study aimed to investigate whether dietary oxalic acid intake influences plasma oxalic acid concentration in a population undergoing kidney transplantation. Method Dietary oxalic acid intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Based on frequency and portion size, average daily oxalic acid intake in the past year and in the last 24 hours was calculated. A blood sample for determination of plasma oxalic acid concentration was drawn on the operation ward before transplantation. For multivariable analysis seventeen recipient related variables were gathered. Results 418 patients were included. The median age of the participants was 62 year, 60% were male, all had an eGFR <20 ml/min/1.73 m2, and 66% were on dialysis with a median dialysis vintage of 13 months. The median plasma oxalic acid concentration was 32.2 µmol/L (range 4.6-243.2). In 98.3% of patients oxalic acid concentration was above the upper limit of normal. The average oxalic acid intake was 199 mg/day (range 4-1599), while it was 138 mg/day in the last 24 hours before transplantation (range 0-3906). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that plasma oxalic acid concentrations were significantly higher in recipients with higher average (p<0.001) and last 24 hours oxalic acid intake (p = 0.002), lower age (p<0.001), lower residual diuresis (p<0.001), higher body mass index (p<0.001), longer dialysis vintage (p = 0.032), hemodialysis (p<0.001), and peritoneal dialysis (p<0.001) versus preemptive status. Conclusion In pre-kidney transplant patients, plasma oxalic acid concentration is above upper normal limit in 98.3% of patients and is multifactorially determined. As all other factors are not modifiable, the only way to decrease plasma oxalic acid concentration is dietary restriction.

Comparison of foods and beverages served and consumed in Child and Adult Care Food Program-participating childcare centres to national guidelines.

The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sets minimum nutrition and portion size standards for meals served in participating childcare programs. CACFP has been associated with more nutritious meals served. It is unclear, however, whether CACFP results in children's dietary intake being aligned with national recommendations. We assess whether children's dietary intake in CACFP-participating childcare centres meets benchmarks set by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This is a cross-sectional study. We used direct observation to estimate quantities of foods/beverages served and consumed per child. Mean amounts served per child per day were compared with CACFP portion size requirements for each component (fruits, vegetables, milk and meat/meat alternate). Mean amounts of foods/beverages consumed were compared with DGA recommendations (energy content, fruits, vegetables, whole/refined grains, dairy, protein and added sugars). One sample t-tests evaluated if quantities served and consumed were different from CACFP and DGA standards, respectively. Six CACFP-participating childcare centres. 2-5 year-old children attending childcare. We observed forty-six children across 166 child meals. Most meals served met CACFP nutrition standards. Compared with CACFP portion size standards, children were served more grains at breakfast and lunch; more fruits/vegetables at lunch but less at breakfast and snack and less dairy at all eating occasions. Compared with DGA recommendations, children under-consumed every food/beverage category except grains during at least one eating occasion. Children were served quantities of foods/beverages mostly consistent with CACFP portion size requirements, but had sub-optimal intake relative to DGA. More research is needed to help children consume healthy diets in childcare.

School lunch portion sizes provided for children attending early years settings within primary schools: A cross-sectional study.

In England, many children attend an early years' setting (EYS) that is part of a primary school. Where a school lunch is available, this is often the same for both EYS and school children. This study explored how school lunch portion sizes served for 3-4-year-old EYS children compared with portion size guidance for EYS and schools, given that recommendations are different for EYS and school-aged children. Twelve schools were recruited in four local authorities, each of which provided a school lunch to children attending EYS (aged 3-4 years) and reception classes (aged 4-5 years) from the same menu. Two portions of each menu item were weighed, each day, for five consecutive days. Mean, median, standard deviation and correlation coefficient were calculated for each food item. Most caterers reported serving the same-sized portions to both 3-4-year-olds and 5-7-year-olds. Food items falling outside of the typical range for EYS were more commonly above the range (10 food items) than below it (6 food items). Notably, portions of cakes and biscuits were larger than recommended. Portion weights falling outside of the recommended range for 4-10-year-olds were usually too small (12 of 14 items). Some foods provided by the schools in the study did not have typical portion sizes for EYS as they were not 'good choices of foods to serve'. These results suggest caterers may not be following guidelines appropriate for all the children they are catering for.

Evaluation of Larger Test Portion Sizes for Escherichia coli Shiga Toxin Producer (STEC) on the Detection by Immunomagnetic Separation and Real-Time PCR in Meat and Vegetables

The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the performance of the Assurance® GDS method combining immunomagnetic separation and real-time PCR for STEC detection in pooled samples (up to 375g) of vegetables and meat, and (ii) to compare its performances to that of the reference method ISO/TS-13136:2012 (25 g sample size) in artificially contaminated samples. The alternative Assurance® GDS method includes enrichment in proprietary broth at 41.5°C for 10 h followed by primary screening of TOP 7 STEC containing eae, stx genes and O157:H7 markers using MPX-Top 7 (IMS+PCR), secondary screening for serogroup identification using MPX-ID/EHEC-ID (IMS+PCR). And finally, cultural confirmation from same IMS beads on two selective agars is set up. For reference method, the enrichment was performed in BPW at 41.5°C for 18 h. A total of 120 samples of meat and vegetables, including 20 uninoculated and 100 samples spiked with stressed cells (<12 CFU/25 or 375g) of STEC, were analyzed using both methods. Our results showed that the Assurance® GDS method LOD50 ranged from 0.12 CFU/375 to 0.522 CFU/375 g and the LOD95 from 0.518 CFU/375 to 2.257 CFU/375 g. These data are similar to the LOD50 data of the reference method.

Flood-induced food insecurity and coping strategies: A gender-based analysis of agrarian households in South-eastern Nigeria

Abstract The study addressed flood-induced food insecurity and coping strategies in agrarian South-eastern Nigeria. Data were collected from 400 households in 8 communities. Food (in)security was measured using Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) and 92.8% households were found to be food insecure. The most adopted coping strategies were compromising food quantity and quality namely; skipping meals; reducing meal frequency and reducing meal portion size in descending order. The study revealed a gender-based disparity in coping strategies adopted between female- and male-headed households and this has been linked to income and asset poverty gaps including differential household food insecurity levels. The coping strategies adopted were self-devised strategies that provided short-term means of survival in times of food shortages. Thus, policy measures, such as social security and food safety nets that are sustainable are recommended to reduce vulnerability to flood-induced food insecurity, thereby improving adaptation to help achieve Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Impact of the economic crisis on food consumption of Sri Lankans: An online cross-sectional survey

AimsThis study investigated how the economic crisis has changed Sri Lankans' food consumption. MethodsA web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out in the month of July 2022, using an e-questionnaire based on Google Forms. The questionnaire assessed respondents' socio-demographics, food consumption, and dietary patterns before and during the economic crisis. The changes were compared using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. ResultsA total of 1095 respondents, aged ≥18 years were included in the survey. There was a significant reduction in the average consumption of main meals per day during the economic crisis (pre: 3.09 ± 0.42, post: 2.82 ± 0.47; P < 0.001). The intake of food items such as rice, bread, and snacks also reduced significantly (P < 0.001). The average daily milk intake frequency decreased from 1.41 ± 1.07 to 0.57 ± 0.80 meals/day (P < 0.001). On contrary, the intake of non-dairy beverages such as malted milk and “plain tea” has increased by several folds. Consumption of fruit and vegetables showed a significant reduction in both frequency and portion size. The consumption of meat, fish, eggs and dhal also decreased in around three-quarters of the study sample. During this period majority (81%) used food coping mechanisms and the most adopted strategy was buying less expensive food. ConclusionSri Lankans' food consumption have been adversely altered due to the country's economic crisis. There has been an overall reduction in the amount and frequency of intake of many common food items.