Eating Practices Research Articles

Dietary Habits, Perceptions and Barriers Among Government and Private College Intermediate Students in Karachi: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Objective: To determine differences in eating practices, perceptions, and perceived barriers among intermediate students of government and private sectors in Karachi. Study design and setting: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six intermediate colleges of Karachi from October to December 2018. Methodology: Total N=390 students aged 16-24 years were selected via non-probability convenience sampling. The study team developed a questionnaire to assess the dietary habits and barriers among the students. Results: Mean BMI of government college students was 20.41 ± 4.15 kg/m2 while that of private college students was 22.25 ± 5.43 kg/m2. The proportion of underweight participants was higher (36.8%) in government college students, and overweight students being higher in private (23.8%). Similar responses were recorded for daily meals and weekly fastfood and fruit consumption. Skipping meals was found out to be a common practice among students. Breakfast was most commonly skipped meal among both groups (23.9% & 39.2%, respectively). Watching television during meals was common in both groups (58.7% & 67.7% respectively). The majority of the students from both groups did not familiar with the term body mass index BMI (84.6% & 82.5%, respectively). Smoking was more common among the private sector, 16.9%, compared to 3.5 % of the government sector. Fruit juice was considered a healthier option (58.7% & 52.9%, respectively). Similarly, white bread against bran bread was perceived healthier by the majority in both groups (70.1% & 59.3%, respectively). Carbohydrate was reported as a major nutrient in the diet by (51.7% & 57.1% respectively). Factors like educational stress, time, will-power to maintain the diet, availability of junk food, and climate were some of the significant influencers of diet/lifestyle recorded. Conclusion: Students from both groups shared similar eating and lifestyle practices irrespective of their educational institutes’ status.

FOOD PATTERNS AND EATING HABITS AMONG CHILDREN DURING THE PANDEMIC: A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE

The current pandemic of the novel COVID-19 lead to the nationwide lockdown for a relatively long period. The lockdown has led to changes among every individual at different level. Although children are less severely infected with mild infectious, they are still at risk. One of the major strategies for prevention of the spread of the disease was the ‘nationwide lockdown’ which was adopted by Government. One of the outcomes of the lockdown was disrupted schedules of many individuals. It also leads to irregularity and hindrance for ‘food access’ toindividuals which further affect the overall household. One such subgroup which have been affected are the children.With changes in their lifestyle and timetable there is indeed a change in their eating habits and food consumption. In-depth interviews were conducted with 9 parents in Pune and Mumbai city. They described their experiences of children ranging 2 years up to 18 years. There were five major themes which emerged from the study: effect of pandemic on daily lifestyle, dietary changes at household level, eating patterns and food practices among children and lastly activities of children. In this paper viewpoints and experiences of parents on their children’s food eating habits and practices during COVID-19 pandemic are presented.

The Association between Australian Childcare Centre Healthy Eating Practices and Children's Healthy Eating Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Study within Lunchbox Centres.

The association between healthy eating practices and child dietary intake in childcare centres where parents pack foods from home has received little attention. This study aimed to: (1) Describe the nutritional content of foods and beverages consumed by children in care; and (2) Assess the association between centre healthy eating practices and child intake of fruit and vegetable servings, added sugar(grams), saturated fat(grams) and sodium(milligrams) in care. A cross-sectional study amongst 448 children attending 22 childcare centres in New South Wales, Australia, was conducted. Child dietary intake was measured via weighed lunchbox measurements, photographs and researcher observation, and centre healthy eating practices were assessed via researcher observation of centre nutrition environments. Children attending lunchbox centres consumed, on average 0.80 servings (standard deviation 0.69) of fruit and 0.27 servings (standard deviation 0.51) of vegetables in care. The availability of foods within children’s lunchboxes was associated with intake of such foods (p < 0.01). Centre provision of intentional healthy eating learning experiences (estimate −0.56; p = 0.01) and the use of feeding practices that support children’s healthy eating (estimate −2.02; p = 0.04) were significantly associated with reduced child intake of saturated fat. Interventions to improve child nutrition in centres should focus on a range of healthy eating practices, including the availability of foods packed within lunchboxes.

Prevalence and Correlates of Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors Among Regular Street Food Consumers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BackgroundRegular street food consumers (RSFCs) in Africa are at an increased risk of unhealthy eating practices, which have been associated with intermediate risk factors of cardio-metabolic diseases. However, knowledge of the magnitude and correlates of these risk factors is limited in Tanzania. This study aimed to fill this gap using data collected from RSFCs in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania.MethodologyA cross-sectional study was carried out among 560 RSFCs in three districts of Dar es Salaam between July and September 2018. Information on socio-economic factors and demographics, behavioral risks, anthropometric and biochemical indicators was collected. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and prevalence ratio (PR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable binary logistic and modified Poisson regression models, respectively.ResultsOn average, participants consumed 11 street food meals/week. The prevalence (95% CI) of cardio-metabolic risk factors was 63.9% (60.6–69.9%) for overweight/obesity, 42.5% (38.3–46.9%) for raised blood pressure, 13.5% (10.9–16.8%) for raised triglycerides and 6.6% (4.9–9.3%) for raised glucose levels. The correlates of overweight/obesity were female vs male sex (APR=1.3; 95% CI 1.2–1.5), age of 41–64 vs 25–40 years (APR=1.4; 95% CI 1.2–1.6), high vs low income (APR=1.2; 95% CI 1.04–1.3), being married/cohabiting vs other (APR=1.2; 95% CI 1.01–1.4) and family history of diabetes vs no family history (APR=1.2; 95% CI 1.01–1.3). Age 41–64 vs 25–40 years, was the only significant factor associated with raised blood pressure APR (95% CI) 2.2 (1.7–2.9) and raised glucose AOR (95% CI) 3.9 (1.5–10.5).ConclusionOur study revealed that RSFCs are at risk of cardio-metabolic health problems, especially women, middle-aged people and those with higher incomes. Transdisciplinary studies to understand the drivers of street food consumption are needed in order to inform interventions to mitigate the risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases. These interventions should target both street food vendors and their consumers.

Review: De los plátanos de Oller a los Food Trucks: Comida, alimentación y cocina puertorriqueña en ensayos y recetas, by Cruz Miguel Ortiz Cuadra

Review: <i>De los plátanos de Oller a los Food Trucks: Comida, alimentación y cocina puertorriqueña en ensayos y recetas</i>, by Cruz Miguel Ortiz Cuadra

Impact of a behaviourally focused nutrition education intervention on attitudes and practices related to eating habits and activity levels in Indian adolescents.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a behaviourally focused nutrition education (NE) intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) to improve knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to eating habits and activity levels in 10–12-year-old adolescents in Mumbai, India. School-based cluster randomised controlled trial. The experimental group (EG) received weekly NE and three parent sessions over 12 weeks; no sessions were conducted for the control group (CG). The theoretical framework of HBM and focus group discussion results guided the development of behaviour change communication strategies and NE aids. KAP were measured using a validated survey instrument, administered at baseline and endline in EG and CG. Paired and independent t tests determined within-group and between-group changes in pre–post scores. Two aided and two private schools that were randomly allocated to either an EG or CG. Adolescent boys and girls (n 498; EG n 292 and CG n 206). EG reported improvements in mean knowledge (39·3%), attitude (7·3 %), diet (9·6 %) and activity practice (9·4%) scores from pre to post intervention. No significant changes were observed in CG. Significant improvements in scores associated with perceived benefits, barriers and self-efficacy, breakfast and vegetable consumption, and moderate-to-vigorous activities were observed in EG. Integrating NE into the academic curriculum and adopting evidence-based lessons that entail targeted information delivery and participatory activities can improve knowledge, foster right attitudes and facilitate better eating and activity-related practices in Indian adolescents.

Atividade física e alimentação em estudantes do ensino superior

The aim was to characterize the lifestyles of students at a higher education institution, in the dimensions of physical activity and nutrition, and to propose intervention strategies based on the results obtained. Exploratory, descriptive, transversal, and quantitative study. Data were collected through the Fantastic Lifestyle questionnaire (EVF) distributed to students of a Higher Education Institution in the interior of Portugal, via email, registered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 22.0. The results obtained in the Physical Activity and Nutrition dimensions of the EVF stand out. A total of 455 students participated in the study, 42.0% reported that they walked, almost always, for at least 30 minutes a day, 14.1% did not practice any physical activity; 56.7% said they sometimes consume vegetables and fruit while 21.1% do it daily. On the other hand, the majority (80.9%) regularly consume some high-calorie foods, 19.4% are pre-obese. It was allowed to assess the situation in order to carry out a planning and implementation of strategies aimed at promoting the practice of regular physical activity and careful eating in a greater number of students, with specific interventions for those who do not practice any physical exercise and those who already have pre-obesity.

Aesthetic Conflict and Eating Behaviour in Adolescent Girls of an Urban Slum- A Community Based Mixed Method Design

Introduction: Body image is correlated to self-esteem and eating behaviour and is often skewed in adolescence. The social pressure to be thin and the stigma of obesity lead to unhealthy eating practices. Dieting could be a corollary to body dissatisfaction reflecting skewed perception. Aim: To study the perception of body image among the adolescent girls of our study area and to explore if it affected their eating behaviour. Materials and Methods: An explanatory mixed method design (Quantitative Descriptive - Qualitative) was conducted in a sample of 250 adolescent girls after obtaining ethical clearance. The adolescents’ ‘Self perceptions of body shape’ (compared with their actual body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), World Health Organisation (WHO) Asian standards), their ‘perceptions of a healthy body shape’ and their practices were collected quantitatively. Qualitative exploration {Focus Group Discussions (FGD)} of their beliefs and practices pertaining to their perceptions of body image were summarised and the data was analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 13.0) and N Vivo 8 (Demo version). Results: The ‘self-perception of body shape’ in adolescent girls was compared with their BMI. Of those who felt that they were normal, 57.3% were underweight (BMI ≤18.5) and among those who perceived their self-image as fat, about 29.4% were normal and even about 33.3% were underweight (kappa 0.116, p&lt;0.001). About 7% of the adolescent girls did dieting for maintaining body shape. The respondent’s various perspectives of a fatty body shape were related to dietary factors and few beliefs predominant in their community. Those who were ‘very thin’ wanted to be ‘normal’ but never ‘fat’ at any cost (Qualitative). Additionally, those who perceived themselves as ‘thin’ did not diet. For those who were on diet, being ‘thin’ was considered healthy (91%) but for none (0%), being ‘fat’ was healthy. Conclusion: Body image dissatisfaction and negative self-perception is observed in adolescent girls and impacts their eating behaviour. They should be positively counselled and their food habits must be shaped with sustained motivation as these tend to persist till adulthood.

The Impact of Halal Nutrition on Student Morality

The practice of halal diet in daily life is very important in meeting the demands of religion and also daily life based on Halalan Tayyiban. This food selection, if practiced, can certainly have a profound effect on one's morals. This study aims to identify the moral impact of secondary school students in Brunei Darussalam through the practice of halal nutrition in daily life through four elements of morality, namely morality to oneself, morality to parents, morality to teachers and morality to society. This study uses the design of survey research (Explonatory Research) through quantitative method, which is descriptive by providing a questionnaire to 790 Year 9 secondary school students randomly selected. Overall, these descriptive findings indicate that the four moral elements are at a high level, namely (mean = 4.23, sp = 0.50). In conclusion, good morals can be formed through the practice of halal eating, because with halal eating it will form a clean and pure heart. To further strengthen the practice of halal nutrition in students continuously, it is proposed that halal food education be established in secondary schools in Brunei Darussalam through Islamic religious knowledge subjects. Through halal food education, it will further increase the understanding, practice of students on halal food and at the same time make it a culture in their lives when choosing food. Therefore, by adopting halal diet, one will become a healthier person physically, mentally and spiritually.

Knowledge and Attitude on Halal Food and Islamic Eating Practices among Students of Universiti Malaysia Sabah

The preservation of future generation and the protection of consumer welfare is a priority in view of the incremental negative behaviours existing in today’s societies at large. The study involved 414 respondents through convenience sampling by using questionnaires. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 25. This study highlighted that family is the main reference for source of information on halal food products followed with the internet and lecturer. All faculties at UMS has high level of knowledge about the concept of Halal and Haram in halal food, followed with Islamic law on halal food and beverages. This is maybe due to courses on halal and haram foods being offered at various faculties in UMS. Although the majority of respondents has high level of knowledge on halal food but the practices of respondents consuming the sunnah food is low. This happens because the fruits such as dates, pomegranates and figs are quite expensive and not easily accessible in the city of Kota Kinabalu. The study found that the Muslim respondents have positive attitude towards halal food and eating practices whereby they will always choose halal and tayyib food whenever they want to eat and they will eat in a congregation (with friends or family) when they want to eat. The respondents have satisfactory level on Islamic eating practices such as washing hands before and after eating, saying “Bismillah” before eating and sharing food with friends, but not because it is encouraged by Islam, but because it has become a custom or a part of their daily eating practices. This happens because the Malaysian public is not familiar with eating food from Arab countries where it was a way of life for the Prophet s.a.w. Results also showed that knowledge on Halal food was significantly correlated with attitude (r=0.217; p&lt;0.05) and practices (r=0.085; p&lt;0.05) of the UMS students showing positive linear correlations which confirms that better knowledge can lead to positive attitude and subsequently in good practices.

Repercussões da deficiência de ferro durante a gestação e puerpério para o binômio materno-fetal

Objetivo: Analisar as repercussões da deficiência de ferro durante a gestação e no puerpério para o binômio materno-fetal, bem como destacar a intervenção do enfermeiro frente à problemática. Revisão Bibliográfica: Deficiência de ferro em gestantes tem consequências relevantes que culminam na anemia gestacional prejudicando assim a saúde materna, acarretando prejuízos no desenvolvimento e crescimento fetal e podendo levar a perdas sanguíneas agudas no pós parto, levando a consequências irreversíveis para ambos, sendo assim, é necessário que haja uma identificação precoce da deficiência deste micronutriente na gestante, para que se possa montar estratégias de intervenção nutricional ou medicamentosa, promovendo níveis adequados dos mesmos, melhorando o prognóstico gravídico junto a gestante. O enfermeiro é fundamental para o acompanhamento e desenvolvimento de uma gestação saudável, pois deve enfatizar, priorizar e orientar as recomendações passadas pelo médico, bem como reforçar e esclarecer sobre as boas práticas alimentares, e estilo de vida adequado, para assim evitar intercorrência e garantir uma gestação sem complicações. Considerações Finais: A carência de ferro durante a gestação e puerpério para o binômio materno-fetal causa severas sequelas no desenvolvimento e crescimento fetal, além de prejudicar a saúde da mãe, podendo levar a consequências irreversíveis para ambos.

Eating on the street in times of social distancing. Impact and strategies implemented by food businesses in Northwestern Mexico

The objective was to demonstrate the effects of the global health contingency on the practice of street eating in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, as well as the strategies adopted by the establishments to achieve their permanence. From a socio-anthropological and qualitative approach, we worked with street food businesses during the second and third stages of the health emergency in Mexico. These businesses have shown great adaptability and resilience deployed in various strategies, in line with their ability; being the electronic media such as Facebook and WhatsApp prevailing for their permanence, as well as the commensal themselves.

The Influence of Mindful Eating and/or Intuitive Eating Approaches on Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review

BackgroundStimuli that promote eating in the absence of the physiological need for food are pervasive and can facilitate excessive energy intake. The practices of mindful eating (ME) and intuitive eating (IE) have been developed to minimize external drivers of energy intake by helping individuals emphasize the sensory properties of foods and internal indicators of hunger and fullness. ObjectiveTo enhance understanding about the effect of ME and IE interventions on dietary intake, this systematic review included randomized trials of ME and IE interventions that examined dietary intake, defined as energy intake or diet quality, in adults of varying weight status without a diagnosis of an eating disorder. MethodsThe selection of literature followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses systematic review process, in which PubMed, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies published between January 1980 and November 2019. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: randomized trial design in which 1 arm was an intervention with an ME or IE component and there was at least 1 control or active comparison arm; enrolled participants were of a healthy weight or with overweight or obesity and reported not having an eating disorder (ie, anorexia, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder) or other health conditions in which dietary restrictions were applied; were at least 18 years of age; and outcomes of energy intake or diet quality were reported at baseline and post intervention. The modified Downs and Black checklist was used to assess risk of bias for each study that met inclusion criteria. ResultsA total of 13 studies, including 8 investigating ME interventions and 5 investigating IE interventions, represented in 14 articles, were included in the review. Seven of the 9 articles reporting on energy intake did not find significant group differences. Eight of the 12 articles reporting on diet quality did not find significant group differences. The mean bias assessment score was 13.6 out of 28, indicating poor quality. ConclusionsLittle evidence suggests that ME and IE interventions influence energy intake or diet quality. To draw strong conclusions about the effect of ME and IE on dietary intake, future research using study designs of high rigor are needed.

On the role of viruses in nature and what this means for the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the role of viruses in nature and what this means for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessing Healthful Eating and Physical Activity Practices in Places Children Learn

Assessing Healthful Eating and Physical Activity Practices in Places Children Learn

Risk Factors of Clonorchis sinensis Human Infections in Endemic Areas, Haman-Gun, Republic of Korea: A Case-Control Study.

Clonorchis sinensis is the most common fish-borne intestinal parasite in Korea. The aim of the present investigation was to survey the status of C. sinensis infection and analyze associated risk factors in residents of Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. A total of 5,114 residents from 10 administrative towns/villages voluntarily agreed to participate in the study, which comprised fecal examination, a questionnaire survey for risk factors, ultrasonography, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for cancer biomarker detection in the blood. We detected C. sinensis eggs in 5.3% of the subjects. By region, Gunbuk-myeon had the highest number of residents with C. sinensis eggs. The infection rate and intensity were higher in male than in female residents. Based on the risk factor questionnaire, infection was highly associated with drinking, a history of C. sinensis infection, and the practice of eating of raw freshwater fish. Extension of the bile duct, infection intensity, and cancer biomarker detection significantly correlated with the presence of eggs in the study population. In conclusion, the development of feasible, long-term control policies and strategies for the elimination of C. sinensis in Korea is still required.

The impact of general self-efficacy and the severity of malocclusion on acceptance of removable orthodontic appliances in 10- to 12-year-old patients

BackgroundThe patients’ acceptance of a treatment plan and their subsequent cooperation play a crucial role in achieving the best results in orthodontic treatments. Evidences show some personality traits such as general self-efficacy (GSE) and some dental traits such as severity of malocclusion are correlated with motivation of orthodontic treatment. These factors may predict the patients’ compliance and acceptance in using removable orthodontic appliances. This cross sectional study was conducted to assess the correlation of GSE and the severity of malocclusion with patients’ acceptance in using removable orthodontic appliances.MethodsThis study recruited 50 patients aged 10–12 years who required removable orthodontic appliances. The severity of malocclusion was determined using the index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) before the onset of treatment and GSE of participants were assessed using GSE scale self-report. The acceptance questionnaire was proposed to the patients on first (T1), third (T2), and sixth (T3) month after the delivery of the appliance.ResultsThe GSE score had a statistically significant correlation with the total score of the acceptance questionnaire, subscale score of satisfaction with the appliance during eating and oral hygiene practice, duration of usage of the appliance, and interest in using it (P < 0.05). The IOTN had no significant correlation with the acceptance questionnaire.ConclusionsOur findings substantiate the role of the GSES, concurrently declining the role of the IOTN in prediction of 10–12-year-old children’s acceptance and cooperation in treatment of malocclusion with removable appliances.

Comparison between the Healthy Start-Départ Santé online and in-person training of childcare educators to improve healthy eating and physical activity practices and knowledge of physical activity and fundamental movement skills: A controlled trial.

Online training may be a more effective and sustainable way to reach educators in early childcare centres (ECCs). This study compared the effectiveness of an online version of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé (HSDS) training to the traditional in-person version of the training as well as to the usual practice condition on ECC educators' healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA) practices and knowledge of PA and fundamental movement skills (FMS). Seventy-eight ECCs were randomly chosen across the provinces of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, Canada and were allocated to either the online training, the in-person training or the usual practice groups between 2013 and 2018. Educators in each group completed a self-administered questionnaire before and nine months after the intervention, which included questions regarding their HE and PA practices in the ECC, as well as their knowledge of children's FMS and PA. Group differences were assessed with mixed-effect models. Compared to educators in the usual practice group, educators in the online training group reported a greater improvement in scores for HE and PA practices (p=0.03 and 0.03, respectively), but change for educators in the in-person training group were not different (p=0.8 and 0.56, respectively). The rate of improvement in FMS and PA knowledge did not differ across all three groups (p=0.9). The HSDS online training is an effective method of improving educators' HE and PA practices in ECCs. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02375490).

Complementary feeding and future health in Mexico. Introduction to the XI Nestlé Nutrition Conference.

Nutrition in infancy provides an important window of opportunity to shape good health during childhood and adult life. The objective of this manuscript is toprovide an introduction to the review articles that bring together the proceedings of the XI Nestlé Nutrition Conference "Complementary Feeding: A Piece of the Puzzle to Understand Future Health". The studies and description of complementary feeding practices in Mexico, from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 (ENSANUT 2012), support the urgent need for strong policy actions to promote healthy eating and appropriate complementary feeding practices. Early interventions considering a life course approach and maternal and child nutrition are essential to prevent obesity, chronic disease and to ensure better health for the Mexican population.

Assessing the implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices in the family day care setting: A cross-sectional study.

While the family day care setting provides a unique opportunity to improve child health, few studies have assessed obesity prevention practices of this setting. This study aimed to examine the (a) prevalence of implementation of evidence-based healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices among schemes (ie overarching governing agency) and educators in the family day care setting in Australia; and (b) associations between educator socio-demographic characteristics and implementation of healthy eating and physical activity practices. Family day care schemes (n=16) responsible for educators (n=174) located in the Hunter New England region of NSW participated in a telephone survey in 2018, reporting their implementation of evidence-based healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices. Linear mixed regression analyses were used to determine whether educator characteristics were associated with higher percentages of implementation. Few schemes had comprehensive breastfeeding (0%) and screen time (19%) policies. However, the majority of educators (81%) communicated with families when lunchboxes were not consistent with guidelines. Educators implemented an average of 64.3% of practices assessed. Educators located in higher socioeconomic areas implemented a significantly higher percentage of practices than those in lower socioeconomic areas (P<.000). Educator years of experience was positively associated with percentage of implementation (P=.009). The implementation of obesity prevention policies and practices in the family day care setting is variable and associated with educator socio-demographic characteristics. SO WHAT?: There is a need to support family day care schemes to improve their obesity prevention environments, particularly those related to policies.