Consuming whole grains (WG) is essential in lowering the burden of non-communicable diseases; however, reports indicate poor intake. The study aimed to assess the influence of body mass index (BMI) and selected socio-demographic characteristics on the WG eating patterns of the teaching staff of a state university in Laguna. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 63 teaching staff aged 24 - 59. A food frequency questionnaire and BMI were used to evaluate the intake of whole grains and nutritional status, respectively. Over one-third (38.7%) of respondents were overweight, and their consumption of whole grains like brown rice, corn, wheat, barley, wild rice, quinoa, sorghum, and oats was reported as 1x a week to never. Boiled corn (63.49%), processed wheat, and oats were the primary types of whole grain consumed at least once a week during snack time and breakfast, with an approximate serving size of one cup/serving. No other determinants were associated, except for gender and oat intake. The study population considered whole grains to be nutritious, promote good health, and contain good carbohydrates and fiber sources suitable for persons with diabetes and heart disease. This information was mainly sourced from printed materials like books and journal articles (36.51%), supplemented by reports from both mass and social media (28.57%). The study observed a nearly nonexistent intake of whole grains. This highlights the urgent need to strengthen efforts to promote its intake to improve the quality of diets and address the increasing prevalence of overnutrition and noncommunicable diseases in the country. Additionally, the study suggests exploring the factors that hinder its consumption.

Interactional and cultural shaping of appetite: Children's talk about food taste during meal and snack time in Japanese preschool.

This study aims to analyze snack consumption habits among employees of the Department of Transportation of Serang Regency, specifically in the Control and Operational Division. Using a descriptive quantitative method and an online questionnaire distributed to 36 respondents, the research explores snack consumption patterns, timing, stockpiling behavior, purchasing locations, and factors influencing purchase decisions. The findings reveal that most respondents are young to middle-aged and tend to consume snacks in relaxed or social contexts. Minimarkets and local stalls are the main purchasing points, with taste being the most important factor in choosing snacks. Most respondents are also highly open to trying new snack brands. These findings highlight the importance of product and marketing strategies that focus on individual preferences and consumption moments.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the correlation between chrononutritional parameters and daily total energy as well as macronutrient intake throughout different stages of pregnancy. A prospective cohort study was conducted with 100 pregnant women. Data was collected at each gestational trimester. Food intake data was accessed through three 24-hour dietary recalls in every trimester. Chrononutritional parameters, such as meal and snack times, eating duration, number of eating episodes, caloric midpoint, sleep end-first meal interval, last meal-sleep onset interval, were used to infer meal timing. Linear regression modeling analyses, adjusted for confounding factors, were carried out to investigate associations between each chrononutritional parameter (independent variables) and total daily energy and macronutrient intake (dependent variables) during each gestational trimester. Positive associations were observed between total energy intake, proteins, and carbohydrates with dinner time during the first and third trimesters (with the exception of protein intake in the third trimester). Total fat intake and dinner time showed a positive association throughout all gestational trimesters. Additionally, positive associations were found between total energy intake, fat, and carbohydrates with eating duration and the number of eating episodes in all gestational trimesters. Furthermore, correlations of dinner time, eating duration and number of eating episodes with energy intake were found, suggesting that pregnant women who ate later and more frequently tended to consume higher calorie amounts. In conclusion, our findings suggest that chrononutritional parameters associated with late eating are linked to increased total energy intake during pregnancy. If these results are confirmed, nutritional guidelines should not only focus on what or how much is consumed during pregnancy but also consider the timing of meals.

This study evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) in training parents to implement communication intervention packages in naturalistic contexts via telehealth. Three parent-child dyads participated in the study. All participants were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their age ranged between four and six years. Parents were trained to teach their children augmented and non-augmented requesting skills in a natural context via internet-based service delivery. The findings of the study revealed that parents were successful in implementing communication intervention packages in teaching communication skills to their children with ASD during snack time. Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Behavior Skills Training (BST), Telehealth, Naturalistic Context

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between processed food consumption and sleep quality among school-aged children. Our sample consisted of 137 children, with 52.6% being girls with a mean age of 7.9 ± 1.2 years. Moreover, 40.2% of children had overweight and 35.9% had experienced sleep problems. Dietary intake was evaluated using two non-consecutive 24 h recalls, and foods were categorized according to the NOVA classification system. The amount of sweet snacks consumed, in grams, was recorded for each meal and throughout the day. Sleep quality was assessed using the Portuguese Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-PT). The study found a significant and positive association between the sleep habits score and daily sweet snack consumption (B = 0.035; 95% CI: 0.011, 0.059). Additionally, there were higher odds of experiencing sleep problems in those children who consumed a higher percentage of energy from ultra-processed foods (OR: 1.043; 95% CI: 1.004, 1.084), higher total daily consumption of sweet snacks (OR: 1.016; 95% CI: 1.006, 1.026), particularly during morning and afternoon snack times (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.002, 1.033). These findings underscore the importance of addressing dietary patterns on children's sleep quality. Future interventions should account for reducing NOVA 4 and sweet snack consumption in order to improve sleep quality.

In Korea, childcare facilities providing food service for 100 or more children are required to employ dietitians, while those serving fewer than 100 children must register with the Center for Children's Foodservice Management to receive dietary guidance from its dietitians. This study compared the dietary intake of children who had daycare meals and those who did not to evaluate the impact of dietitian-managed nutritional services. This study analyzed the 24-h recalls from 706 children aged 3-5 yrs using the data from the 2016-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among them, 578 children had daycare meals, while 128 did not. The differences in energy contributions from meals and snacks, nutrient intake, and the amount and number of servings of various food groups consumed by these two groups were investigated. The daycare meal group (DMG) showed a significantly higher intake of protein, thiamin, niacin, sodium, potassium, and iron during lunch and higher protein and sodium consumption during snack times after adjusting for the energy intake compared to the non-daycare meal group (NDMG). On the other hand, the DMG consumed less sugar and fat during lunch and snack times and less vitamin C during snack times. The DMG also showed higher consumption of legumes and vegetables but lower consumption of sweets during lunch and in the total daily consumption. The overall dietary quality assessed by the mean adequacy ratio was significantly higher among the DMG than in the NDMG. Children were provided with higher-quality meals in daycare settings than in other environments. These results underscore the importance of nutrition management by dietitians. These findings also highlight the need for nutrition education for caregivers, particularly increasing vegetable intake and reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

The well-being and health of Malaysian teenagers are significantly influenced by their dietary choices. To promote healthier eating habits, implementing school nutrition guidelines that address the food environment is a crucial step. However, complementing this effort with insights into snack preferences could further enhance this initiative. This study aims to investigate the snacking behaviours among male teenagers in public schools in Shah Alam, Selangor. The respondents, who are male teenagers aged between 13 to 19 years old (n=476), have undergone a BMI test to determine their level of obesity. A chi-square analysis has been utilised to assess the significance of snacking frequency among these male teenagers. The results have indicated that snacking frequency, preferred snack time, and types of snacks are significant factors associated with obesity among the respondents. The respondents have shown a preference for consuming chips, crisps, or crackers, which is largely influenced by media advertising and peer pressure to consume more than necessary. Understanding the snack preferences of obese male teenagers can potentially enhance the adoption of healthier dietary patterns within educational institutions. This has implications for stakeholders responsible for implementing and adhering to national school nutrition guidelines.

Eikenella corrodens and Streptococcus sanguinis are indigenous to the oral cavity and infrequently associated with osteoarticular infections. We detail a case of septic arthritis in a 13-year-old boy who suffered a puncture wound with a toothpick after eating. This case highlights the ability of these microorganisms to instigate osteoarticular infections through penetrating trauma and not only through the hematogenous route.

Length of Overnight Fasting and 6-year Weight Change in the Cancer Prevention Study-3

BackgroundMeals differ in terms of food items and nutritional quality. The aim of the present study was to propose a scale to measure the meals quality of schoolchildren according to food processing degree, perform a preliminary evaluation of the scale's validity and reliability and apply the scale to a representative sample of schoolchildren in a city in southern Brazil.MethodsA methodological study based on the generalized graded unfolding model (GGUM) of item response theory (IRT) with analysis of secondary data was carried out in 6,399 schoolchildren of 6-15y-old attending 2nd to 5th grades of public elementary schools in Florianópolis, Brazil, in 2013–2015 who answered the validated Food Intake and Physical Activities of Schoolchildren (WebCAAFE) questionnaire. Meal quality was the latent trait. The steps for the development of the scale included: latent trait definition; item generation; dimensionality analysis; estimation of item parameters; scale levels definition; assessment of validity and reliability; and assessment of the meal quality of a subsample of schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years (n = 6,372).ResultsEleven out of eighteen items had adequate parameters, without differential item functioning for sex or age. Meal quality was categorized into three levels: healthy, mixed, and unhealthy. Higher scores indicate a greater prevalence of ultra-processed foods in daily meals. Most schoolchildren had mixed (40.6%) and unhealthy (41%) meal patterns.ConclusionsIRT analysis allowed the development of the scale, which measures the quality of meals and snacks based on the degree of food processing. At all snack times, there was a higher frequency of ultra-processed foods consumption, therefore foods consumed as snacks are a potential focus for nutritional interventions.

Children with disabilities have higher prevalence estimates of obesity than typically developing children. The Healthy Caregivers-Healthy Children Phase 3 (HC3) project implemented an obesity prevention program adapted for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) that includes dietary intake and physical activity (PA) components. The primary outcome was a change in dietary intake, PA, and the body mass index (BMI) percentile. Ten childcare centers (CCCs) serving low-resource families with ≥30 2- to 5-year-olds attending were randomized to either the intervention (n = 5) or control (n = 5). The HC3 CCCs received (1) snack, beverage, PA, and screen time policies via weekly technical assistance; (2) adapted lesson plans for CSHCN; and (3) parent curricula. The control CCCs received a behavioral health attention curriculum. HC3 was delivered over three school years, with data collected at five different timepoints. It was delivered weekly for six months in year one. To ensure capacity building, the HC3 tasks were scaled back, with quarterly intervention delivery in year 2 and annually in year 3. Adaptations were made to the curriculum to ensure appropriate access for CSHCN. Given that the program was being delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, special modifications were made to follow CDC safety standards. The primary outcome measures included the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool, standardized dietary intake and PA assessments, and the child BMI percentile. CCCs are an ideal setting for targeting CSHCN for obesity prevention efforts as they provide an opportunity to address modifiable risk factors.

Obesity is a chronic disease linked to excessive unhealthy snacking and sedentary behaviour. In attempts to combat obesity, increasing fruits and vegetables consumption has been recommended. To date, no study has evaluated the effectiveness of cold pressed juice (CPJ) on obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of CPJ on hunger level and food intake in adults using the visual analogue scale (VAS). Fifty-one adult participants (25.80 ± 7.92 years old) were divided into normal (NO) and overweight/obese (OW/OB) groups and they consumed CPJ and non-CPJ during the snacking time. After the standardized breakfast, hunger levels were measured with VAS every 30 minutes for 5 hours. Participants had an ad libitum lunch and food intake was measured. Findings indicate that CPJ reduced the desire to eat fatty foods in OW/OB subjects at +180, +240, and +270 minutes (p-value<0.05). CPJ was less effective in regulating hunger, satiety, and the desire to eat sweet and salty foods in both BMI groups (p-value>0.05). Moreover, CPJ did not significantly suppress food intake in NO and OW/OB subjects. These findings serve as a preliminary step in exploring obesity management targeting hunger level suppression and food intake reduction.

The aim of the study was to explore the impact of both the macronutrient composition and snacking timing on the postprandial glycemic insulinemic responses and food intake. Seventeen healthy female volunteers completed the randomized crossover trials. The volunteers were provided a standard breakfast and lunch at 8:00 and 13:00, respectively, and an ad libitum dinner at 18:00. Provided at either 10:30 (midmorning) or 12:30 (preload), the glycemic effects of the three types of 70 kcal snacks, including chicken breast (mid-C and pre-C), apple (mid-A and pre-A), and macadamia nut (mid-M and pre-M), were compared with the non-snack control (CON), evaluated by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The mid-M showed increased insulin resistance after lunch compared with CON, while the pre-M did not. The pre-A stabilized the glycemic response in terms of all variability parameters after lunch, while the mid-A had no significant effect on postprandial glucose control. Both the mid-C and pre-C improved the total area under the glucose curve, all glycemic variability parameters, and the insulin resistance within 2 h after lunch compared with CON. The pre-C attained the lowest energy intake at dinner, while the mid-A and the mid-M resulted in the highest. In conclusion, the chicken breast snack effectively stabilized postprandial glycemic excursion and reduced insulin resistance while the macadamia snack did not, regardless of ingestion time. Only as a preload could the apple snack mitigate the glucose response after the subsequent meal.

Introduction. The intake of energy-dense unhealthy food at school could influence the overall energy intake of children. Objective: To characterize the patterns of buying a snack at school and to analyze the association of these patterns with the source of the school snack (brought from home or bought at school) and screen time. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2018 until May 2019 among school children (9 to 12-year-olds) from Cuenca-Ecuador. Intake of energy-dense unhealthy food groups, the source of the school snack, and screen time were assessed using questionnaires. Multiple correspondence analysis was used to identify intake patterns of unhealthy food groups, and logistic regression to assess the association between intake of energy-dense unhealthy food groups (FG) with the school snack source. Results: Among 1,028 children recruited 63%, 42%, 30% and 22% of the children reported consuming sweets/confiture, savory snacks, fast food, and pastry products, respectively, at least two days per week. Around 39% of the children were classified as “Frequent consumers of energy-dense unhealthy FG”. Buying the snack at school was associated with a more frequent intake of sweets/confiture (OR=1.56, CI 95% =1.05-2.32) and fast food (OR=2.01, CI 95% =1.15-3.50) during the week, as well as with being classified in the “frequent consumer of energy-dense unhealthy FG” (OR=1.99, 95% CI=1.40-2.82). Conclusions: Ecuadorian children still consume prohibited unhealthy foods at school. These results reinforce the importance of evaluating, monitoring, and adapting strategies to promote a balanced diet.

Background and Aim: Food item that has little nutritive value, high fat, and sugar content with little to no fiber content is labeled as junk food. The objective of the study is to assess the patterns of consumption of junk food among young adults and to explore the reasons for junk food consumption among young adults. Materials and Methods: Mixed method study consisting of quantitative phase involving interviews with 116 students from a Medical College using a semi-structured, validated questionnaire circulated through Google Forms followed by an depth interview of 10 participants for qualitative phase. Results: In the study, it was observed that (62.2%) eat junk food during snack time. Students staying with friends (35.3%) consumed more junk food compared to the ones staying with family (13.8%). The most common reasons for junk food consumption were its good taste (77.6%) and (68.1%) convenience. It is observed that maximum consumption of junk food is seen when meeting their friends (70.7%) and on special occasions (61.2%). French fries (69.8%) were the most common junk food consumed although (76.7%) felt that junk food is unhealthy. The qualitative interview also supported the findings that the most common reasons for junk food consumption were craving, inexpensive, taste, and poor taste of hostel food. Conclusion: The above study concluded that majority of the students consumed junk food when staying with friends and due to its good taste and convenience and to spend quality time with their family and on special occasions. Participants were aware that junk food is unhealthy but consume it because it is delicious while being pocket friendly.

BackgroundGiven limited yoga research in health disparities populations, we developed and evaluated a 12-week Spanish language yoga program for Latiné women with overweight or obesity affected by cancer. The program aimed to empower participants through culturally tailored yoga practice and opportunities for social connection and support.MethodsPartnering with a community-based organization, the program was co-created by bilingual (English and Spanish-speaking) yoga instructors, Latiné cancer survivor support professionals, and integrative medicine researchers. The single arm intervention consisted of 12 separate, 60-minute Hatha yoga classes, including physical postures, breathing exercises, culturally relevant poetry, and post-practice socialization opportunities. Measures were administered at baseline, 12-week, and 24-week.ResultsThirty-five eligible participants enrolled in the program, demonstrating high feasibility and relevance as well as high levels of engagement in home practice. Some participants faced barriers to regular home practice, including family responsibilities and concerns about proper pose execution. Preliminary outcome analyses indicated improvements in sleep disturbance, pain interference, depression, and blood pressure post-intervention, with sustained improvements in depression, anxiety, and blood pressure at 24-week. No significant changes were observed in fatigue, physical function, positive affect, satisfaction with social roles and activities, and weight. Structured post-practice social snack time with yoga instructors (compared with unstructured time with peers) was associated with self-reported improvements in satisfaction with social roles and activities and weight loss.ConclusionThis yoga program successfully engaged female Latiné cancer survivors with overweight and obesity and serves as a foundational step in empowering this population to improve their health and well-being through culturally tailored yoga practice. Future research should utilize controlled study designs and engage participants from different geographical regions to study the efficacy and sustainability of findings.

In this article, I examine responses to the taking of food items during snack time in an early childhood education classroom with deaf toddlers (18 months to three years old) who are native signers of American Sign Language (ASL). These children have grown up with exposure to ASL from deaf family members and are attending a classroom where all individuals use ASL. Through the combined analysis of ethnographic and interactional data, I argue that the teachers’ corporeal socialization of the deaf toddlers into a visual orientation leads to their development of a social and moral understanding of ownership rights within the classroom which is displayed in the children’s social awareness, social responsiveness and self-reliance in responding to food takings.

Circle time is commonplace in traditional preschools, yet there are few references to the practice in Montessori’s writings or in major Montessori organizations’ and teacher education standards. This article investigates whether circle time is frequent in Montessori 3–6-year-old classrooms using data from a widely distributed Qualtrics survey. The results, from 276 respondents spanning all 50 states, provide insight into the circle time practices of United States-based preschool Montessori teachers, also known in Montessori classrooms as guides. We present novel information regarding circle time duration and frequency, types of circle time activities, Montessori guides’ circle time training and planning, whether children’s circle time attendance is free choice or compulsory, and the nature of circle time in programs associated with Association Montessori Internationale versus American Montessori Society. Results revealed that 92% of survey participants have circle time every day or most days; most participants hold circle time for 20 minutes or less; the most common circle time events were show-and-tell, calendar work, vocabulary lessons, Grace and Courtesy lessons, read aloud discussions, dancing and movement, snack time, general conversation, read aloud (stories), and birthday celebrations. We found that many of the most frequent circle time activities do not align with children’s preferences, teacher preferences, or Early Childhood best practices. Our work invites Montessorians to engage in the work of reconstructing the traditional practice of circle time to better align with Montessori hallmarks of choice, development of the will, and joyfulness.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented need for accessible health care services and significantly accelerated the development processes of telehealth tools for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) early screening and diagnosis. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and utility of a time-efficient telehealth tool combining a structured snack time assessment activity and a novel behaviour coding scheme for identifying ASD.MethodsA total of 134 1–6-year-old individuals with ASD (age in months: mean = 51.3, SD = 13.1) and 134 age- and sex-matched typically developing individuals (TD) (age in months: mean = 54, SD = 9.44) completed a 1-min snack time interaction assessment with examiners. The recorded videos were then coded by trained coders for 17 ASD-related behaviours; the beginning and end points and the form and function of each behaviour were recorded, which took 10–15 min. Coded details were transformed into 62 indicators representing the count, duration, rate, and proportion of those behaviours.ResultsTwenty indicators with good reliability were selected for group difference, univariate and multivariate analyses. Fifteen behaviour indicators differed significantly between the ASD and TD groups and remained significant after Bonferroni correction, including the children’s response to the examiner’s initiation, eye gaze, pointing, facial expressions, vocalization and verbalization, and giving behaviours. Five indicators were included in the final prediction model: total counts of eye gaze, counts of standard pointing divided by the total counts of pointing, counts of appropriate facial expressions, counts of socially oriented vocalizations and verbalizations divided by the total counts of vocalizations and verbalizations, and counts of children using giving behaviours to respond to the examiner's initiations divided by the total counts of the examiner's initiation of snack requisitions. The ROC curve revealed a good prediction performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.955, a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 84.3%.ConclusionOur results suggest that the snack activity-based ASD telehealth approach shows promise in primary health care settings for early ASD screening.