To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a beverage intervention in Hispanic adults.

Eligible individuals identified as Hispanic, were 18–64 years old and had BMI 30·0–50·0 kg/m2. Participants were randomized 2:2:1 to one of three beverages: Mediterranean lemonade (ML), green tea (GT) or flavoured water control (FW). After a 2-week washout period, participants were asked to consume 32 oz (946 ml) of study beverage daily for 6 weeks and avoid other sources of tea, citrus, juice and sweetened beverages; water was permissible. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and 8 weeks to assess primary and secondary efficacy outcomes.

Tucson, AZ, USA.

Fifty-two participants were recruited over 6 months; fifty were randomized (twenty-one ML, nineteen GT, ten FW). Study population mean (sd) age 44·6 (sd 10·2) years, BMI 35·9 (4·6) kg/m2; 78 % female.

Forty-four (88 %) completed the 8-week assessment. Self-reported adherence was high. No significant change (95 % CI) in total cholesterol (mg/dl) from baseline was shown −1·7 (−14·2, 10·9), −3·9 (−17·2, 9·4) and −13·2 (−30·2, 3·8) for ML, GT and FW, respectively. Mean change in HDL-cholesterol (mg/dl) −2·3 (−5·3, 0·7; ML), −1·0 (−4·2, 2·2; GT), −3·9 (−8·0, 0·2; FW) and LDL-cholesterol (mg/dl) 0·2 (−11·3, 11·8; ML), 0·5 (−11·4, 12·4; GT), −9·8 (−25·0, 5·4; FW) were also non-significant. Fasting glucose (mg/dl) increased significantly by 5·2 (2·6, 7·9; ML) and 3·3 (0·58, 6·4; GT). No significant change in HbA1c was demonstrated. Due to the small sample size, potential confounders and effect modifiers were not investigated.

Recruitment and retention figures indicate that a larger-scale trial is feasible; however, favourable changes in cardiometabolic biomarkers were not demonstrated.

To translate and validate the Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (CTFEQr17), assessing cognitive restraint (CR), uncontrolled eating (UE) and emotional eating (EE), among French-speaking Canadian young individuals.

Phase 1 comprised a translation and the evaluation of the comprehension of the questionnaire. Phase 2 comprised a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the evaluation of internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), test–retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC)) and construct validity, including correlations among the CTFEQr17 and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), anthropometrics, dietary intake and diet quality.

Primary and secondary schools, Québec City, Canada.

Phases 1 and 2 included 20 (40 % boys, mean age 11·5 (sd 2·4) years) and 145 (48 % boys, mean age 11·0 (sd 1·9) years) participants, respectively.

Phase 1 resulted in the questionnaire to be used in Phase 2. In Phase 2, the CFA revealed that the seventeen item, three-factor model (CTFEQr17) provided an excellent fit. Internal consistency was good (Cronbach’s α: 0·81–0·90). Test–retest reliability was moderate to good (ICC = 0·59, (95 % CI 0·48, 0·70), ICC = 0·78, (95 % CI 0·70, 0·84), ICC = 0·50, (95 % CI 0·38, 0·62) for CR, UE and EE, respectively). CR correlated with EAT-26 score (r = 0·43, P < 0·0001). UE and EE correlated negatively with BMI Z-scores (r = −0;·26, P = 0·003; r = −0;·19, P = 0·03, respectively). CR correlated with the proportion of energy intake from protein and diet quality (r = 0·18, P = 0·04; r = 0·20, P = 0·02, respectively).

The CTFEQr17 is suitable to use among French-speaking Canadian young individuals.

To explore what Australian primary school parents want to learn about food and nutrition to improve their children’s eating behaviours, as well as the associations between parents’ personal and demographic characteristics and their views regarding their food and nutrition knowledge needs.

An online nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2021 using a mixed-methods approach. Logistic regression analysis was utilised to examine the relationship between parents’ demographics, personal values and their views. Content analysis was performed using Leximancer.

Australia.

Seven hundred and eighty-seven parents.

Fifty-one per cent wanted to learn more about food and nutrition to improve their children's healthy eating habits, and 77% of those preferred schools to provide that information. Online/printed newsletters and YouTube were the most preferred methods for receiving food and nutrition related information. Higher universalism-concern value (concern for the welfare of those in the larger society and world) scores were positively associated parents’ preference for schools to provide food and nutrition-related information. Parents with non-English-speaking backgrounds and younger parents were more likely to want to learn about food and nutrition. Parents wanted to learn more about encouraging healthy eating, ideas for the lunchbox, food labels and age-specific portion sizes and recommendations.

Findings can inform public health educators and assist them in designing future food and nutrition education programmes and resources targeting primary school parents.

To evaluate sex- and age-stratified body composition (BC) parameters in subjects with wide age range of 20–79 years.

Cross-sectional.

Participants of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS).

Two thousand nine hundred seventy participants met our inclusion criteria. They were divided into five age groups, and BC parameters were analysed based on sex and age using a bioelectrical impedance analyser (BIA).

The mean age of the participants was 42·1 ± 12·5 years, and 54 % of them were males. The mean BMI was 26·7 ± 3·7 kg/m2. Obesity indices were significantly higher in females (P < 0·001); however, skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were significantly higher in males (P < 0·001). Both SMM and FFM decreased significantly after the age of 50 years. Obesity indices significantly increased from the age group of 20–29 to 30–39 years in males and the age groups of 30–39 to 40–49 years and 40–49 to 50–59 years in females. The fat mass ratio (fat mass/SMM) showed two peaks in both sexes (after the ages of 30 and 50 years in males and 40 and 50 years in females). A strong correlation was found between BMI and percentage of body fat (r = 0·823 in females v. r = 0·768 in males).

This is the first community-based study in the MENA region identifying sex- and age-stratified BC values using BIA. Our findings can be used as a reference for comparison in appropriate settings.

To investigate food democracy and health disparities in the New York City (NYC) trans fat policy process.

Texts from semi-structured interviews, public testimony and comments on the policy were analysed using categorization and thematic coding. A priori content analysis for themes of food democracy was followed by open, axial and selective coding for sub-themes on health disparities. Data and method triangulation and respondent validation were used to establish data dependability, trustworthiness and representativeness.

NYC.

Interviews from a purposive, snowballed sample of thirty-three participants included restaurateurs, scientists, health and consumer advocates, consumers and policy makers. Additionally, 261 pages of transcript from public testimony of fifty-three participants and a purposive sample of public comments on the policy from a pool of 2157 were analysed.

Principles of food democracy involving inclusive citizenship, access to information, collaborative participation and focus on collective good were well represented in the data. Additionally, sub-themes linked to health disparities included: government responsibility for fairer access to healthier foods; recognition that people made choices based on circumstances; concern for vulnerable groups; and outrage with a food industry viewed as unconcerned for public health.

Principles of food democracy present in the successful process of adoption of the 2006 NYC trans fat policy addressed nutrition-related health. Food democracy is a contemporary food system and policy approach with potential for public health benefits in reducing nutrition-related health disparities.

(1) To examine total quality of foods consumed on the day a home-delivered meal (HDM) of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program (OAANSP) was served, and when a HDM was not served; and (2) to estimate proportion of HDM participants and non-participants meeting the daily average recommendations for guidance-based foods and nutrients.

Cross-sectional study.

Data were obtained from the national 2015–2017 Outcomes Evaluation Study of HDM participants in the USA.

Adults aged 67 years and older (n 1227), 620 HDM recipients and 607 matching non-participants examined in three groups: (1) meal recipients who received a HDM on the day of the 24-h dietary recall; (2) no-meal recipients who did not receive a HDM on the day of the recall and (3) matching HDM non-participants.

Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010 scores of HDM participants were significantly lower on the day the meal was not received compared with when a meal was received (52·5 v. 63·4, P < 0·0001). There was no significant difference in the total HEI-2010 scores of HDM meal recipients and HDM non-participants. Despite the meal, less than 20 % of HDM participants and non-participants met the 2010-Diet Guidelines for Americans recommended average daily intake for fruit, vegetables, dairy, protein foods and solid fats.

HDM participants’ diet quality is poorer when they do not receive a meal putting them at increased risk of malnutrition. Expanding the OAANSP to offer meals on weekends and/or to include more than one meal/d is recommended to improve the diet of this vulnerable population.

The high energy intake from energy-dense foods among children in developed countries is undesirable. Improving food parenting practices has the potential to lower snack intakes among children. To inform the development of interventions, we aimed to predict food parenting practice patterns around snacking (i.e. ‘high covert control and rewarding’, ‘low covert control and non-rewarding’, ‘high involvement and supportive’ and ‘low involvement and indulgent’).

A cross-sectional survey was conducted. To predict the patterns of food parenting practices, multinomial logistic regression analyses were run with 888 parents. Predictors included predisposing factors (i.e. parents’ and children’s demographics and BMI, parents’ personality, general parenting, and parenting practices used by their own parents) and parents’ cognitions (i.e. perceived behaviour of other parents, subjective norms, attitudes, self-efficacy and outcome expectations).

The Netherlands (October–November 2014).

Dutch parents of children aged 4–12 years old.

After backward elimination, nineteen factors had a statistically significant contribution to the model (Nagelkerke R2=0·63). Overall, self-efficacy and outcome expectations were among the strongest explanatory factors. Considering the predisposing factors only, the general parenting factor nurturance most strongly predicted the food parenting clusters. Nurturance particularly distinguished highly involved parents from parents employing a pattern of low involvement.

Parental cognitions and nurturance are important factors to explain the use of food parenting practices around snacking. The results suggest that intervention developers should attempt to increase self-efficacy and educate parents about what constitute effective and ineffective parenting practices. Promoting nurturance might be a prerequisite to achieve prolonged change.

To study the effect of advice to increase dietary soluble fibre, including fruit and vegetables, on plasma folate and homocysteine in men with angina.

Data were collected on a subset of subjects from the Diet and Angina Randomised Trial (DART II). In a randomised (2 × 2) factorial design, subjects received advice on either, neither or both interventions to: (1) increase soluble fibre intake to 8.0 g day−1 (fruit, vegetables and oats); (2) increase oily fish intake to 2 portions week−1. Those who received soluble fibre advice were compared with those who did not. Subjects were genotyped for C677T variant 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR).

Seven hundred and fifty-three male angina patients were recruited from general practice.

Plasma homocysteine concentrations were at the upper end of the normal range (median 11.5, 25% 9.4, 75% 14.0 μmol l−1). Baseline intake of fruit and vegetables was positively correlated with plasma folate (rs = 0.29, P < 0.01). Smokers had lower intakes of fruit and vegetables, lower plasma folate and higher homocysteine (all P < 0.01). Homozygotes for variant MTHFR had higher homocysteine concentrations at low plasma folate (P < 0.01). Reported intakes of fruit and vegetables and estimated dietary folate increased in the intervention group (ca. +75 g day−1, P < 0.01 and ca. +20 g day−1, P < 0.05, respectively). However, neither plasma folate (baseline/follow-up 4.5 vs. 4.4 μg l−1, P = 0.40) nor homocysteine (baseline/follow-up 11.7 vs. 11.7 μmol l−1, P = 0.31) changed.

Plasma homocysteine, a cardiovascular risk factor, is influenced by MTHFR genotype, plasma folate and smoking status. Dietary advice successfully led to changes in fruit and vegetable intake, but not to changes in plasma folate or homocysteine, possibly because the fruits and vegetables that were chosen were not those richest in folate.

The prevalence of child overweight in the Czech Republic is substantially lower than that in the USA. The objective of the present pilot study was to explore dietary intakes, frequency of dining in fast-food establishments, and the amount and intensity of physical activity between a sample of American and Czech children.

A cross-sectional correlational pilot study.

Four public schools in the USA and four public schools in the Czech Republic.

Ninety-five Czech and forty-four American 4–6th graders from urban public schools participated in the study. Dietary intake and number of fast-food visits were evaluated using two multiple-pass 24 h recalls. Physical activity was measured using the modified Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist.

American children (mean age 10·8 (se 0·2) years) consumed more energy and fat, less fruits and vegetables, more soft drinks, and visited fast-food establishments more often than Czech children (mean age 11·0 (se 0·1) years). Although no differences were found in vigorous activity by nationality, Czech children spent significantly more time in moderate physical activities than American children.

Despite the influx of some negative Western dietary trends into the country, Czech children had a healthier diet and were more physically active than American children. Further research is warranted to determine whether the same differences in dietary intakes, physical activity and fast-food visits exist between nationally representative samples of American and Czech children.

This article explores the relationship between childhood obesity and educational outcomes in Mexico, a country where excess weight is predominant.

Using complementary multivariate estimators, we empirically investigate the association between childhood excess weight, measured in 2002, and schooling attainment measured 10 years later. Non-linear specifications are tested, and heterogeneous effects according to gender, living area and economic backgrounds are investigated.

To fill the literature gap, this study focuses on the understudied context of emerging countries such as Mexico.

Panel data from the Mexican Family Life Survey (2002–2012) are used. We restricted the sample to adolescent individuals who had between 9 and 15 years old in 2002 (attended primary or secondary school in 2002). The survey provides an accurate follow-up information on weight, height and waist circumference for each individual.

Controlling for a comprehensive set of covariates, we find that the relationship is non-linear in Mexico. While weight-based childhood obesity and abdominal adiposity are significantly associated with lower school attainment, at least in urban settings, no schooling gap is found between overweight students and their normal-weight counterparts. Along with rural–urban heterogeneity, obesity-based educational penalties appear to be stronger for girls and students from privileged economic backgrounds.

These results emphasise the co-occurrence of anti-fat and pro-fat social norms in Mexican schools: while anti-fat norms may particularly concern female, richer and urban students, pro-fat norms might persist among male, poorer and rural students. These findings have important implications for public policy, namely about awareness anti-obesity programmes.

To explore dietary patterns in relation to periodontitis and number of teeth.

A cross-sectional study.

We used data from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study in Norway, 2015–2016. Three periodontitis groups were compared: (i) no periodontitis/slow bone loss; (ii) moderate bone loss; and (iii) rapid bone loss. Number of teeth was categorised as 25–28, 20–24 and ≤ 19. Dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis. Multiple logistic regression was applied to examine associations between tertiles of dietary pattern scores and periodontitis, and between these same tertiles and number of teeth.

1487 participants (55·5 % women) aged 40–79 years who were free of major chronic diseases, attended an oral health examination and completed a FFQ.

Four dietary patterns were identified, which explained 24 % of the total variability in food intake: fruit and vegetables, Westernised, meat/fish and potatoes, and refined grain and dessert. The fruit and vegetables pattern was inversely associated with periodontitis characterised by rapid bone loss when compared with no periodontitis/slow bone loss (OR tertile 3 v. 1 0·49, 95 % CI: 0·25, 0·98). Participants who were in the highest tertile of the refined grain and dessert pattern (tertile 3 v. 1) had 2·38- and 3·52-fold increased odds of having ≤ 19 than 20–24 and 25–28 teeth, respectively.

Out of four identified dietary patterns, only the fruit and vegetables pattern was negatively associated with advanced periodontitis. A more apparent positive association was observed between the refined grain and dessert pattern and having fewer teeth (≤ nineteen teeth).

To carry out a qualitative evidence synthesis to explore what influences the diet and physical activity of adolescents living in five countries that constitute the Transforming Adolescent Lives through Nutrition (TALENT) consortium (Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, India, South Africa and The Gambia).

A search of electronic databases was conducted for qualitative articles published between 2000 and 2019.

Studies that explore influences on the diets and physical activity habits of adolescents aged 10–19 years.

Of the twelve included studies, none were identified from The Gambia or Cote D’Ivoire. The existing qualitative literature focussed on three major areas in relation to adolescents’ diet and physical activity: (1) the influence of body image and self-esteem; (2) social and environmental influences and (3) poverty. The limited existing literature focusses heavily on girls’ experiences particularly in relation to body image and dysfunctional eating practices.

In-depth research exploring adolescents’ perceptions of diet and physical activity is needed to better understand how both boys and girls, at different stages of adolescence, perceive health, diet and physical activity. More research with young people is required especially in countries where little exists to cover a wider range of issues that play a role in diet and physical activity.