FOODLIT-PRO: Food literacy domains, influential factors and determinants—A qualitative study

Poor eating habits are increasing the prevalence of weight-related issues, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Given the demand to improve individuals’ food knowledge and competencies aiming at healthier behaviours, the current investigation explores the concept of food literacy. Considering the lack of a shared understanding of food literacy, this study aims to explore food literacy’s domains, influential factors and determinants. Using a qualitative deductive-dominant content analysis, 30 experts from food-related fields were interviewed. The obtained outcomes were compared to available food literacy frameworks. Agreement among inter-raters was nearly perfect (k = 0.82). Yielding a total of 184 codes nested within 19 categories, identified domains were Origin, Safety, Choice and Decision, Select and Acquire, Plan, Preserve, Prepare, Cook, and Knowledge; influential factors included Nutrition, Psychological, Health, Learning Contexts, Policy, Industry, Sustainability, and Social and Cultural; External determinants were “Access to Food-Related Information”, “Perishable and/or Unreliable Food-Related Information”, “Family Dynamic and/or Identity”, and “Professionals’ Unpreparedness on Food-Related Expertise”, and Internal determinants included “Prioritise Food”, “Convenience and Practicality”, “Time and Financial Management”, “Previous Food-Related Habits”, and “Innate and Learned Flavour Preferences”. In conclusion, more than half of the identified attributes (62.5%) are corroborated by the current literature. However, the manifested content unmatched with the current frameworks of food literacy literature express food-literacy-related fields of action, knowledge, competencies, and determinants that have not yet been explored. As such, this study provides new and useful information concerning food literacy definition and development, by identifying its domains, factors of influence, and potential determinants. Moreover, this work paves the way for new measurements and interventions within this field

Engaging Students Through Collaboration: How Project FUN Works

Students from three disciplines designed, developed, and implemented exercise and nutrition interventions, online modules and videos, to benefit low-income middle school students. The process used to incorporate the scholarship of teaching into a collaborative college-level application of learning is described

Law as a Tool to Facilitate Healthier Lifestyles and Prevent Obesity

Public health agencies face considerable challenges trying to prevent overweight and obesity in society, primarily because a person\u27s own behavior is often the root cause of the disease. Individuals make personal choices about their diet, exercise, and lifestyle, so disease is often thought of as a matter of personal, not governmental, responsibility. This Commentary shows how law can be used as a tool to prevent overweight and obesity (see Table). The tools discussed in this article include: - Disclosure - e.g., labels and consumer information - Tort liability - e.g., inadequate disclosure of risks, misleading advertisements, and targeting children - Surveillance - e.g., reporting of glycosylated hemoglobin for diabetes management - Targeting children and adolescents - e.g., restricting food advertising during children\u27s programs; counter advertising to promote good nutrition and physical activity; limiting the use of cartoon characters; and restricting web-based games and promotions - Taxation of unhealthy food - e.g., junk food, snack, or Twinkie tax provides disincentive for purchasing calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods; tax revenue could also be used to promote healthy nutrition - School policies - e.g., require schools to adhere to dietary guidelines and portion size; increase opportunities for nutrition education and physical activities - Built Environment - e.g., limit fast food restaurants, build recreational parks and bike paths, expand mass transportation, and provide lighting and playgrounds in housing developments - Food Prohibitions - e.g., ban trans fat from restaurants Despite the undoubted political risks, should public health agencies push for strong measures to control obesity, perhaps even banning hazardous foods? The justification lies with the epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the preventable morbidity and mortality, and the stark health disparities based on race and socioeconomic status. Although the public dislikes paternalism, it is at least worth considering whether such an approach is ever justified to regulate harms that are apparently self-imposed, but which are deeply socially embedded and pervasively harmful to the public

The importance of parents and teachers as stakeholders in school-based healthy eating programs

Schools have a crucial role for promoting and establishing healthy behaviors early in the life-course. In recent years, a substantial effort and resources have been invested in attempts to change the 'food culture' in schools in westernized societies. Large school-based programs which promote healthy eating often utilize an ecological model for instigating behavior change amongst school children. An ecological model is a set of comprehensive intervention strategies that target a multitude of factors which influence the eating practices of children in the school setting. The cultural issues that necessitate these healthy eating programs mean that interventions are not without challenges to their application and effectiveness particularly as they rely on collaboration between stakeholders: teachers, parents, public health practitioners, policy makers and more. The stakeholder input and relations are key parts of planning, implementing and evaluating complex health promotion and education programs in schools. This commentary will outline the importance of considering both teachers and parents as influencing agents or 'enablers' in the process of creating change in this context. Parental perceptions and teachers’ insights are critical for underpinning intervention feasibility, acceptability and performance. Their perceptions and understandings can provide ground-level and highly applicable expertise and importantly motivate children in the school environment. The philosophical principles behind parent and teacher integration into formal program evaluation are discussed, providing a theoretical basis for program evaluation. Recommendations are made for policy makers, researchers and professional evaluation experts’ to consider and integrate these stakeholders in future programs

Reframing interventions for optimal child nutrition and childhood obesity: the importance of considering psychological factors

This review aims to emphasise the impact of poor nutrition on children’s health and psychological wellbeing, urging those involved in childhood obesity or nutrition services to broaden their intervention approach. Poor nutrition and childhood obesity affect physical and psychological health. The stress of living with obesity further impacts quality of life, wellbeing and self-esteem. Children living with obesity may experience adverse childhood events and stress, and young people are able to recall the impact of psychosocial issues such as experiencing stigma and discrimination. Food is often a coping mechanism for managing negative emotions, perpetuating cycles of emotional coping and unhealthy eating behaviours. UK guidelines recommend family-based, multi-component weight management interventions for children living with obesity. Interventions mainly target health behaviours and utilise behaviour change techniques attempting to directly improve diet and physical activity as behavioural outcomes. Whilst these interventions may show some improvements in psychological wellbeing, there is limited consideration or understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action which indirectly influence engagement and the sustainability of the behaviour change. Lack of attention and inclusion of psychosocial variables in intervention implementation may help explain the variable effectiveness reported across childhood obesity interventions. In conclusion, enhancing the effectiveness of childhood obesity interventions requires a broader approach that fully incorporates psychosocial factors. Those responsible for commissioning, designing and implementing these interventions should adopt a holistic approach that addresses psychological and emotional needs while incorporating underlying mechanisms of action. This shift in focus could result in more sustainable and comprehensive treatment for childhood obesity

Developing a whole school food and fitness policy

This document is designed to guide and support schools as they develop whole school food & fitness policies. - Schools may wish to adopt a single overarching policy for healthy living to encompass the contributory strands of physical activity, food and drink, relationship and sex education and the prevention of substance misuse. This would be a particularly useful approach for small schools as it streamlines partnership working which is a feature of effective intervention and support

Health initiatives to target obesity in surface transport industries: review and implications for action

Lifestyle-related chronic diseases pose a considerable burden to the individual and the wider society, with correspondingly negative effects on industry. Obesity is a particular problem for the Australasian road and rail industries where it is associated with specific cardiac and fatigue-related safety risks, and levels are higher than those found in the general population. Despite this recognition, and the introduction of National Standards, very little consensus exists regarding approaches to preventative health for surface transport workers. A review of evidence regarding effective health promotion initiatives is urgently needed to inform best practice in this cohort. This review draws together research informing the scope and effectiveness of health promotion programs, initiatives and interventions targeting overweight and obesity in safety critical surface transport domains including the truck, bus and rail industries. A number of health interventions demonstrated measurable successes, including incentivising, peer mentoring, verbal counselling, development of personalised health profiles, and offer of healthier on-site food choices – some of which also resulted in sizeable return on investment over the long term. &nbsp