Nutrition knowledge of high school senior students in Northwest Arkansas

Though there are many complex factors influencing diet, nutrition knowledge correlates with healthier food choices in older adolescents and can play a pivotal role in health. Nutrition curriculum was addressed in the state of Arkansas through Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003. Numerous changes have been seen in the school environment regarding nutrition, but there is no means of testing nutrition curriculum effectiveness in terms of nutrition knowledge of students. It is the purpose of this descriptive study to improve understanding of the nutrition knowledge of high school seniors. High school senior students (n = 25; males = 12, females = 13) successfully completed a validated Survey to Assess the Knowledge of Conventional and Unconventional Dietary Methods of Weight Control based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. The survey also included demographic questions and items regarding sources of nutrition information. The mean nutrition knowledge score (out of 24) was 8.7 ± 2.8 or 36% (min. score = 4, max. score = 14). There was no significant difference in nutrition knowledge scores based on ethnicity, those on specialized diets, frequency of eating out, physical activity, gender, source of nutrition information, thoughts about food, or for any criteria based categorizing scores by High/Low. Though the study indicates better education is needed, this pilot test should be followed up with a larger sample size to confirm these results

Is Simpler Always Better? Consumer Evaluations of Front-of-Package Nutrition Symbols

Consumers of packaged goods products in the United States recently have faced an onslaught of front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbols and icons, including the controversial “Smart Choices” single summary indicator. In a between-subjects experiment with 520 adult consumers, the authors compare effects of the Smart Choices (SC) icon, the more complex Traffic Light–Guideline Daily Amounts (TLGDAs) icon, and a no-FOP icon control for a nutritionally moderate food that qualifies for the SC icon. Drawing from principles of heuristic processing and halo effects, the authors predict and find that the SC icon can lead to positive (and potentially misleading) nutrient evaluations and product healthfulness when compared with the TL-GDA icon or no-FOP icon control. When the Nutrition Facts Panel is not available, the TL-GDA icon results in substantially greater nutrition accuracy scores than with the SC icon or control. The authors also find that nutrition consciousness is more likely to moderate effects related to the Nutrition Facts Panel than the FOP nutrition icon information. Implications are offered for public health officials, nutrition researchers, and food manufacturers, as the Food and Drug Administration considers FOP nutrition alternatives for use in the United States

Water and Nutrition: Harmonizing actions for the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition and the United Nations Water Action Decade

Progress for both SDG 2 and SDG 6 has been unsatisfactory, with several indicators worsening over time, including an increase in the number of undernourished, overweight and obese people, as well as rapid increases in the number of people at risk of severe water shortages. This lack of progress is exacerbated by climate change and growing regional and global inequities in food and water security, including access to good quality diets, leading to increased violation of the human rights to water and food. Reversing these trends will require a much greater effort on the part of water, food security, and nutrition communities, including stronger performances by the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition and the United Nations International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development. To date, increased collaboration by these two landmark initiatives is lacking, as neither work program has systematically explored linkages or possibilities for joint interventions. Collaboration is especially imperative given the fundamental challenges that characterize the promotion of one priority over another. Without coordination across the water, food security, and nutrition communities, actions toward achieving SDG2 on zero hunger may contribute to further degradation of the world’s water resources and as such, further derail achievement of the UN Decade of Action on Water and SDG 6 on water and sanitation. Conversely, actions to enhance SDG 6 may well reduce progress on the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition and SDG 2. This paper reviews these challenges as part of a broader analysis of the complex web of pathways that link water, food security and nutrition outcomes. Climate change and the growing demand for water resources are also considered, given their central role in shaping future water and nutrition security. The main conclusions are presented as three recommendations focused on potential avenues to deal with the complexity of the water-nutrition nexus, and to optimize outcomes

Consumer understanding and nutritional communication: key issues in the context of the new EU legislation

Background Nutrition communication by means of nutrition and health claims and otherwise, holds the potential to contribute to public health by stimulating informed healthier food choices and enhanced healthfocussed competition in the market place, provided that the health messages are trustworthy (i.e. scientifically substantiated) and correctly used and interpreted by the consumer. Not surprisingly, these two considerations constitute the cornerstone of the new EU legislation on nutrition and health claims, in which evidence for consumer understanding of nutrition and health claims is a new requirement. Aim of the study To review some of the key issues in consumer understanding of nutritional communication as a basis for reflection on the consumer understanding element of the new EU legislation on nutrition and health claims. Conclusions There is a need for more methodologically advanced research in consumer understanding of nutrition and health claims as a basis for truly assessing the real-life use of such information and its actual effect on consumer food choices. Such approaches are pertinent in light of the evaluation and approval process of (new) nutrition and health claims as required under the new EU legislation on nutrition and health claims

An Investigation of Nutrition Risk among Hospitalised Older Adults Admitted to the Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation Wards of Waitemata District Health Board Hospitals : A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics Massey University, Albany New Zealand

Background: The proportion of older adults in New Zealand is increasing. Studies shows compromised nutrition status is prevalent in older adults, and can exacerbate poor health. It is therefore important to identify those who are malnourished, or those who are at nutrition risk for early nutrition intervention. Nutrition screening tools allow for the identification of nutrition risk status and initiation of nutritional care to result in improved health outcomes. Current data on the prevalence of nutrition risk in hospitalised older adults in New Zealand is limited. Design: Cross-sectional, observational study as part of a multicentre prospective study. Aim: To investigate the prevalence of nutrition risk among older adults (65-84 years) in the Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation (AT&R) wards of North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals. Potential nutrition risk factors including dysphagia risk, muscle mass and hand grip strength will also be investigated, as well as other relevant physiological and socio-demographic risk factors. Methods: Participants were recruited within five days of admission to the AT&R wards. Face-to-face interviews and assessments were conducted on the wards. A questionnaire incorporating participant characteristics, health and support data and validated screening and assessment tools were used. Nutrition risk status was assessed by the Mini Nutrition Assessment-Short Form, dysphagia risk status was assessed by the Eating Assessment Tool, cognitive status was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and muscle mass was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Hand grip strength was measured using a hydraulic dynamometer. Results: A total of 89 participants took part in the study. Nutrition risk and malnutrition was evident in 43.8 and 27.0 percent of the study participants respectively. Indicated by the Mini-Nutrition Assessment-Short Form, participants with poor nutritional status were more likely to report reduced food intake, unintentional weight loss, requiring aid with activities of daily living, having previous dietetic input and being at risk of dysphagia compared to participants with ‘normal’ nutritional status. Conclusion: A high percentage of hospitalised older adults recently admitted to the AT&R wards had compromised nutritional status. Routine screening is highly advised to identify nutritional risk and instigate nutritional care

Running on Empty: Nutritional Access for Children in Cook County, Illinois

In an effort to make informed program expansion and improvement decisions, the Greater Chicago Food Depository commissioned the Social IMPACT Research Center of Heartland Alliance to conduct a study of child nutrition program coverage and child nutrition and hunger in Cook County, Illinois.This study examined the geographic coverage of child nutrition programs to identify areas that have the greatest number of unserved children and have the worst program coverage. The study also took an in-depth look at the nutritional lives of children attending summer nutrition programs. Insights in these two areas are vital to helping organizations like the Greater Chicago Food Depository make sound programmatic and expansion decisions that will best meet the nutritional and hunger needs of Cook County's most vulnerable children

Self-reported nutritional status, executive functions, and cognitive flexibility in adults

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutrition status, executive cognitive functions, and cognitive flexibility; and to analyze the role of gender, age, and nutrition status in the prediction of executive cognitive functions and cognitive flexibility in a sample of Iranian adults. Background. This study is based on the hierarchy of needs, health beliefs, developmental, cognitive and psychophysiological conceptualizations of nutrition and their plausible influences on human cognitive functions and cognitive flexibility. Materials and Methods. The randomly selected sample consisted of 200 adult participants (M=99 and F=101) from Eghlid City, the north of Fars province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Nutrition Assessment Inventory (NAI), the Amsterdam Executive Function Inventory (AEFI), and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS) were used. Results. Findings showed significant positive relationships between healthy nutrition (diet-oriented nutrition and high fat foods subscales of Nutrition Assessment Inventory), the evaluation coping subscale, and the total score of Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. In addition, age and nutritional status had a significant impact with regards to predicting cognitive flexibility and executive cognitive functions. Conclusions. Given the significant positive relationship between nutrition status and cognitive flexibility, and the role of gender and nutrition status on executive cognitive functions and mental flexibility, this study may offer beneficial approaches for nutrition and cognitive health programs by clinicians and health education professionals

Content and changes in Provitamin A carotenoids during ripening of fruit from four popular Musa cultivars consumed in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Poster presented at Nutrition Congress Africa 2012. Transforming the Nutrition Landscape in Africa. Bloemfontein (South Africa), 1-4 Oct 201

Pre-service health and physical education teachers’ obesity-related nutrition knowledge and food habits

This study aimed to quantify the levels of nutrition knowledge of pre-service health and physical education teachers as well as their ability to provide suitable weight-based advice to overweight adolescents. The influence of degree progression, gender and their own food habits on knowledge and ability was also assessed. Pre-service health and physical educators (n=72) were surveyed at three consecutive points in their degree with a questionnaire designed to extract information on demographics, food habits, nutrition knowledge related to obesity and knowledge about obesity counselling. Degree progression resulted in improvements to nutrition knowledge, as expected. When surveyed just prior to degree completion, scores on repeated measures reflect inaccuracies in obesity related nutrition knowledge and the propensity to advocate inappropriate weight-control advice to future overweight students. Females had higher levels of obesity-related nutrition knowledge than males. Gender was also significantly associated with obesity counselling knowledge among students in their second and fourth years of study and with dieting behaviours in second- and third-year students, with female students more likely to diet for weight control than their male peers. These results identify the need for further research into methods of increasing nutrition knowledge and obesity counselling skills in pre-service health and physical education teachers

Nutrition-sensitive value chains: A guide for project design

A first-of-its-kind, this new Guide from IFAD presents practical, step-by-step guidance for shaping value chain projects to improve nutrition. The Guide highlights challenges and opportunities in establishing nutrition-sensitive value chains (NSVCs) and looks at how they can produce positive outcomes, not only in terms of generating income but also for improving nutrition for smallholder producers. The Guide was developed using an in-depth participatory and consultative approach. Beginning from available evidence, the NSVC framework was developed, field tested and then validated by national and international experts. The Guide is relevant not only for IFAD but also for others that recognize the critical importance of incorporating nutrition and improving diets through value chain projects. Governments, NGOs, civil society, the private sector, and other institutions and development agencies working in agriculture, food systems, nutrition and rural development will find the Guide useful