Predicting actual weight loss: A review of the determinants according to the theory of planned behaviour

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Identification on sensory attributes and children’s ratings of fruits and vegetables with and without appearance modification: A pilot study

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Cross-sectional exploration on feeding practices of feeders towards preschoolers' picky eating behaviors

Background: Picky eating is quite common among preschoolers, which may lead to imbalanced diet. Picky eating behavior among preschoolers was found associated with feeding style. With the complex family structure of 2-career parents in Hong Kong and unique authoritarian Chinese feeding style, this study aimed to explore the differences in feeding practices among different preschoolers' feeding persons and to investigate if preschoolers' picky eating showed differences if they are fed by different feeding persons. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five Hong Kong kindergartens. Feeding persons of the preschoolers were asked to complete questionnaires with responses in different feeding styles and 2-day dietary records of the preschoolers. The dietary review was conducted to evaluate if the preschoolers were picky eaters if they missed any one of the five food groups or they did not consume sufficient amount of any food groups at their age. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests were analyzed to explore the chance of picky eating occurrence regarding the types of feeding persons and the feeding practices. Results: 240 preschoolers aged 2 to 7 were recruited. 57.5% preschoolers were found picky eating. There was no significant difference in preschoolers' picky eating behaviors among different types of feeding person. Significantly more picky eaters were found fed by carers with lower education levels. Conclusion: Preschoolers fed by feeders with lower education may have limited skill and knowledge in food choices that preschoolers may have higher chance in developing picky eating problems.published_or_final_versio

Teledietetics improves weight reduction by modifying eating behavior: A randomized controlled trial

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A cost-effectiveness analysis of teledietetics in short-, intermediate-, and long-term weight reduction

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of teledietetics in weight loss for 24 weeks and the cost-effectiveness of weight loss between face-to-face and teledietetics services. Study setting The study was conducted at a community health center and a community dietetics clinic. Study design The study was a quasiexperimental design. Methods Fifty adults aged 20–50 with a BMI ≥23 participated in the study. The face-to-face (FD) group received 12 dietary counselling sessions and recorded their diet in a log book. The teledietetics (TD) group attended three group nutrition seminars and recorded their diet on a Web-based platform. Changes in variables were compared using an independent t-test. Direct and indirect costs were applied to compute cost-effectiveness ratios. Results At week 6, the FD group showed greater reductions in all variables than did the TD group. At week 12, the effects reversed. At week 24, the accumulated reductions in weight and fat in the TD group were significantly higher than those in the FD group (all at p < 0.0001). The observed direct costs for 1% weight loss and 1% fat loss were USD 28.24 and USD17.09, respectively. Conclusion A dietetic service delivered as a teledietetics model is more cost-effective than the face-to-face dietetics model in weight reduction.postprin

Effects of Qigong training on health-related quality of life, functioning, and cancer-related symptoms in survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer: A pilot study

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Theoretical examination of behavioral feedback in the application of teledietetics to weight reduction

Introduction Behavioural feedback can be attained through electronic self-monitoring with teledietetics. This study examined the theoretical framework of the theory of planned behaviour, which suggests that behavioural feedback contributes to the intention to initiate and maintain weight loss. Methods A quasi-experiment involving adults aged 20–50 years with a body mass index greater than 23 kg/m2 was conducted. The experimental group (EG) comprised 25 participants who used electronic dietary records for self-monitoring. The control group (CG) comprised 25 participants who used paper-format dietary records for self-monitoring. Data pertaining to the theory of planned behaviour were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. After an initial measurement, each participant’s body weight was measured again at Week 12 and at Week 24, following a 12-week observation period. Hierarchical regression analyses of planned behaviour components were conducted for each power to predict the participants’ intentions to lose 10% of their body weight. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the odds ratio of intention, perceived behavioural control (PBC) and the group effect (CG vs EG) for predicting the initiation and maintenance of 10% weight loss. Results At Week 12, the odds ratios for intention, the PBC and the group effect were 2.154, 0.330 and 0.654, respectively, and those at Week 24 were 3.255, 0.499 and 24.592, respectively. The group effect contributed significantly to weight-loss maintenance at Week 24. Discussion Behavioural feedback through electronic self-monitoring improved the intention to achieve weight-loss maintenance, which may indicate the importance of behaviour reflection in weight-loss maintenance.postprin

Health through martial arts training : physical fitness and reaction time in adolescent Taekwondo practitioners

Author name used in this publication: Shamay S. M. Ng2012-2013 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Direction-specific impairment of stability limits and falls in children with developmental coordination disorder: Implications for rehabilitation

Limit of stability (LOS) is an important yet under-examined postural control ability in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). This study aimed to (1) compare the LOS and fall frequencies of children with and without DCD, and (2) explore the relationships between LOS parameters and falls in the DCD population. Thirty primary school-aged children with DCD and twenty age- and sex-matched typically-developing children participated in the study. Postural control ability, specifically LOS in standing, was evaluated using the LOS test. Reaction time, movement velocity, maximum excursion, end point excursion, and directional control were then calculated. Self-reported fall incidents in the previous week were also documented. Multivariate analysis of variance results revealed that children with DCD had shorter LOS maximum excursion in the backward direction compared to the control group (p = 0.003). This was associated with a higher number of falls in daily life (rho = −0.556, p = 0.001). No significant between-groups differences were found in other LOS-derived outcomes (p > 0.05). Children with DCD had direction-specific postural control impairment, specifically, diminished LOS in the backward direction. This is related to their falls in daily life. Therefore, improving LOS should be factored into rehabilitation treatment for children with DCD.postprin

Proprioception and flexibility profiles of elite synchronized swimmers

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