Does an Adolescent’s accuracy of recall improve with a second 24-h dietary recall?

The multiple-pass 24-h dietary recall is used in most national dietary surveys. Our purpose was to assess if adolescents’ accuracy of recall improved when a 5-step multiple-pass 24-h recall was repeated. Participants (n = 24), were Chinese-American youths aged between 11 and 15 years and lived in a supervised environment as part of a metabolic feeding study. The 24-h recalls were conducted on two occasions during the first five days of the study. The four steps (quick list; forgotten foods; time and eating occasion; detailed description of the food/beverage) of the 24-h recall were assessed for matches by category. Differences were observed in the matching for the time and occasion step (p < 0.01), detailed description (p < 0.05) and portion size matching (p < 0.05). Omission rates were higher for the second recall (p < 0.05 quick list; p < 0.01 forgotten foods). The adolescents over-estimated energy intake on the first (11.3% ± 22.5%; p < 0.05) and second recall (10.1% ± 20.8%) compared with the known food and beverage items. These results suggest that the adolescents’ accuracy to recall food items declined with a second 24-h recall when repeated over two non-consecutive days

Tailored, iterative, printed dietary feedback is as effective as group education in improving dietary behaviours: results from a randomised control trial in middle-aged adults with cardiovascular risk factors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tailored nutrition interventions have been shown to be more effective than non-tailored materials in changing dietary behaviours, particularly fat intake and fruit and vegetable intake. But further research examining efficacy of tailored nutrition education in comparison to other nutrition education methods and across a wider range of dietary behaviours is needed. The Stages to Healthy Eating Patterns Study (STEPs) was an intervention study, in middle-aged adults with cardiovascular risk factors, to examine the effectiveness of printed, tailored, iterative dietary feedback delivered by mail in improving short-term dietary behaviour in the areas of saturated fat, fruit, vegetable and grain and cereal intake.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>STEPs was a 3-month randomised controlled trial with a pre and post-test design. There were three experimental conditions: 1) tailored, iterative, printed dietary feedback (TF) with three instalments mail-delivered over a 3-month period that were re-tailored to most recent assessment of dietary intake, intention to change and assessment of self-adequacy of dietary intake. Tailoring for dietary intake was performed on data from a validated 63-item combination FFQ designed for the purpose 2) small group nutrition education sessions (GE): consisting of two 90-minute dietitian-led small group nutrition education sessions and 3) and a wait-listed control (C) group who completed the dietary measures and socio-demographic questionnaires at baseline and 3-months later. Dietary outcome measures in the areas of saturated fat intake (g), and the intake of fruit (serves), vegetables (serves), grain and cereals as total and wholegrain (serves) were collected using 7-day estimated dietary records. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests and general linear models adjusted for baseline dietary intake, age and gender were used to examine the effectiveness of different nutrition interventions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The TF group reported a significantly greater increase in fruit intake (0.3 serves/d P = 0.031) in comparison to GE and the C group. All three intervention groups showed a reduction in total saturated fat intake. GE also had a within-group increase in mean vegetable intake after 3 months, but this increase was not different from changes in the other groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, printed, tailored, iterative dietary feedback was more effective than small group nutrition education in improving the short-term fruit intake behaviour, and as effective in improving saturated fat intake of middle-aged adults with cardiovascular risk factors. This showed that a low-level dietary intervention could achieve modest dietary behaviour changes that are of public health significance.</p

Behavioural responses of a large, benthic elasmobranch to catch-and-release angling

Funding: This work was supported by a PhD Studentship at the University of St Andrews, jointly funded by NatureScot via the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS), and the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling. Data were collected as part of research funded by NatureScot (project 015960) and Marine Scotland (projects SP004 and SP02B0) via the Movement Ecology of Flapper Skate project. Additional funding was provided from MASTS and Shark Guardian.Catch-and-release angling is widespread, but the impacts of this practice for captured individuals are understudied, especially among elasmobranchs. Studies on sub-lethal behavioural impacts are particularly sparse, despite their importance for the interpretation of biologging data and for assessments of species’ tolerance to capture. In this study, the behavioural responses of flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) to catch-and-release angling were described for the first time, using archival observations (depth and temperature) for 21 tag deployment/retrieval events and five recreational angling events that occurred during tagged individuals’ time at liberty from charter vessels off the west coast of Scotland in 2016–17. During capture (8–50 minutes), the changes in depth and temperature experienced by individuals typically exceeded natural variability. Post-release, behavioural change was apparent from visual inspection, regression and functional data analysis of the time series. Immediately following release, movements into deeper water and short periods of low vertical activity (usually 1–2 hours in duration) were common. However, overall average vertical activity was typically around 38% higher in the 12 hours following release than in undisturbed activity. A small number of individuals (n = 3, 14%) exhibited irregular post-release behaviour in the form of rapid, transient re-ascents towards the surface following release. Collectively, the evidence for limited, short-term behavioural changes suggests that flapper skate behaviour is relatively resilient to catch-and-release angling from charter vessels, but irregular post-release behaviour in 14% of individuals is sufficiently notable to indicate that further research is required on the impacts of this practice. This study clearly demonstrates the value of biologging data and behavioural analyses for examining the impacts of disturbance and separating ‘disturbed’ and ‘undisturbed’ behaviours in studies of animal movement.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Validity of two new brief instruments to estimate vegetable intake in adults

Cost effective population-based monitoring tools are needed for nutritional surveillance and interventions. The aim was to evaluate the relative validity of two new brief instruments (three item: VEG3 and five item: VEG5) for estimating usual total vegetable intake in comparison to a 7-day dietary record (7DDR). Sixty-four Australian adult volunteers aged 30 to 69 years (30 males, mean age ± SD 56.3 ± 9.2 years and 34 female mean age ± SD 55.3 ± 10.0 years). Pearson correlations between 7DDR and VEG3 and VEG5 were modest, at 0.50 and 0.56, respectively. VEG3 significantly (p < 0.001) underestimated mean vegetable intake compared to 7DDR measures (2.9 ± 1.3 vs. 3.6 ± 1.6 serves/day, respectively), whereas mean vegetable intake assessed by VEG5 did not differ from 7DDR measures (3.3 ± 1.5 vs. 3.6 ± 1.6 serves/day). VEG5 was also able to correctly identify 95%, 88% and 75% of those subjects not consuming five, four and three serves/day of vegetables according to their 7DDR classification. VEG5, but not VEG3, can estimate usual total vegetable intake of population groups and had superior performance to VEG3 in identifying those not meeting different levels of vegetable intake. VEG5, a brief instrument, shows measurement characteristics useful for population-based monitoring and intervention targeting

An integrative modelling framework for passive acoustic telemetry

The work was supported by a PhD Studentship at the University of St Andrews funded by NatureScot, via the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS), and the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling. Data were made available through the Movement Ecology of Flapper Skate project funded by NatureScot (project 015960) and Marine Scotland (projects SP004 and SP02B0). Jane Dodd, Ronnie Campbell, Roger Eaton, Francis Neat and Dmitry Aleynik supported this project. MASTS and Shark Guardian provided additional funding. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions.Passive acoustic telemetry is widely used to study the movements of aquatic animals. However, a holistic, mechanistic modelling framework that permits the reconstruction of fine-scale movements and emergent patterns of space use from detections at receivers remains lacking. Here, we introduce an integrative modelling framework that recapitulates the movement and detection processes that generate detections to reconstruct fine-scale movements and patterns of space use. This framework is supported by a new family of algorithms designed for detection and depth observations and can be flexibly extended to incorporate other data types. Using simulation, we illustrate applications of our framework and evaluate algorithm utility and sensitivity in different settings. As a case study, we analyse movement data collected from the Critically Endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) in Scotland. We show that our methods can be used to reconstruct fine-scale movement paths, patterns of space use and support habitat preference analyses. For reconstructing patterns of space use, simulations show that the methods are consistently more instructive than the most widely used alternative approach (the mean-position algorithm), particularly in clustered receiver arrays. For flapper skate, the reconstruction of movements reveals responses to disturbance, fine-scale spatial partitioning and patterns of space use with significant implications for marine management. We conclude that this framework represents a widely applicable methodological advance with applications to studies of pelagic, demersal and benthic species across multiple spatiotemporal scales.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Environmental cycles and individual variation in the vertical movements of a benthic elasmobranch

This research was supported by a PhD Studentship at the University of St Andrews, jointly funded by NatureScot via the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS), and the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling. The data were collected as part of research funded by NatureScot (project 015960) and Marine Scotland (projects SP004 and SP02B0) and the Movement Ecology of Flapper Skate (MEFS) project funded by the same organisations. Additional funding was provided from MASTS, in the form of a Small Research Grant, and Shark Guardian. MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions.Trends in depth and vertical activity reflect the behaviour, habitat use and habitat preferences of marine organisms. However, among elasmobranchs, research has focused heavily on pelagic sharks, while the vertical movements of benthic elasmobranchs, such as skate (Rajidae), remain understudied. In this study, the vertical movements of the Critically Endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) were investigated using archival depth data collected at 2 min intervals from 21 individuals off the west coast of Scotland (56.5°N, −5.5°W) in 2016–17. Depth records comprised nearly four million observations and included eight time series longer than 1 year, forming one of the most comprehensive datasets collected on the movement of any skate to date. Additive modelling and functional data analysis were used to investigate vertical movements in relation to environmental cycles and individual characteristics. Vertical movements were dominated by individual variation but included prolonged periods of limited activity and more extensive movements that were associated with tidal, diel, lunar and seasonal cycles. Diel patterns were strongest, with irregular but frequent movements into shallower water at night, especially in autumn and winter. This research strengthens the evidence for vertical movements in relation to environmental cycles in benthic species and demonstrates a widely applicable flexible regression framework for movement research that recognises the importance of both individual-specific and group-level variation.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Food Insecurity, Food Assistance, and Psychological Distress among University Students: Cross-Sectional Survey Western Australia, 2020

University students have been identified as a population sub-group vulnerable to food insecurity. This vulnerability increased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess factors associated with food insecurity among university students and the differences between students with and without children. A cross-sectional survey of (n = 213) students attending one university in Western Australia measured food insecurity, psychological distress, and socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with food insecurity. Forty-eight percent of students who responded to the survey had experienced food insecurity in 2020. International students who were studying in Australia were nine times more likely to experience food insecurity than domestic students (AOR = 9.13; 95% CI = 2.32–35.97). International students with children were more likely to experience food insecurity than international students without children (p < 0.001) and domestic students with (p < 0.001) or without children (p < 0.001). For each unit increase in depression level, the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity increased (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.12–2.33). Findings show a higher prevalence of food insecurity among international university students and students with children during the COVID-19 pandemic and that food insecurity was associated with higher levels of psychological distress. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the risk of food insecurity among Australian university students, particularly among international students, students with children, and those experiencing psychological distress

PDT in the Thoracic Cavity: Spectroscopic Methods and Fluence Modeling for Treatment Planning

PDT for the thoracic cavity provides a promising cancer treatment modality, but improvements in treatment planning, particularly in PDT dosimetry, can be made to improve uniformity of light delivery. When a cavity of arbitrary geometry is illuminated, the fluence increases due to multiple-scattered photons, referred to as the Integrating Sphere Effect (ISE). Current pleural PDT treatment protocol at the University of Pennsylvania monitors light fluence (hereafter simply fluence, measured in W/cm2) via seven isotropic detectors sutured at different locations in thoracic cavity of a patient. This protocol monitors light at discrete locations, but does not provide a measurement of fluence for the thoracic cavity as a whole. Current calculation of light fluence includes direct light only and thus does not account for the unique optical properties of each tissue type present, which in turn affects the accuracy of the calculated light distribution in the surrounding tissue and, in turn, the overall cell death and treatment efficacy. Treatment planning for pleural PDT can be improved, in part, by considering the contribution of scattered light, which is affected by the two factors of geometry and in vivo optical properties. We expanded the work by Willem Star in regards to the ISE in a spherical cavity. A series of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were run for semi-infinite planar, spherical, and ellipsoidal geometries for a range of optical properties. The results of these simulations are compared to theory and numerical solutions for fluence in the cavity and at the cavity-medium boundary. The development via MC simulations offers a general method of calculating the required light fluence specialized to each patient, based on the treatment surface area. The scattered fluence calculation is dependent on in vivo optical properties (μa and μs\u27) of the tissues treated. Diffuse reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy methods are used to determine the optical properties and oxygenation (reflectance measurements) and drug concentration (fluorescence measurements) of different tissues in vivo, before and after treatment, in patients enrolled the Phase I HPPH study ongoing at the University of Pennsylvania. This work aims to provide the building blocks essential to pleural PDT treatment planning by more accurately calculating the required fluence using a model that accounts for the effects of treatment geometry and optical properties measured in vivo

A school-based intervention to promote physical activity among adolescent girls: Rationale, design, and baseline data from the Girls in Sport group randomised controlled trial

Background: Physical activity levels decline markedly among girls during adolescence. School-based interventions that are multi-component in nature, simultaneously targeting curricular, school environment and policy, and community links, are a promising approach for promoting physical activity. This report describes the rationale, design and baseline data from the Girls in Sport group randomised trial, which aims to prevent the decline in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) among adolescent girls. Methods/design: A community-based participatory research approach and action learning framework are used with measurements at baseline and 18-month follow-up. Within each intervention school, a committee develops an action plan aimed at meeting the primary objective (preventing the decline in accelerometer-derived MVPA). Academic partners and the State Department of Education and Training act as critical friends. Control schools continue with their usual school programming. 24 schools were matched then randomized into intervention (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. A total of 1518 girls (771 intervention and 747 control) completed baseline assessments (86% response rate). Useable accelerometer data (≥ 10 hrs/day on at least 3 days) were obtained from 79% of this sample (n = 1199). Randomisation resulted in no differences between intervention and control groups on any of the outcomes. The mean age (SE) of the sample was 13.6 (± 0.02) years and they spent less than 5% of their waking hours in MVPA (4.85 ± 0.06). Discussion: Girls in Sport will test the effectiveness of schools working towards the same goal, but developing individual, targeted interventions that bring about changes in curriculum, school environment and policy, and community links. By using community-based participatory research and an action learning framework in a secondary school setting, it aims to add to the body of literature on effective school-based interventions through promoting and sustaining increased physical activity participation among adolescent girls