Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Preferences Are Associated with Their Mothers’ and Fathers’ Preferences

Children’s preference for fruit and vegetables must emerge during childhood. At children’s homes, mothers and fathers influence children’s developing food preferences with their own preferences and actions. The purpose of the study was to reveal the association parents have with their children’s fruit and vegetable preferences. The study was conducted in a sample of Finnish mothers and fathers of 3–5-year-old children. The participants were recruited, and questionnaires distributed through early childhood education and care centers in 2014 and 2015. The results showed considerable variance in the children’s preferences, and were more similar with their father’s, than their mother’s preference. There was an association between mother’s and children’s preference for “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p = 0.005), “sweet-tasting fruit“ (p < 0.001) and “common vegetables“ (p = 0.037). Fathers preferences associated with children’s preferences for “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p = 0.003). Food neophobia decreased children’s “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p < 0.001) and “sweet-tasting fruit“ (p < 0.001) preferences. The father’s more relaxed attitude towards eating decreased children’s preferences for “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p = 0.031) and “sweet-tasting fruit“ (p = 0.003). These findings indicate a need for more targeted strategies for increasing children’s preferences for fruit and vegetables and highlight the importance of taking both parents equally into account.Peer reviewe

Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Preferences Are Associated with Their Mothers’ and Fathers’ Preferences

Children’s preference for fruit and vegetables must emerge during childhood. At children’s homes, mothers and fathers influence children’s developing food preferences with their own preferences and actions. The purpose of the study was to reveal the association parents have with their children’s fruit and vegetable preferences. The study was conducted in a sample of Finnish mothers and fathers of 3–5-year-old children. The participants were recruited, and questionnaires distributed through early childhood education and care centers in 2014 and 2015. The results showed considerable variance in the children’s preferences, and were more similar with their father’s, than their mother’s preference. There was an association between mother’s and children’s preference for “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p = 0.005), “sweet-tasting fruit“ (p < 0.001) and “common vegetables“ (p = 0.037). Fathers preferences associated with children’s preferences for “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p = 0.003). Food neophobia decreased children’s “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p < 0.001) and “sweet-tasting fruit“ (p < 0.001) preferences. The father’s more relaxed attitude towards eating decreased children’s preferences for “strong-tasting vegetables and berries“ (p = 0.031) and “sweet-tasting fruit“ (p = 0.003). These findings indicate a need for more targeted strategies for increasing children’s preferences for fruit and vegetables and highlight the importance of taking both parents equally into account

Children's Fruit and Vegetable Preferences Are Associated with Their Mothers' and Fathers' Preferences

Children's preference for fruit and vegetables must emerge during childhood. At children's homes, mothers and fathers influence children's developing food preferences with their own preferences and actions. The purpose of the study was to reveal the association parents have with their children's fruit and vegetable preferences. The study was conducted in a sample of Finnish mothers and fathers of 3-5-year-old children. The participants were recruited, and questionnaires distributed through early childhood education and care centers in 2014 and 2015. The results showed considerable variance in the children's preferences, and were more similar with their father's, than their mother's preference. There was an association between mother's and children's preference for "strong-tasting vegetables and berries" (p = 0.005), "sweet-tasting fruit" (p < 0.001) and "common vegetables" (p = 0.037). Fathers preferences associated with children's preferences for "strong-tasting vegetables and berries" (p = 0.003). Food neophobia decreased children's "strong-tasting vegetables and berries" (p < 0.001) and "sweet-tasting fruit" (p < 0.001) preferences. The father's more relaxed attitude towards eating decreased children's preferences for "strong-tasting vegetables and berries" (p = 0.031) and "sweet-tasting fruit" (p = 0.003). These findings indicate a need for more targeted strategies for increasing children's preferences for fruit and vegetables and highlight the importance of taking both parents equally into account

Effects of a lifestyle counselling intervention on adherence to lifestyle changes 7 years after stroke - A quasi-experimental study

Background Adherence to medication and healthy lifestyle is crucial for preventing secondary strokes and other vascular events. However, there is not enough evidence on the long-term effects of hospital-initiated lifestyle counselling. Aim To determine the effects of The Risk Factor Targeted Lifestyle Counselling Intervention, which is implemented during acute hospitalisation, on adherence to lifestyle changes 7 years after stroke or TIA. Methods Quasi-experimental design with 7-year follow-up period. Baseline data (n = 150) were gathered from a neurology unit in Finland between 2010 and 2011. Patients received either the studied intervention (n = 75) or the prevailing form of counselling at the time (n = 75). Data concerning lifestyle and clinical values were measured at the baseline time point, while adherence to lifestyle changes was assessed 7 years later (2017-2018). Analysis of covariance and multivariate ordinal logistic regression were used to describe the mean differences between the intervention and control groups. Results Several between-group differences were detected, namely, members of the intervention group reported consuming less alcohol and having lost more weight during hospitalisation relative to the control group. No between-group differences in the prevalence of smokers were found, but the intervention group reported a greater number of daily cigarettes than the control group. Adherence to medication, importance of adherence to a healthy lifestyle, support from family and friends, and support from nurses were all significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Conclusions The results suggest that the lifestyle counselling intervention was effective in decreasing alcohol use and weight, as well as increasing factors that are known to support adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Relevance to clinical practice The results indicate that the adherence process already begins during acute phase counselling. To ensure long-lasting lifestyle changes, counselling should be started at the hospital, after which it can be provided by friends and family members.</p

Validation of IMPROD biparametric MRI in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer: A prospective multi-institutional trial

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with targeted biopsy (TB) is increasingly used in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer (PCa), but the long acquisition times, high costs, and inter-center/reader variability of routine multiparametric prostate MRI limit its wider adoption.Methods and findings: The aim was to validate a previously developed unique MRI acquisition and reporting protocol, IMPROD biparametric MRI (bpMRI) (NCT01864135), in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa in a multi-institutional trial (NCT02241122). IMPROD bpMRI has average acquisition time of 15 minutes (no endorectal coil, no intravenous contrast use) and consists of T2-weighted imaging and 3 separate diffusion-weighed imaging acquisitions. Between February 1, 2015, and March 31, 2017, 364 men with a clinical suspicion of PCa were enrolled at 4 institutions in Finland. Men with an equivocal to high suspicion (IMPROD bpMRI Likert score 3-5) of PCa had 2 TBs of up to 2 lesions followed by a systematic biopsy (SB). Men with a low to very low suspicion (IMPROD bpMRI Likert score 1-2) had only SB. All data and protocols are freely available. The primary outcome of the trial was diagnostic accuracy-including overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value-of IMPROD bpMRI for clinically significant PCa (SPCa), which was defined as a Gleason score >= 3 + 4 (Gleason grade group 2 or higher). In total, 338 (338/364, 93%) prospectively enrolled men completed the trial. The accuracy and NPV of IMPROD bpMRI for SPCa were 70% (113/161) and 95% (71/75) (95% CI 87%-98%), respectively. Restricting the biopsy to men with equivocal to highly suspicious IMPROD bpMRI findings would have resulted in a 22% (75/338) reduction in the number of men undergoing biopsy while missing 4 (3%, 4/146) men with SPCa. The main limitation is uncertainty about the true PCa prevalence in the study cohort, since some of the men may have PCa despite having negative biopsy findings.Conclusions: IMPROD bpMRI demonstrated a high NPV for SPCa in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa in this prospective multi-institutional clinical trial.</p

Validation of IMPROD biparametric MRI in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer : A prospective multi-institutional trial

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with targeted biopsy (TB) is increasingly used in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer (PCa), but the long acquisition times, high costs, and inter-center/reader variability of routine multiparametric prostate MRI limit its wider adoption. Methods and findings The aim was to validate a previously developed unique MRI acquisition and reporting protocol, IMPROD biparametric MRI (bpMRI) (NCT01864135), in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa in a multi-institutional trial (NCT02241122). IMPROD bpMRI has average acquisition time of 15 minutes (no endorectal coil, no intravenous contrast use) and consists of T2-weighted imaging and 3 separate diffusion-weighed imaging acquisitions. Between February 1, 2015, and March 31, 2017, 364 men with a clinical suspicion of PCa were enrolled at 4 institutions in Finland. Men with an equivocal to high suspicion (IMPROD bpMRI Likert score 3-5) of PCa had 2 TBs of up to 2 lesions followed by a systematic biopsy (SB). Men with a low to very low suspicion (IMPROD bpMRI Likert score 1-2) had only SB. All data and protocols are freely available. The primary outcome of the trial was diagnostic accuracy-including overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value-of IMPROD bpMRI for clinically significant PCa (SPCa), which was defined as a Gleason score >= 3 + 4 (Gleason grade group 2 or higher). In total, 338 (338/364, 93%) prospectively enrolled men completed the trial. The accuracy and NPV of IMPROD bpMRI for SPCa were 70% (113/161) and 95% (71/75) (95% CI 87%-98%), respectively. Restricting the biopsy to men with equivocal to highly suspicious IMPROD bpMRI findings would have resulted in a 22% (75/338) reduction in the number of men undergoing biopsy while missing 4 (3%, 4/146) men with SPCa. The main limitation is uncertainty about the true PCa prevalence in the study cohort, since some of the men may have PCa despite having negative biopsy findings. Conclusions IMPROD bpMRI demonstrated a high NPV for SPCa in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa in this prospective multi-institutional clinical trial.Peer reviewe

Naton NRF-joukkojen kehittäminen ja ISAF-operaatio : NRF ISAF-operaation varjossa

Tutkielma käsittelee Naton NRF-joukkoja kehittymistä Naton ISAF-operaation aikana sekä ISAF-operaation yhteyttä NRF-joukkojen kehittämiseen. Tutkielman taustateoriana on käytetty konstruktivismia. Tutkielmassa analysoitu aineisto on hankittu pääosin internetin välityksellä. Pääasiallisina lähteinä on käytetty aikaisempaa tutkimusta, Naton virallisia asiakirjoja sekä poliitikkojen ja virkamiesten puheita. Lähdeaineisto on pääosin englanninkielistä. Tutkimusmenetelmänä on sovellettu teoriaohjaavaa sisällönanalyysiä. Analyysin tuloksena havaittiin, että keskeisimmät NRF-joukkojen kehittämiseen vaikuttavat seikat, kuten riittävien joukkojen saaminen rotaatioihin, operaatioiden rahoittaminen, tai esimerkiksi strategisen ilmakuljetuskyvyn puute, vaivaavat yhtä lailla myös ISAFoperaatiota. ISAF-operaation laajentumisen päätyttyä vuoden 2006 jälkeen, nämä puutteet ovat korostuneet ja siten näkyneet NRF-joukkojen kehittämisessä yhä voimakkaammin. NRF-joukkoja ei pidetä Natolle yhtä merkittävänä kuin ISAF-operaatiota, ja NRF onkin jäänyt ISAF-operaation varjoon. NRF-joukkojen merkitys Naton jäsenvaltioille on vähentynyt ISAF-operaation aikana, osin ISAF-operaation vaikutuksesta. Naton jäsenvaltiot eivät myöskään tosiasiallisesti jaa yhteistä käsitystä NRF-joukkojen kehittämisestä, käytöstä tai tehtävistä. NRF-joukkoja ja ISAF-operaatiota pidetään Naton tulevaisuutta keskeisesti määrittävinä asiakokonaisuuksina. Molemmat ovat laajoja asiakokonaisuuksia, eikä tutkielmassa ole ollut mahdollisuutta käsitellä niitä kokonaisuudessaan. Mahdollisia jatkotutkimusaiheita on käsitelty tutkimuksen viimeisessä luvussa