Repeated exposure to and subsequent consumption of sweet taste: Reanalysis of test meal intake data following the repeated consumption of sweet vs non-sweet beverages.

This analysis investigated the effects of repeated exposure to sweet versus non-sweet beverages on subsequent intakes of other sweet foods, using the data published in Appleton & Blundell, Physiol Behav, 2007;92:479-486. No evidence for an increase in sweet food intakes following sweet versus non-sweet beverage consumption was found. Some evidence was found for lower sweet food and lower sugar intakes following the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, but these effects may have resulted from the specific test foods used, and did not result in lower sugar intakes when sugars from the beverages and test foods were combined

The importance of enjoyment, sensory properties and perceived cooking abilities in legume and pulse consumption: a questionnaire study.

OBJECTIVE: Legume and pulse consumption are currently recommended for health and sustainability purposes, but barriers to consumption can include low enjoyment and poor sensory properties. This work aimed to investigate the relative importance of a number of barriers and facilitators towards legume, including pulse, consumption with a specific focus on enjoyment, sensory properties and a possible role for perceived cooking abilities in these relationships. DESIGN: A cross-sectional questionnaire study assessed legume and pulse consumption, agreement and disagreement with statements relating to: enjoyment, sensory properties, cooking abilities, practical aspects, healthiness, upbringing, social influences and quality issues; and four demographic characteristics. Complete responses were gained from 633 respondents with a mix of genders, ages, usual cooking responsibilities and usual eating habits. SETTING: UK, March 2021 - September 2022. PARTICIPANTS: General UK aVdult population. RESULTS: Using multiple regression analyses, enjoyment and cooking abilities were found to be important for both legume and pulse consumption (smallest Beta = 0.165, p<0.01), and the sensory properties of these foods were also important for the consumption of pulses (Beta = 0.099, p=0.04). Perceived cooking abilities also reduced the importance of enjoyment and sensory properties for consumption, mitigated effects due to upbringing and practical aspects, and increased the value of perceived health benefits (smallest Beta = 0.094, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a clear role for enjoyment, sensory properties and perceived cooking abilities in legume and pulse consumption, and suggest benefits for increasing cooking abilities for improved legume and pulse consumption, as result of both direct and indirect effects

A Role for Identification in the Gradual Decline in the Pleasantness of Flavors With Age.

Objectives. This study investigated a possible role for identification in the decline in flavor pleasantness with age. Methods. Two hundred sixty-four individuals aged from 16 to 85 years tasted 6 flavored drinks of varying identity and ease of identification, and rated each on pleasantness, a range of other characteristics and identified all flavors. Results. Using regression, firstly, pleasantness was inversely associated with age (β = −0.22, p < .01). Secondly, the decline in pleasantness with age was associated with poorer identification (β = 0.30, p < .01), lower perceptions of sweetness (β = 0.01, p < .01), lower strength of flavor (β = 0.00, p = .02), lower familiarity (β = 0.01, p < .01), and a lower frequency of usual drink consumption (β = 0.04, p < .01). Thirdly, improved identification with age was associated with increased drink familiarity (β =< 0.01, p < .01), coloration compared with no color (β = <0.06, p < .01), and correct compared with incorrect coloration (β = <0.27, p < .01). Discussion: These findings demonstrate a clear role for identification in the decline in flavor pleasantness with age. These findings thus provide clear evidence for a cognitive and perceptual element to these hedonic processes. Our findings suggest that likings for flavors in older individuals may be increased/maintained through the use of improved visual cues, easily recognizable foods, and/or identity labels

A role for enjoyment for encouraging fruit consumption.

This work investigated the value of highlighting the enjoyment conferred by fruit for encouraging fruit consumption. Study 1 investigated the effects on fruit consumption of visualizing eating fruit that was either enjoyable, not enjoyable, or was unassociated with enjoyment. Study 2 investigated the effects on fruit consumption of health promotion posters that featured either enjoyable or less enjoyable fruit. Both studies used an independent-groups design, where young adults (Study 1, N = 142; Study 2, N = 221) were randomized to conditions, and outcomes: intentions to consume fruit, attitudes towards fruit, immediate fruit selection, subsequent fruit consumption; and a range of characteristics likely to be associated with fruit and vegetable consumption were assessed. In Study 1, higher intentions to consume fruit and more positive attitudes towards fruit were associated with higher likely enjoyment of the fruit visualized, higher fruit liking in general and higher fruit-related self-efficacy (smallest Beta = 0.270, p = 0.02). In Study 2, similar effects were found for likely enjoyment of the fruit featured on a poster; higher likely enjoyment also predicted greater immediate fruit selection (smallest Beta = 0.122, p = 0.03). These outcomes were also associated with variables often associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Subsequent fruit consumption was only associated with past fruit consumption (smallest Beta = 0.340, p = 0.05). These two studies (Study 1 using visualisation, Study 2 using health promotion posters) highlight a role for enjoyment for encouraging fruit consumption. The value of enjoyment and the simplicity of the poster intervention particularly should be noted

Star Formation Suppression Due to Jet Feedback in Radio Galaxies with Shocked Warm Molecular Gas

We present Herschel observations of 22 radio galaxies, selected for the presence of shocked, warm molecular hydrogen emission. We measured and modeled spectral energy distributions in 33 bands from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared to investigate the impact of jet feedback on star formation activity. These galaxies are massive, early-type galaxies with normal gas-to-dust ratios, covering a range of optical and infrared colors. We find that the star formation rate (SFR) is suppressed by a factor of ~3–6, depending on how molecular gas mass is estimated. We suggest that this suppression is due to the shocks driven by the radio jets injecting turbulence into the interstellar medium (ISM), which also powers the luminous warm H_2 line emission. Approximately 25% of the sample shows suppression by more than a factor of 10. However, the degree of SFR suppression does not correlate with indicators of jet feedback including jet power, diffuse X-ray emission, or intensity of warm molecular H_2 emission, suggesting that while injected turbulence likely impacts star formation, the process is not purely parameterized by the amount of mechanical energy dissipated into the ISM. Radio galaxies with shocked warm molecular gas cover a wide range in SFR–stellar mass space, indicating that these galaxies are in a variety of evolutionary states, from actively star-forming and gas-rich to quiescent and gas-poor. SFR suppression appears to have the largest impact on the evolution of galaxies that are moderately gas-rich

Low fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with low knowledge of the details of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable message in the UK: findings from two cross-sectional questionnaire studies.

BACKGROUND: This project aimed to understand the details of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable (FV) message (which foods are included, portion sizes, the need for variety, reasons for consumption) least known by UK consumers, and most associated with low FV consumption. METHODS: Study 1 assessed FV consumption, knowledge of the details of the message, and relationships between these, using a short questionnaire administered face-to-face to an opportunity sample of one large UK city. Study 2 assessed the same variables using a comprehensive postal questionnaire administered across the UK to a representative population sample. RESULTS: Five hundred and seven respondents completed Study 1 and 247 respondents completed Study 2. The majority of individuals in both studies were aware of the 5-a-day message and could recount this correctly. In both studies, however, knowledge of the details of the message was low, and lower knowledge was associated with lower FV consumption. Respondents had lowest knowledge of the details of the message related to portion sizes and the need for variety. However, FV consumption was not independently associated with knowledge of any one aspect of the message. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that, although most of the UK population sampled were aware of the 5-a-day FV message and could recount this correctly, details of the 5-a-day FV message were not well known, and that FV consumption was related to this knowledge. These findings suggest that strategies to increase FV consumption will benefit from increasing UK consumers' knowledge of the details of the 5-a-day FV message

Shocked POststarbust Galaxy Survey I: Candidate Poststarbust Galaxies with Emission Line Ratios Consistent with Shocks

[Abridged] The Shocked POststarburst Galaxy Survey (SPOGS) aims to identify transforming galaxies, in which the nebular lines are excited via shocks instead of through star formation processes. Utilizing the OSSY measurements on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 catalog, we applied Balmer absorption and shock boundary criteria to identify 1,067 SPOG candidates (SPOGs*) within z=0.2. SPOGs* represent 0.2% of the OSSY sample galaxies that exceed the continuum signal-to-noise cut (and 0.7% of the emission line galaxy sample). SPOGs* colors suggest that they are in an earlier phase of transition than OSSY galaxies that meet an E+A selection. SPOGs* have a 13% 1.4GHz detection rate from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty centimeters survey, higher than most other subsamples, and comparable only to low-ionization nuclear emission line region hosts, suggestive of the presence of active galactic nuclei. SPOGs* also have stronger NaD absorption than predicted from the stellar population, suggestive of cool gas being driven out in galactic winds. It appears that SPOGs* represent an earlier phase in galaxy transformation than traditionally selected poststarburst galaxies, and that a large proportion of SPOGs* also have properties consistent with disruption of their interstellar media, a key component to galaxy transformation. It is likely that many of the known pathways to transformation undergo a SPOG phase. Studying this sample of SPOGs* further, including their morphologies, active galactic nuclei properties, and environments, has the potential for us to build a more complete picture of the initial conditions that can lead to a galaxy evolving.Comment: 19 pages, 19 figures, 3 tables, accepted to ApJ Supplements (Apr 13), full sample is available on www.spogs.or

Greater fruit selection following an appearance-based compared with a health-based health promotion poster

Background: This study investigated the impact of an appearance-based compared to a traditional health-based public health message for healthy eating. Methods: 166 British University students (41 male; aged 20.6±1.9 years) were randomized to view either an appearance-based (n=82) or a health-based (n=84) fruit promotion poster. Intentions to consume fruit and immediate fruit selection (laboratory observation) were assessed immediately after poster-viewing and subsequent self-report fruit consumption was assessed 3 days later. Results: Intentions to consume fruit were not predicted by poster type (β=0.03, p=0.74), but were associated with fruit-based liking, past consumption, attitudes, and social norms (smallest β=0.16, p=0.04). Immediate fruit selection was greater following the appearance-based compared to the health-based poster (β=-0.24, p<0.01), and this effect remained when controlling for participant characteristics (β=-0.21, p<0.01). Subsequent fruit consumption was greater following the appearance-based compared to the health-based poster (β=-0.22, p=0.03), but this effect became non-significant on consideration of participant characteristics (β=-0.15, p=0.13), and was instead associated with fruit-based liking and past consumption (smallest β=0.24, p=0.03). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the clear value of an appearance-based compared to a health-based health promotion poster for increasing fruit selection. A distinction between outcome measures, and the value of a behavioural measure is also demonstrated

Energy compensation in the real world. Good compensation for small portions of chocolate and biscuits over short time periods in complicit consumers using commercially available foods.

While investigations using covert food manipulations tend to suggest that individuals are poor at adjusting for previous energy intake, in the real world adults rarely consume foods with which they are ill-informed. This study investigated the impact in fully complicit consumers of consuming commercially available dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet biscuits and fruit bars on subsequent appetite. Using a repeated measures design, participants received four small portions (4 × 10-11 g) of either dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sweet biscuits, fruit bars or no food throughout five separate study days (counterbalanced in order), and test meal intake, hunger, liking and acceptability were measured. Participants consumed significantly less at lunch following dark chocolate, milk chocolate and sweet biscuits compared to no food (smallest t(19) = 2.47, p = 0.02), demonstrating very good energy compensation (269-334%). No effects were found for fruit bars (t(19) = 1.76, p = 0.09), in evening meal intakes (F(4,72) = 0.62, p = 0.65) or in total intake (lunch + evening meal + food portions) (F(4,72) = 0.40, p = 0.69). No differences between conditions were found in measures of hunger (largest F(4,76) = 1.26, p = 0.29), but fruit bars were significantly less familiar than all other foods (smallest t(19) = 3.14, p = 0.01). These findings demonstrate good compensation over the short term for small portions of familiar foods in complicit consumers. Findings are most plausibly explained as a result of participant awareness and cognitions, although the nature of these cognitions cannot be discerned from this study. These findings however, also suggest that covert manipulations may have limited transfer to real world scenarios

Select dietary changes towards sustainability: Impacts on dietary profiles, environmental footprint, and cost.

Healthy sustainable diets have the power to improve dietary intakes and environmental resource use. However, recommendations for improving food choices need to consider the effects of any changes across multiple dimensions of health, environmental sustainability, and dietary cost to promote long-lasting behaviour change. The aim of this study was to identify differences between original diets, and the diets that can be achieved through the implementation of select small dietary changes towards sustainability. Twelve hypothetical sustainable actions were investigated for the potential effects of these actions on dietary markers (protein, saturated fat, sugars, salt, iron, and calcium), environmental footprints (greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater withdrawals, and land use), and dietary cost. Dietary data from 1235 individuals, aged 19-94 years, participating in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2017/19) provided the original diet. Dietary changes were implemented as required by each sustainable action, and differences between the original diet and each new diet were investigated. Results revealed benefits to dietary markers and environmental characteristics from eleven sustainable actions (range: F(1,728) = 5.80, p < .001 to F(1,506) = 435.04,p < .001), but effects were stronger for some actions than for others. Greatest benefits for all three outcomes were found for actions which reduced meat consumption and/or replaced meat with pulses or eggs. The remaining sustainable actions tended to be beneficial for improving outcomes individually or to some degree. Our results demonstrate the possible impacts of a number of small sustainable dietary actions for dietary, environmental, and cost outcomes, and provide a hierarchy of actions based on benefit. Findings may facilitate dietary behaviours towards improved health, whilst also offering fruitful contributions towards environmental footprint targets in the UK