Nutritional status, dietary energy intake and the risk of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

SummaryLoss of body weight, as a result of imbalance between increased energy demand and/or reduced dietary intake, is a common problem in patients with COPD. The aim of this investigation was to examine the relationship between nutritional intake, change in body weight and the risk of exacerbation in patients with COPD.The study comprised 41 patients who were hospitalised because of an exacerbation of COPD. The follow-up period was 12 months. Weight, height and lung function were measured at baseline. At the 12-month follow-up, weight change and current weight were assessed by an interview and nutritional intake was recorded in a food diary for 7 days. An acute exacerbation was defined as having been admitted to hospital and/or making an emergency visit to hospital, due to COPD during the follow-up period.At baseline, 24% of the patients were underweight (body mass index (BMI)<20kg/m2), 46% were of normal weight (BMI 20–25kg/m2) and 29% were overweight (BMI>25kg/m2). Energy intake was lower than the calculated energy demand for all groups. During the follow-up period, 24 of the 41 patients had an exacerbation. A low BMI at inclusion and weight loss during the follow-up period were independent risk factors for having an exacerbation (P=0.003 and 0.006, respectively).We conclude that, in patients who are hospitalised because of COPD, underweight and weight loss during the follow-up period are related to a higher risk of having new exacerbations

Association between Parent and Child Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intakes as Assessed by 24-h Urinary Excretion

The aim of this study was to assess the association between parent and child sodium (Na) and potassium (K) intake as assessed by 24-h urinary excretion (24hUE). Primary school children and their parent(s) provided one 24-h urine sample and information on cooking and children\u27s discretionary salt use. Valid urine samples were provided by 108 mothers (mean age 41.8 (5.1) (SD) years, Na 120 (45) mmol/day) (7.0 g/day salt equivalent) and 40 fathers (44.4 (4.9) years, Na 152 (49) mmol/day (8.9 g/day salt), and 168 offspring (51.8% male, age 9.1 (2.0) years, Na 101 (47) mmol/day (5.9 g/day salt). When adjusted for parental age, child age and gender a 17 mmol/day Na (1 g/day salt) increase in mother\u27s 24hUE was associated with a 3.4 mmol/day Na (0.2 g/day salt) increase in child\u27s salt 24hUE (p = 0.04) with no association observed between father and child. Sixty-seven percent of parents added salt during cooking and 37% of children added salt at the table. Children who reported adding table salt had higher urinary excretion than those who did not (p = 0.01). The association between mother and child Na intake may relate to the consumption of similar foods and highlights the importance of the home environment in influencing total dietary sodium intake

Changes in food neophobia and dietary habits of international students

Background International study is becoming more prevalent, yet aspects such as food neophobia often militate against the consumption of a nutritionally balanced diet of visiting students. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to evaluate the extent to which international postgraduate students experience food neophobia, how this might vary by nationality and other demographic characteristics, and how acculturation might manifest itself in students’ dietary behaviour. Methods International postgraduate students were invited to complete a validated questionnaire during their first week at university. The questionnaire was subsequently re-administered to the same students approximately four and eight months later. Results In total, 226 usable responses were analysed, 124, 58 and 44, respectively, for the first, second and final data collection. Perhaps surprisingly, the overall food neophobia scores increased from an initial value of 27.95 (SD ± 16.95) to 33.67 (SD ± 33.67) after 3 months although when comparing European and Asian students, only the former were significantly different (p<0.05). Both Asian and European students reported small but not significant changes in their eating habits, although after 3 months significantly (p=< 0.05) less changes were reported. No significant changes were reported in students’ perceived healthiness of their diets either by nationality or over time. Conclusions Understanding the complexities of food neophobia, other aspects of dietary change and at what point these changes might take place in the acculturation process when students arrive in the UK needs to be fully understood if a climate for positive learning is to be established

Young adults and the 5 a day campaign: perceived benefits and barriers of eating more fruits and vegetables

Although consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases, it is widely recognized that young adults’ intakes are currently well below the Department of Health’s recommended five portions a day, with men consuming even less than women. One approach in the UK has been to introduce health campaigns such as the 5 A DAY programme; however, little is currently known about how well their messages are understood amongst young adults. This study examined current knowledge of the 5 A DAY message in young adults, as well as the perceived benefits and remaining barriers towards consuming more fruits and vegetables. In total, four focus groups were conducted using male (n = 22) and female (n = 18) students at the University of Reading. Content analysis revealed that while participants were aware of the 5 A DAY recommendation, there was widespread confusion regarding the detail. In addition, men were less accepting of the message than women, reporting greater disbelief and a lack of motivation to increase intake. Finally, a range of barriers was reported by participants of both genders, despite the perceived beneficial effects for health and appearance. The results illustrate a considerable gap between awareness and knowledge of the 5 A DAY message, and underscore the challenge that changing behaviour in young adults represents. As well as stepping up education- and skill-based health campaigns, more targeted gender specific interventions will be needed to achieve sustained increases in fruit and vegetable intake