Food Safety and School Garden Pilot Program for Elementary School Students

Food safety education for children is important for developing a good foundation for food safety knowledge and behaviors. The overall goal of the Food Safety and School Garden Program (FSSGP) was to develop a curriculum that integrated food safety principles into school garden-related activities for elementary school students. Specific objectives of this study were to assess knowledge and evaluate the FSSGP through student activity ratings and student-to-parent/guardian interaction. The two-lesson intervention consisted of a didactic component and interactive activities for four major aspects of food safety principles: bacteria and washing hands, produce, and containers. Students\u27 (n = 194) knowledge, in grades 1-5, was evaluated by use of a 10-question pre- and post-test. Number of correct responses increased from 5.6 1.8 to 8.1 1.9 (P \u3c .001). Knowledge increased within each grade (P \u3c .001) and category (P \u3c .05). Additionally, the majority of students rated all activities as satisfactory or better. Finally, over 80% of students indicated they would tell their parents/guardians about what they learned, and the majority of parents/guardians responding to a follow-up questionnaire indicated that their child had communicated with them about FSSGP topics. This study supports the importance of early education on proper food safety principles in school gardens for elementary school students

Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in College Students

More than one-half of young adults aged 18–24 y have at least 1 coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factor and nearly one-quarter have advanced atherosclerotic lesions. The extent of atherosclerosis is directly correlated with the number of risk factors. Unhealthy dietary choices made by this age group contribute to weight gain and dyslipidemia. Risk factor profiles in young adulthood strongly predict long-term CHD risk. Early detection is critical to identify individuals at risk and to promote lifestyle changes before disease progression occurs. Despite the presence of risk factors and pathological changes, risk assessment and disease prevention efforts are lacking in this age group. Most young adults are not screened and are unaware of their risk. This review provides pathological evidence along with current risk factor prevalence data to demonstrate the need for early detection. Eighty percent of heart disease is preventable through diet and lifestyle, and young adults are ideal targets for prevention efforts because they are in the process of establishing lifestyle habits, which track forward into adulthood. This review aims to establish the need for increased screening, risk assessment, education, and management in young adults. These essential screening efforts should include the assessment of all CHD risk factors and lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, and smoking), blood pressure, glucose, and body mass index in addition to the traditional lipid panel for effective long-term risk reduction

An Assessment of Consumer Food Safety Handling Practices of Produce at Grocery Stores in Rhode Island

Produce contributed to more foodborne illnesses from 2004 to 2013 than any other food category. While the main focus has been on produce contamination on a farm or distribution center, little has been done to understand the role of consumers’ food safety practices in the grocery store. This area is of particular importance, since any contamination could be made worse with improper food safety practices in the home. The purpose of this study was to use direct observation and a smartphone application to observe food safety handling and hygiene practices of consumers shopping for produce at grocery stores in Rhode Island. A total of 80 individual consumer observations of produce handling and hygiene practices took place at five grocery stores (16 observations per location). Observed unsafe food safety handling practices of consumers included manipulating produce, putting produce back on the shelf, and tasting produce, in addition to poor personal hygiene practices. Produce scales were unclean in a majority of observations. Results from this study revealed that some consumers at Rhode Island grocery stores engage in unsafe food safety practices when shopping for produce. Education at the point of purchase about best practices of handling produce is needed in order to decrease cross-contamination and exposure of other consumers to contamination

A Nutrition Intervention to Increase Whole Grain Intake in College Students

This study aimed to improve whole grain (WG) intake and coronary heart disease risk factors in 98 college students through an intervention in campus dining halls. The exploratory aim was to evaluate the impact of text messaging on diet and coronary heart disease risk. The 6-week intervention consisted of WG and low-fat dairy messages in campus dining halls and text messages to a subsample (n = 26). WG intake, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body weight, and body mass index significantly increased over time. Total dairy intake decreased over time. Overall, the intervention had a positive impact on WG consumption and on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Editorial: Helping Scientists to Communicate Well for all Considered: Strategic Science Communication in an Age of Environmental and Health Crises

From documenting evidence-based science communication training programs to examining issues of intersectionality and inclusivity in science communication, each of the 12 articles in this special issue offers a unique perspective on science communication, public engagement, and inclusivity. The case studies of training programs provide helpful lessons learned that have broad applicability. The descriptions of how social scientific and rhetorical approaches have been used to enhance inclusive science communication offer new insights into more effective science communication practices. Our hope is that, taken together, these articles will inspire improvements in our collective ability to more effectively and equitably apply scientific research to meet societal needs

The Green Eating Project: web-based intervention to promote environmentally conscious eating behaviours in US university students

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of an online, interactive intervention, referred to as the Green Eating (GE) Project, to motivate university students to adopt GE behaviours. Design: The study was quasi-experimental and integrated into courses for credit/extra credit. Courses were randomly stratified into experimental or non-treatment control. The 5-week intervention consisted of four modules based on different GE topics. Participants completed the GE survey at baseline (experimental, n 241; control, n 367) and post (experimental, n 187; control, n 304). The GE survey has been previously validated and consists of Transtheoretical Model constructs including stage of change (SOC), decisional balance (DB: Pros and Cons) and self-efficacy (SE: School and Home) as well as behaviours for GE. Modules contained basic information regarding each topic and knowledge items to assess content learning. Setting: The GE Project took place at a public university in the north-eastern USA. Subjects: Participants were full-time students between the ages of 18 and 24 years. Results: The GE Project was effective in significantly increasing GE behaviours, DB Pros, SE School and knowledge in experimental compared with control, but did not reduce DB Cons or increase SE Home. Experimental participants were also more likely to be in later SOC for GE at post testing. Conclusions: The GE Project was effective in increasing GE behaviours in university students. Motivating consumers towards adopting GE could assist in potentially mitigating negative consequences of the food system on the environment. Future research could tailor the intervention to participant SOC to further increase the effects or design the modules for other participants

Comparison of diet quality, physical activity and biochemical values of older adults either reporting or not reporting use of lipid-lowering medication

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare standard lipid profile, reported dietary intake, and physical activity in older adults who reported taking or not taking a lipid-lowering medication, namely statins. Design: Cross-sectional study utilizing baseline data collected from a subsample of a larger randomized clinical trial, The Study of Exercise and Nutrition in Older Rhode Islanders (SENIOR) Project. Participants and Setting: A total of 115 participants, 33 males and 82 females, over the age of 60, community-dwelling, primarily retired, and from East Providence, Rhode Island and surrounding communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Measurements: Height and weight were measured and used to calculate body mass index. Waist circumference was measured. Medical history and medication use surveys were completed. Dietary assessment was done via three 24 hour recalls using NDS-R. The Yale Physical Activity Survey was used to determine energy expenditure during exercise and a physical activity summary score. Fasting blood samples were obtained to determine lipid profile. Results: 37 participants (32.2%) reported taking lipid-lowering medication, statins exclusively, and 78 (67.8%) reported not taking any lipid-lowering medication. Participants who reported taking statins had better lipid profiles than those participants who reported not taking statins but had significantly lower intakes of vitamin B12, vitamin K, calcium, and potassium. There were no differences between groups on reported physical activity. However, the mean intakes for both groups did not meet the Dietary Reference Intakes for multiple nutrients. Conclusion: Older adults need additional education on the importance of lifestyle changes in reducing CHD risk, whether taking lipid-lowering medications or not

Content Validation of a Home Parenteral Nutrition–Patient‐Reported Outcome Questionnaire

Background: Patient‐reported outcome (PRO) instruments collect information from patients about health conditions and disease management, including quality of life (QOL). Clinicians acknowledge patient concerns about QOL but need guidance to assess the nature and severity of individually experienced problems. The Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN)–Patient‐Reported Outcome Questionnaire (PROQ) was developed for use during medical appointments or homecare visits to address this gap. The purpose of this research was to provide evidence that the HPN‐PROQ items and scale possess content validity. Methods: A mixed‐method study design was used. In phase 1, cognitive interviews (CIs) were conducted with 32 HPN patients. Thematic analysis was used to assess participant understanding of the instructions, items, and response scales and overall utility of the HPN‐PROQ. In phase 2, 13 expert clinicians evaluated the relevance of items to the HPN population using the Content Validity Index (CVI) to produce item‐level (I‐CVI) and scale‐level (S‐CVI) scores. Items with an I‐CVI score ≥0.783 were retained. Results: Fifty‐four percent of items were deemed as being comprehensible, acceptable, and clear; 25% were revised; and 11% were deleted. In phase 2, 79% of items were rated highly relevant. The S‐CVI score was 0.96. The final HPN‐PROQ contains 34 items. Conclusion: This study established acceptable content validity of the HPN‐PROQ. This PROQ may help foster patient‐clinician communication about lifestyle adaptation and QOL

The Relationship between Arthritis and Muscular Strength in Older Women with Symptoms of Sarcopenia

Background: Sarcopenia classification is important for prevention or intervention of sarcopenia in the elderly. However, measures used for the current sarcopenia criteria, including muscular strength, could be impacted by forms of arthritis. Thus, it is crucial to understand the impact arthritis has on sarcopenia status. Objectives: The aim was to investigate if arthritis relates to sarcopenia classification via grip strength or single chair stand in older women. A secondary aim was to assess the relationship between grip strength and upper and lower body strength in those with arthritis. Design: A cross-sectional analysis. Setting and participants: Sixty-one community-dwelling older women (71.9±4.6 years) from Rhode Island. Measurements: Sarcopenia status was classified using established working definitions. Grip strength was measured using a hand grip dynamometer, chair stands were measured via a single chair stand test, and gait speed was assessed using a four-meter walk test. A segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis assessed body composition and arthritis status was based on self-report. Upper and lower body muscular strength were measured using a chest press and leg press one repetition maximum. Results: No associations were observed between arthritis and sarcopenia status (p=0.36) nor arthritis and upper or lower body muscular strength and grip strength. Conclusions: The results of this study may indicate that arthritis is not associated with sarcopenia status but may affect other measures of muscular strength

Training Graduate Students in Multiple Genres of Public and Academic Science Writing: An Assessment Using an Adaptable, Interdisciplinary Rubric

There is an urgent need for scientists to improve their communication skills with the public, especially for those involved in applying science to solve conservation or human health problems. However, little research has assessed the effectiveness of science communication training for applied scientists. We responded to this gap by developing a new, interdisciplinary training model, “SciWrite,” based on three central tenets from scholarship in writing and rhetoric: 1) habitual writing, 2) multiple genres for multiple audiences, and 3) frequent review and created an interdisciplinary rubric based on these tenets to evaluate a variety of writing products across genres. We used this rubric to assess three different genres written by 12 SciWrite-trained graduate science students and 74 non-SciWrite-trained graduate science students at the same institution. We found that written work from SciWrite students scored higher than those from non-SciWrite students in all three genres, and most notably thesis/dissertation proposals were higher quality. The rubric results also suggest that the variation in writing quality was best explained by the ability of graduate students to grasp higher-order writing skills (e.g., thinking about audience needs and expectations, clearly describing research goals, and making an argument for the significance of their research). Future programs would benefit from adopting similar training activities and goals as well as assessment tools that take a rhetorically informed approach