Intake of various food groups among girls and boys with different utilisation of school meals

Children and adolescents spend a large part of their time at school, which is why the quality of school meals is of great importance. In this study, the extent to which intakes of various food groups among children and adolescents were in line with the recommendations of the Optimised Mixed Diet (OMD) were examined according to frequency of utilisation of school meals, based on data from the second Eating study as a KiGGS Module (EsKiMo II). Among 6- to 11-year-old boys, more frequent (≥ three times weekly) utilisation of school meals is associated with more frequently meeting or exceeding the OMD recommendation for fruit consumption. The same is true among 12- to 17-year-old girls for eggs and fats/oils used for cooking or spreads, and among 12- to 17-year-old boys for fish. The results from EsKiMo II show that regular uptake of school meals is associated with differences in intakes of various food groups with respect to the OMD recommendations

Fast food consumption among 12- to 17-year-olds in Germany – Results of EsKiMo II

Consuming high amounts of fast food can lead to an excessive intake of energy and subsequently promote obesity. Obesity increases a person’s risk for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The second wave of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave 2, 2014–2017) included the Eating study as a KiGGS Module (EsKiMo II, 2015–2017) which assessed the self-reported dietary habits of children and adolescents in Germany. The analysis of the data permits an overview of the fast food consumption of 12- to 17-year-olds (n=1,353). Girls consume 57.5 grams and boys 86.3 grams of fast food per day on average (around 400 grams and 600 grams per week, respectively). Pizza is the most consumed fast food product, followed by filled pita and sausage/meat products such as curry sausage. Adolescent girls on average get 6.5% and boys 7.8% of total daily energy intake from fast food. 23% of 12- to 17-year-olds get at least 10% of their daily energy intake from fast food (high consumers). Significant differences between the proportion of high consumers exist regarding sex, age, socioeconomic status, community size, type of school and media consumption. Compared to EsKiMo I (2006), girls’ daily energy intake from fast food has remained nearly constant, whereas that of boys has dropped substantially. From a nutrition physiology perspective, the aim should be to further reduce fast food consumption

Health behaviour and COVID-19: Initial findings on the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges to both individuals and societies that impact health behaviour in many ways. This narrative review brings together initial findings for smoking, alcohol use, nutrition, physical activity and obesity. Smoking and obesity are potential direct risk factors for a severe course of COVID-19, and alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and an unbalanced diet can be indirect risk factors. The constraints of public life to contain the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the opportunities for physical activity and sports, although the initial results on physical activity during this period for Germany do not reflect this assumption. While a part of the population reports making healthier diet choices than before the pandemic, others do not. For smoking and risky alcohol use, data at an aggregate level for the general population do not indicate any behaviour changes. However, different trends appear to be emerging for different population groups pointing to the fact that social inequalities in pandemic-related changes to health behaviour must be assumed. Should further studies confirm these results, this would indicate a need for pandemic-specific prevention measures. Furthermore, specifically during the pandemic, prevention and health promotion measures directed at changes to health behaviour should continue to be implemented and adapted to the restrictions due to the pandemic. Equity in health should be promoted in particular

Perspectives of individuals on reducing meat consumption to mitigate climate change: protocol for a scoping review

Introduction High consumption of red and processed meat increases the risk of several chronic diseases. Many people, especially in high-income countries, eat more meat than recommended by nutritional and health agencies. Meat production also has negative impacts on the environment and contributes to climate change. Therefore, climate protection, besides health or animal welfare, could motivate individuals to eat less meat. Willingness to reduce meat consumption and motives to do so are not yet fully understood.Methods and analysis Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) extended guidelines, a scoping review of peer-reviewed original studies will be conducted to address three questions: What is the evidence regarding (1) the willingness of individuals to reduce meat consumption to mitigate climate change, (2) the awareness of individuals about the link between their meat consumption and the potential to mitigate climate change and (3) individuals having reduced meat consumption for the reason of climate protection? We will search the databases Medline (via PubMed), Scopus, Embase, Greenfile (via Ebsco) and PsynDex/CurrentContent/Agris (via Livivo) using a systematic search string. Studies from 2015 onwards, published in English, German, Danish or Dutch, will be included. We will include observational studies, qualitative studies, intervention studies (if they include surveys) and reviews. Data will be summarised in a narrative synthesis, comprising methods, population characteristics, meat type under study, indicators measured and limitations. Key findings will be grouped according to the research questions. This scoping review will help clarify the role of climate protection in individual reduction of meat consumption and identify research gaps in this field.Ethics and dissemination Formal ethical approval is not required, as primary data will not be collected in this study. Findings of this scoping review will be presented at scientific conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal.Trial registration number https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/MWB85

Gesundheitsverhalten und COVID-19: Erste Erkenntnisse zur Pandemie

Die COVID-19-Pandemie stellt Menschen individuell wie auch Gesellschaften vor neue Herausforderungen, die in vielerlei Hinsicht das Gesundheitsverhalten berühren. Dieses narrative Review führt erste vorläufige Erkenntnisse zu den Themen Rauchen, Alkoholkonsum, Ernährung, körperliche Aktivität und Adipositas zusammen. Rauchen und Adipositas können direkte und Alkoholmissbrauch, körperliche Inaktivität und unausgewogene Ernährung indirekt wirkende Risikofaktoren für den schweren Verlauf einer COVID-19-Erkrankung sein. Die Einschränkungen des öffentlichen Lebens zur Eindämmung der COVID-19-Pandemie reduzierten die Möglichkeiten, körperlich aktiv zu sein und Sport zu treiben, was sich allerdings in den ersten Ergebnissen zum Bewegungsverhalten während dieser Zeit für Deutschland nicht widerspiegelt. Während ein Teil der Bevölkerung eine gesundheitsbewusstere Ernährungsweise als vor der Pandemie berichtet, trifft das für andere nicht zu. Für Rauchen und riskanten Alkoholkonsum deuten die Daten auf aggregierter Ebene für die Gesamtbevölkerung keine Verhaltensänderung an. Unterschiedliche Tendenzen scheinen sich aber für verschiedene Bevölkerungsgruppen zu ergeben, sodass von sozialen Ungleichheiten bei den pandemiebedingten Änderungen des Gesundheitsverhaltens auszugehen ist. Wenn sich die Ergebnisse in weiteren Studien bestätigen sollten, würde das Hinweise auf einen Bedarf an pandemiebegleitenden Präventionsmaßnahmen geben. Gerade auch in Pandemiezeiten sollten die Präventions- und Gesundheitsförderungmaßnahmen zum Gesundheitsverhalten weiterhin umgesetzt und den pandemiebedingten Einschränkungen angepasst werden. Dabei sollte insbesondere gesundheitliche Chancengleichheit gefördert werden

EsKiMo II - Die Ernährungsstudie als KiGGS-Modul

Eine ausgewogene und bedarfsgerechte Ernährung ist in jeder Lebensphase wichtig, nimmt jedoch in der Kindheit und Jugend eine besondere Rolle ein. Das Lebensmittelangebot, die Umstände wo, wann, wie und mit wem gegessen wird und weitere Aspekte des Ernährungs-umfeldes verändern sich in unserer Gesellschaft ständig. Deshalb wurde etwa zehn Jahre nach EsKiMo I ein zweites Mal die „Ernährungsstudie als KiGGS-Modul“ EsKiMo II (2015-2017) durchgeführt, an der insgesamt 2.644 Kinder und Jugendliche im Alter von 6 bis 17 Jahren teilnahmen. Diese Studie liefert eine aktuelle Bestandsaufnahme der Ernährung von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland. Erste umfassende Auswertungen werden in diesem Bericht dargestellt. Die meisten Heranwachsenden essen zu wenig Obst, Gemüse und pflanzliche Lebensmittel mit einem hohen Gehalt an komplexen Kohlenhydraten, wie Vollkornbrot und Kartoffeln. Der Konsum von Fleisch, Wurstwaren und von den sogenannten geduldeten Lebensmitteln, wozu Süßigkeiten, Limonaden und Knabbereien zählen, ist deutlich zu hoch. Diese Situation hat sich gegenüber der ersten EsKiMo-Studie nicht wesentlich geändert. Positiv sind jedoch der Rückgang des Konsums von zuckergesüßten Getränken und die Zunahme des Wasserkonsums zu bewerten