Rationales, design and recruitment of the Taizhou Longitudinal Study

<p/> <p>Background</p> <p>Rapid economic growth in China in the past decades has been accompanied by dramatic changes in lifestyle and environmental exposures. The burdens of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, have also increased substantially.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>We initiated a large prospective cohort–the Taizhou Longitudinal Study–in Taizhou (a medium-size city in China) to explore the environmental and genetic risk factors for common non-communicable diseases. The sample size of the cohort will be at least 100,000 adults aged 30–80 years drawn from the general residents of the districts of Hailin, Gaogang, and Taixing (sample frame, 1.8 million) of Taizhou. A three-stage stratified sampling method will be applied. Baseline investigations include interviewer-administered questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, and collection of buccal mucosal cells and blood specimens. DNA will be extracted for genetic studies and serum samples will be used for biochemical examinations. A follow-up survey will be conducted every three years to obtain information on disease occurrence and information on selected lifestyle exposures. Study participants will be followed-up indefinitely by using a chronic disease register system for morbidity and cause-specific mortality. Information on non-fatal events will be obtained for certain major categories of disease (e.g., cancer, stroke, myocardial infarction) through established registry systems.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The Taizhou Longitudinal Study will provide a good basis for exploring the roles of many important environmental factors (especially those concomitant with the economic transformation in China) for common chronic diseases, solely or via interaction with genetic factors.</p

Exploring the patterns of food waste generation by tourists in a popular destination

Tourist food consumption is an important driver of food waste generation within the hotel/restaurant/café (HORECA) sector of popular destinations. Little is however known about the exact magnitude of food wastage by tourists alongside the determinants of their wasteful behaviour. This study has striven to contribute to knowledge with an exploratory survey in Lhasa, a popular destination in China, which set to establish the size of food wastage by tourists and explain the role of various socio-demographic and food consumption-related factors in its occurrence by statistical analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, respectively. The study found that tourists generated circa 15% of the total food waste in the HORECA sector, while the taste preferences and portion size were two major causes. The level of tourist education and personal satisfaction with meals exerted a significant negative impact on food waste generation. To reduce food wastage, policy-makers and HORECA professionals should educate tourists about the detrimental effect of wasted food and increase their satisfaction with meals. The research findings provided insights into achieving sustainability objectives in national and international tourism sectors