Integrating mobile technology with routine dietetic practice:The case of myPace for weight management

The field of Mobile health (mHealth), which includes mobile phone applications (apps), is growing rapidly and has the potential to transform healthcare by increasing its quality and efficiency. The present paper focuses particularly on mobile technology for body weight management, including mobile phone apps for weight loss and the available evidence on their effectiveness. Translation of behaviour change theory into weight management strategies, including integration in mobile technology is also discussed. Moreover, the paper presents and discusses the myPace platform as a case in point. There is little clinical evidence on the effectiveness of currently available mobile phone apps in enabling behaviour change and improving health-related outcomes, including sustained body weight loss. Moreover, it is unclear to what extent these apps have been developed in collaboration with health professionals, such as dietitians, and the extent to which apps draw on and operationalise behaviour change techniques has not been explored. Furthermore, presently weight management apps are not built for use as part of dietetic practice, or indeed healthcare more widely, where face-to-face engagement is fundamental for instituting the building blocks for sustained lifestyle change. myPace is an innovative mobile technology for weight management meant to be embedded into and to enhance dietetic practice. Developed out of systematic, iterative stages of engagement with dietitians and consumers, it is uniquely designed to complement and support the trusted health practitioner–patient relationship. Future mHealth technology would benefit if engagement with health professionals and/or targeted patient groups, and behaviour change theory stood as the basis for technology development. Particularly, integrating technology into routine health care practice, rather than replacing one with the other, could be the way forward.</jats:p

Assessing herbal products with health claims

The botanical world is a gold mine. Herbs, herbal extracts or phytochemicals are broadly used as foods, drugs and as traditional medicines. Many herbal-derived products have health-promoting effects and are therefore marketed as such. However, there are cases of herbal products that claim health benefits that are not scientifically demonstrated. Such products mislead the consumer, are potentially dangerous and also undermine the credibility of the whole botanical field. This review details the complex EU legislative framework that regulates the approval and marketing of herbal products bearing health claims as well as the scientific evidence that is needed to support such claims. To illustrate the latter we focus on phytoecdysteroid (PE)-containing preparations, generally sold to sportsmen and bodybuilders. We review the limited published scientific evidence that supports claims for these products in humans. In addition we model the in silico binding between different PEs and human nuclear receptors and discuss the implications of these putative bindings in terms of the mechanism of action of this family of compounds. We call for additional research to validate the safety and the health promoting properties of PEs and other herbal compounds, for the benefit of all consumers.JRC.I.5-Systems Toxicolog

Adolescents’ perspectives on personal and societal responsibility for childhood obesity – the study of beliefs through “serious” game (PlayDecide)

The dominant approaches to public health policy on childhood obesity are based on the neoliberal emphasis of personal choice and individual responsibility. We study adolescents’ (N=81) beliefs about responsibility for childhood obesity as a public health issue, through an innovative participatory method, PlayDecide, organised in two countries: the UK and Spain. There is no evidence of a blanket rejection of individual responsibility, rather, a call for renegotiation of the values that inform adolescents’ food choices. The findings suggest the need to broaden the framing of obesity-related policy to go beyond the nutritional paradigm and include other values that signal health

Plasma concentration of von Willebrand factor predicts mortality in patients on chronic renal replacement therapy

Background. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors do not explain the high incidence of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in patients with end-stage renal disease. A prothrombotic state could accelerate the process of vascular disease in these patients. Methods. In this study, four platelet activation markers (NAP-2, P-selectin, GP1b and RANTES) and two endothelial cell activation markers (von Willebrand factor and its propeptide) were measured in 671 haemodialysis patients and 275 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD). All were long-term dialysis patients. The risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was assessed in relation to these markers after a mean follow-up time of 2.5 years. Results. The von Willebrand factor showed a positive correlation with total mortality in the haemodialysis patients. In an unadjusted model, the hazard rate (HR) of total mortality was 2.4 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.7-3.4] in the upper quartile of von Willebrand factor compared with the lowest quartile. It remained statistically significant (HR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-2.6) after adjustment for traditional risk factors. In contrast, no significant correlation was found between von Willebrand factor levels and total mortality in PD patients. Finally, no relationship between platelet activation markers and total mortality was found in either the haemodialysis or the PD patients. Conclusion. It can be concluded that chronic endothelial cell activation, but not platelet activation, is related to all-cause mortality in end-stage renal disease patients on long-term dialysi

FIT4FOOD2030: Future-proofing Europe’s Food Systems with Tools for Transformation and a Sustainable Food Systems Network

Food systems are not fit for purpose, transgressing planetary boundaries, causing unhealthy consumption patterns and are rife with inequality. Research and Innovation (R&I) are central to tackling these food systems challenges, yet R&I systems are equally not fit for purpose, often lacking systemic and participatory approaches to food systems transformation. Therefore, there is a need for novel R&I approaches that adopt systemic and more participatory methods to engage with a wider range of food systems stakeholders. However, the lack of competencies and tools concerning novel R&I approaches for food systems transformation is a key hindrance to the deployment of such approaches in practice. These competencies and tools are vital for guiding and supporting food systems stakeholders dedicated to contributing to its transformation whether they are policymakers, researchers or citizens. This article presents the tangible results of the European (EU) Horizon 2020 funded FIT4FOOD2030 project. As a response to the challenges food and R&I systems face as well as the gap in competencies and tools surrounding these issues, the project has developed a growing online hub of Tools for Transformation applicable to a broad range of transformation challenges and contexts (e.g. food, health or energy) and a Sustainable Food Systems Network to equip food system stakeholders with practical hands-on materials to ‘do’ food systems transformation

Adolescents’ Perspectives on Personal and Societal Responsibility for Childhood Obesity — The Study of Beliefs through ‘Serious’ Game (PlayDecide)

The dominant approaches to public health policy on childhood obesity are based on the neoliberal emphasis of personal choice and individual responsibility. We study adolescents’ (N=81) beliefs about responsibility for childhood obesity as a public health issue, through an innovative participatory method, PlayDecide, organised in two countries: the UK and Spain. There is no evidence of a blanket rejection of individual responsibility, rather, a call for renegotiation of the values that inform adolescents’ food choices. The findings suggest the need to broaden the framing of obesity-related policy to go beyond the nutritional paradigm and include other values that signal health