Yuck, This Biscuit Looks Lumpy! Neophobic Levels and Cultural Differences Drive Children’s Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Descriptions and Preferences for High-Fibre Biscuits

Food neophobia influences food choice in school-aged children. However, little is known about how children with different degrees of food neophobia perceive food and to what extent different sensory attributes drive their liking. This paper explores liking and sensory perception of fibre-rich biscuits in school-aged children (n = 509, age 9–12 years) with different degrees of food neophobia and from five different European countries (Finland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom). Children tasted and rated their liking of eight commercial biscuits and performed a Check-All-That-Apply task to describe the samples and further completed a Food Neophobia Scale. Children with a higher degree of neophobia displayed a lower liking for all tasted biscuits (p < 0.001). Cross-cultural differences in liking also appeared (p < 0.001). A negative correlation was found between degree of neophobia and the number of CATA-terms used to describe the samples (r = −0.116, p = 0.009). Penalty analysis showed that degree of food neophobia also affected drivers of biscuit liking, where particularly appearance terms were drivers of disliking for neophobic children. Cross-cultural differences in drivers of liking and disliking were particularly salient for texture attributes. Further research should explore if optimizing appearance attributes could be a way to increase liking of fibre-rich foods in neophobic children

Associations of preschoolers’ dietary patterns with eating behaviors and parental feeding practices at a 12-month follow-up of obesity treatment

Although dietary patterns are key to the management of childhood obesity, they are rarely assessed and thus poorly understood. This study examines preschoolers' dietary patterns and correlates 12 months after the start of obesity treatment (n = 99, mean age 5.2 years, 52% girls). A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) and Lifestyle Behavior Checklist (LBC) were answered by parents to assess children's food intake, eating behaviors, parental feeding practices, and obesity-related behaviors, respectively. Principal component analysis identified dietary patterns based on FFQ data. Through multiple linear regressions we examined correlations between a healthy (HD) and a less healthy (LHD) dietary pattern and mean scores of the CEBQ, CFQ, LBC scales as well as BMI z-scores. The reported intake of items in the LHD decreased after treatment while no differences were found for the HD. Children's eating behaviors, in particular food fussiness, showed consistent associations with diet (b = −0.39, 95% CI −0.63, −0.14 for HD and b = 0.41, 95% CI 0.15, 0.66 for LHD). Feeding practices and obesity-related behaviours were weakly associated with the dietary patterns (HD and Monitoring: b = 0.36, 95% CI 0.09, 0.62; LHD and Screen time b = 0.08, 95% CI 0.01, 0.15). Among the measured variables, eating behaviors had the largest impact on children's dietary patterns. The LHD was associated with a higher BMI z-score but no associations were found between changes in LHD intake and changes in BMI z-scores. Our findings suggest that decreasing food fussiness in children with obesity is key to positive dietary changes. Assessment of children's eating behaviors can help tailor dietary advice and provide support for families of children with obesity

Parenting and childhood obesity : validation of a new questionnaire and evaluation of treatment effects during the preschool years

Objectives Parenting is an integral component of obesity treatment in early childhood. However, the link between specific parenting practices and treatment effectiveness remains unclear. This paper introduces and validates a new parenting questionnaire and evaluates mothers’ and fathers’ parenting practices in relation to child weight status during a 12-month childhood obesity treatment trial. Methods First, a merged school/clinical sample (n = 558, 82% mothers) was used for the factorial and construct validation of the new parenting questionnaire. Second, changes in parenting were evaluated using clinical data from the More and Less Study, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 174 children (mean age = 5 years, mean Body Mass Index Standard Deviation Score (BMI SDS) = 3.0) comparing a parent support program (with and without booster sessions) and standard treatment. Data were collected at four time points over 12 months. We used linear mixed models and mediation models to investigate associations between changes in parenting practices and treatment effects. Findings The validation of the questionnaire (9 items; responses on a 5-point Likert scale) revealed two dimensions of parenting (Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.7): setting limits to the child and regulating one’s own emotions when interacting with the child, both of which correlated with feeding practices and parental self-efficacy. We administered the questionnaire to the RCT participants. Fathers in standard treatment increased their emotional regulation compared to fathers in the parenting program (p = 0.03). Mothers increased their limit-setting regardless of treatment allocation (p = 0.01). No treatment effect was found on child weight status through changes in parenting practices. Conclusion Taken together, the findings demonstrate that the new questionnaire assessing parenting practices proved valid in a 12-month childhood obesity trial. During treatment, paternal and maternal parenting practices followed different trajectories, though they did not mediate treatment effects on child weight status. Future research should address the pathways whereby maternal and paternal parenting practices affect treatment outcomes, such as child eating behaviors and weight status

Yuck, This Biscuit Looks Lumpy! Neophobic Levels and Cultural Differences Drive Children's Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Descriptions and Preferences for High-Fibre Biscuits

Food neophobia influences food choice in school-aged children. However, little is known about how children with different degrees of food neophobia perceive food and to what extent different sensory attributes drive their liking. This paper explores liking and sensory perception of fibre-rich biscuits in school-aged children (n = 509, age 9-12 years) with different degrees of food neophobia and from five different European countries (Finland, Italy, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom). Children tasted and rated their liking of eight commercial biscuits and performed a Check-All-That-Apply task to describe the samples and further completed a Food Neophobia Scale. Children with a higher degree of neophobia displayed a lower liking for all tasted biscuits (p < 0.001). Cross-cultural differences in liking also appeared (p < 0.001). A negative correlation was found between degree of neophobia and the number of CATA-terms used to describe the samples (r = -0.116, p = 0.009). Penalty analysis showed that degree of food neophobia also affected drivers of biscuit liking, where particularly appearance terms were drivers of disliking for neophobic children. Cross-cultural differences in drivers of liking and disliking were particularly salient for texture attributes. Further research should explore if optimizing appearance attributes could be a way to increase liking of fibre-rich foods in neophobic children

Intake of Fibre-Associated Foods and Texture Preferences in Relation to Weight Status Among 9-12 Years Old Children in 6 European Countries

Plant foods, rich in fibre, can offer textures that children find difficult to orally manipulate, resulting in low preferences but are important for a healthy diet and prevention of overweight in children. Our aim was to investigate preferences for food texture, intake of fibre-associated foods and the relation to BMI. Three hundred thirty European children (9-12 years, 54% female) indicated their texture preferences using the Child-Food-Texture-Preference- Questionnaire (CFTPQ), and their parents responded on fibre-associated food consumption and anthropometric information. BMI was significantly lower for children with higher intake of wholegrain alternatives of common foods; in addition to being significantly influenced by country and the wearing of a dental brace. Overall BMI-for-age-percentiles (BMI_pct) were negatively associated with the consumption of wholegrain cereals, white pasta and wholemeal products and positively associated with the intake of legumes and white biscuits. In males, BMI_pct were negatively associated with wholegrain products and dried fruits, and in females, positively with legume consumption. A few country-related associations were found for BMI_pct and wholegrain biscuits, seeds and nuts and refined products. No overall correlation was found between BMI_pct and the texture preference of soft/hard foods by CFTPQ, except in Austria. We conclude that this study revealed evidence of a connection between fibre-associated foods and children's BMI at a cross-cultural level and that sex is an important determinant of fibre-associated food intake and the development of overweight in childhood

Designing healthy foods – A dietetic marketing perspective

Abstract Research in natural sciences often demonstrates health potential of specific foods. However, for these foods to have a beneficial effect in reality, they also need to be available, chosen, liked and eaten by consumers. To find strategies to enable an increased consumption of foods with potential health benefits, a perspective described as dietetic marketing will be elaborated upon. This is done by using the example of rye bread as a potential health beneficial component in the Swedish diet. Several potential health benefits have been shown for rye, but less research has been focused on bread from a consumer perspective. Dietetic marketing draws upon ideas from social marketing but focuses specifically on a food with potential health benefits. Here, consumers are thought to more easily adopt a behaviour if they receive benefits they consider valuable or if relevant barriers are removed. Food quality is a useful concept in identifying barriers to and opportunities for consumption. Objective quality represents, e.g., what is described as healthy and recommended by authorities as well as what is made available to consumers by food industry. Subjective quality is related to consumer perceptions of these qualities. Taste is a crucial quality criterion for consumers’ evaluation of food products. Sensory analysis is therefore used as a key methodology to bridge the gap between the product and the person. In the case of healthier rye breads, the taste was shown to be a major barrier for consumption among Swedish consumers. With the aim to increase consumption of foods with potential health benefits, a dietetic marketing perspective gives interdisciplinary insights into how industry may design products and communication in line with consumer perceptions and preferences as well as how authorities may design recommendations and guidelines to aid consumers in their food choice and guide industry in product development

Rye bread in Sweden : Health-related and sensory qualities, consumer perceptions and consumption patterns

Rye bread has shown potential as a health-beneficial component in the diet, especially in relation to non-communicable diseases. To have a beneficial effect in reality, however, it also needs to be available, chosen and eaten. Less research has focused on rye bread from a consumer perspective. The main aim was to investigate consumption patterns, health-related and sensory qualities and consumer perceptions of bread, more specifically commercial rye bread. In Study I, secondary analysis was performed on bread consumption data from a national dietary survey (n=1,435, 18-80 years). In Study II, commercial rye breads (n=24) were characterized by sensory descriptive analysis; the in vitro measurement fluidity index (FI) was used to predict glycemic properties, and chemical acidity was measured. Study III was a consumer test (n=398, 18-80 years), where acceptance and perceptions of nine rye breads were investigated. Study IV was a web-based and postal sequential mixed-mode survey (n=1,134, 18-80 years) with open-ended items covering health-related perceptions of bread. Consumers with the lowest intake of whole grain and rye bread were from younger age groups, families with children and groups with lower educational levels. Health-related and sensory properties of commercial rye bread varied widely. The FI indicated more beneficial glycemic properties in half of the samples and this was associated with a chewy, dry texture and sour flavor. The younger consumer group (18-44 years) differed in their liking compared to the older group (45-80 years) and displayed a preference toward bread with less whole grain and rye, although different clusters were identified. Rye bread liking was associated with bread type consumed in childhood, food choice motives and educational level. Most (75%) knew of bread they considered healthy. Coarse, whole grain, fiber, sourdough and rye were perceived to be good for the stomach, bowel and, to have good satiation and glycemic properties. Few health claims have been authorized, making it challenging for consumers to identify bread with these properties. Front-of-package label indicating rye bread was sometimes found on breads with very little rye flour. Sensory attributes, foremost textural and flavor, e.g., sourness, correlated with beneficial FI values and could thereby help guide consumers

Konsumenters attityd till etiska och miljömässiga märkningar - möjliga förklaringar till "konsumentglappet"

Det blir allt vanligare med etiska och miljömässiga märkningar på livsmedel. Med bryggkaffe som exempel är syftet med uppsatsen att undersöka konsumenters attityd till symbolerna KRAV, Rättvisemärkt, Rainforest Alliance och EU-symbolen för ekologiskt jordbruk. Genom att undersöka attityden kan möjliga förklaringar till det så kallade ”konsumentglappet” urskiljas samt förslag till hur glappet kan minskas. Den teoretiska huvudmodell som använts är ”The ABC-model of attitudes” och som analysunderlag används positionering och valkriterier. Strukturerade kvantitativa intervjuer utfördes på 140 konsumenter. Undersökningen visar att konsumenter har en positivare attityd till KRAV och Rättvisemärkt jämfört med Rainforest Alliance och EU-symbolen för ekologiskt jordbruk och väljer därmed i större utsträckning att köpa produkter med dessa symboler. De främsta förklaringarna till glappet är troligen att etik och miljöhänsyn idag inte är viktiga valkriterier vid köp av livsmedel. Glappet kan kanske minskas om symbolerna marknadsförs och framhålls i butik, om de blir mer trendigt att handla etiskt och miljömärkt samt om konsumenter får en större kunskap om de bakomliggande motiven till dessa typer av certifieringar.

Different liking but similar healthiness perceptions of rye bread among younger and older consumers in Sweden

Rye breads, especially those with a chewy texture and sour flavor, have shown several health benefits but their consumption is lower among younger consumers than older. This study explores liking of commercial rye bread in younger and older consumers in relation to socio-demographics, childhood bread-eating habits and food choice motives. Further, sensory attributes are explored in relation to the consumers’ concepts of a rye bread and healthiness in bread. Nine commercial rye breads, previously profiled by descriptive sensory analysis were tasted by 225 younger (18–44 years) and 173 older (45–80 years) consumers. Internal preference mappings by principal component regression for each age group showed low liking for rye bread with a chewy texture and sour flavor in the younger consumer group. Based on the preference mappings, the age groups were separately clustered. Associations between clusters and background variables were studied using discriminant partial least squares regression. Liking of rye bread with a chewy texture and sour flavor in the younger consumer group was associated with e.g., more education, females, childhood bread consumption and the food choice motive health. In the older consumer group, it was related to e.g., more education and childhood bread consumption. Partial least squares regression 1 showed that the combination of sensory attributes such as a light color and soft texture led to the perception of bread being less healthy and not a rye bread, and a dark brown color, chewy texture, sour and bitter flavor to the perception of a healthier bread and rye bread.submittedVersio

Nursing students' experiences of peer learning in a dedicated educational unit in municipal home healthcare: A phenomenological study

The shift from hospital-based nursing care to municipal home healthcare has led to the provision of more diverse, complex and advanced nursing care in this context. This poses challenges for undergraduate nursing students’ clinical education. The aim of this study was to describe nursing students’ experiences of learning nursing care through peer learning in a dedicated educational unit in municipal home healthcare. Data were collected through interviews with seven nursing students. The analysis was based on a reflective lifeworld research approach. The study followed the COREQ checklist. Strong cooperation and feelings of safety were found to boost learning and encourage the students to challenge themselves. Alternating between an observational and an active role during independent home visits was beneficial for intertwining caring and learning. Further, being trusted to work independently increased their ethical orientation, knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence