The persistence of poor diet and diet inequalities

Diet is determined by socioeconomic factors (e.g. education, occupation, and income) and personal characteristics (e.g. ethnicity, gender, and age). Diet inequalities, whereby diet quality differs systematically across population subgroups, are well-documented. Reducing inequalities has long been prioritised by governmental bodies, yet inequalities persist and effective solutions remain elusive. My thesis aims to further understanding of diet inequalities, particularly focusing on two under-studied groups: food insecure adults and ethnic minority adults. An analysis of UK national nutrition surveys showed substantial social inequalities in diet that largely persisted from 1986 to 2012, though adherence to dietary recommendations improved over time for most population subgroups. Alongside persisting inequalities, food bank usage has risen in the UK. In an online survey, 24% of UK adults reported food insecurity (inability, or perceived inability, to afford a sufficient and nutritious diet). Food insecurity was more prevalent among certain population subgroups, and was associated with poorer diet and health. A thematic analysis of national newspapers revealed public support for the government to address the perceived root causes of food insecurity, through improving welfare support and employment policies. However, existing interventions rely heavily on charitable provision of food for individuals. Analysis of a multi-ethnic sample of Amsterdam residents illustrated that diet quality was not always associated with socioeconomic position in all ethnic groups. Together, these studies show that socioeconomic inequalities in diet persist, but are not inevitable, and demonstrate an intersection between personal characteristics and socioeconomic circumstances in their influence on diet. Socioeconomic disadvantage does not explain all diet inequalities. Community support may be protective against poor diet. Changes to the food and economic systems are likely to be necessary to improve population diet and reduce diet inequalities. Governmental action to make these structural changes is supported by the general public in the case of food insecurity

A comparison of social media marketing between B2B, B2C and mixed business models

This paper explores the implicit assumption in the growing body of literature that social media usage is fundamentally different in business-to-business (B2B) companies than in the extant business-to-consumer (B2C) literature. Sashi’s (2012) customer engagement cycle is utilized to compare B2B, B2C, Mixed B2B/B2C and B2B2C business model organizational practices in relation to social media usage, importance, and its perceived effectiveness as a communication channel. Utilizing 449 responses to an exploratory panel based survey instrument, we clearly identify differences in social media marketing usage and its perceived importance as a communications channel. In particular we identify distinct differences in the relationship between social media importance and the perceived effectiveness of social media marketing across business models. Our results indicate that B2B social media usage is distinct from B2C, Mixed and B2B2C business model approaches. Specifically B2B organizational members perceive social media to have a lower overall effectiveness as a channel and identify it as less important for relationship oriented usage than other business models

Differences in diet quality and socioeconomic patterning of diet quality across ethnic groups: cross-sectional data from the HELIUS Dietary Patterns study

Funder: British Heart Foundation (BHF); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000274Funder: RCUK | Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000269Funder: DH | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000272Funder: Wellcome Trust (Wellcome); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100004440Funder: RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000265Funder: Netherlands Organization for Health Research and DevelopmentAbstract: Background/objectives: Socioeconomic inequalities in diet quality are consistently reported, but few studies have investigated whether and how such inequalities vary across ethnic groups. This study aimed to examine differences in diet quality and socioeconomic patterning of diet quality across ethnic groups. Subjects/methods: Cross-sectional data from the HELIUS study were used. Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan adults (aged 18–70 years) were randomly sampled, stratified by ethnicity. Dietary intake was estimated among a subsample (n = 4602) from 200-item, ethnic-specific food frequency questionnaires, and diet quality was assessed using the Dutch Healthy Diet Index 2015 (DHD15-Index). Wald tests were used to compare non-Dutch and Dutch participants. Adjusted linear regression models were used to examine differences in DHD15-Index by three indicators of socioeconomic position: educational level, occupational status and perceived financial difficulties. All analyses were stratified by sex. Results: Dutch participants had lower median DHD15-Index than most ethnic minority participants (P < 0.001). Lower educational level was associated with lower DHD15-Index among Dutch men (Ptrend < 0.0001), South-Asian Surinamese men (Ptrend = 0.01), Dutch women (Ptrend = 0.0001), African Surinamese women (Ptrend = 0.002) and Moroccan women (Ptrend = 0.04). Lower occupational status was associated with lower DHD15-Index in Dutch men, β −7.8 (95% CI −11.7, −3.9) and all women (β −4.4 to −8.8), except Turkish women. DHD15-Index was not associated with perceived financial difficulties in most groups. Conclusions: We observed variations in diet quality across ethnic groups. Low socioeconomic position was not consistently associated with poor diet quality in all ethnic groups. This may be due to ethnicity-specific retention of traditional diets, irrespective of socioeconomic position

Case Report Risk Factors and Epidemiology of Coccidioidomycosis Demonstrated by a Case of Spontaneous Pulmonary Rupture of Cavitary Coccidioidomycosis

A 31-year-old Hispanic male with no medical history was admitted for fevers, pleurisy, and cough after recent oral surgery and completing demolition and construction work in Juarez, Mexico. Imaging showed a 4.4 cm cavitary lesion and bilateral tree-inbud opacities. Initial suspicion of bacterial infection confirmed with clinical improvement on culture specific antibiotics, but after discharge he returned with progression of symptoms and new dyspnea. Radiograph showed a pyopneumothorax. Chest computed tomography after thoracostomy showed worsening infiltrates and another cavitary lesion. Symptoms persisted despite addition of broad spectrum antibiotics. Surgical repair for persistent air leak was required. Weeks after discharge, cultures and serologies returned positive for Coccidioidomycosis immitis. Coccidioides species cause up to 30% of community-acquired pneumonia and incidental cavitary lesions in endemic regions. Symptoms are nonspecific yet usually involve fatigue, cough, and pleurisy. Most hosts have spontaneous resolution; however, certain demographics such as Hispanics and diabetics, later diagnosed in our patient, have higher morbidity. As seen with our patient, cavitary rupture and bronchopleural fistulas are rare occurring in 2.6% of cavitary lesions. High suspicion based on symptoms and host demographics is important to assist in early diagnosis and treatment to avoid and treat this common pathogen&apos;s presentations

Socio-demographic characteristics, diet and health among food insecure UK adults: cross-sectional analysis of the International Food Policy Study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate food insecurity (FI) prevalence among UK adults and investigate associations with socio-demographic characteristics, diet and health. DESIGN: Weighted cross-sectional survey data. FI was measured using the USDA Adult Food Security Survey Module. Data were analysed using adjusted logistic regression models. SETTING: United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: 2551 participants (aged 18-64 years); sub-sample (n 1949) used to investigate association between FI and overweight. RESULTS: FI prevalence was 24·3 %. Higher odds of FI were observed among participants who reported that making ends meet was difficult v. easy (OR 19·76, 95 % CI 13·78, 28·34), were full-time students v. non-students (OR 3·23, 95 % CI 2·01, 5·18), had low v. high education (OR 2·30, 95 % CI 1·66, 3·17), were male v. female (OR 1·36, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·83) and reported their ethnicity as mixed (OR 2·32, 95 % CI 1·02, 5·27) and white other (OR 2·04, 95 % CI 1·04, 3·99) v. white British. Odds of FI were higher in participants living with children v. alone, especially in single-parent households (OR 2·10, 95 % CI 1·19, 3·70). Odds of FI decreased per year of increase in age (OR 0·95, 95 % CI 0·94, 0·96) and were lower in participants not looking for work v. full-time employed (OR 0·60, 95 % CI 0·42, 0·87). Food insecure v. food secure adults had lower odds of consuming fruits (OR 0·59, 95 % CI 0·47, 0·74) and vegetables (OR 0·68, 95 % CI 0·54, 0·86) above the median frequency, and higher odds for fruit juice (OR 1·39, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·75). Food insecure v. food secure adults had higher odds of reporting unhealthy diets (OR 1·65, 95 % CI 1·31, 2·10), poor general health, (OR 1·90, 95 % CI 1·50, 2·41), poor mental health (OR 2·10, 95 % CI 1·64, 2·69), high stress (OR 3·15, 95 % CI 2·42, 4·11) and overweight (OR 1·32, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·75). CONCLUSIONS: FI prevalence was high and varied by socio-demographic characteristics. FI was associated with poorer diet and health.AY is funded via a CEDAR PhD studentship. JA and MW are funded by the University of Cambridge and CEDAR. Funding for CEDAR from Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Economic and Social Research Council (grant number ES/G007462/1), Medical Research Council (grant number MR/K023187/1), National Institute for Health Research, and Wellcome Trust (grant number 087636/Z/08/Z) is gratefully acknowledged. Funding for the International Food Policy Study was provided by a Population Health Intervention Research operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Additional funding for this project has been provided by a PHAC – CIHR Chair in Applied Public Health (DH). The funders had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the manuscript

BRANDS ARE MY LIFE, IT'S IN MY BLOOD: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF BRAND CONSUMPTION ON FACEBOOK FOR THE EXPRESSION OF IDENTITY

This research predominantly surrounds three crucial tenets of the postmodern consumer: the consumption of brands, identity formation and the use of social networking sites (SNSs). Since these three issues combined present an unexplored area, this empirical two-part study contributing to identity theory and being conducive to industry explores the use of Facebook and brand consumption for the expression of one’s identity. The study is based on the literature in the uses and gratifications theory, identity theory and brand symbolism. In this study, a conceptual framework is proposed to understand the rationales of consuming brands on Facebook and how their views on their congruency of brands determine their construction of identity. The qualitative interpretative research enabled the interrelated issues being explored by thematically analysing 27 interviews, from social networking site (SNS) users perspective and consultancy perspective. Findings indicated that Facebook is used to serve many user gratifications, which can resonate from cognitive and learning, social, personal or hedonistic reasons. Users associate with brands that are of significance to them, by perceiving high brand congruency with their image of self-concept. The ‘ideal self’ is portrayed more succinctly than the ‘actual self’ and the ‘social self’ holds more saliency than the presentation of the individual within this social platform. All the considerations of the possible selves and the exhibition of identity on such a platform create tensions with the antitheses of users various front and back stage identities. Managerial implications reveal industry experience and recommendations to brands in approaching social media to engage with users

Lipase-catalyzed acylation of quercetin with cinnamic acid

Acylation of quercetin with cinnamic acid catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase B (CAL-B) or Pseudomonas cepacia lipase C (PCL-C) was investigated. Specifically, the effects of reaction duration, incubation temperature, and molar ratio of substrates on bioconversion yield, initial rate of reaction, and regioselectivity were investigated. Three new acylated quercetin analogues were produced: quercetin 4′-cinnamate (C24H16O8), quercetin 3′,4′-dicinnamate (C33H22O9), and quercetin 7,3′,4′-tricinnamate (C42H28O10). The effects of the lipase-catalyzed acylation conditions on the bioconversion yields varied across the conditions. The initial rate of reaction of acylation of quercetin with cinnamic acid catalyzed by CAL-B and PCL-C was similar. In the presence of CAL-B, acylation mainly took place at the C-4′-OH, generating mostly quercetin 4′-cinnamate; whereas with PCL-C, acylation mainly took place at both the 4′- and 3′-hydroxyls, generating quercetin 3′,4′-dicinnamate. Thin-layer-chromatography analysis showed that the three acylated quercetin analogues had higher lipophilicity when compared with quercetin. In silico investigation revealed that quercetin 4’-cinnamate and quercetin 3′,4′-dicinnamate are likely to be orally active pharmacological drugs

The role of social media in negotiating identity during the process of acculturation

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an understanding of the role of social media in negotiating and managing identity for transient migrants relating to the home and host culture during the acculturation process.Focussing on international students in the UK, this paper reports on findings from a qualitative study involving interviews with 27 transient migrants about their social media use and the negotiation of their identity online.This paper highlights the multifaceted role that social media plays in the identity negotiations of transient migrants and it offers three theoretical contributions. First, the authors show that social media serves as a medium, consequence and determinant of identity. Second, provide four strategies for identity management are provided: boundary management, access management, online content management and offline content management. Third, contextualised support is provided for a reciprocal relationship between the different identity-related roles played by social media

A Model for Selecting Technologies in New Product Development

Due to fast changing technologies, shortening product lifecycles, and increased global competition, companies today often need to develop new products continuously and faster. Successful introduction and acceleration of new product development (NPD) is important to obtain competitive advantage for companies. Since technology selection for NPD involves complex decision makings that are critical to the profitability and growth of a company, the selection of the most appropriate technology for a new product requires the use of a robust decision-making framework capable of evaluating several technology candidates based on multiple criteria. This paper presents an integrated model that adopts interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) to evaluate various different available technologies for NPD. The ISM is used to understand the interrelationships among the factors, and the FANP is to facilitate the evaluation process of decision makers under an uncertain environment with interrelated factors. A case study of a flat panel manufacturer is performed to examine the practicality of the proposed model. The results show that the model can be applied for group decision making on the available technology evaluation and selection in new product development

Impression formation of PhD supervisors during student-led selection:An examination of UK business schools with a focus on staff profiles

PhD students are allocated to supervisors in several ways. In Business Schools, the most dominant allocation method is student-led selection. In many cases, this requires students to approach and petition potential supervisors before having had any previous communications with them. Though, given that supervisors possess similar credentials, what evaluation process do students undertake when considering them? To date, research to understand this process is absent. Through the theoretical frame of impression management and the use of in-depth interviews (n = 19), we address this gap. Specifically, we examine how warmth and competence perceptions (i.e. The Big Two impressions) shape supervisor selection. Further, we provide understanding of the role academic staff profiles play in this process. We contribute first, a hierarchy of determinants for supervisor choice in ascending order of importance; gatekeeping attributes, competence, and warmth. Second, we provide a typology of stereotypical supervisors (The Guru, The Friend, The Machine, The Dud) based on informational cues from their profiles (i.e. high competence supervisors as colder, and high warmth staff as less competent). Third, we present a critical understanding of the opportunities and challenges of self-presentation through staff profiles. Finally, we offer specific advice for mobilising impression management tactics in these profiles to best appeal to PhD applicants