Food Groups (food + groups)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Food groups and the risk of colorectal carcinoma in an Asian population

CANCER, Issue 11 2002
Adeline Seow M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND Singapore Chinese have experienced a rapid transition toward a pattern of disease in which lifestyle-related, chronic, degenerative diseases are major public health concerns. The rates of colorectal carcinoma have increased 2-fold over the last 3 decades. It has long been known that dietary factors play a role in the risk of this disease, although studies in Asian populations, with their unique dietary intake, have been few. METHODS The authors conducted a population-based case-control study that included 121 Chinese patients with colorectal carcinoma and 222 healthy control participants who provided information on usual intake of major food groups in the preceding 3 years, physical activity, family history of colorectal carcinoma, and demographic variables through an in-person questionnaire. RESULTS High intake of red meat, but not other meats, indicated a predisposition to risk of colorectal carcinoma (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for the highest tertile vs. the lowest tertile, 2.2; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 1.1,4.2). A low vegetable intake also was associated with a higher risk, and the combined effect appeared to be additive. Those in the highest tertile of meat intake and the lowest quartile of vegetable intake had an OR of 2.6 (95%CI, 1.0,6.7). The authors observed a slight, albeit nonsignificant, positive association with foods high in refined sugars. There was no association observed with fruit or soy-legume intake in this study. Among nondietary variables, a family history of colorectal carcinoma conferred a significant increase in risk (OR, 6.7; 95% CI 2.4,18.7). CONCLUSIONS Meat intake and vegetable intake were associated significantly with risk of colorectal carcinoma in this Asian population, and further studies on the effects of changes in these specific types of food may shed light on how best to reduce the rapid increase in rates in similar populations. Cancer 2002;95:2390,6. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10971 [source]


Exploring the nutrition and lifestyle knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of student home economics teachers: baseline findings from a 4-year longitudinal study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2008
Mary Isobelle Mullaney
Abstract It is widely acknowledged that obesity linked with reduced exercise contributes to health problems, and that, conversely, individuals who embark on weight reducing diets may become deficient in key nutrients. It is often advocated that these problems, which can be grouped together as poor dietary practice, be tackled through education. This study attempts to examine the relationship between nutrition education and lifestyle behaviours in a select group of third level students. The Irish Home Economics curriculum aims to teach secondary school pupils about nutrition and lifestyle practices conducive to health. However, the attitudes and lifestyle practices of those teaching this subject have never been examined in Ireland. The purpose of the present 4-year longitudinal study, whose first year findings are presented here, is to investigate the nutrition and lifestyle knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of a cohort of Irish student home economics teachers over the 4 years of their Bachelor of Education (Home Economics) degree course. The study was designed to explore possible changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices over the course of their professional education. Nutritional knowledge was measured using a 220-question adapted version of the test devised by Parmenter and Wardle. Attitudes were measured using a questionnaire adapted from the Pan-EU Survey on Consumer Attitudes to Physical Activity, Body-weight and Health. Food, alcohol consumption and exercise were measured using a 7-day reported dietary/exercise diary. Nutrient intake data were determined using dietary analysis. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. When starting college, student home economics teachers have broadly similar anthropometric, dietary and lifestyle characteristics to those of their contemporaries. Mean BMI was identical [24.4 kg/m2 (SD 4.3)] to that reported in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (NSIFCS) for those aged 18,35 years, although energy intakes were significantly higher in the cohort of student teachers (P = 0.000). Thirty-eight per cent were overweight or obese vs. 33.6% in the NSIFCS. Only 17% (n = 6) of students achieved an intake of 300 µg/day of folate as recommended by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and only one the recommended intake of non-starch polysaccharides (18 g/day). One in three students in this study smoke (16 of 48) and alcohol consumption was high. Only one student was very active. Students scored a mean of 55% (SD 8%) on the knowledge test, with similar scores attained for specific aspects of nutritional knowledge (i.e. food groups, constituents of foods, current dietary advice, nutrients, lifestyle practices). However, knowledge of nutrition definitions was weaker with a mean score of 31% (SD 8.6%). Students had a positive attitude towards food choice, the link between food and health and control over their own diet. Similar attitudes towards exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption were displayed despite students perceiving themselves as not having a balanced diet, having insufficient exercise and having regretted something done as a result of consuming alcohol. They appear to display optimistic bias in relation to health risks. These findings provide baseline data for the longitudinal study and indicate that those choosing to pursue a career as a home economics teacher in Ireland have similar nutritional and lifestyle characteristics to those of their contemporaries. [source]


Food Import Demand in the Czech Republic

JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2000
Karel Janda
This paper provides an overview of Czech food import demand in the transition period of the 1990s. It provides econometric estimates of own- and cross-price elasticities as well as group expenditure elasticities of Czech import demand for sixteen lower level and four upper level food groups. Based on the Hausman test for endogeneity, which supported the hypothesis that Czech import prices were exogenously determined outside of the Czech economy, we estimated five demand models as direct-demand systems of the AIDS type. The econometric estimation of elasticities used bimonthly data from March 1993 to August 1997. [source]


Food consumption and demographics in Japan: Implications for an aging population

AGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2007
Mauricio V.L. Bittencourt
This study estimates a cross-sectional model based on the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) to examine the determinants of food consumption patterns in Japan over life-cycle periods. The test of structural changes, the analysis of the effects of demographic characteristics, and the estimation of expenditure and price elasticities are conducted from a random sample of 1,281 households from a Japanese household survey in 1997. Results show that each economic or noneconomic factor has a different impact on food consumption over a lifetime. Changes in consumption of some food groups can be explained by price and income effects where others can be explained by demographic characteristics. Financial constraint is not binding and residential location is likely to have little or no impact on predicting consumers' food choices at different periods of their lives. Other key factors that affect consumption pattern include family size, number of children, lifestyle, and health concern. [EconLit citations: C310, D120, D910.] © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 23: 529,551, 2007. [source]


Lithuania's food demand during economic transition

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2000
Ferdaus Hossain
Abstract The linear approximate version of the almost ideal demand system (LA-AIDS) model is estimated using data from the Lithuanian household budget survey (HBS) covering the period from July 1992 to December 1994. Price and real expenditure elasticities for 12 food groups were estimated based on the estimated coefficients of the model. Very little or nothing is known about the demand parameters of Lithuania and other former socialist countries, so the results are of intrinsic interest. Estimated expenditure elasticities were positive and statistically significant for all food groups, while all own-price elasticities were negative and statistically significant, except for that of eggs which was insignificant. Results suggest that Lithuanian household consumption did respond to price and real income changes during their transition to a market-oriented economy. [source]


The efficacy of dietetic intervention in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

JOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2008
L. Bottle
Background:, Clinical trials have shown that pulmonary rehabilitation can improve the functional status and quality of life of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (Lacasse, 2006) but there is no research examining the efficacy of group dietetic intervention during standard 8 week rehabilitation courses. Current input is usually limited to a 1 h nutrition education session. This pilot study aimed to investigate whether patients receiving additional dietetic intervention during pulmonary rehabilitation significantly increased their general nutritional knowledge, thereby facilitating improvements in dietary intake and nutritional status. Methods:, Patients were recruited from two courses of pulmonary rehabilitation and randomly allocated to a control group or an intervention group. Anthropometry (height, weight, body mass index, mid arm circumference and triceps skinfold), 3 day food diaries and nutritional knowledge questionnaires covered guidelines, food groups, choosing healthy options and diet and COPD were completed at baseline and at the end of 8 weeks. In week 2 both groups received the same nutrition education session which covered healthy eating during periods of stability as well as advice on coping with loss of appetite and reduced intake during illness and exacerbations. The intervention group was followed up during weeks 4, 6 and 7 when further anthropometric measurements were taken and additional dietary advice was provided, which addressed issues raised by individual patients. Information from food diaries was converted to nutrients using Windiets dietary analysis software. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS (v14) and included Mann,Whitney U non parametric tests, paired t -tests and Spearman correlations used for comparisons over time and between groups. For analysis purposes patients were classified as normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW). Approval was obtained from the appropriate Ethics Committee. Results:, Changes reported were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Complete data sets were obtained for six control (NW = 2, OW = 4) and five intervention (NW = 1, OW = 4) patients. Nutritional knowledge increased in the control group by 5% compared to 3% in the intervention group. Control NW patients increased their energy intake resulting in a mean weight gain of 0.5 kg (SD 3.3). OW control group patients increased their energy intake by 12.4% (16.9) with a mean weight gain of 0.2 kg (2.5). All control patients increased their intake of in total fat, saturated fatty acids (SFA), sugars and sodium. Conversely there was a decrease in energy intake in the intervention group of 14.4% (17.8) and a mean weight loss of 1.5 kg (1.2) (three out of four overweight patients lost weight). Improvements in diet were shown with reduced intakes of total fat, SFA, sugars and sodium. The NW patient in the intervention group regained weight that had previously been lost. These changes did not correlate with changes in nutritional knowledge. Discussion:, An increase in nutritional knowledge was expected to facilitate appropriate changes in dietary intake and nutritional status. Despite the lack of correlation between dietary knowledge and intake, beneficial outcomes were none-the-less observed in the intervention group. The trend for weight gain in OW control group patients, and weight loss in OW intervention group patients contrasted with results seen by Slinde et al. (2002) where the control OW patients lost weight, and OW intervention patients gained weight. It is possible that in the current study, patients in the intervention group were motivated to lose weight with repeated exposure to the dietitian, rather than an increase in nutritional knowledge. Significant anthropometrical changes were unlikely to be observed in 8 weeks, and further follow up may be necessary to establish sufficient evidence for the most efficacious level of dietetic intervention. The small sample sizes, especially with regard to weight sub groups, limits the conclusions which can be drawn. Further research is recommended, using a larger sample size, in order to make recommendations for dietetic best practice. Conclusion:, The results of this study did not show statistical significance and the association between nutritional knowledge and improved nutritional outcomes remains unclear. However, the findings may have clinical significance since they appear to show that additional dietetic intervention may benefit the nutritional status of patients with COPD attending pulmonary rehabilitation. References, Lacasse, Y., Goldstein, R., et al. (2006) Pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 4, CD003793. Slinde, F., Gronberg, A.M., et al. (2002) Individual dietary intervention in patients with COPD during multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Respir. Med. 96, 330,336. [source]


School-Based Screening of the Dietary Intakes of Third Graders in Rural Appalachian Ohio

JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 11 2010
Jana A. Hovland MS
BACKGROUND: Children in Appalachia are experiencing high levels of obesity, in large measure because of inferior diets. This study screened the dietary intake of third graders residing in 3 rural Appalachian counties in Ohio and determined whether the Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource Initiative (FoodMASTER) curriculum improved their dietary intake. METHODS: Dietary intake was measured for 238 third graders at the beginning of the 2007 to 2008 school year and for 224 third graders at the end of that year. The FoodMASTER curriculum was delivered to 204 students (test group). Intake was measured using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire 2004. The final analysis included 138 students. RESULTS: The FoodMASTER curriculum did not significantly affect the diets of the students in the test group, as no significant differences in intake of macronutrients, specific nutrients, or food groups were found between the test and control groups. Majorities of students did not meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance or Adequate Intakes for fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin E. The students as a whole did not meet the MyPyramid recommendations for any food group, and nearly one fifth of their calories came from sweets. Significant differences in percentages of kilocalories from protein and sweets and in servings of fats, oils, and sweets were seen between groups of higher and lower socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: Energy-dense foods are replacing healthy foods in the diets of Ohio children living in rural Appalachia. The prevalence of poor dietary intake in Appalachia warrants further nutrition interventions involving programming for nutrition, such as future FoodMASTER curricula. [source]


A whole diet approach to healthy eating

NUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 1 2004
Hannah, Theobald E.
Summary This paper reviews the importance of a whole diet approach to healthy eating, detailing the development of the Balance of Good Health and explaining why such a healthy eating model works for the UK population. Comparisons are made between dietary recommendations (from the Balance of Good Health) and current eating patterns in the UK. This paper also discusses why it is important to consume foods from each of the four major food groups and discusses the health issues associated with cutting out a food group from the diet, as occurs in a number of popular diets. [source]


Calorie intake and income elasticities in EU countries: A convergence analysis using cointegration,

PAPERS IN REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2001
Ana M. Angulo
European food demand; calorie intake; cointegration; convergence Abstract. We want to determine here whether the trans-European consumer reacts to changes in total food consumption or changes in income equalise in the long run. Do total calorie intake elasticities and income elasticities converge in the long-run? A demand system is estimated for each European country. The proportional caloric intakes of the various food groups are analyzed as endogenous variables, and two exogenous variables (total calorie intake and income), are both defined in log terms. As all variables are I(1) and non-cointegrated, demand systems are specified in first differences. Finally, we use Johansen and Juselius's multivariate cointegration tests to test for the convergence of calorie intake and income elasticities. Empirical results indicate a very limited convergence between certain products and countries considered, suggesting that country idiosyncrasies still play an important role in consumer behavior. [source]


Rural Nebraska Elementary School Educators Teach Nutrition Concepts

THE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2002
H. Darlene Pohlman Ph.D.
The purpose of this study was to determine if diferences exist in the teaching of nutrition to students in grades one to four in rural (less than 10,000 population); midsized (10,000 to 99,999); and urban (100,000 or more) counties in Nebrash. Surveys me sent to one-fifty of educators teaching grades une to four (n=1,232); the response rate was 37.7%. Sixty eight percent of the teachers responded that the teaching of nutrition was of very high or high priority in the elementary curriculum. Nutrition was taught as part of a nutrition/health unit as well as being integrated into other subject areas. The resources the teachers used me not different by county population size. Significant diferences (p >.05) were observed among county groups as to the frequency of teaching the recommended intakes of grain products, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meats, with urban teachers teaching these concepts least often. The majority of the teachers rarely, if ever, taught serving sizes and which food groups are in combination foods, with no diferences among county groups. The formal training that the respondents had in nutrition was not different among groups. A larger percentage of teachers in rural and midsized community groups taught food selection concepts me consistently or frequently than did their urban counterparts. [source]


Food availability, cost disparity and improvement in relation to accessibility and remoteness in Queensland

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2002
Amanda J. Lee
This study is the first to describe disparity and change in the food supply between metropolitan, rural and remote stores by Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA)1 category. A total of 92 stores (97% response rate) within five aggregate ARIA categories participated throughout Queensland in 2000. There was a strong association between ARIA category and the cost of the basket of basic foods, with prices being significantly higher (20% and 31% respectively) in the ,remote' and ,very remote' categories than in the ,highly accessible' category. The association with ARIA was less marked for fruit and vegetables than for other food groups, but not for tobacco and take-away food items. Basic food items were less available in the more remote stores. Over the past two years, relative improvements in food prices have been seen in stores in the ,very remote' category, with observed increases less than the consumer price index (CPI) for food. Some factors which may have contributed to this improvement are discussed. [source]


Competition in the food marketing chain

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2000
Garry Griffith
Competition in the Australian food marketing chain is of continuing concern, but little evidence is available to guide policy debate. In a search for broad guidelines, the theoretical and empirical evidence is reviewed and the recent report of the Joint Select Committee on the Retailing Sector is examined. Then publicly available data on several food groups are used to test for evidence of persistent market power. The purchasing behaviour of the grains and oilseeds processing sector is found to warrant more detailed attention. A possible research agenda and a call for greater attention to data requirements complete the article. [source]


Food groups and the risk of colorectal carcinoma in an Asian population

CANCER, Issue 11 2002
Adeline Seow M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND Singapore Chinese have experienced a rapid transition toward a pattern of disease in which lifestyle-related, chronic, degenerative diseases are major public health concerns. The rates of colorectal carcinoma have increased 2-fold over the last 3 decades. It has long been known that dietary factors play a role in the risk of this disease, although studies in Asian populations, with their unique dietary intake, have been few. METHODS The authors conducted a population-based case-control study that included 121 Chinese patients with colorectal carcinoma and 222 healthy control participants who provided information on usual intake of major food groups in the preceding 3 years, physical activity, family history of colorectal carcinoma, and demographic variables through an in-person questionnaire. RESULTS High intake of red meat, but not other meats, indicated a predisposition to risk of colorectal carcinoma (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for the highest tertile vs. the lowest tertile, 2.2; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 1.1,4.2). A low vegetable intake also was associated with a higher risk, and the combined effect appeared to be additive. Those in the highest tertile of meat intake and the lowest quartile of vegetable intake had an OR of 2.6 (95%CI, 1.0,6.7). The authors observed a slight, albeit nonsignificant, positive association with foods high in refined sugars. There was no association observed with fruit or soy-legume intake in this study. Among nondietary variables, a family history of colorectal carcinoma conferred a significant increase in risk (OR, 6.7; 95% CI 2.4,18.7). CONCLUSIONS Meat intake and vegetable intake were associated significantly with risk of colorectal carcinoma in this Asian population, and further studies on the effects of changes in these specific types of food may shed light on how best to reduce the rapid increase in rates in similar populations. Cancer 2002;95:2390,6. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10971 [source]