bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of social media for promoting nutrition in a conflict-affected country: Facebook Insights
Authors: Nyi SN. , Kaehne A. , Abayomi J.
Published: December 2024

In Myanmar, exclusive breastfeeding amongst infants under six months is only 51%, although overall breastfeeding rate is almost universal at 98%. Only 16% of children aged 6 – 23 months meet the minimum acceptable dietary standards. In addition, 58% of children aged 6 – 59 months and 47% of women aged 15 – 45 years are anaemic(1). A Facebook page named “Dohmeetharsulay” was launched by a team of Burmese nutritionists and nurses (who also served as page administrators), in June 2019, aiming to contribute to closing the maternal and child nutrition promotion gap. A military coup happened on 1st February 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic(2) causing unrest, armed conflicts, and increasing the strain on the country’s health system. The military junta then imposed internet and media restrictions, including banning the use of Facebook(3). The aim of this study is to explore the important role of using social media in nutrition education in a challenging context by measuring engagement with the programme.

Meta, previously known as Facebook, provides automatically calculated social media insight data on indicators such as page’s reach, audience demography and posts performance. Data for a three-year period, from 1 March 2021 (which is one month after the coup) to 29 February 2024, was reviewed and analysed numerically by the administrator team led by the main author (who is a nutritionist), to understand the page’s reach and overall performance in achieving its objective of promoting nutrition.

The Dohmeetharsulay page had 2.6 million reaches, during the study period; with only 121,171 from paid promotion. The page had 45,300 lifetime followers (82.6% women and 17.4% men). Myanmar was the top country represented by 86.5% of total followers followed by Thailand (5.8%), Malaysia (1.7%), Singapore (1.1%), United States (0.7%), India (0.5%), Japan (0.4%), China (0.3%), Indonesia (0.3%) and Nigeria (0.3%). The contents received 172,500 engagements including reactions, comments, shares and clicks on the posts.

Several authors have suggested that the use of social media has potential to improve positive health and nutrition behaviours, especially in hard-to-reach groups(4). Dohmeetharsuly is the only social media page dedicated to promoting evidence-based nutrition knowledge in the Burmese language, without any commercial influence. Despite the challenges and restrictions under the dictatorship, the data indicated that the page continued to communicate nutrition messages to the intended audience. Although further investigations are needed, it can be assumed that educational messages from the page have been benefiting families who have migrated or are displaced from Myanmar, in addition to the families inside Myanmar. Thus, the use of social media has an important role in providing nutrition education for families especially in places like Myanmar where reach of traditional health communication is limited due to conflict.
Comparison of Food Accessibility and Acculturation among South Asians in the United Kingdom and India: A Photovoice Study
Authors: James D. , Vijayakumaran R.K. , Gayathri G.
Published: December 2024

South Asian diaspora is one of the largest in the world, with India having the largest diaspora in the world at over 17.7 million(1). In the United Kingdom, South Asian population increased from 56.1 million to 59.6 million between 2011 and 2022(2). Presently, there is a rise of non-communicable diseases among the South Asians, both residing in the United Kingdom and India. Could migration have impact on the eating habit and level of participation in physical activity and subsequent influence on health and wellbeing of the South Asian was the main research question. Therefore, young South Asians in two different countries were recruited to explore their eating behaviour to promote and support better health and wellbeing practices.

This is qualitative research whereby photovoice was used with thematic analysis for the interview. For photovoice, after, the pre-trial photos were checked, participants were requested to take at least five pictures with captions to express their eating behaviour and related aspects such as that can best describe (i) the type of food they eat (ii) the place they eat their food or drink (iii) what influence what they eat.

Interviews were conducted among 7 South Asians (3 from UK and 4 from India, all female and aged between 24-35 years old) was conducted. Photovoice was followed up with interviews, discussing the photographs and taken by the participants. NVivo was used to manage and thematically analysed.

Four main themes emerged: changes to eating behaviour, impact of culture on food habits, impact of eating behaviour on wellbeing and impact of eating behaviour on physical activity. It was evident that their eating behaviour was deeply rooted in culture and shaped by their family habits. The impact of eating behaviour among the young adults were huge especially among the UK participants and many had to resolve to different means of coping with the changes. Some of the changes were evident in some students almost completely changing their food preference to foods that are available, affordable, acceptable and time-friendly. These factors were reported as negatively impacting on their health, mental health and wellbeing. They engaged in physical activity only when they have health challenges. Generally, they follow their family routine, which explains the reason the young adults were less interested in physical activity due to family influences and habits.

Moving away from the family home among participants in the UK and India impacts healthy food consumption, wellbeing, and physical activity. Food accessibility and acculturation was evidently an issue, which was emphasized through photovoice. Food insecurity remains to be explored, especially among those who move to the UK, as they prefer to consume food that they are familiar with and culturally based.
A review of the sugar content in children’s foods across major UK supermarkets, cookbooks, and online resources: progress and challenges in the UK’s sugar reduction efforts
Authors: Olorunnisola K. , Setarehnejad A. , Fairchild R.M
Published: December 2024

Responding to rising concerns about obesity and health issues among children, the UK

Government has advised manufacturers to reduce the added sugar content in key product ranges that have been identified to be the major sources of sugar in children’s diets: baked products (cakes, cereal bars, biscuits, pastries), yoghurt, chocolate, and sweet spreads(1). Soft drinks were excluded in this review due to significant progress in this area(2). This study aimed to review the total sugar content in these key food products, in major supermarkets, popular children’s cookbooks, and website resources used by parents of children aged 6 months–5 years in the UK.

This cross-sectional market analysis study was conducted between January 2023 and March 2024.

1.

Reviewed the total sugar content in these key product ranges from five major UK supermarketsand compared these findings with data from previous research(3).

2.

Analysed the same products from a website resource and 10 children’s cookbooks, eithermentioned by previously interviewed parents6 or UK bestsellers on Amazon7, as cooking is important in combating obesity but relies on ensuring popular recipes fit within healthy eating guidelines(4).

Supermarket product total sugar content was determined by back-of-pack labelling(3). Nutritics software was utilised for total sugar analysis of the selected recipes(5).

A total of 440 products were analysed from the supermarkets, 115 recipes from children’s cookbooks and 50 recipes from the BBC Good Food site. Supermarket chocolate and cake products contained the most total sugar per 100g ranging from 14-68g/100g (mean 51.79 ± 10.06g/100g) for chocolate and 27-71g/100g (mean 37.41 ± 8.50/100g) for cake. Yoghurt contained the lowest amounts of sugar (1.9-19g/100g mean 9.11 ± 3.88g/100g). Cereal bars, often believed to be healthy were found to be medium to high in sugar 7.3-45g/100g (mean 25.99 ± 7.28g/100g).

These preliminary findings indicate a slight reduction in the average total sugar content of the reviewed supermarket products compared to 2016 levels3. However, a significant proportion of supermarket products (57.5%) and recipes still exceed the government’s high sugar threshold of 22.5g/100g1. More than 85% of cakes in children’s cookbooks and 60% of cakes on BBC Good Food website have high sugar. Overall products and recipes classified as low in sugar (5g or less per 100g) remain limited, with the majority out of the 605 combined products and recipes, 55%, contained high sugar, 38% medium sugar and 7% low sugar content.

Many key food products and recipes intended for children remain high in sugar, highlighting a need for further reformulation/healthier recipe modifications. The persistence of high sugar content in children’s diets highlights the complexity of addressing UK childhood obesity levels.
From bean to bottle - A snapshot review of the caffeine-containing food supplements notified to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland between January 2023 and December 2023
Authors: Nic Sheoin S. , Hogan M.G. , Clarke N. , Farrell L. , Walsh S. , Grimes C. , O’Donovan C.B.
Published: December 2024

This abstract was awarded the prize for best oral presentation.

Caffeine, a natural stimulant, is found in foods, beverages, and food supplements (FS). Excessive caffeine consumption has been associated with cardiovascular impairments, anxiousness and sleep disruptions1. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) estimated safe intake levels of caffeine: a single dose of up to 200mg and a daily intake of up to 400mg, are considered safe for the general population2. Regulation (EU)1169/2011 requires products containing caffeine to include additional labelling warnings, ‘Contains caffeine’ or ‘High caffeine content’3. In Ireland, all FS placed on the market must be notified to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) via the Food Notifications System (FNS)4.

The aims of this study were to: (1) Identify caffeine-containing FS notified to the FSAI from January 1st to December 31st 2023, (2) Investigate whether these FS comply with relevant labelling requirements, (3) Assess the safety of these products in line with the EFSA safe intake levels.

Data on caffeine-containing FS notified to the FSAI in 2023 was extracted from the FSAI FNS. Information extracted included product name, contains caffeine/high caffeine content statements, amount of caffeine, ingredients list and directions for use. Analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS (version 29.0.01).

There were 325 caffeine-containing FS notified to the FSAI in 2023. This study identified 8 categories of caffeine-containing FS, based on their function: pre-workout (n163), botanicals (n14), vitamin and minerals (n12), gaming (n7), before and/or during exercise (n45), fat burners (n57), general stimulants (n23) and energy drinks (n4).

Over 80% of these FS (n276) used “contains caffeine” and 9% (n30) used “high caffeine content” statements on their label. The remaining 5% (n19) used neither statement. Less than a fifth (14%) (n45) of notified FS did not comply with legislative labelling warnings (these products contained incorrect or no caffeine labelling statements) while the remaining 86% (n280) were deemed compliant.

Notified FS contained information on directions for use and were either to be consumed once-aday (n243) or multiple times throughout the day (n82). Over a quarter (n90) of the once-a-day FS exceeded EFSA’s safe single-dose intake of 200mg. Additionally n2 of the FS contained caffeine in amounts exceeding EFSA’s safe daily intake limit of 400mg.

This study identified FS on the Irish market with high caffeine content, exceeding both EFSA’s safe single-dose and daily intake levels, before additional dietary sources of caffeine are considered. Labelling compliance rates in this study are high. The FSAI will continue to monitor this category of FS, as the market of caffeine-containing FS grows.
Integrating sustainability considerations into dietary guidelines: country practices and global guidance
Authors: Islas-Ramos A. , Orlandi L. , Buendia T. , Wijesinha-Bettoni R. , Hachem F.
Published: December 2024

Dietary guidelines have emerged as a key tool with the potential to inform the transformation of food systems not only towards better nutrition but also towards sustainability(1). In the last few years, some countries have integrated different aspects of sustainability into dietary guidelines. However, there is lack of clarity on what this means or on how countries go about this integration. While there are multiple suggested approaches(2)(3), there is no agreed methodology on how to do it.The aim was to investigate countries’ conceptual understanding and practices for integrating sustainability into the dietary guidelines’ development process.

Using the FAO/WHO sustainable healthy diets guiding principles(4) as a conceptual framework, FAO surveyed the 27 countries that had reported, into the FAO online repository, integrating at least one aspect of sustainability. The responses were coded, and common themes identified by two different researchers and reviewed by a third. The statistical methods used for analysis consisted of means and frequency distributions.

So far, 16 countries have responded to the survey (59% response rate), however, among these, 3 skipped most of the questions (48% effective response rate). Preliminary results show that, for environmental sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) (54%) and food losses and waste (FLW) (54%) were the most common aspects included. For sociocultural sustainability, the most common aspects were local food culture (92%), followed by consumption patterns (85%) and local culinary practices (77%). Affordability was included by 61.5% of respondents. Some methods used by countries to integrate these different aspects included consideration of additional evidence and including additional data when performing linear programming for optimizing diets. Methods varied significantly among countries, the need for additional guidance is evident.

These results reaffirmed the need for guidance that was expressed in a 2018 survey (FAO, forthcoming) on how to successfully integrate sustainability considerations into dietary guidelines. FAO is introducing a new methodology to develop, implement and use dietary guidelines with a food systems approach. Developed with inputs from multiple experts and stakeholders, it provides “step-by-step” guidance to countries on integrating the different aspects of sustainability across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Several countries have already started using the Food systems-based dietary guidelines (FSBDG) methodology.(5)
Assessing the environmental impact of food consumption in Northern Ireland, a focus on greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Griffin H. , Leighton V. , McNulty B. A. , Wright D. , Brennan L. , Nugent A.P.
Published: December 2024

There is evidence that human health and environmental sustainability are linked(1) and a shift to more sustainable diets would be beneficial for both human and planetary health(2). Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) are an environmental metric that can be used to assess the environmental impact of diets(3). Research indicates that a nutritionally adequate diet low in GHGe can be achieved, but that a healthy diet will not always result in lower GHGe(4). To date, there is no information on the food choices driving GHGe in Northern Ireland. This study examined the food groups and derived nutrient intakes driving GHGe for Northern Ireland.

Analyses were performed on the Northern Ireland sub cohort of the UK National Dietary Nutrition

Survey (NDNS 2016-2019)(5) on adults aged 18-64 years old (n = 210). GHGe were sourced from Scheelbeek et al. 2020(6). Mean daily intakes (MDI) for nutrients and GHGe for the total population were calculated and the population was divided into tertile groups based on low (T1), medium (T2) and high (T3) GHGe. Differences in population characteristics, MDI of energy and key nutrients (%TE or per 10MJ) and contributing food sources to GHGe were examined across these tertiles, using chi-square and one-way ANOVA with covariates (blue water use, sex and social class) and correcting for multiple comparisons as appropriate (P<0.0011 for food groups and P<0.002 for nutrients).

Mean GHGe for adults were 4.3 ± 1.9 kgC02eq/d and 7% of the population fell below the GHGe planetary boundary of 1.87 kgC02eq/d(7). The food groups ‘tea, coffee and water’ (0.80 ± 0.56 kgC02eq/d), ‘burgers, sausages, kebabs, meat pies and other meat and meat products’ (0.39 ± 0.64 kgC02eq/d) and ‘alcoholic beverages’ (0.39 ± 1.02 kgC02eq/d) were the major contributors to overall GHGe. Across the tertiles, the difference of GHGe between T3 and T1 was 3.6 kgC02eq/d (6.3 kgC02eq/d vs 2.7 kgC02eq/d). The contribution of ‘bacon, ham and dishes’, ‘beef, veal and dishes’, ‘lamb and lamb dishes’, ‘tea, coffee and water’ and ‘alcoholic beverages’ were higher (P<0.001) in T3 versus T1. MDI of energy (kcal) was higher in T3 versus T2 and T1 (2141.3kcal, 1791.2kcal and 1368.9kcal, P<0.001). Significantly lower carbohydrate (%TE) intakes were reported in T3 compared to T1 (42.7%TE vs 47.5%TE, P<0.001). Protein and fat (%TE) were higher in T3 in comparison to T2 and T1, with protein at 17.4%, 17.1% and 16.7%TE respectively, and fat at 35.4%, 35.3% and 33.7%TE respectively.

In summary, the main food groups driving GHGe in NI were beverage and animal based.

Differences in energy and carbohydrate intake were observed across the tertiles. These results will aid in the development of strategies to diversify foods within Northern Ireland to combat high GHGe.
Association of sarcopenic obesity with multimorbidity: cross-sectional study of UK Biobank cohort
Authors: Guerrero-Wyss M. , Alsowail A , Ho F , Jani B. , Grey S. , Celis-Morales C
Published: December 2024

Sarcopenic obesity is associated with higher risk of falls, hospitalizations, mortality, and a wide range of poor health outcomes(1). However, its relationship with multimorbidity is less explored. This study aimed to investigate the association between sarcopenic obesity and multimorbidity across sexes.

In this cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank, we included 171,448 participants (53.1% women, mean age 55 years). Sarcopenic obesity, defined according to the EWGSOP2 classification(2), was analysed as the outcome. Multimorbidity was the predictor, determined by self-reported chronic conditions and categorized into none, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5+ diseases. Poisson regression with robust error was used to estimate the risk ratio and its 95% confidence intervals (RR, 95%CI). Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity increased with the number of chronic diseases in both men and women but varied significantly by sex (p-interaction = 0.030). Compared to individuals without chronic diseases, those with 5+ diseases exhibited prevalences of 55.7% in men and 51.2% in women. The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity increased by 94% (95% CI: 1.89, 2.00) for each additional chronic disease in women and 117% (95% CI: 2.09, 2.25) in men. Relative to those with no chronic conditions, individuals with 5+ diseases had 41.5 and 68.7-times higher prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in women and men, respectively.

Our findings showed a robust association between sarcopenic obesity and multimorbidity, which varies by sex, further studies is needed to examine the predictive utility of using multimorbidity to identify sarcopenia.
Nitrosyl-heme and heme iron intake from processed meats and risk of colorectal cancer in the EPIC-Spain cohort
Authors: Rizzolo-Brime L. , Lujan-Barroso L. , Farran-Codina A. , Bou R. , Lasheras C. , Amiano P. , Aizpurua A. , Sánchez M.J. , Molina-Montes E. , Guevara M. , Moreno-Iribas C. , Gasque A. , Chirlaque-López M.D. , ColoradoYohar S.M. , Huerta J.M. , Zamora-Ros R. , Agudo A. , Jakszyn P.
Published: December 2024

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meats (PMs) as “carcinogenic” and red meat as “probably carcinogenic” for humans(1). The possible relationship between colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and processed meats (PMs), along with the specific compound contributing to this association have not been established yet. Nitrosyl-heme and heme iron have been proposed as potential-related compounds. The aim of this study was to assess the association of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron intake with CRC risk among participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Spain study.

This prospective study included 38,262 subjects (61.5% females) from the EPIC-Spain study. Food consumption was assessed by a validated diet history questionnaire(2). Dietary intake of nitrosylheme and heme iron was estimated by matching PMs intake and composition data based on laboratory analyses conducted using a High Performance Liquid Chromatography method(3). In brief, the daily intake of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron was determined by multiplying the intake of each PM (in grams/day) by its corresponding content of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron, and then summing up the estimated intakes from all PMs. The proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between sex-specific tertiles of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron intake and CRC risk and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using Cox regression. Age served as the time scale, stratified by age and centre with adjustments for sex, energy intake, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, education, smoking, physical activity in MET-h/week, lifetime alcohol consumption, dietary fibre, calcium intake, and family CRC history. Homogeneity of location subtype risk was also assessed. Interactions with smoking, BMI, physical activity, and alcohol were examined and sensitivity analyses were also conducted excluding the first three years of follow-up.

During a mean follow-up of 16.7 years, 577 CRC were identified. We found no overall association between nitrosyl-heme (T3 vs T1; HR: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.79-1.21)) or heme iron intakes (T3 vs T1; HR: 0.88 (95% CI: 0.70-1.10)) with CRC risk, nor according to tumour subtypes. However, we found a non-statistically significant positive association between nitrosyl-heme intake and proximal colon, HR = 1.03; 95% CI, (0.65-1.61) and rectum cancer, HR = 1.04; 95% CI, (0.70-1.56).

Our study found no evidence supporting a link between nitrosyl-heme or heme iron intake and CRC risk in Spanish subjects from the EPIC cohort. As these results are novel and preliminary, more heterogeneous studies are necessary to provide more convincing evidence on their role in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Can in-store product placement encourage purchases of side salads? A quasiexperimental study in a UK supermarket setting
Authors: Jenneson V.L. , Pontin F.L. , Fildes A. , Young W.C. , Morris M.A.
Published: December 2024

Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals making them beneficial for health. The UK’s Eatwell Guide (EWG)(1) recommends fruits and vegetables make up 40% of the diet (by weight), but on average they contribute less than 29% to the UK diet(2). Prominent product placement can boost sales. We explored the effect of placing salads next to ready meals in a retail setting, on salad and total fruit and vegetable sales.

In a 12-week intervention (July – October 2021), four bagged salad products were shelved above Italian ready meals in 23 stores. Salads displayed a ‘healthy’ on-pack symbol and shelf signposting encouraging customers to ‘add salad to their baskets for a balanced meal’.

Two matched control store groups were identified, based on store area demographics (n = 23 stores) and store-level pre-intervention bagged salad and Italian ready meal sales (n = 21 stores), accounting for external sales influences, e.g. weather, supply chain shocks and Covid-19 lockdown behaviours. Transactions were shared by the retailer for 2 years before, 3 months during, and 9 months post-intervention.

Two years of pre-trial transactions (units and weight) were aggregated to the store level to produce an interrupted time series model quantifying changes in store-level daily sales of promoted salads, versus a predicted counterfactual. Analysis was repeated in control stores.

Within-group change in mean basket proportion (by weight) by EWG segment was examined via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for difference, comparing the intervention period with two timematched baseline (BL) periods (BL1 = July – October 2019, and BL2 = July – October 2020).

In the first three weeks of the intervention, unit sales of promoted salads increased by 35.74% (CI 25.91 - 45.72, p<0.001) vs counterfactual in the intervention stores. However, over the whole 12weeks, unit sales were down 18.34% (CI -26.17%, -10.35%, p<0.001) vs counterfactual. A similar trend was observed across control groups, indicating changes were independent of the intervention.

In intervention stores, fruits and vegetables made up 38.75% of baskets at BL1, but declined significantly over time, down 4.12 (p<0.001) percentage points in the intervention period vs BL1 and 1.43 (p<0.001) vs BL2. The proportion of composite (multi-ingredient) dishes rose; up 0.74

(p<0.001) percentage points vs BL1 and 1.35 (p<0.001) vs BL2, as did discretionary items; up 0.91 (p<0.001) percentage points vs BL1 and 0.45 (p<0.001) vs BL2. Similar patterns were observed in control stores.

Salad sales increased at the start of the intervention relative to predicted sales, but the same change was observed in control stores meaning it cannot be attributed to the trial. Pre-intervention fruit and vegetable purchases with the retailer aligned with the EWG, indicating shoppers already had healthy purchase patterns which may have limited intervention effectiveness.
Community cafés as a response to food insecurity: what is their impact?
Authors: Nancheva N. , Mulrooney H.
Published: December 2024

Community cafés are non-profit setups seeking to address food insecurity (FI) locally and equitably usually using a pay-as-you-feel model and surplus foods(1). Concerns about rising levels of FI(2) and food waste(3) frequently drive this model. Started in 2023, the Kitchen Roots Café (KRC) aims to provide healthy, sustainable, affordable meals without proof of need or referral. Open once a week during lunch it offers hot meals, primarily using surplus foods. Clients can pay as much or little as they wish and can pay a meal forward. A mixed methods evaluation of KRC was carried out which aimed to identify who KRC clients were and their reasons for attending, in addition to its social and nutritional impact.

Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered using bespoke questionnaires and optional interviews. In all, 32 individuals completed questionnaires, the majority in-person at KRC (91%), the remainder online. Four client telephone interviews were also held. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was carried out to identify recurring themes, while descriptive statistics were generated for quantitative data.

KRC clients were largely vulnerable. The majority were at least middle-aged (28.1% aged ≥60; 25.0% aged 50-59 years) and out of full-time employment (62.5% worked <1 day a week while 9.3% worked part-time). Self-reported disability was common (43.8% overall; 50.0% of all men). Several lived in supported housing (e.g. YMCA, accommodation for women victims of domestic violence). One reported homelessness due to their immigration status. High levels of FI were evident: over half (54.8%) used other, often multiple, food support services, including food banks, community fridges and church lunches.

The majority made use of the KRC primarily in response to FI, indicating as their main reason for visiting support with food cost and/or the cost of living (46.9%). For this group using the service was tightly linked with their ability to access a healthy hot meal and to save money; 85.7% agreed or strongly agreed with this.

Many added the social aspect of the KRC experience as a second main reason for visiting (50.0% of those who gave multiple reason). Additionally, support the local community and enjoy delicious food were highlighted. Ninety-six % of participants agreed or strongly agreed that coming to the KRC had improved their wellbeing, while 65.6% agreed or strongly agreed that it had made them feel more valued, like they ‘belonged’ to the community.

While concern about food waste was not their primary reason for coming, 90.6% of participants thought that eating surplus food offered at KRC benefitted the environment.

For this vulnerable group, local community café provision offered a safe space with affordable healthy food. This, plus feeling welcomed and included, benefitted their feelings of wellbeing and belonging.
Application of a New Definition of Sarcopenic Obesity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults and Association with Cognitive Function: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002
Authors: Booranasuksakul Uraiporn , Tsintzas Kostas , Macdonald Ian , Stephan Blossom CM , Siervo Mario
Published: December 2024

The role of the sarcopenic obesity (SO) phenotype for disease risk prediction has been tested in several observational studies, but results have been contrasting due to the application of different diagnostic models(1–3). This study applies the newly proposed the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)-European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) definition of SO(4) to a representative population of adults aged 50 years and older to evaluate its performance in the identification of prevalent cases of SO and its association with measures of cognitive function.

Data from individuals aged 50-85 years was collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 waves. At the screening phase of the SO definition following the definition of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism and the European

Association for the Study of Obesity (ESPEN-EASO), body mass index and waist circumference were used to evaluate obesity, while sarcopenia cases were identified using the SARC-F questionnaire (a self-report questionnaire to screen sarcopenia). Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on knee extensor isometric strength per weight (KES/W) and a percentage of appendicular lean mass per weight, while fat mass percent measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine obesity. Cognitive function in older participants was assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), while memory-related question was used for middle-aged individuals or older participants without DSST scores.

Participants aged 50–85 years were men (44.7%) with a mean age of 66.7 years, and most participants aged 60 years and over (87.4%). The prevalence of SO was 32.5%, 20.9% and 15.3% at screening, diagnosis phase I, and diagnosis phase II of the ESPEN-EASO definition, respectively. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 14.8% in participants aged 50-59 years and 29.5% in participants aged 60-85 years. There were associations between SO and cognitive impairment at diagnosis phase I (Odds ratio (OR): 1.6, 95%CI (confidence interval) 1.1-2.4) and phase II (OR: 1.9, 95%CI 1.1-3.3). These associations were significant among participants aged 60-85 years (phase I, OR: 2.2, 95%CI 1.4-3.4; phase II, OR: 2.8, 95%CI 1.6-4.8), but not among those aged 50-59 years.

The new ESPEN-EASO definition of SO identified a high prevalence of SO cases. A significant association between SO and poor cognitive function in older individuals was observed.
Assessing nutritional intake of Sensory Panellists during sensory evaluation sessions
Authors: Durrant L.R. , Moran V.H. , Readman C. , Caton S.E. , Howard E.G. , Wardle F. , Kapparis A. , Theobald H.E
Published: December 2024

Food manufacturers often employ highly trained Sensory Panellists to conduct sensory evaluations, such as profiling, discrimination and rating testing to understand the impact of any reformulation/process/pack changes and new product launches on consumer experiences. At Marlow Foods, 8-12 Panellists work four days/wk evaluating meat, mycoprotein, and plant-based alternatives for up to four hours/day, between 09:00 and 13:00. As part of Marlow Foods commitment to supporting the wellbeing of all employees, the energy, macronutrients and sodium consumed during evaluation sessions need to be considered within the context of habitual (threedaily) meal patterns. Consequently, these daily tasting sessions should be regarded as an interlude between meals, or as a 'snack period’. The UK government’s recommended calorie guidelines, assuming an energy intake of 2000kcal and weight maintenance, suggests 400kcal for snacks and beverages.(1) This project aimed to determine the Panellists nutritional intake during these evaluation sessions, to compare against energy and nutrient recommendations, and to monitor consumption of nutrients of public health concern (e.g, salt and saturated fat).(2)

To assess average dietary intake during evaluation sessions, details of the foods consumed by the 11 panellists (7 female, 4 male, mean age 51yrs, range 41-63yrs) were collected over 5-weeks. Average daily intakes for energy, total fat, saturated fat, sugar, fibre and salt were calculated from declared back of pack nutrition information and theoretical nutritional values for products in development using FoodChain ID.[3]

Over the 5-week period, the Panellist average daily intake (range, ± SDs, % of reference intake (RI)) during evaluation sessions were 192kcal energy (93-292, ± 85, 9.6%), 7.3g total fat (2.7-14.5, ± 4.5, 10.4%), 1.1g saturated fat (0.6-2.2, ± 0.6, 5.7%), 1.5g sugar (0.4-2.3, ± 0.9, 1.7%), 7.1g fibre (4.0-12.6, ± 4.0, 23.6%) and 1.0g salt (0.4-1.9, ± 0.6, 16.6%).

The average daily energy intakes recorded during the tasting period comfortably fell within the UK government’s recommended allowance for snacks, thereby supporting the notion that Panellists can maintain a healthy, balanced diet whilst consuming this category of food. However, salt intakes in Panellists averaged 16.6% of the RI, reflective of the added salt content in many meat and meat alternative products. This signals the need for a panel nutrition policy, establishing specific nutritional guidelines to ensure responsible balance of projects and thus consumption of nutrients of public health concern (e.g., salt and saturated fat) during evaluation sessions. As next steps, Marlow Foods is developing such a policy and guidelines, to ensure the wellbeing of Panellists while maintaining delivery of robust sensory evaluations.
Impact of food based intergeneration community intervention
Authors: Tsofliou F. , Vijayakumaran R. , Wilson A.T , Mills A.
Published: December 2024

The current food system is not only unsustainable but also increasingly inequitable, resulting in food insecurity for many people in the United Kingdom and globally(1). The health impacts of the current food system on disadvantaged communities warrants examination to improve ecological public health nutrition strategies(2). Community gardens and kitchens are frequently established by volunteers in the hope that they will serve as alternatives to the current food environment, building healthy food capacity in the community as well as outdoor physical and social activities for urban residents(3). This remains to be explored in deprived communities in Dorset, UK.

This pilot research was conducted in fourteen adults living in disadvantaged areas in Dorset (Hamworthy-Poole). Inclusion criteria were individuals over 18 years old living in low-income households, who were users of community food garden and kitchen initiatives. The individuals usually attend with their family members in the food growing and cooking activities, including young children and older adults in the programmes. Three semi-structured interviews and three focus groups (total n = 14) were undertaken to uncover views on the importance and roles of these community food initiatives in relation to healthy eating and access to locally grown fresh produce. All discussions were digitally recorded, and data were transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data analysis, using Clarke and Braun’s(4)six steps of thematic analysis, was performed via NVivo software.

Four main themes emerged: Tackling food insecurity & sustainability, Utilization of climate friendly & organic Food, Bridging intergenerational gap and Promoting healthy lifestyle. These food initiatives help in addressing food insecurity from the perspective of the participants. The role of community gardens together with cooking sessions can be further recognised as contributors to community development, access to healthy food such as fresh fruits and vegetables and nurturing skills related to nutritious food preparation.

In conclusion, this research provided insights into the perceptions on how we can design a health promotion initiative that is inclusive and sustainable to tackle food insecurity effectively.
Sensory appeal and acceptance of a novel food intervention programme for older adults living with dysphagia
Authors: Holmes J. , Light K. , Andrews J.
Published: December 2024

Approximately 60% of older adults living in residential care live with dysphagia (difficulty chewing and swallowing)(1) and require texture modified foods (TMF). Despite the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), foods are often prepared with variation in texture, flavour, and consistency leading to further swallowing difficulties and safety concerns(2). Nutritional quality of food is detrimentally impacted by modifying texture of food due to overcooking and addition of liquid to adhere to guidelines leading to malnutrition risk.

Specially prepared, sensory rich, nutrient enhanced TMF could positively impact nutritional status and wellbeing of those living with dysphagia (Balesteros-Pomar et al. 2020). A novel food intervention programme (NFIP) (Dysphameal™) has been developed using food technology solutions to thicken food using proteins. Zanini et al.(3) evaluated this novel food intervention and identified positive clinical outcomes in Italy, but to date no work has evaluated this product from a sensory and food experience perspective. This qualitative pilot study aimed to understand the sensory appeal, and acceptance of the novel food intervention programme (NFIP) for older adults living with dysphagia.

Carers (n = 9, aged 30-60 years) were recruited independently of the workplace; with the condition they had or were currently supporting older adults living with dysphagia. Additionally, healthy, independent, older adults (n = 9, aged 65 years and over) were recruited to represent comparable sensory aptitude to a similar age group living with dysphagia. Samples (n = 6 flavours) of selected NFIP were available for participants to taste during semi structured interviews. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data collection and analysis used Braun and Clark’s(4) six stage thematic analysis until data saturation had been reached.

Three themes arose to understand sensory appeal, and acceptance of the NFIP:

Negative sensory experience comprised of taste (bland, lack of seasoning, after-taste), texture (starchy, comparable to wallpaper paste, dependent on serving temperature), smell and visual appearance, primarily colour.

Performance of the products included acceptability, meeting expectations, ingredient suggestions to improve sensory characteristic especially flavour.

Acceptability of individual products varied.

The NFIP provides an opportunity to boost nutritional intake and be incorporated as part of a hybrid food delivery service to replace hard to puree, nutritionally dilute foods, especially bland products such as rice and pasta to serve alongside fresh counterparts and, reduce risk of malnutrition for those living with dysphagia. Opportunities exist to further develop this type of texture modified food product to improve palatability, enhance flavour, and appearance characteristics for those living with dysphagia, through advances in molecular gastronomy, controlling antioxidant activity and loss of volatiles.
Chemical and biological study on the effect of yoghurt on most common consumed ready meat products
Authors: Alsuhaibani Amnah Mohammed
Published: December 2024

Basterma is characterized as fresh non cooked and manufactured under the addition of salt, phosphate, nitrite, ascorbic acid, sugars, and different seasoning(1). Sausages are very common and popular processed meat products manufactured from lower-value trimmed meat to produce a higher-value product(2). Basterma is fermented during the partially drying process under climatic conditions(3,4). Nitrates and nitrites are chemicals that can be found naturally in our food, water and in plant nutrients. Nitrites cause a color reaction in the meat and add an appealing pink color to cooked products(5). Nitrite prevents the growth of a harmful bacterium called Clostridium botulinum and other spoilage bacteria(6). This study was to estimate nitrite and nitrate in basterma and sausage and the effects of yoghurt in lowering the side effect of nitrite and nitrate at heavy consumption of some ready-made meat products.

The ready-made meat products and yoghurt were bought from different supermarkets in Riyadh/KSA. Thirty-five male albino rats, weighing 110 ± 6 g was provided from experimental animal’s center in Medicine collage of KSU in Riyadh. The experimental diet formed from basal diet but basterma and sausage were added to basal diet instead of casein. The nitrite and nitrate contents were determined in experimental readymade-meat products immediately after purchase in triplicate by rapid method of improved accuracy according to Follett and Ratcliff method. Rats fed on basal diet for a week as adaptation period in wire cages under the normal laboratory conditions. Food intake was calculated daily, and the body weight gain was recorded weekly. Collected data are expressed as mean ± SE. Statistical analysis was done by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by student’s t-test and P values of 5% and less were significant.

The results of ALT, AST, ALP and γ GT of the experimental rat groups noticed that a non-significant higher in values of AST, AST and γ GT and a non-significant lower in values ALT and ALP compared to rat group which fed on basterma. Rat groups which fed on basterma with yoghurt, sausage with yoghurt, and both basterma and sausage with yoghurt showed a significant decrease in liver enzymes concentration in comparison with rat groups which fed on either basterma or sausage but showed non-significant difference among these groups. Also, results presented a significant decrease in creatinine, urea, and uric acid concentration in comparison with rat groups which fed on either basterma or sausage. Likewise for the results of total protein, albumin, and globulin for the same rat groups.

It can be recommended from this study that heavy meat products consumer should consume yoghurt to lower side effects of meat preservative as nitrite and nitrate.
Predictors of outcome following psychological therapy for depression and anxiety in an urban primary care service: a naturalistic Bayesian prediction modeling approach
Authors: Hodsoll John , Strawbridge Rebecca , King Sinead , Taylor Rachael W. , Breen Gerome , Grant Nina , Grey Nick , Hepgul Nilay , Hotopf Matthew , Kitsune Viryanaga , Moran Paul , Tylee André , Wingrove Janet , Young Allan H. , Cleare Anthony J.
Published: December 2024

Background

England's primary care service for psychological therapy (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies [IAPT]) treats anxiety and depression, with a target recovery rate of 50%. Identifying the characteristics of patients who achieve recovery may assist in optimizing future treatment. This naturalistic cohort study investigated pre-therapy characteristics as predictors of recovery and improvement after IAPT therapy.

Methods

In a cohort of patients attending an IAPT service in South London, we recruited 263 participants and conducted a baseline interview to gather extensive pre-therapy characteristics. Bayesian prediction models and variable selection were used to identify baseline variables prognostic of good clinical outcomes. Recovery (primary outcome) was defined using (IAPT) service-defined score thresholds for both depression (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD-7]). Depression and anxiety outcomes were also evaluated as standalone (PHQ-9/GAD-7) scores after therapy. Prediction model performance metrics were estimated using cross-validation.

Results

Predictor variables explained 26% (recovery), 37% (depression), and 31% (anxiety) of the variance in outcomes, respectively. Variables prognostic of recovery were lower pre-treatment depression severity and not meeting criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder. Post-therapy depression and anxiety severity scores were predicted by lower symptom severity and higher ratings of health-related quality of life (EuroQol questionnaire [EQ5D]) at baseline.

Conclusion

Almost a third of the variance in clinical outcomes was explained by pre-treatment symptom severity scores. These constructs benefit from being rapidly accessible in healthcare services. If replicated in external samples, the early identification of patients who are less likely to recover may facilitate earlier triage to alternative interventions.
Maternal underestimations and overestimations of their infants’ word comprehension: effects on mothers’ verbal input and infants’ receptive vocabulary
Authors: Ertaş Sura , Küntay Aylin C. , Aktan-Erciyes Aslı
Published: December 2024

Infants’ language is often measured indirectly via parent reports, but mothers may underestimate or overestimate their infants’ word comprehension. The current study examined estimations of mothers from diverse educational backgrounds regarding their infants’ word comprehension and how these estimations are associated with their verbal input and infants’ receptive vocabulary at 14 months. We compared 34 infants’ looking-while-listening (LWL) performances with the mothers’ Turkish Communicative Development Inventory (TCDI) reports to calculate the mothers’ overestimation and underestimation. During free-play sessions, we assessed the mothers’ number of words, number of clauses, lexical diversity, and linguistic complexity. We found that mothers have overestimations and underestimations regardless of their educational background. Crucially, mothers’ only overestimations were positively associated with their number of words and lexical diversity. Mothers’ verbal input was not related to infants’ receptive vocabulary scores. The findings suggest that mothers’ input might be aligned with their estimations of their infants’ language capabilities, which might not reflect the infants’ true performance.