bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Consumer ranked likely effectiveness of interventions to reduce meat consumption
Authors: McBey D. , Martínez Sánchez G. , McCormick B.J.J. , Horgan G.W. , Macdiarmid J.I. 
Published: December 2024

There are potential health and environmental benefits to reducing meat consumption among populations where consumption is high(1). However, meat is a staple part of the diet for many, and large-scale dietary shift is difficult to achieve. We sought to investigate current attitudes to meat and plant-based foods, intentions reduce meat consumption over the next three months, and potential policies and interventions current meat eaters believed could help them to eat less meat and more plant-based foods.We conducted an online survey (n = 1590) of people living in Scotland, stratified by age, gender, ethnicity, and educational attainment. Of this sample, 95% (n = 1504) described their diet as either omnivorous (84%) or flexitarian (11%). In addition to questions about intentions to reduce meat we presented statements framed around the COM-B model of behaviour(2) to measure people’s perceptions of their Capacity, Opportunities and Motivation to change Behaviour, in this case reducing meat consumption. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was conducted using these COM-B statements in order to identify disparate segments of the population based on underlying attitudes and beliefs. Current meat eaters were also asked to rank 25 different potential policies or interventions that have been identified in previous work(3,4), using a best-worst scaling method where they were asked to choose the option they believed would be most effective for them personally, and the one which would be least effective, from a choice of four interventions. This was repeated ten times for each respondent, with a ranking then calculated using a conditional logit model.Considering only meat eaters, sociodemographic variables such as age (Cramer’s V = 0.1, p<0.001), gender (V = 0.09, p = 0.03) and education (V = 0.09, p<0.001) were weak predictors of intentions to reduce meat. The LCA, based on responses to the COM-B statements, revealed four distinct groups. One group (14% of the sample) appeared unwilling to reduce consumption, one was more ambivalent (25%), another group was broadly willing (45%), and the last reported to be actively reducing consumption (14%). Regarding the perceived utility of potential policy and intervention options, there were broad similarities among the four population groups, with options related to the cost and improvement of current vegetarian options (taste and availability) considered most impactful for all. In contrast, interventions that sought to provide information and educate (e.g., leaflets or celebrity endorsement) were considered least likely to facilitate change by all four groups.There is a willingness to reduce meat consumption among a majority (59%) of the population, and there appear to be concrete policy and intervention options that could target them. There are also potentially more targetted policy options, which could target those who currently consume more meat and are less likely to consider eating less.
Dietary patterns and risk of childhood overweight/obesity or metabolically unhealthy childhood obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kyrkili A. , Saltaouras G. , Bountziouka V. , Georgoulis M. , Bathrellou E. , Yannakoulia M. , Kontogianni M. 
Published: December 2024

Childhood overweight/obesity (Ov/Ob) and its combination with metabolic complications, known as metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO), is a major public health problem1. Diet is one of the most important modifiable determinants of weight status and health, but the relationship between dietary patterns and Ov/Ob or MUO in children and adolescents remains poorly studied2,3. The aim of this study was to explore associations between adherence to dietary patterns and the risk of childhood Ov/Ob or MUO.A literature search was performed following PRISMA guidelines4 in Scopus and Medline databases to identify longitudinal prospective studies, and randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) with ≥12-month follow-up, in children and adolescents (age: 2-19 years; regions: Europe, USA, Canada or Oceania, in English language, publication period: January 2013-June 2023). Studies’ quality was also evaluated with the ROBINS-E and RoB-2 tools.From the 2603 references initially identified, 29 prospective studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. All studies reported on Ov/Ob risk. Dietary patterns were assessed with a-priori method in 15 studies and with a-posteriori method in 14 studies. Conceptually, dietary patterns were characterized as “healthy” (HDP) or “unhealthy” (UDP), however there were inherent differences in the way dietary patterns were defined/ extracted, the items loading high in each extracted pattern and the scoring system applied for the degree of adherence to each pattern. Limited evidence suggests that adherence to patterns during childhood, which are lower in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while higher in sweets, refined grains, fast foods, and processed meats are associated with higher BMI later in adolescence. Eighteen studies were included in meta-analysis. Adherence to a HDP was associated with lower odds of Ov/Ob [odds ratio (OR): 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80; 0.91) for the adjusted model] compared to non-adherence, while adherence to UDP was associated with higher odds of Ov/Ob [OR: 1.34 (95%CI: 1.17; 1.53) for the adjusted model] compared to non-adherence. Higher adherence to a HDP was associated with lower BMI [beta: −0.02 (95%CI: −0.04; −0.01) kg/m2 for the adjusted model] and lower increase in BMI over time [beta: −0.11 (95%CI: −0.18; −0.04) kg/m2 for the adjusted model], compared to lower adherence. No significant associations were found between adherence to a HDP and z-BMI, while a marginally significant association was revealed between adherence to UDP and z-BMI [beta: 0.04 (95%CI: −0.00; 0.08) kg/m2 for the adjusted model].Higher adherence to HDP exhibits preventive effect against Ov/Ob in children and adolescents. Results should be interpreted cautiously because of the heterogeneity in defining “exposure” and should be confirmed through future research both in prospective cohorts and RCTs.
Comparison of dietary intake and physical activity in children and adolescents with or without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Kyrkili A. , Petsoukis G. , Vourdoumpa A. , Koutaki D. , Paltoglou G. , Katsagoni C. , Rogalidou M. , Papadopoulou A. , Papadopoulou M. , Charmandari E. , Kontogianni M. 
Published: December 2024

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 5.5–10% of children worldwide, while in individuals with obesity, it increases to almost 34%1,2. Long-term dietary habits, leisure-time physical activity and sedentary activities have been proposed as modifiable risk factors for developing NAFLD in children/adolescents3,4, however, data to date remain limited. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in dietary intake and physical activity between children/adolescents with overweight/obesity and NAFLD and children/adolescents with overweight/obesity without the disease.A total of 106 children/adolescents with overweight/obesity, aged 12.5 ± 1.8 years, were included in the study, of whom 48 were diagnosed with NAFLD and 58 belonged to the control group. Participants in the two groups were matched for age, gender, body mass index, and Tanner stage. The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and/or abdominal ultrasound, followed by exclusion of other causes of secondary liver fat accumulation5.Additionally, the dietary intake of the participants was assessed by four 24-hour recall method and analyzed for energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients using the Nutritionist Pro software program. The adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) was assessed using the KIDMED index6. Physical activity was assessed using a questionnaire validated in the Greek population, the SelfAdministered Physical Activity Checklist7. Each participant completed the above questionnaire 4 times together with the 24-hour recalls.No significant differences in the energy intake and the intake of macro-/micro-nutrients were observed between children/adolescents with NAFLD and the control group (all p >0,05). Regarding adherence to MD, there was no significant difference between children/adolescents with NAFLD and children/adolescents without NAFLD, with only 5% of the total sample demonstrating a high level of adherence to MD (score >8). Children/adolescents with NAFLD spent fewer minutes per day on physical activity compared with children/adolescents without NAFLD [49 (29, 70) min/day versus 67 (44, 95) min/day, p = 0.006]. In addition, children/adolescents with NAFLD spent more hours per day playing computer/video games compared with the control group [2.7 (1.4, 5.2) hours/day versus 1.9 (0.7, 3.3) hours/day, p = 0.035].In conclusion, no differences in dietary intake in terms of energy, macro- and micro- nutrients intake were recorded between overweight/obese children/adolescents with and without NAFLD. Participation in physical activities was significantly lower, and time spent in sedentary activities was higher, in children/adolescents with NAFLD compared with their counterparts without NAFLD.
Enhancing the acceptability of Stevia sweetened cookies through the addition of Inulin: A study on texture, chemical attributes, and taste perception
Authors: Watawana M. , Banu A. , Ryan G. , Pogorzalek M. , Granato D. , Hoffmann Sarda F. 
Published: December 2024

The increasing consumer interest in reduced-sugar, natural, sustainable options and healthier baked goods has prompted research into alternative non-caloric sweeteners of natural origin, like Stevia, as substitutes for conventional sugar in bakery items(1). However, the bitter aftertaste associated with stevia is a significant challenge in its application as a sugar substitute(2).This study delves into innovative baking, focusing on developing health-conscious oat-quinoa cookies sweetened with Stevia to evaluate the possibility of using Inulin to enhance acceptability.Three types of Cookies were formulated using oats and quinoa flour: sugar-based (SuC), steviabased (StC) and stevia+inulin-based (InStC). SuC served as the control. The optimised formulas were tested using physical, chemical, and sensory parameters.After approval from the Ethics Committee Board, University of Limerick(06098S&E), sensory analysis was conducted to determine consumer preference (n = 89). A 9-point hedonic scale was used to evaluate odour, taste, colour, sweetness, aftertaste, texture, and overall impression(3). The fiber content of the cookies was calculated based on the nutritional information of the ingredients. After baking, water activity (aw) and texture were also measured on days one and five. Antioxidant activity (DPPH, TPC, FRAP and Total Monomeric Anthocyanins) was also evaluated.All data was statistically evaluated using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version: 28.0.1.1 (14)). One-way ANOVA test- LSD post hoc test was carried out for sensory, antioxidant and aw assays.Based on the sensory study results, there was no perceived difference between odour and colour for the three formulations. The average evaluation score for Overall Impression was 6.6>5.9>5.4 (p<0.001, p = 0.016) for SuC, InStC, and StC, respectively. For Texture, 7.0>6.3>5.5 (p = 0.818, (p<0.001) for SuC, InStC, StC, respectively. For the Taste attribute, it was 6.5>5.9>5.5 (p<0.001, p = 0.087) for SuC, InStC, and StC, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed for both overall impression and texture between InStC and StC.Regarding fibre content, InStC had a significantly higher fibre content, 7.02%, compared to StC 3.36% and SuC 3.11%. A statistically significant difference in aw was observed between the StC and InStC on day one and day 5 (p<0.05), with the StC having a higher aw. Texture analyser results correlated with the results of aw. No statistically significant difference was observed between the samples for the antioxidant activity (p>0.05).These findings demonstrate the potential of incorporating functional ingredients such as inulin to improve stevia-sweetened baked goods’ sensory acceptability and physical properties, aligning with the growing consumer preference for healthier baked products.
An investigation into nutritional knowledge of Irish rugby coaches
Authors: Lynch N , Sweeney G , Cradock K. , Mullee A 
Published: December 2024

Nutrition is an important factor for an athlete’s overall performance and recovery. Previous research has demonstrated that sports nutrition knowledge is linked to balanced and healthy dietary practices(1,2). As coaches have an influential relationship with athletes, in relation to their dietary intake, understanding the nutritional knowledge of coaches is necessary in terms of supporting an athlete’s overall nutrition plan(3). The aim of this study was to investigate the nutrition knowledge of rugby coaches within the Irish Rugby and Football Union (IRFU) responsible for coaching young players.An online questionnaire was distributed by the IRFU via email to National and Provencial coaches (n = 54) of 15-20 year old male and female players. The questionnaire consisted of two previously validated general and sports nutrition knowledge questionnaires(4,5). Ethical approval was provided by the ATU Sligo Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences Ethics Committee. Descriptive statistics were tabulated for coaches’ demographic data and their total and sub-category mean scores. An Independent samples t-test assessed the difference in mean nutrition knowledge score for coaches who gave advice and those who did not give advice on sports nutrition.Twenty-eight coaches participated in the study, yielding a response rate of 55%. Nearly two thirds of participants (64.1%) were within the age range of 29 – 39 years; the length of time coaching was relatively balanced with 25% having 2 – 5 years’ experience, 35.7% had 5 – 15 years’ experience and 39.3% had over 15 years coaching experience. Coaches responded correctly to over half of all the questions asked (55.3%), which is below the minimum score of 75% set to determine adequate nutrition knowledge(6). There was no significant difference in nutrition knowledge score between coaches who reported having a formal nutrition training compared to coaches with no formal nutrition training. Fifty seven percent of coaches reported that they provided nutrition advice to their players.In conclusion, the coaches that participated in this study did not have adequate nutrition knowledge. However, over half of the coaches reported giving nutrition advice to players, highlighting that coaches could benefit from a formal ongoing nutrition training program to improve their knowledge.
Achieving SDG 12: impact of food choice, food waste and dignity
Authors: Sumpter S. , Nancheva N. , Ranta R. , Bhakta D. , Mulrooney H. 
Published: December 2024

Increasing food insecurity (FI) in the UK has led to increased food bank usage(1). This underrepresents true levels of need, since many with FI utilise alternative coping strategies(2). Food banks are designed to provide emergency food for a limited time, requiring referral with proof of need. They have been critiqued for this and their limited food choices(3), which add to the stigma experienced by many clients(4). Their nutritional quality has also been criticised(3). The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) require action to address socioeconomic drivers of inequity. Several are nutrition-related including SDG2 (zero hunger) and SDG12 (responsible production and consumption)(5). Part of SDG12 aims to halve per capita levels of food waste by 2030(5). Surplus food is often used to feed those with FI through community support schemes like social supermarkets, alternatives to food banks. This study evaluated social supermarkets to identify client experiences and perceptions of surplus food, food waste and stigma.Bespoke questionnaires were administered in two social supermarkets in Sussex on three site visits (n = 111). Additional optional telephone interviews (n = 25) were conducted. Ethics approval was obtained from Kingston University London. Of particular interest were client views on quality and choice of food available, and implications of this for SDG12. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was carried out to identify key themes, while quantitative data were statistically analysed to explore impact of demographics using Kruskal Wallis tests with posthoc Dunn’s and Bonferroni correction.Of particular interest were client views on the quality and choice of food available, and the implications of this for SDG 12. The majority (n = 102; 91.9%) agreed or strongly agreed that choosing what they ate rather than being given no choice mattered to them, while 76.6% (n = 85) agreed or strongly agreed that the social supermarket helped them to reduce food waste. Interviews revealed these were linked, and the impact on food waste was not solely due to the use of surplus food but to offering food choice with clients choosing what they and their families liked and would eat; being given no choice increased the likelihood of foods being wasted.[Social supermarket client quote] ‘I think [choice] is important, I hate, absolutely hate waste, I don’t agree with it, I don’t agree with throwing things away that you could eat. And if someone made that choice for you, you might not be able to eat it and want to eat it’.Food choice therefore increased client agency, reducing the potential for stigma and trauma. Using surplus food to feed those dealing with FI is problematic. Nonetheless, offering food choice represents a more client dignified experience with potential to reduce food waste, thereby arguably helping to achieve SDG12.
Does sociodemographic strata determine local access to plant-based meat alternatives?
Authors: McBey D. , McCormick B.J.J. , Hussain M. , Macdiarmid J.I. 
Published: December 2024

People with lower socio-demographic status (SES) tend to have less healthy diets, partly through access and affordability(1). As people are encouraged to reduce their meat consumption as part of a sustainable diet(2), plant-based alternatives to meat are increasingly available. We hypothesised that lower SES populations may not be able to access plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) from nearby shops.A cross-sectional survey of food retailers in Aberdeen, a city of approximately 260,000 people with a wide range of SES, was conducted in 2023. For each decile of the nationally representative Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SMID)(3), a postcode was randomly selected around the centroid of which a 0.5 mile area was identified and all food vendors were visited. All PBMAs (e.g., plant-based sausages, cold cuts and chicken nugget replacements both frozen and chilled) were recorded along with descriptive characteristics of the shop (e.g., size, whether in a chain, proximity to public transport). Separately, to approximate the shopping habits of people in each SIMD decile, Kantar World Panel purchase data for the whole of Scotland (2017-2023) was used to model the proportion of monthly household visits to and spending in different food shops by household SIMD decile using a beta regression with mixed effects for repeated measures (n = 3054 households with median 30, IQR 1, 33 monthly observations).Forty-one retailers were visited and a total of 267 different PBMAs products identified. There was no association between the SIMD decile where a shop was located and the availability of PBMAs. The only statistically significant predictor of PBMAs sale was supermarket size (Chi-squared test, p = 0.002) and PBMAs were only available in large or very large supermarkets (n = 12/41). Larger supermarkets tended to be positioned in accessible locations with middling SIMD deciles (4th and 6th), albeit access may be more limited for vulnerable groups who may be less likely to own a car From the household purchase data, there was no statistical difference in the proportion of monthly household spending on food in large supermarkets between SIMD deciles (0.01, 95%CI 0.003,0.022, p = 0.14) and the proportion of visits to large supermarkets was not meaningfully different by SIMD (range 0.33 to 0.39), from which we infer that people from all SIMD deciles could access large supermarkets which stock PMBAs.We found no evidence to support our hypothesis that access to PBMA was driven by SIMD. Access was limited to large food shops, however, all SIMD deciles use large food retailers and could, in principle buy PBMAs. We do not know, from these data, whether supermarkets are equally used by, or convenient for, consumers from different SIMDs, however,access to PBMAs may not be one of the major barriers for consumers reducing meat consumption
Vitamin D content of products recently launched on to the marketplace – findings from the MINTEL Global New Products Database
Authors: Taylor E.J. , Price R.K. , Hollywood L. , Pourshahidi L.K. 
Published: December 2024

Vitamin D deficiency is a cause for concern among the UK population, with many failing to achieve the recommended daily amount of 10µg/day(1). Sunlight exposure is not sufficient in the UK to maintain year-round vitamin D status so therefore the population rely heavily on dietary sources, including fortified foods(2). In the absence of standardised and/or mandatory vitamin D fortification policies in many countries(3), such products often contain variable amounts of vitamin D(4), however this has not been investigated to-date on a global scale. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the vitamin D content of newly launched products worldwide over a 5-year period.Data were extracted from Mintel’s Global New Product Database across all regions. Search criteria were filtered by nutrient and/or ingredient, to only include products launched from December 2018 to December 2023, and containing >0.1µg vitamin D per 100g/ml. Of the total 2,963 products identified, 608 were excluded owing to missing data, resulting in 2,355 products included in the final dataset for analysis. Vitamin D content was quantified as µg per100g/ml (µg = IU/40, when required). Data were compared by food category (n = 12) and between branded vs private label (own-brand) products, using ANOVA (with Tukey post-hoc tests) and independent samples t-tests, respectively.The overall mean ± SD vitamin D content of newly launched products was 12.5 ± 71.2 µg per 100g/ml (range: 0.01-2380 µg per100g/ml). By category, the mean ± SD vitamin D content of products (µg per100g/ml) were as follows: baby food (7.1 ± 20.3), bakery (210.4 ± 683.3), breakfast cereals (9.4 ± 21.2), chocolate confectionary (134.4 ± 135.1), dairy (6.0 ± 23.7), desserts and ice cream (1.8 ± 2.1), rice and noodles (4.4 ± 0.1), processed meat and fish (20.9 ± 39.0), sauces and seasonings (39.3 ± 123.5), snacks (6.7 ± 9.3), sugar confectionary (101.4 ± 90.9) and sweet spreads (56.7 ± 95.5). Products in the bakery, chocolate confectionary and sugar and gum confectionary categories had a significantly higher vitamin D content per 100g/ml, compared to all other categories. In the total dataset, branded products (n = 2832; 96%) had a significantly higher vitamin D content than private label products (n = 131; 4%) (12.7 ± 72.5 vs. 6.1 ± 11.3 µg per 100g/ml, respectively; P<0.001).This preliminary analysis has demonstrated a wide range in the vitamin D content of newly launched products worldwide, which varies significantly between food categories and is higher in branded compared to private label products. Future research using this dataset will explore changes over time, as well as regional differences in the vitamin D content of new products, both between and within the different categories. Such evidence may help to inform future new product development opportunities and vitamin D fortification policies.