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Helen H Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to Helen H Jensen.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Changes in seafood consumer preference patterns and associated changes in risk exposure.

Consumers world-wide are driving changes in the agriculture and food sector. Rising consumer income, changing demographics and lifestyles, and shifting preferences due to new information about the links between diet and health all contribute to new demands for foods. At the same time, technological changes in production, processing and distribution, growth in large-scale retailing, and changes in product availability, as well as expansion of trade world wide, have contributed to a rapidly changing market for food products. Changes in seafood consumption reflect these changes. The changes in consumer consumption patterns, new technologies and trade in product offer both expanded markets as well as new challenges to consumer exposure to food-borne risks. The strict quality control requirements of retail brokers, growth of private labels, and development of value-protecting marketing channels have become increasingly important in food markets. This paper addresses major trends that affect seafood consumption and the market for seafood products and the implications of these changes for consumer risk exposure to food safety hazards. The current economic environment highlights similarities and differences between the developed and developing countries, as well as diversity worldwide in consumption of seafood. Within this context, four major trends affect consumer consumption of foods, including seafood and fish products today: rising income; changing demographics; changing markets for food; and an increasingly global market for food products. Changes in consumer risk exposure to food safety problems are addressed in the context of these trends.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Sociodemographic, knowledge, and attitudinal factors related to meat consumption in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To provide information about meat consumption and factors that explain differences among subpopulations, and to evaluate how knowledge and attitudes about nutrition and awareness of diet and health influence meat consumption. DESIGN: The 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals provided two nonconsecutive 24-hour recalls. The Diet and Health Knowledge Survey was administered at least 1 week after the last 24-hour recall. Meat subgroups (chicken, beef, pork, and processed pork products) were calculated from Food Guide Pyramid meat groups by using recipe ingredients. SUBJECTS: The study sample included 4,802 children and 9,460 adults from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and 5,649 adults from the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey. STATISTICS: Weighted percentages and means described the food intake and self-assessed dietary characteristics. Relationships among types of meat intake, dietary characteristics, and demographics were evaluated using a two-stage, multivariate regression model. RESULTS: Individuals in higher income households consumed relatively more chicken; those in low-income households consumed more processed pork products. Those consuming no beef and smaller amounts of chicken had the lowest discretionary fat intakes. Beef and pork consumers were more likely to think that their diets were too high in fat, but less likely to believe it is important to eat a low-fat diet. Region of residence affected the probability of consuming most meats. Having a high level of education was associated with a lower likelihood of consuming beef and pork. CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic factors are strong predictors of the probability of choosing particular types of meat and of the amounts eaten. Knowledge and attitudes about diet and meat products also influence choices.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Food label use by older Americans: data from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey 1994-96.

This study examined older Americans' use of food labels as a tool to moderate dietary risk factors for heart disease. Data from the USDA's Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individual (CSFII) 1994- 96 and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS) from 2,846 respondents aged 51 years and older was used. Indices were constructed to measure and correlate dietary intake, label use and understanding, and health status data. Understanding and use of food labels was lower among older age groups, while heart-related health problems increased. Use of food labels and percent energy intake from fat were inversely related (P < 0.01). Older Americans would benefit from education on food label use and interpretation to decrease their dietary risk factors for heart disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Diet and food insufficiency among Hispanic youths: acculturation and socioeconomic factors in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Low socioeconomic status is associated with poor diet, food insufficiency, and poor child health. Hispanic households have disproportionately low incomes. Acculturation-related changes may augment the effects of poverty on children's diet and health. OBJECTIVE: The goal was to determine the associations that acculturation, measured by parents' language use, and income have with dietary intakes and food insufficiency among Hispanic youths. DESIGN: Data on 2985 Hispanic youths aged 4-16 y were from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Nutrient intake data were from one 24-h dietary recall. The analysis was controlled for demographic, socioeconomic, and program variables. RESULTS: Parents' exclusive use of Spanish was associated in bivariate analyses with differences in intakes of energy, protein, sodium, and folate and in percentages of energy from fat and saturated fat. When other factors were controlled for, less acculturation was associated with differences in intakes of energy and sodium and in percentages of energy from fat and saturated fat. Individuals in poorer households had higher intakes of energy, protein, sodium, and some micronutrients. Although not significant for all indicators of food insufficiency, consistent patterns showed that household food insufficiency decreased with less acculturation (odds ratio: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2, 0.7 for adult meal size reduced) and increased with low income [odds ratio: 5.9 (3.0, 11.7) for not enough food and 5.4 (2.2, 13.4) for child meal size reduced]. CONCLUSIONS: Both acculturation and poverty have roles in children's diets and in household food insufficiency. Culturally specific public health and nutrition education should complement efforts to improve the financial security of low-income households.

Acculturation↗
PubMed2003

An evaluation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture food security measure with generalized linear mixed models.

Over the last decade, new information has been developed and collected to measure the extent of food insecurity and hunger in the United States. Common measurement of the phenomenon of hunger and food insecurity has become possible through efforts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a set of survey questions that can be used to obtain estimates of the prevalence and severity of food insecurity. We evaluated the measurement of food insecurity and the effect of household variables on measured food insecurity. The effects of demographic and survey-specific variables on the food insecurity/hunger scale were evaluated using a generalized linear model with mixed effects. Data came from the 1995, 1997 and 1999 Food Security Module of the Current Population Survey. The results generally validated the model currently used by the USDA. In addition, our approach made it possible to consider the effect of demographics and several survey design variables on food security among measurably food-insecure households, as well as interactions between these factors and the food security questions. The analysis of the expanded model with the 1995 data found results similar to those reported based on the Rasch model used by the USDA. Even though the sample size was reduced and a number of screening and questionnaire changes were introduced in 1997 and 1999, the results for those years appear mostly unchanged and confirm the robustness of the scale in measuring food insecurity. There is some evidence that interpretation of questions may vary among different demographic groups.

Demography↗