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PubMed1995

A community-based, interagency approach by dietitians to provide meals, medical nutrition therapy, and education to clients with HIV/AIDS.

Dietitians have the opportunity to be leaders in providing medical nutrition therapy and home-delivered meals for people with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the community setting. Four community agencies developed the Visiting Nurse Service HIV/Home Delivered Meals Program. Fifty clients with the diagnosis of HIV and/or AIDS were served for a 6-month period. The program provided convenient, energy-enhanced nutritious meals. Participants received daily hot and cold, energy- and protein-enhanced home-delivered meals; weekly high-energy, high-protein, shelf-stable Snack Packs; a Medical Nutritional Supplement Sampler Pack; and two home visits from dietitians. Different diet options were available. Dietitians completed 47 initial nutrition assessment and food safety education visits 1 to 2 weeks after meal delivery began, and 35 participants received follow-up nutrition counseling visits 4 to 8 weeks later. Participant data (including weights) were self-reported. Dietitians reported that 13 of 35 participants gained weight (mean = 6 lb), 11 of 35 remained the same weight, and 11 of 35 lost weight (mean = 5 lb). Initially, 14 of 35 participants were considered to be "doing well"; this improved to 19 of 35 participants 1 to 2 months later. Snack Packs were effective means to help participants meet some of their increased nutrient needs. The Medical Nutritional Supplement Sampler Pack was effective in familiarizing each participant with available products. Medical nutrition therapy by registered dietitians helped most participants improve their food consumption.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1999

Asian students change their eating patterns after living in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To collect information on changes in dietary patterns among Asian students before and after immigration to the United States. DESIGN: A questionnaire designed to collect information about background, changes in food habits, and frequency of food consumption from a 72-item food list was mailed to subjects. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Potential participants were students of local universities and junior colleges who were born in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, or Korea and were aged 18 years or older. All subjects were required to have been residing in the United States for at least 3 months before the start of the study. Questionnaires were mailed to 120 potential participants. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Paired t tests were used to determine differences in eating patterns and frequency of food consumption of subjects before and after immigrating to the United States. RESULTS: Seventy-one questionnaires were returned. Because of missing information on 8 of these questionnaires, only 63 were used in the analysis, which gave a response rate of 53%. The number of students consuming only 2 meals per day increased significantly; 29 (46%) respondents skipped breakfast because of their school schedules. Despite no significant change in the frequency of snack consumption, a majority (n = 46; 73%) of the respondents were consuming more salty and sweet snack items. Subjects were eating out less often, but they were selecting more American-style fast foods when they did eat out. Significant increases were noted in consumption of fats/sweets, diary products, and fruits, and significant decreases were noted in the consumption of meat/meat alternatives and vegetables after immigration to the United States. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study could be useful to dietetics practitioners as they observe changes in dietary patterns of Asian immigrants. These health professionals can use this information to plan nutrition education programs for Asian groups so that they can make informed decisions in adapting to new eating patterns and make wise food choices in their new environment. It is important to help Asian immigrants retain healthful food habits from their original country and to encourage them to choose eating patterns of the new culture that are nutritionally sound.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Dietary intake and health outcomes among young children attending 2 urban day-care centers.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) on diet and 3 health outcomes--weight-for-height status, dental caries (tooth decay) score, and number of days of illness--among preschool children attending 2 urban day care centers. DESIGN: Dietary intake and health outcome measures were assessed and compared for children attending 2 day-care centers in an urban community. Data were obtained for 14 days of dietary intake, which were analyzed for energy and 15 nutrients and 6 food groups; anthropometric measures, including weight-for-height; dental caries; and days of illness. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Forty 3- to 5-year-old black children from 2 day-care centers participated. One center participates in the CACFP. At the other center, children bring all meals and snacks from home. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Data from the 2 groups of children were compared using parameteric and nonparametric t tests. RESULTS: Children receiving CACFP meals at day care had significantly higher mean daily intakes of vitamin A (804 +/- 191 vs 595 +/- 268 retinol equivalents), riboflavin (1.45 +/- 0.32 vs 1.21 +/- 0.22 mg), and calcium (714 +/- 180 vs 503 +/- 143 mg) than the children who brought all of their meals and snacks from home. Children who received CACFP meals also consumed significantly more servings of milk (2.9 +/- 0.9 servings vs 1.5 +/- 0.7) and vegetables (1.8 +/- 0.5 vs 1.2 +/- 0.5 servings) and significantly fewer servings of fats/sweets (4.6 +/- 1.3 vs 5.4 +/- 1.1 servings) than children who brought their meals. Weight-for-height status and dental caries scores did not differ between the 2 groups. Children from the center participating in the CACFP have significantly fewer days of illness (median 6.5 vs 10.5 days) than children from the nonparticipating center. APPLICATIONS: Nutritious meals provided by the CACFP can improve diets and may promote health among young, urban children. Registered dietitians can contribute to food assistance programs by intervening to enhance the quality of meals served and by examining the impact of participation on measures of diet quality and diet-related health outcomes.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Validation of a simple, ethologically relevant paradigm for assessing anxiety in mice.

Although numerous behavioral tests are available to assess anxiety, we introduce a simplified version of a previously established test that is exquisitely sensitive and reliable. The latency to consume a palatable snack (graham wafer crumbs) was assessed among mice in their home cage and in an unfamiliar environment, as well as in the presence or absence of predator scent. The effects of various anxiolytics and nonanxiolytics were evaluated in these paradigms. When offered the palatable snack in a familiar environment, mice readily approached and began consumption; however, in a novel environment (cage with fresh bedding), or in the presence of predator scent (rat feces), response latencies increased 10-fold. Anxiolytics, including diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, propranolol, or chronic treatment with either buspirone or the antidepressant desmethylimipramine attenuated the effects in the novel environment without affecting home-cage responding. In contrast, nonanxiolytic agents (haloperidol, amphetamine, acute buspirone or desmethylimipramine) failed to exclusively affect novel environment-induced prolongation of response latencies. The simplicity of design, the absence of food deprivation or neurogenic stressors, the possibility of using it in a repeated measures design, the reliability and magnitude of response, and the specificity and sensitivity to anxiolytic drugs makes this an ideal preparation with which to assess anxiety and anxiety-altering manipulations.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of dietary fat, nutrition labels, and repeated consumption on sensory-specific satiety.

This study investigated whether energy from fat, nutrition information, and/or repeated consumption of a palatable snack food affects the development of sensory-specific satiety (SSS). Participants (51 males and 44 females) ate an afternoon snack of potato chips in a laboratory for two 10-day (Monday-Friday) sessions in a repeated measures, cross-over design. In one 10-day session, participants were given regular, full-fat potato chips (22.2 kJ/g; 150 kcal/oz) and, in the other, they were given potato chips made with olestra (11.8 kJ/g; 80 kcal/oz), a non-absorbable fat replacer. Information about the fat and energy content of the chips was provided to half the participants, while the other half was not informed. In both sessions, participants were instructed to consume the potato chips ad libitum. Initial ratings of sensory properties of the two types of chips did not differ significantly. In SSS tests, participants rated sensory properties of the chips and four test foods (turkey, strawberry yogurt, cookie, and carrot) on days 1, 5, and 10 of the 10-day sessions. Following consumption, ratings of pleasantness of taste and texture and prospective consumption of both types of chips declined compared to the test foods. Further analyses showed that the development of SSS was not affected by the fat and energy content of the chips, the provision of nutrition information, or repeated consumption.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Exploring comfort food preferences across age and gender.

Building on findings related to physiological and psychological motivations of food preference, this research develops a framework to examine preferences toward comfort foods. Study 1 used a North American survey of 411 people to determine favored comfort foods, and Study 2 quantified the preferences for these foods across gender and across age groups using a stratified sample of 1005 additional people. Consistent with hypotheses, the findings showed different comfort food preferences across gender and across age. Males preferred warm, hearty, meal-related comfort foods (such as steak, casseroles, and soup), while females instead preferred comfort foods that were more snack related (such as chocolate and ice cream). In addition, younger people preferred more snack-related comfort foods compared to those over 55 years of age. Associations with guilty feelings underscored how these different preferences between males and females may extend to areas of application.

Affect↗

PubMed1997

Weight, protein, fat, and timing of preloads affect food intake.

Two foods, one rich in protein (HP) and one rich in fat (HF), were employed to evaluate the effect of macronutrients on food intake and to underline the differences that occurred when the foods were served as uniform meal, as first course of a varied meal, and as a snack 2 h before a varied meal. Our results showed that HP food always exerted a higher effect on both intrameal satiation and postingestive satiety than HF food. When a uniform meal was consumed, satiation for the specific food was reached before fullness; in this condition, sensory characteristics of foods played an important role in controlling food intake and made the uniform meal more satiating than the varied one. The consumption of a snack far from a meal did not contribute to satiety; consequently, gastric filling seems to be an important factor determining the amount consumed in a varied meal.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

The relative-reinforcing value of food under differing levels of food deprivation and restriction.

Food deprivation and restriction both increase food consumption. Food deprivation also increases the reinforcing value of food, but it is unknown if food restriction alone or combined with deprivation increases the reinforcing value of food. Forty, normal-weight, college-aged, unrestrained females were randomized to one of four conditions that crossed food deprivation (Dep) and restriction (Res): Dep/Res, Dep/No Res, No Dep/Res, No Dep/No Res. All participants arrived at least 13h food-deprived, and non-deprived participants consumed at least 365cal from a drink during the session. Restriction was manipulated by placing snack food in front of participants, without access for 15min during the session, or having no snack food placed in front of participants. Following the experimental manipulations, participants completed a computer choice task to determine the reinforcing value of food. Repeated measures analysis of variance found a significant main effect of deprivation (p<0.05) and trials (p<0.001) for food points earned. Deprived participants found food to be more reinforcing, and the reinforcing value of food decreased over time. This suggests that while short-term food deprivation increases the relative-reinforcing value of food, short-term food restriction has no effect on the relative-reinforcing value of food in unrestrained eaters.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

Carbohydrate craving, obesity and brain serotonin.

One mechanism through which the brain obtains information about the composition of the diet involves food-induced changes in the plasma amino acid pattern (principally the "plasma tryptophan ratio"), which then cause increases or decreases in brain tryptophan levels, and in the synthesis of a neurotransmitter, serotonin, which is formed from the tryptophan. A carbohydrate-rich, protein-poor meal stimulates insulin secretion; this diminishes plasma levels of the amino acids which compete with tryptophan for transport into the brain (e.g., leucine, isoleucine and valine), thus increasing tryptophan's flux across the blood-brain barrier and its brain levels. In contrast, a high-protein meal contributes so much more of these latter amino acids to the blood stream than of the relatively-scarce tryptophan that it diminishes tryptophan's entry into the brain. This article reviews evidence that the brain actually utilizes the food-induced changes in brain serotonin in order to make choices about what to eat at the next meal. It also discusses the likelihood that a disturbance in this mechanism is involved in producing the "carbohydrate-craving" that is frequently associated with obesity. (This behavior which has been studied by allowing hospitalized subjects to choose freely among isocaloric meals and snacks of varying protein/carbohydrate ratios, typically manifests itself as a propensity to consume 30 per cent or more of the total daily calorie intake in the form of sweet or starchy snacks, usually at a characteristic time of day.) D-Fenfluramine, a drug that selectively enhances serotonin-mediated neurotransmission, also selectively suppresses "carbohydrate-craving" in these subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acids↗

PubMed2004

[Food habits of students using school dining rooms in Spain. "Tell Me How You Eat" Study].

OBJECTIVE: To describe food habits of school-aged population having school meals and to evaluate perceived quality of the service. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community School lunchrooms in different Spanish regions. PARTICIPANTS: Random population sample of children and young people (3-16 year) having school meals in Spain. MEASUREMENTS: The study protocol included socio-economical data, food consumption and dietary habits at the school and out of the school. Information was collected by means of two questionnaires: one completed by children at school and a second one completed by the family at home. RESULTS: Valid response was collected from 322 children and 212 families, a response rate of 96.1% children and 63.3% of the families. 88% of the children reported daily consumption of breakfast, 45% used to have a midmorning snack, which consisted of a sandwich (29%); sweet bakery products (27%) or biscuits (15%). 45% of the 12-16-year-old old group reported eating only half of the portion served at lunch in the school, mainly due to disgusting taste or preparation (50%). In the school menus vegetables and fish were offered less frequently than other food groups. 81% of the children referred having an after-school snack in the afternoon, consisting of a sandwich (65%); bakery products (20%); bread and chocolate (20%); yoghurt or fruit (20%). CONCLUSIONS: School meals provide a wonderful opportunity to widen the variety of foods in the daily diet of children. Recommendations about school meals should address the quality and variety of the foods served for a healthy diet and stress the educational dimension.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

In situ de- and remineralisation of enamel in response to sucrose chewing gum with fluoride or non-fluoride dentifrices.

OBJECTIVES: Enhancement of the remineralisation of artificial enamel lesions has been observed in an intraoral model whether subjects chewed gum sweetened with a non-cariogenic sweetener such as sorbitol [1-3] or sucrose [4] after meals or snacks, and with use of a conventional (1500 ppm F) fluoride dentifrice. Since most of the clinical surveys which have shown the potential cariogenicity of sucrose chewing gum [5] were conducted before use of fluoridated dentifrices became widespread, the effect of fluoride dentifrice on de- and remineralisation of artificial lesions in enamel in response to chewing sucrose-sweetened gum has been examined with the aim of attempting to resolve this apparent discrepancy. METHODS: Subjects wore an intraoral device bearing an enamel lesion and chewed one piece of sucrose gum for 20 min after each of three meals and two snacks daily for two 3-week periods, during which they used a dentifrice containing either 0 or 1500 ppm F in a double-blind, cross-over design. Measurement of the mineral content of the lesions was determined by microradiography or polarised light microscopy. RESULTS: It was found that remineralisation tended to occur with 1500 ppm F dentifrice, but demineralisation with non-F dentifrice; the difference in enamel mineral content between the two periods was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the potential cariogenicity of sucrose-containing chewing gum may indeed be negated by the use of a conventional fluoride dentifrice.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of a preschool nutrition education program based on the theory of multiple intelligences.

This report describes the evaluation of a preschool nutrition education program based on the theory of multiple intelligences. Forty-six nutrition educators provided a series of 12 lessons to 6102 preschool-age children. The program was evaluated using a pretest/post-test design to assess differences in fruit and vegetable identification, healthy snack choices, willingness to taste foods, and eating behaviors. Subjects showed significant improvement in food identification and recognition, healthy snack identification, willingness to taste foods, and frequency of fruit, vegetable, meat, and dairy consumption. The evaluation indicates that the program was an effective approach for educating preschool children about nutrition.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Child control of food choices in Head Start families.

OBJECTIVE: To describe parents' perceived feeding practices of their Head Start children as related to 6 feeding constructs based on the literature about the division of mealtime responsibilities. DESIGN: A qualitative study involving 45-minute audiotaped and transcribed discussion groups with items that probed constructs of interest. SETTING: Five discussion groups were conducted in local, urban Head Start sites in a north central state. PARTICIPANTS: Head Start staff recruited 29 limited-income parents. PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: Parental comments were coded into categories related to the 6 feeding constructs and perceived barriers to their implementation. ANALYSIS: Researchers independently coded the discussion group transcripts based on common themes and feeding constructs. Codes were discussed until consensus was reached and data analyzed using Ethnograph 5.0. RESULTS: Parents frequently reported that their children decided which foods were offered for meals and snacks. Most parents reported such child control of foods to be a barrier to pleasant meal times. IMPLICATIONS: Nutrition educators can suggest solutions to improve parental self-efficacy for practicing mealtime responsibilities, such as offering a choice of several healthy foods from which a child might choose. The importance of planned meal and snack times might be promoted based on aiding children's appetites at meals and reducing mealtime conflicts.

Child Nutrition Sciences↗

PubMed1998

A 3-month, double-blind, controlled trial of feeding with sucrose polyester in human volunteers.

Sucrose polyester (SPE) is a tasteless, odourless substance which reduces plasma cholesterol concentrations and may therefore be valuable as a fat substitute in human foodstuffs. It has recently been approved for use in snack foods by the United States Federal Drug Administration. The current study was designed to investigate its effects on gastrointestinal physiology and nutrient absorption in human subjects. A 6-month (2 x 3-month periods) double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over trial of SPE and control fat was performed in healthy free-living volunteers. Subjects consumed 20-40 g of SPE daily (mean 26.8 (SE 6.8) g) which reduced the intake of total and saturated fat but had no effect on energy intake or body weight. Plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerols were reduced. The frequency of bowel movements and their urgency were increased and anal leakage occurred in 7.2% of subjects. Abdominal pain was more frequent in subjects receiving SPE and was significantly greater than in the control group after 8 weeks feeding. The plasma concentrations of vitamin E and six carotenoids were significantly reduced. Routine haematology and biochemistry, other vitamins, intestinal biopsies, bile-salt retention, rectal prostaglandins, fractional Ca absorption and aminopyrine metabolism were unaffected. The ingestion of foods containing 20-40 g SPE daily provoked significant gastrointestinal problems. This intake is greater than that to be expected from the use of SPE in savoury snack foods, for which it has been approved by the United States Federal Drug Administration. However, the favourable effects on lipid profiles must be balanced against the reduction in the concentrations of vitamins and carotenoids, as these compounds may have beneficial effects on health through protection from free-radical oxidative stress.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Patterns of energy intake in patients with cirrhosis and healthy volunteers.

Fuel utilization and N economy are optimized in patients with cirrhosis by provision of several small meals throughout the day and a late-night snack of complex carbohydrate. Currently, however, only limited information is available on the patterns of energy intake in patients with chronic liver disease. The aims of the present study were to determine the number of days required to undertake such an investigation and to observe the daily distribution of energy intake in this patient population. Eight patients with cirrhosis and eight matched healthy volunteers kept weighed dietary intake records for fifteen separate days over a 6-month period. The records were analysed for energy intake per hour and the number and size of energy intake episodes per 24 h calculated. Intake was verified against resting energy expenditure. Fourteen separate observational days were required to investigate the pattern of energy intake in the cirrhotic patients while 20 d were required for healthy volunteers. Considerable inter- and intrasubject variations in the number and size of energy intake episodes were observed in both the patients and healthy volunteers. However, no significant differences were observed between the mean total number of daily energy intake episodes (6.3 (SD 1.6) v. 7.0 (SD 1.4)) or in the distribution of daily energy intake between the two groups. Most patients and volunteers tended to eat frequent small meals, often including a late-night snack, rather than two or three large meals daily. It should, therefore, be possible to establish optimum patterns of energy intake in these patients in line with recent guidelines.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Nationwide outbreak of human salmonellosis in Germany due to contaminated paprika and paprika-powdered potato chips.

Between April and September 1993, a nationwide outbreak of salmonellosis occurred in Germany which was traced to contaminated paprika and paprika-powdered potato chips. Of the estimated 1000 cases, children below 14 years were principally affected. Levels of 0.04-0.45 organisms per gram were found in the snacks. The infective dose was estimated at 4-45 organisms with an attack rate of 1 in 10,000 exposed persons. The unique feature of the outbreak was the variety of serovars involved. S. saintpaul, S. rubislaw and S. javiana were isolated during the same time period from paprika powder, spice mixtures, snacks and patients. Their clonal identity was confirmed by molecular typing methods. Furthermore, monophasic and non-motile strains of rare salmonella O-groups were isolated from both paprika products and patients. This is the largest documented outbreak due to contaminated spices which proved that even extremely low numbers of salmonellae adapted to the dry state were able to cause illness.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Meal patterns and cooking practices in Southern France and Central England.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether meal patterns and cooking practices in Central England and Mediterranean France conform to popular stereotypes, eating together as a household, preparation of meals, food purchasing patterns, cooking practices and eating out were investigated. DESIGN: Cross-sectional studies conducted simultaneously in April 2001 using self-administered postal questionnaires. SETTING: England (Nottingham, East Midlands) and France (Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon). SUBJECTS: A stratified random sample of 1000 males and 1000 females aged 18-65 years was generated from the electoral roll in each country. The final sample comprised 826 subjects in England (58% males, 42% females; mean age 44 years) and 766 subjects in France (42% males, 58% females; mean age 42 years). Analyses were conducted on samples standardised for sociodemographic differences. RESULTS: The French cooked from raw ingredients most often (P<0.001), ate together as a household more regularly (P<0.001) and were most likely to follow a regular meal pattern of three meals a day. On the other hand, the English relied more on ready-prepared (P<0.001) and take-away (P<0.001) meals, as well as on energy-dense snack foods such as crisps (P<0.001). Females in both countries reported having most responsibility for preparing meals. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the study's findings confirm popular stereotypes of French and English food cultures, as the importance of the convivial aspects of eating, as well as more traditional practices such as cooking meals from basic ingredients, structured mealtimes and less between-meal snacking, remain more prominent within the French population. This may contribute to the differences in prevalence of obesity seen between the two countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Comparison of several methods for the extraction of DNA from potatoes and potato-derived products.

Eight methods were compared for the extraction of DNA from raw potato tubers, and nine methods were evaluated for the extraction of DNA from dehydrated potato slices, potato flakes, potato flour, potato starch, and two ready-to-eat potato snack foods. Extracts were assessed for yield using a fluorescence-based DNA quantification assay. Real-time amplification of an endogenous gene, sucrose synthase (sus), was used to assess extract and template quality. A CTAB-based method extracted the highest DNA yields from the tuber material. An in-house method, which utilized the Kingfisher magnetic particle processor, yielded the highest template quality from the tubers. For most of the tuber samples, the Kingfisher and CTAB methods recovered the highest levels of amplifiable sus. DNA yields for potato-derived foods generally decreased with the extent that the product had been processed. The methods that utilized the magnetic particle processor delivered the highest template quality from one of the snack products that was particularly high in fat. For most of the remaining processed products, the levels of amplifiable target DNA recovered were roughly correlated with total DNA recovery, indicating that overall yield had greater influence over sus amplification than template quality. The Wizard method was generally the best method for the extraction of DNA from most of the potato-derived foods.

Cetrimonium↗