Non-communicable diseases (NCD) and lifestyle, particularly diet, have a close relationship. Based on the recent statistics, Croatian men and women lead in European overweight lists, which implies ...pessimistic prognosis in terms of incidence and prevalence of NCDs in the future. One of the possible solutions to overcome weight problems is turn to traditional balanced and sustainable diets, such as the Mediterranean diet. In this study, we assessed adherence towards Mediterranean diet using a validated questionnaire in an online survey and associated adherence scores with several demographic and anthropometric data. Based on the results of a validated Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (N = 3326), we assessed the adherence score to be 7.6 ± 2.5. The score tended to depend on sex, residence, age, education, income, and body mass index (BMI); indeed, women, residents of a coastal part of the country, older volunteers, those possessing a higher education degree, those with higher income, and those with lower BMI were associated with higher scores. As income was one of the significant findings related to higher adherence scores, we developed a dietary plan complying with Mediterranean diet principles that, on average, costed less than the average traditional balanced diet menu. Taken together, this study brought new findings regarding target groups who need to be encouraged to make lifestyle changes, and highlighted the first steps on how to make them.
Preference could be the trigger for fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in children and could be modified by appropriate intervention to increase the acceptance of FVs. The primary objective of this ...study was to investigate the effects of the three-year school-based multicomponent intervention “Nutri-školica” on the FV preferences of primary school children. It also aimed to explore whether a positive change in FV preferences could lead to an increase in actual FV consumption. The study was conducted in 14 primary schools from the city of Zagreb on 193 children (52.3% boys; age, 7.7 ± 0.4 years; n = 85 in the control group and n = 108 in the intervention group) who completed a preference questionnaire before and after the intervention with a 5-point hedonic smiley-face scale, where 5 means “I like it a lot.” The per-protocol approach was used for data analysis (28.3% of children from the study sample). After the intervention, children in the intervention group (before: 3.1 ± 0.8; after: 3.5 ± 0.8) increased their FV preferences significantly more than children in the control group (before: 3.2 ± 0.8; after: 3.3 ± 0.7). Children’s FV preferences changed most toward the varieties for which they had the least preferences at the beginning of the study. Participation in the intervention had a stronger effect on changing FV intake than change in FV preferences among primary school children. In summary, the present study highlighted that a targeted intervention can increase children’s FV preferences, but that participation in the intervention is substantial for increasing FV intake.
Insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables was found in primary school children. To address this problem, a three-year school-based multicomponent intervention was conducted in 14 primary ...schools in the City of Zagreb. The aim of the study was therefore to evaluate one of the primary goals of the intervention—the increase in fruit and vegetable intake among primary school children. A total of 681 children were allocated to the intervention (n = 300 in the control group and n = 381 in the intervention group). The intervention included 23 interactive classroom workshops, 10 cross-curricular activities, 13 homework challenges, visual exposure with educational posters in classrooms, parent education via the website, and the implementation of new dishes into the school food system. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline and after the intervention. Data were analyzed by per-protocol analysis. The study involved 259 children (50.2% girls; age 7.7 ± 0.4 years; n = 116 in the control group and n = 143 in the intervention group) who completed a food intake frequency questionnaire at both time points. Children in the intervention group showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in total daily fruit and vegetable intake (before: 332.1 ± 164.9 g; after: 430.1 ± 186.7 g) compared to the control group (before: 350.2 ± 187.5; after: 382.6 ± 196.8) after the intervention. The increase in fruit and vegetable intake was achieved in 89% of children, while 25% more children reached the daily recommendation of 400 g. The use of the multicomponent intervention showed potential to increase fruit and vegetable intake in primary school children.
This study aims at comparing two Italian case studies in relation to school children's plate waste and its implications, in terms of nutritional loss, economic cost, and carbon footprint.
Plate waste ...was collected through an aggregate selective weighting method for 39 days.
Children from the first to the fifth grade from four primary schools, two in each case study (Parma and Lucca), were involved.
With respect to the served food, in Parma the plate waste percentage was lower than in Lucca (p<0.001). Fruit and side-dishes were highly wasted, mostly in Lucca (>50%). The energy loss of the lunch meals accounted for 26% (Parma) and 36% (Lucca). Among nutrients, dietary fibre, folate and vitamin C, calcium and potassium were lost at most (26-45%). Overall, after adjusting for plate waste data, most of the lunch menus fell below the national recommendations for energy (50%, Parma; 79%, Lucca) and nutrients, particularly for fat (85%, Parma; 89%, Lucca). Plate waste was responsible for 19% (Parma) and 28% (Lucca) of the carbon footprint associated to the food supplied by the catering service, with starchy food being the most important contributor (52%, Parma; 47%, Lucca). Overall, the average cost of plate waste was 1.8 €/kg (Parma) and 2.7 €/kg (Lucca), accounting respectively for 4% and 10% of the meal full price.
A re-planning of the school meals service organisation and priorities is needed to decrease the inefficiency of the current system and reduce food waste and its negative consequences.
Although obesity with its comorbidities is linked with higher cancer risk, the data on genome stability in the obese/severely obese are scarce. This is the first study with three DNA damage ...assessment assays (Fpg-modified and alkaline comet assays and micronucleus
assay) performed on a severely obese population (n = 53) where the results were compared with daily intake of food groups, nutrient intake, dietary inflammatory index (DII), and anthropometric and biochemical parameters usually measured in obese individuals. Results demonstrated the association between DNA damage levels and a decrease in cell proliferation with anthropometric measurements and the severity of obese status, together with elevated levels of urates, inorganic phosphates, chlorides, and hs troponin I levels. DII was connected with oxidative DNA damage, while BMI and basal metabolic rate (BMR) were associated with a decrease in cell proliferation and DNA damage creation. Measured daily BMR and calculated daily energy intake from the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) demonstrated no significant difference (1792.80 vs. 1869.86 kcal day
mean values). Groups with higher DNA damage than expected (tail intensity in comet assay >9% and >12.4%, micronucleus frequency >13), consumed daily, weekly, and monthly more often some type of food groups, but differences did not show a clear influence on the elevated DNA damage levels. Combination of all three DNA damage assays demonstrated that some type of damage can start earlier in the obese individual lifespan, such as nuclear buds and nucleoplasmic bridges, then comes decrease in cell proliferation and then elevated micronucleus frequencies, and that primary DNA damage is not maybe crucial in the overweight, but in severely obese. Biochemically changed parameters pointed out that obesity can have an impact on changes in blood cell counts and division and also on genomic instability. Assays were able to demonstrate groups of sensitive individuals that should be further monitored for genomic instability and cancer prevention, especially when obesity is already connected with comorbidities, 13 different cancers, and a higher mortality risk with 7-10 disease-free years loss. In the future, both DNA damage and biochemical parameters should be combined with anthropometric ones for further obese monitoring, better insight into biological changes in the severely obese, and a more individual approach in therapy and treatment. Patients should also get a proper education about the foodstuff with pro- and anti-inflammatory effect.
Beverage consumption among school-aged children Rumbak, Ivana; Brečić, Ružica; Colić Barić, Irena ...
Croatian journal of food science and technology,
06/2024, Volume:
16, Issue:
1
Journal Article, Paper
Peer reviewed
Open access
Low fluid intake and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages are among the risk behaviours in children that promote the development of non-communicable diseases. The aim of this study was to ...determine the beverage consumption of school-aged children and its contribution to daily energy and added sugars intake. Dietary intake was observed from dietary records, on three non-consecutive days, of 195 primary school children (52% boys; median 8.8 years) from the city of Zagreb. Total fluid intake included fluid from foods and beverages and was compared with Dietary Reference Values for the EU. The average daily fluid intake of children was 1168 mL (859 – 1563), of which 59.6% was from beverages. Only 14.4% of children reached the reference value for total daily fluid intake. Of the beverages, water (34.7%) contributes the most to daily fluid intake, followed by soft drinks (6.3%) and milk (6.1%). Milk and soft drinks contribute the most to the daily energy intake from beverages. Added sugars account for about 7.7% (5.5% – 10.4%) of children’s daily energy intake. Beverage consumption contributes to 26.5% of daily intake of added sugars, mainly soft drinks. In conclusion, children do not consume enough fluids, especially water. Although food is the main source of energy and added sugars in children’s diets, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of soft drinks.
Background
Since the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption on health are well known due to the synergy of their nutrients and non-nutrients, it is crucial to have good tools to ...assess the FV intake. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is an adequate method to estimate FV consumption, but it is necessary to relate this dietary method to the geographic and cultural environment. Therefore, this study presented the development of a semi-quantitative FFQ to estimate the FV intake in school-aged children who usually consume cooked homemade and school meals. It also aimed to evaluate the relative validity and reproducibility of the FFQ.
Methods
School-aged children (baseline age 8 years) from 14 primary schools in the city of Zagreb participated in the study during the 2019/2020 school year. Parents/caregivers, together with the children, completed the FFQs and 3-day dietary records (3DDRs). The FFQ was designed to assess the consumption of eight food categories. The FFQ was validated using the 3DDR of 141 children (51.4% of boys), whereas the reproducibility test included the FFQ of 161 children (53.4% of boys).
Results
Of the eight food categories, FFQ overestimates the consumption of three and underestimates the consumption of three food categories (
p
< 0.05; Wilcoxon signed rank test) compared to the 3DDR. De-attenuated correlation coefficients estimated a significant relationship (0.217–0.384) between the FFQ and 3DDR. Cross-classification analysis revealed that overall, 28–41% of children were classified in the same quartile, whereas less than 10% of children were extremely misclassified for all food categories obtained from 3DDR and FFQ1. κ
w
values showed fair agreement for all food categories. The Bland–Altman analysis results showed a relatively small bias for all food categories (median between -11.7 and -54.8 g), with no systematic patterns between the FFQ and 3DDR. No differences were found between food categories estimated with the FFQs on both occasions, and Spearman’s correlation coefficients ranged from 0.664 to 0.712 (
p
< 0.01). Cronbach’s alpha values (α > 0.700) indicate good internal consistency, and ICCs (range 0.724–0.826;
p
< 0.01) indicate good reproducibility of the FFQ.
Conclusion
The results indicate reasonable relative validity and acceptable reproducibility of the FFQ for estimating FV consumption among school-aged children.
In countries around the world, a dietary shift is observed in which the consumption of highly processed foods increases over unprocessed or minimally processed foods. The objective of this study was ...to observe the proportion of processed foods in the diet of school-aged children and to assess how this relates to sex, weight status and school meal consumption. The aim was to assess the impact of processed foods on overall diet quality in terms of ultra-processed foods contribution to total daily energy intake. Dietary intake was observed from dietary records for three non-consecutive days of 168 children (50.6% boys) aged 8.3 ± 0.5 years. All foods and beverages were classified into four groups according to NOVA food classification system. The contribution of each NOVA food group to total daily energy intake was calculated and the mean nutrient intake of children divided into terciles according to total daily energy intake from ultra-processed foods was compared. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to standard protocols, while sex and age z-scores were obtained using AnthroPlus software. Results show that unprocessed or minimally processed foods (38.1% kcal) and ultra-processed foods (38.1% kcal) had the highest proportion of dietary intake. There was no difference in NOVA food groups intake by sex or weight status, while number of school meals may contribute to the intake of processed culinary ingredients. Children who had higher energy intake from ultra-processed foods had lower intake of animal proteins (p=0.009), polyunsaturated fatty acids (p=0.014), vitamin A (p=0.027) and most minerals, but higher intake of carbohydrates (p=0.014) and copper (p=0.014) compared to children with lower energy intake from ultra-processed foods. In conclusion, school-aged children had equal share of energy from unprocessed or minimally processed foods and from ultra-processed foods. Higher share of energy from ultra-process foods may contribute to poor overall nutrition.
To analyze how different thermal processing methods affect the protein, calcium, and phosphorus content of hospital food served to dialysis patients and to generate recommendations for preparing ...menus that optimize nutritional content while minimizing the risk of hyperphosphatemia.
Standard Official Methods of Analysis (AOAC) methods were used to determine dry matter, protein, calcium, and phosphorus content in potatoes, fresh and frozen carrots, frozen green beans, chicken, beef and pork, frozen hake, pasta, and rice. These levels were determined both before and after boiling in water, steaming, stewing in oil or water, or roasting.
Most of the thermal processing methods did not significantly reduce protein content. Boiling increased calcium content in all foodstuffs because of calcium absorption from the hard water. In contrast, stewing in oil containing a small amount of water decreased the calcium content of vegetables by 8% to 35% and of chicken meat by 12% to 40% on a dry weight basis. Some types of thermal processing significantly reduced the phosphorus content of the various foodstuffs, with levels decreasing by 27% to 43% for fresh and frozen vegetables, 10% to 49% for meat, 7% for pasta, and 22.8% for rice on a dry weight basis. On the basis of these results, we modified the thermal processing methods used to prepare a standard hospital menu for dialysis patients. Foodstuffs prepared according to the optimized menu were similar in protein content, higher in calcium, and significantly lower in phosphorus than foodstuffs prepared according to the standard menu.
Boiling in water and stewing in oil containing some water significantly reduced phosphorus content without affecting protein content. Soaking meat in cold water for 1 h before thermal processing reduced phosphorus content even more. These results may help optimize the design of menus for dialysis patients.
