Highlights ► The babies with and without cleft palate produced the alveolar–front, labial–central, and velar–back co-occurrence patterns as predicted by the Frame-Content theory. ► Numerous syllable ...co-occurrence patterns not predicted by the F-C theory emerged as strong patterns in both populations. ► Vowel inventories for the non-cleft group were similar to those seen in the cleft group.
Some fast food chains have introduced healthier options, however sales data for these menu items are not publicly available. This study aimed to observe healthy and unhealthy meal purchases in ...Australian fast food stores.
An observational study was conducted comparing the purchases of healthy and unhealthy meals at 20 McDonald's stores in a variety of socio-economic areas in New South Wales, Australia. Data collection occurred at lunch and dinner times over a two-week period that included both the school holidays and term time. Purchases of Heart Foundation Tick Approved (healthy), standard menu items (unhealthy) and take-away meals (healthfulness unobservable due to take-away bags) were recorded. Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Tests were used to assess differences in purchases.
There were 1,449 meal purchases observed, of which 1% were healthy, 65% were unhealthy and 34% were take-away. There were no statistically significant differences in the purchases of healthy meals by socioeconomic status area, weekdays compared to weekends, school term compared to school holidays, or at lunch compared to dinner time.
Although the provision of healthy fast food options is commendable, this research shows that only a minority of Australians are purchasing them.
This study aims to review the literature regarding the barriers to sampling, recruitment, participation, and retention of members of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in health research and ...strategies for increasing the amount of health research conducted with socially disadvantaged groups.
A systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted. Searches of electronic databases Medline, PsychInfo, EMBASE, Social Science Index via Web of Knowledge and CINHAL were conducted for English language articles published up to May 2013. Qualitative and quantitative studies as well as literature reviews were included. Articles were included if they reported attempts to increase disadvantaged group participation in research, or the barriers to research with disadvantaged groups. Groups of interest were those described as socially, culturally or financially disadvantaged compared to the majority of society. Eligible articles were categorised according to five phases of research: 1) sampling, 2) recruitment and gaining consent, 3) data collection and measurement, 4) intervention delivery and uptake, and 5) retention and attrition.
In total, 116 papers from 115 studies met inclusion criteria and 31 previous literature reviews were included. A comprehensive summation of the major barriers to working with various disadvantaged groups is provided, along with proposed strategies for addressing each of the identified types of barriers. Most studies of strategies to address the barriers were of a descriptive nature and only nine studies reported the results of randomised trials.
To tackle the challenges of research with socially disadvantaged groups, and increase their representation in health and medical research, researchers and research institutions need to acknowledge extended timeframes, plan for higher resourcing costs and operate via community partnerships.
Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate whether fruit and vegetables should be treated as separate groups in health promotion programmes by examining consumption levels, barriers, ...knowledge and the association between stage of change and potential predictors of fruit and vegetable intake. Design Computer-assisted telephone interview survey of the target population. Setting Hunter and New England regions of New South Wales, Australia. Subjects A total of 1403 parents and carers of primary-school-aged children. Results Consumption levels and knowledge of recommended intakes and serving size were greater for fruit than for vegetables. There were some differences in the main barriers to the consumption of fruit compared with those cited for vegetables. There was little congruence between the stages of change for fruit consumption and those for vegetable consumption. For fruit, knowledge of serving size and recommended intake, perceptions of adequate consumption, changes made to family intake and educational attainment were all correlated with stage of change categorisation. For vegetables, knowledge of recommended intake, perceptions of adequate consumption and changes made to family intake were correlated with stage of change categorisation. Conclusions Significant differences in consumption levels, barriers, knowledge and stages of readiness for change can be shown when fruit and vegetables are treated as separate groups. Health promotion planners may need to consider interventions that focus on improving vegetable consumption in preference to fruit consumption. Messages about the recommended number of servings and serving size must be simplified and this may be achieved by targeting messages towards vegetable consumption.
Aim: To determine parents' attitudes and awareness of food marketing to children.
Method: Computer‐assisted telephone interviews of a random sample of 400 parents of children aged 5–17 years and ...who were the main grocery buyers for that household, living in NSW, Australia. The main outcome measures included parental awareness and attitudes relating to food marketing to children, the perceived role of government versus industry in food marketing regulation and children's food purchasing requests as a result of exposure to food marketing.
Results: The majority of parents were concerned about food marketing to children, with the highest level of concern registered for the positioning of food at supermarket checkouts (83% of parents concerned). Parental awareness of certain non‐broadcast media food marketing (e.g. print, radio and premium offers) to children was low. The majority of parents (91%) did not trust the industry to protect children from food marketing. Most parents (81%) believed that the government should restrict the use of non‐broadcast media marketing of unhealthy food to children. Parents of younger children were more likely to report that their child asked for advertised food products, compared with parents of adolescents (65% and 48% respectively, P < 0.0001).
Conclusions: Reductions in point of sale food promotions would be welcomed by parents. Raising community awareness of the non‐broadcast media channels used to market food to children is important as part of building family and policy efforts to limit exposure to this otherwise relatively unregulated media environment.
Overweight and obesity in Australia is an emerging health concern. Obesity prevention initiatives must consider both physical activity and nutrition to be effective. Community sports venues have the ...capacity to promote healthy lifestyles through physical activity as well as healthy food choices.
A telephone survey was conducted on parents of children aged 5-17 years in NSW to determine the nature of food and beverages purchased by children at community sporting venues and to determine parent's perception of the role that government should play in regulating the types of food and beverages sold at these outlets.
The majority of canteens at children's sporting venues were considered to sell mostly unhealthy food and beverages (53%). Very few parents reported that canteens sold mostly healthy food and beverages. Parents reported that their child's most frequently purchased food and beverage items at outdoor sports fields were water, chocolate and confectionery, soft drink and sports drinks, and ice cream. At community swimming pools the most frequently purchased items were ice cream, followed by snack foods, including chips, cakes and biscuits. Most parents (63%) agreed that government should restrict the types of food and beverages that can be sold at children's sporting venues.
Children are receiving inconsistent health messages at sporting venues, with healthy lifestyles being promoted through sports participation, but unhealthy dietary choices being provided at sports canteens.
This study examined the relationship between presurgery speech measures and speech and language performance at 39 months as well as the relationship between early postsurgery speech measures and ...speech and language performance at 39 months of age. Fifteen children with cleft lip and palate participated in the study. Spontaneous speech samples were obtained in the children's homes at presurgery 9 months, postsurgery 13 months and again at 39 months of age. Correlational analyses revealed a lack of association between speech measures presurgery and early postsurgery and speech outcome measures at 39 months. Significant negative correlations were noted for true canonical babbling ratio presurgery and mean length of utterance (MLU) at 39 months, as well as for size of true consonant inventory presurgery, and both language outcome measures at 39 months (MLU and number of different words). Significant positive correlations were noted for percentage of true stops produced postsurgery and both language measures at 39 months. Variables that may have influenced speech and language development from presurgery to 39 months are discussed.
Highlights • There is greater public support for alcohol policies targeting labelling or marketing than availability or pricing/taxation. • Knowledge of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer is a ...highly significant predictor of support for all alcohol policies. • Current smokers are significantly less likely than non-smokers to support alcohol pricing/taxation or labelling policies.
Nutrition information at the point-of-sale assists consumers to make informed fast food choices. This study provides a baseline measure of the availability and accessibility of nutrition information ...in fast food outlets in Australia, filling a gap in the literature.
An in-store observational survey was conducted in 222 outlets of five fast food chains in five states. The Australian websites for each chain were surveyed for nutrition information.
At least some nutrition information was available in 66% of outlets. The availability of information was higher in lower socioeconomic areas. Significantly less information was available in signatory chains of the self-regulatory marketing code. Information provided was generally incomplete; only one outlet (0.5%) provided information for all food and beverage items. In some instances information was old. Information was more available for 'healthier' products and less available for meal combinations. Information was provided on all chains' websites, however it was sometimes difficult to locate.
While most outlets surveyed made some nutrition information available to consumers, it was generally incomplete. Fast food chains should provide comprehensive, up-to-date information for all menu items. Chains should also ensure their staff members are adequately trained in providing nutrition information.
Objective
To replicate and to extend a previous study examining the conversational skills of children with cleft lip and palate.
Participants
Thirty-four children (33 to 44 months) participated: 17 ...children with cleft lip and palate and 17 noncleft children.
Methods
The children were observed during an interaction with caregivers in their homes. Samples of caregiver-child interactions were coded as assertive or responsive, for type of conversational act, and for discourse level categories. Profiles of conversational activity were determined for each child based on the coding. Correlations were performed to examine the relationship between assertiveness and speech variables (articulation and resonance) for the children with cleft lip and palate.
Results
Group comparisons revealed that the children with cleft lip and palate produced fewer assertive utterances, were less likely to respond adequately to comments by caregivers, and produced more topic maintaining and fewer topic extending utterances than did their noncleft peers during conversational interactions. Examination of individual child data indicated that 35% of the children with cleft lip and palate exhibited conversational profiles characterized by either low assertiveness or low responsiveness. Finally, a significant positive correlation was noted between conversational assertiveness and speech production skills.
Conclusion
These findings suggested that the children with cleft lip and palate were less conversationally assertive than their noncleft peers. Further, there appeared to be a relationship between speech production skills and conversational skills, suggesting that poor speech may be impacting language performance for these children.
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