Search Results (10)

In recent decades, rates of childhood overweight and obesity have increased worldwide, surpassing those of adults. Understanding the factors influencing children’s food choices is essential to promote healthy eating habits. This study examined why school-aged children make healthy and unhealthy food choices and how parents’ eating habits influence their children’s choices. Children’s ability to rank 25 food pictures according to their healthfulness was assessed using a free sorting task (FST), while parents made a free list of healthy and unhealthy foods, and the cognitive salience index (CSI) was calculated. Children were grouped into two groups based on their responses: one mainly from Moquegua and the other from Puno. In general, children from Moquegua demonstrated a greater ability to identify healthy foods than those from Puno. The CSI provided information on healthy and unhealthy foods in each region. These findings underline the potential of selecting palatable and healthy foods to improve children’s diets in the short term and contribute to the development of healthier products in the food industry. In addition, studies in other regions of Peru are recommended to understand children’s perceptions better. Full article

Background/Objectives. Traditional dietary patterns are being abandoned in Mediterranean countries, especially among younger generations. This study aimed to investigate the potential lifestyle determinants that can increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet in children and adolescents. Methods. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of data from five Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, and Lebanon) within the context of the EU-funded project DELICIOUS (UnDErstanding consumer food choices & promotion of healthy and sustainable Mediterranean Diet and LIfestyle in Children and adolescents through behavIOUral change actionS). This study comprised information on 2011 children and adolescents aged 6–17 years old collected during 2023. The main background characteristics of both children and parents, including age, sex, education, and family situation, were collected. Children’s eating (i.e., breakfast, place of eating, etc.) and lifestyle habits (i.e., physical activity level, sleep, and screen time) were also investigated. The level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the KIDMED index. Logistic regression analyses were performed to test for likelihood of higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Results. Major determinants of higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet were younger age, higher physical activity level, adequate sleep duration, and, among dietary habits, having breakfast and eating with family members and at school. Parents’ younger age and higher education were also determinants of higher adherence. Multivariate adjusted analyses showed that an overall healthier lifestyle and parents’ education were the factors independently associated with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Conclusions. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet in children and adolescents living in the Mediterranean area is part of an overall healthy lifestyle possibly depending on parents’ cultural background. Full article

Background/Objectives: Improved global data allow for a new understanding of what impact the food we produce, eat and dispose of has on the environment, human health and Nature’s resources. The overall goal is to guide decision-makers and individuals by providing in-depth knowledge about the effects of their dietary preferences on human and environmental health. Methods: The method is to investigate ways to reduce environmental degradation and to secure healthy food supplies in an urbanizing world, and to quantify the options. Results: Reviewed articles show that by eating less meat-based food and more plant-based and soilless food, as well as reducing food waste and recycling urban-disposed nutrients as fertilizers, we could reduce agriculture’s land requirement by 50% to 70% while still securing a healthy food supply. Less land under cultivation and pasture would reduce global emissions to air and water to a similar extent, and allow Nature to reclaim freed areas in order to catch more carbon and rejuvenate biodiversity. Thus, we could avoid further environmental degradation such as the current clearing of new fields needed under a business-as-usual regime. Presently, some 17 million people die each year due to poor diets, which is more than double the 7 million deaths since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A return to more plant-based diets with unchanged intake of proteins but less calories, sugar, salt and fat combined with less red meat and ultra-processed food would reduce foremost non-communicable diseases by up to 20% and prolong life. The article suggests that the international focus has gradually turned to the food sector’s big contribution to climate change, biodiversity loss and harmful chemicals as well as to poor human health. It argues that this century’s rapid population growth and urbanization give urban residents a pivotal role in food’s impact on agricultural areas, which today cover half of the globe’s inhabitable areas. Their food demand, rather than the activities of farmers, fishermen or loggers, will guide remedial measures to be taken by individuals, industry and the public sector. A tool to calculate the potential environmental footprints of individual or societal measures is presented. Conclusions: Measures to make the agrifood sector more sustainable are still pending full recognition in international fora such as the UN COP Summits. Smart cities fitted with infrastructures to recycle macro- and micro-nutrients and organic matter have the potential to ameliorate human-induced impacts such as emissions to air and water bodies, crossing planetary boundaries, and polluting extraction of N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium). Rapid results are within reach since dietary change and the turn-around time of nutrients in food is short compared to decades or centuries for recycled materials in cars or buildings. Full article

Background: Eating habits established during the preschool stage may last a lifetime, underlining the importance of choosing and purchasing healthy foods for proper nutrition. Aim: To assess the associations between place of food purchase and dietary intake and quality in Spanish preschool children. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was carried out within the framework of the SEguimiento del Niño para un Desarrollo Óptimo (SENDO) project. Data were collected using (1) the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), from which dietary nutrient intake and diet quality (NOVA System classification and KIDMED index) were analysed, and (2) the baseline food habits questionnaire, which asked about the food purchase outlet. Data were analysed by logistic regression, considering the intra-group correlation between siblings and using the type of food purchase outlet as a grouping variable. Results: Children from families shopping in hypermarkets consumed fewer nutrients, less minimally processed foods, as well as less fruit and vegetables than children from families shopping in specialised shops. Conclusions: Food shopping in specialised outlets can improve the quality of children’s diets, promoting healthier habits such as greater adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and increasing the consumption of minimally processed foods. This has a positive impact on children’s long-term health. Full article

This paper responds to the research question, “can urban farming in Nepal help create sustainable cities?” Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, urban residents have begun to realize that food transported from long distances is not always reliable. Urban farming can help produce fresh food locally and help urban residents become self-reliant by engaging in healthy eating habits and practicing sustainable agricultural techniques in food-desert areas, while creating a positive impact on the environment through regenerative agricultural methods. In doing so, urban farms can help the growers save on food expenditures and even earn some additional income, while also improving air quality and minimizing the effects of urban heat islands. This practice also helps reduce greenhouse gases through plant carbon use efficiency (CUE), as vegetation carbon dynamics (VCD) can be adjusted while supporting the circular economy. As urban lands command higher prices than agricultural land, urban farming usually happens on residential yards, roofs, balconies, community gardens, and dedicated areas in public parks. Rainwater harvesting and redirecting can help irrigate urban farms, which can be part of rain gardens. The national census of 2021 identified that 66% of Nepal’s population lives in urban areas. However, the World Bank (2018) showed that only 21 of Nepal’s population was projected to live in urban areas in 2021. It is not debatable that the urbanization process in Nepal is on the rise. Thus, urban agriculture can play an important role in supplementing residents’ food needs. Many cities in Nepal have already successfully adapted to urban farming wherein residents grow food on their building sites, balconies, and rooftop, often growing plants in pots, vases, and other types of containers. The UN-Habitat, with the support of the European Union and local agencies, published a rooftop farming training manual (2014), showing the feasibility of urban farming in Nepal. This paper discusses how public-private partnership (PPP) can promote urban agriculture and make the process more effective and attractive to urban-farming households. It also analyzes how a PPP approach also facilitates the use of better technology, advisory support, and use of research extension activities. This paper draws on a literature review, uses remote-sensing imagery data and data from National Census Nepal 2021, and the authors’ professional experiences related to best practices in the areas to analyze the benefits and challenges related to urban farming both in Nepal and Arizona, USA. The paper provides recommendations for Nepali cities to maximize the benefit provided by urban farming. It is expected to be useful to Nepali policymakers, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations which promote sustainability, and organic farming with a sustainable supply chain. Full article

As food choices are usually processed subconsciously, both situational and food environment cues influence choice. This study developed and tested a mobile app to investigate the association between physical and digital environments on snack choices. SnackTrack was designed and used to collect data on the snack choices of 188 users in real-life settings during an 8-week feasibility trial. The app asks users to take a photo of the food they are planning to consume and to provide additional information regarding the physical environment and context in which this food was eaten. The app also displayed various user interface designs (i.e., different background images) to investigate the potential effects of images on snack choice. Preliminary results suggest that the time of snack obtainment did not have a significant effect on the healthfulness of the snacks chosen. Conversely, it was found that unhealthy background images appeared to encourage healthier snack choices. In conclusion, despite consumers having the knowledge to make healthy choices, environmental cues can alter food choices. SnackTrack, a novel tool to investigate the influence of physical and digital environments on consumers’ food choices, provides possibilities for exploring what encourages (un)healthy eating behaviours. Full article

Background: Misreporting of energy intake (EI) in self-reported dietary assessment is inevitable, and even less is known about which food items are misreported by low-middle income adolescents. We evaluated the prevalence of misreporting of energy intake and its relationship with nutrients and food intake. Methods: We analyzed 24 h dietary recalls collected from 576 adolescents (52.08% boys) from southeastern Santiago. Anthropometrics measurements and information about sociodemographic characteristics were obtained during clinical visits. The method proposed by McCrory et al. was used to identify under-reporters (UnRs), over-reporters (OvRs), or plausible reporters (PRs). Food items were collapsed into 28 categories and every food item was expressed as a percentage of total EI. Logistic regression models were performed to investigate the factors associated with misreporting, and a two-part model was used to estimate the difference in the percentage of EI between UnRs versus PRs, and OvRs versus PRs in each food item. Results: Half of the participants were classified as UnRs and 9% were OvRs. UnR was higher among boys (62%) and adolescents with overweight and obesity (72%). OvR was higher among adolescents with normal weight. UnRs had a lower intake of energy from cookies/cake, chocolate/confectionery, and a higher intake of vegetables and eggs than PRs. OvRs had a higher intake of cookies/cake, chocolate/confectionery, and a lower intake of fruit, white milk, and yogurt than PRs. Conclusions: A high frequency of UnR among boys and participants with excess weight was found in this study. Healthy and unhealthy foods are reported differently between UnRs and OvRs of energy intake, indicating that bias is specific for some food items that adolescents commonly eat. Full article

There are many ways to regulate emotions. People use both adaptive (e.g., regulation by music) and maladaptive (e.g., regulation by food) strategies to do this. We hypothesized that participants with a high level of food-based regulatory strategies and a low level of music-based regulatory strategies (a group with the least adaptive form of emotion regulation) would have significantly greater levels of unhealthy eating behaviours, depression, anxiety and stress, as well as a significantly lower level of healthy eating behaviours than those with a low level of food-based regulatory strategies and a high level of music-based regulatory strategies (a group with the greatest adaptive form of emotion regulation). Participants (N = 410; M_age = 31.77, SD = 13.53) completed: the Brief Music in Mood Regulation Scale, the Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, the Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Behavior Scale, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and a socio-demographic survey. The four clusters were identified: (a) Cluster 1 (N = 148): low food-based regulatory strategies and high music-based regulatory strategies; (b) Cluster 2 (N = 42): high food-based regulatory strategies and high music-based regulatory strategies; (c) Cluster 3 (N = 70): high food-based regulatory strategies and low music-based regulatory strategies; (d) Cluster 4 (N = 150): low food-based regulatory strategies and low music-based regulatory strategies. Overall, our outcomes partially support our hypothesis, as higher levels of unhealthy eating behaviours, depression, anxiety and stress were observed in participants with high food-based and low music-based regulatory strategies as compared with adults with low food-based and high music-based regulatory strategies. To sum up, the results obtained indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic the group of people regulating their emotional state and unhealthy eating predominantly with food is potentially characterized by worse functioning than the group of people regulating with music. Therefore, it can be concluded that people who regulate their functioning using food should be included in preventive measures by specialists. During the visit, psychologists and primary care physicians can ask patients about their daily strategies and based on this information specialists can estimate the potential risk of developing high levels of stress and anxiety, depressive disorders and unhealthy eating habits and provide specific (match) intervention. Full article

Ecosystem services (ESs) are increasingly being used by many countries around the world as a framework for addressing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review article of the usability of Libyan soil databases for ESs and SDGs is the first of its kind for North Africa. The objectives of the article are to: describe the available soil resources of Libya in relation to an ES framework; provide examples of the usability of Libyan soil databases for ES applications (e.g., provisioning, Healthy Eating Plate), and describe some of the typical disservices in the country. Desertification, salinization, and limited freshwater resources are the largest challenges (disservices) for agriculture and future development in Libya. Seawater intrusion in coastal areas due to rising sea levels has resulted in high concentrations of salts in irrigation waters, which can lead to low soil productivity. These challenges can be addressed by integrating Libyan soil resources into a market that transforms resources into goods and services to meet human demand in a sustainable manner, with non-market institutions mediating the interactions between humans and the environment. If Libyan soil resources are taken into account by both market and non-market institutions, it will lead to more efficient use of soil resources and also should enable the implementation of innovative strategies, such as integrated farming systems, non-soil-based agricultural production (e.g., hydroponics), and alternative farming practices. Full article

Healthy environments support the wellbeing of children and the environment thus play a cardinal role in the future of Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Children are more vulnerable and at risk to environmental hazards than adults because they breathe, drink, and eat much more relative to body weight, resulting in greater exposures in the different environments in which children find themselves every day. We examine the role that children’s environmental health indicators (CEHI) can play for PICs to highlight priorities and we prioritise actions to improve children’s environmental health and thus achieve their ‘Healthy Islands’ vision. We conducted a systematic search of relevant documented and publicly available Pacific Island Country information on children’s environmental health indicators using the general Internet, as well as databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, relevant UN agencies, as well as regional databases. Information on CEHI was available—mainly in grey literature—but not specifically aimed at PICs. Likewise, similar observations were made for peer-reviewed literature. From this review, we compiled summaries and a framework to propose the requirements as well as provide a foundation for the development of CEHI for PICs. CEHI development for PICs should ideally be a multi-sectoral endeavour within each PIC as well as for the region. This can be achieved through public, private, and academic sector initiatives to draw in all sectors of government as well as the relevant UN agencies and regional PIC-representative organisations. Full article