Search Results (75)

As veganism becomes more popular, the number of vegan pregnant women and children is steadily increasing. During vegan pregnancy and early childhood, there is a high risk for nutrient deficiencies that may impair child development. External factors, such as healthcare advice, social networks, and social environments, that affect the diet of vegan pregnant women, parents, and their children, as well as their approach towards dietary supplementation, have not yet been investigated. Various sources of information, combined with a lack of expertise, sparse food and nutritional health literacy, and qualitatively heterogeneous information provision by medical experts, unsettle vegan pregnant women and parents and affect their dietary choices and potentially the health of their children. The VedieS study aims to investigate potential connections between external influences and associated impacts on a vegan diet and the intake of dietary supplements (DS) of pregnant women and children. Two surveys are being conducted within the study: one targeting 1000 vegan pregnant women and parents, and another targeting 60 experts in each of five healthcare groups: gynecologists, pediatricians, general practitioners, pharmacists, and dietitians. This study is the first to examine how socio-economic, social, and further informational factors influence dietary practices during vegan pregnancy and childhood. It highlights the need for reliable, expert-led guidance, as current information sources are often inconsistent and may put these vulnerable groups at risk. Full article

Adequate and diverse diets are essential for children’s physical and cognitive development, yet food insecurity and malnutrition continue to threaten this fundamental right, which remains a pressing concern in many resource-poor settings. This study investigated food and nutrition security in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in Makhanda, South Africa, through a community-based participatory research approach. Using a mixed-methods approach combining questionnaire interviews, focus group discussions, direct observations, and community asset mapping across eight ECD centres enrolling 307 children aged 0–5 years, the study engaged ECD facilitators and analysed dietary practices across these centres. Results indicated that financial constraints severely affect the quality and diversity of food provided at the centres, thus undermining the ability to provide nutritionally adequate meals. The average amount spent on food per child per month at the centres was R90 ± R25 (South African Rand). Although three meals were generally offered daily, cost-driven dietary substitutions with cheaper, less diverse alternatives, often at the expense of nutritional value, were common. Despite guidance from Department of Health dieticians, financial limitations contributed to suboptimal feeding practices, with diets dominated by grains and starchy foods, with limited access to and rare consumption of protein-rich foods, dairy, and vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables. ECD facilitators noted insufficient parental contributions and low engagement in supporting centre operations and child nutrition provision, indicating a gap in awareness and limited nutrition knowledge regarding optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. The findings emphasise the need for sustainable, multi-level and community-led interventions, including food gardening, creating ECD centre food banks, parental nutrition education programmes, and enhanced financial literacy among ECD facilitators. Strengthening local food systems and establishing collaborative partnerships with communities and policymakers are essential to improve the nutritional environment in ECD settings. Similarly, enhanced government support mechanisms and policy-level reforms are critical to ensure that children in resource-poor areas receive adequate nutrition. Future research should focus on scalable, locally anchored models for sustainable child nutrition interventions that are contextually grounded, community-driven, and should strengthen the resilience of ECD centres in South Africa. Full article

Current policy attention to the ‘public plate’ includes a focus on food in hospitals. Recommendations for much-needed improvements include the provision of opportunities for patients to engage in ‘social dining’, which has been shown to have a range of benefits for health and well-being. However, there has been no synthesis of the literature on the topic to date. This scoping review sets out to identify and examine different types of evidence on social dining in the hospital context, factors shaping its implementation and impact, and knowledge gaps. Following comprehensive searches of two databases and a thorough screening process, 38 papers were included in the review. The outcomes and impacts of social dining were measured in a variety of ways across the studies. Social dining in hospitals can impact dietary intake and nutritional outcomes and have implications for patient well-being. These effects are moderated by a range of factors, including the age and needs of the patient group, eating environment, and presence of staff and visitors. Future research needs to focus on children and their families, an under-researched patient group that may be especially likely to benefit from the opportunity to eat with others in the hospital. Full article

There is growing evidence that public hospitals in high-income countries—in particular, Anglo-Saxon neoliberal countries (USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia)—have been engaging with food retailers to attract private capital and maximise their incomes in a drive to reduce costs. Added to which, public hospital food can have a substantial influence on the health of children and young people. However, there is still relatively little research on food for young people in healthcare settings. This is concerning, as an appropriate food intake is vital not only for the prevention of and recovery from diseases, but also for the physical growth and psychological development of young people. This critical narrative review examined the available evidence on hospital food provision, practices, and environments, as well as children’s experiences of hospitalization in high-income countries, drawing on both peer-reviewed articles and the grey literature. Our analytical lens for this review was the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDOH), a framework that necessitates a critical examination of commercial influences on individual, institutional, and policy practices relevant to health. Our findings illustrate the mechanisms through which the CDOH act as a barrier to healthy food and eating for children in hospitals in high-income countries. Firstly, hospital food environments can be characterised as obesogenic. Secondly, there is a lack of culturally inclusive and appropriate foods on offer in healthcare settings and an abundance of processed and convenience foods. Lastly, individualised eating is fostered in healthcare settings at the expense of commensal eating behaviours that tend to be associated with healthier eating. Public hospitals are increasingly facing commercial pressures. It is extremely important to resist these pressures and to protect patients, especially children and adolescents, from the marketing and selling of foods that have been proven to be addictive and harmful. Full article

Although breastfeeding provides health benefits to both mother and child, this study aimed to explore whether disparities in breastfeeding continue to exist, particularly among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) mothers and children. We performed a cross-sectional analysis among 19,830 children in the United States (US) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2020. Breastfeeding initiation and duration rates increased overall from 1999 to 2020. Children who were ever breastfed were more likely to have higher body weight, older mothers, mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy, a higher family poverty–income ratio (PIR), food security, mothers in excellent health, and mothers who had not seen a mental health professional in the past year. NHB children were breastfed at significantly lower rates and for shorter duration than non-Hispanic White (NHW), Mexican, Other Hispanic, and Other/Multi-Racial children. NHB children were breastfed less than other racial groups, including minority Mexican children with similar average PIR, suggesting a possible unique experience for NHB mothers and children. Strategies include impacting social norms and offering culturally tailored breastfeeding supports. The provision of structural supports to remove barriers to breastfeeding is a social justice issue. Breastfeeding confers health benefits to mother and child, and disparities exist among mothers and children, particularly among NHB mothers and children. The current study provides data on the most recent breastfeeding trends, showing that these disparities by race/ethnicity are present. Interestingly, even among Mexican participants of a similar PIR, NHB children were still breastfed less. Full article

Background/Objectives: Children spend the most time in school, which can be a friendly environment that encourages students to eat healthy foods, so school is a good place to learn and practice these behaviors. In Palau, public schools offer free lunches to students. Based on the constructs of Social Cognitive Theory, we conducted a pilot study to evaluate the effects of a school nutrition education program (NE) and the provision of more fruits and vegetables (FV) in school lunches on elementary school students’ nutrition knowledge, as well as their attitudes and behaviors regarding fruit and vegetable consumption. Methods: A public elementary school participated in our trial from February to May 2017. While all students (ages 5–12) at the school were provided with free meals through the National School Meal program, only students in grades 4–8 were invited to participate in a four-month nutrition education program and taste-testing activities, during which more fresh fruits and vegetables were incorporated into the school lunches. Participants filled out questionnaires before and after the trial. Results: Our results showed that students in grades 4–8 (n = 92) had improved scores in all nutrition knowledge items after completing the nutrition education course compared to before the course. Among these, the food category, food servings, and total scores showed statistically significant differences. The scores for attitudes and behaviors regarding FVs intake showed an increasing trend after the completion of the course. Further, the age-based analysis revealed that fifth-grade students showed the greatest improvement in their nutrition knowledge scores, with an increase of 38.5%. However, after adjusting for gender, the significance was no longer observed. Regarding attitude and behavior scores toward fruit and vegetable consumption, fourth-grade students showed the greatest improvement, with increases of 10.9% and 6.3%, respectively. Additionally, we tracked the total amount of FVs consumed by the school annually, noting a consistent rise from 1853 pounds in 2017 to 6580 pounds in 2021, a 3.5-fold increase. Conclusions: This pilot study showed that school nutrition education and providing more fresh fruits and vegetables (FVs) can significantly improve children’s nutrition knowledge, while there was only a slight upward trend in attitudes and behaviors toward FV consumption. However, regularly offering nutrition education courses combined with providing more fruits and vegetables in school lunches could effectively increase children’s consumption of these healthy foods. Full article

Food from home can increase feelings of belonging and act as a source of comfort for people who move to another country and their children. Nevertheless, people who move elsewhere often start taking over dietary elements of the host culture, a dynamic process referred to as food acculturation. This paper argues that this process is not only related to identity negotiations and emotional connections, but that food choices are also shaped by everyday practical realities. Using a social practice theory-inspired approach, focusing on the elements of material, competence, and meaning, this study investigates the food provisioning practices of eighteen people with a migration background through semi-structured interviews. The study’s findings show that procuring typical ingredients from one’s home country is relatively easy in the study area of Almere, the Netherlands. Cooking skills, however, are more difficult to maintain and transfer to the next generation. Finally, the meaning of eating foods from home lies in connecting these foods to celebrations and get-togethers. In regular day-to-day meals, respondents often opt for more convenient dishes, either from their root cuisine or from Dutch or other food cultures. The paper concludes that respondents’ eating patterns balance cultural traditions with practical constraints of modern life, as people navigate their food routines while making practical choices that align with their daily routines and social environments. Municipalities, social services, and community initiatives could direct more attention to celebrating the culinary heritage that connects people from diverse migration backgrounds by organizing exchanges and get-togethers and fostering culturally appropriate food environments. Full article

Background: The average fibre consumption of 4–10-year-old children in the UK is 14.6 g per day, with only 14% of these children reaching the 20 g recommended by the SACN (UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition), and this ‘fibre gap’ may be most pronounced in communities with the lowest socioeconomic status. School breakfast clubs target children from disadvantaged communities, but their provision may favour lower-fibre foods, due to perceptions that children will reject higher-fibre foods. Our research programme aims to increase the fibre density, digestive-metabolic quality and acceptability of school breakfast provision. Methods: In Study 1, we examined the in vitro digestion of four novel bread products, to determine the relationship between fibre content and glucose release profile, and assess their suitability for sustaining school activity. In Study 2, we introduced the Prograins breads, alongside higher-fibre breakfast cereals and fresh fruit, to primary school breakfast clubs. Results: The Prograins bread products yielded lower peaks and more sustained glucose release curves than the ‘standard’ white bread control. Many children liked and chose the intervention foods, and the average fibre content of children’s breakfasts increased. Conclusions: We conclude from this study that nutritious, fibre-rich bread products can be acceptable to children and that higher-fibre breakfast provision is feasible, and we recommend larger-scale intervention and assessment to validate these real-world findings. Full article

Public procurement of food is crucial for ensuring proper nutrition and the provision of high-quality products in public institutions like schools and kindergartens. It should be seen as an investment in health promotion, particularly for young children. Notably, when no quality criteria are specified, the cheapest and often lowest-quality products are typically selected. This study analyzed 1126 public procurement orders processed by schools and kindergartens in Poland between November 2022 and March 2023, with a focus on cereal products and their derivatives. Of these orders, 197 met the inclusion criteria, yielding a total of 5084 cereal products for detailed analysis. The study assessed the quantities ordered and the quality characteristics specified in the procurement documents. The results revealed that the most commonly described criteria pertained to product composition, especially typical characteristics and the absence of additives. Sensorial characteristics such as consistency and color were also frequently specified, while sustainable public procurement criteria were mentioned the least, indicating their marginal importance in current procurement practices. This underscores the critical importance of establishing minimum standards for describing cereal products in terms of sensorial characteristics, composition, and sustainability. Such standards are essential for improving the quality of grain products supplied to public institutions and ensuring that these institutions actively contribute to promoting healthy eating habits among children. Full article

School lunch plays an important role in children’s healthy growth. Previous investigations revealed many problems with school lunches, including unreasonable dietary structure and insufficient micronutrients. This study aimed to assess the dietary structure and nutritional quality of lunches in Nanjing primary and middle schools. A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 44 schools that supply lunch in 12 districts in Nanjing, with two primary and two middle schools in each district. Twenty-four primary and twenty middle schools were selected. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to explore the influencing factors. Findings revealed a serious shortage of milk and fruit in school lunches; supply of eggs, fish, shrimp, and shellfish was less than half of the recommended quantity; livestock and poultry supply exceeded the recommended level by over four times. Energy and nutrition intake were suboptimal. Provision of energy, carbohydrates, vitamins (A, B1, B2, and C), calcium, and iron in urban primary schools was significantly higher than that in non-urban primary schools. The same pattern of significantly higher nutrients was equally seen in urban middle schools compared with non-urban middle schools, indicating that food supply was affected by regional economies. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the quality of lunches, with a particular focus on those in non-urban areas. Full article

Obesity is a global health problem and is increasing in prevalence in most countries. Although obesity affects all age groups, children are the most vulnerable sector. Functional foods are novel formulated foods containing substances (i.e., nutrients, phytochemicals, probiotics, etc.) that have potential health-enhancing or disease-preventing value. The research objective was to study the possible beneficial effects of providing a functional food made with amaranth flour, chia seed, and curcumin extract on the metabolism and behavior of a rat model of childhood obesity. Male Wistar rat pups from two litters of different sizes, a normal litter (NL) (10 pups) and a small litter (SL) (4 pups), were used. After weaning, the rats were fed a hypercaloric diet (HD) or an HD supplemented with the functional food mixture. Body weight and energy intake were measured for seven weeks, and locomotor activity, learning, and memory tests were also performed. At the end of the experiment, glucose and lipid metabolism parameters were determined. The results showed that in this model of obesity produced by early overfeeding and the consumption of a hypercaloric diet, anxiety-like behaviors and metabolic alterations occurred in the rat offspring; however, the provision of the functional food failed to reduce or prevent these alterations, and an exacerbation was even observed in some metabolic indicators. Interestingly, in the NL rats, the provision of the functional food produced some of the expected improvements in health, such as significant decreases in body weight gain and liver cholesterol and non-significant decreases in adipose tissue and leptin and insulin serum levels. Full article

In this article, we aim to describe how the Operational Programme for the Support of Disadvantaged People (POAD), part of the European Fund for the Most Disadvantaged People (FEAD), has contributed to reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Romania. We highlight the role of the auxiliary measures that accompanied the food support programme, as well as the added-value element of the implementation of the programme in Romania, emphasising the introduction of electronic social vouchers for hot meals for the eligible target group and electronic social vouchers to provide educational support for disadvantaged children. The research methodology used considered combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods, combining multiple data sources to reflect the perspectives of all stakeholders and relating quantitative data to representative samples using a participatory approach. Macro-level data on risk-of-poverty and social exclusion indicators, as well as information from sectoral analyses (social transfers), show an improvement in the situation of people in the POAD target group and a decrease in the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion. However, progress is limited, and it is difficult to determine the degree to which this is due to the POAD. Romania still ranks lowest in the European Union in terms of indicators measuring the risk of poverty and social exclusion. The provision and monitoring of accompanying programmes are an area where the potential of POAD could be further exploited. The need to strengthen the accompanying measures is extraordinarily strong and emerges from the analysis of information provided by final beneficiaries and public authorities responsible for the implementation of the programme. The distribution of social vouchers enables final beneficiaries to choose the goods they need. Purchases with social vouchers are less affected by the risks of financial corrections, final beneficiaries can monitor the consumption of the support received in real time, the number of supporting documents is reduced, and reimbursement is issued only for the amounts used by final beneficiaries. Full article

In the developed world, pediatric obesity (PO) has been a major health concern since the last century, and this condition may lead to detrimental life-long physical and mental comorbidities. Currently, its prevalence has increased in low- and middle-income countries and in many high-income countries. Thus, the provision of effective and tailored care for children and their families has become vital. The social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are known everywhere, and among these, it has been argued that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on PO. Overall, the growth of PO over the last decade has been enhanced by the pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children, adolescents and young adults gained weight as the pediatric population dealt with sedentary lifestyles and changes in food habits. In this review, we want to highlight the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on PO. Full article

Many post-secondary institutions have implemented anti-poverty programs to address students’ basic needs insecurities. This study examined the provision of 17 types of basic needs programs at Texas Hispanic-serving institutions over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim to identify changes in the number and types of programs offered as well as factors that may influence the presence of specific types of basic needs programs on campus. While the average number of basic needs programs per institution varied little over time, the specific types of programs that were offered changed. Institution type as a 2-year or 4-year institution was associated with providing on-campus mental health services, on-campus physical health services, and after-school care for students’ children at pre-pandemic and anticipated post-pandemic time points and employing students and free food or meal vouchers at the pre-pandemic time point. The percentage of students receiving Pell Grants was associated with basic needs programs to assist students applying for public services and referrals to off-campus health services pre-pandemic and anticipated post-pandemic. The presence of an on-campus free food pantry was associated with the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants at the anticipated post-pandemic time point only. Over the course of the pandemic, there were changes to the types of basic needs programs offered. Some types of basic needs programs were associated with institutional and/or student characteristics. Given the continued presence of basic needs programs through the course of the pandemic and into the post-pandemic period, the use of these kinds of programs and services to support students, while influenced by external factors such as the pandemic, appears institutionally established as a way to facilitate going to college for students in need. Full article

The school environment, together with that of the family, shapes students’ eating behaviors, and is an important element of formal and informal nutrition education. The informal and practical dimensions can be realized through the food and meals offered/sold in school canteens, shops, and vending machines. As children and adolescents spend 6–10 h/day in schools and consume at least two meals there, the school food environment is important from a public health perspective. The aim of this study is to assess food and meal organization in primary schools in Poland. The study was conducted using individual in-depth interviews (IDIs) involving 24 school headmasters and 24 representatives of people employed in school canteens or catering companies involved in meal organization in schools. The nutritional food on offer at schools is important for shaping students’ food preferences and choices, consequently influencing the development, functioning, and health of this subpopulation. The school environment can be an ideal place for hands-on nutrition education. In addition to the knowledge provided, there must be a consistent message concerning the provision of nutrition information to students between the teachings of parents, teachers, and, indirectly, the food and meals available at school. Our qualitative study is confirmed by the results of quantitative research to better understand the organization of nutrition and the problems and needs of primary schools in this area. Full article