Search Results (4)

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between meal frequency and obesity in Chinese adults aged 18 to 59 years. The data came from the 2015 Chinese Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance (CACDNS 2015) and provincial dietary environment data from the 2015 National Statistical Yearbook. A total of 34,206 adults aged 18 to 59 who took part in the diet survey were selected as the study participants. A two-level multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust for the socioeconomic and nutritional status of individuals. For parameter estimation, a numerical integral approach was used to analyze the relationship between meal frequency (including meals at home, the workplace or school dining halls, and eating away from home) and obesity. A two-level “provincial–individual” logistic multivariate regression analysis was performed with obesity as the dependent variable. The two-level multivariate analysis of variance model fitting results showed that after adjusting for the effects of gender, age, occupation, education, marital status, family per capita annual income, provincial gross domestic product (GDP), restaurant industry turnover, consumer price index of EAFH food, and energy intake, the frequency of eating at home was not associated with obesity (all p > 0.05); the frequency of eating at dining halls ≥1 to <2 times per day (OR = 0.784, p = 0.0122) showed a negative association with obesity; the frequency of eating away from home < 1 times per day and ≥1 to <2 times per day were positively correlated with obesity (<1 time per day: OR = 1.123, p = 0.0419; ≥1 to <2 times per day: OR = 1.249, p = 0.0022). The results of the two-level random-intercept logistic multivariate mixed-effects prediction model for obesity in adults aged 18 to 59 years showed that no statistical association was noticed between the frequency of eating at home and obesity in adults aged 18 to 59 years. However, adults who ate out < 1 time and ≥1 to <2 times a day showed higher risks of obesity than those who did not eat out, with OR = 1.131 (95% CI 1.012–1.264) and OR = 1.258 (95% CI 1.099–1.440), while adults who ate at school and workplace dining halls ≥1 to <2 times a day may have a reduced risk of obesity, with OR = 0.790 (95% CI 0.656–0.951). This result could not be found based on the definition of eating out in previous studies. Therefore, it is recommended to exclude nonprofit collective canteens such as school and workplace dining halls from the definition of eating away from home, and to redefine eating out in terms of health effects. At the same time, it is also recommended to strengthen collective nutritional interventions around canteens, improve the nutritious meal system in school and workplace canteens, and create healthy canteens. Full article

Eating congregate/community meals with friends promotes a balanced and healthy diet among older adults. It is helpful for postponing aging, preventing chronic diseases, and improving their quality of life. However, little research has examined the continuance intention for older adults with the congregate meal program in Taiwan. This study established a model for key factors of older adults’ continuance intention dining at senior meal halls, and hypotheses to explain them, and subsequently designed questionnaires and scales. By analyzing the longitudinal data collected from 416 individuals using survey questionnaires, we found that the perceived service quality is the main factor that affects the perceived satisfaction, and the perceived satisfaction of the older adults plays an important role in this survey. It showed that if the older adults are satisfied with the service quality provided by the senior meal halls, which will accordingly affect the post-use trust, they will show a positive continuance intention to participate in the senior meal halls. We also found that the older adults have positive views on the planning and service contents of the existing senior meal halls. Together, these results illustrate the process and provide comprehensive insights and evidence to create a better user experience and improve the satisfaction of the congregate meal for older adults. Full article

Background: Overweight/obesity affects one-third of UK 11–15-year olds. Individually focussed interventions alone have limited effectiveness. Food choice architecture approaches increase the visibility and convenience of foods to facilitate the choice of ‘healthier’ foods and reduce ‘unhealthy’ foods. This qualitative component of a School Food Architecture (SFA) study aimed to determine the perceptions of pupils and staff in relation to school food provision and their perceptions of the intervention. Methods: Pupil focus groups and staff one-to-one interviews. Topic guides were developed from literature and in consultation with a Young Person’s Advisory Group. Thematic analysis was applied. Results: Focus group (n = 4) themes included: dining hall practices, determinants of choice, and aspects of health. Interview themes (n = 8) included: catering practices, health awareness, education, and knowledge of intervention. Pupils liked to purchase hand-held, quick to purchase foods potentially limiting the access to fruits and vegetables. Pupils were aware of ‘healthier’ food choices but would choose other options if available. Conclusions: Schools provide a daily school meal for large numbers of pupils, with time and dining environment constraints. Pupils consume 35–40% of their daily energy intake at school, therefore interventions enabling healthier eating in school are essential, including making healthier choices readily available and accessible. Full article

The selection of foods made by athletes during competition can impact performance, yet to date, the quality of their food choices has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to describe the food selection of athletes in a buffet-style dining hall setting in terms of diet quality, food variety, and volume of food and compare to their self-rating of their meal, reasons for the choosing the food items, access to previous nutrition advice, and use of nutrition labelling. A total of 81 athletes (42 females, 39 males) from 24 sports across 58 countries at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (Qld, Australia) participated in this study. A digital photograph was taken of the athletes’ meal after selection from the buffet and prior to consumption. Each participant was asked a series of questions in relation to their food selection. The photographs were coded into recommended serves of food groups based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The nutritional analysis and photograph of a standard serve size were used to quantify the energy and nutrients for the meal. Most athletes chose adequate quantities of macronutrients, which agreed with their reasons for the food choice, but the majority did not include fruit (80.2%) or dairy (65.4%) in their food selection, while 54% of males included discretionary foods (0.25–7.0 serves). The median self-rating for food choice was 8/10. Most reasons for food choices were nutritional attributes, sensory factors, performance, usual eating practices and physiological factors (e.g., satiety, gut comfort). This suggests that athletes may need more education on the quality of food selected from buffet settings. Full article