Adolescent Voices and Perspectives on Food and Nutrition: Feasibility of an Innovative Participatory Methodology

Abstract Objectives Adolescence presents a window of opportunity for establishing lifelong dietary habits that support nutritional well-being today and for future generations. The aim of this study was to explore an innovative highly participatory qualitative methodology to capture adolescents’ food and nutrition perspectives and lived experiences. Adolescence presents a window of opportunity for establishing lifelong dietary habits that support nutritional well-being today and for future generations. The aim of this study was to explore an innovative highly participatory qualitative methodology to capture adolescents’ food and nutrition perspectives and lived experiences. Methods Adolescents’ experiences of food and nutrition were collected through a distributed data gathering approach, based on a process in which participants completed creative participatory workshop-based qualitative activities that explored the participants’ lived experiences. This methodology allowed for adaptation and administration of the study across 18 countries. The workshop manual included diverse participatory activities to collect food and nutrition information on dietary intake, body image, influences on food choices, food environments, barriers to healthy eating, and solutions voiced by adolescents. All workshop data were digitised and uploaded to a secure online repository for analysis by researchers. Qualitative thematic coding and quantitative dietary analyses based on the NOVA classification system were used for analysis. After each workshop, facilitators completed a short open-ended questionnaire to provide feedback on workshop activities. Results Thirty-seven workshops were successfully completed with 656 adolescents across 18 countries and 5 world regions. Workshops included a diverse sample of adolescents, together with highly vulnerable groups such as displaced refugees in Sudan. The application of a distributed data gathering methodology was found to effectively engage adolescents in openly discussing their own food and nutrition experiences. Conclusions The highly innovative distribute data methodological approach allowed adolescent to express their food and nutrition needs and wants, which is key for better understanding of diverse perspectives and experiences to improving policies and programs. Funding Sources UNICEF.

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COVID 19 lock-down measures on Zimbabwean populace

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal ◽

10.14738/assrj.77.8728 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (7) ◽

pp. 797-814

Author(s):

Olivia Gumbo

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Data Gathering ◽

Safety Net ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Short Message ◽

School Students ◽

The Government ◽

To Come ◽

The Impact

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on Zimbabwean populace. The objectives of the paper were to understand the influence of lockdown measures on people living in Zimbabwe. The use of virtual qualitative methodology was utilised. The data gathering methods that were used are phone short message services, WhatsApp, telephone conversations with participants, virtual meetings with key informants and informal talks with some participants on shopping queues. The results of the study are that COVID-19 lockdown measures had negative impact on livelihoods of citizens, brought uncertainties on youths’ future, confusion to school students and erosion of social movements. The paper concludes that COVID-19 lock down measures impacted the general public negatively more than the disease itself. It is recommended that the Zimbabwean government considers the impact of lock down restrictions on the most affected groups such as women, youths and children. The government should cushion the vulnerable groups with safety net allowances and consult them when developing strategies that can help them to come out of the shocks they are currently experiencing.

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Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9010087 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 87

Author(s):

María Dolores Ruiz-Fernández ◽

Rocío Ortiz-Amo ◽

Elena Andina-Díaz ◽

Isabel María Fernández-Medina ◽

José Manuel Hernández-Padilla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Workers ◽

Social Services ◽

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Community Setting ◽

Well Being ◽

The Elderly ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Social Interventions ◽

Vulnerable Individual ◽

Training And Support

Social workers in the community setting are in constant contact with the suffering experienced by the most vulnerable individual. Social interventions are complex and affect social workers’ emotional well-being. The aim of this study was to identify the emotions, feelings, and experiences social workers have while attending to individuals in situations of vulnerability and hardship. A qualitative methodology based on hermeneutic phenomenology was used. Six interviews and two focus group sessions were conducted with social workers from the community social services and health services of the Andalusian Public Health System in the province of Almería (Spain). Atlas.ti 8.0 software was used for discourse analysis. The professionals highlighted the vulnerability of certain groups, such as the elderly and minors, people with serious mental problems, and people with scarce or no economic resources. Daily contact with situations of suffering generates a variety of feelings and emotions (anger, sadness, fear, concern). Therefore, more attention should be paid to working with the emotions of social workers who are exposed to tense and threatening situations. Peer support, talking, and discussions of experiences are pointed out as relevant by all social workers. Receiving training and support (in formal settings) in order to learn how to deal with vulnerable groups could be positive for their work and their professional and personal quality of life.

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Beyond GDP: The Quest for a Measure of Social Welfare. Part I

Voprosy Ekonomiki ◽

10.32609/0042-8736-2012-2-67-93 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 67-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. Fleurbaey

Keyword(s):

Economic Theory ◽

Social Welfare ◽

Well Being ◽

National Product ◽

Future Generations ◽

Modern Economic ◽

Aggregate Wealth ◽

Net National Product ◽

Sustainability Policy ◽

Beyond Gdp

The first part of the paper is devoted to the monetary indicators of social welfare. It is shown which methods of quantitative estimating the aggregate wealth and well-being are available in the modern economic theory apart from the traditional GDP measure. The limitations of the methods are also discussed. The author shows which measures of welfare are adequate in the dynamic context: he considers the problems of intertemporal welfare analysis using the Net National Product (NNP) for the sustainability policy and in the context of concern for well-being of the future generations.

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Eating NAFTA

10.1525/california/9780520291805.001.0001 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Alyshia Gálvez

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Chronic Disease ◽

Low Income ◽

Food System ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Trade Agreement ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Crisis ◽

The North ◽

The World

In the two decades since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect, Mexico has seen an epidemic of diet-related illness. While globalization has been associated with an increase in chronic disease around the world, in Mexico, the speed and scope of the rise has been called a public health emergency. The shift in Mexican foodways is happening at a moment when the country’s ancestral cuisine is now more popular and appreciated around the world than ever. What does it mean for their health and well-being when many Mexicans eat fewer tortillas and more instant noodles, while global elites demand tacos made with handmade corn tortillas? This book examines the transformation of the Mexican food system since NAFTA and how it has made it harder for people to eat as they once did. The book contextualizes NAFTA within Mexico’s approach to economic development since the Revolution, noticing the role envisioned for rural and low-income people in the path to modernization. Examination of anti-poverty and public health policies in Mexico reveal how it has become easier for people to consume processed foods and beverages, even when to do so can be harmful to health. The book critiques Mexico’s strategy for addressing the public health crisis generated by rising rates of chronic disease for blaming the dietary habits of those whose lives have been upended by the economic and political shifts of NAFTA.

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A descriptive study of the prevalence of psychological distress and mental disorders in the Canadian population: comparison between low-income and non-low-income populations

Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada ◽

10.24095/hpcdp.30.3.03 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 148-149 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Caron ◽

A. Liu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Abuse ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Low Income ◽

Well Being ◽

Descriptive Study ◽

Canadian Community Health Survey ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

High Psychological Distress

Objective This descriptive study compares rates of high psychological distress and mental disorders between low-income and non-low-income populations in Canada. Methods Data were collected through the Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health and Well-being (CCHS 1.2), which surveyed 36 984 Canadians aged 15 or over; 17.9% (n = 6620) was classified within the low-income population using the Low Income Measure. The K-10 was used to measure psychological distress and the CIDI for assessing mental disorders. Results One out of 5 Canadians reported high psychological distress, and 1 out of 10 reported at least one of the five mental disorders surveyed or substance abuse. Women, single, separated or divorced respondents, non-immigrants and Aboriginal Canadians were more likely to report suffering from psychological distress or from mental disorders and substance abuse. Rates of reported psychological distress and of mental disorders and substance abuse were much higher in low-income populations, and these differences were statistically consistent in most of the sociodemographic strata. Conclusion This study helps determine the vulnerable groups in mental health for which prevention and promotion programs could be designed.

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Konsep dan Praktik Pelestarian Lingkungan dalam Hukum Islam

10.31219/osf.io/twvxp ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Evra Willya ◽

Sabil Mokodenseho ◽

Muh. Idris ◽

Nasruddin Yusuf

Keyword(s):

Social Movements ◽

Islamic Law ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Generations ◽

Social Activities ◽

Environment Pollution ◽

Human Relations ◽

Basic Principles ◽

Human Actions ◽

The Earth

In the Al Qur’an, Allah SWT describes the damages and destructions caused by human actions on land and sea. Therefore, humans are obliged to maintain and preserve their environment for future generations. This obligation aims at protecting their interests, due to the various beneficial sources of life attributed to humans existence on earth. In order to maintain the balance and harmony of human relations with nature, and to realize order and social well-being, Islamic Law upholds some basic principles of social activities, to guarantee an orderly, balanced, and harmonious life for the development and social movements life in a stable and orderly manner. Subsequently, environment pollution and damage to the earth are eradicated, thereby, restoring balance and harmony.

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Configurations to Superior Environmental Innovation Strategy: A Both–And Approach

Organization & Environment ◽

10.1177/10860266211031623 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108602662110316

Author(s):

Tiziana Russo-Spena ◽

Nadia Di Paola ◽

Aidan O’Driscoll

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Value Chain ◽

Critical Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Point Of View ◽

Future Generations ◽

Innovation Strategy ◽

Environmental Innovation ◽

Data Set

An effective climate change action involves the critical role that companies must play in assuring the long-term human and social well-being of future generations. In our study, we offer a more holistic, inclusive, both–and approach to the challenge of environmental innovation (EI) that uses a novel methodology to identify relevant configurations for firms engaging in a superior EI strategy. A conceptual framework is proposed that identifies six sets of driving characteristics of EI and two sets of beneficial outcomes, all inherently tensional. Our analysis utilizes a complementary rather than an oppositional point of view. A data set of 65 companies in the ICT value chain is analyzed via fuzzy-set comparative analysis (fsQCA) and a post-QCA procedure. The results reveal that achieving a superior EI strategy is possible in several scenarios. Specifically, after close examination, two main configuration groups emerge, referred to as technological environmental innovators and organizational environmental innovators.

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Have Lifestyle Habits and Psychological Well-Being Changed among Adolescents and Medical Students Due to COVID-19 Lockdown in Croatia?

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13010097 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 97

Author(s):

Ružica Dragun ◽

Nikolina Nika Veček ◽

Mario Marendić ◽

Ajka Pribisalić ◽

Gabrijela Đivić ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Well Being ◽

Lifestyle Medicine ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Mobile Phone Use ◽

Beneficial Effects

Objective: To investigate dietary habits, sleep and psychological well-being of adolescents and medical students during COVID-19 lockdown in Split, Croatia. Methods: We surveyed 1326 students during 2018 and 2019, and compared their responses with 531 students enrolled in May 2020. Perceived stress, quality of life (QoL), happiness, anxiety, and optimism were assessed as proxies of psychological well-being, using general linear modelling. Results: We found no substantial differences in dietary pattern between pre-lockdown and lockdown periods, including the overall Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence. However, the MD pattern changed, showing increased adherence to the MD pyramid for fruit, legumes, fish, and sweets, while cereals, nuts, and dairy intake decreased during COVID-19 lockdown. A third of students reported weight loss during lockdown, 19% reported weight gain, while physical activity remained rather stable. The most prominent change was feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep, reported by 31.5% of students during lockdown vs. 8.5% before; median length of sleep duration increased by 1.5 h. Lockdown significantly affected QoL, happiness, optimism (all p < 0.001), and perceived stress in students (p = 0.005). MD adherence was positively correlated with QoL and study time, and negatively with TV and mobile phone use in pre-lockdown period (all p < 0.001). Interestingly, higher MD adherence was correlated with less perceived hardship and greater happiness and QoL during lockdown. Conclusion: These insights provide valuable information for tailored interventions aimed at maintaining healthy lifestyle in young population. Given the numerous beneficial effects associated with MD adherence, modification of lifestyle through application of lifestyle medicine deserves a priority approach.

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Multispecies sustainability

Global Sustainability ◽

10.1017/sus.2020.28 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Author(s):

Christoph D. D. Rupprecht ◽

Joost Vervoort ◽

Chris Berthelsen ◽

Astrid Mangnus ◽

Natalie Osborne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Well Being ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Future Generations ◽

Resource Sustainability ◽

Sustainability Concept

Non-technical summary The sustainability concept seeks to balance how present and future generations of humans meet their needs. But because nature is viewed only as a resource, sustainability fails to recognize that humans and other living beings depend on each other for their well-being. We therefore argue that true sustainability can only be achieved if the interdependent needs of all species of current and future generations are met, and propose calling this ‘multispecies sustainability’. We explore the concept through visualizations and scenarios, then consider how it might be applied through case studies involving bees and healthy green spaces.

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Emergency Remote Education, Family Support and the Digital Divide in the Context of the COVID-19 Lockdown

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157956 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7956

Author(s):

María José Sosa Díaz

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Data Gathering ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Research Problem ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Physical Distance ◽

Teaching Methodology ◽

Urban Context ◽

Remote Education ◽

Educational Challenges

To contain the COVID-19 pandemic, governments all over the world implemented strong lockdown measures to a large part of the population, including the closing of educational centres. Teachers were urged to transform their teaching methodology, moving from a face-to-face model to an emergency remote education (ERE) model, characterised by the use of technologies to continue with lectures and maintain the physical distance with the students. The aim of the present study was to analyse the existence of socio-digital inequalities and the educational challenges posed by the development of an ERE model, hence, contributing to the literature by proposing a systematic and holistic approach on this phenomenon. Based on the characteristics of the research problem and the objectives set, a qualitative methodology was applied. On the one hand, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 136 active teachers as the main data gathering technique. On the other hand, grounded theory was key in interpreting the results, with the aim of generating the theory in a systematic and holistic manner. It can be asserted that ERE was very useful during the lockdown of schools, and its potential to transform education was demonstrated. However, it was also shown that the development of an ERE model can cause socio-digital inequalities among students, due to the lack of access to digital devices and Internet connection, mainly due to factors, such as the socio-educational level of the family and the rural or urban context of the centre.

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