P13 Associations between the life transitions of early adulthood and changes in fast food intake

Abstract Background Early adulthood is a period of rapid personal development when individuals experience major life transitions (e.g. leaving the parental home, leaving education, beginning employment, cohabitation and parenthood). Changes in social and physical environments associated with these transitions may influence development of health-related behaviours. Consumption of fast food is one behaviour associated with poor diet and long-term health outcomes. In this study we assess how frequency of fast food consumption changes across early adulthood, and how major life transitions are associated with changes in fast food intake. Methods Data were collected across four waves of the Project EAT study, from mean age 14.9 (SD = 1.6) to mean age 31.1 (SD = 1.6) years. Participants reporting data at two or more waves were included (n = 2902). Participants reported past week frequency of eating food from a fast food restaurant and responded to questions on living arrangements, education and employment participation, and having children. To assess changes in fast food we developed a latent growth model incorporating an underlying trajectory of fast food intake, five life transitions, and time-invariant covariates. Results Mean fast food intake followed an underlying quadratic trajectory, increasing through adolescence to a maximum of 1.88 (SE 0.94) times/week and then decreasing again through early adulthood to 0.76 (SE 2.06) times/week at wave 4. Beginning full-time employment and becoming a parent both contributed to increases in fast food intake, each resulting in an average increase in weekly fast food intake of 0.16 (p < 0.01) times/week. Analysis of changes between pairs of waves revealed stronger associations for these two transitions between waves 1–2 (mean age 14.9–19.4 years) than seen in later waves. Leaving the parental home and beginning cohabitation were associated with decreases in fast food intake of − 0.17 (p = 0.004) and − 0.16 (p = 0.007) times/week respectively, while leaving full-time education was not associated with any change. Conclusions The transitions of beginning full-time employment and becoming a parent were associated with increases in fast food intake. Public health policy or interventions designed to reduce fast food intake in young adults may benefit from particular focus on populations experiencing these transitions, to ameliorate their impact.

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45852 Parenting stress predicts fast food intake in an urban community sample of overweight parents of toddlers

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ◽

10.1017/cts.2021.494 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-2

Author(s):

Tara Bautista ◽

Nia Fogelman ◽

Schan Lartigue ◽

Wendy K. Silverman ◽

Ania M. Jastreboff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Intake ◽

Parenting Stress ◽

Fast Food ◽

Urban Community ◽

Community Sample

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Exploring the relationship between health literacy and fast food consumption: a population-based study from southern Iran

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10763-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Azam Namdar ◽

Mohammad Mehdi Naghizadeh ◽

Marziyeh Zamani ◽

Ali Montazeri

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Food Intake ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Fast Food ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Fars Province ◽

Southern Iran ◽

Fast Food Consumption

Abstract Background Health literacy (HL) may affect the consumption of fast food. We aimed to evaluate the effect of HL on fast food consumption among adult populations in Iran. Methods We evaluated HL and fast food consumption in 421 adult participants with age range of 18–65 years old in Fasa, Fars Province, southern Iran. Two-step cluster and systematic sampling was performed to recruit the study sample. Data were collected using a fast food consumption checklist, and the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) by face-to-face interviews. Population data across groups with and without fast food intake were compared. Results Most participants used fast food every few months (49.9%). People with low or unstable income consumed more fast food than others (P < 0.05). Sandwich and hotdog were the most consumed fast food (60.8%) followed by pizza (34.9%). Sausage and soda were the most seasoning food (66.7%). Most participants used fast food as dinner (67.9%) and with family (72.2%), suggesting the institutionalized consumption of this type of food in the family. Fun was the most frequent reason for the use of fast food (66.5%). Most participants completely knew about the raw materials for fast food and their adverse effects. Finally, we found that overall health literacy was lower among those who used fast food than those who did not. Consumed fast food (68.16 ± 23.85 vs. 73.15 ± 20.15; p = 0.021). This difference was also observed for some components of health literacy including reading skills, and decision-making subscales. Conclusions The findings suggest there is a negative relationship between general health literacy and fast food consumption indicating that who possess lower level of health literacy is likely to consume more fast food. Specifically, the findings suggest that reading skills, and decision-making (behavioral intention) are more associated with decreased or increased fast food intake.

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Prevalence and Determinants of High Blood Pressure among Adolescents: A School based Study in Rural Area of Hooghly District, West Bengal

International Journal of Research and Review ◽

10.52403/ijrr.20211127 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 205-210

Author(s):

Malay Kumar Das ◽

Rabindranath Sinha ◽

Aparajita Dasgupta

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Food Intake ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Body Mass ◽

High Blood Pressure ◽

Fast Food ◽

Non Communicable Diseases

Introduction: The World Health Organization has already warned of increasing non-communicable diseases among adolescents as a major public health problem. The importance of this age group also lies in the fact that many serious diseases in adulthood have their roots in adolescence. Method: A pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was used in class-room setting to collect information from students regarding presence of risk factors of non-communicable diseases. The respondents were also subjected to anthropometric measurements and blood pressure examination using standard operating procedures. Results: A total of 761 students of class VI-XII participated in the study of which 61.4% were boys and rests were girls. High blood pressure among boys and girls were 19.9% and 22.1% were respectively. In Bivariate analysis age > 15 years (median) (OR= 2.11), fast food intake (>3 times/week) (OR= 1.66), Alcohol consumption (OR= 2.22), less physical activity (OR=1.54), increased body mass index (OR=2.53), significantly associated with high blood pressure. In Multivariate analysis age (AOR= 2.25), fast food intake (AOR= 1.50), Alcohol consumption (OR= 2.23), less physical activity (AOR=1.71), increased body mass index (AOR=2.42) remains significant predictor. Conclusion: Detecting the risk factors of high blood pressure prevalent in the population is of utmost importance to achieve a healthy population. Formulation and dissemination of need--based, culturally acceptable and age appropriate scientific messages for school students should be conducted more proactively. Keywords: Adolescents, Blood pressure, Risk factor, Rural school.

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The Contribution of Food Consumption to Well-Being

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1159/000499147 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 74 (Suppl. 2) ◽

pp. 44-52 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mark D. Holder

Keyword(s):

Food Intake ◽

Positive Psychology ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Fast Food ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Personal Strengths ◽

The Relationship

The newly emerging field of positive psychology focuses on the positive facets of life, including happiness, life satisfaction, personal strengths, and flourishing. Research in this field has empirically identified many important benefits of enhanced well-being, including improvements in blood pressure, immune competence, longevity, career success, and satisfaction with personal relationships. Recognizing these benefits has motivated researchers to identify the correlates and causes of well-being to inform them in the development and testing of strategies and interventions to elevate well-being. As positive psychology researchers throughout the world have turned their attention toward facets of food intake, a consensus is developing that the consumption of healthy foods can enhance well-being in a dose-response fashion. The link between unhealthy foods and well-being is less clear. Some studies suggest that under certain conditions, fast food may increase happiness, though other studies demonstrate that fast food can indirectly undermine happiness. The positive impact of food consumption on well-being is not limited to what people consume but extends to how they consume it and social factors related to eating. Though the research suggests that our food intake, particularly fruits and vegetables, increases our well-being, this research is in its infancy. Research specifically focused on subpopulations, including infants and pregnant mothers, is mostly lacking, and the mechanisms that underlie the relationship between food consumption and well-being remain to be elucidated.

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Fast food intake of young adult consumers in Johannesburg, South Africa

South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1080/16070658.2010.11734324 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 115-116

Author(s):

Emw Maunder

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Young Adult ◽

Food Intake ◽

Fast Food

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Educational Attainment and Health Behaviors Among Young Adult Men: Racial/Ethnic Disparities

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988319894488 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 155798831989448

Author(s):

Jaewon Lee ◽

Jisuk Seon

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

African American ◽

Young Adult ◽

Food Intake ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Educational Attainment ◽

Fast Food ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

Adult Men ◽

Racial Ethnic

Although promoting health behaviors are important for sustaining physical and mental health, little is known about young adult men’s health behaviors or how they vary across race and ethnicity. This study examines the impact of educational attainment on health behaviors across young adult men, and differences in the association across race/ethnicity. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Children and Young Adults. The final sample consists of 3,115 non-Hispanic White males, 1,617 African American males, and 1,144 Hispanic males. The average age of the participants was about 27 years old. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Educational attainment was associated with both food intake and preventive health care visits. Those who received a higher education were less likely to eat fast food than those who did not (β = –.37, p < .001) and were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables (β = .77, OR = 2.15, p < .01; β = 6.44, OR = 1.91, p < .10). Higher education was also positively associated with routine eye exams and health check-ups (β = .50, OR = 1.64, p < .01); β = 1.84, OR = 6.29, p < .01). This study identified interaction effects between educational attainment and African Americans for predicting fast food intake (β = .57, p < .05). Education is one way to improve health behaviors and to lessen racial/ethnic disparities in health behaviors. Specifically, promoting health behaviors in education should target African American men to improve their perception toward the importance of healthy food intake.

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