scholarly journals Developing and implementing a new methodology to test the affordability of currently popular weight loss diet meal plans and healthy eating principles

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella L. Bracci ◽  
Rachel Milte ◽  
Jennifer B. Keogh ◽  
Karen J. Murphy

Abstract Background Weight loss diets continue to rise in popularity; however, the associated costs are seldom reported. Certain weight loss diets may be unaffordable and differ from their traditional nutrition composition to include non-conventional premium products. In contrast, healthy eating principles such as the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) place an emphasis on fresh produce and staple foods but are sometimes thought to be unaffordable. A new methodology was piloted to assess the cost of weight loss diets using seven meal plans. Methods Seven meal plans were analysed to quantify the absolute grams required of all ingredients across seven days and multiplied by the cost of the ingredient per gram to determine the total cost of each ingredient based on unit size and price. The weekly grocery shopping cost was determined through summation of all ingredients and their entire unit size to compare weekly costs. Results Weekly meal plans (absolute grams) cost between $93-193AUD. The AGHE meal plan was the least expensive and 8 Weeks to Wow was the most expensive. Weekly grocery shopping of entire units cost between $345-$625AUD, over $100AUD greater than the spending of an average Australian ($237AUD/week). Conclusions The financial feasibility for long-term sustainment of weight loss diets may be questionable for groups including low-income earners and low socioeconomic status. Further, when dietary patterns are adapted for weight loss, or followed by consumers, deviations from foundational principles tend to occur which may influence overall cost.

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dominguez ◽  
T. K. Schramm ◽  
M. L. Norgaard ◽  
S.Z. Abildstrøm ◽  
L. Kober ◽  
...  

Aims: Since 2001 guidelines recommend statin treatment in most patients with diabetes. We investigated secular changes in initiation and persistence to statin treatment during a 10-year period in a nationwide cohort of patients initiating glucose-lowering medication (GLM). Methods: All Danish citizens 30 years and older who claimed prescriptions of GLM between 1997 and 2006 were identified from nationwide registers of drug dispensing from pharmacies and hospitalizations, and followed until 2006. Statin treatment was registered if a prescription was claimed during the period. By logistic regression we analyzed factors related to initiation and persistence to statin treatment. Results: In total 128,106 patients were included. In 1997 only 7% of the patients receiving GLM claimed statins within the first year after GLM initiation. Despite increasing statin prescriptions the following years, only 62% were using statins at the end of follow up. The chance of ever receiving statins was lowest if not initiated within 180-days following the first purchase of GLM (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.74-0.76). A previous myocardial infarction was associated with increased statin treatment (OR 4.51; 95% CI 4.31 - 4.71), while low income was associated with lower use of statins (OR 0.68; 95%CI 0.66-0.72). Between 75-85 % of the patients who initiated statins treatment were persistent to treatment by 2007. Conclusions: In spite of increasing use of statins in diabetes patients over time, many patients remain untreated. Early initiation of statin treatment in diabetic patients and focus on patients with low socioeconomic status is needed to give long-term benefits.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2530
Author(s):  
Navika Gangrade ◽  
Janet Figueroa ◽  
Tashara M. Leak

Snacking contributes a significant portion of adolescents’ daily energy intake and is associated with poor overall diet and increased body mass index. Adolescents from low socioeconomic status (SES) households have poorer snacking behaviors than their higher-SES counterparts. However, it is unclear if the types of food/beverages and nutrients consumed during snacking differ by SES among adolescents. Therefore, this study examines SES disparities in the aforementioned snacking characteristics by analyzing the data of 7132 adolescents (12–19 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2018. Results reveal that adolescents from low-income households (poverty-to-income ratio (PIR) ≤ 1.3) have lower odds of consuming the food/beverage categories “Milk and Dairy” (aOR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58-0.95; p = 0.007) and “Fruits” (aOR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.50–0.78; p = 0.001) as snacks and higher odds of consuming “Beverages” (aOR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.19-1.76; p = 0.001) compared to those from high-income households (PIR > 3.5). Additionally, adolescents from low- and middle-income (PIR > 1.3–3.5) households consume more added sugar (7.98 and 7.78 g vs. 6.66 g; p = 0.012, p = 0.026) and less fiber (0.78 and 0.77 g vs. 0.84 g; p = 0.044, p = 0.019) from snacks compared to their high-income counterparts. Future research is necessary to understand factors that influence snacking among adolescents, and interventions are needed, especially for adolescents from low-SES communities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisheeth Srivastava ◽  
Narayanan Srinivasan

AbstractWe suggest that steep intertemporal discounting in individuals of low socioeconomic status (SES) may arise as a rational metacognitive adaptation to experiencing planning and control failures in long-term plans. Low SES individuals' plans fail more frequently because they operate close to budgetary boundaries, in turn because they consistently operate with limited budgets of money, status, trust, or other forms of social utility.


2021 ◽  
pp. 238008442110356
Author(s):  
D.J. Gaskin ◽  
H. Zare ◽  
R. McCleary ◽  
O. Kanwar ◽  
A.L. Davis

Objective: To identify predictors of unmet dental needs for adults 18 y of age or older in the United States. Method: Using the Aday and Andersen framework and data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), we ran logistic regression to estimate predictors for adults of not having a dental visit within 5 y and having lost any teeth using a national sample of 155,060 survey respondents. Results: Results showed that predisposing factors (age, race/ethnicity, gender, and educational attainment) and enabling factors (income and health insurance status) are important predictors for losing teeth due to decay or gum disease. Men, the elderly, and less educated and low-income residents were less likely to have seen a dentist within the past 5 y and more likely to have lost their permanent teeth. Compared to non-Hispanic White adults, Hispanics adults were more likely to have had a dental visit within the past 5 y. Unmet dental needs varied across states. People living in states with extensive Medicaid dental care benefit coverage were less likely to lose their teeth and more likely to have had a dental visit within the past 5 y. Conclusion: Efforts to improve oral health should address unmet dental needs of men and adults with low socioeconomic status. Studying the variation between state oral health care programs could further our understanding of how public policy can improve population oral health. Knowledge Transfer Statement: Men, non-Hispanic Blacks, mixed and other race minorities, and low socioeconomic status adults are most at risk of unmet dental needs. States can address these needs by expanding Medicaid coverage for adults.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leticia Elizondo-Montemayor ◽  
Diana Moreno-Sànchez ◽  
Norma G. Gutierrez ◽  
Fabiola Monsivais-Rodriguez ◽  
Ubaldo Martinez ◽  
...  

Hispanic children and those from low-socioeconomic status are predisposed to unhealthy eating habits and obesity.Aim. to implement an individualized, face-to-face, parent supported, and school-partnership dietetic intervention to promote healthy eating habits and decrease body mass index. Prospective school year dietetic intervention of 101 obese, Hispanic, low-socioeconomic school-age children representative of Monterrey, Mexico, consisted of anthropometrics, dietetic assessment, energy-restriction tailor-made daily menus, and parental education every three weeks. Student’st-test was used for means comparison. A significant decrease was found in body mass index percentile(96.43±3.32to93.42±8.12/P=0.00)and energy intake/day of −755.7 kcal/day(P=0.00). Among other energy dense foods with significant decline in servings/day and servings/week were processed meats(3.13 ± 1.43to2.19 ± 1.04/P=0.00and5.60 ± 1.75to4.37 ± 2.10/P=0.00, resp.), saturated fat(1.47 ± 1.08to0.78 ± 0.79/P=0.00and2.19±2.18to1.1±1.36/P=0.00), sweetened beverages(2.79±1.99to1.42±1.21and6.21±1.72to3.89±2.80/P=0.00), and desserts and refined-grain bakery(1.99±1.54to1.32±1.59and2.85 ± 2.54to1.57 ± 2.20/P=0.00). There was a significant increase in servings/day and servings/week of water(2.98 ± 2.02to4.91 ± 2.37and6.62 ± 2.03to6.87 ± 0.91/P=0.00, resp.) and nutrient dense foods such as fruits(1.31 ± 0.89to1.66 ± 0.96and3.34 ± 2.24to4.28 ± 2.43/P=0.00)and fish and poultry(3.76 ± 2.15to4.54 ± 2.25/P=0.00). This intervention created healthy eating habits and decreased body mass index in a high risk population. Trial registration number:NCT01925976.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 904-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Hutton ◽  
Li Lin ◽  
Rachel Gruber ◽  
Jennifer Berndsen ◽  
Thomas DeWitt ◽  
...  

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that shared reading commence as soon as possible after birth and screen-based media be discouraged for those less than 18 months old. Early routines can predict long-term use and health outcomes. This longitudinal study involved low-socioeconomic status mothers (n = 282) enrolled in home visiting. Surveys were administered prenatally and at 2 months old regarding shared reading and infant television viewing, and health literacy was screened prenatally. Planned age to initiate reading decreased from 2.8 to 1.8 months old, 80% reading by 2 months old, averaging 1 to 3 days per week, with “too busy” being the major barrier. Planned age for infant TV decreased from 13.2 to 4.3 months old, 68% viewing by 2 months old and more than half daily. TV was observed in 70% of infant sleep environments. Health literacy was correlated with perceived developmental benefits of shared reading (positively) and TV viewing (negatively), 43% of mothers scoring at risk for inadequate levels. A majority cited the prenatal period as opportune to discuss reading and TV.


2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly C. Bowman ◽  
Parissa Tabrizian ◽  
Dana A. Telem ◽  
Leon Boudourakis ◽  
Celia M. Divino

The purpose of this study was to assess for disparity within a cohort of patients presenting with complicated colorectal cancer. A retrospective study of 522 patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer at a tertiary care institution was performed. Complicated cancer was defined by perforating or obstructing colonic lesions. Statistical analysis was conducted by χ2 test and analysis of variance. Of the 522 patients, 72 patients (14%) presented with complicated colorectal cancer. Blacks in low-income brackets (36 vs 0%, P < 0.001) and those with public insurance (55 vs 16%, P < 0.05) had increased presentation with complicated colorectal cancers as compared with whites. Black (91%) and Hispanic women (86%), when compared with white women (37%) had increased incidence of complicated colorectal cancer ( P < 0.05). Patients in low-income brackets, regardless of race, had increased cancer recurrence rates (57 vs 8%, P < 0.001) compared with patients in average or high-income brackets. Mortality rate was 57 per cent in Hispanic, 29 per cent in white, and 27 per cent in black patients ( P = nonsignificant). Specific targeting of colorectal cancer screening, education, and follow-up programs is imperative for minority women and patients of low socioeconomic status.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-415
Author(s):  
Alexandra N. Davis ◽  
Cara Streit

The current study aimed to examine themes surrounding the moral identity of adolescents from two low-income communities in the United States using qualitative interviews. Based on previous conceptual models, the authors aimed to examine the co-occurrence of themes of morality, stressors, and family processes. Participants were adolescents from the Northeast and Midwest ( n = 38; mean age = 15.64; 73.7% female; 23.7% Black, 30.6% Latino, and 47.4% White). The results demonstrated that morality was a salient theme among adolescents. In addition, a subset of adolescents discussed stressors and family processes in conjunction with morality. The discussion will focus on the resiliency of youth living in low-income communities.


2007 ◽  
Vol 121 (10) ◽  
pp. 998-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
T V Chan ◽  
J H Spiegel

Rhinoscleroma is a chronic, infectious, granulomatous disease that may present with mass lesions in the respiratory tract anywhere from the nose to the trachea. The nose is involved in 95–100 per cent of cases. There are three stages of the disease: catarrhal-atrophic, granulomatous (also known as hypertrophic) and sclerotic. The diagnosis is made either by positive Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis culture or from the classic histological findings of Mikulicz cells and transformed plasma cells with Russell bodies. Rhinoscleroma is endemic to areas of Africa, South-East Asia, Mexico, Central and South America, and Central and Eastern Europe, and it has been associated with low socioeconomic status. In the past, rhinoscleroma was infrequent in the US population but, with current trends in migration, the incidence of rhinoscleroma may be on the rise. There is often a delay in diagnosis in non-endemic areas such as the US due to unfamiliarity with the disease, the stage-dependent clinical and histological manifestations of disease, and the fact that only 50–60 per cent of cultures are positive for K rhinoscleromatis. Such late diagnosis leads to increased morbidity in the form of nasal and airway obstruction and nasal deformity from erosive processes. Rhinoscleroma is difficult to cure and prone to recur. Currently, the recommended treatment consists of a combination of surgical debridement and long-term antibiotic therapy. We present a case report of a culture-positive diagnosis of rhinoscleroma, and we review the existing literature.


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