scholarly journals A Change of Scenery: Does Exposure to Images of Nature Affect Delay Discounting and Food Desirability?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Clarke ◽  
Suzanne Higgs ◽  
Clare E. Holley ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Lucile Marty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Delay Discounting ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Natural Scenes ◽  
Urban Scenes ◽  
Urban Image ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Desire To Eat ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Energy Dense Food

Previous research suggests that exposure to nature may reduce delay discounting (the tendency to discount larger future gains in favor of smaller immediate rewards) and thereby facilitate healthier dietary intake. This pre-registered study examined the impact of online exposure to images of natural scenes on delay discounting and food preferences. It was predicted that exposure to images of natural scenes (vs. images of urban scenes) would be associated with: (i) lower delay discounting; (ii) higher desirability for fruits and vegetables (and lower desirability for more energy-dense foods); and (iii) delay discounting would mediate the effect of nature-image exposure on food desirability. Adult participants (N = 109) were recruited to an online between-subjects experiment in which they viewed a timed sequence of six images either showing natural landscape scenes or urban scenes. They then completed measures of mood, delay discounting (using a five-trial hypothetical monetary discounting task) and rated their momentary desire to eat four fruits and vegetables (F&V), and four energy-dense foods. There was no statistically significant effect of experimental condition (natural vs. urban image exposure) on delay discounting or food desirability. Bayes factors supported the null hypothesis for discounting (BF01 = 4.89), and energy-dense food desirability (BF01 = 7.21), but provided no strong evidence for either hypothesis for F&V desirability (BF01 = 0.78). These findings indicate that brief online exposure to images of nature does not affect momentary impulsivity or energy-dense food preference, whereas for preference for less-energy dense foods, the evidence was inconclusive.

scholarly journals A change of scenery: Does exposure to images of nature affect delay discounting and food desirability?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Clarke ◽  
Suzanne Higgs ◽  
Clare Holley ◽  
Andrew Jones ◽  
Lucile Marty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Delay Discounting ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Natural Scenes ◽  
Urban Scenes ◽  
Urban Image ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
Desire To Eat ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Energy Dense Food

Previous research suggests that exposure to nature may reduce delay discounting (the tendency to discount larger future gains in favour of smaller immediate rewards) and thereby facilitate healthier dietary choices. This study examined the impact of online exposure to images of natural scenes on delay discounting and food preferences. It was predicted that exposure to images of natural scenes (vs. images of urban scenes) would be associated with (i) lower delay discounting; (ii) higher desirability for fruits and vegetables (and lower desirability for more energy-dense foods); and (iii) delay discounting would mediate the effect of nature-image exposure on food desirability. Adult participants (N = 109) were recruited to an online between-subjects experiment in which they viewed a timed sequence of six images either showing natural landscape scenes or urban scenes. They then completed measures of mood, delay discounting (using a 5-trial hypothetical monetary discounting task) and rated their momentary desire to eat four fruits and vegetables (F&V), and four energy-dense foods. There was no statistically significant effect of experimental condition (natural vs. urban image exposure) on delay discounting or food desirability. Bayes factors supported the null hypothesis for discounting (BF01 = 4.89), and energy-dense food desirability (BF01 = 7.21), but provided no strong evidence for either hypothesis for F&V desirability (BF01 = 0.78). These findings indicate that brief online exposure to images of nature does not affect momentary impulsivity or energy-dense food preference, whereas for preference for less-energy dense foods, the evidence was inconclusive.

scholarly journals How Individual Variations in the Perception of Basic Tastes and Astringency Relate with Dietary Intake and Preferences for Fruits and Vegetables

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1961
Author(s):  
Teresa Louro ◽  
Carla Simões ◽  
Paula Midori Castelo ◽  
Fernando Capela e Silva ◽  
Henrique Luis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Food Perception ◽  
Gustatory Function ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Individual Variations ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Oral food perception plays a major role in food acceptance, although the way it relates with food preferences and final choices in adults is still debatable. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between gustatory function, dietary habits and fruit and vegetable preferences. Methods: Recognition thresholds, suprathreshold and hedonics were accessed for sweet, bitter, sour, salty and astringency in 291 adult participants. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a questionnaire for assessment of preferences for individual fruit and vegetables were filled by the participants. Results: Three clusters were obtained: “most sensitive”, “less sensitive” and “less sensitive only for sour”. The less sensitive cluster showed lower preferences for fruit and vegetables and higher intake of sweets and fast foods, whereas higher preferences for sweet veggies were observed in the “most sensitive” cluster. Basic tastes and astringency hedonics did not associate with fruit and vegetable preferences, but the sensitivity for these oral sensations did. Conclusions: Taste and astringency sensitivities are related with the preference for fruit and vegetables, being also associated with some dietary habits. The effectiveness of the strategies to promote plant-based healthy food consumption may benefit from the knowledge of individuals’ gustatory function.

scholarly journals 498 School Gardens: Do They Affect Children's Food Preferences and Eating Behaviors?

HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 531B-531
Author(s):  
Sarah Lineberger ◽  
J.M. Zajicek
Keyword(s):  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
School Gardens ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Md Anderson ◽  
The Impact

Nutrition plays an important role in the life of a child because of the impact it has on growth, development, and the ability to learn. One part of proper nutrition is consumption of five fruits and vegetables a day. Currently, children eat an average of 2.5 fruits and vegetables a day, which is only half of the recommended servings. Education is needed to help increase consumption. School gardens are one education tool that can provide active hands-on activities in supportive environments. Through gardening, children learn not only what they should eat but also obtain a greater appreciation for how their food is grown. The main goals of this study were to provide teachers with a guide book for teaching nutrition through horticulture activities and school gardens and to test the effect of gardening on food preferences and eating behaviors of children. A curriculum guide, “Nutrition in the Garden”, was developed for teachers to use with their garden containing background information in horticulture and nutrition. Each lesson includes three to four related activities that can be completed with a garden or in the classroom. A pretest/posttest instrument developed by Tom Baranowski, Professor of Behavioral Science, Univ. of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was used to determine students' attitudes toward fruits and vegetables. A 24-hour recall food journal was used to determine eating behaviors. Results examine the effects of school gardens on nutritional attitudes and behaviors.

The impact of increased consumption of fruits and vegetables on cortisol and cortisone excretion in 24-h urine of children

2015 ◽  
Vol 122 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Esche ◽  
L Shi ◽  
A Sánchez-Guijo ◽  
MF Hartmann ◽  
S Wudy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals The Impact of a Produce Prescription Programme on Healthy Food Purchasing and Diabetes-Related Health Outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Julian Xie ◽  
Ashley Price ◽  
Neal Curran ◽  
Truls Østbye
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Diabetes Control ◽  
Food Purchasing ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Expenditure Share ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: To evaluate a Produce Prescription Programme’s utilisation, and its effects on healthy food purchasing and diabetes control among participants with type 2 diabetes. Design: Prospective cohort study using participants’ electronic health records (EHR) and food transaction data. Participants were categorized as “Frequent Spenders” and “Sometimes Spenders” based on utilisation frequency. Multivariate regressions assessed utilisation predictors; and programme effects on fruit/vegetable purchasing (spending, expenditure share, variety) and on diabetes-related outcomes (HbA1c, BMI, blood pressure). Setting: Patients enrolled by clinics in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Participants received $40 monthly for fruits and vegetables at a grocery store chain. Subjects: 699 food-insecure participants (353 with diabetes). Results: Being female and older was associated with higher programme utilisation; hospitalisations were negatively associated with programme utilisation. Frequent Spender status was associated with $8.77 more in fruit/vegetable spending (p < 0.001), 3.3% increase in expenditure share (p = 0.007), and variety increase of 2.52 fruits and vegetables (p < 0.001). For $10 of Produce Prescription Dollars spent, there was an $8.00 increase in fruit/vegetable spending (p < 0.001), 4.1% increase in expenditure share, and variety increase of 2.3 fruits/vegetables (p < 0.001). For the 353 participants with diabetes, there were no statistically significant relationships between programme utilisation and diabetes control. Conclusions: Programme utilisation was associated with healthier food purchasing, but the relatively short study period and modest intervention prevent making conclusions about health outcomes. Produce Prescription Programmes can increase healthy food purchasing among food-insecure people, which may improve chronic disease care.

scholarly journals Going “Green” in the Prevention and Management of Atherothrombotic Diseases: The Role of Dietary Polyphenols

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1490
Author(s):  
Ana Reis ◽  
Sara Rocha ◽  
Victor de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Cholesterol Biosynthesis ◽  
Dietary Polyphenols ◽  
Nutritional Strategy ◽  
Flavonoid Intake ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Socio Economic Impact ◽  
The Impact

During the 20th century processed and ready-to-eat foods became routinely consumed resulting in a sharp rise of fat, salt, and sugar intake in people’s diets. Currently, the global incidence of obesity, raised blood lipids, hypertension, and diabetes in an increasingly aged population contributes to the rise of atherothrombotic events and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mortality. Drug-based therapies are valuable strategies to tackle and help manage the socio-economic impact of atherothrombotic disorders though not without adverse side effects. The inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables rich in flavonoids to human diets, as recommended by WHO offers a valuable nutritional strategy, alternative to drug-based therapies, to be explored in the prevention and management of atherothrombotic diseases at early stages. Though polyphenols are mostly associated to color and taste in foods, food flavonoids are emerging as modulators of cholesterol biosynthesis, appetite and food intake, blood pressure, platelet function, clot formation, and anti-inflammatory signaling, supporting the health-promoting effects of polyphenol-rich diets in mitigating the impact of risk factors in atherothrombotic disorders and CVD events. Here we overview the current knowledge on the effect of polyphenols particularly of flavonoid intake on the atherothrombotic risk factors and discuss the caveats and challenges involved with current experimental cell-based designs.

scholarly journals Beavers, Bugs and Chemistry: A Mammalian Herbivore Changes Chemistry Composition and Arthropod Communities in Foundation Tree Species

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 877
Author(s):  
Rachel M. Durben ◽  
Faith M. Walker ◽  
Liza Holeski ◽  
Arthur R. Keith ◽  
Zsuzsi Kovacs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Castor Canadensis ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Juvenile Growth ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Riparian Ecosystems ◽  
Arthropod Communities ◽  
The Impact

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis Kuhl) and cottonwoods (Populus spp.) are foundation species, the interactions of which define a much larger community and affect a threatened riparian habitat type. Few studies have tested the effect of these interactions on plant chemistry and a diverse arthropod community. We experimentally examined the impact of beaver foraging on riparian communities by first investigating beaver food preferences for one cottonwood species, Fremont cottonwood (P. fremontii S. Watson), compared to other locally available woody species. We next examined the impact of beaver foraging on twig chemistry and arthropod communities in paired samples of felled and unfelled cottonwood species in northern Arizona (P. fremontii) and southwestern Colorado (narrowleaf cottonwood, P. angustifolia James, and Eastern cottonwood, P. deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall). Four major patterns emerged: (1) In a cafeteria experiment, beavers chose P. fremontii six times more often than other woody native and exotic species. (2) With two cottonwood species, we found that the nitrogen and salicortin concentrations were up to 45% greater and lignin concentration 14% lower in the juvenile resprout growth of felled trees than the juvenile growth on unfelled trees (six of seven analyses were significant for P. fremontii and four of six were significant for P. angustifolia). (3) With two cottonwood species, arthropod community composition on juvenile branches differed significantly between felled and unfelled trees, with up to 38% greater species richness, 114% greater relative abundance and 1282% greater species diversity on felled trees (six of seven analyses with P. fremontii and four of six analyses with P. angustifolia were significant). The above findings indicate that the highest arthropod diversity is achieved in the heterogenous stands of mixed felled and unfelled trees than in stands of cottonwoods, where beavers are not present. These results also indicate that beaver herbivory changes the chemical composition in 10 out of 13 chemical traits in the juvenile growth of two of the three cottonwood species to potentially allow better defense against future beaver herbivory. (4) With P. deltoides, only one of five analyses in chemistry was significant, and none of the four arthropod community analyses were significant, suggesting that this species and its arthropod community responds differently to beaver. Potential reasons for these differences are unknown. Overall, our findings suggest that in addition to their impact on riparian vegetation, other mammals, birds, and aquatic organisms, beavers also may define the arthropod communities of two of three foundation tree species in these riparian ecosystems.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Informal Caregivers’ Health Behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 959-959
Author(s):  
Mary Greaney ◽  
Zachary Kunicki ◽  
Megan Drohan ◽  
Steven Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Sedentary Time ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Unpaid Care ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The population of older adults aged 65+ in the US is projected to increase from 15% to 21% in the next 30 years. Aging in place provides cost-savings and familiarity to the older adult, but often requires informal caregivers. Informal caregivers, individuals who provide unpaid care of assistance to family members and friends may have been uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-at-home orders. Research is needed to examine how the pandemic impacted caregivers’ caregiving responsibilities and health behaviors (e.g., physical activity, sedentary time, fruit and vegetable intake, snacking, etc.) as this information will be invaluable to determine if health promotion interventions are needed for informal caregivers. Self-reported data were gathered from informal caregivers providing care to someone aged 50+ (n=835) through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Respondents reported their current and pre-pandemic health behaviors and demographics. Chi-square tests were used to examine bivariate associations between pandemic time (pre vs. post) and each examined behavior. The analysis identified some positive health behavior changes due to the pandemic: caregivers felt since the pandemic they ate more fruits and vegetables (p &lt; .001), walked more, exercised more (p &lt; .001), increased amounts of sleep (p &lt; .001), and higher sleep quality (p &lt; .001). However, respondents also had more screen time (p &lt; .001) and sedentary time (p &lt; .001). Future planned analyses will focus on examining whether these changes were consistent across all sociodemographic subgroups of caregivers and whether they persist after the pandemic recedes.

scholarly journals Criteria for HydroSOS Quality Index. Application to Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Processed Table Olives

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Sánchez-Bravo ◽  
Jacinta Collado-González ◽  
Mireia Corell ◽  
Luis Noguera-Artiaga ◽  
Alejandro Galindo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Olive Oil ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Table Olives ◽  
The Impact

Water, especially in arid and semiarid regions, is increasingly a disputed commodity among different productive sectors; the pressure for a more sustainable use of water in agriculture will grow. The main strategy to cope with water scarcity is the use of improved, innovative, and precise deficit irrigation management practices which are able to minimize the impact on fruit yield and quality. The aim of this paper was to develop a certification index or hydroSOS quality index for extra virgin olive oil and processed table olives. The hydrosSOS fruits and vegetables are those cultivated under regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). Different indicators in three quality areas ((i) fatty acids, (ii) phenolic compounds, and (iii) sensory attributes) were identified as showing characteristic or typical responses under RDI conditions. Marks or scores were assigned to each one of these indicators to calculate the proposed index. It can be concluded that an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or processed table olives are hydroSOStainable foods, if they meet 2 conditions: (i) fulfill the conditions established in the hydroSOS “irrigation” index, and (ii) fulfill the requirements of the hydroSOS “quality” index. HydroSOS quality index will be specific to each crop and variety and will depend on functional and sensory factors.

scholarly journals A six-week healthy eating intervention with family engagement improves food knowledge and preferences but not dietary diversity among urban preschool children in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Fathima Sirasa ◽  
Lana Mitchell ◽  
Aslan Azhar ◽  
Anoma Chandrasekara ◽  
Neil Harris
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Family Engagement ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention (MCI) on children’s dietary diversity and its impact pathway components of children’s food knowledge and healthy food preferences. Design: A six-week cluster randomised controlled trial with a MCI consisting of child nutrition education plus family engagement, through parental nutrition education, meal preparation and tasting was compared with two groups: single component intervention (SCI) of child nutrition education, and control, conducted during February to July 2018. Preschool centres were randomly assigned to one of the three arms. Children’s food knowledge, healthy food preferences and dietary diversity scores were collected. Intervention effects were analysed using a pre-post analysis and a difference-in-difference model. Setting: Fourteen preschool centres in an urban area of Kurunegala, Sri Lanka Participants: Child-parent dyads of children aged 4-6 years. Final analyses included 306 (for food knowledge and preferences) and 258 (for dietary diversity) dyads. Results: MCI significantly influenced the impact pathways to children’s dietary diversity by increasing children’s food knowledge and healthy food preferences scores by 3.76 and 2.79 (P<0.001) respectively, but not the dietary diversity score (P=0.603), compared to control arm. Relative to SCI, MCI significantly improved children’s food knowledge score by 1.10 (P<0.001), but no significant effects were noted for other outcome variables. Conclusion: Improved food knowledge and preferences require a positive food environment and time to develop into healthy eating behaviours. Research into dietary diversity should broaden to incorporate the contextual roles of the home and general food environments to more completely understand food choices of children.

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