Ontology-Based Nutritional Recommender System

Obesity is considered an epidemic that is continuously growing around the world. Heart diseases, diabetes, and bone and joint diseases are some of the diseases that people who are overweight or obese can develop. One of the vital causes of those disorders is poor nutrition education; there is no raising awareness about eating healthy food and practicing physical activities to burn off the excess energy. Therefore, it is necessary to use new technologies to build methods/tools that help people to overcome these avoidable nutrition disorders. For this reason, we implemented a recommendation engine capable of identifying the different levels of overweight and obesity in users and providing dietary strategies to mitigate them. To do so, we defined the Ontology of Dietary Recommendations (ODR) with axioms to model recipes, ingredients, and a set of diets to assist people who suffer from obesity. We validated the defined model by using a real set of individuals who were anonymized. A panel of advisors evaluated each individual record and suggested the most appropriate diets from those included in the ontology. Then, the proposed system was asked to also provide diet recommendations for each individual, which were compared with those proposed by the advisors (ground truth), reaching a mean accuracy of 87%.

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Assessment of a Nutrition Intervention on the Nutrition Knowledge, of Adolescent Soccer Academy Players (P16-044-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz050.p16-044-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Snehaa Ray ◽

Caitlyn D Mounce ◽

Joaquin Gonzalez-Rodenas ◽

Mercedes Sotos Prieto ◽

Robert Brannan

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Heart Diseases ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Nutrition Intervention ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Education Intervention ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Objectives National surveys found that adolescents in America often fail to meet dietary recommendations probably due to lack of nutrition knowledge, giving rise to chronic diseases such as obesity, coronary heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Knowledge about sports nutrition is considered essential for adolescent athletes to have healthy eating habits. It would help maximize their performance. The aim of the study was to assess the nutrition knowledge of adolescent soccer players pre and post a nutrition education intervention. Methods A study was conducted on the youth academy level soccer players (n = 21) from three age groups (U19, U17, U15), to determine their nutrition knowledge using a validated Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire. From the completed questionnaire, on factors like energy refueling, hydration, supplements and protein, a knowledge score was calculated for each athlete ranging from 0 (0%) to 16 (100%). The players participated in a nutrition education intervention for 5 months, consisting of monthly nutritional education newsletters, electronic handouts and one-hour nutrition lesson in the form of jeopardy game and nutrition education workshop for the players and their parents. Following the intervention, they filled out the same questionnaire again. Results From their responses, pre- and post-intervention, we found that at baseline, nutrition knowledge was highest in the U19 team as 44% of the responses were correct, lesser for the U17 team (25%) and least for the U15 team (6%). However, the intervention only produced a 6% increase in nutrition knowledge in the U19 while the intervention produced a 19% increase in the U17 team and a 44% increase in the U15 team. There was significant improvement in the category under supplements which asked whether it was better to get vitamins and minerals from supplements than from foods (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference in improvement of protein knowledge after the intervention in any group. Conclusions The study shows that the nutrition education intervention was most effective for the younger players. Overall, more nutrition education, especially in the area of proteins, would be required for these players to increase their nutrition knowledge so that they know the type of food they should select and understand the importance of healthy eating. Funding Sources No funding required from any organisation.

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Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome among Polish Nurses

Metabolites ◽

10.3390/metabo11050267 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 267

Author(s):

Anna Bartosiewicz ◽

Edyta Łuszczki ◽

Małgorzata Nagórska ◽

Łukasz Oleksy ◽

Artur Stolarczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Weight Control ◽

Professional Group ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

World Health ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Obesity Class ◽

The Metabolic Syndrome ◽

The World

The metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X or the insulin resistance, is defined by the World Health Organization as a pathologic condition characterized by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Both all over the world and in Poland, there is a shortage of nurses; most of those employed are in the pre-retirement age. However, the requirements in this profession and the patient’s right to care at the highest level remain unchanged and do not take into account the poor condition or age of working nurses, so special attention should be paid to the state of health in this professional group. There is an emphasis on the importance of the adopted attitude toward health and the resulting behaviors, such as regular weight control, following dietary recommendations, regular physical activity and participation in preventive examinations. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome, its individual components and determining the factors influencing its development in Polish nurses. The research conducted among the nurses in question included DXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) measurements, assessment of glucose concentration, lipid profile, blood pressure and a questionnaire survey. Almost half of the surveyed nurses have metabolic syndrome, which significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. After multivariate analysis, it was found that being overweight and obesity were significant factors influenced the MS (metabolic syndrome) occurrence among Polish nurses. Being overweight increases the chances of MS occurrence 8.58 times in relation to BMI (Body Mass Index) <25, obesity increases the chances of MS occurrence 8.085 times in relation to BMI <25, and obesity class II/III increases the chances of MS occurrence 16.505 times in relation to BMI <25. Preventive and supportive measures for this professional group are needed.

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Body composition outcomes of Healthy Fit and the role of acculturation among low-income Hispanics on the US-Mexico border

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11015-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Diane I. Lopez ◽

Lauren Chacon ◽

Denise Vasquez ◽

Louis D. Brown

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Low Income ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Foreign Born ◽

Exercise Interventions ◽

Mexico Border

Abstract Background Hispanic immigrants continue to experience higher rates of overweight and obesity compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts. Acculturation may contribute to unhealthy weight gain among immigrant populations by shifting dietary patterns from high fruit and vegetable consumption to unhealthier high fat diets. Healthy Fit, a culturally tailored community health worker (CHW) intervention, aims to reduce obesity related outcomes by providing physical activity and nutrition education and resources in a low-income Hispanic population. This study aims to evaluate outcomes of Healthy Fit participants and examine changes in body composition in relation to level of acculturation at baseline and follow-up. Method In this longitudinal observational study, CHWs recruited 514 participants from community events and agencies serving low-income Hispanic populations in El Paso, Texas from 2015 to 2016. Following an in-person health screening, eligible participants received nutrition and physical activity education guided by fotonovelas, comic-like educational books. Telephone follow-ups made at 1, 3, and 6 months by CHWs encouraged follow-through on referrals. 288 participants completed the screening again during the 12-month follow-up. Results The sample was predominantly Hispanic (96%), female (82%), uninsured (79%), had a household income of less than $19,999 (70%), foreign-born (79%), preferred Spanish (86%) and few rated themselves as good or excellent for English proficiency (27%). Overall, Healthy Fit participants significantly improved (i.e., decreased) BFP by 0.71% (t = 2.47, p = 0.01) but not BMI (b = .01, t = − 0.14, p = .89). Contrary to expectations, acculturation was not associated with lower BMI (b = 0.09, p = 0.84) or BFP (b = 0.13, p = 0.85) at baseline. However, acculturation predicted changes in both BMI (b = 0.30, p = 0.03) and BFP (b = 1.33, p = 0 .01) from baseline to follow-up. Specifically, the low acculturation group improved in body composition measures over time and the high acculturation group did not improve in either measure. Conclusion Findings suggest Healthy Fit was most effective among less acculturated individuals. The influence of acculturation on the efficacy of nutrition and exercise interventions suggests that Hispanics should not be treated as a homogenous subgroup.

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School-Based Nutrition Programs for Adolescents in Dodoma, Tanzania: A Situation Analysis

Food and Nutrition Bulletin ◽

10.1177/03795721211020715 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 037957212110207

Author(s):

Colette Rector ◽

Nadhira Nuraini Afifa ◽

Varun Gupta ◽

Abbas Ismail ◽

Dominic Mosha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

School Administrators ◽

School Nutrition ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

School Meals ◽

Nutrition Interventions ◽

Double Burden ◽

School Based ◽

Sanitation And Hygiene

Background: Tanzania has a double burden of malnutrition, including a high prevalence of undernutrition and an increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. Schools present a valuable opportunity to reach a large section of the country’s adolescent population with nutrition-oriented interventions. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the current state of adolescent school nutrition interventions in Dodoma, Tanzania, with emphases on 3 potential school-based nutrition interventions, school vegetable gardens, school meals, and education (on nutrition, agriculture, and water, sanitation, and hygiene). Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted with several regional and district-level governmental stakeholders, including health, education, and agricultural officers. Ten public secondary schools were visited, and interviews with school administrators, teachers, students, and parents were conducted. Results: All stakeholders interviewed supported interventions to improve school-based nutrition, including school gardens, school feeding, and nutrition education. All 10 schools visited had some experience providing school meals, but parents’ contributions were essential for the program’s sustainability. Most schools visited had land available for a school garden program, but water availability could be challenging during certain times of the year. The teachers interviewed expressed that the curriculum on nutrition education was highly theoretical and did not allow students to practice the knowledge and skills they learned in the classroom. Conclusions: The current school-based approach to tackling the double burden of adolescent malnutrition in Dodoma is localized and ad hoc. To leverage the potential of schools as a platform for nutrition interventions, integrated and policy-mandated interventions are needed.

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Controversial alternative diets in the light of current dietary recommendations for overweight and obesity treatment

Polish Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1515/pjph-2017-0020 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 127 (2) ◽

pp. 92-95

Author(s):

Karolina Goral ◽

Justyna Siwiela-Tomaszczyk ◽

Renata Krzyszycha ◽

Michał Skrzypek

Keyword(s):

Critical Analysis ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Dietary Management ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Physiological Mechanisms ◽

Metabolic Complications ◽

Treatment Methods ◽

Prevalence Of Obesity ◽

Treatment Of Obesity ◽

Epidemiological Situation

Abstract The objective of the study is a critical analysis of the selected alternative diets used in the treatment of obesity inconsistent with the recommended standards, from the perspective of clinical dieticians, based on up-to-date guidelines for dietary management of obesity. Attention was paid to the assumptions of the selected alternative diets, some physiological mechanisms related with their use, as well as the deficit of data pertaining their distant effectiveness and safety. In the context of the current epidemiological situation concerning the prevalence of obesity, it is justifiable to undertake actions aimed at the professionalization of dietary management in obesity, consisting in the application of the treatment methods based on data generated in the EBM paradigm, with a simultaneous indication and criticism of dietary pseudo-therapies with unconfirmed curative value which, in addition, do not guarantee the reduction of the risk of metabolic complications of obesity.

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Nutrition across the curriculum: a scoping review exploring the integration of nutrition education within primary schools

Nutrition Research Reviews ◽

10.1017/s0954422421000111 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-44

Author(s):

Berit M. Follong ◽

Angeliek Verdonschot ◽

Elena Prieto-Rodriguez ◽

Andrew Miller ◽

Clare E. Collins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary School ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Student Outcomes ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Intervention Effectiveness ◽

Education Programs ◽

School Based

Abstract Primary schools contribute to promoting healthy eating behaviour and preventing overweight and obesity by providing nutrition education. Research highlights the importance of improving teachers’ program implementation to enhance intervention effectiveness. An integrative approach has been suggested to reduce time barriers that teachers currently experience in teaching nutrition. This scoping review explores use and effectiveness of integrative teaching in primary school-based nutrition education programs. Six databases were searched for primary school-based interventions on nutrition education. Papers reporting on integration of nutrition topics within core curriculum were included. Abstracts and full texts of potentially relevant articles were screened to determine eligibility. Next, data were extracted and tabulated. Findings were collated and summarised to describe intervention characteristics, subject integration and effectiveness of the included programs. Data describing integration of nutrition into the primary school curriculum were extracted from 39 eligible papers. Nutrition education programs often involve lessons about food groups and are frequently embedded within the mathematics, science or literacy syllabus. Although articles report on the integration of nutrition, the use of this approach was not commonly described in detail. Only seven papers discussed student outcomes related to the integration of nutrition education within core subjects. The ability to draw strong conclusions about school-based nutrition intervention effectiveness is limited by the current lack of program description and methodological issues. Hence, more research is warranted to inform evidence on effectiveness of integrative nutrition education for both teacher and student outcomes. Future studies that include greater detail regarding the integrative approach are needed.

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EFFECTIVENESS OF A GROUP NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM AS A STRATEGY FOR OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY CONTROL

DEMETRA Alimentação Nutrição & Saúde ◽

10.12957/demetra.2017.28677 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Fernanda Abravanel ◽

Tairini Cristina Socha ◽

Isabela Maria Sell ◽

Luciane Angela Nottar Nesello

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Education Program ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Obesity Control ◽

Nutrition Education Program

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Virtual Saviours: Digital games and anti-trafficking awareness-raising

Anti-Trafficking Review ◽

10.14197/atr.201219136 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 82-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erin O’Brien ◽

Helen Berents

Keyword(s):

Human Trafficking ◽

New Technologies ◽

Digital Technologies ◽

Digital Games ◽

Online Games ◽

Raising Awareness ◽

Awareness Raising ◽

The Creation

In recent years, digital games have emerged as a new tool in human trafficking awareness-raising. These games reflect a trend towards ‘virtual humanitarianism’, utilising digital technologies to convey narratives of suffering with the aim of raising awareness about humanitarian issues. The creation of these games raises questions about whether new technologies will depict humanitarian problems in new ways, or simply perpetuate problematic stereotypes. This article examines three online games released in the last five years for the purpose of raising awareness about human trafficking. In analysing these games, we argue that the persistent tropes of ideal victims lacking in agency continue to dominate the narrative, with a focus on individualised problems rather than structural causes of human trafficking. However, the differing approaches taken by the games demonstrate the potential for complexity and nuance in storytelling through digital games.

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Attitude of People towards Non-Government Organizations Intervention with Reference to Health Awareness: A Post Crisis Analysis in Swat-Pakistan

Global Sociological Review ◽

10.31703/gsr.2021(vi-i).12 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol VI (I) ◽

pp. 86-95

Author(s):

Shakeel Ahmad ◽

Mansoor Ahmad ◽

Asif Mehmood

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Total Population ◽

New Technologies ◽

Health Awareness ◽

Public And Private ◽

Government Organizations ◽

Birth Attendants ◽

Level Of Satisfaction ◽

Private And Public ◽

The Government

This study conducted with the objective to measure the pre and post NGOs intervention regarding health awareness and people level of satisfaction. The sample size for this study was selected 230 from the total population of 450. The study concluded that NGOs intervention significantly lunching campaign against tobacco control, HIV/AIDS, immunization awareness, dengue virus awareness. In addition, there was an increase in health hygiene and nutrition education, training of traditional birth attendants and health worker trainings with new technologies. The government and NGOs extend their projects that are focusing on communicable diseases that ultimately lead to the control of various lives threatening disease. Preventive health efforts must be initiated by both public and private agencies at the community level. Health and hygiene-related material must be included in the textbooks of private and public school at all level.

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Comparison of children's dietary intake patterns with US dietary guidelines

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114500001641 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 84 (3) ◽

pp. 361-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Louise M. Brady ◽

Christine H. Lindquist ◽

Sara L. Herd ◽

Michael I. Goran

Keyword(s):

Dietary Intake ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

The United States ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

United States Department ◽

Adult Health ◽

Dietary Intakes ◽

Food Groups ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

American Children

Monitoring dietary intake patterns among children is important in order to explore and prevent the onset of adult health problems. The aim of the present study was to compare children's dietary intakes with national recommendations and to determine whether sex or ethnic differences were evident. This was done using a methodology that allows assessment of intake from the major components of the Food Guide Pyramid developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA: ). The sample studied included 110 African-American and Caucasian males and females (mean age 9·9 years, BMI 20·1 kg/m2) from Birmingham, AL, USA, who were participating in a study investigating the development of obesity. Dietary data were based on three 24 h recalls and food group intake was determined using the USDA Pyramid Servicing Database. The results indicated that a high percentage of subjects failed to meet the recommended number of servings from each of the food groups. For example, only 5 % and 9 % met fruit and dietary group recommendations respectively. Consumption of foods from the Pyramid ‘tip’ (including discretionary fat and added sugar) contributed almost 50 % of the diet. African-Americans were more likely to meet requirements for the meat group, with a higher proportion of Caucasians meeting dietary recommendations. Males were more likely to meet the vegetable group guidelines although females consumed more energy per day from discretionary fat. In conclusion, these results suggest that implementation of nutrition education programmes may be important for promoting healthy nutrition among American children.

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