Associations between Food Preferences, Food Approach, and Food Avoidance in a Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study Population

Food preferences are among the strongest predictors of the food choices of adolescents. These are associated with appetitive traits (food approach and avoidance) to some extent. However, no research has been conducted so far analyzing the association between food preferences and appetitive traits of adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between food preferences and appetitive traits in adolescents (aged 15–20 years) within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population. The PLACE-19 Study was carried out in a population-based sample of 2448 secondary school students sampled across the country (random quota sampling). Food preferences (including the preference for vegetables, fruit, meat/fish, dairy, snacks, and starches) of the adolescents were assessed using the validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) while their appetitive traits (hunger, food responsiveness, emotional overeating, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness, emotional undereating, food fussiness, slowness in eating) were assessed using the validated Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ). The k-means clustering was performed to identify the homogenous clusters of respondents based on their preferences, and linear regression was performed to determine the relationship between food preferences and appetitive traits with a model adjusted for sex and age. Based on their preferences, three homogenous clusters of respondents were defined: low-preferring respondents (low preference for all food categories), respondents preferring snacking foods (low preference for all food categories, except for fruit and snacks), and high-preferring respondents (high preference for all food categories). The low-preferring respondents showed the lowest values for all appetitive traits (p = 0.0008), as well as the lowest total score (p = 0.0001), except for food fussiness, for which they showed the highest value (p = 0.0008). All preference scores were positively associated with traits such as hunger, food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, and emotional under-eating, while negatively associated with food fussiness (all p < 0.05). The largest amount of variance was observed for preference for dairy (14.6%; R2 = 0.146, p = 0.008) and snacks with respect to enjoyment of food (16.2%; R2 = 0.162, p = 0.008), for vegetable with respect to food fussiness (22%; R2 = 0.220, p = 0.008), and for meat/fish with respect to enjoyment of food (19.9%; R2 = 0.199, p = 0.008) and food fussiness combined (19.1%; R2 = 0.191, p = 0.008). These results support the association of food preferences with both food approach traits and food avoidance traits.

Download Full-text

Food Preferences and Food Choice Determinants in a Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082491 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2491

Author(s):

Dominika Głąbska ◽

Dominika Skolmowska ◽

Dominika Guzek

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Food Choice ◽

Food Preference ◽

Food Preferences ◽

Food Choices ◽

Population Based ◽

School Students ◽

High Preference ◽

Quota Sampling ◽

Food Choice Motives

Food preferences are within the most important determinants of food choices; however, little is known about their complex associations, and no studies were conducted in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between food preferences and food choice determinants in adolescents aged 15–20 years within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study. The PLACE-19 Study included a random quota sampling conducted in the whole of Poland and covered a population-based sample of 2448 secondary school students. The food preferences were assessed using a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ), and the food choices were assessed using a validated Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ). The statistical analysis comprised k-means clustering and linear regression adjusted for sex and age. Four homogenous clusters of respondents were defined based on the food choice motives—“healthy eaters” (health as the most important determinant of food choices), “hedonists” (convenience, sensory appeal, and price as the most important determinants), “indifferent consumers” (low significance for all determinants), and “demanding consumers” (high significance for all determinants). The preferences for all food categories differed when comparing between clusters presenting various food choice determinants (p < 0.001). The “healthy eaters” were characterized by the highest preference for vegetables; the “hedonists” preferred meat/fish, dairy, and snacks; the “demanding consumers” had a high preference for all food categories, while “indifferent consumers” had a low preference for all food categories. All preference scores were positively associated with mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, and price (p < 0.05). The results confirmed the association between food preferences and food choice determinants in adolescents, as well as allowed adolescents to be clustered into segments to define various needs and motives among the identified segments. For public health purposes, it may be crucial to educate “hedonists,” with a high preference for meat/fish, dairy and snacks, accompanied by convenience, sensory appeal, and price as the most important determinants of their food choices.

Download Full-text

Population-Based Study of the Changes in the Food Choice Determinants of Secondary School Students: Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12092640 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 2640 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dominika Głąbska ◽

Dominika Skolmowska ◽

Dominika Guzek

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Food Choice ◽

Weight Control ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

National Sample ◽

Population Based ◽

School Students ◽

Study Population ◽

Quota Sampling

During the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the lockdown, various changes of dietary habits are observed, including both positive and negative ones. However, the food choice determinants in this period were not studied so far for children and adolescents. The study aimed to analyze the changes in the food choice determinants of secondary school students in a national sample of Polish adolescents within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population. The study was conducted in May 2020, based on the random quota sampling of schools (for voivodeships and counties) and a number of 2448 students from all the regions of Poland participated. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) (36 items) was applied twice—to analyze separately current choices (during the period of COVID-19 pandemic) and general choices (when there was no COVID-19 pandemic). For both the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, sensory appeal and price were indicated as the most important factors (with the highest scores). However, differences were observed between the scores of specific factors, while health (p < 0.0001) and weight control (p < 0.0001) were declared as more important during the period of COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the period before, but mood (p < 0.0001) and sensory appeal (p < 0.0001) as less important. The observations were confirmed for sub-groups, while female and male respondents were analyzed separately. It can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed the food choice determinants of Polish adolescents, as it may have increased the importance of health and weight control, but reduced the role of mood and sensory appeal. This may be interpreted as positive changes promoting the uptake of a better diet than in the period before the pandemic.

Download Full-text

Differences in Adolescents’ Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) Scores before and during Pandemic in a Population-Based Sample: Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051663 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1663

Author(s):

Dominika Skolmowska ◽

Dominika Głąbska ◽

Dominika Guzek

Keyword(s):

Food Habits ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Population Based ◽

Lower Number ◽

Grocery Shopping ◽

Study Population ◽

Eating Out ◽

Quota Sampling ◽

Total P ◽

Consumption Habits

The COVID-19 pandemic is known to influence the dietary habits of adults, but results for adolescents in studies are ambiguous. The present work aimed to analyze the differences in the scores of the Adolescents’ Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) before and during the pandemic in the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population. The PLACE-19 Study was conducted during the pandemic among a population of 2448 students recruited from secondary schools in all regions of Poland using a random quota sampling. The participants were required to complete an AFHC consisting of 23 items pertaining to food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits. Current habits (during the pandemic) and previous habits were assessed and scored separately. The total (p = 0.001), purchase (p < 0.001), and consumption scores (p = 0.014) indicated that the AFHC scores during the pandemic were higher than before. For questions on purchase habits, a lower number of respondents reported eating in a restaurant, eating takeaway meals, having lunch away from home, or buying pastries, cakes or crisps. For questions on preparation habits, an greater number of respondents reported that they usually avoided eating fried food and tried to keep their overall sugar intake down, but fewer respondents said they tried to have low-fat desserts. For questions on consumption habits, a lower number of respondents reported that they usually ate a dessert or pudding if one were available and a larger number said they made sure to eat at least one serving of vegetables or salad a day and at least three servings of fruit most days. Based on the obtained results, it may be stated that although there was an increase in the AFHC scores during the pandemic, a similar share of respondents showed improved or worsened food habits, and a similar share changed their food habits from healthy to unhealthy and from unhealthy to healthy. At the same time, a majority of changes were associated with purchase habits, which were probably forced by lockdowns and the resultant restrictions in eating out or grocery shopping.

Download Full-text

Relationship Between the Aldosterone-to-Renin Ratio and Blood Pressure in Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study

Hypertension ◽

10.1161/hypertensionaha.121.17336 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jun Yang ◽

Stella May Gwini ◽

Lawrence J. Beilin ◽

Markus Schlaich ◽

Michael Stowasser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Young Adults ◽

Population Based ◽

Continuous Variable ◽

Sexually Dimorphic ◽

Plasma Aldosterone Concentration ◽

Specific Interpretation ◽

Study Population ◽

Aldosterone To Renin Ratio ◽

The Relationship

Hypertension tracks throughout childhood into adulthood. Elevated aldosterone in the setting of low renin predicts incident hypertension in normotensive adults, but the relationship is unclear in adolescents and young adults. To explore this relationship, we analyzed data from the offsprings (Gen2) of women enrolled during pregnancy into the Raine Study (population-based birth cohort), who had blood pressure (BP) measurements and blood samples at age 17 years (N=871) and age 27 years (N=758). At 17 years, females had similar median aldosterone levels (349 versus 346 pmol/L) but significantly lower direct renin concentration (20.6 versus 25.7 mU/L) and thus a higher aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR; 18.3 versus 13.5) compared with males. However, females had lower systolic BP (109 versus 118 mm Hg) versus males. A significant association between ARR and systolic BP was detected in 17 years males when adjusted for alcohol consumption, physical activity, and body mass index. This was true whether the ARR was expressed as a continuous variable (β-coefficient 0.1, P =0.009) or categorical variable (highest versus lowest quartile, β-coefficient 3.15, P =0.003). No such correlation was observed in females at 17 years. However, the ARR at 17 years was significantly associated with both systolic (β-coefficient 0.15, P =0.009) and diastolic BP (β-coefficient 0.14, P =0.003) at 27 years among females, but not males. The sexually dimorphic relationship between the ARR and BP in 17 and 27 years participants suggests that the ARR, calculated from the plasma aldosterone concentration and direct renin concentration, could be a useful tool for BP prediction and assessment in young people, but require sex-specific interpretation.

Download Full-text

Association between Food Preferences and Food Habits in a Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13093003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 3003

Author(s):

Dominika Skolmowska ◽

Dominika Głąbska ◽

Dominika Guzek

Keyword(s):

Food Habits ◽

Food Preference ◽

Food Preferences ◽

Population Based ◽

Sampling Procedure ◽

Influential Factors ◽

School Students ◽

Food Purchase ◽

Fried Foods ◽

Consumption Habits

Food preferences are among the most influential factors of food habits in the vulnerable period of adolescence; in addition, gender-dependent differences in food preferences are also observed. The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in food habits between individuals stratified based on their food preferences in a population-based sample of adolescents aged 15–20. The study was conducted within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population in a group of 2419 secondary school students who were randomly chosen to participate in the study using a random quota sampling procedure. The food preferences were determined on the basis of a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) (which enables assessing preference of vegetables, fruit, meat/fish, dairy, snacks, and starches), whereas food habits were determined on the basis of the Adolescents’ Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) (which enables assessing food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits). The analysis involved three homogenous clusters (‘low-preferring’, ‘hedonists’, and ‘high-preferring’), which were identified using the k-means algorithm. It was found that for a number of the assessed food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits, there were statistically significant differences between the ‘low-preferring’, ‘hedonists’, and ‘high-preferring’ clusters. Within food purchase habits, the food preference influenced frequency of buying pastries/cakes and frequency of eating takeaway meals for all the respondents, while for female respondents, it influenced also choice of desserts in restaurants, and for male respondents, it influenced choosing a low-fat lunch away from home (p < 0.05). Within food preparation habits, the food preference influenced the fat content in desserts at home, the frequency of eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad with an evening meal, the frequency of spreading butter/margarine on bread thinly, and the frequency of having cream on desserts for all the respondents; meanwhile, for female respondents, it also influenced the frequency of avoiding fried foods and the frequency of including chocolate/biscuits in their packed lunch (p < 0.05). Within food consumption habits, the food preference influenced the frequency of eating a dessert/pudding, eating at least one serving of fruit a day, eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad a day, avoiding sausages/burgers, trying to ensure they eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and frequency of choosing fruit as a snack for all the respondents; meanwhile, for male respondents, it also influenced the frequency of eating sweet snacks and eating at least three servings of fruit most days (p < 0.05). Taking into account that some improper food habits may be typical for the specific clusters, there is an urgent need to analyze and address them for the purposes of public health and to bear in mind that some of those habits are gender-dependent.

Download Full-text

Parental modelling and prompting effects on acceptance of a novel fruit in 2–4-year-old children are dependent on children’s food responsiveness

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114515004651 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 115 (3) ◽

pp. 554-564 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Jackie Blissett ◽

Carmel Bennett ◽

Anna Fogel ◽

Gillian Harris ◽

Suzanne Higgs

Keyword(s):

Approach And Avoidance ◽

Food Avoidance ◽

Main Effects ◽

Food Fussiness

AbstractFew children consume the recommended portions of fruit or vegetables. This study examined the effects of parental physical prompting and parental modelling in children’s acceptance of a novel fruit (NF) and examined the role of children’s food-approach and food-avoidance traits on NF engagement and consumption. A total of 120 caregiver–child dyads (fifty-four girls, sixty-six boys) participated in this study. Dyads were allocated to one of the following three conditions: physical prompting but no modelling, physical prompting and modelling or a modelling only control condition. Dyads ate a standardised meal containing a portion of a fruit new to the child. Parents completed measures of children’s food approach and avoidance. Willingness to try the NF was observed, and the amount of the NF consumed was measured. Physical prompting but no modelling resulted in greater physical refusal of the NF. There were main effects of enjoyment of food and food fussiness on acceptance. Food responsiveness interacted with condition such that children who were more food responsive had greater NF acceptance in the prompting and modelling conditions in comparison with the modelling only condition. In contrast, children with low food responsiveness had greater acceptance in the modelling control condition than in the prompting but no modelling condition. Physical prompting in the absence of modelling is likely to be detrimental to NF acceptance. Parental use of physical prompting strategies, in combination with modelling of NF intake, may facilitate acceptance of NF, but only in food-responsive children. Modelling consumption best promotes acceptance in children with low food responsiveness.

Download Full-text

Parental Upbringing and Its Relationship to Anxiety and Aggressive Behavior in A Sample of Students of The Intermediate Stage in Al- Makhwah Governorate.: التنشئة الوالدية وعلاقتها بالقلق والسلوك العدواني لدى عينة من طلاب المرحلة المتوسطة بمحافظة المخواة

المجلة العربية للعلوم ونشر الأبحاث مجلة العلوم التربوية والنفسية ◽

10.26389/ajsrp.h121119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (15) ◽

Author(s):

Hussein Mohammed Al-Omari

Keyword(s):

Aggressive Behavior ◽

Intermediate Stage ◽

Anxiety Scale ◽

Intermediate School ◽

School Students ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Guidance Programs ◽

Study Population ◽

The Relationship

The study aimed to identify the relationship between parental upbringing, anxiety and aggressive behavior in a sample of students in the Intermediate stage in Al- Makhwah Governorate. To achieve the study objectives, the researcher used the descriptive approach with its correlation form. The study relied on three tools: the parental upbringing scale (By Atwi, 2006) Anxiety (By: Al- Qarni, 1435 H), and the measure of aggressive behavior (By: Zahrani, 1436 H), The study population was composed from Intermediate school students in Al- Mahwah Governorate which was (3259) student, while the sample was randomly selected. The number of students was 327. The study found that: the most preferred method of parenting in (father's form) were the authoritarian pattern, followed by the pattern of neglect and finally the democratic pattern, while the most favored in (mother's form) were the democratic pattern followed by the authoritarian pattern, and finally the pattern of neglect. Also, the results showed that there was a statistically significant correlative relationship at (α 0.05)between the dimensions of the parenting scale and the anxiety scale except after the democratic pattern in (father's form), also there was a statistically significant relation at (α 0.05)between the dominant pattern and all areas of the anxiety scale except the mental side (mother's form), There was a statistically significant relationship at (α 0.05)between the pattern of neglect in (father and mother form) and the domains of the anxiety scale except Cognitive and mental side, The results showed that there was a statistically significant correlation at (α 0.05)between the absolute pattern of the parenting method and the aggressive behavior measure (father / mother). The study recommended focusing on the use of the father and mother for guidance and guidance in dealing with children, using the pattern of democratic treatment and engaging in meaningful discussions with them about their concerns. And all related to their daily lives to find a strong moral and intellectual link between them and their parents to spare them mental disorders related to anxiety and aggressive behavior, as well as activate the role of guidance and guidance programs for parents and their children in schools, and try to discuss their problems through them.

Download Full-text

Appetitive Traits in a Population-Based Study of Polish Adolescents within the PLACE-19 Study: Validation of the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12123889 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 3889

Author(s):

Dominika Guzek ◽

Dominika Skolmowska ◽

Dominika Głąbska

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

Population Based ◽

Model Fit ◽

Mean Square ◽

School Students ◽

Food Avoidance ◽

Polish Version ◽

Invariance Model ◽

Satiety Responsiveness

Appetitive traits of food approach or food avoidance are commonly measured using the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ). However, there is no Polish version of the AEBQ validated for adolescents, and to the best of our knowledge, no study completed with the Polish version of the AEBQ has been published thus far. The present study aimed to validate the AEBQ in a population-based sample of Polish secondary school students and to assess differences in appetitive traits between boys and girls within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study. The PLACE-19 Study was conducted in a group of 2448 adolescents recruited in May 2020 through the random quota sampling of secondary schools. The AEBQ was used to assess food approach subscales (Food Responsiveness, Emotional Over-Eating, and Enjoyment of Food) and food avoidance subscales (Satiety Responsiveness, Emotional Under-Eating, Food Fussiness, and Slowness in Eating). To validate the questionnaire, the standardized factor loadings within confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with weighted least squares (WLS) were analyzed, and invariance was verified. The CFA presented good model fit, with χ2 = 4826.105 (degrees of freedom (df) = 384), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.069 (90% confidence interval (CI): 0.067, 0.070), comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.90, and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.08. The results revealed that, compared to the configural invariance model, the metric invariance model did not result in significantly decreased model fit, with ΔCFI = −0.002 and ΔRMSEA = −0.001, which were lower than the recommended cutoffs of 0.010 and 0.015, respectively. The scalar invariance model also did not result in significantly decreased fit of the model over the metric invariance model, with ΔCFI = −0.005 and ΔRMSEA = 0.000. Girls reported higher levels of Food Responsiveness (p < 0.0001), Emotional Over-Eating (p < 0.0001), Satiety Responsiveness (p < 0.0001), Emotional Under-Eating (p < 0.0001), and Slowness in Eating than boys (p < 0.0001), and the total AEBQ scores of girls were also higher (p < 0.0001). Positive inter-correlations were observed between all food approach subscales, as well as between Emotional Under-Eating and all food approach subscales for girls, boys, and the total sample; positive inter-correlations were also observed between the majority of food avoidance subscales. The present study confirmed the validity of the AEBQ in the studied population, and supported the associations between appetitive traits assessed using the AEBQ; it also indicated higher scores of both food approach and food avoidance subscales in girls than in boys in a population-based sample of Polish secondary school students.

Download Full-text

THE INFLUENCES OF CAREER GUIDANCE ON THE ACCURACY OF CHOOSING VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS DEPARTEMENT

Educouns Journal: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Bimbingan Konseling ◽

10.53682/educouns.v1i2.697 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 55-57

Author(s):

Patrick Pangkey ◽

Meisie L Mangantes

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Career Guidance ◽

Career Decisions ◽

Vocational School ◽

Early Age ◽

Vocational High School ◽

School Students ◽

Career Information ◽

Study Population ◽

The Relationship

Future planning needs to be implemented from an early age. Lack of career guidance leads to a lack of career information for students, which affects student career decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between career guidance and the accuracy of choosing a vocational school student major. This type of research was experimental. The study population was 80 Vocational High School students. From the results of the study, it was known that career guidance influenced the accuracy of choosing a vocational school student major. This was dominated by the finding that each student was able to choose a major according to their talents and interests.

Download Full-text