scholarly journals Mindful Eating Proficiency and Healthy Eating Literacy among Japanese Mothers: Associations with Their Own and Their Children’s Eating Behavior

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4439
Author(s):  
Taro Nakamura ◽  
Rie Akamatsu ◽  
Nobuo Yoshiike

Mindfulness is a process of focusing one’s attention on the present moment. Applying this concept to eating (i.e., mindful eating (ME)) is associated with regulated eating behaviors, particularly in people with obesity and who are overweight. Sustaining healthy eating habits requires both healthy eating literacy (HEL) and proficiency in ME. However, ME proficiency in Japanese people has not been sufficiently investigated. In this paper, we conduct a survey of mothers with 4- to 5-year-old children in Aomori City, Japan, to investigate their ME proficiency and HEL level and eating behavior and self-reported body mass index in both mothers and their children from August to September 2019. This study is the first to describe ME proficiency in Japanese mothers. The study sample includes 128 participants from 18 nursery schools. ME proficiency in mothers was positively correlated with both their own and their children’s eating behaviors, thereby suggesting a potential relationship, while strong relationships were not observed between the HEL level and eating behaviors of mothers and children. Improving ME skills, rather than HEL, may be an effective way to sustain healthier eating behaviors in mothers and their children. The level of evidence was Level V: Opinions of respected authorities based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taro Nakamura ◽  
Nobuo Yoshiike

Abstract Purpose Mindfulness is a psychological process that can be developed using meditation and other types of training to focus on the present moment. Applying this concept to eating (i.e., mindful eating; ME) is associated with regulated eating behavior, especially in overweight or obese people. Sustaining healthy eating habits requires both healthy eating literacy (HEL) and proficiency in ME. However, ME proficiency in Japanese people has not been sufficiently investigated. Methods We conducted a survey of mothers with 4 to 5-year-old children in Aomori City, Japan, to investigate their ME proficiency and HEL level, as well as eating behavior and self-reported body mass index in both mothers and their children. This study was the first to describe ME proficiency in Japanese mothers. Results ME proficiency in mothers was positively correlated with both their own and their children’s eating behaviors, suggesting a potential relationship, while strong relationships were not observed between the HEL level and eating behaviors of mothers and children. Conclusion Improving ME skills, rather than HEL, may be an effective way to sustain healthier eating behaviors in mothers and their children. Level of evidence: Level I, Evidence obtained from experimental studies


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (suppl 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Augusta Barufaldi ◽  
Gabriela de Azevedo Abreu ◽  
Juliana Souza Oliveira ◽  
Debora França dos Santos ◽  
Elizabeth Fujimori ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of eating habits considered healthy in adolescents according to sex, age, education level of the mother, school type, session of study, and geographic region. METHODS The assessed data come from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a cross-sectional, national and school-based study. Adolescents of 1,247 schools of 124 Brazilian municipalities were evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire with a section on aspects related to eating behaviors. The following eating behaviors were considered healthy: consuming breakfast, drinking water, and having meals accompanied by parents or legal guardians. All prevalence estimates were presented proportionally, with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in healthy eating habits prevalences according to other variables. The module survey of the Stata program version 13.0 was used to analyze complex data. RESULTS We evaluated 74,589 adolescents (72.9% of the eligible students). Of these, 55.2% were female, average age being 14.6 years (SD = 1.6). Among Brazilian adolescents, approximately half of them showed healthy eating habits when consuming breakfast, drinking five or more glasses of water a day, and having meals with parents or legal guardians. All analyzed healthy eating habits showed statistically significant differences by sex, age, type of school, session of study, or geographic region. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that specific actions of intersectoral approach are implemented for the dissemination of the benefits of healthy eating habits. Older female adolescents (15 to 17 years old) who studied in public schools, resided in the Southeast region, and whose mothers had lower education levels, should be the focus of these actions since they present lower frequencies concerning the evaluated healthy habits.


Author(s):  
Winnie Wing Man Ng ◽  
Anthony Siu Wo Wong ◽  
Kin Cheung

This cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT)-designed study aimed to explore the feasibility of a promotion pamphlet and/or WhatsApp as a suitable mode of delivery to promote healthy eating habits with fruit and vegetables (F&V) among firefighters. Convenience and snowball sampling methods were used. Forty-five firefighters from 23 fire stations were recruited and they all received the printed pamphlet, while the intervention group participants (n = 20) received additional teaching material through WhatsApp every two weeks for eight weeks. Feasibility outcomes included retention, practicality, and implementation. The participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. There were significant improvements in the mean numbers of days consuming F&V (p = 0.002; p = 0.031) in the intervention group, and for fruit consumption (p = 0.033) in the control group between the baseline (T0) and 3 months after completion of intervention (T1). High levels of participants’ satisfaction with the intervention revealed that a full-scale CRCT of the WhatsApp-delivered intervention promoting healthy eating could be feasible, especially as a means of increasing the numbers of days they consumed F&V and the numbers of servings of these consumed per day.


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.


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 2267-2273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélida Ventura Barbosa Gonçalves ◽  
Diogo Thimoteo da Cunha ◽  
Elke Stedefeldt ◽  
Veridiana Vera de Rosso

The aim of this study was to characterize the process of buying Family Farming (FF) food for the Brazilian School Feeding Program (BSFP) and compare the quality of menus served to the schoolchildren before and after the implementation of Law n. 11,947/09. This is an observational cross-sectional study developed with application of semi-structured questionnaire and evaluating menus. Eighty-two cities from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil participated of the study. Of these cities reported, 74.1% performed the purchase of products of FF for BSFP. The lack of interest of farmers and the deficient hygienic and sanitary conditions were the main difficulties reported. The quality of the menus offered to the schoolchildren improved significantly after the implementation of FF purchases. The partnership between FF and BSFP can contribute greatly to the development of healthy eating habits, not only by offering better nutritional quality menus, but also by implementing of nutritional education activities guided by the sustainable production and consumption of food.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 1019-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Vio ◽  
Marisol Yañez ◽  
Carmen Gloria González ◽  
Gabriela Fretes ◽  
Judith Salinas

Through focus groups, we explored 22 third- to fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions about their eating habits, including barriers and facilitators to healthy eating. It also explored teachers’ thoughts about how to teach students healthy eating habits. The information was transcribed and treated using the content analysis technique. Results were evaluated using the concept of majority and minority group and presented in a sequential way: teachers’ perceptions about eating habits, barriers to healthy eating, teacher’s culinary habits, abilities to teach students healthy eating habits through Information and Communication Technologies, and cooking activities. Teachers’ eating habits were poor, with lack of time, money, and will to improve. They had culinary habits skills and the desire to instruct and guide their students in eating healthier food. They need a program with Information and Communication Technologies and cooking workshops to apply in the classroom.


2022 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 26-27
Author(s):  
Sarah Scotland

Healthy eating is one of the most important habits to encourage from an early age. In this article nutritionist Sarah Scotland gives us insight into a case study promoting healthy eating habits in the early years.


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