scholarly journals Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption for Childhood Obesity Prevention

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Frans Folkvord ◽  
Brigitte Naderer ◽  
Anna Coates ◽  
Emma Boyland
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Almost Everywhere ◽  
Promotional Efforts

Currently, food marketing for unhealthy foods is omnipresent. Foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) are advertised intensively on several media platforms, including digital platforms that are increasingly used by children, such as social media, and can be bought almost everywhere. This could contribute to the obesity epidemic that we are facing. As the majority of children and adolescents do not eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables (F&V), which leads to chronic diseases, we need to change the obesogenic environment to a healthogenic environment. Reducing the marketing of energy-dense snacks to children and increasing the promotion of healthier foods, such as fruits and vegetables, may be an effective and necessary instrument to improve the dietary intake of children and reduce the risk of their experiencing some chronic diseases later in life. With this focused narrative review, we provide an overview of how children and adolescents react to food promotions and how food promotional efforts might be a useful tool to increase the attractiveness of fruit and vegetables. This review therefore contributes to the question of how changing the advertising and media environment of children and adolescents could help create a world where the healthy choice is the easier choice, which would reduce childhood obesity and improve children’s health, as well as to make the food system more sustainable.

scholarly journals Healthy eating: a matter of prioritisation by households or policymakers?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Joreintje Dingena Mackenbach
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Decision Making Processes

Abstract I reflect upon the potential reasons why American low-income households do not spend an optimal proportion of their food budgets on fruits and vegetables, even though this would allow them to meet the recommended levels of fruit and vegetable consumption. Other priorities than health, automatic decision-making processes and access to healthy foods play a role, but solutions for the persistent socio-economic inequalities in diet should be sought in the wider food system which promotes cheap, mass-produced foods. I argue that, ultimately, healthy eating is not a matter of prioritisation by individual households but by policymakers.

scholarly journals Promoting healthy foods among urban school children in Bangladesh: A qualitative inquiry of the challenges and opportunities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M Rumayan Hasan ◽  
George Smith ◽  
Md Harunor Rashid ◽  
Mohammad Abdus Selim ◽  
Sabrina Rasheed
Keyword(s):  
School Children ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Food Culture ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Raw Foods

Abstract Background Food habits are directly associated with overweight and obesity in adolescence and adulthood. Urban Bangladeshi school children tend to consume foods dense in calories and few fruits and vegetables. The current study explored the barriers and opportunities for promoting healthy diets in households and schools from the perspective of teachers and parents in urban Bangladesh.Methods We conducted 14 key informant interviews with school teachers and 6 focus group interviews with mothers of school children. We used inductive thematic analysis manually.Results Schools were important for development of food preferences, however, most school cafeterias provided foods based on profit rather than health considerations. Mothers were generally concerned about chemicals added to raw foods in markets which led to limited fruit and vegetable consumption. Mothers, especially those who were employed, struggled to have time to prepare healthy foods for their children. Foods prepared outside home have acquired many meanings beyond convenience.Conclusions There were social, cultural, and environmental challenges to promoting healthy foods to children. It is important to formulate policies and guidance to create a supportive environment for healthy foods in schools. As processed foods and foods prepared outside the home have become an important part of the urban food culture, it is also important to develop and implement strict regulations and guidelines for production, processing, and distribution. It is also important to educate consumers about identifying and choosing healthy foods. Implementing existing laws related to food safety should also boost the population’s confidence in the food system.

scholarly journals The Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercedes del Río-Celestino ◽  
Rafael Font
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Lower Incidence ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Vegetables And Fruits ◽  
Nutritional Studies ◽  
Processing Techniques

We edited this Special Issue with the objective of bringing forth new data on the phytochemicals from vegetables and fruits, which are recommended for their health-promoting properties. Epidemiological, toxicological and nutritional studies suggested an association between fruit and vegetable consumption and lower incidence of chronic diseases, such as coronary heart problems, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. In this Special Issue, the protective roles (antioxidant and others bioactivities), new sustainable approaches to determine the quality, and the processing techniques that can modify the initial nutritional and antioxidant content of fruits, vegetables and additives have been addressed.

scholarly journals Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults in the United States, 2015–2018

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Arias
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Energy Density ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Calorie Diet

A diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for chronic diseases. In addition, because fruits and vegetables have low energy density (i.e., few calories relative to volume), eating them as part of a reduced-calorie diet can be beneficial for weight management.

School-based interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of cluster randomised controlled trials

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Tarcisus Ho ◽  
Ling Jie Cheng ◽  
Ying Lau
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
School Based ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
School Based Interventions ◽  
Meta Regression

Abstract Objective Schools offer an ideal setting for childhood obesity interventions due to their access to children and adolescents. This review aimed to systematically review the impact of school-based intervention for the treatment of childhood obesity. Design Eight databases were searched from inception till May 30, 2020. A revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations criteria were used to evaluate the risk of bias and overall evidence. Meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed on Stata software using the random-effects model. Overall effect was evaluated using Hedges’ g, and heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q and I2. Setting Cluster randomised trials (cluster-RCTs) delivered in school. Participants Children and adolescents (6-18 years of age) with overweight and obesity. Results Twelve cluster-RCTs from seven countries with 1,755 participants were included in the meta-analysis. School-based interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity reduced body mass index (BMI) and BMI z-scores with a medium effect (g=0·52). Subgroup analyses showed the greater effectiveness of brief school-based interventions and the interventions conducted in lower-middle to upper-middle economies. Meta-regression assessed the heterogeneity and the final model, with covariates of the type of economies and trial duration, accounted for 41.2% of the variability. The overall quality of evidence was rated low because of the high risk of bias and inconsistency. Conclusions School-based interventions is a possible approach to provide universal healthcare for the treatment of childhood obesity, and further well-designed cluster-RCTs with longer follow-up are needed. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020160735).

scholarly journals Caring for Overweight Children and Adolescents at a Reference Clinic in Nutrology: Habits and Attendance

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (01) ◽  
pp. 006-010
Author(s):  
Valeria Moro ◽  
Luiz Antonio Del Ciampo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Soft Drinks ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Dropout Rates ◽  
Overweight Children ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Municipal Health

Abstract Introduction The global obesity epidemic has mobilized health services to offer care at all levels, with reference outpatient clinics playing a prominent role in cases of greater complexity. Objectives The present study aimed to identify soft drinks consumption and physical activity habits among children and adolescents diagnosed with overweight and obesity during the first visit at a secondary level nutrology outpatient clinic, and to verify attendance at follow-up visits in a 2-year period from the first visit. Materials and Methods This is a retrospective, descriptive study based on data collection from medical records of overweighted or obese patients receiving first care at the Nutrology Clinic of the Municipal Health Secretariat from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. The study population included children and adolescents aged between 2 and 18 years old cared for from January 2, 2013 to December 30, 2017. Age, weight, height, soft drinks consumption, physical activity, and attendance in scheduled follow-up visits during a 2-year period were analyzed. Results During the study period, 316 patients were registered, including 302 (95.5%) diagnosed with obesity. Of these, 112 (35.4%) were children and 204 (64.6%) were adolescents. Only 2.0% of the children and adolescents did not consume soft drinks, while 23.5 and 26.2% of the children and adolescents, respectively, consumed them daily. Physical inactivity was reported by 31.8% of the children and by 35.8% of the adolescents. Among those who practiced some type of physical activity, 81.3% of the children and 78.2% of the adolescents did not meet the recommendation of moderate to vigorous activity for 60 minutes per day. Dropout rates within the 1st year were of 41.9% for children and of 34.3% for adolescents, increasing to 76.9% and 73.8%, respectively, within the 2nd year. Conclusion There was a high consumption of soft drinks and low adherence to physical activity among patients who started outpatient follow-up. A small adherence to the follow-up program was also identified, with high dropout rates within the 2-year period following the first visit.

scholarly journals Promoting healthy foods among urban school children in Bangladesh: a qualitative inquiry of the challenges and opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Rumayan Hasan ◽  
George Smith ◽  
Md Harunor Rashid ◽  
Mohammad Abdus Selim ◽  
Sabrina Rasheed
Keyword(s):  
School Children ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Urban School ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Food Culture ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Raw Foods

Abstract Background In Bangladesh overweight and obesity among urban school children are on the rise. Urban school children tend to consume foods dense in calories and few fruits and vegetables which is associated with overweight and obesity. The current study explored the barriers and opportunities for promoting healthy diets among school children from the perspective of teachers and parents in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods We conducted 14 key informant interviews with teachers and principals, six focus group discussions with 31 mothers of school children (5 to 15 year old) and 14 structured observations of the school food environment. Inductive thematic analysis was performed manually. Results Schools were important for development of food preferences of children, however, most school cafeterias provided foods based on profit rather than health considerations. A shift in food culture resulted in making eating out acquire many meanings beyond convenience. Mothers, especially those who were employed, struggled to prepare healthy foods due to time pressure. Mothers were generally concerned about chemicals added to raw foods in markets which led to limited fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions There were many challenges to promoting healthy foods to school children within and outside the school. It is important to formulate policies and guidance to create a supportive environment for healthy foods in and in the proximity of schools. It is also important to educate consumers about identifying and choosing healthy foods. Laws related to food safety should be adequately implemented to boost the population’s confidence in safety of available healthy foods in the food system.

Changes in Health Behaviors Associated With Weight Gain by Weight Classification During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 089011712110229
Author(s):  
Kristie Rupp ◽  
Ciarán P. Friel
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Online Panels

Purpose: To determine whether perceived changes (i.e. perception of engagement during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic) in specific health behaviors differ by weight status (i.e. healthy weight, overweight, obese). Design: Cross-sectional. Recruitment took place between June-August 2020, via social media posts and Qualtrics online panels. Setting: Participants completed the survey online through the Qualtrics platform. Sample: Analyses included N = 502 participants (≥18 years); 45.2% healthy weight (n = 227), 28.5% overweight (n = 143), and 26.3% obese (n = 132). Measures: Study-specific survey items included questions about demographics and perceived changes in health behaviors. Analysis: Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, and COVID-19 diagnosis, assessed the odds of perceiving changes in health behaviors considered a risk for weight gain. Results: Participants with obesity, but not overweight, were significantly more likely to report deleterious changes to health behaviors compared to healthy weight peers, including: (1) decreased fruit/vegetable consumption [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.13, 3.26)]; (2) increased processed food consumption [AOR = 1.85; 95%CI: (1.15, 3.00)]; (3) increased caloric intake [AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: (1.06, 2.61)]; (4) decreased physical activity [AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: (1.31, 3.28)]; and (5) deterioration in sleep quality [AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: (1.32, 3.25)]. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that adults with obesity may be at greater risk for unhealthy behaviors during a period of prolonged social distancing, potentially exacerbating the obesity epidemic.

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