scholarly journals Implementation Status of a System to Improve Healthy Food Environments in Restaurants and Other Settings in Local Governments: Web Search on Criterion Combination and Quantitative Criteria for Nutrients and Food Groups

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 212-218
Author(s):  
Ayaka Oyama ◽  
Osamu Kushida ◽  
Rie Akamatsu ◽  
Nobuko Murayama
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Web Search ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Implementation Status

scholarly journals Nurses’ eating habits in Lebanon during the economic and health crises: a cross-sectional study

2022 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Georges Nohra ◽  
Elissa Naim ◽  
Taghrid Chaaban ◽  
Monique Rothan-Tondeur
Keyword(s):  
Eating Habits ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Hospital Nurses ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Nurses face multiple stressors that can influence their lifestyle, thus affecting their health status. Scarce are the scientific data on the nutritional status of nurses, especially during health crises. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the eating habits of hospital nurses in the context of an exceptional economic situation in Lebanon. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based questionnaire, targeting a non-random sampling of frontline nurses using the snowball technique. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were carried out. The population of the study included all registered nurses working in the Lebanese hospitals. A total of 533 nurses completed the questionnaire; 500 surveys were selected after excluding the ones presenting conditions that may affect their eating behavior. Results The majority of the respondents were women (78.6%) with a mean age of 33 years [18-60] [SD,7.44 years]. Most of them (57.6%) had a crowding index ≥1. The consumption of different food groups decreased during these crises. There was a significant correlation between stress and deterioration of healthy food consumption, which provides beneficial nutrients and minimizes potentially harmful elements, especially for meat (OR 2.388, CI 1.463 to 3.898, P < 0.001). The decrease in monthly income showed a real impact on the consumption of healthy food such as meat (OR 2.181, CI 1.504 to 3.161, P < 001), fruits (OR 1.930, CI 1.289 to 2.888, P = 0.001), and milk and dairy products (OR 1.544, CI 1.039 to 2.295, P = 0.031). Conclusions The pandemic and in particular the economic crisis has changed the consumption of healthy food among hospital nurses in Lebanon. Similar research and support may be extended to include other frontline health care workers.

scholarly journals Assessment of Food Quality in School Canteens: A Comparative Quantitative Study between Primary and Secondary Schools in Malaysia

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3009
Author(s):  
Leng Huat Foo ◽  
Ying Jing Tan
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Total Sugar Content ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Packaged Foods

Schools are an important food environment to cultivate and promote healthy food choices and practices among children and adolescents. The aim of the present study was to assess the type and quality of food and beverages sold in school canteens in public primary and secondary schools in Kelantan, Malaysia. Eligible schools were randomly selected from the list of all schools and detailed information of all food and beverage items sold in the school canteens were collected during school days. Food and beverages were classified based on food groups derived from the Malaysian Food Dietary Guideline and the Recommended Foods for Healthy Cafeteria Guideline. An assessment of the traffic-light nutrition food-labelling system of the total sugar content in all pre-packaged foods was also undertaken. A total of 568 food items were identified, with secondary school canteens selling a greater proportion of food items than the primary schools (55.5% vs. 44.5%). In terms of the main food groups, grains and cereal products represented the largest food group served (33–36%), followed by beverages (21–25%) and confectionary and sweet foods (12–13%). In contrast, the vegetable and fruit group represented the smallest proportion of food items sold (1–3%). Comparisons between primary and secondary schools showed a similar trend and pattern of food types and quality of foods sold, except for animal-based foods. A greater percentage of food items in this category was found among secondary schools (12.1%) versus primary schools (6.7%). When total sugar content of all pre-packaged foods was quantified based on the traffic-light nutrition-labelling system, almost one-third of foods and beverages were classified as high (29.1%). Confectionary (19.1%) and flavoured milk and fruit drinks (10.0%) both exceeded the recommended sugar levels of >22.5 g per 100 g and >11.25 mL per 100 m L, respectively. Only one of these packaged foods and beverages (0.9%) was classified as a healthy food choice. About a quarter of the food items available in school canteens were classified as prohibited based on a new revised list of prohibited food and beverage items. These findings indicate that, despite the Guidelines, a large number of unhealthy food items are being sold in school canteens. Hence, interventions such as sustainable healthy school canteen menus should be implemented to promote healthy food choices amongst school-aged children.

scholarly journals Barriers and facilitators to implementing a healthier food outlet initiative: perspectives from local governments

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Tara Boelsen-Robinson ◽  
Anna Peeters ◽  
Anne-Marie Thow ◽  
Corinna Hawkes
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Food Outlet ◽  
Community Nutrition ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Team ◽  
Key Informant

Abstract Objective: Local governments have integral roles in contributing to public health. One recent focus has been on how local governments can impact community nutrition by engaging food service outlets to improve their food offer. The Healthier Catering Commitment (HCC) is an initiative where London local governments support takeaways and restaurants to meet centrally defined nutrition criteria on their food options. Using the case of HCC, the current study aims to provide (1) practical learnings of how local governments could facilitate and overcome barriers associated with implementing healthy food service initiatives in general, and (2) specific recommendations for enhancements for HCC. Design: Key informant, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local government staff involved in HCC, exploring barriers and facilitators to HCC implementation in food businesses. A thematic analysis approach was used, with results presented according to a logic pathway of ideal implementation in order to provide practical, focused insights. Setting: Local governments implementing HCC. Participants: Twenty-two individuals supporting HCC implementation. Results: Facilitators to implementation included flexible approaches, shared resourcing and strategically engaging businesses with practical demonstrations. Barriers were limited resources, businesses fearing negative customer responses and low uptake in disadvantaged areas. Key suggestions to enhance implementation and impact included offering additional incentives, increasing HCC awareness and encouraging recruited businesses to make healthy changes beyond initiative requirements. Conclusions: In order to facilitate the implementation of healthy food initiatives in food outlets, local governments would benefit from involving their environmental health team, employing community-tailored approaches and focusing on supporting businesses in disadvantaged areas.

scholarly journals FEAST: Empowering Community Residents to Use Technology to Assess and Advocate for Healthy Food Environments

2017 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jylana L. Sheats ◽  
Sandra J. Winter ◽  
Priscilla Padilla Romero ◽  
Abby C. King
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Community Residents

scholarly journals Food Retail Environments in Greater Melbourne 2008–2016: Longitudinal Analysis of Intra-City Variation in Density and Healthiness of Food Outlets

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Needham ◽  
Liliana Orellana ◽  
Steven Allender ◽  
Gary Sacks ◽  
Miranda R. Blake ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Business District ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Food Outlet ◽  
Food Outlets ◽  
Residential Population ◽  
Business District ◽  
Location Type ◽  
Over Time

Obesity prevalence is inequitably distributed across geographic areas. Food environments may contribute to health disparities, yet little is known about how food environments are evolving over time and how this may influence dietary intake and weight. This study aimed to analyse intra-city variation in density and healthiness of food outlets between 2008 and 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. Food outlet data were classified by location, type and healthiness. Local government areas (LGAs) were classified into four groups representing distance from the central business district. Residential population estimates for each LGA were used to calculate the density of food outlets per 10,000 residents. Linear mixed models were fitted to estimate the mean density and ratio of ‘healthy’ to ‘unhealthy’ food outlets and food outlet ‘types’ by LGA group over time. The number of food outlets increased at a faster rate than the residential population, driven by an increasing density of both ‘unhealthy’ and ‘healthy’ outlets. Across all years, ratios of ‘unhealthy’ to ‘healthy’ outlets were highest in LGAs located in designated Growth Areas. Melbourne’s metropolitan food environment is saturated by ‘unhealthy’ and ‘less healthy’ food outlets, relative to ‘healthy’ ones. Melbourne’s urban growth areas had the least healthy food environments.

scholarly journals Mapping access to community-developed healthy food baskets including cost and availability

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 911-924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Ginn ◽  
Anne Majumdar ◽  
Marimba Carr ◽  
Ginny Eastwood ◽  
Beth Menger
Keyword(s):  
Community Education ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Local Health Service ◽  
Food Basket

Background: Food security is a topical issue but one that can be difficult to measure. Objective: To develop a community-approved food basket tool and use this to investigate the availability and affordability of a healthy diet in a multicultural urban setting. Design: A 7-day healthy food basket (HFB) containing 96 foods for six household types was developed through focus groups ( n = 6) with local residents recruited via the local health service and community organisations. A total of 41 stores were surveyed against the recommendations of the HFB. The availability and price of core food groups and energy dense discretionary foods were analysed. Setting: A multicultural area in Central London with a high concentration of socially and economically deprived households. Results: Healthy food for a variety of minority ethnic diets was available in the study area, although only one supermarket and three online stores stocked the full basket. Discretionary foods were readily available and often cheaper than healthier options. The largest proportions of cost were attributed to protein foods (30%–38%) and fruit and vegetables (20%–27%). Most foods in the HFB were cheaper at larger supermarkets, although fruit and vegetables cost less at markets and local stores. Total basket price varied greatly between stores, with cost savings achieved when buying from at least three stores. Conclusion: Economically disadvantaged members of the community may be excluded from accessing a healthy diet rather than cheaper foods that are energy dense and low in nutrients, particularly if they are unable to shop around. These findings provide insight for the development of voluntary sector partnership programmes, community education and local policy planning.

Are campus food environments healthy? A novel perspective for qualitatively evaluating the nutritional quality of food sold at foodservice facilities at a Brazilian university

2016 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isadora Santos Pulz ◽  
Paula Andréa Martins ◽  
Charles Feldman ◽  
Marcela Boro Veiros
Keyword(s):  
Food Environment ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Ingredients ◽  
Nutrition Environment ◽  
Food And Beverage

Aims: The purpose of this novel study was to evaluate the food environment at a Brazilian university, encompassing 6 restaurants and 13 snack bars. The investigation uniquely analyses the food environment (barriers, facilitators, type of foods and prices). This was a food-based analysis of the nutritional quality of the products sold on campus. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, applying the classic Nutrition Environment Measures Survey–Restaurants (NEMS-R) adapted for Brazil and an original methodology to evaluate and classify qualitatively the nutritional quality and characteristics of the food. A census of all campus food environments was applied. Results: The main results show most food and beverage products were made with processed ingredients and had a lower nutritional quality and price when compared with similar products made on premises, that is, processed iced tea compared with fresh tea ( p < .001), fried refined flour salgados compared with baked wholegrain flour salgados ( p < .001) and refined flour biscuits compared with those made with whole grains ( p = .028). Only 16% of the outlets provided food ingredients or nutritional information of products available. Conclusion: The overall options for healthy food choices and good nutritional quality on campus were mostly limited by the availability and higher prices of products. These findings could be used to develop new policy perspectives for the offering of healthy food items and to facilitate better food choices among students in a healthier food environment.

Transfomation of the Agro-food Sector: Lessons from the Caribbean

1998 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 414-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Andreatta
Keyword(s):  
Political Ecology ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
The United States ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Health Food ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
The Caribbean

As we approach the twenty-first century, concepts of "health food and "healthy food" remain paramount in American culture. Yet, what lessons have we learned? Transformation of the agro-food sector serves to demonstrate that we as consumers and social scientists need to expand our understanding of "health food" or "healthy food" to include production practices, local knowledge and technology, the political and economic milieu in which production and distribution are sustained, as well as their impact on humans and the biophysical environment. This article examines transformation of the agro-food sector in the Caribbean and its connections to the European Union and the United States markets from this perspective. In addition, this article examines the transformation of longstanding cash crops, such as sugar cane and bananas, to other food commodities. Political ecology is used to examine the agro-food sector to understand more clearly the relationship among food producers, local governments, transnational corporations, international policy makers and regional and extra-regional markets vis-à-vis the linkages they maintain. Specific attention is given to the Windward Islands where the increase in cultivated acreage and the associated loss of vegetative cover is futhering a downward spiral of environmental degradation. In the past not only has the natural environment suffered, local human populations have paid the price physically and economically.

scholarly journals Indicators of a healthy dietary pattern among adolescents -A cross-sectional study from 2009 until 2015

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Norburg Tell ◽  
Katarina Hedin ◽  
Mats Nilsson ◽  
Marie Golsäter ◽  
Hans Lingfors
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Pattern ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Future Health ◽  
High Intake ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthy Dietary Pattern

Abstract BackgroundDietary pattern early in life is to some degree preserved into adulthood and may have implications for future health. There is scarce knowledge on associations between choices of certain foods among adolescents. The aim of this study was to explore how intakes of different food groups, correspond to each other from a health perspective among adolescents. MethodsThis cross-sectional study used data from 16-year-olds (n=13 451), who completed a health questionnaire within School Health Services from 2009 until 2015, in a county from Southern Sweden. Dietary pattern based on the response-alternatives from the ten items regarding intake of food and food frequency intake were grouped as healthy, moderately healthy, and unhealthy intakes, based on Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. ResultsIn the student cohort healthy reported intakes of different healthy food groups were closely connected to each other. Association between intakes of certain food groups were seen. High intake of fish, vegetables and fruit were associated to each other, as well as low intake of sweet drinks, sweets and snacks. The highest association was seen between high intake of fruit and high intake of vegetables, with OR=23 (95% CI 12 to 44).ConclusionHealthy food intakes were associated with each other among 16-year-old adolescents; High intake of fruit and vegetables could serve as a key indicator for a healthy dietary pattern in this age group. This knowledge increases the understanding of food patterns among adolescents and can be used for designing interventions. It also raises a hypothesis that focusing on offering healthy foods, more than restricting unhealthy foods could have a positive impact on the dietary pattern.

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