Food Budget of Inmates and Their Body Mass Index

This study aimed to evaluate the food budget allowance of inmates in Dapitan and Dipolog City jail and determine the inmates body mass index as one of the indicators in assessing the nutrition of person whether he/she is malnourished or not. The study employed a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches in carrying out the results of the study. Quantitative method was used to describe the inmate’s profile as to age, gender, number of years in jail, types of food served and body mass index. While qualitative method was used to determine the budget allocation of inmates and medical records of inmates. An information sheet was created and distributed to the inmates who were the primary respondents in order to gather quantitative data. In addition, unstructured interview was also conducted to the warden during site visit. Random sampling method was used. Descriptive statistics were used in presenting, analyzing and interpreting the data of the study. Most of the inmates incarcerated are within the age ranging from 42-51 years old, while most of the inmates are incarcerated for a period ranging from 2 to 4 years. There are very few inmates with medical history like ulcer, diabetes, mayoma and high blood. Beef or pork tinola with sayote and rice is the commonly meals serve to the inmates. Majority of the inmates are within normal weight. Monitoring of those inmates with medical history to prevent from any possible complications.

Correlations between Total Monthly Expenses, Food Budget and the Diet of Junior Medical Students

Background. A tendency towards an unbalanced diet is currently observed among student youth, which, along with the relative financial stability of this contingent, poses certain risks of unhealthy nutrition in modern conditions. Nutritional status of students can be considered as an important component of nutritional problem of the population and requires a comprehensive research. Our objective was to analyze correlations between total monthly expenses, monthly food expenditures and the diet of first and second-year students of a medical university. Materials and methods. The study included 87 junior students of the Ryazan State Medical University who gave informed consent to participate in the study. Their nutrition and physical activity were monitored during seven days in March–April 2019. In total, we analyzed 1,729 meals and 532 daily chronograms. Statistical data processing was carried out to test a number of statistical hypotheses in compliance with the conditions necessary for the application of the selected statistical criteria. Results. We established that the diet was not balanced in the groups of junior students with monthly expenses both above and below subsistence level. Yet, the diet of students with expenditures above the subsistence level was closer to the recommended one. We found direct correlations between higher total monthly expenses of students and a greater proportion of nutrients in their diet. A direct relationship was also established between the food budget and consumption of food components, such as cholesterol and mono- and disaccharides, posing potential health risks. Conclusion. Actions taken to improve well-being of families and student youth along supported by active promotion of healthy eating, especially among students with their large food budget, may contribute to optimizing the diet of junior students.

Women’s perceptions about changes in food-related behaviors at home during COVID-19 pandemic in Chile

Objective: To explore women’s perceptions of changes in specific food habits at home, specifically the food budget and shopping, and food preparation, during the COVID-19 period. Design: Non-probabilistic, exploratory study. Participants completed an online self-administered questionnaire. Perceptions of food habit changes were measured on a five-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Data analysis was conducted in STATA v16.0. Setting: Chile. Participants: Adult women between 25- and 65-years old (n= 2047) Results: Of the participants, 72% were responsible for cooking, 69% for buying food, and 85% for child care. Difficulties in organizing and doing food budget works were observed in groups with a lower educational level, lower-income, and single mothers with children. Younger participants, dependent workers, women from biparental families with children, and those in mandatory quarantine perceived more changes in their food shopping and budget management tasks. Participants more educated, with higher income, and non-mandatory quarantine perceived to cook and eat healthier. Older participants perceived minor changes in their food preparation tasks at home; in contrast, more educated women and women from biparental families with children perceived more changes. If women were in charge of the kids or grocery shopping, more food environment changes were noticed. Conclusions: Women perceived changes in their food environments. Some of these changes are perceived worse in the more vulnerable population. COVID-19 presents a challenge for the food system and gender perspectives. This information should be considered in the design of food-related interventions.

Heterogeneities in Consumer Diet Quality and Health Outcomes of Consumers by Store Choice and Income

Obesity and other diet-related health conditions have received much attention in the public health literature over the past two decades. This study investigates the relationship between household food budget shares at different food outlets with diet quality and weight-related health outcomes in the United States. Our analysis used event-level food purchase data from the national household food acquisition and purchases survey (FoodAPS). We find that, after controlling for observables, food purchase location is significantly associated with diet quality and body mass index (BMI). Our findings indicate that larger food budget shares at convenience stores and restaurants are linked with poor diet quality based on the healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores and higher BMI. We further explored potential heterogeneity on outcomes of interest across income groups. Results suggest heterogeneous effects may exist across income groups: low-income households, who spent a larger share of their food budget at convenience stores and fast-food restaurants are related to poor diet quality and more likely to be obese. Our findings will help improve understanding of the causes of diet-related health problems and may illuminate potential avenues of intervention to address obesity.

Equity of expenditure changes associated with a sweetened-beverage tax in Tonga: repeated cross-sectional household surveys

Background The aim of this study was to examine changes in beverage expenditure patterns before and after a T$0.50/L sweetened-beverage (SB) excise was introduced in Tonga in 2013, by household income, household age composition and island of residence. Methods Two cross-sectional surveys involved households being randomly sampled (the Household Income and Expenditure Surveys in 2009 (n = 1982) and 2015/16 (n = 1800)). Changes in soft drink (taxed), bottled water, and milk (both untaxed) expenditure were examined namely: (i) prevalence of households purchasing the beverage; (ii) average expenditure per person (inflation-adjusted); (iii) expenditure as a proportion of household food budget; and (iv) expenditure per person as a proportion of equivalised income. Results The pattern found was of decreases in all soft drink expenditure outcomes and these appeared to be greater in low-income than high-income households for purchasing prevalence (− 30% and − 25% respectively, t-test p = 0.98), per-capita expenditure (− 37% and − 34%, p = 0.20) and food budget share (− 27% and − 7%, p = 0.65), but not income share (− 6% and − 32%, p = 0.71). The large expenditure increases in bottled water appeared to be greater in low-income than high-income households for purchasing prevalence (355 and 172%, p = 0.32) and food budget share (665 and 468%, p = 0.09), but greater in high-income households for per-capita expenditure (121 and 373%, p < 0.01) and income share (83 and 397%, p = 0.50). Conclusions The sweetened-beverage tax was associated with reduced soft drink purchasing and increased bottled water expenditure. Low-income households appeared to have slightly greater declines in soft drink expenditure.

Raising Healthy Children: Frugal Shopping Tips for Families

In today's uncertain economic times, families are cutting their budgets wherever possible to make ends meet. This includes reducing the amount of money spent on food. Although a tighter food budget may make grocery shopping a challenge, learning how to stretch food dollars can help families afford enough healthy foods for the whole family to enjoy. This publication will discuss ways to plan ahead and strategies to help stretch your food dollars. Written by Julie M. Martinez, Shari Bresin, and Karla P. Shelnutt, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised December 2020.

The role of dwelling type on food expenditure: a cross-sectional analysis of the 2015–2016 Australian Household Expenditure Survey

Objective: To explore differences in proportion of food budget and total food expenditure by dwelling type. Design: A cross-sectional study using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2015–2016 Household Expenditure Survey. Food expenditure was examined on multiple categories: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, pre-prepared meals, meals in restaurants, hotels and clubs, and fast food and takeaway meals, using two-part models and zero-one inflated beta regression models. Dwelling types were categorised as separate house, semi-detached house, low-rise apartment and high-rise apartment. Setting: Australia, 2015–2016. Participants: Seven thousand three hundred and fifty-eight households from greater capital city areas. Results: Households living in high-rise apartments were estimated to allocate a greater proportion of their food budget to meals in restaurants, hotels and clubs, and to spend more (actual dollars) on that category, compared with other dwelling types. No substantial differences were estimated in the proportion of food budget allocated to the other food categories across dwelling types. Conclusions: The dwelling type households live in may play a role in their food budget. Households living in a high-rise apartment may potentially spend more on meals in restaurants, hotels and clubs than those living in other dwelling types. Given the growth in urban population and the changes in living arrangements, findings point to the critical need for a better understanding of the influence of dwelling types on food expenditure and call for research investigating the relationship between the two.

Energy balance of food in a detrito-bryophagous groundhopper (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Detritus (decaying organic matter) and phyllodes of mosses are two main components in the diet of groundhoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae). We studied the energy balance of consumed food under laboratory conditions in the detrito-bryophagous groundhopper, Tetrix subulata (Linnaeus, 1758). The results indicated that the energy food budget of this detrito-bryophagous groundhopper was comparable to those of small herbivorous grasshoppers (Acrididae: Gomphocerinae, Melanoplinae), which have a similar energy food budget of approximately 800–1,100 J/g. T. subulata consumed four times more detritus than mosses, although both components provided similar amounts of energy (ca. 15–16 kJ/g). However, in contrast with detritus, moss fragments passed through the digestive tract without a distinct change in their mass or a loss in their energy value. We assume that moss may cause the longer retention of semifluid mass of partly digested food in the alimentary tract; hence, the digestion and efficiency of nutrient absorption from detritus could be more effective.

Services of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP): An Assessment

Corrections is one of the five pillars of the Criminal Justice System. The study aimed to assess the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) towards the inmates of the jails located in the Province of Agusan del Norte. The study used a descriptive method of research. The survey was given to the 317 inmates. The findings revealed that in the jails under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the majority of the inmates’ responses were slightly dissatisfied. In addition, the food budget of the inmates in the province of Agusan del Norte is not sufficient to provide a complete set of utensils and diet that would provide better nourishment to the inmates. The regular doctor is also not available to provide the regular evaluation of the inmates’ physical and other conditions. The nurse personnel is available but can’t cater to all the inmates’ needs towards emergency cases. Moreover, the Alternative learning system is inaccessible because the budget for school supplies and reading materials is insufficient. It was recommended that the National Government was comprised of the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary must provide the budget for the creation of additional courts, appointed judges, public prosecutor, public lawyers, and Jail officers. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology administration should seek a plan and intervention programs that enhance the Bureau’s current services.

Adequate income in Portugal: a comparison of two estimation methods

This chapter examines the adequate income in Portugal by comparing “Improving Poverty Reduction in Europe” (ImPRovE) and Minimum Income Standards (MIS). It discusses how the MIS approach places great emphasis on the results of the focus group discussions for establishing a consensual income standard for society, while the ImPRovE method puts experts in the driving seat and focus groups are largely confirmatory. It also provides a comparison of MIS and ImPRovE's food budget results. The chapter looks into the cost of the food basket for both a man and a woman, and a couple, that is found to be higher when using the ImPRovE methodology compared to MIS approach. It covers findings that highlight some of the main differences of MIS and ImPRovE in terms of food basket composition or quantities of different groups of food.