Nutrient Composition of Popularly Consumed African and Caribbean Foods in The UK.

(1) Background: Traditional foods are important in the diets of Black Africans and Caribbeans and, more widely, influence UK food culture. However, little is known about the nutritional status of these ethnic groups and the nutrient composition of their traditional foods. The aim was to identify and analyse African and Caribbean dishes, snacks and beverages popularly consumed in the UK for energy, macronutrients and micronutrients. (2) Methods: Various approaches including focus group discussions and 24-h dietary recalls were used to identify traditional dishes, snacks, and beverages. Defined criteria were used to prioritise and prepare 33 composite samples for nutrient analysis in a UK accredited laboratory. Quality assurance procedures and data verification were undertaken to ensure inclusion in the UK nutrient database. (3) Results: Energy content ranged from 60 kcal in Malta drink to 619 kcal in the shito sauce. Sucrose levels did not exceed the UK recommendation for adults and children. Most of the dishes contained negligible levels of trans fatty acid. The most abundant minerals were Na, K, Ca, Cu, Mn and Se whereas Mg, P, Fe and Zn were present in small amounts. (4) Conclusion: There was wide variation in the energy, macro- and micronutrients composition of the foods analysed.

Body composition changes in an endurance athlete using two different training strategies.

Swimming, running and cycling are among the most popular and fastest growing sports in the world. Inherent in these sports is a desire to favorably alter body composition. Here we report a ~5.4 kg and ~5.3 kg fat tissue mass (FTM) loss in two separate interventions (12-16 weeks), in the same athlete, separated by 5 years. Whole body composition was assessed using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Dietary analysis for intervention 2 was completed using Mc Cance and Widdowson's composition of foods. In 2010, the male athlete (23 years, weight 85 kg, height 195 cm, 18.1% body fat) had a reduction of ~5.4 kg of FTM (15.4 vs. 10.0 kg) and an increase of ~5.1 kg of lean tissue mass (LTM) following 16 weeks of moderate intensity running (213±53 min/week) and circuit training (64±46 min/week). In 2015, the same athlete (28 years, 90.6 kg, 195 cm; 18.2%) had a ~5.3 kg loss of FTM and a ~0.8 kg increase in LTM after 12 weeks, predominately (75%) non-weight bearing exercise (49% cycling, 215±88 min/week; 25% running 110±47 min/week; 19% swimming, 83±27 min/week; 7% rowing machine, 29±26 min/week). Weekday and weekend dietary intake during intervention 2 were estimated as 2560 kcal and 3240 kcal per day, respectively. This report provides support for the hypothesis that an extended period of energy deficit is required to reduce body fat levels in amateur athletes independent of the mode of exercise.

Epilepsy health promotion - An educational journey.

Few undergraduate health promotion nurse education programmes move beyond hypothetical pieces of course work. This paper focuses on an epilepsy health promotion intervention undertaken by second year adult and mental health nursing students at Leeds Metropolitan University. These students studied collaboratively, facilitated by tutors to design, plan and implement an initiative focussing on epilepsy health promotion in a primary school. The educational benefits for the primary school children, the undergraduate nurses and the health promotion nursing tutors are examined. These included children demonstrating self-awareness of possible stigma and how to relate more positively to people with epilepsy. The undergraduate nurses also gained an invaluable learning experience, developed confidence and professional skill competencies in providing a feasible and original health promotion initiative. The implications for health promotion nursing tutors in supporting this type of educational intervention are discussed in relation to both the changing nature of the National Health Service and the current demands on curriculum design. The authors suggest that fully embedding health promotion theory in practice places high demands, in the short-term, on nursing tutor capacity. Clearly, this may be outweighed by the long-term benefits of preparing innovative graduate practitioners fit for practice.