Development of a Food-Based Diet Quality Scale for Brazilian Schoolchildren Using Item Response Theory.

Item response theory (IRT) is a psychometric method that provides probabilistic model-based measurements. Its use is relatively recent in the assessment of food consumption, especially through dietary assessment tools. This study aims (1) to develop a food-based diet quality scale for Brazilian schoolchildren using IRT, and (2) to apply the scale to a representative sample of schoolchildren from a Southern Brazilian city. The scale was developed with daily consumption frequency of foods from 835 students who completed the Food Intake and Physical Activity of Schoolchildren questionnaire. Questionnaire foods were grouped into 10 items according to their nutritional similarities and were evaluated by full-information factor analysis that indicated a dominant factor explaining 28% of the variance. Psychometric item analysis was performed using Samejima's model. The scale covered all levels of diet quality, from "very poor" (scores < 95) to "very good" (scores ≥ 130). Children who had higher diet quality scores consumed beans, meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and water more frequently, while reducing the consumption of ultraprocessed sugary foods, ultraprocessed savoury snacks and sausages, and sugary drinks. Of 6323 children, an average of less than 10% consumed the highest diet quality scores (good or very good diet quality) and about 60% of children consumed low diet quality scores. The scale can be applied to other schoolchildren with the same measure precision.

Meal planning by high and low health conscious individuals during a simulated shop in the supermarket: A mixed methods study.

Planning is an essential component of home meal preparation. While level of health consciousness permeates both activities, this relationship is underexplored in the scientific literature. Using a mixed-methods convergent parallel design this study identified the reasoning behind meal planning and compared the characteristics of meals planned by high and low health-conscious adults during a simulated shopping task in a supermarket store. Participants were assigned a task where they were asked to choose ingredients to prepare a hot evening meal for a last-minute guest. High Health Conscious (HHC) participants planned healthier meals with more whole grains/breads/pasta, fruits, and vegetables than Low Health Conscious (LHC) participants. HHC participants mentioned not only health-related motives, but also ingredients' characteristics and cooking habits as influencers of their choices. LHC individuals focused on their own preferences, acknowledged that they struggled with the skills needed to prepare a meal and considered the presence of a guest as the only reason why they would prepare a meal. The mixed methods approach enabled us to link the participants' reasoning with the quantitative differences between meals planned by them - HHC individuals planned healthier meals and manifested closeness to the act of cooking. This suggests that the link between health interest and learning how to cook deserves to be further explored.

Influence of menu labeling on food choices in real-life settings: a systematic review.

CONTEXT: Evidence that menu labeling influences food choices in real-life settings is lacking. Reviews usually focus on calorie counts without addressing broader issues related to healthy eating. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review assessed the influence of diverse menu-labeling formats on food choices in real-life settings. DATA SOURCES: Several databases were searched: Cochrane Library, Scopus, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Food Science and Technology Abstracts, Biological Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, EconLit, SciELO, and LILACS. STUDY SELECTION: Articles reporting experiments, quasi-experiments, and observational studies using control or preintervention groups were selected blindly by two reviewers. DATA EXTRACTION: Data was extracted using a standard form. Analyses differentiated between foodservice types. The quality of the 38 included studies was assessed blindly by two reviewers. DATA ANALYSIS: The results were mixed, but a partial influence of menu labeling on food choices was more frequent than an overall influence or no influence. Menu labeling was more effective in cafeterias than in restaurants. Qualitative information, such as healthy-food symbols and traffic-light labeling, was most effective in promoting healthy eating. In general, the studies were of moderate quality and did not use control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Calorie labeling in menus is not effective to promote healthier food choices. Further research in real-life settings with control groups should test diverse qualitative information in menu labeling.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids effects on inflammatory markers in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer and inflammation are closely related and an exacerbated inflammatory process can lead to tumor progression and a worse prognosis for the patient with cancer. Scientific literature has shown evidence that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have anti-inflammatory action, and for this reason could be useful as an adjuvant in the treatment of some cancers. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted until September, 2014, to evaluate the effects of n-3 PUFA on inflammatory mediators in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical trials were systematically searched in three electronic databases and screening reference lists. Random meta-analysis model was used to calculate the overall and stratified effect sizes. RESULTS: Nine trials, representing 475 patients with CRC, evaluated effects of n-3 PUFA on cytokines (n = 6) and/or acute phase proteins (n = 5) levels. n-3 PUFA reduce the levels of IL-6 (SMD -2.34; 95% CI -4.37, -0.31; p = 0.024) and increase albumin (SMD 0.31; 95% CI 0.06, 0.56; p = 0.014) in overall analyses. In stratified analyses, reduction in IL-6 levels occurs in surgical patients that received 0.2 g/kg of fish oil parenterally at postoperative period (SMD -0.65; 95% CI -1.06, -0.24; p = 0.002), while, increase in albumin concentration occurs in surgical patients that received ≥ 2.5 g/d of EPA + DHA orally at preoperative period (SMD 0.34; 95% CI 0.02, 0.66; p = 0.038). In patients undergoing chemotherapy, the supplementation of 0.6 g/d of EPA + DHA during 9 week reduces CRP levels (SMD -0.95; 95% CI -1.73, -0.17; p = 0.017), and CRP/albumin ratio (SMD -0.95; 95% CI -1.73, -0.18; p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest benefits on some inflammatory mediators with the use of n-3 PUFA on CRC patients, but these benefits are specific to certain supplementation protocols involving duration, dose and route of administration, and also, the concomitant anti-cancer treatment adopted.

Alimentos diet e light: consumo e conhecimento por frequentadores de supermercados de Florianópolis, SC / Diet and light foods: knowledge by consumers of the supermarkets in Florianópolis, SC

Os objetivos do estudo foram avaliar o consumo e o conhecimento sobre os alimentos diet e light por 299 frequentadores de supermercados de Florianópolis, SC. Foi um estudo descritivo, em que um questionário semiestruturado foi aplicado para cada consumidor. Apenas 33,8% dos entrevistados referiram consumir alimentos diet e 66,2% alimentos light. Observou-se o aumento do conhecimento sobre as características destes alimentos com o aumento da renda. O desconhecimento em relação ao significado dos termos discutidos pode ser indicativo da utilização inadequada destes produtos. Logo, a divulgação de informações corretas sobre a sua definição é crucial para que o cliente possa optar pela versão mais adequada.

Public intervention in food and nutrition in Brazil

In the last twenty years, the Brazilian government has created a number of income transfer programs for the poorest portion of the population to promote food and nutrition security and eradicate extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition. These programs have achieved satisfactory results, which cannot, however, be attributed solely to the transference of income, as they involve other governmental public policies in health, education and basic sanitation. Combined, the aim of such public policies is to break patterns of the poverty across generations, thereby contributing to human development in the country.

En las últimas dos décadas, el gobierno brasileño creó varios programas de transferencia de ingresos para los más pobres con el objetivo de promover la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, así como para erradicar la pobreza extrema y el hambre. Estos programas proporcionaron algunos resultados satisfactorios, lo que no se puede atribuir exclusivamente a la transferencia de ingresos, sino también a otros sectores gubernamentales y a diversas políticas públicas en las áreas de educación, salud y saneamiento básico. En conjunto, estas políticas están destinadas a romper el patrón de pobreza intergeneracional, contribuyendo con el desarrollo humano del país.

Public intervention in food and nutrition in Brazil.

In the last twenty years, the Brazilian government has created a number of income transfer programs for the poorest portion of the population to promote food and nutrition security and eradicate extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition. These programs have achieved satisfactory results, which cannot, however, be attributed solely to the transference of income, as they involve other governmental public policies in health, education and basic sanitation, Combined, the aim of such public policies is to break patterns of the poverty across generations, thereby contributing to human development in the country.

Dietas hipocalóricas em internaçäo: perda de peso em seis dias / Hypocaloric diets in internment: weight loss in six years

A obesidade é uma doença multifatorial quanto a sua etiologia e patogênese. A presença de obesidade é considerada um fator de risco para várias doenças. A busca pelo corpo ideal tornou-se um sonho de consumo, especialmente das mulheres. Procuramos analisar neste estudo, o perfil da clientela atendida em um spa. Os resultados mostraram que 70 por cento da amostra (n= 554) foi constituída por mulheres. A idade média dos clientes foi de 48,9 +/- 11,5 anos e a média do IMC 27,3 +/- 4,0 kg/m2. Em relaçäo à perda de peso, observamos uma perda de aproximadamente 3,14 kg no período de seis dias de internaçäo. Os motivos alegados para a busca do tratamento foram os mais variados, entretanto, a preocupaçäo com a estética foi a principal.