ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Only few epidemiologic studies examined sleep characteristics in relation to dietary behaviour. Our aim was to analyse associations of sleep duration, midpoint of sleep and sleep quality with dietary intake among the Bavarian population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Within the cross-sectional Bavarian Food Consumption Survey II, 1050 subjects aged 13-81 years were recruited. Dietary intake was assessed with three 24-h dietary recalls by telephone (EPIC-Soft). In our study, 814 participants aged 18 years or older, who completed at least two 24-h dietary recalls and who had complete and plausible information on sleep characteristics were analysed. Dietary intake was described by the consumption of main food groups, energy-proving nutrients and energy intake. Sleep was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire, from which categories of self-reported usual sleep duration in half-h-steps per night, midpoint of sleep and overall sleep quality were derived. RESULTS: Sleep duration was associated with intake of non-alcoholic beverages (P<0.01), carbonated beverages (P=0.04), water (P=0.04) and coffee/black tea (P=0.01) with higher intake among short duration sleepers. No association was found between the consumption of other main food groups, energy-proving nutrients or total daily energy intake and sleep duration. Midpoint of sleep was associated with intake of carbonated beverages (P=0.02, highest intake among subjects with early midpoint of sleep). No association between sleep quality and dietary intake was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate only specific associations between sleep characteristics and dietary intake, and mainly sleep duration was associated with beverage intake.
Subject(s)
Beverages , Diet , Sleep , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Body Mass Index , Carbonated Beverages , Coffee , Cross-Sectional Studies , Drinking Water , Exercise , Female , Germany , Humans , Life Style , Male , Mental Recall , Middle Aged , Nutrition Assessment , Nutrition Surveys , Seasons , Sensitivity and Specificity , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , Tea , White People , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effect of season on food intake from selected food groups and on energy intake in adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The search process was based on selecting publications listed in the following: Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Agris. Food frequency questionnaires, 24-h dietary recalls and food records as methods for assessment of dietary intake were used to assess changes in the consumption of 11 food groups and of energy intake across seasons. A meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were included. Articles were divided into those reporting data on four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) or on two seasons (pre-and post-harvest). Four of the studies could be utilized for meta-analysis describing changes in food consumption across four season scheme: from winter to spring fruits decreased, whereas vegetables, eggs and alcoholic beverages increased; from spring to summer vegetable consumption further increased and cereals decreased; from summer to autumn fruits and cereals increased and vegetables, meat, eggs and alcoholic beverages decreased; from autumn to winter cereals decreased. A significant association was also found between energy intake and season, for 13 studies reporting energy intake across four seasons (favors winter) and for eight studies across pre- and post-harvest seasons (favors post-harvest). CONCLUSIONS: The winter or the post-harvest season is associated with increased energy intake. The intake of fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, cereals and alcoholic beverages is following a seasonal consumption pattern and at least for these foods season is determinant of intake.
Subject(s)
Diet , Energy Intake , Food , Seasons , Adult , Alcoholic Beverages , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diet Surveys , Edible Grain , Eggs , Fruit , Humans , MEDLINE , VegetablesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The validity of dietary assessment in large-scale cohort studies has been questioned. Combining data sources for the estimation of usual intake in a blended approach may enhance the validity of dietary measurement. Our objective was to develop a web-based 24-h food list for Germany to identify foods consumed during the previous 24 h and to evaluate the performance of the new questionnaire in a feasibility study. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Available data from the German National Nutrition Survey II were used to develop a finite list of food items. A total of 508 individuals were invited to fill in the 24-h food list via the Internet up to three times during a 3-6-month time period. In addition, participants were asked to evaluate the questionnaire using a brief online evaluation form. RESULTS: In total, 246 food items were identified for the 24-h food list, reflecting >75% variation in intake of 27 nutrients and four major food groups. Among the individuals invited, 64% participated in the feasibility study. Of these, 100%, 85% and 68% of participants completed the 24-h food list one, two or three times, respectively. The average time needed to complete the questionnaire was 9 min, and its acceptability by participants was rated as high. CONCLUSIONS: The 24-h food list represents a promising new dietary assessment tool that can be used as part of a blended approach combining multiple data sources for valid estimation of usual dietary intake in large-scale cohort studies.
Subject(s)
Diet Records , Nutrition Assessment , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cohort Studies , Feasibility Studies , Female , Germany , Humans , Internet , Linear Models , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
Health targets are increasingly becoming a health-policy control instrument, both nationally and internationally. In the project gesundheitsziele.de, targets have been formulated for children and adolescents in Germany - currently in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Implementing and evaluating health targets requires regularly updated, informative data that allow a comprehensive and precise description of the relevant problems and developments. The Robert Koch Institute's National Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents - conducted during the period from 2003 to 2006 - provides a pool of data with information on virtually all facets of health development during childhood and adolescence which can be used to determine the starting point of the health-targeting process. This article describes the data provided by the survey of the areas nutrition, exercise, and stress management and the contribution these data could make towards further developing and implementing the health targets for children and adolescents.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Health Services , Child Health Services , Health Surveys , National Health Programs , Organizational Objectives , Adolescent , Child , Germany , Health Planning Councils , Humans , Needs AssessmentABSTRACT
Since dietary behaviour has an essential impact on health, information on food consumption was obtained in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). The average food frequency and portion size "in recent weeks" was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. Two versions of the questionnaire, identical in content, exist: one aimed at parents of 1-10-year-olds and the other directly at 11-17-year-olds. The results include data on 7,186 boys and 6,919 girls, aged 3-17. About half of the participants each consume bread, milk and fresh fruits every day. The majority (about three quarter) eat fast food only once a month or less. However, 16 % of the participants eat chocolate, and almost 20 % other sweets every day. More boys than girls individually consume soft drinks, milk, dairy products, meat, sausage, cereals and white bread every day. More girls consume fresh fruits and raw vegetables each day. With increasing age the proportion of daily consumers of soft drinks, cheese (and among boys also meat and sausage) increases, but the proportion of daily consumers of juices, tap water, milk, dairy products, fresh fruits, raw vegetables, cookies, chocolate, sweets (and among girls also breakfast cereals) falls. As expected the consumption of sweets and soft drinks is relatively high. Whereas more than half of the children each consume fruits and vegetables on a daily base, this consumption declines with increasing age.
Subject(s)
Feeding Behavior , Nutrition Surveys , Adolescent , Age Factors , Child , Child, Preschool , Edible Grain , Female , Fruit , Germany , Humans , Infant , Male , Meat , Nutritive Value , Sex Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , VegetablesABSTRACT
Vaccines prepared from Friend leukaemia virus envelope and core polypeptides were compared for their efficiency in preventing erythroleukaemia in mice. High doses (100 micrograms) of gp85, the micellar complex of the envelope polypeptides gp70 and p15E, completely protected STU mice. The same dose of purified gp70 still protected about 80% of the animals, while p15E did not affect the cumulative mortality. The internal viral polypeptide p30 was ineffective. Serological examination indicated that immunity against death from leukaemia was mediated by specific antibodies. These leukaemia-preventing antibodies were predominantly induced by immunization with the gp70 env gene product, since p15E showed only minor protection. Glycoprotein gp70, however, was more effective when given as the gp85 micellar complex. An even more potent vaccine was obtained when gp70 was coupled to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) by glutaraldehyde. Ten micrograms gp70 coupled to KLH was enough to save more than 90% of Friend leukaemia virus-infected mice from erythroleukaemia. KLH may also be a suitable experimental carrier for subunits of gp70 or synthetic oligopeptides for viral vaccines.
