Characteristics of built food environments associated with alternative protein food choices: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review contributes to the understanding of the characteristics of built food environments that may be associated with choices of alternative protein foods (APF). Using the built food environment typology proposed by Downs et al., we investigated various environmental structures (e.g., supermarkets, other retailers, farmers' markets, restaurants, schools, and online vendors) and the characteristics that may facilitate or hinder consumers' choices. For example, facilitators and barriers may refer to the physical characteristics of environmental structures, food presentation practices, the organizational strategies or policies operating in the setting, or the actions that retailers or consumers engage in while selling, serving, choosing, trying, or purchasing APF in these environmental structures. METHODS: A systematic review (PROSPERO database preregistration; no. CRD42023388700) was conducted by searching 13 databases for peer-reviewed journals focusing on the fields of economics and business, agriculture, medical sciences, and social sciences. Data searches, coding, and quality evaluations were conducted by at least 2 researchers. A total of 31 papers (36 original studies) were included. The risk of bias was evaluated with the Joanna Briggs Institute quality evaluation tool, with 24 publications presenting low risk of bias. RESULTS: The findings indicate that perceived and actual availability facilitate consumers' APF choices across a built food environment. Several barriers/facilitators were associated with APF choices in specific types of built food environments: the way food is presented in produce sections (supermarkets), consumer habits in terms of green and specialty shopping (grocery stores), and mismatches among retailer actions in regard to making APF available in one type of food environment structure (e-commerce) and consumers' preferences for APF being available in other food environment structures (supermarkets, grocery stores). The effect of a barrier/facilitator may depend on the APF type; for example, social norms regarding masculinity were a barrier affecting plant-based APF choices in restaurants, but these norms were not a barrier affecting the choice of insect-based APF in restaurants. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing barriers/facilitators identified in this review will help in developing environment-matching interventions that aim to make alternative proteins mainstream. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO database registration: #CRD42023388700.

What policies are there and what policies are missing? A Photovoice study of adolescents' perspectives on obesity-prevention policies in their local environment.

The aim of this study was to investigate adolescents' critical awareness of whether obesity prevention policies targeting physical activity (PA) and nutrition were operating in their local community. Participants were 41 adolescents (aged 16-18, 90% women) recruited from three communities in Poland. Prior to this study, they were involved in obesity-prevention participatory initiatives (conducted within the CO-CREATE project), where obesity-related public policy limitations were analyzed in a youth-led discussion. A Photovoice exercise was designed to capture obesity-related public policies that were either present or absent in young people's local environments. The photographs (N = 213) were coded and mapped according to the policy themes they illustrated, using the MOVING and NOURISHING frameworks. The public policies represented in the photographs are most frequently related to: healthy retail or food service environments; food advertising or promotion; structures and surroundings that promote PA; and infrastructure and opportunities that support public or active transport. Adolescents are critically aware of the presence and lack of specific public policies operating in their local environment, particularly policies affecting structural aspects of food and PA environments. Policy-oriented photovoice exercises may prompt critical awareness among adolescents and empower them to contribute to obesity prevention policy processes.

Physical activity planning interventions, body fat and energy-dense food intake in dyads: ripple, spillover, or compensatory effects?

OBJECTIVES: It is unclear if planning to change one behavior may prompt changes in other health behaviors or health outcomes. This study tested if physical activity (PA) planning interventions may result in (i) a body fat reduction in target persons and their dyadic partners (a ripple effect), (ii) a decrease in energy-dense food intake (a spillover effect), or an increase in energy-dense food intake (a compensatory effect). METHOD: N = 320 adult-adult dyads were assigned to an individual ('I-for-me'), dyadic ('we-for-me'), or collaborative ('we-for-us') PA planning intervention or a control condition. Body fat and energy-dense food intake were measured at baseline and at the 36-week follow-up. RESULTS: No Time x Condition effects were found for target persons' body fat. There was a reduction in body fat among partners participating in any PA planning intervention, compared to the control condition. Across conditions, target persons and partners reduced energy-dense food intake over time. The reduction was smaller among target persons assigned to the individual PA planning condition compared to the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: PA planning interventions delivered to dyads may result in a ripple effect involving body fat reduction among partners. Among target persons, the individual PA planning may activate compensatory changes in energy-dense food intake.

The Dyadic Interplay Between Relationship Satisfaction, Perceived Positive and Negative Social Control, and a Reduction of Sedentary Behavior Time.

BACKGROUND: Both the close relationship processes and health model and the dyadic health influence model posit that beliefs about the relationship (e.g., relationship satisfaction) and influence strategies (e.g., social control) serve as mediators of health behavior change. The evidence for such mediation is limited. PURPOSE: This study investigated two competing hypotheses that arise from these models: (1) perceived use of positive and negative social control (attempts to influence the partner's behaviors) predict sedentary behavior (SB) indirectly, via relationship satisfaction; or (2) relationship satisfaction predicts SB indirectly, via positive and negative social control. METHODS: Data from 320 dyads (target persons and their partners, aged 18-90 years), were analyzed using mediation models. SB time was measured with GT3X-BT accelerometers at Time 1 (T1; baseline) and Time 3 (T3; 8 months following baseline). Relationship satisfaction and social control were assessed at T1 and Time 2 (T2; 2 months following baseline). RESULTS: Higher T1 relationship satisfaction among target persons predicted target persons' reporting of higher T2 negative control from partners, which in turn predicted lower T3 SB time among target persons. Lower T1 relationship satisfaction among partners predicted target persons' reporting of higher T2 perceived negative control from partners, which predicted lower T3 SB time among target persons. On average, both members of the dyad reported moderate-to-high relationship satisfaction and low-to-moderate negative control. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to very low levels of negative control, its low-to-moderate levels may be related to beneficial behavioral effects (lower SB time) among target persons reporting moderate-to-high relationship satisfaction.

Dyadic reciprocal associations between self-efficacy and planning predict sedentary behaviour.

OBJECTIVES: There are two alternative hypotheses regarding bidirectional associations between self-efficacy and planning in predicting health behaviour change: self-efficacy may establish planning (cultivation hypothesis) or planning may enable the formation of self-efficacy (enabling hypothesis). This study investigates the order in which these two social cognitions are linked in adult-adult dyads in the context of sedentary behaviours (SB). DESIGN: A longitudinal study with 4 measurement points, spanning 8 months. METHODS: A total of 320 dyads (age: 18-90 years) were enrolled. Dyads included a focus person (who received the recommendation to reduce SB and intended to change their SB), and their partners, who were willing to support the focus persons and intended to reduce their own SB as well. Data were collected at Time 1 (T1), Time 2 (1 week later, T2), Time 3 (T3, 2 months after T1) and Time 4 (T4, 8 months after T1). SB was measured with accelerometers at (T1 and T4). Mediation models with individual and dyadic reciprocal effects were tested with path analyses. RESULTS: Only one indirect effect was found: A higher level of partners' SB reduction-specific self-efficacy at T2 was related to the focus person's more frequent planning to reduce SB at T3, which, in turn, predicted lower SB time among partners at T4. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide partial support for the cultivation model (self-efficacy prompting planning) and for dyadic reciprocal associations in the context of SB time reduction among adult dyads.

Insights into effects of individual, dyadic, and collaborative planning interventions on automatic, conscious, and social process variables.

OBJECTIVE: Going beyond the effects of individual planning ("I-for-me"), we investigate the associations of dyadic ("we-for-me") and collaborative ("we-for-us") planning with automatic, conscious, and social process variables that may elucidate the differences through which these three types of planning operate. We tested the effects of three planning interventions on: (1) habit strength, representing an automatic process, (2) the use of individual planning, representing a conscious process, (3) the use of collaborative planning, representing conscious and social processes, and (4) collaborative social control, representing a social process. METHODS: N = 320 adults were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) the active control condition, (2) the individual planning condition, (3) the dyadic planning condition, or (4) the collaborative planning condition. Self-reported data on habit strength, the use of individual planning, the use of collaborative planning, and collaborative social control were assessed at baseline and at the 9-week follow-up. Analyses used linear mixed modelling. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, participants in the individual planning condition had stronger habits at the 9-week follow-up. Those in the dyadic planning condition reported higher levels of the use of collaborative planning and higher levels of collaborative social control at the follow-up. Finally, compared to those assigned to the control group, participants in the collaborative planning condition reported stronger habits, higher levels of the use of both individual and collaborative planning, and higher levels of collaborative social control at the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Individual, dyadic, and collaborative planning interventions may result in distinct patterns of changes in the variables representing automatic, conscious, and social processes. In particular, changes in automatic, conscious and social process variables, evoked by the collaborative "we-for-us" planning intervention may reflect the major regulatory effort of forming joint plans and subsequently integrating regular joint exercise into the weekly schedule.

Physical Activity, Positive and Negative Symptoms of Psychosis, and General Psychopathology among People with Psychotic Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Existing reviews provided evidence for the associations between higher physical activity (PA) and lower negative symptoms of psychosis among people with schizophrenia. This meta-analysis goes beyond existing syntheses and investigates associations between PA, positive and negative symptoms of psychosis, as well as symptoms of general psychopathology (referring mostly to cognitive functioning) among people with schizophrenia, but also other psychotic disorders. The moderating roles of the type of diagnosis and the type of exercise intervention were explored. METHODS: The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018118236). Six electronic databases were searched; n = 27 experimental and observational studies were included, and psychotic symptoms-related data were recorded in one direction (higher values indicate better mental health and lower symptomatology). RESULTS: Higher levels of PA (or participating in PA interventions) were associated with better mental health, that is, lower levels of positive symptoms (all studies: r = 0.170; experimental studies: SMD = 0.677), negative symptoms (all studies: r = 0.214; experimental studies: SMD = 0.838), and general psychopathology (all studies: r = 0.451; experimental studies: SMD = 1.511). The type of diagnosis (schizophrenia vs. other psychotic disorders) did not moderate these associations. CONCLUSIONS: We found a consistent pattern of associations between higher levels of PA and lower positive, negative, and general psychopathology symptoms in people with schizophrenia and those with other psychotic disorders.

Collaborative, dyadic, and individual planning and physical activity: A dyadic randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of collaborative, dyadic, and individual planning on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in target person-partner dyads. Individual planning reflects an "I-for-me" planning of one person's behavior. Collaborative planning refers to joint planning of both dyad members' behavior ("We-for-us" planning), and dyadic planning refers to joint planning of only the target person's behavior ("We-for-me" planning). METHOD: N = 320 dyads of target persons (M age: 43.86 years old) and partners (M age: 42.32 years old) participated in a randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registration no. NCT03011385) with three experimental planning conditions (collaborative, dyadic, or individual planning) and an active control condition (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and nutrition education). Target persons did not meet international MVPA guidelines or were recommended to increase their MVPA due to cardiovascular disease or type II diabetes. MVPA was measured with ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometers at baseline, 1-week follow-up, and 36-week follow-up (6 months after the final intervention session; the primary endpoint). Linear mixed models were fit for target persons and partners separately. RESULTS: At 1-week follow-up, there were no significant Time × Condition interaction effects among target persons and partners. At 36-week follow-up, target persons and partners in the dyadic planning conditions increased their MVPA, compared to the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with insufficient physical activity or with a cardiovascular disease/type II diabetes and their partners may benefit from dyadic planning, which is a promising strategy to achieve physical activity increases. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Can individual, dyadic, or collaborative planning reduce sedentary behavior? A randomized controlled trial.

RATIONALE: Although effects of individual planning interventions on physical activity (PA) are well established, less is known about the relationships between planning and sedentary behavior (SB). OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy of individual planning, dyadic planning (i.e., joint planning, targeting the behavior of one person only: the target person), and collaborative planning (i.e., joint planning and joint behavioral performance) on sedentary behavior among dyads. METHODS: Dyads (N = 320 target persons and their partners, aged 18-90 years) were randomized into three PA planning conditions (individual, dyadic, or collaborative) or an active (education) control condition. Main outcomes, i.e., sedentary time, proportion of time spent in SB and light-intensity PA, proportion of time spent in SB and total PA were measured with GT3X-BT accelerometers at baseline, 1-week follow-up, and 36-week follow-up. Two-level models with measurement points nested in participants were fit, separately for target persons and partners. RESULTS: Findings for target persons obtained at 1-week follow-up indicated that in the collaborative planning condition SB time significantly decreased, compared to the control condition (p = .013). There was an improvement in the proportion of time spent in SB and light-intensity PA (p = .019), and the proportion of time spent in SB and total PA (p = .018), indicating that SB time was displaced by PA. Effects of individual and dyadic planning were not significant, compared to the control condition. None of interventions had a significant effect on SB indices at 36-week follow-up. Regarding dyadic partners, there were no effects of planning interventions at 1-week follow-up or 36-week follow-up, compared to the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: Collaborative planning may prompt a short-term reduction of SB time and result in a shift towards a healthier balance between SB time and PA time among target persons, who did not adhere to PA guidelines at baseline.

From a mother's point of view: Psycho-social predictors of maternal monitoring strategy and adolescents' electronic media use.

INTRODUCTION: As early adolescents have limited capacities for self-regulating electronic media use (EMU), parental monitoring is needed. However, research has shown that parents do not exert much monitoring over their children's EMU. A theory-based approach may help to identify key predictors of parental monitoring and its effects on adolescents' EMU. Applying the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), this study examined maternal psycho-social predictors of maternal monitoring of EMU and, subsequently, children's EMU. METHODS: In Switzerland, 105 mother-adolescent dyads participated in an observational study with two time points (baseline, T1, and follow-up, T2) two weeks apart. Mothers (Mage = 43.83 years, SD = 4.45) reported on their HAPA variables and their children's EMU. Adolescents (Mage = 12.13 years, SD = 0.99; 60 girls and 45 boys) also reported their EMU. RESULTS: Maternal outcome expectancies (T1) for less EMU were positively related (ß = 0.25) with their intention to monitor EMU (T1). Further, intention was positively associated (ß = 0.45) with planning to monitor EMU (T1) which in turn predicted marginally (ß = 0.18) maternal monitoring (T2). No significant associations were found between maternal monitoring (T2) and adolescents' EMU (T2) reported by mothers and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to hypotheses derived from the HAPA, findings demonstrate that not all the HAPA variables are linked to maternal monitoring of adolescents' EMU. More research is thus needed to identify antecedents and consequences of different strategies of maternal monitoring.

Parental and Child Self-Efficacy Explaining Food Intake through Self-Regulation: A Dyadic Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: According to social cognitive theory and socio-ecological models, self-efficacy and temptation-related self-regulation (the use of distraction or suppression) are modifiable predictors of health behaviors, such as food intake. Yet, there is limited evidence explaining how these factors are interlinked among parent-child dyads. This study investigated indirect effects of parental and child self-efficacy on food intake, via parental and child self-regulation. METHODS: The prospective study (the baseline [T1] and the 10-month follow-up [T2]) enrolled 924 parent-child dyads (1,848 individuals; 54.3% girls, aged 5-11 years, 88.9% mothers). Dyads were interviewed or completed self-report measures. Path analyses with maximum likelihood estimation were conducted. RESULTS: Child self-efficacy and distraction (T1) mediated between parental self-efficacy (T1) and higher levels of child fruit and vegetable intake (T2). No significant mediating effects of suppression were found, nor indirect effects of parental self-efficacy (T1) on energy-dense food intake (T2). CONCLUSION: Health promotion interventions aiming at changing fruit and vegetable intake among 5-11-year-old children should target enhancing parental and child self-efficacy that may facilitate the use of self-regulation and, in turn, healthy diet.

Associations between self-efficacy and sedentary behaviour: a meta-analysis.

Objective: The study sought to synthesize research on the relationship between time spent engaged in sedentary behaviours (SB) and self-efficacy. Analyses investigated whether such associations are moderated by age, conceptualization of self-efficacy, conceptualization of SB, and/or SB measurement.Design and Main Outcome Measures: The review was registered with PROSPERO (no. CRD42018086899). Studies including associations between self-efficacy and SB were identified through a systematic search of six databases. Inclusion criteria were met by k = 26 original studies.Results: A random effect meta-analysis showed that higher levels of self-efficacy were associated with lower levels of SB (r = -.158, 95% CI [-.220, -.094]). Moderator analyses indicated that associations between self-efficacy and SB may be similar in strength across age groups, the conceptualizations of self-efficacy or SB and SB measurements.Conclusion: The findings provide preliminary guidance for future interventions targeting reduction of SB, although more longitudinal research is needed to draw causal inferences.

Do Parent-Child Dyads with Excessive Body Mass Differ from Dyads with Normal Body Mass in Perceptions of Obesogenic Environment?

BACKGROUND: This study addressed differences between parent-child dyads with excessive body mass (overweight or obesity) and dyads with normal body mass in obesity determinants, derived from social-ecological models. It was hypothesized that parents and their 5-11 years-old children with excessive body mass would (1) report lower availability of healthy food at home, (2) perceive fewer school/local community healthy eating promotion programs, (3) report lower persuasive value of food advertising. METHODS: Data were collected twice (T1, baseline; T2, 10-month follow-up), including n = 129 parent-child dyads with excessive body mass and n = 377 parent-child dyads with normal body mass. Self-reported data were collected from parents and children; with body weight and height assessed objectively. General linear models (including analysis of variance with repeated measures) were performed to test the hypotheses. RESULTS: Compared to dyads with normal body mass, dyads of parents and children with excessive body mass perceived lower availability of healthy food at home and fewer healthy eating promotion programs at school/local community (T1 and T2). These effects remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic variables. No significant differences in persuasive value of food advertising were found. CONCLUSIONS: Perceptions of availability of healthy food at home and healthy nutrition promotion may be relatively low in parent-child dyads with excessive weight which, in turn, may constitute a risk factor for maintenance of obesity.

Parental Depression Predicts Child Body Mass via Parental Support Provision, Child Support Receipt, and Child Physical Activity: Findings From Parent/Caregiver-Child Dyads.

OBJECTIVE: Although there is substantial evidence corroborating the within-individual associations between depression, social support, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and body mass, much less is known about across-individual associations. This study investigated the indirect associations between parental depression and objectively measured body mass in children. In particular, it was hypothesized that higher levels of parental depression (measured at Time 1, T1) would explain higher levels of child body mass in children (assessed at Time 2, T2), via three mediators, namely parental reports of provision of MVPA support (T1), child reports of receipt of MVPA support (T1), and child MVPA (T2). DESIGN: Parent-child dyads provided self-reports twice, at baseline (T1) and 7- to 8-month follow-up (T2). A total of 879 dyads were enrolled (1,758 individuals; 5- to 11-year-old children, 52.4% girls, 83.2% mothers). Body weight and height were measured objectively. Manifest path analyses were performed to test the indirect effects. RESULTS: Analyses corroborated the assumed indirect effects: high levels of depression in parents (T1) were indirectly associated with high levels of body mass in children (T2), via three mediators: low levels of parental support provision (T1), low levels of child support receipt (T1), and low levels of child MVPA (T2). The alternative models assuming that either parental support provision or child support receipt can be excluded as the mediators yelded a poor model-data fit. The hypothesized mediation effects were corroborated when controlling for the baseline levels of parental and child MVPA and body mass. CONCLUSION: The findings confirm complex across-individual effects of parental depression on high levels of body mass in children. Parental mental health may contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic.

Why are you eating, mom? Maternal emotional, restrained, and external eating explaining children's eating styles.

This study investigated if three maternal eating styles (emotional eating style, external eating style, and restrained eating style) predict respective eating styles in children. In particular, we tested if these associations are different in mother-daughter dyads, compared to mother-son dyads. Data were collected twice, at the baseline (Time 1; T1) and at the 10-month follow-up (Time 2; T2), with N = 822 mother-child dyads participating at T1. Children (55% girls, 5-12 years old, M = 8.21, SD = 1.40) were interviewed; mothers (aged 23-59 years old, M = 35.93, SD = 5.24) completed the questionnaire assessing their eating styles. Participants' weight and height were measured objectively. Path analysis, accounting for dyadic interdependency and autocorrelations, was applied. In mother-daughter dyads, maternal emotional eating (T1) predicted daughters' emotional eating (T2) whereas maternal restrained eating (T1) predicted daughters' restrained eating (T2). There were no effects of external eating in mother-daughter dyads. A different pattern of associations was found for mother-son dyads, with maternal emotional eating (T1) and external eating (T1) predicting sons' emotional eating (T2) and external eating (T2), respectively. There was no effect of maternal restrained eating in mother-son dyads. Maternal eating styles explain child's eating styles with distinct effects depending on child's sex. Educating mothers about the effects of their own eating styles on daughters' and sons' eating styles might be useful to promote adequate responses to hunger and satiety signals.

The effects of short-term selenium stress on Polish and Finnish wheat seedlings-EPR, enzymatic and fluorescence studies.

Biochemical analyses of antioxidant content were compared with measurements of fluorescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to examine the alteration of radicals in wheat seedlings exposed to 2 days of selenium stress. Two genotypes of Polish and one of Finnish wheat, differing in their tolerance to long-term stress treatment, were cultured under hydroponic conditions to achieve the phase of 3-leave seedlings. Afterwards, selenium (sodium selenate, 100 µM concentration) was added to the media. After Se-treatment, all varieties showed an increase in carbohydrates (soluble and starch), ascorbate and glutathione content in comparison to non-stressed plants. These changes were more visible in Finnish wheat. On the basis of lipid peroxidation measurements, Finnish wheat was recognized as the genotype more sensitive to short-term Se-stress than the Polish varieties. The antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase) increased in Polish genotypes, whereas they decreased in Finnish wheat plants cultured on Se media. The action of reactive oxygen species in short-term action of Se stress was confirmed by the reduction of PSII and PSI system activities (measured by fluorescence parameters and EPR, respectively). EPR studies showed changes in redox status (especially connected with Mn(II)/Mn(III), and semiquinone/quinone ratios) in wheat cell after Se treatment. The involvement of the carbohydrate molecules as electron traps in production of long-lived radicals is postulated.

Light-induced anticancer activity of [RuCl2(DMSO)4] complexes.

The cytotoxicity and photocytotoxicity of trans-[RuCl2(DMSO)4] and cis-[RuCl2(DMSO)4] complexes was tested in two melanoma cell lines, human (SK-MEL 188) and mouse (S91). The trans isomer was found to be more effective for cell growth inhibition than its cis analogue both in the presence and in the absence of illumination. However, the antiproliferative activity of both isomers was significantly enhanced after irradiation with UVA light in comparison with their activity observed in the dark. The influence of light on the reaction of both ruthenium(II) isomers with the single-stranded hexanucleotide d(T2GGT2), chosen as a model system for DNA, was also studied using chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. The photochemical reaction of the ruthenium(II) complexes with the oligonucleotide d(T2GGT2) resulted in the formation of Ru(G-N7)2 adducts, which was not observed in the same time scale in thermal reactions. The initial short irradiation of the inert cis isomer was found to facilitate the covalent adduct formation with d(T2GGT2) in the secondary thermal reactions and with a rate comparable to that found for the trans isomer, which is ca. 5-10 times more reactive in the dark.