ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Special diets are frequently used by the public but reasons for use and characteristics of users remain unclear. AIM: To determine prevalence of the use of special diets, the individual characteristics associated with their use and reasons for use. METHODS: The secondary analysis used data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a cross-sectional household interview survey of a nationally representative sample of non-hospitalized US adult populations ( n = 34,525). The dependent variables in this secondary analysis were the use of a special diet (vegetarian, macrobiotic, Atkins, Pritikin, and Ornish) ever and during the past 12 months. Independent variables included sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral variables. Prevalence of special diet use and reasons for use were analyzed descriptively. Associations between independent and dependent variables were analyzed using Chi-square tests and logistic regression. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of using special diets were 7.5% (weighted n = 17.7 million) and 2.9% (weighted n = 6.9 million), respectively. Individuals using special diets in the past 12 months were more likely female (OR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.21-1.74), not married (OR = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.63-0.91), college-educated (OR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.25-3.11) and depressed (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.14-1.98). They more likely also used herbal products (OR = 2.35; 95%CI = 1.84-2.99), non-vitamin (OR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.45-2.27) and vitamin supplements (OR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.24-1.99). Diets were mainly used to improve overall health (76.7%) or for general wellness/prevention (70.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Special diets are mainly used for unspecific health reasons by those who are females, have a college degree or with depression, and commonly used in conjunction with herbs and dietary supplements.
Subject(s)
Diet Fads , Diet, High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate , Diet, Macrobiotic , Diet, Reducing , Diet, Vegetarian , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Models, Psychological , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/psychology , Diet Fads/psychology , Diet, Healthy/psychology , Diet, High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate/psychology , Diet, Macrobiotic/psychology , Diet, Reducing/psychology , Diet, Vegetarian/psychology , Dietary Supplements , Educational Status , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nutrition Surveys , Overweight/diet therapy , Overweight/prevention & control , Patient Compliance/psychology , Sex Characteristics , United StatesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Seven per cent of Australian adults report avoiding wheat products for the relief of symptoms. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences, symptoms, influences and beliefs that may explain the tendency for this behaviour to occur pre-dominantly in the absence of a reported medical diagnosis or expert dietary supervision. METHODS: Data were collected through preliminary questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 35 self-identified symptomatic individuals who avoid consumption of wheat-based products without a diagnosis of coeliac disease or wheat allergy. RESULTS: Like other contested health phenomena, symptomatic wheat avoidance is characterised by broad symptomatology, perceived benefits, absence of clear biological markers, dissatisfaction with conventional medicine following previous negative test results, and the fact that presumed treatment - elimination of a dietary factor - requires no medical intervention. DISCUSSION: Self-prescribed food avoidance represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for practitioners, central to which is a tension between patient expectations and biomedical standards of evidence in the diagnostic relationship.
Subject(s)
Avoidance Learning , Diet Fads/psychology , Glutens/adverse effects , Adult , Aged , Female , Glutens/metabolism , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , South Australia , Surveys and Questionnaires , Triticum/adverse effectsABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate frequency and characteristics of orthorexic behaviours in a large university population. METHODS: A total of 2826 individuals volunteered to complete an on-line anonymous form of ORTO-15 questionnaire, a self-administered questionnaire designed and validated to evaluate orthorexic symptomatology. As made in previous studies, an ORTO-15 total score lower than 35 has been used as an optimal threshold to detect a tendency to orthorexia nervosa. A specifically designed form was also used to collect socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: Overall, 2130 students and 696 university employees belonging to University of Pisa (Italy) were assessed. Orthorexic features had a frequency of 32.7%. Females showed a significantly higher rate of over-threshold scores on ORTO-15, a lower BMI, a higher rate of underweight condition and of vegan/vegetarian nutrition style than males. DISCUSSION: Orthorexia nervosa defined as a "fixation on healthy food", is not formally present in DSM-5. The emergence of this condition as a new, possible prodromal of a psychological syndrome, has been recently emphasized by an increasing number of scientific articles. From our sample of university population emerged that being vegetarian or vegan, under-weight, female, student and being interested in the present study were significantly predictive of orthorexic tendency. CONCLUSIONS: Our data contribute to define the new conceptualization of orthorexia nervosa. Further studies are warranted in order to explore the diagnostic boundaries of this syndrome, its course and outcome, and possible clinical implications.
Subject(s)
Diet Fads/psychology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/epidemiology , Functional Food , Administrative Personnel/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Educational Status , Faculty/psychology , Female , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Self Report , Sex Factors , Students/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Thinness/psychology , Universities , Vegans/psychology , Vegetarians/psychology , Young AdultABSTRACT
"Fitspiration" websites are media that aim to inspire people to live healthy and fit lifestyles through motivating images and text related to exercise and diet. Given the link between similar Internet content (i.e., healthy living blogs) and problematic messages, we hypothesized that content on these sites would over-emphasize appearance and promote problematic messages regarding exercise and diet. Keywords "fitspo" and "fitspiration" were entered into search engines. The first 10 images and text from 51 individual websites were rated on a variety of characteristics. Results indicated that a majority of messages found on fitspiration websites focused on appearance. Other common themes included content promoting exercise for appearance-motivated reasons and content promoting dietary restraint. "Fitspiration" websites are a source of messages that reinforce over-valuation of physical appearance, eating concerns, and excessive exercise. Further research is needed to examine the impact viewing such content has on participants' psychological health.
Subject(s)
Aspirations, Psychological , Body Image/psychology , Diet Fads/psychology , Exercise/psychology , Healthy Lifestyle , Muscle Strength , Physical Fitness , Social Media , Thinness/psychology , Blogging , Body Dysmorphic Disorders/psychology , Female , Guilt , Humans , Physical Appearance, BodySubject(s)
Celiac Disease/diet therapy , Diet Fads/psychology , Diet, Gluten-Free/psychology , Glutens/adverse effects , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/diet therapy , Wheat Hypersensitivity/diet therapy , Celiac Disease/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Health Behavior , Humans , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/diagnosis , Wheat Hypersensitivity/diagnosisSubject(s)
Diet Fads/psychology , Obesity/psychology , Obesity/therapy , Self Concept , Weight Loss/physiology , Body Image , Body Mass Index , Body Size , Diet, Reducing/methods , Exercise/physiology , Female , Humans , Life Style , Narration , Obesity/diagnosis , Social Stigma , Stress, PsychologicalABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of various types of inoculation message treatments on resistance to persuasive and potentially deceptive health- and nutrition-related (HNR) content claims of commercial food advertisers. METHODS: A three-phase experiment was conducted among 145 students from a Midwestern U.S. university. Quantitative statistical analyses were used to interpret the results. RESULTS: RESULTS provide clear evidence that integrating regulatory focus/fit considerations enhances the treatment effectiveness of inoculation messages. Inoculation messages that employed a preventative, outcome focus with concrete language were most effective at countering HNR advertising claims. The findings indicate that inoculation fosters resistance equally across the most common types of commercially advertised HNR product claims (e.g., absolute, general, and structure/function claims). CONCLUSIONS: As the drive to refine the inoculation process model continues, further testing and application of this strategy in a public health context is needed to counter ongoing efforts by commercial food advertisers to avoid government regulations against deceptive practices such as dubious health/nutrition claims. This research advances inoculation theory by providing evidence that 1) good regulatory fit strengthens the effect of refutational preemption and 2) an inoculation approach is highly effective at fostering resistance to commercial advertisers' HNR content claims. This macro approach appears far superior to education or information-based promotional health campaigns targeted solely at specific populations demonstrating rising rates of noncommunicable disease.
Subject(s)
Advertising , Attitude to Health , Behavior Control , Diet Fads/psychology , Health Education/methods , Persuasive Communication , Quackery/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Checklist , Choice Behavior , Chronic Disease/prevention & control , Deception , Dissent and Disputes , Female , Humans , Male , Models, Psychological , Motivation , Pilot Projects , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of various types of inoculation message treatments on resistance to persuasive and potentially deceptive health- and nutrition-related (HNR) content claims of commercial food advertisers. METHODS: A three-phase experiment was conducted among 145 students from a Midwestern U.S. university. Quantitative statistical analyses were used to interpret the results. Results: Results provide clear evidence that integrating regulatory focus/fit considerations enhances the treatment effectiveness of inoculation messages. Inoculation messages that employed a preventative, outcome focus with concrete language were most effective at countering HNR advertising claims. The findings indicate that inoculation fosters resistance equally across the most common types of commercially advertised HNR product claims (e.g., absolute, general, and structure/function claims). CONCLUSIONS: As the drive to refine the inoculation process model continues, further testing and application of this strategy in a public health context is needed to counter ongoing efforts by commercial food advertisers to avoid government regulations against deceptive practices such as dubious health/nutrition claims. This research advances inoculation theory by providing evidence that 1) good regulatory fit strengthens the effect of refutational preemption and 2) an inoculation approach is highly effective at fostering resistance to commercial advertisers' HNR content claims. This macro approach appears far superior to education or information-based promotional health campaigns targeted solely at specific populations demonstrating rising rates of noncommunicable disease.
OBJETIVO: Estudiar el efecto de diversos tipos de tratamientos basados en mensajes de inoculación sobre la resistencia a los reclamos de los anunciantes de alimentos comerciales con contenidos persuasivos y potencialmente engañosos relacionados con la salud y la nutrición (RSN). MÉTODOS: Se llevó a cabo un experimento en tres fases en el que participaron 145 estudiantes de una universidad del centro oeste de los Estados Unidos. Para interpretar los resultados, se utilizaron análisis estadísticos cuantitativos. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvieron datos probatorios claros de que la integración de las consideraciones de la teoría del enfoque/ajuste regulador mejoran la eficacia de los tratamientos basados en mensajes de inoculación. Los mensajes de inoculación que adoptaron un enfoque de prevención de resultados y utilizaron un lenguaje concreto fueron más eficaces en contrarrestar los reclamos publicitarios RSN. Se observó que la inoculación fomenta la resistencia por igual frente a los tipos más frecuentes de reclamos RSN de los productos anunciados comercialmente (reclamos absolutos, generales, y de estructura y función). CONCLUSIONES: Mientras se mantienen los intentos de perfeccionar el modelo del proceso de inoculación, es preciso seguir poniendo a prueba y aplicando esta estrategia en un contexto de salud pública con objeto de contrarrestar las iniciativas regulares de los anunciantes de alimentos comerciales para evitar las reglamentaciones gubernamentales contra prácticas engañosas tales como los reclamos equívocos en materia de salud y nutrición. Esta investigación promueve la teoría de la inoculación al proporcionar datos probatorios de que 1) un buen ajuste regulador fortalece el efecto de la prevención refutadora; y 2) un método de inoculación resulta ser muy eficaz en fomentar la resistencia a los reclamos con contenidos RSN de los anunciantes comerciales. Este enfoque macro se muestra muy superior a las campañas de promoción de la salud educativas o basadas en la información dirigidas exclusivamente a poblaciones específicas que presentan tasas ascendentes de enfermedades no transmisibles.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Young Adult , Advertising , Attitude to Health , Behavior Control , Diet Fads/psychology , Health Education/methods , Persuasive Communication , Quackery/psychology , Checklist , Choice Behavior , Chronic Disease/prevention & control , Deception , Dissent and Disputes , Models, Psychological , Motivation , Pilot ProjectsSubject(s)
Diet Fads , Diet/psychology , Nurse's Role , Nutrition Policy , Diet/nursing , Diet/standards , Diet/statistics & numerical data , Diet Fads/psychology , HumansABSTRACT
A look at what fine restaurants served in mid-nineteenth century America, using the New York Public Library's collection of menus from the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City for the years 1859 to 1865. With particular paid attention to the entrée category, 1,250 menus were analyzed. There are 900 different dishes mentioned, and the article discusses what were the most popular and the setting and customs governing such meals.
Subject(s)
Cooking , Diet Fads , Food Industry , Life Style , Menu Planning , Restaurants , Cooking/economics , Cooking/history , Diet Fads/ethnology , Diet Fads/history , Diet Fads/psychology , Drinking/ethnology , Eating/ethnology , Eating/physiology , Eating/psychology , Food Industry/economics , Food Industry/education , Food Industry/history , Food Supply/economics , Food Supply/history , History, 19th Century , Life Style/ethnology , Life Style/history , Menu Planning/economics , Restaurants/economics , Restaurants/history , Socioeconomic Factors/history , United States/ethnologyABSTRACT
This paper critically examines discourses of veganism in UK national newspapers in 2007. In setting parameters for what can and cannot easily be discussed, dominant discourses also help frame understanding. Discourses relating to veganism are therefore presented as contravening commonsense, because they fall outside readily understood meat-eating discourses. Newspapers tend to discredit veganism through ridicule, or as being difficult or impossible to maintain in practice. Vegans are variously stereotyped as ascetics, faddists, sentimentalists, or in some cases, hostile extremists. The overall effect is of a derogatory portrayal of vegans and veganism that we interpret as 'vegaphobia'. We interpret derogatory discourses of veganism in UK national newspapers as evidence of the cultural reproduction of speciesism, through which veganism is dissociated from its connection with debates concerning nonhuman animals' rights or liberation. This is problematic in three, interrelated, respects. First, it empirically misrepresents the experience of veganism, and thereby marginalizes vegans. Second, it perpetuates a moral injury to omnivorous readers who are not presented with the opportunity to understand veganism and the challenge to speciesism that it contains. Third, and most seriously, it obscures and thereby reproduces exploitative and violent relations between human and nonhuman animals.
Subject(s)
Diet, Vegetarian , Newspapers as Topic , Prejudice , Diet Fads/psychology , Diet, Vegetarian/psychology , Humans , United KingdomABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet (TWD) publication is an evidence-based weight management strategy utilising a structured higher protein diet as part of a nutritionally balanced lifestyle programme. Despite its popularity, the impact of TWD on weight status, weight loss and food choices of Australians was unknown. DESIGN: An independent representative survey was conducted in 2006. Sociodemographic differences in awareness, use of TWD and the impact on weight status and well-being were investigated via computer-aided telephone interviews and web-based surveys. SETTING: Australia. SUBJECTS: A total of 5026 men and women aged 18-60 years. RESULTS: Consumers were highly aware of TWD (66 %) with personal use reported by 7·5 % of the total sample (n 5026). An additional 2·5 % (126 people) were members of a household that used TWD. In all, 80 % of TWD purchasers actively used the eating plan with approximately 3·8 % losing an average self-reported weight loss of 5·7 kg (sd = 1·72 kg; range = 1-13 kg). Results showed that awareness was greatest among women (73·79 % v. 58·27 %), those over 50 years of age (69·39 % v. 62·88 %) with no children in the household (69·00 % v. 64·88 %), tertiary educated people (72·58 % v. 63·22 %) and those with more previous weight loss attempts (79·66 % v. 70·24 %). Logistic regression was unable to predict an identifiable sociodemographic profile of TWD users. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows widespread uptake of TWD in Australia with few sociodemographic differences. Self-reported increased awareness of nutrition and well-being as well as weight loss indicates that TWD has been a successful delivery mechanism for lifestyle advice.
Subject(s)
Demography/statistics & numerical data , Diet Fads/psychology , Diet/statistics & numerical data , Health , Weight Loss , Adolescent , Adult , Australia , Diet/psychology , Feeding Behavior , Female , Health Behavior , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Male , Middle Aged , Socioeconomic Factors , Young AdultSubject(s)
Cooking , Feeding Behavior , Food Supply , Restaurants , Cooking/history , Crops, Agricultural/economics , Crops, Agricultural/history , Diet Fads/ethnology , Diet Fads/history , Diet Fads/psychology , Drinking/ethnology , Eating/ethnology , Eating/physiology , Eating/psychology , Feeding Behavior/ethnology , Feeding Behavior/physiology , Feeding Behavior/psychology , Food Supply/economics , Food Supply/history , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , New York City/ethnology , Organic Agriculture/economics , Organic Agriculture/education , Organic Agriculture/history , Restaurants/historyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Existing Food Preoccupation Questionnaires do not take account of food-related thoughts that have a positive emotional valence. We report on the development and validation of a questionnaire that provides independent assessments of thought frequency and emotional valence (positive, negative or neutral). METHOD: In Study 1 questionnaire items were validated against a three-day diary measure with 40 males and females. In Study 2 the questionnaire was administered to 130 males and females alongside a range of other measures. RESULTS: The questionnaire showed good construct validity, internal reliability, and test-retest reliability. Dieters and females scored higher on frequency and negativity subscales. There was also a significant interaction between sex and diet status on thought frequency, with females showing a stronger relationship between the two. DISCUSSION: The questionnaire should be useful for exploring the cognitive impact of dieting and relationships between food preoccupation, food processing biases and overeating.
Subject(s)
Diet Fads/psychology , Emotions , Feeding Behavior/psychology , Imagination , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adolescent , Adult , Body Mass Index , Diet/psychology , Female , Food , Health Status , Humans , Hunger , Male , Middle Aged , Psychometrics , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
This article examines popular diet plans for weight loss and provides information about their efficacy. Diets covered include: very-low-calorie and low-calorie diets; low-fat and very-low-fat diets; moderate-fat, low-calorie diets; and low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets. The importance of portion size and behavioral change is also discussed.
Subject(s)
Diet Fads , Diet, Reducing/methods , Weight Loss/physiology , Caloric Restriction/methods , Choice Behavior , Diet Fads/psychology , Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted/methods , Diet, Fat-Restricted/methods , Diet, Reducing/psychology , Dietary Proteins/administration & dosage , Energy Intake , Energy Metabolism , Exercise , Feeding Behavior , Humans , Internet , Life Style , Menu Planning , Motivation , Nurse's Role , Nutritional Sciences/education , Registries , United StatesABSTRACT
Disorders of fuel metabolism as they relate to abnormal fuel intake,abnormal fuel expenditure, and dietary supplements are the focus of this article. The emergency physician should be aware of the medical complications that can occur as a result of starvation states,eating disorders, fad diets, hypermetabolic states, and ergogenic aids. Knowledge and understanding of the complications associated with these disorders will facilitate the diagnosis and management of patients who present to the emergency department with any of the disorders reviewed.
