Use of supermarket receipts to estimate energy and fat content of food purchased by lean and overweight families.

The aim of this study was to compare the energy and fat content of food purchased for home consumption by households comprising mainly overweight individuals (OH), with those comprising mainly lean individuals (LH). 214 supermarket shoppers and their household were recruited from a Tesco supermarket in Leeds (UK). Households collected supermarket receipts and completed a shopping diary for 28-days, and each member of the household completed a 4-day food record. OH purchased food higher in fat (38% total energy from fat) than LH, (34.9%: p=0.001) and they purchased more energy and fat per adult equivalent, per day than LH (10.05 MJ compared to 9.15 MJ: p=0.01 and 103 g compared to 86 g:p=0.001). Households were 15% more likely to be classified as OH for each additional MJ of energy purchased per person, per day, after adjusting for number of children, household size, age, sex and social class. It was concluded that food purchasing behaviour may be linked to the prevalence of obesity in households who shop at supermarkets.

Susceptibility of Burkholderia cepacia and other pathogens of importance in cystic fibrosis to u.v. light.

To investigate the potential usefulness of u.v. germicidal irradiation (UVGI) in preventing the spread of Burkholderia cepacia, an important pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF), the in-vitro susceptibility of B. cepacia to UVGI was determined. Five strains were exposed to UVGI from a 7.2-W source. Burkholderia cepacia was less susceptible to UVGI than other important CF-related pathogens, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but was more susceptible than Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. No strain of B. cepacia survived longer than an 8 s exposure to UVGI, with doses required to achieve 1 log reduction in bacterial numbers ranging from 28.3 to 57.5 J m(-2).

The use of supermarket till receipts to determine the fat and energy intake in a UK population.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the use of supermarket receipts as an index of fat and energy intake in a population that buys most of its food from supermarkets. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, prospective dietary survey - feasibility study. SETTING: Households situated within a 20-mile radius of a large (Tesco) supermarket in Leeds. SUBJECTS: Two hundred and fourteen households who spend >or=60% of their food purse in (Tesco and other) supermarkets. RESULTS: Mean daily household purchase of fat, energy and percentage energy from fat contained in food from supermarkets were 185 g, 19.2 MJ and 35.9%. Mean daily household intakes of fat and energy were 190 g and 20.7 MJ, and 35% of energy was derived from fat. Mean household size was 2.4 persons. The association between the amount of fat and energy purchased from supermarkets and the amount of fat and energy consumed by households was strong. 0.90 MJ (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8-1.0) of energy were consumed for every 1 MJ purchased from supermarkets and 0.76 g (95% CI: 0.64-0.87) of fat were consumed for every 1 g of fat purchased. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a strong association between estimates of the intakes of fat and energy and percentage energy from fat using 4-day food diaries and 28 days of receipts, in populations who buy most of their food from supermarkets. They also show that the fat content of total food purchases from supermarkets is 35.9% energy from fat compared with 33% energy from fat recommended by the Department of Health. This preliminary research indicates the feasibility of and potential for utilising large quantities of readily available data generated from supermarket checkouts in dietary surveys.

The resurgence of tuberculosis in the tropics. An engineering approach to the control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other airborne pathogens: a UK hospital based pilot study.

The world-wide occurrence of tuberculosis (TB) is very high, and in many parts of the world prevalence has reached epidemic proportions. While the WHO's global 'directly observed therapy short-course' (DOTS) programme has yielded some notable successes, it has reached only 12% of the world's TB cases (1996 data). This suggests that the use of drug therapy alone is not enough to solve the global TB problem and that prevention using public health engineering techniques may provide a complementary solution. There are a number of engineering control strategies, such as the use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) and advanced ventilation techniques, which can be used to combat the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other airborne pathogens. This paper describes a pilot study currently being undertaken at the Leeds General Infirmary in the UK, which is investigating the use of UVGI to disinfect air in ward spaces.

Fifth disease in a small rural community. What are the consequences?

OBJECTIVE: To characterise the implications of an outbreak of human parvovirus in a small community. METHOD: A community survey was conducted over a period of 18 months in a small rural town in Western Australia with a population of approximately 4300 people. Outbreak cases were assessed by the single general practice in the town. Notification of the survey was placed in both the schools and by advertisement in the local paper. Survey questionnaires distributed to community members were returned on a voluntary basis. After 12 months repeat surveys were sent to all adults who had responded to the initial survey. RESULTS: Eighty-eight definite and 14 equivocal cases were identified as part of the outbreak, which occurred between late July 1994 and February 1995. Serological testing which confirmed human parvovirus B19 infection was available for 29% of cases. The highest attack rate was in the 5-9 year age group. One-third of cases were adults and 9% of them developed symptoms lasting longer than 6 months. Transient anaemia almost certainly due to parvovirus infection was identified in one adult women during the course of the outbreak. No pregnant woman suffered any adverse fetal outcome as a result of human parvovirus infection. CONCLUSION: In an outbreak of parvovirus, children will be most commonly affected although adults can develop polyarthralgia/arthritis which may persist for several months and some may suffer transient anaemia. Pregnant women are potentially at risk of the development of fetal hydrops and fetal death, but advice to them can be based on the estimate of a less than 1% risk of adverse fetal outcome due to parvovirus infection.

Free radicals in foods.

During the last decade increasing attention has been given to the role of free radicals in biological oxidations. The subject has been of increasing interest to both the food scientist and the physiologist. Free radical scavengers in the form of both indigenous and added antioxidants are necessary for the successful preservation of food; free radicals are increasingly being implicated in the onset of, among others, ischaemic heart disease and for protection against these diseases it is suggested that the dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamins should be increased especially for diets high in polyunsaturated fats. Convenience and snack foods which absorb substantial amounts of frying oils are being increasingly consumed. Since poly-unsaturated fatty acids are particularly susceptible to oxidation by free radicals during the storage, cooking and frying of foods, the potential risk of exposure to lipid degradation products is likely to have increased. In foods the non-enzymic and lipoxy-genase catalysed oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, beta-carotene and vitamin A can result in the loss of essential nutrients and the development of off-flavours.