Nutritional Impacts of a Fruit and Vegetable Subsidy Programme for Disadvantaged Australian Aboriginal Children.
Nutritional impacts of a fruit and vegetable subsidy programme for disadvantaged Australian Aboriginal children.
Br J Nutr. 2013 Jun 7; 1-9
Black AP, Vally H, Morris P, Daniel M, Esterman A, Karschimkus CS, O’Dea K
Healthy food subsidy programmes have not been widely implemented in high-income countries apart from the USA and the UK. There is, however, interest being expressed in the potential of healthy food subsidies to complement nutrition promotion initiatives and reduce the social disparities in healthy eating. Herein, we describe the impact of a fruit and vegetable (F&V) subsidy programme on the nutritional status of a cohort of disadvantaged Aboriginal children living in rural Australia. A before-and-after study was used to assess the nutritional impact in 174 children whose families received weekly boxes of subsidised F&V organised through three Aboriginal medical services. The nutritional impact was assessed by comparing 24 h dietary recalls and plasma carotenoid and vitamin C levels at baseline and after 12 months. A general linear model was used to assess the changes in biomarker levels and dietary intake, controlled for age, sex, community and baseline levels. Baseline assessment in 149 children showed low F&V consumption. Significant increases (P< 0·05) in ?-cryptoxanthin (28·9 nmol/l, 18 %), vitamin C (10·1 ?mol/l, 21 %) and lutein-zeaxanthin (39·3 nmol/l, 11 %) levels were observed at the 12-month follow-up in 115 children, although the self-reported F&V intake was unchanged. The improvements in the levels of biomarkers of F&V intake demonstrated in the present study are consistent with increased F&V intake. Such dietary improvements, if sustained, could reduce non-communicable disease rates. A controlled study of healthy food subsidies, together with an economic analysis, would facilitate a thorough assessment of the costs and benefits of subsidising healthy foods for disadvantaged Aboriginal Australians. HubMed – eating
The effects of increased dietary protein yogurt snack in the afternoon on appetite control and eating initiation in healthy women.
Nutr J. 2013 Jun 6; 12(1): 71
Ortinau LC, Culp JM, Hoertel HA, Douglas SM, Leidy HJ
BACKGROUND: A large portion of daily intake comes from snacking. One of the increasingly common, healthier snacks includes Greek-style yogurt, which is typically higher in protein than regular yogurt. This study evaluated whether a 160 kcal higher-protein (HP) Greek-style yogurt snack improves appetite control, satiety, and delays subsequent eating compared to an isocaloric normal protein (NP) regular yogurt in healthy women. This study also identified the factors that predict the onset of eating. FINDINGS: Thirty-two healthy women (age: 27 +/- 2y; BMI: 23.0 +/- 0.4 kg/m2) completed the acute, randomized crossover-design study. On separate days, participants came to our facility to consume a standardized lunch followed by the consumption of the NP (5.0 g protein) or HP (14.0 g protein) yogurt at 3 h post-lunch. Perceived hunger and fullness were assessed throughout the afternoon until dinner was voluntarily requested; ad libitum dinner was then provided. Snacking led to reductions in hunger and increases in fullness. No differences in post-snack perceived hunger or fullness were observed between the NP and HP yogurt snacks. Dinner was voluntarily requested at approximately 2:40 +/- 0:05 h post-snack with no differences between the HP vs. NP yogurts. Ad libitum dinner intake was not different between the snacks (NP: 686 +/- 33 kcal vs. HP: 709 +/- 34 kcal; p = 0.324). In identifying key factors that predict eating initiation, perceived hunger, fullness, and habitual dinner time accounted for 30% of the variability of time to dinner request (r = 0.55; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The additional 9 g of protein contained in the high protein Greek yogurt was insufficient to elicit protein-related improvements in markers of energy intake regulation. HubMed – eating
A loss of social eating: the experience of individuals living with gastroparesis.
J Clin Nurs. 2013 Jun 7;
Bennell J, Taylor C
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To report the experience of patients living with gastroparesis. BACKGROUND: The complex illness of gastroparesis is a condition of delayed gastric emptying associated with a range of different symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and depression, resulting in altered eating patterns. Patients are often over-investigated, treatments are not always successful, and quality of life is often impaired. DESIGN: A descriptive phenomenology study was undertaken to examine the experience of living with gastroparesis. Nine gastroparesis patients gave in-depth interviews. The interviews were transcribed, and framework analysis methods applied. METHODS: A descriptive phenomenology study was undertaken. Nine gastroparesis patients gave in-depth interviews. The interviews were transcribed, and framework analysis methods applied. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged: the first described their experiences and opinions of medical professionals, the second their understanding of mental health and mental illness, the third how they managed social settings and the fourth their identity and security. Their behaviour around food and mealtimes was often associated with feelings of loss, isolation and rejection, which influenced their reported quality of life. These factors resulted in their personal struggle to understand how this chronic, stigmatising illness affects their identity and their need for security. CONCLUSIONS: The complex illness of gastroparesis affects every aspect of patients’ lives. As treatments for gastroparesis continue to evolve, therapies to help these patients address the psychological impact and the feelings of loss they report must not be overlooked. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: A better understanding of these patients’ sense of loss of normal eating behaviour and the associated psychological distress needs to inform gastroparesis service provision with a view to developing a more holistic service for this patient group. HubMed – eating