For 1317 adolescents aged 15-19 years logistic regression was used to examine the association of overweight or high waist circumference with fast-food and sweetened beverage consumption, adjusting for potential confounders. Overweight occurs frequently among Jamaican 15-19-year-olds and is associated with increased consumption of sweetened beverages. High WC is more prevalent among females and is related to low consumption of fruits and vegetables. Measures to reduce the consumption of sweetened beverages and increase fruit intake may reduce the prevalence of excess body fat among adolescents.
Archive for category Fruits and vegetables
The Environmental Working Group just issued a guide to consumers on how to cope with pesticides on fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s handy shopping card identifies the Dirty Dozen (highest in pesticides) and the Clean Fifteen (lowest). Organics, it says, are still the best choices! Here is how they arrived at the 12 and 15 products: http://www.foodnews.org/methodology.php
The author of the best-seller ‘œIn Defense of Food is gathering rules for eating well. In recent years the voices of science and industry has served us poorly. Many ethnic traditions have their own memorable expressions like: ‘œI always like to leave the table a little bit hungry’ and ‘œIt’s not food if it comes to you through the window of a car’ or ‘œIf a bug won’t eat it, why would you?’. More than 1776 suggestions from readers already arrived. Amazing.
Sen. Tom Harkin stated that the school lunch program is an opportunity “to make a lasting impact on the nutrition and eating habits” of the nation’s children. Two-thirds of the nation’s elementary schools serve meals that exceed the recommended amount of saturated fat content. Harkin suggested that schools phase out food items with little or no nutritional value and instead introduce no-fat milk, lean meats, whole grain products and fresh produce in their meals.
The name game works!
Mar 10
Giving vegetables cool names, like “X-Ray Vision Carrots” nearly doubled how much preschoolers took and ate — even days later they ate 50% more. Enjoy this free chapter from MINDLESS EATING by Brian Wansink.
Researchers from University of Minnesota report on one of the first studies to examine the long-term benefits of regular family meals for diet quality during the transition from early to middle adolescence. In general, the study found adolescents who participated in regular family meals reported more healthful diets and meal patterns compared to adolescents without regular family meals. See also: http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/624813/main.html
This study examined the importance of school environment in Danish data from the European 2003 Pro Children Survey. Most of the total variance in students’ f&v intake occurred at the individual level (93-98%). The small school-level effects on 11-year-olds’ fruit and vegetable intake imply that family level interventions may be more important and that the success of school interventions will rely on the degree of parental involvement.
See these new tips from former president Bill Clinton.
The qualitative and quantitative content of 4,365 meals theoretically available and 330 meals consumed was recorded during five weekdays spread over three weeks in a Belgian university canteen. To ensure overall compliance with dietary recommendations, considerable changes on the supply side, i.e. an increase in fruit and vegetable portions and a reduction in salt and fat of the lunch, are needed first in this setting.
It’s only a matter of time before it happens. Read this well written piece on changes in what instruments can be used in promoting health. A survey of 59 cities found that children gain more weight if they live in communities where F&V are expensive. And the University of Florida just published a study showing that the more alcohol costs, the less people imbibe.