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Decoding the Food-Nutrition-Economy-Environment Nexus for Sustainable Food Systems
No full textGlobale fødevaresystemer er i stigende grad udfordret til at sikre ernæringsmæssig sikkerhed uden at overskride de planetære grænser, hvilket nødvendiggør presserende omstillinger mod bæredygtige og sunde kostmønstre. Denne globale udfordring er særligt markant i Kina, hvor hurtig økonomiskudvikling og urbanisering har ført til betydelige kostomlægninger. Disse omstillinger har resulteret i en dobbelt byrde af fejlernæring og stigende forekomst af kostrelaterede kroniske sygdomme, samtidig med alvorlige miljømæssige belastninger. Omfattende forskning har behandlet emnerne ernæringsforbedring, sundhedsfremme og miljømæssig afbødning. Imidlertid er der primært foretaget parallelle vurderinger af ernærings- og miljømæssige problemstillinger, med en tendens til at analysere bæredygtighed ud fra et perspektiv, der fokuserer på enten brede fødevarekategorier, kostens sammensætning eller generelle kostmønstre. Denne fragmenterede tilgang overser, hvordan fødevarer rent faktisk kombineres og konsumeres i praksis, hvorved det ikke lykkes at indfange, hvordan enkeltpersoner udvælger ingredienser, tilbereder måltider og træffer kostrelaterede beslutninger inden for specifikke socioøkonomiske og kulturelle kontekster, og begrænser dermed dens praktiske anvendelighed til at fremme bæredygtige kostomstillinger. Håndteringen af disse udfordringer nødvendiggør en flerdimensionel udforskning af muligheder for kostomstilling, da kostvaner fundamentalt formes af processer på flere niveauer og flerdimensionelle drivkræfter, dertil sammen bestemmer fødevarevalg. Dette studie præsenterer en flerdimensionel ramme til at udforske potentialet for kostomstilling på tværs af tre indbygdes forbundne niveauer: retter, populationer og regioner.På retniveauet vurderes sammenhængen mellem ernæringskvalitet og miljøpåvirkninger, samtidigmed at der identificeres følsomme faktorer, der påvirker begge indikatorer. Alle ernæringsindikatorer findes at udvise ugunstige værdier, med signifikante forskelle og en korrelation med miljøindikatorer. Desuden afsløres det, at tilberedningsprocessen markant påvirker emissioner, især for vegetariske retter, kødretter og retter baseret på basisfødevarer, hvilket resulterer i variationer på over 200%. På baggrund af disse fund undersøges yderligere, hvordan sundhedsaspekter kan variere underforskellige tilberedningsbetingelser. Resultaterne påviser betydelig variation i sundhedsmæssige implikationer inden for og mellem retkategorier, hvor sundhedsrisikofaktorer varierer med op til en faktor 50 selv inden for samme tilberedningsmetode og retkategori. Den øverste 20-percentil af retter udgør i gennemsnit 50% af den ernæringsmæssige kvalitet og 60% af sundhedsrisikoen. Afbødningspotentialet er yderligere udforsket gennem en analyse af forskellige strategiske tilgange, herunder dem med komplicerede afvejninger, mere økonomisk levedygtige løsninger og løsninger uden afvejninger. Overordnet set kan komplementariteten af kombinerede strategier være en fordel i omstillingen til bedre kostvaner.På populationsniveauet bestemmes kostkarakteristika ved at integrere individuelle kostinterviewdatamed opskrifter på retniveau, hvilket muliggør analysen af afvejninger og optimeringspotentiale på tværs af demografiske grupper. Mens de fleste undergrupper forblev under en sikker tærskel for ernæringsmæssig balance og visse miljømæssige fodaftryk, overskred alle undergrupper konsekventrisikotærsklerne for udledning af drivhusgasser (GHG) og score for Health Evaluation Nutrition Index (HENI). En moderat negativ korrelation påvises mellem HENI-score og GHG-udledning, hvilket indikerer, at kostvaner forbundet med højere GHG-udledninger tenderer mod at øge sundhedsrisikoen, særligt for personer over 60 år, som kræver øget sundhedsovervågning. Resultaterne fra kostoptimeringen viser, at målretning af sundhedsmål for ældre populationer førte til, at deres kostmønstre i højere grad stemte overens med principperne for middelhavskosten, primært gennem reduktion af indtaget af proteinrige og kulhydratrige fødevarer. Omvendt udviser yngre befolkningsgrupper større overensstemmelse med Kinesiske Anbefalede Kostråd, skønt medforeslåede begrænsninger på indtaget af nødder og rødt kød.På regionalt niveau blev rumlige forskelle i kostmønstre kortlagt og optimeret for at balancereernæring, økonomisk overkommelighed og miljømæssige fodaftryk på tværs af Kinas forskellige provinser. Resultaterne har vist, at variationen i det nødvendige fødevareindtag er stærkt provinsspecifik. Resultaterne har vist, at variationen i det nødvendige fødevareindtag er stærkt provinsspecifik. Generelt set peges der på et behov for at reducere indtaget af kød, kornprodukter og spiselige olier og øge indtaget af grøntsager, frugt, bælgfrugter, knolde og mejeriprodukter. Provinsspecifikke kostomstillinger kunne reducere kuldstoffodaftrykket, vandfodaftrykket, arealanvendelsen, kvælstoffodaftrykket og fosforfodaftrykket fra Kinas fødevareforbrug med henholdsvis 9,5-25,3%,10,7-19,1%, 22,4-32,9%, 30,8-40,2% og 21,4-34,5%, samtidig med at det daglige anbefalede indtag af essentielle næringsstoffer opfyldes, og uden at de nuværende udgifter til fødevarer overskrides. Denne flerdimensionelle analyse understreger, at bæredygtige kostomstillinger kræver målrettede tilgange, der anerkender den indbyrdes forbundethed mellem ingredienssammensætning, tilberedningspraksis, befolkningsadfærd og regionale kontekster. Gennem integrationen af disse dimensioner muliggør den foreslåede ramme både bund-til-top analyser, der belyser, hvordan specifikke ingredienskombinationer og tilberedningsmetoder påvirker ernæringsmæssige og miljømæssige resultater og hvordan de driver populationsbaserede daglige kostvalg, såvel som top til-bund vurderinger af regionsspecifikt optimeringspotentiale.Global food systems are increasingly challenged to provide nutritional security without exceeding planetary boundaries, thereby necessitating urgent transitions towards sustainable and healthy diets. This global challenge is particularly evident in China, where rapid economic development and urbanization have driven significant dietary transitions. These shifts have resulted in a double burden of malnutrition and increasing rates of diet-related chronic diseases, alongside the severe environmental pressures. Extensive research has addressed nutrition enhancement, health promotion, and environmental mitigation. However, they have primarily conducted parallel assessments of nutritional and environmental problems, tending to analyze sustainability from the perspective of either a broad food category, food composition within diets, or general dietary patterns. This fragmented approach overlooks how foods are actually combined and consumed in practice, thereby failing to capture how individuals select ingredients, prepare meals, and make dietary decisions within specific socio-economic and cultural contexts, limiting its practical applicability for promoting sustainable dietary transitions. Addressing these challenges necessitates a multidimensional exploration of dietary transition opportunities, as diets are fundamentally shaped by multi-level processes and multidimensional drivers that collectively determine food choices. This study proposes a multi-dimensional framework for exploring the potential for dietary transition across three interconnected levels: dishes, populations, and regions.At the dish level, it assesses the nexus between nutritional quality and environmental impacts as well while identifying sensitive drivers that impact both indicators. All nutritional indicators are found to be negative, with significant differences correlated with environmental indicators. Furthermore, it reveals that the cooking process substantially influences emissions, especially for vegetarian, meat dishes, and staple-based dishes, with variations exceeding 200%. Building upon these findings, we further investigate how healthiness may vary under different cooking conditions. Results demonstrate highly variable health implications within and between dish categories, with health risk factors showing up to 50-fold differences even within the same cooking method and dish category. On average, the upper-percentile 20% of dishes represent 50% of the nutritional quality and 60% of the health risk. Mitigation potential has been further explored through complicated trade-offs, which are more economically viable and trade-off-free. Overall, the complementarity of mixed strategies can benefit transitioning to better diets.At the population level, dietary characteristics are reconstructed by integrating individual dietary recall data with dish-level recipes, enabling the analysis of trade-offs and optimization potential across demographic groups. While most subgroups remained within a safe threshold for nutritional balance and certain environmental footprints, all subgroups universally exceeded risk thresholds for greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and Health Evaluation Nutrition Index (HENI) scores. A moderate negative correlation is identified between HENI and GHGs, suggesting diets associated with higher GHGs tend to increase health risks, particularly for individuals above 60 years of age who require enhanced health monitoring. Diet optimization results reveal that targeting health objectives for elderly populations aligned their dietary patterns more closely with Mediterranean diet principles, primarily through reducing the consumption of high-protein and high-carbohydrate foods. Conversely, the younger population demonstrates greater compatibility with the Chinese Recommended Dietary Guidelines, though with suggested limitations on nuts and red meat consumption.At the regional level, spatial disparities in dietary patterns were mapped and optimized to balance nutrition, affordability, and environmental footprints across China’s diverse provinces. The results has shown that the variation in required food intake is highly province-specific. In general, there isa need to reduce the intake of meat, grains, and edible oils and increase the intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, tubers, and dairy products. Province-specific dietary shifts could reduce the carbon, water, land, nitrogen, and phosphorus footprints of China’s food consumption by 9.5–25.3%, 10.7–19.1%,22.4–32.9%, 30.8–40.2%, and 21.4–34.5%, respectively, while meeting the daily recommended intake of essential nutrients and not exceeding current food expenditures.This multi-dimensional analysis highlights that sustainable dietary transitions require targeted approaches that recognize the interconnectedness of ingredient composition, cooking practices, population behaviors, and regional contexts. By integrating these dimensions, the proposed framework enables both bottom-up analyses of how specific ingredient combinations and cooking methods impact nutritional and environmental outcomes and how they drive population-based daily dietary choices, as well as top-down assessments of region-specific optimization potential. This comprehensive approach provides policymakers and stakeholders with a more nuanced understanding of intervention opportunities across scales, offering evidence-based guidance to promote dietary changes that simultaneously advance nutritional performance, healthiness environmental sustainability within China's complex and rapidly evolving food system.<br/
Comparison of all types of loop-diuretics for chronic heart failure:A protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
No full textBackground: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) experience congestion-related symptoms such as dyspnoea and oedema, both of which are associated with poor outcomes. Loop diuretics are the cornerstone to treat congestion and to maintain euvolemia. While furosemide is the most used loop diuretic, other loop diuretics may exhibit theoretical advantages. We aim to compare all types of loop diuretics for patients with CHF. Methods: This protocol for a systematic review is conducted with guidance from the Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols. We will include randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of loop diuretics with other loop diuretics, placebo, or standard of care in CHF patients. The search will be conducted across the major medical databases (including Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials). The searches will begin in February 2025. The primary outcome will be all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes will be all-cause hospitalization, serious adverse events (SAEs), and changes in body weight (kg). Data will be analysed by traditional meta-analyses, Trial Sequential Analyses (TSA), and network meta analysis. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool—version 2. The certainty of the evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) and Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINEMA) approach.</p
The effect of materials in photoplethysmography-enabled mouthguards
No full textThe monitoring of cardiac signals using photoplethysmography (PPG) provides valuable insights into the health state of a person, both in clinical and non-clinical settings. However, current technologies have yet to be deployed in contact sports settings. This study aims to evaluate the impact of placing dental-grade materials, frequently used in mouthguards, over PPG sensors. The effects of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of different light wavelengths in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) samples of varying thickness were explored. The light signals were assessed using a setup of highly absorbing and highly reflective environments, which allows for the assessment of the effect of specific materials on the photodetector. Using non-parametric statistical tests, this research identified that SNR is significantly affected by light wavelength, material thickness and the material forming process. Infrared light going through 1 mm non-thermoformed PMMA resulted in the highest SNR. This research shows the need for careful consideration of material selection and signal processing for the application of PPG sensors in mouthguards.</p
Quantifying physical activity during active commuting to school: A comparison of methodologies
No full textThe current study aims to detect walking trips to/from school with different methodologies (GPS, self-reported, fixed windows [w30 and w60], and distance-based time), and to compare the start/end times for the trips, and the time accumulated in sedentary time, light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). A total of 93 Spanish adolescents wore an accelerometer and GPS during school days, and the start/end times of walking trips to/from school were determined using five different methodologies. Mixed-effects limits of agreement analyses were used to determine the level of agreement between the start/end times of the walking trips identified by the five methodologies mentioned. Moreover, methodologies were determined to be equivalent if the mean difference with the GPS was within the proposed equivalence zone of ± 5.0 min. Self-reported measures showed a good level of agreement for estimating start times of walking trips to school compared to GPS, 0.0 (LoA95%:-0.3–0.2) hours. Self-reported measures were deemed equivalent to GPS for measuring sedentary time, LPA, and MVPA. W30 and distance-based time were equivalent to GPS for LPA and MVPA, but not for sedentary time. W60 was only deemed equivalent to GPS for MVPA accumulated during walking trips to and from school. Self-reported measures showed the most precise approach for estimating start times to school, as well as it deemed equivalent to GPS for quantifying sedentary time, LPA, and MVPA. Moreover, estimating the time to complete the trip based on the distance between home and school could be more appropriate than fixed windows
The Effect of Private Self-Consciousness on Consumer Preference for Organic Food
No full textOrganic food sales have stagnated despite the growth of organic farming. This underscores the necessity for a better understanding of the determinants of organic food purchases. Our research uses self-consciousness theory to explain consumer preference for organic food. The findings of field and experimental research studies reveal that consumers’ private self-consciousness positively influences the decision to purchase or choose organic, but not nonorganic food, by enhancing a consumer's public self-consciousness. The effects of private self-consciousness remain robust across different cultural backgrounds (German and Dutch) and food categories (vice and virtue categories). This study suggests that marketers and policymakers should consider consumer self-consciousness strategically.</p
'To Enlarge Everything as a Poet’:Drama and History in John Marston’s The Wonder of Women, or the Tragedie of Sophonisba
No full textThis article advances two arguments about Marston's use and appropriation of history in The Wonder of Women, or, The Tragedie of Sophonisba. First, it argues that Marston transforms Sophonisba from a problematic femme fatale into a virtuous woman whose constancy in the face of adversity contrasts sharply with the political realities of the play. She is opposed both to the Machiavellianism of Carthage and Syphax's tyranny, and throughout the play she advocates political honesty, loyalty and patriotism. In extolling these virtues, Marston makes the Carthaginian heroine a moral exemplar for others to imitate and learn from. Second, Sophonisba is deeply concerned with theatre's role in making, remembering and interpreting history. This is expressed in Massinissa's adornment of Sophonisba's corpse at the end of the play, which leads to an on-stage negotiation of her historical significance, and the heroine's acts of self-historicisation. By this term I refer to a rhetorical strategy that Sophonisba uses throughout the play in order to reflect on the nature of history and her own place in it. Analysing this particular rhetorical strategy together with Marston's appropriation of the historical sources will allow for a reconsideration of Sophonisba as a historical and metahistorical play
Fertility Concerns and Information Needs and Preferences of Australian Women With Chronic Kidney Disease:An Exploratory Qualitative Study
No full textABSTRACT Objective Pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes for women with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Yet few women with CKD report receiving information about pregnancy and often experience difficulties making informed childbearing decisions and optimizing pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify the fertility and childbearing concerns and related information needs and preferences of women with CKD living in Australia. Methods We completed an exploratory qualitative study. Women with CKD, recruited from a public health service in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, participated in an online discussion group hosted on WhatsApp. We analyzed the discussion group transcript for key findings. Results Participants ( N = 8) reported wanting children but often had fewer children than desired due to concerns about the impact of pregnancy on their CKD and the possible impact of CKD on a pregnancy or their child, including their baby inheriting CKD, how CKD medications may affect their baby, and the potential effects of a kidney transplant. Participants found it difficult to access relevant, up‐to‐date information about CKD and pregnancy. Conclusions Women with CKD often have concerns about getting pregnant or having a baby but find it difficult to access information especially from their healthcare team. Women with CKD would benefit from relevant and current information provided at specific times such as before and after a kidney transplant or when considering pregnancy to assist them in making informed decisions and achieving their reproductive goals.Objective: Pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes for women with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Yet few women with CKD report receiving information about pregnancy and often experience difficulties making informed childbearing decisions and optimizing pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify the fertility and childbearing concerns and related information needs and preferences of women with CKD living in Australia.Methods: We completed an exploratory qualitative study. Women with CKD, recruited from a public health service in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, participated in an online discussion group hosted on WhatsApp. We analyzed the discussion group transcript for key findings.Results: Participants (N=8) reported wanting children but often had fewer children than desired due to concerns about the impact of pregnancy on their CKD and the possible impact of CKD on a pregnancy or their child, including their baby inheriting CKD, how CKD medications may affect their baby, and the potential effects of a kidney transplant. Participants found it difficult to access relevant, up-to-date information about CKD and pregnancy.Conclusions: Women with CKD often have concerns about getting pregnant or having a baby but find it difficult to access information especially from their healthcare team. Women with CKD would benefit from relevant and current information provided at specific times such as before and after a kidney transplant or when considering pregnancy to assist them in making informed decisions and achieving their reproductive goals
Towards a realist theory of nationalism:Exploring realpolitik and the threshold principle in nineteenth century nationalism
No full textThis article critiques Ernest Gellner's definition of nationalism for not fully capturing the intricacies of nineteenth-century nationalist movements and introduces “realist nationalism” as a more comprehensive framework. By integrating Eric Hobsbawm's threshold principle with the realism prevalent in international relations, this concept emphasises the strategic importance of power and security in nationalist endeavours. Through a detailed historical analysis, the study demonstrates how pre-World War II nationalist movements and state formations were significantly influenced by realpolitik, thereby challenging the conventional dichotomy between nationalism and imperialism. “Realist nationalism” provides a nuanced historical understanding of nationalism's interplay with geopolitical dynamics, offering insights that illuminate the complexities of nationalist movements both in the past and their continuing relevance today.</p
Nationalism, war and emotions
No full textThis themed section explores the intricate relationship between nationalism, war, and emotions, drawing from a 2023 conference in Copenhagen on these themes. The selected articles engage critically with the transformative dynamics of nationalism in the context of military victories and defeats. Ute Frevert's article introduces the concept of ‘emotional economy,’ elucidating how honour, shame, and humiliation are strategically manipulated to shape national identities and narratives. Morten Nordhagen Ottesen examines the rise and fall of political Scandinavianism, highlighting how fear and existential anxieties shaped the 19th-century Scandinavian nationalist movements, while challenging the myths of ‘Nordic exceptionalism.’ Rasmus Glenthøj proposes a realist theory of nationalism, integrating international relations and political agency into the study of nationalist movements, critiquing the limitations of Gellner's and Hobsbawm's theories. Together, these contributions emphasise the importance of emotions, agency, and historical context in understanding nationalism. They reject state-centric and determinist approaches, advocating for nuanced analyses that recognise nationalism's role in both fostering unity and driving conflict. As contemporary geopolitics echo 19th-century multipolar power dynamics, this section underscores the enduring relevance of nationalism studies in interpreting the emotional and political forces shaping our worl
Forms of theorising in entrepreneurship – The case of effectuation as a theory
No full textAs of today, the research field of entrepreneurship has developed into its own research community and needs to further develop its specific theorising to account for the distinctiveness of entrepreneurship. This becomes particularly evident with the emergence of effectuation, which is promoted as the first “homegrown” theory of entrepreneurship. The discourse on effectuation as a theory presents an interesting example which shows the challenges of discussing theory due to the different understandings of theory in entrepreneurship research. In this essay, we propose instead to examine the forms of theorising that entrepreneurship scholars engage in. Analysing 42 articles from the discourse on effectuation as a case of entrepreneurship theory, we show which forms of theorising are more prevalent than others, and which forms might be underexplored and could offer potential for future research. While we can and should continue to build on the knowledge about theory from other fields, this essay is an invitation to entrepreneurship scholars to take a step back and reflect on our own theorising in the field. With the three recommendations presented, we aim to provide a starting point for scholars to embrace the plurality of possible forms of theorising in entrepreneurship.</p