6664 research outputs found
Sort by
An experimental food label applied to food served at a secondary school in Greater London and its influence on adolescent food choices
No full textIntroduction: Adolescent obesity is rising in the United Kingdom (UK), and it is more prevalent in older adolescents aged 15-19 years than in almost any other higher income nation. Obese children and adolescents are at a high risk of developing several chronic diseases (NHS Digital, 2021; Nuffield trust, 2021). Providing nutritional information (NI) in the form of a food label (FL) is one strategy that has the potential to reduce obesity. A FL allows consumers to compare the NI between similar food products which can theoretically guide consumers as to which are the healthier food choices. Since December 2016 all prepacked food in the UK was required to display mandatory NI on the back of a FL, presented per 100g/ml or per portion of the product. The NI includes energy in kJ, and kcal and the number of grams of fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, protein, and salt. NI on the front of prepacked FL is voluntary and is predominantly assessed through a nutrient profiling model (NPM) which can be a nutrient specific or a summary system. The process of NP includes several stages dependent upon its purpose. To date, there are a plethora of different front of pack FL designs yet no consensus as to which design has the greatest influence on food choice behaviour (FCB).
School food can theoretically provide a third of an adolescent daily calorie intake, yet schools in England have no policies to inform pupils as to which food options are the healthiest. The UK government has announced that from April 2022 it will enforce all businesses with 250 or more employees in England including cafes, restaurants and take away food to display calorific information on non-prepacked food and soft drinks (GOV.UK, 2021) but this does not include school food. There are three known published studies (Hunsberger et al., 2015; Rainville et al., 2010; Conklin and Cranage, 2005), and one unpublished study (Fresques’, 2013) that have provided NI in the form of calories and fat in a live school setting in America. Results did not concur as to the effectiveness of providing this NI and it can be suggested that due to possible adolescent vulnerability, a more overarching holistic FL is needed.
Objective: The objective of this study is to design and apply an experimental food label (EFL) to the food on offer in a secondary school setting in Greater London and to explore if it influences adolescents to select the healthier food options. Using a questionnaire this study also intended to identify if adolescents consider other factors are more important in their FCB and to evaluate if these factors require greater attention and integration at policy level to reduce adolescent obesity.
Method and Design: The study used a quantitative experimental design in which an intervention was implemented to evaluate if a change in FCB occurred. Several of the poorest borough councils in London were contacted to obtain a list of caterers who provide their school meals. One contract caterer agreed to take part in the study and nominated one school in Greater London in which to apply the EFL. The caterer provided the school’s three-week menu cycle, and their dietician provided a standardised recipe for each item on the menu. The information from the standard recipes was entered into the Diet plan 7 nutrition software package that created a breakdown of nutrients per 100g.
The Food Standards Agency developed a nutrient profiling model (NPM) for the Office of Communication (Ofcom). The aim of Ofcom`s NPM was to score food products, if foods scored 4 or more points, and drinks scored 1 or more points, they were classified as ‘less healthy’ and these products were not allowed to be advertised on television. This research used the Ofcom NPM and modified it to score food from one to 100 with a score of one being the least healthy and a score of 100 the healthiest. When the breakdown of nutrients per 100g from Diet plan 7 were input into the modified NPM this generated a food score for each dish on the menu cycle. The food score was the basis of the EFL.
The caterer recorded daily sales for each dish on the menu cycle for the nine-week intervention. Weeks 1, 2 and 3 were recorded as pre-intervention baseline sales. No scores were visible to the pupils at this stage. The week (0) before the intervention began tutors received an `awareness pack` which contained a standardised tutor sheet to read to their tutor group on how the food score worked and each pupil had a `know your score` postcard. The message on the post card was `the higher the score the healthier the food choices`. When the intervention commenced the food scores were placed in holders on the sneeze screen above each dish and A3 posters, identical to the pupils’ postcards, were displayed in the school restaurant. Pre-intervention baseline sales were compared to a repeat of the three-week menu cycle at post-intervention phase one (weeks 4, 5 and 6) and post-intervention phase two (weeks 7, 8 and 9). Sales were analysed to establish if the intervention influenced food choice behaviour and to evaluate if any effect would be sustained. It was expected that the mean scores of the foods selected will increase after the application of the food score, that will indicate that pupils selected healthier food choices.
After the nine-week intervention pupils were requested to complete a four-part paper-based questionnaire. Part one requested sociodemographic data, part two asked lunch preferences, part three asked participants to rank on the five-point scale whether they noticed the food score, and their understanding of the food score. Part four asked participants to rank (using the same five-point scale) which factors from the combined food choice questionnaire (FCQ) (Steptoe et al., 1995 and Ooi et al., 2015) they felt has the greatest impact on their FCB at school.
Results: Each dish on the menu cycle had a calculated food score. Each time a pupil selected a dish the food scores were recorded to provide a daily score for each dish. The daily scores were added together to provide a mean food score for each dish each week. If after the application of the EFL healthier food options (higher scores) were selected more frequently the mean food scores would increase. The differences in the mean food score before and after the application of the EFL would indicate its effectiveness.
From the nine week experiment the mean food score from pre-intervention baseline (weeks 1, 2 and 3) (43587.21) to post-intervention phase one (week 4, 5 and 6) (47473.93) increased by 3886.72 then decreased from post-intervention phase one (47473.93) to post-intervention phase two (weeks 7, 8 and 9) (46454.64) by 1019.29. The total increase in the food score from pre-intervention baseline to post-intervention phase two was 2867.43. Mauchly`s test indicated significance at 0.002, so the Greenhouse Geiser adjustment was used, and an ANOVA indicated that, although the mean suggests an upward trend, no significant difference was present (F(2, 26) = 2.19, p > .05).
Literature suggests that females are more interested in health and reading FL more than males. This research sought to detect if females reported noticing the food score more than males and if females self-reported that the food score affected their food choices more than males. In the FCQ pupils were asked to select (from a five-point scale) how much they noticed the food score from one, they did not notice to five, they did notice. Using the same scale, pupils were asked how much the food score affected their food choices from one, it did not affect my food choice to five, it did affect my food choices. From the 744 pupils’ response to `Did you noticed the food score` then removing the incomplete data for gender declaration, 674 responses remained. From the 346 female responses, 198 (57.2%) selected score 1 meaning they did not notice the food score and 54 (15.6%) selected score 5 meaning that they did notice the food score. From the 328 male responses, 186 (56.7%) selected score 1 and 61 (18.6%) selected score 5. There was a non-significant association between participant gender and noticing the food score χ² (4) = 1.46, p > .05. From the self-reported questionnaire fewer pupils responded to the question of whether the food score affected their food choices. From the 661 pupils’ response to `Did the food score affect your food choices` From the 339 female responses, 216 (63.7%) selected score 1 meaning it did not affect their food choices and 25 (7.4%) selected score 5 meaning that it did affect their food choices. From the 322 male responses, 216 (67.1%) selected score 1 and 19 (5.9%) selected score 5. There was a non-significant association between pupils’ gender and pupils reporting that the food score had a perceived effect on their food choices χ² (4) = 1.36, p > .05 which does not support the current literature.
The research aimed to ascertain which of the 21 factors on the FCQ adolescents score as the most (score five) and the least important (score one) regarding influencing their FCB at school. Results indicated that the highest percentage of pupils scored the following factors at score five, 64.9% `tastes good`, 32.9% `keeps me full`, 29.9% is cheap, 29.2% keeps me healthy, 28.9% looks nice, 26% smells nice, and 25.2% keeps me awake. The factor that was identified as the least influential (score one) was 66.5% `is similar to foods chosen by my friends`.
The research sought to identify if there was an association between gender in food choice and the importance placed on health. Literature advocates that females are more influenced by health than males. Using the FCQ with the five-point scale `health and nutrition` encompassed nine factors; contains vitamins and minerals, is nutritious, is high in fibre, is high in protein, is low in calories, is low in fat, helps me control my weight, keeps me healthy, and includes lots of fruit and vegetables. Results indicated that there was a significant association between gender and specific health and nutrition factors. From 689 participants (361 female and 328 male) females rate `contains vitamins and minerals` significantly more highly than males χ2(4) = 10.4, p < .05. Females rate `is nutritious` significantly more highly than males χ2(4) = 11. 17, p <. 05. Females rate the factor `is low in calories` significantly more highly than males χ2(4) = 9.62, p < .05. Females rate `is low in fat` significantly more highly than males χ2(4) = 11.09, p < .05. Females rate `keeps me healthy` significantly more highly than males χ2(4) = 21.38, p < .05. It could be suggested that the word `health` is used to promote or identify the healthier food choices which may appeal to females.
Conclusion: A food score applied to food served in a secondary school in Greater London was not effective in influencing FCB. Only 15.6% females and 18.6% males noticed the food score and 7.4% females and 5.9% males stated that it influenced their FCB. There were no differences in gender as to noticing or self-reporting any effect on their FCB. Adolescents rated sensory aspects of taste, looks, and smell alongside satiation, keeping awake and financial aspects at score of five. Food choice and the importance placed on health was significantly associated more with females than males. The influence of friends was not considered to be a significant factor in adolescent FCB
Risk treatment strategies in tourism businesses
No full textRisk treatment in travel and tourism is the process in which organisations, destinations and tourism businesses identify, select, and deploy measures that aim to influence the likelihood of occurrence or the impact of a risk. This process follows the stage of risk assessment in the risk management cycle. All risks do not carry the same prospect of loss or damage and, in some cases, taking a risk may lead to considerable rewards. In general, the risk treatment strategies available to the management of an organisation are classified into four broad groups: Avoidance; Mitigation; Acceptance; and Transfer (AMAT)
Microbiological hazards associated with food products imported from the Asia-Pacific region based on analysis of the rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF) notifications
Get PDFThe Rapid Alert System for Food and Feeds (RASFF) is a monitoring and notification tool and food safety-related database developed by the European Commission. This study evaluated the microbiological safety of foods originating from the Asia-Pacific region in the past two decades (2000–2020) by analysing incidences and trends of notifications and alerts on the RASFF database. The highest number of notifications were for foods imported from India and Thailand as foods imported from these two countries constituted more than half (54%) of the notifications recorded on the RASFF database for the entire Asia-Pacific region from 2000 to 2020, compared to ANZ (Australia and New Zealand), which had very low notifications (1.2% = 23/1873). Among the 2121 notifications of pathogenic microorganisms, consisting of 14 genera, Salmonella was the most predominant as approximately 7 out of every 10 pathogens isolated from foods imported from the Asia-Pacific Region in the past two decades (74%, 1560/2121) were Salmonella species. More than 95% of pathogen species notifications for fruits and vegetables imported from India and Bangladesh were associated with betel leaves. Among the nuts, nut products and seeds, sesame seeds were the main food item contaminated by Salmonella, and these accounted for 87% of total Salmonella notifications. Across the food categories, there was a statistically significant reduction in the number of notifications associated with seafoods over the years (r = −0.73, p = 0.0001). Although a statistically significant increase in notifications for fruits and vegetables (r = 0.66, p = 0.008) was recorded between 2000 and 2014, more recent years (2015–2020) have been associated with reducing trends in the number of notifications associated with this food type (r = −0.85, p = 0.03). Results indicate that imported foods may be potential vehicles for the transmission of clinically relevant microorganisms. Studies of this nature can potentially encourage countries to implement policies that improve export quality
Presentation of the clothed self on the hospital ward: an ethnographic account of perceptual attention and implications for the personhood of people living with dementia
No full textThis study contributes to our understanding of the ‘medical gaze’ and its impact on the ways in which people living with dementia experience care during a hospital admission. Visual perception has a powerful effect on our emotional and moral reactions to others. One aspect of how we perceive and respond to others is through clothing, which relates strongly to class and social position. Our focus is on exploring the ways in which patient clothing may affect the perceptions and response of others, and self-perception and resulting behaviour. We draw on ethnographic research within acute hospital wards in five hospitals across England and Wales, examining the everyday organisation and delivery of care to people living with dementia. People living with dementia are a significant population who have poor experiences and outcomes of care within the acute setting. Our data suggest that the twin aspects of clothing and appearance—of self-perception, and of perception by others—may be especially important in the fast-paced context of an acute ward environment, where patients living with dementia may be struggling with the impacts of an additional acute medical condition within in a highly timetabled, regimented, and unfamiliar environment of the ward, and where staff perceptions of them may feed into clinical assessments of their condition and subsequent treatment and discharge pathways
Performance study on mounting system for displacement transducer in mechanical tests of timber samples using photogrammetry method
Get PDFThis paper presents a unique study to reveal the effect of the mounting system of the linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) on the mechanical property tests of timber materials. This effect has been overlooked in the past but proven to be significant enough that will distort the measurements completely if the displacement is relatively small. The reason for causing this error is because the LVDT is not directly measuring targeting points on a sample, instead, the LVDT is measuring the distance between one point on the stop-end (where the tip rested on) and the holder. The wrong common sense hopes that this point on the stop-end and holder reliably following the movement of the sample points. But this study reveals that it is not always the case with the aid from the photogrammetry method. The messages of this paper are simple but alertly useful and, important: (1) the mounting system and the method of installation of the LVDTs have a significant impact on the actual displacement measurement in a mechanical properties test of timber materials. It should be carefully designed and validated before the actual test; (2) the displacement distribution is not uniform across the timber sample. This should be taken into account when selecting the mounting points of the LVDTs. Testing standards should consider this effect when recommending displacement transducers to be used in a timber-related test
Knowledge management: a catalyst for African manufacturing industrialisation
Get PDFThrough knowledge management, African countries can achieve manufacturing industrialisation. African's growth and development depend on their capacity to manage the new age industrialisation benefits for poverty alleviation by creating employment opportunities. Africa needs an endogenously generated strategy integrating basic development principles with local characteristics to achieve socio-economic growth
Formal verification of secondary authentication protocol for 5G secondary authentication
Get PDFThe fifth-generation mobile network (5G) will enable interconnectivity between the home network (HN) and data network (DN) whereby mobile users with their user equipment (UE) will be able to access services provided by external service providers (SP) seamlessly. The mobile user and SP will rely on security assurances provided by authentication protocols used. For 5G, primary authentication between the UE and the HN has been defined and specified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) while the secondary authentication has also been defined but not specified. 3GPP recommends the extensible authentication protocol (EAP) framework for secondary authentication between the UE and the SP. However, the secondary authentication methods have not been formally verified, so this paper proposes a secondary authentication protocol (SAP) for service authentication and provides a comprehensive formal analysis using ProVerif a security protocol verifier. Finally, it conducts a security analysis on the protocol's security properties
Experiencing contemporary art at a distance
Get PDFThis panel wants to start a discussion about the importance of designing new ways of Contemporary Art digitization and digitalization to foster the creation of successful user experiences for its remote fruition
Exploring experiences of family caregivers for older adults with chronic illness: a scoping review
Get PDFA Scoping Review was conducted to explore key issues that underpin the experiences of family caregivers of older adults with chronic illness. The review aims to identify the gap in literature and synthesise evidence on this topic. Globally, family caregivers of older adults with chronic illness experience burden. Evidence suggests that family caregivers’ needs are poorly understood and remain largely under recognised by healthcare services. Moreover, little is known about the experience of family caregivers caring for older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Data bases used included: Academic Search Elite, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Science Direct, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and grey literature. 3352 records were identified, 58 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 11 papers included in the literature review. Data are narratively synthesized. This review provides findings that suggest further research