76 research outputs found
Feeding the late and moderately preterm infant: A position paper of the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition
No full textSugar in infants, children and adolescents: A position paper of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionCommittee on Nutrition
No full textResponse to Letter: How Much Free Sugars Intake Should Be Recommended for Children Younger Than Two Years Old?
No full textSugar in infants, children and adolescents: A position paper of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionCommittee on Nutrition
No full textPalm Oil and Beta-palmitate in Infant Formula: A Position Paper by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition
No full textPalm Oil and Beta-palmitate in Infant Formula: A Position Paper by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition
No full textIncreasing response rates to lifestyle surveys: a review of methodology and 'good practice'.
No full textBackground
Lifestyle surveys are traditionally used for collecting detailed population information about
individual behaviours that impact on health. However, declining response rates and the
under-representation of certain population groups in lifestyle survey data has led to
uncertainty over the accuracy of any findings. In order to maximise response rates, a
mixed-methods approach is now recommended. This review was carried out in order to
examine the methodological literature related to the administration of lifestyle surveys and
the implications for response rates. It was envisaged that the results of this review could
provide a valuable resource for those involved in undertaking lifestyle surveys.
Methods
A review of the empirical evidence and published literature on the methodological
considerations associated with administration of lifestyle surveys, specifically in relation to
maximising response rates, was carried out. A search for ‘grey literature’ was also
conducted using the internet, and citation tracking was performed on all retrieved articles.
A request for examples of relevant lifestyle survey work, particularly those incorporating
mixed-methods designs and/or strategies to increase response rates, was distributed to
several Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) across England. The responses are illustrated as
‘good practice’ case studies.
Results
The postal questionnaire remains an important lifestyle survey tool, but response rates
have decreased rapidly in recent years. Interviews and telephone surveys are
recommended in order to supplement data from postal questionnaires to overcome any
literacy and language barriers. These approaches are advocated to increase response
rates in some population groups, but costs may be prohibitive. Electronic surveys are a
cheaper alternative, but the evidence seems to suggest that the use of the internet does
not appear to increase overall response rates to surveys. Evidence on the use of
incentives suggests they can be effective at increasing response rates, but only if their use
is tailored to the design of the survey and to the characteristics of target populations.
Conclusions
The empirical evidence was not robust enough to make definitive recommendations, but
information from the published literature, along with examples of ‘good practice’ in lifestyle
survey work suggests that supplementing, or offering different survey modes, alongside
targeted maximisation strategies can increase coverage and also, with careful planning,
can prove to be cost-effective
Sugar in Infants, Children and Adolescents: A Position Paper of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition
No full textThe consumption of sugars, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs; beverages or drinks that contain added caloric sweeteners (ie, sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates), in European children and adolescents exceeds current recommendations. This is of concern because there is no nutritional requirement for free sugars, and infants have an innate preference for sweet taste, which may be modified and reinforced by pre- and postnatal exposures. Sugar-containing beverages/free sugars increase the risk for overweight/obesity and dental caries, can result in poor nutrient supply and reduced dietary diversity, and may be associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular risk, and other health effects. The term "free sugars," includes all monosaccharides/disaccharides added to foods/beverages by the manufacturer/cook/consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey/syrups/unsweetened fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. Sugar naturally present in intact fruits and lactose in amounts naturally present in human milk or infant formula, cow/goat milk, and unsweetened milk products is not free sugar. Intake of free sugars should be reduced and minimised with a desirable goal of <5% energy intake in children and adolescents aged ≥2 to 18 years. Intake should probably be even lower in infants and toddlers <2 years. Healthy approaches to beverage and dietary consumption should be established in infancy, with the aim of preventing negative health effects in later childhood and adulthood. Sugar should preferably be consumed as part of a main meal and in a natural form as human milk, milk, unsweetened dairy products, and fresh fruits, rather than as SSBs, fruit juices, smoothies, and/or sweetened milk products. Free sugars in liquid form should be replaced by water or unsweetened milk drinks. National Authorities should adopt policies aimed at reducing the intake of free sugars in infants, children and adolescents. This may include education, improved labelling, restriction of advertising, introducing standards for kindergarten and school meals, and fiscal measures, depending on local circumstances
Feeding the Late and Moderately Preterm Infant. A Position Paper of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition
No full textNutritional guidelines and requirements for late or moderately preterm (LMPT) infants are notably absent, although they represent the largest population of preterm infants. The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition (CoN) performed a review of the literature with the aim to provide guidance on how to feed infants born LMPT, and identify gaps in the literature and research priorities.Only limited data from controlled trials are available. Late preterm infants have unique, often unrecognized, vulnerabilities that predispose them to high rates of nutritionally related morbidity and hospital readmissions. They frequently have feeding difficulties that delay hospital discharge, and poorer rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration compared with term infants. This review also identified that moderately preterm infants frequently exhibit postnatal growth restriction.The ESPGHAN CoN strongly endorses breast milk as the preferred method of feeding LMPT infants and also emphasizes that mothers of LMPT infants should receive qualified, extended lactation support, and frequent follow-up. Individualized feeding plans should be promoted. Hospital discharge should be delayed until LMPT infants have a safe discharge plan that takes into account local situation and resources.In the LMPT population, the need for active nutritional support increases with lower gestational ages. There may be a role for enhanced nutritional support including the use of human milk fortifier, enriched formula, parenteral nutrition, and/or additional supplements, depending on factors, such as gestational age, birth weight, and significant comorbidities. Further research is needed to assess the benefits (improved nutrient intakes) versus risks (interruption of breast-feeding) of providing nutrient-enrichment to the LMPT infant
Assessment and interpretation of vitamin and trace element status in sick children: a position paper from the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology Committee in Nutrition
No full textAssessment of vitamin and trace element status (VTE) is important in the clinical management of the sick child. In this position paper, we present the various assessment methods available to the clinical practitioner, and critically discuss pitfalls with interpretation of their results. There are 4 main approaches to assess the VTE body status of an individual patient including clinical examination, dietary assessment, and measurement of direct and indirect biomarkers of VTE in biological samples. Clinical signs of VTE deficiencies usually present only when body stores are substantially depleted and are often difficult to detect or differentiate from other nonnutrient-related causes. In isolation, dietary assessment of micronutrients can be inaccurate and imprecise, in disease and in individual patient assessment but may be useful to complement findings from other VTE assessment methods. Use of biomarkers is the most common approach to assess VTE status in routine practice but in the presence of systemic inflammatory response and in the absence of appropriate paediatric reference intervals, interpretation of biomarker results might be challenging and potentially mislead clinical practice. The use of a multimodal approach, including clinical examination, dietary assessment, and laboratory biomarkers is proposed as the optimal way to ascertain the VTE status of individual patients. In the presence of acute inflammatory conditions, VTE measurements in plasma should be replaced by biomarkers not affected by systemic inflammatory response or delayed until inflammatory state is resolved
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