Fast food and children and adolescents: implications for practitioners

Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Spain: Social Determinants Related to the Family

The Mediterranean diet (MD), a well-established quality diet model, and regular physical activity are associated with reducing the appearance or progression of several chronic diseases and reducing morbidity and mortality. However, reduction of these goals, adherence to the MD, and regular physical activity occur at all ages, including older individuals in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, where at least adherence to the MD is culturally rooted. Objective: To evaluate the degree of adherence to the MD and physical activity in older individuals. Methods: The sample comprises 679 older adults aged 60 and over who attended activities in municipal centers for older adults in Valencia. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, frequency of physical activity, and anthropometric assessment were used. Results: High adherence (score ≥ 9) to MD was observed only in 23.7% of the study sample. Smoking habits or having meals in fast-food restaurants on a weekly basis were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with lower MD adherence. Age, BMI, marital status, and physical activity were not significantly associated with MD adherence. Physical activity was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in individuals who were divorced or widow/ers and in those taking care of their grandchildren several times a week. Conclusions: Adherence to the MD in a big Spanish city is low among older individuals. Socio-family factors seem to play a role. Public health and governmental strategies should reinforce adherence to the MD among older individuals as a gold standard for nutrition.

Fast-food restaurant, unhealthy eating, and childhood obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Excessive access to fast-food restaurants (FFRs) in the neighbourhood is thought to be a risk factor for childhood obesity by discouraging healthful dietary behaviours while encouraging the exposure to unhealthful food venues and hence the compensatory intake of unhealthy food option. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for articles published until 1 January 2019 that analysed the association between access to FFRs and weight-related behaviours and outcomes among children aged younger than 18. Sixteen cohort studies and 71 cross-sectional studies conducted in 14 countries were identified. While higher FFR access was not associated with weight-related behaviours (eg, dietary quality score and frequency of food consumption) in most studies, it was commonly associated with more fast-food consumption. Despite that, insignificant results were observed for all meta-analyses conducted by different measures of FFR access in the neighbourhood and weight-related outcomes, although 17 of 39 studies reported positive associations when using overweight/obesity as the outcome. This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed a rather mixed relationship between FFR access and weight-related behaviours/outcomes among children and adolescents.

Prevalence of health-risk behaviors among teen girls in Southeastern Iran

Background

Investigating female adolescents’ health status is essential because of their two-fold role within the health of the community and the impending generations’ health.

Objective

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among teen girls in Southeastern Iran.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 457 tenth grade female adolescents in four public high schools in Zahedan in Southeastern Iran, in 2015. First, high schools were randomly selected; then, all students in Grade 10 were enrolled in the study through a census. Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire of the health-risk behaviors with the content validity ratio (CVR) of 0.80, the content validity index (CVI) of 0.88 and Cronbach’s α score of 0.71. The Results were analyzed using ANOVA test with SPSS-15.

Results

The highest prevalence rate of health-risk behaviors of students included: failing to drink natural fruit juice (53.1%), failing to wear a seat belt (43.0%), sitting in a car while the driver is sending message or emails (43.0%), failing to drink milk daily (36.0%), lack of minimum daily physical activity 37.0%, and watching TV more than 3 hours a day (35.0%). On average, the number of health-risk behaviors among under study students was 1.47. Additionally, the ANOVA showed a statistically significant difference in the average number of health-risk behaviors of adolescents in families with high economic status, those who never talked with their parents or those who had physical relations with the opposite sex (p<0.001).

Conclusion

It is suggested that attention be paid to emphasizing the pattern of healthy eating, increasing physical activity, and reducing unsafe behaviors in adolescents; moreover, behavioral consultation should be given regarding relationships with the opposite sex. Furthermore, more attention must be paid to the familiar behavior patterns and the relationships in school health programs.

Differential associations between the food environment near schools and childhood overweight across race/ethnicity, gender, and grade

Epidemiologic studies have observed influences of the food environment near schools on children's overweight status but have not systematically assessed the associations by race, sex, and grade. The authors examined whether the associations between franchised fast food restaurant or convenience store density near schools and overweight varied by these factors using data for 926,018 children (31.3% white, 55.1% Hispanic, 5.7% black, and 8% Asian) in fifth, seventh, or ninth grade, nested in 6,362 schools. Cross-sectional data were from the 2007 California physical fitness test (also known as "Fitnessgram"), InfoUSA, the California Department of Education, and the 2000 US Census. In adjusted models, the overweight prevalence ratio comparing children in schools with 1 or more versus 0 fast food restaurants was 1.02 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.03), with a higher prevalence ratio among girls compared with boys. The association varied by student's race/ethnicity (P = 0.003): Among Hispanics, the prevalence ratio = 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.03); among blacks, the prevalence ratio = 1.03 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.06), but among Asians the prevalence ratio = 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91, 0.97). For each additional convenience store, the prevalence ratio was 1.01 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.01), with a higher prevalence ratio among fifth grade children. Nuanced understanding of the impact of food environments near schools by race/ethnicity, sex, and grade may help to elucidate the etiology of childhood overweight and related race/ethnic disparities.

Mothers' perceptions of the negative impact on TV food ads on children's food choices

This exploratory study investigates the opinions of mothers who have at least one child between the ages of 7 and 12 in terms of the impact of TV food advertising on their children. This research also examines whether there is any third person effect active in mothers' opinions of TV food advertising aimed at children by asking them about both the impact on their own children, and the children of strangers. The results reveal that most mothers in the study have generally negative attitudes toward TV food advertising aimed at children, but they believe that the children of strangers are more negatively impacted by exposure to the ads than their own children.

Fast Food Consumption, Quality of Diet, and Obesity among Isfahanian Adolescent Girls

Background and Objective. Few data are available linking fast food intake to diet quality in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the association between fast food consumption and diet quality as well as obesity among Isfahani girls. Methods. This cross-sectional study was done among 140 Iranian adolescents selected by the use of systematic cluster random sampling. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Diet quality was defined based on energy density and nutrient adequacy ratios (NARs). Results. Individuals in the highest quartile of fast food intake had significantly lower NARs for vitamin B(1) (P = 0.008), phosphorus (P = 0.0250), selenium (P < 0.001) and vitamin B(2) (P = 0.012) compared with those in the lowest quartile. Those in top quartile of fast food intake consumed more energy-dense diets than those in the bottom quartile (P = 0.022). High intakes of fast foods were significantly associated with overweight (top quartile: 40% versus bottom quartile: 0%, P = 0.0001) and obesity (11.4% versus 2.9%, P = 0.0001). Conclusion. Fast food consumption is associated with poor diet quality and high prevalence of overweight and obesity among Isfahani adolescents. Prospective data are required to confirm these findings.

Are we Aware of what we are, we are what we Eat- An Epidemiological Survey

The lure of convenience in addition to good taste gets people to junk food addiction. With the advent of television even in the remotest areas people have become more aware of the fast food items available. Children watch television where fast food continues to dominate the food advertisements viewed by children. The easily available fast food in and around school campus and with little knowledge of the far reaching effects of these food items consumed, children fall an easy prey to junk food. Children are unaware of the food they eat and the effects it has on their growth and development. This survey reflects the large percentageof children who surrender to the temptation junk food consumption with little knowledge of its far sighted effects on their health.

Fast food intake: longitudinal trends during the transition to young adulthood and correlates of intake

PURPOSE

Frequent fast food intake is associated with poorer diet quality and greater weight gain. The aims of this study were to describe changes in fast food intake during the transition from middle adolescence to young adulthood, and to identify baseline correlates of this eating behavior in early young adulthood.

METHODS

Data were drawn from Project EAT, a population-based, longitudinal study in Minnesota. Surveys were completed by 935 females and 751 males in high school classrooms at baseline (1998-1999; mean age = 15.9 years) and by mail at follow-up (2003-2004; mean age = 20.5 years).

RESULTS

Frequent intake of fast food (> or =3 times/week) was reported by 24% of males and 21% of females during adolescence. At follow-up, in early young adulthood the eating behavior increased among males (33%, p < .001), and there was no further increase among females (23%; p = .16). Baseline snack frequency was positively associated with frequency of fast food intake at follow-up among both genders. Baseline peer support for healthy eating among males and both concern about health and self-efficacy for healthy eating among females were inversely related to follow-up fast food intake. Among females, baseline perceptions of time and taste barriers to healthy eating, lunch frequency, television viewing, and unhealthy food availability at home were also positively associated with follow-up fast food intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions are needed to address the high prevalence of frequent fast food intake among adolescents and young adults. Health professionals should help young people identify convenient and healthful food choices for meals and snacks consumed away from home.

Is rural residency a risk factor for overweight and obesity for U.S. children?

OBJECTIVE

Despite studies suggesting that there is a higher prevalence of overweight or obese children in rural areas in the U.S., there are no national studies comparing the prevalence levels of overweight or obese rural to metropolitan children. The objective of this research was to examine the hypothesis that living in a rural area is a risk factor for children being overweight or obese.

RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Using the National Survey of Children's Heath, the prevalence of overweight and/or obese rural children was compared with that of children in metropolitan settings. Multivariate analyses were performed on the data to detect if differences varied by health services use factors or demographic factors, such as household income, gender, and race.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis revealed that overweight or obese children >or=5 years of age were more likely to live in rural rather than metropolitan areas (odds ratio = 1.252; 95% confidence interval, 1.248, 1.256). Rural overweight U.S. children >or=5 years of age of age were more likely than their metropolitan counterparts to: be white, live in households <or=200% of the federal poverty level, have no health insurance, have not received preventive health care in the past 12 months, be female, use a computer for non-school work >3 hours a day, and watch television for >3 hours a day. In addition, they were more likely to have comorbidities.

DISCUSSION

Living in rural areas is a risk factor for children being overweight or obese.

Childhood obesity: normal variant or serious illness?

Obesity is a serious medical issue. Problems that develop in children with a high body mass index include high blood pressure, asthma, and cardiovascular disease at a young age. Obese children also have less upper body strength and decreased endurance. Early weight gain in the first week of life predicts later obesity. More televisions in the house and greater television watching also correlate with more obesity. Although male and female children rarely meet the minimum suggested amounts of nutrients, they exceed the suggested number of calories. Managing obesity should start before the teenage years. Food education has been shown to be an effective method of weight control.