Food taboos: their origins and purposes

Cultural influences on dietary choices

Food choices and dietary behaviors are inherently complex and influenced by numerous interconnected factors including individual preferences such as taste, meal timing, and social interactions, alongside external elements like affordability, cultural norms, marketing, and policy environments. The physical contexts of food consumption - homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods- further shape these behaviors, as do societal expectations and generational food literacy. Underpinning these dynamics are food systems, which are influenced by health, ethical, and sustainability considerations throughout the food production and consumption continuum. Cultural influences, encompassing traditions, rituals, and shared beliefs, play a pivotal role in shaping dietary practices. Distinctions between "cultural food" and "food culture" illustrate the deep integration of cuisine within identity and daily life. Historical events, globalization, and modernization have reshaped food traditions, leading to the adoption of new eating patterns and the erosion of others. Religion, socioeconomic status, and social networks also critically impact dietary behaviors, while contemporary challenges such as the nutrition transition and fast-food culture contribute to rising chronic disease burdens. Addressing these issues requires culturally tailored interventions and a focus on food environments, integrating modern tools like social media to promote healthier, community-oriented behaviors while recognizing the social and emotional roles of food.

Improving Nutrition Security in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and the Role of Animal-Source Foods

Nutrition security is challenging in regions where resources are limited and food production is naturally constrained. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), undernutrition is high for many reasons, including lack of nutritional diversity and low high-quality protein content. Interest in the role of animal-source food (ASF) in reducing nutrition insecurity is increasing, as evidence from LMICs suggests that consumption of ASF is strongly associated with reduction in stunting, improved diet quality, and overall nutrition, particularly in early stages of life. We review the strengths and limitations of ASF consumption in terms of accessibility, safety, and nutritional benefits compared to non-ASF sources. We present a critical discussion on existing barriers to ASF consumption and its future directions in LMICs. Understanding the role of ASF in improving nutrition security in LMICs is crucial to optimizing public health, designing appropriate interventions, and implementing effective policy in resource-poor settings.

Eating to live well-Or worse? The role of vegan and vegetarian diets in mental health

BACKGROUND

Over the past two decades, there has been an increase in the prevalence of psychological conditions, such as depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and body image disturbances. In concert with this trend, there was a substantial rise in the advocacy and practice of restrictive dietary patterns, such as veganism and vegetarianism. These parallel developments suggest a relation between diet and mental health, but to date, research has failed to offer clear answers on whether these associations are causal, coincidental, or more complex than superficial analyses suggest.

AIM

Given this context, the purpose of this commentary is to offer a consilient perspective on the role of vegan and vegetarian diets in mental health.

METHODS

We performed a broad qualitative synthesis of the current literature on diet and mental health from sociologic and psychologic perspectives.

RESULTS

Several empirically supported hypotheses were presented with equivocal support.

CONCLUSION

The current evidence suggests that if a nutritionally adequate diet is consumed, the avoidance/consumption of meat and other animal foods will have no significant effects on physical and mental health.

Dietary habit and lifestyle of postpartum women in South China: a mixed methods research

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the dietary and hygiene behaviours and influencing factors of women during the puerperium in South China.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Three tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province, China PARTICIPANTS: From November 2022 to March 2023, 327 women with puerperal experience were enrolled using the purposive sampling method, with 323 valid questionnaires collected for data analysis. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six puerperium women and five primary caregivers.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

This study used a questionnaire survey to collect and analyse the current postpartum dietary and hygiene behaviours among women in the South China region, along with their influencing factors.

RESULTS

Multinomial logistics regression revealed women residing in urban-rural fringe were more likely to use ventilated rooms (OR 4.496, 95% CI 2.363 to 8.552) and avoid hair washing (OR 0.345, 95% CI 0.159 to 0.749) compared with urban residents. Additionally, women who practiced Buddhism were more likely to wash their hair (OR 11.070, 95% CI 2.339 to 52.379) and take baths (OR 6.856, 95% CI 2.057 to 22.855) compared with those with no religious affiliation. Lastly, those whose primary caregiver was their husband were more likely to consume watermelon (OR 2.235, 95% CI 1.119 to 4.463), persimmon (OR 4.395, 95% CI 1.886 to 10.242) and longan (OR 2.612, 95% CI 1.362 to 5.010). The qualitative study identified five themes: dietary practices, hygiene habits, personal attitude, sources of information and support.

CONCLUSION

The dietary and hygiene behaviours of puerperium women in South China are significantly influenced by the residen, primary caregivers and religious beliefs. Medical care providers should adopt a precision postpartum care strategy to improve the quality of care.

Human procurement of meat from lion (Panthera leo) kills: Costs of disturbance and implications for carnivore conservation

In Africa, humans and large carnivores compete over access to resources, including prey. Disturbance by humans to kills made by carnivores, often for purposes of obtaining all or portions of the carcass, constitutes a form of human-wildlife conflict. However the occurrence of this practice, known as human kleptoparasitism, and its impact on carnivores has received little scientific attention. We obtained expert opinions from African lion researchers and stakeholders via a standardized questionnaire to characterize the geographic extent and frequency of human kleptoparasitism as it occurs in modern times. Our survey found modern human kleptoparasitism on kills made by lions, and possibly other large carnivores in Africa, to be geographically more widespread than previously reported. Meat lost to humans requires carnivores to hunt and kill additional prey thereby causing stress, increasing their energetic costs and risks of natural injury, and exposing them to risk of direct injury or death from human usurpers. Because of their conspicuous behaviors and tendency towards killing large-bodied prey, lions are particularly susceptible to humans detecting their kills. While human kleptoparasitism was geographically widespread, socio-economic factors influenced the frequency of occurrence. Prey type (wild game or domestic livestock) influenced human attitudes towards meat theft; ownership allows for legal recovery of livestock carcasses, while possessing wild game meat is mostly illegal and may incur penalties. Meat theft was associated with other illegal activities (i.e., illegal mining) and most prevalent among people of low income, including underpaid game scouts. Despite quantifiable costs to carnivores of human disturbance to their kills, the majority of experts surveyed reported a lack of knowledge on this practice. We propose that human disturbance at kills, especially loss of prey through human kleptoparasitism, constitutes an important anthropogenic threat that may seriously impact energy budgets of individual lions and other scavengers when meat and carcasses are removed from the ecosystem, and that the costs incurred by carnivores warrants further investigation.

Food taboos and preferences among adolescent girls, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children aged 6-23 months in Mainland Tanzania: A qualitative study

Malnutrition is a serious public health problem and has long-lasting economic consequences for individuals and families and, in turn, affects the economic growth of the country. Understanding food taboos and individual preferences for food items is critical to the development of effective nutritional programs and educational messages. The present study aimed to explore food taboos and preferences in food items among breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, adolescent girls, and their young children aged 6-23 months old. This is a qualitative cross-sectional study employing ethnography. A multistage sampling technique was used to select one region from the seven zones in mainland Tanzania. In each region, we purposively selected one rural ward and one urban ward. We conducted 25 focus group discussions with a total of 208 participants. We also conducted 42 in-depth interviews with nutrition officers, community health workers, religious leaders, influential persons, representatives of civil society organisations, and community leaders in the respective areas. We thematically coded the data and analyzed the narrative. Food taboos and individual preferences in food items continue to be practiced in Tanzania's Mainland despite efforts to educate people on healthy diets. In some regions of Tanzania's Mainland, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers were prohibited from eating eggs, meat, fish, or vegetables. In Arusha, adolescent girls were prohibited from eating goat meat similar to Singida where adolescent girls were prohibited from eating chicken thighs. It is believed that by feeding a young child with eggs her hair gets plucked. This study underscores that food taboos and preferences still exist in Tanzania Mainland, and implies gaps in the nutrition education. Thus, nutrition education campaigns and programs should address food taboos and preferences for the meaningful tackling of malnutrition.

Willingness to Consume and Purchase Food with Edible Insects among Generation Z in Poland

The consumption of insects (entomophagy) is attracting attention for economic, environmental and health reasons. The wide range of edible insect species, rich in protein, fat, minerals, vitamins and fibre, can play an important role in addressing global food insecurity. However, consumer acceptance remains a major barrier to the adoption of insects as a food source in many countries, including Europe. The aim of this study was to determine whether health and environmental concerns, attitudes and intentions towards purchasing edible insects and foods containing edible insects are associated with willingness to consume edible insects and foods containing edible insects among young consumers (Generation Z) in Poland. An empirical study was carried out in 2023, using a questionnaire with an indirect interview method via an online platform. On the basis of surveys conducted among Generation Z in Poland, it can be concluded that health and environmental concerns determine the willingness to consume selected products containing edible insects. At the same time, it should be noted that the more positive the respondents' attitudes towards health and environmental concerns are, the greater their willingness to consume foods containing edible insects is. Attitudes and intentions towards purchasing foods containing edible insects were positively correlated with willingness to purchase and consume this type of food. The results obtained can contribute to efforts to promote the legitimacy of the production of new foods with edible insects in their composition.

Intrahousehold food allocation social norms and food taboos in rural Ethiopia: The case of adolescent girls

Background

In low-income countries, social norms play a significant role in intrahousehold food allocation practices. These norms can sometimes lead to discrimination against specific groups, posing a public health concern. This study focuses on the social norm surrounding food allocation within households and food taboos affecting adolescent girls in rural Ethiopia.

Method

A qualitative study was conducted using vignettes as prompts for 20 focus group discussions and 32 in-depth interviews. The vignettes were tailored to the local context. Participants were chosen purposefully, and data were collected in a comfortable setting. All sessions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was done using Open Code qualitative analysis software with a thematic framework approach.

Findings

In the community, adolescent girls were expected to eat after serving the male family members. Those who did not follow this expectation faced sanctions such as being labeled as disrespectful and could even be insulted or beaten by their spouses and siblings. However, there were some exceptions to this rule, such as when girls were giving birth, breastfeeding, sick, or when male family members were traveling. Certain foods were also prohibited for adolescent girls, including spicy foods like chili, animal products such as meat and milk, and nuts. These foods were believed to increase girls' sexual desire, potentially leading them to engage in premarital or extramarital sex. Additionally, eating outside of the house was not considered appropriate behavior for adolescent girls in this community.

Conclusion

In many households, social norms dictate that adolescent girls are not given enough food or are denied essential nutrients for their health. It is important to challenge these norms to ensure fair food distribution within households and support the healthy development of adolescent girls.

Unravelling taboos and cultural beliefs associated with hidden hunger among pregnant and breast-feeding women in Buyende district Eastern Uganda

BACKGROUND

Food taboos and cultural beliefs among pregnant and breast-feeding women influence their food consumption patterns and hence the health of women and unborn children. Cognizant of their neglect in programs aimed to ameliorate hidden hunger among pregnant and breast-feeding women in Buyende and other resource-poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa, we opted for a study to unravel them to inform program design.

METHODS

We documented food taboos and beliefs amongst pregnant and breast-feeding women from six sub-counties of Buyende district in Eastern Uganda. A mixed-methods approach was used, which was comprised of questionnaire interviews with 462 women, eight focus group discussions with 6-10 participants in each and a total of 15 key informant interviews.

RESULTS

The present study revealed that 129 (27.9%) of the respondents practice food taboos and adhere to cultural beliefs related to their dietary habits during pregnancy and breast-feeding that are fuelling the prevalence of hidden hunger. The most tabooed foods during pregnancy were sugarcane (17.8%), fishes which included lung fish, catfish and the Lake Victoria sardine (Rastrineobola argentea) (15.2%), oranges (6.6%), pineapples (5.9%), eggs (3.3%), chicken (3.3%) and cassava, mangoes and Cleome gynandra (each at 3%). Most foods were avoided for reasons associated with pregnancy and labour complications and undesirable effects on the baby. Most women learnt of the taboos and beliefs from the elders, their own mother, grandparents or mother-in-law, but there was also knowledge transmission in social groups within the community.

CONCLUSIONS

The taboos and cultural beliefs in the study area render pregnant and breast-feeding women prone to micronutrient deficiency since they are denied consumption of a diversity of nutritious foods. There is a need to educate such women about consumption of nutrient-rich foods like fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables in order to improve their health, that of the unborn and children being breast fed. Additionally, culturally appropriate nutrition education may be a good strategy to eliminate inappropriate food taboos and beliefs with negative impact on the health of pregnant and breast-feeding women.

Four studies yield limited evidence for prepared (disgust) learning via evaluative conditioning

Prepared learning accounts suggest that specialized learning mechanisms increase the retention of associations linked to ancestrally-prevalent threats. Few studies have investigated specialized aversion learning for pathogen threats. In four pre-registered studies (N's = 515, 495, 164, 175), we employed an evaluative conditioning procedure to test whether foods (versus non-foods) are more readily associated with negative content associated with pathogens than negative content not associated with pathogens. Participants saw negatively valenced (either pathogen-relevant or -irrelevant), neutral or positively-valenced stimuli paired with meats and plants (in Studies 1 and 2) and with meats and abstract shapes (in Studies 3 and 4). They then evaluated each stimulus explicitly via self-reports (Studies 1-4) and implicitly via an Affect Misattribution Procedure (Studies 3 and 4). Linear mixed models revealed general evaluative conditioning effects, but inconsistent evidence for specialized (implicit or explicit) learning for a food-pathogen association. However, results from a mega-analysis across studies revealed stronger conditioning effects for meats paired with pathogen-relevant negative stimuli than pathogen-irrelevant negative stimuli.

Common misconceptions and myths about ovarian cancer causation: a national cross-sectional study from palestine

BACKGROUND

Women's inability to recognize ovarian cancer (OC) causation myths to be incorrect may lead to behavioral changes that could distract them from actual risk factors and impact their treatment decision making. This study examined Palestinian women's recognition of OC mythical causes, and explored factors associated with good recognition.

METHODS

A national cross-sectional study was conducted. Adult Palestinian women were recruited from hospitals, primary healthcare facilities, and public areas in 11 governorates. The Cancer Awareness Measure-Mythical Causes Scale was modified and utilized for data collection. Awareness level was determined based on the number of myths around OC causation recognized to be incorrect: poor (0-4), fair (5-9), and good (10-13).

RESULTS

A total of 5618 participants agreed and completed the questionnaire out of 6095 approached (response rate = 92.1%), and 5411 questionnaires were included in the final analysis. The most recognized food-related myth was 'drinking from plastic bottles' (n = 1370, 25.3%) followed by 'eating burnt food' (n = 1298, 24.0%). The least recognized food-related myth was 'eating food containing additives' (n = 611, 11.3%). The most recognized food-unrelated myth was 'having a physical trauma' (n = 2899, 53.6%), whereas the least recognized was 'using mobile phones' (n = 1347, 24.9%). Only 273 participants (5.1%) had good awareness of OC causation myths as incorrect. Earning higher monthly incomes as well as visiting governmental healthcare facilities were associated with a decrease in the likelihood of exhibiting good awareness.

CONCLUSION

The overall recognition of OC causation myths was low. Addressing mythical beliefs should be included in OC prevention strategies and public health interventions to improve women's understanding of OC risk factors versus mythical causes.

WITHDRAWN: Four studies Yield limited evidence for prepared (disgust) learning via evaluative conditioning

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal.

Cross-cultural food practices and nutrition seeking behaviors among pregnant and postpartum Indian women living in Australia

No research has explored the experiences of Indian women who become pregnant after they migrate to Australia, and how their existing traditions mix with their new environment and subsequently impact eating patterns. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven women of Indian heritage who were living in Australia, and data were thematically analyzed. The researchers identified two main themes were identified (a) foods to eat and which to avoid, and (b) support networks and sources of health information during pregnancy. Women get advice and information from a range of sources and have diverse attitudes and beliefs about cultural food practices. that are both rigid and flexible, as well as traditional and contemporary.

Behavioural drivers of child feeding during and after illness in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: results from a qualitative study through the lens of behavioural science

OBJECTIVE

For young children experiencing an illness, adequate nutrition is critical for recovery and to prevent malnutrition, yet many children do not receive the recommended quantities of food during illness and recuperation. Our research applied a behavioural science lens to identify drivers of feeding behaviours, including barriers inhibiting caregivers from following the feeding guidelines.

DESIGN

In 2021, we conducted qualitative research informed by the behavioural design process. Data from in-depth interviews and observations were analysed for themes.

SETTING

Research was conducted in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PARTICIPANTS

Research participants included caregivers of young children, other family members, health workers and other community members.

RESULTS

Five key findings about behavioural drivers emerged: (1) poverty and scarcity impose practical constraints and a cognitive and emotional burden on caregivers; (2) health providers are distracted and discouraged from counselling on feeding during sick visits; (3) a focus on quality and hesitations about quantity obscure benefits of feeding greater amounts of available foods; (4) perceptions of inappropriate foods limit caregivers' choices; and (5) deference to a child's limited appetite leads to missed opportunities to encourage them to eat.

CONCLUSIONS

Each of these behavioural drivers is triggered by one or more addressable features in caregivers' and health workers' environment, suggesting concrete opportunities for programmes to support caregivers and health workers to improve feeding of young children during illness and recovery. In other settings where these features of the environment are similar, the insights and programming implications are likely to translate.

Associations between religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours and dietary patterns: analysis of the parental generation in a prospective cohort study (ALSPAC) in Southwest England

OBJECTIVE

Religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviours (RSBB) have been associated with health outcomes, with diet a potential mediator of this relationship. We therefore explored whether RSBB were associated with differences in diet.

DESIGN

Dietary patterns and nutrient intakes were derived from food frequency questionnaire completed by pregnant women in 1991-1992 (mean age = 28·3 years, range = 15-46) and by the mothers and partners 4 years post-partum (mothers mean age = 32·3, range = 19-49; partners mean age = 34·5, range = 18-74). RSBB exposures measured in pregnancy included religious belief, affiliation and attendance. We first explored whether RSBBs were associated with dietary patterns in confounder-adjusted linear regression models. If associations were found, we examined whether RSBB were associated with nutrient intake (linear regression) and following nutrient intake guidelines (logistic regression).

SETTING

Prospective birth cohort study in Southwest England (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; ALSPAC).

PARTICIPANTS

13 689 enrolled mothers and their associated partners.

RESULTS

In pregnant women, RSBB were associated with higher 'traditional' (i.e. 'meat and two veg') and lower 'vegetarian' dietary pattern scores. Religious attendance and non-Christian religious affiliation were associated with higher 'health-conscious' dietary pattern scores. Religious attendance was associated with increased micronutrient intake and following recommended micronutrient intake guidelines, with weaker effects for religious belief and affiliation. Comparable patterns were observed for mothers and partners 4 years post-partum, although associations between RSBB and nutrient intakes were weaker for partners.

CONCLUSIONS

RSBBs are associated with broad dietary patterns and nutrient intake in this cohort. If these reflect causal relationships, diet may potentially mediate the pathway between RSBB and health.

Dietary patterns and associations with metabolic risk factors for non-communicable disease

Unhealthy dietary habit is a major contributor to the burden of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension, especially the increased burden in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence of the association between specific dietary patterns and health outcomes is scarce in sub-Saharan African countries. This study aimed to identify principal dietary patterns and evaluate associations with metabolic risk factors including hypertension, overweight/obesity, and abdominal obesity in Northwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults in Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia, from 10 May 2021 to 20 June 2021. Dietary intake was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric (weight, height, hip/waist circumference) and blood pressure measurements were performed using standardized tools. Principal component analysis was conducted to derive dietary patterns. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between dietary patterns and metabolic risk factors and with sociodemographic and individual risk factors. This study derives two types of dietary patterns: 'westernized' dietary pattern, which is positively correlated with consumption of meat, dairy, fast foods, alcohol, fish, sweet/sugary foods, and fruits, and 'traditional' dietary pattern, which is positively correlated with intake of cereals, vegetables, legumes, roots/tubers, coffee, and oils. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly lower in adults with higher quantiles of westernized dietary pattern (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.60; p < 0.01; quantile three); and (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.17, 0.75; p < 0.01; quantile four). Younger, married, and middle-income adults were associated with the highest quantile of the westernized pattern. Being females and having middle income associated with the highest quantile of traditional dietary patterns (p < 0.05). This study suggested two types of dietary patterns, westernized and traditional, among adults in Northwest Ethiopia and revealed a significant association with metabolic risk factors like hypertension. Identifying the main dietary patterns in the population could be informative to consider local-based dietary recommendations and interventions to reduce metabolic risk factors.

Entomophagy practices, use patterns, and factors influencing perception and consumption frequency of edible insects in the Republic of Benin

BACKGROUND

Edible insects are important sources of essential nutrients and have the potential to contribute to malnutrition reduction and food security in the Republic of Benin. However, their consumption is always restricted to a limited number of sociocultural groups. To determine how the consumption of insects could be promoted as an alternative food source, this study documents the endogenous knowledge associated with edible insects and, the main factors that govern their perception and frequency consumption.

METHODS

A survey was conducted towards 479 rural households consuming edible insects through 91 villages of Atacora, Alibori, Zou, and Plateau departments using individual interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire. The survey was focused on the inventory of edible insects and the documentation of consumers' acceptance, frequencies and motive reason of consumption, local uses, and accessibility to edible insects. Samples of edible insects were collected and preserved in 70% alcohol for taxonomic identification.

RESULTS

The majority of surveyed people (79.1%) were consumers of edible insects since many years ago (29.1 ± 17.2 years). Insect species belonging to 17 genera of 7 families and 3 orders of insects were used as food, with Brachytrupes membranaceus Drury being the most widespread and consumed. Six factors affecting edible insect availability were identified with the chemical pollution as the most important. Besides their food use (63.2%), edible insects in the study area were used for several purposes. We find that ethnicity, religion, age, education level, and monthly frequency of insect consumption are the main factors influencing the local perception of edible insects. Indeed ethnic group, religion ethnicity, and market accessibility have a positive influence on edible insect consumption frequency. The Hierarchical Clustering of Principal Components has allowed us to classify the interviewees into 3 groups with different perceptions of entomophagy and their characteristics will make it possible to better orient the strategies for promoting entomophagy in the Republic of Benin.

CONCLUSIONS

Religion and tradition are among the main factors that influence entomophagy in Benin Republic. The development of a national strategy to promote entomophagy should take into account the recorded insect consumption motivations, and their different uses by each ethnic group, and mainly target young people.

The misbeliefs and food taboos during pregnancy and early infancy: a pitfall to attaining adequate maternal and child nutrition outcomes among the rural Acholi communities in Northern Uganda

BACKGROUND

In developing countries, the practice of food taboo is pervasive. The types of foods considered as taboos and the reasons attached to taboos vary from society to society. Food taboos have been recognized as one of the factors contributing to maternal undernutrition in pregnancy, especially in rural settings. In the rural Acholi community where malnutrition is prevalent, very little is known about these food taboos and misbeliefs. This study, therefore, aims to explore various misbeliefs and food taboos in the time of pregnancy that can influence maternal and child nutrition outcomes in Acholi.

METHODS

A community-based qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2022 in five districts in the Acholi subregion. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were used to collect data. Data transcription was done verbatim, organised into themes, assigned unique color codes, and manually analysed thematically.

RESULTS

Upon scrutiny of the transcripts, three themes were eminent. The first theme focused on foods that are considered taboos in Acholi community and the reasons linked to them. Participants indicated offals, chicken, wild birds, smoked meat and fish, sugarcane, garden egg ('Tula'), groundnut, bush meat, mushrooms, honey, sour fruits, or meals (oranges, mango, passion fruits, lemon, tamarind, 'Malakwang'), goat's meat, 'Lalaa' (the bitter green leafy vegetable), and 'Lamola' (Hyptis spicigera) as the major taboo foods. The second theme was the reasons underlying the adherence to the food taboos and misconceptions. Cultural dictates, individual characteristics, and societal context were the main reasons for the adherence to food taboos. The third theme looked at the misconceptions and other taboos during pregnancy. It was found that pregnant women are not allowed to touch grave soil, shave their hair, walk over an anthill, slaughter chicken or birds, have sex during pregnancy, sit on animal's hide or skin, and/or touch needles.

CONCLUSIONS

Nutritional counseling and education should focus more on addressing food taboos. The mode of delivery of the nutrition message should be inclusive, targeting pregnant women and their spouses, school-going children, adolescent girls, and cultural leaders at their respective points of contact.

Development of beliefs about censorship

Across four studies (total N = 431), we examined 5- to 10-year-old children's choices to censor depictions of harm. In all studies, children learned about (fictional) movies that depicted harmful behaviors and decided whether specific audiences should be allowed to watch those movies. In Study 1, children often censored depictions of harms and did so similarly when considering both themselves and another hypothetical child as the viewer. At the same time, children did not censor indiscriminately: Children censored depictions of intentional harms more than accidental harms and, in Study 2, children (and adults; N = 101) censored harms (especially intentional ones) more from younger versus older audiences. In Studies 3 and 4, we more directly tested children's motivations for censoring harms, examining dual potential motivations of 1) preventing viewers from feeling sad; and 2) preventing viewers from being inspired to engage in harmful behaviors. We found that children who were motivated to avoid inspiring harmful behaviors were especially likely to censor depictions of harmful intentions. Together, our results indicate that children make sophisticated decisions regarding censorship and underscore an early emerging motivation to disrupt cascades of harmful behavior. These findings hold implications for children's thinking about the psychological and behavioral consequences of harm and for children's thinking about the potential effects of media on themselves and others.

Edible Insects: A Historical and Cultural Perspective on Entomophagy with a Focus on Western Societies

The relationship between insects and humans throughout history has always been complex and multifaceted. Insects are both a source of fascination and fear for humans and have played important roles in human culture, economy, and health. Nowadays, there is growing interest in using insects as a sustainable and environmentally friendly source of protein and other nutrients. Entomophagy can be seen as a new opportunity for the food industry and global food security. In fact, insects require far fewer resources than traditional livestock, and there are many references to insect consumption in human history. The ancient Romans are known to have eaten various insects, including beetles, caterpillars, and locusts. Insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and ants have been eaten for centuries and are still considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. Entomophagy has, thus, been a part of human history for thousands of years and continues to be an important food habit for many people around the world. These topics are explored in this article from a historical and cultural perspective (e.g., ecological, nutritional, spiritual, and socio-psychological), with a focus on the progressive acceptance of edible insects in Western societies, since this novel food has also its roots in the Western world.

Assessing food-based strategies to address anaemia in pregnancy in rural plains Nepal: a mixed methods study

Anaemia in pregnancy is a persistent health problem in Nepal and could be reduced through nutrition counselling and strengthened iron folic acid supplementation programmes. We analysed 24-hour diet recall data from 846 pregnant women in rural plains Nepal, using linear programming to identify the potential for optimised food-based strategies to increase iron adequacy. We then conducted qualitative research to analyse how anaemia was defined and recognised, how families used food-based strategies to address anaemia, and the acceptability of optimised food-based strategies. We did 16 interviews of recently pregnant mothers, three focus group discussions with fathers, three focus group discussions with mothers-in-law and four interviews with key informants. Dietary analyses showed optimised diets did not achieve 100 % of recommended iron intakes, but iron intakes could be doubled by increasing intakes of green leaves, egg and meat. Families sought to address anaemia through food-based strategies but were often unable to because of the perceived expense of providing an 'energy-giving' diet. Some foods were avoided because of religious or cultural taboos, or because they were low status and could evoke social consequences if eaten. There is a need for counselling to offer affordable ways for families to optimise iron adequacy. The participation of communities in tailoring advice to ensure cultural relevance and alignment with local norms is necessary to enable its effectiveness.

Sustainable Strategies for Increasing Legume Consumption: Culinary and Educational Approaches

Legumes are nutrient-dense crops with health-promoting benefits. However, several barriers are associated with their consumption. Emerging issues including food neophobic tendencies or taboos, unclear dietary guidelines on legume consumption, health concerns, and socio-economic reasons, as well as long cooking procedures, adversely affect legume consumption frequency. Pre-treatment methods, including soaking, sprouting, and pulse electric field technology, are effective in reducing the alpha-oligosaccharides and other anti-nutritional factors, eventually lowering cooking time for legumes. Extrusion technology used for innovative development of legume-enriched products, including snacks, breakfast cereals and puffs, baking and pasta, represents a strategic way to promote legume consumption. Culinary skills such as legume salads, legume sprouts, stews, soups, hummus, and the development of homemade cake recipes using legume flour could represent effective ways to promote legume consumption. This review aims to highlight the nutritional and health effects associated with legume consumption, and strategies to improve their digestibility and nutritional profile. Additionally, proper educational and culinary approaches aimed to improve legumes intake are discussed.

An immediate way to lower pandemic risk: (not) seizing the low-hanging fruit (bat)

What is the least that humanity can do to mitigate the risks of future pandemics, to prevent worldwide surges in human deaths, illness, and suffering-and more waves of multitrillion US dollar impacts on the global economy? The issues around our consumption and trading of wildlife are diverse and complex, with many rural communities being dependent on wild meat for their nutritional needs. But bats might be one taxonomic group that can be successfully eliminated from the human diet and other uses, with minimal costs or inconvenience to the vast majority of the 8 billion people on Earth. The order Chiroptera merits genuine respect given all that these species contribute to human food supplies through pollination services provided by the frugivores and to disease risk mitigation delivered by insectivorous species. The global community missed its chance to stop SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 from emerging-how many more times will humanity allow this cycle to repeat? How long will governments ignore the science that is in front of them? It's past time for humans to do the least that can be done. A global taboo is needed whereby humanity agrees to leave bats alone, not fear them or try to chase them away or cull them, but to let them have the habitats they need and live undisturbed by humans.

Vernacular Taxonomy, Cultural and Ethnopharmacological Applications of Avian and Mammalian Species in the Vicinity of Ayubia National Park, Himalayan Region

Numerous investigations on plant ethnomedicinal applications have been conducted; however, knowledge about the medicinal use of wild animals is still limited. This present study is the second on the medicinal and cultural meaning of avian and mammalian species used by the population in the surrounding area of the Ayubia National Park, KPK, Pakistan. Interviews and meetings were compiled from the participants (N = 182) of the study area. The relative frequency of citation, fidelity level, relative popularity level, and rank order priority indices were applied to analyze the information. Overall, 137 species of wild avian and mammalian species were documented. Of these, 18 avian and 14 mammalian species were utilized to treat different diseases. The present research showed noteworthy ethno-ornithological and ethno-mammalogical knowledge of local people and their connection with fauna, which might be useful in the sustainable utilization of the biological diversity of the Ayubia National Park, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Furthermore, in vivo and/or in vitro examination of the pharmacological activities of species with the highest fidelity level (FL%) as well as frequency of mention (FM) might be important for investigations on faunal-based new drugs.

Temporary Self-Deprivation Can Impair Cognitive Control: Evidence From the Ramadan Fast

During Ramadan, people of Muslim faith fast by not eating or drinking between sunrise and sunset. This is likely to have physiological and psychological consequences for fasters, and societal and economic impacts on the wider population. We investigate whether, during this voluntary and temporally limited fast, reminders of food can impair the fasters' reaction time and accuracy on a non-food-related test of cognitive control. Using a repeated measures design in a sample of Ramadan fasters (N = 190), we find that when food is made salient, fasters are slower and less accurate during Ramadan compared with after Ramadan. Control participants perform similarly across time. Furthermore, during Ramadan performances vary by how recently people had their last meal. Potential mechanisms are suggested, grounded in research on resource scarcity, commitment, and thought suppression, as well as the psychology of rituals and self-regulation, and implications for people who fast for religious or health reasons are discussed.

Food taboo and dietary habits among low-income people in Kedah, Malaysia

Food beliefs and taboos about certain foods influence the use and consumption of food in the household. Today, especially in rural areas, some people believe certain foods affect health. This practice has resulted in the non-optimized intake of some food categories. As a result, it is not easy to diversify the types of food for daily diet. This study aims to investigate the beliefs and convictions of rural communities in Kedah regarding certain foods that may influence health. This study also identified the pattern of food intake among residents in rural areas of Kedah State following the belief that some foods can affect health. This study focuses on the rural areas of Kedah State, which include Kubang Pasu, Baling, Pendang, Alor Setar, and Kuala Muda districts. A total of 225 farmers in the rural areas of the selected districts were selected using stratified random sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25 and food intake results. The results of the study show that low-income residents in rural areas of Kedah believe that some foods have an impact on health. A total of 37.11% believe that coffee, carbonated drinks, fresh milk, and low-fat milk cause headaches, stomach aches, heartburn, and nausea, followed by 18.66% who admit that spicy foods such as mutton, beef, and durian cause headaches, high blood pressure and skin problems. The impact of the food taboo has resulted in an overall food consumption rate below 29.9 in households of low-income residents in rural areas in Kedah State. The study's findings suggest that the Malaysian Ministry of Health should develop nutrition and health awareness programs and activities for the rural population. At the same time, there is a need for a comprehensive restructuring of the curriculum and syllabus by addressing the need for healthy eating as early as primary school so that nutrition and health awareness can be embedded in early childhood education.

Food taboos and their perceived reasons among pregnant women in Ethiopia: a systematic review, 2022

BACKGROUND

There are foods considered as taboo across different communities in the world and in Ethiopia in particular. Although food taboos exist across all ages or physiologic states, they are predominant among pregnant women and children. Identifying such foods among pregnant women is crucial in providing focused interventions and prevents their negative consequences. Therefore, the aim of this review was to review the available evidence on food taboos and their perceived reasons among pregnant women in Ethiopia to provide comprehensive and precise evidence for decision making.

METHODS

Electronic search of the literature was made from Pub-Med, Google Scholar, Google Scopus, and Medline databases using search terms set based on the PICO/PS (Population, Intervention/exposure, Comparison, and Outcome) and PS (Population and Situation) search table. The search was made from December 05, 2020 - December, 29, 2021, and updated on January, 2022. All quantitative and qualitative studies published in English were included in the review. The systematic review protocol was registered at INPLASY (Registration number: INPLASY202310078). The outcome of interest was food taboo for pregnant women and its perceived reasons. The results of the review was narrated.

RESULTS

After identifying eighty two articles, thirteen were found eligible for the review. Vegetables, fruits, and fatty foods like meat, and dairy products were considered as taboo for pregnant women in different parts of Ethiopia. The reasons stated for the food taboo vary from fear of having a big baby, obstructed labour, and abortion to evil eye and physical and aesthetic deformities in the newborn.

CONCLUSIONS

Though not uniform across the country, there are foods considered as taboo for pregnant women in Ethiopia due to several perceived reasons, misconceptions, and societal influences. This could increase the risk of malnutrition and could have short and long term consequences on both the mother and her growing foetus. Therefore, context specific nutritional counseling with emphasis during ante-natal care and post-natal service is important.

Taboos, food avoidances, and diseases: Local epistemologies of health among Coastal Endenese in Eastern Indonesia

To advance interventions targeting malnutrition among small-scale fishing societies, knowledge on the role played by taboos and dietary avoidances on the consumption of fish related products becomes crucial. The article builds upon ethnographic fieldwork (participant observation, focus groups and interviews), dietary questionnaires (n: 112), and archival research among Coastal Endenese in Eastern Indonesia to understand the role played by taboos and dietary preferences in regulating intake of marine products. Moving beyond binary notions of “good” and “bad” when considering the food-system implications of taboos, it explores how local beliefs about illness and food shape dietary practices that can have concrete consequences for an individual's health. Endenese consider fish as having originated from terrestrial creatures, creating a continuous cycle of movement from land to sea and back. Within this cosmology, food is seen as a medium that can bring about healthy outcomes but also disease. Results emphasize the need to understand taboos and food avoidances within the larger cosmological and religious system but also underscore the changing nature of dietary preferences and values due to market integration processes which may have long-term repercussions on health. This information is key to the design of culturally sensitive dietary strategies and alternative livelihoods approaches that seek to minimize poverty.

From the exotic to the everyday: The Avocado crossing borders via cyberspace

With the globalization of food sales and consumption, exotic foods are now regularly crossing geographical and cultural borders and moving into local areas. This process is attracting ever-increasing attention from academics. Taking avocado consumption presented on Sina Weibo as an example, this research analyzes avocado related user-generated content on Sina Weibo over three years- 2013, 2015, and 2017- and employs topic modeling and semantic network methods to obtain the mechanism by which exotic food cross borders to appear in local consumers' daily food choices. Two specific links are explored: online information dissemination and offline daily consumption. The result indicates that a selective geographical narrative and framework for avocado information influence local consumers' choice of exotic foods according to three aspects: edibility, accessibility, and acceptability. For local consumers, the avocado is now connected with local objects and spaces, gradually transforming from a novelty to functional daily food and from low to high-frequency consumption to high-frequency consumption, escaping the marginal and penetrating into the core cultural context and completing the process of embedment into the everyday. This study refutes the assertion that "globalized diets bring about homogenized diets," explores the mechanism of influence by which information dissemination in cyberspace affects cultural borders, complements the study of food consumption in Southern countries, and provides new thoughts on the theoretical and practical exploration of food globalization from the perspective of food geography.

Exploring barriers to diversified dietary feeding habits among adolescents in the agrarian community, North West Ethiopia

Introduction

Adolescence is a critical and neglected age group of the population in any form of nutritional intervention. A comprehensive study that assesses barriers that influence their diversified feeding habit is not well investigated in qualitative approaches. Therefore, this study was conducted to fill this gap by providing evidence on exploring barriers to diversified feeding habits of adolescents in the agrarian community, North West Ethiopia.

Objective

The aim of the study was to explore barriers to diversified feeding habits of adolescents in the agrarian community, North West Ethiopia.

Methods

A phenomenological qualitative study design was conducted among adolescents in the age group of 10-19 years, and adults in the age range of 25 to 64 years (representatives of farmers, agricultural, health, and education sectors). We conducted 24 in-depth interviews (12- adolescents, 4-health, 2- agricultural extension, 3-education, and 3-farmer representative) among purposively selected community groups. In-depth interview guides and observation checklist were utilized for data collection. The audio-recorded qualitative data were transcribed word by word into English. Finally, the translated data were exported to ATLAS ti version 7.1 software for thematic analysis based on inductive content analysis. All coded quotations, including memos written throughout the coding process, were then analyzed to identify themes inductively.

Results

Dietary habit of adolescents in the study area was predominantly plant-based cereals with low protein, vitamins, and mineral contents. Adolescents have limited consumption of fruits, vegetables, and animal source foods. Adolescents with these feeding habits had suboptimal intake of micronutrients and proteins, which are crucial for their rapid growth stage. Individual-level barriers, family-level influence, dietary tradition of community, agricultural practice (poor agroforestry practice of the community, and poor agricultural practice to produce year-round diverse food items), and week multi-sectorial collaboration for nutritional intervention all influenced adolescent dietary habits.

Conclusion

Multiple layers of barriers influenced the diverse dietary habits of adolescents in the study setting. These multiple and interconnected influences ranged from individual level to multi-sectorial collaboration. Nutritional interventions should be implemented at the individual, family, agricultural, and multi-sectorial levels to improve adolescents' diverse dietary habits.

The history of Gin and Tonic; the infectious disease specialist long drink. When gin and tonic was not ordered but prescribed

Winston Churchill statement promoting Gin and Tonic as a life saver during British Empire extension hides many truths. As a matter of fact, the modern cocktail is thought to be born in India where it was widely distributed by Royal Navy for its anti-malarial properties. The aim of the present work is to review and unveil the history of Gin and Tonic through the centuries. As a matter of facts, primitive Gin and Tonic protective effects were well understood by physicians far before the advent of the "germ theory" and its fortunate invention is one of the most fascinating approaches in the history of preventive medicine. Indeed, quinine, a compound with protective effects on the replicative cycle of Plasmodium spp was discovered in 18^th Century and since 19^th it become the main compound of tonic beverages such as Schweppe's ones. Interestingly, it was administered to British expatriates' seamen and soldiers in order to prevent febrile paroxysms. Soon after, British military doctors demonstrated that the addition of lime or lemon peels to tonics was effective in preventing scurvy. While, addition of alcoholic beverages and gin contributed to make more enjoyable the bitter and unpleasant taste of this beverages.

RESULTS

The spectacular voyage of Gin and Tonic teaches us that a popular recreational drink of our Century was a powerful prophylaxis which certainly helped British colonial expansion.

Food taboos among pregnant women and associated factors in eastern Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The main aim of this study was to assess food taboos and associated factors among pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 422 pregnant women at Haramaya Demographic Surveillance System from Haramaya District, eastern Ethiopia. Data on sociodemographic conditions, the presence of food taboos, and perceived reasons were collected using the face-to-face interview method by trained data collectors through arranged home visits. Collected data were entered into EpiData 3.1 and exported to statistical package for social sciences version 23 for cleaning and analysis. Descriptive, binary, and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the relationship between explanatory and outcome variables. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) at p value less than 0.05 was used to declare significant association.

RESULTS

Approximately half (48%, 95% CI: 43%, 52%) of the pregnant women reported the presence of pregnancy-related food taboos. Pregnant women who have heard about food taboos (AOR: 3.58; 95% CI: 1.89, 6.83), pregnant women had friends who avoided food (AOR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.99), women's monthly income ⩽840 ETB (AOR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.73), and pregnant women who had not attended formal education (AOR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.18, 3.23) were more likely to report food taboos. The odds of pregnant women who had attended uptake of immunization services were less likely to have food taboos (AOR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.58).

CONCLUSION

Pregnancy-related food taboos among pregnant women are unacceptably high. Therefore, awareness creation and nutritional counseling at health service delivery points are imperative actions for pregnant women to avoid food taboos norms. Further research should be done to understand the social and cultural ground of food taboos during pregnancy.

Social and economic factors influencing intrahousehold food allocation and egg consumption of children in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Adequate intake of high-quality nutritious foods during infancy and early childhood is critical to achieving optimal growth, cognitive and behavioural development, and economic productivity later in life. Integrating high-quality and nutrient-dense animal source foods (ASFs), a major source of protein and micronutrients, into children's diets is increasingly considered essential to reducing the global burden of malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries. While eggs are an ASF that shows promise for mitigating child undernutrition, interventions promoting egg consumption among children have had mixed results in improving egg intake and child growth outcomes. As part of an evaluation of a demand creation campaign promoting egg consumption, qualitative research was carried out in September 2019 to assess sociocultural and household factors affecting egg intake among young children living in Kaduna State, Nigeria, where a thriving egg industry and childhood stunting rates of 50% exist. Methods included freelisting exercises (11), key informant interviews (11), in-depth interviews (25) and FGDs (4). Results illuminated cultural rules that restrict egg consumption among children living in low-income households. These rules and norms reflect social and economic valuations that foster male dominance in household decision-making and guide food purchasing and intrahousehold food allocation that allow men to consume eggs more regularly. Study results highlight sociocultural considerations when selecting food interventions to address child malnutrition in low-income contexts. Interventions encouraging increased consumption of ASFs, and specifically eggs in young children, should be informed by formative research to understand sociocultural norms and beliefs guiding egg consumption.

Gut microbiota and host genetics modulate the effect of diverse diet patterns on metabolic health

Metabolic diseases are major public health issues worldwide and are responsible for disproportionately higher healthcare costs and increased complications of many diseases including SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Western Diet (WD) specifically is believed to be a major contributor to the global metabolic disease epidemic. In contrast, the Mediterranean diet (MeD), Ketogenic diet (KD), and Japanese diet (JD) are often considered beneficial for metabolic health. Yet, there is a growing appreciation that the effect of diet on metabolic health varies depending on several factors including host genetics. Additionally, poor metabolic health has also been attributed to altered gut microbial composition and/or function. To understand the complex relationship between host genetics, gut microbiota, and dietary patterns, we treated four widely used metabolically diverse inbred mouse strains (A/J, C57BL/6J, FVB/NJ, and NOD/ShiLtJ) with four human-relevant diets (MeD, JD, KD, WD), and a control mouse chow from 6 weeks to 30 weeks of age. We found that diet-induced alteration of gut microbiota (α-diversity, β-diversity, and abundance of several bacteria including Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcus, Turicibacter, Faecalibaculum, and Akkermansia) is significantly modified by host genetics. In addition, depending on the gut microbiota, the same diet could have different metabolic health effects. Our study also revealed that C57BL/6J mice are more susceptible to altered gut microbiota compared to other strains in this study indicating that host genetics is an important modulator of the diet-microbiota-metabolic health axis. Overall, our study demonstrated complex interactions between host genetics, gut microbiota, and diet on metabolic health; indicating the need to consider both host genetics and the gut microbiota in the development of new and more effective precision nutrition strategies to improve metabolic health.

Food taboos during pregnancy: meta-analysis on cross cultural differences suggests specific, diet-related pressures on childbirth among agriculturalists

Pregnancy is the most delicate stage of human life history as well as a common target of food taboos across cultures. Despite puzzling evidence that many pregnant women across the world reduce their intake of nutritious foods to accomplish cultural norms, no study has provided statistical analysis of cross-cultural variation in food taboos during pregnancy. Moreover, antenatal practices among forager and agriculturalists have never been compared, despite subsistence mode being known to affect staple foods and lifestyle directly. This gap hinders to us from understanding the overall threats attributed to pregnancy, and their perceived nutritional causes around the world. The present study constitutes the first cross-cultural meta-analysis on food taboos during pregnancy. We examined thirty-two articles on dietary antenatal restrictions among agricultural and non-agricultural societies, in order to: (i) identify cross-culturally targeted animal, plant and miscellaneous foods; (ii) define major clusters of taboo focus; (iii) test the hypothesis that food types and clusters of focus distribute differently between agricultural and non-agricultural taboos; and (iv) test the hypothesis that food types distribute differently across the clusters of taboo focus. All data were analysed in SPSS and RStudio using chi-squared tests and Fisher's exact tests. We detected a gradient in taboo focus that ranged from no direct physiological interest to the fear of varied physiological complications to a very specific concern over increased birth weight and difficult delivery. Non-agricultural taboos were more likely to target non-domesticated animal foods and to be justified by concerns not directly linked to the physiological sphere, whereas agricultural taboos tended to targed more cultivated and processed products and showed a stronger association with concerns over increased birth weight. Despite some methodological discrepancies in the existing literature on food taboos during pregnancy, our results illustrate that such cultural traits are useful for detecting perception of biological pressures on reproduction across cultures. Indeed, the widespread concern over birth weight and carbohydrate rich foods overlaps with clinical evidence that obstructed labor is a major threat to maternal life in Africa, Asia and Eurasia. Furthermore, asymmetry in the frequency of such concern across subsistence modes aligns with the evolutionary perspective that agriculture may have exacerbated delivery complications. This study highlights the need for the improved understanding of dietary behaviors during pregnancy across the world, addressing the role of obstructed labor as a key point of convergence between clinical, evolutionary and cultural issues in human behavior.

Traditional Individual and Environmental Determinants of Healthy Eating in Vihiga County, Western Kenya

Traditional ethnic groups in Kenya are unlikely to eat a healthy and diversified diet due to many individual and environmental factors, which may result in poor health status. Therefore, the determinants of eating behavior need to be identified prior to any public health action. For this study, focus group discussions (15 in total) in a double-layer design were conducted, comprising adult men and women from 5 villages of Vihiga County. Questions explored knowledge; barriers and cues to action toward eating a healthy diet containing a variety of foods; including indigenous food species. We found that healthy eating concepts are known; however, several taboos that restrict food consumption reduce local diet quality in terms of diversity. Nutrition education is a cue to action. We identified several individual and environmental determinants of eating behavior in the studied communities. Public health action should focus on supporting healthy eating behaviors and refining some taboos' beliefs.

Peer Effects of the Same and Different Religions on Faithfulness: A Comparison between Indonesia and India

By employing questionnaire surveys to empirically examine peer effects on religious faithfulness, this study mainly compares Muslims in Indonesia and India as examples. This study uses religious restrictions on foods as the main component of the questionnaire. A total of two variables were selected to examine peer effects: (1) the percentage of respondents’ close friends who follow a different religion and (2) the percentage of people in the respondents’ city who follow the same faith. Ordinary least squares/generalized least squares regression was conducted, and six models were estimated. The results reveal that Indian/Indonesian respondents are more affected by those who follow the same/different religions, respectively, suggesting that relatively smaller groups have larger peer effects on religious faithfulness. Although further investigations are required, these symmetric results may be attributed to the fact that tensions among people from different religions are high/low, and that the percentage of people who follow a different faith in the respondents’ city is high/low in India and Indonesia, respectively.

Community food beliefs during pregnancy in rural kebeles of Ofla Woreda, Northern Ethiopia: an explorative qualitative study

Background

Dietary related misconceptions during pregnancy affect the heath of mothers and their growing babies. Misconceptions vary from place to place and from community to community. Understanding of a given community’s food perceptions during pregnancy helps policy makers able to design cultural appropriate interventions. In Ethiopia, however, evidences on food beliefs and perceptions during pregnancy are limited. Therefore, this study is aimed at qualitatively assessing community food beliefs during pregnancy in rural kebeles of Ofla Woreda, Northern Ethiopia.

Methods

We conducted 10 in-depth interviews (n = 10) and four focus group discussions (n = 32) among purposively selected community groups including pregnant mothers, religious leaders, and elders in rural kebeles of Ofla Woreda, Northern Ethiopia. Data were transcribed word-for-word, translated into English, and uploaded into ATLAST ti version 7.5.1.6. Data were analyzed following the principles of thematic analysis. Line-by-line coding was applied to identify codes; identified codes were categorized based on their similarities and differences and themes were developed inductively.

Results

Three main themes were identified inductively; foods positively and negatively linked with pregnancy; perceived benefits and harms of alcoholic drinks during pregnancy; and religion and fasting. In this study, consumptions of animal source foods such as egg were discouraged because such foods were perceived to increase the risk of having big baby that could delay delivery. However, intakes of locally produced alcoholic drinks during pregnancy were encouraged by the local community. Furthermore, avoidance of animal source foods and meal skipping during religious fasting-periods were also common practices among pregnant mothers in the study area.

Conclusions

This study explored misconceptions on food intakes during pregnancy. Positive attitude towards intake of “soft” alcoholic drinks might result in alcohol related teratogenic effects. Restriction on the intakes of nutrient rich diets due to religious fasting and other misconceptions would lead to insufficient nutrient intake both to the mothers and their growing fetus. Culturally appropriate intervention to improve awareness on healthy dietary intake during pregnancy is needed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04593-3.

Weight Gain and Nutrition during Pregnancy: An Analysis of Clinical Practice Guidelines in the Asia-Pacific Region

Nutrition and weight gain during pregnancy can influence the life-course health of offspring. Clinical practice guidelines play an important role in ensuring appropriate nutrition and weight gain among pregnant women. This study aims to identify clinical practice guidelines on gestational weight gain and/or maternal nutrition across the Asia-Pacific region and to determine the quality of the guidelines and variability in the recommendations. Through a systematic search of grey literature from 38 Asia-Pacific countries, 23 published guidelines were obtained. Of these, 10 eligible clinical practice guidelines reporting nutrition- or/and weight-related recommendations for pregnant women were selected and reviewed. Guideline quality was determined using the Assessment of Guidelines for Research Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument. Of the 10 guidelines, 90% were classified as low-quality in the AGREE II appraisal. Several variations were found with respect to recommendations on gestational weight gain, including those specific to Asian populations. The recommendations on dietary advice, additional energy intake, and nutritional supplementation during pregnancy were varied. Clinical practice guidelines on weight gain and nutrition in pregnancy across the Asia-Pacific region are generally of poor quality, reflecting significant variation, and need to be improved to ensure pregnant women receive appropriate advice. (PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021291395).

The effect of mothers and caregivers’ fasting status on the dietary diversity of children 6-23 months: A longitudinal study in Debrebirhan, Ethiopia

Background

There are various religions in Ethiopia, of which the Orthodox Tewahido Christian accounts for 44% of the population. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido practice close to 200 days annually are dedicated to fasting. During this time, all followers who are above seven years old are expected to abstain from all types of food, including animal source foods and water for up to some hours daily. It is possible that such practice by mothers or caregivers could affect children’s dietary practice. However, whether mothers/caregivers’ fasting status influences dietary diversity of children during these periods remained uninvestigated.

Methods

A community-based longitudinal study was conducted in Debrebirhan, North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia in seven randomly selected kebeles. We collected data in a sample of 218 mothers/caregivers, from January 29 to February 25, 2019 in the pre-fasting period and from March 18 to April 10, 2019, during fasting period on same participants. Data was entered on Epi-Data version 4.4.2.1 and analyzed using STATA 15 software. Children’s dietary diversity was measured using the World Health Organization (WHO) standardized questionnaire for infant and young child feeding. The McNemar paired test was used for comparison of baseline and end line measurements. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Result

A total of 218 and 216 mothers/caregivers with children 6–23 months participated in the study before and during fasting season with a response rate of 100.0% and 99.0% respectively. The median age of children was 14 months. The proportion of children who met the minimum dietary diversity before the fasting season was significantly higher (23.4%) compared to during the fasting period (5.5%). (P<0.001). The proportion of children who consumed dairy product was significantly higher (55.5%) before the fasting period compared to consumption during the fasting period (42.6%) (p<0.001). Similarly, consumption of flesh food was significantly higher before the fasting period (17.9%) compared to consumption during the fasting period (0.46%) (P<0.001).

Conclusion

The study revealed that mothers/caregivers’ fasting status negatively affect the dietary diversity of children aged 6–23 months in the household by decreasing their consumption of animal source food. Intervention strategies in promoting children’s dietary diversity should be designed in a way that considers Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christian mothers/caregivers’ fasting practice.

Inventory reveals wide biodiversity of edible insects in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

In response to growing food demand, edible insects are perceived as an opportunity to alleviate food insecurity. With its wide edible insects' biodiversity, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of Africa's most critical entomophagous. This study aimed at giving a first insight on inventory showing diversity, perception, consumption, availability, host plants, harvesting techniques and processing techniques of edible insects in South-Kivu, DRC. It recorded twenty-three edible insects belonging to nine families and five orders, some of which are consumed in the larval, adult, egg and pupa stages. Rhyncophorus phoenicis, Alphitobius diaperinus, Macrotermes subhyalinus and Acheta domesticus were the most preferred edible insects in Fizi Territory, Ruspolia differens and Apis mellifera larvae in Kabare Territory, Imbrasia oyemensis, Imbrasia epimethea, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and Rhyncophorus phoenicis in Mwenga Territory, Ruspolia differens, Macrotermes subhyalinus, Gryllotalpa africana, Nsike, Nomadacris septemfasciata and A. mellifera larvae in Walungu Territory. Ruspolia differens, I. oyemensis, A. mellifera larvae, G. africana and Nsike, were preferred for their taste. Acheta domesticus, A. diaperinus and A. mellifera larvae were abundant throughout the year, while others were only available for 9 months or less per year. Numerous plants have been recorded as their hosts, including plants used for food and income. Harvesting strategies and period, processing methods and preservation techniques depend on insect species, local knowledge and practices. These findings suggest similar and thorough studies on entomophagy across the country while encouraging the rearing of edible insects to address their existing high demand and environmental concerns.

Spurious normativity enhances learning of compliance and enforcement behavior in artificial agents

The fact that humans enforce and comply with norms is an important reason why humans enjoy higher levels of cooperation and welfare than other animals. Some norms are relatively easy to explain: They may prohibit obviously harmful or uncooperative actions. But many norms are not easy to explain. For example, most cultures prohibit eating certain kinds of foods, and almost all societies have rules about what constitutes appropriate clothing, language, and gestures. Using a computational model focused on learning shows that apparently pointless rules can have an indirect effect on welfare. They can help agents learn how to enforce and comply with norms in general, improving the group’s ability to enforce norms that have a direct effect on welfare.

How do societies learn and maintain social norms? Here we use multiagent reinforcement learning to investigate the learning dynamics of enforcement and compliance behaviors. Artificial agents populate a foraging environment and need to learn to avoid a poisonous berry. Agents learn to avoid eating poisonous berries better when doing so is taboo, meaning the behavior is punished by other agents. The taboo helps overcome a credit assignment problem in discovering delayed health effects. Critically, introducing an additional taboo, which results in punishment for eating a harmless berry, further improves overall returns. This “silly rule” counterintuitively has a positive effect because it gives agents more practice in learning rule enforcement. By probing what individual agents have learned, we demonstrate that normative behavior relies on a sequence of learned skills. Learning rule compliance builds upon prior learning of rule enforcement by other agents. Our results highlight the benefit of employing a multiagent reinforcement learning computational model focused on learning to implement complex actions.

Fasting, food and farming: Value chains and food taboos in Ethiopia

The impact of food taboos–often because of religion–is understudied. In Ethiopia, religious fasting by Orthodox Christians is assumed to be an important impediment for the sustainable development of a competitive dairy sector and desired higher milk consumption, especially by children. However, evidence is limited. Relying on unique data, we shed light on three major issues. First, we observe that the average annual number of fasting days that Orthodox adults are effectively adhering to is 140, less than commonly cited averages. Using this as an estimate for extrapolation, fasting is estimated to reduce annual dairy consumption by approximately 12 percent nationally. Second, farms adapt to declining milk demand during fasting by increased processing of milk into storable products–fasting contributes to larger price swings for these products. We further note continued sales of milk by non-remote farmers and reduced production–by adjusting lactation times for dairy animals–for remote farmers. Third, fasting is mostly associated with increased milk consumption by the children of dairy farmers, seemingly because of excess milk availability during fasting periods. Our results suggest that fasting habits are not a major explanation for the observed poor performance of Ethiopia’s dairy sector nor low milk consumption by children. To reduce the impact of fasting on the dairy sector in Ethiopia further, investment is called for in improved milk processing, storage, and infrastructure facilities.

Traditional prenatal and postpartum food restrictions among women in northern Lao PDR

Culturally determined food restrictions are common among pregnant and postpartum women in Asia. This study aimed to describe perinatal dietary restrictions, factors associated with food avoidances and attainment of minimum dietary diversity (MDD‐W) among women in Lao PDR. Mother–child (aged 21 days to <18 months) dyads (n = 682) were enrolled into a cohort study in northern Lao PDR and interviewed at one time point postpartum. During pregnancy and postpartum, 1.6% and 97% of women reported following dietary restrictions, respectively. Cluster analysis identified four distinct postpartum dietary patterns: most restrictive (throughout first 2 months postpartum); least restrictive; 2 weeks highly restrictive and 1 month highly restrictive, followed by 19%, 15%, 5% and 62% of women, respectively. Greater maternal age, gravidity and higher household socioeconomic status were associated with allowing more diverse foods, while women from food insecure households followed more restrictive diets for longer. Women belonging to the Hmong ethnic group followed a highly restrictive diet of white rice and chicken for the first month postpartum. MDD‐W was achieved by 10% of women restricting their diet at the time of the interview compared with 17% of women who were consuming their normal diet (p = 0.04). Postpartum dietary restrictions are widespread among women in northern Lao PDR. These highly restrictive diets, low dietary diversity and food insecurity likely contribute to micronutrient deficiencies in women that may have important consequences for their breastfed infants through reduced breastmilk micronutrient content, which requires further exploration. Culturally appropriate strategies to increase micronutrient intakes among women should be considered.

DNA/Nano based advanced genetic detection tools for authentication of species: Strategies, prospects and limitations

Authentication, detection and quantification of ingredients, and adulterants in food, meat, and meat products are of high importance these days. The conventional techniques for the detection of meat species based on lipid, protein and DNA biomarkers are facing challenges due to the poor selectivity, sensitivity and unsuitability for processed food products or complex food matrices. On the other hand, DNA based molecular techniques and nanoparticle based DNA biosensing strategies are gathering huge attention from the scientific communities, researchers and are considered as one of the best alternatives to the conventional strategies. Though nucleic acid based molecular techniques such as PCR and DNA sequencing are getting greater successes in species detection, they are still facing problems from its point-of-care applications. In this context, nanoparticle based DNA biosensors have gathered successes in some extent but not to a satisfactory stage to mark with. In recent years, many articles have been published in the area of progressive nucleic acid-based technologies, however there are very few review articles on DNA nanobiosensors in food science and technology. In this review, we present the fundamentals of DNA based molecular techniques such as PCR, DNA sequencing and their applications in food science. Moreover, the in-depth discussions of different DNA biosensing strategies or more specifically electrochemical and optical DNA nanobiosensors are presented. In addition, the significance of DNA nanobiosensors over other advanced detection technologies is discussed, focusing on the deficiencies, advantages as well as current challenges to ameliorate with the direction for future development.

Nutritional-Related Predictors of Preterm Birth in North Shewa Hospitals, Central Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study

Background

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of newborn death and the second cause of mortality among under-five children. Globally, about 15 million infants are born preterm every year. However, there is a lack of data on the nutritional-related predictors of preterm birth among Ethiopian women. The objective of the study was to identify nutritional-related predictors of preterm birth among women who gave birth at North Shewa public Hospitals in central Ethiopia.

Methods

A case–control study was undertaken in public hospitals in the North Shewa zone, central Ethiopia. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather data, which was then entered into EPI INFO version 7 and then exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Data were presented using texts, tables, and proportions. To find predictors of preterm birth, researcher used binary and multiple logistic regression models. The presence of a relationship between PTB and predictor factors was determined using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p-value <0.05.

Results

A total of 161 cases and 322 controls participated in the study making a response rate of 97.6%. Unable to get iron folic acid (IFA) (AOR=2.26, 95% CI: 1.22, 4.18), not eating additional meals (AOR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.1, 4.62), restriction of foods (AOR=2.85, 95% CI: 1.58, 5.12), not taking dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV), (AOR=4.46, 95% CI: 1.72, 11.61), and mid upper arm circumference of mother (MUAC) <23 centimeters (AOR=3.7, 95% CI: 2.25, 6.11) had statistically significant association with premature birth.

Conclusion

IFA supplementation, additional meals, food taboo, frequency of DGLV, and MUAC were identified predictors of preterm birth. Encouraging such women to eat additional meals, varieties of diets like vegetables, and fruits during pregnancy, and adhering to culturally appropriate nutrition education to reverse food taboo is compulsory.

Association between maternal high-risk factors and anemia among women in Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the association between maternal high-risk factors and anemia among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (N = 5282). Hemoglobin levels were used to determine anemia status. Maternal high-risk factors were measured using maternal age at delivery, birth order, and birth interval. We performed χ² test and multivariable regression models.

RESULTS

There was a significant antagonistic interaction between maternal high-risk factors and place of residence on anemia (relative excess risk due to interaction, -1.79, synergy index, 0.48) with an attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) of -67% (AP = -0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.95 to -0.29). Multiplicative interaction was also significant (odds ratio for interaction, 0.38; P = 0.003). The odds of anemia were higher among women with any maternal high-risk factor than in those who did not experience any high-risk factors (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.64; 95% CI, 1.24-5.63 for urban and AOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.01-1.61 for rural women). Exposure to a single maternal high-risk factor was significantly associated with increased odds of anemia among urban residents only (AOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.17-5.81). Exposure to multiple maternal high-risk factors significantly increased the odds of anemia (AOR, 2.82; 95% CI, 1.15-6.91) and (AOR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.10-2.17) for urban and rural women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Place of residence moderated the relationship between maternal high-risk factors and anemia. Context-specific strategies and interventions are needed to prevent anemia.