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Li Z, Jiang K, Li S, Wang T, Zeng H, Sharma M, Shi Z, Zhao Y. Food safety-related practices among residents aged 18-75 years during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Southwest China. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:155. [PMID: 38212718 PMCID: PMC10782632 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17608-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Good food safety practices are essential to minimizing foodborne diseases. The present study explored the food safety-related practices of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest China and identified the impacting factors. METHODS Residents aged 18-75 years from Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Chongqing, China, were included in our study. The convenience sampling method was used to select participants, and face-to-face surveys were conducted in households and communities to collect data. Descriptive statistics including sociodemographic characteristics of respondents and weighted percentages were obtained and the log-binomial regression was used to evaluate the influencing factors associated with food safety-related practices. RESULTS Overall, 7,848 respondents were involved, with 97.5% efficacy. Disparities in food safety-related practices were observed between males and females, with the former performing poorer practices than the latter (70.5% vs. 68.0%, respectively). Notably, paying attention to nutrition labels when shopping for prepackaged foods was the worst practice. Age, ethnicity, region, occupation, education level, and income were identified as significant determinants of food safety-related practices. Moreover, in comparison to males, females were more likely to acquire pertinent knowledge from diverse sources, including social media, family members/ friends, books/ newspapers/ magazines, experts, and food sales staff (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Males performed inferior food safety-related practices than females during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest China. It is suggested that future food safety education programs should incorporate diverse targeted approaches, with emphasis on males. The role of mainstream media in promoting food safety practices should be expanded and prioritized in the forthcoming initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhourong Li
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Public Health Security, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Nutrition Innovation Platform-Sichuan and Chongqing, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Public Health Security, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Nutrition Innovation Platform-Sichuan and Chongqing, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Shengping Li
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Public Health Security, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Nutrition Innovation Platform-Sichuan and Chongqing, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Tiankun Wang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Public Health Security, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Nutrition Innovation Platform-Sichuan and Chongqing, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Huan Zeng
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Research Center for Public Health Security, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Nutrition Innovation Platform-Sichuan and Chongqing, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Manoj Sharma
- Department of Social and Behavioral Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV, 89119, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV, 89102, USA
| | - Zumin Shi
- Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar
| | - Yong Zhao
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- Research Center for Public Health Security, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Nutrition and Health, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
- Nutrition Innovation Platform-Sichuan and Chongqing, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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'Nutritional Footprint' in the Food, Meals and HoReCa Sectors: A Review. Foods 2023; 12:foods12020409. [PMID: 36673501 PMCID: PMC9857950 DOI: 10.3390/foods12020409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, the food industry is integrating environmental, social, and health parameters to increase its sustainable impact. To do this, they are using new tools to calculate the potential efficiency of nutritional products with lower levels of environmental impact. One of these tools is called the 'nutritional footprint', created by Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy GmbH. This study aims to review this concept and clarify its historical development, its use in several sectors of the food industry, and its transformation from a manual to an online tool. Results reflected that it is a suitable indicator that integrates nutritional, environmental, and social-economic dimensions to help the decision-making process in the procurement of more sustainable products and, although it is limited to Germany due to the use of the national standard nutritional intakes of Germany, its importance lies in the fact that is a promising instrument to promote environmental sustainability in the context of food, meals, and the hotel, restaurant and catering (HoReCa) sectors.
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