Bela Franchini

Fruit and vegetable intake in a sample of 11-year-old children in 9 European countries: The pro children cross-sectional survey

Background/Aims: An adequate fruit and vegetable intake provides essential nutrients and nutritive compounds and is considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle. No simple instrument has been available for the assessment of fruit and vegetable intake as well as its determinants in school-aged children applicable in different European countries. Within the Pro Children Project, such an instrument has been developed. This paper describes the cross-sectional survey in 11-year-olds in 9 countries. Methods: The cross-sectional survey used nationally, and in 2 countries regionally, representative samples of schools and classes. The questionnaires, including a precoded 24-hour recall component and a food frequency part, were completed in the classroom. Data were treated using common syntax files for portion sizes and for merging of vegetable types into four subgroups. Results: The results show that the fruit and vegetable intake in amounts and choice were highly diverse in the 9 participating countries. Vegetable intake was in general lower than fruit intake, boys consumed less fruit and vegetables than girls did. The highest total intake according to the 24-hour recall was found in Austria and Portugal, the lowest in Spain and Iceland. Conclusion: The fruit and vegetable intake in 11-year-old children was in all countries far from reaching population goals and food-based dietary guidelines on national and international levels.

Personal, social and environmental predictors of daily fruit and vegetable intake in 11-year-old children in nine European countries

Objective:To investigate potential personal, social and physical environmental predictors of daily fruit intake and daily vegetable intake in 11-year-old boys and girls in nine European countries.Subjects:The total sample size was 13 305 (90.4% participation rate).Results:Overall, 43.2% of the children reported to eat fruit every day, 46.1% reported to eat vegetables every day. Daily fruit intake and daily vegetable intake was mainly associated with knowledge of the national recommendations, positive self-efficacy, positive liking and preference, parental modeling and demand and bringing fruit to school (odds ratio between 1.40 and 2.42, P<0.02). These factors were associated fairly consistently with daily fruit intake across all nine European countries, implying that a rather uniform intervention strategy to promote fruit can be used across Europe. For vegetables, the pattern was, however, less consistent. Differences between countries in cooking and preparing vegetables might be responsible for this larger diversity.Conclusions:This study showed that especially a combination of personal and social factors is related to daily fruit and vegetable intake in schoolchildren. This shows that a comprehensive multilevel intervention strategy based upon a series of individual and social correlates will be most promising in the promotion of daily fruit and vegetable intake in children.

Does eating family meals and having the television on during dinner correlate with overweight? A sub-study of the PRO GREENS project, looking at children from nine European countries.

OBJECTIVE Family meals have been negatively associated with overweight in children, while television (TV) viewing during meals has been associated with a poorer diet. The aim of the present study was to assess the association of eating family breakfast and dinner, and having a TV on during dinner, with overweight in nine European countries and whether these associations differed between Northern and Southern & Eastern Europe. DESIGN Cross-sectional data. Schoolchildren reported family meals and TV viewing. BMI was based on parental reports on height and weight of their children. Cut-off points for overweight by the International Obesity Task Force were used. Logistic regressions were performed adjusted by age, gender and parental education. SETTING Schools in Northern European (Sweden, the Netherlands, Iceland, Germany and Finland) and Southern & Eastern European (Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria and Slovenia) countries, participating in the PRO GREENS project. SUBJECTS Children aged 10-12 years in (n 6316). RESULTS In the sample, 21 % of the children were overweight, from 35 % in Greece to 10 % in the Netherlands. Only a few associations were found between family meals and TV viewing during dinner with overweight in the nine countries. Northern European children, compared with other regions, were significantly more likely to be overweight if they had fewer family breakfasts and more often viewed TV during dinner. CONCLUSIONS The associations between family meals and TV viewing during dinner with overweight were few and showed significance only in Northern Europe. Differences in foods consumed during family meals and in health-related lifestyles between Northern and Southern & Eastern Europe may explain these discrepancies.

Association between parenting styles and own fruit and vegetable consumption among Portuguese mothers of school children

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between parenting styles and own fruit and vegetable consumption among Portuguese mothers of school children. A cross-sectional study was performed in Portugal as part of the Pro Children cross-sectional European survey. Portuguese mothers (n 1601) of 11-13-year-old school children were included in the present study. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to assess fruit and vegetable consumption as well as the parenting styles. Fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed by a validated FFQ. Parenting styles based on two dimensions - strictness and involvement - were classified into authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent and neglectful. The higher mean intakes of fruit, vegetables and total fruit and vegetables were observed for mothers classified as indulgent, whereas the lower mean intakes were observed for mothers classified as neglectful. Differences in intake among parenting styles were significant for fruit, vegetables and total fruit and vegetables. When partial correlations were calculated between the two dimensions, strictness and involvement (controlled one for the other), and intakes, only involvement was positively associated with fruit, vegetables and total fruit and vegetable intake. Findings from the present study show that fruit and vegetable consumption of Portuguese mothers of school children seems to be related to their own parenting styles, especially with the dimension involvement. Future interventions to promote fruit and vegetable intake should take into account these variables.

General and abdominal adiposity in a representative sample of Portuguese adults: dependency of measures and socio-demographic factors' influence.

The aims of this study were: (i) to estimate the dependency between BMI and waist:height ratio (WHtR) as measures of general and abdominal adiposity, and (ii) to evaluate the influence of socio-demographic factors on both measures and on their dependency in risk classification. Data from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2009 among a representative sample of 3529 Portuguese adults were used. Height, weight and waist were measured and socio-demographic data (sex, age, education level, occupational status, marital status, region of residence) were obtained. Using logistic regression, crude and adjusted OR for high general (BMI≥25·0 kg/m²) and abdominal (WHtR≥0·5) adiposity, and for incompatible classification between them, were calculated. Above half (50·8%) of the respondents had high BMI and 42·1% had high WHtR, and the rates were higher in men than in women. There was an inverse association between education level and both adiposity measures. The lowest prevalence of high general and abdominal adiposity was observed in students and singles, whereas the highest was found in retired, widowed and respondents from Azores, Madeira and Alentejo. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24·0%) were incompatibly classified by BMI and WHtR, with higher prevalence in men than in women and in low- than in high-educated people. Future surveys should focus on developing at least sex-specific cut-offs for both measures. Implementation of effective strategies for preventing and reducing high adiposity levels in Portugal should be directed primarily to men, older, low-educated individuals, as well as those living in the islands and poor regions of the country.

Fruit and Vegetables: Intake and Sociodemographic Determinants among Portuguese Mothers

Background: Fruit and vegetable intake is crucial in health promotion and disease prevention. Inadequate intake is found among adult populations worldwide. Aims: To assess fruit and vegetable intake among Portuguese mothers and to examine its association with sociodemographic determinants. Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was performed in Portugal as part of the Pro Children study. Data from self-administrated precoded 24-hour recall and food frequency questionnaires answered by 1,853 mothers of 11- to 13-year-old children were analyzed. Descriptive analysis of the data was followed by logistic regression to assess associations between daily fruit and vegetable intake and sociodemographic determinants. Results: The mean fruit and vegetable intake was 221.2 and 170.0 g/day, respectively. Only 46% of the mothers met the WHO recommendations (≥400 g fruit and vegetables/day). Daily fruit intake was significantly higher among mothers who live with a spouse/partner, and who belong to a higher social class. For vegetables, daily intake was significantly higher among mothers with a higher education and social class. Conclusions: This study shows that the mean intake of fruit and vegetables among Portuguese mothers is far below international recommendations. Effective strategies to promote fruit and vegetable intake are needed, especially for mothers belonging to lower social classes and educational levels.

System of planning and evaluation of school meals

OBJECTIVE To develop a software to plan and evaluate school meals according to the main national and international standards for foods and nutrition. DESIGN Development of software. SETTING Public schools, Portugal. SUBJECTS School meals for students. RESULTS The System of Planning and Evaluation of School Meals (SPARE) is a software that allows the planning of school meals in an effective and organized way, according to the main national and international standards for food and nutrition. The regular use of this tool enables the evaluation, monitoring and verification towards continuous improvement of the quality of school meals. CONCLUSIONS The SPARE software aims to promote healthy eating by focusing on the planning and production of safe and adequate meals in the school environment. This software can be adapted to different age groups and to different contexts, attending to specific nutritional and food standards.

How about lunch? For lunch we only had soup: an approach tothe study of meal design in Portugal

Introduction: In the last years and decades more and more new plants came to the market as food or old crops have been rediscovered. Based on the presence of secondary plant metabolites specific effects are often attributed to these plants and/or derived preparations. Depending on the amount and the accompanying substances in extracts and preparations these substances can also be toxic. In many cases, plants and plant preparations are not adequately tested for their safety before marketing. In the European Union, authorization procedures and health assessments are only required for foods that are considered novel foods or produced from genetically modified organisms. A working group of federal and state governments, the BfR has worked with, has drawn up a list of nearly 600 plants and plant parts, which should facilitate the assessment of these plants (or plant parts) and derived preparations by food inspection bodies and food industry. Objectives: 18 plants or parts of plants were selected for an evaluation because of their known pharmacological or psychotropic effects or due to possible health risks. Method / Design: The risk assessments of these plants or parts of plants, including for example goji berries and yohimbe bark, were performed using the “Guidance on Safety assessment of botanicals and botanical preparations intended for use as ingredients in food supplements” of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Results: Nine of the 18 plants or parts of plants pose a risk to consumers and should not be used in food. Five plants or parts of plants might pose risks when used in food. For four plants or plant parts, no risks were seen. Conclusions: The health assessments are intended to be a first step in the process of harmonization at European level. The opinions are published in a booklet and accessible on the web(04/08/2019) Organic food for sustainable and healthy diets lessons from the nordic diet? Introduction: The New Nordic Diet (NND) was developed in 2004 by chefs and food professionals from the five Nordic countries. The goal for the NND was that it should be based on traditional regional food products but healthier than the traditional eating habits. The NND builds on four key principles: Nordic identity, health, gastronomic potential and sustainability.Objectives: Can the NND be used as a model for a sustainable diet in other geographical regions?Methods/design: The NND can be described by a few overall guidelines: 1) more calories from plant foods and fewer from meat; 2) more foods from the wild countryside and 3) more foods from sea and lakes. In many ways, the New NND is very similar to a Mediterranean diet but relies on rapeseed (canola) oil instead of olive oil and ramson instead of garlic. The diets differ in their types of produce due to regional differences in climate, soil and water.Results: The health effects and sustainability of the NND has been tested in a number of scientific studies, including the OPUS project (Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet) supported by the Nordea foundation (http://foodoflife.ku.dk/opus/english/nyheder/publikationer/) in which the NND was compared to the Average Danish Diet (ADD). The use of mostly local products and reduction of the meat intake were of both socioeconomic and environmental advantage. Including organic produce increased environmental impact of the NND.Conclusion: In line with the Mediterranean diet the NND is a predominantly plant-based diet, and although the two have not been directly compared, it would be fairly safe to assume that they are equally healthy. Overall, the NND is just a regional interpretation of the tenets of healthy eating. Basically the principles of the NND could be incorporated into any regional diet.Who are we eating with? There are always companions to relate to in a meal, both to those who are present and they who are on another place or even in a past history. The choice of food and beverag ...Objectives : The aim of the present work was to compare the effect of ALA, EPA and DHA on the development of adipose tissue and its metabolism during a high fat-high sucrose (HFHS) challenge.Ann Nutr Metab 2015; 67(suppl 1) 435 BMD (BL: -2.4±0.7, PI: -0.9±0.44), serum calcium (BL: 9.5±0.6, PI: 10.5±0.52) and vitamin D (BL: 17.63±4.9, PI: 42.72±8.9) was observed. Locomotor problems were reduced among 44.06% subjects in group B compared to 11.11% in group A. Post interventional BMD (t: -2.16, P≤0.05), serum calcium (t: -4.05, P≤0.001) and vitamin D (t: -4.20, P≤0.001) of group B was significantly higher compared to group A.Affiliation: (1) PhD Student in Food Science. Human Nutrition Unit. Department of Food Science. University of Parma. Italy; (2) Associate Professor. Department of Food Science. University of Parma. Parma. Italy; (3) Full Professor. Department of Food Science, University of Parma. Parma. Italy; (4) Post-Doc Research Assistant. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science, University of Turin. Torino. Italy; (5) Assistant Professor. Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science. University of Bari Aldo Moro. Bari. Italy; (6) Post-Doc Research Assistant. Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna. Bologna. Italy; (7) Full Professor. Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science. University of Bari Aldo Moro. Bari. Italy; (8) Nutritionist. Department of Food Science. University of Parma. Parma Italy.Effect on attention of a vegetable smoothie, rich in berries, fruitsand vegetables, served at the school mid-morning brake. ViktoriaOhlsson. Kristianstad UniversityPurpose:The purpose of this pilot ...Introduction: Since appetite control works differently in fluid and solid intake we wanted to analyse the energy contribution from those two types of energy sources.Objectives: The objective of thi ...Introduction: Infrequent fruit and vegetable (FV) intake is especially common among children with low parental educational level (PEL) and among boys.Objectives: Our aim was to examine whether a school-based intervention was efficient in increasing children’s FV intake especially among those whose FV intake is the lowest and which factors could explain the the group differences in the associations.Method / Design: In Finland 11-year-old (at baseline) children participated in the PRO GREENS intervention in winter 2009. In control schools were 424 and in intervention schools 386 children (response rate 77%). Children filled in validated food frequency questionnaire assessing FV intake (times/day) and a validated questionnaire about factors influencing FV intake (availability of FV, liking for FV, preferences, self-efficacy to eat FV, attitudes towards FV and knowledge of the recommendations) both at baseline May 2009 and follow-up May 2010. Parental educational level (low, middle, high) was reported by the parents. Associations were examined with linear regression and mediation analyses.Results: The intervention increased fruit intake among girls but not among boys. Intervention increased also children’s knowledge of the recommendations. Since knowledge had no impact on boys’ fruit intake, the increase in knowledge mediated only intervention’s effect on girls’ fruit intake. Intervention increased children’s fruit intake similarly in all PEL groups.Intervention increased vegetable intake only in the middle PEL group but no intervention effect was noted among children with low or high PEL. Knowledge, the only factor which mediated the intervention’s effect on children’s vegetable intake, could not explain PEL differences in the effectivity of the intervention.Conclusions: Increase in knowledge was not a sufficient prerequisite to increase FV intake among boys or the lowest PEL group. More in depth analyses are needed to find out which factors to target in interventions to reach an effect in the target groups.

Contribution of vegetable soup to total vegetables intake and its determinants among mothers in Portugal

Purpose – This papers aim is to assess vegetable soup intake and its contribution to total vegetable intake among mothers of Portuguese schoolchildren as well as to examine the association between relative vegetable soup intake and sociodemographic characteristics.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐sectional survey was carried out in Portugal as part of the Pro Children study. In total 1,673 women, mothers of 11‐13 year old children, took part in the study. The vegetable intake and sociodemographic characteristics were collected with a self‐administered questionnaire in which a precoded 24‐hour recall was applied. The analysed sociodemographic characteristics were the number of people and composition of household, educational level, social class and region of residence. The associations between preferential or exclusive consumer mothers of vegetable soup (i.e. ≥50 per cent of total vegetable intake) and sociodemographic characteristics were analysed by a logistic regression model.Findings – The mean i...