John Kearney

Perceived barriers in trying to eat healthier--results of a pan-EU consumer attitudinal survey.

Information on the perceived difficulties in trying to eat a healthier diet is important in assisting those in nutrition education devise more effective programmes. The objective of this study was to determine the main perceived barriers that people have in trying to eat a healthy diet in the 15 member states of the European Union (EU). A cross-sectional study in which quota-controlled nationally representative samples of approximately 1000 adults (15 years upwards) from each member state completed a face-to-face interview-assisted questionnaire. The most frequently mentioned perceived barriers to healthy eating concerned time and taste factors. Time-related factors were more important for younger respondents and those with a higher level of education, who appear to regard taste as being compromised by healthy eating. Variation exists both between member states and between demographic groups in the frequency of barriers mentioned. A lack of knowledge about healthy eating was not selected by many as an important barrier. A major obstacle to nutrition education is the fact that 70% of EU subjects believe their diets are already healthy. It may be that nutrition educators should concentrate on showing consumers how to evaluate their own diet appropriately in terms of fat, fibre, and fruit and vegetables. Food-based guidelines may be useful in this endeavour.

Variables independently associated with self-reported obesity in the European Union

OBJECTIVEnThe rapid increase in obesity rates over recent years suggest that cultural and societal influences are affecting the adjustment in the energy balance equation in addition to other physiopathological or genetic determinants. Therefore, a pan-EU study was carried out to explore the influence of sociodemographic factors as well as some attitudes (smoking and exercise) on the prevalence of obesity in the adult population of all 15 member states of the EU.nnnDESIGNnOverall, a sample of 15,239 individuals aged 15 years and upwards in the EU completed the questionnaire. Subject selection was quota-controlled to make the sample nationally representative following a multistage stratified cluster sampling. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate body mass index (BMI).nnnRESULTSnFrom the EU average results, it can be seen that only about half of the EU population (48%) is within the normal weight range, while the obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg m(-2)) prevalence was about 10% in the EU and the overweight prevalence was 36.6% and 25.6% among men and women, respectively. UK subjects had the highest prevalence of obesity (12%), while Italians, French and Swedes had the lowest levels of obesity (about 7%). Concerning age and social class interactions, logistic regression analysis showed that high social class and younger individuals in all groups had a lower odds ratio for obesity prevalence. People with a higher level of education are less likely to be obese, while the interaction between educational levels and obesity was different for men and women. A low participation in various leisure-time physical activities, the lack of interest (precontemplation) in being involved in exercise/physical activity and the increasing number of hours sitting down at work appear to be predictors of obesity. Single individuals were less prone to become obese than couples or widowed/divorced people. Finally, smoking status was statistically linked to the prevalence of obesity, since non-smokers or ex-smokers for more than 1 year presented a higher tendency for a BMI > 30.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis survey confirms that a priority area for health intervention aimed at preventing the development of obesity should be to increase levels of physical activity, although the approach will depend on the population, especially with respect to educational and socioeconomic aspects.

Perceived benefits and barriers to physical activity in a nationally representative sample in the European Union

OBJECTIVEnTo examine the attitudes of consumers, in particular their perceived benefits and barriers to physical activity from all EU member states, and having a measure of prevailing levels of activity, inactivity and self-reported body weight and body shape.nnnDESIGNnCross-sectional survey using an interview-assisted face-to-face questionnaire.nnnSETTINGnThe survey was conducted between March and April 1997 in the 15 member states of the EU.nnnSUBJECTSnOverall, 15,239 EU subjects, classified according to sex, age (six levels) and highest level of education attained (primary, secondary or tertiary), completed the survey. Sample selection of subjects in each EU member state was quota-controlled to ensure they were nationally representative.nnnRESULTSnThe most important motivation for people to participate in physical activity is to maintain good health (42%), to release tension (30%) and to get fit (30%). The importance of the health argument is highest in older persons and in subjects with a primary education level. Only 13% of the EU population (16% of women, 10% of men) perceived losing weight as a benefit of physical exercise. The most important barriers to increase physical activity are work or study commitments (28%) and the subjects belief that they are not the sporty type (25%). There is considerable between-country variation in the answering pattern within the EU.

Body image perception in relation to recent weight changes and strategies for weight loss in a nationally representative sample in the European Union

OBJECTIVESnTo assess body image perception and satisfaction with current body image across the EU and to explore the influence of sociodemographic variables, body-weight change and strategies for losing weight on body image perception.nnnDESIGNnA cross-sectional study in which quota-controlled, nationally representative samples of approximately 1000 adults from each country completed a face-to-face interview-assisted questionnaire.nnnSETTINGnThe survey was conducted in the 15 member states of the EU between March and April 1997.nnnSUBJECTSnThe questionnaire was completed by 15,239 subjects (aged 15 years and upwards). Data were weighted by population size for each country and by sex, age and regional distribution within each member state.nnnRESULTSnJust 39% of respondents in the EU were satisfied with their weight and these were more likely to be male (46%) rather than female (31%). Across the EU 29% of Finnish subjects were content with their weight compared with 47% in Belgium and 48% in Luxembourg. The highest percentage of subjects who were content with their body weight was among females who were underweight (58%) and males who were normal weight (66%). A further 20% of underweight females wished to be lighter compared to only 5% of males. Diet was the most frequently selected method for losing weight especially among females wishing to be considerably lighter (27%) while males were as likely to use exercise as diet as a strategy to lose weight.nnnCONCLUSIONSnGeographical and sociodemographical influences on body image perception are evident across the EU. There were clear gender differences in the desire to be thinner with a high proportion of females who were underweight being content to be so.

Eating patterns - temporal distribution, converging and diverging foods, meals eaten inside and outside of the home - implications for developing FBDG

OBJECTIVEnA consideration of eating patterns in the general population is necessary when deriving food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) as promoting the intake of one food may indirectly result in the increased consumption of another, which may not always be desirable. A number of issues that influence meal patterns such as temporal distribution of food intake (using data from the Netherlands), converging and diverging foods (using data from Ireland) and meals eaten inside and outside of the home (using data from the UK) are examined and discussed in the context of developing FBDG.nnnSETTINGnFood intake databases from three EU countries: The Netherlands, Ireland and the UK.nnnRESULTSnThe hot meal (dinner) was found to be the main contributor to the intake of energy and macro-nutrients in the Dutch population. It was also the main contributor to the intake of all micro-nutrients with the exception of calcium where the bread meal contributed a similar proportion as the hot meal to the intake of this micronutrient. Furthermore, fruit intake showed a very different temporal distribution to vegetable intake. Exploring the convergence of certain foods in the Irish population also revealed differences between fruit and vegetables. A low correlation was shown for consumers of fruit and vegetables indicating that being a high fruit consumer did not suggest being also a high vegetable consumer. An examination of where meals were consumed among British adults showed that 71% of all meals were consumed inside the home while 29% were consumed outside. 27% of food energy and 45% of alcohol energy was consumed out of home by the total population. In addition, those eating less of their foods out of home obtained a lower proportion of their food energy from fat and protein and a higher proportion from carbohydrate. A different demographic profile was associated with eating out compared to eating in, comprising more males and younger individuals.nnnCONCLUSIONSnInformation on patterns of food intake and food habits, specifically temporal distribution, the convergence and divergence of foods and foods consumed inside and outside of the home, give a culturally specific picture of food consumption practices within a population. This should enable the development of more culturally acceptable and realistic FBDG.

Sociodemographic determinants of perceived influences on food choice in a nationally representative sample of Irish adults

OBJECTIVEnTo identify the most important motivations for food choice from the point of view of the consumer in the Irish population, and to characterize those subjects who do and do not regard nutrition as a significant consideration in food choice.nnnDESIGNnAs part of a pan-European Union (EU) survey on consumer attitudes to food, nutrition and health, a quota-controlled, nationally representative sample of Irish adults (n = 1009) aged 15 years upwards, completed an interview-assisted, close-ended questionnaire. Subjects selected three factors, from a list of 15, which they believed had the greatest influence on their food choice.nnnSETTINGnThe interviews for the survey were conducted in subjects homes.nnnRESULTSnQuality/freshness of food was the most frequently selected food choice factor (51%) followed by taste (43%) and trying to eat a healthy diet (36%). Female gender, increasing age and higher levels of education were found to be independent sociodemographic factors affecting the selection of trying to eat a healthy diet as an important factor in food choice.nnnCONCLUSIONSnAlthough included in the top five most frequently selected factors affecting food choice, nutrition/healthy eating does not appear to have top priority for the majority of Irish adults. There are differences between the various sociodemographic groups within the population; males and younger subjects appear to require specific nutrition promotion messages.

Percepción de la imagen corporal como aproximación cualitativa al estado de nutrición

Objective. To compare body image perception with body mass index (BMI) calculated from the weight and size declared by subjects, and to evaluate its useful...

Methods used to conduct the pan-European Union survey on consumer attitudes to physical activity, body weight and health.

OBJECTIVEnThe purpose of conducting this survey was to identify data on consumer attitudes towards and beliefs about physical activity, body weight and health among the 15 countries of the EU.nnnDESIGNnA cross-sectional study to get a picture of the attitudes to physical activity, body weight and health in the EU. For this, it was considered important that samples be nationally representative so that inferences drawn from the data could be applied to the population in each country as well as to the EU population as a whole. Using a non-probability sampling method employing quota controls (and the national weight) we obtained large sample sizes from each country which were nationally representative in terms of the variables age, sex and regional distribution. To ensure samples were truly nationally representative a national weight was used when analysing the data using the same characteristics as those used to define quotas. When examining pooled estimates for the total EU sample a population weight was applied.nnnRESULTSnIn total, 15,239 subjects aged 15 years and upwards in the EU completed the survey. This article gives details on the methods used in carrying out the survey from design of the questionnaire to sample selection, questionnaire administration and analysis of the data. The methods and their limitations are discussed.

Attitudes towards and beliefs about nutrition and health among a random sample of adults in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

OBJECTIVESnFor effective healthy eating promotion, it is necessary to understand the attitudes towards and beliefs about nutrition of the general public. The objective of this study was to provide data on attitudes towards eating a healthy diet and the perceived need to alter eating habits from a random sample of adults in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland, using a self-administered questionnaire.nnnDESIGNnCross-sectional survey using a self-administered attitudinal questionnaire on beliefs and attitudes to healthy eating.nnnSETTINGnThe survey was carried out between October 1997 and October 1999 in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland.nnnSUBJECTSnA randomly selected sample of 1256 adults from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland completed the attitudinal questionnaire.nnnRESULTSnA majority of subjects (62%) perceived that they make conscious efforts to eat a healthy diet either most of the time or quite often, while just over half (52%) agreed that they do not need to make changes to their diet as it is healthy enough. Subjects most likely to make conscious efforts to try to eat a healthy diet were females, older subjects (51-64 years) and those with the highest intakes of fruit and vegetables and lowest quartile of fat (% food energy). When self-assessed adequacy of fruit and vegetables was examined, two-thirds of the total sample felt they ate too little fruit while just one-third felt they ate too little vegetables.nnnCONCLUSIONnResults of the present study, in general, revealed good agreement between attitude and behaviour with respect to healthy eating. This suggests that people appear to be reasonably accurate at evaluating their own diet in terms of how healthy it is. In terms of the two food groups examined in this study, some optimistic bias was evident for vegetables but not for fruit. It may be useful therefore to assess attitudes and beliefs about healthy eating by way of examining attitudes to such food groups individually.

Dietary intakes and adipose tissue levels of linoleic acid in peptic ulcer disease

Adipose tissue levels of linoleic acid were determined from biopsies of subcutaneous abdominal fat of normal healthy controls (n 40) and from two patient groups with endoscopically evaluated non-ulcer dyspepsia (n 40) or peptic ulcer disease (n 38). The level (g/100 g) of adipose tissue linoleic acid in the normal healthy controls (15.0 (SD 4.1] was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than that in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (12.8 (SD 3.5] and in patients with peptic ulcer disease (11.7 (SD 2.7]. A dietary history revealed a lower intake of linoleic acid and a significantly (P less than 0.05) lower intake of dietary fibre (g/d) for both the non-ulcer dyspepsia (15.9 (SD 6.2] and peptic ulcer disease (15.2 (SD 7.8] patients compared with normal healthy controls (20.2 (SD 11.2]. Adipose tissue linoleic acid tended to increase with indices of increasing socioeconomic status, although the differences between patient and controls were not confounded by socioeconomic status. Patients with dyspepsia reported more foods causing symptoms (onion, fried foods, alcohol, citrus fruits and spices) and more foods giving relief (milk, bread) compared with control orthopaedic patients.