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Dive into the research topics where Maria Jose Romo-Palafox is active.

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Featured researches published by Maria Jose Romo-Palafox.


Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics | 2015

Development of a Method to Observe Preschoolers' Packed Lunches in Early Care and Education Centers.

S.J. Sweitzer; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Nalini Ranjit; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Margaret E. Briley; C. Roberts-Gray; Deanna M. Hoelscher

BACKGROUND As early childhood education (ECE) centers become a more common setting for nutrition interventions, a variety of data collection methods are required, based on the center foodservice. ECE centers that require parents to send in meals and/or snacks from home present a unique challenge for accurate nutrition estimation and data collection. We present an observational methodology for recording the contents and temperature of preschool-aged childrens lunchboxes and data to support a 2-day vs a 3-day collection period. METHODS Lunchbox observers were trained in visual estimation of foods based on Child and Adult Care Food Program and MyPlate servings and household recommended measures. Trainees weighed and measured foods commonly found in preschool-aged childrens lunchboxes and practiced recording accurate descriptions and food temperatures. Training included test assessments of whole-grain bread products, mixed dishes such as macaroni and cheese, and a variety of sandwich preparations. Validity of the estimation method was tested by comparing estimated to actual amounts for several distinct food types. Reliability was assessed by computing the intraclass correlation coefficient for each observer as well as an interrater reliability coefficient across observers. To compare 2- and 3-day observations, 2 of the 3 days of observations were randomly selected for each child and analyzed as a separate dataset. Linear model estimated mean and standard error of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and amounts of energy, carbohydrates, protein, total fat, saturated fat, dietary fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, sodium, and dietary fiber per lunch were compared across the 2- and 3-day observation datasets. RESULTS The mean estimated amounts across 11 observers were statistically indistinguishable from the measured portion size for each of the 41 test foods, implying that the visual estimation measurement method was valid: intraobserver intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.951 (95% CI 0.91 to 0.97) to 1.0. Across observers, the interrater reliability correlation coefficient was estimated at 0.979 (95% CI 0.957 to 0.993). Comparison of servings of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains showed no significant differences for serving size or mean energy and nutrient content between 2- and 3-day lunch observations. CONCLUSIONS The methodology is a valid and reliable option for use in research and practice that requires observing and assessing the contents and portion sizes of food items in preschool-aged childrens lunchboxes in an ECE setting. The use of visual observation and estimation with Child and Adult Care Food Program and MyPlate serving sizes and household measures over 2 random days of data collection enables food handling to be minimized while obtaining an accurate record of the variety and quantities of foods that young children are exposed to at lunch time.


Health Education & Behavior | 2017

Structuring Process Evaluation to Forecast Use and Sustainability of an Intervention: Theory and Data From the Efficacy Trial for Lunch Is in the Bag

Cindy Roberts-Gray; S.J. Sweitzer; Nalini Ranjit; Christa Potratz; Magdalena Rood; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Margaret E. Briley; Deanna M. Hoelscher

Background. A cluster-randomized trial at 30 early care and education centers (Intervention = 15, waitlist Control = 15) showed the Lunch Is in the Bag intervention increased parents’ packing of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in their preschool children’s bag lunches (parent–child dyads = 351 Intervention, 282 Control). Purpose. To examine the utility of structuring the trial’s process evaluation to forecast use, sustainability, and readiness of the intervention for wider dissemination and implementation. Method. Pretrial, the research team simulated user experience to forecast use of the intervention. Multiattribute evaluation of user experience measured during the trial assessed use and sustainability of the intervention. Thematic analysis of posttrial interviews with users evaluated sustained use and readiness for wider dissemination. Results. Moderate use was forecast by the research team. Multiattribute evaluation of activity logs, surveys, and observations during the trial indicated use consistent with the forecast except that prevalence of parents reading the newsletters was greater (83% vs. 50%) and hearing their children talk about the classroom was less (4% vs. 50%) than forecast. Early care and education center-level likelihood of sustained use was projected to be near zero. Posttrial interviews indicated use was sustained at zero centers. Discussion. Structuring the efficacy trial’s process evaluation as a progression of assessments of user experience produced generally accurate forecasts of use and sustainability of the intervention at the trial sites. Conclusion. This approach can assist interpretation of trial outcomes, aid decisions about dissemination of the intervention, and contribute to translational science for improving health.


Journal of The American College of Nutrition | 2017

Adequacy of Parent-Packed Lunches and Preschooler's Consumption Compared to Dietary Reference Intake Recommendations

Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Nalini Ranjit; S.J. Sweitzer; Cindy Roberts-Gray; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Margaret E. Briley; Deanna M. Hoelscher

abstract Background: U.S. preschool children consume inadequate amounts of key nutrients. Understanding the contents of lunches packed by parents and consumed by their children can help identify areas of opportunity for the development of healthy food preferences. Objective: To evaluate the nutrient adequacy of lunches packed by parents and consumed by children attending early care and education (ECE) centers. Methods: Baseline data from 607 parent–child dyads in the “Lunch Is in the Bag” cluster-randomized controlled trial in Central Texas were examined. Foods packed by parents and consumed by children in sack lunches were observed at 30 ECE centers on 2 nonconsecutive days. Mean levels of energy, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals were estimated with covariate-adjusted multilevel regression models that accounted for center-level clustering and repeated within-child measures. Results: Energy (kilocalories) was 602.48 for packed lunches compared to 374.40 for consumed lunches. In packed lunches, percentage of energy as macronutrients for protein (14.8%), carbohydrate (55.9%), and total fat (31.2%) were within the acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) for the childrens ages. Sugar (28.9% of energy) was above the AMDR recommendation. Only a quarter of parents packed 33% or more of the childs dietary reference intake (DRI) for dietary fiber. Over half the parents packed 33% or more of the DRI for vitamin A and calcium, and less than one in 8 packed 33% of the DRI for potassium. Children consistently consumed between 60 and 80% of the nutrients that were packed. Conclusions: Preschool children rely on parents to present them with healthy food choices, but lunches packed by parents for their preschool children do not consistently provide adequate nutrients. These data and the relationships between the dietary quality of packed and consumed lunches can be useful information to guide nutrition behavior change through targeted interventions.


Appetite | 2014

Method of assessing parent-child grocery store purchasing interactions using a micro-camcorder ☆

Eric E. Calloway; Cindy Roberts-Gray; Nalini Ranjit; S.J. Sweitzer; Katie A. McInnis; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Margaret E. Briley

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of using participant worn micro-camcorders (PWMC) to collect data on parent-child food and beverage purchasing interactions in the grocery store. Parent-child dyads (n = 32) were met at their usual grocery store and shopping time. Parents were mostly Caucasian (n = 27, 84.4%), mothers (n = 30, 93.8%). Children were 2-6 years old with 15 girls and 17 boys. A micro-camcorder was affixed to a baseball style hat worn by the child. The dyad proceeded to shop while being shadowed by an in-person observer. Video/audio data were coded for behavioral and environmental variables. The PWMC method was compared to in-person observation to assess sensitivity and relative validity for measuring parent-child interactions, and compared to receipt data to assess criterion validity for evaluating purchasing decisions. Inter-rater reliability for coding video/audio data collected using the PWMC method was also assessed. The PWMC method proved to be more sensitive than in-person observation revealing on average 1.4 (p < 0.01) more parent-child food and beverage purchasing interactions per shopping trip. Inter-rater reliability for coding PWMC data showed moderate to almost perfect agreement (Cohens kappa = 0.461-0.937). The PWMC method was significantly correlated with in-person observation for measuring occurrences of parent-child food purchasing interactions (rho = 0.911, p < 0.01) and characteristics of those interactions (rho = 0.345-0.850, p < 0.01). Additionally, there was substantial agreement between the PWMC method and receipt data for measuring purchasing decisions (Cohens kappa = 0.787). The PWMC method proved to be well suited to assess parent-child food and beverage purchasing interactions in the grocery store.


Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics | 2018

Contribution of Beverage Selection to the Dietary Quality of the Packed Lunches Eaten by Preschool-Aged Children

Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Nalini Ranjit; S.J. Sweitzer; Cindy Roberts-Gray; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Margaret E. Briley; Deanna M. Hoelscher

BACKGROUND Sweet drinks early in life could predispose to lifelong consumption, and the beverage industry does not clearly define fruit drinks as part of the sweet drink category. OBJECTIVES To ascertain the relationship between beverage selection and dietary quality of the lunches packed for preschool-aged children evaluated using the Healthy Eating Index-2010. METHODS Foods packed by parents (n=607) were observed at 30 early care and education centers on two nonconsecutive days. Three-level regression models were used to examine the dietary quality of lunches by beverage selection and the dietary quality of the lunch controlling for the nutrient composition of the beverage by removing it from the analysis. RESULTS Fruit drinks were included in 25% of parent-packed lunches, followed by 100% fruit juice (14%), milk (14%), and flavored milk (3.7%). Lunches with plain milk had the highest Healthy Eating Index-2010 scores (59.3) followed by lunches with 100% fruit juice (56.9) and flavored milk (53.2). Lunches with fruit drinks had the lowest Healthy Eating Index-2010 scores at 48.6. After excluding the nutrient content of the beverage, the significant difference between lunches containing milk and flavored milk persisted (+5.5), whereas the difference between fruit drinks and 100% fruit juice did not. CONCLUSIONS Dietary quality is associated with the type of beverage packed and these differences hold when the lunch is analyzed without the nutrient content of the beverage included.


Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics | 2015

Dietary Quality of Preschoolers' Sack Lunches as Measured by the Healthy Eating Index

Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Nalini Ranjit; S.J. Sweitzer; Cindy Roberts-Gray; Deanna M. Hoelscher; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Margaret E. Briley


Implementation Science | 2015

Measuring user experience to forecast use & sustainability of behavior change interventions: Theory and data from the Trial for Lunch is in the Bag

Cindy Roberts-Gray; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Nalini Ranjit; Deanna M. Holescher; Margaret E. Briley; S.J. Sweitzer; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox


Maternal and Child Health Journal | 2016

Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study of Factors Associated with the Healthfulness of Parental Responses to Child Food Purchasing Requests

Eric E. Calloway; Nalini Ranjit; S.J. Sweitzer; Cindy Roberts-Gray; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Katie A. McInnis; Margaret E. Briley


The FASEB Journal | 2015

Exploratory study of factors associated with the healthfulness of parental responses to in-store child food purchasing requests

Eric E. Calloway; Nalini Ranjit; Cindy Roberts-Gray; S.J. Sweitzer; Katie A. McInnis; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Margaret E. Briley


Appetite | 2018

Parent packs, child eats: Surprising results of Lunch is in the Bag‘s efficacy trial

Cindy Roberts-Gray; Nalini Ranjit; S.J. Sweitzer; Courtney E. Byrd-Williams; Maria Jose Romo-Palafox; Margaret E. Briley; Deanna M. Hoelscher

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Margaret E. Briley

University of Texas at Austin

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Nalini Ranjit

University of Texas at Austin

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S.J. Sweitzer

University of Texas at Austin

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Deanna M. Hoelscher

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

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Eric E. Calloway

University of Texas at Austin

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Katie A. McInnis

University of Texas at Austin

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C. Roberts-Gray

University of Texas at Austin

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Christa Potratz

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

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Deanna M. Holescher

University of Texas at Austin

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