Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics

There is little information on the food intake of adolescents or on how the intake of adolescents has changed. Yet this information is essential to assess the effect of dietary health education and is valuable in formulating future advice. This paper reports the dietary sources of energy, protein, unavailable carbohydrate and fat in the diet of 379 11– and 12‐year‐old schoolchildren in 1990, and compares these data with similar information collected in 1980. Each child completed two 3‐day dietary records between January and July, and was interviewed by one dietitian to verify and enlarge upon the information recorded to obtain a quantitative measure of food intake. The children attended the same seven middle schools in south Northumberland as 375 children of the same age who recorded their diet using the same method 10 years previously (Hackett et al., 1983). Food tables were used to calculate nutrient intake.

Although the total intakes of energy, protein, unavailable carbohydrate and fat changed little over the 10‐year period, there were changes in the importance of food groups as contributors to total intakes. Notably, an increase in the role played by confectionery which became the second largest contributor to total energy intake and an increase in the importance of meat and its products as a source of energy, protein and fat. The proportion of energy, protein and fat being derived from milk decreased. Chips remained the largest single source of unavailable carbohydrate, and an important energy and fat source, while the role played by ‘wholemeal’ breads in unavailable carbohydrate intake had increased.

A newly developed food frequency questionnaire designed to estimate habitual intake of non‐starch polysaccharide (NSP), intrinsic and extrinsic sugars, starch and alcohol was compared with 4‐d weighed records using the semi‐automatic Petra system in 154 subjects, men aged 40–69 years and women aged 25–69 years. There was no statistical difference between the two methods for average intake of NSP (soluble and insoluble) intrinsic sugar and Vitamin C. Where a significant difference did occur, notably in extrinsic sugar and starch, it did not exceed 12%, the food frequency questionnaire giving the higher result. With most food components, 4547% were classified in the same tertile and only 54% of subjects were classified in opposite tertiles by the two methods. We conclude that this questionnaire is a valid method of assessing habitual intake of these food components in large groups of subjects.

Dietary guidelines are issued in some countries in quantitative terms while in others a qualitative approach is preferred. The latter allows for greater flexibility while the former implies that our knowledge is sufficiently adequate to set such goals. Data are presented to show that that is not necessarily the case. Equally, a popular approach to determining which foods should be targeted for a reduction is to determine key sources of fat, usually meat and dairy products. Evidence is presented to show that these foods do not distinguish between high and low fat diets. Frequently the major determinant of the percentage of energy from fat is the percentage of energy from sugar.

This study was designed to test the efficacy of the Portable Electronic Tape Recording Automated (PETRA) scale compared to a digital scale (SOEHNLE) and diary for the collection of dietary data in a large field trial. One hundred and fifty subjects were randomly selected from the Household Valuation List, Northern Ireland, and 102 eligible subjects (aged 16–64 years) were asked to keep a seven‐day dietary record. The cooperating sample (n=80) was divided into cells by sex, age and social class. PETRA and SOEHNLE scales were then randomly allocated to equal numbers of subjects within each cell. Failure to complete the seven‐day record was marginally greater using the SOEHNLE scale but the effect was not statistically significant. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences in recorded energy and nutrient intakes between PETRA‐ and SOEHNLE‐subjects within any sex, age or social class grouping. From questionnaire data, the PETRA system was found to surpass the traditional system in terms of ‘user friendliness’; but at an added cost in time spent by the field team.

The amount of sugars consumed by young adolescents was assessed in 1990 using the same methods as those employed in a similar survey in 1980. The children were the same age (mean 11 years 6 months) and from the same seven schools in both surveys. In 1980 405 children completed the study and 379 in 1990. Information was collected using two 3‐day dietary diaries, each child being interviewed by a dietitian upon completion of a diary. The dietitian in this study was calibrated closely with the dietitian who undertook the 1980 study so as to ensure comparable diet evaluation methods. Total sugars consumption was unchanged (117 g/day in 1980, 118 g/day in 1990) but consumption of non‐milk extrinsic sugars increased (83 g/day in 1980, 90 g/day in 1990) and milk and intrinsic sugars decreased (34 g/day in 1980, 28 g/day in 1990) between the two surveys. In 1990, non‐milk extrinsic sugars contributed 17% to total dietary energy intake, while milk and intrinsic sugars contributed 5%. There was little difference in per cent contributions between the sexes, but some social‐class trends were apparent. Confectionery provided 33% and soft drinks provided 27% of non‐milk extrinsic sugars, these two dietary sources providing 60% of non‐milk extrinsic or 46% of total sugars intake. These levels of consumption are considerably higher than those currently recommended in the UK.

Background:  Choosing small portions especially of low energy foods is a standard recommendation for weight management. However, this can result in rapid return of hunger or an increase in the next meal size. Enhancing the satiating capacities of low energy foods may help to overcome these effects. The present study compared the satiating properties of small servings of four low energy foods [465 kJ (111 kcal)] including a drinking yogurt enhanced for satiety.

Methods:  Thirty volunteers attended the laboratory to consume isoenergetic preloads of: a fibre‐enriched drinking yogurt, a regular drinking yogurt, plain crackers, fresh banana; or an isovolumetric serving of water. Satiety was analysed using visual analogue scales, before and every 15 min after consumption for 60 min, when ad libitum food intake was measured.

Results:  The yogurts and the banana were more satiating than water and crackers (P < 0.001 for yogurts and banana versus crackers and water). Only the fibre‐enriched yogurt produced higher satiety scores than crackers at 60 min (P < 0.05). Mean ± SD consumption at next meal was: fibre‐enriched yogurt 2050 ± 787 kJ (490 ± 188 kcal); regular yogurt 2071 ± 575 kJ (495 ± 137 kcal); bananas 2178 ± 603 kJ (520 ± 144 kcal); crackers 2232 ± 590 kJ (533 ± 141 kcal); water 2519 ± 741 kJ (602 ± 177 kcal); (yogurts versus water: P = 0.001; bananas versus water: P = 0.013; crackers versus water: P = 0.064), demonstrating accurate energy compensation for the yogurts only.

Conclusions:  Although there were no significant differences between the different foods’ satiating capacity, a trend for the following ranking was found: fibre‐enriched yogurt > regular yogurt > banana > crackers > water. Overall, the fibre‐enriched drinking yogurt tended to be more satiating than the other foods.

Background:  With the increasing prevalence of being overweight and obesity, dietary strategies to curb hunger levels and increase satiety at lower energy intakes are sought. The frequency of eating and type of snack may influence total energy intake. The present study aimed to assess the impact of providing either a conventional snack (cereal bar) or a nonconventional snack (almonds) on eating frequency, hunger rating, dietary intake, body weight and blood lipids.

Methods:  Forty‐five healthy men (aged 25–50 years, body mass index = 25–35 kg m⁻²) were recruited and allocated to a control, cereal bar or almond snack group. Two packets of cereal bars and almonds were introduced for 12 weeks to the cereal bar group and the almond snack group, respectively. Dietary intakes and eating frequency were assessed by 4‐day unweighed diet diaries; visual analogue scales were used to assess hunger ratings; and fasting blood parameters (i.e. glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol) were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. In addition, anthropometric measures (height, weight, skinfold thickness, waist and hip circumference) were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks.

Results:  The present study found no significant change in the eating frequency within groups at 12 weeks. However, the almond snack group had a significantly higher eating frequency than the control group (P ≤ 0.05) and cereal bar group (P ≤ 0.01). This did not result in higher energy intake, body weight or percentage body fat in the almond snack group.

Conclusion:  The present study demonstrated that snacking on almonds, in comparison to cereal bars, promoted a higher eating frequency, but not a higher energy intake. Advice to snack on either almonds or cereal bars did not result in weight gain, suggesting that energy compensation took place.

Parents represent a potentially powerful intermediary in behaviour change strategies aimed at improving the lifestyle behaviours of young children. However, to fulfil this role, parents need to have the necessary knowledge and motivation to assimilate dietary guidelines. This study aimed to assess these psychosocial constructs, and subsequent parental receptiveness to nutrition education, through investigation of the barriers and benefits perceived by parents to the provision of a healthy diet and adequate exercise for their children. A qualitative methodology was employed and 41 parents took part in seven focus groups separated by socio‐economic status (SES).

Across the groups, a combination of reported external barriers and unconscious internal barriers, stemming from high optimistic bias, low perceived control and unrealistic health expectations, were observed. SES differences were suggested in restrictive feeding practices, the responsibility attributed to the school and in the level and format of desired nutrition education. Overall a demand for interventions focusing on behavioural techniques rather than fact transmission was uncovered, in particular the promotion of parental self‐awareness to reduce negative influences within the family food environment. Providing realistic definitions of appropriate behaviour and empowering parents to tackle children's weight issues were indicated as important targets for future education programmes.

Background  Trainee nurses, doctors and dietitians will direct the future of obesity treatment and prevention. To do so effectively, they must have sufficient knowledge regarding the health risks associated with obesity and feel that part of their professional role is to counsel obese patients regarding these risks.

Methods  An online survey collected data on professional roles, training needs and the Obesity Risk Knowledge‐10 (ORK‐10) scale from 38 dietetic, 88 nursing (Diploma), 74 nursing (Masters) and 389 medical students.

Results  Final‐year dietetic students demonstrated higher ORK‐10 scale scores than final‐year nursing (Dip), nursing (MSc) and medical students (P < 0.001). The majority of students agreed that part of their profession’s role was to counsel obese patients about the health risks associated with obesity. Dietetic students were more satisfied with the teaching they had received than each of the other student groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion  Future health care professionals recognize their responsibility to communicate health risk information to obese patients. Dietetic students have a sound knowledge base to support them in this. Educators of trainee nurses and doctors may like to respond to their students’ lower levels of knowledge and desire for more training.