Food preferences predict eating behavior of very young Mohawk children

OBJECTIVE: To collect baseline data on energy and nutrient intake and nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of very young Mohawk children to assist the community in planning an appropriate, targeted nutrition and exercise intervention. DESIGN: Energy and nutrient intake data were collected from 24-hour recalls conducted in the children's homes. Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behavior were assessed using a 38-item questionnaire that asked children to report on what foods they like the best, eat most of the time, and think are healthful. The questionnaire was completed in an elementary school on the reservation. Before data collection, we hypothesized that the average diet of the Mohawk children would not meet national dietary recommendations. SUBJECTS: One hundred forty-three children, prekindergarten through third grade (aged 4 to 9 years), completed the 24-hour recalls and the questionnaire. An additional 136 children, also prekindergarten through third grade, completed the questionnaire (n = 279). STATISTICS: Analysis of variance with a Scheffe's multiple-comparison test was used to test for differences among grades and genders for energy and nutrient intake and questionnaire scores. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between eating behavior and selected variables. RESULTS: A mean daily energy intake of 1,980 kcal consisted of 34% fat, 13% protein, and 52% carbohydrate with 13 g fiber and 235 mg cholesterol. Food preferences were the strongest predictor of behavior, they explained 71% of the variation in the behavior score. APPLICATIONS: The major finding of this study, that food preferences are the strongest predictor of reported eating behavior in very young Mohawk children, has implications for behavior change interventions. Focusing on changing what children like to eat, through repeated exposure to new foods in a positive social context, is more likely to change what foods they choose than is simple nutrition education.     

Males and eating disorders: Gender-based therapy for eating disorder recovery.

Mental health professionals may wonder how males with eating disorders differ from females with eating disorders and how best to treat males with eating disorders. The eating disorder literature largely focuses on females. Limited research has examined assessment and treatment of eating disorders in males. This article offers a unique view of eating disorder treatment for males by integrating it with the literature on the psychology of men. Mental health professionals are given practical suggestions to guide eating disorder recovery in males. A case example shows treatment considerations for working with males with disordered eating behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of dietary fiber supplementation in man. I. Modification of eating habits

Six subjects were studied for an 8-week period that consisted of a 3-week control period, followed by a 3-week period during which their daily diets were supplemented with 3 oz of a high fiber breakfast food, All-bran, and a final 2 weeks on their regular diet. Daily diet records of food intake were recorded and analyzed for seven dietary constituents; carbohydrates, proteins, fats, cholesterol, fiber, alcohol, and total calories. The most significant change in eating behavior due to the fiber food supplementation was a decrease in eating eggs, butter, and breakfast meats. These foods were most often replaced because all six subjects chose to eat the major portion of All-bran during breakfast. An increase in milk and fruit also occurred during the supplemented feeding. These particular foods were added to make All-bran more palatable and served to increase carbohydrate and protein intake. Five subjects added the supplement to the between meal-time intake and thus caused an increase in total daily caloric intake. At lunch and dinner few foods were altered with no particular pattern of substitution. Notwithstanding the knowledge that increased fiber content may have beneficial effects, none of the subjects modified his eating behavior to include even 1 oz of a high fiber food daily after the experimental period was concluded. Thus behavior modification by forced diet intake of a high fiber breakfast food resulted in definite diet pattern changes that did not persist following the experimental period.     

Childhood abuse, body image disturbance, and eating disorders

Studies have suggested that women who experience child sexual abuse are at risk for developing symptoms related to anorexia nervosa and bulimia. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships among childhood sexual and physical abuse, body image disturbance, and eating disorder symptomatology. Of 670 female college students screened for childhood abuse, 29 sexually abused, 32 physically abused, and 29 nonabused women completed measures of eating disorder symptoms, psychological factors thought to be related to eating disorders, and body image distortion. Contrary to previous reports, there was no evidence that child sexual or physical abuse was associated with the development of body image disturbance. Furthermore, the results did not support the hypothesis that child sexual and physical abuse are related to eating disorder symptomatology. It is suggested that subjects who are victims of child sexual abuse and who are receiving psychotherapy manifest higher rates of a number of different types of psychopathology, including eating disorders.     

Age and food preferences influence dietary intakes of breast care patients.

Identifying major influences on food choice is an important component of nutrition intervention research. Sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and self-reported preferences for meats, fats, vegetables, and fruit were examined in 329 female breast care patients. Intakes of fat, saturated fat, fiber, folate, and vitamin C, established using 4-day food diaries, were the chief health outcome variables. The strongest predictor of food preferences was age. Preferences were linked to food intakes. Older women consumed less energy and saturated fat and more dietary fiber and vitamin C than did young women. Age-related decline in taste sensitivity to PROP was associated with increased liking for bitter cruciferous vegetables. Age-associated changes in food preference and eating habits have implications for the dietary approach to cancer prevention and control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Food flavor and nutritional characteristics alter dynamics of food preference in lambs

We addressed two questions involving food preference. First, we determined how a food's flavor and nutritional characteristics affected preference. In three trials, we offered lambs isonitrogenous foods differing in energy (trial 1, 90% TDN; trial 2, 100% TDN; trial 3, 110% TDN); each food was offered in apple and maple flavors. We hypothesized that preference for apple- or maple-flavored food would decrease with increasing duration of exposure (1, 2, or 4 d), and we speculated that the change in preference would intensify when food contained inadequate or excessive levels of energy. After eating food in one flavor, lambs preferred the alternative flavor, even after only a 1-d exposure, and preference for the alternative flavor was greater when the food had inadequate or excessive energy (P < .05). The second experiment determined whether eating a food with rapidly or slowly digestible sources of energy in the morning affected lambs' food preferences in the evening. We speculated that lambs fed rapidly digestible food in the morning may prefer a slowly digestible food in the afternoon because slowly digestible food better maintains nutrient status throughout the night or because preference for the rapidly digestible food decreases after exposure in the morning. We offered lambs isonitrogenous and isocaloric foods, that differed in rates of digestion, in apple and maple flavors. Lambs fed rapidly digestible food in the morning preferred slowly digestible food in the alternative flavor in the evening. However, lambs fed slowly digestible food in either flavor in the morning preferred slowly digestible food in both flavors in the evening (P < .05). These results show that lambs' preferences change as a result of food ingestion, and the degree of change in preference depends on the nutritional characteristics of the food. These findings further suggest food intake might be increased by providing a variety of foods to livestock on rangelands, pastures, or in confinement.     

Gender issues and eating disorders

Sexual problems are not specific for eating disorders. The etiology is complex and no one single causal facter has been identified. However, clinical as well as epidemiological studies have shown that eating disorders occur more commonly in females than males. The evidence that eating disorders are more common in females has resulted in the postulation that socio-cultural factors may be important. An important aspect of the socio-cultural position of women which may contribute to eating disorders is the conflict in roles. Clinical experience and research have shown the important role of sexual problems and traumas in the development of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. When compared to anorexics, bulimics reported greater sexual interest and activity.     

Binge eating proneness emerges during puberty in female rats: A longitudinal study.

Puberty is a critical risk period for binge eating and eating disorders characterized by binge eating. Previous research focused almost entirely on psychosocial risk factors during puberty to the relative exclusion of biological influences. The current study addressed this gap by examining the emergence of binge eating during puberty in a rat model. We predicted that there would be minimal differences in binge eating proneness during pre-early puberty, but significant differences would emerge during puberty. Two independent samples of female Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 30 and n = 36) were followed longitudinally across pre-early puberty, mid-late puberty, and adulthood. Binge eating proneness was defined using the binge eating resistant (BER)/binge eating prone (BEP) model of binge eating that identifies BER and BEP rats in adulthood. Across two samples of rats, binge eating proneness emerged during puberty. Mixed linear models showed little difference in palatable food intake between BER and BEP rats during pre-early puberty, but significant group differences emerged during mid-late puberty and adulthood. Group differences could not be accounted for by changes in nonpalatable food intake or body weight. Similar to patterns in humans, individual differences in binge eating emerge during puberty in female rats. These findings provide strong confirming evidence for the importance of biological risk factors in developmental trajectories of binge eating risk across adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Restrained eating: An experimental disentanglement of the disinhibiting variables of perceived calories and food type.

The influence of food type on the restrained eating pattern was examined. In Study 1, subjects rated the degree to which each of 149 foods were dietary permissable or dietary forbidden. The number of avoided foods correlated positively with restraint score. Study 2 compared Herman and Mack's (1975) 1- and 2-milk shake preloads to two nonforbidden preloads of equivalent calories. Food type, and not perceived calories, was found to be the element of the preload required to cause disinhibition among restrained eaters, both within the experiment and outside the experimental setting. Study 3 examined the effects of anticipated consumption (varying food type and calories) on the restrained eating pattern. Only restrained eaters anticipating a forbidden food (whether high or low in calories) were disinhibited. The restrained literature was reconsidered in light of the forbidden food hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dietary variety, energy regulation, and obesity.

Increased variety in the food supply may contribute to the development and maintenance of obesity. Thirty-nine studies examining dietary variety, energy intake, and body composition are reviewed. Animal and human studies show that food consumption increases when there is more variety in a meal or diet and that greater dietary variety is associated with increased body weight and fat. A hypothesized mechanism for these findings is sensory-specific satiety, a phenomenon demonstrating greater reductions in hedonic ratings or intake of foods consumed compared with foods not consumed. Nineteen studies documenting change in preference, intake, and hedonic ratings of food after a food has been eaten to satiation in animals and humans are reviewed, and the theory of sensory-specific satiety is examined. The review concludes with the relevance of oral habituation theory as a unifying construct for the effects of variety of sensory-specific satiety, clinical implications of dietary variety and sensory-specific satiety on energy regulation, and suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genes and environment have gender-independent influences on the eating and drinking of free-living humans

Males and females differ in the amounts of food and fluids they ingest. Previous studies suggest that this may be due to differences in genetic influences on intake. Gender differences in the heritability of food and fluid intake were investigated with 110 identical and 102 fraternal same-sex and 53 fraternal mixed-gender adult twin pairs who were paid to maintain 7-day food intake diaries. Linear structural modeling revealed significant genetic influences on the overall and meal intakes of foods and fluids and specific beverage and food types. No gender differences were found in the genes that influence intake or, for the most part, in the magnitude of the genetic influences on intake. However, gender differences were found for the between-meal intakes of fluids, being influenced by heredity for males but by common, familial, environment for females. The data suggest that intakes are equivalently influenced by inheritance and individual environment for both males and females and that most gender differences are due to a simple multiplicative difference between intakes possibly due to body size and/or caloric expenditure differences.     

Lack of Interference in Long-Term Memory for Socially Learned Food Preferences in Rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Outside the laboratory, rats (Rattus norvegicus) are likely both to interact with several conspecifics that have eaten various foods and to eat a variety of foods themselves before they encounter any particular food for which they have a socially enhanced preference. Here the authors examine the stability of rats' socially learned food preferences following 6 days of potentially disruptive ingestive experiences. The authors found that 6 days of (a) eating unfamiliar foods, (b) interacting with demonstrators that had eaten unfamiliar foods, or (c) both eating unfamiliar foods and interacting with demonstrators that had eaten those foods had no measurable effect on rats' socially learned food preferences. The stability of socially enhanced food preferences over time and despite potentially disruptive experiences is consistent with the view that social learning about foods is an important determinant of the food choices of free-living Norway rats. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship of daily stress and health-related behaviors to adolescents' cholesterol levels

It has been well established that some of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease are related to lifestyle, that is, behaviors that are potentially modifiable. Although studies have identified psychosocial stress as a factor associated with elevated cholesterol levels in adults, this relationship has not been thoroughly examined in adolescents. The present study investigated the relationship between daily life events and total cholesterol levels among 104 high school students. The contributions of health-related behaviors, such as dietary patterns, physical activity, smoking, and television viewing, were also examined. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that scores on a scale of daily life events explained a significant portion of the variance in cholesterol measurements. However, when the sample was stratified by gender, this effect remained significant for adolescent females but not males. Overall, females reported a greater degree of negative health behaviors than did males. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Emotional arousal, eating patterns, and body image as differential factors associated with varying success in maintaining a weight loss.

Compared 19 female and 3 male overweight Ss who had maintained a weight loss for a 1-yr period by means of questionnaires, interviews, and tests with 30 females and 4 males who had regained the weight they had lost and 28 female and 11 male normal controls. The regainers indicated eating in response to a variety of states of emotional arousal. The maintainers reported that eating was more specific to loneliness and boredom; results from the control group showed that food consumption was primarily in response to hunger. The regainers rated the concept of eating in a more positive and active direction than did the maintainer group. The regainers' greater difficulty in maintaining a weight loss may be related to a large number of emotional states that are discriminative stimuli for food intake. (30 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Epidemiological study of hypertension and its determinants in an urban population of North India

OBJECTIVES: To determine age-specific prevalence of hypertension and blood pressure (BP) levels in relation to diet and lifestyle factors in North Indians. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey in 20 randomly selected streets in Moradabad, North India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1806 subjects from North India (904 males and 902 females) age range 25-64 years. The survey methods were as follows: dietary diaries for 7 days food intake record; BP measurements; physician administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Diagnosis of hypertension was based on new World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension (WHO/ISH) criteria. Risk factors were assessed based on WHO guidelines. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension according to WHO/ISH criteria was 23.7% and by old WHO criteria 13.3%. In the WHO/ISH hypertensive group, isolated diastolic hypertension was present in 47.3% males and 40.6% females. Males have a slightly higher prevalence than females in the young age group, however, the prevalence rates are comparable in the older age groups. In both sexes, the prevalence rates and BP level increased with older age. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, higher body mass index, central obesity and higher socioeconomic status were independently and strongly associated with hypertension in both sexes. Higher dietary fat and salt intake and lower physical activity were weakly but significantly associated with hypertension. CONCLUSION: Association of higher socioeconmic status, higher body mass index and central obesity in North Indian adults with higher fat intake, lower physical activity and higher prevalence and level of hypertension indicate that these populations may benefit by decreasing the dietary fat intake and increasing physical activity, with an aim to decrease central obesity for decreasing hypertension in North Indians.     

Collaborative versus directive interventions in the treatment of eating disorders: Implications for care providers.

Given that individuals with eating disorders, are typically ambivalent about changing their eating patterns, what approach is most helpful in working with this challenging group? This research compared the responses of clients with eating disorders and those of care providers to written clinical vignettes. All participants rated collaborative interventions as more acceptable and more likely to produce positive clinical outcomes than directive interventions. In addition, clients who were least ready for change rated directive interventions as less acceptable and less likely to produce adherence than did clients who were more ready. Despite participants' clear preference for collaborative interventions, directive interventions were rated as equally likely to occur. The implications of participant preferences and reasons that these preferences may not be reflected in actual clinical practice are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of dietary restraint, obesity, and gender on holiday eating behavior and weight gain.

This investigation evaluated the impact of dietary restraint, relative weight, and gender on holiday eating behavior and weight gain. 65 Ss (31 men and 34 women) completed detailed food records for the 2 days before, the 4 days during, and the 2 days after the Thanksgiving weekend. Results indicated increased eating during the Thanksgiving holiday, with men eating more than women and the obese eating less than the nonobese. There was also a significant Total Restraint?×?Weight?×?Time interaction, with unrestrained normal-weight subjects behaving similarly to high-restrained overweight subjects over time. There was also a highly reliable Total Restraint?×?Sex?×?Time interaction. The most striking finding from this interaction was that high-restrained women displayed decreases in their dietary intake over time. Correlational analyses revealed that restraint scores were negatively associated with dietary intake over the 8-day period but were positively associated with weight gain. The implications for dieting, eating behavior, and energy balance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking status, dietary intake, and physical activity in a sample of working adults.

The present study examined differences in dietary intake and physical activity by smoking status in a sample of 3,250 working adults. Cross-sectionally, current smokers consumed alcohol, dairy products, meat, eggs, and french fries more frequently, and engaged in leisure time physical activity less frequently, than former or never smokers. Over 2 years, current smokers increased their intake of meat, soft drinks, eggs, and total calories from high fat and high calorie foods compared to never or former smokers. Smokers who quit during the 2-year observation period increased their frequency of sweets consumption. Dietary and physical activity variables appear to be weak predictors of postcessation weight change. Implications for studies of chronic disease etiology and mechanisms of postcessation weight gain are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in food-related concerns, beliefs and behaviours of north Queensland adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To describe the beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and knowledge of North Queensland adolescents about food and nutrition. METHODOLOGY: A questionnaire surveyed 791 Year 8 students from private schools. RESULTS: More girls than boys felt guilt about food, sometimes ate from boredom, reported trying to select foods that were good for them and were concerned about the fat content of food; 30% of boys and 17% of girls thought they should be concerned about their food intake only when overweight. Low daily dietary intakes were reported for bread, fruit, vegetables and dairy products with only 24% eating at least one fruit, one vegetable, one dairy product and one core cereal food daily. Fat and sugar intake was high: 41% students ate high fat savoury foods and 53% ate high sugar foods at least seven times during the week. Parents, television and school provided information about food and nutrition to 70-80% of these students, followed by friends and magazines with doctors and teachers providing information on weight and weight loss to 10% of students. CONCLUSIONS: Doctors should be aware of the low intake of recommended foods as well as the high intakes of fat and sugar among adolescents and the gender differences in food related beliefs and behaviours when treating nutrition related diseases and providing guidance for their prevention.     

Nutritional factors and colon carcinoma: a case-control study involving French Canadians in Montréal, Quebec, Canada

BACKGROUND: In a population-based case-control study of colon carcinoma and nutrition involving the francophone community in Greater Montreal, a total of 402 cases (200 males and 202 females) and 668 controls (239 males and 429 females) were interviewed. METHODS: Cases from 1989-1993 were identified through the admission offices of 5 major francophone teaching hospitals in Montreal and were ages 35-79 years. Controls matched by age, place of residence, and language were selected by a modified random digit dialing method. Information on dietary intake was collected with a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: No associations were evident between colon carcinoma and total energy, protein, or carbohydrate consumption, whereas a suggestive inverse association was found with total fat intake, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.78 (P = 0.0637), and with saturated fat intake as well (OR = 0.71, P = 0.0893). A strongly significant inverse association was found with dietary fiber (OR = 0.50, P = 0.0018). The strongest inverse association concerning fiber was found with fiber from vegetable sources (OR = 0.57, P = 0.0096), and a suggestive (although nonsignificant) inverse association (OR = 0.74, P = 0.0687) was found with fiber from fruits. Calcium was inversely associated with risk (OR = 0.69, P = 0.0411), as was dietary intake of vitamin A (OR = 0.67, P = 0.0162), retinol, (OR = 0.069, P = 0.0409), vitamin E (OR = 0.53, P = 0.0028), and alphatocopherol (OR = 0.63, P = 0.0256). Although there was no association demonstrated between dietary beta-carotene intake and risk, a suggestive (although nonsignificant) inverse association with intake of other types of carotene was observed (OR = 0.76, P = 0.0740). No association was found between intake of other nutrients investigated in this study and risk of colon carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: There is strong evidence from epidemiologic studies that high intake of fat and meat are risk factors for colorectal carcinoma in humans, whereas high intake of vegetable and fruit are inversely associated with risk of colon carcinoma. The findings from this study are in agreement with this observation.