Nutritional and vitamin status of preschool children]

The actual nutrition of children in nurseries taking into account the losses of food substances during food cooking and realization is inadequate to the current physiological standards for all food substances, especially, with respect to vitamins and mineral elements. This inadequacy has been proved by the laboratory and clinical parameters of vitamin status of children. In the winter-summer period when vitamin deficiency in the rations is most pronounced, deviations in the content of vitamins and their metabolites in the blood and urine, as well as the incidence of hypovitaminosis symptoms in children are more frequently recorded and in the most pronounced form.     

The impact of workplace smoking bans: results from a national survey

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impact of workplace smoking restrictions on the prevalence and intensity of smoking among all indoor workers and various demographic and industry groups. DESIGN: Detailed cross sectional data on worker self reported characteristics, smoking histories, and workplace smoking policies were used in multivariate statistical models to examine whether workplace smoking policies reduce cigarette consumption. After analysing the distribution of policies, four main types of workplace programme were defined: (1) 100% smoke-free environments, (2) work area bans in which smoking is allowed in some common areas, (3) bans in some but not all work and common areas, and (4) minimal or no restrictions. SETTING: After environmental tobacco smoke was identified as a health hazard in the mid-1980s, workplace smoking restrictions became more prevalent. By 1993, nearly 82% of indoor workers faced some restriction on workplace smoking and 47% worked in 100% smoke-free environments. PARTICIPANTS: The database included a nationally representative sample from the tobacco use supplements to the September 1992, January 1993, and May 1993 Current Population Surveys of 97,882 indoor workers who were not self employed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked daily by smokers. RESULTS: Having a 100% smoke-free workplace reduced smoking prevalence by 6 percentage points and average daily consumption among smokers by 14% relative to workers subject to minimal or no restrictions. The impact of work area bans was lessened by allowing smoking in some common areas. Smoke-free policies reduced smoking for all demographic groups and in nearly all industries. CONCLUSIONS: Requiring all workplaces to be smoke free would reduce smoking prevalence by 10%. Workplace bans have their greatest impact on groups with the highest rates of smoking.     

Prevalence of tobacco use in Eritrea: results from a noncommunicable disease risk factor survey.

The prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in Eritrea is increasing. Tobacco use is a recognized risk factor for most of these diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. No data have been published on tobacco use in Eritrea. The present study sought to establish the prevalence of tobacco smoking in Eritrea. The World Health Organization STEPwise approach was used for the survey, conducted in 2004 on a random national sample size of 2,460 subjects (response rate = 93.7%). The prevalence of tobacco smoking in the general population was 8.1%; the prevalence was 15% among men, compared with 0.6% among women. Prevalence rates were higher in those older than 45 years of age. The prevalence of tobacco smoking was higher among Muslims (11.4%) than Orthodox Christians (5.8%), and among alcohol drinkers (10.2%) than nondrinkers (6.6%). The majority of tobacco users (89.3%) used commercially available cigarettes. A study on knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding tobacco use is needed to determine the behavioral factors leading to tobacco smoking among the vulnerable groups.     

Health and safety practices in the nanomaterials workplace: results from an international survey

This article reports the findings of an international survey of nanomaterials firms and laboratories regarding their environmental health and safety (EHS) programs, engineering controls, personal protective equipment (PPE), exposure monitoring, waste disposal, product stewardship, and risk beliefs. While many participants reported not believing that nanomaterials pose special risks, nanospecific EHS programs were still widely reported. Most nanospecific EHS programs appeared to build from general EHS programs but included nanospecific workplace engineering controls and recommendations for clothing, gloves, eye protection, and respirators. Organizations with nanospecific EHS programs also reported providing product (safe use) guidance to consumers. However, workplace monitoring and nanospecific waste disposal were uneven and were only associated with the subset of organizations believing in special risks. A majority of organizations expressed a need for more toxicological information and EHS guidance. Overall, this study suggests that nanomaterials firms and laboratories are already attentive to nanospecific EHS and product stewardship issues. However, improved risk communication is needed to further the implementation of related programs. Organizations that are wholly inattentive to EHS would likely engage in nanospecific EHS upon implementing a staffed, general EHS program.     

Consumption, knowledge, and handling of raw meat: a representative cross-sectional survey in Germany, March 2001

Outbreaks of gastroenteritis have been repeatedly associated with the consumption of raw meat and raw meat products. To assess the potential of this problem in Germany, frequency of consumption and knowledge about and handling of raw meat during food preparation in the German population was estimated. We conducted a population-based nationwide cross-sectional survey in private households in March 2001 by random telephone numbers. Consenting German-speaking persons were randomly chosen among household members for standardized interviews. Proportions were standardized by age, sex, and region (eastern and western Germany). A total of 510 people were interviewed (response 45.1%), including 62.3% women and 31.8% considered at high risk (children younger than 10 years old, elderly more than 65 years old, and chronically ill persons). The mean age was 45.7 years. Of those who ate raw ground meat at least once a week, 17.8% lived in eastern Germany and 5.1% in western Germany, (chi-square test, P < 0.001). Teewurst was eaten by 50.8% of all respondents and 53.8% of respondents in the high-risk group. That salami or Teewurst were raw meat products was known to 58.1 and 36.3% of the respondents, respectively. Respondents reported not washing their hands (46.6%) or cleaning their cutting boards with soap (48.1%) after preparing raw meat. A total of 10.3% of the respondents had diarrhea during the last 3 months. Although knowledge is poor, consumption of raw meat products is widespread in Germany, even among high-risk persons. More information is necessary on which products contain raw meat, the potential risk of diarrhea after raw meat products are consumed, and appropriate handling of raw meat products.     

Implementing smoking bans in American hospitals: results of a national survey

OBJECTIVES—To determine how well hospitals complied with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) tobacco control standards, which required banning smoking in hospital buildings; to explore issues involved in developing and implementing smoking bans; and to ascertain the perceived success of the policies.
DESIGN—Postal survey conducted January through June 1994.
PARTICIPANTS—Stratified random sample of American hospitals surveyed by JCAHO (n = 1055).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Enacting smoking policies more restrictive than the JCAHO standard; the respondent's judgment of the relative success of the hospital's smoking policy.
RESULTS—More than 96% of hospitals complied with the smoking ban standard; 41.4% enacted policies that were more restrictive than required by JCAHO. Several characteristics were associated with exceeding JCAHO requirements: location in a "non-tobacco state"; having fewer than 100 beds; location in a metropolitan statistical area; having unionised employees; and having no psychiatric or substance abuse unit, favour having the same tobacco policy in psychiatry and substance abuse units as the rest of the hospital. More than 95% of respondents viewed their hospital's policy as successful. The JCAHO requirements and concern for employees' health were the major forces influencing hospitals to go smoke-free. Negative employee morale and lack of acceptance by visitors and patients were the most commonly cited barriers to overcome when implementing smoke-free policies.
CONCLUSIONS—Smoking bans were successfully implemented in American hospitals, with many restricting smoking beyond the JCAHO standard. Other industries wishing to follow hospitals' lead would be most likely to succeed in the context of a social norm favouring a smoking ban and regulation by an outside agency.


Keywords: smoke-free worksites; hospitals; United States     

Workplace smoking policies in the United States: results from a national survey of more than 100,000 workers

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of smoking policies in indoor work environments as reported by a nationally representative sample of workers in the United States. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of households within the United States. SETTING: All 50 state and the District of Columbia, 1992-93. PARTICIPANTS: Currently employed indoor workers 15 years of age and older who responded to the National Cancer Institute's Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (n = 100,561). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence and restrictiveness of workplace smoking policies as reported by workers currently employed in indoor workplaces in the United States. RESULTS: Most of the indoor workers surveyed (81.6%) reported that their place of work had an official policy that addressed smoking in the workplace; 46.0% reported that their workplace policy did not permit smoking in either the public/common areas--for example, restrooms and cafeterias--or the work areas of the workplace. The reporting of these "smoke-free" policies varied significantly by gender, age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and occupation of the worker. CONCLUSIONS: Although nearly half of all indoor workers in this survey reported that they had a smoke-free policy in their workplace, significant numbers of workers, especially those in blue-collar and service occupations, reported smoke-free rates well below the national average. If implemented, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration's proposed regulation to require worksites to be smoke-free has the potential to increase significantly the percentage of American workers covered by these policies and to eliminate most of the disparity currently found across occupational groups.


     

Smoking and erectile dysfunction: findings from a representative sample of Australian men

Objectives

To examine whether there is an association between smoking and erectile dysfunction in a representative sample of Australian men.

Design

Secondary analysis of cross‐sectional survey data from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships.

Participants

8367 Australian men aged 16–59 years.

Main outcome measures

Erectile dysfunction was identified in men who reported having had trouble keeping an erection when they wanted to, a problem which persisted for at least one month over the previous year. Variables examined in multivariate logistic regression analyses included age, education, presence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and current alcohol and tobacco consumption.

Results

Almost one in 10 of the respondents (9.1%) reported erectile dysfunction that lasted for at least one month over the previous year. More than a quarter (27.2%) of respondents were current smokers, with 20.9% smoking ⩽ 20 cigarettes per day, and 6.3% smoking > 20 cigarettes per day. Compared with non‐smokers, the adjusted odds ratios for erectile dysfunction were 1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 to 1.52, p  =  0.04) for those smoking ⩽ 20 cigarettes per day and 1.39 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.83, p  =  0.02) for those smoking > 20 cigarettes per day, after adjusting for other confounding factors. Older age, low level of education, and taking medications for cardiovascular disease were also independently and positively associated with erectile dysfunction. In contrast, moderate alcohol consumption (1–4 drinks per day) significantly reduced the likelihood of having erectile dysfunction.

Conclusions

Erectile dysfunction is a significant health concern affecting around one in 10 Australian men aged 16–59 years. Current smoking is significantly associated with erectile dysfunction in Australian males. This association was strengthened as the number of cigarettes smoked increased. Health promotion programmes could use the link between smoking and erectile dysfunction to help reduce smoking levels among men.     

Nutritional status in postconflict Afghanistan: evidence from the National Surveillance System Pilot and National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment

BACKGROUND: Two large-scale studies, the National Surveillance System (NSS) Pilot Study (2003-2004) and the National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA) 2003, were conducted by government, United Nations, and nongovernmental organizations in Afghanistan, as part of wider efforts characterizing Afghan livelihoods in relation to particular outcomes of interest: vulnerability to poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition. OBJECTIVE: To present the data from these two surveys with nutrition as the key outcome of interest, and to further construct the understanding of the underlying causes of malnutrition, thus providing public health practitioners and other sector specialists with insight into how a variety of sectoral programs can impact nutritional outcomes in Afghanistan. METHODS: The NSS gathered information on livelihoods, food security, and nutrition from 20 to 40 randomly selected households in each of 26 purposively selected sentinel sites (representative of livelihood zones) during November-December 2003 and May-June 2004. The NRVA gathered information nationally from households selected with a two-stage sampling (based on livelihood zone and then socioeconomic group) during July-September 2004. RESULTS: Acute malnutrition is below emergency levels for children under five. The level of chronic malnutrition in children under five indicates a problem of public health importance. Dietary diversity in Afghanistan is not as low as expected but still shows room for improvement, particularly in remote areas and with respect to food groups associated with adequate micronutrient intake. The findings also suggest that in addition to lack of adequate household food intake, recurrent illness and suboptimal infant and young child feeding and hygiene practices contribute to poor nutritional outcomes in this age group. The survey also found poor access to health care, markets, and water for household use. CONCLUSIONS: Improving nutritional status requires a multipronged approach, directly targeting malnutrition, coupled with economic growth, household livelihood security, social protection, access to public health services, and water and sanitation. Nutrition policy, programming, and monitoring need to reflect the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition. Future research needs to be designed to quantify the relative contribution of underlying causes of poor nutrition, allowing practitioners to prioritize responses aimed at improving nutritional outcomes.     

Consumer knowledge and use of open dates: results of a WEB-based survey

Consumers are relying increasingly on ready-to-eat (RTE) foods because they are convenient, quick, and easy. Open dates let consumers know by which date to purchase or use RTE foods for best quality. To further characterize consumer knowledge and use of open dates for specific refrigerated RTE foods (smoked seafood, cooked crustaceans, bagged salads, prewashed cut produce, soft cheeses, frankfurters, deli meats, fermented sausages, and deli salads), we conducted a nationally representative web-enabled survey (n=2060). Before purchasing RTE foods, 48 to 68% of respondents check open dates all or most of the time. Before preparing RTE foods, 43 to 64% of respondents check open dates all or most of the time. Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported that their senses were the most important factors in deciding whether to eat a refrigerated food, which is an unsafe practice. About one-third of respondents reported that an open date is the most important factor in deciding whether to eat a refrigerated food. Many respondents, however, do not understand the meanings of the different types of dates. Only 18% correctly defined the use-by date. The findings suggest consumers could benefit from education regarding open dates and recommended storage times for RTE foods.     

Analysis of mineral oil in food: results of a Belgian market survey

ABSTRACT

Recently, migration of mineral oil components from food contact materials into various foods has been reported. The analysis of mineral oil in food is complicated since it consists of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) comprising a complex mixture of linear, branched and cyclic compounds and variable amounts of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), mainly alkylated. Both MOSH and MOAH form ‘humps’ of unresolved peaks in the chromatograms with the same range of volatility. Since these two fractions have a different toxicological relevance, it is important to quantify them separately. Occurrence data on mineral oil are available only for a limited number of food groups and only from few countries. In Belgium, data on the contamination of food by mineral oil are lacking. In this contribution, an in-house validated online combination of liquid chromatography with gas chromatography (LC–GC) with flame ionisation detection (FID) was used for the quantification of MOSH and MOAH. Totally, 217 packed food samples were selected using a well-defined sampling strategy that targeted food categories which are highly consumed and categories suspected to contain mineral oil. For 19 samples, the method was not applicable. For the 198 remaining samples, MOSH was detected in 142 samples with concentrations up to 84.82 mg kg^?1. For the MOAH fraction, there are 175 samples with a concentration below the limits of quantification (LOQ), while 23 samples had a higher concentration ranging from 0.6 to 2.24 mg kg^?1. Finally, these results were compared with the action thresholds as proposed by the Scientific Committee (SciCom) of the Belgian Food Safety Agency (FAVV-AFSCA). Only one sample exceeded the threshold for MOSH, while the threshold for MOAH was exceeded in 23 samples. For the samples exceeding the action threshold, further investigation is needed to identify the contamination source.     

Cigarette advertising and promotional strategies in retail outlets: results of a statewide survey in California

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent and types of cigarette advertising materials in stores and to assess tobacco company compliance with the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis of a random sample of 586 stores that sold cigarettes. SETTING: US state of California. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Trained data collectors classified cigarette advertising materials by type (signs, displays, functional items), location (interior or exterior), and placement (below 3 feet (1 m) or near candy). RESULTS: California retail outlets featured 17.2 (SD 16.1) tobacco advertising materials on average, and 94% of stores featured at least some advertising. About 85% of these were within 4 feet (1.3 m) of the counter. About 50% of the stores had ads at or below 3 feet, and 23% had cigarette product displays next to candy. In violation of the MSA, 3% of stores featured signs with cartoons and 11% had large exterior signs. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco companies are aggressively using stores to market cigarettes. Moreover, the spirit of the MSA-to protect children from cigarette advertising-has not been realised. Future studies should monitor industry use of this venue and assess the impact of exposure to cigarette advertising materials in stores on adult smokers and youth.     

Occurrence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in animal- and plant-derived food: results of a survey across Europe

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are secondary metabolites of plant families such as Asteraceae or Boraginaceae and are suspected to be genotoxic carcinogens. Recent investigations revealed their frequent occurrence in honey and particularly in tea. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the PA content in animal- and plant-derived food from the European market, and to provide a basis for future risk analysis, a total of 1105 samples were collected in 2014 and 2015. These comprised milk and milk products, eggs, meat and meat products, (herbal) teas, and (herbal) food supplements collected in supermarkets, retail shops, and via the internet. PAs were detected in a large proportion of plant-derived foods: 91% of the (herbal) teas and 60% of the food supplements contained at least one individual PA. All types of (herbal) teas investigated were found to contain PAs, with a mean concentration of 460 µg kg^?1 dry tea (corresponding to 6.13 µg L^?1 in [herbal] tea infusion). The highest mean concentrations were found in rooibos tea (599 µg kg^?1 dry tea, 7.99 µg L^?1 tea infusion) and the lowest in camomile tea (274 µg kg^?1 dry tea, 3.65 µg L^?1 tea infusion). Occurrence of PAs in food supplements was found to be highly variable, but in comparable ranges as for (herbal) tea. The highest concentrations were present in supplements containing plant material from known PA-producing plants. In contrast, only 2% of the animal-derived products, in particular 6% of milk samples and 1% of egg samples, contained PAs. Determined levels in milk were relatively low, ranged between 0.05 and 0.17 µg L^?1 and only trace amounts of 0.10–0.12 µg kg^?1 were found in eggs. No PAs were detected in the other animal-derived products.     

Nutritional composition of dry-cured ham and its role in a healthy diet

Dry-cured ham is a traditional product with a strong presence in markets in the Mediterranean area. It is very popular with European consumers and is of enormous economic importance for the meat industry in the Mediterranean area. Although the great palatability of ham largely outweighs other considerations, aspects relating to health and wellbeing are increasingly important factors in consumer decisions. The potential role of ham in a context of healthy nutrition has not been clearly elucidated, especially considering that origins and production methods of dry-cured hams can induce differences in composition. The object of this review was on the one hand to provide an analysis of the components of dry-cured ham and their role in a healthy diet, and on the other hand to suggest possible strategies for improving its nutritional composition.     

Predictors and correlates of taste preferences in European children: The IDEFICS study

The present study investigated taste preferences in a sample of 1705 children aged 6 to 9 years from survey centres in Italy, Estonia, Cyprus, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, and Spain and aimed to identify factors correlated with taste preference. Children’s preferences for varying levels of sucrose (sweet) in apple juice and fat, sodium chloride (salt) and monosodium glutamate (umami) in crackers were assessed using paired-comparison tests. Socio-demographics (age, sex, parental education), early feeding practises (breastfeeding, introduction of fruits), parenting behaviour (TV viewing, using food as a reward) and taste threshold sensitivity for sucrose (sweet), sodium chloride (salt), caffeine (bitter) and monosodium glutamate (umami) were investigated as possible correlates of taste preferences. Parents reported on socio-demographics, early feeding and parenting behaviour. Taste thresholds were determined via a paired-comparison staircase method. Country of residence was the strongest factor related to preferences for all four tastes. Taste preferences also differed by age. Preference for sugar and salt increased between 6 and 9 years of age while preference for monosodium glutamate decreased. The age differences remained significant even after adjustment for sex, country of residence, parental education and early feeding habits. Sex, parental education, early feeding habits, TV viewing, using food as a reward and taste thresholds were not consistently related to taste preferences among the survey centres. In summary, the results highlight the importance of culture and age in taste preferences in children younger than 10 years of age.     

Ochratoxin A in beverages from Morocco: a preliminary survey

In a preliminary study, samples of Moroccan wines (n = 30), beers (n = 5) and fruit juices (n = 14) were assayed for ochratoxin A (OTA) by HPLC with fluorimetric detection, followed by confirmation by cleavage of the OTA molecule using carboxypeptidase with HPLC-fluorimetric determination of ochratoxin alpha (OT alpha). All the wine samples were contaminated, and the overall median OTA concentration was 0.65 microg/l (range 0.028-3.24 microg/l). One of the 14 samples of fruit juices was contaminated with a concentration of 1.16 microg/l, whereas none of the five beer samples was contaminated. This is the first report on the occurrence of OTA in various beverages from Morocco.