The role of positive psychological constructs in diet and eating behavior among people with metabolic syndrome: A qualitative study

Positive Psychological (PP) constructs (e.g., optimism and gratitude) may impact the adherence to healthy behaviors, including diet, though prior studies have shown mixed findings. This qualitative study explored the relationships between PP constructs and dietary behaviors among 21 adults with metabolic syndrome through semi-structured interviews. Directed content analysis led to five themes: eating healthfully leads to PP constructs, PP constructs lead to eating healthfully, eating healthfully prevents negative emotions, healthy behaviors associated with diet, and an upward healthy spiral. Given the close relationship between PP constructs and diet, these may be targeted to improve diet in risk populations through interventions that promote well-being.

Associations of Caregiver Cooking Skills with Child Dietary Behaviors and Weight Status: Results from the A-CHILD Study

We examined whether caregiver cooking skills were associated with frequency of home cooking, child dietary behaviors, and child body weight status in Japan. We used cross-sectional data from the 2018 Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty study, targeting primary and junior high school students aged 9–14 years in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan (n = 5257). Caregiver cooking skills were assessed using a scale with good validity and reliability modified for use in Japan. Child heights and weights derived from school heath checkup data were used to calculate WHO standard body mass index z-scores. After adjusting for potential confounders, caregivers with low-level cooking skills were 4.31 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.68–6.94) times more likely to have lower frequency of home cooking than those with high level of cooking skills. Children with low-level caregiver cooking skills were 2.81 (95% CI: 2.06–3.84) times more likely to have lower frequency of vegetable intake and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.08–2.82) times more likely to be obese. A low level of caregiver cooking skills was associated with infrequent home cooking, unhealthy child dietary behaviors, and child obesity.

Mediating Effects of Emotional Self-Efficacy on Food Consumption and Dietary Quality Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Survey on Chinese Individuals (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The prevalence of psychosocial distress is increasing worldwide, which impacts people’s dietary behaviors and habits. Preparing and cooking food may facilitate the mitigation of psychosocial distress during epidemic-related quarantines. Emotional self-efficacy (ESE) measures various aspects of perceiving and understanding emotions and helping others modulate their emotions. ESE affects dietary behaviors and habits and mediates the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and diet-related behavior. OBJECTIVE This study attempts to identify whether the predictor variable, socioeconomic status, and the criterion variable, dietary quality, form a linear relationship. The statistical association between SES and dietary quality may be higher when considering ESE than when it is not considered. METHODS A questionnaire survey was designed to evaluate the impact of ESE on food-related behavior and that of SES on dietary quality. Adults from Mainland China participated in a web-based survey from April to June 2020. Factor analysis was used to report the survey results and item reliability. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify the association between ESE and dietary behavior, and further analytics analyzed how socioeconomic factors affected the dietary quality of those who were influenced by food advertising promotion (FAP). RESULTS The data derived from 441 responses showed that the ESE scale exhibited satisfactory internal consistency and predictive validity for Chinese individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly decreased the food-consumption level, particularly in the case of salty snacks and alcoholic beverages. The respondents who reported a higher SES tended to have a higher ESE level than those with a lower SES. ESE mediated the relationship between SES and dietary quality (β=-.019, P<.001). When considering the influence of ESE, the direct association between SES and dietary quality was stronger than when ESE was not considered (β=.094, P<.05). Furthermore, this direct relationship was stronger for those who were influenced by FAP (β=-.317, P<.05). CONCLUSIONS The relationship between SES and food consumption with regard to dietary quality is stronger for people who encounter environmental influences. ESE is a well-established tool for evaluating how people cope with negative emotions. The findings support the mediating impact of ESE on the conditional process linking SES to dietary quality, which provides further insights about the dynamic process of psychological constructs in behavioral outcomes. This study highlights that the lockdown imposed to contain an infectious agent affected people’s dietary behaviors and habits and advocates for organized nutritional support during future epidemic-related quarantines.

COVID-19’s Impact on Burden and Nutrition for Family Caregivers of People With Parkinson’s Disease

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms; however how COVID-19 has impacted family caregivers of people with PD (PwPD) is unknown. A 38-item open-and closed-ended online survey that explored caregiver burden and nutrition behaviors during COVID-19 was completed by 34 caregivers. Quantitative variables related to how COVID-19 has impacted caregiver burden are reported as percentages. Responses to open-ended questions related to COVID-19’s impact on caregiver burden and dietary behaviors were double-coded by two researchers, differences in codes were discussed until consensus was reached, and themes were finalized. The mean age of caregivers was 67.2±8.7 (47-82 years of age) and the majority were female (64.7%). Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 61.7% of caregivers felt their relationship with their PwPD stayed the same or slightly improved, 41% reported having to make a slight or increased number of adjustments to their schedules to provide care and experienced a slight or increased physical strain because of providing care. 58.8% reported a slight or increased number of times they felt sad/hopeless and 76.5% reported a slight or increased number of times they felt anxious/worried. Themes related to COVID-19’s impacts on caregiver burden included: fear, stress, and isolation; increased caregiver responsibilities; no change in caregiving. Themes highlighting COVID-19’s impact on dietary behaviors included: healthier dietary patterns; increase in snack foods and boredom eating; no change in dietary patterns. Results suggest COVID-19 has negatively impacted caregiver well-being and further exploration in changes in dietary intake are warranted.

Snack Food Consumption across the Pune Transect in India: A Comparison of Dietary Behaviors Based on Consumer Characteristics and Locations

This study examines patterns of snack food consumption (SFC) in the rural-urban-slum transect (RUST) of a large city Pune and its precincts (population 10 million) in India. The transect structure aims to mimic a representative survey for the location capturing differences by age, gender, urbanicity, and socio-economic levels. Dietary data from 1405 individuals were used to describe snacking patterns and other food consumed at different frequencies; extent of physical activity; and Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference of children, adolescents, and adults. Our results indicate high incidence of SFC across all population age groups, gender, socio-economic levels, and locations. A distinctive finding in relation to studies in high income countries is the prevalence of hunger snacking with 70% identifying hunger as the primary reason for SFC. Apart from hunger, particularly for adolescents, peer influence and social interactions played a significant role in SFC. Dietary behaviors of slum dwellers were characterized by three-quarters of them having SFC together with family members at home. SFC supplemented calories for low-income consumers and complemented calorie intake for high income ones. No significant association with BMI is possibly due to obesogenic SFC being likely offset by lower consumption of non-snack food and higher physical activity among poor and slum dwellers. Promoting awareness about diets and lifestyles, improving physical and economic access to healthier snacks and nutrient dense foods can improve diet quality in a large and heterogeneous population such as Pune.

Food and Nutrition Related Concerns Post Lockdown during COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Association with Dietary Behaviors

This study aimed to explore food and nutrition related concerns during the post-lockdown period and their impacts on food shopping, preparation, and eating behaviors. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted through online questionnaire. We collected data on food and nutrition related concerns, socio-demographic characteristics, and changes in dietary behaviors. Participants: A total of 2267 responses were received from people living in 31 provinces across mainland China and 1994 participants were included in the final analysis. Analysis: Linear and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association among food and nutrition related concerns, socio-demographic factors, and dietary behaviors Results: About 56% of participants reported moderate to high levels of concerns related to food and nutrition. Contracting the virus when dining out or through contaminated foods were the top two concerns, followed by overnutrition. Higher levels of concerns were found among people who were older, overweight, or obese, having lower income and education, and living in urban areas, or whose family contained vulnerable individuals. Compared with the pre-COVID-19 period, people who were more concerned about food and nutrition were more likely to report changes in their food purchases and consumption; they were also more likely to eat from individual plates, using serving chopsticks, and separating plates and utensils for raw and cooked foods during the post COVID-19 lockdown period. Conclusion and Implication: Food and nutrition related concerns during the post-lockdown period were prevalent and associated with changes in dietary behaviors. Preventative policies and nutritional guidance should be developed to address these concerns in order to reduce inappropriate dietary behaviors amid public health crises.