The attitudes and nutritional knowledge of 11‐ to 12‐year‐olds in Merseyside and Northern Ireland

School is a major area for providing young people with nutritional knowledge and skills. In Northern Ireland home economics (HE) is taught to 11‐ to 12‐year‐olds. The 1988 Education Reform Act introduced the national curriculum and HE as a subject was effectively abolished in English schools, and key stage 3 pupils in England are taught nutrition in Science, Design and Technology and in the cross curricular theme of health education. The aim of the study was to compare the attitudes and nutritional knowledge of children in Merseyside, England (M) and Northern Ireland (NI). A questionnaire was designed, which examined attitudes to aspects of healthy eating and tested the subject's knowledge, practical and theoretical, on nutrition and healthy eating. Subjects aged 11–12 years were recruited (M: 541, NI: 128). The majority ‘understood and knew what to eat to have a healthy diet’, ‘liked the taste of healthy food’ and considered that ‘there were healthy foods at home’. However, a significantly greater number in Merseyside agreed that ‘their health will be affected in the future by what they eat now’ (M: 71%, NI: 54%, P < 0.01) and agreed that ‘they enjoyed cooking’ (M: 76%, NI: 56%, P < 0.01). Whereas more from Northern Ireland agreed that ‘they do not know what foods to eat to have a healthy diet’ (M: 14%, NI: 30%, P < 0.01), ‘that healthy eating involved “dieting” ’ (M: 29%, NI: 59%, P < 0.01) and agreed that ‘there are no healthy food choices at school’ (M: 23% NI: 42%, P < 0.01). More subjects from Merseyside disagreed that ‘healthy eating is a waste of time’ (M: 87%, NI: 77%, P < 0.01). The mean knowledge scores (correct answers) from Merseyside were significantly greater than from Northern Ireland (total score: M: 51%, NI: 43%P < 0.05; practical score: M: 58%, NI: 49%P < 0.05, theory score: M: 38%, NI: 31%, P < 0.05). The results indicate that the healthy food message seems to have been better learnt by children in Merseyside but results of surveys in Merseyside into eating habits suggest that many have not put this knowledge into practice.     

Consumers' interest in learning about cooking: the influence of age,gender and education

General and governmental interest in cooking has increased recently. In part this may be because the acquisition of food preparation skills may make individuals less dependent on processed foods and reduce risks of overweight and obesity. However, little research has been conducted on consumers' interests in learning about cooking. Therefore in 2012 an online survey was conducted in Australia among 1023 adult food preparers with the aim of determining what and how they wanted to learn to cook. Questions were asked about interest in learning about cooking‐related topics, specific main meals and cooking techniques, preferred ways to learn, and their demographic characteristics. Frequency and cross‐tabulation analyses were used to compare the responses across demographic categories, and content and correspondence analyses were used to analyse meal preferences and age‐related differences. The findings show that 71% of the sample wanted to learn more about cooking. Respondents wanted to learn to cook a wide range of evening meals, especially ethnic dishes (e.g. Chinese, Thai, Italian, ‘Asian’). Most preferred to learn from television (68%), newspapers and magazines (41%), although attendance at cooking classes (34%), YouTube (27%) and special newsletters (24%) were also popular. There were few, weak associations between interest in cooking and the respondents' demographic characteristics. The findings are discussed in relation to the common problems faced by all domestic food preparers and the major opportunities to communicate about cooking.     

The effect of sunlight on the colour of Ghanaian cotton printed fabrics

Abstract In a 3·2·2 factorial experiment in three replicates, Ghanaian cotton prints (Real Wax, Real Java, Batik) were studied. Specimens were hand washed in soap solution, rinsed in clean water and dried in shade or sunlight twice a week for 3 weeks. Unwashed specimens were similarly sun-dried or aired. All specimens were exposed to a total of 42 h in the sun or shade. Colour loss was measured by means of a grey scale. The specimens lost significantly more colour (P < 0·01) when dried in the sun (3·96) than when dried in the shade (4·09). Irrespective of the drying method, washed fabrics lost significantly more colour (P<0·01) (3·96) than unwashed ones (4·09). There was no significant interaction effect (P > 0·01) between method of drying and fabric type. However, there was a significant interaction (P<0·01) between fabric type and washing or airing. The grey scale mean for washing was 4·03 for Wax, 3·81 for Batik and 3·75 for Java. For airing, Batik, Wax and Java had means of 4·22, 4·19 and 4·17 respectively. Thus, Real Wax was the most stable when washed, whereas Batik was the most stable to airing. It is suggested that drying or airing of these fabrics be performed in the shade to preserve their colour.     

Effects of selected emulsifiers,enzymes and a carbohydrate-based fat substitute on physical and sensory characteristics in a low-fat muffin

Abstract Selected emulsifiers, enzymes and a carbohydrate-based fat substitute were incorporated into a standard muffin recipe, and their effects were compared with a full-fat counterpart. The control muffin had a significantly (P<0·01) more yellow crumb, was less firm (P<0·01) and contained less moisture (P<0·01). Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL) and diacetyl tartaric acid methyl esters (DATEM) contributed to a less firm crumb (P<0·01) and helped to maintain moisture (P<0·01) in the fat-reduced muffin. Sensory analysis yielded complementary results to the physical data with respect to crumb firmness and crust colour. However, the full-fat muffin was significantly (P<0·01) moister. The emulsifiers along with the enzymes were found to be responsible for reducing crumb size (P<0·01).     

The habit of eating rice in four countries: Japan,China, Spain and France

To determine differences in rice-eating habits in Japan, China (Shandong), Spain (Catalonia) and France (Alsace), the frequency of eating rice, the volume eaten per meal and the varieties of rice dishes were compared. A total of 486 housewives were surveyed: 125 Japanese, 99 Chinese, 141 Spanish and 121 French. Rice was eaten, on average, 12·1 and 8·2 times a week in Japan and China respectively, but only 0·9 times a week in Spain and France. In Japan, China and Spain, more than 50 g (raw rice) per meal was normally eaten. French subjects ate almost the same amount in only 30% of the total time for eating. In all four countries, rice cooked at home was predominant. In Japan, plain rice was an everyday dish, whereas ‘sushi’ was eaten only once every 2 weeks. Chinese everyday rice dishes were plain rice and rice porridge. In Spain, ‘paella’ and ‘boiled rice with tomato sauce’ were popular. Rice was used both as a main ingredient and as a supplementary ingredient in Spain. In France, boiled rice and ‘Creole-style rice’ were eaten as a supplement to main dishes. In these two countries, most rice dishes were seasoned with salt and flavoured with butter or olive oil. Interesting differences in the manner of eating rice and the culinary characteristics of each country are described in this study.     

Media portrayal of foods during Saturday morning television programming and in children's magazines

Eating habits are established in childhood and media portrayal of foods may affect food choices of children. To determine how foods are portrayed by the media, the contents of Saturday morning television programmes and commercials and three children's magazines were analysed. Foods portrayed during Saturday morning television programmes and commercials and in children's magazines were categorized as normal ‘food use’ (97.1% and 86.0%, respectively). Foods on television (91.3%) and in magazines (77.4%) were portrayed in a positive context. Foods were more often portrayed neutrally in magazines (206%) than on television (64%). The number of fruits and vegetables mentioned or shown on television did not statistically differ from the number of breads or cereals (P ≥ 0–05). In contrast, when combined as one group. fruits and vegetables that were included in magazines appeared more often than bread or cereals (P ≤ 0.05). Eighty per cent of all foods mentioned/shown on Saturday morning television were part of commercials, whereas only 12% of all foods in magazines were located in advertisements. Results indicate that opportunities exist in print and electronic media to convey positive nutritional messages about foods to children.     

A Note: The CSCE cheddar cheese cash and futures price long-term equilibrium relationship revisited

In the early 1990s, after four decades of relying on government mandated minimum price supports and public stockholding to achieve price risk management, the United States dairy industry is undertaking a shift to a market clearing equilibrium system. A potentially important component of this new structure is the development of an operational futures market for selected milk and dairy products. In June of 1993 the Coffee, Sugar, & Cocoa Exchange introduced a contract on Cheddar Cheese. As the production of cheese represents over one third of the use of raw milk in the United States, this contract has the potential of serving as an important price risk management tool. Using unit root and cointegration techniques, Fortenbery and Zapata studied the cheese cash-futures relationship over the period June 1993–July 1995. They reach the conclusion that the cash and futures markets, during the period of their analysis, had not established an economic equilibrium relationship. F&Z raise the important question as to whether the cheddar cheese market is in some sense “slow” to develop or whether there something fundamentally amiss. The work of F&Z provides an important initial step toward understanding the cash–futures relationship. This research revisits the existence of a cointegrating relation using a much longer time period and additional time-series statistical tests. The results of this study suggest that the data support the establishment of an equilibrium relationship in the cheese markets and therefore provide support for the use of the futures market as a price risk management tool by the dairy industry. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 19: 233–244, 1999     

Consumers’ Opinions and Use of Food Labels,Nutrition, and Health Claims: Results from Turkey

This study was conducted to reveal Turkish consumers’ (18–65 years residing 10 cities, n = 1200) opinions and use of food labels, nutrition, and health claims. The majority of both females and males (64.7%, 68.2%) seldom read food labels. Risk for not paying attention to food labels was increased 1.287-fold when the gender was male. The percentage of reading food labels increases as education and income levels of individuals increase (p < 0.05). Expiry dates of foods were the most frequent read item on labels (58.0%). Males mostly read information on label to learn the price of the food (71.0%) while females read it to learn the energy value of food (79.0%). Females had more knowledge on nutrition claims compared to males (p < 0.05). The nutrition claims, which were most frequently read by females and males, were trans fat free (23.5%, 21.0%) and low fat/fat free (23.3%, 20.5%). The claim organic was paid most attention on fruit and vegetables (52.0%). The claim “low cholesterol contributes to maintenance of cardiovascular-health” was the most common health claim read. In summary, Turkish consumer’s behaviour of reading labels and nutrition-health claims could change according to some sociodemographic factors and food products.     

Are nutrient-content claims always effective?

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which recently prevalent nutrientcontent claims in food advertising are effective and how the level of effectiveness might differ between food products perceived as healthy and unhealthy. Guided by the match-up hypothesis and its theoretical underpinnings, a set of 2 (nutrient-content vs taste claim) × 2 (healthy vs unhealthy food) experiments investigated the impact of nutrient-content claims compared to the impact of taste claims on two different food product types. The authors found that (a) respondents evaluated food ads with nutrient-content claims as healthier than food ads with taste claims regardless of product type, but (b) the respondents showed better advertising evaluations on nutrient-content claims for foods perceived as healthy foods and on taste claims for foods perceived as unhealthy. Our findings provide implications and suggestions for improving food advertising and marketing strategies, and public health policy.     

Vitamin supplementation practices: health/nutrition education implications

A sample of 310 supplement users, 216 nonsupplement users and 247 inconsistent (user/nonuser) supplementers were followed for 18 months to examine the consistency of supplementation. Since supplementation is often not required for a healthy diet, factors associated with persistence or stability of supplement use have implications for appropriate health/nutrition education. Consistent supplementation (at least 18 months' duration) was associated (P < 0·01) with (i) female sex, (ii) health beliefs in the efficacy of supplementation, (iii) seeking health information from physicians, nurses, dietitians and nutritionists, (iv) using periodicals, TV/radio and books for sources of nutrition information, (v) older age, (vi) higher income and (vii) higher levels of education. Nonusers were more likely to attribute health to chance on the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale, and inconsistent users were more likely to have experienced a change in employment status, relocation to another town/city and a higher number of ‘change’ events in the previous 18 months. Based on the characteristics of the consistent supplement user, ‘academic controversy’ may be an effective educational strategy to employ, if changes in supplementation attitudes and beliefs are desired.     

Older people and convenience in meal preparation: a European study on understanding their perception towards vegetable soup preparation

A sample of 768 seniors over 65 years, living in eight European countries, was interviewed to investigate perceptions, preferences and attitudes towards convenience in preparation of vegetable soups. In each country, a range of seven vegetables soups varying in preparation levels required before consumption was identified. The first part of the interview (in‐depth interview) was carried out by using the Repertory Grid Method, an effective method to describe perceptions of foods using consumers' own language. Overall, vegetable‐related foods with convenience in preparation were perceived in similar ways across the countries. Older adults tended to describe ready vegetable soups mainly making associations related to preparation, rather than on their own preferences and evaluations. Conversely, fresh vegetables requiring all preparation or considerable preparation (cut fresh vegetables) were mainly associated with attributes such as taste, freshness, health benefits and familiarity with the product. The second session of the interview was based in part on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. A component measuring the extent to which it is felt necessary to eat convenience foods (perceived need) was assessed as well. Generally speaking, older people did not seem to view positively the consumption of convenience foods. Additionally, they did not feel the need to consume these products nor do they have the intention to consume them in the forthcoming month. Pleasure associated with performance of the behaviour was the most important determinant of intention to eat convenience foods in Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Perceived need was the most important factor in determining the intention to eat convenience foods in the UK, Poland and Portugal. Perceived control and subjective norms were the most important factors influencing the intention to eat convenience foods in Italy. The encouragement of consuming ‘ready‐meals’ might represent an opportunity to have healthier food choices and to reduce the risk a monotonous diet for older people who cannot or do not know how to cook, combined with a low interest in food‐related activities such as cooking.     

Milk yields,physico‐chemical properties and composition of milk from indigenous Malawi goats and their Saanen half‐breds

A study to compare milk yield, some physico‐chemical properties and the chemical composition of milk from 23 indigenous Malawi goats and 10 Malawi local × Saanen crosses was carried out from January to March 2000. The results showed that the average milk yield from the crosses (102.0 ± 11.21 kg) was higher (P < 0.01) than that from the indigenous goats (37.1 ± 4.79 kg). However, the pH and specific gravity of both milk samples did not differ significantly from each other. The latter was attributed to the fat and total solids contents, which did not differ significantly in the two milk samples. Although the crude protein content was not significantly different, lactose and minerals, namely calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and chloride, were higher (P < 0.01) in milk from the crosses than in milk from the indigenous goat. The results have shown that the levels of nutrients in goat milk are high, and this is indicative of its potential to improve the diets of rural Malawians. Also, as smallholder farmers sell raw unheated milk to the processing plants, such milk should not be kept for> 33 h in the cool dry season and for not> 20 h in the hot dry season. Farmers can also adopt a charcoal cooler to save the milk for an even longer time than they can at room temperature. In this case, the raw milk can only be stored for not> 20 h in the cool dry season and not> 16 h in the hot dry season.     

Parents’ knowledge,behaviour and concerns of food chemical hazards: Korean mothers sending their preschool‐aged children to child care centres

Although incidences of foodborne illness caused by chemical hazards are increasing, the studies on public awareness of food chemical hazards are limited. This study was conducted to assess mothers’ knowledge, behaviour and concerns on diverse food chemical hazards. A total of 960 mothers sending their preschool‐aged children to child care centres in Gwanak‐Gu, Seoul, Korea were surveyed, and 633 (65.9%) returned the questionnaires. After excluding inappropriate questionnaires, 364 (37.9%) were analysed. The majority of the mothers were able to identify food categories containing acrylamide (83.2%) and trans fat (80.2%), while slightly over half of the mothers named food categories containing allergen (56.3%) or pesticide residues (57.1%). Less than two thirds of mothers were knowledgeable of human exposure pathway to environmental contaminants (59.3%), acrylamide (55.2%) or heavy metals (65.9%). A significant number of mothers showed familiarity on health risk from dietary exposure to environmental contaminants (82.4%), trans fat (91.5%) or heavy metals (96.7%) (P < 0.05). The data on safe food behaviour towards environmental contaminants (81.8%), acrylamide (98.0%), heavy metals (96.7%) and trans fat (90.6%) showed high levels of right behaviours. About 47.2% and 22.8% of mothers read label of food additives and ingredient statement on allergen when purchasing processed foods, respectively. Mothers seemed to be concerned about food chemical hazards. Among the sociodemographic characteristics, only age significantly differentiated mothers’ concerns on chemical hazards in foods (P < 0.05). This study suggests that mothers needed to be educated on food chemical hazards regardless of their education levels, occupation status or the number of child.     

Above all,garnish and presentation: An evaluation of Fanny Cradock's contribution to home cooking in Britain

The development of cooking on television, and the associated rise in ‘celebrity chefs’ is often seen as a modern phenomenon involving cooks like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson in Britain. Fanny Cradock (1909–1994) is from time to time credited as a pioneer in television cooking and Britain's ‘first celebrity chef’. However little detail of her career has been documented, despite working as a journalist, radio and television presenter, food demonstrator, writer of fiction, children's books and cookbooks spanning from 1942 until 1986. Cradock was prominent on television between 1955 and 1975, with her final appearance in 1985. Cradock is as often remembered for her colourful character as for the colourful food she presented and her name remains synonymous with elaborate cooking in ball gowns, using copious amounts of food colouring and aspic, and for berating her husband who assisted her on stage, on television, and in print. However, from Cradock's personal archive a far more substantive contribution to home cooking through the development of television cooking and cookbooks, looking at her undocumented ideas and innovations. Additional archive materials and collections of newspaper clippings collected between 1942 and 1982 by Cradock herself shed light on how she was perceived at the time, her role as an entrepreneur and her own ‘brand’ identity. From this documentary evidence, it is argued that Cradock deserves to be much better remembered for her contribution to British food culture.     

Characteristics of teenage food advertisements in Finland

The aim of this study was to investigate which foods were directly advertised to Finnish teenagers and to analyse the information given about the ingredients, the role of health and pleasure and the activities and milieus in the advertisements. In order to shed light on the socio-cultural context, two successful advertisements; one for Coca-Cola and one for milk, were described in detail. Eighty-nine food advertisements published in Finnish youth magazines, and 116 television-spots shown in 1983 were subjected to content analysis. Typical food advertisements aimed at teenagers were for soft drinks, chocolates, can-dies, and milk. These contained little information on ingredients and this was often misleading. Health claims were rare, whereas good flavour was emphasized. In the advertisements young people exercised, danced or drove motor vehicles distant from their everyday living environment. They enjoyed the refreshing power of nature, did not go to school or eat ordinary meals, but took soft drinks and chocolates for strength and energy. The advertisements emphasized the pleasures of eating and skillfully associated the foods with teenage life-style. Due to the absence of an urban tradition the ‘American dream’ presented in movies, popular music, and advertising is accepted in Finland. In a successful milk advertisement the combination of Finnish agricultural milieu with American music created a positive response among teenagers.     

Weight status and weight dissatisfaction of college students enrolled in a basic nutrition course

It has been suggested that general dissatisfaction with body weight, or anorexia-like behaviour, may be higher in students majoring in home economics, specifically dietetics, than in students in non-food and nutrition majors. This observation may be problematic in a student's future personal life or professional practice. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of general dissatisfaction with body weight, compared with actual body weight, in a group of college students enrolled in an introductory nutrition course. The sample included 169 female and 41 male students. Mean body weight and body mass index were 110 ± 20·7% of ideal and 23·4 ± 4·4, respectively. Dissatisfaction with weight was reported by the majority of students, especially females (76·2%). A significant relationship was found between reported weight dissatisfaction and actual weight status for females (P < 0·001). Furthermore, more females in dietetics were dissatisfied with weight (83%) than females in other majors (75%) although the difference was not significant. These results suggest that, while weight dissatisfaction was not significantly higher in dietetic majors, the high incidence of dissatisfaction in all females is a concern. There are, therefore, potential implications for the educational strategies of home economics faculties regarding appropriate attitudes about weight status and food.     

Tasting in 2D: implications of food shape,visual cues,and oral haptic sensory inputs

Marketers often vary the shape and dimensions of food products. But could changing the shape (e.g., molding food into cubes or rectangular prisms) or altering the dimensions (e.g., cutting food into thicker or thinner pieces) have unintended consequences in terms of influencing consumers’ size perceptions, calorie estimates, or desired consumption volume of the food? Research related to visual inputs and the elongation bias would suggest that thicker and cube-shaped foods would be perceived as larger and higher in calories; however, research related to oral haptic sensory inputs (i.e., the way the food feels in the mouth) would suggest that thinner and rectangular shaped foods would be perceived as larger and higher in calories. We test these competing predictions in a series of three experimental studies and find support for the oral haptic-based hypothesis. Conceptual and managerial implications are discussed.     

Risk management behaviour by the Northern Ireland food consumer

The main criteria that consumers use during the decision‐making process when purchasing food have traditionally been a combination of prices, incomes, taste and social attitudes, with price being seen as the main determinant. However, in the past 10 years risk has become a ‘new’ criterion that can affect the consumer's decision whether or not to purchase a particular food item. The effect of the perception of risk has been observed during the numerous food scares in the last decade and in trends for the demand for foods that connote a health image. This research, carried out in Northern Ireland, looked at how consumers quantified and managed risk. The research involved 202 primary food consumers and identified the factors that were perceived to be important from both a societal and a personal perspective. Using principal component analysis techniques, societal food risks were seen as either processing or dietary, and personal food risks were seen as either extrinsic or intrinsic. Further investigation into the attributes of the personal risk using the same techniques revealed a three‐factor solution described as fear, involvement and newness. Although these factors cannot be used as predictors of the risk associated with a particular food, they help to describe and explain how the risk may be managed. The relationship between two of the factors, involvement and fear, provide a framework for understanding the way consumers manage their perception of the risk, particularly of high‐risk items. Consumer and scientific knowledge of the risk in question, and the degree of control over the risk were seen as important in the management of the risk in question. The conceptualization of the mechanism by which risks are processed and acted upon provides information regarding risk management and communication strategies that should be employed by educators, food retailers and government policy makers.     

Consumers' perceptions and awareness of safe food preparation practices at homes in Trinidad,West Indies

The objectives were to evaluate consumer perception and awareness of safe food preparation practices at homes. A questionnaire was self‐administered to 124 consumers who were primarily responsible for preparation of foods and owned a refrigerator at home. Data were analysed by frequencies and chi‐square. Most (97.6%) consumers considered safe food practices as ‘very important’. Few (8.9%) related Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point to safe food preparation practices. Microbiological hazard was ranked as a most serious threat to food safety (80.5%). Salmonella was most well known (79.8%). Diarrhoea (23.7%) was a common symptom of food‐borne illness. More than 50% would ‘always’ check for expiry dates on labels, seals and would never purchase swollen cans. Only 48.4% consumers used separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables ‘always’. Some (6.5%) felt it was appropriate to give unfit food to someone else. The study identified critical points in safe food preparation practices for effective public health education.