Preferences and consumer habits related to bread in the centre of Portugal

Purpose – Bread is one of the most consumed foods in the world, and its main function is to provide nutrients and energy for the body. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to raise awareness about the consumption habits of bread and consumer preferences in the region of Viseu (centre of Portugal), assessing the extent to which the preferences and consumption habits differ based on individual variables. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted by means of a questionnaire by direct interviewing. The questionnaire included sections aimed at gathering information about demographics, consumption habits and preferences related to bread. The sample consisted of 500 consented respondents. Findings – The results showed significant differences between genders regarding the type of bread eaten: women consumed less wheat bread (52 per cent against 62 per cent; p 0.029) and less unsalted bread (0.3 per cent against 3 per cent; p 0.023), but more whole bread (25 per cent against 11 per cent; p 0.001) and more bread with cereal grains (23 per cent against 11 per cent; p 0.001), thus revealing a trend for a nutritionally more adequate choice. Accordingly, women valued more the composition of the bread when purchasing it (p 0.001). It was also observed a trend for a lower consumption of wheat bread among classes with more advanced studies (47 per cent on university graduates against 60 per cent on nongraduates; p 0.004). Originality/value – This work is innovative because it was the first time the preferences and consuming habits of a sample of Portuguese population regarding bread were accessed, altogether. The results hereby obtained may be of importance both to understand the nutritional importance of bread in the diet of the Portuguese and also for the industry and manufacturers to better correspond to the buying preferences.

Gender and age differences in the sleep habits : a cross-sectional study in adolescents

Objectives: Analyze gender and age differences in sleep habits in a sample of adolescents. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Public schools of Viseu, Portugal. Participants: Sample consisted of 7534 students, aged 11-20 years (mean age: 14.96 ± 1.81 years; 53.6% girls). Measurements: Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, answered in class and consists of questions to assess insomnia (DSM-IV criteria), sleep patterns, socio-demographic and daily habit variables. Results: Mean sleep duration in this sample was 8.02 ± 1.13 h. Age interfered with sleep duration that decreased with the increasing of age, from 8.45 ± 1.14 h among 11/12 years old to 7.37 ± 1.04 h for ages ≥ 17 years old. Insomnia and symptoms of insomnia were associated with gender and with increasing of age. Nearly 80% of students reported daytime tiredness, 66.7% sleepiness during the day; 56.1% during classes and 47.6% reported waking up with headaches, all variables more prevalent among girls and older adolescents. Conclusions: The sleep problems and variables related to sleep have become more frequent among girls and with increasing age. We recommend that the promotion of sleep hygiene and prevention of the consequences should be encouraged in adolescents and their families, especially among the female gender and older adolescents.