Synthesis of flavonoids and flavonoid-based designed multiple ligands for hypertension

The flavonoids, a family of compounds found in nature, possess a wealth of established health benefits. In this research, a library of novel flavonoid compounds was synthesised for therapeutic evaluation. A particular focus was the attachment of 3ʹ,4ʹ-dihydroxyflavonol, an antioxidant and antihypertensive flavonoid, to other known antihypertensives, to provide dual action compounds for the treatment of hypertension.

Explaining educational disparities in adiposity: The role of neighborhood environments.

To examine the extent to which characteristics of the neighborhood built environment explain the association between adiposity and educational qualifications in Australian women.

Effect of changes to the school food environment on eating behaviours and/or body weight in children: a systematic review

Previous school obesity-prevention reviews have included multi-component interventions. Here, we aimed to review the evidence for the effect of isolated food environment interventions on both eating behaviours (including food purchasing) and/or body weight. Five electronic databases were searched (last updated 30 November 2013). Of the 1,002 unique papers identified, 55 reported on school food environment changes, based on a review of titles and abstracts. Thirty-seven further papers were excluded, for not meeting the inclusion criteria. The final selection consisted of 18 papers (14 United States, 4 United Kingdom). Two studies had a body mass index (BMI) outcome, 14 assessed purchasing or eating behaviours and two studies assessed both weight and behaviour. Seventeen of 18 papers reported a positive outcome on either BMI (or change in BMI) or the healthfulness of food sold or consumed. Two studies were rated as strong quality and 11 as weak. Only three studies included a control group. A school environment supportive of healthy eating is essential to combat heavy marketing of unhealthy food. Modification of the school food environment (including high-level policy changes at state or national level) can have a positive impact on eating behaviours. A need exists, however, for further high-quality studies.

Is access to alcohol associated with alcohol/substance abuse among people diagnosed with anxiety/mood disorder?

To investigate the relationship between access to off-license alcohol outlets and areas with dual treatment for alcohol/drug abuse and anxiety/mood disorder compared to areas with anxiety/mood disorder only in an urban setting in New Zealand.

Food insecurity among university students in Victoria: A pilot study

Aims: Susceptibility to food insecurity can vary over a life course; however, a potential period of particular vulnerability is while studying at a tertiary institution. This pilot study aimed to assess the prevalence, severity and potential determinants of food insecurity among tertiary students attending a Victorian-based institution. Methods: The present study employed a cross-sectional design, involving use of a self-reported questionnaire. The survey, conducted in 2012, was administered to a sample of 124 Deakin University students and contains measures of food insecurity status, demographics and other potential explanatory factors. Descriptive and regression analysis was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity and associations with factors that may support or hinder a student's ability to procure food, such as living arrangements, income and knowledge of support services. Results: Food insecurity without hunger was reported by 18% of Deakin University students, while an additional 30% reported experiencing the more severe form of food insecurity (with hunger). A lower odds of being food insecure was reported among students living with their family (without hunger OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.12-0.99; with hunger OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.12-0.70), while a higher odds was found among those receiving government support (with hunger OR 2.52; 95% CI 1.05-6.04). Conclusions: The reported prevalence of food insecurity among the tertiary student sample was greater than the general Australian population, suggesting they are a vulnerable group. This may be attributable to financial pressures faced when students are not living with their parents.

Socioeconomic differences in outdoor food advertising at public transit stops across Melbourne suburbs.

To assess and compare the number and type of outdoor food advertisements at public transit stops within suburbs of varying levels of socioeconomic disadvantage.

Does food store access modify associations between intrapersonal factors and fruit and vegetable consumption?

Background/Objectives:Existing theoretical frameworks suggest that healthy eating is facilitated by an individual's ability, motivation and environmental opportunities. It is plausible, although largely untested, that the importance of factors related to ability and motivation differ under varied environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether the magnitude of associations between fruit and vegetable consumption and intrapersonal factors (ability and motivation) were modified by differences in access to stores selling these items (environmental opportunities).Subjects/Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 4335 women from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the state of Victoria, Australia. Self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed against a number of ability- and motivation-related factors. To examine whether associations were modified by store access, interactions with access to supermarkets and greengrocers within 2 km of participants' households were tested.Results:Of the two factors related to ability and seven factors related to motivation, almost all were associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. In general, associations were not modified by store access suggesting that these factors were not tempered by environmental opportunities.Conclusions:This study provides little support for the hypothesis that the importance of intra-personal factors to fruit and vegetable consumption is modified by food store access. Further research on this topic is required to inform behaviour change interventions.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication, 21 January 2015; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2014.287.

Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and fruit and vegetable consumption: a seven countries comparison

BACKGROUND: Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a risk factor for poor health. Studies have shown consumption varies across neighbourhoods, with lower intakes in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. However, findings are inconsistent, suggesting that socio-spatial inequities in diet could be context-specific, highlighting a need for international comparisons across contexts. This study examined variations in fruit and vegetable consumption among adults from neighbourhoods of varying socioeconomic status (SES) across seven countries (Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, US). METHODS: Data from seven existing studies, identified through literature searches and knowledge of co-authors, which collected measures of both neighbourhood-level SES and fruit and vegetable consumption were used. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between neighbourhood-level SES and binary fruit and vegetable consumption separately, adjusting for neighbourhood clustering and age, gender and education. As much as possible, variables were treated in a consistent manner in the analysis for each study to allow the identification of patterns of association within study and to examine differences in the associations across studies. RESULTS: Adjusted analyses showed evidence of an association between neighbourhood-level SES and fruit consumption in Canada, New Zealand and Scotland, with increased odds of greater fruit intake in higher SES neighbourhoods. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Portugal, those residing in higher SES neighbourhoods had increased odds of greater vegetable intake. The other studies showed no evidence of a difference by neighbourhood-level SES. CONCLUSIONS: Acknowledging discrepancies across studies in terms of sampling, measures, and definitions of neighbourhoods, this opportunistic study, which treated data in a consistent manner, suggests that associations between diet and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic status vary across countries. Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage may differentially impact on access to resources in which produce is available in different countries. Neighbourhood environments have the potential to influence behaviour and further research is required to examine the context in which these associations arise.

Maternal efficacy and sedentary behavior rules predict child obesity resilience

Abstract
Background:
To identify longitudinal individual, social and environmental predictors of adiposity (BMI z-score),
and of resilience to unhealthy weight gain, in healthy weight children and adolescents.
Methods:
Two hundred healthy weight children aged 5–12 years at baseline and their parents living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods were surveyed at baseline and three years later. Children’s height and weight were objectively measured, parents completed a detailed questionnaire that examined the home, social and neighborhood environments, and objective measures of the neighborhood environment were assessed using geographic information system data. Ch
ildren classified as healthy weight at baseline who had
small or medium increases in their BMI z-score between baseline and three year follow up (those in the bottom
and middle tertiles) were categorized as‘ resilient to unhealthy weight gain’. Where applicable, fully adjusted
multivariable regression models were employed to determine baseline intrapersonal, social and environmental predictors of child BMI z-scores at follow-up, and resilience to unhealthy weight gain at
follow-up.
Results:
Maternal efficacy for preventing their child from engaging in sedentary behaviors (B = − 0.03, 95 % CI: 0.06, 0.00) was associated with lower child BMI z-score at follow up. Rules to limit sedentary behaviors (OR = 1.14, 95 % CI: 1.03, 1.25) was a predictor of being resilient to unhealthy weight gain.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest that strategies to support parents to limit their children ’s sedentary behavior may be important in preventing unhealthy weight gain in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Statistical approaches used to assess the equity of access to food outlets: a systematic review

Abstract: Background Inequalities in eating behaviours are often linked to the types of food retailers accessible in neighbourhood environments. Numerous studies have aimed to identify if access to healthy and unhealthy food retailers is socioeconomically patterned across neighbourhoods, and thus a potential risk factor for dietary inequalities. Existing reviews have examined differences between methodologies, particularly focussing on neighbourhood and food outlet access measure definitions. However, no review has informatively discussed the suitability of the statistical methodologies employed; a key issue determining the validity of study findings. Our aim was to examine the suitability of statistical approaches adopted in these analyses.
Methods: Searches were conducted for articles published from 2000–2014. Eligible studies included objective measures of the neighbourhood food environment and neighbourhood-level socio-economic status, with a statistical analysis of the association between food outlet access and socio-economic status.
Results Fifty four papers were included. Outlet accessibility was typically defined as the distance to the nearest outlet from the neighbourhood centroid, or as the numberof food outlets within a neighbourhood (or buffer). To assess if these measures were linked to neighbourhood disadvantage, common statistical methods included ANOVA, correlation, and Poisson or negative binomial regression. Although all studies involved spatial data, few considered spatial analysis techniques or spatial autocorrelation.
Conclusions: With advances in GIS software, sophisticated measures of neighbourhood outlet accessibility can be considered. However, approaches to statistical analysis often appear less sophisticated. Care should be taken to consider assumptions underlying the analysis and the possibility of spatially correlated residuals which could affect the results.