A population-based study of preschoolers' food neophobia and its associations with food preferences

Objective: This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the relationships between food preferences, food neophobia, and children’s characteristics among a population-based sample of preschoolers.

Design: A parent-report questionnaire.

Setting: Child-care centers, kindergartens, playgroups, day nurseries, and swimming centers.

Subjects: 371 two- to five-year-old Australian children.

Outcome Measures: Associations between food neophobia and the food preferences and characteristics.

Analysis: Analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, Pearson product-moment correlations, and Fisher z test were used to estimate and compare the associations between these variables.

Results: Food neophobia was associated with reduced preferences for all food groups, but especially for vegetables (r = −0.60; P < .001). It was also associated with liking fewer food types (r = −0.55; P < .001), disliking more food types (r = 0.42; P < .001), the number of untried food types (r = 0.25; P < .001), a less varied range of food preferences (r = −0.59; P < .001), and less healthful food preferences overall (r = −0.55; P < .001). No significant relationships (P < .01) were observed between food neophobia and a child’s age, sex, or history of breast-feeding.

Conclusions: The study confirms and extends results obtained in experimental research and population-based intake studies of food neophobia to children’s everyday food preferences. The findings suggest that preschool children’s everyday food preferences are strongly associated with food neophobia but not with children’s age, sex, or history of breast-feeding. When aiming to influence children’s food preferences, the effects of food neophobia and strategies to reduce it should be considered.

Do children's food preferences align with dietary recommendations?

Objectives: To examine how Australian children's reported everyday food preferences reflect dietary recommendations, and the impact of sociodemographic factors on these associations.

Design:  Cross-sectional survey.

Setting/subjects: Three hundred and seventy-one parents of children aged 2–5 years, recruited from three socio-economic groups in two Australian cities, completed a survey on their child's liking for 176 foods and drinks on a 5-point Likert scale in addition to demographic descriptors. Preferences were compared with the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Results:  Foods in the Extra Foods (non-nutritious foods) and Cereals groups of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating were highly liked (mean: 4.02 and 4.01, respectively), whilst foods in the Vegetables group were liked least (mean: 3.01). A large percentage of foods in the Cereals and Extra Foods groups were liked (64% and 56%, respectively) in contrast to the other food groups, especially Vegetables (7%). Children liked foods that were higher in sugar (r = 0.29, P < 0.0001) and more energy-dense (r = 0.34, P < 0.0001) but not those higher in saturated fat (r = 0.16, P = 0.03), total fat (r = 0.12, P = 0.12) or sodium (r = 0.10, P = 0.18). Sociodemographic variables (e.g. socio-economic status, parental education, children's age and sex) explained little of the variation in children's food preferences.

Conclusions:  Australian pre-school children's food preferences align with dietary guidelines in some respects, but not others. Interventions are needed to shift children's preferences away from non-nutritious foods that are high in energy density and sugar, and towards vegetables and fruits.

Modelling dimensionality of cultural experience attitudes for international tourists

This empirical research of tourists’ cultural experiences aims to advance theory by developing a measurement model of attitudes towards attending cultural experiences for a sample of international tourists visiting Melbourne, Australia. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to cross-validate the underlying dimensionality structure of cultural experience attitudes in the model. A five-factor model was extracted from the EFA and some further modifications were required to establish discriminant validity. A four-factor model was retained in the CFA, which included three factors based on a liking for different types of cultural experiences and one factor indicating that social interaction was the most liked socio-psychological attitude towards attending cultural experiences. Although the sample were all English-speaking international tourists, cross-cultural validation of the model was also examined for factor configural and metric invariance of the measurement model as there were three different groups of international tourists within the sample: North Americans; New Zealanders; and tourists from United Kingdom and Ireland. This measurement structure was found to be relatively invariant for the factor loadings across the three groups of international tourists.

Reducing sodium in foods ; the effect on flavour and consumers' perception

As the majority of people's sodium intake is via processed foods, the effective sodium reduction strategy is to reduce the sodium levels in processed foods.  The aims of the thesis were to determine the flavor characteristics of reduced sodium foods and to investigate how food lables affect consumers' expectation and liking.

The joy of teaching

Why do people become teachers? Some of the reasons for entering science and mathematics teaching include: wanting to make a difference, good job conditions, liking young people, loving science and maths, being good at teaching, having had a good maths/science teacher, a shortage of teachers, and a love of learning.

We need good teachers, and especially teachers with good science and chemistry backgrounds. It is also true of all school levels, including primary. Job satisfaction and the joy of teaching are not enough. Everyone needs encouragement, acknowledgement and respect. Everyone needs to know that they and their work are valued. Teachers need these too. It is a good investment in the nation’s future.

Health labelling can influence taste perception and use of table salt for reduced-sodium products

Objective : To investigate the effect of front-of-pack labels on taste perception and use of table salt for currently available and sodium-reduced soups.

Design : Within-subject design.

Setting : Sensory laboratory.

Subjects : Participants (n 50, mean age 34·8 (sd 13·6) years) were randomly served nine soups (250 ml each) across 3 d. Servings differed in: (i) health label (i.e. no health label, reduced-salt label or Heart Foundation Tick); and (ii) sodium reduction (no reduction – benchmark, 15 % less sodium or 30 % less sodium). Before tasting, participants rated their expected salt intensity and liking. After tasting, participants rated their perceived salt intensity and liking, after which they could add salt to the soup to make it more palatable.

Results : Reduced-salt labels generated a negative taste expectation and actual taste experience in terms of liking (P < 0·05) and perceived saltiness (P < 0·05). Perceived saltiness of sodium-reduced soups decreased more (P < 0·05), and consumers added more salt (P < 0·05), when soups carried the reduced-salt label. The tick logo and soups without health labels had no such influence on taste perception.

Conclusions : Emphasizing salt reduction by means of a front-of-pack label can have a negative effect on taste perception and salt use, especially when consumers are able to taste differences between their regular soup and the sodium-reduced soup. Overall health logos which do not emphasize the reduction in salt are less likely to affect perceived salt intensity and therefore are viable solutions to indicate the healthiness of sodium-reduced products.

Caffeine increases sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in a free-living population: a randomised controlled trial

Excessive sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has been associated with overweight and obesity. Caffeine is a common additive to SSB, and through dependence effects, it has the potential to promote the consumption of caffeine-containing foods. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence that caffeine has on the consumption of SSB. Participants (n 99) were blindly assigned to either a caffeinated SSB (C-SSB) or a non-caffeinated SSB (NC-SSB) group. Following randomisation, all participants completed a 9 d flavour-conditioning paradigm. They then completed a 28 d ad libitum intake intervention where they consumed as much or as little of C-SSB or NC-SSB as desired. The amount consumed (ml) was recorded daily, 4 d diet diaries were collected and liking of SSB was assessed at the start and end of the intervention. Participants (n 50) consuming the C-SSB had a daily SSB intake of 419 (sd 298) ml (785 (sd 559) kJ/d) over the 28 d intervention, significantly more than participants (n 49) consuming the NC-SSB (273 (sd 278) ml/d, 512 (sd 521) kJ/d) (P< 0·001). A trained flavour panel (n 30) found no difference in flavour between the C-SSB and NC-SSB (P>0·05). However, participants who consumed the C-SSB liked the SSB more than those who consumed the NC-SSB (6·3 v. 6·0 on a nine-point hedonic scale, P= 0·022). The addition of low concentrations of caffeine to the SSB significantly increases the consumption of the SSB. Regulating caffeine as a food additive may be an effective strategy to decrease the consumption of nutrient-poor high-energy foods and beverages.

Parents' food choice motives and their associations with children's food preferences

Objective The objective was to investigate parents' motives for selecting foods for their children and the associations between these motives and children's food preferences. Design Cross-sectional survey. A modified version of the Food Choice Questionnaire was used to assess parents' food choice motives. Parents also reported children's liking/disliking of 176 food and beverage items on 5-point Likert scales. Patterns of food choice motives were examined with exploratory principal component analysis. Associations between motives and children's food preferences were assessed with linear regression while one-way and two-way ANOVA were used to test for sociodemographic differences. Setting Two Australian cities. Subjects Parents (n 371) of 2-5-year-old children. Results Health, nutrition and taste were key motivators for parents, whereas price, political concerns and advertising were among the motives considered least important. The more parents' food choice for their children was driven by what their children wanted, the less children liked vegetables (β =-0·27, P<0·01), fruit (β=-0·19, P<0·01) and cereals (β=-0·28, P<0·01) and the higher the number of untried foods (r=0·17, P<0·01). The reverse was found for parents' focus on natural/ethical motives (vegetables β=0·17, P<0·01; fruit β=0·17, P<0·01; cereals β=0·14, P=0·01). Health and nutrition motives bordered on statistical significance as predictors of children's fruit and vegetable preferences. Conclusions Although parents appear well intentioned in their motives for selecting children's foods, there are gaps to be addressed in the nature of such motives (e.g. selecting foods in line with the child's desires) or the translation of health motives into healthy food choices.

Viability of tallow inclusion in Atlantic salmon diet, as assessed by an on-farm grow out trial

The results of a recent increase in research interest directed at the inclusion of tallow in fish feed formulations are suggesting tallow is viable as a potential substitute for other alternative lipid sources such as poultry by-product oil. Although strong growth performance data has been shown, reservations still exist regarding reduced digestibility and the potential impacts this could have on performance over the duration of a grow-out period in low temperature conditions. Also little information is yet available on the potential effect of dietary tallow inclusion on final product quality. A large scale farm based study testing the inclusion of tallow at 40% inclusion, partially replacing poultry by-product oil, in commercial diets of Atlantic salmon over a winter grow-out period in southern Tasmania, Australia was conducted. Tallow inclusion had no impact on growth performance or nutrient digestibility. Tallow resulted in a slight improvement in fillet quality exhibiting a significant reduction in n - 6 PUFA and the n6:n3 ratio, and an increased n - 3LC-PUFA tissue deposition. Consumers were unable to display any preference in liking between 3 salmon products (cold smoked, hot smoked, and cooked) as a result of tallow inclusion. This study demonstrates the viability of partial inclusion of tallow in Atlantic salmon diets over a winter grow-out period. Statement of relevance: Improved knowledge of alternative dietary energy sources (oils and fats) to be used in aquafeed, (replacing the increasingly expensive, and diminishingly available, fish oil) is a key area of research towards improved environmental sustainability and economic viability of the aquaculture sector. Following a promising laboratory based, research scale, in vivo trial aimed at assessing the viability of tallow in salmon feed, a larger and longer duration farm-based trial was implemented to validate initial findings. Consumer test of final products (fresh-cooked, hot smoked and cold smoked fillets) showed no modification of sensorial attributes. Tallow is hereto shown to be a highly viable alternative oil for the salmon aquafeed industry.

Sobre (vivência) e mortalidade de pequenos negócios: o caso de mercados varejistas potiguares

This paper‟s starting point was the objective of understanding the relation between the reasons pointed out by small businesses owners for the continuity or shutdown of their businesses, and the reasons presented by the Environmental Theories. The paper discusses the Environmental Theories understand that it is supported by a systemic metaphor speech, discussing the theme in terms of organizational survival and mortality . The text reviews the literature showing the changes in the administrative thinking regarding the organization versus environment relation, and presenting general ideas about the micro and small businesses. In methodological terms, the qualitative approach was used in the research. Regarding the data collection technique, an in-depth thematic interview was used. It was carried out considering the elements of the techniques of life history and oral history, always giving priority to real world related narratives told by the interviewed subjects. The empirical corpus of the research was made up of seven owners of small retail businesses in two Potiguar cities: Natal and Mossoró. The interpretative and analytical process focused, at first, on the reflexive dialogue with each one of the owners‟ professional life history and business management experience, constituting the first level of analysis: reflections on individual narratives; and, afterwards, the interpretative process was developed through the analysis of all the subjects‟ statements, identifying the recurring themes and constituting the second level of analysis: reflection on the totalizing narrative. The themes identified in the totalizing narrative, that refer to the continuity of the businesses are: evolution, control, fidelity, liking what one does for a living. The themes that came up as reasons for shutdown are: lack of empathy with the business, lack of evolution, competition problems, suppliers and the government. The text synthesizes its comprehensions affirming that the reasons associated with continuity and shutdown of small markets, for this group of owners specifically, come up as a permanent tension between the volunteerism (quite human) and the determinism (systemic). The tension is shown in testimonies that at the same time evoke the organicist systemic logic through the themes evolution/no evolution, and also counterpoints with themes related to the interested human action, based on desires, feelings and personal convictions such as: liking what one does/ lack of empathy. As for the reflexive dialogue between the postulates of the Environmental Theories and the narratives, the results make it possible to affirm that, differently from the tension expressed by the subjects while talking about their reasons, the reasons associated with survival and mortality of businesses according to the Environmental Theories are theoretically polarized, seeming to preach options that are stagnated and shaping towards the subjects involved in the organization-environment relation

Passado e presente: a enfermagem do Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes

This is a historically focused study with a qualitative approach whose main purpose is to investigate the trajectory of Nursing at the Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (HUOL) and how it associates with the teaching of Nursing at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Motivation for carrying out this study is due, firstly, to a liking for history and, secondly, to the nonexistence of records on Nursing in one of the institutions with the most teaching tradition in the area of health and nursing in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The objectives of the study were to analyze the historical development of Nursing at the HUOL and its association with the teaching of Nursing at the UFRN; describe the historical development of the Hospital referred to; and to establish a relationship between the development of nursing at the HUOL and the teaching of Nursing at the UFRN. Empirical investigation was carried out based on the study of historical documents such as reports, minutes, letters, by-laws, decrees and administrative directives, as well as photographs and interviews with people who lived through this history or who kept vivid memories of it. From this research it can be gathered that Nursing at the HUOL was at first closely identified with the empirical stage of the profession. Its development is a result of the institutionalization of teaching whose starting point is an authorization for running the Nursing Aid School of Natal in 1955. Since then, gradually, teaching has enabled those who practiced nursing at that institution to become professionals through a partnership between the Nursing Aid School and the Nursing Department at the Hospital whose administration had been in charge of a professor for many years. Upon the creation of the undergraduate program in Nursing in 1973, nursing at the HUOL underwent a new transformation process with new nurses being hired. Likewise, the creation of post-graduate specialization and master s degree programs in 1982 and 1996, respectively, opened the way to the growth of the academic qualifications of nurses at that institution. Therefore, it must be asserted that Nursing at the HUOL has, over the years, gone through a continuous process of qualification of its members and in such trajectory the teaching of Nursing that is carried out at different levels at the UFRN stands as a hallmark

Influência da expectativa do consumidor na aceitação de cachaça orgânica

The influence of consumer expectation on the acceptability of four samples of commercial brands of organic and conventional cachaca was assessed by fifty-six consumers. The cachacas were evaluated in blind sensory test, expectation test and real sensory test. In blind test, consumers evaluated the samples in absence of any expectation, followed by expectation test, when consumers had read organic cachaca information and indicated how much they expected to like or dislike the drink and finally, in real test, evaluated the drink with information and carry through new sensory evaluation. The assessed attributes were appearance, overall liking, flavor liking and purchase intention. Information of organic cachaca had positive influence on sensory acceptance and improved buying intention of all evaluated cachacas. Predominant effect were assimilation under negative disconfirmation, that is, although cachacas samples were not as well received by consumers as expected, consumers higher expectations resulted in higher acceptance of the samples, whether they were organic or not. The effect of consumer expectation on the acceptability of the beverage was statistically significant (p <= 0.05) for all samples evaluated.

Leitura: algumas reflexões sobre teoria e prática no contexto escolar

Pós-graduação em Letras - FCLAS

A presença feminina no cangaço: práticas e representações (1930-1940)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Assistência pré-natal na meningomielocele, onfalocele e gastrosquise utilizando imagens fotográficas: compreensão da malformação, ansiedade materna e apego mãe-filho

Pós-graduação em Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Mastologia - FMB