Childhood obesity has increased rapidly in Mexico, along with changes in the food environment. However, little is known about the dietary patterns (DP) of Mexican children. We aimed to characterize the DP of schoolchildren and to analyse their associations with sociodemographic factors.

Cross-sectional analysis. Dietary and sociodemographic information was obtained, including a single 24 h recall, socio-economic status (SES), geographic region, area of residence and ethnicity. DP were defined with cluster analysis (using k-means). Multinomial logistic regression models, adjusted for the survey design, were used to assess associations between DP and sociodemographic variables.

2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT-2012).

Schoolchildren (n 2751) aged 5–11 years who participated in ENSANUT-2012.

Four DP were identified: ‘Traditional’, ‘Industrialized’, ‘Varied’ and ‘Modern’. Reported energy intake (mean (sd)) was lowest in the ‘Traditional’ and highest in the ‘Industrialized’ DP (7037 (3707) kJ/d (1682 (886) kcal/d) v. 8427 (3753) kJ/d (2014 (897) kcal/d), respectively, P<0·05). Significant differences in fat and fibre intakes were seen across DP. Non-indigenous v. indigenous children were 22·0 times (95 % CI 5·1, 93·6) more likely to have a ‘Modern’ rather than ‘Traditional’ DP. Relative likelihood of having an ‘Industrialized’ rather than ‘Traditional’ DP was 6·2 (95 % CI 3·9, 9·9) among schoolchildren from high SES v. low SES.

Among Mexican schoolchildren, DP were associated with sociodemographic variables. Non-indigenous children were significantly more likely to consume a ‘Modern’ than a ‘Traditional’ DP. Children with higher SES were more likely to have an ‘Industrialized’ pattern. It is necessary to consider dietary characteristics in the different sociodemographic strata when dietary interventions are designed.

To determine the global availability of a multicomponent tool predicting overweight/obesity in infancy, childhood, adolescence or adulthood; and to compare their predictive validity and clinical relevance.

The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. The databases PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO were searched. Additional articles were identified via reference lists of included articles. Risk of bias was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Quality Criteria Checklist. The National Health and Medical Research Council’s Levels of Evidence hierarchy was used to assess quality of evidence. Predictive performance was evaluated using the ABCD framework.

Eligible studies: tool could be administered at any life stage; quantified the risk of overweight/obesity onset; used more than one predictor variable; and reported appropriate prediction statistical outcomes.

Of the initial 4490 articles identified, twelve articles (describing twelve tools) were included. Most tools aimed to predict overweight and/or obesity within childhood (age 2–12 years). Predictive accuracy of tools was consistently adequate; however, the predictive validity of most tools was questioned secondary to poor methodology and statistical reporting. Globally, five tools were developed for dissemination into clinical practice, but no tools were tested within a clinical setting.

To our knowledge, a clinically relevant and highly predictive overweight/obesity prediction tool is yet to be developed. Clinicians can, however, act now to identify the strongest predictors of future overweight/obesity. Further research is necessary to optimise the predictive strength and clinical applicability of such a tool.

To develop health-endorsement logos (HEL) for food products indicating healthy choices based on the South African nutrient profile model and to pilot test these logos with consumers.

Multistage mixed-methods design.

Cape Town, South Africa.

Nine focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with adult consumers to explore what types of HEL are preferred and why. Based on the findings, ten HEL were designed by a graphic design team. A modified Delphi technique, conducted with experts in the fields of nutrition and food science, was employed to eliminate lowest-scoring HEL and to improve the design of the remaining logos. Participants from the initial FGD participated in pilot testing the improved logos.

Participants from FGD (n 67) were positive about a single HEL, stating it would make food labelling less confusing as they did not understand the various HEL used. Participants indicated the logo should include wording related to ‘healthy choice’ or ‘better choice’ and pictures/symbols related to health and/or food. During two rounds of scoring and comments by experts (n 19), five logos were eliminated and the design of the remaining five improved. Three of five remaining logos received overall rankings of 3·08/5, 3·28/5 and 3·39/5, respectively, during FGD (n 36) in the pilot-testing phase.

HEL were designed and consumer tested. Three designs were submitted to the national Department of Health to consider for implementation, after further testing, as a tool to assist in addressing the high incidence of non-communicable diseases in South Africa.

Unhealthy dietary behaviours are prevalent among adolescents. This might relate, in part, to obesogenic environments, including recreation food facilities. The REFRESH Study (Recreation Environment and Food Research: Experiences from Hockey) aimed to explore, from the perspectives of adolescent ice hockey players and parents, broad social and physical environmental influences on adolescent food behaviours associated with hockey participation.

Players used photovoice to describe their food experiences in relation to ice hockey. The approach included photos, individual interviews and focus groups. Exemplar photographs were exhibited for stakeholders, including five parents who were interviewed. Interview and focus group transcripts were thematically analysed.

Recreational ice hockey environment, Ontario, Canada, 2015–16.

Ice hockey players (n 24) aged 11–15 years recruited from five leagues.

Dominant influences among players included: their perceived importance of nutrients (e.g. protein) or foods (e.g. chocolate milk) for performance and recovery; marketing and branding (e.g. the pro-hockey aura of Tim Horton’s®, Canada’s largest quick-service restaurant); social aspects of tournaments and team meals; and moral values around ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ food choices. Both players and parents perceived recreational facility food options as unhealthy and identified that travel and time constraints contributed to less healthy choices.

Results indicate recreation facilities are only one of a range of environments that influence eating behaviours of adolescent ice hockey players. Players’ susceptibility to advertising/brand promotion and the value of healthy food choices for performance are findings that can inform policy and interventions to support healthy environments and behaviours.

Dietary energy density (ED) might have influences on body composition. We therefore examined whether ED is associated with body composition among Chinese adults.

We collected dietary data through validated two-day 24 h recalls. ED, defined as the amount of energy per unit weight of food consumed, was calculated based on five methods. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore the associations between ED and body composition parameters, including BMI, fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI), percentage body fat (%BF) and waist circumference (WC).

Southwest China.

Chinese adults (n 1933) in 2013.

After adjusting the covariates, all ED definitions were positively associated with BMI, FMI, FFMI, %BF and WC among women (P<0·01). In men, however, ED with foods only was positively associated with BMI, FMI, FFMI and %BF (P<0·05), but not with WC (P=0·07); we also found null associations between ED with foods and all beverages and body composition among men. Additionally, ED contributed to higher increases of body composition in women than in men (P<0·01).

The present study supports the positive association between ED and body composition among adults in Southwest China, in which beverages may play an important role.

To meet some of the UN’s seventeen Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, there is a need for more effective policy to reduce food insecurity in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). Measuring progress towards these goals requires reliable indicators of food security in these countries. Routinely conducted household consumption and expenditure surveys (HCES) provide potentially valuable and nationally representative data sets for this purpose. The present study aimed to assess methods used to determine national food security status using proxy measures from HCES data in LMIC globally.

A scoping literature review was conducted using electronic databases. Of the 929 abstracts identified, a total of twenty articles were reviewed against strict inclusion and exclusion criteria and included for further analysis.

Fourteen LMIC globally were represented in the twenty articles. The simplest metric used to indicate food insecurity compared household food expenditure against a level of expenditure considered to be below the poverty line. Data on acquisition of food was commonly converted to available energy for the household using local food composition tables and expressed as a proportion of household total energy requirements. Dietary diversity was also assessed in some studies as well as experience of food insecurity.

The review demonstrated that routinely collected HCES data sets provide a useful resource for the measurement of household food security in often resource-limited LMIC. Standardisation of methods used to assess food security is needed to allow for more useful comparisons between countries, as well as to assess temporal trends.

The objective of the present study was to explore whether dietary patterns (DP) are associated with nutritional status indicators among adolescent Mozambican girls.

In this population-based cross-sectional study we used the FFQ data of 547 girls aged 14–19 years from Central Mozambique to derive dietary patterns by means of principal component analysis. We used two-level linear regression models to examine the associations between the DP and anthropometric and biochemical indicators of nutritional status.

We identified three DP: ‘Urban bread and fats’, ‘Rural meat and vegetables’ and ‘Rural cassava and coconut’. The ‘Urban bread and fats’ DP was positively associated with BMI-for-age Z-score (BMIZ), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), triceps skinfold (P for all<0·001) and blood Hb (P=0·025). A negative association was observed between the ‘Urban bread and fats’ DP and serum folate (P<0·001). The ‘Rural meat and vegetables’ DP and the ‘Rural cassava and coconut’ DP were associated negatively with BMIZ, MUAC and triceps skinfold (P for all<0·05), but the ‘Rural meat and vegetables’ DP was associated positively with serum ferritin (P=0·007).

Urban and rural DP were associated with nutritional status indicators. In a low-resource setting, urban diets may promote body fat storage and blood Hb concentrations but compromise serum folate concentration. It is important to continue valuing the traditional, rural foods that are high in folate.

To examine dietary Na and K intake at eating occasions in Australian adults and identify the contribution of major food sources to Na and K at different eating occasions.

Secondary analysis of 24 h recall diet data from the Australian Health Survey (2011–2013).

Nationally representative survey in Australia.

Male and female Australians aged 18–84 years (n 7818).

Dinner contributed the greatest proportion to total daily Na intake (33 %) and K intake (35 %). Na density was highest at lunch (380 mg/MJ) and K density highest at between-meal time eating occasions (401 mg/MJ). Between-meal time eating occasions provided 20 % of daily Na intake and 26 % of daily K intake. The major food group sources of Na were different at meal times (breads and mixed dishes) compared with between-meal times (cakes, muffins, scones, cake-type desserts). The top food group sources of K at meal times were potatoes and unprocessed meat products and dishes.

Foods which contributed to Na and K intake differed according to eating occasion. Major food sources of Na were bread and processed foods. Major food sources of K were potatoes and meat products and dishes. Public health messages that emphasise meal-based advice and diet patterns high in vegetables, fruits and unprocessed foods may also aid reduction in dietary Na intake and increase in dietary K intake.

Differences in bottled v. tap water intake may provide insights into health disparities, like risk of dental caries and inadequate hydration. We examined differences in plain, tap and bottled water consumption among US adults by sociodemographic characteristics.

Cross-sectional analysis. We used 24 h dietary recall data to test differences in percentage consuming the water sources and mean intake between groups using Wald tests and multiple logistic and linear regression models.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007–2014.

A nationally representative sample of 20 676 adults aged ≥20 years.

In 2011–2014, 81·4 (se 0·6) % of adults drank plain water (sum of tap and bottled), 55·2 (se 1·4) % drank tap water and 33·4 (se 1·4) % drank bottled water on a given day. Adjusting for covariates, non-Hispanic (NH) Black and Hispanic adults had 0·44 (95 % CI 0·37, 0·53) and 0·55 (95 % CI 0·45, 0·66) times the odds of consuming tap water, and consumed B=−330 (se 45) ml and B=−180 (se 45) ml less tap water than NH White adults, respectively. NH Black, Hispanic and adults born outside the fifty US states or Washington, DC had 2·20 (95 % CI 1·79, 2·69), 2·37 (95 % CI 1·91, 2·94) and 1·46 (95 % CI 1·19, 1·79) times the odds of consuming bottled water than their NH White and US-born counterparts. In 2007–2010, water filtration was associated with higher odds of drinking plain and tap water.

While most US adults consumed plain water, the source (i.e. tap or bottled) and amount differed by race/Hispanic origin, nativity status and education. Water filters may increase tap water consumption.

Excess meat consumption, particularly of red and processed meats, is associated with nutritional and environmental health harms. While only a small portion of the population is vegetarian, surveys suggest many Americans may be reducing their meat consumption. To inform education campaigns, more information is needed about attitudes, perceptions, behaviours and foods eaten in meatless meals.

A web-based survey administered in April 2015 assessed meat reduction behaviours, attitudes, what respondents ate in meatless meals and sociodemographic characteristics.

Nationally representative, web-based survey in the USA.

US adults (n 1112) selected from GfK Knowledgeworks’ 50 000-member online panel. Survey weights were used to assure representativeness.

Two-thirds reported reducing meat consumption in at least one category over three years, with reductions of red and processed meat most frequent. The most common reasons for reduction were cost and health; environment and animal welfare lagged. Non-meat reducers commonly agreed with statements suggesting that meat was healthy and ‘belonged’ in the diet. Vegetables were most often consumed ‘always’ in meatless meals, but cheese/dairy was also common. Reported meat reduction was most common among those aged 45–59 years and among those with lower incomes.

The public and environmental health benefits of reducing meat consumption create a need for campaigns to raise awareness and contribute to motivation for change. These findings provide rich information to guide intervention development, both for the USA and other high-income countries that consume meat in high quantities.

To investigate seasonal variations of vitamin D status at different latitudes and if these changes are accompanied by corresponding variations in certain health parameters in children living in a broad latitudinal range in Iran.

Longitudinal study.

In total, 530 apparently healthy children aged 5–18 years were randomly selected from six regions of Iran with a latitudinal gradient from 29°N to 37·5°N. All anthropometric and biochemical assessments were performed twice during a year (summer, winter). High BMI (Z-score >1), low HDL cholesterol (<40 mg/dl, males; <50 mg/dl, females) and high TAG (>150 mg/dl) were considered cardiometabolic risk factors.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) showed between-season variation, with significantly higher concentrations (mean (sd)) in summer v. winter (43 (29) v. 27 (18) nmol/l; P<0·001). Change of circulating 25(OH)D between summer and winter was negatively correlated with change of BMI (r=−0·16; P<0·001), TAG (r=−0·09; P=0·04) and total cholesterol (r=−0·10; P=0·02) and directly correlated with change of height-for-age Z-score (r=0·09; P=0·04). Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis (β; 95 % CI) showed that winter serum 25(OH)D (−0·3; −0·4, −0·2; P<0·001), gender (boys v. girls: 9·7; 5·2, 14·1; P<0·001) and latitude (>33°N v. <33°N: 4·5; 0·09, 9·0; P=0·04) were predictors of change of serum 25(OH)D between two seasons.

Summertime improvement of vitamin D status was accompanied by certain improved cardiometabolic risk factors, notably serum TAG, total cholesterol and BMI, in children.

We sought to assess the universal salt iodization (USI) strategy in Armenia by characterizing dietary iodine intake from naturally occurring iodine, salt-derived iodine in processed foods and salt-derived iodine in household-prepared foods.

Using a cross-sectional cluster survey model, we collected urine samples which were analysed for iodine and sodium concentrations (UIC and UNaC) and household salt samples which were analysed for iodine concentration (SI). SI and UNaC data were used as explanatory variables in multiple linear regression analyses with UIC as dependent variable, and the regression parameters were used to estimate the iodine intake sources attributable to native iodine and iodine from salt in processed foods and household salt.

Armenia is naturally iodine deficient; in 2004, the government mandated a USI strategy.

We recruited school-age children (SAC), pregnant women (PW) and non-pregnant women of reproductive age (WRA).

From thirteen sites covering all provinces, sufficient urine and table salt samples were obtained from 312 SAC, 311 PW and 332 WRA. Findings revealed significant differences between groups: contribution of native iodine ranged from 81% in PW to 46% in SAC, while household salt-derived iodine contributed from 19% in SAC to 1% in PW.

Differences between groups may reflect differences in diet. In all groups, household and processed food salt constituted a significant part of total iodine intake, highlighting the success and importance of USI in ensuring iodine sufficiency. There appears to be leeway to reduce salt intake without adversely affecting the iodine status of the population in Armenia.

Food marketing is an important factor influencing children’s food preferences. In Slovenia the use of magazines is widespread among children. We investigated food advertising in children’s and teens’ magazines (CTM) in 2013 and 2017. The penetration of food advertising was compared with magazines targeting the adult population.

A repeated cross-sectional study. Magazines were searched for branded food references (BFR). All BFR were categorised and evaluated using the WHO Europe nutrient profile model.

Slovenia.

All issues of CTM and a selected sample of issues of adult-targeting magazines and newspapers published in Slovenia in 2013 and 2017.

One hundred and seventy-five issues of CTM (ninety-two in 2013, eighty-three in 2017) and 675 issues of adult-targeted magazines and newspapers were analysed (345 in 2013, 330 in 2017). In 2017, food advertising in CTM dropped notably but the opposite was found for adult-targeted magazines. Regular advertisements dominated in 2017 in CTM, while in 2013, 83 % of BFR types were games/puzzles, competitions and product placements. Chocolate and confectionery were the most advertised in CTM and food supplements in adults’ magazines. Most foods in CTM were classed as ‘not permitted’ in both years (98 % in 2013 and 100 % in 2017).

The advertisements in CTM still mostly refer to unhealthy foods. The extent of food advertising has dropped considerably since 2013. On the contrary, food advertising in printed media targeting adults has increased, chiefly referring to food supplements and foods that do not pass the WHO Europe nutrient profile model criteria.

Foods characterized by a high degree of processing are pervasive in the global food supply and concerns have been raised about their contribution to the escalating burden of diet-related disease. It has been suggested that the dominance of these products relates in part to their aggressive on-package marketing. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between the extent and nature of front-of-package (FOP) nutrition references on products sold in Canadian supermarkets and the level of food processing.

FOP references were recorded from all packaged foods. Nutrition references were classified as ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ and further differentiated in terms of the use of regulated and unregulated text. Foods were coded for level of processing, using three different classification systems. Logistic and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted to assess associations.

Three large Toronto supermarkets, from the top Canadian food retailers.

Packaged foods (n 20 520).

Forty-one per cent of products had FOP nutrition references. Irrespective of the classification system considered, the most processed category comprised the greatest proportion of products and nearly half of these bore FOP references. Foods deemed most processed were more likely than less processed products to bear FOP references and regulated and unregulated references to negative ingredients, but they were equally or less likely to bear positive nutrition references, depending on the classification system.

The greater frequency of FOP nutrition references on heavily processed foods raises questions about the extent to which discretionary FOP labelling supports public health efforts to promote healthy eating.

FFQ are often used to estimate food and nutrient intakes to rank individuals by their level of intake. We evaluated the relative validity of a semi-quantitative FFQ created for use in Tanzania by comparing it with two 24 h diet recalls.

We measured relative validity of the FFQ with deattenuated energy-adjusted rank correlations for nutrients, deattenuated rank correlations for food groups, and performed a cross-classification analysis of energy-adjusted nutrient quartiles using percentage of agreement and Bland–Altman analysis.

Interviews were conducted in 2014 in participants’ homes in Ukonga, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

We surveyed 317 adults aged 40 years or older from the general public.

Deattenuated energy-adjusted rank correlation coefficients of nutrients ranged from −0·03 for riboflavin to 0·41 for percentage of energy from carbohydrates, with a median correlation of 0·21. Coefficients for food groups ranged from 0·00 for root vegetables to 0·51 for alcohol, with a median of 0·35. Relative to the average of the two 24 h diet recalls, the FFQ overestimated energy intake and intakes of all nutrients and food groups, other than tea, with ratios among nutrients ranging from 1·34 for SFA to 7·08 for vitamin A; and among food groups from 0·92 for tea to 9·00 for fruit. The percentage of participants classified into the same nutrient intake quartile ranged from 23 % for SFA to 32 % for both niacin and pantothenic acid, with a median of 28 %.

The FFQ performed moderately well in urban Tanzanian adults.

To compare infant and toddler anthropometric measurements, feeding practices and mean nutrient intakes by race/ethnicity and income.

Cross-sectional analysis using general linear modelling. Ten years of survey data (2003–2012) were combined to compare anthropometric measurements, feeding practices and mean nutrient intakes from a nationally representative US sample.

The 2003–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Infants and toddlers (n 3669) aged 0–24 months.

Rates of overweight were higher among Mexican-American infants and toddlers (P=0·002). There were also several differences in feeding practices among groups based on race/ethnicity. Cessation of breast-feeding occurred earlier for non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American v. non-Hispanic white infants (3·6 and 4·2 v. 5·3 months; P<0·0001; P=0·001). Age at first feeding of solids was earlier for white than Mexican-American infants (5·3 v. 5·7 months; P=0·02). There were differences in almost all feeding practices based on income, including the lowest-income infants stopped breast-feeding earlier than the highest-income infants (3·2 v. 5·8 months, P<0·0001). Several differences in mean nutrient intakes by both race/ethnicity and income were also identified.

Our study indicates that disparities in overweight, feeding practices and mean nutrient intakes exist among infants and toddlers according to race/ethnicity, which cannot be disentangled from income.

Despite evidence linking regular nut consumption with reduced chronic disease risk, population-level intakes remain low. Research suggests nut-promoting advice from doctors facilitates regular nut consumption. However, there is no information on current nut recommendation practices of health professionals. The aim of the present study was to examine the advice provided by health professionals regarding nut consumption.

In this cross-sectional study, participants were invited to complete a survey including questions about their nut recommendation practices.

New Zealand (NZ).

The NZ Electoral Roll was used to identify dietitians, general practitioners and practice nurses.

In total 318 dietitians, 292 general practitioners and 149 practice nurses responded. Dietitians were more likely (82·7 %) to recommend patients increase consumption of nuts than general practitioners (55·5 %) and practice nurses (63·1 %; both P<0·001). The most popular nuts recommended were almonds, Brazil nuts and walnuts, with most health professionals recommending raw nuts. The most common recommendation for frequency of consumption by dietitians and practice nurses was to eat nuts every day, while general practitioners most frequently recommended 2–4 times weekly, although not statistically significantly different between professions. Dietitians recommended a significantly greater amount of nuts (median 30 g/d) than both general practitioners and practice nurses (20 g/d; both P<0·001).

Dietitians were most likely to recommend consumption of nuts in accordance with current guidelines, but there are opportunities to improve the adoption of nut consumption recommendations for all professions. This may be a viable strategy for increasing population-level nut intakes to reduce chronic disease.

To update the data on food consumption and practices in children under 3 years of age in metropolitan France.

The Nutri-Bébé 2013 cross-sectional study selected a random sample, according to the quota sampling method. After giving their informed consent, parents had to record the food consumption during three non-consecutive days framed by two face-to-face interviews, using for quantitative information different portion size measurement aids.

One thousand one hundred and eighty-four children were enrolled. Mothers’ mean age was 30·8 (sd 5·4) years; 38 % were primiparous; 89 % lived with a partner; 60 % had an occupation. Of the infants younger than 4 months, 31 % were breast-fed. One thousand and thirty-five children consumed infant formula followed by growing-up milk in 63 % of them; solid foods were introduced at a mean age of 5·4 (sd 2·13) months. From 8 months onwards, 25 % of children consumed the same foods as their parents on a more or less regular basis; 29 % ate in front of a screen, with a daily average screen time of 43·0 (sd 40·4) min.

This robust survey highlights the low prevalence and duration of breast-feeding in France and shows a modest improvement since the previous survey of 2005 in the observance of recommendations concerning other feeding practices. The frequent consumption of adult foods and the screen time are of concern.