Dietary habits among snus users: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: The dietary habits among snus users are largely unknown and have not been accounted for in observational studies on the health effects of snus use. Aim: To examine whether snus users eat unhealthier than never tobacco users. Methods: A total of 3,397 male participants, examined between 1994 and 2014 in the Northern Sweden Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) study, were included. Snus use and dietary habits were self-reported using questionnaires, from which intakes of different food groups, macronutrients, and a healthy diet score (HDS) were calculated (the latter as a proxy for overall diet quality). The association between snus use and dietary habits was examined by quantile regression models. Results: In the multivariable-adjusted model, current snus users had a lower HDS (median difference: -0.86 [95% confidence interval: -1.32, -0.40]) than never tobacco users. Snus users also consumed fewer weekly servings of fruits and berries (median difference: -1.03 [-1.65, -0.40]), and their estimated percentage of energy intake consisted of less carbohydrates (median difference: -1.43 [-2.12, -0.74]) and of more total fat (median difference: 0.99 [0.30, 1.67]), saturated fat (median difference: 0.67 [0.29, 1.05]), monounsaturated fat (median difference: 0.44 [0.20, 0.68]), trans fat (median difference: 0.03 [0.01, 0.06]), and alcohol (median difference: 0.21 [0.02, 0.40]). Conclusion: We observed that snus users had an unhealthier diet than never tobacco users. Future studies on the association between snus use and health outcomes should, therefore, consider diet as a potential confounder.

Comparison of dietary trends between two counties with and without a cardiovascular prevention programme: a population-based cross-sectional study in northern Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: To compare temporal trends, over a 20-year period, in dietary habits between a county (Västerbotten) with a CVD prevention programme and a county (Norrbotten) without such a programme. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data from the Northern Sweden MONICA study (survey period 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014). Dietary habits were assessed by a semi-quantitative FFQ. SETTING: Counties of Norrbotten and Västerbotten, Northern Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Five thousand four hundred Swedish adults (mean age 56·9 years; 51·2 % women) from Västerbotten (47 %) and Norrbotten (53 %). RESULTS: No differences in temporal trend for estimated percentage of energy intake from total carbohydrates, total fat, total protein and alcohol were observed between the counties (Pfor interaction ≥ 0·33). There were no between-county difference in temporal trends for overall diet quality (assessed by the Healthy Diet Score; Pfor interaction = 0·36). Nor were there any between-county differences for the intake of whole grain products, fruits, vegetables, fish, sweetened beverages or fried potatoes (Pfor interaction ≥ 0·09). Consumption of meat (Pfor interaction = 0·05) increased to a greater extent in Norrbotten from 2009 and onwards, mainly in men (sex-specific analyses, Pfor interaction = 0·04). Men in Västerbotten decreased their intake of sweets to a greater extent than men in Norrbotten (Pfor interaction < 0·01). CONCLUSIONS: Over a 20-year period in northern Sweden, only small differences in dietary habits were observed in favour of a county with a CVD prevention programme compared with a county without such a programme.

Is it possible to influence ability, willingness and understanding among nursing home care staff to implement nutritional guidelines? A comparison of a facilitated and an educational strategy.

BACKGROUND: Translating nutrition knowledge into care practice is challenging since multiple factors can affect the implementation process. This study examined the impact of two implementation strategies, that is external facilitation (EF) and educational outreach visits (EOVs), on the organisational context and individual factors when implementing nutritional guidelines in a nursing home (NH) setting. METHODS: The EF strategy was a one-year, multifaceted (including support, guidance, a practice audit and feedback) intervention given to four NH units. The EOV strategy was a three-hour lecture about the nutritional guidelines given to four other NH units. Both strategies were directed at selected NH teams, consisting of a unit manager, a nurse and 5-10 care staff. A questionnaire was distributed, before and after the interventions, to evaluate the prerequisites for the staff to use the guidelines. Three conditions were used to examine the organisational context and the individual factors: the staff's ability and willingness to implement the nutritional guidelines and their understanding of them. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models were used for the data analysis. RESULTS: The results indicated that on average, there was a significant increase in the staff's ability to implement the nutritional guidelines in the EF group. The staff exposed to the EF strategy experienced better resources to implement the guidelines in terms of time, tools and support from leadership and a clearer assignment of responsibility regarding nutrition procedures. There was no change in staff's willingness and understanding of the guidelines in the EF group. On average, no significant changes were observed for the staff's ability, willingness or understanding in the EOV group. CONCLUSIONS: A long-term, active and flexible implementation strategy (i.e. EF) affected the care staff's ability to implement the nutritional guidelines in an NH setting. No such impact was observed for the more passive, educational approach (i.e. EOV).

The effects of nutritional guideline implementation on nursing home staff performance: a controlled trial.

RATIONALE: Suboptimal nutritional practices in elderly care settings may be resolved by an efficient introduction of nutritional guidelines. AIMS: To compare two different implementation strategies, external facilitation (EF) and educational outreach visits (EOVs), when introducing nutritional guidelines in nursing homes (NHs), and study the impact on staff performance. METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study with baseline and follow-up measurements. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was staff performance as a function of mealtime ambience and food service routines. INTERVENTIONS/RESEARCH METHODS: The EF strategy was a 1-year, multifaceted intervention that included support, guidance, practice audit and feedback in two NH units. The EOV strategy comprised one-three-hour lecture about nutritional guidelines in two other NH units. Both strategies were targeted to selected NH teams, which consisted of a unit manager, a nurse and 5-10 care staff. Mealtime ambience was evaluated by 47 observations using a structured mealtime instrument. Food service routines were evaluated by 109 food records performed by the staff. RESULTS: Mealtime ambience was more strongly improved in the EF group than in the EOV group after the implementation. Factors improved were laying a table (p = 0.03), offering a choice of beverage (p = 0.02), the serving of the meal (p = 0.02), interactions between staff and residents (p = 0.02) and less noise from the kitchen (p = 0.01). Food service routines remained unchanged in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: An EF strategy that included guidance, audit and feedback improved mealtime ambience when nutritional guidelines were introduced in a nursing home setting, whereas food service routines were unchanged by the EF strategy.

Does undernutrition still prevail among nursing home residents?

BACKGROUND & AIMS: During recent years public awareness about malnutrition has increased and collective initiatives have been undertaken. Simultaneously, the number of older adults is increasing, and the elderly care has been placed under pressure. The aim was to assess the nutritional situation and one-year mortality among nursing home (NH) residents, and compare with historical data. METHODS: Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), ADL Barthel Index (BI), Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), EQ-5D, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and blood samples were collected from 172 NH residents (86.3 ± 8 years, 70% women). Mortality data was taken from NH records. Nutritional data from 166 NH residents (83.8 ± 8 years, 61% women) examined in 1996 was retrieved for historical comparison. RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition was 30%, as compared to 71% in the historical data set, corresponding to a present average body mass index of 23.7 ± 5.1 compared with 22.3 ± 4.2 kg/m(2) (p < 0.01). Reduced nutritional status was associated with decline in function (p < 0.001) and cognition (p < 0.01). One-year mortality was 24%. Regression analyses indicated high age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.03-1.16)), high scores in CCI (OR = 1.54, (1.19-1.99)), low BMI (OR = 2.47, (1.14-5.38)) and malnutrition (OR = 2.37, (1.07-5.26)) to be independently associated with one-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition still prevails and is associated with deteriorated cognition, function and increased mortality. A possible improvement in nutritional status in NH residents over time was observed.