Attitudes and beliefs of Australian adults on reality television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs. Is there cause for concern? Descriptive analysis presented from a consumer survey.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence suggesting that the nutritional content of recipes promoted by celebrity chefs or television cooking programmes contradict healthy eating guidelines. This study aims to investigate people's attitudes and beliefs about popular television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs. METHODS: Males and females who watch television cooking programmes were recruited to participate in a self-administered online questionnaire (22-items) which included multiple-choice and rank order questions. RESULTS: A total of n = 207 participants undertook the questionnaire with fully completed questionnaires available for n = 150 participants (Males, n = 22; Females, n = 128; aged 38.4 ± 14 years). The majority of respondents watch ≤30 minutes of television cooking programming per day (total responses, n = 153/207; 74%) with almost three-quarters (total responses, n = 130/175; 74%) having attempted a recipe. New cooking ideas (total responses, n = 81/175; 46%) and entertainment (total responses, n = 64/175; 36.5%) were the two main reasons participants gave for watching these programmes. Significantly more respondents believed recipes use excessive amounts of unhealthy fat, sugar or salt (unhealthy: 24%; healthy: 7%; P < 0.0001). Almost half of all respondents (total responses, n = 67/151; 44%) believed these programmes have no impact on their habitual diet. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our results suggest television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs are unlikely to impact habitual dietary intake; rather, vicarious viewing and entertainment appear important factors relating to why people watch these programmes. However results generated from the present study are descriptive and subjective and further investigation into the impact of television cooking programmes and celebrity chefs on behavioural change requires attention. Further investigation including a systematic investigation into the dietary quality of recipes promoted by celebrity chefs against national healthy eating benchmarks is also warranted.

Sodium intake and excretion in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional analysis of overweight and obese males and females in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is common in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Dietary sodium plays an important regulatory role in blood pressure management. However, dietary sodium intakes and the major food sources of dietary sodium have yet to be thoroughly investigated in individuals with T2DM. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study sample of 88 overweight and obese men (n = 52) and women (n = 36) with T2DM in Adelaide, Australia, sodium intake and excretion was investigated using two different methodologies, including a 4-day weighed food record and 24-h urinary sodium excretion. The major dietary contributors to sodium intake in this population were also explored. RESULTS: Mean (SD) 24-h urinary sodium excretion was greater (P < 0.001) in males [195.1 (74.6) mmol] compared to females [144.3 (41.8) mmol]. Breads and cereals (B&Cs) were the largest contributors to dietary sodium intake (23% of intake). There was an association between sodium intake from B&Cs and 24-h urinary sodium excretion (r = 0.235; P = 0.02); however, when controlled for gender, B&Cs were not associated with urinary sodium excretion (males, r = 0.134; P = 0.343; females, r = 0.102; P = 0.554). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study show that sodium intake and excretion in individuals with T2DM is more than two-fold greater than the current recommendations for chronic disease prevention. B&Cs were the major dietary contributors of sodium intake, suggesting that they are primary targets for a reduction in their sodium content.

Early carotid atherosclerosis in normotensive severe obese premenopausal women with low DHEA(S).

The aim of this study was to investigate the direct involvement of hyperinsulinaemia, DHEA and DHEA-S [DHEA(S)] in severe obesity in early carotid atherosclerosis, measured as intima-media thickness (IMT). Seventeen normotensive premenopausal women with very high BMI (43.5 +/- 1.6 kg/m2) were recruited for the study. Six women were also evaluated 12 months after laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB). Dietary intake, fasting plasma lipid profile, glycemic and insulinemic response to the OGTT, adrenal secretion, at baseline and after ACTH stimulation test, were measured. IMT, common carotid diameter (CD) and left ventricular mass index (LVMi) were measured by B-mode echotomography. All obese subjects showed higher fasting and stimulated insulin levels, but lower DHEA(S) levels than controls, showing a negative correlation between both fasting and stimulated insulin and DHEA(S), either at baseline or after ACTH testing. IMT was higher (p < 0.05) than controls, with a positive correlation with stimulated insulin (p < 0.05) and a strong negative correlation with DHEA(S) (p < 0.001). In a multiple linear regression analysis, insulin response to OGTT maintained an association with DHEA(S) independent of fasting insulin, while DHEA maintained the association with IMT independent of stimulated insulin (p < 0.0001). In the six patients evaluated 12 months after LASGB, fasting insulin levels decreased, while DHEA(S) levels increased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, an early cardiovascular involvement was detected in this group of severe obese with hyperinsulinaemia and low DHEA(S), even in the absence of other well known CVD risk factors.

[Nutritional problems in cirrhotic patients. Evaluation of dietetic aspects]. / Problemi nutrizionali nei pazienti cirrotici. Valutazione degli aspetti dietetici.

The aim of the study was to evaluate: a) the influence of the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis on the alimentary behaviour of cirrhotic patients; b) the compliance and the effect during observation-time of a personalized diet; c) the modifications, induced by the diet, of some clinical and biochemical parameters, specifically of these correlated to hepatic encephalopathy in 20 non-alcoholic cirrhotic patients. They were entered the study, in stage A-B of liver disease, according to Child-Pugh criteria. No patients received a previous specific dietetic prescription. After the collection of the alimentary intake before and after the diagnosis of liver disease, we prescribed normoprotein and hyposodium diets, reducing or increasing the caloric intake for the patients who were not at their ideal weight. From our study it stands out that the diagnosis induced all patients to reduce their caloric intake, especially of lipids. The appropriate dietetic prescription followed by short run controls led to a general improvement of the evaluated parameters, which was not kept during the following months; as a matter of fact, at the long run control all patients tended to return to their previous alimentary habits, neglecting, in the course of time, the diets they had been prescribed. We can, consequently, maintain that the cirrhotic needs a steady clinical and dietetic control since he seems to undervalue the prescribed therapies.