Gaining Wings to FLY: Using Drosophila Oogenesis as an Entry Point for Citizen Scientists in Laboratory Research.

Citizen science is a productive approach to include non-scientists in research efforts that impact particular issues or communities. In most cases, scientists at advanced career stages design high-quality, exciting projects that enable citizen contribution, a crowdsourcing process that drives discovery forward and engages communities. The challenges of having citizens design their own research with no or limited training and providing access to laboratory tools, reagents, and supplies have limited citizen science efforts. This leaves the incredible life experiences and immersion of citizens in communities that experience health disparities out of the research equation, thus hampering efforts to address community health needs with a full picture of the challenges that must be addressed. Here, we present a robust and reproducible approach that engages participants from Grade 5 through adult in research focused on defining how diet impacts disease signaling. We leverage the powerful genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry of Drosophila oogenesis to define how nutrients impact phenotypes associated with genetic mutants that are implicated in cancer and diabetes. Participants lead the project design and execution, flipping the top-down hierarchy of the prevailing scientific culture to co-create research projects and infuse the research with cultural and community relevance.

Evaluation of the Kids' Shop Smart tour.

We investigated the impact of the Kids' Shop Smart Tour program on participants' attitudes toward trying new foods and eating a variety of foods, as well as their recognition of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Data were collected from parents/caregivers, students in kindergarten to grade 3, and teachers; questionnaires, quizzes, and interviews were used. Questionnaires were sent home with 947 students; 52% of parents/caregivers returned completed questionnaires. Many parents/caregivers reported that their children tried and liked unfamiliar foods on the tour. No significant difference was detected in children's willingness to try new foods or consumption of a greater variety of food before and after the tour. Quiz score differences between participants and a comparison group were not statistically significant. Of the 38 teachers who completed interviews, 97% reported that the program helped them meet curriculum requirements; 95% would recommend the resource to other teachers. Quantitative findings do not indicate that the program increases children's willingness to try new foods or eat a greater variety of food. However, qualitative data revealed that some parents observed their children trying new foods more willingly and demonstrating greater knowledge of and interest in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Further research with validated measurement tools is recommended to establish the effectiveness of the Kids' Shop Smart Tour.

Food information programs: a review of the literature.

This paper summarizes existing evidence on the impact of food information programs. Published and unpublished literature produced within the past decade was searched and reviewed. Relevant data were tabulated and key findings summarized. Food information programs are becoming increasingly popular as tools to help consumers select a healthy diet. The key feature of a food information program is a package logo on foods meeting nutrition criteria set by the program s administering body. The logo acts as a health message. Several countries, including Canada, have adopted food information programs. Critics believe that these programs oversimplify the concept of healthy eating, that consumers misinterpret the logo s meaning, that licensing fees prohibit small companies from participating, and that the programs are limited to purchase behaviour and do not necessarily have an impact on dietary intake. Consumers report support for the programs and are able to interpret a logo s meaning accurately. In addition, evidence shows the programs have had a positive impact on the nutrient composition of foods. Research is still needed, however, to establish the impact of such programs on food purchases and dietary intake, and the overall and long-term effectiveness of the programs as a nutrition intervention.