Research progress of antiviral material basis and mechanism of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid.

Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid (,CQOL) is derived from Yinqiao San (), which is composed of Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus) and Banlangen (Isatidis Radix). It is a common clinical herbal medicine for clearing heat and detoxification, and has antiviral effects. By reviewing the active ingredients of CQOL and the research progress on its anti-influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) efficacy, with view to providing a basis for the clinical use of CQOL in treatment of respiratory diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2.Copyright © 2023 Editorial Office of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. All rights reserved.

The Fruits of Labor: Home Food Procurement and Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19

We examine the relationship of home food procurement (HFP) during COVID-19 to emotional eating and stress using a statewide representative survey (n = 600) in Vermont. Women and people with a job change since COVID-19 were more likely to experience higher stress and emotional eating. Engaging in HFP, especially gardening, is associated with less emotional eating. However, people who fished, hunted, or canned more since the pandemic began were more likely to eat for emotional reasons and experience higher stress. These results suggest that gardening, even during a pandemic, may contribute to stress reduction, more so than other nature-based food production activities.Copyright © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Food Processing Waste in Vietnam: Utilization and Prospects in Food Industry for Sustainability Development

Vietnam is a country that produces a variety of agricultural products, including vegetables, tubers, fruits, and processed products. Along with the increase in population, the demand for consumers also increases, and the by-products of farming are increasing and being discharged into the environment. This is one of the critical research issues that need to be solved to ensure sustainability in agriculture. This review summarized recent studies on familiar sources of by-products in Vietnam, such as banana peels, citrus peels, dragon fruit skins, rice bran, and rice husks, and their potential in the food industry. Some solutions are also proposed to solve and turn this low-value raw material into a high-value product and serve a variety of products and consumers in the food industry. Especially after the COVID19 pandemic, the by-products contain valuable and reusable biological resources. These compounds could be future applications to support improving the consumer's immune system and various health benefits. Processed and utilized by-products from food production could not only help increase incomes for farmers, especially in developing countries like Vietnam but also could aid in ensuring food security and sustainability in agricultural production.

The Study of the Correlation Betweenthe on the Diet, Sleep Quality and Perceived Stress among College Students in Taichung during the COVID-19 Pandemic Distance Learning.

Research indicates the COVID-19 epidemic changes people's health and diet, However, this has not yet been well discussed in Taiwan, especially in college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of distance learning on college students' dietary patterns, sleep quality and perception of stress during the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan. 265 college students from a university in Taichung were recruited in this study. The self-administered online questionnaire was used to investigate the changes in eating behavior, sleep quality, and perception of stress before and one month after distance learning, and further analyzed the relationship among them. The questionnaire contains demographic information, dietary questionnaires (including six categories of food intake behaviors, convenience food intake frequency), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Perceived Stress Scale (Chinese 14-item PSS). The results showed that the proportion of college students to meet the recommended Taiwan Dietary Guidelines amount in vegetables (21.9%), fruits (27.5%), meats and dairy products (15.8%), and nuts and seeds (11.3%) were lower during distance learning. The frequency of convenient food intake was lower during distance learning (13.31 +/- 6.10 points;never to occasionally). During the distance learning period, there was a significant negative correlation between dietary patterns and sleep quality (r = -0.160, p = 0.009), It shows that college students with higher dietary pattern scores have better sleep quality. During the distance learning period, there was a significant positive correlation between sleep quality and perceived stress (r = 0.320, p < 0.001), It shows that college students with higher levels of stress had poorer sleep quality. This study found that the lower the perceived stress of college students, the better their diet and sleep quality;conversely, the higher the perceived stress, the worse their diet and sleep quality. Studies have shown that a healthy, balanced diet can reduce the risk of getting various diseases. Therefore, in the post-epidemic era, it is recommended that schools increase the accessibility and availability of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, nuts and seeds on campus to make it easier for teachers and students to obtain such healthy food in order to achieve the goal of promoting balanced diet.Copyright © 2022 Nutrition Society in Taipei. All rights reserved.

Missingness: Or why are some people failing to engage with foot services in time?

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an uncomfortable and often recurrent situation in foot care services in the UK which frequently manifests in the older, White British, overweight, lone male population who often are manual workers. Result(s): These patients are unaware of local or national health promotion campaigns (e.g. iDEAL group's ACT NOW campaign, Diabetes UK's Putting Feet First) so have little awareness and education regarding potential foot problems. They are not aware of 5-to drive, eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, check your feet every day or walk 10,000 steps initiatives. They do not access public health materials and do not follow social media platforms, magazines, or newspapers. Therefore when they present in clinic, often after an emergency appointment with their GP, or an attendance at A&E, they present with significant soft tissue damage or systemic infection, frequently catastrophic tissue loss and serious co-morbidity (often in the form of renal or cardiac failure). Many require immediate hospital admission, intra-venous antibiotics, surgical debridement, vascular intervention and/or amputation. Unfortunately for some early mortality (often from an overwhelming cardio-vascular event) is the reality before they get as far as a major amputation. Discussion(s): Patients with more long-term conditions have increased risk of missing GP appointments (after controlling for number of appointments made) and are at increased risk of all-cause mortality, with those with long-term mental-health conditions who miss >2 appointments per year having >8x risk of all-cause mortality compared with those similar diagnoses who missed no appointments (McQueenie et al. 2019).

Fruit and vegetable mixtures for health-promoting colored extruded snacks

Diet-related non-communicable diseases have an impact on sustainable development and have greatly influenced mortality worldwide, even nowadays, where they regained a greater relevance with COVID-19 pandemic emergence. Food habits and immunity have been closely related, and technological adaptions to produce healthier snacks are now on the global agenda of the food industry. As naturally functional raw materials, fruit and vegetables (F&V) effectively meet the high nutritional value and sensory appeal necessary to snacks design. This work aimed to harness the potential of such resources, including both native and introduced F&V species that confer visually attractive color to cold processed extrudates. The performance of different F&V processing methods was tested, for final blending with hydrocolloids resulting in sugarless confectionery-like extruded snacks. Liquid and dry milling of F&V yielded colorful pigment-rich ingredients, whose physical characteristics differed in terms of extraction efficiency, water activity, and moisture, with associated technological process advantages or handicaps. Formulas with different hydrocolloids were tested, and the one with the highest sensory acceptability was reported. © 2023 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.

Did A Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program Support low-income Households in North Carolina during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Mixed Methods Assessment of the Healthy Helping Program and Other Pandemic-Related Food Assistance

In 2020, the Healthy Helping Fruit and Vegetable Program provided SNAP-eligible beneficiaries with $40/month, for up to 3 months, to purchase fruits and vegetablesata chainsupermarket inNorthCarolina.A survey to describeparticipants' experiences with the program and interviews to explore whether these experiences were shaped byparticipating inotherpandemic-related food access programs were conducted.In conjunction with other food access programs,programs that allow participants freedom to choose what they purchase mayalleviate household hardships and provide greater access tonutrient-dense foods during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond..Copyright © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Metabolic risks and prognosis of COVID-19: are dietary patterns important? (Special Issue: The relationship between nutrition and COVID-19.)

Purpose: This study aims to identify the dietary patterns of two groups of subjects (with and without COVID-19), and to assess the relationship of findings with the prognosis of COVID-19 and metabolic risk parameters. Design/methodology/approach: This study included 100 individuals in the age range of 19-65 years. The medical history, and data on biochemical, hematological and inflammatory indicators were retrieved from the files. A questionnaire for the 24-h food record and the food intake frequency was administered in face-to-face interviews, and dietary patterns of subjects were assessed. Findings: In individuals with COVID-19, the hip circumference, the waist-hip ratio and the body fat percentage were significantly higher (p < 0.05), and the muscle mass percentage was significantly lower (p < 0.05). Mediterranean diet adherence screener (MEDAS), dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) and healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores were low in the two groups. A linear correlation of DASH scores was found with the muscle mass percentage (p = 0.046) and a significant inverse correlation of with the body fat percentage (p = 0.006). HEI-2015 scores were significantly and negatively correlated with body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference and neck circumference (p < 0.05). Every one-unit increase in MEDAS, DASH and HEI-2015 scores caused reductions in C-reactive protein levels at different magnitudes. Troponin-I was significantly and negatively correlated with fruit intake (p = 0.044), a component of a Mediterranean diet and with HEI-2015 total scores (p = 0.032). Research limitations/implications: The limitation of this study includes the small sample size and the lack of dietary interventions. Another limitation is the use of the food recall method for the assessment of dietary patterns. This way assessments were performed based on participants' memory and statements. Practical implications: Following a healthy diet pattern can help reduce the metabolic risks of COVID-19 disease. Originality/value: Despite these limitations, this study is valuable because, to the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the first study demonstrating the association of dietary patterns with disease prognosis and metabolic risks concerning COVID-19. This study suggests that dietary patterns during the COVID-19 process may be associated with several metabolic risks and inflammatory biomarkers.

Emotions, perceived knowledge and food behaviors during stressful periods

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how emotions affect consumers' food choices and food preparation activities during stressful periods, using the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China.Design/methodology/approachThis study used an online survey, with a sample of 1,050 individuals from 32 regions in China. Multi-regression and mediation models were used to test the relationships among perceived knowledge, emotions and food behaviors.FindingsThe results show that positive emotions positively affect healthy food consumption and engagement in food preparations. In contrast, negative emotions contribute to an increase in indulgent food consumption and quick-and-easy meal preparations. Increased knowledge of the current situation can enhance positive emotions and thus promote healthy food behaviors. Lacking knowledge may result in unhealthy food behaviors through negative emotions.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the understanding of emotions and food behaviors by examining the effects of both negative and positive emotions in the general population, exploring a wider constellation of food behaviors and identifying perceived knowledge as an important antecedent to emotions' effects on food behaviors. Implications for consumers and public policy are offered.

Research progress of antiviral material basis and mechanism of Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid.

Compound Qinlan Oral Liquid (,CQOL) is derived from Yinqiao San (), which is composed of Jinyinhua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus) and Banlangen (Isatidis Radix). It is a common clinical herbal medicine for clearing heat and detoxification, and has antiviral effects. By reviewing the active ingredients of CQOL and the research progress on its anti-influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) efficacy, with view to providing a basis for the clinical use of CQOL in treatment of respiratory diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2.Copyright © 2023 Editorial Office of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. All rights reserved.

A Garden of Marvels: Tales of Wonder from Early Medieval China by Robert Ford Campany (review)

The category of zhiguai (accounts of the strange) texts is diverse, encompassing a wide variety of anecdotes, historical records, memoirs, letters, temple inscriptions, and biographies, among others, that recount encounters with sacred, ordinary, and apotropaic objects, shapeshifting animals, ghosts, demons, local gods, and numinous beings such as Daoist transcendents or the Buddha, Buddhist practitioners, deities and supernatural creatures;visits to otherworldly places such as the court of judgment in the afterlife, hidden villages of immortals or enlightened beings à la James Hilton's Shangri-la or the Tibetan mythical kingdom of Shambhala, or even heaven or hell;and unaccountable phenomena such as bizarre dreams, premonitions, and miraculous occurrences, including surviving entombment and the return from death (xxviii). Mordicai Gerstein's children's book Carolinda Clatter (2005), with its description of a giant's sleeping body becoming a mountain with forests, caves, and waterfalls, mirrors the cosmogonic myth of Pangu, whose body parts become the world in item 85 (58 and 59). The eerie feel of the scene in C. S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew (1955), where Digory Kirke enters the Garden to pluck an apple from the Tree of Knowledge to protect Narnia, is highly reminiscent of item 47 (35), where uninvited intruders eat their fill of otherworldly fruit from a remote orchard but are admonished by an unseen voice in midair to drop the fruit they intended to take with them.

A Literature Review on the Antiviral Mechanism of Luteolin

Background: Viral infections pose some of the most serious human health concerns worldwide. The infections caused by several viruses, including coronavirus, hepatitis virus, and human immunodeficiency virus, are difficult to treat. Method(s): This review details the findings of a literature search performed on the antiviral properties of luteolin. The keywords engaged in the search are "virus" along with "luteolin." Results: Luteolin possesses antiviral properties, which is the basis for the current review. It is an important natural flavonoid with numerous important biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory, and antitumor effects, and is found in vegetables, fruits, and several medicinal plants. Recent studies have revealed that many traditional Chinese medicines that contain luteolin inhibit the replication of coronaviruses. Conclusion(s): Luteolin effectively inhibits the replication of coronavirus, influenza virus, enterovirus, rotavirus, herpes virus, and respiratory syncytial virus, among others. In particular, it prevents viral infection by improving the body's nonspecific immunity and antioxidation capacity and inhibiting many pathways related to virus infection and replication, such as MAPK, PI3K-AKT, TLR4/8, NF-kappaB, Nrf-2/hemeoxygenase-1, and others. It also regulates the expression of some receptors and factors, including hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha, p53, NLRP3, TNF-alpha, and interleukins, thereby interfering with the replication of viruses in cells. Luteolin also promotes the repair of damaged cells induced by proinflammatory factors by regulating the expression of inflammatory molecules. The overall effect of these processes is the reduction in viral replication and, consequently, the viral load. This review summarizes the antiviral effect of luteolin and the mechanism underlying this property.Copyright © The Author(s) 2023.

Extreme development of dragon fruit agriculture with nighttime lighting in Southern Vietnam

Dragon fruit is widely grown in Southeast Asia and other tropical or subtropical regions. As a high-value cash crop ideal for exportation, dragon fruit cultivation has boomed during the past decade in southern Vietnam. Light supplementing during the winter months using artificial lighting sources is a widely adopted cultivation technique to boost productivity in the major dragon fruit planting regions of Vietnam. The application of electric lighting at night leads to a significant increase of nighttime light (NTL) observable by satellite sensors. The strong seasonality signal of NTL in dragon fruit cultivation enables identifying dragon fruit plantations using NTL images. We employed Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) monthly nighttime imagery from 2012 to 2019 to extract the growing area of dragon fruit in Bình Thuan Province, the largest dragon fruit growing region of Vietnam. The Breakpoint for Additive Seasonal Trend (B-FAST) analysis was applied to calculate the seasonality of NTL inside the dragon fruit plantations and distinguish them from the background. The results indicated that the dragon fruit cultivation strongly increased after 2014 and reached a plateau after 2017. In recent years, dragon fruit cultivation has experienced a slight decrease due to market fluctuations. We applied a buffer analysis over the largest dragon fruit cultivation area in Bình Thuan to analyze the spatial trend of the expansion of dragon fruit planting. Our results suggest that the dragon fruit cultivation of Bình Thuan has expanded to cover most inter-hill plains, reaching a spatial extent capacity due to the topographical constraints, and thus has begun to encroach into the low-elevation foothill area. In the case of emergency lock-down orders in February 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, NTL used for dragon fruit cultivation changed heterogeneously in space and time, driven by market price and shipping limitations far away from the local restrictions. Under the dual rural-urban hot spot situation with strong and contemporary developments of both dragon fruit agriculture and the urban tourism industry, building structures were detected densely in the city and gradually dispersed well into the rural landscape in Bình Thuan. The outcomes of this study will be valuable for local policymakers to better understand of the available area for dragon fruit cultivation and achieve better-coordinated cultivation planning against future fluctuations of the global market while providing insights and new understanding into the dual hot-spot developments valuable for planning rural-urban change strategies. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022. All rights reserved.

Association between Food Insecurity and Blood Pressure in A Multiethnic Population

Hypertension (HTN) is the strongest modifiable risk factor for CVD that is disproportionately higher in racial/ethnic groups, e.g., Native Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians have over a 50% prevalence of HTN (i.e., systolic blood pressure (SBP) of =130mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of =80mmHg), placing them at higher risk for CVD. Behavioral/biological risk factors (e.g., BMI, diet, physical activity) are often the focus of epidemiological and intervention research;yet, socioeconomic factors, such as food insecurity, also affect blood pressure.The purpose of this study is to examine the association between food insecurity and SBP and DBP in Native Hawaiians communities, controlling for demographics and behavioral/biological risk factors.Participants in this 2020, cross-sectional study (N = 125) were from six, predominantly Native Hawaiian communities across Hawai'i. Demographic variables included age, sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Potential confounding variables were leisure-time physical activity, daily servings of processed meat, daily servings of red meat, daily servings of fruit and vegetables, resilience, BMI, use of HTN medication, and COVID-19 related mental health. To assess food insecurity participants were asked to indicate how often money for food runs out by the end of the month on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating greater frequency. SBP and DBP were measured according to a standardized protocol. All confounding variables with a significant bivariate correlation with SBP or DBP were entered into the respective multiple regression model.Participants were predominantly female (73, 58.4%), had some college or were college graduates (73, 58.4%), a mean age of 39.2yrs (SD=9.9) and mean BMI of 31.6 (SD=8.7). Mean SBP and DBP were in the normotensive range, 122.9+/-17.5 and 79.5+/-11.9, respectively. Female sex (beta=-9.9, SE=2.6, p<0.001), daily servings of fruit and vegetables (beta=-2.35, SE=1.04, p=0.026), BMI (beta=0.76, SE=0.16, p<0.001), use of HTN medication (beta=14.01, SE=4.90, p=0.005), and food insecurity (beta=2.09, SE=0.95, p=0.030) were associated with SBP (R2=0.40, SE=14.05, p<0.001). Male sex, fewer daily servings of fruit and vegetables, greater BMI, use of HTN medication, and more food insecurity were significantly associated with higher DBP. Female sex (beta=-5.03, SE=1.90, p=0.009), BMI (beta=0.51, SE=0.12, p<0.001), and food insecurity (beta=1.36, SE=0.69, p=0.05) were associated with DBP (R2=0.31, SE=10.18, p<0.001). Male sex, greater BMI, and more food insecurity were significantly associated with higher DBP.After controlling for potential confounders, food insecurity retains a significant, independent association with both SBP and DBP such that a greater frequency of food insecurity was related to higher SBP and DBP. This provides additional evidence for the idea that food insecurity may directly impact CVD risk.

Healthy for Life: A Shift to Virtual Nutrition Education to Improve Confidence and Dietary Behaviors

Introduction: Less than 10% of U.S. adults meet the guidelines for whole grains, fruits, and vegetables each day. The Healthy for Life community-based program aims to change confidence and health behaviors, by equipping individuals with new skills for healthy living. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the program pivoted from in-person to a virtual implementation model. This required more advanced planning due to additional logistics to ensure a skills-based learning environment. Objective(s): To examine the effectiveness of the Healthy for Life program over time, specifically: o Changes in participant confidence in the preparation of healthy foods at home o Changes in participant consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains o Changes in participant frequency of healthy shopping habitsMethods: A community engagement program was implemented and evaluated in 17 community centers in 2020-2021 to measure changes in participant confidence to prepare healthy meals at home, consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and frequency of healthy shopping habits. Community center facilitators administered the same pre/post survey to participants at the first educational experience, and then again at the final experience. Facilitators entered the participant data into an online survey portal. Analysis was conducted with 235 participants who completed both pre and post surveys. Two-way repeated ordinal regression was used to assess changes in key metrics over time. Result(s): Participants were predominately female (90.6%), about two-thirds (65.2%) were between 25-55 years old, and most identified as non-Hispanic White/Caucasian (42.6%) or Black/African American (35.7%). Close to half (45.9%) of participants had a college degree or higher, over a quarter (28.1%) received benefits from SNAP and/or WIC, and more than two-thirds (63.8%) indicated they are the only person in their household preparing meals. Almost half (49.3%) of respondents attended the suggested minimum of 4 educational experiences. On average, respondents statistically significantly increased their daily fruit & vegetable consumption by 1.21 serving(s). In addition, over one-third (34%) of respondents increased their level of confidence to prepare healthy meals at home and (37%) respondents increased their level of confidence to substitute healthier cooking and food preparation methods. Close to half (47.2%) respondents reported increased frequency of reading food labels and checking the nutritional values when purchasing food. Conclusion(s): Despite the shift to virtual implementation, the Healthy for Life community education program, was still effective in improving participant confidence and dietary behaviors over time. However, additional research studies are required to further assess whether virtual implementation of this type of intervention will continue to be effective.

Differences in mobile food market customer outcomes between 2019 and 2021.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcomes of increasing mobile market service from mostly biweekly in 2019 to weekly in 2021. DESIGN: Repeated, cross-sectional customer intercept surveys. SAMPLE: Mobile market customers in Summers 2019 (N = 302) and 2021 (N = 72). INTERVENTION: Mobile food markets bring affordable, high-quality foods to communities that lack such access. MEASURES/ANALYSIS: Outcomes included food security, fruit/vegetable intake, and food-related characteristics and behaviors. General linear and logistic regression models were used to assess associations between outcomes and survey year and length of mobile market shopping. Models were adjusted for economic assistance use, race, and ethnicity. RESULTS: No outcomes were significantly different between 2019 (with mostly biweekly service) and 2021 (with weekly service). Length of mobile market shopping (e.g., >2 years, 1-2 years, etc.) was positively associated with affordable, quality food access (ß = 0.20, SE = 0.10, p = .03) and fruit/vegetable intake (ß = 0.28, SE = 0.08, p < .001) as well as lower odds of food insecurity in the last 12 months (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.64, 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Despite COVID-19 interrupting scheduled market service, the length of time that a survey respondent identified as a full-service mobile market customer was associated with higher food access and fruit/vegetable intake and reduced food insecurity odds. These findings suggest promise and encourage further evaluation.

Battitude: A virtual zoo ?bat experience? produces positive change in attitudes to an unpopular species

Despite the wide-ranging benefits of bats for people, bats are poorly understood and often feared. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted these issues, but has also provided opportunities to develop new approaches to tackle misconceptions and transform attitudes. A 'virtual bat experience' (VBE) was designed, which lasted 5 minutes and incorporated videos and images of zoo-housed fruit bats, along with information highlighting the important roles of bats and the need to protect them. Using an online survey, attitudes of a sample of 316 people were evaluated both before and after watching the VBE using semantic differentials and Likert scale responses. There were significant positive changes in attitudes to bats on all measures as a result of viewing the VBE. Participants who had previously visited a zoo bat exhibit were more likely to have positive attitudes to bats, and the two experiences (online and in-person) appeared to have additive effects.

The sustainability of the fruit and vegetable supply chain tested by Covid-19 : Case of Meknes city, Morocco

This article aims to assess the sustainability of the Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chain (SCF &V ) of the city of Meknes in Morocco in the context of the Covid-19 health crisis. During this crisis, new and more sustainable food supply practices emerged (mutualized and proximity supply, reduction of food waste...) and thus made the CAF & L evolve towards a sustainability process. Our method was based on the calculation of the performance of 12 indicators composing 5 dimensions of sustainability (the territorial, economic, social, ecological and food security dimensions). The survey of 120 stakeholders revealed that sustainability improved by 30.73 points during the period of strict containment. On the other hand, the study showed that some areas are still vulnerable, such as the lack of social security coverage for employees and the weak coordination of stakeholders in CAF & L.

Factors Associated with the Intake of Ultra-Processed Cariogenic Foods by Preschoolers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics and factors associated with the intake of ultra-processed cariogenic foods (UFC) by preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving parents of 672 children from two to five years old enrolled at public schools in Curitiba, Brazil. Parents answered a questionnaire about socioeconomic and demographic data, their behavior regarding the dietary education of their children (Parent Mealtime Action Scale-translated and validated for use in Brazil), and children's food intake (qualitative food frequency questionnaire-list of foods based on a report from the Pan American Health Organization). The data were analyzed using Poisson regression analysis (α=0.05). Results: About 43% of parents/guardians reported changes in their children's diet during the pandemic, being that diet got worse and better in 19% and 24% of the cases, respectively. The ultra-processed cariogenic foods with the highest daily intake frequencies were sweetened juices/sweetened drinks (0.52), followed by cookies (0.37), and candies (0.35). Parents with a lower level of education reported a daily frequency of UCF intake 1.36 times higher (PR=1.359;CI 95%: 1.106-1.669) in their children compared to those with a higher level of education. On the other hand, parents'/guardians' report of higher intake and greater offer of fruits and vegetables to children was associated with low UCF intake (PR=0.716;CI 95%: 0.592-0.866). Conclusion: The lower level of formal education of parents/guardians and lower availability of fruits and vegetables were related to higher consumption of ultra-processed cariogenic foods by children. © 2023, Association of Support to Oral Health Research (APESB). All rights reserved.