Association between nutrition self-efficacy, health locus of control and food choice motives in consumers in nine European countries.

We investigated associations between food choice motives and psychological determinants of dietary health behaviour change (nutrition self-efficacy, NS-E, and health locus of control, HLoC) among 9381 participants (18-65 years, 49.4% females) from nine European countries. Price was the highest rated food choice motive. Higher importance of all motives was associated with higher NS-E and with higher Internal HLoC. Relationships between food choice motives and External HLoC were also in the expected direction in showing negative associations with Health, Natural Content, Weight Control, Mood and Sensory Appeal. Higher External HLoC was also associated with perceived greater importance of 'external' motives Ethical Concern, Familiarity and Convenience. Relationships between External HLoC and food choice motives were not all in the expected direction. Price was unrelated to External HLoC. Females rated the importance of all motives higher than males. People with less education ascribed greater importance to Price in motivating food choices. Together, these findings imply that self-efficacy and health locus of control should be considered along with motivations for food choice in dietary health promotion.

Risk of Eating Disorders and Social Desirability among Higher Education Students: Comparison of Nutrition Students with Other Courses.

The transition to college is a period of higher risk of the development of eating disorders, with nutrition/dietetics students representing a group of particular vulnerability. Hence, it is interesting to assess eating disorders, taking into consideration potential sources of bias, including social desirability. Our aims were to compare the risk of eating disorders between students of nutrition/dietetics and those attending other courses and to study potential social desirability biases. A total of 799 higher education students (81.7% females) aged 18 to 27 years old completed a questionnaire assessing the risk of eating disorders (EAT-26) and social desirability (composite version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale). The proportion of students with a high risk of eating disorders was higher among females (14.5% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.044). Nutrition/dietetics students did not differ from those attending other courses regarding the risk of eating disorders. The social desirability bias when assessing the risk of eating disorders was overall low (EAT-26 total score: r = -0.080, p = 0.024). Social desirability correlated negatively with the Diet (r = -0.129, p < 0.001) and Bulimia and food preoccupation subscales (r = -0.180, p < 0.001) and positively with Oral self-control (r = 0.139, p < 0.001).

Assessment of Intuitive Eating and Mindful Eating among Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The role of mindful eating (ME) and intuitive eating (IE) in improving eating behavior, diet quality, and health is an area of increasing interest. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to identify the instruments used to assess ME and IE among higher education students and outcomes related to these dimensions. METHODS: This review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement, through systematic searches in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria selected for higher education students, levels of ME and/or IE reported, and observational and clinical studies. The exclusion criteria selected against reviews, qualitative studies, and case studies. Quality was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist. RESULTS: A total of 516 initial records were identified, from which 75 were included. Cross-sectional studies were the most common research design (86.7%). Most studies were conducted with samples that were predominantly female (90.7%), White (76.0%), aged 18 to 22 years (88.4%), with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (83.0%), and in the United States (61.3%). The Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), and their different versions were the most used instruments. The outcomes most studies included were eating behavior and disorders (77.3%), anthropometric assessments (47.8%), mental health (42.0%), and body image (40.6%). Regarding the quality of studies, 34.7% of studies were assigned a positive, 1.3% a negative, and 64.0% a neutral rate. CONCLUSIONS: IES and MEQ were the most used instruments. RCT and cohort studies are scarce, and future research with a higher level of quality is needed, especially on the topics of food consumption, diet quality, and biochemical markers.

Dietary Habits and Gaming Behaviors of Portuguese and Brazilian Esports Players.

As the esports industry grows, marketing campaigns for fast food, soft drinks, alcoholic and energy drinks, and dietary supplements at related events intensify. Portuguese and Brazilian esports players' dietary patterns remain unexplored. This study aimed to characterize the dietary and gaming habits of esports players. We applied an anonymous, open online survey to a convenience sample of esports players that included the PREDIMED and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. The survey was shared through email and social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Discord, WhatsApp, and Twitch. The sample (n = 579) was predominantly male (91.4%), averaged 26.1 (SD = 7.0) years, and 25.9 (SD = 5.5) kg/m2. Most reported a weak (53.7%) adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Almost a third (32.3%) consumed dietary supplements. Our sample presented a low adhesion to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, low consumption of fruit and vegetables, and high consumption of fast food, red and processed meat, soft drinks, and dietary supplements, including caffeine-based supplements. Dietary supplement consumption was related to a higher adhesion to the Mediterranean diet, and a higher level of professionalization and internet gaming disorder correlated with a lower adhesion. In conclusion, we infer that Portuguese and Brazilian esports players follow an unbalanced diet.

Nootropic supplements for esports.

Background: esports, or organized video game competitions, have been expanding quickly. The use of dietary supplements by esports players appears vulgarized but lacks supporting evidence. Objectives: To outline studies that tested the effects of dietary supplements on video gaming, summarize their findings, highlight knowledge gaps, and recommend future research. Eligibility criteria: Clinical trials published in English between 1990 and 2023 that assessed the effects of dietary supplements on the cognitive performance of video gamers. Sources of evidence: The Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Charting methods: PRISMA's (2020) flow diagram was used to create the data chart. Results: Sixteen studies were outlined. Thirteen were randomized, thirteen applied acute interventions, ten applied a crossover design and only three weren't placebo-controlled. Of the 10 studies that included caffeine (40-200 mg), four reported significant positive effects on cognition (attention, processing speed, working memory), two on first-person shooter video gaming performance (reaction time, hit accuracy, time to hit 60 targets), and one on Tetris game score. All 3 studies that included arginine silicate (1500 mg) reported significant improvements in one or more aspects of cognition (reaction time, attention, visual representation, and spatial planning). Two studies that tested sucrose (21 and 26.8 g) didn't report significant improvements, while one study that tested 26.1 g of glucose registered significant positive effects on processing speed and sustained attention. Conclusions: The published literature has focused on the effects of caffeine, which may exert both positive and negative effects on esports players. Additional, high-quality research is needed.

Determinants of Nutritional Risk among Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Social Support.

BACKGROUND: It is well established that older adults are at risk for malnutrition due to several social and non-social determinants, namely physiological, psychosocial, dietary and environmental determinants. The progression to malnutrition is often insidious and undetected. Thus, nutritional assessment should consider a complex web of factors that can impact nutritional status (NS). The primary objective of this study was to assess the NS of older adults attending senior centres (SCs) and to identify its predictors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled a sample of community-dwelling older adults in Lisbon. NS was assessed using Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®). Malnutrition or malnutrition risk (recategorised into a single group) was predicted using binary logistic regression models, considering those participants classified as having a normal NS as the reference group. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and anthropometric indices were measured according to Isak procedures. RESULTS: A sample of 337 older adults, with an average age of 78.4 years old (range 66-99), mostly women (n = 210; 62.3%), were enrolled. Older adults at risk of malnutrition accounted for 40.7% of the sample. Being older (OR = 1.045, CI 95% [1.003-1.089], p = 0.037), having a worse perception of health status (OR = 3.395, CI 95% [1.182-9.746], p = 0.023), having or having had depression (OR = 5.138, CI 95% [2.869-9.201], p < 0.001), and not having or having had respiratory tract problems (OR = 0.477, CI 95% [0.246-0.925], p = 0.028) were independent predictors of malnutrition or malnutrition risk. An intermediate time of SC attendance was associated with a lower probability of malnutrition or risk (OR = 0.367, CI 95% [0.191-0.705], p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: NS among older adults has a multifactorial aetiology, with a strongly social component and is related to health circumstances. Further research is needed to timely identify and understand nutritional risk among this population.

Patterns of Eating Behavior among 13-Year-Old Adolescents and Associated Factors: Findings from the Generation XXI Birth Cohort.

Eating behavior adopted during adolescence may persist into adulthood. The aims of this study were to identify eating behavior patterns among Portuguese adolescents and to explore whether groups differ in terms of early life and family characteristics, severity of depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI) z-score. Participants were 3601 13-year-olds enrolled in the birth cohort Generation XXI. Eating behavior was assessed using the self-reported Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ), validated in this sample. The severity of depressive symptoms was measured through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and data on sociodemographic and anthropometrics were collected at birth and 13-years-old. Latent class analysis was conducted, and associations were estimated using multinomial logistic regression models. Five patterns of individuals were identified: "Picky eating", "Disinterest towards food", "Food neophilia", "Emotional eating", and "Food attractiveness". The adolescents' sex, maternal education, BMI z-score, and severity of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with the identified patterns. In particular, adolescents with a higher BMI z-score were more likely in "Food neophilia" while individuals with more severe depressive symptoms were in the "Picky eating", "Emotional eating", and "Food attractiveness" patterns. These findings suggest a starting point for the development and planning of targeted public health interventions.

Nutritional Status among Portuguese and Turkish Older Adults Living in the Community: Relationships with Sociodemographic, Health and Anthropometric Characteristics.

Malnutrition is widespread among older adults, and its determinants may differ between countries. We compared Portuguese and Turkish non-institutionalized older adults regarding nutritional status, sociodemographic, health and anthropometric characteristics and studied the relationships between nutritional status and those characteristics. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 430 Portuguese and 162 Turkish non-institutionalized older adults regarding sociodemographics, health conditions, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA-FF) and anthropometry. Turkish older adults were more likely to be malnourished or at risk of malnutrition and had lower average BMI but a higher calf circumference. A higher proportion of the Portuguese sample had tooth loss, diabetes, hypertension, oncologic diseases, kidney diseases, osteoarticular problems or eye problems, while less had anemia. A better nutritional status (higher MNA-FF score) was found among the Portuguese, males, people using dentures, those without tooth loss, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, anemia or oncological diseases and was related to younger age, higher BMI and a higher calf circumference. Malnutrition and its risk were higher among older adults from Turkey, despite Portuguese older adults presenting a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Being female, older age, tooth loss, hypertension, anemia, CVD or oncological disorders and having a lower BMI or CC were associated with higher rates of malnutrition among older adults from Portugal and Turkey.

Changes in attitudes to awareness of hypoglycaemia during a hypoglycaemia awareness restoration programme are associated with avoidance of further severe hypoglycaemia episodes within 24 months: the A2A in HypoCOMPaSS study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aims of this study were to assess cognitions relating to hypoglycaemia in adults with type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia before and after the multimodal HypoCOMPaSS intervention, and to determine cognitive predictors of incomplete response (one or more severe hypoglycaemic episodes over 24 months). METHODS: This analysis included 91 adults with type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia who completed the Attitudes to Awareness of Hypoglycaemia (A2A) questionnaire before, 24 weeks and 24 months after the intervention, which comprised a short psycho-educational programme with optimisation of insulin therapy and glucose monitoring. RESULTS: The age and diabetes duration of the participants were 48±12 and 29±12 years, respectively (mean±SD). At baseline, 91% reported one or more severe hypoglycaemic episodes over the preceding 12 months; this decreased to <20% at 24 weeks and after 24 months (p=0.001). The attitudinal barrier 'hyperglycaemia avoidance prioritised' (η2p=0.250, p=0.001) decreased from baseline to 24 weeks, and this decrease was maintained at 24 months (mean±SD=5.3±0.3 vs 4.3±0.3 vs 4.0±0.3). The decrease in 'asymptomatic hypoglycaemia normalised' from baseline (η2p=0.113, p=0.045) was significant at 24 weeks (1.5±0.3 vs 0.8±0.2). Predictors of incomplete hypoglycaemia response (one or more further episodes of severe hypoglycaemia) were higher baseline rates of severe hypoglycaemia, higher baseline scores for 'asymptomatic hypoglycaemia normalised', reduced change in 'asymptomatic hypoglycaemia normalised' scores at 24 weeks, and lower baseline 'hypoglycaemia concern minimised' scores (all p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Participation in the HypoCOMPaSS RCT was associated with improvements in hypoglycaemia-associated cognitions, with 'hyperglycaemia avoidance prioritised' most prevalent. Incomplete prevention of subsequent severe hypoglycaemia episodes was associated with persistence of the cognition 'asymptomatic hypoglycaemia normalised'. Understanding and addressing cognitive barriers to hypoglycaemia avoidance is important in individuals prone to severe hypoglycaemia episodes. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: www.isrctn.org : ISRCTN52164803 and https://eudract.ema.europa.eu : EudraCT2009-015396-27.

Lessons from Four Decades of Systemic Amyloidosis with Renal Involvement.

BACKGROUND: Apart from ATTR amyloidosis, the epidemiology and outcomes of the most common subtypes of systemic amyloidosis in Portugal remain primarily unknown. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients with renal biopsy-proven amyloidosis, diagnosed from January 1978 to December 2019. Follow-up started at kidney disease presentation and ended at death or August 2020. Clinical presentation, survival, and prognostic factors were analysed. RESULTS: Of 123 patients with amyloid nephropathy, 111 had definite amyloid typing and were analysed. AA amyloidosis was the most frequent type (56.1%) and was related mainly to chronic infection (47.8%) and chronic inflammatory arthritis (29.0%). AL amyloidosis was present in 25.2% of patients and hereditary forms in 6.5% (4.1% AFibE526V, 2.4% ATTRV30M). During follow-up, 73.9% of AA and 54.8% of AL patients progressed to end-stage renal disease, and 79.7% of AA and 77.4% of AL died; median overall survival was 66.0 (95% CI, 33.0-99.0) and 18.0 (95% CI, 9.3-26.7) months (p = 0.025), respectively. There were no significant differences in renal outcome and survival on dialysis between these two types. In multivariate analysis, cardiac involvement at presentation (HR 6.26 [95% CI, 2.89-13.56]) and estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (HR 2.05 [95% CI, 1.06-3.99]) independently influenced AA and AL amyloidosis survival. Cardiac involvement at presentation was an independent predictor of death (HR 9.65 [95% CI, 2.91-31.95]) and early mortality in AL amyloidosis. CONCLUSIONS: In Portugal, AA amyloidosis and related chronic infections are still relevant. Regarding AL amyloidosis, the low incidence and advanced disease at presentation result from missed and erroneous diagnoses, leading to delayed referrals and poor outcomes in these patients.

Relating food choice determinants with sociodemographic variables, health status and nutritional risk among community living older adults.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The aging process has physiological, psychological and social implications that interfere with food choice. This work aims to identify factors influencing food choice among community-living older adults and their relationship with social characteristics, health status and nutritional risk. METHODS: Four hundred fifty-nine older adults (≥65 years old) living in Vila Nova de Gaia (Portugal) were interviewed by trained interviewers in a face-to-face situation. RESULTS: Participants had a mean age of 73 years (SD = 6). The majority were women (64.0%), married (67.8%) and lived in their own home (80.2%). Several associations were found between factors that influence food choice and sex, problems with sense organs and pathologies/problems. Older adults at malnourished or at risk of malnutrition or with high cardiovascular risk attribute less importance to the food's content in additives, colorants and preservatives. We also found a positive association between weight status and the importance attributed to food availability and a negative association between weight status and the ease of chewing were found. CONCLUSION: Knowledge on the factors influencing food choice among older adults may provide essential information for more effective clinical and community interventions, and for the development of new products to facilitate healthy choices among community-living older adults.

Sex and age differences in attitudes and intention to adopt personalised nutrition in a UK sample.

AIM: There has been an increase in the development of technologies that can deliver personalised dietary advice. Devising healthy, sustainable dietary plans will mean taking into consideration extrinsic factors such as individual social circumstances. The aim of this study was to identify societal groups more or less receptive to and likely to engage with personalised nutrition initiatives. SAMPLE AND METHODS: Volunteers were recruited via a social research agency from within the UK. The resultant sample (N = 1061) was 49% female, aged 18-65 years. RESULTS: MANOVA (Tukey HSD applied) indicated that females and younger people (aged 18-29 years) had more favourable attitudes and were more likely to intend to adopt personalised nutrition. There were no differences in attitude toward or intention to adopt personalised nutrition between different education levels, income brackets or occupational groups. CONCLUSION: These results imply that females and younger people may be most likely to adopt personalised nutrition in the future. Initiatives to promote healthy eating should target males and older people.

An extended version of the MNA-SF increases sensitivity in identifying malnutrition among community living older adults. Results from the PRONUTRISENIOR project.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) is the most used tool to assess malnutrition and/or its risk among older adults. Its Screening section was proposed as a short form (MNA-SF) but studies comparing the two forms present controversial results. Our main aims were to study the agreement between MNA-SF and its full form (MNA-FF) among Portuguese older adults living in the community and to develop a more sensible version of the MNA-SF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of 456 older adults (54.2% females) aged 65-92 years (mean = 73; SD = 6). Data analyzed included: nutritional status (MNA), social support (Fillenbaum's Social Network Index), level of independency in daily activities (Lawton e Brody's scale) and eating-related quality of life. Both MNA-FF and MNA-SF classify participants as malnourished, at risk of malnutrition or with normal nutrition status. Anthropometric assessments (weight, height, arm and calf perimeters) were carried out and BMI was computed. RESULTS: The agreement between the two classifications is 82.7%, but Cohen's k shows a weak agreement (weighted Cohen's k = 0.497; p < 0,001), and the sensitivity of the MNA-SF to detect malnutrition or its risk (as assessed by the MNA-FF) was 42.6% (despite a specificity of 98.8%). Participants classified as normal using the MNA-SF despite at risk using the MNA-FF present lower scores in two items from the Assessment section (number of full meals eaten daily and amount of fluid consumed per day). These were included in MNA-SF to obtain an extended short-version (MNA-SF8). The difference between the ROC curves for MNA-SF and MNA-SF8 justifies the preferential use of the MNA-SF8 with an estimated cut-off of 14 points, which showed high sensitivity (91.8%) and specificity (79.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of two items to the MNA-SF provides a more sensible tool to detect the risk of malnutrition among older adults. General eating-related questions seem relevant to assess malnutrition in this age group.

Eating Behaviour among University Students: Relationships with Age, Socioeconomic Status, Physical Activity, Body Mass Index, Waist-to-Height Ratio and Social Desirability.

Eating behaviour is of particular interest for research focusing on body weight status. However, little is known about the relationships of certain factors, especially social desirability, with self-reported eating behaviour such as cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating among young adult males and females. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between eating behaviour and age, socioeconomic status (SES), physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and social desirability among university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 353 university students (59.2% females). Eating behaviour was assessed using the 13-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-13). SES and PA were determined using self-reporting, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale assessed social desirability. BMI and WHtR were calculated based on measured parameters. Associations between self-reported eating behaviour and other variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multivariate general linear models. Cognitive restraint was positively correlated with BMI and WHtR in both males (r = 0.174, P = 0.036 and r = 0.194, P = 0.020, respectively) and females (r = 0.239, P < 0.001 and r = 0.165, P = 0.017, respectively), and emotional eating was positively correlated with BMI among females (r = 0.184, P = 0.008). Social desirability was negatively correlated with uncontrolled eating (r = -0.287, P < 0.001) and emotional eating (r = -0.301, P < 0.001) among females. There were no significant correlations between eating behaviour and age or socioeconomic status (P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that, among males, PA had a main effect on emotional eating (ηp2 = 0.044, F = 6.276, P = 0.013). Among females, cognitive restraint was positively associated with PA (ηp2 = 0.034, F = 7.127, P = 0.008) and BMI (ηp2 = 0.038, F = 7.959, P = 0.005), and emotional eating with BMI (ηp2 = 0.032, F = 6.638, P = 0.011). Social desirability had the highest main effect on eating behaviour among females, being negatively associated with uncontrolled eating (ηp2 = 0.077, F = 16.754, P < 0.001) and emotional eating (ηp2 = 0.082, F = 18.046, P < 0.001). This study showed that PA, BMI, WHtR, and social desirability were associated with self-reported eating behaviour among university students. Social desirability bias should be considered when evaluating uncontrolled eating and emotional eating among females.

Food-related quality of life among older adults living in community: A multi-factorial approach.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Food-related quality of life (FRQoL) assesses the specific impact of diet, eating behaviors, and food-related anxiety on a person's Health-related quality of life. The food serves a set of purposes that go beyond supplying the basic physiological needs, it also has a hedonic and social dimension. In addition, the relationship between food and health and well-being nowadays is unquestionable. This study aims to investigate the multidimensional aspects of FRQoL by identification the underlying factors associated to it. METHODS: This cross-sectional study is part of the Pronutrisenior project and included 602 older adults (>65 years old) from Vila Nova da Gaia, Portugal. Data were collected by a questionnaire of indirect application by trained nutritionists in a face-to-face situation. FRQoL was assessed by The Satisfaction with Food-Related Life Scale. RESULTS: Women, younger individuals and those with inadequate social support network had lower FRQoL. Insomnia and nutritional risk were also related to lower FRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings should be taken into account in clinical practice in order to optimize the intervention of health professionals, and the groups identified as having lower FRQoL should be given special attention.

Information Sources on Healthy Eating Among Community Living Older Adults.

Information about nutrition and health are important to empower older adults on what their food choice is concerned. The present research aims to study the perceived need and preferences regarding sources of information about healthy eating among older adults and to relate them with sociodemographic characteristics. A sample of 602 older adults (≥65 years old) living in the community (Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal) was assessed by trained nutritionists using a structured questionnaire developed within the Pronutrisenior project. Most participants (87.5%) are concerned about healthy eating, and 69.3% would like to receive more information about the subject, mainly as audiovisual material (49.8%). Women prefer to receive information through practical cooking sessions and audiovisual material. Highly educated individuals prefer leaflets with text as well as audiovisual material, while more independent individuals prefer a wide range of media, such as booklets with pictures, informational posters, and food education and practical cooking sessions. Those with an adequate social support network prefer booklets with text. Age was not related to these preferences. These results can inform stakeholders about the most effective means of transmitting information on food and nutrition to older adults and are therefore useful in tailoring community and clinical interventions.

Differentiating Hypoglycemia Awareness Status from Hypoglycemia Experience in Tools for Measuring Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycemia.

Background: Developing technologies in real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) are successfully reducing severe hypoglycemia (SH) in trials and clinical practice. Their impact on impaired awareness of hypoglycemia, a major risk factor for SH, is uncertain. Methods: The present study examined two scales for assessing hypoglycemia awareness status, the Gold score and the eight-item Minimally Modified Clarke Hypoglycemia Survey (MMCHS), commonly used in trials of CGM, in Portuguese-speaking adults with type 1 diabetes and conducted an exploratory factor analysis on MMCHS. Results: A bifactorial structure in MMCHS was revealed, with a clear distinction between items that measure SH experience and those that measure hypoglycemia awareness status. The latter is associated with the same risk for SH as the Gold score. Conclusions: We conclude that improvement in awareness scores by the MMCHS may reflect only a reduction in SH with no restoration of endogenous awareness, making the current literature consistent in evidence that CGM does not improve endogenous awareness and nonsensor supported protection from SH. This has implications for risk of SH when CGM is not being worn.

The relationship between health self-perception, food consumption and nutritional status among Portuguese older adults.

In Portugal people aged 65 and above will be the populational group with the highest growth rate of the next decades. Healthy ageing constitutes a challenge as not only the number of years lived are essential, but also the quality of life becomes a priority. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between health self-perception (HSP), food consumption and nutritional status among Portuguese older adults. Four hundred fifty-nine older adults (aged ≥ 65) were interviewed, almost half had a positive HSP. The most significant predictor of HSP was nutritional status, p = 0.005, but independence in shopping had the largest impact on how they compared to others, p < 0.001. Interventions need to focus on factors like nutritional status, independency on Activities of Daily Living, Satisfaction with Food-Related Life and utilize them to modify the negative HSP and attitudes towards ageing and health and maximize the positive aspects of old age.

Attitudes Towards Functional Foods Scale: Psychometric Proprieties and Adaptation for Use Among Adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Functional foods are those that promote health and well-being and/or decrease the risk of certain chronic diseases. It is known that young people' knowledge about functional foods is low. The aim of this study is to assess the psychometric proprieties of the "Attitudes towards Functional Foods Scale" in a sample of adolescents and, based on that analysis, adapting the scale for its use among this population group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After a pre-test, the scale was applied to 340 students attending the 3rd cycle of basic education in Terceira island (Azores, Portugal), whose ages ranged between 11 and 19 years (mean = 14.0, standard deviation = 1.2). We analyzed the scale's internal consistency and construct validity. RESULTS: The study of the psychometric proprieties led to the exclusion of one item. Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.876) showed a good internal consistency of the scale, and factor analysis revealed that, as the original (adults) version, it presents an unifactorial structure. DISCUSSION: The scale showed to be an instrument easy and quick to apply among adolescents. We emphasize that its application should be preceded by the clarification on the concept of functional foods in order to ensure the adequacy of the answers. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated the adequacy of the Attitudes Towards Functional Foods Scale to assess Portuguese adolescents' perception regarding functional foods, highlighting the need of using its adapted version.

Introdução: Os alimentos funcionais são aqueles que promovem a saúde e o bem-estar e/ou reduzem o risco de determinadas doenças crónicas. Sabe-se que o conhecimento dos jovens sobre alimentos funcionais é baixo. Este estudo visou estudar as propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Atitudes face a Alimentos Funcionais numa amostra de adolescentes e, com base nesse estudo, proceder à sua adaptação para aplicação neste grupo populacional. Material e Métodos: Após um pré-teste, a escala foi aplicada a 340 alunos do terceiro ciclo do ensino básico na Ilha Terceira (Açores, Portugal), com idades entre os 11 e os 19 anos (média = 14,0; desvio-padrão = 1,2). Foi analisada a consistência interna e a validade de constructo. Resultados: O estudo das propriedades psicométricas levou à exclusão de um item. O alfa de Cronbach (α = 0,876) mostrou uma boa consistência interna da escala e a análise fatorial revelou que, tal como a versão original (adultos), a versão para adolescentes apresenta uma estrutura unifatorial. Discussão: A escala mostrou ser um instrumento de fácil e rápida aplicação em adolescentes. Salienta-se que a sua aplicação deve ser precedida pelo esclarecimento sobre o conceito de alimentos funcionais, de modo a assegurar a adequação das respostas. Conclusão: Este estudo mostra a adequação do uso da Escala de Atitudes face a Alimentos Funcionais para avaliar a perceção sobre alimentos funcionais em adolescentes, salientando-se a necessidade de utilização da versão adaptada.