Distracted on duty: A theory-based exploration of influences leading to mobile phone distracted riding among food delivery workers.

Using mobile phones while riding is a form of distracted riding that significantly elevates crash risk. Regrettably, the factors contributing to mobile phone use while riding (MPUWR) among food delivery riders remain under-researched. Addressing this literature gap, the current study employs the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and various socio-economic factors to examine the determinants of MPUWR. The research incorporates data from 558 delivery workers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study utilizes two analytical methods to empirically test the hypotheses, considering non-linear relationships between variables: Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The results reveal mixed impacts of factors connected to job resources. Although social support appears to deter MPUWR, work autonomy and rewards seemingly encourage it. Furthermore, a predisposition towards risk-taking behaviour significantly impacts the frequency of mobile phone usage among delivery riders. Interestingly, riders with higher incomes and those who have previously been fined by the police exhibit more frequent mobile phone use. The findings of this study present valuable insights into the crucial factors to be addressed when designing interventions aimed at reducing phone use among food delivery riders.

Development and testing of two tools to assess point-of-sale food and beverage marketing to children in restaurants.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development and testing of two assessment tools designed to assess exterior (including drive-thru) and interior food and beverage marketing in restaurants with a focus on marketing to children and teens. DESIGN: A scoping review on restaurant marketing to children was undertaken, followed by expert and government consultations to produce a draft assessment tool. The draft tool was mounted online and further refined into two separate tools: the Canadian Marketing Assessment Tool for Restaurants (CMAT-R) and the CMAT-Photo Coding Tool (CMAT-PCT). The tools were tested to assess inter-rater reliability using Cohen's Kappa and per cent agreement for dichotomous variables, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) for continuous or rank-order variables. SETTING: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Restaurants of all types were assessed using the CMAT-R (n 57), and thirty randomly selected photos were coded using the CMAT-PCT. RESULTS: The CMAT-R collected data on general promotions and restaurant features, drive-thru features, the children's menu and the dollar/value menu. The CMAT-PCT collected data on advertisement features, features considered appealing to children and teens, and characters. The inter-rater reliability of the CMAT-R tool was strong (mean per cent agreement was 92·4 %, mean Cohen's κ = 0·82 for all dichotomous variables and mean ICC = 0·961 for continuous/count variables). The mean per cent agreement for the CMAT-PCT across items was 97·3 %, and mean Cohen's κ across items was 0·91, indicating very strong inter-rater reliability. CONCLUSIONS: The tools assess restaurant food and beverage marketing. Both showed high inter-rater reliability and can be adapted to better suit other contexts.

Systematically quantifying the dynamic characteristics of PM2.5 in multiple indoor environments in a plateau city: Implication for internal contribution.

People generally spend most of their time indoors, making a comprehensive evaluation of air pollution characteristics in various indoor microenvironments of great significance for accurate exposure estimation. In this study, field measurements were conducted in Kunming City, Southwest China, using real-time PM2.5 sensors to characterize indoor PM2.5 in ten different microenvironments including three restaurants, four public places, and three household settings. Results showed that the daily average PM2.5 concentrations in restaurants, public spaces, and households were 78.4 ± 24.3, 20.1 ± 6.6, and 18.0 ± 4.3 µg/m3, respectively. The highest levels of indoor PM2.5 in restaurants were owing to strong internal emissions from cooking activities. Dynamic changes showed that indoor PM2.5 levels increased during business time in restaurants and public places, and cooking time in residential kitchens. Compared with public places, restaurants generally exhibit more rapid increases in indoor PM2.5 due to cooking activities, which can elevate indoor PM2.5 to high levels (5.1 times higher than the baseline) in a short time. Furthermore, indoor PM2.5 in restaurants were dominated by internal emissions, while outdoor penetration contributed mostly to indoor PM2.5 in public places and household settings. Results from this study revealed large variations in indoor PM2.5 in different microenvironments, and suggested site-specific measures for indoor PM2.5 pollution alleviation.

Changes in the number and outcome of takeaway food outlet planning applications in response to adoption of management zones around schools in England: A time series analysis.

Physical exposure to takeaway food outlets ("takeaways") is associated with poor diet and excess weight, which are leading causes of excess morbidity and mortality. At the end of 2017, 35 local authorities (LAs) in England had adopted takeaway management zones (or "exclusion zones"), which is an urban planning intervention designed to reduce physical exposure to takeaways around schools. In this nationwide, natural experimental study, we used interrupted time series analyses to estimate the impact of this intervention on changes in the total number of takeaway planning applications received by LAs and the percentage rejected, at both first decision and after any appeal, within management zones, per quarter of calendar year. Changes in these proximal process measures would precede downstream retail and health impacts. We observed an overall decrease in the number of applications received by intervention LAs at 12 months post-intervention (6.3 fewer, 95% CI -0.1, -12.5), and an increase in the percentage of applications that were rejected at first (additional 18.8%, 95% CI 3.7, 33.9) and final (additional 19.6%, 95% CI 4.7, 34.6) decision, the latter taking into account any appeal outcomes. This effect size for the number of planning applications was maintained at 24 months, although it was not statistically significant. We also identified three distinct sub-types of management zone regulations (full, town centre exempt, and time management zones). The changes observed in rejections were most prominent for full management zones (where the regulations are applied irrespective of overlap with town centres), where the percentage of applications rejected was increased by an additional 46.1% at 24 months. Our findings suggest that takeaway management zone policies may have the potential to curb the proliferation of new takeaways near schools and subsequently impact on population health.

Adults Noticing Calorie Counts on Restaurant Menus: Evidence From Nationally Representative Data, 2022.

INTRODUCTION: Since May 2018, federal restaurant menu labeling regulations have required large U.S. chain restaurants to disclose calorie counts on menus. This study estimates the share of U.S. adults who notice calorie information on fast-food and sit-down restaurant menus and identifies the consumer characteristics that predict noticing calorie labels. METHODS: Using a nationally representative sample of 5,185 U.S. adults aged 18 and older from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), linear regression models were estimated to predict the likelihood of noticing calorie labels the last time adults ordered food in a fast-food or sit-down restaurant. The 2022 HINTS data were publicly released in April 2023 and these public-use and de-identified data were analyzed in October 2023. RESULTS: In 2022, about 1 in 2 U.S. adults (49.7%, 95% CI=47.6%, 51.8%) reported noticing calorie labels during their last restaurant visit. The likelihood of noticing calorie information was significantly lower among men, lower income households, unpartnered adults, residents of the Northeast Census Region, and residents of rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of U.S. adults reported seeing calorie labels when they last ordered food in a fast-food or sit-down restaurant in 2022. Sex, income, marital status, and residential location influenced the likelihood of noticing calorie counts posted on restaurant menus.

Consistent and changing consumption of fast-food and full-service meals and 3-year weight change in a large population cohort study.

BACKGROUND: An average American consumes 3 meals weekly from fast-food or full-service restaurants, which contain more calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol than meals prepared at home. OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether consistent and changing fast-food or full-service consumption was associated with weight change over a 3-y period. METHODS: Among 98,589 US adults from the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study-3, self-reported weight and fast-food and full-service consumption from 2015 and 2018 were examined using a multivariable-adjusted linear regression analysis to assess the association of consistent and changing consumption on 3-y weight change. RESULTS: Individuals who made no changes to their fast-food or full-service intake over the study period gained weight regardless of consumption frequency, although low consumers gained less weight than high consumers (low fast-food: ß = -1.08; 95% CI: -1.22, -0.93; low full-service: ß = -0.35; 95% CI: -0.50, -0.21; P < 0.001). Decreased fast-food intake during the study period (e.g., from high [>1 meal/wk] to low [≤0.5 meal/wk], high to medium [>0.5 to ≤1 meal/wk], or medium to low) and decreased full-service intake from high (≥1 meal/wk) to low (<1 meal/mo) were significantly associated with weight loss (high-low: ß = -2.77; 95% CI: -3.23, -2.31; high-medium: ß = -1.53; 95% CI: -1.72, -1.33; medium-low: ß = -0.85; 95% CI: -1.06, -0.63; high-low full-service: ß = -0.92; 95% CI: -1.36, -0.49; P < 0.001). Decreased consumption of both fast-food and full-service restaurant meals was associated with greater weight loss than decreasing fast-food alone (both: ß = -1.65; 95% CI: -1.82, -1.37; fast-food only: ß = -0.95; 95% CI: -1.12, -0.79; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased consumption of fast-food and full-service meals over 3 y, particularly among high consumers at baseline, was associated with weight loss and may be an effective approach to weight loss. Moreover, decreasing both fast-food and full-service meal consumption was associated with a greater weight loss than decreasing only fast-food meal consumption.

Sources of Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Their Associations With Serum Cotinine Levels Among US Children and Adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) levels based on private and public locations of TSE according to race and ethnicity among US school-aged children ages 6-11 years and adolescents ages 12-17 years. AIMS AND METHODS: Data were from 5296 children and adolescents who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2018. Racial and ethnic groups were non-Hispanic white, black, other or multiracial, and Hispanic. NHANES assessed serum cotinine and the following TSE locations: homes and whether smokers did not smoke indoors (home thirdhand smoke [THS] exposure proxy) or smoked indoors (secondhand [SHS] and THS exposure proxy), cars, in other homes, restaurants, or any other indoor area. We used stratified weighted linear regression models by racial and ethnic groups and assessed the variance in cotinine levels explained by each location within each age group. RESULTS: Among 6-11-year-olds, exposure to home THS only and home SHS + THS predicted higher log-cotinine among all racial and ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic white children exposed to car TSE had higher log-cotinine (ß = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91% to 2.37%) compared to those unexposed. Non-Hispanic other/multiracial children exposed to restaurant TSE had higher log-cotinine (ß = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.23% to 2.03%) compared to those unexposed. Among 12-17-year-olds, home SHS + THS exposure predicted higher log-cotinine among all racial and ethnic groups, except for non-Hispanic black adolescents. Car TSE predicted higher log-cotinine among all racial and ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic black adolescents with TSE in another indoor area had higher log-cotinine (ß = 2.84, 95% CI = 0.85% to 4.83%) compared to those unexposed. CONCLUSIONS: TSE location was uniquely associated with cotinine levels by race and ethnicity. Smoke-free home and car legislation are needed to reduce TSE among children and adolescents of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. IMPLICATIONS: Racial and ethnic disparities in TSE trends have remained stable among US children and adolescents over time. This study's results indicate that TSE locations differentially contribute to biochemically measured TSE within racial and ethnic groups. Home TSE significantly contributed to cotinine levels among school-aged children 6-11 years old, and car TSE significantly contributed to cotinine levels among adolescents 12-17 years old. Racial and ethnic differences in locations of TSE were observed among each age group. Study findings provide unique insight into TSE sources, and indicate that home and car smoke-free legislation have great potential to reduce TSE among youth of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Avaliação do microambiente alimentar em estabelecimentos fornecedores de alimentos em um município do trairí do Rio Grande do Norte / Evaluation of the food microenvironment in establishments supplying foods in acity of Trairi ofRio Grande do Norte / Evaluación del microambiente alimentario en provedores de alimentos en unmunicipio de Trairi doRio Grande do Norte

Introdução:As pessoas passaram a consumir alimentos prontos e ultraprocessados cada vez mais e diminuíram o consumo de alimentos naturais. Consequentemente, têm aumentado o desenvolvimento de obesidade e outras doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Esse processo de transição nutricional e epidemiológico tem sido influenciado pelo ambiente alimentar. Objetivo:avaliar o microambiente alimentar em mercados e restaurantes do município de Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte. Metodologia:Trata-se deuma pesquisa transversal e descritiva, de abordagem quantitativa, realizada em 60 estabelecimentos comerciais fornecedores de alimentos naturais, industrializados e refeições prontas. Foram aplicados questionários, de acordo com a classificação do tipo deestabelecimento para verificação da disponibilidade, variedade, preço e qualidade de alimentos naturais e ultraprocessados. Resultados:A maior parte dos estabelecimentos participantes eram mercados locais ou de bairros, localizados no centro da cidade, evidenciando as desigualdades territoriais.Foi visto que a disponibilidade de frutas e hortaliças era inferior aos ultraprocessados. Os alimentos apresentaram qualidade satisfatória e os menores preços de frutas foram encontrados nos supermercados e mercadinhos, enquanto os das hortaliças na feira livre. Conclusões:ficou evidente a necessidade de políticas públicas de incentivo a descentralização do comércio de alimentos e o incentivo à venda de alimentos mais saudáveis e acessíveis física e financeiramente (AU).

Introduction:People have started to consume more and more ready-to-eat foods and have reduced their consumption of fruit and vegetables. Consequently, the prevalence of overweight and chronic non-communicable diseases have increased over the years. This dietary and epidemiological transition process has been influenced by the food environment in which they are inserted. Objective:to evaluate the food microenvironment in markets and restaurants in the city of Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte.Methodology:This is a cross-sectional and descriptive research, with a quantitative approach, carried out in 60 commercial establishments supplying natural and processed foods and ready-to-eat meals. Questionnaires were applied, according to the classification of the type of establishment, to check the availability, variety, price and quality of natural and ultra-processed foods.Results:Most of the participating establishments were local or neighborhood markets,located in the downtown, highlighting territorial inequalities. It was noted that the availability of fruits and vegetables is lower than the ultra-processed foods. All foods showed satisfactory quality, and the lowest prices for fruits were found in supermarkets and grocery stores, while vegetables were found in the street market. Conclusions:the need for public policies to encourage the decentralization of the food trade and the incentive to sell healthier and more affordable foodsphysically and financially became evident (AU).

Introducción: Las personas pasaron a consumir alimentos listos y ultraprocessados cada vez más y disminuyeron el consumo de alimentos naturales. Consecuentemente, las prevalencias de sobrepeso y enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles han aumentado con los años. Este proceso de transición alimentaria y epidemiológica ha sido influenciado por el entorno alimentario en el que se encuentran. Objetivo: evaluar el microambiente alimentario en mercados y restaurantes del municipio de Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte.Metodología: Se trata de una investigación transversal y descriptiva, de abordaje cuantitativo, realizada en 60 establecimientos comerciales proveedores de alimentos naturales, industrializados y comidas preparadas. Se aplicaron cuestionarios de acuerdo con la clasificación del tipo de establecimiento para verificar la disponibilidad, variedad, precio y calidad de los alimentos naturales y ultraprocesados. Resultados: La mayor parte de los establecimientos participantes eran mercados locales o de barrios, localizada en el centro de la ciudad, destacando las desigualdades territoriales. Se ha visto que la disponibilidad de frutas y hortalizas es inferior a los ultraprocesados. Los alimentos presentaron calidad satisfactoria y los menores precios de frutas fueron encontrados en los supermercados y mercadillos, mientras que las hortalizas en la feria libre.Conclusiones: quedó evidente la necesidad de políticas públicas de incentivo a la descentralización del comercio de alimentos y el incentivo a la venta de alimentos más saludablesy asequibles física y financieramente (AU).

Risk of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Transmission Among Healthcare Workers Dining in Hospital Staff Cafeterias.

BACKGROUND: Preventive measures are needed to reduce the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among healthcare workers (HCWs). Notably, hospital staff are usually exposed when they are unmasked. There are limited data on the risk of transmission during mealtimes at hospital staff cafeterias. We aimed to evaluate the risk of transmission in cafeterias. METHODS: From January 2020 through September 2021, we analyzed the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through closed-circuit television and radio-frequency identification tracking and follow-up testing when 33 HCWs, who were eventually diagnosed as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), ate in staff cafeterias during the infectious period. The seats were arranged so the HCWs would sit on either side without facing each other. There were no plastic barriers installed, and HCWs were encouraged not to talk during meals. RESULTS: Three of the 119 individuals who ate at seats next (about 30 cm) to index during the period of transmission and underwent follow-up SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction tests were diagnosed with COVID-19 (2.5%; 95% confidence interval, 0.5-7.4%). Among the 98 HCWs who were investigated about talking during meals, there was a higher attack rate among those who spoke with each other than among those who did not (12.5% [3/24] vs. 0% [0/74], P = 0.013). CONCLUSION: The risk of transmission in a hospital's employee cafeterias is not high with side-by-side seating, especially in the absence of conversation.

Food environment of the economic capital of the Northeast: social and territorial disparities in the availability of food stores / Ambiente alimentar da capital econômica do Nordeste: disparidades sociais e territoriais da disponibilidade dos comércios de alimentos

ABSTRACT Objective Characterize the community food environment through the different types of food outlets in the city of Fortaleza and associate their distribution according to sociodemographic indicators. Methods This is an ecological study carried out in the city of Fortaleza in which data from the Health Surveillance Service were used with the location of all licensed food stores in the city in the years 2018 and 2019. Georeferenced maps were set up to illustrate the spatial distribution of the establishments. Correlation analyses were performed to verify the association between food outlets and socioeconomic data. Values of p≤0.005 were considered significant. Results We identified a greater concentration of food stores in the neighborhoods with better socioeconomic levels. Snack bars (n=2051; 27.7%) and restaurants (n=1945; 26.3%), were in greater quantity and exhibited a positive correlation with the Human Development Index and average income. Supermarkets and hypermarkets (n=288; 3.9%) and street markets (n=81; 1.1%) were in a smaller number and had the worst spatial distribution. Conclusion We observed socioeconomic inequalities in the distribution of different types of food outlets. The little diversity and the limited number of establishments in peripheral neighborhoods, besides the centralization of outlets that sell food that is harmful to health, constitute obstacles for the population to make healthy food choices.

RESUMO Objetivo Caracterizar o ambiente alimentar comunitário por meio dos diferentes tipos de estabelecimentos de venda de alimentos existentes na cidade de Fortaleza e relacionar sua distribuição de acordo com indicadores sociodemográficos. Métodos Trata-se de um estudo ecológico realizado na cidade de Fortaleza em que foram utilizados dados da Vigilância Sanitária com a localização de todos os comércios de alimentos licenciados para funcionamento no município nos anos de 2018 e 2019. Foram construídos mapas georreferenciados para ilustrar a distribuição espacial dos estabelecimentos. Análises de correlação foram realizadas para verificar associação entre os estabelecimentos de venda de alimentos e dados socioeconômicos. Consideraram-se significativos valores de p≤0,005. Resultados Foi possível identificar maior concentração de comércios de alimentos nos bairros com melhores níveis socioeconômicos. Lanchonetes (n=2051; 27,7%) e restaurantes (n=1945; 26,3%) apresentaram-se em maior quantidade e obtiveram correlação positiva com o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano e a renda média. Supermercados e hipermercados (n = 288; 3,9%) e feiras livres (n=81; 1,1%) existiam em menor proporção e apresentaram a pior distribuição espacial. Conclusão Desigualdades socioeconômicas foram observadas na distribuição dos diferentes tipos de pontos de venda de alimentos. A pouca diversidade e a limitada quantidade de estabelecimentos em bairros periféricos, além da centralização da oferta de comércios que vendem alimentos prejudiciais à saúde, constituem-se obstáculos para que a população faça escolhas alimentares saudáveis.

Changes in Calorie Content of Menu Items at Large Chain Restaurants After Implementation of Calorie Labels.

Importance: Calorie labeling on menus is required in US chain food establishments with 20 or more locations. This policy may encourage retailers to offer lower-calorie items, which could lead to a public health benefit by reducing customers' calorie intake from prepared foods. However, potential reformulation of restaurant menu items has not been examined since nationwide enforcement of this policy in 2018. Objective: To examine the calorie content of menu items at large chain restaurants before and after implementation of federally mandated menu calorie labels. Design, Setting, and Participants: This pre-post cohort study used restaurant menu data from MenuStat, a database of nutrition information for menu items offered in the largest chain restaurants in the US, collected annually from 2012 to 2019. The study comprised 35 354 menu items sold at 59 large chain restaurants in the US. Statistical analysis was conducted from February 4 to October 8, 2021. Intervention: Nationwide implementation of menu calorie labeling. Main Outcomes and Measures: Changes in menu items' calorie content after restaurant chains implemented calorie labels were estimated, adjusting for prelabeling trends. All menu items, continuously available items, items newly introduced to menus, and items removed from menus were examined separately. Results: Among the 59 restaurant chains included in the study, after labeling, there were no changes in mean calorie content for all menu items (change = -2.0 calories; 95% CI, -8.5 to 4.4 calories) or continuously available items (change = -2.3 calories; 95% CI, -11.5 to 6.3 calories). Items that were newly introduced after labeling, however, had a lower mean calorie content than items introduced before labeling (change = -112.9 calories; 95% CI, -208.6 to -25.2 calories), although there was heterogeneity by restaurant type. Items removed from menus after labeling had similar calorie content as items removed before labeling (change = 0.5 calories; 95% CI, -79.4 to 84.0 calories). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of large chain restaurants, implementing calorie labels on menus was associated with the introduction of lower-calorie items but no changes in continuously available or removed items.

Perceptions and Feasibility of Actions Related to Sodium Reduction among Restaurant Owners and Cooks in Seongnam, South Korea: Comparison According to Stages of Behavioral Change.

With the increase in meals eaten outside the home, sodium reduction in restaurant foods is essential for reducing sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the stages of behavioral change for reducing sodium and the differences in perceptions among restaurant staff by stage. Restaurant owners and cooks (n = 313) in Seongnam, South Korea were surveyed on their stage of behavioral change, practices, and perceptive factors related to sodium reduction in restaurant meals using a questionnaire. The proportion of behavioral change by stage was 20.4% in the maintenance and action (MA) stage, 32.3% in the preparation (P) stage, and 47.3% in the pre-preparation (PP) stage, which included contemplation and pre-contemplation stages. The items that represent differences among the groups were recognition of social environment for sodium reduction, practice of weighing condiments and measuring salinity, and feasibility of actions related to low-sodium cooking. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for practice and perceptive factors by using stage of behavioral change as the independent variable. Factors associated with being in the MA stage were weighing condiments, measuring salinity, and high feasibility of actions related to low-sodium cooking. Recognition of sodium labeling and anticipation of better taste by reducing sodium increased the odds of being in the P stage rather than the PP stage. These results suggest that customized stepwise education and support are needed for the efficacy of restaurant-based sodium reduction programs.

[Trends of Implementation of Nonsmoking at Eating and Drinking Establishments One Year before and after April 2020: Consideration of the Status of Implementation of the Amendment Bill for the Health Promotion Act of Japan].

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to clarify the transition to the implementation of smoking prohibition at eating and drinking establishments one year before and after April 2020, the time when they became "nonsmoking" in principle following the implementation of the amendment bill for the Health Promotion Act of Japan. METHODS: The total number of nonsmoking/smoking eating and drinking establishments by industry were obtained using the data from "Tabelog®." The number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 by the polymerase chain reaction test on the day of the survey nationwide and the bankruptcy status of the companies (eating and drinking establishments, etc.) for each month were ascertained. RESULTS: In 2020, a state of emergency was declared owing to the increase in the number of people positive for COVID-19, and many eating and drinking establishments went bankrupt. Despite these circumstances, the number of nonsmoking eating and drinking establishments exceeded that of smoking establishments in March 2020 and continued to increase thereafter. Additionally, the number of nonsmoking "restaurants" increased and exceeded that of smoking restaurants in June 2020. The number of nonsmoking "cafes" already exceeded that of smoking "cafes" at the beginning of this survey and continued to increase. The number of nonsmoking "bars" increased, but that of smoking "bars" remained high. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to promote measures against passive smoking while paying attention to the trends for different types of eating and drinking establishments, rather than considering all establishments together.

Modelling aerosol-based exposure to SARS-CoV-2 by an agent based Monte Carlo method: Risk estimates in a shop and bar.

Present day risk assessment on the spreading of airborne viruses is often based on the classical Wells-Riley model assuming immediate mixing of the aerosol into the studied environment. Here, we improve on this approach and the underlying assumptions by modeling the space-time dependency of the aerosol concentration via a transport equation with a dynamic source term introduced by the infected individual(s). In the present agent-based methodology, we study the viral aerosol inhalation exposure risk in two scenarios including a low/high risk scenario of a "supermarket"/"bar". The model takes into account typical behavioral patterns for determining the rules of motion for the agents. We solve a diffusion model for aerosol concentration in the prescribed environments in order to account for local exposure to aerosol inhalation. We assess the infection risk using the Wells-Riley model formula using a space-time dependent aerosol concentration. The results are compared against the classical Wells-Riley model. The results indicate features that explain individual cases of high risk with repeated sampling of a heterogeneous environment occupied by non-equilibrium concentration clouds. An example is the relative frequency of cases that might be called superspreading events depending on the model parameters. A simple interpretation is that averages of infection risk are often misleading. They also point out and explain the qualitative and quantitative difference between the two cases-shopping is typically safer for a single individual person.

Measuring customer satisfaction on the cleanliness of food premises using fuzzy conjoint analysis: A pilot test.

Determining the level of customer satisfaction in cleanliness regarding a product or service is a significant aspect of businesses. However, the availability of feedback tools for consumers to evaluate the cleanliness of a restaurant is a crucial issue as several aspects of cleanliness need to be evaluated collectively. To overcome this issue, this study designed a survey instrument based on the standard form used for grading the food premises and transformed it into a seven Likert scale questionnaire and consists of seven questions. This study employed fuzzy conjoint analysis to measure the level of satisfaction in cleanliness in food premises. This pilot study recruited 30 students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Seremban 3. The student's perception was represented by the scores calculated based on their degree of similarities and corresponding levels of satisfaction, whereby, only scores with the highest degree of similarity were selected. Furthermore, this study identified the aspects of hygiene that assessed based on the customers' satisfaction upon visiting the premises. The results indicated that the fuzzy conjoint analysis produced a similar outcome as the statistical mean, thus, was useful for the evaluation of customer satisfaction on the cleanliness of food premises.

The disproportion of crowd wisdom: The impact of status seeking on Yelp reviews.

This study shows that while status seeking motivates people to participate in crowdsourcing platforms, it also negatively impacts the bedrock of crowdsourcing-wisdom of crowds. Using Yelp restaurant reviews in 6 cities, we found that motivations of status seeking lead people to review a greater variety of restaurants, and achieving status further encourages this variety seeking as well as the targeting of more expensive restaurants for review. The impact of this individual-level tendency is confirmed by our aggregate-level analysis which shows that restaurants with higher price levels, higher uniqueness levels, and a larger percentage of elite reviews tend to obtain enough reviews to generate wisdom of crowds sooner than other restaurants. This leads to a different kind of distortion to crowd wisdom: an over-representation of status-conferring products and an under-representation of products that are not status-worthy. The findings suggest the importance of studying sources of distortion that are endemic to crowdsourcing itself.

Availability and Nutrient Composition of Vegetarian Items at US Fast-Food Restaurants.

BACKGROUND: Consumer demand for vegetarian options is growing. Fast-food restaurants have responded by adding high-profile vegetarian offerings, but little is known about the overall availability or nutrient profile of vegetarian options at these establishments, or how these items compare with nonvegetarian items. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to quantify trends in the availability and nutrient profile of vegetarian items in US fast-food restaurants from 2012 to 2018. DESIGN: This study was a longitudinal analysis of secondary data. We used nutrient data from the MenuStat database for menu offerings at 36 large US fast-food chain restaurants (2012 to 2018). Vegetarian items were identified through automated key word searches and item description hand-coding. OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual counts and proportions of vegetarian and nonvegetarian items by category, and annual trends and differences in predicted mean calories; saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats; sugar; nonsugar carbohydrates; protein; sodium between and within vegetarian and nonvegetarian items. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED: We report counts and proportions of vegetarian items by menu category, then use Tobit regression models to examine annual trends and differences in predicted mean nutrients between and within vegetarian and nonvegetarian items. Sensitivity analyses were calorie-adjusted. RESULTS: The annual proportion of vegetarian items remained consistent (approximately 20%), and counts increased (2012, n = 601; 2018, n = 713). Vegetarian items had significantly fewer calories (2018: -95 kcal) and, even after adjustment for calories, lower saturated fat (-1.6 g), unsaturated fat (-1.8 g), protein (-3.8 g), and sodium (-62 mg) annually (P < .05) compared with nonvegetarian items. Vegetarian items were significantly higher in sugar (2018: +2.0 g; P < .01) and nonsugar carbohydrates (2018: +9.7 g; P < .01), after calorie adjustment, compared with nonvegetarian items. CONCLUSIONS: Vegetarian items were generally lower in several overconsumed nutrients of public health concern (eg, sodium and saturated fat) than nonvegetarian items, but nutrient changes suggest surveillance remains important as vegetarian options increase in popularity.

[Association of Annual Transition of Implementation of Nonsmoking at Eating and Drinking Establishments with Indices on Population/Household and Economy/Labor: Examination Using Prefectural Data].

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship of the annual transition of implementation of nonsmoking at eating and drinking establishments with indices of population/household and economy/labor by prefecture. METHODS: The prefectural rates of eating and drinking establishments implementing nonsmoking (hereafter, nonsmoking rate) were computed in a year using the data from "Tabelog®". Forty-seven prefectures were classified by hierarchical cluster analysis into "prefecture clusters" 1 to 5 in descending order of the median of nonsmoking rates. The indices of population/household (e.g., percentage of the population aged 65 years and over and percentage of nuclear family household) and economy/labor (e.g., prefectural income per capita and percentage of construction and mining workers) were classified by hierarchical cluster analysis into 11 "index clusters", and the representative index in each index cluster was extracted from the results of the Jonckheere-Terpstra test. An ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed using the numbers 1 to 5 of prefecture clusters as dependent variables and the indices representing the index clusters as independent variables. RESULTS: The percentage of the population aged 65 years and over and the percentage of construction and mining workers were positively related to the order of prefectural clusters. CONCLUSIONS: To promote implementation of nonsmoking in eating and drinking establishments in prefectures especially in those with larger numbers of elderly people and construction and mining workers, it is important to inform the persons in charge that implementation of nonsmoking does not affect the number of customers.

The Causality Inference of Public Interest in Restaurants and Bars on Daily COVID-19 Cases in the United States: Google Trends Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected virtually every region in the world. At the time of this study, the number of daily new cases in the United States was greater than that in any other country, and the trend was increasing in most states. Google Trends provides data regarding public interest in various topics during different periods. Analyzing these trends using data mining methods may provide useful insights and observations regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to consider the predictive ability of different search terms not directly related to COVID-19 with regard to the increase of daily cases in the United States. In particular, we are concerned with searches related to dine-in restaurants and bars. Data were obtained from the Google Trends application programming interface and the COVID-19 Tracking Project. METHODS: To test the causation of one time series on another, we used the Granger causality test. We considered the causation of two different search query trends related to dine-in restaurants and bars on daily positive cases in the US states and territories with the 10 highest and 10 lowest numbers of daily new cases of COVID-19. In addition, we used Pearson correlations to measure the linear relationships between different trends. RESULTS: Our results showed that for states and territories with higher numbers of daily cases, the historical trends in search queries related to bars and restaurants, which mainly occurred after reopening, significantly affected the number of daily new cases on average. California, for example, showed the most searches for restaurants on June 7, 2020; this affected the number of new cases within two weeks after the peak, with a P value of .004 for the Granger causality test. CONCLUSIONS: Although a limited number of search queries were considered, Google search trends for restaurants and bars showed a significant effect on daily new cases in US states and territories with higher numbers of daily new cases. We showed that these influential search trends can be used to provide additional information for prediction tasks regarding new cases in each region. These predictions can help health care leaders manage and control the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on society and prepare for its outcomes.