The impact of the nutri-score on food choice: A choice experiment in a Dutch supermarket.

Front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels are placed on products to help consumers make healthy food choices. A lab-in-field experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of two FOP labels in promoting healthy food choices among Dutch consumers, and to examine whether dieters and health conscious shoppers are more likely to use the FOP labels. In addition, it was examined whether the placement of relatively "good" FOP label scores on products might inadvertently lead to increases in serving sizes. Participants (N = 300) consisted of Dutch consumers shopping for groceries in a local supermarket. They were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (Nutri-score, Multiple Traffic Light (MTL) label, or no label control condition), presented with six different (labeled) cereals, and asked to make a choice. Next, participants were shown a product with a relatively good label score and selected their desired serving size. The results show that the Nutri-score promotes choice of the healthiest cereal. Dieting behaviour and health conscious shopping did not moderate this effect, and the labels did not affect serving size selection. Overall, the study provides evidence for the Nutri-score to promote healthy food choices among Dutch consumers.

Adolescent's Willingness to Adopt a More Plant-Based Diet: A Theory-Based Interview Study.

A plant-based diet is more sustainable, and research suggests that adolescents obtain health benefits from adopting a more plant-based diet (e.g., improved weight control, increased cardiovascular health). However, it is still unclear what factors promote/hinder their intention to attain such a dietary habit. The aim of the present study was to examine factors affecting adolescents' willingness to consume more plant-based foods. In a theory-based interview study, using the Reasoned Action Approach as framework, adolescents were interviewed concerning their reasons for their (un)willingness to adopt a more plant-based diet. A total of 11 adolescents (15/16 years old; 7 girls, 4 boys) were recruited and interviewed at two secondary schools in the Dutch Province of Limburg, the Netherlands. None of the interviewees reported being vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian. The interviewed adolescents overall expressed little interest in adopting a more plant-based diet. They appeared to have little knowledge of what would comprise a more plant-based diet and showed a lack of awareness of the benefits for personal and planet health. Further, most participants indicated lacking skills to prepare plant-based meals. Despite that, they felt confident they would be able to consume a much more plant-based diet for a definite period. Most importantly, the low intention to consume more plant-based food options was explained by the perceived (or expected) poor taste of these foods. We conclude that education on the plant-based diet (i.e., increasing awareness of the benefits, and skills to procure or prepare a plant-based meal) might increase both knowledge and plant-based food familiarity. The latter being important as food familiarity is key in promoting its acceptance.

Cognitive subtypes of mathematics learning difficulties in primary education.

It has been asserted that children with mathematics learning difficulties (MLD) constitute a heterogeneous group. To date, most researchers have investigated differences between predefined MLD subtypes. Specifically MLD children are frequently categorized a priori into groups based on the presence or absence of an additional disorder, such as a reading disorder, to examine cognitive differences between MLD subtypes. In the current study 226 third to six grade children (M age=131 months) with MLD completed a selection of number specific and general cognitive measures. The data driven approach was used to identify the extent to which performance of the MLD children on these measures could be clustered into distinct groups. In particular, after conducting a factor analysis, a 200 times repeated K-means clustering approach was used to classify the children's performance. Results revealed six distinguishable clusters of MLD children, specifically (a) a weak mental number line group, (b) weak ANS group, (c) spatial difficulties group, (d) access deficit group, (e) no numerical cognitive deficit group and (f) a garden-variety group. These findings imply that different cognitive subtypes of MLD exist and that these can be derived from data-driven approaches to classification. These findings strengthen the notion that MLD is a heterogeneous disorder, which has implications for the way in which intervention may be tailored for individuals within the different subtypes.

What basic number processing measures in kindergarten explain unique variability in first-grade arithmetic proficiency?

Relations between children's mathematics achievement and their basic number processing skills have been reported in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Yet, some key questions are currently unresolved, including which kindergarten skills uniquely predict children's arithmetic fluency during the first year of formal schooling and the degree to which predictors are contingent on children's level of arithmetic proficiency. The current study assessed kindergarteners' non-symbolic and symbolic number processing efficiency. In addition, the contribution of children's underlying magnitude representations to differences in arithmetic achievement was assessed. Subsequently, in January of Grade 1, their arithmetic proficiency was assessed. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that children's efficiency to compare digits, count, and estimate numerosities uniquely predicted arithmetic differences above and beyond the non-numerical factors included. Moreover, quantile regression analysis indicated that symbolic number processing efficiency was consistently a significant predictor of arithmetic achievement scores regardless of children's level of arithmetic proficiency, whereas their non-symbolic number processing efficiency was not. Finally, none of the task-specific effects indexing children's representational precision was significantly associated with arithmetic fluency. The implications of the results are 2-fold. First, the findings indicate that children's efficiency to process symbols is important for the development of their arithmetic fluency in Grade 1 above and beyond the influence of non-numerical factors. Second, the impact of children's non-symbolic number processing skills does not depend on their arithmetic achievement level given that they are selected from a nonclinical population.

MMPI-II personality profiles of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

This comparative study explored whether psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are a unique disorder with distinctive personality characteristics or (seen from the personality profile) PNES are allied with the domain of a general functional somatic symptom and syndrome (FSSS). We compared the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2) results for 41 patients with newly diagnosed PNES and 43 patients with newly diagnosed insomnia. There were no statistically significant quantitative scoring differences on the main clinical scales, indicating that there is no substantial difference in "personality makeup" between the two groups with a FSSS. Additional subscale analysis indicated that patients with PNES reported significantly more somatic complaints (Hysteria 4) and bizarre sensory experiences (Schizophrenia 6). Further profile analysis revealed that the personality pattern of patients with PNES was characterized by a strong tendency toward "conversion V, a lack of control pattern and less excessive worries" as compared with patients with insomnia. Patients with PNES are characterized by a stronger tendency toward somatization and externalization, which has treatment implications.