Consumption of ultra-processed foods and low dietary diversity are associated with sedentary and unhealthy eating behaviors: A nationwide study with Brazilian Schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of ultra-processed foods and low dietary diversity are risk factors for chronic diseases. AIM: To evaluate the association between food consumption and sedentary and unhealthy eating behaviors of Brazilian schoolchildren between 6 and 11 years old. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. A prevalence sample was calculated considering the number of children enrolled in elementary school. This sample was distributed proportionally to Brazil's macro-regions and the type of school (public or private). The questionnaire was developed in Google Forms and disseminated through the snowball technique. The questionnaire was filled in by the children's parents, with information about the child's identification and health. Afterward, the child completed a questionnaire by her/himself. We used the previously validated Illustrated Questionnaire on Food Consumption for Brazilian Schoolchildren and the Illustrated Questionnaire on Eating and Sedentary Behaviors. Food consumption was analyzed using the NOVA score and the dietary diversity score. Poisson's regression with robust variance was performed (p<0.05). RESULTS: The study included 2,021 dyads. Of these, 27.6% of children reported eating five or more ultra-processed foods and 39.0% four or fewer natural or staple foods the previous day. Using screens, proxy of sedentary behavior (Prevalence Ratio-PR = 1.8, Confidence Interval-CI95%1.2-2.8) and eating at irregular hours (PR = 1.6, CI95%1.2-2.2) were risk factors for high consumption of ultra-processed foods and low dietary diversity in schoolchildren. In addition, eating the three main meals on the previous day (PR = 0.6, CI95%0.4-0.8) was identified as protective factors against the consumption of ultra-processed foods and in favor of dietary diversity among schoolchildren. CONCLUSION: Sedentary and unhealthy eating behaviors were associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods and low dietary diversity in Brazilian schoolchildren.

Validation of the illustrated questionnaire on food consumption for Brazilian schoolchildren (QUACEB) for 6- to 10-year-old children.

Introduction: Evaluating the food consumption of school-aged children is crucial to monitor their dietary habits, promote targeted interventions, and contribute public policies that aimed healthy eating. In this context, our objective was to develop and validate the Illustrated Questionnaire on Food Consumption for Brazilian Schoolchildren (QUACEB) of 6 to 10 years old, which is a self-reported illustrated recall. Methods: Validity was obtained in four stages as follows: selection of foods, validation of items, validation of illustrations, and pretest. Foods were selected by considering the data from the main surveys that have been conducted with the Brazilian population and schoolchildren in recent years, the degree of food processing, and the main foods from each of the country's five macroregions. The content of the items was validated by comparing the children's and their parent's responses. For this, the questionnaire was published in an online format, and 6- to 10-year-old elementary schoolchildren were recruited using the snowball technique. The first part of the questionnaire was answered by the parent after the child's lunch, and the second was completed by the child the following day. Thirty-two parent and child dyads participated. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), and kappa (k) tests were performed. Results: Of the 30 foods presented on the questionnaire, 15 were reported as consumed. High sensitivity (mean of 88.5%), high specificity (average of 92.0%), substantial agreement (k = 0.78), low disagreement (6.2%), and AUC of 0.90 were found. The illustrations were validated in a focus group with fourth-grade children from a school chosen for convenience. The food illustrations were designed for children, who were asked to name the food. Eighteen children participated and verified that the images were representative of the foods. In the pretest, three schools were chosen for convenience that announced the link to the online questionnaire in WhatsApp groups of parents with students from first to fifth grade. Fifteen children answered the questionnaire and 86.7% (n = 13) judged it excellent or good. Conclusion: Thus, the food consumption questionnaire is valid for elementary schoolchildren of 6 to 10 years old and can be applied in research to assess the dietary patterns of children in Brazil.

Validation of the illustrated questionnaire on eating and sedentary behaviors (QUICAS) for seven to ten-year-old children.

The Illustrated Questionnaire on Eating and Sedentary Behaviors (QUICAS) was developed and validated for schoolchildren seven to ten years old. It used previous day recall and was illustrated with ten eating behaviors (referring to the act of eating without distractions, with company, on a regular basis, the type of food eaten, and participation in tasks involved in meal preparation) and five sedentary behaviors (related to the use of television, computer, tablet, cell phone, and video game). The instrument was validated in four stages: (1) Its content was developed based on literature review and expert evaluation; (2) Items were validated by comparing the responses of children and their parents, through a questionnaire on Google Forms. At this stage, a convenience sample was adopted, consisting of 145 parent-child dyads. High sensitivity (average of 90.7%); high specificity (mean of 87.9%); low number of false positives (mean of 12.1%); low number of false negatives (mean of 9.3%); almost perfect agreement between the child's and the parent's reports (k = 0.81); and low disagreement (≤22%) were found. In addition, the child's gender and age did not significantly influence the child's report. (3) The illustrations were validated in a focus group with 18 children, who satisfactorily described all the eating and sedentary behaviors of the illustrations. (4) In the pretest of the questionnaire on Google Forms, with the participation of 15 children, the majority (86.7%) judged the questionnaire as excellent or good. Therefore, the QUICAS is valid to assess eating and sedentary behaviors in schoolchildren seven to ten years old.

Food-based dietary guidelines for children and adolescents.

Objective: This study aimed at reviewing food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) with content targeted at children and adolescents to present their main characteristics, thus enabling comparisons among countries. Design: We conducted a search of the FBDGs available on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) website, followed by a scoping review with a gray literature search to find FBDGs for children or adolescents non-listed on the FAO's website. Data extraction included the year of publication, language, and guidelines for the target group. Results: From FAO website searches, 109 documents were found, and 17 of them could not be translated. The Scoping review search conducted in 5,190 articles, and none led to new guidelines, nor from the gray literature. Regarding the 92 FBDGs explored, 41 were specific for infants under 24 months old, children, and/or adolescents, and 51 were for the general population with information for the studied group. Twelve percent of the general FBDG and 35% of the specific ones have food icons. All of the guidelines were published after 2001. Latin America and the Caribbean were the regions that presented more specific FBDGs and the majority of countries with guidelines for fruits and vegetables. The information about fat (15 countries) and sugar (26 countries) consumption reduction is frequent. Reduction of sodium intake appears to be in the majority of guidelines after 2015. Food hygiene guidelines are recurrent in Latin American documents. NOVA classification was adopted in five countries and 21 countries approach recommendations for mealtimes. Both exclusive and continued breastfeeding guidance and healthy complementary feeding orientation are present in over 50% of the specific FBDG for infants and children under 24 months old. Conclusion: Food-based dietary guidelines are diverse due to both the nutritional and political aspects of each region. Latin America stands out for its orientations for the studied group. Further studies should measure the possible impacts and comprehension of FBDGs.

Individual and Socioeconomic Contextual Factors Associated with Obesity in Brazilian Adolescents: VigiNUTRI Brasil.

This study investigated the association of socioeconomic contextual factors of the municipality of residence of adolescents, their eating behavior and food consumption with the prevalence of obesity. This was a cross-sectional study, based on individual data regarding anthropometry, eating behavior (eating in front of screens and having at least three main meals a day), and markers of healthy and unhealthy eating of 23,509 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, participating in the Food and Nutrition Surveillance of the Brazilian Population monitored in Primary Health Care (VigiNUTRI Brasil) assessment in 2018. Based on multilevel Poisson regression, a higher prevalence of obesity was observed among adolescents living in municipalities with per capita income above USD209.68 (PR = 1.22; 95% CI 1.05;1.42) and among those who consumed hamburgers and/or processed meats the previous day (PR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.01;1.17). Adolescents who had the habit of having three main meals a day (PR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.73;0.89 p < 0.05) and who consumed fresh fruit the previous day (PR = 0.91; 95% CI 0.84;0.98 p < 0.001) had lower prevalence of obesity. The results reinforce the influence of the social context and food consumption on obesity rates. The persistence of this situation implies a worsening in the current and future health of adolescents.

Stages of change and self-efficacy are related to consumption of food markers among Brazilian adolescents and young adults.

Objective: This study aimed at analyzing the association between stages of change, consumption of food markers, and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices, adjusted by nutritional knowledge, among Brazilian adolescents and young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 347 individuals from schools in the Federal District, Brazil. They completed a self-administered questionnaire covering: consumption of food markers, stage of change, self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices, and nutritional knowledge. Adjusted logistic regression was conducted. Results: Participants in pre-contemplation (OR = 0.22), contemplation (OR = 0.19), decision (OR = 0.13) and action (OR = 0.40) stages have less chance to have healthy eating than those in maintenance, including fruits and vegetables [pre-contemplation (OR = 0.23), contemplation (OR = 0.19), and decision (OR = 0.09)]. Adolescents and young adults in pre-contemplation (OR = 0.29) and contemplation (OR = 0.37) had lower chances of having low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages compared to those in maintenance (p < 0.05). Adolescents and young adults in pre-contemplation (OR = 0.38) and contemplation (OR = 0.36) were less likely to have high self-efficacy scores than those in maintenance (p < 0.05). Higher score of self-efficacy was associated with a lower chance of having a high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (OR = 1.02; p = 0.032). Conclusion: Regardless of nutritional knowledge, individuals in the earlier stages of change are less likely to have an adequate consumption of healthy foods markers, including fruits and vegetables, and low sugar-sweetened beverages consumption. They are also less likely to have high self-efficacy scores than those in maintenance. Nutritional interventions to focus on enhancing self-efficacy among adolescents and young adults in earlier stages of change to improve dietary habits.

Percepções, barreiras e facilitadores da implementação da lei das cantinas escolares por adolescentes do Distrito Federal / Perceptions, barriers, and facilitators of the implementation of the school cafeteria law for adolescents in the Federal District

Este estudo objetivou caracterizar a percepção de estudantes sobre a implementação da Lei 5.146/2013, que visa à promoção da alimentação saudável nas escolas do Distrito Federal, identificando as barreiras e os facilitadores existentes para adotá-la e as perspectivas para a implementação de ações de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional (EAN) no ambiente escolar. Participaram 52 adolescentes do 9º ano de três escolas, públicas e privadas, distribuídos em seis grupos focais. Seguiu-se roteiro semiestruturado com perguntas, validadas pela técnica de Delphi, para conhecer o que era vendido e consumido nas cantinas, segundo os adolescentes, se eles conheciam a lei, e avaliar barreiras e facilitadores para colocar a legislação em funcionamento no ambiente escolar. Por fim, apresentou-se uma situação fictícia aos estudantes em que estes conduziriam ações de EAN para implementar a lei. Os debates foram gravados, transcritos, e agrupadas as falas semelhantes pela análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Os adolescentes consideraram positiva a lei das cantinas, mas pontuaram que estas ainda não haviam se adequado à legislação. Identificaram como barreiras o preço dos alimentos saudáveis e a baixa divulgação da lei e, como facilitadores, a escola e a família. Para EAN, sugeriram meios de divulgação inovadores, como as redes sociais e a utilização de figuras e cores para chamar à atenção do leitor. Apesar de bem recebida pelos adolescentes, a simples promulgação de uma lei não é suficiente para alterar práticas alimentares já adotadas no ambiente escolar se não for associada a estratégia de divulgação e conscientização de toda a comunidade escolar.

This study aimed at characterizing the students' perception of Law 5.146/2013's implementation, whose objective is to promote healthy eating in schools in the Federal District, and to identify the barriers and facilitators that exist in adopting it, as well as the perspectives for the implementation of actions of Food and Nutrition Education (FNE) in the school environment. Fifty-two 9th grade teenagers from three public and private schools participated, distributed in six focus groups. A semi-structured script was followed with questions, validated by the Delphi technique, to find out what was being sold and consumed in the cafeterias according to the adolescents, whether they knew the law, and to assess barriers and facilitators to put the legislation into operation in the school environment. Finally, a fictitious situation was presented to the students in which they would conduct FNE actions to implement the law. The debates were recorded, transcribed, and similar speeches were grouped by Bardin's content analysis. The adolescents considered the cafeteria law to be positive but pointed out that they had not yet adapted to the legislation. They identified the price of healthy foods and the poor disclosure of the law as barriers, and the school and family were facilitators. Concerning FNE, they suggested innovative means of dissemination, such as social networks and the use of figures and colors to draw the reader's attention. Despite being well received by adolescents, the mere passing of a law is not enough to change dietary practices already adopted in the school environment, if it is not associated with a strategy of dissemination and awareness of the entire school community.

Memorization of messages, satisfaction, and feasibility of a nutritional intervention using a mobile text messaging app among adolescents / Memorização de mensagens, satisfação e usabilidade de intervenção nutricional via aplicativo de envio de mensagens entre adolescentes

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to evaluate the memorization of messages that promote healthy eating, as well as satisfaction and feasibility of a nutritional intervention using a mobile text messaging app aimed at adolescents from public schools in the Federal District, Brazil. Methods The messages sent addressed aspects of healthy eating based on the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population. A self-reported questionnaire was applied with 94 students to assess the memorization of the messages received during the nutritional intervention, the level of satisfaction with the intervention, whether the messages were read and shared, the frequency of reading, and what was learned from the intervention. The association of memorization with satisfaction and with the frequency of reading the messages was also investigated. Results About 48% of participants reported remembering at least one message; 77.7% showed high ranges of satisfaction; 54.3% always read the messages; 66.0% did not share messages with other people. Most of the students reported positive learning or good impressions about the intervention. An association was found between memorization and satisfaction with the intervention (p=0.002), as well as between reading and memorization (p=0.005). Conclusion Although the memorization of the healthy eating messages sent in the nutritional intervention was less than expected, a great satisfaction and high frequency of reading the messages were reported by adolescents. Future studies should investigate the permanence of the results of long-term nutrition intervention, the main influencers of memorization, and how to improve it.

RESUMO Objetivo Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a memorização de mensagens de promoção de alimentação adequada e saudável, a satisfação e a usabilidade de uma intervenção nutricional via aplicativo direcionada para adolescentes de escolas públicas do Distrito Federal. Métodos As mensagens enviadas abordavam aspectos sobre alimentação adequada e saudável com base no Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira. Foi aplicado um questionário de autopreenchimento a 94 estudantes para avaliar a memorização das mensagens recebidas durante a intervenção nutricional, o nível de satisfação com a intervenção, se as mensagens eram lidas e compartilhadas, a frequência de leitura e quais foram os aprendizados decorrentes da intervenção. Investigou-se ainda a associação entre a memorização, a satisfação e a frequência de leitura das mensagens. Resultados Cerca de 48% dos participantes referiram lembrar de pelo menos uma mensagem da intervenção; 77,7% se mostraram satisfeitos com o estudo; 54,3% sempre liam as mensagens que recebiam e 66% não compartilhava as mensagens com outras pessoas. A maioria relatou aprendizados ou impressões positivas sobre a intervenção. Foi encontrada uma associação entre a memorização das mensagens e a satisfação com o estudo (p=0,002), bem como entre a leitura e a memorização das mensagens (p=0,005). Conclusão Apesar de a memorização das mensagens enviadas na intervenção nutricional ter sido aquém do esperado, foi referida grande satisfação e alta frequência de leitura pelos adolescentes. Futuros estudos devem investigar a permanência dos resultados de intervenções nutricionais a longo prazo, os principais influenciadores da memorização e como melhorá-la.

Performance and perception on front-of-package nutritional labeling models in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance and perception of five models of front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOPNL) among Brazilian consumers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, which applied an online questionnaire to 2,400 individuals, allocated randomly into six study groups: a control group and five others exposed to FOPNL (octagon, triangle, circle, magnifier and traffic light), applied to nine products. We evaluated the understanding of nutritional content, the perception of healthiness, the purchase intention and the perception of Brazilian consumers on the models. RESULTS: All FOPNL models increased the understanding of the nutritional content and reduced the perception of healthiness and purchase intention, when compared with the control group (41.3%). FOPNL warning models - octagon (62.4%), triangle (61.9%) and circle (61.8%) - performed significantly better than the traffic light (55.0%) regarding the understanding of the nutritional content. The performance of the magnifier (59.5%) was similar to the other four tested models, including the traffic light (55.0%), for understanding nutritional content. The individual analysis of the products suggests a better performance of warnings in relation to the magnifier and the traffic light for the perception of healthiness and purchase intention. Consumers were favorable to the presence of FOPNL, perceiving it as reliable to increase the understanding to nutritional information. CONCLUSION: FOPNL must be implemented on food labels in Brazil, considering that it increases the nutritional understanding, reduces the perception of healthiness and the purchase intention of products with critical nutrients. Warnings showed a better performance when compared with other models.

Effect of a Transtheoretical Model-based intervention on fruit and vegetable intake according to perception of intake adequacy: A randomized controlled community trial.

Interventions based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) are usually effective at increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, but it is not known whether individuals with misperceived intake [e.g., in pseudomaintenance (PM)] for FV intake also benefit from these interventions. This study aims to describe the effectiveness of a TTM-based intervention for FV intake according to baseline perception of intake adequacy. A randomized controlled community trial was carried out with 3414 users of a health promotion service in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, aged 20 years or over, in 2013-2014. FV intake was estimated using a validated instrument. PM was identified when participants had insufficient FV intake and thought their intake was adequate. The intervention group (IG) received a TTM-based intervention, and the control group (CG) received usual care. Baseline FV intakes were lower among individuals in PM compared to those with a concordant perception (CP). In both the IG and CG, FV intake increased among those in PM. Fruit intake remained stable, and vegetable intake decreased among those with CP. Generalized estimating equations revealed a significant effect of the intervention on fruit intake at follow-up, which was slightly higher among those in PM. We conclude that participants in PM were partially sensitive to the intervention and improved fruit intake at follow-up. We suggest that future studies emphasize vegetable intake and elucidate how TTM pillars (self-efficacy, decisional balance, processes of change) can be best used to increase FV intake.

Performance and perception on front-of-package nutritional labeling models in Brazil / Desempenho e percepção sobre modelos de rotulagem nutricional frontal no Brasil

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance and perception of five models of front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOPNL) among Brazilian consumers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, which applied an online questionnaire to 2,400 individuals, allocated randomly into six study groups: a control group and five others exposed to FOPNL (octagon, triangle, circle, magnifier and traffic light), applied to nine products. We evaluated the understanding of nutritional content, the perception of healthiness, the purchase intention and the perception of Brazilian consumers on the models. RESULTS: All FOPNL models increased the understanding of the nutritional content and reduced the perception of healthiness and purchase intention, when compared with the control group (41.3%). FOPNL warning models — octagon (62.4%), triangle (61.9%) and circle (61.8%) — performed significantly better than the traffic light (55.0%) regarding the understanding of the nutritional content. The performance of the magnifier (59.5%) was similar to the other four tested models, including the traffic light (55.0%), for understanding nutritional content. The individual analysis of the products suggests a better performance of warnings in relation to the magnifier and the traffic light for the perception of healthiness and purchase intention. Consumers were favorable to the presence of FOPNL, perceiving it as reliable to increase the understanding to nutritional information. CONCLUSION: FOPNL must be implemented on food labels in Brazil, considering that it increases the nutritional understanding, reduces the perception of healthiness and the purchase intention of products with critical nutrients. Warnings showed a better performance when compared with other models.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Avaliar o desempenho e a percepção de cinco modelos de rotulagem nutricional frontal (RNF) entre consumidores brasileiros. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, com aplicação de questionário online a 2.400 indivíduos, alocados de forma aleatória em seis grupos de estudo, sendo um controle e cinco expostos a modelos de RNF (octógono, triângulo, círculo, lupa e semáforo), aplicados a nove alimentos. Foi avaliado o entendimento do conteúdo nutricional, a percepção de saudabilidade, a intenção de compra e a percepção dos consumidores brasileiros sobre os modelos. RESULTADOS: Todos os modelos de RNF aumentaram o entendimento do conteúdo nutricional e reduziram a percepção de saudabilidade e a intenção de compra, quando comparados ao grupo controle (41,3%). Os modelos de RNF de advertência - octógono (62,4%), triângulo (61,9%) e círculo (61,8%) - apresentaram desempenho significativamente superior ao semáforo (55,0%) quanto ao entendimento do conteúdo nutricional. O desempenho do modelo da lupa (59,5%) não diferiu dos outros quatro modelos testados, inclusive do semáforo (55,0%), para o entendimento do conteúdo nutricional. A análise individual dos alimentos sugere melhor desempenho das advertências em relação à lupa e ao semáforo para a percepção de saudabilidade e a intenção de compra. Os consumidores manifestam-se favoráveis à presença da RNF, percebendo-a como confiável para aumentar o entendimento das informações nutricionais. CONCLUSÃO: A RNF deve ser implementada nos rótulos dos alimentos no Brasil, considerando que aumenta o entendimento nutricional, reduz a percepção de saudabilidade e a intenção de compra de alimentos com nutrientes críticos. As advertências apresentaram melhor desempenho quando comparadas aos demais modelos.

Efeito de cinco modelos de rotulagem nutricional frontal no tempo para escolhas alimentares entre brasilienses / Effectoffive front-of-packagenutritionallabeling models on time toselect food byBrazilians

Objetivo: Comparar o tempo necessário para realizar escolhas alimentares com diferentes modelos de rotulagem nutricional frontal entre adultos brasileiros. Métodos: Foram realizadas entrevistas com 150 participantes, que foram orientados a escolher o produto mais saudável entre dois alimentos, sendo apresentados oito pares de imagens. Um dos produtos de cada par apresentava advertências (alto em açúcares, sódio ou gordura saturada), testados em formatos diferentes de acordo com o grupo no qual o indivíduo era alocado: lupa, octógono, círculo, triângulo e semáforo. Foram contabilizados o número de acertos do produto mais saudável em cada par e o tempo para escolha correta do produto mais saudável. Resultados: Observou-se menor número de acertos do produto mais saudável entre os pares com semáforo, em comparação com qualquer outro modelo (p<0,001), sendo este também o formato no qual se observou maior tempo necessário para escolher corretamente o produto mais saudável (p<0,001). Não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os demais formatos. Na análise individual dos produtos, o círculo teve melhor desempenho, sendo observado tempo significativamente menor para escolhas corretas em sete dos oito produtos. Conclusão: Para apoiar escolhas alimentares saudáveis, indica-se o uso de qualquer um dos formatos testados para a rotulagem nutricional frontal, exceto o do semáforo. O círculo aparenta ser uma boa opção para reduzir o tempo do consumidor frente a escolhas saudáveis.

Objective: to compare the time Brazilian adults required to make food choices with different models of front-of-pack nutrition labeling. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 150 participants, who were instructed to select the healthiest product between two foods, with eight pairs of images presented. One of the products in each pair had warnings (high in sugars, sodium, or saturated fat), evaluated in different formats according to the group in which the individual was allocated: magnifying glass, octagon, circle, triangle, and traffic light. The number of correct answers for the healthiest product in each pair and the time to correctly select of the healthiest product were measured. Results: A lower number of correct answers for the healthier product among the pairs occurred with traffic lights than with any other model (p <0.001), which is also the format in which the longest time was necessary to correctly select the healthiest product (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the other formats. In the individual analysis of the products, the circle performed better, with significantly less time required to make the correct choices in seven of the eight products. Conclusion: To support healthy food choices, any of the tested formats for frontal nutrition labeling are indicated, except for the traffic light. The circle appears to be a good option to reduce consumer's time to select healthy choices.

Transtheoretical model-based nutritional interventions in adolescents: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Literature has shown a tendency of inadequate dietary intake among youth, consequently, nutritional interventions are required. The transtheoretical model (TTM) classifies individuals based on their readiness to change. This model is widely used for health education interventions with proven efficacy. PURPOSE: This review aimed to weigh the strength of evidence about the TTM usage in nutritional interventions for adolescents and its effectiveness regarding dietary intake. METHODS: This study followed the PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies were input into Mendeley software. The Adolec, Google Scholar, LILACS, PsycINFO, PubMed, Science Direct and Web of Science databases were searched. Only full original articles written in English, Spanish or Portuguese on randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs that applied the TTM in the design of nutritional interventions targeting adolescents were included, with no restrictions on publication date. The quality and risk of bias was evaluated with the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 3779 results. Three studies were rated as strong, six as moderate and five as weak. The final sample of 14 articles included adolescents that were mostly recruited from schools, with interventions ranging from one month to three years. The TTM was used alone or combined with other behavior-change theories and most of the interventions involved digital technology. The nutritional topics covered included fruit and vegetable consumption, low-fat diet, and cooking skills. Four studies presented improvement in fruit and vegetable consumption and four progressed through stages of change. Participants from two interventions reduced fat intake. At the end of one intervention, all the participants were in action and maintenance stages. CONCLUSION: The TTM seems to be a successful strategy for nutritional intervention aiming at improving dietary intake in adolescents. Its application in different contexts shows that the TTM is flexible and possible to be implemented in many settings. The use of the model is shown to be restricted to the stage of change' construct. Further studies should use all constructs of the TTM in the design and compare the TTM with other behavior-change theories to better understand its effectiveness.

Tailored smartphone intervention to promote healthy eating among Brazilian adolescents: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent eating patterns are characterised by high consumption of unhealthy foods, which has resulted in an increasing prevalence of overweight and chronic diseases. It is crucial to promote healthy eating habits, and nutritional interventions based on the transtheoretical model have been found to be especially effective. Mobile health strategies also seem promising for adolescents. This study aims to outline a smartphone intervention via WhatsApp for adolescents to promote healthy eating consumption, better nutritional knowledge, self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy practices and progress through the stages of change. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: There will be three distinct groups in this randomised study: a general intervention group (GG), in which the participants will receive the same healthy eating messages, based on the Brazilian food guide; a tailored intervention group (TG), in which the participants will receive healthy eating messages based on their stage of change; and a control group (CG), in which participants will receive messages on a different theme. Possession of a smartphone, use of WhatsApp and being a senior student (16-19 years) from a public school of the Federal District of Brazil will be the study's inclusion criteria. Rural schools will be excluded. The sample size estimated is 390 individuals: 38 in the GG, 314 in the TG and 38 in the CG. The intervention will last 6 weeks, with a daily message sent to the students. We will investigate nutritional knowledge, self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices, food consumption and stages of change using preintervention and postintervention questionnaires. Memorisation of the messages will be also assessed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the University of Brasília, School of Health Sciences and Research Ethics Committee. At the end of the study, the participating schools will receive a printed report with the main results of the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: RBR-5b9jk7.

Family meal frequency and its association with food consumption and nutritional status in adolescents: A systematic review.

This systematic review evaluated the association between frequency of family meals (FFM) and nutritional status (NS) and/or food consumption (FC) in adolescents. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017062180) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. No publication date, language, or meal type restrictions were imposed. Only full-text original articles were included; qualitative studies were excluded. Studies were identified by searching 5 electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, BVS Brazil, and Adolec) and gray literature (Google Scholar) and by scanning reference lists of included articles. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort and cross-sectional studies. Initial search yielded 2001 results and 47 articles were included. An updated literature search added 3 articles. Of the 50 studies included, 25 studied the association between FFM and NS, 32 investigated the association between FFM and FC, being that seven studies analyzed both outcomes. Thirty-four were cross-sectional studies, 12 were longitudinal studies, and 4 studies analyzed both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Thirty-five studies were rated as having good quality, whereas 19 were of fair quality. Sample size ranged from 140 to 102 072 participants. Most investigations evaluated the frequency of breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner/supper/evening meals over a 1-week period. Seventeen studies identified a positive relationship between high FFM and better NS, and 26 found a positive association between high FFM and better FC. In conclusion, this review showed an association between FFM and healthy dietary patterns, such as increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Further research is needed to understand the association between FFM and NS, since some studies showed a protective role of family meals against obesity in this age group, whereas other studies identified no significant association between these variables.

Effects of the Rango Cards game intervention on food consumption, nutritional knowledge and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices of high school students: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the impact of a game-based nutritional intervention on food consumption, nutritional knowledge and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices. DESIGN: This cluster randomised controlled trial included both male and female high school students from private schools in the Federal District, Brazil. Four schools were randomly selected for each group. Investigated variables were age, sex, monthly family income, maternal education level, dietary perceptions and practices, nutritional knowledge and self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices. SETTING: Intervention group participants were instructed to play Rango Cards, a digital game developed for the study, on their own, for a period of 7-17 d, while the control group was not provided with any game or material during the study. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 319 adolescents (mean age = 15·8 (sd 0·7) years). RESULTS: Significant reductions were observed in the intervention group compared with the control group for the following variables: habit of eating while watching TV or studying and having meals at fast food restaurants. The intervention group showed increased knowledge of the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption as well as improved self-efficacy in the adoption of healthy eating practices such as reducing Na intake and preparing healthy meals. CONCLUSIONS: The design of Rango Cards is potentially capable of effecting positive changes. Therefore, the digital game promotes autonomy and self-care among adolescents with regard to healthy eating.

Does misperception of fruit and vegetable intake adequacy affect progression through the stages of behavior change after nutritional intervention?

Pseudomaintenance (PM) is a Transtheoretical Model (TTM) stage of change that refers to individuals who believe they eat enough fruit and vegetables (FV) despite their low FV intake. It is not known how they change behavior after usual TTM-based interventions. Thus, this randomized controlled community trial describes the effect of PM on progression through the stages of change for FV intake among adult and elderly health promotion service users after TTM-based intervention. The stage of change for FV intake was assessed; FV intake was estimated from brief validated questions at baseline (n = 3414) and follow-up (n = 1782). Individuals whose perception of adequacy matched the estimated intake were labeled as "concordant perception," while those with low intake who believed that their intake was adequate were classified as being in PM. The intervention group received the intervention while the control group received usual care. The prevalence of "no stage progression" at follow-up was close to 50% for those in PM at baseline. After adjustment for demographics, randomization, self-efficacy, decisional balance, and baseline intake, users in PM at baseline had higher odds [OR = 1.53 (1.21-1.94)] of progressing to higher stages for fruit and no difference in progression for vegetables. We propose strategies to approach FV intake in future studies and reinforce the need for additional trials aimed at describing changes in FV intake among individuals in PM, in order to continue answering the scientific questions that we began to investigate.

Análise dos conteúdos de alimentação e nutrição nos livros didáticos de Ciências do ensino fundamental da rede pública de ensino / Analysis of food and nutrition information in science textbooks for elementary public education

Objetivo: Analisar conteúdos de alimentação e nutrição nos livros didáticos de Ciências do 5º, 6º e 7° anos do ensino fundamental da rede pública. Método: Foram avaliados 100% dos exemplares (n=39) aprovados nos Guias dos Livros de Ciências do Programa Nacional do Livro Didático de 2016 e 2017. Identificou-se presença ou ausência de oito temas nos livros: Alimentação e desenvolvimento; Hábitos alimentares e influências culturais e sociais; Alimentação, nutrição e saúde; Sistemas alimentares; Rotulagem nutricional; Higiene, conservação e preparo dos alimentos; Mídia e saúde; e Alimentação escolar. Analisou-se a qualidade de textos e imagens por parâmetros como adequação à série, clareza, desenvolvimento e contextualização e/ou grau de relação textual e imagética e nível de atualização. Por meio de pontos atribuídos, os conteúdos foram categorizados em fraco, regular, bom ou excelente. Resultados: A maioria dos livros obteve pouca abordagem alimentar e nutricional. O tema "Alimentação e desenvolvimento" esteve em apenas 55,4% dos livros do quinto ano, não sendo aprofundado posteriormente. Alguns temas apresentaram textos classificados como regulares ou bons. Nenhum texto foi considerado fraco. Notou-se frequente abordagem sobre pirâmides alimentares. Verificou-se ausência e/ou falta de desenvolvimento quanto à higienização dos alimentos. Todos os exemplares apresentaram textos e imagens adequados à série. Conclusão: "Mídia e saúde", "Alimentação escolar", "Alimentação, nutrição e saúde" e "Rotulagem nutricional" são temas pouco presentes nos livros, mas quando abordados, tiveram classificação excelente. Os demais temas, apesar de frequentes, precisam de aprimoramentos na qualidade da abordagem. (AU)

Objective: The food and nutrition content was analyze in science textbooks used the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades in Brazilian public elementary schools. Methods: We evaluated 100% of the texts (n = 39) approved by the Science Book Guides of the National Textbook Program for 2016 and 2017. The presence or absence of eight themes was identified in the books: Food and development; Eating habits and cultural and social influences; Food, nutrition, and health; Food systems; Nutritional labeling; Hygiene, conservation, and preparation of food; Media and health; and School feeding. The quality of texts and images was analyzed by parameters such as suitability for the grade; clarity; development and contextualization; and/or degree of relationship between text and illustration; and level of updating. Through points assigned, the contents were categorized as weak, fair, good, or excellent. Results: Most of the books contained little dietary and nutritional approach. The theme "Food and development" was in only 55.4% of books in the fifth year and not further explored later. Some themes presented texts classified as regular or good. No text was considered weak. A frequent approach to food pyramids was noted. Food hygiene was absence or poorly development. All copies presented texts and illustration suitable for the series. Conclusion: "Media and health", "School feeding", "Food, nutrition, and health" and "Nutritional labeling" are themes that are not often present in the books, but when addressed, they received an excellent rating. The other themes, although frequent, need improvements in the quality of the approach. (AU)

Maternal attitudes, beliefs and practices related to the feeding and nutritional status of schoolchildren / Atitudes, crenças e práticas maternas em relação à alimentação e ao estado nutricional de crianças em idade escolar

ABSTRACT Objective To analyze the relationship between the maternal attitudes, beliefs and practices and the children's food consumption and nutritional status. Methods A cross-sectional study of 563 mother-child pairs. Mothers answered an online questionnaire that collected the following information: sociodemographic data, maternal nutritional status, the child's food consumption (evaluated through the Food Frequency Questionnaire and the School Child Diet Index), and maternal attitudes, beliefs and practices about the schoolchildren's eating (assessed through the Child Feeding Questionnaire). Children had their anthropometric measurements evaluated for the interpretation of the nutritional status. Results Mothers who considered their children to be bigger (ORaj=6.60) and who worried more about their children's weight (ORaj=3.47) presented greater chances of having overweight children. Mothers with a greater perception of responsibility (ORaj=0.57) and who put more pressure in their children to eat (ORaj=0.38) presented lower chances of having overweight children. The majority of children consumed high-quality food (77.4%). Mothers who more closely monitored their children's food consumption were 2.79 times more likely to have their children eating high-quality food. Conclusion Nutritional interventions should focus on stimulating the parents' sense of responsibility for the child's nutrition, as well as on promoting the frequent monitoring of the child's food intake.

RESUMO Objetivo Analisar a relação entre as atitudes, crenças e práticas maternas e o consumo alimentar e o estado nutricional da criança. Métodos Estudo transversal com 563 pares mães-crianças. Mães responderam questionário online que coletava as seguintes informações: dados sociodemográficos, estado nutricional materno, consumo alimentar da criança (avaliado a partir do Questionário de Frequência Alimentar e do Índice de Alimentação do Escolar), e atitudes, crenças e práticas maternas sobre a alimentação de crianças em idade escolar (avaliadas a partir do Questionário de Alimentação da Criança). As crianças tiveram suas medidas antropométricas aferidas para interpretação do estado nutricional. Resultados Mães que percebiam os corpos de suas crianças maiores (ORaj=6,60) e que se preocupavam mais com o peso da sua criança (ORaj=3,47) apresentavam maior chance de terem filhos com excesso de peso. Mães com maior percepção de responsabilidade (ORaj=0,57) e que pressionavam mais a criança para comer (ORaj=0,38) apresentavam menor chance de terem crianças com excesso de peso. A maioria das crianças possuía uma alimentação de alta qualidade (77,4%). Mães que monitoravam mais a alimentação de sua criança tiveram a chance 2,79 vezes maior de ter criança com alimentação de alta qualidade. Conclusão As intervenções nutricionais devem focar em estimular o senso de responsabilidade dos pais pela nutrição da criança, bem como em promover o monitoramento frequente do consumo alimentar da criança.

Perfil de la alimentación ofrecida en las cantinas escolares y sus reglamentaciones en Brasil / Profile of foods offered in school cafeterias and their regulation in Brazil

RESUMEN El objetivo fue realizar un estudio bibliográfico sobre el perfil de los alimentos ofrecidos en las cantinas escolares y reglamentaciones que existen sobre el tema en Brasil. Se investigaron en medios electrónicos publicaciones de revistas científicas, publicaciones oficiales y documentos recientes del gobierno brasileño sobre los tipos de alimentos ofrecidos en el ambiente escolar y las reglamentaciones sobre la venta de alimentos en cantinas comerciales de Brasil en el periodo de 2001 a febrero de 2016. En el país, no hay una estandarización de las legislaciones sobre los alimentos que pueden o no ser comercializados en la escuela. Hay regiones de Brasil en que el Estado aún no ha tenido la iniciativa de normalizar el asunto. Eso refleja la necesidad de una reglamentación federal para crear una estandarización de las legislaciones y de más estudios que evalúen la efectiva implementación de las leyes en las cantinas escolares, pues solo la promulgación de una ley no es capaz de modificar los paradigmas existentes en la comercialización de los alimentos en esos sitios.

ABSTRACT The objective was to carry out a bibliographic study on the profile of foods offered in school cafeterias and existing regulations on school cafeterias in Brazil. Publications in scientific journals, official publications and recent documents of the Brazilian government on the types of foods offered in the school environment and regulations on the sale of food in commercial cafeterias in Brazil from 2001 to February 2016 were reviewed in electronic media. In Brazil, there is no standardization of laws regarding food that may or may not be sold at schools. In many laws, there is no mention of the role of food and nutrition education. There are regions in Brazil where the state has not yet had the initiative to normalize the subject. This reflects the need for a federal regulation to create standardization of legislation and more studies that evaluate the effective implementation of laws for school cafeterias, since the enactment of a law alone is not capable of modifying the existing paradigms in marketing of food from those places.