Development and validation of an analytical method by HPLC-DAD for determination of caffeine in products based on guarana extracts (Paullinia cupana)

Abstract Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a native plant from the Amazon whose seeds contain a high concentration of caffeine. Aqueous extract of guarana is widely used in the world. In this study, the objective was to develop and validate a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method for the determination of caffeine in extracts and commercial beverages based on guarana. A sensitive, simple, and viable high performance liquid chromatographic method without the need of an analyte extraction procedure was developed and validated according to Brazilian and international requirements. The method presented high performance, fulfilling Brazilian and international requirements, in addition to allowing product compliance tests. Results confirmed high selectivity and linearity (>0.999) between 5 to 135 ug/mL, with no significant matrix effect. Detection and quantification limits were 0.02 µg/mL and 2 µg/mL, respectively. Precision was less than 4 %, and accuracy varied from 99.9-120 %. Applicability of the method was demonstrated by conducting a limited evaluation in products containing caffeine. Commercial extracts showed quite different caffeine levels, while carbonated drinks follow Brazilian and American recommendations. Our results indicate that the developed method can be used to evaluate the quality of the guarana extract and of products containing caffeine

There's an App for That: Development of an Application to Operationalize the Global Diet Quality Score.

BACKGROUND: The global diet quality score (GDQS) is a simple, standardized metric appropriate for population-based measurement of diet quality globally. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to operationalize data collection by modifying the quantity of consumption cutoffs originally developed for the GDQS food groups and to statistically evaluate the performance of the operationalized GDQS relative to the original GDQS against nutrient adequacy and noncommunicable disease (NCD)-related outcomes. METHODS: The GDQS application uses a 24-h open-recall to collect a full list of all foods consumed during the previous day or night, and automatically classifies them into corresponding GDQS food group. Respondents use a set of 10 cubes in a range of predetermined sizes to determine if the quantity consumed per GDQS food group was below, or equal to or above food group-specific cutoffs established in grams. Because there is only a total of 10 cubes but as many as 54 cutoffs for the GDQS food groups, the operationalized cutoffs differ slightly from the original GDQS cutoffs. RESULTS: A secondary analysis using 5 cross-sectional datasets comparing the GDQS with the original and operationalized cutoffs showed that the operationalized GDQS remained strongly correlated with nutrient adequacy and was equally sensitive to anthropometric and other clinical measures of NCD risk. In a secondary analysis of a longitudinal cohort study of Mexican teachers, there were no differences between the 2 modalities with the beta coefficients per 1 SD change in the original and operationalized GDQS scores being nearly identical for weight gain (-0.37 and -0.36, respectively, P < 0.001 for linear trend for both models) and of the same clinical order of magnitude for waist circumference (-0.52 and -0.44, respectively, P < 0.001 for linear trend for both models). CONCLUSION: The operationalized GDQS cutoffs did not change the performance of the GDQS and therefore are recommended for use to collect GDQS data in the future.

Dietary and Health Correlates of Sweetened Beverage Intake: Sources of Variability in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Recent studies using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have used inconsistent approaches to identify and categorize beverages, especially those containing low-calorie sweeteners (LCS), also referred to as low-calorie sweetened beverages (LCSBs). Herein, we investigate the approaches used to identify and categorize LCSBs in recent analyses of NHANES data. We reviewed published studies examining LCS consumption in relation to dietary and health outcomes and extracted the methods used to categorize LCS as reported by the authors of each study. We then examined the extent to which these approaches reliably identified LCSBs using the Internet Archive Wayback Machine to examine beverage ingredients lists across three NHANES cycles (2011-2016). None of the four general strategies used appeared to include all LCSBs while also excluding all beverages that did not contain LCS. In some cases, the type of sweetener in the beverage consumed could not be clearly determined; we found 9, 16, and 18 of such "mixed" beverage identifiers in the periods 2011-2012, 2013-2014, and 2015-2016, respectively. Then, to illustrate how heterogeneity in beverage categorization may impact the outcomes of published analyses, we compared results of a previously published analysis with outcomes when "mixed" beverages were grouped either all as LCSBs or all as sugary beverages. Our results suggest that caution is warranted in design and interpretation of studies using NHANES data to examine dietary and health correlates of sweetened beverage intake.

Deconstructing the Supermarket: Systematic Ingredient Disaggregation and the Association between Ingredient Usage and Product Health Indicators for 24,229 Australian Foods and Beverages.

Unhealthy diets are underpinned by the over-consumption of packaged products. Data describing the ingredient composition of these products is limited. We sought to define the ingredients used in Australian packaged foods and beverages and assess associations between the number of ingredients and existing health indicators. Statements of ingredients were disaggregated, creating separate fields for each ingredient and sub-ingredient. Ingredients were categorised and the average number of ingredients per product was calculated. Associations between number of ingredients and both the nutrient-based Health Star Rating (HSR) and the NOVA level-of-processing classification were assessed. A total of 24,229 products, listing 233,113 ingredients, were included. Products had between 1 and 62 ingredients (median (Interquartile range (IQR)): 8 (3-14)). We identified 915 unique ingredients, which we organised into 17 major and 138 minor categories. 'Additives' were contained in the largest proportion of products (64.6%, (15,652/24,229)). The median number of ingredients per product was significantly lower in products with the optimum 5-star HSR (when compared to all other HSR score groups, p-value < 0.001) and significantly higher in products classified as ultra-processed (when compared to all other NOVA classification groups, p-value < 0.001). There is a strong relationship between the number of ingredients in a product and indicators of nutritional quality and level of processing.

Shifting toward a healthier dietary pattern through nudging and pricing strategies: A secondary analysis of a randomized virtual supermarket experiment.

BACKGROUND: Nudging and salient pricing are promising strategies to promote healthy food purchases, but it is possible their effects differ across food groups. OBJECTIVE: To investigate in which food groups nudging and/or pricing strategies most effectively changed product purchases and resulted in within-food groups substitutions or spillover effects. METHODS: In total, 318 participants successfully completed a web-based virtual supermarket experiment in the Netherlands. We conducted a secondary analysis of a mixed randomized experiment consisting of 5 conditions (within subject) and 3 arms (between subject) to investigate the single and combined effects of nudging (e.g., making healthy products salient), taxes (25% price increase), and/or subsidies (25% price decrease) across food groups (fruit and vegetables, grains, dairy, protein products, fats, beverages, snacks, and other foods). Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate the incidence rate ratios and 95% CIs for changes in the number of products purchased. RESULTS: Compared with the control condition, the combination of subsidies on healthy products and taxes on unhealthy products in the nudging and price salience condition was overall the most effective, as the number of healthy purchases from fruit and vegetables increased by 9% [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.18], grains by 16% (IRR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.28), and dairy by 58% (IRR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.31, 1.89), whereas the protein and beverage purchases did not significantly change. Regarding unhealthy purchases, grains decreased by 39% (IRR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.82) and dairy by 30% (IRR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.87), whereas beverage and snack purchases did not significantly change. The groups of grains and dairy showed within-food group substitution patterns toward healthier products. Beneficial spillover effects to minimally targeted food groups were seen for unhealthy proteins (IRR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Nudging and salient pricing strategies have a differential effect on purchases of a variety of food groups. The largest effects were found for dairy and grains, which may therefore be the most promising food groups to target in order to achieve healthier purchases. The randomized trial on which the current secondary analyses were based is registered in the Dutch trial registry (NTR7293; www.trialregister.nl).

Water Drinking and its Correlation with Beverage Consumption in Korean Adolescents.

Objectives: Water intake has been recognized as a critical factor for important health outcomes. This study was an investigation of the status of water drinking and its correlation with beverage consumption among Korean adolescents. Methods: The population of this cross-sectional study included Korean adolescents (N = 57,302) from the 15th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2019). Descriptive statistical and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the water-drinking behavior during a previous 7-day period according to the general characteristics of the adolescents. Associations were tested between water drinking and beverage consumption (carbonated beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages, energy/high-caffeine drinks, and milk). Results: Overall, 4.1% of adolescents drank less than one glass, 19.6% drank one to 2 glasses, 23.1% drank 3 glasses, 17.8% drank 4 glasses, and 35.4% drank ≥ 5 glasses of water per day during the last 7 days. The distribution of water drinking differed according to the characteristics of adolescents and was associated with the frequencies of consumption of carbonated drinks, and sugar-sweetened drinks. More than 3 times the carbonated drink (aOR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.19-1.38) and sugar-sweetened drink consumption (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.16-1.34) were associated with lower water drinking. Conclusions: Higher consumption of carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with less water drinking.

Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption Among Adults: United States, 2015-2018.

Beverages play a substantial role in meeting total water intake needs and are a major contributor to overall nutrient and caloric intake for the U.S. population (1,2). The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that water, fat-free and low-fat milk, and 100% juice be the primary beverages consumed (2). This report provides estimates of the contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption, by grams, for U.S. adults.

The Importance of Sweet Beverage Definitions When Targeting Health Policies-The Case of Switzerland.

Since high-sweet beverage intake is associated with health risks, defining what this term encompasses is relevant to the strategies confronting this problem. This study assessed both the sociodemographic factors associated with sweet beverage consumption in Switzerland and the amount consumed. According to the current definition in Switzerland (SB-CUR), sweet beverages include soft drinks, juices with added-sugar, and low-calorie sweet beverages. Using this definition and the representative menuCH survey (n = 2057; ages 18-75), the average daily sweet beverage intake was determined and compared with a new sweet beverage definition (SB-NEW), which included all beverages with free sugars and low-calorie sweeteners. A generalized linear model was used to investigate correlates of sweet beverage consumption. Sweet beverage consumption under the SB-CUR and SB-NEW definition was 240.6 g/day and 329.7 g/day, respectively, with 100% juice consumption accounting for 66% of the difference. Carbonated drinks (sodas), low-calorie sweet beverages, and 100% juices were the highest contributors, each around 60 g/day. SB-NEW intake was higher in individuals who were male, young adults (aged 18-29), from German-speaking regions, obese, or had a lower level of education. As sweet beverage consumption was much higher under the SB-NEW definition, this could have implications for health policies aimed at reducing sugar intake.

Breakfast in the Classroom Initiative and Students' Breakfast Consumption Behaviors: A Group Randomized Trial.

Objectives. To identify the effect of a Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) initiative on the foods and drinks students consume in the morning.Methods. Sixteen public schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that provide universal breakfast participated in a group randomized trial to examine the effects of BIC with complementary nutrition promotion between 2013 and 2016. Control schools (n = 8) offered breakfast in the cafeteria before school. Baseline data were collected from 1362 students in grades 4 to 6. Endpoint data were collected after 2.5 years. Students self-reported the foods and drinks they consumed in the morning.Results. At endpoint, there was no effect of the intervention on breakfast skipping. Nearly 30% of intervention students consumed breakfast foods or drinks from multiple locations, as compared with 21% of control students. A greater proportion of intervention students than control students consumed 100% juice, and a smaller proportion consumed sugar-sweetened beverages and foods high in saturated fat and added sugar.Conclusions. A BIC initiative led to improvements in the types of foods and drinks students consumed in the morning. However, the program did not reduce breakfast skipping and increased the number of locations where students ate.

Application of multidimensional and conventional fluorescence techniques for classification of beverages originating from various berry fruit.

The objectives of this study were to characterize fluorescence of beverages from berry fruit, including chokeberry, blackcurrant, raspberry and strawberry, and to develop classification models based on different types of fluorescence spectra to identify beverages depending on the fruit species. Total fluorescence spectra (excitation-emission matrices, EEMs) and total synchronous fluorescence spectra (TSFS) were recorded for a series of commercial berry fruit beverages. An analysis of EEMs using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) revealed four components characterized by the excitation/emission maxima at 275/326, 319/410, 414/600, and 360/460 nm, respectively. Based on the spectral profiles, these components were assigned to various groups of phenolic compounds. Partial least squares discriminant analysis was used to develop the classification models. The analysis was performed on PARAFAC scores, unfolded EEMs (uEEMs), unfolded TSFS (uTSFS), and additionally on conventional emission spectra (EMS) measured at particular excitation wavelengths and single synchronous fluorescence spectra (SFS). The classification models with the same average classification error of 4.86% were obtained for the analysis of both the entire uEEMs and uTSFS. Among models based on the individual spectra, the lowest error of 4.42% was obtained for SFS measured at Δλ = 40 nm, and an error of 7.64% was obtained for EMS measured at the excitation wavelength of 360 nm. The classification model based on the PARAFAC scores had the highest error of 15.27%. The present results show good potential of fluorescence as rapid and reagent-free tool for authenticity evaluation of berry beverages.

The price of ultra-processed foods and beverages and adult body weight: Evidence from U.S. veterans.

The consumption of ultra-processed foods in the U.S. and globally has increased and is associated with lower diet quality, higher energy intake, higher body weight, and poorer health outcomes. This study drew on individual-level data on measured height and weight from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical records for adults aged 20 to 64 from 2009 through 2014 linked to food and beverage price data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to examine the association between the price of ultra-processed foods and beverages and adult body mass index (BMI). We estimated geographic fixed effects models to control for unobserved heterogeneity of prices. We estimated separate models for men and women and we assessed differences in price sensitivity across subpopulations by socioeconomic status (SES). The results showed that a one-dollar increase in the price of ultra-processed foods and beverages was associated with 0.08 lower BMI units for men (p ≤ 0.05) (price elasticity of BMI of -0.01) and 0.14 lower BMI units for women (p ≤ 0.10) (price elasticity of BMI of -0.02). Higher prices of ultra-processed foods and beverages were associated with lower BMI among low-SES men (price elasticity of BMI of -0.02) and low-SES women (price elasticity of BMI of -0.07) but no statistically significant associations were found for middle- or high-SES men or women. Robustness checks based on the estimation of an individual-level fixed effects model found a consistent but smaller association between the price of ultra-processed foods and beverages and BMI among women (price elasticity of BMI of -0.01) with a relatively larger association for low-SES women (price elasticity of BMI of -0.04) but revealed no association for men highlighting the importance of accounting for individual-level unobserved heterogeneity.

Television food and beverage marketing to children in Costa Rica: current state and policy implications.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the frequency of television (TV) food and beverage advertisements (F&B ads) to which children (4-11 years) are likely exposed and the nutrient profile of products advertised. DESIGN: TV broadcasting between September and November 2016 was recorded (288 h of children's programming; 288 h of family programming) resulting in 8980 advertisements, of which 1862 were F&B ads. Of those, 1473 could be classified into one of the seventeen food groups, and into permitted/non-permitted according to the WHO-EU nutrient profile model. Persuasive marketing techniques used were also identified. SETTING: TV programming was recorded for four weekdays and four weekend days, between 06.00 and 00.00 hours (576 total hours), for four channels (two national and two cable), in Costa Rica. RESULTS: Mean (sd) number of F&B ads/h was greater in cable than national channels (3·7 (0·4) v. 2·8 (0·4), P < 0·05) and during children's peak viewing hours (4·4 (0·4) v. 2·9 (0·3)). Of F&B ads classified with WHO-EU nutrient profile model (n 1473, 71·1 %), 91·1 % were non-permitted to be marketed to children. Categories most frequently advertised were ready-made/convenience foods (16 %), chocolates/confectionery/desserts (15 %), breakfast cereals (14 %), beverages (15 %), edible ices (9 %) and salty snacks (8 %). Non-permitted F&B ads were more likely to use promotional characters, brand benefit claims, and nutrition and health claims than permitted F&B ads. CONCLUSIONS: Children watching popular TV channels in Costa Rica are exposed to a high number of unhealthy F&B ads daily. Our findings help justify the need for regulatory actions by national authorities.

Differences in the Quantity and Types of Foods and Beverages Consumed by Canadians between 2004 and 2015.

This study examined differences in food and beverage intake estimated from nationally representative surveys of Canadians in 2004 and 2015 collected through the Canadian Community Health Surveys. Differences in mean daily energy intake and amounts of food consumed were compared between 2004 and 2015 and across age groups for all energy reporters (aged 2 years+) and among only plausible energy reporters. From 2004 to 2015, mean energy intake decreased by 228 kcal/day (all energy reporters) and 74 kcal/day (plausible energy reporters). Canadians reported consuming more daily servings of meat and alternatives but fewer servings of vegetables and fruit and milk and alternatives in 2015 compared to 2004. Analyses of food subgroups revealed that Canadians reported consuming more daily servings of dark green and orange vegetables, dairy products, legumes, nuts and seeds, and eggs but fewer servings of potatoes, other vegetables, fruit juices, fluid milk, and sugar-sweetened beverages in 2015 compared to 2004. While some aspects of the Canadian diet have improved, daily mean intake of other nutritious foods either stagnated or worsened over time. Continued attention is needed to improve population-level intakes of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and protein foods such as legumes, nuts, seeds, and lower fat dairy products.

Children's healthy and unhealthy beverage availability, purchase and consumption: A wearable camera study.

Children's sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption presents significant risks for obesity, type 2 diabetes and dental health. But there is a lack of objective data on beverages in children's overall environments. This study aimed to determine the nature and extent of children's beverage availability, purchase and consumption, throughout their day, using wearable cameras for data collection. Data were sourced from 'Kids'Cam NZ', a study in which randomly-selected New Zealand children (n = 168; 11-14y, mean 12.6y) wore cameras for four days (Thursday-Sunday), automatically taking a photo every 7s. Using content analysis, Thursday and Saturday images (n = 700,201) were systematically analysed. On average, 18.9 (95% CI 16.8, 21.4) drinks/day were available to the children (n = 158), of which 7.5 (95% CI 5.8, 9.7; 39.7%) were non-core drinks, including 6.4 (95% CI 5.0, 8.3; 33.9%) SSBs. At school and home, core drinks (water and unflavoured milk) were the most available. In all other locations in which children spent time (e.g., recreation venues and food retail outlets) non-core drinks dominated, at rates 1.5-5 times that of core drinks availability. Almost all drinks (n = 17; 10.8%) the children purchased were non-core. On average, children (n = 111; 70.3%) consumed a drink 2.6 (95% CI 2.1, 3.1) times/day, including one (95% CI 0.7, 1.3) SSB. At school and home core drinks predominated. SSBs were available to most children in all locations in which they spent time, and dominated their drinks purchases and consumption. SSBs appear to be a typical feature of children's everyday environments, almost certainly making it difficult for children's beverage intakes to align with guidelines. The findings support calls for governments to urgently enact the SSB-related actions in the WHO Commission's Ending Childhood Obesity implementation plan and, in turn, improve child health.

Unhealthy food marketing around New Zealand schools: a national study.

OBJECTIVES: This is the first nationwide analysis of food marketing around New Zealand (NZ) schools. METHODS: Zones (500-m network buffers) were created around a sample of 950 schools (37.5% of total) using ArcGIS. Foods advertised were classified according to the NZ Food and Beverage Classification System and the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Nutrient Profile Model. Convenience, fast food and takeaway outlets were mapped. RESULTS: About 65% of foods were not permitted to be marketed to children by the WHO model. The median and maximum number of non-permitted foods was 16.2 per km2 and 805.9 per km2, and the median number of junk food advertisements was 10.6 per km2 for urban schools. The proportion of junk food advertisements was significantly higher around schools with the highest (50.7% vs. 37.4%, p < 0.001) compared to the lowest number of socio-economically deprived children. Sugar-sweetened beverages (N = 4584, 20.4%) and fast food (N = 4329, 19.2%) were most frequently marketed. The median and maximum number of unhealthy outlets around schools was 5 and 212, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NZ schools are surrounded by unhealthy food marketing. Regulations to restrict such marketing need to be implemented.

Association between excess weight and beverage portion size consumed in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To describe the beverage portion size consumed and to evaluate their association with excess weight in Brazil. METHODS We used data from the National Dietary Survey, which included individuals with two days of food record aged over 20 years (n = 24,527 individuals). The beverages were categorized into six groups: soft drink, 100% fruit juice, fruit drink, alcoholic beverage, milk, and coffee or tea. We estimated the average portion consumed for each group and we evaluated, using linear regression, the association between portion size per group and the variables of age, sex, income, and nutritional status. We tested the association between portion size and excess weight using Poisson regression, adjusted for age, sex, income, and total energy intake. RESULTS The most frequently consumed beverages in Brazil were coffee and tea, followed by 100% fruit juices, soft drinks, and milk. Alcoholic beverages presented the highest average in the portion size consumed, followed by soft drinks, 100% fruit juice, fruit drink, and milk. Portion size showed positive association with excess weight only in the soft drink (PR = 1.19, 95%CI 1.10-1.27) and alcoholic beverage groups (PR = 1.20, 95%CI, 1.11-1.29), regardless of age, sex, income, and total energy intake. CONCLUSIONS Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks presented the highest averages in portion size and positive association with excess weight. Public health interventions should address the issue of portion sizes offered to consumers by discouraging the consumption of large portions, especially sweetened and low nutritional beverages.

Evaluating the Potential Health and Revenue Outcomes of a 100% Healthy Vending Machine Nutrition Policy at a Large Agency in Los Angeles County, 2013-2015.

CONTEXT: Healthy vending machine policies are viewed as a promising strategy for combating the growing obesity epidemic in the United States. Few studies have evaluated the short- and intermediate-term outcomes of healthy vending policies, especially for interventions that require 100% healthy products to be stocked. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential impact of a 100% healthy vending machine nutrition policy. DESIGN: The vendor's quarterly revenue, product sales records, and nutritional information data from 359 unique vending machines were used to conduct a baseline and follow-up policy analysis. SETTING: County of Los Angeles facilities, 2013-2015. PARTICIPANTS: Vending machines in facilities located across Los Angeles County. INTERVENTION: A healthy vending machine policy executed in 2013 that required 100% of all products sold in contracted machines meet specified nutrition standards. OUTCOME MEASURES: Policy adherence; average number of calories, sugar, and sodium in food products sold; revenue change. RESULTS: Policy adherence increased for snacks and beverages sold by the vending machines by 89% and 98%, respectively. Average snack and beverage revenues decreased by 37% and 34%, respectively, during the sampled period. CONCLUSIONS: Although a 100% healthy vending policy represents a promising strategy for encouraging purchases of healthier foods, steps should be taken to counteract potential revenue changes when planning its implementation.

Association between excess weight and beverage portion size consumed in Brazil / Associação entre excesso de peso e tamanho das porções de bebidas consumidas no Brasil

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the beverage portion size consumed and to evaluate their association with excess weight in Brazil. METHODS We used data from the National Dietary Survey, which included individuals with two days of food record aged over 20 years (n = 24,527 individuals). The beverages were categorized into six groups: soft drink, 100% fruit juice, fruit drink, alcoholic beverage, milk, and coffee or tea. We estimated the average portion consumed for each group and we evaluated, using linear regression, the association between portion size per group and the variables of age, sex, income, and nutritional status. We tested the association between portion size and excess weight using Poisson regression, adjusted for age, sex, income, and total energy intake. RESULTS The most frequently consumed beverages in Brazil were coffee and tea, followed by 100% fruit juices, soft drinks, and milk. Alcoholic beverages presented the highest average in the portion size consumed, followed by soft drinks, 100% fruit juice, fruit drink, and milk. Portion size showed positive association with excess weight only in the soft drink (PR = 1.19, 95%CI 1.10-1.27) and alcoholic beverage groups (PR = 1.20, 95%CI, 1.11-1.29), regardless of age, sex, income, and total energy intake. CONCLUSIONS Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks presented the highest averages in portion size and positive association with excess weight. Public health interventions should address the issue of portion sizes offered to consumers by discouraging the consumption of large portions, especially sweetened and low nutritional beverages.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Descrever o tamanho das porções de bebidas consumidas e avaliar sua associação com excesso de peso no Brasil. MÉTODOS Utilizou-se dados do Inquérito Nacional de Alimentação, incluindo indivíduos com dois dias de registro alimentar, acima de 20 anos de idade (n = 24.527 indivíduos). As bebidas foram categorizadas em seis grupos: refrigerante; suco; refresco; bebida alcóolica; leite; e café ou chá. Estimou-se a porção média por ocasião de consumo para cada grupo e avaliou-se, por meio de regressão linear, a associação entre tamanho da porção por grupo e as variáveis idade, sexo, renda e estado nutricional. A associação entre tamanho da porção e excesso de peso foi testada por meio de regressão de Poisson, ajustada por idade, sexo, renda e ingestão total de energia. RESULTADOS As bebidas com maior frequência de consumo no Brasil foram café e chá, seguidas dos sucos, refrigerantes e leite. As bebidas alcóolicas apresentaram maior média no tamanho da porção consumida, seguidas dos refrigerantes, sucos, refrescos e leite. O tamanho da porção mostrou associação positiva com excesso de peso somente no grupo dos refrigerantes (RP = 1,19; IC95% 1,10-1,27), e bebidas alcoólicas (RP = 1,20; IC95% 1,11-1,29), independentemente da idade, sexo, renda e ingestão total de energia. CONCLUSÕES Bebidas alcoólicas e refrigerantes apresentaram as maiores médias no tamanho da porção e associação positiva com excesso de peso. Intervenções de saúde pública devem abranger a questão do tamanho das porções oferecidas aos consumidores, desencorajando o consumo de grandes porções, principalmente das bebidas adicionadas de açúcar e de baixo teor nutricional.

Fluorescent Binary Ensemble Based on Pyrene Derivative and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Assemblies as a Chemical Tongue for Discriminating Metal Ions and Brand Water.

Enormous effort has been put to the detection and recognition of various heavy metal ions due to their involvement in serious environmental pollution and many major diseases. The present work has developed a single fluorescent sensor ensemble that can distinguish and identify a variety of heavy metal ions. A pyrene-based fluorophore (PB) containing a metal ion receptor group was specially designed and synthesized. Anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) assemblies can effectively adjust its fluorescence behavior. The selected binary ensemble based on PB/SDS assemblies can exhibit multiple emission bands and provide wavelength-based cross-reactive responses to a series of metal ions to realize pattern recognition ability. The combination of surfactant assembly modulation and the receptor for metal ions empowers the present sensor ensemble with strong discrimination power, which could well differentiate 13 metal ions, including Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cr3+, Hg2+, Fe3+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Al3+, Pb2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Ba2+. Moreover, this single sensing ensemble could be further applied for identifying different brands of drinking water.

A content analysis of outdoor non-alcoholic beverage advertisements in Ghana.

OBJECTIVES: This was a two-part descriptive study designed to (1) assess the marketing themes and sugar content of beverages promoted in outdoor advertisements (ads) within a portion of Accra, Ghana and (2) quantify the types of ads that appeared along the Accra-Cape Coast Highway. SETTING: A 4.7 km2 area of Accra, Ghana and a 151 km region along the highway represented the target areas for collecting photos of outdoor beverage ads. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Number and types of beverage ads, sugar content of beverage products featured in ads and marketing themes used in ads. DESIGN: Two researchers photographed outdoor beverage ads in a 4.7 km2 area of Accra and used content analysis to assess marketing themes of ads, including the portrayal of children, local culture, music, sports and health. Researchers also recorded the number and type of ads along a 151 km stretch of the Accra-Cape Coast Highway. Researchers assessed the added sugar content to determine which beverages were sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). RESULTS: Seventy-seven photographed ads were analysed. Seventy-three per cent (72.7%) of ads featured SSBs, and Coca-Cola accounted for 59.7% of ads. Sixty-five per cent (64.9%) of all ads featured sodas, while 35.1% advertised energy drinks, bottled or canned juice drinks and coffee-based, milk-based and water-based beverages. Thirteen per cent (13%) of ads featured children and 5.2% were located near schools or playgrounds. Nine per cent (9.1%) of ads contained a reference to health and 7.8% contained a reference to fitness/strength/sport. Along the Accra-Cape Coast Highway, Coca-Cola accounted for 60% of branded ads. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the frequency of outdoor SSB ads within a 4.7 km2 area of Accra, Ghana. Coca-Cola was featured in the majority of ads, and the child-targeted nature of some ads indicates a need to expand the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative pledge to reduce child-targeted marketing on a global scale.