O processo de escolha alimentar recebe múltiplas influências, sendo possível destacar a preocupação com a saúde, o prazer obtido por meio da alimentação e a satisfação corporal como importantes determinantes do consumo alimentar, podendo inclusive agir como fatores precipitantes e mantenedores de transtornos alimentares (TA). Objetivos - Avaliar como atitudes mais voltadas à saúde ou ao sabor dos alimentos diferem entre mulheres jovens de população não clínica e com TA; e a relação entre a imagem corporal e atitudes voltadas à saúde ou ao sabor entre estas mulheres. Métodos - 216 universitárias e 30 mulheres em tratamento para TA (18-40 anos; 83 por cento com diagnóstico de bulimia nervosa; 17 por cento com diagnóstico de anorexia nervosa) responderam a Escala de Atitudes em Relação à Saúde e ao Sabor (EARSS) e a Escala de Silhuetas Brasileiras. Universitárias participaram da adaptação transcultural da Escala de Sabor das EARSS e responderam ainda o Teste de Atitudes Alimentares para avaliação de risco para TA. A Escala de Sabor foi avaliada em relação à sua consistência interna, confiabilidade teste-reteste, validade discriminante e concorrente, além de análise fatorial confirmatória e exploratória. Os escores na EARSS de universitárias com e sem risco para TA e, pacientes com TA e universitárias sem risco foram comparados por meio de análise de covariância. A influência da satisfação e da percepção corporal nos escores na EARSS foi avaliada por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Resultados - A Escala de Sabor foi considerada adequada e de fácil compreensão, 8 com boa consistência interna e confiabilidade (alpha de Crombach 0,86; Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse 0,84). O comportamento de risco para TA foi identificado em 25 por cento das universitárias, que não foram comparadas com pacientes. Universitárias sem risco de TA tiveram uma pontuação maior na Escala de Sabor da EARSS quando comparadas às pacientes (p=0,009). Universitárias com risco de TA tiveram pontuação maior na Escala de Saúde (p=0,022) comparadas aquelas sem risco. Pacientes apresentaram maiores níveis de insatisfação corporal (p<0,001) e pior percepção corporal (p=0,015) que a população não clínica. Em ambos os grupos, não houve correlação entre insatisfação e percepção corporal com atitudes mais voltadas à saúde ou ao prazer. Conclusão - Mulheres de população não clínica apresentaram atitudes mais voltadas ao sabor enquanto que aquelas com TA apresentaram atitudes mais voltadas à saúde, independente do grau de insatisfação e percepção corporal. / Food choice process receives multiple influences, could be highlighted the concern for health, the pleasure obtained through food and the body dissatisfaction as important determinants of food consumption, and may also act as precipitating factor and maintainers of eating disorders (ED). Objective - To assess how attitudes towards taste versus health differ between young women with eating disorders and young women from non-clinical population, and the relationship between these attitudes with their body image. Methods - 216 college students women and 30 women under treatment for ED (18-40 years; 83 per cent had a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa; 17 per cent had a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa) completed the Health and Taste Attitudes Scale (HTAS) and the Figure Rating Scales for Brazilian Adults. College students participated in the crosscultural adaptation of the Taste Scale of HTAS and answered Eating Attitudes Test - for assessing the risk for ED. The Taste Scale was assessed in terms of their internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory. The scores of HTAS for students with and without risk for ED and, patients with ED and without risk for ED were compared using by means a covariance analysis. The influence of body satisfaction scores in HTAS was assessed by Pearson coefficient correlation. Results - The Taste Scale was considered adequate and easily understood, showed good internal consistency and reliability (Cronbachs alpha 0.86, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient 0.84). The risk behavior for ED was identified in 25.0 per cent of the college students, who were not 10 compared with patients. Students had a higher score on the Taste Scale when compared to the patients (p<0.009). College students with ED risk had higher score on Health Scale compared with those without ED risk (p=0.022). Patients had higher levels of body dissatisfaction (p<0.001) and worse body perception (p=0.015) than students. In both groups, there was no correlation between body dissatisfaction and perceived attitudes more focused health or taste. Conclusion - Women of non-clinical population had attitudes more focused on taste and pleasure while those with ED showed attitudes more geared towards health, regardless of the degree of dissatisfaction and body perception.

A exposição a imagens idealizadas da mídia aumenta a insatisfação com o próprio corpo, especialmente entre o sexo feminino. Entretanto, o impacto da internalização destas normas culturais no comportamento alimentar ainda é desconhecido. Além disso, não há, no Brasil, estudos investigando a influência da mídia na satisfação corporal e na escolha alimentar. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência do corpo ideal propagado pela mídia na satisfação com o próprio corpo e na escolha alimentar de estudantes universitários. Os participantes (n=159) foram divididos em grupo experimental (GE expostos a nove fotos de modelos de cada sexo, representativas do ideal de beleza) e controle (GC expostos a nove fotos de objetos neutros). A Escala de Figuras de Silhuetas e o Instrumento de Escolha Alimentar foram aplicados antes e após a exposição. No período pré-exposição, a satisfação corporal média (±DP) foi (em kg/m2), para GE e GC, respectivamente, -0,13 (5,19) e +0,13 (5,66) entre os homens, e -2,13 (4,06) e -2,38 (4,35) entre as mulheres. Adicionalmente, 56,4% dos homens do GE e 65% dos do GC tiveram suas escolhas alimentares classificadas como saudáveis, enquanto, entre as mulheres, estas escolhas foram observadas em 72,5% do GE e 77,5% do GC. Após a exposição aos estímulos, a satisfação diminuiu significantemente entre os homens (M=-0,77; DP=5,99; p<0,05) e mulheres (M=-2,88; DP=4,65; p<0,05) do GE, mas não do GC (p>0,05). Interessantemente, houve um aumento significativo nas escolhas classificadas como saudáveis entre os participantes do GE (10,1%; p<0,01), especialmente entre as mulheres (12,5%; p<0,05), o que não ocorreu no GC. Assim, é possível concluir que a exposição a imagens idealizadas da mídia contribuiu para a insatisfação com o próprio corpo e a melhora na escolha alimentar, possivelmente como uma tentativa de se encaixar no padrão de beleza socialmente aceito. Além disso, os estudantes brasileiros relataram preocupações similares às observadas em outras sociedades ocidentais, indicando que a mídia pode desempenhar um papel fundamental na imagem corporal e no comportamento alimentar. / Exposition to idealized images from the media increases body dissatisfaction, especially among women. However, the impact of the internalization of these cultural norms on eating behavior is still unknown. Moreover, there are no studies in Brazil exploring the influence of media on body satisfaction and food choices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the ideal body conveyed by media on body satisfaction and food choices in college students. Participants (n=159) were divided in experimental (EG - exposed to nine pictures of each sex depicting the ideal body) and control groups (CG - exposed to nine pictures of neutral objects). Subjects were submitted to the Figure Rating Scale and to the Food Photographs Scale, before and after exposition to the pictures. Before the exposure mean (SD) satisfaction was (in kg/m2), to EG and CG respectively, -0.13 (5.19) and +0.13 (5.66) among men, and -2.13 (4.06) and -2.38 (4.35) among women. Additionally, 56.4% of men of the EG and 65% of the CG had their choices classified as healthy, while, among women, healthy choices were observed in 72.5% of the EG and 77.5% of the CG. After viewing the pictures, satisfaction decreased significantly among men (M=-0.77; SD=5.99; p<.05) and women (M=-2.88; SD=4.65; p<.05) of the EG, but not of the CG (p>.05). Interestingly, there was a significant increase on choices classified as healthy among participants of the EG (10.1%; p<.01), especially among women (12.5%; p<.05), which did not occur in the CG. So, it can be concluded that the exposition to idealized media images contributes to body dissatisfaction and improves food choice, suggesting an attempt to fit in this socially accepted ideal. Moreover, Brazilian students display preoccupations similar to others Western societies; indicating that media may play a significant role in body image and eating behavior.

Introdução: Muitos são os estudos que avaliam o consumo alimentar na adolescência entretanto não se sabe quais fatores motivam esses jovens a se alimentarem de forma inadequada. Objetivo: Avaliar, de forma quantitativa e qualitativa, os fatores determinantes do consumo alimentar de adolescentes de escolas técnicas em São Paulo. Métodos: O presente estudo é parte de uma pesquisa matriz, que avaliou 1167 jovens de ambos os gêneros. Os fatores determinantes do consumo alimentar foram avaliados em duas etapas. Na primeira etapa quantitativa foram utilizados dois instrumentos que foram desenvolvidos para a pesquisa matriz, o primeiro um questionário de avaliar atitudes alimentares de adolescentes e o segundo avaliou o consumo alimentar através de um questionário de frequência alimentar baseado na pirâmide dos alimentos. O primeiro instrumento apresenta uma questão onde 15 fatores determinantes do consumo alimentar são apresentados e cada adolescente deveria escolher os 3 mais importantes. O peso e a estatura de todos os indivíduos foi mensurado e posteriormente o Índice de Massa Corporal foi calculado afim de classificar os adolescentes quanto à adequação de seu estado nutricional segundo os critérios da Organização Mundial da Saúde. A avaliação qualitativa foi realizada com uma subamostra do projeto matriz (n=45) e contou com a realização de grupos focais. Os 15 fatores determinantes do consumo foram agrupados em 3 grupos a partir da realização da análise de cluster e esses grupos foram comparados com relação ao gênero, estado nutricional, consumo de alimentos e dos grupos alimentares baseados na pirâmide dos alimentos para adolescentes. Resultados: Os 3 fatores determinantes mais referidos pelos adolescentes na etapa quantitativa foram, em ordem de preferência, o sabor, o fato do adolescente gostar do alimento e tentar ter uma alimentação mais saudável, enquanto que a etapa qualitativa mostrou que os fatores de falta de tempo, conveniência e praticidade foram os mais referidos. Os adolescentes que preferiam os fatores determinantes relacionado às características dos alimentos, entre eles o sabor, consumiam significativamente mais alimentos com alto conteúdo de gorduras e açúcares. Conclusão: Conclui-se que para o grupo de adolescentes avaliados o sabor foi o fator mais importante e que ele pode explicar a inadequação dietética nesse grupo etário. / Introduction: Many studies evaluate food consumption in adolescence however little is known about the factors that influence adolescent\'s food choices. Objective: To evaluate, in a quantitative and qualitative way, the factors that influence adolescent\'s food choice from technical schools from São Paulo. Methods: This study is part of a research which evaluated 1167 adolescents from both gender. Factors that influence adolescent\'s food choice were evaluated in two steps, the first one evaluated in a quantitative way used two surveys that were developed to the research. The questionnaire evaluated adolescent\'s eating attitudes and included a question which included 15 factors which the adolescents should select the 3 more important, and the second survey assessed food consumption through a food frequency questionnaire that was based on the food pyramid. Body weight and height were measured and the Body Mass Index calculated in order to classify their weight status according to the World Health Organization criteria. The second part of this study, the qualitative analyses, used a smaller sample from the main study (n=45) and focus groups were performed. The 15 factors were divided into groups using the cluster analyses method and compared between genders, weight status and food consumption. Results: Taste and liking the food and trying to have a healthier eating were the 3 most referred factors in the quantitative analyses, while in the qualitative research lack of time and convenience were the most reported factors that influence the adolescent\'s food choices. Adolescents who prefer factors related to the food characteristics, such as taste, eat significantly more high fat and sugar foods. Conclusion: In this group the taste of food was the most important factor and can explain the eating inadequacies seen in this population.

A exposição a imagens idealizadas da mídia aumenta a insatisfação com o próprio corpo, especialmente entre o sexo feminino. Entretanto, o impacto da internalização destas normas culturais no comportamento alimentar ainda é desconhecido. Além disso, não há, no Brasil, estudos investigando a influência da mídia na satisfação corporal e na escolha alimentar. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência do corpo ideal propagado pela mídia na satisfação com o próprio corpo e na escolha alimentar de estudantes universitários. Os participantes (n=159) foram divididos em grupo experimental (GE expostos a nove fotos de modelos de cada sexo, representativas do ideal de beleza) e controle (GC expostos a nove fotos de objetos neutros). A Escala de Figuras de Silhuetas e o Instrumento de Escolha Alimentar foram aplicados antes e após a exposição. No período pré-exposição, a satisfação corporal média (±DP) foi (em kg/m2), para GE e GC, respectivamente, -0,13 (5,19) e +0,13 (5,66) entre os homens, e -2,13 (4,06) e -2,38 (4,35) entre as mulheres. Adicionalmente, 56,4% dos homens do GE e 65% dos do GC tiveram suas escolhas alimentares classificadas como saudáveis, enquanto, entre as mulheres, estas escolhas foram observadas em 72,5% do GE e 77,5% do GC. Após a exposição aos estímulos, a satisfação diminuiu significantemente entre os homens (M=-0,77; DP=5,99; p<0,05) e mulheres (M=-2,88; DP=4,65; p<0,05) do GE, mas não do GC (p>0,05). Interessantemente, houve um aumento significativo nas escolhas classificadas como saudáveis entre os participantes do GE (10,1%; p<0,01), especialmente entre as mulheres (12,5%; p<0,05), o que não ocorreu no GC. Assim, é possível concluir que a exposição a imagens idealizadas da mídia contribuiu para a insatisfação com o próprio corpo e a melhora na escolha alimentar, possivelmente como uma tentativa de se encaixar no padrão de beleza socialmente aceito. Além disso, os estudantes brasileiros relataram preocupações similares às observadas em outras sociedades ocidentais, indicando que a mídia pode desempenhar um papel fundamental na imagem corporal e no comportamento alimentar. / Exposition to idealized images from the media increases body dissatisfaction, especially among women. However, the impact of the internalization of these cultural norms on eating behavior is still unknown. Moreover, there are no studies in Brazil exploring the influence of media on body satisfaction and food choices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the ideal body conveyed by media on body satisfaction and food choices in college students. Participants (n=159) were divided in experimental (EG - exposed to nine pictures of each sex depicting the ideal body) and control groups (CG - exposed to nine pictures of neutral objects). Subjects were submitted to the Figure Rating Scale and to the Food Photographs Scale, before and after exposition to the pictures. Before the exposure mean (SD) satisfaction was (in kg/m2), to EG and CG respectively, -0.13 (5.19) and +0.13 (5.66) among men, and -2.13 (4.06) and -2.38 (4.35) among women. Additionally, 56.4% of men of the EG and 65% of the CG had their choices classified as healthy, while, among women, healthy choices were observed in 72.5% of the EG and 77.5% of the CG. After viewing the pictures, satisfaction decreased significantly among men (M=-0.77; SD=5.99; p<.05) and women (M=-2.88; SD=4.65; p<.05) of the EG, but not of the CG (p>.05). Interestingly, there was a significant increase on choices classified as healthy among participants of the EG (10.1%; p<.01), especially among women (12.5%; p<.05), which did not occur in the CG. So, it can be concluded that the exposition to idealized media images contributes to body dissatisfaction and improves food choice, suggesting an attempt to fit in this socially accepted ideal. Moreover, Brazilian students display preoccupations similar to others Western societies; indicating that media may play a significant role in body image and eating behavior.

Plaisir et santé sont deux concepts souvent opposés lorsqu’il est question d’alimentation. Néanmoins, les conséquences sur les choix alimentaires de privilégier la santé ou le plaisir ne sont pas clairement établies, en particulier chez l’enfant. Pourtant mieux appréhender chez l’enfant les déterminants des choix alimentaires favorables à la santé, ou au contraire délétères, semble primordial étant donné que les habitudes alimentaires sont formées précocement. Il apparaît donc nécessaire d’étudier comment les enfants s’approprient les considérations liées au plaisir et à la santé et dans quelle mesure celles-ci influencent leurs choix alimentaires. Pour répondre à ces questions, nous avons étudié à la fois l’influence des attitudes et du contexte sur les choix alimentaires des enfants normo-pondéraux et en surpoids. Nous avons mis en évidence que la dominance relative des bases hédoniques et nutritionnelles des attitudes implicites et/ou explicites des enfants envers l’alimentation variaient en fonction de leur âge, de leur statut pondéral et de leur milieu culturel. De plus, les enfants dont les attitudes implicites et explicites étaient les plus basées sur des considérations liées à la santé étaient ceux qui effectuaient les choix de moins bonne qualité nutritionnelle lors d’un goûter proposé au laboratoire. Néanmoins, dans certains contextes, nous avons montré que valoriser la santé pouvait conduire à des choix de meilleure qualité nutritionnelle par les enfants. Ces résultats nous ont permis d’amorcer une réflexion quant à la place que pourrait jouer le plaisir dans la promotion de comportements alimentaires favorables à la santé chez les enfants normo-pondéraux ou en surpoids. / In the food domain, pleasure and health are often viewed as two opposite sides of a coin. However, surprisingly sparse research has examined the relative influence of hedonic versus nutritional considerations on food choices, especially in children. Yet, a better understanding of the factors that underlie healthy or unhealthy eating in children is of particular importance because eating habits are early shaped. To fill this gap, we explored the relationships between hedonic- versus nutrition-based attitudes towards food, pleasure- versus health-oriented eating contexts and children’s food choices. First, our results showed that the relative dominance of nutrition- versus hedonic-based implicit and/or explicit attitudes varied by age, weight status and cultural context in children. Moreover, children with implicit and explicit nutrition-based attitudes performed the unhealthiest food choices for their afternoon snack during a buffet test in our laboratory. However, a health-oriented context has been shown to enhance healthy food choices compared to a pleasure-oriented context. Collectively, these results add to the literature regarding the determinants of children’s eating behaviors and give some interesting insights regarding the potential role of pleasure in building public health strategies to promote healthy eating behaviors among normal- and overweight children.

<p>The aim was to study consumer attitudes to and perceptions of organic and genetically modified (GM) foods and factors influencing the purchase/non purchase of these two types of foods. Data were collected by two questionnaire surveys (random nation-wide samples of 2000 consumers, response rate 58% and 39% respectively) and one interview study (n=40).</p><p>A majority of the consumers had positive attitudes towards purchasing organic foods but few reported purchasing organic foods regularly. The most common beliefs about organic foods were that they are more expensive and healthier. Choice of organic foods was related to the perceived consequences for human health and to environmentally friendly behaviour. Perceived positive health consequences appeared to be a stronger motive for purchasing organic foods than were environmental benefits.</p><p>Attitudes towards genetic engineering (GE) appear to be dependent on the application area. Medical applications were generally more easily accepted than were food and agricultural applications. However, all medical applications were not equally accepted. Consumers had generally rather negative attitudes towards GM foods, which were perceived as not being healthy. GM of animals for food production was perceived more negative than GM of plants. Tangible benefits of GM foods, like being better for the environment or healthier, seemed to have a potential to increase willingness to buy.</p><p>The results indicate that the attitudes to organic and GM foods differ: the attitude to organic foods is positive while the attitude to GM foods is more negative. Further, the perceptions of organic and GM foods are opposed in relation to health. The purchase of organic foods and the potential willingness to purchase GM foods appear to be related to positive consequences for health and the environment.</p>

The aim was to study consumer attitudes to and perceptions of organic and genetically modified (GM) foods and factors influencing the purchase/non purchase of these two types of foods. Data were collected by two questionnaire surveys (random nation-wide samples of 2000 consumers, response rate 58% and 39% respectively) and one interview study (n=40). A majority of the consumers had positive attitudes towards purchasing organic foods but few reported purchasing organic foods regularly. The most common beliefs about organic foods were that they are more expensive and healthier. Choice of organic foods was related to the perceived consequences for human health and to environmentally friendly behaviour. Perceived positive health consequences appeared to be a stronger motive for purchasing organic foods than were environmental benefits. Attitudes towards genetic engineering (GE) appear to be dependent on the application area. Medical applications were generally more easily accepted than were food and agricultural applications. However, all medical applications were not equally accepted. Consumers had generally rather negative attitudes towards GM foods, which were perceived as not being healthy. GM of animals for food production was perceived more negative than GM of plants. Tangible benefits of GM foods, like being better for the environment or healthier, seemed to have a potential to increase willingness to buy. The results indicate that the attitudes to organic and GM foods differ: the attitude to organic foods is positive while the attitude to GM foods is more negative. Further, the perceptions of organic and GM foods are opposed in relation to health. The purchase of organic foods and the potential willingness to purchase GM foods appear to be related to positive consequences for health and the environment.

Learning in reptiles has been studied with a variety of methods and included numerous species. However, research on learning in lizards has generally focused on spatial memory and has used only a few species. No research has specifically investigated and documented the use of visual discrimination in monitor lizards. The ability of monitor lizards (Varanus spp.) to discriminate between visual stimuli was investigated. Subjects were tested on acquisition and two reversals of a discrimination task between black and white stimuli. A food-choice procedure was used to determine if consistent rankings of food items could be determined using a multiple-stimulus choice procedure. The functional value of the rankings was assessed using a progressive ratio technique. The subjects formed stable food preferences, which were reflected in increased response requirement completed for preferred items and subjects did successfully learn the initial discrimination task and the following reversals.

Encouraging good nutrition is particularly important in the early years of life for the development of appropriate food habits and healthy adults in later life. These are governed by many contending and conflicting influences. Objective: This research examines the food choice influences for mothers of young children in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire (UK). Participants were recruited from a large community food intervention (clients) and were compared with those not involved in the initiative (non-clients). This enabled the reflection of the broader socio-cultural experiences of food and the influence of 'structure' and 'agency' on food choices. The research adopted a phenomenological approach using ethnographic recording techniques (interview and observation). The research findings are presented as ethnographic fictions. These short fictional stories provide a 'thick' description of the participant's lifeworld. They locate these choices in the person and the place. A hierarchy of food choice influences emerged from the data, with three main findings. Most prominently, the influence of individual capacity on the food choices made. Secondly, the influence of place, town planning and the geography of an area on food choices. Thirdly, the influence of gender, relationships and social networks. Central to the thesis of this research is the use of ethnographic fiction to enable a better understanding of the complexity involved in food choice and community development approaches to nutritional change. The use of ethnographic fiction conveyed a better understanding of people and of the role and impact of an intervention upon the wider processes involved in food choice. Ethnographic fiction was used here for the first time in public health nutrition to explain the complex picture of food choice for mothers of young children in Skelmersdale, and to convey new insight on food choice and the complexity of food choice influence.

Our overall objective was to explore some individual and environmental determinants of eating habits with a main focus on nutrition labels and their usefulness for choosing foods for weight management. We first broadly examined these determinants using participants of the AFMNet Canadian Consumer Monitor (CCM), and found a number of attitudinal and perceived environmental barriers to healthy eating. In an experimental study with CCM respondents, we found that reduced fat claims may help consumers make better choices for weight management if calorie content on the Nutrition Facts Table is also considered. However, in our examination of foods with fat claims in the Canadian marketplace, we found that most products with fat claims are not significantly lower in calories than comparable foods without such claims. We conclude that fat claims could be useful in assisting consumers with food choices for weight management, if the foods were also reduced in calories.