No description available.

Introduction. In their work towards chronic disease prevention, public health practitioners need valid tools to survey trends in dietary intake. Currently the Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System includes an optional six-item vegetable and fruit intake food frequency questionnaire (FFQ module. Our objectives are (1) to evaluate the potential for the frequency or occasions of consumption from the FFQ to stand as a reasonable proxy for quantified servings collected through a reference method and, (2) to compare each method's assessment of the proportion of the sample averaging five or more occasions or servings of vegetables and fruit per day. Methods. Dietitians administered the reference method, three 24-hour recalls, to each of 174 adult respondents who had completed the FFQ as part of the Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System. Recalls were conducted over the phone using an adaptation of the Multiple Pass Method. Tools were mailed to respondents to aid with portion estimation. Results. The average of total vegetable and fruit intake for the group was 4.8 servings/day from the recalls and not significantly different from the 4.6 occasions/day from the FFQ. Thirty five percent of respondents were classified as consuming five or more servings/day by the recall method and 37% were classified as consuming vegetables and fruit five or more occasions/day by the FFQ. Discussion. Results indicate this brief questionnaire can be used as a proxy for quantified intake. The classification of those consuming five or more servings/day by each method appeared close. Conclusion. Given the limited funding available for nutrition promotion, surveying trends using this type of food frequency questionnaire can contribute to decisions regarding the distribution of funds for program planning.

Conventional thermal kinetics of enzyme inactivation and microbial destruction in fruit juices were studied in the pasteurization temperature range (50 to 90°C). Pectin methylesterase (PME), as the most heat resistant enzyme, in orange juice and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum, as the most common spoilage yeast and bacteria, respectively, in apple juice used as indicators were subjected to heat treatment in a well-agitated water bath. Based on gathered time-temperature profiles, effective portions of the come-up (CUT) and come-down (CDT) times (lags) were determined for inclusion in kinetic data handling. The inactivation/destruction kinetics followed typical first-order rate of reactions. / A continuous-flow microwave heating system was set up and evaluated for obtaining kinetic parameters under microwave heating conditions. The outlet temperature was characterized as a function of fluid flow rate, heating volume and initial temperature. / Kinetics of enzyme inactivation and microbial destruction at various temperatures under continuous-flow microwave heating conditions were then evaluated using the technique established above. The rates of inactivation/destruction varied depending on temperature. Taking into consideration the effectiveness of the CUT and contributory thermal inactivation during the CDT, the D-values were found to vary from 38.5 s at 55°C to 1.32 s at 70°C (pH 3.7) for PME, 4.75 s at 52.5°C to 0.378 s at 60°C (pH 3.4) for S. cerevisiae (ATCC 16664) and 14.1 s at 57.5°C to 0.327 s at 65°C (pH 3.4) for L. plantarum (ATCC 14917). / Some non-thermal microwave effects were hypothesized to exist and responsible for such differences between the two heating modes. Enzyme inactivation and microbial destruction were then studied further to evaluate the non-thermal effects. A continuous-flow microwave heating system was developed operating at full power while maintaining sample temperatures below 40°C by circulating a microwave-transparent liquid (kerosene) for immediate removal of heat produced in the juice during microwave exposure. / In order to explain and better characterize the faster rate of inactivation/destruction associated with microwave heating conditions observed in kinetic studies, additional tests were carried out using the second set-up described above, but without the cooling heat exchanger. The temperature of samples of different sizes were allowed to progressively increase under carefully controlled conditions. Inactivation of PME in orange juice (pH 3.7) and destruction of S. cerevisiae in apple juice (pH 3.4) were again used as parameters. The results once again clearly demonstrated superior inactivation/destruction effects under microwave heating which increased with temperature and decreased with sample size. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

No description available.

No description available.

For over two decades, epidemiological research has provided increasingly stronger evidence for a link between fruit and vegetable consumption and, cancer and heart disease. This has led health experts to recommend that people consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. In the UK, as in many European countries, the average consumption is approximately half the recommended level. Research has also shown that there are low levels of nutritional knowledge within the community, which might be one explanation for these low levels. The present studies examine the associations between cognitions and behaviour for intake of fruit and vegetables in two different populations, and then test the efficacy of a tailored intervention for changing eating behaviour, knowledge and attitudes in two randomised controlled studies. Two large studies were carried out in different samples of the population. The first study took place in a cancer screening setting with an older adult sample (n=1054), and showed that knowledge and attitudes were independent predictors of dietary behaviour. Data from the baseline survey were used to create a brief, personalised, tailored intervention designed to increase knowledge, improve attitudes and thereby modify behaviour. Results from the 6-week follow-up showed that the intervention was successful in improving nutritional knowledge, changing attitudes to fruit and increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Increases in intake were correlated both with increases in nutritional knowledge and positive change to attitudes. The second study was planned as a replication and extension of the first, with some improvements in measures and a more representative sample. It took place in a dental clinic setting (n=1846). Knowledge and attitudes were again shown to be independent predictors of fruit and vegetable intake, and variations in knowledge accounted for some of the demographic variations in intake. Subsequently a 3-group design was then used to test the effectiveness of the tailored intervention, comparing it this time to a general intervention and an untreated control group. The tailored intervention group produced significant changes in behaviour and knowledge compared to both the general intervention and control group, while the general intervention produced only significant increases to nutritional knowledge. The results suggest that tailored interventions can be a successful tool to use for changing knowledge and attitudes, and is more effective than a standard leaflet for everybody. Therefore it is important to consider the practicalities of using tailoring in the design of dietary interventions especially for improving fruit and vegetable intake which have previously been difficult to adjust. The two studies were limited by self-report measures of intake, and future work needs to consider incorporating some kind of objective validation. Also while medical settings proved feasible for carrying out interventions, participants were not representative of the general population, so any extrapolation to the general population must be cautious. Future research might examine setting effects for efficacy as well as feasibility. The recent developments in information technology could be used to assist future intervention studies in producing tailored interventions for larger groups of people.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.