During adolescence, the nutritional needs are higher than at any other time in the lifecycle. Childhood food practices persist into late adolescence and children's food preferences predict their food consumption patterns. Therefore, it is important to understand what influences their preferences and how they change over time. The main objective of this part of the THUSA BANA study was to investigate the eating habits of children aged 10-15 years in the North West Province (NWP). A cross-sectional design was used to investigate the eating habits of the children. A single, random sample, stratified for gender (male/female) and ethnic group (black, white, coloured, Indian) was drawn from schools (primary/secondary) in the five regions in the NWP. Dietary intake data (24-h recall method) were used to evaluate the adequacy of nutrient intakes, while frequencies and mean quantities of food intakes and an eating habits questionnaire were used to establish patterns of intake to identify dietary practices. Overall the diets of children 10-15 years of age were deficient in various micronutrients. The RD/Al's were not met for vitamin A, C, E, folate, pantothenic acid, biotin, calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper. The intake of fibre was low. Girls skipped breakfast more often than boys and children from informal settlements skipped breakfast more often than children from rural and urban areas. A significantly lower BMI was found for the children having breakfast when observing all the children, but not for different age and gender groups. The reason given most for skipping breakfast was not being hungry in the morning, but food availability which may have also played a role. The skipping of breakfast was associated with a lower diet quality. A low intake of fruit and vegetables and high intake of snacks were apparent. The intake of snacks, such as chips, cheese curls and sweets were reported more frequently than fruit or vegetables. Small milk portions and large portions of cold drink were reported, suggesting that cold drink is replacing milk in the diet. Overweight children consumed smaller portions of milk, though no correlation between calcium intake and BMI was found. Overweight boys consumed more carbonated cold drink and overweight girls consumed more squash, showing cold drink intake may be positively related to overweight. The snacks consumed were not nutrient dense and were consumed very regularly. The high intake of snacks may contribute to the low micronutrient and fibre intake. The importance of fruit, vegetables, milk, breakfast and high nutrient dense snacks needs to be emphasized with both the children and their parents. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This thesis deals with self-rated health and consumption of fruits and vegetables in the Czech part of the HAPIEE study. The recommended amount of 400 g of fruit and vegetable consumption was met at 49,2% of men and 70,1% of women participating in the study. In the case of a higher 600 g recommendation it was 23,3% men and 42,6% women. The relationship between self-rated health and fruit and vegetable consumption was analyzed using the logistic regression method. Health was better assessed by those who consumed fruits and vegetables in the interval of 258-549g (2nd and 3rd quintiles of fruit and vegetable consumption). Those who consumed less or more fruits and vegetables rated their health worse. There were no differences in the relationship between self-rated health and consumption of fruits and vegetables among the sexes, although men had a higher chance of rating their health as bad than women. Key words: self rated health, fruit and vegetable intake, fruit, vegetable, regression

Background: Loneliness, a feeling of distress, has aggravated due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and reduced social interactions. The objective of this study was to explore whether increased loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with various eating and activity behaviours in adolescence, a critical period for the development of lasting lifestyle habits. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used self-reported data from 43,588 and 40,521 Canadian adolescents aged 12-19 years (collected between November 2020 and June 2021) for eating habits and the 24-hour movement behaviours, respectively. Binary and multinomial logistic regression were used to predict the odds of various lifestyle behaviours among adolescents with increased loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: We found higher odds of skipping breakfast [boys: OR 1.41 (95% CI: 1.33, 1.50), girls: OR 1.64 (95% CI: 1.56, 1.74)], fast food consumption [1-2 days in the past week: girls - OR: 1.14 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.21); ≥3 days in the past week: boys - 1.12 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.24), girls - OR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.29, 1.57)], not meeting screen time [boys: OR 1.43 (95% CI: 1.24, 1.66), girls: OR 1.72 (95% CI: 1.54, 1.92)], and sleep duration guidelines [boys: OR 1.38 (95% CI: 1.28, 1.48), girls: OR 1.36 (95% CI: 1.27, 1.45)] among adolescents that reported increased loneliness due to the pandemic (versus those in the decreased/stayed the same loneliness group). Conclusion: Future longitudinal studies in adolescents are needed to confirm the directionality of these associations. It is important to raise awareness of these findings among public health practitioners, policymakers, physicians, schools and parents to promote healthier eating habits and increase adherence to the 24-hour movement behaviours. Recovery efforts post-pandemic are needed to reduce loneliness levels to support adolescent social health and establish healthy behavioural habits across the lifespan.

Diet and oral supplements comprise two distinct sources of antioxidants known to prevent oxidative stress. Beneficial effects from antioxidants have been seen for patients at risk for type 2 diabetes. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the positive effects of antioxidants against oxidative stress and DNA damage in type 2 diabetes subjects. We also used antioxidants as tools to determine the mechanisms behind genotoxicity induced by mutagenic pro-oxidative agents in mouse lymphoma cells. Several techniques were used to measure oxidative stress and DNA damage, but the main technique used was alkaline comet assay. The results showed that the fruit and vegetable intake was inversely related to oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes subjects. However, oral supplementary intake of 20 antioxidants did not decrease oxidative stress biomarkers. In studies on mouse lymphoma cells, using the alkaline comet assay, DNA damage was induced by catechol and o-phenylenediamine (OPD), while 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (4-NOPD) induced only oxidative damage, showing different mechanisms of action behind the mutagenicity of the compounds. Also, oxidative stress was induced by catechol and 4-NOPD, whereas imbalances in the nucleotide pool were seen after exposure to OPD or 4-NOPD. Addition of antioxidants together with these pro-oxidants showed that β-carotene was able to reduce DNA damage at low concentrations of catechol, but increased DNA damage at high concentration. In comparison, addition of α-tocopherol slightly decreased catechol-induced DNA damage at all concentrations of catechol. However, no effect of α-tocopherol was seen on OPD-or 4-NOPD-induced DNA damage. In conclusion, antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, but not from oral supplements, reduced oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes patients, suggesting fruits and vegetables being a healthier source for antioxidant-intake, as compared to oral supplements. Different mechanisms of action for mutagenic pro-oxidants were shown in mouse lymphoma cells, introducing the nucleotide pool as an interesting target for oxidative stress. Reduction of catechol-induced DNA damage by β-carotene or α-tocopherol was shown, with a pro-oxidative action of β-carotene at high concentration of catechol, Interestingly, α-tocopherol was not able to decrease OPD- or 4-NOPD-induced DNA damage, supporting different mechanisms of action behind the genotoxicity from the three pro-oxidants.

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Community participation is a key feature of major global health declarations and a fundamental principle of health strategies in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, the frequency with which it is espoused belies the complexities associated with its practical application. Engaging communities in primary health care programmes designed to improve their health has been identified as a major challenge. This study’s objective was to explore community members’ perspectives of participation within a health development programme. The programme chosen aimed to increase the fruit and vegetable intake of targeted population groups, including M ori, Pacific peoples, and low income earners. A qualitative instrumental case study approach was adopted to examine the programme and investigate what influenced, constrained, and sustained community participation. Data collection included fieldwork over an eighteen-month period. Two programme projects were selected as the study foci: a communityled project involving distributions of thousands of free heritage variety plants; and, instigated by health services, a project establishing community gardens. These projects provided markedly different pictures of participation occurring within the same programme. The plant distributions had widespread appeal, while the community garden faltered. Community participation fitted within a description of ‘focused social action’. Participation was motivated by needs, values, and interests. While some were personal and family based, the programme also became an imagined vehicle for addressing wider health, social justice, and environmental sustainability goals. Ongoing challenges related to defining targeted communities and groups, varying degrees and types of participation, and different perspectives of participation, especially as health sector staff worked from an equity mandate and community members spoke of equality. Programme groups established as mechanisms to foster community participation had contradictory effects, engaging some as advisors, while failing to reach communities targeted for the programme. The complexities of health sector bureaucracy both enabled and constrained the programme and community participation. This thesis provides an in-depth examination of the complexities of community participation in action, the contradictory effects of contexts enveloping programmes, and the resolve of community members. It increases our understandings of how community members perceive health programmes and community participation, which are critical factors in improving population health.

Community participation is a key feature of major global health declarations and a fundamental principle of health strategies in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, the frequency with which it is espoused belies the complexities associated with its practical application. Engaging communities in primary health care programmes designed to improve their health has been identified as a major challenge. This study’s objective was to explore community members’ perspectives of participation within a health development programme. The programme chosen aimed to increase the fruit and vegetable intake of targeted population groups, including M ori, Pacific peoples, and low income earners. A qualitative instrumental case study approach was adopted to examine the programme and investigate what influenced, constrained, and sustained community participation. Data collection included fieldwork over an eighteen-month period. Two programme projects were selected as the study foci: a communityled project involving distributions of thousands of free heritage variety plants; and, instigated by health services, a project establishing community gardens. These projects provided markedly different pictures of participation occurring within the same programme. The plant distributions had widespread appeal, while the community garden faltered. Community participation fitted within a description of ‘focused social action’. Participation was motivated by needs, values, and interests. While some were personal and family based, the programme also became an imagined vehicle for addressing wider health, social justice, and environmental sustainability goals. Ongoing challenges related to defining targeted communities and groups, varying degrees and types of participation, and different perspectives of participation, especially as health sector staff worked from an equity mandate and community members spoke of equality. Programme groups established as mechanisms to foster community participation had contradictory effects, engaging some as advisors, while failing to reach communities targeted for the programme. The complexities of health sector bureaucracy both enabled and constrained the programme and community participation. This thesis provides an in-depth examination of the complexities of community participation in action, the contradictory effects of contexts enveloping programmes, and the resolve of community members. It increases our understandings of how community members perceive health programmes and community participation, which are critical factors in improving population health.

Community participation is a key feature of major global health declarations and a fundamental principle of health strategies in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, the frequency with which it is espoused belies the complexities associated with its practical application. Engaging communities in primary health care programmes designed to improve their health has been identified as a major challenge. This study’s objective was to explore community members’ perspectives of participation within a health development programme. The programme chosen aimed to increase the fruit and vegetable intake of targeted population groups, including M ori, Pacific peoples, and low income earners. A qualitative instrumental case study approach was adopted to examine the programme and investigate what influenced, constrained, and sustained community participation. Data collection included fieldwork over an eighteen-month period. Two programme projects were selected as the study foci: a communityled project involving distributions of thousands of free heritage variety plants; and, instigated by health services, a project establishing community gardens. These projects provided markedly different pictures of participation occurring within the same programme. The plant distributions had widespread appeal, while the community garden faltered. Community participation fitted within a description of ‘focused social action’. Participation was motivated by needs, values, and interests. While some were personal and family based, the programme also became an imagined vehicle for addressing wider health, social justice, and environmental sustainability goals. Ongoing challenges related to defining targeted communities and groups, varying degrees and types of participation, and different perspectives of participation, especially as health sector staff worked from an equity mandate and community members spoke of equality. Programme groups established as mechanisms to foster community participation had contradictory effects, engaging some as advisors, while failing to reach communities targeted for the programme. The complexities of health sector bureaucracy both enabled and constrained the programme and community participation. This thesis provides an in-depth examination of the complexities of community participation in action, the contradictory effects of contexts enveloping programmes, and the resolve of community members. It increases our understandings of how community members perceive health programmes and community participation, which are critical factors in improving population health.