Although Farm-to-School programs have been in existence for over 15 years, but limited quantitative research has assessed the effectiveness of the programs in getting children to consume greater quantities of fruits and vegetables. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of the Springfield Farm-to-Preschool (F2P) and Families program in increasing preschool children’s intake of fruits and vegetables using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Four preschool sites in the Mason Square region of Springfield, Massachusetts were purposefully selected to represent varying participation levels in F2P programs. Green beans, carrots, and peaches were targeted because they were commonly served at all sites. Primary data collection methods included: 1) plate waste evaluations before and after lunch; 2) observations of preschool children’s meal time behaviors; 3) interviews with foodservice staff and teachers; and 4) online surveys with school administrators. Overall, no statistical significance was revealed from our plate waste assessments but there appears to be a trend toward significance when other organizational characteristics are introduced to the model. More importantly, content analysis of the classroom observations, teacher/foodservice interviews, and administrators’ surveys revealed five key themes: (1) methods for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, (2) facilitators, (3) infrastructure, (4) benefits of a F2P program, and (5) challenges encountered by a F2P program. This study found that serving fresh fruit and vegetables alone is not enough to ensure the children will eat more of these foods. Interaction and collaboration between the multiple stakeholders involved a farm-to-preschool program is essential in order to maintain a sustainable and effective system. This study’s findings have implications for improving the dialogue between F2P partners and the schools they are servicing. Furthermore, this study produced effective and successful plate waste methods for family style serving that can inform a larger quantitative study for evaluating farm-to-preschool programs across the country.

Introduction: About 80% of those affected by osteoporosis are postmenopausal women. Therefore, identifying beneficial or harmful dietary factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis may have a significant public health impact. Objectives: The overall objective of this thesis was to examine the relations between various dietary factors and bone health in postmenopausal women aged ≥ 45 years using different analytical approaches. Methods: First, the associations between fruit and vegetables (F&V) intake and indicators of bone health were assessed using a systematic review approach. Electronic databases were searched and peer-reviewed observational and interventional studies published in English with F&V intake as a main dietary exposure were included. Data selection, extraction and evaluation of risk of bias were performed independently by two reviewers. Second, the associations between an overall diet quality index (HEI-2005) and its components with bone turnover markers (BTMs) were examined. Third, the relationships between alpha-tocopherol intake, serum alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, two concentration biomarkers of vitamin E intake, and their ratio and BTMs were assessed. For the second and third studies, cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 were used. Weighted multiple regression models with adjustments for relevant confounders were used to examine the relationship between exposures and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), a biomarker of bone formation, and urinary N-Telopeptides/Creatinine (uNTx/Cr), a biomarker of bone resorption. Results: There was significant between-study heterogeneity in design, definition and amount of F&V intake, outcomes, analyses and reporting of results in the eight included studies. Overall, cross-sectional and case-control analyses reported protective associations between F&V intake and bone health, whereas interventional and prospective cohort analyses did not. There were no associations between total HEI-2005 scores and BTMs. However, the Milk Group component of HEI-2005 had a significant inverse relationship with uNTx/Cr. Higher serum gamma-tocopherol and lower ratio of serum alpha- to gamma-tocopherol were associated with higher BAP concentrations but had no associations with NTx/Cr concentrations. Conclusions: The results confirm the existing knowledge that a diet with adequate intake of dairy may reduce bone loss. Further research is needed to examine the potential anabolic effects of gamma-tocopherol on bone in postmenopausal women.

Introduction: About 80% of those affected by osteoporosis are postmenopausal women. Therefore, identifying beneficial or harmful dietary factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis may have a significant public health impact. Objectives: The overall objective of this thesis was to examine the relations between various dietary factors and bone health in postmenopausal women aged ≥ 45 years using different analytical approaches. Methods: First, the associations between fruit and vegetables (F&V) intake and indicators of bone health were assessed using a systematic review approach. Electronic databases were searched and peer-reviewed observational and interventional studies published in English with F&V intake as a main dietary exposure were included. Data selection, extraction and evaluation of risk of bias were performed independently by two reviewers. Second, the associations between an overall diet quality index (HEI-2005) and its components with bone turnover markers (BTMs) were examined. Third, the relationships between alpha-tocopherol intake, serum alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, two concentration biomarkers of vitamin E intake, and their ratio and BTMs were assessed. For the second and third studies, cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 were used. Weighted multiple regression models with adjustments for relevant confounders were used to examine the relationship between exposures and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), a biomarker of bone formation, and urinary N-Telopeptides/Creatinine (uNTx/Cr), a biomarker of bone resorption. Results: There was significant between-study heterogeneity in design, definition and amount of F&V intake, outcomes, analyses and reporting of results in the eight included studies. Overall, cross-sectional and case-control analyses reported protective associations between F&V intake and bone health, whereas interventional and prospective cohort analyses did not. There were no associations between total HEI-2005 scores and BTMs. However, the Milk Group component of HEI-2005 had a significant inverse relationship with uNTx/Cr. Higher serum gamma-tocopherol and lower ratio of serum alpha- to gamma-tocopherol were associated with higher BAP concentrations but had no associations with NTx/Cr concentrations. Conclusions: The results confirm the existing knowledge that a diet with adequate intake of dairy may reduce bone loss. Further research is needed to examine the potential anabolic effects of gamma-tocopherol on bone in postmenopausal women.

No description available.

Ratio of organic orchards to the total orchard area in the Czech Republic is probably the highest in the European Union. Anyway, as a result of wrongly set system of grants there is grown hardly any fruit. Despite passable climatic conditions for organic vegetable production together with its long-term growing tradition in the Czech Republic the current production is low. The aim of this thesis is assessment of seasonal offer of organic fruit and vegetables for three observed months and comparison of prices in organic and conventional production of various sorts of grocery stores. Out of the results it is obvious that in supermarkets and hypermarkets offer of organic fruit and vegetables is the most favourable to customers in May. Prices of organic and conventional production differ a lot, even among the particular grocery stores. The total offer in all the observed grocery stores is relatively favourable and from my point of view sufficient for customers´ needs. However online shopping offers the widest choice of organic fruit and vegetables. On the contrary supermarkets Lidl and Penny do not offer any organic fruit or vegetables.

Yes / Wellbeing declines during adolescence, for which the reasons are unclear. This analysis explored associations between wellbeing and multiple lifestyle, socioeconomic and school-level factors in young people. Data were collected as part of the Wellbeing in School (WiSe) survey of adolescent school children in Northern Ireland at age 13-14 years (N=1618; 49% female) and 15-16 years (N=1558; 50.5% female). Wellbeing was assessed using the short-form Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (sWEMWBS), where scores declined between time one (13-14 years) and time two (15-16 years) in both sexes and were significantly lower in females at both timepoints. Multilevel, multivariate modelling was therefore undertaken separately for males and females with sWEMWBS scores as the dependent variable. Physical activity, family affluence, fruit and vegetable intake, social media use, sleep duration, school factors (size and type) and religion were independent variables. More frequent physical activity in both sexes at both timepoints was associated with higher sWEMWBS scores. In females, higher sWEMWBS scores were associated with less social media use at time one (and marginally at time two), greater family affluence at time two, and being Catholic at both timepoints. In males, higher sWEMWBS scores were associated with more frequent fruit and vegetable intake at time one. Mental wellbeing was unrelated to sleep duration or school factors in either sex, at both time points. Efforts to maximize mental wellbeing in adolescents should promote engagement in physical activity and implement sex-specific interventions. / This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. This material is based upon work conducted as part of the Wellbeing in Schools (WiSe) study which was financially supported by the Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), and the Centre of Evidence and Social Innovation, at Queens University Belfast.

Bakgrund Den svenska dagligvaruhandeln blir alltmer koncentrerad med större och färre livsmedelskedjor. Detta har resulterat i en maktobalans mellan livsmedelskedjorna och dess leverantörer. Trots livsmedelskedjornas uppenbara maktövertag ser aktörerna många anledningar till att samarbeta med varandra. Det har blivit allt viktigare för aktörer inom distributionskanaler för färska livsmedel att samarbeta för att bland annat kunna erbjuda konsumenten högkvalitativa produkter. Som följd av detta har det skett en utveckling av relationerna inom dessa distributionskanaler med ökad interaktion mellan aktörerna. För leverantörer som erbjuder närodlade produkter har det visat sig vara av stor vikt med interaktion för att bygga en förtroendefull relation till det köpande företaget. Den svenska konsumtionen av både närodlad och ekologisk frukt och grönt har ökat markant under de senaste åren och har blivit viktiga produktkategorier för dagligvaruhandeln. Med utgångspunkt i den kunskapslucka som finns inom svenska distributionskanaler för ekologisk och närodlad frukt och grönt, avser studien att undersöka dessa produktkategorier närmare. Studien har främst fokuserat på hur odlare som erbjuder ekologisk respektive närodlad frukt och grönt kan stärka sin position på marknaden. Studien vill även påvisa skillnader mellan närodlat respektive ekologiskt och om leverantörer som erbjuder någon av dessa produktkategorier har en starkare position på marknaden än den andra. Syfte Syftet med studien är att analysera relationer och maktbalansen mellan aktörer i distributionskanaler för ekologisk respektive närodlad frukt och grönt, där fokus är att komparera dessa två produktkategorier. MetodFör att svara på syftet med studien genomfördes totalt 11 intervjuer  med fem olika företag inom distributionskanalen för frukt och grönt. Dessa företag var detaljisten och grossisten ICA, grossisten Östgöta Trädgårdshall och tre olika producenter (odlare). Slutsats Studien visar på att det finns en tendens till att leverantörer för närodlade produkter har en starkare maktposition på den studerade marknaden än ekologiska leverantörer. Det kan även fastställas att relationerna är viktiga i distributionskanalen för frukt och grönt, inte minst mellan aktörer som har ett utbyte av närodlade produkter. Relationer kan även konstateras ha en inverkan på maktförhållandet mellan aktörer, då det har visats att den enskilda leverantören kan stärka sin maktposition gentemot livsmedelskedjan genom att investera i en nära relation. / Background The Swedish food distribution industry is becoming increasingly concentrated with fewer and larger supermarket chains. This has resulted in power imbalance between supermarkets and their suppliers. Despite the power of the supermarkets, the channel members recognise the need to cooperate with each other. It has become increasingly important for members of the distribution channels for fresh food to cooperate in order to offer the consumers high-quality products. The outcome of this is an elaborated relationship and a higher interaction between channel members. For suppliers that offer local products, it has proved to be of even greater importance with interaction in order to gain trust from the purchasing companies. Consumption of both local and organic fruit and vegetables has increased significantly in the recent years in Sweden. Therefore these product categories have become important to the supermarkets. Based on the lack of research of the Swedish distribution channels for organic and local fruit and vegetables, this study intends to analyse these product categories further. The study has mainly focused on how growers, who offer local or organic fruits and vegetables, can strengthen their position in the market. The study also intends to demonstrate possible differences between suppliers offering local and organic products, to see if one of these categories has a stronger market position than the other. Purpose The purpose of the study is to analyse the relationships and the power balance between members in the distribution channels for organic and local fruits and vegetables, where the focus is to compare these two product categories. Execution To answer the purpose of the study, a total of 11 interviews with five different companies in the distribution channel for fruit and vegetables were conducted. These companies were the retailer and wholesaler ICA, the wholesaler Östgöta Trädgårdshall and three producers (growers). Conclusion The study implies that suppliers for local products may have a greater power position within the studied market than suppliers for organic products. Furthermore, the study confirms that relationships are important between actors in the distribution channel of fruits and vegetables, especially in channels that involve an exchange of local products. Relationships also have an impact on the power balance between the actors thus it appeared that individual suppliers strengthen their power position towards the supermarkets by intimate relationships.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption among Swedish adults and to use F&V-related perceptions for audience segmentation. Further, the aim was to identify motives and approaches of F&V bloggers, as well as to analyze F&V-related online discourses. F&V consumption and related perceptions were surveyed using a questionnaire among a random sample of Swedish adults (18-84y; final response rate 51%; n=1 304). F&V consumption was measured using a self-administered pre-coded 24-h recall and FFQ. The average consumption was close to the recommendations. Women in general and men born outside Sweden as well as the physically active respondents consumed the most F&V. The respondents were divided into two clusters based on their F&V-related perceptions. Positive cluster with more women and higher mean age consumed more F&V, whereas Indifferent cluster experienced more practical, habitual as well as external problems with F&V consumption. Cluster analysis is an example of audience segmentation for communicative purposes. A sample of 50 lay-people blogs with F&V-related content were analyzed with a qualitative content analysis. Two-dimensional categories – level of dietary influential purpose and source of experience – were used to identify blogger ideal types. Exhibitionist with a passive level of dietary influence and lived experiences was the most common type. Persuaders use lived experiences to actively influence their readers, whereas Authorities try to influence mediating others’ experiences. The Mediator is described as a neutral observer. Understanding the role of blogs in everyday communication is important for targeting health messages. A critical discourse analysis was applied to Persuader bloggers’ texts (n=12). Three F&V-related discourses were identified: normative consumption, authentic consumption and altruistic consumption. This analysis is useful for the last process of dietetic communication, namely tailoring the messages. The present four studies approach dietetic communication processes from a research perspective. However, a further step might be to apply these to a health promotion initiative starting from an identified diet-related problem (e.g. low F&V consumption) through audience segmentation (e.g. through cluster analysis) and targeting a relevant channel (e.g. through blogs) finally to tailor the message (e.g. findings from discourse analysis).

La filière des fruits et légumes frais est aujourd’hui confrontée à la mise en question des institutions gouvernant ses rapports institués de distribution. De plus en plus, une partie des acteurs intervenant dans le gouvernement de cette filière (collectivités territoriales, producteurs, distributeurs, organisations professionnelles) cherchent à promouvoir de nouvelles formes de distribution, caractérisées par la réduction des distances sociales et / ou relationnelles entre producteurs et consommateurs. La fin des années 2000 a notamment été marquée par la mise en œuvre d’une politique publique nationale destinée à développer les« circuits courts » de commercialisation des produits agricoles, caractérisés par l’absence ou la présence d’un seul intermédiaire entre producteurs et consommateurs. Ces circuits courts sont, en outre, souvent associés par les acteurs à des dynamiques de relocalisation des processus de distribution. Historiquement peu concernée par ces modes de distribution, dont les titulaires de son gouvernement ont au contraire cherché à l’affranchir en les marginalisant économiquement, la filière des fruits et légumes frais redécouvre aujourd’hui de nouvelles manières d’organiser ses marchés et de qualifier les produits. Doit-on pour autant conclure au triomphe des challengers du gouvernement de cette filière, parce qu’ils auraient réussi à institutionnaliser de nouveaux rapports institués de distribution ? Nous prétendons justement montrer, à partir d’une sociologie du gouvernement de la filière inspirée des travaux de la sociologie économique et de l’économie politique, que la réalité est plus complexe et ambigüe. En effet, si, à l’échelle locale, ces challengers parviennent à mieux contrôler les opérations de problématisation, d’instrumentation et de légitimation des enjeux associés à l’institutionnalisation de nouveaux modèles de distribution des fruits et légumes, aux échelles nationale et communautaire, le gouvernement de la filière demeure contrôlé par les acteurs les plus puissants : producteurs spécialisés, organisations de producteurs, enseignes de la grande distribution. Finalement, plutôt qu’à une relocalisation des circuits de distribution de la filière, on assiste en réalité à une évolution des dynamiques de qualification, marquée par la stabilisation du « local » comme une nouvelle institution marchande, dont l’usage stratégique permet aux titulaires du gouvernement de conserver la mainmise sur la définition des enjeux légitimes à traiter, en particulier ceux relatifs aux modèles de développement agricoles à soutenir et encourager. / The fruit and vegetables industry (filière) has recently had to deal with issues concerning the legitimate ways of selling these products and a larger range of actors intervening in its government (local authorities, producers, wholesalers, professional organizations) have sought to promote new modes of commercialization which can be described as an attempt to reduce social and geographical distances between producers and consumers. Since 2009, a French public policy has indeed encouraged the development of short food supply chains, defined as supply chains involving none or just one intermediary between the two ends of the chain. These short food supply chains have also been linked by their promoters to the “re-localization” of economic exchanges. Historically, the incumbents of the industry’s government have tried to go beyond such geographical constraints in order to extend their markets spatially, and this by marginalizing politically and economically shorter supply chains. But they now have to deal with new ways of organizing markets and defining the quality of their products. This situation has been examined in this Phd. using rigorous analytical and methodological tools. From this angle, at the local scale challengers have been able to take control away from incumbents by redefining the legitimate issues which need to be treated. At other scales, however, the traditional incumbents are still in control of the industry’s government and the bulk of its economic exchanges. Ultimately, what has taken place is less the re-localization of supply chains within the industry than the institutionalization of new forms of qualification based upon the valuation of the “local” as a distinctive sign of quality.

The main goal of my Master´s thesis is to evaluate dynamic environment of international trade with fresh fruit and vegetables. In the first part of my thesis I analyzed importance of the production of fresh fruit and vegetables for economies of selected countries. Next I had described the trade flows and patterns. In the second part I made a characterization of payment terms and trade negotiations in the context of international trade with fresh fruit and vegetables. Furthermore I made an analysis of import and export rules and regulations of the EU. Based on this analysis I came to general conclusions on the trade policies of countries and communities. In the last part of my thesis I applied findings from the previous parts on the analysis of two cases. The first analyzed case is the situation of imports of Chinese pomelo to the EU, with regards to maximal residue levels of pesticides. Second analyzed case is the situation of South African citruses imported to the EU, with regards to the problematic of citrus black spots.