In this dissertation, I use the ethnographic case study of the United Arab Emirates to illustrate a much larger phenomenon that involves young women worldwide in the throes of identity negotiation at a time of accelerated global flows of information, foods, fashion, media images, fashions, health information, and health and self-enhancement products. My research utilizes ethnographic and anthropometric information as a means of investigating the ways in which these global flows are affecting the physical bodies, attitudes, behaviors, perceptions of self, and perceptions of community in a sample of young, female, Emiratis living in the UAE in the Arab Gulf in the twenty-first century. I employ biocultural methods and perspectives to examine bodies-as-products and bodies-as-projects in this cohort, focusing on health, beauty, and self-presentation projects. I also focus on the uncertainty and accompanying psychosocial stress that these women are subject to as a result of juggling globalized, "modern" opportunities and lifestyles on the one hand with local expectations and regulations on the other. Key to these analyses is the acknowledgment of the synergy between biology and culture, and the effects of both local and global factors on this synergy.

In lower middle-income economies (LMIE), the nutrition transition from traditional diets to sugary foods and beverages has contributed to widespread early childhood dental caries. This qualitative study explores perceived risk and protective factors, and overall experiences of early childhood nutrition and oral health in indigenous Ecuadorian families participating in a community-based oral health and nutrition intervention. Dental exams of 698 children age 6 months through 6 years determined each child's caries burden. A convenience sample of 18 "outlier" families was identified: low-caries children with <= 2 carious teeth vs. high-caries children with >= 10 carious teeth. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with parents/caregivers explored the child's diet, dental habits, and family factors related to nutrition and oral health. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed using grounded theory. In the high-caries families, proximity to highway and stores, consumption of processed-food, and low parental monitoring of child behavior were identified as risk factors for ECC (early childhood caries). In the low-caries families, protective factors included harvesting and consuming food from the family farm, remote geography, and greater parental monitoring of child behavior. The study results suggest that maintaining traditional family farms and authoritative parenting to avoid processed foods/drinks and ensure tooth brushing could improve early childhood nutrition and oral health.

This systematic review examined the shifts in undernutrition and overnutrition in Nepal during the past two decades. We searched PubMed for studies and reports published between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2018. Publications with a sample size greater than or equal to 500 that reported prevalence of nutritional status were included. Six large national reports and 36 studies met study inclusion criteria and were included. Overall, available nationally representative data remained limited. The Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2001 to 2016 showed that underweight prevalence decreased from 26.7% to 17.2% and prevalence of overweight/obesity increased from 6.5% to 22.1% among women of reproductive age (15-49 years). In preschool children, prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight decreased from 57.2% to 35.8%, 11.2% to 9.7%, and 42.7% to 27.0%, respectively. Prevalence of overweight/obesity was low among children and was higher in higher socio-economic status (SES) groups. The overweight-obesity/underweight ratios indicate a shift from undernutrition to overnutrition problem; it was more evident in urban areas and higher SES groups. In conclusion, Nepal is experiencing a nutrition transition. More research is warranted to address this shift, and well-tailored public health efforts need to combat the double burden of overweight/obesity and undernutrition.

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No description available.

As comunidades indígenas localizadas no de Atacama têm experimentado uma serie de mudanças nos padrões de consumo alimentar como consequência de aceleradas mudanças econômicas, sociais e culturais. Estas mudanças tem contribuído em um paulatino abandono das práticas tradicionais de produção de alimentos, assim como uma rápida incorporação de produtos industrializados na dieta atacamenha. No entanto, não existem estudos que diagnostiquem as mudanças nos padrões de dieta e seu possível impacto nas condições nutricionais dessas populações, em um contexto de mudanças consideráveis a nível local e mundial na dieta e nutrição. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo identificar as mudanças das práticas alimentares ocorridas durante as últimas três gerações nas comunidades atacamenhas de Toconao e Talabre, assim como avaliar as mudanças no estado nutricional da população adulta nas últimas décadas nestas comunidades. A coleta de dados se realizou utilizando a conjugação de métodos qualitativos e quantitativos. No primeiro caso, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com as pessoas de maior idade de cada comunidade para nos aproximarmos às mudanças desde uma perspectiva local e histórica. Também foram realizadas listagens livres em três gerações para visualizar as preferencias alimentares geracionais. No segundo caso, foram coletadas medidas antropométricas de peso, estatura e Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) registradas nas fichas clinicas do posto de saúde local, incluindo indivíduos adultos (entre 18 até 90 anos) das comunidades de Toconao e Talabre. Os resultados evidenciam drásticas diferencias no consumo de alimentos entre as três gerações dos atacamenhos de ambas as comunidades, com perda no consumo de alimentos tradicionais por parte das novas gerações devido à substituição de alimentos locais por alimentos forâneos na dieta atacamenha de Toconao e Talabre. Os dados nutricionais apresentam um aumento significativo da estatura ao longo das décadas como resultado de uma maior disponibilidade de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados. O relato histórico obtido das entrevistas semi-estruturadas permitiu uma compressão mais integral das aceleradas mudanças acontecidas nas últimas décadas na dieta e nutrição atacamenha das comunidades de Toconao e Talabre. A partir desta pesquisa se conclui que fatores econômicos e políticos tem contribuído a esta rápidas transformações nos sistemas de subsistência e, consequentemente, na dieta e nutrição destas comunidades indígenas / Native communities from Atacama desert have experienced several changes in their dietary patterns as a consequence of fast economic, social and cultural changes. These changes have contributed in a gradual abandonment of traditional food production activities as well as rapid adoption of industrialized food in their diet. However, there are no studies that provide a diagnosis of these changes of the dietary patterns and their potential impact in the nutritional state of the aforementioned native communities in a context of considerable changes of local and worldwide diet and nutrition. Thus, the goals of this research are to identify the changes in the dietary patterns occurring during the last three generations of the Atacama communities of Toconao and Talabre, and to evaluate the changes of the nutritional state of the adult population at last decades of both communities. The data collection was done using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. In the first case, semi-structured interviews with the elderly of each community was performed in order to obtain an approximation to the dietary changes from a local and historical perspective. Additionally, free lists will be performed in people from three generations in order to visualize dietary preferences by generations. In the second case, antropometric measures of weight, height and body mass index was collected of the clinical records in the local heath center, including adults (between 18 to 90 years old) of the Toconao and Talabre communities. The results show drastic differences in food consumption between the three generations of both Atacama communities, with a loss in the consumption of traditional foods by the younger generations due to the substitution of local food for foreign food in the Atacama diet of Toconao and Talabre. From this research it is concluded that economic and political factors have contributed to this rapid change in subsistence systems and, consequently, in the diet and nutrition of these indigenous communities

As comunidades indígenas localizadas no de Atacama têm experimentado uma serie de mudanças nos padrões de consumo alimentar como consequência de aceleradas mudanças econômicas, sociais e culturais. Estas mudanças tem contribuído em um paulatino abandono das práticas tradicionais de produção de alimentos, assim como uma rápida incorporação de produtos industrializados na dieta atacamenha. No entanto, não existem estudos que diagnostiquem as mudanças nos padrões de dieta e seu possível impacto nas condições nutricionais dessas populações, em um contexto de mudanças consideráveis a nível local e mundial na dieta e nutrição. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo identificar as mudanças das práticas alimentares ocorridas durante as últimas três gerações nas comunidades atacamenhas de Toconao e Talabre, assim como avaliar as mudanças no estado nutricional da população adulta nas últimas décadas nestas comunidades. A coleta de dados se realizou utilizando a conjugação de métodos qualitativos e quantitativos. No primeiro caso, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com as pessoas de maior idade de cada comunidade para nos aproximarmos às mudanças desde uma perspectiva local e histórica. Também foram realizadas listagens livres em três gerações para visualizar as preferencias alimentares geracionais. No segundo caso, foram coletadas medidas antropométricas de peso, estatura e Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) registradas nas fichas clinicas do posto de saúde local, incluindo indivíduos adultos (entre 18 até 90 anos) das comunidades de Toconao e Talabre. Os resultados evidenciam drásticas diferencias no consumo de alimentos entre as três gerações dos atacamenhos de ambas as comunidades, com perda no consumo de alimentos tradicionais por parte das novas gerações devido à substituição de alimentos locais por alimentos forâneos na dieta atacamenha de Toconao e Talabre. Os dados nutricionais apresentam um aumento significativo da estatura ao longo das décadas como resultado de uma maior disponibilidade de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados. O relato histórico obtido das entrevistas semi-estruturadas permitiu uma compressão mais integral das aceleradas mudanças acontecidas nas últimas décadas na dieta e nutrição atacamenha das comunidades de Toconao e Talabre. A partir desta pesquisa se conclui que fatores econômicos e políticos tem contribuído a esta rápidas transformações nos sistemas de subsistência e, consequentemente, na dieta e nutrição destas comunidades indígenas / Native communities from Atacama desert have experienced several changes in their dietary patterns as a consequence of fast economic, social and cultural changes. These changes have contributed in a gradual abandonment of traditional food production activities as well as rapid adoption of industrialized food in their diet. However, there are no studies that provide a diagnosis of these changes of the dietary patterns and their potential impact in the nutritional state of the aforementioned native communities in a context of considerable changes of local and worldwide diet and nutrition. Thus, the goals of this research are to identify the changes in the dietary patterns occurring during the last three generations of the Atacama communities of Toconao and Talabre, and to evaluate the changes of the nutritional state of the adult population at last decades of both communities. The data collection was done using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. In the first case, semi-structured interviews with the elderly of each community was performed in order to obtain an approximation to the dietary changes from a local and historical perspective. Additionally, free lists will be performed in people from three generations in order to visualize dietary preferences by generations. In the second case, antropometric measures of weight, height and body mass index was collected of the clinical records in the local heath center, including adults (between 18 to 90 years old) of the Toconao and Talabre communities. The results show drastic differences in food consumption between the three generations of both Atacama communities, with a loss in the consumption of traditional foods by the younger generations due to the substitution of local food for foreign food in the Atacama diet of Toconao and Talabre. From this research it is concluded that economic and political factors have contributed to this rapid change in subsistence systems and, consequently, in the diet and nutrition of these indigenous communities

Economic growth has spurred rapid urbanization in Malaysia and triggered changes in diet, lifestyle, and disease trends. National studies show that a third of Malaysia's population is overweight/obese while household expenditures on dining out grow. In metropolitan Kuala Lumpur (KL), residents navigate concepts of nutrition, body weight, and health as they dine out. Using the biocultural framework, this study examined links between body weight, diet, income, street food consumption, and nutritional knowledge through the perspectives of consumers and vendors. Altogether, 77 participants were recruited for this three-phase research. In the first phase, a survey was administered to 60 participants recruited at street food sites around KL. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews, anthropometry, and diet recalls were conducted on 13 participants. Finally, semi-structured interviews and observations were carried out on four street food vendors at their places of business. Though the findings in this research did not show statistical relationships between body weight status, income, and dining out in KL, telling diet and lifestyle trends emerged. Work mediates the lives of participants, often dictating their diet and capacity to engage in physical activity. Though most female participants work, they still bear the expectations of meal provisioning. These factors encourage the consumption of food away from home, and the commercialization and gentrification of the local street food industry. When viewed critically through the biocultural framework, these observations support the idea that trade liberalization and domestic economic policies have induced demographic changes, household transformations, and dietary adaptations among urban dwellers in KL.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the obesity pandemic in Latin America and identify the factors of development contributing to the pandemic. The paper uses the framework of the nutrition transition as presented by Barry Popkin to trace consumption patterns and changes in dietary habits in the region. The paper looks at three case studies: Mexico and Chile, two countries with high obesity rates, and Peru, the country with the lowest obesity rate in South America. This comparative framework is intended to determine which conditions are necessary for obesity, which conditions are sufficient for obesity, and any conditions that might limit high levels of obesity. The analysis includes ten distinct factors, but concludes that economic growth and urbanization were the most important determinants of a region developing obesity.

Aim and objectives: This study set out to investigate the diet and blood lipid profiles of subjects in transition in the North West Province in South Africa. It looked specifically at how the diet differed between rural and urban areas, how the blood lipid profiles differed between rural and urban subjects, establishing an association between dietary fat, fatty acid and cholesterol intakes respectively and blood lipid profiles, as well as investigating the differences in blood lipid profiles at different ages, body mass index (BMI) and genders respectively in rural and urban areas. Design: The present study was a cross–sectional data analysis nested within the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study that is currently undertaken in the North West Province of South Africa amongst other countries. Methods: Baseline data was obtained in 2005. A randomised paper selection was done of people between 35 - 70 years of age with no reported chronic diseases of lifestyle, TB or HIV of those enrolled into the PURE study if they had provided written consent. Eventually a paper selection was made of 2000 subjects, 500 people in each of the four communities (rural, urban–rural, urban, established urban). For the interpretation purposes of this study, data was stratified for rural (1000 subjects) and urban (1000 subjects) only, with no further sub–division into communities. Physical activity levels and habitual diets were obtained from these subjects. Demographic and dietary intake data in the PURE study was collected using validated, culture sensitive questionnaires. Anthropometric measures and lipid analysis were determined using standardised methodology. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations and proportions) were calculated. One–way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences between the different levels of urbanisation on blood lipid profiles and dietary intake. When a dietary intake variable proved to be significant for different levels of a factor (urbanisation, blood lipid profile), post–hoc tests were calculated to determine which levels for specific variables differed significantly. Bonferroni–type adjustments were made for the multiple comparisons. Spearman correlations were calculated to determine associations. Results: Mean fat intake was significantly higher in urban areas than in rural areas (67.16 ± 33.78 g vs. 32.56 ± 17.66 g, p<0.001); and the same was true for the individual fatty acid intakes. Fat and fatty acid intakes were still within recommendations even for urban areas, and low for rural areas. N–3 intake was very low in both rural and urban areas. Serum lipids did not differ significantly between rural and urban areas. Almost half of rural (43%) and urban (47%) subjects presented with elevated total cholesterol (5.0 mmol/L). In rural areas 52% and in urban areas 55% of subjects had elevated LDL–C (3.0 mmol/L). Amongst 23% of males in rural areas and 18% of males in urban areas HDL–C levels were decreased. Of the females living in rural areas 34.3% had decreased HDL–C levels and 39% of those who lived in urban areas presented with lowered HDL–C levels. In rural areas 16.3% of subjects and in urban areas 23% of subjects presented with high triglyceride levels. TC, LDL–C and triglyceride levels were higher in higher body mass index (BMI) classes, however, obese subjects did not differ significantly from overweight subjects in terms of blood lipids, suggesting that values stabilise after reaching overweight status. These blood lipids were also higher in higher age groups and higher in women than men, probably due to the high incidence of obesity in women. Conclusions: Associations between the diet and blood lipid profiles were weak, and diet is not likely to be the only factor responsible for high TC and LDL–C levels. Blood lipid profiles did not differ significantly between rural and urban areas due to the fact that the diet was prudent in terms of fat intake in both rural and urban areas. Higher prevalence of underweight was noted in males (32% in rural areas and 28% in urban areas), while overwieght was a bigger problem amongst women (48% in rural areas and 54% in urban areas). TC, LDL–C and TAG were higher with higher BMI’s, while HDL–C levels were lower. TC, LDL–C, and TAG were higher in higher age goups while HDL–C levels were lower. Female subjects presented with higher mean triglycerides than males, probably due to higher prevalence of overweight and obesity. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Dietetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.