OBJECTIVE To develop a software to plan and evaluate school meals according to the main national and international standards for foods and nutrition. DESIGN Development of software. SETTING Public schools, Portugal. SUBJECTS School meals for students. RESULTS The System of Planning and Evaluation of School Meals (SPARE) is a software that allows the planning of school meals in an effect...

BACKGROUND Limited access to supermarkets may reduce consumption of healthy foods, resulting in poor nutrition and increased prevalence of obesity. Most studies have focused on accessibility of supermarkets in specific urban settings or localized rural communities. Less is known, however, about how supermarket accessibility is associated with obesity and healthy diet at the national level and h...

Bioactive compounds in plant-based foods have health properties that contribute to the prevention of age-related chronic diseases, particularly cardiometabolic disorders. Conclusive proof and understanding of these benefits in humans is essential in order to provide effective dietary recommendations but, so far, the evidence obtained from human intervention trials is limited and contradictory. ...

The aim of this study was to investigate how the present Danish diet could be changed in a climate friendly direction that follows the recommendations of a healthy diet. The carbon footprint (CF) of an average Danish diet was calculated and compared to CF of a recommended healthy diet by 1) modifying the average diet according to the Danish food based dietary guidelines, 2) and adjusting to ens...

Soyfoods have been a part of Asian diets for centuries. Today, there is a growing interest in these foods among westerners because of their proposed health benefits and also because their versatility makes them valuable for replacing meat and dairy foods in the diet. Nevertheless, the role of soyfoods in a healthy diet has become somewhat of a confusing issue in recent years because of concerns...

The use of digital technology in the form of health care apps has been on the increase. In the nutrition area, apps are now available with a view to lead to behavior change, helping individuals to reflect on their food choices and identify weak points in their dietary routine. The article seeks to evaluate user perception regarding the usability of the Digital Food Guide (DFG), which is a mobil...

AIM This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility and appeal of using existing hand-held mobile technology (iPod or iPad) 'apps' as tools promoting healthy food planning, shopping and eating behaviours among socioeconomically disadvantaged women. METHODS Surveys were administered before and immediately after a 4-week trial of seven currently available iPod or iPad apps, each of which addre...

OBJECTIVE To identify approaches for interventions to improve the nutrition of low-income women and children. DESIGN Seven focus groups were conducted with low-income women caring for young children in their households. They discussed shopping, eating at home, eating out and healthy eating. The discussions were recorded and subjected to qualitative thematic analysis. SETTING A semi-rural co...

Service evaluation of a community-based healthy lifestyle programme, designed for families aimed at preventing obesity. Physiological and behaviour measures were recorded at the beginning and end of the programme. Out of a total of 454 participants, 358 (79%) completed. From these completers 293 (64%) were analysed as there was sufficient data. The use of "high visibility recruitment" led to 77...

We are all well aware that rising levels of obesity in developed countries is having a significant impact on the health of the population. This is despite the availability of a wide range of low-calorie foods and an awareness of how important it is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. A new and emerging approach is to design foods that enhance the physiological regulatory mechanisms controlling appeti...