Comparison of dietary habits in the urban and rural Croatian schoolchildren

Summary.Background: Post-war socio-economic changes in Croatia probably affected dietary habits, and dietary data about schoolchildren after the war are missing.Aims of the study: The aim of the study was to compare current nutrient intakes and dietary behavior between urban and rural schoolchildren in Croatia.Methods: A completely quantified Food Frequency Questionnaire was used. Subjects were 315 urban and 163 rural schoolchildren. Mean age was 12.5 and 12.6 years in the urban and rural area, respectively.Results: Consumption of fast food, soft drinks and alcohol was more prevalent and more linked with dietary behavior in the urban than in the rural area. In both living areas protein intake was excessive (in the urban area 38.1% of subjects and in the rural 36.2% of subjects had protein intake higher than 200% RDA). Under 75% RDA/DRI in both living areas was observed for vitamin D, folate, calcium and selenium. Micronutrient intakes negatively correlated with age in both living areas, but were more pronounced in the urban area.Conclusion: The urban sample had more adequate energy and nutrient intakes which is consistent with prewar findings.     

Pediculosis capitis among rural and urban schoolchildren in Nigeria

The prevalence of head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) was investigated among urban and rural schoolchildren in Ibadan City and three surrounding villages all in Southern Nigeria. 106 (5.7%) of 1860 urban schoolchildren examined were infested compared with only seven (1.5%) of 473 children from rural schools (P less than 0.05). Pediculosis appears to be an urban problem which may be associated with overcrowding. However, the intensity of head louse infestation was low among the urban schoolchildren with 74.6% of all lousy children harbouring one to five lice per head and only 6.0% with more than 30 lice per head.     

Breakfast and lunch meal skipping patterns among fourth-grade children from selected public schools in urban, suburban, and rural maryland

The objective of this study was to describe breakfast and lunch consumption patterns of fourth-grade students from selected public schools in Maryland and how they differ by geographic location. Data were collected from a sample of 540 fourth-grade public school children (46% male, 62% white; mean age=9 years) from three geographically distinct regions of Maryland (30% rural, 30% suburban, and 40% urban). Data on breakfast and lunch consumption were collected using an in-classroom questionnaire. chi(2) tests were used to compare skipping meal behavior by geographic location. Twenty percent of fourth-grade students reported skipping breakfast and/or lunch at least three times per week. Urban students were more than twice as likely to skip breakfast and to eat school-prepared meals compared with suburban and rural students. Dietitians in all regions need to explore new ways to encourage regular meal consumption among students in their schools.     

Obesity rates among rural Ontario schoolchildren

BACKGROUND: The majority of existing studies of obesity risk among Canadian children come from urban populations. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of obesity in a sample of rural Ontario children. METHODS: Measures of height and weight were obtained for 504 children attending seven public elementary schools in Grey and Bruce Counties, a predominantly rural area of Southern Ontario. Body mass index (BMI, or weight/height2) scores were calculated and compared with reference data from the Centers for Disease Control. RESULTS: Rates of overweight and obesity were high in this sample, with 17.7% of children classified as overweight and 10.9% classified as obese. There was a significantly high prevalence of overweight for both boys (17.8%) and girls (17.5%) (Chi-square = 75.70, p < 0.001). However there was a significant gender difference in obesity prevalence: 15.0% of boys were obese, compared with 6.8% of girls (Mann-Whitney U = 29133.0, p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that among rural children--particularly boys--risk of overweight and obesity are at least as high as in their urban Canadian counterparts. There appear to be fewer girls than boys at the extreme high end of the distribution of BMI, which may indicate differences in the growth environment of rural boys and girls.     

农村贫困地区小学生早餐现状

了解农村贫困地区小学生早餐频率及食物摄入情况,为制定营养宣传教育和干预措施提供基础数据.方法 采用多阶段分层随机整群抽样的方法,抽取河北省平泉县等5个贫困农村县区15所小学的2 939名小学生为研究对象,问卷调查每周的早餐食用频率及主要食物的摄入情况.结果 参加调查的小学生达不到每天吃早餐的比例为23.2%.早餐食用频率最高的食物是米面制品(66.6%),其次为奶类(35.6%)、蔬菜(33.3%)、肉/蛋/鱼类(29.5%)、豆类(27.7%)和水果(19.3%).早餐营养质量差的小学生比例达到75.3%.Logistic回归分析结果显示,男生、四/五年级、云南地区、父母未在外打工的学生早餐食用频率相对较低;三/四年级、云南地区和住宿的学生早餐质量相对较差.结论 我国贫困农村地区小学生每天吃早餐的频率较低,早餐营养质量差.建议对学生、家长和老师加强合理早餐的教育,改善学生的早餐摄入状况.     

Racial differences in eating patterns and food purchasing behaviors among urban older women

Objective

To examine differences in diet and food purchasing behaviors between Black and White older women living in urban neighborhoods.

Design

Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Urban neighborhoods in Washington, DC, USA.

Participants

Community-dwelling White and Black women of age 65 and older.

Measurements

Participants were queried on diet via 24-hour recalls, food purchasing habits, their use of neighborhood resources and local travel patterns. Frequency and location of self-reported food purchasing and consumption were compared by race.

Results

In 2014 and 2015, 49 White and 44 Black older women were enrolled in the study. Compared to Whites, Blacks reported lower daily caloric intake (mean (SD) 1314 (404) vs. 1529 (448), p=0.02), with a higher percent of calories from protein and fat 1.8 (7.0), p=0.03), and a slightly higher polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio (p=0.05). Blacks had substantially lower alternate healthy eating index (AHEI) (33.5 (10.2) vs. 43.9 (10.8) of 80 possible points, p<0.001), daily intake (grams) of total fiber (15.3 (8.1) vs. 22.9 (8.5), p<0.001), insoluble fiber (10.8 (6.9) vs. 15.9 (6.5), p<0.001), and soluble fiber (4.5 (2.0) vs. 6.9 (2.8), p<0.001). Blacks had lower intake of micronutrients, alcohol and caffeine. Blacks shopped for groceries less often (4.4 (3.0) vs. 6.2 (3.0) monthly; p=0.006) and spent a longer time traveling to stores (15.8 (9.1) vs. 11.5 (7.2) minutes per trip, p=0.02). A lower percent of Blacks walked to stores (14% vs. 40%, p=0.003) and a higher percent of Blacks rode in a car with someone else (33% vs. 6%, p<0.001).

Conclusions

In an urban setting, food consumption and purchasing behaviors differed substantially between older Black and White women, which should be further investigated and considered to promote healthy eating in older populations.

     

Prevalence of pathogenic intestinal parasites among Saudi rural schoolchildren

A national survey was carried out in 1991 to assess the prevalenceof pathogenic intestinal parasites in rural Saudi Arabian schoolchildrenaged 6–18 years. Nine thousand eight hundred and eighty-onechildren underwent a clinical evaluation and stool specimenswere examined, using direct microscopy. Intestinal pathogenicparasites were found in 2, 233 (22.6%) children. The major parasitesisolated were Giardia lamblia (13.5%), Schistosoma mansoni (3.8%),Entamoeba histolytica (2.5%), Hymenolepis nana (2.5%), Ascarislumbricoides (2.0%) and Entrobius vermicularis (1.0%). Prevalenceof intestinal parasites was significantly associated with thechild's age, sex, father's educational level, non-public watersupply and inadequate latrine type. The highest risk group waschildren 6–8 years old, whose father were illiterate andhad no latrine.     

Breakfast habits of different groups of Spanish schoolchildren

A questionnaire was used to investigate the schoolday and holiday breakfast habits of a group of 742 pupils (420 boys and 322 girls) aged between 9 and 13 years. The subjects attended four different schools in Madrid with populations of medium and medium–high socioeconomic level. Most pupils (53%) ate dairy products and cereals for breakfast and 10% also ate fruit: breakfasts that could be considered adequate or satisfactory. However, it was also observed that 17% of boys and 33% of girls took only dairy products at breakfast. In most cases (98%) this was limited to a glass of milk, an intake insufficient to start the day. Three per cent of boys and 5% of girls took no breakfast at all. Boys in general and the younger children of the sample spent more time at breakfast than girls or older children. They also included a wider variety of foods in their breakfasts. Most of the schoolchildren had breakfast at home (95%), either alone (42%) or with their brothers and sisters (43%). Only 25% had breakfast with their parents. Breakfast made a contribution of 15.6±0.4% to the recommended daily intake of energy. In 88% of cases, the contribution of breakfast was lower than 25% of total calories, the advisable level for this meal. During holidays the percentage of children who took no breakfast decreased to 2% of boys and 1% of girls. However, the differences observed between holidays and working days were not great. Perhaps the most important difference lies in the time spent eating breakfast, 10.8±0.3 minutes on schooldays and 20±0.6 minutes during holidays ( P <0.001). The modification of dietary habits to increase the quantity and variety of foods consumed before starting daily activity probably has a positive impact on physical and intellectual performance. It would also help in the attainment of better nutritional status and better health.     

Consumption patterns and preference of milk and milk products among rural and urban consumers in semi-arid Kenya

Milk consumption in the semi-arid regions of Kenya is not well understood. A study was carried out on consumption of milk and milk products in the semi-arid region of eastern Kenya. A total of 135 rural and 126 urban households were interviewed. Raw milk was the most popular and was consumed by 99% and 84% of rural and urban households, respectively. Generally as degree of processing increased, the frequency of consumption declined from more than once per day to 1-2 times a week and eventually to occasionally. Richer households consumed significantly (p < .05) more milk and milk products than poor households. Raw milk was preferred over pasteurized, ultra high temperature treated, and powdered milk because it was cheaper and widely available. In order to improve consumption of different milk products, there is need to improve availability particularly in the rural areas.     

Child-specific food insecurity and its sociodemographic and nutritional determinants among Iranian schoolchildren

Despite strong evidence of the prevalence of food insecurity in adults and households with children in different areas of Iran, the prevalence of child-specific food insecurity in Iran and especially in Tabriz has not been evaluated. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity in schoolchildren and to identify its social, demographic, and nutritional determinants in Tabriz, Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted between April and September 2014 among 330 schoolchildren aged 7–11 years comprising 170 boys and 160 girls from ten public schools in Tabriz, Iran. Demographic and socioeconomic factors had been obtained from participants. Food security status was assessed by an eight-item U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Security Module previously validated for use in Iran. Dietary information was obtained by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In our findings, the prevalence of food insecurity among children was 30% with 29.1% being low food secure and 0.9% being very low food secure. Mean weight for age Z-score (WAZ) in the food insecure group was significantly lower than in the food secure group. The prevalence of food insecurity was more prevalent in boys (p = .006). Food insecure children had a significantly lower intake of energy, carbohydrate, protein, and meat (p < .001) and higher prevalence of wasting compared with their counterparts in the food secure group (p = .004). These results suggest a proportionally high prevalence of food insecurity in schoolchildren in Tabriz and its significant association with poor nutritional status and dietary habits. Our findings also ensures the necessity of nutritional support programs and nutritional education in Iranian low-income families to improve their overall health.     

Accessing the food systems in urban and rural Minnesotan communities

Objective

Explore how urban and rural Minnesotans access the food system and to investigate whether community infrastructure supports a healthful food system.

Design

Eight (4 urban and 4 rural) focus groups were conducted.

Setting and Participants

Eight counties with urban influence codes of 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10. Fifty-nine (urban, n = 27; rural, n = 32) adults. The sample was of mixed race and had a range of incomes. Almost half of the sample was obese.

Main Outcome Measure

Food systems access and the role of community infrastructure, civic engagement, and reciprocal relationships in food provisioning in counties with different urban influence codes.

Analyses

Themes and subthemes were identified through emerging concepts.

Results

Food access varied based on rurality and community infrastructure. Three themes emerged: community infrastructure around the conventional food system and food provisioning, alternative food resources, and perceptions of the effect food and of the influence diet and exercise have on health.

Conclusions and Implications

Civic engagement and community infrastructure affected food access. Rural residents rely more on retail grocery stores, gardening, hunting, and informal food exchange systems, whereas urban residents rely more on the retail grocery stores and food safety net systems. Hunting and gardening may contribute valuable nutrients to the diet.     

Breakfast consumption in UK schoolchildren and provision of school breakfast clubs

Breakfast is known to confer benefits for children, including improvement in nutrient and weight status as well as cognitive performance. Reliable UK‐specific data regarding breakfast consumption patterns in schoolchildren and the provision of breakfast clubs in schools are limited, but are required to inform academics and policy makers alike. The aim of this study was to establish patterns in breakfast consumption in UK schoolchildren and to assess the current provision of breakfast clubs in England. Data were gathered by Childwise in June–July 2011. The large population representative sample included a total of 65 schools (38 primary and 27 secondary), from which 3311 children aged 5–15 years were surveyed at school regarding their breakfast consumption. Data regarding school breakfast club provision were collected from 2087 teachers via the National Foundation for Educational Research omnibus. The results indicated that 86% of children ate something before school (whether at home, on the way to school or at a school breakfast club). Of the remaining 14% of breakfast skippers, a third reported not eating anything until lunch time. The extent of breakfast skipping was higher in girls than boys, and higher in secondary than primary school pupils. Breakfast skipping also varied by UK region, such that the highest levels were evident in Scotland and the North West of England, and the lowest in the East of England. Within secondary schools, breakfast skipping was higher in schools from urban areas and areas of high deprivation. Of the 86% of children who did eat breakfast, 4% reported consuming it at a school breakfast club and a further 4% on the way to school. In contrast, 56% of schools in England were found to be operating a breakfast club at the time of survey, with greater availability at primary compared with secondary school. Overall, the findings suggest that breakfast skipping remains a considerable problem in UK schoolchildren, particularly in adolescents.     

Changes in the nasal carriage of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in urban and rural Vietnamese schoolchildren

Studying the antimicrobial drug resistance of nasopharyngeal or nasal carriage isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children is likely to have predictive potential for invasive isolates. Streptococcus pneumoniae nasal carriage was studied in 1422 Vietnamese children. Forty-six percent of 536 isolates showed reduced susceptibility to penicillin and 7% showed intermediate susceptibility to ceftriaxone; and 50% of 518 isolates showed resistance to erythromycin. All isolates were sensitive to levofloxacin and gatifloxacin. Urban and suburban children were significantly more likely to carry drug-resistant isolates than rural children. Rates of non-susceptibility to penicillin and erythromycin increased significantly in the rural province Khanh Hoa in 2003/2004 compared with rates obtained in 1997. An emerging clone of penicillin non-susceptible S. pneumoniae of serogroup 15 was identified, which was widely distributed in addition to the pandemic clones Spain(23F)-1 and Taiwan(19F)-14. Although resistance to fluoroquinolones was not observed, 6 (18%) of 34 isolates had a Lys137Asn mutation in the parC gene. This study shows that drug resistance is increasing in carriage isolates of S. pneumoniae in rural areas in Vietnam owing to spread of pandemic and emerging resistant clones.     

Proteinase inhibitors and other biochemical criteria in infants and primary schoolchildren from urban and rural environments

1. Preschool children and schoolchildren from a rural area in the northeast of Thailand were compared with children from urban areas for prealbumin, albumin, transferrin, alpha 1 B-glucoprotein, the acute-phase reactants alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, haptoglobin and the proteinase inhibitors alpha 1-protease inhibitor (A1PI) as well as alpha 2-microglobulin (alpha 2M). Urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine (U-C) as well as haemoglobin were also determined. Village preschool children were grouped according to their SD score for weight-for-height based on the (US) National Center for Health Statistics (1976) standard into a normal group with SD scores of greater than or equal to --1.99 and an undernourished group with SD scores of less than or equal to --2.00. 2. There was no significant difference between the normal and the undernourished groups of preschool children for any of the factors measured. 3. Haemoglobin and prealbumin concentrations of preschool children were lower in the rural children than in the urban preschool children from Bangkok. 4. In rural schoolchildren haemoglobin was lower but albumin, transferrin, alpha 1B-glycoprotein and haptoglobin were higher than in urban schoolchildren from the provincial town of Khon Kaen. 5. Serum concentrations of the proteinase inhibitors A1PI and alpha 2M were significantly higher in the rural children than in the urban children. 6. U-C values were lower in rural schoolchildren compared with urban schoolchildren.