Socio-economic inequalities in women's fruit and vegetable intakes: a multilevel study of individual, social and environmental mediators

OBJECTIVE: This study employed a multilevel design to test the contribution of individual, social and environmental factors to mediating socio-economic status (SES) inequalities in fruit and vegetable consumption among women. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was linked with objective environmental data. SETTING: A community sample involving 45 neighbourhoods. SUBJECTS: In total, 1347 women from 45 neighbourhoods provided survey data on their SES (highest education level), nutrition knowledge, health considerations related to food purchasing, and social support for healthy eating. These data were linked with objective environmental data on the density of supermarkets and fruit and vegetable outlets in local neighbourhoods. RESULTS: Multilevel modelling showed that individual and social factors partly mediated, but did not completely explain, SES variations in fruit and vegetable consumption. Store density did not mediate the relationship of SES with fruit or vegetable consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition promotion interventions should focus on enhancing nutrition knowledge and health considerations underlying food purchasing in order to promote healthy eating, particularly among those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. Further investigation is required to identify additional potential mediators of SES-diet relationships, particularly at the environmental level.     

Assessment of diet in young children with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable intake: using CADET--Child and Diet Evaluation Tool

OBJECTIVES: To develop a concise, simple tool for use by non-specialists to assess diet in children aged 3-7 years attending primary schools. DESIGN: A 24-hour food tick list covering all aspects of the diet and with a focus on fruit and vegetable consumption was developed. This was compared against a 24-hour semi-weighed food diary obtained for the same day as the tick list. SETTING: Six primary schools with a range of socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds from a large city in the north of England (Leeds). PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and eighty children returned completed packs of information; a response rate of 77% of those who were willing to take part, 48% of those approached. RESULTS: On average, 2.4 items of fruit including juice (2.1 items as 5-a-day count) were eaten and 1.6 items of vegetables (excluding potato). Twenty-seven per cent and 36% of boys and 23% and 24% of girls reported not eating any fruit or vegetables, respectively, on the recording day. Correlations comparing the diary and tick list were high for both foods (range r=0.44 to 0.89) and nutrients (range r=0.41 to 0.68). The level of misclassification was much less than would be expected by chance. Parent and teacher evaluation of the tick list was very positive. Parents felt the tick list was easy and quick to complete. CONCLUSION: The Child and Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET) tick list has been used successfully for rapid collection of food and nutrient information from children aged 3-7 years from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds. The tool has performed better than many food-frequency questionnaires in comparison to a food diary.     

热风干燥对果蔬薄壁组织细胞结构的影响

为了研究热风干燥过程对果蔬微观结构的影响,该文选择马铃薯、苹果、胡萝卜3种物料,运用组织石蜡制片、显微成像及图像处理技术,获得了3种物料在热风干燥过程中不同含水率下的薄壁组织细胞结构图像及各细胞结构参数的分布曲线,并分析了热风干燥对微观结构参数(细胞横截面积、周长、当量直径和圆度)的影响,建立了微观结构参数与宏观干燥参数(水分比)的拟合方程。结果表明,各细胞结构参数比与水分比之间具有线性相关性,可以用数学模型预测在热风干燥过程中苹果、马铃薯和胡萝卜的薄壁组织细胞结构随含水率的变化情况,研究结果可为控制果蔬在热风干燥条件下的品质及建立干燥过程数学模型提供理论依据。     

Correlates of fruit and vegetable intake among Norwegian schoolchildren: parental and self-reports

OBJECTIVES: To identify correlates of 6th and 7th graders' (age 10-12 years) fruit and vegetable intake, to investigate parent-child correlations of fruit and vegetable intake, and to compare parents' and children's reports of children's accessibility, skills and preferences with respect to fruit and vegetables. DESIGN: The results presented are based on the baseline survey of the 'Fruits and Vegetables Make the Marks Project', where 38 schools participated. SETTING: Fruit and vegetable intake was measured by food frequency questions. Theoretical factors, based on Social Cognitive Theory, potentially correlated to intake were measured, including behavioural skills, accessibility, modelling, intention, preferences, self-efficacy and awareness of 5-a-day recommendations. SUBJECTS: In total, 1950 (participation rate 85%) 6th and 7th graders and 1647 of their parents participated. RESULTS: Overall, 34% of the variance in the pupils' reported fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the measured factors. The strongest correlates to fruit and vegetable intake were preferences and accessibility. The correlation between the children's and their parents' fruit and vegetable intake was 0.23. The parents perceived their children's accessibility to be better than what was reported by the children (P<0.01), while the children reported their skills to be better than what was perceived by their parents (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The results from this study clearly point to a need for nutrition interventions aimed at parents. An important next step will be to investigate whether the identified correlates predict future fruit and vegetable intake, and whether they mediate any changes in intake in an intervention study.     

The application of vegetable,fruit and garden waste (VFG) compost in addition to cattle slurry in a silage maize monoculture: Effects on soil fauna and yield

In Flanders, vegetable, fruit and garden (VFG) wastes are collected selectively and composted. We studied the effects of the combined application of three different doses of VFG compost and cattle slurry during 7 years on maize dry matter yields and three soil faunal groups: nematodes, micro-arthropods (springtails and mites) and earthworms. Combined application of VFG compost and slurry resulted in the highest yields. Initially, there was a clear yield depression on plots amended with compost in contrast to an upward trend in the last application years, proving a significant residual N effect from cumulative compost applications. The plant parasitic nematodes Pratylenchus sp. and the Tylenchidae were less abundant on plots receiving organic amendments, while the population of the bacteriophagous Rhabditidae was higher on these plots. Adding organic amendments resulted in increased numbers of micro-arthropods, springtails as well as mites. Earthworms were significantly more abundant when organic amendments were applied. The VFG compost had a larger overall positive effect on the three soil faunal groups than cattle slurry.     

Healthy whole-grain choices for children and parents: a multi-component school-based pilot intervention

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to pilot-test a school-based intervention designed to increase consumption of whole grains by 4th and 5th grade children. DESIGN: This multi-component school-based pilot intervention utilised a quasi-experimental study design (intervention and comparison schools) that consisted of a five-lesson classroom curriculum based on Social Cognitive Theory, school cafeteria menu modifications to increase the availability of whole-grain foods and family-oriented activities. Meal observations of children estimated intake of whole grains at lunch. Children and parents completed questionnaires to assess changes in knowledge, availability, self-efficacy, usual food choice and role modelling. SETTING/SAMPLE: Parent/child pairs from two schools in the Minneapolis metropolitan area; 67 in the intervention and 83 in the comparison school. RESULTS: Whole-grain consumption at the lunch meal increased by 1 serving (P < 0.0001) and refined-grain consumption decreased by 1 serving for children in the intervention school compared with the comparison school post-intervention (P < 0.001). Whole-grain foods were more available in the lunches served to children in the intervention school compared with the comparison school post-intervention (P < 0.0001). The ability to identify whole-grain foods by children in both schools increased, with a trend towards a greater increase in the intervention school (P = 0.06). Parenting scores for scales for role modelling (P < 0.001) and enabling behaviours (P < 0.05) were significantly greater for parents in the intervention school compared with the comparison school post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The multi-component school-based programme implemented in the current study successfully increased the intake of whole-grain foods by children.     

Pre-extraction preparation (fresh, frozen, freeze-dried, or acetone powdered) and long-term storage of fruit and vegetable tissues: effects on antioxidant enzyme activity

Activities of the antioxidant enzymes ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, guaiacol peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, and superoxide dismutase were assayed in honeydew (Cucumis melo L.) fruit and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves either as fresh, frozen to -80 degrees C, frozen in liquid nitrogen, freeze-dried, or acetone powder, representing the various ways tissues are treated prior to enzyme extraction. Treated tissues were analyzed following treatment or stored for up to 8 weeks at -80 degrees C. Enzyme activities in fruit frozen with or without liquid nitrogen and leaves frozen with or without liquid nitrogen or freeze-dried were equal to those of fresh tissue. Enzyme activities in freeze-dried or acetone-powdered fruit and leaves and in acetone-powdered tissues were significantly higher or lower than those in fresh tissue. Enzyme activities in both tissues frozen with or without liquid nitrogen and stored for 8 weeks at -80 degrees C changed little; those in freeze-dried and acetone-powdered tissues, however, significantly increased/decreased over the same period. Fresh tissue should be used in antioxidant enzyme assays, but if storage is necessary, tissues should be placed directly into a -80 degrees C freezer.     

Effect of rapid oligotrophication by an aquatic treatment pilot plant on the microbial community of a mesotrophic Bog

Rapid oligotrophication by the operation of the ‘Bio-filter system’ has changed Doh-Hoh-Numa Bog from a moderate mesotrophic system to the oligotrophic end of such a system. However, the population growth rate of the bacterioplankton community was little affected, and continued to be controlled primarily by the DOC concentration even after the system operation. This DOC concentration was higher during the operation period, although environmental factors relevant to primary production were shifted to the direction of oligotrophication. The natural bacterioplankton community in the bog was shown to modify its physiological kinetics to maintain the growth rate at the optimal level, even when it was exposed to oligotrophication processes with the operation of the ‘Bio-filter system’.     

介质阻挡放电降解果蔬贮藏环境中的乙烯

为了去除园艺产品贮运环境中的乙烯以达到保鲜效果,该研究采用一种介质阻挡放电（DBD）反应器对乙烯进行降解,对影响乙烯降解的各主要因素进行了考察。结果表明,放电间隙1 mm、放电功率大于15 W、气体流量1.5 L/min时乙烯的降解效果较好,30 min内乙烯被完全降解;产生的臭氧能够更好促进乙烯的降解,但也存在随功率增加臭氧含量突增的缺陷。低温等离子体技术在果蔬保鲜领域是有应用前景的。     

软体机械手爪在果蔬采摘中的应用研究进展

基于现有的果蔬采摘机械手大多是由刚性元件设计加工而成,存在质量大、柔顺性较差以及作业时容易对果蔬造成伤害等问题,而软体机械手爪(以下简称软体手)是一种由柔性材料制成,可以根据负载变化来改变自身形状和尺寸并且具有无限自由度的新型末端执行器。该文综述了果蔬采摘机械手应具备的特点以及传统采摘机械手的局限性、软体机械手爪的概念、发展现状、在果蔬采摘中的应用等相关问题,归纳了软体机械手爪在果蔬采摘作业中的先进性和优势,并分析了几种常见驱动方式的软体机械手爪在果蔬抓取作动过程中的优缺点,探讨了果蔬采摘装置的建模、控制等相关问题以及未来的发展趋势,可为果蔬无损采摘机械手的研制提供新的思路和方法。