Stimulated esophageal groove closure in adult goats

In healthy adult goats, closure of the esophageal groove was induced by thirst, IV administered vasopressin, and intracarotid administration of hypertonic NaCl solutions. The efficiency of stimulation was tested directly by visual inspection of the course taken by orally administered solutions through a ruminal or abomasal fistula, palpation of the lips of the esophageal groove through a ruminal fistula, and indirectly by following the glucose dynamics in the blood after oral administration of glucose solution. Esophageal groove closure was observed during drinking after a 48-hour period of water deprivation. Intracarotid administration of 1.5 ml of a saturated solution or 10.5 ml of a 1.5% solution of NaCl also stimulated groove closure; however, groove closure stimulated by administration of vasopressin is the most satisfactory procedure for passing compounds of therapeutic importance directly from the cardiac orifice to the abomasum.     

Are the Dutch acquainted with and willing to try healthful food products? The role of food neophobia

OBJECTIVES: To assess participants' acquaintance with and willingness to try healthful food alternatives, and to test the psychometric properties of an adapted Dutch version of the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) in order to study the role of food neophobia in this context. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study incorporating two web-based questionnaires, including a retest of the FNS one week later. Measures included acquaintance with and willingness to try 15 healthful food alternatives, level of food neophobia, level of education, gender and age. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to study associations between demographics and level of food neophobia as well as associations between level of food neophobia and acquaintance with and willingness to try the healthful alternatives. SETTING: The study was conducted in The Netherlands using a representative Internet panel. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 326 participants aged 18-50 years participated. RESULTS: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the FNS version used were sufficient. On average participants were acquainted with 7.9 of the products and modestly willing to try the products. Lowly educated participants had significantly higher FNS scores than highly educated participants (beta = -0.23, P < 0.01). FNS score was significantly associated with acquaintance with (beta = -0.21, P < 0.001) and willingness to try the healthful alternatives (beta = -0.26, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Further research into the role of food neophobia is warranted when wanting to stimulate the integration of healthful alternative products in the daily diet, especially among persons with low education.     

A multilevel study of socio-economic inequalities in food choice behaviour and dietary intake among the Dutch population: the GLOBE study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of individual- and area-level socio-economic characteristics on food choice behaviour and dietary intake. SETTING: The city of Eindhoven in the south-east Netherlands. DESIGN: A total of 1339 men and women aged 25-79 years were sampled from 85 areas (mean number of participants per area = 18.4, range 2-49). Information on socio-economic position (SEP) and diet was collected by structured face-to-face interviews (response rate 80.9%). Individual-level SEP was measured by education and household income, and area-level deprivation was measured using a composite index that included residents' education, occupation and employment status. Diet was measured on the basis of (1) a grocery food index that captured compliance with dietary guidelines, (2) breakfast consumption and (3) intakes of fruit, total fat and saturated fat. Multilevel analyses were performed to examine the independent effects of individual- and area-level socio-economic characteristics on the dietary outcome variables. RESULTS: After adjusting for individual-level SEP, few trends or significant effects of area deprivation were found for the dietary outcomes. Significant associations were found between individual-level SEP and food choice, breakfast consumption and fruit intake, with participants from disadvantaged backgrounds being less likely to report food behaviours or nutrient intakes consistent with dietary recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that an individual's socio-economic characteristics play a more important role in shaping diet than the socio-economic characteristics of the area in which they live. In this Dutch study, no independent influence of area-level socio-economic characteristics on diet was detected, which contrasts with findings from the USA, the UK and Finland.     

Ethnic differences in 1-year follow-up effect of the Dutch Schoolgruiten Project - promoting fruit and vegetable consumption among primary-school children

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a primary school-based intervention providing free fruit and vegetables (F&V), separately for children of Dutch and of non-Western ethnicity. SETTING: Primary schools in two regions (west and east) in The Netherlands. DESIGN AND METHODS: Participating schoolchildren and their parents completed questionnaires at baseline and 1 year later, including questions on usual F&V intake, potential determinants and general demographics. Primary outcomes were the usual fruit intake and the usual vegetable intake as assessed by parent- and child self-reported food frequency measures. Secondary outcome measures were child- or parent-reported taste preference, knowledge of daily recommendations, availability, and accessibility for fruit intake. Multilevel regression analyses were used to assess differences at follow-up adjusted for baseline values between the control and intervention group using both child and parent reports. SUBJECTS: Five hundred and sixty-five children of Dutch ethnicity and 388 children of non-Western ethnicity (mean age 9.9 years at baseline) and their parents. RESULTS: Children of non-Western ethnicity in the intervention group reported a significantly higher vegetable intake (difference = 20.7 g day-1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.6-33.7). A significant positive intervention effect was also found for fruit intake for children of Dutch ethnicity (difference = 0.23 pieces day-1, 95% CI = 0.07-0.39). No significant effects in intake were observed based on parent reports. Significant positive intervention effects were also found for perceived accessibility among children of non-Western ethnicity, as well as for parent-reported taste preference of their child among children of non-Western ethnicity and boys of Dutch ethnicity.CONCLUSION: Providing children with free F&V had some positive effects on child-reported intakes and important correlates of intakes.     

The impact of a national mass media campaign in The Netherlands on the prevention of weight gain

OBJECTIVE: A 5-year nationwide mass media campaign aimed at prevention of overweight was organised from 2002 onwards. The present study evaluates the first campaign, which was aimed primarily at increasing awareness of weight gain. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Data were collected by telephone interview in four independent cross-sectional surveys among non-obese Dutch adults aged 25-35 years (total n = 1,949) for statistical analyses. Awareness of personal body-weight status, overweight-related risk perceptions, attitudes towards weight-gain prevention, motivation to prevent weight gain and self-reported body mass index (BMI) were measured in each survey. Campaign exposure was assessed in the post-intervention surveys. To identify intervention effects over time multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used, adjusted for secular time effects and age. RESULTS: After the campaign about 65% of the respondents knew about the campaign. The campaign was associated with more positive attitudes towards the prevention of weight gain (beta = 0.16; P < 0.01) and higher self-reported BMI (beta = 0.14; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the first campaign reached a large proportion of the population and initiated some positive change in attitudes, but did not achieve significant improvements in other determinants of weight-gain prevention among non-obese young adults.     

Krachtvoer: effect evaluation of a Dutch healthful diet promotion curriculum for lower vocational schools

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the behavioural effects of a school-based healthful diet promotion intervention implemented in lower vocational schools. DESIGN: A cluster-randomised pre-test-post-test experimental design was used, and data were collected by means of written questionnaires. SETTING: Students of 18 Dutch lower vocational schools. SUBJECTS: The final sample consisted of 10 experimental schools with 13 teachers, 37 classes and 879 students, and eight control schools with 10 teachers, 31 classes and 734 students (total n = 1613). RESULTS: Fixed regression analyses revealed beneficial effects on the behavioural measures relating to fruit intake (as assessed by a food frequency measure and fruit consumption during the previous day), and most behavioural measures related to high-fat snack intake (food frequency measure, and number of snacks and total fat intake from snacks during the previous day). The behavioural effects relating to breakfast habits were limited. Some positive behavioural effects occurred in the total target population, others mainly or only among students with more unfavourable intakes at baseline. Mixed regression analysis found comparable regression coefficients for the behavioural outcomes, but the effects related to fruit intake were no longer statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although we did not find the expected effects on all outcome indicators, the total pattern of results suggest that Krachtvoer offered a surplus value over existing curricula. However, some programme elements need to be revised to improve effectiveness and prevent negative effects, and more information is needed about the long-term effects of the programme.     

Late Mousterian persistence near the Arctic Circle

Palaeolithic sites in Russian high latitudes have been considered as Upper Palaeolithic and thus representing an Arctic expansion of modern humans. Here we show that at Byzovaya, in the western foothills of the Polar Urals, the technological structure of the lithic assemblage makes it directly comparable with Mousterian Middle Palaeolithic industries that so far have been exclusively attributed to the Neandertal populations in Europe. Radiocarbon and optical-stimulated luminescence dates on bones and sand grains indicate that the site was occupied during a short period around 28,500 carbon-14 years before the present (about 31,000 to 34,000 calendar years ago), at the time when only Upper Palaeolithic cultures occupied lower latitudes of Eurasia. Byzovaya may thus represent a late northern refuge for Neandertals, about 1000 km north of earlier known Mousterian sites.