Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Dietary assessment tools'
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1
Schmitz, Ashley. "Dietary Assessment Tools and Biomarkers of Exposure for Carotenoid Intake." The Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1480674775140991.
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Kinghorn-Taenzer, April Laura. "Mercury and selenium in Beluga teeth: tools for biomonitoring and dietary exposure assessment." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=18438.
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Beluga teeth are evaluated as biomonitors of heavy metal accumulation in beluga soft tissues and contaminant exposure in people who consume beluga as part of a traditional diet. Selenium, which protects marine mammals from the toxic effects of mercury, was measured in beluga teeth for the first time using hydride-generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Tooth selenium concentrations are shown to be moderately strong predictors of liver and muscle selenium, validating the use of teeth as a selenium biomonitor. Dietary exposure to mercury from the consumption of beluga was compared between historic and modern Mackenzie Delta Inuit populations, based on measured mercury concentrations in archeological beluga teeth and modern beluga tissues. Despite higher mercury levels in modern beluga, estimated average mercury exposure from the consumption of beluga is higher for pre-industrial Inuit populations than for modern Inuit populations, due to the significantly decreased average consumption of beluga among the modern population.Des dents de beluga sont évaluées pour prévoir l'accumulation des métaux lourds dans les tissus mous, et l'évaluation d'exposition diététique pour les personnes qui consomment le beluga en tant qu'élément d'un régime traditionnel. Le sélénium, qui protège les mammifères marins contre les effets toxiques du mercure, a été mesuré dans des dents de beluga pour la première fois. C'était trouvé que le sélénium dans les dents est un facteur prédictif modérément efficace de sélénium dans le foie et les muscles, validant l'utilisation des dents comme biomoniteurs de sélénium. L'exposition diététique au mercure venant de la consommation du beluga a été comparée entre les populations d'Inuit historiques et modernes, à l'aide des dents de beluga archéologiquement préservées et des tissus de beluga modernes. Malgré le plus haut nivelle de mercure dans les baleines modernes, l'évaluation de l'ingestion diététique du mercure venant de la consommation de baleine de beluga ont été plus hauts pour les populations historiques que pour les populations modernes, à cause d'une diminution de la consommation moyenne de beluga parmi la population moderne.
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Pirie, Katrina Ishbel. "The development of food-based nutrition education and dietary assessment tools for prepubescent children." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.340365.
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Stephen, Leigh. "Remote assessment of wild bird diet in ecological studies : an investigation into current and novel tools for dietary estimation." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.439910.
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The decline of many altricial species in temperate areas on land managed for agriculture is thought to be linked to changes in summer food availability, impacting on chick survival. This study specifically investigates the impacts of livestock grazing on the breeding performance of an insectivorous species, the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis), through the assessment of chick diet. Using conventional methods, adults are found to feed chicks a wide range of prey taxa. The significance of this diversity is shown by improved chick growth, emphasising an important link between diet and chick survival. Changes in the diets fed to chicks, as measured by conventional dietary methods, were observed in association with different intensities of grazing management. High stocking densities and also no livestock grazing resulted in a reduced biomass of invertebrates being fed to chicks. Conventional dietary analysis methods have a number of biases associated with them. Examining diet using three methods produced significantly different diet descriptions for meadow pipit chicks. The concept of using dietary markers was examined, which is increasingly becoming popular in ecological dietary studies. Lipids, namely hydrocarbons have been successfully established as faecal dietary markers in the examination of herbivore diet compositions. A range of hydrocarbons were extracted, identified and quantified from both invertebrate prey and bird faeces indicating the potential for this technique to assess bird diets, also highlighting areas of focus for future research. Hydrocarbon analysis was successfully used to show dietary changes occurring as result of grazing managements; therefore, this approach shows great potential as an ecological tool for assessing ecosystem changes as a result of human activities.
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Tran, Cuong Quoc. "Hospital malnutrition in Việt Nam: Prevalence, associated risk factors and appropriate screening tools." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2018. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122959/1/Cuong_Tran_Thesis.pdf.
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This research was the first to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of malnutrition among patients in acute care settings in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The program also identified the most appropriate malnutrition screening tools for use in hospitalized adults in the current Vietnamese context. Nutrition and dietetic services in hospitals in Viet Nam are relatively new and poorly resourced. The findings from this project have already had an impact, helping to establish and inform current and future policies related to nutrition screening of hospitalised patients, as well as the organisation and management of foodservices in hospitals.
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Soontrunnarudrungsri, Aussama. "Development and validation of screening tools for classification consumers of food products based on eating healthy criteria." Diss., Kansas State University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/12132.
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Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Human Nutrition
Edgar Chambers IV
Because healthy food products do not have a specific tool used for consumer screening based on consumers’ diet or degree of healthy eating habits, this study aimed to determine a set of questions that could classify consumers who belong in a different status according to the Stages of Change model, including those who have a different diet quality based on their Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score. The surveys were conducted in the United States (US) and Thailand in order to determine applicability to varying countries. The Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), Food Involvement Scale (FIS), and Health and Taste Attitude Scale (HTAS) were included in the questionnaire together with a set of Stages of Change questions and a 7-day, self-administered food recall questionnaire. The HEI interpretation of US and Thai consumer scores illustrated that the majority of both belonged to the Need Improvement group. The Stages of Change model indicated most consumers thought they had healthy diets. According to FNS, FIS, and HTAS, US consumers are more involved in food activities and are more open to trying new foods or unfamiliar foods than Thais. Furthermore, consumers who belong in different groups, according to the Stages of Change model, responded differently to some HTAS subscales. However, statements from FNS, FIS, and HTAS were not capable of distinguishing consumers belonging in different groups according to HEI scores or belonging in different stages according to the Stages of Change Model. Considering all possible methods from those listed above for screening consumers, the Stages of Change model may be the best way to segment consumers interested in healthier eating. Using the Stages of Change required less time and the least effort from consumers because there were only three questions; and interpreting results does not require calculation or analysis.
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Porter, Judi A. "The nutritional status and food skills of people with a chronic mental illness." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 1998. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/36742/1/36742_Digitised%20Thesis.pdf.
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The nutritional needs of people with a chronic mental illness have not been adequately defined. The present study attempted to evaluate the nutritional status and food skills of people with a chronic mental illness residing in congregate care and the community. Specific objectives included investigating whether standard anthropometric measurements could be used with people with a chronic mental illness, gathering nutrient intake and food skills data using appropriate assessment methods, estimating the prevalence of some nutrition related diseases, and conducting nutrition intervention programs to rectify nutrition and/or food skills deficits. Comparisons were also made between the anthropometric status and dietary intake of the study group and the general Australian population.
The study consisted of an assessment phase and an intervention phase. The assessment phase evaluated the nutritional status and food skills of a random sample of people with a chronic mental illness in congregate care. A sample of community living people with a chronic mental illness were matched by diagnosis and gender to the congregate care group. The intervention phase consisted of three nutrition programs which involved a sub-sample of the congregate care population.
Assessment of the nutritional status of people with a chronic mental illness was undertaken using standard anthropometric techniques. The weight and height of people with a chronic mental illness was not significantly different to the general Australian population. More than fifty percent of study participants were overweight or obese. Males with a chronic mental illness had lower levels of muscle mass than was expected. An exercise program incorporating principles of health promotion was developed in an attempt to improve the muscle mass of males and decrease the prevalence of overweight and obesity. This program was unable to be fully implemented due to barriers at the study site, including organisational communication problems, lack of consumer motivation, and the focus of mental health workers on mental health rather than physical health issues.
Dietary intake measurements were made using a multifaceted approach to increase reliability of the data obtained. Diet histories were used to estimate the nutrient intake of each participant. Weighed food intakes and the menu were also used to obtained dietary intake data for participants in congregate care. The average energy intake of males in the study group was 11 OOOkJ and of females was 9300kJ. Males with a chronic mental illness in congregate care consumed significantly more beta-carotene, sodium and percentage energy from fat, and less alcohol than males with a chronic mental illness residing in the community. Females residing in congregate care consumed significantly more energy, carbohydrate, fat, beta-carotene and sodium than females with a chronic mental illness residing in the community. Zinc and calcium were the limiting nutrients for males and females, although the probability of requirements not being fulfilled was small.
A menu intervention to decrease intake of energy, percentage energy from fat and saturated fat was implemented. Menu modification successfully demonstrated that an improved nutrient profile could be achieved, however simultaneous undesired changes in macronutrient and micronutrient profile also occurred. These unanticipated changes included a significant decrease in the consumption of dietary fibre, beta-carotene, riboflavin, niacin, iron and zinc.
The food skills of people with a chronic mental illness living in congregate care were significantly poorer than people residing in the community. Clear food skills deficits were identified by the Functional Needs Assessment - Nutritional Management Program (Dombrowski, 1990). There were no significant differences for food skills when gender comparisons were made. Comparisons by diagnosis revealed people with organic brain disorder had the lowest food skills. A food skills program was conducted using an individualised approach. This program demonstrated that food skills of people with a chronic mental illness could be improved providing they were motivated to participate.
The lack of food and nutrition policy for people with a mental illness was highlighted. It is recommended that such a policy be developed and implemented as a priority. A food and nutrition policy for this group could incorporate the Dietary Guidelines for Australians because direct evidence was obtained during this study to support their use in this group.
The lack of previous nutrition resources provided for people with a mental illness have manifested in the nutrition problems identified in this study. Multipronged and strategic approaches are required to resolve many of the nutrition problems of people with a chronic mental illness. To implement these approaches, it is recommended that nutrition services for people with a mental illness in the future should be provided both by nutrition specialists working in mainstream health services, and by nutrition specialists with knowledge and skills specific to mental health.
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Katona, Austin J. "Development and Validity of the Sports Food Literacy Assessment Tool for College Athletes." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1613732070104343.
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England, Clare. "Development of a brief evidence-based dietary assessment tool to promote healthy dietary change for people with Type 2 diabetes." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.683701.
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Background Individualised dietary advice is essential for management of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In the DK dietary advice is often delivered by health professionals with limited nutrition training. It is not clear which dietary changes are most beneficial for adults with T2DM. Tools are needed to assist in providing individualised dietary advice. The aim of this thesis was to develop a brief dietary assessment tool, for use in the DK, for people with T2DM. Methods A questionnaire was developed. Item development was infonned by analysis of food diaries from people with T2DM who took part in a dietary intervention and a systematic review of existing measures. Items were refined via a Delphi study and a final scale was produced. A pilot test-retest reliability study and a comparison with food diaries were conducted in people with, or at high risk of, T2DM. Results Participants in the intervention reported dietary changes that produced a modest reduction in energy intake. Men and women changed their diets differently, but both made changes that limited impact on household members. Observed associations between changes to macronutrients and metabolic outcomes were clinically insignificant. The Delphi panel favoured food frequency and meal patterning questions. The pilot suggested that the resulting questionnaire had excellent test-retest reliability and showed similar agreement with food diaries and brief questionnaires developed internationally. Conclusion Dietary advice should focus on changes that reduce energy intake. This study found this advice should focus on reducing snack foods, high-energy drinks and portion sizes. However, more research is needed into which changes have the most benefit and why people choose to make the changes that they do make. A brief dietary assessment tool has been developed which shows promising test-retest reliability and comparability with food diaries. Evaluation of the tool in clinical practice is warranted.
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Sillato, Copperstone Claire. "A novel dietary assessment tool and a feasibility study to improve sugar and water consumption in Maltese school children." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2013. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=202142.
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Obesity in children is a major public health concern in Malta with prevalence statistics placing 11-, 13- and 15- year old Maltese children at the top of the scale, when compared to other Westernised countries. Obtaining valid information on diets is therefore vital to improve aspects of dietary behaviour in this age group. The main aim of this project was to carry out a feasibility study to improve sugar and water intakes in Maltese school children using a validated dietary assessment tool, REALITYMALTA™. This is a novel internet-based tool originally developed at the Rowett Institute for Nutrition and Health (RINH) and further upgraded, by incorporating local food and drink, for use in Maltese school children aged 9-11 years. Comparative results obtained using the new tool and a one day 24-hr MPR showed non-significant differences between the two tools for sugars, NMES and water, suggesting that it can be used with reasonable confidence to measure these nutrients in Maltese school children. Focus groups carried out in the pre-intervention period guided towards the development of a combined educational and environmental feasibility study carried out for a 12-week period in three local state schools. Educational sessions for parents and children were held, an educational leaflet was distributed, and free bottled water was supplied to the participating classrooms in the intervention schools. Nutrient results comparing the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods using the REALITYMALTA™ tool showed a significant reduction in caloric intake and a decrease, although non-significant, in sugars and NMES consumption. There were no statistically significant changes for water consumption. These encouraging results could provide baseline information for a future full scale trial. Further development work of REALITYMALTA™ is required to ensure the active participation of all those involved and to successfully improve dietary behaviour and reduce obesity in Maltese school children.
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Lombard, Martani Johanni. "Development and validation of a dietary assessment tool to determine dietary intake of people living in oesophageal cancer risk areas in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10806.
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Rural areas in the Eastern Cape (EC) Province of South Africa have a high incidence of oesophageal cancer (OC). Amongst the known risk factors associated with the cancer is fumonisin exposure (a mycotoxin growing on maize), poor dietary habits and nutrient deficiencies. Little is known about the current dietary habits and nutrient intake of these people, and therefore maize consumption and fumonisins exposure.
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Cress, Eileen M., O. G. Wooliver, L. T. Evans, C. M. DePaoli, J. M. Stafford, and W. Andrew Clark. "Assessment Of Using A Life-Logging Wearable Camera As A Tool For Determining Dietary Intake In Free Living Non-Communicative Individuals." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2514.
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Dohna, Tina [Verfasser], Marc [Akademischer Betreuer] Kochzius, and Dietmar [Akademischer Betreuer] Blohm. "Molecular Tools for Species Identification and Population Assessment of Marine Organisms / Tina Dohna. Betreuer: Marc Kochzius. Gutachter: Marc Kochzius ; Dietmar Blohm." Bremen : Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Bremen, 2015. http://d-nb.info/1096391309/34.
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Hannan-Jones, Mary T. "Validation of a food behavior questionnaire for male blue collar workers." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 1994.
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During nutrition intervention programs, some form of dietary assessment is usually necessary. This dietary assessment can be for: initial screening; development of appropriate programs and activities; or, evaluation. Established methods of dietary assessment are not always practical, nor cost effective in such interventions, therefore an abbreviated dietary assessment tool is needed. The Queensland Nutrition Project developed such a tool for male Blue Collar Workers, the Food Behaviour Questionnaire, consisting of 27 food behaviour related questions. This tool has been validated in a sample of 23 men, through full dietary assessment obtained via food frequency questionnaires and 24 hour dietary recalls. Those questions which correlated poorly with the full dietary assessment were deleted from the tool. In all, 13 questions was all that was required to distinguish between high and low dietary intakes of particular nutrients. Three questions when combined had correlations with refined sugar between 0.617 and 0.730 (p<0.005); four questions when combined had correlations with dietary fibre as percentage of energy of 0.45 (p<0.05); five questions when combined had a correlation with total fat of 0.499 (p<0.05); and, 4 questions when combined had a correlation with saturated fat of between 0.451 and 0.589 (p<0.05). A significant correlation could not be found for food behaviour questions with respect to dietary sodium. Correlations for fat as a function of energy could not be found.
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Dobmeier, Harald [Verfasser], Dieter [Akademischer Betreuer] Hackfort, Dieter [Gutachter] Hackfort, and Andreas [Gutachter] Schlattmann. "Assessment einsatzspezifischer Handlungsentscheidungen von Soldatinnen und Soldaten (AMEHE) : Konzeption und Operationalisierung eines Tools zum Monitoring kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit in Belastungssituationen / Harald Dobmeier ; Gutachter: Dieter Hackfort, Andreas Schlattmann ; Akademischer Betreuer: Dieter Hackfort ; Universität der Bundeswehr München, Fakultät für Humanwissenschaften." Neubiberg : Universitätsbibliothek der Universität der Bundeswehr München, 2017. http://d-nb.info/1151048984/34.
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Dobmeier, Harald Verfasser], Dieter [Akademischer Betreuer] [Hackfort, Dieter [Gutachter] Hackfort, and Andreas [Gutachter] Schlattmann. "Assessment einsatzspezifischer Handlungsentscheidungen von Soldatinnen und Soldaten (AMEHE) : Konzeption und Operationalisierung eines Tools zum Monitoring kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit in Belastungssituationen / Harald Dobmeier ; Gutachter: Dieter Hackfort, Andreas Schlattmann ; Akademischer Betreuer: Dieter Hackfort ; Universität der Bundeswehr München, Fakultät für Humanwissenschaften." Neubiberg : Universitätsbibliothek der Universität der Bundeswehr München, 2017. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:706-5281.
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Liu, Hao [Verfasser], Dieter [Akademischer Betreuer] Hackfort, and Andreas [Akademischer Betreuer] Schlattmann. "Elaboration and Application of a Mental Test and Training System (MTTS) Tool in the Frame of Action-Theory-Based Mental Assessment and Training Approach / Hao Liu. Universität der Bundeswehr München, Fakultät für Pädagogik. Gutachter: Andreas Schlattmann. Betreuer: Dieter Hackfort." Neubiberg : Universitätsbibliothek der Universität der Bundeswehr, 2012. http://d-nb.info/1020491280/34.
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Bonilla, Irma Carolina. "Exploring Dietary Assessment Practices and Use of Electronic Dietary Assessment Tools in Team-Based Primary Care: A Mixed Methods Study." Thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10214/7462.
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In primary care (PC) health providers are delivering nutrition advice and counselling to patients. Yet, a number of challenges have been identified in conducting dietary assessment (DA). Electronic DA (e-DA) tools within mobile apps or websites can potentially facilitate DA in team-based PC. The objective of the study was to explore current DA practices and use of e-DA tools by various disciplines of health providers in Family Health Teams (FHTs) using a mixed-methods sequential design. Data collection included interdisciplinary focus groups (FGs) and a web-based survey. Fifty health providers from various disciplines participated in 11 FGs. Identified themes included: 1) Assessment of diet in an interdisciplinary fashion; 2) Improvement of patients’ eating habits with use of e-DA tools; 3) Support of health providers with use of e-DA tools; and, 4) Integration of e-DA tools into FHTs. One hundred and ninety-one health providers from 89 FHTs were included in the web-based survey. The two studies found that most providers offer a DA very frequently with diverse DA methods. The use of e-DA tools by health providers and patients is still low, although registered dietitians significantly use more e-DA tools than other health providers. There was high interest among all disciplines in the use of e-DA tools for the management of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, especially for patient self-monitoring. Several recommendations were suggested to facilitate uptake of e-DA tools into practice.Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC). Primary Health Care Transition Fund.
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Fongar, Andrea. "Measuring nutrition: Comparing different nutritional assessment tools and analyzing intra-household inequality in rural Kenya." Doctoral thesis, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-1735-0000-002E-E41B-9.
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Rodriguez, Leslie M. "The development and pilot testing of a culturally appropriate dietary assessment tool for Latino adolescents." 2004. http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga%5Fetd/rodriguez%5Fleslie%5Fm%5F200412%5Fma.
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Giesbrecht, Heather. "Laying the groundwork for prenatal dietary assessment research among First Nations women at risk for alcohol use: Implications for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder." 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/30682.
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a health concern that is over-represented among First Nations peoples. Optimal prenatal nutrition plays a role in the severity of FASD. Prenatal nutrition as it relates to fetal brain development and fetal alcohol exposure is an under-researched area, especially among pregnant First Nations women. Finding current dietary intake patterns of pregnant women who drink alcohol could lead to developing a nutrition provision strategy. However, there is no appropriate dietary assessment research tool that is specific to this population. This study aims to develop an effective, culturally appropriate and interactive dietary assessment research tool using participatory methods to engage with women and communities in the process. We used community health priorities forums, information sessions, volunteering, collaboration with programs, and a trauma-informed approach as methods to engage with pregnant women. To develop the research tool, top sources of fetal brain development nutrients were determined for the food frequency component, several prenatal health workers reviewed the tool, and a pre-test with 20 pregnant women of the target population was completed. Pre-test results show the tool is being well-received. All of this ground work will help pave a path for further prenatal nutrition research with First Nations women. This research will inform programs and policies which strive to improve food and nutrition security and reduce the severity of FASD.October 2015
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Burrows, Tracy. "Food intake and behaviours in overweight children: development of an assessment tool and the impact of a dietary intervention." Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/32067.
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Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian children continues to rise. Without receiving treatment, many of these children will become overweight or obese adults and will develop a range of associated health problems and incur higher direct and indirect health costs compared to those who remain healthy weight. There is marked disparity between the scale of the public health issue and the evidence on how to best treat childhood obesity and which elements of dietary interventions are effective. Reviews of previous treatment studies have acknowledged methodological weaknesses which need to be addressed. Descriptions of dietary interventions, dietary intake and changes in dietary intake of children are rarely reported. This may be partly due to the lack of validated assessment tools available for use with paediatric populations. There is no question of the importance of diet in helping to reduce child obesity levels; the role of dietary treatment alone is difficult to elucidate. Consequently it is unknown what comprises an effective dietary treatment as studies to date have produced modest results and there is an ongoing need to identify which factors could improve weight related outcomes. The first aim of the studies in this thesis was to validate parental reports of young children’s fruit and vegetable intake using a child specific Australian food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and comparing reported intakes with nutritional biomarkers. The second aim was to comprehensively describe a dietary intervention treatment program for use in a methodologically high quality obesity treatment randomised controlled trial (RCT). Thirdly, this thesis aimed to describe the parental reports of the child participants’ dietary intakes and food behaviours using the FFQ and report the parent child feeding practices. These outcome measures are reported both in the short-term (post-intervention) and the long-term (12 months post-intervention). The underlying hypothesis was that the group receiving the dietary intervention would achieve better dietary outcomes compared with a group given a physical activity treatment program only. An additional aim of the thesis was to investigate the feasibility of developing a brief dietary intake assessment tool for use in clinical and community settings by undertakinga feasibility study on the development of a diet variety score for use in assessing children’s dietary intakes. Results from the validation study of a child specific FFQ against objective nutritional biomarkers in study 1 (Chapter 3) showed that there was a moderately strong relationship between parent reported intakes of fruit and vegetables using the Australian Schools Eating Survey (ASES) FFQ with fasting plasma carotenoids. This was after adjustment for child body weight. The ASES FFQ was a useful tool for estimating the dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables in younger children via parental report. A comparative study (Chapter 4) between overweight and obese children recruited to an obesity treatment intervention and a community sample illustrated that all parents’ over-report children’s dietary intakes of foods consumed when using the ASES FFQ. Relative dietary differences were detected between the groups for the percentage energy derived from the non-core extras food group of The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Parents of overweight children reported more controlling methods of child feeding The detailed description of the dietary intervention used in the RCT will allow for the possibility of replication of the key elements of this approach in child obesity treatment programs. The detailed reported changes in dietary intakes resulting from the obesity treatment intervention (Chapter 5), both in the short and long-term, demonstrated that all treatment groups were effective in improving children’s dietary intakes and in reducing total energy intakes, up to one year. The comprehensive reports have facilitated the identification of effective components of dietary interventions and identified foods, lifestyle behaviours that are able to be modified and sustained by families of overweight children. In addition, it was shown that a parent’s child feeding practices can be changed and sustained secondary to an obesity treatment program. While parent child feeding practices require further investigation, this could contribute to improving the outcomes of future studies. The dietary score feasibility study (Chapter 6), found that a dietary variety score, based on the ASES FFQ was a feasible option for reporting on children’s dietary intake more universally as an indicator of whole food consumption, rather than nutrient intake. However, the score was not directly useful in the current study and the diet variety scorehas methodological weaknesses that need to be addressed before it can be used as intended. In conclusion, the findings reported in this thesis have shown the ASES FFQ is a useful tool for estimating younger children’s fruit and vegetable intake via parental report. All treatment arms of the HIKCUPS RCT were equally efficacious in improving children’s dietary intakes. This study gives unique insights to the effectiveness of a specific dietary intervention and adds to the evidence base for targeting decreases in total energy, fat, sugar, sweetened drinks and take-away foods, increasing the consumption of low fat dairy products and vegetables. It also supports using parents as the agent of lifestyle change. Furthermore, it was shown that specific child feeding domains are modifiable in the context of a targeted obesity intervention which highlights the importance of addressing broader parenting issues in the management of childhood overweight and obesity. This thesis has several novel aspects: it reports a comparative validation study of a contemporary Australian FFQ; it provides a detailed description of a dietary intervention used in the treatment of childhood obesity and the resultant dietary changes after an obesity intervention and changes to the child feeding practices of parents of obese children.
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Burrows, Tracy. "Food intake and behaviours in overweight children: development of an assessment tool and the impact of a dietary intervention." 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/32067.
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Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian children continues to rise. Without receiving treatment, many of these children will become overweight or obese adults and will develop a range of associated health problems and incur higher direct and indirect health costs compared to those who remain healthy weight. There is marked disparity between the scale of the public health issue and the evidence on how to best treat childhood obesity and which elements of dietary interventions are effective. Reviews of previous treatment studies have acknowledged methodological weaknesses which need to be addressed. Descriptions of dietary interventions, dietary intake and changes in dietary intake of children are rarely reported. This may be partly due to the lack of validated assessment tools available for use with paediatric populations. There is no question of the importance of diet in helping to reduce child obesity levels; the role of dietary treatment alone is difficult to elucidate. Consequently it is unknown what comprises an effective dietary treatment as studies to date have produced modest results and there is an ongoing need to identify which factors could improve weight related outcomes. The first aim of the studies in this thesis was to validate parental reports of young children’s fruit and vegetable intake using a child specific Australian food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and comparing reported intakes with nutritional biomarkers. The second aim was to comprehensively describe a dietary intervention treatment program for use in a methodologically high quality obesity treatment randomised controlled trial (RCT). Thirdly, this thesis aimed to describe the parental reports of the child participants’ dietary intakes and food behaviours using the FFQ and report the parent child feeding practices. These outcome measures are reported both in the short-term (post-intervention) and the long-term (12 months post-intervention). The underlying hypothesis was that the group receiving the dietary intervention would achieve better dietary outcomes compared with a group given a physical activity treatment program only. An additional aim of the thesis was to investigate the feasibility of developing a brief dietary intake assessment tool for use in clinical and community settings by undertakinga feasibility study on the development of a diet variety score for use in assessing children’s dietary intakes. Results from the validation study of a child specific FFQ against objective nutritional biomarkers in study 1 (Chapter 3) showed that there was a moderately strong relationship between parent reported intakes of fruit and vegetables using the Australian Schools Eating Survey (ASES) FFQ with fasting plasma carotenoids. This was after adjustment for child body weight. The ASES FFQ was a useful tool for estimating the dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables in younger children via parental report. A comparative study (Chapter 4) between overweight and obese children recruited to an obesity treatment intervention and a community sample illustrated that all parents’ over-report children’s dietary intakes of foods consumed when using the ASES FFQ. Relative dietary differences were detected between the groups for the percentage energy derived from the non-core extras food group of The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Parents of overweight children reported more controlling methods of child feeding The detailed description of the dietary intervention used in the RCT will allow for the possibility of replication of the key elements of this approach in child obesity treatment programs. The detailed reported changes in dietary intakes resulting from the obesity treatment intervention (Chapter 5), both in the short and long-term, demonstrated that all treatment groups were effective in improving children’s dietary intakes and in reducing total energy intakes, up to one year. The comprehensive reports have facilitated the identification of effective components of dietary interventions and identified foods, lifestyle behaviours that are able to be modified and sustained by families of overweight children. In addition, it was shown that a parent’s child feeding practices can be changed and sustained secondary to an obesity treatment program. While parent child feeding practices require further investigation, this could contribute to improving the outcomes of future studies. The dietary score feasibility study (Chapter 6), found that a dietary variety score, based on the ASES FFQ was a feasible option for reporting on children’s dietary intake more universally as an indicator of whole food consumption, rather than nutrient intake. However, the score was not directly useful in the current study and the diet variety scorehas methodological weaknesses that need to be addressed before it can be used as intended. In conclusion, the findings reported in this thesis have shown the ASES FFQ is a useful tool for estimating younger children’s fruit and vegetable intake via parental report. All treatment arms of the HIKCUPS RCT were equally efficacious in improving children’s dietary intakes. This study gives unique insights to the effectiveness of a specific dietary intervention and adds to the evidence base for targeting decreases in total energy, fat, sugar, sweetened drinks and take-away foods, increasing the consumption of low fat dairy products and vegetables. It also supports using parents as the agent of lifestyle change. Furthermore, it was shown that specific child feeding domains are modifiable in the context of a targeted obesity intervention which highlights the importance of addressing broader parenting issues in the management of childhood overweight and obesity. This thesis has several novel aspects: it reports a comparative validation study of a contemporary Australian FFQ; it provides a detailed description of a dietary intervention used in the treatment of childhood obesity and the resultant dietary changes after an obesity intervention and changes to the child feeding practices of parents of obese children.