Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Foot Score'

Rationale Gestational age is a strong determinant of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Early obstetric ultrasound is the clinical reference standard, but is not widely available in many developing countries. There is a well recognised need to identify reliable and simple methods of postnatal gestational age estimation. Methods A prospectively designed methods comparison study in a tertiary referral hospital in a developing country. Early ultrasound (<20 weeks) was the clinical reference standard. Methods evaluated included anthropometric measurements (including foot-length), vascularity of the anterior lens, the New Ballard Score and Last Menstrual Period. Clinicians' non-structured global impression “End of Bed” Assessment was also evaluated. Results 106 babies were included in the study. Median age at birth was 34 weeks (IQR 29-36). Ballard Score and “End of Bed” Assessment had a mean bias of -0.14 and 0.06 weeks respectively but wide 95% limits of agreement. The physical component of the Ballard score, the total Ballard score and Foot-length's ability to discriminate between term and preterm infants gave an AUROC of 0.97, 0.96 and 0.95 respectively. Discussion Although “End of Bed” Assessment and Ballard score had small mean biases, the wide confidence intervals render the methods irrelevant in clinical practice. Foot-length was particularly poor in Small for Gestational Age infants. None of the methods studied were superior to a non-structured clinician's informal “End of Bed” Assessment. Conclusion None of the methods studied met the a priori definition of clinical usefulness. Improving access to early ultrasound remains a priority. Instead of focusing on chronological accuracy, future research should compare the ability of early ultrasound and Ballard score to predict morbidity and mortality.

Introduction: Achilles tendinopathy can be a chronic disabling condition. Sclerosing injections under ultrasonographic guidance is one method to treat Achilles tendinopathy. Initially good results have later been questioned. Surgery is another treatment option that has been questioned because of varying reported success rate. Aim: We aimed to assess patient- reported outcome in patients suffering from Achilles tendinopathy, treated with sclerosing injections and/or surgery during a 6 ½ year- period. Method: After review of patient records, the Self-reported foot and ankle score (SEFAS) together with an in-house satisfaction questionnaire were mailed to the patients. A SEFAS score of 48 represents normal foot/ankle function. Results: 97 patients (53 women, 44 men, 104 tendons) were included. 69 patients (41 women, 28 men, 75 tendons) returned the questionnaires. The SEFAS values (median and range) were 37.5 (13-48) in patients treated with sclerosing therapy, 42 (15-48) in patients treated surgically and 47 (19-48) in patients that received both treatments. A greater proportion of surgically treated patients were satisfied (90% vs 50%), experienced symptom improvement and were able to return to the previous level of activity. Complications following surgery were wound infections (n=3) and deep vein thrombosis (n=3), two with pulmonary embolism. Following sclerosing injection, there was one complete Achilles tendon rupture. Conclusion: Sclerosing injections seems to be a safe treatment and a positive outcome in 50% of patients might be sufficient to use this therapy in selected patients with Achilles tendinopathy. However, surgical treatments seem more effective but are associated with more severe complications.

At times called a philosophy and other times called a process, cutting score methodology is an issue routinely encountered by Industrial/Organizational (I/0) psychologists. Published literature on cutting score methodology appears much more frequently in academic settings than it does in personnel settings where the potential for lawsuits typically occurs more often. With the passage of the 1991 Civil Rights Act, it is no longer legal to use within-group scoring. It has now become necessary for personnel psychologists to develop more acceptable selection methods that fall within established guidelines. Designating cutoff scores with the Angoff method appears to suit many requirements of personnel departments. Several procedures have evolved that suggest enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the Angoff method is possible. The current experiment investigated several such procedures, and found that rater accuracy methods significantly enhance cutoff score reliability and accuracy.

While obesity is a world leading health problem, the most efficient treatment option for severely obese patients is Roux-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. However, there are large inter-individual differences in weight loss after RYGB surgery. The reasons for this are not yet elucidated and the role of genetics in weight loss-regulation is still not fully understood. The main aim for this thesis was to investigate the effects of common obesity-associated genetic variants and their effect on weight loss and food intake. We examined if the weight loss two years following RYGB surgery depends on the  FTO genotype, as well as pre-surgery vitamin D status. For FTO AA-carriers, the surgery resulted in a 3% per-allele increased excess BMI loss (EBMIL; P=0.02). When split by vitamin D baseline status, the EBMIL of vitamin D deficient patients carrying AA exceeded that of vitamin D deficient patients carrying TT by 14% (P=0.03). No such genotypic differences were found in patients without pre-surgery vitamin D deficiency. As the influence of individual single nucleotide polymorphisms may be small, we identified a novel method to combine SNPs into a genetic risk score (GRS). Using the random forest model, SNPs with high impact on weight loss after RYGB surgery were filtered out. An up to 11% lower EBMIL with higher risk score was estimated for the GRS model (p=0.026) composed of seven BMI-associated SNPs (closest genes: MC4R, TMEM160, PTBP2, NUDT3, TFAP2B, ZNF608 and MAP2K5). Pre-surgical hunger feelings were found to be associated with EBMIL and the SNP rs4846567. Before surgery, patients filled out the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and were genotyped for known BMI and waist-hip ratio (WHR) associated SNPs. Patients with the lowest hunger scores had up to 32% greater EBMIL compared to the highest scoring patients (P=0.002). TT-allele carriers of rs4846567 showed a 58% lower hunger feelings. TT- carriers also showed a 51% decrease in disinhibition, but no significant impact on cognitive restraint was observed. Due to the association of eating behaviour and weight loss, acute effects on DNA methylation in response to a food intake intervention of a standardized meal were also investigated. After food intake, 1832 CpG sites were differentially methylated compared to the baseline after multiple testing correction. When adjusted for white blood cell fractions, 541 CpG sites remained. This may be interpreted as that the immune system is playing an active role in the response to food intake and highlights the dynamic nature of DNA-methylation. These findings will contribute to a better care for morbidly obese patients. Post-surgical treatment may be optimized so that patients with a less favourable genetic profile may receive additional support for weight loss and weight management. This may be considered as a step in the transition towards personalized medicine.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a meal supplement fortified with micronutrients would, statistically, significantly improve the intelligence scores of Grade 3 and 4 learners. The data collection procedures in this study took the form of a pre-test – post-test control group design. The Paper and Pencil Games (PPG) Level 3, a standardised psychological test, was administered before and after the respondents were exposed to the meal supplements. For a treatment period of 16 weeks the experimental group received the meal supplement fortified with micronutrients and the control group the meal supplement without any added micronutrients. Data analysis took the form of statistical analysis to determine whether the meal supplements consumed by those in the experimental group could significantly contribute to improving their intelligence scores. The results indicated statistically significant increases in scores, between the pretest and post-test on the various scales of the PPG, of both the experimental and control group on the one hand, but no statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups on the post-test on the other. The null hypothesis that there are no (statistically significant) differences between the average post-test scores (V, NV, and T) of the experimental and control groups could not be rejected. However, the increase between the pre-test and post-test stanine scores of the two treatment groups has led to recommendations for further research. Copyright
Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
Educational Psychology
unrestricted

In 2006, India began formally reconstructing its national food safety policy, subsuming over seven laws and agencies into a single streamlined regulatory authority. This moment of reform offers a "most likely" test case for theories of global policy convergence. Scholars across multiple fields predict that national politics are becoming more similar over time. Those predictions are especially strong in the field of food safety policy, as the WTO now mandates that member states align with an encyclopedic policy resource called the Codex Alimentarius. The dissertation asks whether, how, and why we see both global pressures for and actual evidence of convergence in the Indian case. I ask if the details of the case map onto the prevailing account in sociology, which predicts convergence as a result of spreading political culture; the sociology of food's broad predictions of both convergence and low political autonomy vis a vis global trade mandates; or the prevailing account in political science, which sees domestic regulatory change as a result of global competitions for consumer markets. I find very limited convergence in the Indian case, mostly limited to a nascent movement toward norms of "science-based" regulation. I also find that theories of regulatory competition best explain why India has converged to the extent it has, though the case suggests new causal mechanisms whereby trade agreements and economic competition generate regulatory change.

Veterinary drugs and growth promoters are a part of many chemical hazards that can be found in the modern food chain, and they pose risks to human health such as antimicrobial resistance. The presence of these drug residues increased with intensive farming practices and is an issue of global concern. Food safety authorities around the world establish control programs by scientifically assessing the risk for each drug and set maximum levels for each drug in various matrices. The testing laboratories and analytical methods to test samples from food and feed chain form the core of such programs and provide evidence for regulatory authorities to take decisions. In the drug residue testing, there is a need for improved methods of testing that can provide high selectivity, high throughput, robustness and affordability. In that sense, one main goal of this thesis was to develop analytical methodologies for various families of veterinary drugs and growth promoters in feed, food and biological samples from food producing animals. First three chapters form the introduction of this thesis. Chapter 1 provides an overview on food safety hazards, food safety authorities, legislations for control of veterinary drugs and growth promoters and the role of analytical laboratories in the control program. Chapter 2 covers sample preparation techniques and the typically used chromatographic (LC) and detection (MS) techniques for drug residue testing. Chapter 3 reviews various applications in literature and focus on trends in developing analytical methodologies for food safety testing which move in the direction of comprehensive analysis of samples owing to very high number of contaminants and increasing number of unknown contaminants. Chapter 4 presents a method developed and validated for analyzing eight sulphonamides in six types of feed based on liquid chromatography (LC) and ultraviolet detection. Chapter 5 presents the results from a systematic study of various hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) stationary phases for analysis of aminoglycosides and also reports two analytical methods based on HILIC- tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for analysis of ten aminoglycosides in honey and animal kidney samples. This work was carried out in collaboration with laboratory of Agencia Salut Publica de Barcelona (ASPB) and the methods were validated according to Decision 2002/657/EC and implemented for routine analysis of samples in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17025: 2005. The laboratory of ASPB acquired an LC- high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) instrument and in order to incorporate the instrument for routine targeted analysis, an exploration of various parameters of the equipment was necessary. In that sense, a systematic study to explore various modes of acquisition has been conducted and a method to analyze nine hormones in urine has been transferred to HRMS and is reported in Chapter 6. Gaining understanding about the functioning of the instrument, an improved method to analyze aminoglycosides based on HRMS was developed and reported in Chapter 5.4. Moreover, the LC- HRMS instrument with quadrupole-orbitrap hybrid analyzer has been incorporated in the laboratory for resolving ambiguous test results. A case study of resolving a false positive result from the analysis of ronidazole in meat was presented in Chapter 7. This case study highlights the pitfalls with low resolution mass spectrometry and existing confirmation criteria for identification with mass spectrometric detection. The HRMS in food safety testing for comprehensive analysis of samples, a non targeted screening workflow using various HRMS data mining and analysis tools have been developed and presented in Chapter 8. At the end of this thesis, conclusions and outlook are presented followed by a list of bibliographic literature.
Los medicamentos veterinarios y promotores del crecimiento forman parte de los muchos peligros químicos que se pueden encontrar en la cadena alimentaria moderna. Estos pueden representar un riesgo para la salud humana puesto que están relacionados con la aparición de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos. La presencia de estos residuos de medicamentos ha aumentado debido a las prácticas de agricultura intensiva y es un tema de preocupación global. Las autoridades de seguridad alimentaria establecen programas de control mediante la evaluación científica del riesgo de cada medicamento, y también establecen los niveles máximos de cada medicamento en diversas matrices. Los laboratorios de ensayo y métodos analíticos para analizar muestras de alimentos y piensos forman el núcleo de este tipo de programas y proporcionan evidencias a las autoridades reguladoras en su toma de decisiones. En el campo de análisis de residuos, existe una necesidad de mejorar los métodos de análisis para que puedan proporcionar una alta selectividad, alto rendimiento, elevada robustez y razonable asequibilidad. En ese sentido, el objetivo principal de esta tesis fue el desarrollo de metodologías analíticas para varias familias de fármacos de uso veterinario y promotores del crecimiento en piensos, alimentos y muestras biológicas de los animales que producen alimentos. Los primeros tres capítulos son la introducción de esta tesis. El Capítulo 4 presenta un método desarrollado y validado para el análisis de ocho sulfonamidas en seis tipos de piensos mediante cromatografía de líquidos (LC) y detección ultravioleta. El Capítulo 5 presenta los resultados de un estudio sistemático de diferentes fases estacionarias de cromatografía de interacción hidrófila (HILIC) para el análisis de aminoglucósidos y también reporta dos métodos analíticos basados en espectrometría de masas en tándem acoplada a HILIC para el análisis de diez aminoglucósidos en muestras de riñón de animales y miel. Un estudio sistemático para explorar distintos modos de adquisición en un instrumento de espectrometría de masas de alta resolución (HRMS, Q-Orbitrap) acoplada a cromatografía líquida y un método para analizar nueve hormonas en orina se detalla en el capítulo 6. Un método mejorado para analizar los aminoglucósidos basado en HRMS fue desarrollado y se presenta en el Capítulo 5.4. Un estudio de un caso práctico sobre la resolución de un resultado falso positivo en análisis de ronidazol en carne se presenta en el Capítulo 7. Se ha desarrollado un workflow de análisis non targeted utilizando diversas herramientas de minería de datos y de análisis, que se ha aplicado a una muestra de sedimento y presentado en el capítulo 8.

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is an important public health problem in Brazil, affecting a large proportion of the Brazilian adult population and its control is closely related to adequate nutrition. From this perspective, it becomes important to know the food habits of the population. Among the possibilities of dietary assessment, we have the Score Method that allows a simple and differentiated analysis of the food standard, since it has the advantage of enabling statistical analyzes to evaluate the quality of the diet and thus make associations with the explanatory variables related to Eating habits, as well as characterize the food pattern from food groups of interest to the research. Based on this, the objective of this study was to evaluate food consumption through the scores method. Thus, it presents two articles: a systematic review of the literature, the studies that used the method of scores to evaluate food consumption presenting a discussion about the method from the perspective of evaluation of the food standard of the population, and an article referring to a cross-sectional study Of population base carried out in the period from 2013 to 2016, with 655 adults from the State of Alagoas, with SAH, of both sexes. In this study, food intake was analyzed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for hypertensive and diabetic patients from Maceió, Alagoas. The FFQ was evaluated using the scores method adapted according to the food guide for the Brazilian population in the definition of protective food groups and predictors of cardiovascular risk. Through this research, it was possible to observe that the consumption of ultraprocessed food products/greater predictors of cardiovascular risk by hypertensive individuals was higher in sedentary individuals. There was a positive correlation between the consumption score of the processed food products group with high cholesterol levels and negative correlation with age. The consumption of the ultraprocessed group had a positive correlation with the sedentary lifestyle. The in natura/minimally processed food group was more consumed by hypertensive individuals. It is noteworthy that a significant portion of the study population presented several risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. It was concluded that the correlation between the consumption of processed/ultraprocessed food products with sedentary lifestyle, age and high serum cholesterol levels.
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
A hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) é um importante problema de saúde pública no Brasil, atingindo uma grande proporção da população adulta brasileira e seu controle está estreitamente relacionado com uma alimentação adequada. Diante desta perspectiva, torna-se importante conhecer os hábitos alimentares da população. Em meio às possibilidades de avaliação dietética, tem-se o Método dos Escores que permite uma análise simples e diferenciada do padrão alimentar, pois apresenta a vantagem de possibilitar análises estatísticas para avaliação da qualidade da dieta e assim fazer associações com as variáveis explicativas relacionadas aos hábitos alimentares, bem como caracterizar o padrão alimentar a partir de grupos alimentares de interesse da pesquisa. Com base nisso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o consumo de alimentos através do método dos escores. Assim, apresenta dois artigos: uma revisão sistemática da literatura, dos estudos que utilizaram o método dos escores para avaliar o consumo alimentar apresentando uma discussão sobre o método na perspectiva de avaliação do padrão alimentar da população, e, um artigo referente a um estudo transversal de base populacional realizado no período 2013 a 2016, com 655 adultos do Estado de Alagoas, portadores de HAS, de ambos os sexos. Neste estudo, o consumo alimentar foi analisado utilizando um questionário de frequência alimentar (QFA) validado para hipertensos e diabéticos de Maceió, Alagoas. O QFA foi avaliado pelo método dos escores adaptado segundo o guia alimentar para população brasileira na definição dos grupos alimentares protetores e preditores de risco cardiovascular. Através desta pesquisa, foi possível observar que o consumo de produtos alimentícios ultraprocessados/maiores preditores de risco cardiovascular pelos hipertensos foi mais elevado em indivíduos sedentários. Observou-se correlação positiva entre o escore de consumo do grupo de produtos alimentícios processados com os níveis de colesterol elevado e correlação negativa com a idade. O consumo do grupo dos ultraprocessados teve correlação positiva com o sedentarismo. O grupo dos alimentos in natura/minimamente processados foi mais consumido pelos hipertensos. Destaca-se que uma parcela importante da população estudada apresentou vários fatores de risco para doenças cardiovasculares. Concluiu-se que a correlação entre o consumo de produtos alimentícios processados/ultraprocessados com sedentarismo, idade e níveis séricos de colesterol elevado.

En France, le goûter est une habitude fréquente chez les enfants qui se caractérise généralement par la consommation d’aliments gras, sucrés et riches en énergie. Si les comportements alimentaires restent flexibles et peuvent évoluer tout au long de la vie, ils sont déjà fortement établis dès l’enfance. Dans ce contexte, améliorer les habitudes alimentaires en matière de goûter semble primordiale. L’objectif de cette thèse est donc d’évaluer l’efficacité de leviers visant à favoriser des choix de goûters favorables à la santé au sein du binôme mère-enfant. Une première expérimentation a été conduite de façon à évaluer l’impact du système d’étiquetage nutritionnel Nutri-Score sur la qualité nutritionnelle et sur l’appréciation des goûters choisis au sein du binôme mère-enfant. Les résultats soulignent une amélioration de la qualité nutritionnelle des goûters choisis par les participants pour eux-mêmes et pour l’autre membre du binôme à la suite de l’étiquetage des aliments avec le logo Nutri-Score. Cette amélioration s’accompagne toutefois d’une diminution de l’appréciation à l’égard des goûters choisis par les enfants et par les mères. Une deuxième expérimentation a été menée de façon à évaluer l’efficacité d’une intervention hédonique conduite au domicile mobilisant trois dimensions du plaisir alimentaire (sensorielle, interpersonnelle et psychosociale) pour stimuler la consommation d’aliments sains sur la qualité nutritionnelle des goûters choisis au laboratoire au sein du binôme mère-enfant. Cette intervention a également été testée sur différents indicateurs caractérisant la composition nutritionnelle des goûters consommés au domicile par les enfants. Si l’intervention n’a pas permis d’améliorer la qualité nutritionnelle des goûters choisis au laboratoire par les enfants et leur mère, elle a réduit la charge énergétique des goûters consommés au domicile par les enfants. Cette réduction serait due à une diminution des quantités consommées. Les résultats obtenus dans le cadre de ce travail pourraient fournir des pistes de réflexion à destination des autorités publiques chargées de la communication et des recommandations en matière d’alimentation chez les enfants
In France, the midafternoon snack is a frequent habit among children usually characterized by the consumption of fatty, sweet and high-energy-dense foods. If eating behaviours remain flexible and can evolve throughout the life, they are already strongly established during childhood. In this context, improve food habits in terms of midafternoon snack seem important. The thesis aim was therefore to assess the effectiveness of levers aimed at promoting healthy snack choices within mother-child dyads. A first experiment was conducted in order to assess the impact of a nutritional labelling system, the Nutri-Score, on the nutritional quality and on the liking of the snacks chosen within mother-child dyads. The results showed an improvement in the nutritional quality of midafternoon snacks chosen by the participants for themselves and for the other dyad member after labelling with the Nutri-Score. This improvement is accompanied by a decrease in the liking of the snacks chosen by children and mothers. A second experiment was conducted in order to assess the impact of a pleasure-based intervention conducted at home and mobilizing three dimensions of pleasure from eating (sensory, interpersonal and psychosocial) and on the nutritional quality of midafternoon snacks chosen in the laboratory in mother-child dyads. This intervention was also tested on different variables characterizing the nutritional composition of the midafternoon snack consumed at home by children. If the intervention did not improve the nutritional quality of the snacks chosen by the children and their mother in the laboratory, it reduced the energy content of snacks consumed at home by the children. This reduction would be due to a decrease in the quantities consumed. Results obtained in the context of this work could provide guidance for public authorities responsible for communication and recommendation on child nutrition

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
In Brazil, as well as in many developing countries, hunger and malnutrition affect a large portion of population. In children, this situation can determine important consequences for the rest of their lives, from both organic and intellectual point of view. But how to ensure adequate food in a world scenario where a sixth of humanity still can not feed themselves in dignity? Among Brazilian Governmental Programs currently in existence, the Brazilian National School Feeding Program - BNSFP stands out for its coverage of the most vulnerable age groups and by combining the fight against both hunger and school drop-out. Due to low financial resources, inclusion of low-cost alternative food has been promoted as a promising strategy. However, the real assessment of the nutritional power of these foods still requires further investigation. Thus, researches that evaluate the inclusion of alternative food supply by the BNSFP should consider not only the economic aspect and acceptance by aimed populations, but the intrinsic nutritional value of the food used. In this context, besides the macronutrient and energy profile, the importance of the amino acid score in the food provided has received prominence in world literature, especially in pediatric patients. In this study, two low cost agro industrial by-products, soybean protein concentrate and broken rice, were used in the formulation of a "mix" with high protein content and amino acid balance appropriate to the high nutritional requirements of growing children. This "mix" was used in food preparations, "Sweet Cookies", of different flavors with great approval by the group of children studied. The experimental foods were added to the school feeding determining significant changes in body composition of participating children: increments in lean mass and decrease in fat mass, especially among children with nutritional problems. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that even being considered the limiting amino acid, lysine present in cooked rice has a high metabolic availability. This finding was made possible by the indicator of amino acid oxidation technique, which had already been previously used for this purpose, but only in the assessment of amino acids of isolated protein sources.
No Brasil, assim com em muitos Países em desenvolvimento, a fome e a desnutrição afetam uma grande parcela da população. Nas crianças, essa situação pode determinar seqüelas importantes para o resto de suas vidas, tanto sob o ponto de vista orgânico quanto intelectual. Mas como garantir uma alimentação adequada em um cenário mundial onde um sexto da humanidade ainda não consegue se alimentar de forma digna? Dentre os Programas Governamentais Brasileiros atualmente existentes, o Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar PNAE destaca-se pela abrangência das faixas etárias mais vulneráveis e por aliar o combate à fome e à evasão escolar. Devido aos recursos financeiros disponibilizados, a inclusão de alimentos alternativos de baixo custo tem sido promovida como estratégia promissora. No entanto, a real avaliação do poder nutricional destes alimentos ainda carece de investigações. Assim, pesquisas que avaliam a inclusão de alimentação alternativa no PNAE devem considerar não só o aspecto econômico e de aceitação sensorial pelas populações alvo, mas os aspectos nutricionais intrínsecos dos alimentos utilizados. Neste contexto, além do perfil calórico e de macronutrientes, a importância do escore aminoacídico presente no alimento ofertado tem recebido destaque na literatura mundial, principalmente na faixa etária pediátrica. Neste estudo, dois co-produtos agroindustriais de baixo custo, concentrado protéico de soja e quirera de arroz, foram utilizados na formulação de um mix altamente protéico e com balanço aminoacídico adequado aos requerimentos nutricionais infantis. Este mix foi utilizado em preparações alimentares, bolinhos doces , de diferentes sabores com grande aprovação pelo grupo de crianças em estudo. Os alimentos experimentais foram suplementados à alimentação escolar determinando alterações significativas na composição corporal das crianças estudadas: aumento da massa magra e redução da massa gorda, principalmente entre as crianças com desvios nutricionais. Além disto, este estudo demonstrou que, mesmo sendo considerado o aminoácido limitante, a lisina presente no arroz cozido apresenta elevada disponibilidade metabólica. Esta constatação só foi possível através da técnica do indicador de oxidação de aminoácidos, até então utilizada na avaliação de biodisponibilidade aminoacídica de fontes protéicas isoladas.

INTRODUÇÃO: Programas de transferência de renda começaram a ser implantados no Brasil em 1990, foram gradativamente expandidos até 2003 e, a partir de então, foram integrados no Programa Bolsa Família. As avaliações de impacto dos programas de transferência de renda sobre alimentação dos beneficiários brasileiros são escassas e não apresentam resultados consistentes. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto do Programa Bolsa Família (doravante denominado programa) sobre a aquisição de alimentos em famílias de baixa renda no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados dados da Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares realizada em 2008-09 em uma amostra probabilística de 55.970 domicílios brasileiros. Esta pesquisa coletou em cada domicílio dados relativos à quantidade e custo de todas as aquisições de alimentos e bebidas realizadas em um período de sete dias consecutivos. O valor per capita do gasto semanal e da energia diária, relativos a cada item alimentar, foram calculados. A avaliação de impacto foi realizada para o conjunto dos domicílios de baixa renda (com renda per capita inferior a R$210,00) e, separadamente, para os domicílios deste conjunto com renda superior e inferior à mediana, doravante denominados, respectivamente, domicílios pobres e extremamente pobres. O impacto do programa sobre a aquisição de alimentos foi estabelecido comparando-se indicadores da aquisição de alimentos entre domicílios beneficiados e não beneficiados pelo programa, que foram agrupados em blocos e pareados com base no escore de propensão de cada domicílio possuir moradores beneficiários. Pelo método do pareamento com escore de propensão criaram-se blocos de domicílios beneficiados e não beneficiados pelo programa homogêneos com relação a um grande elenco de potenciais variáveis de confundimento para a associação entre a condição de participar do programa e a aquisição domiciliar de alimentos. Os indicadores da aquisição de alimentos utilizados incluíram o gasto com a aquisição de alimentos e a quantidade de alimentos adquirida ou sua disponibilidade. Os valores per capita do montante gasto em reais e da disponibilidade em energia foram comparados levando-se em conta o conjunto dos itens alimentares e três grupos criados com base na extensão e propósito do processamento industrial a que o item alimentar foi submetido: alimentos in natura ou minimamente processados, ingredientes culinários processados e produtos prontos para consumo (processados ou ultraprocessados). O significado estatístico das comparações entre os blocos de domicílios beneficiados e não beneficiados pelo programa foi avaliado com o emprego do teste t de Student pareado. RESULTADOS: Comparados aos domicílios não beneficiados, os domicílios beneficiados pelo programa apresentaram maior gasto total com alimentação (p=0,015), maior disponibilidade de energia proveniente do conjunto de itens alimentares (p=0,010) e maior disponibilidade proveniente de alimentos e de ingredientes culinários. Não houve diferenças significativas entre beneficiados e não beneficiados pelo programa com relação ao gasto ou à disponibilidade de produtos prontos para consumo. Internamente ao grupo de alimentos, houve diferenças significativas favoráveis aos domicílios beneficiados pelo programa com relação ao gasto e à disponibilidade de alimentos como carnes, tubérculos e hortaliças. Não houve diferenças quanto a alimentos básicos como arroz e feijão. Resultados semelhantes foram observados para os domicílios pobres e extremamente pobres, ainda que as diferenças favoráveis aos domicílios beneficiados pelo programa tenham sido menos expressivas na condição de extrema pobreza. CONCLUSÃO: O impacto do Programa Bolsa Família em famílias de baixa renda traduziu-se em maior gasto domiciliar com alimentação, maior disponibilidade de alimentos in natura ou minimamente processados e ingredientes culinários e maior disponibilidade de alimentos que usualmente diversificam e melhoram a qualidade nutricional da dieta. Os efeitos do programa foram menores para famílias extremamente pobres
INTRODUCTION: Conditional cash transfer programs were implemented for the first time in Brazil in 1990. They were gradually expanded until 2003 and thereafter they were incorporated to the Bolsa Família Program. The assessment of the influence of conditional cash transfer programs on food consumption of Brazilian beneficiaries is scarce and the results of the studies are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the Bolsa Família Program (hereafter identified as program) on household food availability in low-income families in Brazil. METHODS: The study analyzed data on a probabilistic sample of 55,970 households as part of the 2008-09 Household Budget Survey. The survey collected data on quantity and cost of all food and beverage purchased by the households during seven consecutive days. The per capita weekly expenditure and the daily energy of each food item were calculated. The assessment of the impact of the program was carried out for the group of low-income households (monthly per capita income up to R$ 210.00) and stratified for households with income above or below the median. Hereafter, these households are identified, respectively, as poor and extremely poor households. To assess the impact of the Program, food availability indicators were compared among of paired blocks of households, beneficiaries or non-beneficiaries of the program. These pairs were created based on the propensity score of each household to have beneficiary individuals. Using the propensity score matching method, pairs of blocks were created, which were homogeneous regarding many potential confounding variables for the association between the program and food acquisition. The per capita weekly expenditure and the daily energy consumption were compared considering all food items and three food groups based on the extent and the purpose of the industrial food processing applied to them: in natura or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients and ready-to-eat products (processed or ultra-processed products). The comparisons between the blocks of beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries households were carried out through paired \'t\' test. RESULTS: Compared to the non-beneficiaries, the beneficiaries households presented higher food expenditure (p=0.015), higher total energy availability (p=0.010) and higher availability of foods and culinary ingredients. There were no differences between groups regarding the expenditure and the availability of ready-to-eat products. Inside de group of foods, the expenditure and the availability of meat, tubers and vegetables were higher for the beneficiaries of the program. There were no differences regarding staple Brazilian foods like rice and beans. Similar results were observed for poor and extremely poor households, but the magnitude of the differences was lower for the households that were extremely poor. CONCLUSION: The impact of the Bolsa Família Program among low income families resulted in higher food expenditure, higher availability of foods and culinary ingredients and higher availability of foods that usually diversify and improve the diet quality. The effects of the Program seem to be lower for the extremely poor families

L’insicurezza alimentare colpisce soprattutto le famiglie rurali povere che vivono di agricoltura di sussistenza nei Paesi in via di Sviluppo. Nell’ottica di fornire un supporto alle comunità che si trovano in queste condizioni, L’Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore e la Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi hanno avviato nel 2012 il progetto “Produzione di cibo appropriato, sufficiente, sicuro e sostenibile”. Il progetto si propone di avviare Centri Pilota in collaborazione con le diocesi che promuovano uno una intensificazione delle produzioni agricole e una dieta sostenibile dal punto di vista etico-sociale, economico e ambientale. I Paesi in cui opera il progetto sono l’India (Meghalaya State) e la Repubblica Democratica del Congo – RDC (Lomami province). Con l’aiuto dei team locali sono state raccolte informazioni sulle abitudini produttive e alimentari della popolazione. Su questi dati è stata svolta una analisi circa l’impatto che il progetto ha avuto sulla sicurezza alimentare (disponibilità e accesso) delle famiglie coinvolte. Il numero di polli allevati (India) e l’Household Dietary Diversity Score (India and RDC) sono stati utilizzati come proxy per la disponibilità e l’accesso di cibo, rispettivamente. L’analisi statistica è stata effettuata usando differenti approcci dello Propensity Score Match (Logit + Nearest Neighbour and GenMatch) per valutare ATT (Effetto medio del trattamento sul gruppo “trattato”). Per quanto riguarda l’India sono stati analizzati i) il numero di polli allevati (food availability) e ii) l’HDDS (Household Dietary Diversity) per la food access. Il progetto ha avuto un impatto positivo ma non significativo sul numero di polli allevato, che però non si è tradotto in un miglioramento dell’HDDS delle famiglie di piccoli agricoltori coinvolti nel progetto. Per la RDC è stato analizzato solo l’impatto sulla food access (HDDS). In questo caso l’impatto del progetto sulla sicurezza alimentare dei piccoli agricoltori è stato positivo ma non significativo. I risultati mostrano che un miglioramento nella qualità della dieta (HDDS) implica, oltre ad un miglioramento delle produzioni (in qualità e in quantità), è necessario anche un miglioramento della educazione (anche nutrizionale) e dell’accesso al mercato.
Food Insecurity (FI) affects especially poor rural people that rely on Subsistence Agriculture in developing countries. With the purpose to help the community that living in that conditions, in 2012 the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi have started the “Production of appropriate food: safe sufficient and sustainable” project. The project aims to open Pilot Center in agreement with local Diocese to promote the Agricultural production Intensification agriculture and Diets that are sustainable (ethical, economic and environmental). The project is active in India (Meghalaya State) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Lomami Province). Helped by the local team, information was collected on production and diets habits. An analysis of the impact that the project had on food security (availability and access) of the families involved was carried out on these data. Number of Chicken (India) and Household Dietary Diversity Score - HDDS (India and DRC) as a proxy for food availability and access, were respectively utilised. Thus, we used different Propensity Score Match approach (Logit + Nearest Neighbour and GenMatch) to evaluate the ATT (average treatment effect on the treated group). Regarding India, the number of chickens bred (as food availability) and the HDDS (food access) were analyzed. While the number of chickens bred is positive but not significant, the HDDS values of smallholder farmers involved in the project did not improved. Moving to DRC, only the HDDS was analyzed. In this case, the project had a positive impact on beneficiary families, but it was not significant. The results point out that diet improving (HDDS) advances the production, both in quality and quantity, but is not a sufficient condition per se. Furthermore, it is also essential to enhance the educational path which focuses on nutritional issues and the access to food from market.

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A concorrência gerada pela globalização e a busca por produtos que satisfaçam os consumidores fazem parte da indústria de alimentos. Para tanto, os projetos de desenvolvimento de produtos são fundamentais para as empresas, uma vez que em 2012 as indústrias de alimentos geraram produtos ao equivalente a 9,5% do PIB brasileiro e faturaram R$ 431,9 bilhões. O setor alimentício se tornou líder, em valor bruto, entre as indústrias de transformação do Brasil. Contudo, identifica-se significativa quantidade de projetos de desenvolvimento de produtos que falham por razões diversas: a) escopo mal definido; b) mudanças do escopo durante o projeto; c) aumento de custo do projeto; d) elevado tempo de projeto. A literatura pertinente a essa temática apresenta alguns modelos de desenvolvimento de produtos alimentícios. No entanto, não foca a definição de escopo, refletindo a informalidade dessa etapa em todo o processo. O objeto de pesquisa dessa investigação é o escopo dos projetos de desenvolvimento de produtos para a indústria alimentícia. Contrariamente à ciência tradicional, essa pesquisa não se limita à descrição, à explicação e à predição do fenômeno em tela. A pesquisa avança para a proposição de um artefato que melhor trate do objeto de pesquisa. Por essa razão, para a realização desse trabalho, foi utilizada a Design Science Research como condutora metodológica. Como resultado, se propôs um artefato, especificamente um método para a definição do escopo de projetos de desenvolvimento de produtos alimentícios. O método proposto foi desenvolvido a partir da combinação e do refinamento de alguns passos: a) da pesquisa bibliográfica; b) da experiência prática; c) da pesquisa realizada com especialistas do setor de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de empresas da indústria alimentícia. O método e sua relevância para o setor de alimentos foram avaliados por especialistas, confirmando que, para uma definição adequada do escopo de projeto de desenvolvimento de produtos alimentícios, é necessário um processo sistemático, flexível e de visão sistêmica, sugerindo, assim, o aumento das chances de sucesso, reduzindo custo e tempo do projeto. A contribuição desse trabalho é apresentar um método sistemático para definição do escopo de projetos de desenvolvimento de produtos alimentícios.
The competition triggered by globalization and the pursuit of products that satisfy customers belong to the food industry. For that purpose, projects for product development are vital for companies in this segment, since in 2012 alone food companies were responsible for products that corresponded to 9.5% of Brazilian GDP and earned R$ 431,9 billion. The food segment has become the leader among transformation companies in terms of gross value. However, one can identify a significant number of product development projects that fail for several reasons: a) badly outlined scope; b) scope changes along the project; c) project cost increase; d) long project time. The literature concerning this theme presents some models for the development of food products. Yet, this literature does not focus on the definition of scope, thus reflecting the informality of this stage in this process. The research object of this investigation is the scope of projects in the development of products for the food industry. Unlike traditional science, this research is not restricted to describing, explaining and predicting the phenomenon on screen. This research advances towards proposing an artifact that best deals with the research object. Therefore, in order to carry out this study a Design Science Research has been used as a methodology guideline. As a result, an artifact has been proposed, in this particular, a method to define the scope of projects for product development in the food industry. The method proposed has been designed from the combination and refinement of some steps: a) bibliographical research; b) practical experience; c) research performed among experts in the sector of Research and Development of companies of the food industry. The method and its relevance for the food sector have been assessed by specialists, thus confirming that, for a proper definition of scope in product development of food products one needs a systematic, flexible, systemic-oriented, which increases the chances of success and reduces cost and project length. This study is intended to present a systematic method to define scope in the development of products in the food industry.

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Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
From the Supply Chain Management (SCM), the logistic function expands its scope within the company, going to exert or support the management and operation of key business processes. Its performance leaves to reduce only the functional sphere ( silo or vertical area ), passing to reach horizontal sphere in such processes. Various sources of literature indicate changes in the logistic function but not characterize precisely or discuss the changes in its scope within the company. In particular, the benefits generated by the involvement of the logistic function on key business processes of SCM have been identified in the literature, but were not identified logistic activities that must execute in each of the processes so that these benefits are achieved. In front of this theoretical gap, the objective of this doctorate thesis was to propose logistic activities necessary for the efficacious operation of key business processes of SCM, generating a conceptual framework that assists in implementing these activities. Such a framework is a guide that can help companies identify, characterize and select the activities that the logistic function can develop in their key business processes. More specifically, this conceptual framework presents, besides the own logistics activities, a way of characterizing these activities, according to four criterions: a) obligatoriness of existence in the company (basic or optional), b) impact on the generation of value (efficiency, efficacy and/or differentiation), c) impact on the dimension of logistic service, d) the integration and coordination with other areas or processes. This thesis used the approach of qualitative research, of descriptive character, of exploratory nature and with experimental study of field. The research method was the multi-case study and the mechanism of data collection was the personal interview realized by a semi-structured questionnaire. This research is also of theoretical-conceptual nature, because it developed a conceptual framework generated from the theoretical review. In three case studies realized, observed consistency in the proposed logistic activities and in its form of characterization. Among the 25 proposed activities, the Company 1 realizes 21 of them, the Company 2 realizes 23 activities and the Company 3 realizes all 25 activities, and all interviewed declared that the set of these proposed activities was complete and consistent.
A partir da Gestão da Cadeia de Suprimentos (Supply Chain Management, SCM), a função logística expande seu escopo dentro da empresa, passando a exercer ou dar apoio à gestão e operação dos processos-chave de negócio. Sua atuação deixa de se reduzir somente à esfera funcional ( silo ou área vertical ), passando a alcançar também a esfera horizontal de tais processos. Várias fontes da literatura apontam mudanças na função logística mas não as caracterizam precisamente nem discutem as modificações no seu escopo dentro das empresas. Em particular, os benefícios gerados pelo envolvimento da função logística nos processoschave de negócio da SCM já foram levantados na literatura, mas não foram identificadas as atividades que a logística deve executar em cada um dos processos para que esses benefícios sejam alcançados. Diante desta lacuna teórica, o objetivo desta tese de doutorado foi de propor atividades logísticas necessárias à operação eficaz dos processos-chave de negócio da SCM, gerando uma estrutura conceitual que auxilia na implementação destas atividades. Tal estrutura é um guia que pode auxiliar as empresas na identificação, caracterização e seleção das atividades que a função logística pode desenvolver nos seus processos-chave de negócio. Mais especificamente, esta estrutura conceitual apresenta, além das próprias atividades logísticas, uma forma de caracterização destas atividades, de acordo com quatro critérios: a) obrigatoriedade de existência na empresa (básica ou opcional), b) impacto na geração de valor (eficiência, eficácia e/ou diferenciação), c) impacto na dimensão do serviço logístico prestado, d) integração e coordenação com outras áreas ou processos. Esta tese utilizou a abordagem de pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter descritivo, de natureza exploratória e com estudo experimental de campo. O método de pesquisa foi o estudo multi-caso e o mecanismo de coleta de dados foi a entrevista pessoal realizada por meio de um questionário semi-estruturado. Esta pesquisa também é de natureza teórico-conceitual, pois desenvolveu uma estrutura conceitual gerada a partir de revisão teórica. Nos três estudos de caso realizados, observou-se consistência nas atividades logísticas e na sua forma de caracterização propostas. Dentre as 25 atividades propostas, a Empresa 1 realiza 21 delas, a Empresa 2, 23 atividades e a Empresa 3, todas as 25 atividades, sendo que todos os entrevistados declararam que estava completo e consistente o conjunto proposto dessas atividades.

Negli ultimi anni stiamo assistendo, in svariati campi, a un sempre più vasto utilizzo di tecnologie che utilizzano quella che viene comunemente chiamata “intelligenza artificiale”. Anche il settore audiovisivo, da sempre recettore di novità e incline a evolversi continuamente, sta già vivendo quei processi che lo porteranno a essere rivoluzionato da questo tipo di tecnologie. In un periodo di frenetico progresso scientifico è difficile riuscire a fissare nel tempo e su carta lo stato attuale dello sviluppo tecnologico, dato che ciò che oggi viene considerato come novità domani potrebbe già essere stato superato. È necessario, quindi, uno strumento che riesca a catalogare, se non tutte, almeno le più importanti rivoluzionarie tecnologie d’intelligenza artificiale che hanno investito il mondo della produzione artistica e delle industrie culturali. Uno studio approfondito è dedicato, in particolare, all’industria cinematografica. Dopo una breve introduzione di carattere storico, vengono descritti i principali tipi di rete neurale artificiale e la loro evoluzione. Sono poi delineate e descritte le principali tecnologie d’IA applicate all’elaborazione, comprensione e generazione automatica o assistita d’immagine e testo. Ancora più nel dettaglio sono osservate alcune soluzioni tecnologiche che interessano le varie fasi del processo di produzione cinematografica, come la fase di scrittura e analisi della sceneggiatura, quella di editing e montaggio video, così come quelle riguardanti l’implementazione di effetti visivi e la composizione musicale. Il testo risulta essere, da un lato, una fotografia sul passato che ha interessato lo sviluppo delle tecnologie d’IA, dall’altro uno strumento che illustra il presente così da aiutarci, se non a predire, almeno a non trovarci completamente impreparati di fronte agli sviluppi futuri che interesseranno sia la produzione audiovisiva che, in senso più ampio, la nostra vita di tutti i giorni.

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence
All over the world, the food industry faces several challenges, such as food security and life conditions of agricultural workforce. The population holds an increasing interest in agricultural products to achieve a healthy lifestyle but might be promoting unethical practices at the farming process. Without knowing nothing but the country of origin of the product, the consumer is doing uninformed shopping. This study aims to develop a model, able to crosscheck the coffee products sold at the supermarket with their country of origin’s classification regarding food security, environmental sustainability and sociopolitical ethics. Another major objective is to propose an application to generate the classification of each coffee product, allowing the consumer to make informed shopping. The Awareness score is proposed to classify the coffee products in terms of its social and political responsibility during the products production. Underlying the proposed score, there is food security, environmental performance, migration integration policy, and child labour occurrence. The proposed prototype design allows developing a software for consumers to consult coffee products’ scores during the buying process. A survey allowed to understand that consumers are not deeply concerned with the underlying problems of coffee production, however, an application would allow them to make more concious shopping.

碩士
國立中興大學
應用經濟學系所
106
In this study, we will examine and analyze the effect of FTAs on the trade of OECD countries’ food imports. To enhance the robustness of the estimated results, we discuss the difference between the FTA treatment effects in 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2015. This study is different from the past empirical literatures, we use propensity score matching methods to conduct ex-post analysis. Furthermore, most of literatures focused on the total amount of trade, and we assess the impact of FTA for each OECD country and each 5-digit SITC category separately. This study found that the ATT is positive and significant for most food products, especially SITC 098(Edible products and preparations, n.e.s.), followed by SITC 056(Vegetables, roots and tubers, prepared or preserved, n.e.s.), SITC 048(Cereal preparations and preparations of flour or starch of fruits or vegetables), SITC 022(Milk and cream and milk products other than butter or cheese) and SITC 058(Fruit, preserved, and fruit preparations). In terms of the quantity of significant positive ATT products, EU member countries are generally larger than other OECD countries.

abstract: This study was designed to examine the associations between food skills, resilience, and coping during the Covid-19 pandemic. Between April and June of 2020, a sample of 154 students, faculty, and staff from Arizona State University were surveyed. Each respondent was administered a survey containing demographic questions, a food skill questionnaire, and the 14-item Resilience Scale (RS). Results indicate that food skill was correlated with resilience (p<0.001) at an r=0.364 and r2=0.1243 and that resilience was correlated with coping during the Covid-19 pandemic (p<0.001) at an r=0.455. Correlations were also run between resilience score and the separate domains of food skill score: all domains remained significantly associated with resilience score (p<0.001) with a r=0.340 and r2=0.1173 for ‘Food Selection and Planning,’ r=0.312 and r2=0.0958 for ‘Food Preparation,’ and r=0.294 and r2=0.0767 for ‘Food Safety.’ Data seems to be consistent with contemporary research suggesting positive associations between diet quality and physiological resilience and positive associations between resilience and coping during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dissertation/Thesis
Masters Thesis Nutrition 2020

The cranberry scare of 1959 was the first food scare in the United States involving food additives to have a national impact. It was also the first event to test the Delaney clause, part of a 1958 amendment to the 1938 Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act prohibiting cancer-causing chemicals in food. Although lasting only a few weeks, the scare significantly affected the cranberry industry and brought the regulation of chemical residues in food to the national stage. Generated by a complex interaction of legislation, technology, media, and science, the scare had far-reaching effects in all areas of the cranberry industry, food legislation, and the perception of the public toward additives and residues in their food. The ripples caused by the scare permanently altered the cranberry industry and, after numerous subsequent scares and challenges to the law, eventually resulted in the repeal of the Delaney clause. The goal of this investigation was to demonstrate how the social, scientific, and political climates in the United States interacted and led to such an event. It shows how science, politics, and contemporary social anxiety combined, with technology as a catalyst, and how the resulting scare left significant marks on the development of both legislation and industry. It also improves our understanding of this seminal event in American social history by exploring the events surrounding the scare, as well as by comparing the perspectives and reactions of the public, the Eisenhower administration, the cranberry industry, and other industries affected by the scare and its aftermath.

The lack of dietary diversity is a severe problem experienced by most poor households globally. In particular; women of reproductive age (WRA) are at high risk of inadequate intake of micronutrients resulting from diets dominated by starchy staples. The present study considered the diets, dietary diversity, and food security of women aged 15-49 years along the rural-urban continuum in three South African towns situated along an agro-ecological gradient. A 48 h dietary recall was conducted across two seasons with 554 women from rural, peri-urban, and urban locations of Richards Bay, Dundee, and Harrismith. Minimum Dietary Diversity for WRA (MDD-W) were calculated and a dichotomous indicator based on a set of ten food groups was used to determine if women had consumed at least five food groups the previous 48 h to achieve minimum dietary intake for women. The mean (±sd) MDD-W for Richards Bay (3.78 ± 0.07) was significantly higher than at Dundee (3.21 ± 0.08) and Harrismith (3.36 ± 0.07). Food security and MDD-W were significantly higher in urban locations than in peri-urban or rural ones. There was lower dependence on food purchasing in Richards Bay compared to Dundee and Harrismith. The majority of women in Richards Bay practiced subsistence agriculture, produced a surplus for sale, and collected wild foods which improved dietary intake and food security. The peri-urban populations had limited dietary intake and were more food insecure because of high levels of poverty, unemployment, and lack of land. Peri-urban dwellers are therefore more sensitive to changes in incomes and food prices because they lack safety nets to absorb income or price shocks as they purchase more, rather than growing their own food. This compromises dietary diversity as they have limited access to diverse foods.

This work uses household data to analyse the determinants of food insecurity in Portugal, between 2004 and 2012, as well as the causal relationship between the production of goods for own-consumption and food security. It is shown that own-production has a positive impact on food security. Moreover, the financial crisis of 2008 did not negatively affect food security. The result is robust to several specifications.

Magister Economicae - MEcon
Kenya has continued to record decreasing child mortality rates in recent years, with available data showing that the under-five mortality rate was 85 per 1000 live births in 2010, down from 117 in 1997 (World Bank, 2012). However, the country continues to battle with poor anthropometric status of children (stunting, wasting and underweight). The country also faces high incidences of food insecurity. It is estimated that one third of the country’s population is food and nutrition insecure, with about 10 million of Kenyans suffering from chronic food insecurity (ROK, 2011). The worst affected are children, who are deprived of sufficient nutrients required for proper growth and development. This study seeks to analyse the relationship between household food security and the anthropometric status of children. Specific objectives include identifying the prevalence and predictors of poor anthropometry, identifying the extent of food insecurity in the country and investigating the link between food security and the anthropometric status of children. The research uses data from the Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (2005/2006). The survey which was carried out for a period of 12 months covered the entire country and collected data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the households. It also collected data on child anthropometric measurements and households’ food consumption patterns. The statistical software package STATA SE v.12 is used to run ordinary linear (OLS) and logistical regressions in order to analyse the relationship between household food security and the anthropometric status of children. Results show that the prevalence of malnutrition is high in the country with stunting coming out as the main form of malnutrition. Dietary diversity, a measure of food security, is found to be highest in the urban areas. Results from the regression analysis show that a Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) is positively associated with better anthropometry, with the prevalence of malnutrition decreasing with an increase in the score. The study also found that other risk factors associated with poor anthropometry are age of the child, gender, area of residence, diarrhoea, education, household size and income. The paper concludes with suggestions on measures that need to be put in place to curb child malnutrition.

The self-efficacy construct has been determined to be an effective method of stimulating desired eating behavior in diabetics and obese adults and exercise behaviors in pulmonary rehabilitation patients. Although the self-efficacy construct has been shown to mediate eating habits, practical classroom application of the construct has been rarely used in this area. A review of literature indicated that no studies have been reported on the effect of self-efficacy on food-related behaviors of children. The primary purpose of this research was to determine if, and to what extent, self-efficacy predicts changes in food choices of fifth-grade children. The effect of self-perceptions of competence on the nutrition knowledge of children after a nutrition education intervention program was also assessed. Forty-five fifth-grade children in two classrooms participated in this study. Their self-perception profile, food choices, nutrition knowledge, and food acceptance were measured both before and after the nutrition education unit. A 25 item nutrition knowledge questionnaire was also administered to the children before and after the nutrition education program. Change in knowledge in the cognitive domain was measured by differences in scores on the nutrition knowledge pretest and posttest. Students kept five-day food records for the school lunch items consumed. The fruit and vegetable intakes of the students were estimated from these food records. Chi-square analyses were performed on the data to determine the relationship between self-efficacy as the independent variable and change in food choices, and food acceptance and change in nutrition knowledge as the dependent variables. The 3 x 3 contingency tables indicated that there were no significant relationships between selfefficacy and change in food choices, food acceptance and nutrition knowledge. The findings provide limited support for the usefulness of the self-efficacy construct in understanding and predicting eating behavior change. It is recommended that further investigations of the predictive capability of the self-efficacy expectancy be conducted in children of this age group to better understand its relationship with food choices and implications for nutrition education for school children.
Graduation date: 1994

This work considers the legal impediments to farming in an urban environment with a particular focus on the municipal bylaws that prohibit the keeping of hens in Saskatoon. The jurisdictional competency of Saskatoon to prohibit the keeping of urban hens is challenged under both municipal law and constitutional law, and more broadly, under the general premise that liberty interests should often prevail where a bylaw is arbitrary, misinformed, and restricts the pursuit of truth and human flourishing. Saskatoon’s urban hen prohibition is argued to be premised more on a form of moral reasoning that unnecessarily distinguishes between rural and urban environments, and less, if at all, on empirical evidence. Urban agriculture is often undertaken to address the environmental and social shortfalls of the global food system, such as the system’s connection with climate change, animal welfare issues, and challenges associated with the distribution of food. Moreover, urban agriculture is a means of protecting the rights of producers and consumers, as articulated by the food sovereignty movement. In this work, a claimant’s desire to advance food rights (including food sovereignty) through the keeping of urban hens is argued to engage the guarantee to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This work explores the possibility of protecting the manifestation of social and environmental action through the guarantee to freedom of conscience. This work develops a cursory test for determining where a claimant’s guarantee to freedom of conscience is violated, drawing on the well established protection of freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

Over the past couple of years, the South African government has been offering varied support to households that are engaged in small-scale farming, with the objectives of improving their livelihoods, income and food security. Although the various rounds of the General Household Survey (GHS) gathered information on the type of agricultural support received by the farmers, their production, agricultural income and food security status, there is limited empirical evidence on the extent to which the agricultural support programme is yielding the intended results. Very little is also known about how the beneficiary households perceive the agricultural support programme as either relevant or otherwise. This study fills these gaps in the literature using the GHS data spanning the period 2013 to 2016 to assess how government agricultural development support influences the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in South Africa. This broad objective is divided into two specific objectives: (1) to assess the effects of government agricultural development support on agricultural income, production and food security of beneficiary small-scale farmers in South Africa; and (2) to assess the usefulness of the government agricultural development support for the beneficiary small-scale the government agricultural development support for the beneficiary small-scale farmers in South Africa. By combining descriptive analysis with Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and logistic estimation techniques to address these objectives, the results indicate that from the year 2013 to the 2016 survey years, the proportion of households who have access to agricultural development support has decreased marginally by about two percent. Access to support has remained higher among males than females; farmers who have low levels of education than those with high levels of education. Across provinces access to agricultural support is high in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, North -West and Mpumalanga, but very low in the Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng and Western Cape. The agricultural development assistance given by the South African government is effective in reducing food insecurity, as well as in improving the production and income of the beneficiary smallscale farmers. However, the results suggest that the agricultural support system is having a heterogeneous impact on beneficiary small-scale farmers, depending on their gender and geographical locations.
Agriculture and  Animal Health
M. Sc. (Agriculture)