Double Trouble.

Double trouble.

Investig Genet. 2013 Jun 27; 4(1): 12
Jobling MA

“How unique are you?” – an infuriating question for anyone with a pedant’s ear for linguistic correctness, but one that’s posed many a time in the fervid world of public engagement in genetics. And the expected answer is ‘very’ – pedants notwithstanding. The conventional way to demonstrate this is to ask a series of questions about traits with a supposedly simple genetic basis: tongue-rolling, hitch-hiker’s thumb, direction of hair whorl, cleft chin, attached earlobes… Often a tiny square of innocent-looking paper is proffered, with instructions to place it on the tongue (rolling or otherwise); to some people it’s tasteless, while to others it’s bitter due to its content of phenylthiocarbamide, meriting a sugary antidote in the form of a Polo mint. Sometimes there’s a vase of freesias whose scent fills the air – at least, for those of us whose genes allow us to detect it. Less savoury aspects involve interrogations about the colour or the smell of a subject’s urine following the eating of beetroot or asparagus. HubMed – eating

Improved diet quality and increased nutrient intakes associated with grape product consumption by u.s. Children and adults: national health and nutrition examination survey 2003 to 2008.

J Food Sci. 2013 Jun; 78 Suppl 1: A1-4
McGill CR, Keast DR, Painter JE, Romano CS, Wightman JD

Fruit contributes to dietary nutrient density and consumption of fruit in several forms (whole, dried, or 100% juice) has been reported to be associated with a healthier dietary pattern. The goal of this study was to examine the associations of the consumption of grapes (including fresh grapes, raisins, and 100% grape juice) with diet quality and food group/nutrient intake. A secondary analysis of Natl. Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003 to 2008 data was conducted to compare grape consumers (GC) with nongrape consumers (NGC) among children aged 2 to 19 y (n = 9622) and adults 20+ y (n = 12251). GC were defined as those who mentioned the consumption of fresh grapes, raisins, or 100% grape juice during 1 or both 24-h recall interviews. Compared to NGC, GC had higher Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI-2005) scores and higher intakes of total and whole fruit along with lower intakes of solid fat, added sugars, and calories from solid fats, alcohol, and added sugars (SoFAAS). Among adults, GC also had higher intakes than NGC of total and dark green/orange vegetables. Among both age groups, GC had higher intake than NGC of several key nutrients including dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Consumption of grape products is associated with a healthier dietary pattern and higher intake of key nutrients by both children and adults. HubMed – eating

The influence of sociocultural factors on the eating attitudes of Lebanese and Cypriot students: a cross-cultural study.

J Hum Nutr Diet. 2013 Jul; 26 Suppl 1: 45-52
Zeeni N, Gharibeh N, Katsounari I

The present comparative cross-cultural study aimed to explore the relationship between eating behaviour and sociocultural influences with respect to appearance and body image in female university students from two cultural contexts, namely Cyprus and Lebanon.The Dutch Eating Behavior questionnaire (DEBQ) and the Perceived Sociocultural Influences on Body Image and Body Change Questionnaire were used to assess sociocultural influences and body image, respectively, in 200 students from each country.The results indicated that the Lebanese students were more likely to engage in emotional and external eating and their body image was impacted to a larger extent by sociocultural agents, including media influences, compared to the Cypriot students. Also, a positive relationship was found between emotional and external eating in both cultures. Finally, sociocultural influences correlated positively with external eating only in the Cypriot sample.Culture-specific factors, such as the societal values and norms, as well as the Westernisation history of each country, are discussed as underpinnings for the differences found. These findings are significant for understanding the rise of eating pathology in these two cultures and provide evidence for a need to consider cultural environment when designing public health policies addressing the negative aspects of nutrition transition. HubMed – eating