Browsing by Subject "ravitsemustiede"

Introduction: Vegetarian diets have become more popular in the last decades in Western countries including Finland. In Finland it is estimated that approximately 2-5 % of adults are vegetarian. Vegetarianism is most popular amongst young women and for that it is presumable for vegetarianism to become more common also in families with children. There are only few studies concerning the vegetarianism amongst children and families in Finland and the knowledge is not up to date. Aims: The aim of the study was to compare the food intake between children living in vegetarian families and children living in non-vegetarian families. Additionally, this study aimed to examine the role of parent’s educational background in the differences found in the childrens diet. Also the food environment of the families was investigated and compared between vegetarian and non-vegetarian families. Material and methods: The material of this study is from the DAGIS –Study. A total of 66 preschools and 864 children from Southern and Western Finland participated in the Study. In this thesis childrens food frequency questionnaire (FFQ; n=783) was used. The data for educational background and food environment were collected with separate forms filled by the quardian of the child. The families were divided into two groups, vegetarian and non-vegetarian families. The frequency of consumption of food groups was compared between children living in vegetarian families and children living in non-vegetarian families by using Mann Whitney U –test. The education was taken into account in a multilevel regression models (SAS 9.4) and the food environments were compared using Chi-Square –test. Results: There were 30 vegetarian families (in which there were 35 children) and 670 non-vegetarian families (in which there were 748 children). Only 5 children were vegetarian and in all but one family at least the mom was a vegetarian. The children living in vegetarian families used vegetables (p=0,002), fruits and berries (p=0,032), juices (p=0,005), plant proteins (p<0,001) and fish (p=0,001) more of than children in non-vegetarian families. They also used less meat (p<0,001), sugar containing food (p=0,029) and sugar cointaining beverages (p<0,001). All the associations, apart from fruits and berries, remained significant after adjusting the models with education. In addition, the parents in the vegetarian families reported that they showed the child that they liked eating vegetables (p=0,044), offered vegetables, fruits and berries for the child as a snack (p<0,001) and had more vegetables (p=0,016), berries and fruits (p=0,005) at home more ofthen than parents in non-vegetarian families. Conclusions: According to this study the maternal vegetarian diet is strongly associated with the childrens diet, even though the child was not a vegetarian. The children living in vegetarian families used healthy foods more often and less frequently some of the foods, like sugary beverages, which are recommended to be reduced in the diet. These differences in diet were not explained by the higher educational level of the family.

Background: Foodservices have a significant role in the Finnish food culture. For many Finnish people the food produced by the mass catering industry is the only hot meal for the day. Foodservices are present throughout the life from kindergarten children to the elderly people at nursing homes. But working career is the longest singular time period in life in which foodservices are present. Every day over one third of Finnish employees choose to have their lunch at a staff canteen. The role of worksite eating in sustaining public health is important. The food served at staff canteens should be healthy, diverse and nutritionally well composed. Nutrition quality is a term that describes how well the nutrition guidelines are met in the meals served by foodservices. Aim: The aim of the research was to assess the nutrition quality of the meals served by staff canteens and eaten by the employees. Data and methods: The data of the research consisted of menus for two weeks by a foodservice company`s three restaurants, photos of employees’ meals (n=350) and questionnaires, observations at the staff canteens and the self-evaluations made by the restaurant managers. The evaluation of nutritional quality of the served meals was based on two nutrition quality criteria: Heart Symbol and Arkilounaskriteerit. Arkilounaskriteerit is a questionnaire filled by the restaurant manager. Arkilounaskriteerit is a tool that answers the question whether or not the diner has a chance to eat according to national food recommendations at the staff canteen. The criteria of the Heart Symbol are more specific than Arkilounaskriteerit with regards to the nutrition quality of the meal. The Heart Symbol criteria includes the nutrient level of the meal, it has criteria for the amounts of fat and saturated fat but also for the amounts of salt and nutrition fiber. On the basis of the photos of the employees’ meals and questionnaires I assessed how the Heart Symbol criteria were met and to what extent it was composed by a plate model. Using the plate model I assessed from the meals the proportions of vegetables, sources of protein and carbohydrates, and also what kind of a drink and how many glasses they had, did they have salad dressing, bread, bread spread or a dessert. Both Arkilounaskriteerit and Heart Symbol criteria include a statement that they must inform customers about the healthier food choices. This information criteria were assessed at the staff canteens. Results: The four fields of Arkilounaskriteerit were fulfilled “well” or “moderately”. The menus had a combined number of 224 food items (155 sources of proteins, 46 sources of carbohydrates and 26 other side dishes), of which 45 items (20 %) were marked with a Heart Symbol. After analysing the food items it was discovered that the criteria of the Heart Symbol were fulfilled by 74 food items (33 %). The Heart Symbol criteria were met by 31 % of the sources of protein, 37 % of the sources of carbohydrate and by 9 % of other side dishes. In those cases where the Heart Symbol criteria were not met the reason was most commonly in the amount of salt (over 40 % had salt above the criteria limit). In 10 % of the employees’ meals there were vegetables, sources of protein and carbohydrates according to the plate model. The meals were composed almost by the plate model. On average plates had 30 % source of protein, 20 % source of carbohydrate and 50 % vegetables. Typically the meal also contained salad dressing, one glass of water but no bread or dessert. Conclusions: Given the criteria of the Heart Symbol and the drive of the company, the nutrition quality of the served food items was low in most cases. Two thirds of the food items did not meet the criteria of the Heart Symbol, even though the company informs that they have nutrition guidelines in use. To enhance the nutritional quality of the meals the diners should make only minor changes in the proportions of sources of protein and carbohydrate. According to the criteria used in this research the staff canteens should have a plate model on display (criteria of informing the client). Regardless of the criteria this was not the case. The nutrition quality of food at staff canteens should be researched on a wider spectrum to have a deeper understanding of the subject. Research should be done all over Finland in several different foodservice companies - in this way it would be possible through staff canteens to tackle the greatest challenges of the Finns’ nutrition: too much salt and too little vegetables in their diets.