Volume 67 • Number 2 • July 2006
Chair’s Message
Editor’s Message
Research
Purpose: Preschoolers’ dietary intake behaviours are described from the perspective of their parents. Methods: A maximum variation sample of 71 parents of preschoolers participated in this qualitative study. Ten semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted. Two experienced moderators facilitated all focus groups, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of the data were employed throughout the study. Two team members independently performed inductive content analysis. NVivo software was used to code the emerging themes. Results: Parents identified food and food issues as key health-related behaviours among preschoolers. Parents discussed challenges to healthy eating, including time limitations and societal pressures, as well as methods for facilitating healthy food choices, including bribery, education, and being creative with food. Conclusions: Dietary intake is on the minds of preschoolers’ parents. Unfortunately, some methods that parents currently use to promote healthy food choices may be more detrimental than beneficial for children in the long term. Parents’ keen interest in their preschoolers’ eating habits may make them particularly receptive to learning about and facilitating healthy choices in more behaviourally appropriate ways. Widespread educational messages about the benefits and detriments of various strategies to facilitate healthy eating among preschoolers therefore seem warranted.
Purpose: Factors associated with early cessation of breastfeeding were identified and patterns of infant feeding were examined. Feeding practices were compared with the 1998 guidelines in Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants and with recent Health Canada recommendations. Methods: To recruit participants, a letter was sent to every mother (n=424) who gave birth at Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital in Moncton from April 1998 to February 1999. Eighty-five mothers agreed to participate with their infants. Information on infant feeding patterns and socioeconomic background was gathered with semi-structured questionnaires. Only healthy infants from singleton pregnancies were included in this study. Results: At birth, almost 83% of infants were breastfed. The proportions of infants breastfed for at least four, six, and nine months were 43%, 22%, and 9%, respectively. As many as 34% of infants were introduced to baby cereals before age four months, and 21% were introduced to cow’s milk before age nine months. Lower family income, lower level of parental education, and reduced postpartum hemoglobin level (below 95 g/L) were associated with discontinuation of breastfeeding before infants were four months old. Conclusions: Early postpartum nutrition interventions may be effective in ensuring follow-up care for mothers with compromised iron status, in supporting breastfeeding for at least six months, and in promoting better infant feeding practices.
Purpose: Little information is available on the growth and feeding patterns of First Nations children. Our goal was to assess the anthropometric status, feeding practices, and dietary intake of children born in 1994 or 1995 (n=102) and living in Walpole Island First Nation. Methods: Information on demographic characteristics and infant feeding practices was obtained through parent interviews conducted between 1994 and 1999. Parents also completed a 24-hour dietary recall for their children when they were 48 months old. Head circumference was measured at three and 18 months, and weight and length/height at three, 18, 33, and 48 months. Results: Most infants (75%) were breastfed at birth; however, by the time infants were three months old, 39.7% of the mothers had stopped breastfeeding. Over half (57.1%) of the infants were fed solids before age three months, 11.6% were given whole milk before age nine months, and 59.4% had low fat milk before age two years. Body mass index (kg/m2) (BMI) was above the 85th percentile for 27.8% at the 48-month interview, and was associated with a maternal BMI above 25 (OR=7.8, CI=1.1-41.9). Conclusions: Mothers need to be encouraged to follow current infant feeding recommendations. Strategies should be developed to reduce the prevalence of overweight among adults and children in First Nations communities.
Purpose: The nutrition component of the Eat Smart! Workplace Cafeteria Program (ESWCP) in a hospital was evaluated. We assessed staff’s frequency of visits to and purchases in the hospital cafeteria, attitudes about the program, short-term eating behaviour change, and suggestions to improve the ESWCP. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to hospital staff members who were not on leave (n=504). Dillman’s Tailored Design Method was used to design and implement the survey. Four mail-outs were used and yielded a 51% response rate. Results: Eighty-seven percent of respondents visited the hospital cafeteria at least once a week in an average seven-day week, and 69% purchased one to five meals or snacks there each week. Eighty-six percent of respondents said that they were aware of the hospital’s program. Notices on cafeteria tables were the primary method of learning about the program (67%). Reported program benefits included increased knowledge about healthy eating, convenience of having healthy foods in the cafeteria, and increased energy. Conclusion: Many respondents were aware of the program, provided positive comments about it, and reported positive changes in eating habits. However, future observational research is warranted to note foods served and sold before and after program implementation, as well as to examine whether results can be generalized to other settings.
Report
Purpose: To compare patient satisfaction with a room service (RS) menu style versus a traditional menu (TM) in a Canadian pediatric hospital. Methods: A sample of 20 subjects (Group A) was surveyed before implementation of the RS menu and a second sample of 20 subjects (Group B) was surveyed after implementation. Results: All subjects in Group B rated overall satisfaction with meals as greatly exceeding or exceeding expectations after implementing the new menu style. Also, 65% of Group B subjects rated quality of food as greatly exceeding or exceeding their expectations after the intervention. Conclusions: To improve meal satisfaction for pediatric oncology and hemodialysis patients, the RS menu style is a worthwhile option.
Purpose: Throughout childhood there is a shift from predominantly milk-based beverage consumption to other types of beverages, including those containing caffeine. Although a variety of health effects in children and adults have been attributed to caffeine, few data exist on caffeine intake in children aged one to five years. Methods: Because beverages provide about 80% of total caffeine consumed in children of this age group, beverage consumption patterns and caffeine intakes were evaluated from two beverage marketing surveys: the 2001 Canadian Facts study and the 1999 United States Share of Intake Panel study. Results: Considerably fewer Canadian children than American children consume caffeinated beverages (36% versus 56%); Canadian children consume approximately half the amount of caffeine (7 versus 14 mg/day in American children). Differences were largely because of higher intakes of carbonated soft drinks in the US. Conclusions: Caffeine intakes from caffeinated beverages remain well within safe levels for consumption by young children.
Purpose: The use of solution-focused counselling (SFC) in dietetics was examined to determine the demand for an SFC teaching tool for registered dietitians. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted within the Dietitians of Canada cardiology, eating disorders, and consulting networks, with dietitians who practised in an outpatient setting. Dietitians were surveyed on the seven core components of SFC. Results: Responses (n=58) were received from dietitians practising in seven provinces, who tended to be younger (mean age=44) and who had practised for a mean of 15 years. The entire sample reported use of at least four of the seven core components of SFC. All respondents were interested in receiving a counselling teaching tool for dietitians. Conclusions: All respondents were using components of SFC in their outpatient practices. The efficaciousness of SFC in dietetic practice has yet to be determined.
Purpose: Food insecurity appears to be a growing problem for post-secondary students, but little study has been made of the 51 campus-based food banks that exist. In 2003-04, the University of Alberta Campus Food Bank (CFB) distributed hampers intended to supply four days of food to 630 unique clients, of whom 207 (32.8%) were children. The nutritional adequacy of food hampers and cost saving to students were evaluated in the current study. Methods: Hampers prepared for one adult, and for one adult with one child, were nutritionally evaluated and scored for number of servings according to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Two types of hampers were evaluated: those containing only non-perishable items, and those containing non-perishable and perishable items. Hamper contents were priced to establish the cost saving to students. Results: The study revealed that a student with one child would receive up to $58.02 worth of food in a hamper that contained perishable items. All hampers met the recommended minimum servings for each food group, but were very low in fat and protein from animal sources. Conclusions: Because students can obtain hampers only twice each month, the CFB is not the solution to food insecurity on campus. Awareness of the issue of post-secondary student food insecurity needs to be raised.
About the cover photo
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research aims to publish research that directly informs evidence-based dietetic practice and to disseminate research conducted by dietitians in Canada. The Spring Issue acknowledges the Nutrition Month 2024 theme ‘We Are Dietitians’ by highlighting two papers evaluating the impact of dietitians in the care of pregnant people, and a third paper examining how the roles and responsibilities of dietitians were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
À propos de la photo de couverture
La Revue canadienne de la pratique et de la recherche en diététique vise à publier des recherches qui éclairent directement la pratique diététique fondée sur des données probantes et à diffuser les recherches menées par les diététistes au Canada. Le numéro du printemps reconnaît le thème du Mois de la nutrition 2024 « Nous sommes des diététistes » en mettant en avant deux articles évaluant l'impact des diététistes dans les soins aux personnes enceintes, et un troisième article examinant comment les rôles et responsabilités des diététistes ont été affectés par la pandémie de COVID-19.
List of Issues
Volume 85
Issue 1
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March 2024
Volume 84
Issue 4
Issue 4
December 2023
Volume 84
Issue 3
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September 2023
Volume 84
Issue 2
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June 2023
Volume 84
Issue 1
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March 2023
Volume 83
Issue 4
Issue 4
December 2022
