Digital Commons Network^™

Australian Consumer Attitudes To Health Claim - Food Product Compatibility For Functional Foods, P. G. Williams, L. Ridges, M. Batterham, B. Ripper, M. C. Hung

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study with Australian consumers investigated how appealing different health claims combined with particular food carriers were to Australian consumers, and compared the results of a similar study with Dutch consumers. 149 shoppers considered up to 30 different food concepts, rating how ‘attractive’, ‘believable’, and ‘new and different’ they found each concept and their ‘intention to try’. Each variable was significantly related to intention to try (p<0.001) and together explained 56% of the intention score. Claims and carriers independently had a significant effect on ratings of attractiveness and intention to try but, unlike the Dutch study, the carrier was a more important predictor of intention to purchase than the claim. Implications for regulation of health claims for food are discussed.

Eating Inside: Food Service Experiences In Three Australian Prisons, P. G. Williams, K. Walton, N. Ainsworth, C. Wirtz

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study evaluated the menus and food service experience of inmates in three correctional centres in Sydney (one minimum security, one high security, and one for women). Menus were evaluated against recommended dietary intakes, dietary guidelines and nutrition policy statements. Menus generally provided a well varied selection of foods which met the majority of individual nutritional requirements and dietary guidelines - assuming all food provided was consumed. Focus groups and interviews with 35 inmates explored their attitudes about and experiences of the foodservice provision. Sixteen key themes of concern were identified, including: • Complaints about food quality, lack of choice, …

A Self-Administered Dietary Assessment Website For Use In Primary Health Care: Usability Testing And Evaluation, Y. C. Probst, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A dietary assessment website for use in the primary healthcare setting has been developed. The website allows patients, referred from their GP, to self-report their dietary intake. Data from the website feeds to a dietitian who develops individualised dietary advice for the patient. The aim of this paper is to describe the usability testing of the dietary assessment website with its potential users. Testing was broken into two phases. Forty-two free-living adults with metabolic syndrome volunteered, 17 completed phase one and 10 completed phase two, with a 64% rate of completion. Phase one participants spoke aloud as they progressed through …

Assembling A Nutrient Database For A Large Cohort Study: Blue Mountains Eye Study, Victoria M. Flood, W Smith, E Rochtchina, Jie J. Wang, Paul Mitchell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

To construct a nutrient database for use with a large population-based cohort study, the Blue Mountains Eye Study, dietary intakes were estimated using the Australian electronic food composition nutrient databases to which values for additional nutrients were added, including folate, vitamin B12, carotenoids and fatty acids. The addition of nutrient data from alternative, overseas, database sources may be useful in relation to the assessment of outcome measures, however the data obtained from these sources need to be interpreted with care, especially in relation to absolute quantities of intake.

Personality And Cannabis Use, Emma Barkus

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Cannabis is one of the most widely used illegal substances in the world. Its use has been reported to be over-represented in many psychiatric conditions and has frequently been found to predate the onset of psychiatric symptoms. However, cannabis may also have detrimental effects on the general population. Factors that predict the onset of use are receiving increased attention to aid in identifying groups of young people who may be more prone to consume cannabis. Personality traits may be one such factor as they are readily identifiable and offer information that can be used for improved targeting of educational material …

Cannabis-Induced Psychotic-Like Experiences Are Predicted By High Schizotypy. Confirmation Of Preliminary Results In A Large Cohort., John Stirling, Emma Barkus, L Nabosi, S Irshad, G Roemer, B Schreudergoidheijt, Shon Lewis

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Cannabis use has been identified as a possible risk factor for developing schizophrenia. In a previous paper we reported preliminary evidence that cannabis use increases the likelihood of psychosis-like experiences in non-clinical respondents who scored highly on a measure of schizotypy. We now present findings from pooled data from 3 new follow-up studies comprising a sample of 477 respondents, of whom 332 reported using cannabis at least once. Sampling and Methods: As in our previous study, the psychological effects of cannabis were assessed with the Cannabis Experiences Questionnaire, from which 3 subscales can be derived; encompassing pleasurable experiences, psychosis-like …

Food, Health And Nutrition: Where Does Chicken Fit?, Karen E. Charlton, Yasmine Probst, Linda C. Tapsell, Patrick J. Blackall

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The link between diet and health is important, given the prevalence of diet related disease, including obesity, in the Australian population. Consumers need to be able to discriminate between foods based on the nutritional contribution of each to a healthy diet. They also need to be able to discriminate between foods in a broader context, considering issues such as food safety, how the food is produced and the environmental consequences of its production. This review outlines the position of chicken in the Australian diet from a health, consumer and environmental perspective. Chicken can contribute to a healthy eating pattern. It …

Unrealistic Pessimism About Risk Of Coronary Heart Disease And Stroke In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Koula G. Asimakopoulou, Timothy Chas Skinner, Jennifer Spimpolo, Sally Marsh, Charles Fox

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

OBJECTIVE: We examined the accuracy of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients risk estimates of developing Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)/ having a stroke as a consequence of diabetes and their mood about these risks. METHODS: Patients reported their perceived risks of developing CHD/ having a stroke and rated their mood about these risks using a self-report measure. Using an objective risk calculator, they were then told their actual risk of CHD and stroke and their mood was re-assessed. RESULTS: Patients estimates of their risk of CHD / stroke were grossly inflated. A negative relationship between disease risk and mood was also …

Time-To-Contact Perception During Simulated Night Landing, Gavin Prowse, Stephen A. Palmisano, Simone K. Favelle

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 2 experiments, nonpilots made time-to-contact (TTC) judgments during simulated oblique descents toward a groundplane. Experiment 1 revealed a significant effect of simulated glideslope on TTC judgments: 3-degree simulations were underestimated, 6-degree simulations were generally accurate, and 9-degree simulations were overestimated. However, there was a significant reduction in this glideslope effect when the simulated aimpoint was explicitly (as opposed to implicitly) identified throughout the display. This glideslope effect was also found to disappear in Experiment 2, when aimpoint distance was held constant for all glideslopes, suggesting that TTC was being indirectly calculated based on perceived distance.

Communication About Organ Donation Intentions: Formative Research For A Social Marketing Program Targeting Families, Sandra C. Jones, Samantha L. Reis, Kelly L. Andrews

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

With the introduction of the Australian Organ Donation Register (AODR), responsibility regarding organ donation decisions primarily rests with the individual. However, family members can be instrumental in facilitating or hindering the rate of organ donation by objecting to or confirming the individuals wishes. Attitudes and beliefs of family members have been shown to be a strong influence on peoples intentions to donate. Numerous studies have also demonstrated that family communication about organ donation can improve the rate of organ donation. We surveyed 23 matched pairs of undergraduate university students and their parents and found that attitudes to organ donation were …

Social Ideological Influences On Reported Food Consumption And Bmi, Wei C. Wang, Anthony Worsley, Everada G. Cunningham

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between ideological beliefs, perceptions of the importance of health behaviours, health attitudes, food consumption, and Body Mass Index (BMI). A behavioural model was hypothesized based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975).

Methods

A survey was conducted among shoppers aged between 40 and 70 years at Eastland Shopping Centre, Melbourne, Australia. The hypothesized model was tested with this empirical data (n = 410) for younger (n = 151) and older (n = 259) age groups using structural equation modelling.

Results

The findings generally support …

Gross For Kids But Good For Parents: Differing Messages In Advertisements For The Same Products, Sandra C. Jones, Belinda S. Fabrianesi

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives: There has been surprisingly little research into the effects of food advertising on parents' perception of commonly consumed children's food items, although the available research suggests that parents may find nutritional claims in these advertisements confusing. The purpose of the present study was to investigate parents' perceptions of branded snack foods targeted at children, and the extent to which these perceptions are influenced by advertising messages.Design: Using an intercept survey, participants were shown either adult-targeted or child-targeted advertisements for the same food products.Setting: Central business district of a major Australian city.Subjects: One hundred adults, mean age 40 years.Results: The …

Are Pre-Adolescent Girls' Magazines Providing Age-Appropriate Role Models?, Belinda S. Fabrianesi, Sandra C. Jones, Amanda Reid

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Purpose – Repeated exposure to unrealistic notions of female beauty and body shapes, and limited gender stereotypes, may result in the internalization of those standards by pre-adolescent girls. The purpose of this content analysis is to examine the celebrity role models to whom young girls are exposed via magazines specifically targeted at the “tween” audience. Female celebrities are contrasted with those in magazines targeted at older adolescent girls. Design/methodology/approach – Two pre-adolescent girls’ magazines, Total Girl and Barbie, and two adolescent girls’ magazines, Dolly and Girlfriend, were analyzed for the first six months of 2005. All photos (including advertising images) …

The Relevance Of The Heart Foundation Of Australia's Dietary Recommendations For Adult Australians: A Comparison Of Views Of General Practitioners, Cardiologists And Dietitians, Francis A. Worsley, Sylvia Pomeroy

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Purpose: To compare the views of general practitioners, cardiologists and dietitians about the relevance of the Heart Foundation of Australias dietary recommendations for adult cardiac patients. Basic procedures: Quantitative-cross sectional study. Postal questionnaires were self-completed by 248 Victorian general practitioners (30% response), 189 Australia-wide cardiologists (47% response) and 180 Victorian dietitians (45% response). Responses were represented as percentages and analyses of variance were conducted to explore the impact of the independent variables: age, work status and gender on the dependent variable: dietary recommendation. Main findings: Approximately half of the recommendations were viewed as strongly important to implement; these related to …

A Food-Based Dietary Strategy Lowers Blood Pressure In A Low Socio-Economic Setting: A Randomised Study In South Africa, Karen E. Charlton, Naomi Levitt, Krisela Steyn, Deborah Jonathan, Nomonde Gwebushe, Nasheeta Peer, Katja Rossouw, Theresa Gogela, Carl J. Lombard

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To assess the impact of a food-based intervention on blood pressure (BP) in free-living South African men and women aged 50–75 years, with drug-treated mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Methods A double-blind controlled trial was undertaken in eighty drug-treated mild-to-moderate hypertensive subjects randomised to an intervention (n 40) or control (n 40) arm. The intervention was 8-week provision of six food items with a modified cation content (salt replacement (SOLO™), bread, margarine, stock cubes, soup mix and a flavour enhancer) and 500 ml of maas (fermented milk)/d. The control diet provided the same quantities of the targeted foods but of …

Amplified Voices, But They Are Speaking To The Wrong People. Why The Complaint System For Unacceptable Advertising In Australia Is Not Working, Katherine Eagleton, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This exploratory study highlights the lack of public awareness of the role of the Advertising Standards Board (ASB) in the process of handling complaints about unacceptable advertising in Australia. Results show that only a small proportion of Australian adults know that the ASB are the appropriate complaints handling body. This lack of awareness is evident even among those who have made a complaint about advertising (generally to a less appropriate body). This highlights the need for an education campaign to inform the general public how to make a complaint about inappropriate advertising, and who to make a complaint to. Empowering …

High Protein Meals May Benefit Fat Oxidation And Energy Expenditure In Individuals With Higher Body Fat, M. Batterham, R. Cavanagh, Arthur Jenkins, Linda C. Tapsell, G. Plasqui, P. Clifton

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: Fat oxidation is impaired in obesity. The aim of this study was to determine if fat oxidation, seen in a high protein meal response, was influenced by body composition.

Methods: Subjects were provided with control (14% protein, glycemic index, GI 65), high protein high GI (33% protein, GI 74), and high protein low GI (35% protein, GI 45) meals. Substrate oxidation and energy expenditure were measured in room calorimeters over 8 hours in 18 subjects. Results were compared using a repeated measures ANOVA with a customised post-hoc analysis (to compare the protein diets averaged versus control and …

Schizotypy And Psychosis-Like Experiences From Recreational Cannabis In A Non-Clinical Sample, Emma Barkus, Shon Lewis

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background. The relationship between cannabis use and psychosis is still a matter for debate. Accounting for the individual differences in subjective experiences to recreational cannabis use in the general population may hold some clues to the aetiological relationship between cannabis and psychotic symptoms. We hypothesized that schizotypy would account for the individual differences in subjective experiences after cannabis use but not in patterns of use. Method. In a sample of 532 young people who had used cannabis at least once, we examined the relationship between the Cannabis Experiences Questionnaire (CEQ) and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Additionally, we examined the …

Food, Health And Nutrition: Where Does Chicken Fit?, Karen E. Charlton, Yasmine Probst, Linda C. Tapsell, Patrick J. Blackall

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The link between diet and health is important, given the prevalence of diet-related disease, including obesity, in the Australian population. Consumers need to be able to discriminate between foods based on the nutritional contribution of each to a healthy diet. They also need to be able to discriminate between foods in a broader context, considering issues such as food safety, how the food is produced and the environmental consequences of its production. This review outlines the position of chicken in the Australian diet from a health, consumer and environmental perspective. Chicken can contribute to a healthy eating pattern. It is …

Constraints On Food Choices Of Women In The Uk With Lower Educational Attainment, Mary Barker, Wendy T. Lawrence, Timothy C. Skinner, Cheryl O. Haslam, Sian M. Robinson, Hazel M. Inskip, Barrie M. Margetts, Alan A. Jackson, David J. P. Barker, Cyrus Cooper

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: Women of lower educational attainment have less balanced and varied diets than women of higher educational attainment. The diets of women are vital to the long-term health of their offspring. The present study aimed to identify factors that influence the food choices of women with lower educational attainment and how women could be helped to improve those choices. Design: We conducted eight focus group discussions with women of lower educational attainment to identify these factors. We contrasted the results of these discussions with those from three focus group discussions with women of higher educational attainment. Setting: …

Evaluating The Impact Of The Narrow Cast Marketing Of 'Snake Condoms' To Indigenous Youth, Parri Gregory, Lyn J. Phillipson, Lance Barrie, Sandra C. Jones, Anna Validas

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Originating in the Aboriginal community of Mildura, Victoria, the Snake Condom was first launched through collaboration between Marie Stopes Australia, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and the Mildura Aboriginal Health Service. This paper presents results of a recent evaluation of the narrowcast component of this campaign. Overall, this evaluation reveals positive results regarding the effectiveness of the narrowcast component of the initiative and highlights the value of the inclusion of narrowcast promotion as part of a well developed social marketing campaign to address sensitive topics targeted at sub-groups of particular interest within the population.

Midlife Women Maintaining Enriching Recovery From Alcohol Dependence, J B. Withnall, S B. Hill, Sharon R. Bourgeois

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Poster presented at The Joint Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism June 27– July 2, 2008—Washington, D.C., United States

Marketing To Children And Teens On Australian Food Company Websites, Sandra C. Jones, Amanda Reid

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Given the role that food marketing plays in influencing dietary patterns in children, the aim of this research was to explore the internet-based marketing tactics employed by eight leading Australian food companies that produce and distribute foods that are predominantly consumed by children. We examined the marketing policies and child-targeted internet marketing practices of eight major Australian food companies. Seven of the eight food companies have websites or sections of sites that are devoted to children and/or teenagers; with downloadable materials and extensive direct marketing. Of most concern was the collection of detailed personal information from children and/or teenagers, which …