Optimising Repeated Exposure: Determining Optimal Exposure Frequency for Introducing a Novel Vegetable among Children

Comfort Foods in the Twenty-First Century: Friend or Foe?

The comfort food (CF) concept emerged during the latter half of the twentieth century. Although not well defined, CF can be described as familiar foods that elicit feelings of well-being and play a role in social interactions and psychological health. These foods are often calorically dense and nutrient-poor, and overconsumption of some CF may contribute to negative metabolic health outcomes. This is particularly relevant when considering the global increase in obesity, leading to the development of therapeutics for improved weight control and metabolic health. In this review, we aim to (a) provide a historical perspective of the CF concept, (b) detail some genetic, developmental, and cultural factors that determine food preference, (c) discuss the influence of diet on the gut-brain connection, hormones, nutrient absorption, and microbiome diversity, and (d) provide a perspective detailing possible future directions in which food technology may enable a new generation of CF with enhanced palatability and nutrient profiles while contributing to well-being and environmental sustainability.

School-Based Eating Interventions-Are Students Eating Healthily?

School nutrition is an important key modifier in terms of child and adolescent nutrient intake [...].

Interventions for Picky Eaters among Typically Developed Children-A Scoping Review

Picky eating in children is often a major source of concern for many parents and caregivers. Picky eaters (PEs) consume limited foods, demonstrate food aversion, and have a limited food repertoire, which hinders their growth and health. These behaviours are common in children with special health care needs despite the rise in typically developing children. This leads to less attention being given to intervention programmes for typically developing children. Therefore, this scoping review aims to investigate the key concept of an existing intervention programme for PE among typically developing children, primarily on the types and approaches selected. A thorough literature search was conducted on three primary databases (PubMed, Emerald In-sight, and Web of Science) using predefined keywords. The literature was then appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute's guidelines and protocols, and the PRISMScR checklist. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were also specified in the screening procedure. Results showed that the majority of the interventions in these studies were single-component interventions, with the sensory approach being the type that was most frequently utilised, followed by the nutrition approach and parenting approach. Single and multiple intervention components improved the assessed outcome, with a note that other components may or may not show a similar outcome, as they were not assessed in the single-component intervention. Given the evidence that picky eating is influenced by various factors, a multi-component intervention can provide a substantial impact on future programmes. In addition, defining picky eaters using standardised tools is also essential for a more inclusive subject selection.

Potential Use of Edible Insects in Complementary Foods for Children: A Literature Review

Background: Childhood malnutrition is an important public health problem. Animal protein provides essential amino acids in a more adequate pattern than plant-based protein. However, the production of sufficient animal-sourced protein to feed the growing world population is a serious challenge. This review aims to explore the evidence on the use of edible insects as an alternative source of protein and micronutrients in complementary foods for children and their potential to address childhood malnutrition. Methods: Searches were conducted in two electronic databases PubMed and Cochrane. The reference lists of included studies were also searched. Results: Twelve studies were included in this review. All insect-enriched formulations (e.g., biscuits, cereals, porridge, paste, etc.) exceeded the daily recommended amount of protein and fat for children’s complementary foods and showed good acceptability. Only two studies assessed the efficacy of insect-enriched foods on nutritional indicators and found no effect on the reduction of stunting and wasting. However, one study found improvements in the haemoglobin levels and fewer cases of anaemia in the intervention group. Conclusions: Insect-enriched complementary foods for children are safe, acceptable and have the potential to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. More studies are needed to examine their effect on nutritional status in children.

Optimising Repeated Exposure: Determining Optimal Stimulus Shape for Introducing a Novel Vegetable among Children

Although it is well evident that a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables could prevent a number of major chronic diseases, national and international guidelines concerning their intake are not being reached by a large percentage of the population, including children. Thus, it is of interest to investigate how the consumption of this food group by children could be increased. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of serving style on the consumption of a raw snack vegetable (daikon) and the influence of its exposure on liking and intake of the vegetable. A group of 185 children 3–5 years old participated in the study. Two kindergartens served as intervention groups, while the third was assigned to be the control group of the study (n = 50). The intervention groups were repeatedly exposed to one of three different serving styles of daikon: sticks (n = 42), triangles (n = 46) or grated (n = 47), and they were all visited 7 times during the exposure period, on the same frequency (twice per week). Familiarity and liking of the target vegetable, daikon, and six other vegetables (cucumber, celery, celeriac, broccoli, cauliflower and beetroot) were measured at baseline, post-intervention and two follow up sessions (3- and 6-month) to investigate the likelihood of generalisation effects. Intake of daikon was measured at all control sessions and exposures. Moreover, children were asked to rank their favourite serving style of daikon and beetroot, among triangle, stick and grated, towards understanding the influence of shape on the efficacy of the exposure. The results revealed significant changes between liking and intake of daikon for the groups of triangles and sticks and the control group (p < 0.05). The group that received grated daikon did not show significant differences in liking and at intake levels during the exposures but performed well in the long-term. Throughout the exposure period, intake levels followed an overall increasing pattern, with all the groups to demonstrate a decrease of their intake at the last session, which was not found significant for the triangle group. Mere exposure was efficient towards increasing liking and intake of the novel vegetable with all the shapes to deliver positive results, but based on this study no particular serving style can be recommended.