Relationship of Food Craving Behavior with Body Mass Index and Body Composition in Reproductive Age Females

Objective: To estimate the relationship of Food Craving (FC) behavior with females’ Body Mass Index (BMI), and body-composition. Design, setting and participants: A cross-sectional study of 302 reproductive-age women from middle-socioeconomic class was conducted at the Health & Occupational-Environmental Laboratory. Variable Measures: A FC behavior questionnaire (FCQ) was designed and validated in 151 female subjects. This questionnaire evaluated five dimensions: FC-leisure, FC-psychological reactance, FC-depression, FC-anxiety/stress, and FC-anger. Dependent variables were Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2) and the body fat mass. Interventions: A second group of 151 women completed the FCQ. Anthropometrical variables were recorded using the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry procedure. Analysis: A multiple regression-analysis using STAT- ISTICS version 7 was performed to determine the relationship of FC behavior with anthropometrical variables described. Results: We demonstrated that 98.7% of women had FC behavior. Women with higher BMI had higher scores of FC-depressions (p = 0.02) and FC-anger (p = 0.007). Food craving behavior (p < 0.0008), and food psychological-reactance (p = 0.006), were positive predictors of BMI;food psychological reactance was also a positive predictor of upper and lower-body fat mass (p = 0.005) and (p = 0.008), respectively. Conclusion and Implications: The food craving behavior is a common problem in the female population. Food psychological reactance, in addition to another affective alteration that present the population of women are predictor variables for the increase in BMI and in body-fat mass. It is important that health professionals are aware of the affective states of their patients.

Overview of the Consumer Behavior Study in the Markets of Food Products(1998-2018),Based on the Author’s Interpretation of the Consumer's Requirements in the System of Values that Influence on the Consumer Market Behavior

The purpose of this study was to review the results of a 20-year study in the author’s interpretation of the needs for food products and the value system that determines the market behavior of consumers in the food markets.The scientific novelty of the research is the following results:a)The author’s interpretation of the needs for food products,as consisting of three components:(1)The actual need for food(physiological need);(2)the need for emotions obtained from eating(psychological need);and(3)the need for market products that can meet the physiological needs of emotional expectations and social needs(socio-psychological and economic need);b)Interdisciplinary approach to the study of consumer behavior that led to the author’s interpretation of the value of the research methods outlined in the works of J.N.Sheth et al.,extended and supplemented in the study of Galina V.Astratova(1998);c)Identification of the fact that the importance of components in the system of values,according to the results of research,is different for different food products.This allows simulating more clearly the behavior of the consumer in the development of a marketing-mix and developing a marketing strategy based on targeting.

Food processing wastewater purification by microalgae cultivation associated with high value-added compounds production——A review

Microalgae have been considered as an efficient microorganism for wastewater treatment with simultaneously bioenergy and high value-added compounds production.However,the high energy cost associated with complicated biorefinery(e.g.microalgae cultivation,harvesting,drying,extraction,conversion,and purification)is a critical challenge that inhibits its large-scale application.Among different nutrition(e.g.carbon,nitrogen and phosphorous)sources,food processing wastewater is a relative safe and suitable one for microalgae cultivation due to its high organic content and low toxicity.In this review,the characteristic of different food wastewater is summarized and compared.The potential routes of value-added products(i.e.biofuel,pigment,polysaccharide,and amino acid)production along with wastewater purification are introduced.The existing challenges(e.g.biorefinery cost,efficiency and mechanism)of microalgal-based wastewater treatment are also discussed.The prospective of microalgae-based food processing wastewater treatment strategies(such as microalgae-bacteria consortium,poly-generation of bioenergy and value-added products)is forecasted.It can be observed that food wastewater treatment by microalgae could be a promising strategy to commercially realize waste source reduce,conversion and reutilization.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ food safety knowledge and behavior in China

This study assesses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,and explores the possible influence mechanism,namely,focus on media information.The study is based on internet survey data of 1373 residents in China.A series of econometric models are developed to estimate food safety knowledge and behavior of residents.Both the descriptive and econometric results indicate that the existence of COVID-19 cases in a community has a significantly positive effect on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior.Residents focusing on food safety-related information tend to have higher food safety knowledge and practice food safety behavior.When controlling the variable focused on food safety-related information,the marginal effects of the existence of COVID-19 cases in a community on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior significantly decrease.However,the decrease in consumers’food safety knowledge is quite minor.Hence,the COVID-19 pandemic indeed improves Chinese residents’food safety knowledge and behavior,while focus on food safety-related information is an important mechanism for improving food safety behavior.Moreover,the estimation results of the simultaneous equations model reveal that consumers’food safety knowledge has a significant and positive effect on their food safety behavior.Heterogeneous impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents’food safety knowledge and behavior among different regions and income groups are observed.The findings of this study provide evidence that public health events could enhance residents’safety awareness and behavior,while residents’focus on relevant information plays an important role in improving knowledge and impacting behavior.

The Research Comment on Organic Food Consumer Behavior

Since the development of organic food,to a great extent,depends on the needs of consumers,the studies on the consumer behavior of organic food would have far-reaching significance to the development of the whole organic food industry. The recent studies in this field mainly include the following four aspects: the consumers' recognition of organic food; the consumers' attitude towards organic food; the consumers' purchase of organic food; the consumers' willingness to pay. The paper would review the recent domestic and foreign studies on the four aspects mentioned above,aiming to provide references to the researches in this field.

Practice, Behavior, Knowledge and Awareness of Food Safety among Secondary &Tertiary Level Students in Trinidad, West Indies

The aim of this study was to assess the level of food safety practice, knowledge, behavior and awareness among n = 205 Trinidadian students (mean age 18±) enrolled within the education system in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies and to explore the association between these variables and the demographic and educational characteristics. To address these concerns, participants enrolled within the secondary (high school) and tertiary (university) institutions in Trinidad were questioned (16 questions) on food buying habits, preparation, attitudes, behaviors, knowledge and awareness. The data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive, frequency distribution and percentages. Pearson chi square tested the association between food safety behaviors and awareness in relation to gender, age and educational level. Findings indicated that 76%of the students “always” washed their hands after touching raw chicken/meats and fish, while 50% utilized separate cutting boards/knives for raw chicken/meat and fish. Many students (68%) believed that it was “very safe” to only rinse cutting boards used for raw chicken/meat and fish. Others (10%) believed it was “very safe” to defrost foods outside the refrigerator, and 25% reported that it was “safe” to leave hot foods at room temperature for more than four hours. The level of food safety practice and behavior was higher (p < 0.05) among the female students at the secondary school level than those at the tertiary level. There was no difference in the median (20/45) and mode (25/45) scores for food safety behavior between the two educational groups but the difference (p < 0.01) was significant for awareness. Food safety practice, behavior and awareness skills of males at the secondary level were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than the females. These results strengthen the need for continuous educational programs to improve food safety awareness skills of Trinidadian students.

Food Sanitation Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior for the University Restaurants Employees

The purpose of this study was to discuss the food sanitation knowledge, attitude, and behavior for the employees of university restaurants, and furthermore, to explain the interrelations of these various were occurring at school. A questionnaire survey procedure was used. Each two constructs of food sanitation attitude and behavior were analyzed by factor analysis. Data was analyzed by description, Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis. The correctness rate toward the whole sanitation knowledge of trials was 70%. The overall attitude toward food sanitation was prone to positive and the attitude of employee self-responsibility was superior to the attitude of food sanitation practice. The sanitary guiding behavior was better than the sanitary habit behavior;and there was a significant relationship indicated through Pearson correlation analysis among three various. The sanitation knowledge and sanitation attitude showed a 42.6% predictive power to behavior, the attitude was mediated between knowledge and behavior. The university restaurant employees shared a more pessimistic view toward the benefits of training and the institutions could establish a committee for monitoring food nutrition and sanitation. It provides valuable information for development employees training while seeking to raise school restaurant food safety levels.

Depressive Symptoms and Food Intake among Weight-Preoccupied Women: Do Eating Behaviors and Attitudes or BMI Mediate This Association?

Associations between depressive symptoms, dysfunctional eating behaviors and attitudes, higher food intake and body mass index (BMI) have been previously observed. However, few studies have assessed these variables in the same study. The first objective is to compare, in a natural setting environment, the profile of women reporting lower or higher levels of depressive symptoms in terms of food intake, eating behaviors and attitudes, and BMI. The second objective is to test mediational models for which the link between depressive symptoms and food intake would be mediated by eating behaviors and attitudes or BMI. Weight-preoccupied women were recruited (n = 323), and their level of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory. The median score was used to create two groups (lower ≤ 13;higher > 13). A web-based food-frequency questionnaire, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and the Intuitive Eating Scale were completed. BMI was calculated from reported body weight and height. Compared to women with a lower level of depressive symptoms, those with a higher level of depressive symptoms reported a higher energy intake (p = 0.02), and a higher consumption of savoury foods (p = 0.02). These women also had higher scores of disinhibition (p p = 0.0002), ate less intuitively (p p = 0.005). Association between depressive symptoms and energy intake was mediated by disinhibition, susceptibility to hunger and eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, while the role of BMI was less clear. Regarding another component of food intake, association between depressive symptoms and consumption of savoury foods was mediated by disinhibition and eating for physical rather than emotional reasons. In summary, it seems essential to be aware of the presence of depressive symptoms and to pay attention to eating behaviors and attitudes in interventions among weight-preoccupied women.

Food Behavior of Pupils in the City of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)

Introduction: Diet is a determinant of chronic non transmissible diseases. The aim of this study was to describe pupils’ diet in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that took place from March to April 2016, among 1st, 4th and 7th form pupils of public and private schools in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso. Diet survey methods were a reminder of the last 24 hours and the questionnaire of consumption frequency. Results: A total of 1993 pupils were surveyed. The mean age was 17.5 ± 3.6 years and the sex ratio 0.7. The majority of pupils (90.5%) reported eating at least 3 meals a day. Dietary recommendations were different according to food groups. For example, vegetables (90.0%), fruits (75.4%) and dairy products (79.3%) were the least well consumed foods compared to recommendations. Protein and starch intake were inadequate among these pupils with 39.7% and 58.2% respectively. Almost 1/4 had a regular weekly alcohol consumption (23.4%) while an excessive consumption of sweet drinks and fried foods was noted in 12.7% and 28.2% of them, respectively. Conclusion: This study has revealed a general insufficiency in the recommended dietary intakes of fruit, vegetables, proteins, starchy foods and dairy products among pupils, and on the other hand, a regular consumption of fatty, sugary and alcoholic foods for about a fifth of them. An intervention program such as “Communication for Continuous Behavior Change” would help improve these habits.

Corrosion Behavior of Pipeline Steel in Oilfield Produced Water under Dynamic Corrosion System

In order to predict the corrosion trendency of X100 pipeline steel in flowing oilfield produced water,the effect of flow rate on the corrosion behavior of X100 pipeline steel was studied under general dynamic condition and simulated real working condition at the flow rate of 0.2,0.4,and 0.6 m·s^(-1).Potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to study the corrosion behavior of X100 steel.Energy dispersive spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze corrosion product composition and micromorphology.The experimental results show that the corrosion is more serious under simulated real working conditions than that under the general dynamic conditions.In any case the corrosion current density increases with the increase of the flow rate,and the total impedance value decreases.The corrosion products include Fe_(3)O_(4),Fe_(2)O_(3),and FeOOH.The mass transfer and electrochemistry were simulated by flow coupled in COMSOL software.The multiphysical field coupling simulation results are closer to the engineering practice than the single flow field simulation,and similar results from the experiments were obtained.Both experimental and simulation results reveal that the higher flow rate is,the more serious corrosion appear and the more corrosion products accumulate.By combining experimental and COMSOL simulation data,the corrosion process model of X100 steel was proposed.

Consumption Motivation and Behavior of College Students in Western-style Fast Food Restaurants on Campus

Based on the questionnaire survey data of college students in Wuhan,this paper studied the motivation of consumption behavior of college students in western-style fast food restaurants on campus,and built a relationship model for consumption motivation and behavior. The results indicate that the consumption motivation of college students in western-style fast food restaurants includes six types: social motivation,conformity motivation,show-off motivation,self-hedonic motivation,quality-pursuing motivation,and self-gift giving motivation. The overall characteristics of college students' consumption behavior in western-style fast food restaurants include six characteristics: consumption period,consumption frequency,ways of information access,consumption amount,product preference,and consumption willingness. There are significant differences in the consumption behavior between different college students. Different college students are different in consumption period,consumption frequency,ways of information access,consumption amount,product preference,and consumption willingness. Based on the above results,it came up with pertinent marketing recommendations.

Long Term Low Salt Feeding Led to the Changes in Food Intake, Body Weight and Depressive-Like Behavior in Mice

Low salt intake is associated with depression, but the experimental evidence is not clear. Sixty adult mice were randomly divided into four groups (mild, moderate and severe salt deficiency groups and control) during the seasonal splitting from winter to spring. The mice in the control group were fed with standard ordinary diet (salt content 0.26%), while in the mild, moderate and severe groups, the mice were fed with 10%, 30% and 50% salt deficient feedstuff, lasting for approximately 3 months. The results showed that the salt content of feed was negatively correlated with the food intake and body weight of mice. The sucrose preference test found that only the mild salt deficiency group had no differ-ence between the beginning and the end of the experiment, and the other three groups in-cluding the control, showed a significant decrease. These results suggest that dietary salt content has an impact on the food intake and body weight of mice and is associated with the emergence of depressive-like behavior. Furthermore, the seasonal splitting from winter to spring may also have a differential synergistic effect on the change of depression-like behavior associated with low salt intake in mice.

Agricultural Production Structure Optimization: A Case Study of Major Grain Producing Areas, China

A large number of mathematical models were developed for supporting agricultural production structure optimization decisions; however, few of them can address various uncertainties existing in many factors （e.g., eco-social benefit maximization, food security, employment stability and ecosystem balance）. In this study, an interval-probabilistic agricultural production structure optimization model （IPAPSOM） is formulated for tackling uncertainty presented as discrete intervals and/or probability distribution. The developed model improves upon the existing probabilistic programming and inexact optimization approaches. The IPAPSOM considers not only food security policy constraints, but also involves rural households’income increase and eco-environmental conversation, which can effectively reflect various interrelations among different aspects in an agricultural production structure optimization system. Moreover, it can also help examine the reliability of satisfying （or risk of violating） system constraints under uncertainty. The model is applied to a real case of long-term agricultural production structure optimization in Dancheng County, which is located in Henan Province of Central China as one of the major grain producing areas. Interval solutions associated with different risk levels of constraint violation are obtained. The results are useful for generating a range of decision alternatives under various system benefit conditions, and thus helping decision makers to identify the desired agricultural production structure optimization strategy under uncertainty.

Foraging behavior of the Greater White-fronted Goose(Anser albifrons) wintering at Shengjin Lake: diet shifts and habitat use

Background: The habitat use and foraging behaviors of waterbirds are closely related to the distribution and abundance of their food resources. Reductions in food supply can cause waterbirds to shift their habitats and adjust their foraging behaviors to meet their nutritional requirements and increase fitness. Seasonal withdraw of the water levels in the river-connected lakes in the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain provides abundant food resources for the wintering Greater White-fronted Goose(Anser albifrons). Sedge(Carex) meadows are critical foraging habitats for herbivorous waterbirds in the hydro-fluctuation belt, which changes with hydrological conditions and climate. This study aimed to examine the behavioral responses of the Greater White-fronted Goose to temporal-spatial changes of food availability in the Sedge meadows.Methods: Fields surveys were carried out at Shengjin Lake from November 2017 to April 2018. According to the phenology of Shengjin Lake, we divided the wintering season into three periods. The food density, minimum temperature, food items, grass height, and number of foraging geese were surveyed, and samples of the foraging behavior were collected. We analyzed the relationship of the foraging behavior and habitat use relative to the food resources, using correlation and linear regression analyses.Results: Along with the temporal-spatial variation and exploitation of food resources, the food abundance and items varied widely among the foraging sites. Over the whole wintering period, the foraging habitat with the highest utilization rate was the meadows, followed by the paddy fields, and then mudflats. Furthermore, the utilization of the meadows showed a bimodal distribution trend, while the paddy fields showed a unimodal trend, and a decreasing trend was seen in the mudflats over the whole wintering period. The results of the generalized linear model showed that the foraging rate was related to the food density and grass height, with a linearly increasing trend during the winter.Conclusions: With the change of food resources in the three habitats, the habitats used by the Greater White-fronted Geese shifted from meadows in the hydro-fluctuation belt to the paddy fields, and then back to the meadows. The time budget for foraging activities increased correspondingly, and there was an increase in the foraging rate to compensate for food shortages.

Panic buying? Food hoarding during the pandemic period with city lockdown

Food hoarding is prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic.To investigate the mechanism of urban consumers’food hoarding behaviors,we categorize hoarding motives into rational and irrational ones.Using random online survey samples from three cities in China,we employ the multivariate probit model to investigate the rational and irrational motives on food hoarding behavior.Our results confirmed the existence of both rational and irrational food hoarding,and also found factors attributing to the different buying behaviors.The amount of food at hand and the expectation on the infection possibility of COVID-19 are two major factors affecting rational hoarding.Bad mood and herd psychology are factors contributing to panic buying.This study provides an empirical evidence to support intervention policies aiming at mitigating panic buying behavior.

Shifts in foraging behavior of wintering Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in three different habitats at Shengjin Lake, China

Background: Wetland loss and degradation result in a reduction in the availability and quality of food for wintering waterbirds. Birds normally modify their foraging behavior to adapt to variations in food availability. In this study, we compared shifts in foraging behavior of Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in three different habitats at Shengjin Lake, China to understand the response of these cranes to changes in habitat.Methods: We investigated the food density and foraging behavior of Hooded Cranes in Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve from November 2014 to April 2015. We used regression equations to describe the changes in food density. A total of 397 behavioral observations were used in the analyses of their foraging efforts. We fitted a candidate set of generalized mixed linear models to analyze the relationship of foraging efforts and food density. We used a method of information theory to guide the selection of the model and Akaike's Information Criterion to calculate the value of each model. The relationship between food density, disturbances and foraging behavior was illustrated using a generalized linear model.Results: Along with the temporal variation and exploitation of food biomass, the food density varied widely among foraging sites. During the early winter period, foraging efforts were more pronounced in the paddy fields and meadows but not significantly different among the three habitats. The cranes spent more foraging effort in the paddy fields and meadows during the middle stage and in the meadows and mudflats during the late winter. The results of the generalized linear model showed that food density and disturbances had different effects on the rate of foraging success during the winter, while the effect of foraging effort was not significant. Furthermore, the rate of feeding success was markedly affected by disturbances in the paddy fields. The combined action of food density and disturbances had a significant effect on the rate of foraging success in the meadows, while the effect of foraging effort was also not significant in three habitats.Conclusions: Changes in foraging behavior were significant in three habitats, which were affected by food density and disturbances. The rate of foraging success increased in the habitat with low food density and low disturbances to increase the foraging efficiency in the lake. With abundant food and a high level of disturbance, the rate of foraging success decreased to ensure more secure access to food.

Motives Underlying Organic Food Consumption in Turkey： Impact of Health, Environment, and Consumer Values on Purchase Intentions

Raising ecological awareness and health concerns create question marks about healthiness and sustainability of conventional foods in customers＇ minds. Due to augmented mass media coverage of environmental problems, health concerns related to consumption of genetically modified food and/or chemical contaminants in food, and consumers＇ increasing interest in healthy nutrition and environmental protection, there is a growing interest for organic foods in all over the world. Growing interest for organic foods, and increasing production and demand in organic food market has made organic food consumption a significant topic of research. Although organic food market and demand for organic foods have also been growing in Turkey, literature regarding organic food consumption is not very extensive. Therefore, this study aims to understand the underlying motives for organic food consumption in Turkey, and to explore the factors affecting Turkish consumers＇ attitudes towards organic foods and the behavioral intention of Turkish consumers to purchase organic food by the help of the theory of reasoned action （TRA）. The results of 622 successful surveys used for this empirical research indicate that Turkish consumers＇ attitudes towards organic foods are determined by perception of organic foods, consumer values, and price perception, while their purchase intention is determined by health consciousness, perception of organic foods, consumer values, price perception, and environmental concerns.

Government drive,economic induction,and construction of food traceability systems:An empirical study based on supermarket samples from 'first-tier' and 'Olympic' cities in China

Food traceability systems are capable of overcoming or alleviating problems caused by incomplete and asymmetric information on food markets.This study conducts an empirical analysis using 308 supermarket samples from China's Beijing,Guangzhou,and Qingdao to determine the factors that influence supermarket behavior when operating traceability systems.The results show that operating profits(generated from food traceability systems),scale of operation,level of economic development(of a city),and government subsidies will positively affect the decision of supermarkets to use traceability systems.At the same time,government policies promoting food traceability systems should have a long-term role.

Framing Cuisine with Food Loss and Waste as a Combined Nutrition Public Health Priority and Climate Change Mitigation Action

This paper proposes that fortifying honored traditional recipes with natural foods in tandem with preventing food loss and waste adds a new dimension to sustainable food management—nutrient recovery and bioavailability—while reducing the global prevalence of anemia and other diet-induced maladies. Using the complementarity of iron and Vitamin C as an example, this paper demonstrates that we can recover bioavailable nutrients to ensure recovery is efficient. The authors show by example that returning food loss and waste into a healthy food environment can meet the daily and monthly needs of iron-deficiency in substantial portions of the populations with significant need and in all countries. Further, maximizing the availability of key nutrients, like iron, will reduce the stress of animal husbandry on the environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions;and thereby, reduce agriculture impacts to climate change and global warming. Considering the quality, quantity, and convenience of food recovery, from farm—and beyond fork—to gut, is key for global policy development in nutrition public health and actions that are ready to implement today.

Risk of predation: a critical force driving habitat quality perception and foraging behavior of granivorous birds in a Nigerian forest reserve

Background:Understanding the factors that influence the foraging behavior and perception of habitat quality by animals has long been the focus in ecology. Due to the direct effect resource acquisition has on an individual's fitness and species' survival, predation risk is considered widely to be a major driver of foraging decision. The objectives of this study were to investigate how predation risk is perceived by granivorous bird species with respect to different habitat and microhabitat types, time of day and food types in Amurum Forest Reserve, Nigeria, with a view to direct future conservation planning. Methods: For 3 months, we conducted field experiments to measure giving-up densities (GUD, the amount of food left behind in artificial patches after birds cease to forage in it) and how it differs with habitat types, microhabitats, times of day, and food types. General linear mixed-effect models (GLMMs) were fitted to investigate the differences in GUD with respect to the aforementioned variables. Model selection was done based on the Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). Results: There was no significant difference in GUDs across habitats. However, there was a significant difference in GUDs between microhabitats. Higher food remnants were recorded in the open than in cover microhabitats, as birds exploited food patches in the cover more. Time of day influenced foraging behavior in the birds. They foraged more in the morning than afternoon across all three habitats except for the gallery forest where birds foraged less in the morning. Higher GUDs were recorded in open than cover microhabitats both in the morning and the afternoon. Birds had a preference for rice, millet, and groundnut respectively. Conclusion:The differences in GUDs were very indicative of differences in foraging behavior and perception of resource availability in response to perceived predation risk. Therefore, this study suggests that the understanding of foraging decisions can be a veritable method for assessing habitat quality as perceived by animals.