Objective: The goal of this study was to identify commonly consumed grain food patterns in US adults (≥19 years old;N = 14,384) and compare nutrient intakes, with focus on 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines’ shortfall nut...Objective: The goal of this study was to identify commonly consumed grain food patterns in US adults (≥19 years old;N = 14,384) and compare nutrient intakes, with focus on 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines’ shortfall nutrients, diet quality, and health parameters of those consuming various grain food patterns to those not consuming grains. Methods: This study conducted secondary analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2010. Cluster analysis was used and identified 8 grain patterns: 1) no consumption of main grain groups, 2) crackers and salty snacks, 3) yeast breads and rolls, 4) cakes, cookies, and pies, 5) cereals, 6) pasta, cooked cereals and rice, 7) quick breads, and 8) mixed grains. Results: Adults consuming “cereals”, “pasta, cooked cereals and rice”, and “mixed grains” had a better diet quality compared to no grains. Consuming many, but not all, of the grain food patterns resulted in less saturated fat and lower added sugars. Adults consuming “cereals”, “pasta, cooked cereals and rice” and “quick breads” had greater dietary fiber intake vs. no grains group. Calcium intake was increased in the cereals group, while magnesium intake was greater in adults consuming “cereals” and “pasta, cooked cereals and rice” vs. no grains. Vitamin D (D2 + D3) intake was higher in adults consuming “cereals”, “pasta, cooked cereals and rice”, and “mixed grains” vs. no grain group. Adults consuming “pasta, cooked cereals and rice” had lower body weights (79.1 ± 0.7 vs. 82.5 ± 1.2 kg;P = 0.009) and waist circumference (95.2 ± 0.6 vs. 98.2 ± 1.0 cm;P = 0.004) in comparison to those consuming no grains. Conclusions: Certain grain food patterns are associated with greater 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines’ shortfall nutrients, better diet quality and lower body weights in adults. Additionally, certain grain food patterns are associated with lower intake of nutrients to limit, including saturated fat and added sugars.展开更多
Human food consists of 2 major parts: plants and animals. Primitive people collected food by fishing,hunting and gathering,and later they developed primitive agriculture and animal husbandry about near to 10 thousand ...Human food consists of 2 major parts: plants and animals. Primitive people collected food by fishing,hunting and gathering,and later they developed primitive agriculture and animal husbandry about near to 10 thousand years ago. Due to different natural conditions,the distribution of plants,wild animals which were suitable for domestication are unbalanced in the world; therefore species of domesticated crops and animals vary throughout the world,which leads to the differences in the food patterns of human society. The Great Discovery of Geography ushered in the ear of exchanges among people,one of which is the exchange in agriculture. Crops from America were introduced to the old continent while poultry and livestock of the old continent were also brought to America; later,domesticated crops and animals were spread to the newly-discovered Oceania. Since then,the differences in people's food pattern have begun to narrowdown and started on the path to convergence,and the whole process is basically a saddle-shaped development.展开更多
Background:Food abundance and availability affect flock patterns of foraging birds.Cost and risk tradeoffs are especially critical for flocks of wintering waterbirds foraging in lake wetlands.Waterbirds losing suitabl...Background:Food abundance and availability affect flock patterns of foraging birds.Cost and risk tradeoffs are especially critical for flocks of wintering waterbirds foraging in lake wetlands.Waterbirds losing suitable habitats face insufficient food supplies and high levels of disturbance,affecting their foraging activities.Our objective was to study the effects of food abundance and disturbances on flock size and the structure of Hooded Crane flocks wintering at Shengjin Lake and,as well,to understand the response of wintering waterbirds to habitat degradation for future management decisions and protection of the population.Methods:We investigated food abundance,disturbances and flock foraging activities of the wintering Hooded Crane in several foraging habitats of Shengjin Lake from November 2013 to April 2014.Flock size and structure were observed by scan sampling.Data on food abundance and disturbances were collected by sampling.Flock size and structure were compared among three wintering stages.The relationship between food resources,disturbances and flock size were illustrated using a generalized linear model.Results:In the early and middle wintering periods,the Hooded Crane used paddy fields as its major foraging habitat,where the number of foraging birds and flocks were the highest.During the late period,the cranes took to meadows as their major foraging habitat.The variation among foraging flock was mainly embodied in the size of the flocks,while the age composition of these flocks did not change perceptibly.Family flocks were notably different from flock groups in size and age composition.The results of a generalized linear model showed that the food abundance had a marked effect on foraging flock size and age composition,while disturbances had a significant effect only on flock size.From our analysis,it appeared that the combined effect of the two variables was significant on the size of the foraging flock,but had less impact on age composition.Conclusions:Food abundance and disturbances affected the flock size of the Hooded Crane.With abundant food and high disturbances,flock sizes increased owing to cooperation in foraging.To avoid competition and maximize foraging benefits,flock size reduces with an abundance of food but low disturbance.By trading off risks and costs,the cranes showed flexible flock distributions and a variety of foraging strategies to maximize benefits and to improve their fitness.展开更多
Food security is the primary prerequisite for achieving other Millennium Development Goals(MDGs).Given that the MDG of“halving the proportion of hungers by 2015”was not realized as scheduled,it will be more pressing...Food security is the primary prerequisite for achieving other Millennium Development Goals(MDGs).Given that the MDG of“halving the proportion of hungers by 2015”was not realized as scheduled,it will be more pressing and challenging to reach the goal of zero hunger by 2030.So there is high urgency to find the pattern and mechanism of global food security from the perspective of spatio-temporal evolution.In this paper,based on the analysis of database by using a multi-index evaluation method and radar map area model,the global food security level for 172 countries from 2000 to 2014 were assessed;and then spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted to depict the spatial patterns and changing characteristics of global food security;then,multi-nonlinear regression methods were employed to identify the factors affecting the food security patterns.The results show:1)The global food security pattern can be summarized as“high-high aggregation,low-low aggregation”.The most secure countries are mainly distributed in Western Europe,North America,Oceania and parts of East Asia.The least secure countries are mainly distributed in sub-Saharan Africa,South Asia and West Asia,and parts of Southeast Asia.2)Europe and sub-Saharan Africa are hot and cold spots of the global food security pattern respectively,while in non-aggregation areas,Haiti,North Korea,Tajikistan and Afghanistan have long-historical food insecurity problems.3)The pattern of global food security is generally stable,but the internal fluctuations in the extremely insecure groups were significant.The countries with the highest food insecurity are also the countries with the most fluctuated levels of food security.4)The annual average temperature,per capita GDP,proportion of people accessible to clean water,political stability and non-violence levels are the main factors influencing the global food security pattern.Research shows that the status of global food security has improved since the year 2000,yet there are still many challenges such as unstable global food security and acute regional food security issues.It will be difficult to understand these differences from a single factor,especially the annual average temperature and annual precipitation.The abnormal performance of the above factors indicates that appropriate natural conditions alone do not absolutely guarantee food security,while the levels of agricultural development,the purchasing power of residents,regional accessibility,as well as political and economic stability have more direct influence.展开更多
The goal of this study was to investigate the behaviour of rainbow trout(n=30),Oncorhynchus mykiss,in small raceways when either self-feeders(T2) or hand-feeding(t2) were used.The method of food delivery in T2 was def...The goal of this study was to investigate the behaviour of rainbow trout(n=30),Oncorhynchus mykiss,in small raceways when either self-feeders(T2) or hand-feeding(t2) were used.The method of food delivery in T2 was defensible while that of t2 was indefensible.Fish in both raceways were subjected to restricted feeding(RF) for 25 days.Food was available in the morning(09:00-10:00) in the downstream area and in the afternoon(16:00-17:00) in the upstream area of the raceways.The results showed that the behaviour of rainbow trout was significantly different under interference competition(T2) for food compared with that under scramble competition(t2).RF in T2 fish limited food availability to meal times when feeding rewards were available while t2 fish only responded to the location of food delivery.The aggressive fish in T2 were dominant,and t2 fish at high densities showed intense social interactions under the indefensible pattern of food distribution;these interactions did not dampen to a minimum level to suppress the development of dominance hierarchies.Further,the stocking density did not break down the dominance hierarchies between the T2 fish.This suggests that decreased efficiency in the search for food or inefficient foraging,induced by interference competition at high densities,affected the behaviour of rainbow trout.展开更多
Hunger and malnutrition are burdens that are pronounced in developing countries where they manifest themselves in the forms of protein energy malnutrition. Malnutrition compromises the child’s immune system leading t...Hunger and malnutrition are burdens that are pronounced in developing countries where they manifest themselves in the forms of protein energy malnutrition. Malnutrition compromises the child’s immune system leading to direct mortality and increased vulnerability to infectious diseases stunting and poor brain development. This study sought to analyze the food consumption patterns of children 3 - 5 years old attending Mateka Primary school, Bungoma County. This study adopted a cross sectional survey. One hundred and twenty five (125) children selected from three ECD classes in the school formed the sample size. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the study area and the children respectively. Structured questionnaires were administered to the caregivers of the children. Information on demographics, socio-economic status, and food consumption patterns were gathered. Food consumption patterns were assessed using a HDDS and a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Socio-demographic data was analyzed using (SPSS) Version 21 (2007) and dietary data was analyzed using Nutri-Survey for Windows (2007). Results revealed that most of the households were of low socio-economic characteristics. The most consumed foods were cereals, roots and tubers. Majority (55.2%) of the children had low dietary diversity, 29.1% had medium dietary diversity and 15.7% had greater dietary diversity. The children were deficient in energy, protein, Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc. It can be concluded that the diets fed to the children are inadequate to meet their nutrient intakes for physiological development and growth. Further research should be done to document the prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition among the children.展开更多
Input data from Students Food Behavior, Preference and Lifestyle Questionnaire conducted with 376 students from University “Dunarea de Jos” Galati (UDJG) were analyzed from socio-demographic criteria. The sample soc...Input data from Students Food Behavior, Preference and Lifestyle Questionnaire conducted with 376 students from University “Dunarea de Jos” Galati (UDJG) were analyzed from socio-demographic criteria. The sample socio-demoraphic characteristics of the student population were investigated beside the general food & eating habits by gender. In the current study, most than three quart of students (76.06%) was of correct (normal) weight. Nearly 65.15% of the students reported having regular daily breakfast. The strongest correlation of having breakfast habit is show with the regular meal behaviour [r(3, 4) = 0.242] and regular meals were associated with reduced trends for BMI [r(4, 2) =-0.055].展开更多
Consumption pattern of beta carotene rich foods from 500 households of Coimbatore district was elicited. Through market surveys in four seasons namely: summer, south-west monsoon, north-east monsoon and winter, a year...Consumption pattern of beta carotene rich foods from 500 households of Coimbatore district was elicited. Through market surveys in four seasons namely: summer, south-west monsoon, north-east monsoon and winter, a year calendar of beta carotene rich foods was developed. The total and beta carotene contents of five commonly consumed beta carotene rich foods both in raw and cooked states were determined. Results indicated that greens were mainly purchased from market and consumed 2-3 times per week. Cooking loss was maximum in boiling and minimum in shallow fat frying. Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii),amaranth tender (Amaranthus gangeticus), agathi (Sesbania grandopra), and ponnanganni (Alternanthera sessilis) were the carotene rich foods available round the year. Cost of most greens was highest in summer and lowest in north-east monsoon. Within a cost of 13-14 ps in summer, 4-10 ps in south-west monsoon and north-west monsoon and 4-12 ps in winter season, the entire day's requirement of beta carotene (2400μg) could be obtained in the form of agathi/amaranth throughout the year: in the form of drumstick leaves and mint in south-west monsoon; as curry leaves and coriander leaves in winter and as agathi,paruppukeerai and amaranth in summer. From this year calendar, according to seasonal availability and cost, low-cost high carotene foods can be selected and used for increasing the beta carotene intake in the intervention programmes and in the community展开更多
In this paper, a spatial tri-trophic food chain model with ratio-dependent Michaelis-Menten type functional response under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions is studied. Conditions for Hopf and Turing bifurcation...In this paper, a spatial tri-trophic food chain model with ratio-dependent Michaelis-Menten type functional response under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions is studied. Conditions for Hopf and Turing bifurcation are derived. Sufficient conditions for the emergence of spatial patterns are obtained. The results of numerical simulations reveal the formation of labyrinth patterns and the coexistence of spotted and stripe-like patterns.展开更多
Fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and processed foods continue to be the major sources of essential trace elements in humans’ diet required for proper body development. However, food products can potentially be contam...Fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and processed foods continue to be the major sources of essential trace elements in humans’ diet required for proper body development. However, food products can potentially be contaminated by toxic heavy metals (HMs) from environmental contamination or industrial food processing. The deleterious health implications of essential trace and macro elements’ deficiency and toxic consequences of HMs in humans necessitate proactive monitoring of the essential trace elements and HMs concentrations in the humans diet to ensure public health safety. Accordingly, this study investigated a comparative analysis of essential elements and potential toxic HMs concentration in food products in the Greensboro metropolis, North Carolina, USA. A total of 49 food samples comprising of 16 difference fresh fruits, 17 fresh vegetables, 4 herbs, and 12 processed foods were purchased from local grocery stores and analyzed for iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) by the use of flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The concentrations of elements were subjected to a regression analysis to further gain insight of the inter-element association in the food samples. The results of the study showed high variability in the concentrations of elements in the fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and processed foods. The overall average concentrations of Ca (1501 μg/g), Mg (186.5 μg/g), Fe (55.8 μg/g), Zn (22.2 μg/g), Pb (10.2 μg/g), Cu (5.8 μg/g), Cr (<0.1 μg/g), Cd (<0.1 μg/g), and Ni (<0.04 μg/g) were obtained in all food samples categories. The elements concentrations were generally poorly correlated in the food samples. However, a strong inter-element association between Cu and Fe concentration (R2 = 1.000) and a weak association between Ca and Fe (R2 = 0.5609) were found in the food samples. A survey questionnaire was administered to 396 participants in the Greensboro metropolis to evaluate the food consumption pattern and a daily/weekly dietary estimate intake of vegetables, fruits, herbs and processed foods. The results of the food survey analysis showed that the amount of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and processed foods dietary intake varied widely. In general, the participants consumed more processed foods than vegetables, fruits, and herb foods. The low dietary intake of vegetables, fruits, herbs suggests that most participants may be obtaining insufficient essential trace elements and other vital nutrients necessary for normal growth and body development in their diet.展开更多
Adequate freshwater supply has become an issue of increasing local and international concern. Reducing water use in agriculture, which is the largest water using sector of the economy, is both important and urgent. Th...Adequate freshwater supply has become an issue of increasing local and international concern. Reducing water use in agriculture, which is the largest water using sector of the economy, is both important and urgent. The aim of this paper was to quantify how recent cropping pattern changes have influenced water resources in the great Beijing metropolitan area, an expanding megacity which also includes rural counties. Crop production affects blue water use through water consumption and water pollution, the latter assessed here using a critical dilution method. From 1990 to 2010, the total blue water used by crop production declined due to a decrease in overall cropped area, initially in response to local government policies favouring urban development. However, the average blue water use per hectare increased from 2 112 m3 ha-~ yr-~ in 1990 to 2 764 m3 ha-1 yr-1 in 2003, largely as the result of a transition from cereal to vegetable crops, and in particular an increase in intensively managed plastic and glass covered vegetable production systems. Current policies aim to conserve agricultural land, in the interests of food security, and to stimulate cereal production systems with higher ecosystem services provision. As such, in 2010 the average blue water use was 2 425 m3 ha-~ yr-l. These results demonstrate that cropping pattern changes in peri-urban regions and rural communities surrounding the Beijing metropolitan area can have a substantial impact on water resources. They also highlight the tradeoffs between food production and urban and industrial water supply and the need for integrated policy development.展开更多
The identification of contamination sources within the food chain with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs), (“dioxins”), and PCBs is difficult and complex. PCDD/PCDF ...The identification of contamination sources within the food chain with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs), (“dioxins”), and PCBs is difficult and complex. PCDD/PCDF can be formed as unintentional compounds in a number of chemical processes as well as in almost every combustion process. PCBs were intentionally produced chemicals that were manufactured for decades before the ban in marketing and use in many countries around 1985. The pattern of occurrence can change from the original source in particular via feedingstuffs to food of animal origin as result of bioaccumulation. A number of examples illustrate the challenging detective work and key scientific aspects for identification of the sources, for support of the risk management and for performance of monitoring programs. The contamination of milk and milk products in European countries with dioxins was caused by compound feeds containing citrus pulp pellets from Brazil which had high dioxin levels as a result of the use of heavily contaminated lime used for neutralization. The Belgian dioxin crisis was caused by a feed additive heavily contaminated with PCBs which were discharged into a recycled fat used in the production of animal feed. Guar gum from India was contaminated with sodium pentachlorophenate and dioxins. Clay was found to be possibly highly contaminated with dioxins possibly formed by geothermal processes over time;use of such clay as feed additive or for human intake led to elevated dioxin levels in food and humans. Bioanalytical screening in combination with comprehensive physicochemical investigations led to the detection of brominated flame retardants and brominated dioxins in a feed additive. Buffalo milk was contaminated in Italy presumably caused by illegal deposition of waste. High PCB levels in fuel oil for drying of breadcrumb used as a feed ingredient caused a major dioxin crisis with pork meat in Ireland. Fatty acids for technical purposes originating from a biodiesel company were used for production of feed fat which contaminated parts of the food chain in Germany. In addition to effects on human and animal health these incidents also have serious economic consequences which could be mitigated by more frequent control on food and feed. Addressing both these issues, the European Community has developed a strategy to reduce the presence of dioxins and PCBs in the environment and in feed and food comprising the establishment of maximum and action levels.展开更多
文摘Objective: The goal of this study was to identify commonly consumed grain food patterns in US adults (≥19 years old;N = 14,384) and compare nutrient intakes, with focus on 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines’ shortfall nutrients, diet quality, and health parameters of those consuming various grain food patterns to those not consuming grains. Methods: This study conducted secondary analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2010. Cluster analysis was used and identified 8 grain patterns: 1) no consumption of main grain groups, 2) crackers and salty snacks, 3) yeast breads and rolls, 4) cakes, cookies, and pies, 5) cereals, 6) pasta, cooked cereals and rice, 7) quick breads, and 8) mixed grains. Results: Adults consuming “cereals”, “pasta, cooked cereals and rice”, and “mixed grains” had a better diet quality compared to no grains. Consuming many, but not all, of the grain food patterns resulted in less saturated fat and lower added sugars. Adults consuming “cereals”, “pasta, cooked cereals and rice” and “quick breads” had greater dietary fiber intake vs. no grains group. Calcium intake was increased in the cereals group, while magnesium intake was greater in adults consuming “cereals” and “pasta, cooked cereals and rice” vs. no grains. Vitamin D (D2 + D3) intake was higher in adults consuming “cereals”, “pasta, cooked cereals and rice”, and “mixed grains” vs. no grain group. Adults consuming “pasta, cooked cereals and rice” had lower body weights (79.1 ± 0.7 vs. 82.5 ± 1.2 kg;P = 0.009) and waist circumference (95.2 ± 0.6 vs. 98.2 ± 1.0 cm;P = 0.004) in comparison to those consuming no grains. Conclusions: Certain grain food patterns are associated with greater 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines’ shortfall nutrients, better diet quality and lower body weights in adults. Additionally, certain grain food patterns are associated with lower intake of nutrients to limit, including saturated fat and added sugars.
文摘Human food consists of 2 major parts: plants and animals. Primitive people collected food by fishing,hunting and gathering,and later they developed primitive agriculture and animal husbandry about near to 10 thousand years ago. Due to different natural conditions,the distribution of plants,wild animals which were suitable for domestication are unbalanced in the world; therefore species of domesticated crops and animals vary throughout the world,which leads to the differences in the food patterns of human society. The Great Discovery of Geography ushered in the ear of exchanges among people,one of which is the exchange in agriculture. Crops from America were introduced to the old continent while poultry and livestock of the old continent were also brought to America; later,domesticated crops and animals were spread to the newly-discovered Oceania. Since then,the differences in people's food pattern have begun to narrowdown and started on the path to convergence,and the whole process is basically a saddle-shaped development.
基金supported by the staff of the Shengjin Lake National Nature Reservethe National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.31172117,31472020)the Graduate Student Innovation Research Projects of Anhui University(YQH100270)for financial support
文摘Background:Food abundance and availability affect flock patterns of foraging birds.Cost and risk tradeoffs are especially critical for flocks of wintering waterbirds foraging in lake wetlands.Waterbirds losing suitable habitats face insufficient food supplies and high levels of disturbance,affecting their foraging activities.Our objective was to study the effects of food abundance and disturbances on flock size and the structure of Hooded Crane flocks wintering at Shengjin Lake and,as well,to understand the response of wintering waterbirds to habitat degradation for future management decisions and protection of the population.Methods:We investigated food abundance,disturbances and flock foraging activities of the wintering Hooded Crane in several foraging habitats of Shengjin Lake from November 2013 to April 2014.Flock size and structure were observed by scan sampling.Data on food abundance and disturbances were collected by sampling.Flock size and structure were compared among three wintering stages.The relationship between food resources,disturbances and flock size were illustrated using a generalized linear model.Results:In the early and middle wintering periods,the Hooded Crane used paddy fields as its major foraging habitat,where the number of foraging birds and flocks were the highest.During the late period,the cranes took to meadows as their major foraging habitat.The variation among foraging flock was mainly embodied in the size of the flocks,while the age composition of these flocks did not change perceptibly.Family flocks were notably different from flock groups in size and age composition.The results of a generalized linear model showed that the food abundance had a marked effect on foraging flock size and age composition,while disturbances had a significant effect only on flock size.From our analysis,it appeared that the combined effect of the two variables was significant on the size of the foraging flock,but had less impact on age composition.Conclusions:Food abundance and disturbances affected the flock size of the Hooded Crane.With abundant food and high disturbances,flock sizes increased owing to cooperation in foraging.To avoid competition and maximize foraging benefits,flock size reduces with an abundance of food but low disturbance.By trading off risks and costs,the cranes showed flexible flock distributions and a variety of foraging strategies to maximize benefits and to improve their fitness.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.71734001。
文摘Food security is the primary prerequisite for achieving other Millennium Development Goals(MDGs).Given that the MDG of“halving the proportion of hungers by 2015”was not realized as scheduled,it will be more pressing and challenging to reach the goal of zero hunger by 2030.So there is high urgency to find the pattern and mechanism of global food security from the perspective of spatio-temporal evolution.In this paper,based on the analysis of database by using a multi-index evaluation method and radar map area model,the global food security level for 172 countries from 2000 to 2014 were assessed;and then spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted to depict the spatial patterns and changing characteristics of global food security;then,multi-nonlinear regression methods were employed to identify the factors affecting the food security patterns.The results show:1)The global food security pattern can be summarized as“high-high aggregation,low-low aggregation”.The most secure countries are mainly distributed in Western Europe,North America,Oceania and parts of East Asia.The least secure countries are mainly distributed in sub-Saharan Africa,South Asia and West Asia,and parts of Southeast Asia.2)Europe and sub-Saharan Africa are hot and cold spots of the global food security pattern respectively,while in non-aggregation areas,Haiti,North Korea,Tajikistan and Afghanistan have long-historical food insecurity problems.3)The pattern of global food security is generally stable,but the internal fluctuations in the extremely insecure groups were significant.The countries with the highest food insecurity are also the countries with the most fluctuated levels of food security.4)The annual average temperature,per capita GDP,proportion of people accessible to clean water,political stability and non-violence levels are the main factors influencing the global food security pattern.Research shows that the status of global food security has improved since the year 2000,yet there are still many challenges such as unstable global food security and acute regional food security issues.It will be difficult to understand these differences from a single factor,especially the annual average temperature and annual precipitation.The abnormal performance of the above factors indicates that appropriate natural conditions alone do not absolutely guarantee food security,while the levels of agricultural development,the purchasing power of residents,regional accessibility,as well as political and economic stability have more direct influence.
文摘The goal of this study was to investigate the behaviour of rainbow trout(n=30),Oncorhynchus mykiss,in small raceways when either self-feeders(T2) or hand-feeding(t2) were used.The method of food delivery in T2 was defensible while that of t2 was indefensible.Fish in both raceways were subjected to restricted feeding(RF) for 25 days.Food was available in the morning(09:00-10:00) in the downstream area and in the afternoon(16:00-17:00) in the upstream area of the raceways.The results showed that the behaviour of rainbow trout was significantly different under interference competition(T2) for food compared with that under scramble competition(t2).RF in T2 fish limited food availability to meal times when feeding rewards were available while t2 fish only responded to the location of food delivery.The aggressive fish in T2 were dominant,and t2 fish at high densities showed intense social interactions under the indefensible pattern of food distribution;these interactions did not dampen to a minimum level to suppress the development of dominance hierarchies.Further,the stocking density did not break down the dominance hierarchies between the T2 fish.This suggests that decreased efficiency in the search for food or inefficient foraging,induced by interference competition at high densities,affected the behaviour of rainbow trout.
文摘Hunger and malnutrition are burdens that are pronounced in developing countries where they manifest themselves in the forms of protein energy malnutrition. Malnutrition compromises the child’s immune system leading to direct mortality and increased vulnerability to infectious diseases stunting and poor brain development. This study sought to analyze the food consumption patterns of children 3 - 5 years old attending Mateka Primary school, Bungoma County. This study adopted a cross sectional survey. One hundred and twenty five (125) children selected from three ECD classes in the school formed the sample size. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the study area and the children respectively. Structured questionnaires were administered to the caregivers of the children. Information on demographics, socio-economic status, and food consumption patterns were gathered. Food consumption patterns were assessed using a HDDS and a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Socio-demographic data was analyzed using (SPSS) Version 21 (2007) and dietary data was analyzed using Nutri-Survey for Windows (2007). Results revealed that most of the households were of low socio-economic characteristics. The most consumed foods were cereals, roots and tubers. Majority (55.2%) of the children had low dietary diversity, 29.1% had medium dietary diversity and 15.7% had greater dietary diversity. The children were deficient in energy, protein, Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc. It can be concluded that the diets fed to the children are inadequate to meet their nutrient intakes for physiological development and growth. Further research should be done to document the prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition among the children.
文摘Input data from Students Food Behavior, Preference and Lifestyle Questionnaire conducted with 376 students from University “Dunarea de Jos” Galati (UDJG) were analyzed from socio-demographic criteria. The sample socio-demoraphic characteristics of the student population were investigated beside the general food & eating habits by gender. In the current study, most than three quart of students (76.06%) was of correct (normal) weight. Nearly 65.15% of the students reported having regular daily breakfast. The strongest correlation of having breakfast habit is show with the regular meal behaviour [r(3, 4) = 0.242] and regular meals were associated with reduced trends for BMI [r(4, 2) =-0.055].
文摘Consumption pattern of beta carotene rich foods from 500 households of Coimbatore district was elicited. Through market surveys in four seasons namely: summer, south-west monsoon, north-east monsoon and winter, a year calendar of beta carotene rich foods was developed. The total and beta carotene contents of five commonly consumed beta carotene rich foods both in raw and cooked states were determined. Results indicated that greens were mainly purchased from market and consumed 2-3 times per week. Cooking loss was maximum in boiling and minimum in shallow fat frying. Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii),amaranth tender (Amaranthus gangeticus), agathi (Sesbania grandopra), and ponnanganni (Alternanthera sessilis) were the carotene rich foods available round the year. Cost of most greens was highest in summer and lowest in north-east monsoon. Within a cost of 13-14 ps in summer, 4-10 ps in south-west monsoon and north-west monsoon and 4-12 ps in winter season, the entire day's requirement of beta carotene (2400μg) could be obtained in the form of agathi/amaranth throughout the year: in the form of drumstick leaves and mint in south-west monsoon; as curry leaves and coriander leaves in winter and as agathi,paruppukeerai and amaranth in summer. From this year calendar, according to seasonal availability and cost, low-cost high carotene foods can be selected and used for increasing the beta carotene intake in the intervention programmes and in the community
文摘In this paper, a spatial tri-trophic food chain model with ratio-dependent Michaelis-Menten type functional response under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions is studied. Conditions for Hopf and Turing bifurcation are derived. Sufficient conditions for the emergence of spatial patterns are obtained. The results of numerical simulations reveal the formation of labyrinth patterns and the coexistence of spotted and stripe-like patterns.
文摘Fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and processed foods continue to be the major sources of essential trace elements in humans’ diet required for proper body development. However, food products can potentially be contaminated by toxic heavy metals (HMs) from environmental contamination or industrial food processing. The deleterious health implications of essential trace and macro elements’ deficiency and toxic consequences of HMs in humans necessitate proactive monitoring of the essential trace elements and HMs concentrations in the humans diet to ensure public health safety. Accordingly, this study investigated a comparative analysis of essential elements and potential toxic HMs concentration in food products in the Greensboro metropolis, North Carolina, USA. A total of 49 food samples comprising of 16 difference fresh fruits, 17 fresh vegetables, 4 herbs, and 12 processed foods were purchased from local grocery stores and analyzed for iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) by the use of flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The concentrations of elements were subjected to a regression analysis to further gain insight of the inter-element association in the food samples. The results of the study showed high variability in the concentrations of elements in the fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and processed foods. The overall average concentrations of Ca (1501 μg/g), Mg (186.5 μg/g), Fe (55.8 μg/g), Zn (22.2 μg/g), Pb (10.2 μg/g), Cu (5.8 μg/g), Cr (<0.1 μg/g), Cd (<0.1 μg/g), and Ni (<0.04 μg/g) were obtained in all food samples categories. The elements concentrations were generally poorly correlated in the food samples. However, a strong inter-element association between Cu and Fe concentration (R2 = 1.000) and a weak association between Ca and Fe (R2 = 0.5609) were found in the food samples. A survey questionnaire was administered to 396 participants in the Greensboro metropolis to evaluate the food consumption pattern and a daily/weekly dietary estimate intake of vegetables, fruits, herbs and processed foods. The results of the food survey analysis showed that the amount of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and processed foods dietary intake varied widely. In general, the participants consumed more processed foods than vegetables, fruits, and herb foods. The low dietary intake of vegetables, fruits, herbs suggests that most participants may be obtaining insufficient essential trace elements and other vital nutrients necessary for normal growth and body development in their diet.
基金supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest,China(201103001)the National Basic Research Program of China(2010CB951500)the CSIRO-Chinese Ministry of Education Ph D Research Fellowship Program
文摘Adequate freshwater supply has become an issue of increasing local and international concern. Reducing water use in agriculture, which is the largest water using sector of the economy, is both important and urgent. The aim of this paper was to quantify how recent cropping pattern changes have influenced water resources in the great Beijing metropolitan area, an expanding megacity which also includes rural counties. Crop production affects blue water use through water consumption and water pollution, the latter assessed here using a critical dilution method. From 1990 to 2010, the total blue water used by crop production declined due to a decrease in overall cropped area, initially in response to local government policies favouring urban development. However, the average blue water use per hectare increased from 2 112 m3 ha-~ yr-~ in 1990 to 2 764 m3 ha-1 yr-1 in 2003, largely as the result of a transition from cereal to vegetable crops, and in particular an increase in intensively managed plastic and glass covered vegetable production systems. Current policies aim to conserve agricultural land, in the interests of food security, and to stimulate cereal production systems with higher ecosystem services provision. As such, in 2010 the average blue water use was 2 425 m3 ha-~ yr-l. These results demonstrate that cropping pattern changes in peri-urban regions and rural communities surrounding the Beijing metropolitan area can have a substantial impact on water resources. They also highlight the tradeoffs between food production and urban and industrial water supply and the need for integrated policy development.
文摘The identification of contamination sources within the food chain with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs), (“dioxins”), and PCBs is difficult and complex. PCDD/PCDF can be formed as unintentional compounds in a number of chemical processes as well as in almost every combustion process. PCBs were intentionally produced chemicals that were manufactured for decades before the ban in marketing and use in many countries around 1985. The pattern of occurrence can change from the original source in particular via feedingstuffs to food of animal origin as result of bioaccumulation. A number of examples illustrate the challenging detective work and key scientific aspects for identification of the sources, for support of the risk management and for performance of monitoring programs. The contamination of milk and milk products in European countries with dioxins was caused by compound feeds containing citrus pulp pellets from Brazil which had high dioxin levels as a result of the use of heavily contaminated lime used for neutralization. The Belgian dioxin crisis was caused by a feed additive heavily contaminated with PCBs which were discharged into a recycled fat used in the production of animal feed. Guar gum from India was contaminated with sodium pentachlorophenate and dioxins. Clay was found to be possibly highly contaminated with dioxins possibly formed by geothermal processes over time;use of such clay as feed additive or for human intake led to elevated dioxin levels in food and humans. Bioanalytical screening in combination with comprehensive physicochemical investigations led to the detection of brominated flame retardants and brominated dioxins in a feed additive. Buffalo milk was contaminated in Italy presumably caused by illegal deposition of waste. High PCB levels in fuel oil for drying of breadcrumb used as a feed ingredient caused a major dioxin crisis with pork meat in Ireland. Fatty acids for technical purposes originating from a biodiesel company were used for production of feed fat which contaminated parts of the food chain in Germany. In addition to effects on human and animal health these incidents also have serious economic consequences which could be mitigated by more frequent control on food and feed. Addressing both these issues, the European Community has developed a strategy to reduce the presence of dioxins and PCBs in the environment and in feed and food comprising the establishment of maximum and action levels.
