Declaration of Sweeteners on Food Labels: A Scoping Review of Methodological Issues and Prevalence.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently published a guideline that recommends against the use of nonsugar sweeteners. Food labels are a key source of information for consumers, to enable them to make informed decisions regarding the consumption of food additives. However, discrepancies in the concepts and categorizations of sweeteners in labeling recommendations and regulations may influence the results of studies on the prevalence of sweeteners in foods.

Impact of cooking knowledge refresher classes on improving the cooking skills of university students.

To develop, apply and evaluate the impact of cooking knowledge refresher classes (CKRC) on the cooking skills of university students. University students who participated in the first phase of the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen (NCK) intervention A quasi-experimental cooking class intervention was conducted to reinforce cooking skills. Participants completed a validated online survey before and after the intervention.

Impact of a Cooking Intervention on the Cooking Skills of Adult Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study.

Objective: To investigate the impact of the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen (NCK) Program on the cooking skills of Brazilian individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: A randomized controlled intervention study was performed, with intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in weekly sessions of the NCK Program for six weeks (including two in-person practical cooking and three online cooking workshops).

Is the List of Ingredients a Source of Nutrition and Health Information in Food Labeling? A Scoping Review.

Nutrition labelling is any description intended to inform consumers about the nutritional properties of a food product and has focused primarily on nutrients. However, literature has shown that the nutritional quality of packaged foods is not limited to the amount of nutrients, considering that individuals do not consume only nutrients separately, but rather the entire food matrix. Therefore, to analyze the nutritional quality of a packaged food, it is necessary to read its ingredients.

Qualitative menu labelling in university restaurants and its influence on food choices: A systematic review and synthesis without meta-analysis.

Qualitative menu labelling can be defined as descriptive or non-numerical interpretive labels (e.g. traffic light labelling, healthy food symbols, messages or ingredient lists).

Use of the term whole grain on the label of processed and ultra-processed foods based on cereals and pseudocereals in Brazil.

There has been an increasing consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods, accompanied by growing concerns about the relationship between diet quality and health. Whole-grain foods, composed of cereals and pseudocereals, are recommended as part of a healthy diet, and food labeling is an important tool for consumers to identify the presence of whole grains in packaged foods. This study aimed to analyze the use of the term whole grain on the label of processed and ultra-processed foods based on cereals and pseudocereals (amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat) in Brazil.

Consumers' Response to Sugar Label Formats in Packaged Foods: A Multi-Methods Study in Brazil.

Providing information about the sugar content of packaged foods on product labels is an important strategy to lower consumers' sugar intake. This study assessed the effect of exposure to different sugar labels on consumers' understanding of the sugar content of foods and their food choices. In the first phase, five focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of Brazilian adults to explore their perceptions about food labelling in general and sugar labelling in particular.

University Students' Knowledge and Perceptions About Concepts, Recommendations, and Health Effects of Added Sugars.

It is recommended to limit added sugars to below 10% of the daily energy intake, as excessive consumption has been associated with several chronic non-communicable diseases. This exploratory qualitative study used focus groups to investigate the knowledge and perception of Brazilian university students about added sugars concepts, consumption recommendations, and health effects. Focus groups were led by a moderator using a semi-structured discussion guide.

Trans-Fat Labeling in Packaged Foods Sold in Brazil Before and After Changes in Regulatory Criteria for Trans-Fat-Free Claims on Food Labels.

Consumption of industrially produced trans-fat acids (TFA) is a public health concern. Therefore, it is important that information on TFA in packaged foods be clearly informed to consumers. This study aimed to assess the evolution of TFA information presented in packaged foods sold in Brazil in 2010 and 2013, before and after the introduction of stricter regulatory requirements for TFA-free claims on food labels.

Food additives in childhood: a review on consumption and health consequences.

Objective: To discuss the context of scientific publications on the consumption of food additives by children and the possible health consequences in this age group.

Methods: A literature review, with a search carried out between April 2020 and April 2021 in the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar databases, as well as in websites of Brazilian and foreign official bodies. Official documents and studies published since 2000 were selected.

How was the cooking skills and healthy eating evaluation questionnaire culturally adapted to Brazil?

The study described the cross-cultural adaptation process of the American Cooking Skills and Healthy Eating questionnaire to Brazil. Six stages were followed: Translation; Synthesis of translations; Back-translations; Expert Committee; Synthesis of final version; and the Pretest (self-administered online questionnaire in a Brazilian University). Participants responded to the translated questionnaire twice for test-retest.

The adaptation, validation, and application of a methodology for estimating the added sugar content of packaged food products when total and added sugar labels are not mandatory.

Nutrition policies recommend limiting the intake of added sugars. Information about added sugar content is not provided on packaged foods in Brazil, and even total sugar content information is often absent. This study aimed to (i) adapt a systematic methodology for estimating added sugar content in packaged foods when information on total and added sugar contents is not mandatory on labels, (ii) apply the adapted methodology to a Brazilian food composition database to estimate the extent of added sugar content in the national food supply, and (iii) assess the validity of the adapted methodology.

Influence of sugar label formats on consumer understanding and amount of sugar in food choices: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

Context: Reducing population intakes of sugar has become a focus of many national and international public health policies. Packaged foods and beverages are key contributors to sugar intakes, and food labels can be an effective tool to reduce sugar consumption.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to examine the influence of sugar label formats on 2 outcomes: consumers' understanding of sugar information, and the amount of sugar in consumers' food choices.

Positive impact of a cooking skills intervention among Brazilian university students: Six months follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen (NCK) Program to evaluate the improvement of cooking skills and healthy eating of university students.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial with six months follow-up was used incorporating an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). The IG participated in the NCK program over a six-week period, three hours weekly, based on five hands-on cooking classes and one food market visit, while CG continued their usual activities.

Serving Size and Nutrition Labelling: Implications for Nutrition Information and Nutrition Claims on Packaged Foods.

The presentation of nutrition information on a serving size basis is a strategy that has been adopted by several countries to promote healthy eating. Variation in serving size, however, can alter the nutritional values reported on food labels and compromise the food choices made by the population. This narrative review aimed to discuss (1) current nutrition labelling legislation regarding serving size and (2) the implications of declared serving size for nutrition information available on packaged foods.

Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen Program: a randomized controlled intervention to promote cooking skills and healthy eating in university students - study protocol.

Background: Community-based intervention studies that aim at developing cooking skills have increased in the scientific literature and are related to healthier food practices. However, methodological limitations are observed and only a few studies have university students as the target. The university entrance period has been related to negative changes in eating habits among young people and it represents an important period for developing interventions for health promotion.