Social jetlag is associated with obesity-related outcomes in 9-11-year-old children, independent of other sleep characteristics.

Introduction: Social jetlag has been reported to predict obesity-related indices, independent of sleep duration, with associations in female adolescents but not males. However, such sex-specific relationships have not been investigated in pre-adolescents.

Objectives: To examine: (i) the relationships between sleep characteristics, including social jetlag, and obesity-related outcomes during childhood, and (ii) whether these relationships are moderated by sex.

Cohort Profile: The Christchurch IBS cOhort to investigate Mechanisms FOr gut Relief and improved Transit (COMFORT).

Background And Aims: This cross-sectional observational case-control study was initiated in July 2016 with the aim of increasing an understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional diarrhoea (FD), and functional constipation (FC). Specific areas of interest include the effect of food, microbiome, host and microbial genetics, metabolome, and psychological variables on unexplained chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.

Methods: This study recruited consecutive patients who were attending one of two endoscopy centres in Christchurch, New Zealand, for colonoscopy and a subgroup of participants from the general public who did not undergo colonoscopy.

Associations of accelerometer-measured sedentary time, sedentary bouts, and physical activity with adiposity and fitness in children.

Sedentary time (ST) has been inconsistently associated with adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children in previous studies. We studied cross-sectional associations of ST, light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with fat mass index (FMI) and cardiorespiratory fitness (estimated VOmax). Associations were evaluated with and without considering pattern of ST by bout length.

Efficacy of the low FODMAP diet for treating irritable bowel syndrome: the evidence to date.

This review summarizes the published clinical studies concerning the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using restriction of Fermentable Oligosaccharide, Disaccharide, Monosaccharide, and Polyols in the diet (low FODMAP diet). In recent years, the data supporting low FODMAP diet for the management of IBS symptoms have emerged, including several randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and other observational studies. Unlike most dietary manipulations tried in the past to alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms of IBS, all studies on low FODMAP diet have consistently shown symptomatic benefits in the majority of patients with IBS.

Reproducibility and Relative Validity of a Short Food Frequency Questionnaire in 9-10 Year-Old Children.

The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility and validity of a non-quantitative 28-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Children aged 9-10 years (n = 50) from three schools in Dunedin, New Zealand, completed the FFQ twice and a four-day estimated food diary (4DEFD) over a two-week period. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman's correlation coefficients (SCC) were used to determine reproducibility and validity of the FFQ, respectively.

Genotype vs. Phenotype and the Rise of Non-Communicable Diseases: The Importance of Lifestyle Behaviors During Childhood.

Despite continued research and growing public awareness, the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCD) continues to accelerate. While a person may have a genetic predisposition to certain NCDs, the rapidly changing epidemiology of NCDs points to the importance of environmental, social, and behavioural determinants of health. Specifically, three lifestyle behaviours expose children to important environmental cues and stressors: physical activity, nutritional intake, and sleep behaviour.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is positively associated with a healthy dietary pattern in New Zealand adolescents.

Objective: To examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and dietary patterns in adolescents.

Design: Food choice was assessed using the validated New Zealand Adolescent FFQ. Principal components analysis was used to determine dietary patterns.

Relative validity and reproducibility of an FFQ to determine nutrient intakes of New Zealand toddlers aged 12-24 months.

Objective: The study objective was to determine the relative validity and reproducibility of a modified FFQ for ranking the nutrient intakes of New Zealand toddlers aged 12-24 months.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Dunedin, New Zealand.

Home food availability is associated with multiple socio-economic indicators in 50 year olds from Canterbury, New Zealand.

Financial restraints and poverty lead to poor diets and poor health outcomes. Limited research shows that socioeconomic status is related to home availability of certain foods. However, studies in this area have used different socio-economic indicators, which may not equally influence eating-related behaviors.

Relative validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire for identifying the dietary patterns of toddlers in New Zealand.

Background: Dietary patterns provide insight into relationships between diet and disease. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) can identify dietary patterns in adults, but similar analyses have not been performed for toddlers.

Objective: The aim of the Eating Assessment in Toddlers study was to evaluate the relative validity and reproducibility of dietary patterns from an FFQ developed for toddlers aged 12 to 24 months.

Is the food environment surrounding schools associated with the diet quality of adolescents in Otago, New Zealand?

Using a sample of adolescents from schools in Otago, New Zealand, associations between food outlets around schools and dietary quality were investigated. Food outlet environment data were derived using GIS data. Multivariate regression analysis results showed that outlet density, in an 800m buffer around schools, of cafes and restaurants, supermarkets and takeaways was associated with higher Diet Quality Index scores in boys, and distance to nearest outlet for convenience stores, cafes and restaurants and supermarkets with lower scores for girls.

Diet quality is associated with measures of body fat in adolescents from Otago, New Zealand.

Objective: To examine the potential associations between diet quality and multiple measures of body composition in a sample of New Zealand adolescents aged 14-18 years.

Design: Cross-sectional survey of eleven high schools in Otago, New Zealand. Each participant completed an online FFQ and a New Zealand Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (NZDQI-A) score was calculated based on variety and adequacy of intake for five major food groups.

Dietary intake in midlife and associations with standard of living, education and nutrition literacy.

Aim: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in New Zealand, but risk factors may be decreased by consuming a heart healthy diet. This pilot study investigated whether participants met the guidelines for a heart healthy diet and whether a novel heart healthy dietary pattern could be identified using principal components analysis (PCA). The second aim of this project was to assess if higher education, standard of living and nutrition literacy are associated with a heart healthy dietary pattern.

Associations between parental feeding practices, problem food behaviours and dietary intake in New Zealand overweight children aged 4-8 years.

Objective: Parents report that children's eating behaviours are a major barrier to providing them with a healthy diet. Links between problem eating behaviours and parental feeding practices are not well established and have not previously been examined in overweight children. The aim of the present study was to assess associations between problem food behaviours, dietary intake and parental feeding practices of overweight children aged 4-8 years.

Healthy dietary habits score as an indicator of diet quality in New Zealand adolescents.

Adoption of optimal dietary habits during adolescence is associated with better health outcomes later in life. However, the associations between a pattern of healthy dietary habits encapsulated in an index and sociodemographic and nutrient intake have not been examined among adolescents. This study aimed to develop a behavior-based diet index and examine its validity in relation to sociodemographic factors, nutrient intakes, and biomarkers in a representative sample of New Zealand (NZ) adolescents aged 15-18 y (n = 694).

Sleep duration and adiposity in older adolescents from Otago, New Zealand: relationships differ between boys and girls and are independent of food choice.

Background: While relationships between sleep and BMI have been extensively studied in younger children the effect of sleep duration on adiposity in adolescents, who are undergoing rapid growth periods, is less well known. There is also a lack of consistent evidence on the role of sleep on other measures of adolescent body composition which may be more reflective of health than BMI in this age group. Previous research investigating whether these relationships differ between sexes is also inconsistent.

Development and validation of a food-based diet quality index for New Zealand adolescents.

Background: As there is no population-specific, simple food-based diet index suitable for examination of diet quality in New Zealand (NZ) adolescents, there is a need to develop such a tool. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an adolescent-specific diet quality index based on dietary information sourced from a Food Questionnaire (FQ) and examine its validity relative to a four-day estimated food record (4DFR) obtained from a group of adolescents aged 14 to 18 years.

Methods: A diet quality index for NZ adolescents (NZDQI-A) was developed based on 'Adequacy' and 'Variety' of five food groups reflecting the New Zealand Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Adolescents.

Dieting status influences associations between dietary patterns and body composition in adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Associations between food choice and body composition in previous studies of adolescents have been inconsistent. This may be due to the body composition measures used, or these associations may be affected by the dieting status of adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between dietary patterns and body composition in adolescents, and determine if these associations are moderated by dieting status.

Factor analysis of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire in a large sample of children.

How parents feed their children may impact on their weight and eating behaviours, both now and in the future. The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) proposes to measure parental feeding practices and was originally developed using 12 factors in relatively small, homogenous samples. In contrast the present study used a large, diverse sample (n=1013) of children aged 4-8years.

A comprehensive FFQ developed for use in New Zealand adults: reliability and validity for nutrient intakes.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and relative validity of a semi-quantitative FFQ for assessing the habitual intake of multiple nutrients in New Zealand (NZ) adults over the past 12 months.

Design: A 154-item FFQ was developed. After initial pre-testing, reliability was assessed using intra-class correlations.

Reliability and relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire to assess food group intakes in New Zealand adolescents.

Background: Due to the absence of a current and validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for use in New Zealand adolescents, there is a need to develop one as a cost-effective way to assess adolescents' food patterns. This study aims to examine the test-retest reliability and relative validity of the New Zealand Adolescent FFQ (NZAFFQ) to assess food group intake in adolescents aged 14 to 18 years.

Methods: A non-quantitative (without portion size), 72-item FFQ was developed and pretested.

Attitudes to food differ between adolescent dieters and non-dieters from Otago, New Zealand, but overall food intake does not.

Objective: There is increasing pressure for adolescents to be thin and this may not always be acted upon in healthy ways; for example, certain foods or food groups may be restricted or meals skipped. As foods are not eaten in isolation it is useful to examine dietary patterns and associated psychosocial factors to better understand eating behaviour. The aim of the present study was to identify correlates of 'dieting' in adolescents from Otago, New Zealand.

Energy intakes of ultraendurance cyclists during competition, an observational study.

Endurance events>10 hr are becoming increasingly popular but provide numerous physiological challenges, several of which can be attenuated with optimal nutritional intakes. Previous studies in ultraendurance races have reported large energy deficits during events. The authors therefore aimed to assess nutritional intakes in relation to performance among ultraendurance cyclists.

Dietary patterns and smoking in Northern Irish men: a population at high risk of coronary heart disease.

This study evaluated dietary habits of Northern Irish men who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, stratified as never-, ex-, moderate-, or heavy-smokers. Participants were male volunteers (30 - 49 years) from a single workforce in Belfast (n = 765). Dietary information was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire.

What children eat during afternoons and evenings: is it important?

Objective: To complete a description of the dietary intakes of New Zealand schoolchildren by describing afternoon and evening foods and nutrients.

Design: Twenty-four hour dietary recall data from the 2002 Children's Nutrition Survey were analysed to describe food and nutrient intakes during the afternoon (14.00 to 16.