Publications by authors named "Stefka Petrova"
Objective: To validate a picture book for estimation of food portion sizes using two approaches: (i) 'perception' of food portions by comparison with a series of food photos; and (ii) 'conceptualization and memory', using the same photos to estimate the amount of served food one hour after self-served food portions.
Design: Each partner developed a country-specific picture book based on the so-called EPIC-Soft picture book. Representative and common photo series were chosen achieving approximately 25 % of the original picture book (n 23).
Objective: To describe fruit and vegetable intake of 11-year-old children in ten European countries and compare it with current dietary guidelines.
Design: Cross-sectional survey. Intake was assessed using a previously validated questionnaire containing a pre-coded 24 h recall and an FFQ which were completed in the classroom.
Objective: Family meals have been negatively associated with overweight in children, while television (TV) viewing during meals has been associated with a poorer diet. The aim of the present study was to assess the association of eating family breakfast and dinner, and having a TV on during dinner, with overweight in nine European countries and whether these associations differed between Northern and Southern & Eastern Europe.
Design: Cross-sectional data.
Objective: To examine which factors act as mediators between parental educational level and children's fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake in ten European countries.
Design: Cross-sectional data were collected in ten European countries participating in the PRO GREENS project (2009). Schoolchildren completed a validated FFQ about their daily F&V intake and filled in a questionnaire about availability of F&V at home, parental facilitation of F&V intake, knowledge of recommendations about F&V intake, self-efficacy to eat F&V and liking for F&V.
Objectives: To assess the validity of FAO data on the availability of fish and vegetable oils as an indicator of national n-3 fatty acid (FA) intake and to estimate the worldwide population living in countries with low n-3 FA intake.
Design: Levels of the essential FA α-linolenic acid (ALA) and DHA, measured by GC in adipose tissue from participants in the present study and from published studies in eleven other countries, were used to validate ALA and fish availability estimated from FAO food balance sheets. On the basis of the validated FAO data for ALA and fish availability, we estimated the global prevalence of low n-3 FA availability.
Background: Knowledge of stroke risk factors is undocumented in Bulgaria.
Methods: 188 subjects in 2000 and 447 in 2003 were asked: 'Why do you think stroke is so common in this region?'
Results: Stress and poverty accounted for 69% of the first mentions in 2000 and 59% in 2003. There were no mentions of high blood pressure and no first mentions of smoking in 2000.