Percorrer por autor "Rocha, Ada"
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- Alimentação individual e coletiva: nutrir pessoas, planear refeições e gerir serviçosPublication . Rocha, Ada; Damas, Carlos; Viegas, CláudiaImagine uma manga... Fruta exótica, suculenta e saborosa, rica em carotenos e vitamina C, disponível em qualquer supermercado a preço acessível, mas que viaja milhares de quilómetros, atravessando oceanos e continentes, para chegar à nossa mesa. A distância não torna esta manga mais interessante do ponto de vista alimentar, nem é sinónimo de que a globalização e facilidade nas trocas mundiais sejam fatores que contribuem para uma mesa mais rica. Uma dieta melhor e uma maior literacia alimentar não são determinadas (em regra) por informação em excesso e muitas vezes contraditória, pelo acesso a um leque muito diversificado de alimentos — como se a sua mera soma encerrasse em si vantagem —, ou pela disponibilidade destes alimentos ao longo de todo o ano. O admirável mundo novo e sedutor dos alimentos exóticos, de geografias que desafiam a curiosidade à mesa, ofusca muitas vezes o discernimento dos consumidores face ao produto local. Afasta-nos dele, das suas virtudes, da sua origem próxima, do ciclo de vida por que passa e de como o respeito pelo consumo local também é importante na promoção de uma alimentação equilibrada. Neste contexto, palavras que façam alusão a “saúde” e “bem-estar” ou expressões como “estilo de vida saudável” e “alimentação equilibrada e sustentável” poderão não passar de meros rótulos à boleia da dita globalização alimentar e apropriação insustentável de recursos planetários que sabemos finitos. Saúde e literacia à mesa precisam-se. É necessário recentrar o foco de abordagem: sem desprezo pelos nutrientes consumidos e sem desvalorizar o meio através do qual são veiculados — os alimentos. Há, pois, que procurar inverter o cenário que anteriormente sumariámos: (re)conciliar os consumidores com os alimentos que tecem o seu dia a dia; reativar a relação dos alimentos com o seu teor em nutrientes; e desenvolver uma cultura alimentar que aperfeiçoe as competências culinárias, como forma de tornar a dieta mais rica. Isto sem desmerecer uma realidade transversal à vida moderna, a do consumo de alimentos fora de casa, nos diferentes contextos da alimentação coletiva, como restaurantes, cantinas, refeitórios, entre outros. Uma vez mais, é preciso modelar a oferta alimentar nestes locais, orientando a criação de ementas que contemplem refeições mais saudáveis e sustentáveis. Com a presente obra, pretendemos levar ao leitor uma abordagem da nutrição numa perspetiva enriquecedora e esclarecedora dos alimentos, das suas características e de como deles podemos beneficiar individual e coletivamente. Este é um manual que se quer prático, com aplicação a contextos concretos, e em que são referidas porções de alimentos e valores nutricionais. Na primeira parte do livro, apresentamos os grupos alimentares e as recomendações nutricionais ao longo do ciclo de vida e explicamos como calcular as quantidades de alimentos para atingir essas recomendações. Na segunda parte, abordamos o planeamento de um serviço de refeições, das respetivas ementas e a sua adaptação aos diferentes contextos da restauração. Na terceira e última parte, são incluídos alguns aspetos legais a cumprir, nomeadamente no que diz respeito aos alergénios e à rotulagem da oferta alimentar. Não menos importante, exploramos ainda o tema da sustentabilidade, como garantia da sua autopreservação, mas também como exigência de responsabilidade social.
- Caracterização e avaliação qualitativa da oferta alimentar dirigida a estudantes em estabelecimentos de restauração pública na proximidade de instituições de ensinoPublication . Campos, Mariana; Teixeira, Beatriz; Poínhos, Rui; Rocha, Ada; Viegas, Cláudia; Afonso, CláudiaIntrodução: O consumo alimentar fora de casa é um importante determinante da saúde da população no geral e dos estudantes em particular, que recorrem com frequência à restauração pública existente nas imediações dos estabelecimentos de ensino. Objetivos: Caraterizar a oferta alimentar incluída nos menus para estudantes em estabelecimentos de restauração pública portugueses. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal realizado em estabelecimentos de restauração pública portugueses. Recolheram-se informações sobre a composição de alimentos e bebidas que compõem os menus para estudantes. Resultados: Analisaram-se 138 menus com uma média de 3,4 opções por menu (desvio-padrão = 3). Apenas 10% dos menus incluem sopa e nenhum inclui fruta. A opção vegetariana é escassa (11%) e apenas 20% dos menus oferecem pescado, contrastando com 35% de opções de carne branca e 73% de carne vermelha. Em 68% das opções são servidas batatas fritas como acompanhamento. Relativamente à bebida, 31% dos menus incluem bebidas açucaradas e 42% incluem água. Os alergénios são apresentados somente em 3,6% dos menus. Conclusões: Os menus para estudantes analisados refletem que a oferta alimentar é desadequada e pouco variada, destacando--se a falta de hortofrutícolas e opções vegetarianas e o excesso de carne vermelha e bebidas açucaradas. É relevante adotar estratégias nacionais que promovam hábitos alimentares mais saudáveis na população jovem, considerando a oferta existente na proximidade dos estabelecimentos de ensino.
- Challenges of food service towards sustainability beyond food wastePublication . Rocha, Ada; Viegas, CláudiaFood service comprises the production of meals consumed outside the home, including consumers from all age groups and in different sectors, such as schools (from kindergarten to university), public and private companies, the health sector (from hospitals to elderly care institutions), military, sports facilities and restaurants (from fine dining to fast-food). Food service units (FSU) achieved importance and responsibility not only for feeding the population but also as an important setting for public health interventions, potentially educating consumers and modulating behaviors through the meals provided. In addition to its socioeconomic impact, the food service industry has a strong environmental impact. More sustainable food service starts with the basics: minimizing environmental impact by reducing carbon footprint. The food service industry is being encouraged to make choices that positively impact the environment. Nevertheless, most of the efforts and research made in the last years have been focused on evaluating and reducing food waste. This article focuses on strategies that could be implemented beyond food waste, and act on changing the food offered towards health and sustainability while promoting consumer behavior change.
- Changes in food behavior during the first lockdown of COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-country study about changes in eating habits, motivations, and food-related behaviorsPublication . Lamy, Elsa; Viegas, Cláudia; Rocha, Ada; Raquel Lucas, Maria; Tavares, Sofia; Capela e Silva, Fernando; Guedes, David; Laureati, Monica; Zian, Zeineb; Machado, Alessandra Salles; Ellssel, Pierre; Freyer, Bernhard; González-Rodrigo, Elena; Calzadilla, Jesús; Majewski, Edward; Prazeres, Ibrahim; Silva, Vlademir; Juračak, Josip; Vorlíčková, Lenka Platilová; Kamutali, Antonino; Tschá, Elizabeth Regina; Villalobos, Keylor; Želvytė, Rasa; Monkeviciene, Ingrida; Elati, Jalila; Pinto, Ana de Souza; Castelo, Paula Midori; Anzman-Frasca, StephanieThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe, unprecedented changes affecting the world population. Restrictions in mobility, social distancing measures, and the persistent social alarm, during the first period of the pandemic, resulted in dramatic lifestyle changes and affected physical and psychological wellbeing on a global scale. An international research team was constituted to develop a study involving different countries about eating motivations, dietary habits, and behaviors related to food intake, acquisition, and preparation. This study presents results of an online survey, carried out during the first lockdown, in 2020, assessing food-related behavior and how people perceived them to change, comparatively to the period preceding the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 3332 responses, collected from 16 countries, were considered for analysis [72.8% in Europe, 12.8% in Africa, 2.2% in North America (USA), and 12.2% in South America]. Results suggest that the main motivations perceived to drive food intake were familiarity and liking. Two clusters were identified, based on food intake frequency, which was classified as “healthier” and “unhealthier”. The former was constituted by individuals with higher scholarly levels, to whom intake was more motivated by health, natural concerns, and weight control, and less by liking, pleasure or affect regulation. The second cluster was constituted by individuals with a higher proportion of males and intake more influenced by affect-related motivations. During this period, a generalized lower concern with the convenience attributes of foods was noted (namely, choice of processed products and fast-food meals), alongside an increase in time and efforts dedicated to home cooking. Understanding the main changes and their underlying motivations in a time of unprecedented crisis is of major importance, as it provides the scientific support that allows one to anticipate the implications for the future of the global food and nutrition system and, consequently, to take the appropriate action.
- Children’s menus in shopping centre restaurants: a multicentric studyPublication . Viegas, Cláudia; Lima, João; Afonso, Cláudia; Toth, András Jozsef; Bálint Illés, Csaba; Bittsánszky, András; Šatalić, Zvonimir; Vidaček Filipec, Sanja; Fabijanic, Valeria; Duran, Samuel; Torres, Jairo Alonso; Spinelli, Monica; Matias, Andrea; Souza Pinto, Ana Maria; Rocha, AdaPurpose – The aim of this study is to identify and characterize kids’ menu offers in fast-food and traditional restaurants located in shopping centers in five different countries. Design/methodology/approach – An observational cross-sectional study is carried out, though a study was performed in all restaurants located in shopping centers from main cities, in five countries: Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Hungary, and Portugal. A tool for assessing the quality of menus is used for the analysis (Kids Menu Healthy Score (KIMEHS)). Menu prices between countries were compared. Findings – A total of 192 kids’ menus were collected, 44 in Portugal, 57 in Brazil, 66 in Chile, 15 in Hungary, and 10 in Croatia. All the countries have average negative KIMEHS values for the menus, indicating that the offer is generally poor in terms of healthy options. The cost of children’s menus in European countries is generally low. In Brazil, the price is significantly more expensive, which may limit the accessibility by social economically deprived populations. No significant differences were found in the average cost of meals from different restaurants typology. Traditional/Western restaurants present the highest price. Practical implications – Globally, kids’ menus are composed of unhealthy food items, pointing to the need for improvements in food availability, aiming to promote healthy food habits among children. Originality/value – This study presents innovative data on children’s menus, allowing for characterization of meals offered to children and comparison between different countries.
- Determinantes das escolhas alimentares infantis em restaurantes de fast-foodPublication . Rocha, Ada; Viegas, Cláudia; Peixoto, CláudiaNos últimos anos, verificou-se uma alteração no ritmo de vida da população, que se traduziu numa mudança dos hábitos de consumo, com um aumento do consumo de refeições fora de casa, incluindo pelas crianças. Na maioria das vezes, os locais escolhidos para realizar as refeições são os restaurantes de fast-food. Geralmente as refeições preparadas neste tipo de restaurantes, incluindo as refeições infantis, têm uma qualidade nutricional muito baixa. O comportamento das crianças em relação às suas escolhas alimentares, é afetado por vários determinantes de consumo, pelo que o principal objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os determinantes das escolhas alimentares infantis em restaurantes de fast-food. De forma a atingir este objetivo, foi elaborado um questionário, disponibilizado online dirigido a pais de crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 6 e os 12 anos. Observou-se que para as crianças, os fatores determinantes na escolha do restaurante de fast-food e da refeição consumida, foram, por ordem de importância: a oferta de um brinquedo colecionável/promocional, as opções disponíveis e o sabor agradável da refeição. Para os pais, os fatores mais relevantes no momento da escolha do restaurante de fast-food e da refeição infantil consumida, foram a conveniência do local, o preço acessível, o sabor agradável e as preocupações com a saúde, respetivamente. Os resultados deste estudo evidenciam a necessidade de reformular e desenvolver refeições infantis equilibradas sem comprometer a palatabilidade, associando a estas opções equilibradas a oferta de brindes colecionáveis.
- Development of a tool to assess the compliance of canteen menus with the Mediterranean dietPublication . Neto, B.; Ferreira, L.; Rocha, Ada; Viegas, CláudiaThe Mediterranean Diet (MD) is one of the healthiest food patterns associated with important health benefits. Acknowledging this, it’s important to understand how the dietary patterns of the consumers align with the MD. Over time, different authors have formulated several indexes for this purpose. However, current indexes lack standardization, and they only evaluate the quality of the diet of individuals to be used by health professionals and political decision-makers. Although there are indexes to assess the food options at the restaurants, none of them assess the menu compliance with the MD. Due to the importance of food services in the food choices and dietary patterns of the consumers, this research developed an index to assess the alignment of food availability with the MD key points. To address this gap, after reviewing the existing indexes in the literature, the authors created a tool that assesses the degree of compliance of menus with the MD - MedCIn. This index is divided into 4 dimensions, the first one assesses the availability (part A) and variety (part B) of the food/food groups. The second dimension assesses the nutritional quality of the menus based on the nutritional declaration, the third dimension assesses the food portions and culinary options, and the fourth dimension allows the verification of the previous information on site. Although the use of all dimensions allows for a more comprehensive menu evaluation, dimension one can be used as a first approach to MD compliance. The index is meant to be applied in a 4-week cycle, though it can be adapted for each food service. Validation of this tool included construct validity, internal consistency, and inter-rater reliability, all of which returned high values (alpha-Cronbach¼0.88; Cohens Kappa¼0.92). The researchers consider this a reliable tool to easily assess compliance of menus with MD key points, allowing for the identification of issues to be addressed and improved.
- Focus on food instead of nutrients improves consumers’ understanding of meals’ nutrition qualityPublication . Viegas, Cláudia; Lamy, E.; Prada, M.; Rocha, AdaBackground: Nowadays, most of the information directed to consumers focuses on nutrients, ignoring the impact of the interactions between different foods, origin, or degree of processing. The methodologies currently applied have led consumers to confuse foods with nutrients, meat, and fish are often referred to as “proteins”, and grains and potatoes are referred to as “carbohydrates, forgetting that these foods are sources of other nutrients, such as fat, proteins, or fiber. Furthermore, its efficacy is compromised by the difficulties of reading labels among consumers. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the understanding of food and nutritional information presented in menus to consumers, comparing the nutrient-focused approach (Nutrition Declaration) and the new food-focused approach (infographic - based on the Portuguese food Guide, from previous research). Methods: 4 different meals were created, 2 balanced and complete in terms of food and nutrient content and 2 unbalanced and incomplete. A questionnaire was applied, evaluating the understanding of the balance and healthiness of the meals, using the two approaches (nutrient-focused and food-focused). The order of presentation of the approaches and the meals was randomized for all participants. The questionnaire was distributed online through snowball sampling. Results: 221 individuals participated, mostly female (67%), aged 25 to 54 years old. Evaluation of meals (“how balanced” and “how to complete” the meal is) using the Nutrition Declaration did not allow to distinguish the quality of meals (Mb ¼ 3,8; Mc¼4,0), in opposite the Infographic returned significant differences between M1/M2 (Mb ¼ 4,3; Mc¼4,4) and M3/M4 (Mb ¼ 2,5; Mc¼2,6) (p < 0.01) allowing consumers to perceive differences between meals. The percentage of consumers that responded “I don’t know” to these questions decreased using the food-focused tool (13% vs 2%). Conclusions: The food-focused approach allows for a better understanding of meals’ nutritional balance.
- Higher education settings menus have low compliance with the Mediterranean Diet and high carbon and water footprint: a case study from Portugal, Croatia and TurkeyPublication . Neto, B.; Dikmen, D.; Ferreira, L.; Viegas, Cláudia; Filipec, S.; Drobac, L.; Šatalić, Z.; Rocha, AdaThis study focuses on evaluating the compliance of menus from Higher Education Institutions (HEI) with the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and calculates their respective carbon and water footprints. From September 2023 to June 2024, menus from 52 HEIs across Portugal, Croatia, and Turkey were analysed using a Mediterranean Diet Compliance Index (MeDCIn). Also, the footprints of 300 meals from 30 different menus were calculated. Overall results show a low compliance with the MD (mean score 2.7 ± 3.4). Turkish menus scored the highest values (5.2 ± 1.7) while Portuguese menus scored the lowest (1.10 ± 3.7) (MeDCIn varies between −20.5 and 27). The limited availability of dishes with eggs, wholegrains, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and seasonal products was a key factor contributing to the low compliance observed, as well as insufficient variety in Mediterranean dishes, vegetables, pulses, seafood, and lean meat. The average water footprint was 1785.41 ± 909.3 m3/ton, with Turkish menus having the highest consumption (2271.90 ± 1016.11 m3/ton) and Portuguese menus the lowest (1485.46 ± 767.28 m3/ton). The average carbon footprint was 1.9 kg CO2-eq, with Turkish menus again scoring the highest (2.91 ± 2.13 kg CO2-eq) and Portuguese menus the lowest (1.42 ± 1.26 kg CO2-eq). The findings reveal a complex relationship between MD compliance and environmental footprints, with moderate positive correlations observed. These results provide valuable insights to develop targeted interventions to improve menu options in HEI cafeterias and reduce their environmental impact.
- KIMEHS – Proposal of an index for qualitative evaluation of children’s menus: a pilot studyPublication . Rocha, Ada; Viegas, CláudiaConsidering the importance of the food environments for health promotion, and the lack of simple, easy-to-use, low-cost measures of the quality of meals, the authors developed a qualitative menu index (KIMEHS-Kids' Menu Healthy Score), tailored to children's menu evaluation. Development of the tool was based on the Mediterranean food pattern. It includes 18 components, divided into seven main groups that reflect key aspects of menu quality, including protein source, side dishes, vegetables, dessert and beverages, and also allergens and nutritional information. The index was analysed for content and construct validity, as well as inter-rater reliability, and was applied to a sample of menus from restaurants in shopping centres in the Lisbon region. Possible index point ranges from -17 to 17, with a higher score indicating greater compliance with the recommendations. A value of 5.5 is obtained if all KIMEHS items are available, considering healthy and non-healthy options. The inter-rater reliability was assessed and values above 0.80 were obtained for Alpha Cronbach, as well as agreement % rate >75%. Agreement percentage is above 75% for all the components. Evaluated restaurants scored from -14 to 7, with an average KIMEHS of -6.15. Only four restaurants scored positive values, ranging from 0.25 to 7. KIMEHS was considered to be an adequate index to evaluate children's menus, from the menu information displayed on restaurant websites and/or on restaurant displays or table menus. It is a simple, low-cost tool that may be used as a reference for health professionals as an objective measure to evaluate the food environment. Stakeholders could also be involved in their own assessment to help educate consumers about healthy food choices, strengthening the efforts to promote an adequate food pattern and health, contributing to the fight against obesity.