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The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO; it is also the world's most evidence-based eating pattern for promoting health and longevity. This study aims to investigate consumer segmentation based on consumption patterns and identify barriers to adherence to MedDiet. Data were collected in 2020 by telephonic survey based on PREDIMED, using a quota sampling technique by socio-demographic variables, such as gender, age, and regional representation of the Portuguese population. The final sample was composed of a total of 1000 respondents. The main results show that regardless of the awareness of the MedDiet (62%), Portugal witnessed a loss of the traditional MedDiet, with the exception of the stand-out statistic that 95% of respondents still use of olive oil as the main culinary fat. Five segments were identified: (1) MedDiet lifestyle followers (11%), (2) olive oil lovers (20%), (3) low-sugar diet foods seekers (11%), (4) healthy and balanced diet seekers (28%), and (5) low-fat diet foods seekers (30%). The main barriers to adhering to the MedDiet include lack of knowledge about the MedDiet, education level, financial comfort, and specific food preference, which by segment are: (1) being passionate about soda drinks, (2) an excess of sweets, (3) low level of pasta consumption, and a (5) lack of fruit, vegetables, and legumes. Segment (4) holds a leading position in MedDiet adherence. The main obstacle to consuming fish is its high price, taste, and challenges in cooking it. When it comes to bread and oleaginous nuts, the belief that these foods are "fattening" reduces consumption. Results help to tailor education strategy and increase adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle.

The COVID-19 pandemic, one of the worst global health crises in the last century, impacted nearly every aspect of people's lives, including their dietary choices and food consumption patterns. It arrived during a long shift in American diets featuring increasingly large portions of processed foods as well as fruit and vegetable consumption that is well below recommended levels. Improving the latter has been a key part of policymakers' efforts to improve consumers' diets. This study surveyed individuals in the US South to determine the factors influencing their consumption of fruit and vegetables during the pandemic peak and how these have changed post-peak. During the peak, food venue, demographics, and concerns about diet and the seriousness of the virus heavily affected consumption. Greater amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables were consumed post-peak pandemic. Changes post-peak were predicted by food venue. Cooking meals at home was the main positive predictor for consumption. US policymakers should try and leverage the changes since the peak to promote greater consumption of fruit and vegetables., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Energy drinks (EDs) have become a serious public health issue worldwide, because of the effects of the contents. There has been a remarkable surge in global consumption, particularly among college students. This trend has raised concerns regarding safety alongside the marketing claims of physiological and behavioural benefits., Objective: This study sought to assess the prevalence, consumption patterns, and perceived benefits of Energy drinks among medical students in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra state, Nigeria., Materials and Methds: After obtaining approval from the ethics and research committees of NAUTH Nnewi, 200 students who met the eligibility criteria were selected by a two-stage sampling procedure to participate in the study over one month. Data was collected through a pretested, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. This study's significance level was set at P < 0.05 for all analyses., Results: The results of this study revealed that 81.5% of participants had consumed energy drinks at some point in their lives, with the majority starting between the ages of 10 and 20 years. The most frequently consumed energy drink was Fearless, accounting for 55.2% of the reported consumption. The primary motivations for energy drink consumption included promotion (25%), peer influence (25%), and curiosity (23.5%). Participants cited various reasons for using energy drinks, including the desire for alertness enhancement (47.2%), seeking refreshment (42.3%), stress relief (23.3%), stimulation (22.1%), and improved concentration (19.6%)., Conclusion: The research underscores elevated rates of energy drink consumption among these students, underscoring the imperative for robust education and awareness programs aimed at empowering medical students to make well-informed choices., Competing Interests: The Authors declare that no competing interest exists, (Copyright © 2024 by West African Journal of Medicine.)

Purpose: The objective is to evaluate the association between various indicators of alcohol consumption and the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet among the Spanish adult population., Methods: A cross-sectional study including 44,834 participants ≥ 15 years of age from the 2017 National Health Survey and the 2020 European Health Survey in Spain. Alcohol patterns were defined based on (1) average intake: individuals were classified as low risk (1-20 g/day in men and 1-10 g/day in women) and high risk (> 20 g/day in men or > 10 g/day in women), (2) binge drinking, and (3) alcoholic beverage preference. Non-adherence to the Mediterranean diet was defined as scoring < 7 points on an adapted Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener index (range 0-10). Odds ratios (OR) were estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for relevant covariates., Results: Compared to non-drinkers, low and high-risk drinkers were more likely to report non-adherence to the Mediterranean diet: ORs 1.35 (95% CI 1.23; 1.49) and 1.54 (95% CI 1.34; 1.76), respectively. Similarly, reports of binge drinking less than once a month was associated with higher likelihood of non-adherence (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.04; 1.31). Individuals reporting no preference for a specific beverage and those with a preference for beer or for spirits had lower adherence: ORs 1.18 (95% CI 1.05; 1.33), 1.31 (95% CI 1.17; 1.46), and 1.72 (95% CI 1.17; 2.54), respectively, while a preference for wine showed no association (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.90; 1.13)., Conclusion: Alcohol consumption, even in low amounts, is associated with lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, alcoholic beverages should not be included in measures that define the Mediterranean diet., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol consumption patterns, which can have implications for public health. In this descriptive study, we aimed to show the change in the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption in Japan before and during the COVID-19 pandemic periods., Methods: We analyzed data from annual health checkups among Japanese workers from April 2018 to March 2021. Changes in the frequency (daily, occasionally, rarely/never) and amount per one-time (4 categories by Japanese alcohol unit) of alcohol consumed among 331 200 participants were summarized by sex as 1-year changes in the periods before (fiscal year [FY] 2018 to FY 2019) and during (FY 2019 to FY 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: Among daily drinkers and rarely/never drinkers, overall, 1-year changes in the frequency of alcohol consumption during the pandemic were mostly consistent with changes before the pandemic, for both sexes. The number of occasional drinkers who drank less frequently a year later increased during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic (from 9.6% to 11.6% among men and from 12.9% to 16.5% among women); however, occasional drinkers who drank more frequently showed a small increase. Collectively, both men and women showed a slight decrease in both the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption during the pandemic among occasional drinkers., Conclusions: No major shifts in alcohol consumption habits occurred during the pandemic in our study population. Occasional drinkers tended to drink less during the pandemic, suggesting that initial concerns about increased alcohol consumption owing to the pandemic were unfounded., (© The Author(s) [2024]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Occupational Health.)

Achieving sustainable and healthy food systems in support of human and planetary health is a global challenge. We systematically reviewed papers ( n = 2322) showing how village chicken products (meat, eggs, and offal) contribute to sustainable and healthy food systems for children along a rural-urban gradient. A total of 72 articles, representing all different sections covered in this review, were finally included. Production of village chickens contributed positively on livestock-derived food consumption by children. Households who owned chickens were likely to move from medium to high dietary diversity. Children from households that owned chickens had lower odds of anemia (1.07) and higher height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) scores. Egg intervention increased HAZ and WAZ for children by 0.63 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.38-0.88] and 0.61 [95% CI, 0.45-0.77], respectively. Village chicken ownership had positive effect on children's poultry meat and egg consumption. Per capita consumption of chicken by girls and boys combined was 38.2 g/day, where girls had 36.9 g/day and boys had 39.4 g/day. Children from households that owned chickens consumed eggs 2.8 more times per week compared to children from households without chickens. Moving along a rural-urban gradient, village chicken production was less common. Improved production and quality of village chicken products, and policies supporting optimal maternal and child intake these products are required.

Health shocks are common and have serious consequences for households in developing countries where health insurance is lacking. In this study, we examine whether out-of-pocket health expenditures crowd out household consumption of non-healthcare necessities, such as education items in Benin using a sample of 14,952 households from the global vulnerability and food security analysis survey. We estimated a system of conditional Engel curves with three stage least squared (3SLS) and seemingly unrelated regression (SURE) for seven categories of goods using the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) in the form of budget shares corresponding to proportions of total non-health expenditure. Findings show that out of pocket health expenditure leads households to spend more on health care that in fine crowd out expenditure in other necessity goods such as education item. These findings highlight the need for social protection programs to mitigate the impact of health shocks on vulnerable households in Benin., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of caffeine due to a lack of tolerance, their small size, changing brain physiology, and increasing independence. Concerns about adolescent caffeine consumption relate to potentially serious physiological and psychological effects following consumption. Motivations driving caffeine intake are not well understood among adolescents but are important to understand to reduce harmful behavioural patterns. This study explored caffeine consumption habits (sources, amount, frequency) of New Zealand adolescents; and factors motivating caffeine consumption and avoidance. The previously validated caffeine consumption habits questionnaire (CaffCo) was completed by 216 participants (15-18 years), with most (94.9%) consuming at least one caffeinated product daily. Chocolate, coffee, tea, and kola drinks were the most consumed sources. The median caffeine intake was 68 mg·day -1 . Gender (boy) and being employed influenced the source, but not the quantity of caffeine consumed. One-fifth (21.2%) of adolescents consumed more than the recommended European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) safe level (3 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ). Taste, energy, and temperature were the main motivators for consumption, and increased energy, excitement, restlessness, and sleep disturbances were reported effects following caffeine consumption. This study provides information on caffeinated product consumption among New Zealand adolescents, some of whom consumed caffeine above the EFSA safe level. Public health initiatives directed at adolescents may be important to reduce potential caffeine-related harm.

Background: A healthy diet can ensure a robust immune system that can resist any onslaught by viruses and bacteria. Aim: To assess the nutritional knowledge and consumption patterns of immunity boosting foods of adults before & after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown periods and the effect of the lockdown on daily food intake among respondents in selected towns in Osun state. Methods: Cross sectional data was collected from six largest local governments areas purposively selected from the three senatorial districts of Osun State (n = 1000) using a well-structured, self-administered questionnaire and the data collected was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's correlation test The study assessed the food intakes of adults using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire. Results: The results indicated that the majority (89.8%) of the respondents had high knowledge of the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Daily food intake was affected by COVID-19 lockdown, consumption of healthy food among the respondents was high during lockdown as 77% strongly agreed that vitamins and minerals supplement can be considered healthy and immunity boosting, while there was a reduction in the consumption of healthy foods after the lockdown periods. The test of hypothesis showed that the occurrence of pandemic and nutritional knowledge had a significant relationship with the consumption of healthy foods. Conclusion: This study extends and confirms previous research on high nutritional knowledge of immunity-boosting foods in relation to COVID-19 among the respondents and a general reduction in the consumption of healthy foods after the COVID -19 lockdown periods.

Objective: Energy drinks generally contain caffeine and other stimulants, commercially aimed at young people. Previous research suggests that its effects on adolescents health are dangerous. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of taurine and caffeine consumption from energy drinks on adolescent health and to identify patterns of consumption and, their association with physiological symptoms., Methods: A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of students (n=135) aged 16 to 17 years was conducted in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. A self-administered online questionnaire was used from September to November 2020 to report energy drink consumption patterns, perceived effects, and psychophysiological symptoms. The statistical analysis of questionnaire content was made by interjudges evaluation. A concordance index (Cohen-Fleiss Kappa coefficient) was applied for consumption patterns, bivariate correlation tests, Pearson correlation coefficients for levels (very high, moderate, low) of caffeine and taurine were used in the items applied to the target population and Spearmans rho for physiological and psychological effects., Results: The participants (mean age: 16 years; 57.8% of women) reported having consumed energy drinks at least once. Only 26.7% of adolescents (n=36) reported that they had never consumed. The average consumption of energy drinks was once per month (24.4%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the consumption of drinks with taurine and the physical effects (tremors and chest pain) and caffeinated beverages with psychophysiological (fatigue, excessive urination, insomnia, and feeling of lack of rest)., Conclusions: The study findings indicate associations between energy drink consumption and the presence of adverse psychological and physical symptoms in adolescents., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Introduction: COVID-19 has had a great impact on mental health in the general population. However, few studies have focused on patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). This research aimed to compare the clinical status and substance use patterns of SUD outpatients, before and during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This multicentre study recruited 588 patients (29.2% women; M age = 47.4 ± 11.7 years) in thirteen centres for addiction treatment in Catalonia, Spain. All subjects were evaluated with validated instruments and ad hoc questionnaires. The sample was divided into 3 groups according to how the substance consumption pattern changed during lockdown (maintained pattern, worsened pattern, and improved pattern)., Results: More than 62% of the patients maintained or worsened their consumption pattern during confinement, and about 38% improved throughout this time. Diverse factors were associated with the changes in pattern like age, addiction severity, psychological distress during lockdown, social and familial issues, and therapeutic variables., Conclusion: The home lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with major implications for substance consumption and psychiatric distress among SUD outpatients. Considering this, the need to plan appropriate interventions in cases of similar health crises is highlighted., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background and Aims: Dual purchasers of alcohol and tobacco are at increased health risk from the interacting health impacts of alcohol and tobacco use. They are also at financial risk from exposure to the dual financial cost of policies that increase alcohol and tobacco prices. Understanding whose alcohol and tobacco use exposes them to these health and financial risks is important for understanding the inequality impacts of control policies. This study explores the extent to which household spending on alcohol and tobacco combined varies between socio-economic groups and compares this with results for households which purchase only one of the commodities., Design: Cross-sectional analysis of household-level alcohol and tobacco purchasing data., Setting: United Kingdom, 2012-17., Participants/cases: A total of 26 021 households., Measurements: We analysed transaction-level data from individual 14-day spending diaries in the Living Cost and Food Survey (LCFS). We used this to calculate expenditure, volumes of alcohol and tobacco purchased, and the price paid per unit of alcohol (1 unit = 8 g) and per stick of tobacco. This was compared with equivalized total expenditure and quintiles of equivalized household income. Prices were calibrated and pack sizes were imputed using empirical sales data from Nielsen/CGA to correct for reporting bias., Findings: Dual purchasing households spent [95% confidence interval] more on alcohol and more on tobacco than their single-purchasing counterparts. In general, lower-income households spent less on both alcohol and tobacco than higher-income households. Furthermore, dual purchasing households in the lowest income group were most exposed to potential increases in price than were other income groups, with (CI = 12.41-13.15%) of their total household budget spent on alcohol and tobacco., Conclusions: Dual purchasers of alcohol and tobacco in the United Kingdom appear to be concentrated evenly among income groups. However, dual purchasers may experience particularly large effects from pricing policies, as they spend a substantially higher proportion of their overall household expenditure on alcohol and tobacco than do households that purchase only one of the commodities., (© 2021 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Using a representative sample of 400 Slovaks, the present study investigated the mediating role of subjective perception of financial threat to the relation between psychological resources and behavioural responses in the adaptation to financial stress posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of structural equation modelling analyses showed that greater neuroticism and uncertainty intolerance were positively related to aggravated perception of financial threat. This, in turn, led to greater willingness to change consumption patterns and use of mostly problem-focused coping strategies. The model remained robust after controlling for chronic financial hardship moderators, including the absence of savings and indebtedness. In contrast, the acute financial hardship caused by the deterioration of one's financial situation during the COVID-19 pandemic showed to significantly moderate the relation between one's psychological resources and perceived financial threat., (© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Responsible water use and sustainable consumption and production are high on the agenda of multiple stakeholders. Different water supply sources are available, including tap water, bottled water, domestically harvested rainwater and domestically abstracted groundwater. The extent to which each of these water supply sources is used, differs over consumption patterns in various housing types, being detached houses, semi-detached houses, terraced houses and apartments. To identify the environmental impact of a household's water use and potential environmental impact reduction strategies, a holistic assessment is required. In this paper, the environmental impact of a household's water use in Flanders (Belgium) was assessed including four different water supply sources and four different consumption patterns by means of a life cycle assessment. The outcomes of this study reveal a large difference between the environmental impact of bottled water use, having a global warming impact of 259 kg CO 2 -eq.·m -3 , compared to the other three supply sources. Tap water supply had the lowest global warming impact (0.17 kg CO 2 -eq.·m -3 ) and resource footprint (6.51 MJ ex ·m -3 ) of all water supply sources. The most efficient strategy to reduce the environmental impact of household's water use is to shift the water consumption from bottled to tap water consumption. This would induce a reduction in global warming impact of the water use of an inhabitant in Flanders by on average 80%, saving 0.1 kg CO 2 -eq.·day -1 in case of groundwater-based tap water. These results provide insights into sustainable water use for multiple consumption patterns and can be used to better frame the environmental benefits of tap water use., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The potential of double-fortified salt (DFS) to improve population iron status is compared with the potential of iron-fortified wheat flour, maize flour, rice grains, and milk products. The potential for a positive impact on iron status is based on reported efficacy studies, consumption patterns, the extent of industrialization, and whether there are remaining technical issues with the fortification technologies. Efficacy studies with DFS, and with iron-fortified wheat flour, maize flour, and rice, have all reported good potential to improve population iron status. Iron-fortified milk powder has shown good impact in young children. When these foods are industrially fortified in modern, automated facilities, with high-level quality control and assurance practices, high-quality raw materials, and a wide population coverage, all vehicles have good potential to improve iron status. Relative to other fortification vehicles, fortification practices with wheat flour are the most advanced and iron-fortified wheat flour has the highest potential for impact in the short- to medium-term in countries where wheat flour is consumed as a staple. Liquid milk has the least potential, mainly because an acceptable iron fortification technology has not yet been developed. Maize is still predominantly milled in small-scale local mills and, although the extruded rice premix technology holds great promise, it is still under development. Salt has a proven record as an excellent vehicle for iodine fortification and has demonstrated good potential for iron fortification. However, technical issues remain with DFS and further studies are needed to better understand and avoid color formation and iron-catalyzed iodine losses in both high- and low-quality salts under different storage conditions. There is currently a risk that the introduction of DFS may jeopardize the success of existing salt iodization programs because the addition of iron may increase iodine losses and cause unacceptable color formation., (Copyright © The Author(s) on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition 2021.)

Urbanization in China has dramatically increased from 39.10 in 2002 to 58.52% in 2017. Studies have discussed the impacts of urbanization and its corresponding changes in consumption patterns on carbon dioxide emissions; however, little is known about their impacts on black carbon (BC). Therefore, we collected data on the BC emissions of various sectors to calculate the consumption-based BC emissions in China, and we used an input-output analysis (IOA) and structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to explore the impacts of urbanization and changes in consumption patterns on BC emissions from 2002 to 2017, focusing on sectoral BC emissions. The total BC emissions of various sectors first increased and then decreased. BC emissions increased from 1083.47 in 2002 to 2550.83 Gg in 2012. They were then reduced to 2478.63 Gg in 2017. Additionally, with the rise in the urbanization rate, household consumption BC emissions increased from 446.18 in 2002 to 1080.12 Gg in 2017. Urban consumption, rural consumption, and BC emission intensity were the three main contributing factors to household consumption BC emission changes. Transport, storage, postal, and telecommunications services (TSP); farming, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery (FFA); and residential and other industries (RES) contributed the most to the urbanization-related BC emission increase. In particular, the TSP sector contributed the most to the BC emission increase because of the increasing TSP needs related to urbanization. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate mitigation policies for the TSP sector.

Background: The usage of medicinal plants as a key component of complementary and alternative medicine, has acquired renewed interest in developed countries. The current situation of medicinal plants in Spain is very limited. This paper provides new insights and greater knowledge about current trends and consumption patterns of medicinal plants in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (Spain) for health benefits., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed for a population-based survey on medicinal plants. The data were collected (May 2018 to May 2019) using semi-structured face-to-face interviews in independent pharmacies, hospital centers and primary care health centers in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. The survey had 18 multiple choice and open-ended questions. Quantitative indices were calculated: Fidelity Level (FL), Use Value (UV) and Informants Consensus Factor (ICF). Chi-square test was used for data analysis., Results: Five hundred forty-three people were interviewed. The majority of the participants (89.6%) have used medicinal plants to treat health disorders in the past 12 months, mainly for digestive problems, sleep disorders and central nervous system diseases. A total of 78 plants were recorded, being Matricaria recutita, Valeriana officinalis, Tilia spp. and Aloe vera the most used. The highest UV was found for Mentha pulegium (UV 0.130) followed by Aloe vera (UV 0.097) and Vaccinium macrocarpon. (UV 0.080). The highest FL values were for Eucalyptus spp. (FL 90.47%) for respiratory conditions and, Matricaria recutita (85.55%) and Mentha pulegium (84.09%) for digestive problems. The highest ICF corresponded to metabolism and depression (ICF = 1), pain (ICF = 0.97), insomnia (ICF = 0.96) and anxiety (ICF = 0.95). Participants mostly acquired herbal medicines from pharmacies, herbal shops and supermarkets. Some side effects (tachycardia, dizziness and gastrointestinal symptoms) and potential interactions medicinal plants-drugs (V. officinalis and benzodiazepines) were reported., Conclusion: Many inhabitants of the Autonomous Community of Madrid currently use herbal products to treat minor health problems. The most common consumer pattern are young women between 18 and 44 years of age with higher education. In order to confirm the pattern, further research should be focused to investigate current uses of medicinal plants in other Spanish regions.

Background: In this study, an alternative and complementary method to those approaches currently used to estimate alcohol consumption by the population is described. This method, known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), allows back-calculating the alcohol consumption rate in a given population from the concentrations of a selected biomarker measured in wastewater., Methods: Composite (24-h) wastewater samples were collected at the inlet of 17 wastewater treatment plants located in 13 Spanish cities for seven consecutive days in 2018. The sampled area covered 12.8% of the Spanish population. Wastewater samples were analyzed to determine the concentration of ethyl sulfate, the biomarker used to back-calculate alcohol consumption., Results: Alcohol consumption ranged from 4.5 to 46 mL/day/inhabitant. Differences in consumption were statistically significant among the investigated cities and between weekdays and weekends. WBE-derived estimates of alcohol consumption were comparable to those reported by its corresponding region in the Spanish National Health Survey in most cases. At the national level, comparable results were obtained between the WBE-derived annual consumption rate (5.7 ± 1.2 L ethanol per capita (aged 15+)) and that reported by the National Health Survey (4.7 L ethanol per capita (aged 15+))., Conclusions: This is the largest WBE study carried out to date in Spain to estimate alcohol consumption rates. It confirms that this approach is useful for establishing spatial and temporal patterns of alcohol consumption, which could contribute to the development of health care management plans and policies. Contrary to established methods, it allows obtaining information in a fast and relatively economical way., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The planetary boundaries (PBs) represent a well-known concept, which helps identify whether production and consumption systems are environmentally sustainable in absolute terms, namely compared to the Earth's ecological limits and carrying capacity. In this study, the impacts of production and consumption of the European Union in 2010 were assessed by means of life cycle assessment (LCA)-based indicators and compared with the PBs. Five different perspectives were adopted for assessing the impacts: a production perspective (EU Domestic Footprint) and four distinct consumption perspectives, resulting from alternative modelling approaches including both top-down (input-output LCA) and bottom-up (process-based LCA). Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results were assessed against LCIA-based PBs, which adapted the PBs framework to the LCIA indicators and metrics of the Environmental Footprint method (EF). Global environmental impacts transgressed several LCIA-based PBs. When assessing the overall environmental impacts of EU consumption compared to the global LCIA-based PBs, impacts of EU consumption related to climate change, particulate matter, land use and mineral resources were close or already transgressed the global boundaries. The EU, with less than 10% of the world population, was close to transgress the global ecological limits. Moreover, when downscaling the global PBs and comparing the impacts per capita for an average EU citizen and a global one, the LCIA-PBs were significantly transgressed in many impact categories. The results are affected by uncertainty mainly due to: (a) the intrinsic uncertainties of the different LCA modelling approaches and indicators; (b) the uncertainties in estimating LCIA-based PBs, due to the difficulties in identifying limits for the Earth's processes and referring them to LCIA metrics. The results may anyway be used to define benchmarks and policy targets to ensure that consumption and production in Europe remains within safe ecological boundaries, as well as to understand the magnitude of the effort needed to reduce the impacts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Today's society is increasingly aware of food consumption patterns. Under the perspective that real consumption trends are often not in line with healthy recommendations, this research focuses on the study of the environmental and nutritional sustainability of two types of food consumption habits present in the northern Atlantic area of Spain (Galicia). The main objective is, therefore to detect the existing deviations between the current Galician diet (GD) and the traditional and increasingly relevant Recommended Atlantic Diet (RAD), allowing verifying whether current consumption patterns ensure an optimal and sustainable nutritional profile. In this sense, the carbon footprint from a Life Cycle Assessment perspective has been estimated as environmental indicator of both dietary patterns and, the nutritional quality has been determined by the Nutrient Rich Diet 9.3 index and the Health gain score. The carbon footprint of both dietary models is moderately high compared to recommended diets such as the Mediterranean one. Comparing the two scenarios, the associated greenhouse gas emissions are about 15% higher for GD than for RAD, mainly due to the higher intake of beef and dairy products. On the other hand, nutritional quality is comparatively higher for RAD than for GD, associated with higher consumption of vegetables and fruits. An additional objective of this work has been to consider a sensitivity analysis to determine the effect of replacing beef with alternative sources. Having in mind this study, it can be concluded that the real consumption pattern in Galicia is far from the recommended one, with worse environmental and nutritional quality. The promotion of social awareness policies to guide consumers in the choice a healthier and more environmentally sustainable dietary pattern should be advisable for regional decision-makers as well as for those who wish to promote adherence to the Atlantic diet in other regions and countries., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to examine the production and consumption patterns of the tarhana as a green food product and its content in terms of health value in the socio-economic framework by comparing urban and rural households. To be able to assess the tarhana's health value, the addition of antioxidative parameters was analysed. We obtained the data as a result of a two-part study. The first part of the research included a structured survey conducted between September and December 2015. In the second part, three types of tarhana samples evaluated in terms of their antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content as extractable, hydrolysable, and bioaccessible phenolics to support the claim that homemade tarhana offers higher nutritional potential and healthier content than commercially produced tarhana. Organic and additive-free homemade tarhana samples have great antioxidative potential, also depending on the content and the production pattern. The results of the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content analyses, and their bioaccessibility revealed that non-fermented homemade tarhana and cranberry-added tarhana stand out, according to production process and content. Our findings showed that participants mostly produced the tarhana at home. In cases where they could not produce it themselves, they supplied it from their family and friends. This result showed us that participants preferred homemade tarhana over industrial tarhana sold in markets. Rural areas mostly consumed tarhana for its economic value. However, tarhana consumption did not decrease in cities. Only the consumption mode and the times have changed.

The accurate determination of widespread artificial sweeteners (ASs) and the information of their distributions in environments are of significance to investigate the environmental behaviors. This paper firstly reviews the typical analytic methodologies for ASs and the main influencing factors during the analytic processes. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) with LC-ESI-MS is currently the leading-edge method. However, the efficiency and accuracy for ASs analysis in environmental samples are also dependent on the SPE cartridges, buffers and pH, matrix effects, and sample stability. A basic procedure for ASs determination in different environmental samples is proposed. The current occurrences of ASs in environments are then evaluated. The ASs, especially the acesulfame and sucralose, are widely detected in various environmental medium. The concentrations of investigated ASs are generally in the order of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) influent > WWTPs effluent > surface water > groundwater > drinking water; and atmosphere > soil. The ASs levels in the environment exhibit significant differences among different regions. Further analysis indicates that the phenomenon is highly correlated with the consumption patterns and the removal efficiency of WWTPs in a specific country.

Highlights: Game meat represents a unique source of foodborne illness in humans. A Web-based survey about game meat consumption was completed by 50,000 respondents. The odds of illness were greater among consumers of raw game meat than processed meat. The greater the number of game meat types consumed, the higher the prevalence of illness. Those who hunted and prepared bear, boar, and deer meat were likely to get ill.

Pigs show an innate preference for umami (monosodium glutamate, MSG) taste. Nevertheless, the influence of a pre and postnatal umami exposure remains unclear. An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that MSG inclusion into maternal diets would modify the feeding behavior of post-weaning pigs. A total of 22 sows were selected on day 85 of gestation and randomly assigned to one of two gestating and lactating programs (standard commercial diets without or with 50 g/kg of MSG). Later, 208 pigs born from these sows were selected to evaluate their preference thresholds, sensory-motivated intake, total consumption, and consumption patterns for MSG and sucrose solutions. Pigs born from MSG-fed sows showed lower ( p < 0.045) preference thresholds for MSG and sucrose than did animals born from control sows, and displayed an increased ( p < 0.050) sensory-motivated intake for sucrose and decreased for MSG. Conversely, no differences ( p > 0.05) were observed in the total consumption or consumption patterns of MSG or sucrose solutions among pigs born from control and MSG-fed sows. It is concluded that the feeding behavior of nursery pigs can be influenced by pre and postnatal inclusion of a taste active compound into maternal diets. It would appear that a compensatory mechanism to balance dietary nutrients might be in place.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is the derivative of urban development and it is harmful to the environment and residents' health. But with sustainable MSW management, MSW can be applied as an important renewable energy. In order to achieve sustainable MSW management, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of MSW generation. Consumption patterns differ in various regions of China, which make the influencing factors of MSW have unique characteristics. To explore the factors influencing MSW generation in China, this study builds a global model based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces. Considering regional heterogeneity, provinces are clustered into three groups according to economic and consumption indicators. Each group has its own local model of MSW generation. The results show that household expenditure on housing and the tertiary industry proportion show opposite impacting directions in high-level and low-level provinces. Finally, with the combination of the grey model (1,1) (GM(1,1)) and multiple linear regression (MLR), we find that developing provinces will generate more MSW than developed regions. According to this, different provinces should control MSW by optimizing consumption pattern and efficient fiscal expenditure, and developing provinces should pay attention to MSW management and learn from the experience of developed provinces.

In this study, we used the Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition (CCHS) 2015 data to examine the consumption patterns of grain-based foods (GBFs) for Canadian adults. We used a k -mean cluster analysis based on the contribution of 21 grain-based foods to total energy intake of adults in Canada to find the dietary patterns of GBFs. Cluster analyses rendered seven dietary patterns including: 'other bread', 'cake and cookies', 'pasta', 'rice', 'mixed', 'white bread', and finally 'whole wheat and whole-grain bread'. 'No grain' and 'rice' consumers had lower intakes of dietary fibre, folate, iron and calcium, which are the nutrients of public health concern in Canada. Adults consuming a 'mixed grain' dietary pattern had a greater daily intake of calcium, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, and vitamin B6 than those in the 'no grain' dietary pattern. We also observed that a considerable proportion of individuals clustered in the 'rice' group are immigrants and belong to households with lower income levels., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

The current analyses used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition 2015 to investigate grain-based food (GBF) dietary patterns of consumptions among 6,400,000 Canadian children and adolescents 2 to 18 years old. Nutrient intakes, socioeconomic differences, body mass index (BMI) z -scores, and intakes of several food groups were examined across the identified grain patterns of consumption. We employed k -mean cluster analysis to identify the consumption patterns of grain products. Based on the contributions of 21 grain food groups to the total energy intake of each individual, seven GBF consumption patterns were identified including other bread; salty snacks; pasta; rice; cakes and cookies; white bread; and mixed grains. Individuals having less than one serving of grain products were also separately categorized as no-grain consumers. Mean energy intake (kcal/day) was lowest for the "no-grain" consumers and greatest in children/adolescents consuming a "salty snacks" pattern when all GBF patterns were compared. Children and adolescents with "no-grain" and "rice" GBF consumption patterns had significantly lower intakes of several nutrients including dietary fiber, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. No associations were observed with any of the identified GBF patterns and BMI z-scores. In addition, the socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as household incomes and immigration status of participants were shown to be significantly different across the identified clusters.

People with low income tend to eat less balanced than people with higher income. This seems to be particularly the case for people with migration background. This cross-sectional study examined the relation of consumption patterns of 597 food bank users with different migration background in Germany. Questionnaires were distributed assessing sociodemographic information and consumption patterns. Analyses were conducted using binary logistic regressions. Models were controlled for age, gender, type of household and education. The group of German food bank users consumed fewer fruits and vegetables and less fish compared to all other groups with migration background (former USSR, Balkan region, Middle East). A significant predictor for fruit and vegetable consumption was migration status. Participants from the former USSR consumed less often SSBs compared to the other groups. Dietary recommendations for low income populations should take into consideration other aspects besides income such as migration status.

Aims: To understand the extent of the alcohol industry's financial dependence on drinking above government low-risk guidelines in England., Design: Scenario modelling using descriptive analyses of pooled data from the 2013 and 2014 waves of two nationally representative surveys: the Health Survey for England (HSE) and the Living Costs and Food Survey (LCF). We estimated the proportion of alcohol sales revenue accounted for by drinkers above guideline levels, and how this varies between different beverage and retailer types. We then estimated the impact on sales revenue if the entire population reduced their drinking to within guideline levels, as well as the average price increases necessary to compensate for such a loss of revenue., Setting: England., Participants: A total of 16 872 individual (HSE) and 9975 household (LCF) survey respondents., Measurements: Transaction-level estimates of volume of alcohol purchased and price paid by beverage type and trade sector., Findings: Those drinking above guideline levels are estimated to account for 68% of total alcohol sales revenue in 2013/14: 81% of off-trade revenue and 60% of on-trade revenue. This represents 77% of beer, 70% of cider, 66% of wine and 50% of spirits sales value. The heaviest drinking 4% of the population account for 30% of all consumption and 23% of all industry revenue. If all consumers reduced their drinking to within guideline levels, alcohol sales revenue could decline by 38% (£13 billion). To mitigate this loss, average prices paid would have to rise substantially-for example, by £2.64 for a pint of on-trade beer or £12.25 for a 70 cl bottle of off-trade spirits., Conclusions: In England, the alcohol industry appears to be highly financially dependent upon heavy drinking, and might face significant financial losses were consumers to drink within guideline levels., (© 2018 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Background: 'Transactional sex', defined as a non-marital, non-commercial sexual relationship in which money or material goods are exchanged for sex, is associated with young women's increased vulnerability to HIV infection. Existing research illustrates that the motivations for transactional sex are complex. The fulfilment of psycho-social needs such as the need to belong to a peer group are important factors underlying young women's desires to obtain certain consumption items and thus engage in transactional sex., Methods: We use a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationship between transactional sex and consumption patterns among young women in rural Mpumalanga province, South Africa. In the secondary analysis of 693 sexually active young women, we use factor analysis to group the different consumption items and we use multivariable logistic regression to demonstrate the relationship between transactional sex and consumption patterns. The qualitative study uses five focus group discussions and 19 in-depth interviews to explore further young women's motivations for acquiring different consumption items., Results: The quantitative results show that young women that engage in transactional sex have higher odds of consuming items for entertainment (e.g., movie tickets) than on practical items (e.g., food and groceries). The qualitative findings also revealed that young women's perceptions of items that were considered a 'need' were strongly influenced by peer pressure and a desire for improved status. Further, there was a perception that emerged from the qualitative data that relationships with sugar daddies offered a way to acquire consumer goods associated with a 'modern lifestyle', such as items for personal enhancement and entertainment. However, young women seem aware of the risks associated with such relationships. More importantly, they also develop relationship with partners of similar age, albeit with the continued expectation of material exchange, despite engaging in the relationship for love., Conclusion: This study shows that young women are willing to take certain risks in order to have a degree of financial independence. Interventions that provide alternative methods of attaining this independence, such as the provision of cash transfers may have potential in preventing them from engaging in transactional relationships. Further, the psycho-social reasons that drive young women's motivations for consumption items resulting in risky sexual behaviours need to be better understood.

Concerns regarding the safety and aesthetic qualities of one's municipal drinking water supply are important factors influencing drinking water perceptions and consumption patterns (i.e. sources used and daily volume of consumption). In northern Canada, Inuit communities face challenges with drinking water quality, and many Inuit have reported concerns regarding the safety of their drinking water. The objectives of this research were to describe perceptions of municipal tap water, examine use of water sources and changes following the installation of a potable water dispensing unit (PWDU) in 2014, and identify factors associated with water consumption in the Inuit community of Rigolet. This study used data from three cross-sectional census surveys conducted between 2012 and 2014. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to aggregate data from multiple variables related to perceptions of water, and logistic regressions were used to identify variables associated with water consumption patterns. Three quarters of residents reported using the PWDU after its installation, with concomitant declines reported in consumption of bottled, tap, and brook water. Negative perceptions of tap water were associated with lower odds of consuming tap water (OR PCAcomponent1 =0.73, 95% CI 0.56-0.94; OR PCAcomponent2 =0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.93); women had higher odds of drinking purchased water compared to men (OR=1.90, 95% CI 1.11-3.26). The median amount of water consumed per day was 1L. Using brook water (OR=2.60, 95% CI 1.22-5.56) and living in a household where no one had full-time employment (OR=2.94, 95% CI 1.35-6.39) were associated with consuming >2L of water per day. Results of this study may inform drinking water interventions, risk assessments, and public health messaging in Rigolet and other Indigenous communities., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

It is important to analyse the consumer profile of each type of meat to better adapt the marketing mix to each one. To this end, we examined the average consumption frequency of different types of meat based on two methodologies: consumer segmentation using the food-related lifestyle (FRL) framework, giving rise to 4 segments, and analysis of socio-demographic profiles. The variables used were: sex, age, educational level, social class, number of people in the household, presence of children younger than 18 in the home, geographical area and habitual residence. Beef was the only meat type significant in both analyses. Turkey meat only appeared as significant in the FRL analysis. The other meats (chicken, pork, rabbit and lamb) were only significant in the sociodemographic variables analysis. From the outcomes we may conclude that there is no single consumer profile, which rather depends on the type of meat., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alcohol consumption is a potential risk factor with acute and chronic health consequences and social impacts, which is more prominent among men. There is no precise statistics on the scope of alcohol consumption in Iran; however, there is some evidences showing an increasing trend, particularly among young generation. In order to evaluate the scope of this issue in Kerman, a large city in the south-east of Iran, this exploratory study was designed to approach a group of people having an experience of alcohol use in 2014., Methods: Samples were recruited to the study using a snowball sampling. 200 eligible subjects were questioned about the type of alcohol consumed, frequency of use, and other factors associated with alcohol consumption. In order to maximize the validity of responses, data were collected through self-administered questionnaires., Findings: The main alcoholic drinks consumed by individuals were the homemade distillates (46%), wine (22%), beer (14%), distilled spirits (11%), and medical alcohol (7%), respectively. The majority of individuals participating in the study (73%) used mostly homemade drinks; moreover, 63%, 26%, 9%, and 2% of subjects took monthly or less, two to four times a month, two to three times a week, and at least four times a week, respectively. Only 2% of the subjects were heavy consumers of alcoholic beverages., Conclusion: Due to the lack of control over homemade alcoholic beverages, its high levels can be a huge potential risk. Furthermore, it seems that both factors of access and price to be very effective in the amount of alcoholics taken by individuals. Therefore, further studies in this area will help to reduce the harm caused by alcohol consumption.

Background: The UK government has announced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The aim of this study was to assess consumption patterns for plain drinking water relative to sugary beverages among UK children., Methods: Dietary intake data for 845 children aged 4-13 years came from the nationally representative cross-sectional National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 2008-2011. Beverage categories were drinking water (tap or bottled), milk, 100% fruit juices, soda, fruit drinks, tea, coffee, sports drinks, flavored waters, and liquid supplements. Consumption patterns were examined by age group, gender, household incomes, time and location of consumption, region and seasonality. Total water consumption from drinking water, beverages, and foods, and the water-to-calorie ratios (L/kcal) were compared to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) adequate intake standards., Results: Total water intake (1338 ml/d) came from plain water (19%), beverages (48%), and food moisture (33%). Plain drinking water provided 258 g/d (241 g/d for children aged 4-8 years; 274 g/d for 9-13 years), mostly (83.8%) from tap. Water and beverages supplied 901 g /d of water. Tap water consumption increased with income and was highest in the South of England. The consumption of bottled water, soda, tea and coffee increased with age, whereas milk consumption declined. About 88.7% of children did not meet EFSA adequate intake standards. The daily water shortfall ranged from 322 ml/d to 659 ml/d. Water-to-calorie ratio was 0.845 L/1000 kcal short of desirable levels of 1.0-1.5 L/1000 kcal., Conclusion: Total water intake were at 74.8% of EFSA reference values. Drinking water consumption among children in the UK was well below US and French estimates.

Background: Fruit and vegetable consumption is a marker of higher-quality diets; less is known about the contribution of 100% fruit and vegetable juices (FVJ) to diet quality., Objective: To explore FVJ consumption patterns in relation to dietary nutrient density among French children (aged 3-14 years old) and adults (≥21 years old)., Methods: Analyses were based on the nationally representative 2013 CCAF (Comportements et Consommations Alimentaires en France) survey of 1930 respondents, stratified by age group, FVJ consumption, and socioeconomic status (SES). Dietary nutrient density was based on the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF9.3) index, adjusted for gender and age., Results: Mean total consumption of fruits and vegetables was 2.6 servings/day for children and 3.8 servings/day for adults. Mean population consumption of FVJ was 83 mL/day for children and 54.6 mL/day for adults, equivalent to 0.4 servings/day and 0.3 servings/day respectively. FVJ consumers had higher quality diets than did non-consumers, after adjusting for covariates. The respective NRF9.3 values were 486.4 ± 4.3 vs. 428.7 ± 7.5 for children and 460.7 ± 4.4 vs. 435.4 ± 4.4 for adults. FVJ consumers had similar or higher intakes of fruits and vegetables than did non-consumers. The socioeconomic gradient for FVJ consumption was much weaker (p < 0.046) than for whole fruit (p < 0.01)., Conclusions: In a nationally representative sample of French children and adults, fruit and vegetable consumption fell short of recommended values. Higher FVJ consumption was associated with higher-quality diets and better compliance with the French National Plan for Nutrition and Health (PNNS).

Background: The Heidelberger Drogenbogen (HDB) is a German language assessment of substance-specific knowledge and consumption patterns of the illicit psychoactive substances cannabis, MDMA (ecstasy), amphetamines, cocaine, and hallucinogens. The behavior modules for each of these five drugs/drug groups allow for a diagnostic evaluation of the extent of harmful consumption behavior. Each of the five modules represents a single standardized test., Objectives: This paper outlines several statistical parameters, Cronbach's alpha, retest reliabilities, as well as numerous validity and cut-off-criteria of the behavioral modules., Methods: Participants (N = 4,794) were recruited at schools, universities, in subcultural contexts, and in institutions of substance abuse treatment., Results: Internal consistencies range from = .68 to .79 while test-retest reliabilities between .87 and .94 were found. The behavior modules of the HDB can discriminate between populations with and without clinical levels of substance use. Furthermore, this measure has incremental validity and higher diagnostic accuracy over competing measures., Conclusions: The behavior modules of the HDB are reliable and valid measures of substance use and misuse.

Studies regarding the advancing challenges of obesity in many countries are beginning to converge on the importance of early food exposure and consumption patterns. Across two studies (Study 1, 34 boys, 35 girls; Study 2, 40 boys, 35 girls, ages 3-6), child knowledge of brands offering products high in sugar, salt and fat was shown to be a significant predictor of child BMI, even after controlling for their age and gender and when also considering the extent of their TV viewing. Additionally, two different collage measures of brand knowledge (utilized across the two studies) performed similarly, suggesting that this measure may be serving as a surrogate indicator of an overall pattern of product exposure and consumption. Policy implications are discussed., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Alcohol prevention policies alone neither cause nor explain changes in alcohol consumption, nor in related harm. Alcohol consumption in Spain throughout the period 1962-2008 was analyzed considering selected contextual factors and alcohol policies. Increased urbanization was found to be associated with higher consumption, especially of beer. Restrictive policies regulating purchase age, advertising, and licensing premises to sell alcohol were associated with decreased alcohol consumption, while lower blood alcohol concentration limits were followed by an increase. Study limitations are noted. Changes in the evolution of socioeconomic, sociodemographic, and cultural factors should be carefully analyzed to inform alcohol policy planning and evaluation.

Herbal mixtures contain synthetic cannabinoids, which can cause severe intoxications. Due to the great variety and the changing spectrum of substances on the drug market, prevalence data are limited, and data on prevalence rates of synthetic cannabinoids in forensic cases are not available. The present study was performed to survey the prevalence of synthetic cannabinoids in cases of traffic and criminal offences in the German state Hesse in 2010. The applied analytical method covered all synthetic cannabinoids on the drug market at that time, and with 20% of the blood samples (422 out of 2201) a representative number was reanalyzed. In twelve samples synthetic cannabinoids were identified and a prevalence of 2.8% was estimated. Consumption patterns showed predominantly cases of multi-drug consumption (10 cases); the combination with cannabis or alcohol was frequent (four cases each). The observed deficits were moderate with the exception of aggravation of paranoia in one case. The symptoms were either compatible with the effects of cannabinoid agonists or attributable to alcohol or other drugs found in the blood samples. Our current analytical strategy is to perform such analyses only in cases where use is suspected or where symptoms are not explained by routine toxicological analyses. Hence, the positive rate is rather low highlighting the need to keep up with the developments on the drug market and to establish sensitive screening methods covering a broad range of substances that can be updated fast, e.g., relying on collections of mass spectrometric reference data., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

European pilchard or sardines (Sardina pilchardus) are an attractive raw material to extract from Iberian waters, since they constitute a cheap source of protein and they are a popular product among consumers. This has led to a wide range of final products available for consumers to purchase based on this single raw material. Therefore, this study presents a cross-product environmental assessment using life cycle assessment of three different final products based on sardine landings: canned sardines, fresh sardines and European hake caught by using sardine as bait. In addition, the products were followed throughout their entire life cycle, considering different cooking methods for each final product. Results showed high variability in environmental impacts, not only between the three final products, but also when one single product was cooked in different ways, highlighting the importance that the consumption phase and other post-landing stages may have on the final environmental profile of seafood. Results are then analysed regarding relevant limitations and uncertainties, as well as in terms of the consumer and policy implications., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To know the pattern of use of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in a Spanish sample of research chemical (RC) users and to deepen the RC user profile and risk reduction strategies employed., Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey by means of a specific questionnaire. Recruitment was carried out at music festivals, at non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and through announcements on an online forum. Two RC user profiles were defined, according to whether they search information through online forums., Results: A total of 230 users participated. The most frequent RCs were hallucinogenic phenethylamines (2C-B 80.0%, 2C-I 39.6%) and cathinones (methylone 40.1%, mephedrone 35.2%). The most frequent combination of RC with other illegal drugs was with cannabis (68.6%) and 2C-B with MDMA (28.3%). Subjects who are consulting drug forums (group 1) use more RC, obtain RC by Internet, and use more frequently risk prevention strategies. Regarding the risk-reduction strategies in this group, users sought information concerning RC before consuming them (100%), used precision scales to calculate dosage (72.3%), and analyzed the contents before consumption (68.8%)., Conclusions: There is a specific RC user profile with extensive knowledge and consumption of substances, using different strategies to reduce risks associated to its consumption., (Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Hangwa is a traditional food, corresponding to the current consumption trend, in need of marketing strategies to extend its consumption. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze consumers' consumption patterns and perception of Hangwa to increase consumption in the market. A questionnaire was sent to 250 consumers by e-mail from Oct 8∼23, 2009 and the data from 231 persons were analyzed in this study. Statistical, descriptive, paired samples t-test, and importance-performance analyses were conducted using SPSS WIN 17.0. According to the results, Hangwa was purchased mainly 'for present' (39.8%) and the main reasons for buying it were 'traditional image' (33.3%) and 'taste' (22.5%). When importance and performance of attributes considered in purchasing Hangwa were evaluated, performance was assessed to be lower than importance for all attributes. The attributes in the first quadrant with a high importance and a high performance were 'a sanitary process', 'a rigorous quality mark' and 'taste', which were related with quality of the products. In addition, those with a high importance but a low performance were 'popularization through advertisement', 'promotion through mass media', 'conversion of thought on traditional foods', 'a reasonable price' and 'a wide range of price'. In conclusion, Hangwa manufacturers need to diversify products and extend the expiration date based on technologies to promote its consumption. In terms of price, Hangwa should become more available by lowering the price barrier for consumers who are sensitive to price.