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The aim of this paper is to provide a critical review of the most recent literature from 2005 onwards, on the effect of alcohol intake during lactation on the hormonal control of lactogenesis; breastmilk alcohol concentration; the breastfeeding infant, and on the breastfeeding outcomes of the mother and infant dyad. An update on public policy guiding alcohol consumption during lactation nationally and internationally is explored. The databases PubMed, CINAHL, Proquest Health and Medical Complete, ScienceDirect, Medline and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched from 2005 onwards. Alcohol inhibits the role of oxytocin in breastfeeding women, resulting in an increased time to milk ejection and a decrease in total breastmilk yield. Breastfeeding women are less likely to consume alcohol at high-risk levels, and drinking at these levels is associated with the early cessation of breastfeeding. A higher level of education and a higher income level are the characteristics of the maternal drinker during lactation. Available public health policy in Australia provides direction for breastfeeding mothers who choose to drink alcohol during this important stage of infant development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Food security is defined by four dimensions: food availability, access, utilisation and stability. Resettled refugees face unique struggles securing these dimensions and, thus, food security when moving to a new country. This systematic review aimed to identify the challenges Australian refugees experience in achieving the four dimensions of food security. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed; the SPIDER tool was used to determine eligibility criteria. Three databases were searched using terms relating to food in/security and refugees from 2000 to 20 May 2017. Results: Seven articles were retained for analysis. Studies were categorised against the four dimensions, with four studies identifying challenges against all dimensions. Challenges contributing to high levels of food insecurity in each dimension included: availability and cost of traditional foods, difficulty in accessing preferred food outlets, limited food knowledge and preparation skills and food stability due to low income and social support. Conclusions: Food insecurity adversely impacts refugee health and integration. Methodical research framed by the four dimensions of food security is imperative to address challenges to securing food security in refugee groups and assisting in the development of sustainable interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The availability of high-quality, validated food frequency questionnaires is useful for the conduct of robust population dietary iron-related research. This review aimed to evaluate the validation quality of recently validated food frequency questionnaires that measure iron intakes in Australian or New Zealand adults. Methods: Articles validating food frequency questionnaires that measured iron intakes in Australian or New Zealand adults, published from 1995, were sourced from a range of databases using standard search terms. Eligible validation studies were assessed for validation quality using recommendations from international reviews of food frequency questionnaire validation studies, and a quality score was calculated. Results: Nine studies validating food frequency questionnaires were located. Seven of the nine studies had achieved at least an acceptable quality validation score. More than half of the international validation recommendations were met in at least half of the eligible studies. Studies generally did not report or consider nutrient supplementation, did not validate the food frequency questionnaire against a biomarker, nor measured survey repeatability. Conclusions: The majority of food frequency questionnaire validation studies had achieved at least an acceptable quality validation score; however, some food frequency questionnaires had undergone a higher quality validation process than others. Applying the international validation recommendations to future validation studies may improve the quality of the food frequency questionnaire validation process and, potentially, population dietary iron-related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To undertake a systematic literature review to examine the effect of food cost on diet quality and risk factors for chronic disease, specifically focusing on diet-related lifestyle diseases affecting the Australian population. Methods: A search of six databases resulted in the inclusion of one systematic review, three cohort studies, 41 cross-sectional studies and four modelling studies in this review. Results: Between 2000 and 2006, the price of healthy foods has increased more than the price of less healthy foods. Healthy Food Access Basket surveys show that a healthy diet may often be unaffordable for low- and average-income households. Diets of higher energy density were associated with lower diet cost, whereas diets of higher nutrient density and nutritional quality were associated with higher diet cost. Recent studies report an inverse association between food price and food consumption. Consequently, an increase in food cost was associated with a significant reduction in weight, waist circumference, body mass index, obesity and insulin resistance. Conclusions: Manipulation of food cost may alter food consumption and therefore risk factors for chronic disease. Further longitudinal studies investigating the impact of pricing strategies on diet quality and disease risk are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]