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In order to gain a better understanding of post-stroke dietary behaviors (e.g., selecting, accessing, and preparing healthy foods) among chronic, community-dwelling stroke survivors, we conducted a mixed-methods study consisting of a quantitative online survey (n = 63) and follow-up focus groups with a subset of participants (n = 7). Perceived performance, assistance required, adaptive equipment and compensatory strategies used, and sources of education and training were examined. Results demonstrated (1) diminished post-stroke performance for most dietary behaviors (e.g., grocery shopping, meal preparation), (2) an increased desire to eat healthily to prevent recurrent stroke, (3) variable use of adaptive equipment and compensatory strategies, and (4) limited healthcare-based dietary behavior education and training. These results suggest that stroke survivors could benefit from increased dietary behavior intervention to improve dietary behavior performance. Findings can be used to guide clinical intervention and design future research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent excavations at Mission La Purísima Concepción identified social divisions linked to status hierarchies within the Native village,' Amuwu. The recovery of an earthen floor under a roof tile collapse represented a single room in an adobe structure where a Chumash family lived. In the backyard, a dense midden deposit exposed a dumping and activity area for residents of the building. Further north of the structure, in an area not associated with the adobe building, archaeological investigations uncovered an expansive concentration of refuse, suggesting it is the likely area where traditional tule-thatched houses once stood. Materials from the northernmost and southernmost sections of the rancheria indicate differences linked to social stratification, including distinctions in the shell bead money economy, food preparation and consumption practices, and the display of wealth. However, status was not determined by those who displayed more or less "Spanish" or "Native" traits. Instead, ranked positions were integrated with traditional Chumash practices and were later reinterpreted in innovative ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on nutrition education. Topics include contributing to health professionals' training, clinical and biomedical research, translational nutrition research; and teaching kitchen being intended as a ‘‘shared asset'' of the university, accessible to students, health professionals, patients, employees, and community populations.

To identify the impact of child involvement in vegetable preparation on vegetable preference and attitudes toward eating vegetables. Pre-post mixed-methods. Food and Farming Camp at a nonprofit urban farm in Sunnyvale, California. Camp participants aged 8–10 years (n = 34 girls, n = 12 boys), and aged 11–14 years (n = 19 girls, n = 4 boys). Involvement in vegetable preparation through harvesting, cutting, cooking, and seasoning before consumption. Interviews identified camper perception of vegetable preference and involvement in preparation. Change in vegetable preference from baseline with and without involvement in vegetable preparation. Attitudes toward involvement in vegetable preparation. Adjustment of preferences to baseline followed by tests of hypotheses to identify differences with involvement. Thematic, qualitative coding to identify prevalent themes within interview responses. Younger campers preferred vegetables they prepared (P < 0.05), except for carrots. Campers were more likely to choose vegetables they prepared (P < 0.05). Campers of both age groups were curious to try their vegetable creations and described feelings of pride and responsibility related to preparing vegetables. Involvement with food preparation, in particular in a garden-based setting, may provide an accessible method to improve child vegetable preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A community–academic partnership, based on a social–ecological framework, addressed pediatric obesity by implementing a multilevel intervention for underserved families in Los Angeles, California. Individual- and interpersonal-level outcomes included significant positive changes in preschoolers' identification of unhealthy foods and in parents' shopping, cooking, and parenting behaviors. Organizational-, community-, and policy-level outcomes included healthy options at restaurants and a coalition supporting a parental initiative to create healthy checkout aisles in supermarkets. The multilevel intervention demonstrated favorable results using descriptive statistics and the paired-samples t -test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Black tar heroin is typically prepared for injection with heat which decreases the risk of HIV transmission by inactivating the virus. We received reports that persons who inject drugs (PWID) in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, a black tar heroin market, were using only water to dissolve heroin.Objectives: Because Tijuana abuts San Diego County, CA, United States, we undertook the present analyses to determine the prevalence of this practice among PWID in San Diego, California.Methods: PWID completed quarterly behavioral assessments and serological testing for blood-borne viruses. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess for individual, social, and structural correlates of preparing heroin without heat within the preceding 6 months.Results: Nearly half of black tar heroin users (149/305) reported they had prepared heroin without heat within 6 months. In multivariable analysis, cold preparation was independently associated with younger age (10 year decrease; AOR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.03, 1.53), more drug injecting acquaintances (per 5 acquaintance increase; AOR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.01, 1.09) and prefilled syringe use (injecting drugs from syringes that are already filled with drugs before purchase; AOR = 1.86; 95% CI 1.14, 3.02).Conclusions/Importance: To our knowledge, this is the first paper to report that PWID living in a black tar heroin market are preparing heroin without heat. Additional research is needed to determine whether this is an endemic practice or PWID are engaging in new forms of drug preparation in response to changes in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: Background: Many programmes for children that involve gardening and nutrition components exist; however, none include experimental designs allowing more rigorous evaluation of their impact on obesity. Objectives: The objective of this study is to explore the effects of a novel 12‐week gardening, nutrition and cooking intervention {‘LA Sprouts’} on dietary intake, obesity parameters and metabolic disease risk among low‐income, primarily Hispanic/Latino youth in Los Angeles.. Methods: This study used a randomized control trial involving four elementary schools [two randomized to intervention {172, 3rd–5th grade students}; two randomized to control {147, 3rd–5th grade students}]. Classes were taught in 90‐min sessions once per week for 12 weeks. Data collected at pre‐intervention and post‐intervention included dietary intake via food frequency questionnaire, anthropometric measures {body mass index, waist circumference}, body fat, and fasting blood samples. Results: LA Sprouts participants compared with controls had significantly greater reductions in body mass index z‐scores {−0.1 vs. −0.04, respectively; p = 0.01} and waist circumference {−1.2 vs. 0.1 cm; p < 0.001}. Fewer LA Sprouts participants had the metabolic syndrome after the intervention than before, while controls with metabolic syndrome increased. LA Sprouts participants compared with controls increased dietary fiber intake {+3.4% vs. −16.5%; p = 0.04}. All participants decreased vegetable intake, but decreases were less in LA Sprouts than controls {−3.7% vs. −26.1%; p = 0.04}. Change in fruit intake did not differ between LA Sprouts and controls. Conclusions: LA Sprouts was effective in reducing obesity and metabolic risk; however, additional larger and longer‐term studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica vegetables are common components of the diet and have beneficial as well as potentially adverse health effects. Following enzymatic breakdown, some glucosinolates in brassica vegetables produce sulforaphane, phenethyl, and indolylic isothiocyanates that possess anticarcinogenic activity. In contrast, progoitrin and indolylic glucosinolates degrade to goitrin and thiocyanate, respectively, and may decrease thyroid hormone production. Radioiodine uptake to the thyroid is inhibited by 194 µmol of goitrin, but not by 77 µmol of goitrin. Collards, Brussels sprouts, and some Russian kale (Brassica napus) contain sufficient goitrin to potentially decrease iodine uptake by the thyroid. However, turnip tops, commercial broccoli, broccoli rabe, and kale belonging to Brassica oleracae contain less than 10 lmol of goitrin per 100-g serving and can be considered of minimal risk. Using sulforaphane plasma levels following glucoraphanin ingestion as a surrogate for thiocyanate plasma concentrations after indole glucosinolate ingestion, the maximum thiocyanate contribution from indole glucosinolate degradation is estimated to be 10 µM, which is significantly lower than background plasma thiocyanate concentrations (40-69 µM). Thiocyanate generated from consumption of indole glucosinolate can be assumed to have minimal adverse risks for thyroid health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to explore food preparation behaviours, attitudes, meal planning and shopping among Mexican-American mothers.Design: Data were collected through four focus groups with mothers of Mexican origin/ancestry who considered themselves to be the primary food preparer. Topics included food preparation behaviours and influencers (culture, family, attitudes, barriers, meal planning and shopping). Data were analysed using a qualitative grounded theory approach. All focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded for themes.Setting: Data were collected in southern California, USA in 2013.Subjects: Of the sample of twenty-one Mexican-American mothers, thirteen were born outside the USA and the mean household size was five members.Results: Participants reported that food was often prepared using traditional staples and food preparation behaviours were learned from maternal family members. Participants also suggested that health was influenced by foods eaten and how they were prepared. Salient factors influencing food preparation behaviours included culture and tradition, maternal family members' food preparation behaviours, food preparation self-efficacy and attitudes towards healthy eating. Time and busy schedules were cited as barriers.Conclusions: Future interventions should consider utilizing family-based approaches and teaching culturally relevant food preparation skills, especially to youth, while reinforcing more healthful dietary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to assess the current impact of natural gas appliances on air quality in California homes. Data were collected via telephone interviews and measurements inside and outside of 352 homes. Passive samplers measured time-resolved CO and time-integrated NOX, NO2, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde over ~6-day periods in November 2011 - April 2012 and October 2012 - March 2013. The fraction of indoor NOX and NO2 attributable to indoor sources was estimated. NOX, NO2, and highest 1-h CO were higher in homes that cooked with gas and increased with amount of gas cooking. NOX and NO2 were higher in homes with cooktop pilot burners, relative to gas cooking without pilots. Homes with a pilot burner on a floor or wall furnace had higher kitchen and bedroom NOX and NO2 compared to homes without a furnace pilot. When scaled to account for varying home size and mixing volume, indoor-attributed bedroom and kitchen NOX and kitchen NO2 were not higher in homes with wall or floor furnace pilot burners, although bedroom NO2 was higher. In homes that cooked 4 h or more with gas, self-reported use of kitchen exhaust was associated with lower NOX, NO2, and highest 1-h CO. Gas appliances were not associated with higher concentrations of formaldehyde or acetaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Residential natural gas cooking burners (NGCBs) can emit substantial quantities of pollutants, and they are typically used without venting range hoods. Objective: We quantified pollutant concentrations and occupant exposures resulting from NGCB use in California homes. Methods: A mass-balance model was applied to estimate time-dependent pollutant concentrations throughout homes in Southern California and the exposure concentrations experienced by individual occupants. We estimated nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO) concentrations for 1 week each in summer and winter for a representative sample of Southern California homes. The model simulated pollutant emissions from NGCBs as well as NO2 and CO entry from outdoors, dilution throughout the home, and removal by ventilation and deposition. Residence characteristics and outdoor concentrations of NO2 and CO were obtained from available databases. We inferred ventilation rates, occupancy patterns, and burner use from household characteristics. We also explored proximity to the burner(s) and the benefits of using venting range hoods. Replicate model executions using independently generated sets of stochastic variable values yielded estimated pollutant concentration distributions with geometric means varying by < 10%. Results: The simulation model estimated that--in homes using NGCBs without coincident use of venting range hoods--62%, 9%, and 53% of occupants are routinely exposed to NO2, CO, and HCHO levels that exceed acute health-based standards and guidelines. NGCB use increased the sample median of the highest simulated 1-hr indoor concentrations by 100, 3,000, and 20 ppb for NO2, CO, and HCHO, respectively. Conclusions: Reducing pollutant exposures from NGCBs should be a public health priority. Simulation results suggest that regular use of even moderately effective venting range hoods would dramatically reduce the percentage of homes in which concentrations exceed health-based standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A description of the course "ARTful Eating" being offered at orange County Museum of Art in collaboration with Irvine, California-based Center for Living Peace in Orange County, California is provided.

An interview with chef Erik Cosselmon of Kokkari restaurant in San Francisco, California is presented. When asked about his family background, Cosselmon states their small farm in Grand Blanc, Michigan where they raised farm animals including chickens, ducks, and geese. He notes that his father and mother have their cooking styles and food preferences. He also mentions his cooking experience at the said restaurant.

Abstract: This article analyzes eating and beliefs about family meals in the qualitative interview narratives of 30 “at-risk” gang-involved young women in the San Francisco Bay Area. We begin our examination of consumption practices with a study of households and identify three major types—extended, single-parent and blended. Within these households, food purchasing and consumption activities are varied, and in many cases, our respondents rely upon extended family members and non-kin relations for support. In examining eating within the family, we identify two sets of practices and meanings: eating alone, and eating with others. Eating alone is symbolic of independence from one''s family of origin, or is the result of familial conflict at the dinner table; however, it does not necessarily change our respondents’ eating patterns. Eating with others in the family remains important, and many of the young women value family meals, although there are significant obstacles to eating regularly with the entire nuclear family. Many of these young women play an important role in the purchasing and preparation of food for family members as well. This paper highlights the importance of understanding family eating practices from the perspective of young people in the family, whose contribution to family ingestive practices has tended to be underestimated in much of available research literature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Human exposures to ultrafine particles (UFP) are poorly characterized given the potential associated health risks. Residences are important sites of exposure. To characterize residential exposures to UFP in some circumstances and to investigate governing factors, seven single-family houses in California were studied during 2007-2009. During multiday periods, time-resolved particle number concentrations were monitored indoors and outdoors and information was acquired concerning occupancy, source-related activities, and building operation. On average, occupants were home for 70% of their time. The geometric mean time-average residential exposure concentration for 21 study subjects was 14,500 particles per cm³ (GSD = 1.8; arithmetic mean ± standard deviation = 17,000 ± 10,300 particles per cm³). The average contribution to residential exposures from indoor episodic sources was 150% of the contribution from particles of outdoor origin. Unvented natural-gas pilot lights contributed up to 19% to exposure for the two households where present. Episodic indoor source activities, most notably cooking, caused the highest peak exposures and most of the variation in exposure among houses. Owing to the importance of indoor sources and variations in the infiltration factor, residential exposure to UFP cannot be characterized by ambient measurements alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses an alternative meal called spread that is prepared by inmates at the San Francisco County Jail in California. It states that spread is a generic term for foods, created by inmates, that are mostly made of instant ramen noodles. Moreover, it describes various ways inmates make their own spreads.

How are patterns of cultural production informed by the nature of the field? In particular, I am concerned with how the mode of cultural production mediates relations among creators and, in turn, how these relations affect cultural production. I also inquire into how these two sets of relations are influenced by the connection between the field of cultural production and the larger social world. I rest my inquiry in the field of culinary arts. Drawing on ethnographic research with elite chefs in mid- to high-status restaurants in New York City and San Francisco, where I have conducted 45 in-depth interviews and observation in their restaurant kitchens, I analyze how actors subjectively manage the institutional conditions of authorship and differentiation through their discursive practices on the mode of cultural production and on their relations with other creators. By analyzing how chefs manage these issues, we will also observe how they subjectively deal with their objective position in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Sally's Lechon, BBQ, and Catering restaurant in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California. The restaurant is owned by Marlyn and Gerry Rosete and it serves different ethnic Filipino dishes such as lumpia, turon, and lechon kawali. Marlyn and Gerry used the food industry to pursue their American dream and be successful immigrants. The restaurant is an example of how the food industry plays a major role in the culture, economy, and society of the Filipino immigrants Los Angeles.

The article relates the experiences of the author in his participation to a burger making contest in Napa Valley, California. It cites the procedures the author had done in making his hamburger recipe. The article also mentions about the author's lamburgers &3x00E0; la crecque with cilantro-mint chutney recipe which won the grand prize in the contest.

To evaluate the virtual implementation of Food Smarts, a learner-centered cooking and nutrition curriculum, in citywide congregate meal sites using process evaluation methods. Older adults are at high risk for inadequate nutrition, which can contribute to loss of independence, disease complications, increased healthcare costs and short-term mortality. Virtual nutrition education can be an effective intervention to encourage older adults to adopt behaviors that improve nutritional status and support healthy aging. Older adults (aged 60 years and older) enrolled in congregate meal programs in San Francisco. Virtual Food Smarts workshops were delivered via online platform Zoom and participants joined via personal devices from home. Each workshop consists of 4 weekly classes and the duration of each class is 60 minutes. Topics included plant-based eating, nutrition labels and chronic disease prevention. Within a 6-month period, 10 series of classes for 7 congregate meal sites were delivered. An online post-workshop satisfaction survey was administered via email after the last class. Survey evaluated nutrition-related knowledge and dietary behaviors as a result of class participation. Out of 477 participants, 331 participants attended 2 or more classes and 108 survey responses were collected. Nearly 100% participants expressed positive behavior change in all measures. Behavior measures with the largest changes included increased consumption of fruits and vegetables (98%), increased knowledge of whole grains and beans (99%) and increased confidence in ability to prepare food for self (99%). The virtual delivery of Food Smarts has demonstrated success in improving dietary behaviors and self-management of nutritional health for nearly all participants. These results can be used as preliminary data for informing future interventions and virtual nutrition education programs for older adult populations. San Francisco Department of Disability and Adult Services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The often observed association between red meat and colorectal cancer could be due in part to mutagens, such as heterocyclic amines (HCA), that are present in cooked meat. HCAs are highly mutagenic and cause intestinal tumors in animals. The hypothesis that HCAs are also carcinogenic to humans remains to be substantiated in epidemiologic studies. We determined the associations of meat preparation and frequency of intake (proxy variables for HCA exposure, since HCA concentration depends on the type of meat and the way it is cooked) with the prevalence of distal colorectal adenomas in a sigmoidoscopy-based case-control study of 488 matched pairs of subjects from two California (United States) Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers. A more than twofold difference in adenoma prevalence between subjects at extreme ends of estimated HCA intake was observed. For subjects who ate red meat more than once per week, fried it more than 10 percent of the time, and ate it with a darkly browned surface, compared with subjects who ate red meat one time or less per week, fried it 10 or less percent of the time, and ate it with a lightly browned surface, the odds ratio was 2.2 (95 percent confidence interval = 1.1-4.3). Adenoma prevalence also increased with frequency of frying red meat (P trend = 0.004). These results are consistent with a carcinogenic effect of HCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]