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Background: Ambivalence towards food and diet, which favours behavioural inertia, might be a barrier to adopting healthier eating behaviours. Measuring it can help researchers to better understand its relationship with behaviour change and design interventions aimed at resolving it. In this scoping review, we map and describe methods and tools employed in studies to assess, measure or classify the ambivalence of participants towards food‐ and diet‐related attitude objects. Methods: In accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for conducting scoping reviews, we retrieved peer‐reviewed studies from MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, FSTA and Food Science Source and preprints from PsyArXiv and MedRxiv. Two independent reviewers screened the articles. We considered for inclusion peer‐reviewed studies and preprints that assessed the ambivalence of participants of any age, sex or sociodemographic group towards food and diet. Results: We included 45 studies published between 1992 and 2022, which included participants from 17 countries. Eighteen methods were employed across the included studies to assess different types of ambivalence (felt, potential or cognitive–affective), the most frequent of which were the Griffin Index, the Subjective Ambivalence Questionnaire, the MouseTracker Paradigm and the Orientation to Chocolate Questionnaire. Conclusion: This scoping review identified several methods and tools to assess different types of ambivalence towards food‐ and diet‐related objects, providing an array of options for future studies. Key points: We identified 45 studies from 17 countries that assessed ambivalence towards food‐ and diet‐related attitude objects across eight databases. Most authors seem consistent in their definitions of ambivalence, referring to the simultaneous presence of positive and negative evaluations towards an attitude object, with some authors emphasising the similarity in the intensity of these evaluations. A total of 18 different methods to assess ambivalence towards food and diet were identified. The most frequently employed methods across the literature identified in this review were the Griffin Index, the Subjective Ambivalence Questionnaire, the MouseTracker Paradigm and the Orientation to Chocolate Questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary intakes are commonly assessed by established methods including food frequency questionnaires, food records, or recalls. These self-report methods have limitations impacting validity and reliability. Dietary biomarkers provide objective verification of self-reported food intakes, and represent a rapidly evolving area. This review aims to summarize the urinary biomarkers of individual foods, food groups, dietary patterns, or nutritional supplements that have been evaluated to date. Six electronic databases were searched. Included studies involved healthy populations, were published from 2000, and compared measured dietary intake with urinary markers. The initial search identified 9985 studies; of these, 616 full texts were retrieved and 109 full texts were included. Of the included studies, 67 foods and food components were studied, and 347 unique urinary biomarkers were identified. The most reliable biomarkers identified were whole grains (alkylresorcinols), soy (isoflavones), and sugar (sucrose and fructose). While numerous novel urinary biomarkers have been identified, further validation studies are warranted to verify the accuracy of self-reported intakes and utility within practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Drinks can contribute to energy as well as micro‐ and macro‐nutrient intake. Drink‐specific, validated, quick and easy to administer questionnaires are needed to monitor secular trends in beverage consumption for different populations. The aim of the present cross‐sectional study was to develop and validate a drink‐specific questionnaire for the Greek population. Methods: A 41‐item semi‐quantitative drinks frequency questionnaire (DFQ) was developed and validated against 7‐day weighed food records, among young Greek adults. Wilcoxon ranks tests, Kendall tau‐b correlations and Bland–Altman plot were used to compare the two methods. Fifty‐nine Greek University students (28 males, 31 females) completed both methods. Results: No difference was observed in total drinks intake between the two methods. The Bland–Altman plot showed that the two methods are likely to agree concerning the total drinks intake. Wilcoxon's rank test showed no significant differences between the two methods, except for the 'whiskey/vodka/gin' intake (P < 0.001). 'Good' agreement (tau‐b > 0.61) was observed for most DFQ items, including low‐fat and chocolate milk, hot chocolate, Greek/espresso coffee, commercial tea, packaged fruit juices, wine, alcohol‐free beer, light cola‐type drinks and water (tap/bottled/sparkling). 'Low' agreement (<0.30) was noted for filtered/instant/iced coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and some alcoholic drinks (beer/whiskey/vodka/gin). Conclusions: The DFQ appears to be an overall valid means of estimating the habitual intake of drinks in large‐scale epidemiological surveys. The study supports the use of DFQ for assessing drinks consumption patterns and secular trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet is regarded as one of the important environmental factors triggering inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Many IBD patients avoid numerous types of foods in fear of disease exacerbation. The aim of the study was to investigate dietary beliefs and food avoidance among pediatric patients with IBD. This questionnaire-based study was conducted in three University-affiliated children's hospitals in Poland. Data were collected from parents of children who were diagnosed with IBD. A total of 155 parents of IBD patients participated in the survey: 104 (67.1%) had a child with Crohn's disease and 51 (32.9%) with ulcerative colitis. Parents of older children and those with longer disease duration predicted diet being considered one of the causative agents of IBD, and differences were statistically significant (P = .01 and P = .04, respectively). Also, patients with a shorter history of disease rarely shared food with other family members (P = .02). In total, 61.5% of patients avoided some kind of food in fear of disease flares. In the parent's opinion, the food the children liked but avoided included fried dishes, sweets (e.g., chocolate, cookies, cakes, candies, jellies), and fast food. Due to their dietary beliefs, parents of children with IBD commonly introduced dietary restrictions for their offspring. Frequent and unjustified food avoidance may influence not only nutritional status but also general well-being of pediatric patients. Our results underscore the urgent need for IBD patients and parents of ill children to receive reliable dietary advice based on strong scientific evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that cocoa intake decreased Th2 immune-related antibodies in rats. In consequence, we aimed to study in depth this cocoa action, particularly assessing its effect on a rat model of food allergy (FA) and also on an anaphylactic response. The involvement of the intestinal immune system was analyzed to allow the action mechanisms to be investigated. The role of cocoa flavonoids in the antiallergic properties of cocoa was also established. Brown Norway rats were fed either a reference diet or diets containing conventional cocoa (CC) or nonfermented cocoa (NFC). FA to ovalbumin (OVA) was induced and, later, an anaphylactic response was provoked. As expected, the synthesis of anti-OVA IgE and other Th2-related antibodies was inhibited by CC diet. In addition, the release of mast cell protease II after anaphylaxis was partially prevented by CC, although other variables were not modified. The CC diet also attenuated the increase of some Th2-related cytokines released from mesenteric lymph node and spleen cells, and modulated the intestinal gene expression of molecules involved in allergic response. These results demonstrated the local and systemic influence of CC diet. The effects of the NFC diet were weaker than those of CC, suggesting that cocoa components other than flavonoids play a role in cocoa's action. In conclusion, by acting on intestinal and systemic immune functions, a cocoa-enriched diet in rats exhibited a protective effect against FA and partially against anaphylaxis, making this a food of high interest to the fields of health and immunonutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness of the overall dietary intervention rather than a single nutrient on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial conducted at a child psychiatry clinic in Iran. Participants were 106 children and adolescents with ADHD. One group received methylphenidate plus dietary recommendations, while the other group only received methylphenidate. ADHD DSM-IV checklist was used to assess inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity scores at baseline and at the end of the trial. Results: The results revealed no significant difference between the two groups regarding mean age, gender ratio, body mass index, baseline inattentiveness score, and baseline hyperactivity score. Linear regression analysis considering the covariant variables showed that the inattentive score at the end of the trial was significantly associated with the mean change of favorite diet scores. Conclusion: This is the first clinical trial examining the effect of overall dietary characteristics rather than a single nutrient on the children formally diagnosed with ADHD. According to the results, un-favorite diet had no effects on inattentive or hyperactivity/impulsivity score. Encouraging the children with ADHD to increase their intake of recommended diet markedly improves their attention. Trial registration: The trial was registered at the Iranian Clinical Trials Registry (Irct ID: IRCT201311303930N29). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review was conducted to evaluate whether chocolate or its constituents were capable of influencing cognitive function and/or mood. Studies investigating potentially psychoactive fractions of chocolate were also included. Eight studies (in six articles) met the inclusion criteria for assessment of chocolate or its components on mood, of which five showed either an improvement in mood state or an attenuation of negative mood. Regarding cognitive function, eight studies (in six articles) met the criteria for inclusion, of which three revealed clear evidence of cognitive enhancement (following cocoa flavanols and methylxanthine). Two studies failed to demonstrate behavioral benefits but did identify significant alterations in brain activation patterns. It is unclear whether the effects of chocolate on mood are due to the orosensory characteristics of chocolate or to the pharmacological actions of chocolate constituents. Two studies have reported acute cognitive effects of supplementation with cocoa polyphenols. Further exploration of the effect of chocolate on cognitive facilitation is recommended, along with substantiation of functional brain changes associated with the components of cocoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of dietary factors as triggers for migraines is controversial, and the assessment of this topic is complex and inconclusive. In order to evaluate the published evidence on dietary triggers, a critical review of the literature was performed by conducting a search for food item descriptors linked to migraines in the PubMed and SciELO databases. Reviews and relevant references cited within the articles that resulted from the search were also included. Of the 45 studies reviewed, 16 were population studies that involved the association between migraines and eating habits or the prevalence of related dietary factors; 12 involved interventions or analyzed observational prospective cohorts; and 17 were retrospective studies. Approximately 30 dietary triggers were explored in total, although only seven of these were addressed experimentally. In the prospective studies, patients were instructed to keep a diary; two of these studies involved dietary interventions. Conclusions that are based on nonpharmacological prophylactic strategies with a scientific basis and that show an association between certain dietary factors and the triggering of migraines are limited by the lack of prospective studies with clear experimental designs. Nevertheless, the high frequency of possible specific dietary triggers validates efforts to elucidate the involvement of food-related factors in precipitating migraines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an answer to a question on addiction for chocolate or other foods.