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Levels of food insecurity (FI) and the need for food support have increased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. These crises also enabled substantial innovation in food support provision, including a move away from more traditional food bank models toward social supermarkets (SSM). These are characterized as not-for-profit social enterprises that sell mostly food, at low or symbolic prices to those living near or in poverty. In this article we provide a timely empirical account of SSMs and the experiences and perspectives of their members, focusing on three key themes: access, dignity, and choice. We use a mixed-methods approach based on questionnaires (n = 111) and interviews (n = 25) with SSMs members, engaging with local priorities and perspectives in the active co-creation of the research. Our findings demonstrate that SSM's provision is more inclusive and mindful of the diversity and agency of their members, doing away with pre-conceived ideas of food support recipients as passive citizens. While not a panacea, we argue that SSMs offer an alternative model for providing food support and one that could be replicated broadly or used side-by-side with food banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recognition of atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN) has challenged underweight as a defining factor of illness severity in anorexia nervosa (AN). The present study aimed to compare rates of medical instability in adolescents with underweight (AN) and non‐underweight (AAN) anorexia nervosa. Methods: The study examined assessment data from specialist eating disorder services in the UK between January and December 2022. Participants (n = 205) aged 11–18 years were recruited across eight eating disorder clinics and diagnosed with AN (n = 113) or AAN (n = 92) after clinical assessment. Parameters associated with risk of medical instability were compared between AN and AAN groups, using t tests and regression analysis. Results: Rates of bradycardia and hypotension did not differ significantly between AN and AAN groups (p = 0.239 and p = 0.289). Although white blood cell counts were lower in the AN group, rates of leukopaenia could not be statistically compared as a result of there being too few counts in at least one group. No incidences of hypophosphataemia were found in the sample. A significant regression equation was found for percentage median body mass index, but not rate of weight loss, as a predictor of blood pressure, serum phosphorous and magnesium. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that medical instability occurs across a range of body weights in young people with AN and AAN. Although certain parameters of risk such as blood pressure, serum phosphorous and magnesium may be worsened at lower weight, both AN and AAN are serious mental health conditions that can lead to medical instability. Highlights: The study compared rates of medical instability in adolescents with underweight (AN) and non‐underweight (AAN) anorexia nervosa.The findings support the conclusion that, although certain parameters of risk (e.g., blood pressure) may be worsened by lower weight, both AN and AAN are serious illnesses that can lead to medical compromise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relative validity of an interview-administered FFQ to estimate phytoestrogen intake among South Asian women in the UK. A population-based sample of 108 healthy South Asian women completed random repeated monthly 24-h recalls [with a subsample (n = 58) also providing multiple plasma samples] over a period of 1 y followed by administration of the FFQ. The FFQ produced slightly higher estimates of phytoestrogen intake than the 24-h recalls, but the percentage of women classified into the same [+ or -] 1 quartile by the 2 methods was high for all phytoestrogens (from 81 to 94%) with only a small percentage (< 5%) being misclassified into extreme opposite quartiles. Energy-adjusted Spearman correlations coefficients between the estimates obtained by the FFQ and the 24-h recalls were 0.55 for genistein, 0.60 for daidzein, 0.70 for secoisolariciresinol, and 0.63 for matairesinol (all P < 0.001). Spearman correlation coefficients between the FFQ estimates and plasma levels were 0.21 (P = 0.12) for genistein, 0.32 (P = 0.02) for daidzein and 0.10 (P = 0.43) for enterolactone; the corresponding values for the 24-h recalls compared with plasma levels were 0.43 (P < 0.001), 0.40 (P = 0.002), and 0.08 (P = 0.50), respectively. The method of triads was used to estimate the validity coefficients (VCs) between the estimates provided by each assessment method and 'true intake.' The FFQ had the highest VC for lignans (0.91 vs. 0.73 for 24-h recalls and 0.11 for plasma samples) and satisfactory VCs for both genistein (0.46 vs. 0.95 and 0.45, respectively) and daidzein (0.67 vs. 0.83 and 0.45, respectively). This FFQ is thus a relatively valid tool with which to estimate phytoestrogen intake among South Asian women in the UK. KEY WORDS: * phytoestrogens * food frequency questionnaire * 24-h recalls * plasma phytoestrogens * validation

BACKGROUND: Phytoestrogens, naturally occurring hormones in plant food, may protect against hormone-related chronic diseases. South Asian migrants in the United Kingdom have a low incidence of hormone-related cancers, but the extent to which this may be due to phytoestrogen intake is not known. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to compare habitual phytoestrogen intake in migrant first-generation South Asian women and native British women using multiple 24-h recalls, multiple plasma samples, and an enhanced phytoestrogen database. DESIGN: South Asian (n = 221) and native British women (n = 50) were recruited from general practitioners' lists. Subjects were asked to provide monthly 24-h recalls for 1 y. A phytoestrogen database was compiled using data from a literature search and from previously unpublished data. A subsample of South Asian women (n = 100) and the native British women (n = 40) also provided blood samples every 3 mo concurrently during the 1-y period. RESULTS: The median daily intakes ([micro]g/d) of isoflavones [184.2, interquartile (IQ) range 121.1-277.6, vs. 333.9, IQ range 227.0-448.7] and lignans (110.8, IQ range 76.8-182.4, vs. 148.8, IQ range 87.4-228.6) were significantly lower in South Asians than in the native British (P < 0.001 and P = 0.04, respectively). There were no significant differences in plasma isoflavone levels, but plasma enterolactone was significantly higher in the native British than in South Asians (28.5 [+ or -] 23.3 vs. 13.9 [+ or -] 17.5, P < 0.001). The main sources of phytoestrogens were bread and vegetables and vegetable dishes for both ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Habitual phytoestrogen intake in South Asian and native British women was < 1 mg/d and was higher in the native British diet. This was reflected in both dietary intake data and plasma levels. This study, therefore, does not lend support to the protective role, at a population level, of phytoestrogens in hormone-related cancers. [Supported by Cancer Research Campaign (now Cancer Research UK); Grant SP2315.]