Ecology of Food and Nutrition (EFN) promotes scholarly discussion and engagement on the holistic and cross-cultural dimensions of the study of food and nutrition. Articles published in this journal focus on foods and food systems not only in terms of their utilization to satisfy human nutritional needs and health but also how social and cultural factors relate to food, food cultures, and nutrition. Only a handful of journals publish articles that explicitly address the intersections of food and nutrition, biology and culture, and policy and practice from a holistic and global perspective. It is this kind of scholarship that EFN seeks to promote. This issue of EFN includes six articles that focus on a range of topics including maternal anemia, iron supplementation, adolescent health and physical activity, forced migration and food, and using innovative strategies to promote healthy eating and improve delivery of health-care services to indigenous populations.
The article by Akkartal and Gezer reports the results of a study examining the relationship between nutrition knowledge and diet quality. Based on qualitative data collected on 382 individuals (18–64 years old) in Cyprus, the authors examined the role of education and gender on nutrition knowledge. In particular, the authors focused on understanding the health impact of nutrition knowledge in terms of body mass index (BMI) and the level of obesity among participants in the study sample. The authors conclude that individuals with high levels of nutrition knowledge generally had high-diet quality and high levels of education. An increase in level of nutrition knowledge was also found to be related to a reduction in BMI and body fat mass.
The article by De Lima et al. examined the role of conditional cash transfer programs (e.g., Bolsa Famila) in driving nutritional transition in rural areas in Brazil. The authors used a mixed methods research strategy to learn about dietary behavioral change in participating and nonparticipating women in the Amana Sustainable Development Reserve. The authors report that participation in the Bolsa Familia is not associated with a significant substitution of local staples for industrialized processed food. Furthermore, several factors, including cultural value of local staple foods, relationship of residents with local ecology, and limited market access have slowed down the expansion of industrialized processed foods.
The article by Belay et al. focuses on an important global health issue – maternal anemia. The authors report the results of a cross-sectional health facility-based study among 713 pregnant women in the rural Dembia district in northwest Ethiopia. The authors collected data on a number of serological, clinic, and socio-economic parameters, including coping strategies, decision-making power, food security, partner influence scale, women dietary diversity score, etc. The authors report that the prevalence of anemia among sample women was around 32% with majority of women having moderate anemia. Significant factors predicting anemia included iron supplementation and women's attendance at rural health centers for prenatal care. The authors make a number of suggestions to improve maternal health, including the need to understand the role of male partners in the context of Ethiopia.
Porreca et al. report the results of a qualitative ethnographic study on the processes of acculturation, interculturality, and interactions in the eating habits of Syrian refugees living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is an important study highlighting the adjustment strategies of a cultural group experiencing forced migration due to war and ethnic violence in its home country. The authors report some changes in the research participants’ eating habits since their forced migration from Syria. These changes included introduction of new foods, changes in eating style, decrease in family meals, exclusion of halal meat, and increase in the consumption of processed foods. However, the participants continued to consume some food associated with Syria, thus keeping connections with their native culture despite forced migration.
The article by Ergun et al. reports the results of a mixed methods and cross-sectional study to determine the nutritional and physical activity levels of 1983 adolescents (1028 males and 955 females) studying in a secondary school in Anatolian side of Istanbul, Turkey. Based on their comprehensive study of physical markers, food intake, and dietary diversity, the authors recommend that adolescents need to be provided with an adequate, balanced nutrition in addition to promoting physical activity for their appropriate growth and development.
Finally, the article by Crispino and Monarrez–Espino focuses on how to effectively link the health care system in Mexico to geographically isolated indigenous communities. As part of a school-based placebo-controlled trial with a follow up period of 16 weeks, the authors worked with 80 mothers who fulfilled the eligibility criteria for pregnancy and anemia. Women were randomly assigned to either the supplementation or placebo group. Children of these mothers acted as iron supplementation tablet carriers from schools to homes during weekends. Based on their study, the authors report a high level of adherence to iron supplementation among women in the supplementation group. This study demonstrates that an innovative iron supplementation delivery system could have beneficial health effects on women in geographically isolated indigenous populations.