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 seven articles that focus on a range of topics including childhood obesity, perceptions of vegetarian foods, effective strategies to promote the availability of healthy food through local stores in resource-poor communities, food insecurity and maternal mental health, and food-based community organizations.
The article by Besson et al. reports the results of two online studies examining the so called “halo effect” – the influence of a vegetarian label on calorie perception, food choices, and frequency of food consumption. Focusing on the differences in participants’ perception of the Grand Veggie and the Big Mac, the researchers examined the perceptions of research particants related to calorie content of food items. They conclude that plant-based foods are perceived as being less caloric than animal-based foods. However, this perception did not lead to an increase in intention to eat plant-based foods.
The article by Kakkad and colleagues focuses on childhood obesity among Panamanian children living in the United States. The study examined the relationship amongst variables related to body measurements (anthropometrics), dietary patterns (food frequency questionnaire), and the build food environment (USDA-ERS-Food Store Survey Instrument) of 318 school-aged children. The results of the study suggest that nearly one-third of the children measured were overweight or obese and had limited availability of foods recommended for optimal health. Based on their study, the authors make several important recommendations, including building strong partnership between the local health center, schools, and universities and promoting early obesity prevention interventions to reduce childhood obesity.
The article by BeLue et al. reports the results of a study focusing on corner store owners and shoppers in the U.S.Their goal is to understand perceptions, barriers, and enablers related to food procurement in corner stores in neighborhoods where over 50% of families are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with store owners and shoppers. The authors report insightful results related to perceptions of corner store owners and shoppers in terms of shopping behaviors and preferences. The authors recommend that housing quality, sense of community, and acculturation on part of corner store owners should be addressed when providing food assistance in low or limited resource neighborhoods.
The article by Steeves and colleagues examines a related topic. Their research is based on a well-conceptualized qualitative design to understand the perceived roles and business practices of small food retailers in Appalachian communities in the U.S. Based on their research in six Appalachian counties in Tennessee, the authors identify five overlapping themes that should be considered for promoting healthy nutrition interventions through neighborhood stores. These include building a strong relationship between store owners and customers, understanding food and beverage stocking decisions, responding to perceived demands for healthier foods, and complications in efforts to participate in federal food assistance program.
Haq et al. report the results of a cross-sectional study of body composition and food consumption patterns among 695 medical students attending an urban medical school in China. The authors identify three dietary patterns – western dietary pattern, meat pattern, and vegetable/fruit pattern. Based on their study, the authors suggest that medical students are more like to adopt less healthy dietary patterns, which are in turn associated with adverse dietary and lifestyle behavior outcomes.
The article by Piperata et al. focuses on maternal mental health and food insecurity in Nicaragua – the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere located in a region of Central America that has reported high levels of food insecurity. The authors collected intensive qualitative data on study participants living in urban and rural settings in the municipality of Leon. The authors suggest that mothers characterized food insecurity as both a daily struggle and coping strategies to secure food for their children. Women research participants also described the emotional and physical effects of their inability to secure sufficient food for their children and families. Based on their interesting study, the authors describe food insecurity in terms of an obstacle to be a good mother.
Finally, the article by Poulos et al. presents the results of a qualitative study on food-based community organizations (FBCO). These researchers studied FBCOs in terms of their strategies to facilitate engagement and retention of their members, recruit future members, and support organizational growth. The authors conducted in-depth interviews and semi-structured interviews among key informants from FBCOs in Texas. Based on their study, the authors describe five overlapping themes to ensure the success and the sustainability of an FBCO. These include commitment to the organization’s mission, supportive leadership, availability of a physical meeting place, clear communication, and partnership with community stakeholders.