Margo E Barker

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The lockdown in Britain has rendered a large proportion of the population economically vulnerable and has at least quadrupled demand for emergency food relief. This paper looks critically at response to the crisis from the government and the voluntary sector with respect to provision of emergency food. In doing so, it has exposed gaps in understand...

Introduction Gout is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis associated with several comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular disease. Cherries, which are rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidative bioactive compounds, are proposed to be efficacious in preventing and treating gout, but recommendations to patients are conflicting. Cherry consump...

Environmentally and ethically conscious food purchasing has traction with British consumers. We examined how broad environmental worldviews related to shoppers’ ratings of the importance of various shopping criteria, including recognition of eco-labels, by surveying 502 shoppers from the city of Sheffield, England. Environmental worldviews were mea...

Background: The status of vitamin B12 and folate has been implicated in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: The study explored this issue through a retrospective case-control study design, with follow up of the case group for 18 months. The case group (n = 136) comprised patients 65 years or older diagnosed with Alzheim...

Background Competitive bodybuilders employ a combination of resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, calorie reduction, supplementation regimes and peaking strategies in order to lose fat mass and maintain fat free mass. Although recommendations exist for contest preparation, applied research is limited and data on the contest preparation regi...

Background: University represents a key transition into adulthood for many adolescents but there are associated concerns about health and behaviours. One important aspect relates to diet and there is emerging evidence that university students may consume poor quality diets, with potential implications for body weight and long-term health. This res...

Genetic modification (GM) of crops provides a methodology for the agricultural improvements needed to deliver global food security. However, public opposition to GM-food is great. The debate has tended to risk communication, but here we show through study of a large nationally representative sample of British adults that public acceptance of GM-foo...

Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about attendees' level of food insecurity, background diet quality or health. We surveyed 112 food bank attendees. Over 50% had experienced food shortage with hunger on a weekly basis or more often. Obesity and mental health problems were prevalent in women. Di...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore factors associated with body weight gain among British university students who were members of a slimming club. Design/methodology/approach Student members of a national commercial slimming programme completed an online survey about cooking ability, weight gain, eating habits and physical activity le...

Objectives: To investigate the ability of older adults, younger adults and nutritionists to assess portion size using traditional methods versus a computer-based method. This was to inform the development of a novel dietary assessment method for older adults "The NANA system". Design: Older and younger adults assessed the portion size of self-se...

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate the dietary advice for cardiovascular health in UK running magazines. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative and quantitative content analysis was carried out on 12 issues (2014/2015) of Men’s Running (MR), Runner’s World (RW) and Women’s Running (WR). Coding of content took place into three themes: diet in...

Background: Primary schools are increasingly used as arenas for public health initiatives. The aim of this study was to assess a primary school-based food intervention. Methods: The intervention comprised timetabled kitchen classroom sessions (90 min, fortnightly). Pupils prepared and cooked food, which they then ate together. Children's relatio...

Background Household food insecurity in contemporary Britain is apparently rampant as manifested by the escalation in numbers of people seeking emergency food aid through food banks. North American Studies indicate a reliance on palatable, energy-dense foods among food pantry users. We are not aware of studies that have scrutinised the energy or nu...

Households in the UK discard much food. A reduction in such waste to mitigate environmental impact is part of UK government policy. This study investigated whether household food waste is linked to a lifestyle reliant on convenience food in younger consumers. A survey of 928 UK residents aged 18-40 years and responsible for the household food shopp...

Inadequate nutrition may contribute to poor health in homeless and vulnerable adults. Charitable meals are critical to this group’s nutrition. The nutrient content of charitable meals at 2 organizations was assessed. Ethnography investigated organizational practice; semistructured interviews explored influences on meal provision. Meals were adequat...

Background/objectives: To examine students' beverage choice in school, with reference to its contribution to students' intake of non-milk extrinsic (NME) sugars. Subjects/methods: Beverage and food selection data for students aged 11-18 years (n=2461) were collected from two large secondary schools in England, for a continuous period of 145 (sch...

Background: Taking examinations is central to student experience at University and may cause psychological stress. Although stress is recognised to impact on food intake, the effects of undertaking examinations on students' dietary intake have not been well characterised. The purpose of this study was to assess how students' energy and nutrient in...

This study explored the impact of a school-based kitchen project at a large inner London school. Timetabled kitchen classroom sessions (90 minutes every fortnight) were held with all 7-9 year old pupils. Semi-structured focus group discussions (with 76 pupils, 16 parents) and interviews (with headteachers, catering managers and specialist staff) we...

Background: The dietary content of advice in men's lifestyle magazines has not been closely scrutinised. Methods: We carried out an analysis of such content in all 2009 issues (n = 11) of Men's Health (MH) focusing on muscularity, leanness and weight control. Results: Promotion of a mesomorphic body image underpinned advice to affect muscle bu...

Tart cherries are a particularly rich source of anthocyanins. Evidence indicates that dietary intake of anthocyanins is inversely associated with arterial stiffness. We conducted an open-label randomised placebo controlled study to determine whether a tart cherry juice concentrate (Cherry Active®) reduced arterial stiffness, inflammation and risk m...

Objective: The current study tested whether self-affirmation in the context of a threatening health message helps promote a health behavior (fruit and vegetable consumption) over a 3-month period, and whether adding a manipulation to support the translation of intentions into behavior (an implementation intentions induction) enhances the impact of...

The present study examines seasonal and temporal patterns in food-related content of two UK magazines for young women focusing on food types, cooking and weight loss. Content analysis of magazines from three time blocks between 1999 and 2011. Desk-based study. Ninety-seven magazines yielding 590 advertisements and 148 articles. Cluster analysis of...

Background: Homeless people in the UK and elsewhere have typically been found to consume a nutritionally inadequate diet. There is need for contemporary research to update our understanding within this field. The present study aimed to provide an insight into the nutrient intake and food choice of a sample of homeless adults. Methods: In this mi...

Background The present study examined dietary messages conveyed in articles and advertising in two popular British women's magazines, Woman and Home and Woman's Own, between 1940 and 1954. MethodsA qualitative analysis of written content was performed, focusing on regularities evident in content, and addressing the construction of the role of women...

Background The present study examined temporality in the representation of food in two popular British women's magazines between 1950 and 1998. MethodsA quantitative content analysis of (i) prevalence of cooking, slimming, nutrition advice in articles; (ii) prevalence of food advertising by food type; and (iii) likelihood of various nutrition and c...

Objective: To examine students’ school food choice in relation to school food standards and entitlement to free school meals (FSM). Design: Cross-sectional analysis of students’ school food choices. Setting: Two large secondary schools in Yorkshire, England. Subjects: Students (n 2660) aged 11–18 years. Results: Sandwiches and pizza were t...

Preliminary meta-analysis of the effect of fish oil on body weight and body mass index in overweight and obese subjects does not support a link - Volume 72 Issue OCE4 - C. J. Harden, M. E. Barker, J. M. Russell, B. M. Corfe

Effect of tart cherry juice on arterial stiffness, inflammation and other risk markers for cardiovascular disease in healthy adults - Volume 72 Issue OCE4 - A. Lynn, S. Mathew, C. T. Moore, J. Russell, E. Robinson, V. Soumpasi, M. E. Barker

Plasma vitamin B-12 is the most commonly used biomarker of vitamin B-12 status, but the predictive value for low vitamin B-12 status is poor. The urinary methylmalonic acid (uMMA) concentration has potential as a functional biomarker of vitamin B-12 status, but the response to supplemental vitamin B-12 is uncertain. A study was conducted to investi...

Pomegranate juice may improve cardiovascular risk because of its content of antioxidant polyphenols. We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled parallel study to examine the effect of pomegranate juice on pulse wave velocity (PWV), blood pressure (BP) and plasma antioxidant status (ferric reducing power; FRAP) in 51 healthy adults (30-50 years)....

Purpose The impact of diet on endurance performance and cognitive function has been extensively researched in controlled settings, but there are limited observational data in field situations. This study examines relationships between nutrient intake and cognitive function following endurance exercise amongst a group of 33 recreational runners and...

BACKGROUND: Accurate dietary assessment methodology is essential to understand the potential links between diet and disease, and for the identification of those most at risk of malnutrition. Current dietary assessment methods have limitations including participant burden and dependency on memory that make some methods unsuitable for an older adult...

An age-related deterioration of vitamin B-12 status has been well documented. The early detection of deficiency may prevent the development of serious clinical symptoms, but plasma vitamin B-12 concentration is known to be an imperfect measure of vitamin B-12 status. Urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) may be a more informative biomarker of vitamin B-...

Long-chain fatty acids have been shown to suppress appetite and reduce energy intake (EI) by stimulating the release of gastrointestinal hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK). The effect of NEFA acyl chain length on these parameters is not comprehensively understood. An in vitro screen tested the capacity of individual NEFA (C12 to C22) to trigger...

Typology of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), dietary triggers and food and nutrient intake: a cross-sectional study - Volume 71 Issue OCE2 - Y. Lenighan, A. McLoone, B. M. Corfe, J.M. Russell, M. E. Barker

Saliva as a source of novel biomarkers of appetite - Volume 71 Issue OCE2 - C. J. Harden, M. E. Barker, S. F. Plummer, C. Evans, B. M. Corfe

The effect of different lipid emulsions on appetite and energy intake - Volume 71 Issue OCE2 - C. J. Harden, M. E. Barker, J. M. Russell, S. F. Plummer, B. M. Corfe

Current measurement of appetite depends upon tools that are either subjective (visual analogue scales), or invasive (blood). Saliva is increasingly recognised as a valuable resource for biomarker analysis. Proteomics workflows may provide alternative means for the assessment of appetitive response. The study aimed to assess the potential value of t...

Long chain fatty acids may suppress appetite and reduce energy intake by stimulating release of gastrointestinal hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK) (1). Their differential effect on CCK release, energy intake, body weight and body composition is not comprehensively understood (2–5). An in vitro screen using STC-1 cells was used to assess the ef...

Preliminary evaluation of the salivary proteome as a source of novel biomarkers of appetite - Volume 70 Issue OCE6 - C. J. Harden, M. E. Barker, N. J. Hepburn, I. Garaiova, S. F. Plummer, C. Evans, B. M. Corfe

Key studies within the sociology of food have explored the gender division of labour in the family and household, observing the construction and persistence of asymmetrical power relationships between men and women within the domestic context of food provision (DeVault 1991; Charles and Kerr 1988; Murcott 1982, 1983). Several other contributions to...

The efficacy of probiotics in alleviating the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) appears to be both strain- and dose-related. To investigate the effect of LAB4, a multistrain probiotic preparation on symptoms of IBS. This probiotic preparation has not previously been assessed in IBS. Fifty-two participants with IBS, as defined by the Rome I...

The high priority of health promotion within primary health care in the UK is evidenced through the acceptance, by the primary health care team (PHCT), of a contractual responsibility for health promotion, including the provision of dietary advice. This study sought to investigate the level of advice given on dietary matters, the methods used to gi...

This study was designed to test the efficacy of the Portable Electronic Tape Recording Automated (PETRA) scale compared to a digital scale (SOEHNLE) and diary for the collection of dietary data in a large field trial. One hundred and fifty subjects were randomly selected from the Household Valuation List, Northern Ireland, and 102 eligible subjects...

A recent meta-analysis raised doubt as to whether calcium supplementation in children benefits spine and hip bone mineral density (BMD). We used state-of-the-art measures of bone (fan-beam dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and 4 bone turnover markers) to determine whether girls with low habitual calcium intake benefited from supplementation with a s...

To determine if the lunchtime food provided to schoolchildren adheres to nutritional standards and to examine the influence of children's food choice on nutrient intake at lunchtime. Seventy-four children aged 11-12 years were recruited from three secondary schools. The school populations spanned a spectrum of socio-economic deprivation. Lunchtime...

Lack of access to affordable healthy foods has been suggested to be a contributory factor to poor diet. This study investigated associations between diet and access to supermarkets, transport, fruit and vegetable price and deprivation, in a region divergent in geography and socio-economic indices. A postal survey of 1000 addresses (response rate 42...

There is debate about the possible deleterious effect of excessive vitamin A exposure on fracture risk. In this nested case control study in older women (312 cases and 934 controls), serum retinol, retinyl palmitate, and beta-carotene were not associated with fracture risk, and there was no evidence of excess risk with multivitamin or cod liver oil...

Mountain marathons are 2-d, self-supported adventure races, during which competitors must carry all nutritional requirements to sustain athletic effort. This requires a compromise between the energy required to perform and the weight penalty of carrying it. We have undertaken a nutritional survey of event competitors in the UK using a questionnaire...

Lack of breakfast has been implicated as a factor contributing to children's poor diets and school performance. Breakfast-club schemes, where children are provided with breakfast in school at the start of the school day, have been initiated by the Department of Health in schools throughout England, UK. The aim of the present study was to compare th...

Severe vitamin A toxicity is known to have adverse effects on skeletal health. Studies involving animal models and case reports have documented that hypervitaminosis A is associated with bone resorption, hypercalcaemia and bone abnormalities. More recently, some epidemiological studies have suggested that high habitual intake of vitamin A could con...

Dietary social stereotypes may hinder dietary change. The aim of this study was to measure stereotypes attributed to consumers of low-fat and high-fat diets, and to investigate if stereotype attribution differed with subjects' fat intake. A sample of 100 subjects completed a 24-h dietary recall for the estimation of macronutrient intake, and then c...

We supplemented the diets of 47 peripubertal girls with zinc (15 mg/day) or placebo for 6 weeks. Zinc supplementation increased serum zinc. Insulin-like growth factor I and biochemical markers of bone turnover did not change, albeit dietary zinc was below the reference level (in 94% of individuals).

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the factors associated with bone mineral acquisition in pubertal girls. Subjects were 37 healthy, Caucasian girls aged 12.1 years (SD 0.3). Measurements were made at 6-month intervals over a period of 18 months and included total body bone mineral content (TBBMC), total body bone mineral density...

This study compared vegetarian and non-vegetarian teenage English girls' attitudes towards meat. A convenience sample of 15 vegetarian (mean age 17.2 years) and 15 non-vegetarian (mean age 17.3 years) girls was recruited from a teenage health clinic. Attitudes towards meat were assessed in a single, tape-recorded, semi-structured interview. Eight t...

Good Nutrition? fact & fashion in dietary advice. CrottyPatricia. St Leonards, NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin. 1995. £9.99 ISBN 1 86373 730 8. - Volume 79 Issue 3 - Margo E. Barker

To examine the effect of phosphate supplements on calcium homeostasis and bone turnover in young men. Study 1 was a randomised, controlled, cross-over trial of 1000 mg elemental phosphate given for one week, with a standard diet of 800 mg/d each of calcium and phosphorus. Study 2 was an escalating dose study of 0, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/d elemental...

There has been concern that the intake of phosphate in men and women may be excessive (1, 2). The recommended ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the diet is 1:1 (on a molar basis), resulting in recommended values of 700 mg/day of calcium and 550 mg/day phosphorus for adults in the United Kingdom (3). However, estimated daily intake of calcium and ph...

The interpretation of nonrejection of the null hypothesis is examined in the context of dietary supplementation trials in children and adolescents. A number of randomized controlled trials have been conducted to investigate if additional dietary calcium in the form of supplements or dairy products influences bone mineral accrual in children and ado...

To investigate the effect of milk supplementation on total body bone mineral acquisition in adolescent girls. 18 month, open randomised intervention trial. 82 white girls aged 12.2 (SD 0.3) years, recruited from four secondary schools in Sheffield. 568 ml (one pint) of whole or reduced fat milk per day for 18 months. Total body bone mineral content...

Type A behaviour has been associated with coronary heart disease, but little is known about how Type A behaviour relates to diet. As part of a cross-sectional epidemiological study in Northern Ireland, Type A behaviour was assessed using a validated questionnaire and diet assessed using weighed records. Diet was described in terms of nutrient intak...

A diet low in fat and rich in fibre has been recommended to optimize general health and in particular cardiovascular health. Health attitudes to fat and fibre were studied in relation to food and nutrient intake and sociocultural and lifestyle factors amongst the general population of Northern Ireland. The study population comprised 592 adults aged...

Changing gender norms, and increased convenience food availability are precipitating the loss of cooking skill from UK mainstream knowledge. This study examined the impact of this trend on dietary intake among low-income women. Thirty-six women, ranging in age from 16 to 64 years, were interviewed and asked to complete a 3-day estimated dietary rec...

The aim was to determine the relationships between dietary behaviour and biochemical and haematological measures. This was a cross sectional population study. The study took place in the general community within Northern Ireland. 522 randomly selected adults aged 18-64 years took part (65% of the eligible sample). Four dietary behaviours were ident...

Total daily energy expenditure (TEE) by the doubly-labelled (2H218O) water method and basal metabolic rate (BMR) by indirect calorimetry were measured in thirty-two healty free-living adults in Northern Ireland. Habitual physical activity patterns in occupational and discretionary activities were assessed by interview questionnaire. Expressed as a...