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The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of daily life. The purpose of this study was to identify how health behaviors, level of stress, financial and food security have been impacted by the pandemic among Canadian families with young children. Parents (mothers, n = 235 and fathers, n = 126) from 254 families participating in an ongoing study completed an online survey that included close and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the quantitative data and qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. More than half of our sample reported that their eating and meal routines have changed since COVID-19; most commonly reported changes were eating more snack foods and spending more time cooking. Screen time increased among 74% of mothers, 61% of fathers, and 87% of children and physical activity decreased among 59% of mothers, 52% of fathers, and 52% of children. Key factors influencing family stress include balancing work with childcare/homeschooling and financial instability. While some unhealthful behaviors appeared to have been exacerbated, other more healthful behaviors also emerged since COVID-19. Research is needed to determine the longer-term impact of the pandemic on behaviors and to identify effective strategies to support families in the post-COVID-19 context.

This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators of the provision of dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA) by parents of preschool-age children, a previously unexplored area of research. Five focus groups of parents were conducted and audio-recorded. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. University of Guelph, in Guelph, ON, Canada in 2019. Thirty-two (n 19 mothers, 13 fathers) parents of preschool-age children. Most (59 %) were university or college educated. Facilitators common to both dairy and PBDA provision included perceived nutritional benefits, such as dairy's Ca, protein and fat content, and PBDA's protein content, and the perception that PBDA adds variety to the diet. Facilitators unique to dairy v. PBDA provision included the taste of, familiarity with, and greater variety and accessibility of dairy products, specifically child-friendly products. A facilitator unique to PBDA v. dairy provision was ethical concerns regarding dairy farming practices. Barriers common to both dairy and PBDA provision included perceived cost, concerns regarding the environmental impact of production, and high sugar content. Barriers specific to dairy included use of antibiotics and hormones in dairy production. A barrier specific to PBDA was the use of pesticides. Behaviour change messages targeting parents of preschoolers can emphasise the nutrition non-equivalence of dairy and some PBDA and can educate parents on sources of affordable, unsweetened dairy and PBDA.

Background: To create a successful public health initiative that counters vaccine hesitancy and promotes vaccine acceptance, it is essential to gain a strong understanding of the beliefs, attitudes and subjective risk perceptions of the population. Methods: A qualitative analysis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine discourse from 3,731 social media posts on the Twitter and Facebook accounts of six Canadian news organizations was used to identify the perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and intentions of Canadian news organizations’ social media commenters toward taking a COVID-19 vaccine. Results: Four main themes were identified: 1) COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy concerns; 2) conspiracy theories stemming from mistrust in government and other organizations; 3) a COVID-19 vaccine is unnecessary because the virus is not dangerous; and 4) trust in COVID-19 vaccines as a safe solution. Based on themes and subthemes, several key communication recommendations were developed for promotion of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, including infographics championed by Public Health that highlight the benefits of the vaccine for those who have received it, public education about the contents and safety of the vaccine and eliciting an emotional connection through personal stories of those impacted by COVID-19. Conclusion: Specific considerations, such as leveraging the public’s trust in healthcare professionals to act as a liaison between Public Health and the Canadian public to communicate the benefits of the vaccine against COVID-19 and its variants, may help reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Background: With a large portion of Canadians being affected by Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) or its risk factors, there is a growing need for research on biomarkers and interventions for better management of this condition. Recent evidence suggests that the ratio of two primary apolipoproteins of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoproteins (Apo) All to AI, could predict MetS. However, understanding the dietary factors influencing these apolipoproteins remains limited. Research Objective: To examine the relationship between dietary macronutrients and levels of Apo AI and Apo All in Canadian adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study used baseline data collected from parent participants in the ongoing Guelph Family Health Study, a family-based cohort. Dietary data were collected using a single 24-hour recall, and serum levels of Apo I and II were analyzed in fasting blood samples. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were conducted using the generalized estimating equations (GEEs) to account for the correlation among family members. Furthermore, adjustments were made for age, gender, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), and household income, and p< 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Data from 57 families, including 97 adults (36.6±5.6 years; BMI: 27.5±5.5 kg/m2; household income: $96.1±41.4K, 41.1% male; 90.5% white), were analyzed. The results of the regression analyses showed a significant negative association between intake of n-3 cicosapentaenoic acid and levels of Apo AI (ß: -57.83, 95% CI: [-95.82, - 19.85], p=0.003) and Apo All (ß: -24.26, 95% CI: [-38.84, - 9.68], p=0.001 ). Moreover, a significant positive association was observed between intake of monounsaturated fatty acids and the Apo All to AI ratio (ß: .001, 95% CI: [2.40, 0.003], p=0.046). Discussion: Future research should explore associations between dietary macronutrients and these biomarkers in larger and more diverse populations. These results may inform the development of nutritional interventions to mitigate the risk of MetS and chronic diseases later in life.

Background: Excess sodium intake is associated with the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease in adolescence and adulthood. Limited research has addressed the relationship of sodium intake to blood pressure and anthropometric measures in children, especially preschool-aged Canadian children. Research Objective: Determine the association between sodium intake and diet quality, assessed via Healthy Eating Index-2015, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and anthropometric measures in children aged 1.5-5 years. Methods: Using data from children in the Guelph Family Health Study (n=261), linear regression models were fitted using generalized estimating equations to assess associations between sodium intake and HEI-2015 score, calculated using one 24-hour recall using the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour, blood pressure, and anthropometric measures, after adjusting for relevant covariates (age, sex, income, energy intake, and potassium intake). Analyses were also stratified by age (toddlers <3 years old, n=98; and preschoolers >3 years old, n=163) and sex (boys, n=125; girls, n=136). Results: Among the full sample, sodium intake was negatively associated with diet quality (unstandardized coefficient, B= -3.94, 95% CI= -5.46 to -2.42). Considering age group, sodium intake was positively associated with waist circumference in toddlers (B= 2.50, 95% CI = 0.59 to 4.41), and negatively associated with diet quality (B = -3.24, 95% CI= -6.79 to 0.30) and diastolic blood pressure (B= -6.15, 95% CI= -11.44 to -0.86) in preschoolers. Considering child sex, sodium intake was negatively associated with systolic blood pressure (B= -7.00, 95%CI= -13.74 to -0.26) and diastolic blood pressure (B= -6.60, 95% CI= -13.64 to 0.44) in girls. Discussion: Findings from the present study corroborate previous studies reporting negative associations between sodium intake and diet quality in older children. Results also suggest potential sex specific effects of sodium on blood pressure. Overall, further studies are warranted to investigate possible sex and age-specific differences and longitudinal effects.

The DC-SIGN (Dendritic Cell-Specific Intercellular adhesion molecule-3-Grabbing Non-integrin) molecules located on the surface of Dendritic Cell subsets showed high-affinity binding to HIV-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) . It is exploited by HIV-1 and Mtb as a part of their immune evasion strategy. In this study, we explored how variations in the CD209 gene, which encodes for DC-SIGN, may be linked to the development of tuberculosis (TB) in individuals with HIV-1 infection. Additionally, we examined their potential association with the progression of AIDS and the treatment response outcome in the Moroccan population.Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CD209 promoter − 336A>G (rs4804803) and − 139G>A (rs2287886) were investigated. Two hundred eighteen Moroccan patients living with HIV-1 were genotyped using direct DNA sequencing. Among the 218 patients, 90 were found to have a co-infection with Mtb. We categorized the patients based on their TB status into two groups: those with HIV-1 infection and without TB (HIV-1 + /TB − ) and those with both HIV-1 infection and TB (HIV-1 + /TB + ). We further classified them based on their AIDS status into two groups: AIDS and Non-AIDS patients.Our results revealed that genotype and allele frequencies of the − 336A>G and − 139G>A polymorphisms were not significantly different between HIV-1 + /TB − and HIV-1 + /TB + patients ( p  > 0.05). Likewise, the development of AIDS does not appear to be affected by these two SNPs either ( p  > 0.05). Haplotype analysis showed that none of the 4 possible haplotypes is associated with HIV-1 and TB co-infection ( p  > 0.05). Interestingly, the analysis of the − 139G>A genotype distribution according to the HIV-1 viral load showed an improvement in patients with AG and GG genotypes, after antiretroviral therapy, compared to AA patients ( p  = 0.0069 and p  = 0.0476; respectively). Overall, − 336A>G and − 139G>A polymorphisms do not influence the susceptibility of HIV-1-infected individuals to develop TB and AIDS. However, − 139G>A polymorphism may affect the response to treatment as measured by RNA viral load levels.

Contexte : Pour créer une initiative de santé publique réussie qui permet de contrer l'hésitation à l'égard de la vaccination et de promouvoir l'acceptation de la vaccination, il est essentiel d'acquérir une solide compréhension des croyances, des attitudes et des perceptions subjectives de la population à l'égard du risque.Méthodes : Une analyse qualitative du discours sur les vaccins contre la maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) provenant de 3 731 publications dans les médias sociaux sur les comptes Twitter et Facebook de six agences de presse canadiennes a été utilisée pour déterminer les perceptions, les attitudes, les croyances et les intentions des commentateurs dans les médias sociaux des agences de presse canadiennes à l'égard des vaccins contre la COVID-19.Résultats : Quatre principaux thèmes ont été dégagés : 1) préoccupations relatives à l'innocuité et à l'efficacité des vaccins contre la COVID-19; 2) théories de conspiration découlant de la méfiance à l'égard du gouvernement et d'autres organisations; 3) un vaccin contre la COVID-19 est inutile, parce que le virus n'est pas dangereux; et 4) la confiance dans les vaccins contre la COVID-19 comme solution sécuritaire. En se fondant sur les thèmes et les sous-thèmes, plusieurs recommandations clés en matière de communication ont été élaborées pour promouvoir l'acceptation des vaccins contre la COVID-19, notamment des infographies parrainées par la Santé publique qui mettent en évidence les avantages des vaccins pour ceux qui l'ont reçu, l'éducation du public au sujet du contenu et de l'innocuité des vaccins et l'établissement d'un lien émotionnel grâce aux histoires personnelles des personnes touchées par la COVID-19.Conclusion : Des considérations particulières, comme le fait de tirer parti de la confiance du public dans les professionnels de la santé pour agir comme liaison entre la santé publique et le public canadien afin de communiquer les avantages des vaccins contre la COVID-19 et ses variants pourraient aider à réduire l'hésitation à l'égard des vaccins contre la COVID-19.

Purpose: To investigate dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives (DPBDA) purchasing habits, including comparisons among locations of purchase and among subtypes of DPBDA, of families with preschool-aged children. Methods: Expenditures on food and DPBDA were calculated using grocery and food receipts collected for 3 weeks from 51 households in and around Guelph, Ontario, Canada. DPBDA were coded by subtypes (alternatives, cheese/yogurt, cow’s milk, cream, and ice cream/other) and by locations of purchase, which were coded as big-box, discount, high-end, local/other, and midrange stores. Logistic regression using generalized estimating equations was used to investigate odds of purchasing DPBDA by location of purchase. All models included family income and number of children as potential confounders. Results: Ninety-eight percent of families purchased cheese/yogurt, 92% purchased cow’s milk, and 35% of families purchased plant-based dairy alternatives. Families were more likely to purchase DPBDA from big-box stores than discount, midrange, or local/other stores (P < 0.01) and were more likely to purchase cheese/yogurt than dairy alternatives, cream, or ice cream/other subtypes (P < 0.01). Odds of purchasing were not different between cheese/yogurt and cow’s milk. Conclusion: Families’ DPBDA purchasing habits differ by purchase location and subtype. Further research is warranted to understand the factors affecting these purchasing habits.

The global context has shifted dramatically since publication of the first EAT–Lancet Commission in 2019, with increased geopolitical instability, soaring food prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and creating new challenges. However, food systems remain squarely centred at the nexus of food security, human health, environmental sustainability, social justice, and the resilience of nations. Actions on food systems strongly impact the lives and wellbeing of all and are necessary to progress towards goals highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Although current food systems have largely kept pace with population growth, ensuring sufficient caloric intake for many, they are the single most influential driver of planetary boundary transgression. More than half of the world’s population struggles to access healthy diets, leading to devastating consequences for public health, social equity, and the environment. Although hunger has declined in some regions, recent increases linked to expanding conflicts and emergent climate change impacts have reversed this positive trend. Obesity rates continue to rise globally, and the pressure exerted by food systems on planetary boundaries shows no signs of abating. In this moment of increasing instability, food systems still offer an unprecedented opportunity to build the resilience of environmental, health, economic, and social systems, and are uniquely placed to enhance human wellbeing while also contributing to Earth-system stability. This updated analysis builds upon the 2019 EAT–Lancet Commission, expanding its scope and strengthening its evidence base. The first Commission defined food group ranges for a healthy diet and identified the food systems’ share of planetary boundaries. In this Commission, we add an analysis of the social foundations for a just food system, and incorporate new data and perspectives on distributive, representational, and recognitional justice, providing a global overview on equity in food systems. Substantial improvements in modelling capacity and data analysis allow for the use of a multimodel ensemble to project potential outcomes of a transition to healthy and sustainable food systems.