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Amelia A Lake

Publications and source records attributed to Amelia A Lake.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Development of a series of patient information leaflets for constipation using a range of cognitive interview techniques: LIFELAX.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the LIFELAX randomised controlled trial (diet and lifestyle vs. laxatives in the management of chronic constipation) is to develop and evaluate a cost effective intervention to promote diet and lifestyle in the treatment and management of chronic constipation for older people in Primary Care. Constipation affects the quality of life in around 20% of older people in the community. In the 65 years plus population, a significant proportion of men and women both living in institutions (81% and 75% respectively) and free living (30% and 37% respectively) use laxatives. Approximately 42 million pounds is spent each year on prescribed laxatives in England in addition to laxatives purchased over the counter. Although bowel problems are often multifactorial, diet and lifestyle have an extremely important role in their management. This paper describes one aspect of the main study, the development and piloting of the Patient information leaflets (PILs). METHODS: Following review of the literature and interviews with practitioners and patients, 8 PILs were designed on: constipation, activity, bowel health, fruit and vegetables, fibre, fluid, alternative therapies and laxatives. To check the patient's understanding of terms used in the PILS and the clarity and accessibility of the information understanding, cognitive interviews (CI) were used with nine patients (selected from 3 GP surgeries), aged > or = 55 years, who had received > or = 3 prescriptions of laxatives over 12 months. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. RESULTS: Changes made following the CI process included the lay-out, words used (e.g. 'exercise' was changed to 'activity', 'gut motility' changed to 'bowel movement') and descriptions and examples were adapted to be more appropriate for the target population. CONCLUSION: Pilot testing with CIs resulted in improvements in the PILs, which emphasises the need to pilot PILs with the target population before use. The techniques employed are relatively inexpensive and could be routinely used when preparing literature for research or clinical use including those intended for use with healthcare professionals and patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Healthy eating: perceptions and practice (the ASH30 study).

Perceptions of healthy eating may influence food intake. Anthropometric and dietary data were collected from 197 respondents (average age 32.5 years: 2000/2001) in Northumberland (78%) and elsewhere in the UK (22%). A questionnaire and two 3-day food diaries were completed. Foods consumed were assigned to one of five food categories from The Balance of Good Health. This paper explores respondents' concepts of 'healthy eating' and responses to the statement, 'My eating patterns are healthy' and compares responses with measured intakes for each of the five food categories. Fifty-three respondents disagreed, 62 neither agreed nor disagreed and 82 agreed with the statement. Intakes of foods containing fat and/or sugar, fruit and vegetables and meat, fish and alternatives were significantly different between the three response groups. The 'agree' group had the highest intake of fruit and vegetables and the lowest intake of foods containing fat and/or sugar and meat, fish and alternatives. A significantly higher proportion of individuals from the highest socio-economic group agreed with the statement. Significantly more individuals with Body Mass Indexes in the two lower quartiles agreed with the statement. This paper shows a relationship between perceptions of eating patterns and socio-economic status, adiposity and measured food intake.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Longitudinal change in food habits between adolescence (11-12 years) and adulthood (32-33 years): the ASH30 Study.

BACKGROUND: Links between diet in childhood and the prevention of disease in adulthood have been established. This longitudinal dietary survey provided quantitative evidence of dietary change from adolescence to adulthood, in Northumberland, England. OBJECTIVE: To report longitudinal dietary change in 198 respondents between the ages of 12 and 33 years, to explore dietary 'tracking' between the same time points and to describe the effects of gender, socio-economic status and location on dietary change. METHODS: A longitudinal study recorded dietary change from adolescence to adulthood. Two 3-day food diaries were collected in 1980 and 2000 from the same 198 respondents. Foods consumed were assigned to the five categories in the Balance of Good Health (BGH). Demographic and socio-economic information were obtained in 1980 and 2000. RESULTS: Intakes of foods containing fat and/ or sugar and milk and dairy foods decreased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.031, respectively), while intakes of fruits and vegetables increased (p < 0.01). Intakes of bread, other cereals and potatoes (p = 0.002, r = +0.219); fruits and vegetables (p < 0.01, r = +0.256) and meat, fish and alternatives (p = 0.026, r = +0.158) 'tracked' from adolescence to adulthood. Men had increased intake from meat, fish and alternatives and decreased milk and dairy foods more than female respondents (p = 0.003 and p = 0.019). Respondents who had moved away from Northumberland had a greater increase in intake of fruits and vegetables compared with those who remained in the local (p = 0.010). Individuals who had moved to a lower socio-economic group had increased their intake of bread, other cereals and potatoes (p = 0.040). CONCLUSION: Food intake changed considerably in a direction more in the line with current dietary recommendations. Food intake in adolescence was a significant, but not strong, predictor of intake in adulthood. Dietary change is influenced by variables including gender, location and socio-economic status.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Longitudinal dietary change from adolescence to adulthood: perceptions, attributions and evidence.

Dietary patterns and change in eating habits are influenced by multiple factors from an individual's internal and external environment. A longitudinal dietary survey study provided quantitative evidence of dietary change and investigated factors influencing dietary change from adolescence to adulthood, using sociodemographic data and participants' own perceptions of, and attributions for, their dietary change. Longitudinal dietary data were obtained in 1980 and 2000 (average age 11.6 and 32.5 years, respectively). Two questionnaires (2000) and 2 x 3-day food diaries (1980 and 2000) were collected from 198 participants. Foods consumed were assigned to one of the five food groups from The Balance of Good Health (a UK food guide). Questionnaire responses were used to examine how subjects perceived their own dietary change and the factors to which they attributed such change. Six key factors were identified from the questionnaire: parents, partners, children, nutritional awareness, employment and lack of time. Demographic and key factors were associated with degree of change in intake. The complex process of change in food consumption can be linked with an individual's attributions for change.

Adult↗