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Commensality is central to social life - supporting social relations and even happiness - while eating alone is linked to poorer mental and physical health. This study examines whether eating alone and engagement in social activities are associated with loneliness and self-rated health among community-living older adults in Sweden. Data from a national cross-sectional survey of 695 adults aged 70-75-years were used to assess both the frequency and subjective experience of eating alone and engagement in social activities. Using logistic regression and interaction analysis, the associations with loneliness and self-rated health were examined. The frequency and subjective experience of eating alone were both associated with loneliness. The association between eating alone and loneliness was not dependent on whether eating alone was perceived as bothersome. Lower engagement in social activities was associated with loneliness and lower self-rated health. No associations between the frequency and subjective experience of eating alone and self-rated health were observed. In this sample, the proportion of loneliness was high in groups bothered by eating alone, indicating specific subgroups for whom eating alone can be problematic. More research is needed to understand the issue of eating alone - and who it affects. This could help guide the development and implementation of policies targeting groups vulnerable to loneliness and poor health.

Background: Appetite regulation is central to childhood obesity, yet little is known about how children themselves experience and interpret sensations of hunger, cravings, and satiety. This study aimed to explore how children living with overweight or obesity describe these sensations and how they respond to them in everyday life.

Methods: This qualitative study included 32 children (17 girls, 15 boys) aged 8-10 years who were interviewed four years after enrolling in a randomized controlled obesity treatment trial in Stockholm, Sweden. At follow-up (mean age 9.4 years, SD 0.8), the majority had overweight or obesity (mean BMI z-score 2.4, SD 0.6). Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Two overarching themes were identified. The first, Experiences of hunger, cravings, and satiety, comprised three subthemes: Hunger - powerful bodily sensations, multiform and situational; Cravings - a sensory and emotional drive for something specific; and Satiety - recognizable bodily signals along a spectrum. The second theme, Responses and strategies for managing appetite, also included three subthemes: Self-regulation; External rules and structures; and Impulsive or emotionally driven eating. Children described hunger as embodied and sometimes overwhelming, cravings as distinct from hunger and often cue-triggered, and satiety as ranging from comfortable to distressing fullness. Responses varied across contexts and included distraction, portion control shaped by adults, and socially motivated eating. Appetite-related experiences were typically described without moral judgment or self-blame.

Conclusions: These findings position appetite regulation in middle childhood as dynamic, embodied, and context-dependent. Attending to children's own language may inform developmentally sensitive, child-centered obesity treatment and support integration of behavioral and emerging pharmacological approaches.

This study offers novel insights into parents’ experiences of healthcare interactions during weight-related visits. Data were collected through the More and Less Europe study, a randomized controlled trial evaluating a parent support program for children (aged 2–6 years) with overweight or obesity in Sweden, Romania, and Spain to capture parents’ experiences of healthcare interactions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 Swedish parents (71% mothers, 60% with university degree, 51% of migrant background) of 45 children (mean age 7.1 years, SD 1.3, 76% girls) who received standard treatment for overweight or obesity. The interviews were analyzed thematically, identifying two themes: (1) Support or blame, with subthemes Validating family-centeredness, Overly generic advice, and Stigma and the sense of failing; (2) The place and role of the child, with subthemes Neutral, honest, and direct communication, Not for children’s ears, and Framing the message with care. While some parents described supportive interactions, others expressed disappointment with generic advice and inadequate support. Some recalled stigmatization, sometimes in the child’s presence, raising concerns about the child’s well-being. Approaches to preparing children for visits ranged from neutral to direct explanations. Parents expressed contrasting views on children’s presence during weight-related discussions: while some felt such discussions would harm their child, others supported children’s presence in open and age-appropriate discussion. This study fills a critical gap in obesity management communication by highlighting parental concerns about children’s exposure to weight-related discussions. Addressing these concerns is essential to reducing weight stigma in healthcare and protecting children from harmful experiences.

This field experiment explored whether and to what extent claims about expert recommendations (i.e., those of the chef) and recommendations from other restaurant guests influenced customers' food choices in a restaurant. The menu in the study consisted entirely of vegetarian dishes, two of which were selected to be emphasised either as “Chef's choice” or as “Guests' choice” on the menu, thereby providing expert-based and social-based cues suggesting one of the dishes at different study time points. The selected dishes were a vegetarian version of a conventional Swedish meat dish (a plant-based patty) and a nonconventional dish (lentils with “zero-waste” pesto). Over four weeks, the restaurant's sales data were collected, and customers were invited to participate in a voluntary survey. This survey gathered information regarding sociodemographic characteristics and more details about the dish selection, including subjective ratings of dish liking and overall meal satisfaction. A total of 1540 dishes were sold, and 524 customers participated in the survey. The plant-based patty was the most popular choice across all weeks, and the “Chef's choice” had no additive effect, suggesting its high stability in popularity. Labelling a less popular dish (lentils with “zero-waste” pesto) with “Chef's choice” had a positive impact on its selection, while labelling it with “Guests' choice” made no difference. These results suggest that in the absence of meat options, some customers appear to transfer the concept of a meat-centric dish to a similar vegetarian dish (in this case, a plant-based patty), whereas a less popular dish with no resemblance to a conventional meat dish can become more popular when recommended by a presumable expert on the matter. However, further research is necessary to ascertain the efficacy of this effect in diverse restaurant contexts, based on designs with better possibilities to establish causality.

Objective

This study investigates the subjective experiences of individuals with persistent chemosensory dysfunction following COVID-19 illness. By exploring the perceptual and emotional dimensions of their altered sensory worlds, and using a realist phenomenological approach, the study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the challenges these individuals face.

Methods

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 patients undergoing treatment. A descriptive phenomenological approach was applied to analyse the interviews.

Results

Participants described profound emotional and sensory challenges following chemosensory dysfunction. 'Emotional Discontent' was a key theme, encompassing dissatisfaction, grief over the loss of sensory pleasure, and a sense of indifference toward food. The second theme, 'Sensory Aversion', highlighted participants' reports of discomfort and disgust toward previously enjoyable foods, which had become repellent or intolerable. The third theme, 'Perceptual Disorientation', captured the unpredictability of altered sensory experiences, with elusiveness reflecting the fleeting nature of perceptions and sensory alienation highlighting an intense disconnection from unfamiliar and unreliable senses.

Conclusion

Chemosensory dysfunction following COVID-19 disrupts embodied relationship with food, creating profound emotional challenges. Eating becomes a post-pleasure experience, shifting from a source of enjoyment to a merely functional act. Addressing this requires person-centered interventions that acknowledge the sensory and emotional dimensions of the condition.

Introduction: Fathers are underrepresented in studies on young children’s eating, a gap that may mask their potential influence and involvement. This study aimed to explore how fathers experience feeding and mealtime situations.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 first-time fathers (90 % university degree, 19 % foreign background) that were or had been on paternity leave with their child (57 % girls) aged 10-24 months (mean 15 months). Transcribed interviews were analyzed thematically.

Results: Two themes were identified: Between uncertainty and reassurance and Balancing responsiveness and control. Several fathers could find it challenging to handle feeding and mealtime situations, express uncertainty regarding how to act, and worry about their child’s food intake. Others were more reassured in feeding situations and about the child’s health and growth. They could also experience insufficient and conflicting information about food and nutrition and felt that this information was mostly targeted at mothers. The fathers struggled to balance between supporting their child’s autonomy in eating and the desire to exert control, particularly when they perceived the child’s intake as insufficient. Some encouraged eating to ensure the child ate enough, while others avoided pressure out of concern it might create negative associations with food.

Conclusion: Swedish first-time fathers experience mealtimesas challenging, alternate between responsive and controlling feeding practices, and experience a lack of clear guidance and support. Our findings show that men care for and may struggle with the feeding of their children, suggesting that child health care services need to strengthen food-related support towards fathers.

Conflict of Interest: None Disclosed

Introduction: Conversations about eating, bodies, and health shapes young children’s body image and well-being. However, no studies have examined educators’ experiences of how these topics are discussed within preschool settings. This study explores preschool educators’ perspectives on how preschoolers relate to eating, bodies, and health.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with preschool educators in Sweden (n=6; all female; mean experience 19 years, SD 9.2). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically.

Results: Two main themes, encompassing two subthemes each, were developed. The first main theme, Building resilience, includes the subthemes Creating positive mealtime experiences and Teaching respect for diversity. Educators described efforts to create joyful mealtimes, encouraging children to explore food on their own terms while promoting healthy eating habits. Some emphasized their role in fostering children’s acceptance of differences. The second main theme, Managing challenges, encompass the subthemes Addressing weight stigma and Responding to conflicting needs. Educators reported instances of weight stigma, at times stemming from innocent curiosity; at other times expressed as intended weight-related bullying. Some reflected on balancing parental expectations to limit or encourage food intake while respecting children’s dignity.

Conclusion: According to preschool educators, young children may reproduce weight stigma, unintentionally and intentionally, potentially harming children with overweight or obesity. Despite lack of guidance, preschool educators strive to create a relaxed environment around food, eating and bodies. These findings underscore the need to implement pedagogical frameworks to support educators in managing these sensitive topics in preschools.

This school meals case study forms part of a collection led by the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition’s "Good Examples" Community of Practice. The School Meals Case Study of Sweden serves to document how the national school meals programme is organized, funded, and monitored throughout the country. The objectives of this case study include presenting an introduction to the country profile, outlining the design and implementation of school feeding programmes, describing their monitoring and evaluation processes, and highlighting lessons learned, best practices, and challenges. This case study is written as a working paper, and can be updated to reflect evolving circumstances. The ‘Good Examples’ Community of Practice supports the evidence generation of the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition, the evidence-generating arm of the School Meals Coalition. The Research Consortium’s objective is to carry out independent research across diverse sectors and generate solid, compelling, and actionable evidence regarding the benefits of school food programs to inform evidence-based decision-making on school health and nutrition policies and practices.

Dairy products are the second greatest contributor to the environmental burden of food in Europe, surpassed only by meat. The objective of this field study was to explore availability and positioning as strategies to promote thesubstitution of milk for a plant-based alternative on the coffee counter of a weekday self-service restaurant. Data on consumption of milk and oat drink of 6147 meals were collected in four different conditions: only milk(control), only oat drink, both beverages on both sides, both beverages on different sides of the coffee counter. Results show a 38 % decrease in milk consumption per paying customer on days when both beverages were available compared to control, leading to an estimated 32 % decrease in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). Contrary to hypothesized, the total volume of beverages was 12 % lower on days when both milk and oat drink were served compared to control days, causing a 9 % decrease in total costs. The ratio of milk by oat drink was also 21 % lower when each beverage was served on different sides of the counter compared to when both were served on both sides. Our study suggests that serving a plant-based alternative and creating small barriers to milk are promising strategies to reduce GHGE in day-to-day gastronomic venues.

Aim

To explore trajectories of understanding and managing persistent chemosensory dysfunction after COVID-19 in patients undergoing clinical treatment.

Design

A descriptive qualitative interview study with a realist approach.

Method

Data were collected in Sweden, from August 2022 to March 2023 through semi-structured interviews with 30 patients undergoing treatment for long-lasting smell and taste dysfunction resulting from COVID-19. Thematic analysis was applied in a process that involved continuous discussions and refinement of codes into themes and subthemes.

Results

Three main themes were identified: (1) Understanding the sensory alterations, which includes subthemes of Searching for validation and Seeking remedies; (2) Practical coping strategies, encompassing Adapted eating and Managing olfactory training and (3) Navigating the emotional landscape, featuring Self-persuasion and suppression and The ambivalence of acceptance. These themes highlight the cyclic and fluid nature of coping with the dysfunction, reflecting a dynamic process of adaptation. Despite treatment options like olfactory training, participants frequently experienced frustration due to limited perceived improvement and the psychological toll of managing their condition.

Conclusion

The study highlights the complex and personal nature of coping with long-term smell and taste dysfunction post-COVID-19. Coping strategies varied widely and evolved over time, reflecting a dynamic process of adaptation. The emotional and psychological impact was profound, underscoring the need for comprehensive treatment approaches that include both physiological and psychological support. There is a need for more effective interventions and support mechanisms to improve the quality of life for those affected by these persistent symptoms.

Implications

This study contributes to the understanding of COVID-19's long-term effects on smell and taste, highlighting the need for ongoing support from health care, further research into effective interventions, and a comprehensive approach to care for individuals affected by these conditions.

Impact

This study addresses trajectories and challenges of coping with persistent chemosensory dysfunction. Findings emphasise the complexity of managing persistent chemosensory dysfunction and the critical role of personalised care. The study contributes to knowledge for nurses in understanding patients with chemosensory dysfunction.

Reporting Method

This research adheres to the EQUATOR guidelines: Standards for reporting qualitative research (SRQR).

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.