The present review provides an investigation into the food choice decisions made by individuals in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption. A comprehensive body of evidence now exists concerning the protective effect of fruit and vegetables against a number of diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Current UK recommendations are to increase intakes of fruit and vegetables to 400 g/person per d. In the main body of the review the factors that affect food choice decisions of adults in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption are studied, following a suggested framework of food choice. Factors covered include sensory appeal, familiarity and habit, social interactions, cost, availability, time constraints, personal ideology, media and advertising and health. The content of the review shows just how complex the food choice process can be. Health promotion techniques can be better targeted towards certain groups of individuals, all holding similar sets of values, when making food choice decisions. Food choice, in relation to fruit and vegetable intake, needs to be studied in more depth, in order to provide effective nutrition education programmes, in particular the sets of priorities that different sub-groups of the population consider when making food choice decisions.

Public health is currently focused on childhood obesity, and the associated behaviors of physical activity and nutrition. Canadian youth are insufficiently active and do not meet nutritional guidelines. This is of particular concern for adolescent girls, as they are less active than boys, become less active as they age, and engage in unhealthy weight control behaviors. The purpose of this review is to determine what is known from the existing literature about how gender norms are understood in relation to the health-related behaviors of PA and nutrition in young girls. This scoping review follows the framework of Arksey and O’Malley, involving defining a research question, study identification and selection, charting, interpretation, summarizing, and reporting. In total, 28 documents are reviewed, and characteristics are summarized quantitatively and qualitatively. Five major themes are identified: (1) Girls’ relationships with PA are complex and require negotiating gender roles, (2) the literature focuses on dieting rather than nutrition, (3) appearance and perceptions influence behaviors, (4) “body” focused discourse is significant to girls’ experiences, and (5) social influences, institutions, and environments are influential and may offer opportunity for future research and action. Gaps in the literature are identified and discussed. It is concluded that young girls’ activity and nutrition is affected by gender norms and feminine ideals through complex negotiations, perceptions, body-centered discourse, and societal influences.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of nutrition screening tools but undernutrition remains prevalent amongst older subjects. Screening tools commonly include BMI as the widely-accepted ‘gold standard’ indicator of malnutrition. Whilst BMI may be an appropriate tool for population studies when it can be measured accurately in research conditions, the use of BMI in clinical practice may mask important weight changes and result in a failure to alert healthcare staff to a nutritional problem. The inclusion of BMI has been identified as a barrier to completing the screening process at ward level. Also, feedback from dietitians working with older subjects indicates that 72.5% of those using BMI express concerns that it is of limited use for practical reasons or that the reference range (20–25 kg/m²) is not appropriate to older subjects. Further evidence questions whether or not BMI is applicable for inclusion in methods used to identify an older subject at risk of undernutrition in a variety of care settings. In view of these findings it is advocated that weight change over a period of time together with clinical judgement is a far superior prognostic indicator of undernutrition. Despite screening, there is evidence that inpatients continue to lose weight before discharge. Further experiential evidence from both community and ward settings suggests that inadequacies in care planning, food provision and a lack of assistance with feeding are common. In order to improve the management of undernutrition in older subjects it is therefore recommended that the focus of attention should be on addressing these practical issues and on the effective monitoring of these processes.