Oxalate content in commercially produced cocoa and dark chocolate

Cocoa and dark chocolate have been promoted as health foods due to the high levels of antioxidants found in cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) and their products but they also contain moderate to high levels of oxalates which can cause some health concerns. Fifteen samples of commercially available cocoa powder were collected from four different countries and the total and soluble oxalate content was analysed by HPLC chromatography. The total oxalate contents ranged from 650 to 783 mg/100 g dry matter (DM), mean 729 ± 8.4 mg/100 g DM, while the soluble oxalate contents ranged from 360 to 567 mg/100 g DM, mean 469 ± 15 mg/100 g DM. The total oxalate contents of 34 samples of dark chocolate collected from 13 different countries ranged from 155 to 485 mg/100 g DM, mean 254 ± 12 mg/100 g DM while the soluble oxalate contents ranged from 157 to 351 mg/100 g DM, mean 216 ± 10 mg/100 g DM. Oxalate bioavailability was determined by feeding 68.0 ± 0.7 g of dark chocolate containing 232.0 ± 2.3 mg total oxalate as a test meal to 14 volunteers. The mean availability of total oxalate in the chocolate measured from the increase in urinary oxalate output over the following 6 h was 1.82 ± 0.27%.     

Nutrition education for adolescents: principals' views

This study aimed to examine school principals' perceptions of the school environment in Hong Kong as a context for the dissemination of food knowledge and inculcation of healthy eating habits. A questionnaire survey was administered in secondary schools in Hong Kong to survey Principals' views of students' food choices, operation of the school tuck shop, and promotion of healthy eating at school. Questionnaires were disseminated to all the secondary schools offering Home Economics (300 out of 466), and 188 schools responded, making up a response rate of 63%. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS. Most of the schools (82%) claimed to have a food policy to monitor the operation of the school canteen, and about half (52%) asserted there were insufficient resources to promote healthy eating at school. Principals (88%) generally considered it not acceptable for the school tuck shop to sell junk food; however, 45% thought that banning junk food at school would not help students develop good eating habits. Only 4% of the principals believed nutrition education influenced eating habits; whereas the majority (94%) felt that even with acquisition of food knowledge, students may not be able to put theory into practice. Cooking skills were considered important but principals (92%) considered transmission of cooking skills the responsibility of the students' families. Most of the principals (94%) believed that school-family collaboration is important in promoting healthy eating. Further efforts should be made to enhance the effectiveness of school food policies and to construct healthy school environments in secondary schools.     

Post-tobacco master settlement agreement: policy and practice implications for social workers

The 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) was developed between states and tobacco manufacturers to settle the states' lawsuits against tobacco manufacturers and recover tobacco health-related costs. States won billions of dollars and concessions regarding how tobacco products could be advertised. The purpose of the MSA was to prevent cigarette smoking and compensate for health expenses incurred in the treatment of tobacco smoking-related illnesses. Twelve years after the settlement, it is clear that MSA monies have been gravely diverted from tobacco prevention and cessation programs to balance budgets. The authors' review indicates that increases in funding for state tobacco prevention and cessation programs reduce tobacco use across all populations. Implications for social policy and social work practice are offered.     

Asthma Friendly Pharmacies: A Model to Improve Communication and Collaboration among Pharmacists,Patients, and Healthcare Providers

Pharmacists, with expertise in optimizing drug therapy outcomes, are valuable components of the healthcare team and are becoming increasingly involved in public health efforts. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in diverse community pharmacy settings can implement a variety of asthma interventions when they are brief, supported by appropriate tools, and integrated into the workflow. The Asthma Friendly Pharmacy (AFP) model addresses the challenges of providing patient-focused care in a community pharmacy setting by offering education to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians on asthma-related pharmaceutical care services, such as identifying or resolving medication-related problems; educating patients about asthma and medication-related concepts; improving communication and strengthening relationships between pharmacists, patients, and other healthcare providers; and establishing higher expectations for the pharmacist’s role in patient care and public health efforts. This article describes the feasibility of the model in an urban community pharmacy setting and documents the interventions and communication activities promoted through the AFP model.