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Purpose -The paper aims to explore the food shopping and preparation responsibility in a sample of adults, average age 32.5 years. Design/methodology/approach -A sample of 198 adults (81 men and 117 women) who were involved in a longitudinal dietary study self-completed a questionnaire about their food habits. Chi-squared analysis explored relationships between variables using SPSS (version 10). Open-ended responses were analysed in QSR NUD * IST using a content analysis framework. Findings -The majority of respondents were married or co-habiting (79 per cent), 6 per cent were lone parents, 9 per cent lived alone and the remainder lived with parents and others. Significantly more women than men were responsible for food shopping and preparation (both p , 0:001). Within shared households food responsibility was predominately a female dominated area, with a considerably higher proportion of women responsible for food shopping and preparation compared with men. Reasons given for this included aspects of time and work as well as women being more skilled in this task.Research limitations/implications -The study was a relatively small and homogenous sample, not necessarily representative of the wider UK population. Practical implications -Identifies the enduring gender divide in food responsibility. Findings will be useful to health educators, policy planners and researchers. Originality/value -In light of the recent focus on diet and health, this paper describes the reported shopping and food preparation behaviours in a sample of adults in their 30s at the beginning of a new century.

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Background: Patients in mental health services’ seclusion require regular physical health assessments to identify, prevent and manage clinical deterioration. Sometimes it may be unsafe or counter-therapeutic for clinical staff to enter the seclusion room, making it challenging to meet local seclusion standards for physical assessments. Alternatives to standard clinical assessment models are required in such circumstances to assure high quality and safe care.Aim: The primary aim was to improve the quality of physical health monitoring by making accurate vital sign measurements more frequently available. Secondary aims were to explore the clinical experience of integrating a technological innovation with routine clinical care.Method: A non-contact monitoring device was installed in the mental health seclusion room and was used in addition to existing clinical care. Over six months, adherence to local clinical guidelines was compared against a time-period prior to installation. Feedback was sought from staff and patients throughquestionnaires and focus groups. A quality improvement framework was used to continually improve the process using plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycles.Results: The non-contact monitoring device enabled a 12.3-fold increase overall in the monitoring of physical health observations when compared to a real-world baseline rate of checks. Enhancement to standard clinical care varied accordingto patient movement levels. Patients, carers and staff expressed positive views towards the integration of the technological intervention.Conclusion: The non-contact monitoring device improved the quality and safety of care by increasing availability of physical health monitoring. It was positively received by patients, carers and staff.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of peer educators in nutrition interventions with older people. A sample of 22 people aged 60+ were recruited and trained using an accredited course for Community Nutrition Assistants which included basic nutrition and group skills. They were paid to work as peer educators in a 20-week food club intervention which ran in 13 sheltered accommodation schemes for older people in northeast England. Clubs ran for 2 hours each week and included food preparation, food tasting and sharing information and ideas about food and health. This paper reports key findings from qualitative interviews with peer educators on their perspectives on their motivation to participate, their training and their implementation of the food club intervention. It discusses some of the issues involved in the training and use of peer educators and presents lessons learned, particularly the need to target training, according to prior experience and skills.