Preventive care for physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption: a survey of family carer expectations of health service delivery for people with a mental health condition

Abstract

Background: Chronic disease is a leading cause of death globally, where inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption and inadequate physical activity are consistently implicated as key contributing risk factors for such diseases. People with a mental health condition are reported to experience a higher prevalence of such risks and experience an increased morbidity and mortality from resultant chronic disease. Despite guidelines identifying a need for services accessed by people with a mental health condition to provide care to address such health risk behaviours, sub-optimal care is frequently reported suggesting a need for innovative strategies to increase the provision of physical health care. An exploratory study was conducted to examine: 1) family carers' expectations of care provision regarding fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity by health and community services for people with a mental health condition; 2) carer's own health risk behaviour status and perceptions of the influence of the health risk behaviours on mental health; and 3) possible associations of socio-demographic, clinical and attitudinal factors with carer expectations of care provision for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Methods: Family carers (n = 144) of a person with a mental health condition completed a cross-sectional survey. Participants were members of a mental health carer support organisation operating in New South Wales, Australia.

Antioxidant activity and sensory acceptability of whey protein-based smoothie beverages made from mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv Haden and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv Festival

“…Currently, consumers are concerned about topics related with their health, correct nutrition, and well-being because the modern life is characterized by a stressful life-style, vegetable and fruit-poor diet, and lack of physical activity (Ali & Ali, 2020;Bailey et al, 2020). The above triggered oxidative stress in the body of consumers because there is an excessive amount of reactive oxygen species in their cells, which contributes directly to developing inflammatory diseases, ischemic diseases, certain cancers, and accelerated aging (Checa & Aran, 2020).…”