Purpose Several studies have reported seasonal variation in intake of food groups and certain nutrients. However, whether this could lead to a seasonal pattern of diet quality has not been... Show morePurpose Several studies have reported seasonal variation in intake of food groups and certain nutrients. However, whether this could lead to a seasonal pattern of diet quality has not been addressed. We aimed to describe the seasonality of diet quality, and to examine the contribution of the food groups included in the dietary guidelines to this seasonality. Methods Among 9701 middle-aged and elderly participants of the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based cohort, diet was assessed using food-frequency questionnaires (FFQ). Diet quality was measured as adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines, and expressed in a diet quality score ranging from 0 to 14 points. The seasonality of diet quality and of the food group intake was examined using cosinor linear mixed models. Models were adjusted for sex, age, cohort, energy intake, physical activity, body mass index, comorbidities, and education. Results Diet quality had a seasonal pattern with a winter-peak (seasonal variation = 0.10 points, December-peak) especially among participants who were men, obese and of high socio-economic level. This pattern was mostly explained by the seasonal variation in the intake of legumes (seasonal variation = 3.52 g/day, December-peak), nuts (seasonal variation = 0.78 g/day, January-peak), sugar-containing beverages (seasonal variation = 12.96 milliliters/day, June-peak), and dairy (seasonal variation = 17.52 g/day, June-peak). Conclusions Diet quality varies seasonally with heterogeneous seasonality of food groups counteractively contributing to the seasonal pattern in diet quality. This seasonality should be considered in future research on dietary behavior. Also, season-specific recommendations and policies are required to improve diet quality throughout the year. Show less
Using case studies from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, this article discusses the collection of molluscs and the production of salt in the Gulf of Fonseca in the Late Classic and Early... Show moreUsing case studies from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, this article discusses the collection of molluscs and the production of salt in the Gulf of Fonseca in the Late Classic and Early Postclassic. Based on the case studies, different models of procurement and redistribution are presented: specialized in-settlement production, centralized production and redistribution, and, finally, procurement and redistribution through seasonal mobility. These models are used to discuss the technical traditions associated with the foraging of resources, and furthermore used to present hypotheses on how the challenge was met in different localities. In this perspective, I explore the advantages of the Gulf region for economic activities. I also discuss the role of the environment for foraging techniques and distribution practices. This article relates directly to other ethnoarchaeological and archaeological salt studies from neighbouring areas. Moreover, it aims to present compiled information from three countries to give a regional overview as a first step towards the documentation of the Gulf of Fonseca as an entity. Show less
