Browsing by Author "Melo, Grace"

Now showing 1 - 14 of 14
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    Dietary supplements intake and diet quality
    (2023) Urbina Tobar, Paula; Melo, Grace; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal
    Los expertos en salud en apoyan la ingesta de alimentos saludables. A pesar de las recomendaciones, el consumo de estos alimentos es inferior al recomendado. Los suplementos vitamínicos se han posicionado como una alternativa para apoyar la ingesta de nutrientes. Sin embargo, no está claro si la ingesta de estos se asocia positivamente con diferentes grupos de alimentos. Este estudio investiga la relación entre la ingesta de vitaminas y la calidad de la dieta y los mecanismos subyacentes que pueden explicar esta relación. Usando datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Consumo de Alimentos de Chile, examinamos la asociación de la ingesta de vitaminas con la calidad dietética de diferentes alimentos y la calidad general de la dieta. Utilizamos regresiones de mínimos cuadrados en dos etapas (2SLS) con instrumentos de orden superior para abordar la posible endogeneidad. Un hallazgo clave es que el consumo de SV está asociado con una disminución de la ingesta de alimentos ultra procesados, pero no está relacionado con la ingesta de alimentos saludables sin procesar. Otros resultados indican que estas asociaciones se encontraron solo en personas que pertenecen a los subgrupos de altos ingresos, con limitaciones de tiempo, no diabéticas y mayores. Los resultados destacan la posibilidad de que las personas con una dieta de baja calidad pueden tener deficiencias de nutrientes, ya que no obtienen los nutrientes esenciales de la dieta o la suplementación.
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    Economic Dynamics in the Beef Food Supply Chain under Pandemic Conditions
    (2022) Melo, Grace; Peña-Lévano, Luis; Luengo Oyarzun, Kori Héctor Martin
    This case study discusses the potential effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. beef marketduring the first half of 2020. This sector confronted significant economic distortions caused by theincreasing rate of infection in meat processing and packaging plants. We illustrate the COVID-19 relatedeffects on the beef industry by using cattle-meat marketing channel framework, which comprises of twomarkets: cattle raw meat cuts supplied by farmers, and retailed processed meat sold by retailers andwholesale markets to final consumers as packed and processed products. The case study discussesdifferent supply and demand shocks affecting the meat market system during and after the lockdownperiod. The article also explores the potential changes in equilibrium prices in alternative meat marketsand how these could affect prices in conventional meat products. The teaching note discusses theobjectives and provides further recommendations on the delivery of the case study, including a teampeer evaluation.
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    Hispanic American Opinions toward Immigration and Immigration Policy Reform Proposals
    (2014) Melo, Grace; Colson, Gregory.; Ramírez, Octavio A.
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    How to assess? Student preferences for methods to assess experiential learning: A best-worst scaling approach
    (2022) Melo, Grace; Monteza, Diego; Colson, Greg; Zhang, Yu Yvette
    Transitioning from traditional in-person classroom formats to online instructional delivery methods and online student assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant challenge to effective teaching, learning, and evaluation. Although there is a growing literature assessing the relative efficacy of different online teaching techniques, previous literature has not analyzed, from the student perspective, what methods are preferred for evaluating performance in experiential learning courses. How students perceive assessment methods is critical because it can affect their learning experience and academic achievements. To better understand student preferences for assessment methods, the best-worst scaling approach was used in two online surveys of 218 undergraduate students enrolled in experiential learning-based programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of student responses indicates students' highest levels of support for assessments that emphasize the development of critical thinking skills and professional skills, such as case studies. Most students would prefer assessments that are driving (develop different skills such as creative thinking) and realistic (develop skills transferable to the real world), while only a few (< 1%) prefer assessments that are fast (involve little time), frequent, safe (has preventive measures to eliminate cheating), or strategic (high probability of getting good grades).
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    Identifying the effect of shelf nutrition labels on consumer purchases: results of a natural experiment and consumer survey
    (2018) Finkelstein, Eric A.; Melo, Grace; Li, Wenying.; Strombotne, Kiersten.; Zhen, Chen.
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    Milk's favorite cookie : do consumers in Chile decrease their purchases of sweet processed food after a comprehensive food policy?
    (2019) Chomalí Núñez, Laura; Melo, Grace; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal
    La obesidad en Chile es un problema de salud pública a la cual se han aplicado diferentes soluciones, siendo una de ellas la Ley 20.606 que comenzó ha aplicarse el 2016 y se ha implementado en tres diferentes etapas, comenzando la tercera y última en junio del 2019. La Ley de Etiquetado busca mejorar la información disponible en el etiquetado nutricional para favorecer la elección de alimentos saludables mediante la incorporación obligatoria de cuatro sellos de advertencia, que indicaban la alta presencia de calorías, sodio, grasas saturadas y azúcar en los casos que estuvieran añadidos al alimento y sus límites superaran los rangos establecidos por el MINSAL. Este estudio analiza los cambios en la cantidad comprada de galleta en los hogares en Chile entre los períodos 2011-2012 y 2016-2017. Para esto se utiliza la base de datos de la Encuesta de Presupuesto Familiar (EPF), calculando un Sistema de Demanda Casi Ideal para cada período y dividiendo en 10 categorías los alimentos que pueden ser comprados y consumidos en el hogar, además se predicen las cantidades compradas en ambos períodos para calcular cambios porcentuales. No solo se encuentra que disminuye la cantidad comprada de galletas, sino que también existen cambios en la cantidad comprada en otras categorías, aumentando la compra de ciertas categorías y disminuyendo la compra de otras.
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    Navigating the shift to online learning: student experiences of inclusivity, efficiency, and study efforts in Chile
    (2024) Melo, Grace; Monteza, Diego; Acosta, Sandra
    Online learning can broaden access to education; however, it might pose challenges for students at risk of exclusion (i.e., first-generation, low-income, disabled, rural origin, or ethnic minority students) who often lack the minimum learning resources. As online learning continues expanding, this study aims to understand students' views regarding critical aspects of students' learning experience, including inclusion, efficiency, grade impacts, and efforts. We employed a mixed methods study based on a survey and focus groups with college students in a large, well-known Latin American university in Chile that delivered online instruction for multiple semesters. Regression analyses of survey responses from undergraduate students indicate that students at risk of exclusion did not perceive the online learning environment to be more challenging than those not at risk. Students at risk of exclusion, however, were more likely than students not at risk to express a need to study more to achieve good grades, potentially to mitigate any challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on academic performance. Focus group evidence indicates that while some students faced mental/emotional health issues negatively affecting learning, other students rapidly adapted their studying practices, which had positive impacts on learning.
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    ¿Pueden los impuestos mejorar la calidad nutricional de la dieta en Chile?
    (Centro de Políticas Públicas UC, 2020) Melo, Grace; Caro, Carlos; Chomalí Núñez, Laura
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    Structural responses to the obesity epidemic in Latin America: what are the next steps for food and physical activity policies?
    (Elsevier, 2023) Melo, Grace; Aguilar-Farias, Nicolas; López Barrera, Emiliano; Chomali Núñez, Laura Constanza; Moz-Christofoletti, Maria Alice; Salgado, Juan Carlos; Joppert Swensson, Luana; Caro, Juan Carlos
    Obesity is among the most complex public health challenges, particularly in Latin America, where obesity rates have increased faster than in any other region. Many countries have proposed or enacted comprehensive policies to promote adequate diet and physical activity under a structural framework. We summarize articles discussing the scope and impact of recently implemented obesity-related interventions in the light of a structural response framework. Overall, we find that: (1) market-based food interventions, including taxes on junk food, nutrition labelling, and marketing restrictions, decrease the consumption of targeted foods, (2) programs directly providing healthy foods are effective in reducing obesity, and (3) the construction of public areas for recreation increases the average frequency of physical activity. Although obesity-related interventions in the region have somewhat improved health behaviours, obesity prevalence remains on an upward trend. We discuss some opportunities to continue tackling the obesity epidemic in LATAM under a structural framework.
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    The Path Forward
    (2020) Melo, Grace
    At the beginning of COVID-19, emotional thinking induced panic buying. As the pandemic unfolded, rational thinking became apparent and prompted spending and financial adjustments. Online shopping and consumer demand for food safety, in addition to technology-driven retail and higher quality-assurance standards, will characterize the post-pandemic food system.
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    What does the pandemic mean for experiential learning? Lessons from Latin America
    (2021) Melo, Grace; Sanhueza Cid, Dergica; Morales, Sarahi; Pena-Levano, Luis