Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Excellence: A Literature Review On Harnessing The Power Of The Gut Microbiome For Athletic Performance, Maya Katharine Dean

Honors Projects

The interplay between our gut microbiome and health is immense. This literature review analyzes the current research assessing the interplay between gut microbiome and athletic performance. Knowing how to improve gut microbial diversity via nutrition and supplementation can take athletic performance to the next level; namely improvements in immune, mental, and physical health.

Impact Of Daily Sweet Potato Ingestion On Alterations To The Gut Microbiome, Cholesterol, And Exercise Performance, Johneric William Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The importance of the gut microbiome is being explored in relation to multiple facets of health and performance. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of frequent sweet potato ingestion on alterations of the gut microbiome which might in turn alter cholesterol levels and exercise performance. Thirteen recreationally trained males had fecal and blood samples collected and exercised to fatigue with and without exogenous carbohydrate ingestion prior to and following 42 days of daily sweet potato ingestion. Bacterial communities were extracted from fecal samples and bacterial DNA were sequence. Blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, low-density …

Attitudes Towards Breastfeeding Among College Students At Mississippi State University, Kristin F. Williford

Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding rates in America are lower than other high-income countries, with Mississippi having one of the lowest rates. A survey using the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) was distributed twice to Mississippi State University students to understand their breastfeeding attitudes. Attitudes were determined by calculating a composite score and conducting statistical tests for significance. Knowledge between health and non-health related majors were explored by using five statements, and attitudes towards the statement “Breastmilk is the ideal food for babies” were compared across demographics. Of 642 respondents, the composite score was 57.3 out of 85, and all demographics had a …

Health Status And Gender Identity Among Northern Illinois University Students, Faculty And Staff, Blake E. Rooker

Honors Capstones

In the healthcare field, it is critical that practitioners understand their clients. Although support is growing, one of the least understood communities in society is the transgender community. The research set forth by this Capstone seeks to understand how the transgender community views the healthcare they receive. This will help future healthcare practitioners, including doctors, nurses, nutrition professionals, therapists, and so on, know how to best care for transgender clients.

Assessing Nutritional Health Knowledge In Sharing Clinic Patients With Diabetes, Minden Huntrods

Capstone Experience

Effective diabetes prevention and management relies on nutritional behaviors, thus a basic level of health knowledge is important for patients with diabetes and their caregivers in their quest to acquire acute glycemic control and minimize negative health outcomes (Ley et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to assess the nutrition-related health knowledge of patients living with diabetes who are seen at the UNMC Sharing Clinic by use of a verbal questionnaire. This nutritional health knowledge assessment was a quantitative, prospective, survey-based study utilizing descriptive statistics. Approximately 86% of patients were proficient in food group and nutritious foods knowledge …

Perceptions Of Residents Living In A Food Desert On The Impact Of A Community-Supported Agriculture Pilot Program, Jessica Thome

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine perspectives on food access among a low-income, food desert community through participation in a grant funded CSA program.Design: Healthy Eating Program is a pilot program assessing the effect of a CSA intervention on health among residents living in a food desert. Participants were surveyed through an initial survey and final survey with questions regarding perceived health status and daily food stressors. Data was collected through Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS. Setting: Low-income, food desert community residing in the Westside of Bloomington, Illinois. Participants: Forty participants 18 years or older, low-income and …

The Influence Of Diet On The Gut Microbiome, Kayla Wede

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

There is growing research that directly looks at the relationship between the human diet and the gut microbiome. This paper is a narrative review of the current literature on how the human diet can influence the gut microbiome. Without a healthy gut, bacterial imbalances can occur which have been linked to health complications. There are many factors that affect the gut microbiome such as diet, medications, and exercise. There is also limited research that looks at the macronutrients and their role in gut health. It is known that the type of food that people consume is a major influencer of …

Effects Of An Educational Intervention On Nutrition And Healthy Eating Habits In Minority Group Parents And Children Living In Arkansas, Peri Clay

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: The Hispanic population is the largest growing minority ethnic group in the United States today. Minority groups have an added struggle with obesity and have higher rates of obesity in this country than the caucasian counterparts. While minority group parents want more for their children they face many cultural and language barriers related to proper nutrition and hydration. This prevents these families from gaining adequate nutrition.

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate the impact of nutrition education on obesity rates through implementation of a year long educational intervention for minority group mothers and their children through and …

Intuitive Eating Promotes A Healthy Lifestyle, Krista Oezer

Classical Conversations

“Intuitive eating is a dynamic process integrating attunement of the mind, body, and food.” (Tribole and Resch 23). Essentially, intuitive eating is a way of life. By listening to inner, natural signals, intuitive eating integrates mind, body, and food for optimal health. Speaking from my own personal experience, intuitive eating truly does promote a healthy lifestyle. I don’t just know about intuitive eating; I live it. I want to share my knowledge and my experience with intuitive eating to those who have never heard of it. Although intuitive eating has gained popularity, especially among dieticians and nutritionists, it still remains …

Food Insecurity And Health Of International Students, Jamie Nichole Benefield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International college students may be at risk for suffering from food insecurity and poor health. The purposes of this study were to: 1) determine if the household adult food security status (HAFSS) differs between undergraduate and graduate international students (INSTUD) attending the University of Mississippi (UM); 2) establish if a statistically significant relationship exists between health (physical functioning (PF) , role limitations due to physical health (RLPH), role limitations due to emotional problems (RLEP), energy/fatigue (EF), emotional well-being (EWB), social functioning (SF), pain (P), and general health (GH) and HAFSS; 3) assess if health differs between INSTUD living in food …

Healthy Skepticism: The Relationship Between Funding Source And Conclusion In Nutrition-Related Scientific Articles On Saturated Fat, Lili Muskal

CMC Senior Theses

Recently published scientific articles have led to mixed nutritional advice on dietary saturated fatty acids. Lesser et. al (2007) identified that mixed conclusions in scientific articles on sweetened beverages might be attributed industry funding, as articles funded by the beverage industry are four to eight times more likely to report conclusions in favor of the sponsor’s products. This thesis applies Lesser’s methods to determine whether industry funding influences the inconsistent conclusions on saturated fatty acids. This thesis analyzes 100 articles on foods high in dietary saturated fatty acids. While studies with food industry funding are more likely to produce favorable …

Examining The Credentials Of Food Bloggers And The Online Environment Of Food Blogs, Jessica Coburn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study evaluated characteristics of food blogs and food bloggers that potentially affect food choices. It was hypothesized that most food bloggers would not have a nutrition-related degree and food blog environments wouldn’t be supportive of health-conscious food choices. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a novel evaluation tool on 187 blogs, out of which 100 blogs met inclusion criteria. Because some blogs had multiple bloggers, two samples were investigated: 111 bloggers (n1 = 111) and 100 food blogs (n2 = 100). Data were gathered from a randomized list of blogs taken from americanfoodbloggers.com. Results showed that 6% of bloggers …

Obesity Over The Life Course: Perspectives In Health And Mortality, Noura E. Insolera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation seeks to examine obesity in different contexts throughout the life course. Through empirical analyses, separate stages of the life course are considered: namely childhood through adolescence, young adulthood, and adulthood. By using a life course perspective, it is possible to consider longitudinal and intergenerational approaches to these questions, which will update and inform the current debates surrounding obesity.

Beginning with children, the intergenerational transmission of diet disease knowledge, socioeconomic status, and child health behaviors are considered in their associations with the outcomes of child diet in 2002, and in turn their associations with child obesity in 2007. Information …

The Food Education Project: Teaching Nutrition Through Environmental Awareness, Caren R. Pinto

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper examines a 300-hour fieldwork internship that took place during a summer semester at a local non-profit called the Food Education Project (FEP). FEP provided a practical and hands- on opportunity, which allowed for the knowledge gained over the past two years at the University of San Francisco’s Public Health Program to be put to public health practice. The experience was invaluable for the author’s professional and personal growth.

The paper will explore the prevalence of obesity and type II diabetes in the nation’s youth today. Second, a literature review will be conducted to examine the relevance of in …

Exploring Connections Between Prenatal Physical Activity And Breastfeeding, Emily Alexandria Tucker

Masters Theses

Women who decide to engage in prenatal physical activity are giving themselves, and their child, an advantage over those who are not physically active during pregnancy; not only are there significant health benefits for mothers, but also there are great benefits for the unborn child. Breastfeeding is another important decision parents make that can impact the future health of their children. There has been extensive research on the benefits of both prenatal physical activity and breastfeeding, but the connection between the two is unclear. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to identify potential connections between factors influencing women’s …

The Power Of Soccer: A Promising Tool For Youth Empowerment A Case Of Soccer-Based Health Program At El Nacional Public School In Ecuador, Haruna Higa

MA IDS Thesis Projects

The purpose of this culminating project was to identify the power of soccer in the context of international development and apply it to soccer-based youth empowerment programs, specifically an after-school program at El Nacional public school in Ecuador. Soccer is becoming one of the best approaches to connect various peoples who do not share the same language or cultural traditions because of its universal popularity, as evidenced by the more than one billion people who watched coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2014 Final Match (numbers to be consolidated) (“The 2014 FIFA World Cup,” n.d.). Given the evidence that soccer …

Parental Attitudes, Concerns, Health & Knowledge Of Nutrition And Their Relationship To Usage Of Functional Foods In Parental Feeding, Lauren Elizabeth Guy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purchase and consumption of functional foods is one of the fastest growing trends in the food and nutrition industry. Though many studies have suggested reasons why consumers purchase and consume functional foods, there has been limited research to understand what factors, if any, influence the use of functional foods in parental dietary practices. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether parental awareness of functional foods, self-reported knowledge of nutrition, overall health, and concern for their children's diets play a role in the provision of specific categories of functional foods (digestive health, weight management, bone health, cancer …

Student Perceptions Of Organic Food In Relation To Health, Environment And Pricing, Stacey Paterson

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The organic industry is full of opinions and perceptions, which influence consumer purchasing decisions. A convenience sample of 69 college students between the ages of 19-23 registered in a basic food preparation class participated in this study. A sensory analysis of organic and conventional fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, eggs and dairy measuring categorical taste differences between the two types of food. Student perceptions of organic foods in relation to health, environment and pricing and the likelihood of purchase were also studied. The influence of Diet and Well-being on organic purchases predominantly mattered somewhat to students, while price mattered completely. …

An Economic Analysis Of Sizing Constraints: Price Discrimination And Changes In Welfare Under The New York City Soda Ban, Brian A. Bourquard

Open Access Theses

This thesis uses profit maximizing techniques and nonlinear, second-degree price discrimination theory to describe changes in consumption and gains and losses in welfare of consumption under a container size constraint. It observationally examines the New York City soda ban to provide insight into retailer behavior in the event of such a ban, and examines three cases to highlight potential retailer decisions to compensate for a ban: to continue using a restricted menu of pricing options; to sell only to high type soda consumers; or to serve both markets with a one-size-fits-all strategy. This thesis finds that the ban generally reduces …

Nutrient Intakes Of Healthy Adults On A Gluten-Free Diet, Julie Devlin

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Gluten-free diets have gained popularity in recent years among healthy individuals. However, gluten-free foods are typically lower in essential nutrients. It was hypothesized that the average intakes of fiber and the selected B vitamins and minerals would be lower in the gluten-free group than in the regular diet group. Fifty-eight adults, aged 25-35, participated in the study. Participants completed a five-day food record and questionnaire. FoodWorks℗ʼ nutrient analysis software was used to evaluate intake of macronutrients and selected micronutrients. Gluten-free males consumed significantly lower amounts of carbohydrates, fiber, niacin, folate, and calcium but significantly higher amounts of fat and sodium …

Understanding The Behavior And Attitude Of Professional Athletes In Saudi Arabia Toward Dietary Supplements, Sulaiman O. Aljaloud

Dissertations

A dietary supplement is defined as a product taken orally that contains a "dietary ingredient" (vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes, etc.), and is intended to supplement one's diet. Dietary supplements include plant extracts and concentrates from foods. Supplements help provide required nutrients to fulfill nutritional levels for daily training or competitive performance, and can help remedy nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, it is important that sports professionals have a thorough knowledge of these supplement products. However, athletes need to be informed about the use and possible benefits, side effects, and risks associated with the use of dietary supplements. Four objectives guided …

Variations In Carotenoids In Plasma From Jersey Cows At An Organic Dairy Compared To A Conventional Dairy Over Time, Jillian M. Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

Interest in organic milk is increasing. By USDA Certified Organic standards, animals must be fed on pasture for a minimum of 120 days. Research indicates that various factors such as diet impact the nutritional quality and composition of milk. The objective of this study was to understand how feeding practices affected bovine plasma carotenoid concentrations over time. Plasma samples were collected from 9 cows fed on pasture at an organic dairy and from 9 cows fed total mixed ration (TMR) at a conventional dairy. Components were extracted from the plasma and separated via High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Results showed that …

Teaching Children How To Like Balanced Meals, Harumi Norasakkunkit

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Growing up in Japan, balanced meals were always provided at home, at schools and even at restaurants. Unfortunately, children are not going to choose balanced meals from the start, so this habit has to be instilled by parents and by the educational system until it eventually becomes a personal preference for children. If children are simply given the choice to eat whatever they want from the beginning, it is unlikely that this preference will ever be developed. The emphasis of nurturing the habit of eating balanced meals, rather than just eating preferred foods, is what is particular about Japanese parenting. …

Can Antioxidant-Rich Berries Improve Risk Factors Associated With Cardiovascular Disease In Postmenopausal Smokers?, Jordan Alaine Teeple

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and determine the efficacy of antioxidant-rich berries in ameliorating these risk factors in postmenopausal smokers. Menopause and cigarette smoking have been identified as major risk factors for CVD due to a decrease in antioxidant protection, increase in inflammation and oxidative stress, and adverse changes in serum lipids. Antioxidants, specifically flavonoid compounds found in blackberries and blueberries, have been shown to prevent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation and thus prevent downstream inflammation and oxidative stress. Healthy, postmenopausal nonsmokers (n=14) and smokers (n=31) …

Project L.E.A.N.: An After-School Health And Exercise Project For Elementary School Children In El Paso, Texas, Hendrik De Heer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: After-school activities provide valuable opportunities for health promotion activities that do not interfere with the regular school day, especially in minority populations with higher rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The current study is an evaluation of an after-school health education and physical activity program conducted in nine elementary schools in 2008 in El Paso, Texas. METHODS: The intervention consisted of a 10-12 week (twice a week) after school program consisting of a pilot (with two experimental schools) and main intervention (six schools each including a control and experimental group). The main outcome variables were Body Mass Index, …

Project Grow: A Plan To Grow An Edible Garden In A Poverty-Affected School To Improve Parent Involvement And Increase Student Knowledge Of Nutrition, Wendy Michelle Wickersham

All Graduate Projects

Growing an edible garden in a poverty-affected school serves multiple purposes. It provides a way to increase parent involvement at the school while increasing student knowledge of nutrition. This comprehensive plan prepares a school to implement a school garden run solely by teacher, students, parents, and community volunteers. The potential results are that parents will get involved at their child's school while the students can learn about nutrition along with their families.

Diabetes, Cognitive Decline, And Alzheimer's Disease: The Cache County Study On Memory, Health, And Aging, Gene Charoonruk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Studies have reported mixed results for people with or without diabetes with cognitive decline or Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitive decline and AD among people with diabetes will be the focus of much discussion since results have been controversial.

The study examined whether diabetes is associated with cognitive decline and whether it is an independent risk factor for the development of AD among elderly residents of Cache County, Utah.

Results revealed an association between diabetes and a lower average Modified Mini Mental State Examination (3MS) score of nearly a point lower at baseline. Results also showed an association between diabetes and …

Testing Two Food Frequency Questionnaires And Stage-Based Newsletters With Economically Disadvantaged Young Adults, Beth J. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most important ways to decrease risk of chronic disease development is to consume ample portions of h i t and vegetables. However, less than one-third of young adults meet "5-A-Day" servings, and variety is limited. Economically disadvantaged young adults may be especially vulnerable and are a hard to reach audience. Many of the Cooperative Extension programs are designed to reach low-income audiences and assist them in making changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and dietary choices for nutritional well-being. The objectives of this study were, in Phase I, to test two food frequency instruments for feasibility of use …

Assessment Of The Nutrition Knowledge And Nutrition Practices Of Crisis Pregnancy Center Clients, Sarah Harger

Honors Theses

Nutrition affects people's health. People often suffer illnesses and premature death that are largely due to poor dietary choices. Some people are aware that they are eating foods that are harmful and others eat poorly out of ignorance. Pregnancy is a time during the lifecycle when nutritional intake is of particular importance. Good choices can promote health and prevent major health problems or even death for the mother and the baby.

Many people are unaware of the benefits or consequences caused by the food they eat. Particularly low-income people may not be exposed to nutrition education. Many young people are …

Predicting Successful Weight Loss Maintenance With The Health Locus Of Control And Other Behavioral Modification Factors, Kimberley Ann Mcmahon

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine if health locus of control (LOC) is a reliable indicator of weight Joss maintenance. It was hypothesized that a high internal locus of control (ILOC) is a reliable indicator for weight loss maintenance in individuals, while external locus of control (ELOC) contributes to weight re-gain after weight loss.

The study involved 203 adults who completed a seven section questionnaire. Subjects were separated into groups based on their sub-category of locus of control, as well as their degree within the sub-category (high, moderate, or low in either internal (ILOC), external (ELOC), or fate, …