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Food Environments: What Is The Role Of Demographics In Fijians' Decision Making Related To Food Choice And Overall Nutrition Behavior?, Sandra Bradshaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The people of the Islands of Fiji suffer from a growing prevalence of noncommunicable (NCD) diseases that are often nutrition related. Much of the blame for the growing rate of these diseases is due to lifestyle choice, specifically food-related decisions. Fiji’s nutrition concerns and NCD prevalence are greater in urban centers, compared to a lower frequency in rural villages. Contrasting demographics are composed of dissimilar food environments that influence inhabitants’ food decisions, in turn increasing the prevalence of nutrition-related concerns.

The purpose of this study was to extend existing knowledge and document the perspectives of Fijian Islanders through identifying the …

Characterization Of Lactose Monolaurate For Its Antimicrobial And Emulsification Properties And Its Effect On Crystallization Behavior Of Anhydrous Milk Fat, Ashwini Wagh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A major class of synthetic emulsifiers used in food is sucrose esters. However, the use of lactose esters in foods is not very well known. Lactose monolaurate was characterized in our laboratory with respect to its antimicrobial, emulsification and fat crystallization modifier properties. The benefits of this study were multifold. A single compound was explored for multiple functionalities. Enzymatic synthesis and characterization of lactose monolaurate was carried out in the laboratory using food grade solvents. This process utilized lactose, a major byproduct of the dairy industry which is cheaper than sucrose.

In the first study, lactose monolaurate was explored for …

A Multiday Record-Assisted Fruit, Vegetable, And Snack Questionnaire To Assess Intake Among Fourth And Fifth Grade Students, Anne B. Lambert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Assessing FV intake among young children is difficult and can be a time-consuming, resource-intensive, and burdensome. The aim of this study was to create a simple, self-assessment tool to estimate and detect changes in FV consumption among fourth and fifth graders. Such a tool would ease the complications and resources of other diet assessment options that are used to measure FV consumption when implementing school-based nutrition programs.

The questionnaire provided a moderately valid estimate of lunchtime FV consumption, but it was inconsistent at detecting small, yet important increases in FV consumption between time points. The ability of the questionnaire to …

Diet-Induced Obesity Decreases Liver Iron Stores In Mice Fed Iron Deficient, Adequate, Or Excessive Diets, Brett J. Healy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Epidemiological and observational evidence suggests that obesity is related to poor Fe status. To determine interactions between obesity, dietary Fe intake and Fe status; male, weanling C57BL/6J mice were fed either high fat diets to induce obesity or a standard diet for 16 weeks. Fe concentrations of both the high fat or control diet (4.5 vs 3.8 kcal/g) were set at: 5, 50 or 500 mg Fe/kg diet. Mice fed the high fat diets had significantly higher percentage body fat (17.9%) compared to mice fed control diets (5.3%, P<0.001). Among obese mice, dietary Fe levels did not significantly influence body composition. Conversely among lean mice, mice fed the iron excessive diet had significantly less fat mass when compared to mice fed the iron deficient diet (P<0.05). Obesity and/or dietary Fe concentration did not significantly affect plasma Fe levels. ANOVA analysis showed significant effects of diet-induced obesity, dietary Fe and an interaction between both factors on liver Fe levels (P< 0.05). Obese mice had significantly lowered liver Fe levels compared to lean cohorts fed the same amount of dietary Fe (P<0.05 for all comparisons). Moreover, lean mice fed the Fe deficient diet (5 mg Fe/kg diet) had similar liver Fe levels (127 mg Fe/kg ± 0.04) compared to obese mice fed the 50 mg Fe/kg diet (132 mg Fe/kg ± 0.05). These data suggest that obesity, independent of dietary Fe intake, influences liver Fe stores.

Bioactivities Of Milk Polar Lipids In Influencing Intestinal Barrier Integrity, Systemic Inflammation, And Lipid Metabolism, Albert Lihong Zhou

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of lactation is for nutrient provision and also importantly for protection from various environmental stressors. Milk polar lipids reduce cholesterol, protect against bacterial infection, reduce inflammation and help maintain gut integrity. Dynamic interactions within dietary fat, lipid metabolism, gut permeability and inflammatory cytokines remain unclear in the context of obesity and systemic inflammation. A rat model and three mouse models were developed to test the hypotheses that dietary milk polar lipids may affect lipid metabolism and intestinal integrity and may protect against systemic inflammation in the context of stressful diet, systemic inflammation, and obesity.

The milk polar lipids …