Digital Commons Network^™

Consumers' Preferred Body Scanning Technology: A Comparison, Saiful Islam

LSU Master's Theses

Poor fit of apparel products has been troublesome for both the consumers and manufacturers for many years. The acquisition of a correct set of body measurements is crucially important for achieving proper fitting apparel. Three-dimensional body scanning technology has been recognized as a promising alternative to the traditional measuring tape method of obtaining body measurements. Three-dimensional body scanners are quick, efficient, highly reproducible, and largely free of error related to human intervention.

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumers’ preferred type of body scanning technology. Three types of body scanners (traditional body scanner, suit-based body scanner, and mobile-based …

Dress Rules And Body Perceptions Of Mature Plus Size Women, Megan Katherine Romans

LSU Master's Theses

Due to western societies continued obsession with youth, thinness, and fitness it is no surprise that mature women and plus size women alike are still highly stigmatized and widely ignored by the fashion industry. Past studies related to mature women and plus size women’s dress and body perception have been conducted, however, there is a severe lack of research related to mature women who are also plus size. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to understand the dress rules and body perceptions of mature plus size women (MPSW) over their lifetime. This exploratory study consisted of 16 semi-structured interviews …

Development Of A Food Preference Survey, Amber Bourgeois Mcguerty

LSU Master's Theses

This study developed a food preference survey to estimate adolescents’ willingness to consume energy-dense foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. Five focus group interviews with 13 to 19 year-old students were conducted, and items representing energy-dense foods, energy-dilute foods, sweetened beverages, and unsweetened beverages were determined (5 per category). The final survey was administered to 234 students. Willingness to consume items was assessed using a 7-point Likert Scale (1, representing “Extremely Unwilling” to 7, indicating “Extremely Willing”). Exploratory Factor Analysis using Principal Axis factoring with a Promax (oblique) rotation revealed two factors. Factor one included French fries, Kool-Aid, glazed donuts, cookies, lemonade, …

Extending To Fashion Category: An Exploratory Study On An Auto Brand Extension, Langchao Zhang

LSU Master's Theses

Brand extension has been one of the most commonly used marketing strategies. Many industries use existing well-known brand names to launch new lines or categories to reduce the cost for creating awareness. Auto companies have been increasingly looking for opportunities of broadening their brand halo to gain more profit, while the billion-dollar global fashion industries have been seeking the chance of brand extensions from established durable brands. Previous research has examined the factors affecting consumers’ attitude toward brand extension, however, the majority of brand extensions are reportedly not successful. There are no known studies investigating the case of extending into …

Validation Of The Remote Food Photography Method To Quantify Intake Of Infant Formula, Abby Duhe

LSU Master's Theses

Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since the 1970s, and this increased prevalence is cause for concern as childhood obesity increases the risk of adult obesity and other comorbid diseases. Evidence suggests that the origins of obesity can be identified in infanthood. Accurate methods of assessing food intake in infants can be utilized to establish effective feeding practices in infanthood and to assess the relationship between infant feeding practices and the risk of childhood obesity. Current methods are either subjective or have limited ability for widespread use beyond clinical research settings due to cost and high burden. The aim …

Translating The Fashion Story: Analyzing Fashion Captions In Two Women's Magazines, Ehimwenma O. Vosper-Woghiren

LSU Master's Theses

Fashion magazines are the most accessible source for women to learn the latest about fashion and trends. Publishing company Condé Nast owns many consumer fashion magazines including the American editions of Lucky and Vogue. Even though both magazines are classified under the genre of fashion, these magazines are branded differently. Vogue features editorial styling, which is garments arranged lavishly and creatively for the glossy fashion spreads. However, Lucky magazine contains both editorial and lifestyle styling. To reinforce the styled image, fashion magazines place captions in these editorials. Captions transform these garments into written language. Since each magazine uses different types …

Identifying Opinion Leaders And Their Activity On A Local Apparel Business Facebook Fan-Page, Jennifer Marie Galster

LSU Master's Theses

As technology continues to grow, new marketing opportunities arise. Facebook is an online social network that allows companies to understand their consumer base (Shih, 2011). Little research has been conducted to understand how Facebook is used as a marketing tool. Word of mouth advertising is created on Facebook fan-pages, business pages that allow consumers to interact with each other with User-Generated Content (UGC). Identifying opinion leaders on these fan-pages can help businesses understand their customers and help them build relationships with them on Facebook. The current research presents a qualitative approach to profiling users of a Facebook fan-page wall, identifying …

What Factors Influence Positive Father Involvement In African American Families?, Courtney Lashay Pitts

LSU Master's Theses

While positive fathers appear to be a myth in African American communities among current research, this study looks at the common factors among involved fathers in inner city neighborhoods. In a secondary analysis of interviews from happily married Black couples in inner city neighborhoods, overlapping themes emerge exploring the reasons behind positive involvement among fathers. In twenty-two interviews, both husbands and wives explain reasons for continuous father involvement in the lives of their children. Findings include a heavy reliance on faith, marital support and commitment to matrimony and value of responsibility to one’s family. Future research and implications should address …

Monitoring The Molecular Weight Of Poly(Lactic Acid) During Fiber Spinning And Coloration, Ashley Nicole Jacobs

LSU Master's Theses

One fiber that is being researched as a possible alternative to the petroleum based polyester fibers currently being used is polylactic acid (PLA). Being aware of the low heat resistance and degradation of PLA during processing is a concern for practical production and the performance of the polymer. Disperse dyed PLA film and solution dyed PLA film, along with un-dyed film and the original PLA pellets have been investigated to determine molecular weight. Infrared analysis has been conducted to examine the compounds found in the PLA samples at different steps in the polymer processing. Un-dyed PLA samples have been subjected …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Two Oat-Based Cereals On Appetite And Satiety, And The Effect Of A Fat Emulsion Of Appetite, Satiety, Food Intake, And Body Weight, Candida Joan Rebello

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of these studies was to investigate the satiety effects of foods typically consumed as part of a breakfast meal, and a novel fat emulsion designed to stimulate satiety signals. The first study compared the satiety effects of oatmeal with a popular ready-to-eat breakfast cereal (RTEC). The second study assessed the effects of the fat emulsion Olibra¢â, on satiety, food intake, and body weight. Forty-eight healthy individuals, ¡Ã18 years of age were enrolled in a randomized controlled crossover trial. Following an overnight fast, subjects consumed either oatmeal or RTEC in random order at least a week apart. Visual analogue …

Investigating Children's Social Support Systems: Comparison Of Interviews And Interviews With Pictures, Leah Kathrine Hebert

LSU Master's Theses

The present research study seeks to improve upon prior research on child social supports by using an already existing eco-map protocol to inform two interviews on child social supports. This study will help further develop an assessment for understanding child social supports and social networks. This project examines the similarities and differences between child reports of social support using: a) child interview-only protocol and b) interview-with-pictures protocol. The two main research questions include: 1) Do children report the same number of social supports using the child interview-only protocol as the interview-with-pictures protocol? and 2) Do children report the same kind …

Pregnancy And The Relationship To Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Ann Hardin Shaw

LSU Master's Theses

The Macular Study was a case control study that evaluated if parity and other participant characteristics predicted the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Women, compared to men, are at higher risk for AMD. AMD is one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly population [1]. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) is a long-chain fatty acid that is essential for the structure and function of the eye. During pregnancy the growing fetus depletes the maternal stores of DHA through placental transfer. The fetus needs an ample supply of DHA for proper retinal and central nervous system development. To date …

La Ola Verde: Female, Hispanic Consumers And The Green Movement, Stefanie Ann Ramirez

LSU Master's Theses

Due to their impact on the environment, apparel companies have gradually begun to change manufacturing and production processes and provide consumers with environmentally responsible apparel product options. Among these consumers are Hispanics, a consumer group which research has shown to have a strong purchasing power and astounding population increase. Between 2000 and 2010, the total population in the United States increased by 23.7million people, with Hispanics accounting for over 50% of that total increase (Humes, Jones, & Ramirez, 2011). It is estimated that by 2125 Hispanics will account for 50% of the total U.S. population (Day, 1996). Additionally, between 1990 …

Fostering Compliance In Preschool-Aged Children Using Least-To-Most Assistive Prompt Hierarchy, Courtney Powers

LSU Master's Theses

Previous research has shown that prompting can increase child compliance to adult directives (Tarbox, Wallace, Penrod, & Tarbox, 2007; Wilder & Atwell, 2006; Wilder, Atwell, & Wine, 2006). The purpose of this study was to train teachers to use prompting to increase child compliance to teacher directives. This study builds on the current literature by using least-to-most prompting (Horner & Keilitz, 1975) within the naturally occurring context of the preschool classroom. The participants consisted of 3 preschool teachers who interacted with a target child in an early childhood classroom. Child compliance was measured during free choice center time. Results were …

Resistant Starch In The Diet Of Rodents Promotes An Increase In Fermentation And A Reduction In Body Fat In An Animal Model Of Dietary Obesity, Jason Andrew Charrier

LSU Master's Theses

In previous studies, in has been observed that the addition of resistant starch (RS) in the diet of rodents, a non-digestible fermentable fiber, promotes increases in markers of fermentation and improvements in body weight and body fat analysis when incorporated into low to moderate fat diets. This study investigated whether the same beneficial effects observed with RS addition in these lower fat diets could be obtained in a high fat diet, and if the type of fatty acid consumed in the diet makes a difference in markers of fermentation and body fat. Sprague Dawley rats (n=96) were fed as weight …

Resemblance In Dietary Intakes Of Snacks, Sweets, Fruit, Vegetables, Energy, Macronutrients, And Selected Micronutrients Among Mother-Child Dyads From Families With Limited Incomes, Kathryn Wroten

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of these studies was to determine the association between dietary intakes of selected food groups, macronutrients, and micronutrients in mother-child dyads. This was a secondary analysis of data on low-income Black, Hispanic, and White children 3-5 years-old (y) participating in Head Start (HS) (n=650), and their mothers. Mothers served as a proxy for their child, and self-reported intake during a multiple-pass 24-hour recall interview for one weekend day. One weekend day was chosen since children attended HS during the week, and mothers may not know what their children consumed outside the home. Data were collected on children’s and …

A Cohort Study Of A History Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus And The Risk Of Incident Type 2 Diabetes In Louisiana Women, Yujie Wang

LSU Master's Theses

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common pregnancy complications. It has been shown that a history of GDM is associated with an increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes in women. In this project, we aim to investigate 1) the trend of GDM incidence in Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division (LSUHCSD) hospital system during 1997 to 2009; 2) the race-specific association between a history of GDM and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes and how the risk changes over years after the index pregnancy. We conducted a retrospective study among women aged 13-50 years. …

Examining Teen Girls' Fashion Behavior In The Virtual And The Real World: An Exploratory Study, Caroline Makena Kobia

LSU Master's Theses

Over the past few years, changes in technology, especially the emergence of virtual worlds, have impacted the landscape of doing business. Many industries, such as retailing and fashion industries have recognized the e-commerce potentials and have engaged in setting up strategic ventures in the virtual worlds to develop products and/or services that are geared towards meeting consumer needs. Previous research has examined consumers’ adoption of innovative products, but there is no known study that has examined consumers’ adoption of virtual fashion. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to shed some light on understanding consumer adoption of virtual fashion. …

Investigating Early Childhood Teachers' Stress And Social Supports: A Multi-Methods Approach, Ashley Diane Romero

LSU Master's Theses

Previous research has indicated that teaching is a high stress profession and that social supports may help to mediate teacher job stress. Ecological maps have been used in both research and other fields in order to study individuals’ social networks. Using a sample of ten Pre-K teachers, this study aims to answers two questions of inquiry: 1) Is the amount of reported social supports for Pre-K teachers negatively associated with reported stress?, and 2) What information does the eco-map interview give us about teacher’s social supports and stress? A multi-methods approach of both qualitative and quantitative techniques was used in …

Contextual Influences On Faith Development In Adolescents And Emerging Adults, Katheryn A. Barker

LSU Master's Theses

Recent research has revealed that high religiosity is associated with positive life outcomes in adolescents and emerging adults. However, the mechanisms and processes that underscore faith development, which is crucial to experiencing these outcomes, are not well understood. Furthermore, most research on faith development in adolescents and emerging adults is based on quantitative data and fails to examine the influence of developmental contexts on faith development. To address this, a racially diverse New England sample of 30 highly religious Christian, Jewish, New World faiths, and Muslim families were interviewed regarding their faith and family life. Focusing specifically on the faith …

College Students' Apparel Shopping Orientation Changes In Relations To Life Events, Yang He

LSU Master's Theses

Apparel shopping orientation studies usually focus on categorizing shoppers into different segments based on individuals’ characteristics. This study presents changes in college students’ apparel shopping orientation, which result from experienced and anticipated life events and lead to store and brand preference changes in retail patronage context. Graduation serves as a milestone of life event leading to role transition in a college student’s life. The experienced and anticipated life events around graduation create new consumption needs that demand readjustment. Graduating college students are likely to change their store and brand preferences since they attempt to change their apparel shopping orientation due …

A Cafeteria-Based Tasting Program Improved Elementary School Children's Fruit Preferences And Self-Efficacy To Consume Fruits And Vegetables, Wei-Ping Wong

LSU Master's Theses

This quasi-experimental study examined the impact of a fruit and vegetable (FV) tasting program on third and fifth grade children’s preferences and psychosocial factors associated with FV intake. Four public schools in southeastern Louisiana participated. Two schools served as the intervention group where children were given a taste of four fruits or four vegetables on a rotating schedule for eight weeks followed by two weeks of tasting four months post- intervention (follow-up). Two control schools did not participate in tasting but received brightly colored FV posters which were posted in the cafeteria each week. A questionnaire administered at baseline, post-intervention, …

Obesity Treatment Alternatives: Foods To Surgery, Brooke Erwin Bayham

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of these studies was to explore the roles of dietary strategies and bariatric surgery in obesity treatment. The breakfast study was a randomized, crossover trial used to evaluate the role of egg proteins, and a retrospective chart review was conducted to obtain comparative information about two different bariatric surgeries. The breakfast study included 20 subjects who were randomized to receive an egg breakfast (EB) or a cereal breakfast (CB) matched for energy density and macronutrient composition but different protein quality for one week. Following a washout period, each subject was crossed over to receive the opposite breakfast for …

The Impact Of Choice On Child Sustained Attention In The Preschool Classroom, Kelly Elizabeth Geary

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the mean duration of child attention to a self-selected toy and to determine the longest duration under which teaching condition children attend to toy play (child choice, adult choice, or adult presentation). Forty preschool-aged children were observed under each teaching condition and data were collected on the child’s duration of child attention. Results indicate that children’s sustained attention is significantly different across the three teaching conditions, and it was found that children attended for the longest duration of time during the child choice condition. It was also found that children attended for …

Loving Me Or Loving You: Influencing The Attitudes And Behaviors Of Children Through A Prosocial Intervention, Shawna H. Gose

LSU Master's Theses

Research indicates that narcissism may increase antisocial tendencies in children as young as preschool. In this quasi-experimental study, manners lessons on selfless, prosocial behavior were used as an intervention to decrease narcissism and antisocial behavior within second and third grade classrooms. Manners lessons provided children with opportunities to demonstrate prosocial attitudes toward others and thus were expected to decrease narcissism, increase empathy, decrease conduct problems and peer problems, and increase prosocial behavior. The present intervention positively influenced the external behavior of children as indicated by a decrease in conduct problems and peer problems and an increase in prosocial behavior for …

Macular Pigment Optical Density During Pregnancy And Its Relationship To The Diet, Alicia Page

LSU Master's Theses

Women, compared to men, are at higher risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. The accumulation of dietary carotenoids, lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) within the macula make up macular pigment and provide important protection to the retina. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) gives a measure of macula pigment density. MPOD has been shown to be influenced by fruit and vegetable L and Z and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), cold water marine fish being the dietary source. A high MPOD may protect against AMD. Intake of DHA by women is low (40-120 mg/d) …

Post-Diaster Family Resilience: The Use Of Humor As A Coping Strategy, Bridgette Boe O'Connor

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of humor as a coping strategy among Hurricane Katrina survivors. The data for this study were collected in the first wave of a larger project on families and disasters. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by combining Census data with storm damage estimates and purposive sampling, 50 participants affected by Hurricane Katrina from a single suburban community in Southern Louisiana in early spring 2006 were recruited and interviewed. When the interviews were qualitatively analyzed with a focus on humor, it became clear that families used humor even at such a devastating …

A High Fat Diet Attenuates The Fermentation Effects Of Resistant Starches And Fructans, Felicia Robin Goldsmith

LSU Master's Theses

In our previous studies, ingestion of prebiotics in low fat diets resulted in decreased cecal pH from 8 to about 6 and increases in short chain fatty acids indicating robust fermentation. However, in some preliminary studies this effect on fermentation was not seen when rodents were obese and/or fed a high-fat diet. This comprehensive high-fat diet study was conducted to determine which sources and combinations of prebiotics would enhance fermentation despite a high dietary fat content. The effects of prebiotics in a high-fat diet (44% energy) on pH, cecal weights, abdominal fat, and body weight were studied in mature male …

Resistant Starch And Sodium Butyrate Reduce Body Fat In Rodents, Kirk Adam Vidrine

LSU Master's Theses

Introduction: Obesity levels in the United States have significantly increased in the last forty years. Lifestyle and pharmacological treatments have been largely ineffective in treating obesity for most people. Both Resistant Starch (RS) and Dietary Sodium Butyrate (SB) are bioactivties which have shown the ability to decrease body fat levels of rodents without increasing physical activity or decreasing energy intake. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) are gut hormones that may be involved in increased energy expenditure at a cellular level with dietary RS and SB. Objective: To discern if SB and RS both work through the increase …

Caregiver Perceptions Of Aggression In Preschool-Aged Boys, Charlene Philleatric Jenkins

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver level of education and their perception of aggression in preschool boys. Accurately perceiving aggression is important in that it affects how caregivers interact with children in their care. Research has demonstrated that caregivers have an important role in helping a child shape his identity; getting accurate feedback would be important for a child’s self-perception. It was hypothesized that caregivers with less education may be more likely to misperceive preschool boys play and label them aggressive. The results indicated that caregiver’s with a high school or GED education were …