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Differential Impacts Of Covid-19 Policy Enforcement On Food Security Dynamics, Shiv Gargé

Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified food insecurity in the United States, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. This study examines the county-level impact of various COVID-19 policies on food insecurity using data from the U.S. COVID-19 County Policy (UCCP) Database and Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study. Employing a Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach and a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression with two political instrumental variables to address potential endogeneity concerns, the findings reveal nuanced impacts. DiD estimates did not show significant effects on the rate of change in food insecurity but indicated promising signs for absolute population values. The 2SLS results suggest …

Healthier Together: A Holistic Office Protocol Addressing The Chronic Nature Of Children And Adolescents With Adhd, Kimberly Olmos

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent, chronic condition with symptoms that include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD affects six million children in the United States (Tran et al., 2021). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement a holistic office protocol that addressed the chronicity and future health outcomes of children and adolescents, ages 2-17 years with ADHD through stimulant or non-stimulant medication prescriptions, behavioral therapy referrals, and education surrounding diet, and exercise. A comprehensive, systematic literature search yielded 16 articles to determine best practice when treating children and adolescents with ADHD in primary or …

Exploring Available Information On The Gut-Brain Axis And Alzheimer’S Disease For Clinicians Making Dietary Recommendations: A Scoping Review, Megan Gibson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that requires interprofessional collaboration. Pharmacological options are currently ineffective, increasing the need for preventative strategies to combat the rise of AD. Considerations of gut-targeted interventions have increased as a key component in the prevention of AD, based on the understanding that the state of the gut microbiome can impact cognitive function through the pathway known as the gut-brain axis.

Methods: This scoping review explored information on the gut-brain axis in persons with AD. A comprehensive search was conducted in November 2023. Forty reviews and 13 human studies were analyzed.

Results: There …

The Importance Of Nutrition Education In Early Childhood, Alexi Larios

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project aimed to highlight the importance of nutrition education in early childhood. I chose this topic because studies have shown a steady increase over the years in children’s diet-related illnesses (Baker & Bjerregaard, 2023). Many factors have contributed to this increase such as media and marketing. Companies use their marketing strategies to target the interests of children and persuade them to desire their unhealthy products (Taillie et al., 2019). This strategy leads to children purchasing and consuming processed foods, high in sugar and empty calories. Another important component in childhood nutrition is socioeconomic status. People from lower socioeconomic …

Fueling Performance: Tailored Nutrition Strategies For Female Athletes, Capri Pezzella

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project aims to explore the unique nutritional considerations for female athletes, with a focus on optimizing performance and addressing specific physiological needs. Through comprehensive research, the project will identify strategies for optimizing iron intake to prevent anemia, managing calcium and vitamin D for bone health, and addressing menstrual cycle-related changes in energy expenditure and nutrient needs. Practical recommendations will be made to help female athletes maximize their potential and support their overall health.

Nutrition Among 5th Grade Students, Nicholas Villanueva

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on educating 5th grade students about nutrition. Three lessons were presented in a span of two days where students learned terms specified behind a food label. Some terms include Calorie, Carbohydrate, Proteins, Fats, and high sugar foods. Students learned about healthy portion sizes, the five different food groups, and why physical activity is important for your health. With the curriculum presented to the students I hope all students can use these lessons to make healthier decisions when it comes to their food and health. By doing so it can be a start to a healthier lifestyle.

Food Literacy And Applying Learnings Towards English Literacy, Andrew Wirtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Food Literacy promotes the way people should consciously think about the food we ingest on a day-to-day basis. This paper explores how teachers can positively teach students how to be literate when it comes to food and how students can apply these learnings towards their English subject matter skills. This paper also explores how children from all economic backgrounds seek out highly processed foods (such as fast food) which are filled with various chemicals and additives, which in turn, can affect students' performance within the classroom in an negative manner.

Nutritional Deuterium Depletion And Health: A Scoping Review, Nicole Korchinsky

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Background: Deuterium depletion is an untapped area of energy metabolism and health.

Objectives: The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the health effects through deuterium depletion via deuterium-depleted water and a deuterium-depleted diet (ketogenic).

Methods: A protocol process approach was used to retrieve current research in deuterium depletion.

Results: 15 research articles were used. Deuterium depletion was found to have beneficial health effects in the following conditions: cancer prevention, cancer treatment, depression, diabetes, long-term memory, anti-aging, and sports performance.

Conclusion: Even with limited data, consistent deuterium depletion was seen across all conditions reviewed. …

Prescribing Flavor: Proposal For A Longitudinal Culinary Medicine Curriculum In A Family Medicine Residency Program, Mario F. Jacome Jr

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Culinary medicine is gaining recognition as an essential component of healthcare, aiming to integrate food and nutrition into medical practice for managing chronic diseases. However, there is a significant gap in nutrition education within medical schools and residency programs, leaving healthcare professionals ill-equipped to address patients' dietary concerns. This proposal presents a comprehensive longitudinal curriculum blueprint for culinary medicine tailored to family medicine residents. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning, collaborative cooking opportunities, and practical counseling techniques to empower residents in addressing nutrition-related diseases effectively. Through a structured approach and innovative educational strategies, this initiative aims to enhance resident proficiency and …

The Health Effects Of Chocolate: A Literature Review, Erika A. Pierce

Senior Theses

Chocolate has been a part of the human diet for centuries, but while it was once considered a healthy food, it is now seen as a dessert and unhealthy treat. It is known that chocolate contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and minerals that can affect body functioning. To determine the extent to which chocolate plays a role in health, a literature review was performed by searching the PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024. Of the 14 included studies, the health effects of chocolate fell into three overarching categories: neurological effects, including mental health, …

"Fueling For A Healthy Life:" A Cooking Class For Adolescent And Young Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors, Hope Dominique

Senior Theses

Following cancer treatment, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at an increased risk of developing chronic diseases and face an increased risk of health-related death during adulthood. Recent literature demonstrates that modifying lifestyle factors such as nutrition can reduce the risk of late mortality in survivors, suggesting that interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle may improve quality and quantity of life for CCS. However, many adolescent and young adult (AYA) CCS do not adhere to national dietary guidelines and face both real and perceived barriers to adopting healthier eating habits while in a critical period for establishing behaviors that contribute to lifelong …

Nutrition Counseling Practices Among Psychologists, Wibecke Stromsnes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There is a lack of treatment guidelines for how to address the impact of nutrition on clients’ mental health. Prior research is limited regarding psychologists’ practices of nutrition counseling and has mostly focused on practices of dieticians and medical doctors. The purpose of this study was to examine psychologists’ beliefs and attitudes about nutrition counseling, amount of training and use of nutrition counseling, self-rated knowledge in the use of nutrition counseling and perceived benefits and barriers to using nutrition counseling. Data was collected using an online survey of 76 licensed psychologists’ training in nutrition and use of nutrition counseling. Findings …

Prospective Nursing Students’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Nutrition Literacy: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, John J. Spano

Theses and Dissertations

Proper nutrition is essential to the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It is also important during the recovery period from disease as well as in the maintenance of general good health. In many health care settings, nurses are the initial health care provider with whom patients have contact. All forms of literacy require a solid foundation in fundamental literacy concepts that must be reinforced to fully develop content-specific literacy, such as nutrition literacy. Nutrition literacy is defined as the extent to which nutrition information is acquired, processed, comprehended, and applied in ways that benefit …

Improving Nutrition Screening Practice In The Hospitalized Heart Failure Patient Population, Amanda J. Bourgeois

DNP Projects

Background: Heart Failure is a disease known to affect nearly 6.5 million adults in the United States. Characterized by recurrent hospitalizations, heart failure significantly contributes to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in the United States and worldwide. Because malnutrition is prevalent in the heart failure population, healthcare providers must perform nutritional assessments on admission to intervene in the case of malnutrition, prevent deterioration, and improve patient prognosis. Without intervention and early identification of malnutrition, heart failure hospitalizations will remain a significant problem.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of an evidence-based educational program for cardiac …

Evaluation Of Nutritional Guidance From Providers For Patients With Type 2 Diabetes In A Primary Care Setting, Whitney Rice

DNP Projects

Background: Adherence to diet is a challenging part of managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Guidelines recommend including a registered dietician and/or a diabetes educator. While this is the gold standard, there are barriers to implementation in primary care. The Starting the Conversation (STC) diet recall tool can aid primary care providers (PCPs) in providing brief nutrition counseling for patients with T2DM. Purpose: To evaluate the perceptions and practices of PCPs regarding dietary education and documentation for patients with T2DM after provider education and initiation of the STC tool. Methods: This was a quality improvement project using a quasi-experimental pretest …