Digital Commons Network^™

The Prevalence Of Diabetes In Juveniles, Tatyana Johnson

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Diabetes mellitus, simply known as diabetes, is a metabolic disorder that impacts how the body makes use of glucose or blood sugar. Glucose is the primary supply of energy for the body’s cells, which is controlled by insulin, a pancreatic hormone. Diabetes results in high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia), which are caused by either insufficient insulin production by the pancreas or ineffective insulin utilization by the body (Dean & McEntyre, 2004). Although there are several types of diabetes, the two main types are type 1 and type 2. Type 1, also known as juvenile diabetes, is an inflammatory condition in …

“Return To Play”: The Impact Of, And Changes To, Ontario Children’S Physical Activity During Covid-19, Monika B. Szpunar Ms.

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation explored parents’ and their children’s perspectives of returning to play/sport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada, and assessed how children’s physical activity levels changed during COVID-19. To understand the initial impact of the pandemic, Study 1 (August 2020) explored the influence of family sociodemographic factors (e.g., housing type) and risk tolerance (using the validated Tolerance of Risk in Play Scale) on parents’ return to play/sport attitudes. Via interviews with parents (n = 9) and children (n = 12), Study 2 (December 2020 – January 2021) gathered participants’ experiences of getting active …

The Role Of Environmental Context In Supporting Children’S 24- Hour Movement Behaviors; A Positive Deviance Perspective, Roddrick Dugger

Theses and Dissertations

Background: During summer, children display less favorable movement behaviors than the school year. To investigate the role of environmental context in supporting children’s ability to meet the 24-hour Movement Guidelines (i.e., Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity: ≥ 60 minutes, Sleep duration: 9-11 hours, Screen Time: ≤ 2 hours), this dissertation had three primary aims: 1) Utilize the Positive Deviance Framework to identify unique practices and resources that enabled children to meet guidelines, 2) Examine potential associations between the neighborhood built and social environment with movement behaviors by household poverty experience, and 3) Identify specific features of the family and home environment that …

Development And Validation Of A Spanish Nutrition Screening Tool For Hispanic American 3 To 5-Year-Olds, Denisse Arias Olivas

Theses and Dissertations

Latinos comprise 18.9% of the population in the United States and are the largest and fastest growing minority group. Obesity prevalence was 26.2% among Hispanic children compared to 16.6% among non-Hispanic White children. The obesity epidemic among Latino children has been growing rapidly over the past three decades. Multiple barriers, such as lack of culturally appropriate screening tools, language, and lack of access to nutritional assessment and expert consultation, prevents screening of Latino children and further nutritional guidance. For this reason, prevention efforts such as the use of nutritional screening tools is required for early intervention, more so with populations …

Cultivating Carrots, Community, And Health-Conscious Children: Investigating The Effects Of Community Garden Implementation On Nutrition Attitudes Of Elementary Students In The Los Angeles Unified School District, Hannah Michele Tiedemann

Scripps Senior Theses

Growing up in an urban food desert can significantly affect children's development, health, and well-being (Jencks et al., 1990; Leventhal et al., 2000). Compared to their more affluent peers, youth living in low-socioeconomic urban neighborhoods are at greater risk of experiencing poor-quality diets, food insecurity, unhealthy body weights, and mental health problems (Duncan et al., 1997; Sampson et al., 1997). Moreover, children living in food-insecure households are more likely to consume calorically dense diets high in trans fat and added sugar, putting them at risk for poor health, childhood obesity, and chronic, diet-related diseases as adults (Nielsen et al., 2002). …

Effectiveness Of The Catch (Coordinated Approach To Child’S Health) Rainbow Program In Elementary Schools For Change In Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Ashley M. Valinskas

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background: There is currently a lack of nutrition education programs that effectively increase fruit and vegetable (FV) intake among children. Not meeting the recommendations for fruits and vegetables increases the risk for poor academic achievement, obesity, and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, asthma, and more. Nutrition, cooking, and gardening lessons individually and together have shown to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in school-aged children.Methods: Two-Hundred Twenty-five 4th and 5th graders participated in six cooking and six gardening lessons between September 2021 and May 2022 at Genoa Elementary school. Each nutrition education session was 25-minutes long, …

Relationships Among Sleep, Physical Activity, And Weight Status In Children And Adolescents, Agnes Bucko

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep and physical activity are both associated with multiple behavioral and metabolic health outcomes, and both behaviors have been linked to the development of weight status. Recent estimates suggest that many children are not meeting sleep recommendations or participating in adequate levels of physical activity, which may be related to the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity. Much of the research assessing these relationships has focused on adults and older children, and has relied on parent- or child-reported, cross-sectional research in predominantly White samples. Little work has focused on these relationships in very young children. Although more research has …

Understanding The Effects Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On Functional And Behavioral Outcome In Autistic Children And Adolescents, Leigh-Anne Mccormick

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Equine-assisted services (EAS) have been shown to provide a stimulatory environment that can improve functional motor skills and emotional well-being in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Nutrients Associated With Stunting Among Children In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review, Abby Mae Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify specific nutrients or nutritional biomarkers of dietary intake that are associated with stunting among children ages 2 and older in sub-Saharan Africa. This is a systematic review conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Twelve studies from sub-Saharan Africa met the eligibility criteria, including 11 observational studies and one randomized control trial. Nine of the 12 studies assessed dietary intake of macronutrients. Four studies found a significant association between proteins and stunting. Four found that children with stunting had lower dietary fat intakes or lower …

Motivated Attention To Social And Nonsocial Reward Images: Examining Relations With Externalizing Risk In Children, Adaeze C. Egwuatu

Doctoral Dissertations

Children that exhibit issues with externalizing behaviors often experience maladaptive outcomes in later life. Externalizing problems during middle childhood (e.g., 6-10 years old) are linked to issues with emotion regulation, which are, in turn, caused by disrupted attention and emotion reactivity to reward. Externalizing problems during this period have also been linked diminished processing of social reward stimuli, suggesting externalizing risk in children may be reflected in contrasting patterns in processing of non-social and social rewards. However, research comparing how differences in affective processing of specific reward content (i.e. social versus non-social) patterns relate to externalizing behavior within normative development …

The Relationship Of Structured Environments With Children’S Body Composition And Obesogenic Behaviors, Ethan T. Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Recent nationally representative data show among children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, the prevalence of obesity is 17.0% (95CI= 15.5%-18.6%). Further, rates of obesity are disproportionately high among minoritized youth. The prevalence of children and adolescents with obesity is lower among White children compared to Black children (14.7% vs. 19.5%) or Hispanic children (14.7% vs. 21.9%). Disparities by socioeconomic status exist as well. Prevalence of children with obesity from households with an income that is >350% of the federal poverty threshold (after accounting for household size) is significantly less compared to children from households with an income that …

Intergenerational Embodiment Of Stress : How The Broader Sociocultural Environment Can Shape Child Growth And Development, Elizabeth A. Holdsworth

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Childhood growth has been a means of identifying systemic, material inequalities within populations. The plasticity of growth is responsive to multiple environmental factors, most notably adequate nutrition, but also psychosocial stress. Psychosocial stress can be a function of the social and political economic ecology, reinforcing power hierarchies within societies. This dissertation proposes that childhood growth can also reflect inequality in the distribution of psychosocial stress exposure through mothers’ feelings of a chronically stressful environment conveyed through maternal-infant interactions.

Evaluating The Nutritional Adequacy Of Peruvian-American Children, Delainey Dietz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As people move and integrate cultures, nutritional trends may change from those of their native country to those of their new country. With today's increasing global immigration, studies have only scratched the surface of the impact of acculturation on children's health and nutrition. Specifically, the Peruvian-American diet is one that has garnered minimal research. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the common foods and drinks that Peruvian-American children consume, assess the children's physical health, and discuss the possible causative factors of any diet trends. The population sampled is children under 18 years living in the United States whose …

Evaluating The Implementation Of The Centrally Procured School Food Program (Cpsfp) In Southwestern Ontario Elementary Schools, Mariam R. Ismail

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

School food programs can improve children’s health and well-being, while also creating economic opportunities for local food systems. Program evaluations of such interventions have always been done, but from the perspectives of their effectiveness. Yet, few have thoroughly examined the process or implementation practices of these interventions. The aim of this dissertation was to evaluate the implementation of the Centrally Procured School Food Program (CPSFP), a procurement and delivery-based school food program in Southwestern Ontario, that aims to improve elementary school-aged children’s intake of fruit and vegetables (FVs). Canada remains one of the few industrialized nations without a national school …

Increasing Knowledge Through Nutrition Education In Adolescents And Children In Klaten, Indonesia, Alexandra Leavitt

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

Food insecurity continues to plague over 840 million people all over the world. Food insecurity can lead to malnutrition which can result in long-term adverse health effects. Malnutrition has the highest impact on mothers and children living in developing countries as most families are living on less than two U.S. dollars a day. In order to provide enough food, low-income families rely on inexpensive foods, which are often lacking in essential nutrients. More developed countries can provide food aide in the form of commodities or therapeutic foods, but this is only a temporary fix to a continuous problem. The long-term …

Parenting Styles, Parenting Practices, And Dietary Intakes Of Preschoolers And Their Parents, Biyi Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging research efforts have focused on the role of parents in the development of dietary behaviors of their children. Parental influences play a particularly important role in determining the children’s weight and shaping children’s dietary behaviors, especially during early childhood. Parent-related determinants can be classified as two types—general parenting (parenting style) and specific parenting practices (e.g, food parenting practices). Examining the interactions between parental influences and preschoolers’ and their parental dietary behaviors and may reveal important insights into how parents influence children’s dietary behaviors. Therefore, the goal of this research is to examine the associations between parenting styles, food parenting …

Examining Disability In The Region Of Waterloo: Physical Activity Programming And Caregiving, Nicole J. Reinders Luymes

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Physical activity (PA) is a necessary component of wellbeing for individuals with and without disabilities. Disabled young people experience many barriers to PA, resulting in inactive lifestyles that compound health issues and hinder their full participation in schools and communities. The following dissertation includes a literature review regarding the effects of PA for young people with a variety of developmental disabilities, in addition to three research studies examining community-based PA programming, and one study exploring the lived experiences of caregivers, all within the Region of Waterloo.

The first study was a needs assessment to examine PA perceptions, practices, barriers, and …

Parental Nutrition Health Literacy, Sheila F. Towson

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary

Parental Nutrition Health Literacy and Children’s Health

Problem: The problem identified in the following study is that overweight and obesity is associated with comorbidities that contribute to chronic diseases such as depression, decreased academic performance, type 2 diabetes, cardiac disease and others (Allesio, 2018; Barlow & Expert Committee, 2007). Demographics reveal obesity prevalence among children and adolescents to be 18.9% in the lowest income group, 19.9% in the middle-income group, and 10.9% in the highest income group (CDC, 2018). School and home environments are especially influential in affecting school-age children’s health behaviors (Luesse, Paul, Koch, Contendo, & Marsick, …

Genetics With Nettie And Friends: An Exploration Of Genetics In Children's Literature, Erin Soule, Madeleine Gray Burland

Honors Projects

Genetics with Nettie and Friends is an exploration of chromosomal disorders and its place within children's literature. The book provides a comprehensive examination the genetic composition of Downs syndrome, Williams Syndrome, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy at a level to increase understanding in children. This paper provides an insight to the development and construction of the children's book that is available for purchase on Barnes and Noble as well as why representation of genetic disorders in children's literature is needed.

Feasibility And Efficacy Of A Recess-Based Combined Fitness Intervention On Cognition And Academic Performance In Elementary School Children, Christine St Laurent

Doctoral Dissertations

Youth physical activity and fitness have been reported to influence cognition and academic related outcomes. Despite the potential benefits of muscular fitness, few intervention studies have examined the impact of an intervention that has incorporated both cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness training on cognition and academic performance in children. Previous studies have mainly been implemented either during the school day or immediately after-school. Although recess may be an ideal time to promote physical activity because it does not compete with other academic demands, it has been an understudied setting. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation project was to examine the feasibility, …

Differences In Running Mechanics And Tibial Plateau Dimensions Between Overweight/Obese And Healthy Weight Children, Claire Sylvestre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Overweight and obese (OW/OB) children display increased knee joint loading during running, which may lead to excessive frontal plane motion and moments at the knee joints. The relationship between tibial plateau dimensions and knee vertical loading may explain the loading related injuries OW/OB children experience.
PURPOSE: Compare knee mechanics during running and tibial plateau dimensions between healthy weight (HW) and OW/OB children.
METHODS: Ten HW children and ten OW/OB children aged 9-12 participated in the study. Kinematic and kinetic data were captured as participants ran across a force platform at 3.5m/s. Tibial plateau area and density were collected by …

A Comparison Between The Efficacy Of Traditional Periodization, Undulating Periodization, And Plyometric Training And Their Lasting Effects On Performance Outcomes In Youth Athletes. A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Andre Mcintyre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recreational and competitive youth (≤ 16 years old) sport participation over the years has increased in recent years. As a result of increased sport participation an emphasis on sport performance training and more particularly resistance training along with plyometric training have been on the rise. Resistance training and plyometric training can improve sports performance, rehabilitate injuries, prevent injuries, and enhance long-term health in adolescent athletes. Resistance training can be periodized numerous different ways, but the most popular training methods are traditional periodization, undulating periodization, and plyometric training. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined studies that compared traditional periodization, undulating periodization, …

The Effects Of Consuming Eggs On The Physical And Cognitive Development Of Food-Insecure Haitian Children, Monica Elaine Stewart

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within Latin America and the Caribbean, severe food insecurity is highest in Haiti. Fifty-five percent of the population lives below the poverty line with approximately 50% of the population undernourished. Given the typical diet in the developing world is primarily plant-based, the two studies presented in this thesis examine how eggs, a locally available animal protein, impact physical growth, cognitive development, and motor skills of food-insecure children from a single orphanage in Leogane, Haiti when added to the diet.

In the first study, growth parameters in children ages 3-8 years old were measured at baseline, six months, and one year. …

Determinants Of Hydration In Children: The Role Of Physical Activity And Parental Dietary Habits, Hyun-Gyu Suh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of these studies was 1) to examine the factors that influence the water intake in children and 2) to identify the optimal time window to assess hydration status that would be equivalent to 24-hour urine sample in children. METHODS: Study 1: Data for 200 parents (age:3-13y, female:62%, BMI:28.4±7.0kg∙m-2) and 200 children (age:7.5±2.9y, female:44%, BMI:17.7±3.9kg∙m-2) were recruited. Subjects recorded their fluid and food consumption on the 2-day diary, and food data were analyzed by using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) program. Physical activity levels were assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). All urine samples …

Incentivizing Fruit, Vegetable, And Physical Activity Level Change: Expansion And Evaluation Of The Fit Game Program For Healthy Behavior Change In Elementary Schools, Damon L. Joyner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Researchers in the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science department and Psychology department sought to improve healthy behaviors in elementary schools such as fruit and vegetable consumption (FV) and daily physical activity (PA). We chose to use a healthy behavior program called the “FIT Game” that has successfully increased FV consumption among elementary-aged children over short periods of time. Our aim was to improve the program by lowering operating costs, adjusting its materials to target PA and see if it could maintain healthy eating improvements over a longer period of time. Our series of research shows encouraging results: short term improvements …

A Systematic Review Of Language Therapy In Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors, Ari Watt

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

Purpose: Brain tumors and associated treatments in children have been shown to cause long term neurological damage. While there is a large body of research focusing on treating associated cognitive deficits, relatively little research has focused on improving linguistic ability in this population. This systematic review identified and summarized the available evidence related to language treatment for pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Methods: A systematic electronic database search resulted in the identification of four relevant treatment studies, two position papers and one online forum. A data extraction manual and form was used to methodically extract study information related to participant demographics, …

Understanding Feeding Style And Young Children's Consumption Of Food, Mary W. Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to increased rates of childhood obesity since 2010, researchers have examined family environmental factors and family influences on children's consumption of healthy foods. While previous research has examined how factors such as food presentation and the food intake of other family members can predict a child's body mass index, there has been little research examining whether parent factors predict the amount of healthy foods children eat. This quantitative survey study examined whether certain parent factors, specifically parents' attitudes about food, parents' feeding styles, and parents' attachment styles, predicted the amount of fruits and vegetables children ate. Understanding the extent …

Effectiveness Of A Physical Activity Enhancing Program For Use During Indoor Recess, Cassandra M. Blase

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if a novel physical activity intervention game (Bingocize®) designed for use in confined spaces and modified to include age appropriate activities would increase the time spent engaged in physical activity (PA) during indoor recess. Methods: Fifty-two third grade children wore triaxial accelerometers during three different recess conditions. The recess conditions included: “typical” indoor recess (TIR), indoor recess with children engaged in Bingocize® (IRB), and “typical” outdoor recess (TOR). Results: There were significant (p < 0.05) differences among the recess conditions for the time spent in sedentary, light, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) intensity categories, as well as PA counts, and steps. During IRB, TIR, and TOR the subject were sedentary 42.4% (±0.10), 71.9%(±0.10), and 17.5% (±0.10) of the recess time, respectively. During IRB, TIR and TOR the subjects spent 43.4%(±0.10), 18.5%(±0.10), and 74.2%(±0.12) engaged in MVPA, respectively. Conclusions: These results indicate that Bingocize® promotes increased PA during times when inclement weather necessitates indoor recess and larger space requirements for activity are not available.

Healthy Lifestyle At Headstart In Monterey County, Leticia Manriquez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In Monterey County, the rate of childhood obesity is too high among the Latino/Hispanic community. The Head Start program in Monterey County serves more than 1,245 children each year with the majority of them being Latino/Hispanic. The causes of childhood obesity are a lack of physical activities, cultural beliefs, and financial issues among families. It leads to serious health problems that impact children academically and psychologically. This capstone project is to increase knowledge and awareness on how to live a Healthy Lifestyle among Head Start parents so that they can apply that to their lives and their children. The project …

Neuropsychological Test Performance In Pediatric Tbi, Learning Disability, And Adhd: Difference In Reliable Digit Span, Emily West

Honors Theses

Children have been found to give non-credible performances on neuropsychological evaluations and using Performance Validity Tests (PVT) can help identify such cases, but maximum effort is necessary for tests to be reliable for determining next steps. This study assessed the differences in rates of non-credible performance on the Reliable Digit Span (RDS) between traumatic brain injury (TBI), learning disability (LD) and ADHD diagnoses in a pediatric clinical sample. It was hypothesized that those with ADHD would have a higher failure rate than those with either TBI or LD. RDS data from 200 clients referred to neuropsychological testing agencies were collected …