Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Intermittent Fasting On Female Athletes: A Systematic Review, Courtnie Scarbrough

Theses and Dissertations

The intermittent fasting diet has a historical past, but recently, it has regained popularity as a weight loss strategy for the general public. Athletes have also picked up this specialized diet in search of a competitive edge. There are ample studies testing athletes of all levels, but most do not include females or report sex-specific results. This systematic review aimed to identify current research on the effects of intermittent fasting in the understudied population of female athletes. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in three databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, …

Effectiveness Of Intervention Studies Based On Diet And/Or Physical Activity In Treatment, Prevention, And Management Of Diabetes Among South Asians: A Systematic Review, Ishaan Arora

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe diet and/or physical activity-based interventions and their control in cardiometabolic risk factors of diabetes for the South Asian (SA) population. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Seventeen randomized control trials meeting the inclusion criteria were included for analysis. Interventions with type-2 diabetic SA showed significant improvements in HbA1c% (4/5 studies), fasting blood glucose (3/4 studies), and postprandial glucose (2/2 studies). Interventions with at-risk/prediabetic and non-diabetic SA showed a modest change in overall outcomes, with significant change reported for post-prandial insulin (3/4 studies), BMI and weight (2/4 studies), …

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 …

Healthy Eating Index And Body Fat Distribution, Masar Ozrail

Theses and Dissertations

Body fat distribution has been identified as a more significant risk factor for metabolic-related diseases. This study investigated whether body fat distribution affects dietary outcomes (quality and intake), anthropometric measures, body composition, and skin carotenoid levels. A cross-sectional study with 91 female students was conducted. Thirty-one percent of participants (n=28) had an android body fat distribution. Body fat distribution was associated with WC and WHtR (p

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 …

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 …

The Relationship Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism In Taste Receptor Genes And Body Composition, Energy Intake, And Macronutrient Consumption In Young Adults​, Manal Abbas Sunbul

Theses and Dissertations

Genetic variations in taste receptor genes play a notable role in human taste perception and food preferences and intake, which may affect nutritional and health status. Understanding how genetic variations in taste receptor genes influence food perception, preferences, and intake can play an important role in designing effective interventions to improve the quality of peoples' nutrition and minimize the risk of diet-related diseases such as obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of umami taste receptor gene TAS1R1 and GRM4 and sweet taste receptor gene TAS1R3 and percentage of body fat mass (BF%) among …

The Impact Of Anthropometric Measurements On Lactate Levels At Rest And During Exercise, Ashley Kristine Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

49 Pages

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between anthropometric measures with heart rates (HR) at specific blood lactate concentrations [bLa] during exercise.

Method: Participants and data for this study were collected by an orthopedic rehabilitation center in Central Illinois. Participants underwent lactate testing following METHOD CRA protocol on an upright cycle and an optional DEXA scan. Heart rate values at Prime (2 mmol/L), Anaerobic (4 mmol/L) and Peak (6 mmol//L) blood lactate concentrations were recorded. Data was analyzed using Pearson correlations.

Results: A total of 59 participants were included. Participants ages ranged from 21 …

The Effects Of Nutrition Smartphone Applications On Parents’ Grocery Shopping And Meal Planning Behaviors, Lacey Bertram

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental research study was to determine the effects that nutrition smartphone applications, specifically grocery list generation applications, have on parents’ overall grocery shopping experience and meal planning behaviors for their families. The prevalence of adolescent obesity in today’s society has significantly increased to an alarming rate and family mealtimes together have decreased. Family mealtimes together can impact a child’s weight status and future health outcomes. A total of 10 participants investigated and classified the aspects in a nutrition smartphone application that were beneficial to meal planning and grocery shopping. The findings indicated that a nutrition smartphone …

Social Media Posts' Influence On College Athletes' Protein Knowledge, Kriston T. Love

Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to examine how Instagram can be used as a means of education for collegiate athletes and their knowledge of protein. More specifically this research aimed to compare the prior knowledge about protein that collegiate athletes have to the knowledge they may have retained after being exposed to posts on Instagram about protein. It also aimed to determine the knowledge of protein collegiate athletes already had and if their sport and year in school influenced their protein knowledge. This study surveyed Division I collegiate athletes on their social media use and knowledge of protein before and after being …

A Qualitative Study Of The Genesis Of A Community Food Pantry For Students Of Higher Education, Elizabeth Fast

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this case study was to understand the development of a food pantry for students of higher education at a Midwestern university.

Methods: The researchers recruited 11 individuals on the food pantry’s board using a snowball sampling method to participate in a 30-minute interview about the food pantry’s development from conception to implementation. The interviews were transcribed and then qualitatively analyzed by two researchers. The researchers coded interviews separately to identify frequent commonalities between participant responses. The researchers then organized the codes into themes, which were then summarized in the results of this study.

Results: The first …

The Effects Of Nutrition Claims On Consumer Purchasing Of Snacks In White Collar And Blue Collar Working Environments, Cecily Rose Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine if signage of nutrition claims increased the purchasing of snacks in white collar and blue collar working environments. Additionally, the study also observed if the nutrition claims were more effective in one working class over the other. The prevalence of obesity in employed adults has significantly increased in the last decade. Dietary patterns, including snacking habits, have been found to play a significant role in the decline of working adults’ health. The percentage change formula was utilized as the statistical analysis for this study. This analysis evaluated the changes in the …

Effects Of Video Technology On Cooking Self-Efficacy, Zakary Kaesberg

Theses and Dissertations

College students, on average, have poor nutritional habits associated with increasing risk of obesity and chronic disease later in life. Today’s average student has low self-efficacy for cooking meals in the home and thus, is highly dependent on convenience-type food items. A valuable technique for improving cooking skill in individuals is through the use of video technology to teach cooking. Undergraduate students are likely Millennials, and prefer to use technology for learning purposes. The objective of this study was to test the effect of video technology on cooking self-efficacy in undergraduate college students living off-campus at a public Midwestern University. …

The Effects Of Highlighting Healthy Options On Consumer Food Choices In A Food Bank Setting, Kaitlin Nicole Grabow

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of highlighting healthy food options on consumer food choices in a food bank setting.

Methods: Two community food banks participated in this study. One food bank served as the control, while a second food bank was rearranged so that fresh produce and other healthy products were the first options that shoppers encountered upon entering. After shopping, carts were inventoried for healthy vs non-healthy products. Composition of the carts from the control food bank were then compared to the contents of the carts from the intervention food bank.

Results: A …

Fiber Intake In Hemodialysis Patients And Its Effects On Symptoms, Jennifer Langner

Theses and Dissertations

On average 30 million adults are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States (National Kidney Foundation, 2017). Patients in late stage kidney disease and on dialysis are placed on a restrictive diet to aid in the treatment of their disease. There are adverse symptoms associated with dialysis including nausea, constipation, diarrhea and fatigue. Fiber has been shown to decrease gastrointestinal symptoms such as reducing constipation and inflammation in the body in healthy populations. This study examined 19 hemodialysis dialysis patients and their fiber intake in relation to a variety of symptoms such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, …

Hydration Knowledge And Intake In High School Student Athletes, Erin Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Heat related illness is one of the leading causes of death in high school athletes.

Proper hydration strategies have been shown to decrease heat related illness in college and

professional athletes. However, limited research has been conducted on the hydration habits of

high school athletes. The increase in high school sports participation has put more athletes at

risk for dehydration. The purpose of the study is to investigate the hydration status and impact of

an educational intervention on hydration habits of high school student athletes, by assessing their

current understanding of hydration and monitoring their fluid intake, during practice. …

Framed Text Messages As A Nutrition Education Intervention, Michael James O'Halloran

Theses and Dissertations

A youth’s college years is a critical period in health behavior formation, during which body mass index (BMI) and other health behaviors such as diet and physical activity are strong predictors of adult health status. Text messaging is prominent in the lives of most college-age adults. Despite this, relatively few studies have investigated the potential of utilizing a text message-based intervention to target fruit and vegetable consumption, a measure for weight management behaviors. Additionally, few studies utilizing a text message-based intervention have utilized a theory specific to the creation of behavior-motivating text messages. The gain-framed health behavior messages of Prospect …

Dietary Sodium And Blood Pressure Changes In Hemodialysis Patients Undergoing A Liberalized Renal Diet Intervention, Lauren Eve Chan

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Investigate the impacts of individual liberalized renal diet counseling in conjunction with a volume reduction hemodialysis (HD) protocol.

Design & Methods: Twenty-three maintenance HD patients (age = 55.7 ± 13.3y, 47.8% female), consented and completed this pilot intervention. Across the six-month intervention, participants received thrice weekly dietary counseling about a liberalized renal diet. Liberalized renal dietary guidelines promoted a low sodium diet with greater unprocessed food consumption, decreasing foods eaten outside the home, and increased food label reading. Participant HD sessions were conducted per a volume reduction protocol, gradually decreasing patient post-dialysis weight by removing an additional 200-300 mL/session. …

Physical Activity And Associated Energy Intake In Undergraduate College Students, Erin Marie Fejes

Theses and Dissertations

Background: College students often develop unhealthy eating habits. Poor eating habits can lead to chronic disease.

Methods: Energy intake and physical activity data from 35 undergraduate students enrolled in a 100-level kinesiology class were recorded and analyzed. Energy intake data was self-reported, while physical activity data was recorded via an activity tracker.

Results: Data points were analyzed twice: each day separately and as averages for each participant. When analyzed as averages, grams of total fat and grams of carbohydrate were the most significantly correlated with minutes of moderate to vigorous+ physical activity (both p<0.01). When analyzed by day, grams of protein, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugar, and fiber were all found to be significantly correlated with minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity to the p≤0.01 level.

Conclusion: An increase in physical activity …

Desert Within A City: Exploring The Relationship Between Food Security, Diet, And Body Mass Index, Jamey Ann Baietto

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Food deserts are areas of decreased access to nutritious and affordable foods. Residing within a defined food desert is thought to decrease consumption of produce, dairy, and whole grains and increase consumption of energy-dense foods as well as body mass index (BMI).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the level of food security on consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, high-sugar foods, high-fat foods, and BMI.

Design: A one-time, self-administered data collection packet was sent to residents of a food desert. The Dietary Screener Questionnaire was utilized to determine the average daily …

Scheduling Recess: Perceptions Of Lunchroom Supervisors, Teachers, And Principal, Reilly Layne Mckinnis

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions of elementary school staff in regards to scheduling recess after or before lunch and the effect each schedule had on students.

Methods

This research was conducted in Fall 2016 when a Midwestern elementary school had recess after lunch (RAL) and in Spring 2017 when the same school had recess before lunch (RBL). A mixed methods approach was used. Nineteen teachers completed a Likert-scale survey, six of whom completed both the pre- and post-survey. One principal and five lunchroom supervisors participated in individual semi-structured interviews pertaining to their perceptions of …

Evaluating The Evidence And Assessing Registered Dietitian Nutritionists' Perceptions Of The Complex Renal Dietary Restrictions, Alyssa Lee Welte

Theses and Dissertations

The renal diet is often regarded as challenging to teach and follow, and can easily lead to additional complications, including malnutrition. Recent trends in the literature have suggested a liberalization in the renal diet, though no studies have assessed whether Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are comfortable making this change. An original, cross-sectional survey was created for this study. 187 renal dietitians completed the survey which revealed that only 15.3% of participants felt it is acceptable to liberalize the standard dietary restriction on fruits and vegetables, and 13.6% said the same about the bean and legume restriction. 19.9% are extremely likely …

The Effects Of Dietary Intake On Fuel Metabolism During Aerobic Capacity Exercise, Taylor Lynn Stephenson

Theses and Dissertations

In order to produce mechanical energy through muscular activity, the body must oxidize chemical energy, carbohydrate, fat, or protein through metabolic processes, which then results in the production of ATP as mechanical energy through exercise. Total body metabolism, specifically skeletal muscle depends on factors such as the intensity and duration of exercise, substrate availability, and Training status. During exercise at low intensities (25% of VO2 max) fat is the primary macronutrient that is oxidized for energy. As the exercise intensity progresses, (65% of VO2 max) there is an alteration in skeletal muscle utilization, which results in mainly the use of …

Intervention Effects Of An Eating Disorder Prevention Program Utilized By A Public University, Krista B. Deceault

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Negative body image, disordered eating, and eating disorders affect large numbers of young women each year. The use of dissonance-based eating disorder prevention programs in college-aged women has been shown to improve how women feel about their bodies and better equip women for challenging stereotypes that exist in the culture today.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intervention strategies of the “Body Project,” an eating disorder prevention program, and assess the effectiveness on reducing five eating disorder risk factors; thin-ideal internalization, diet restraint, body dissatisfaction, negative affect, and eating disorder symptoms.

Design: Two years of …

Association Of Fruit And Vegetable Intake With Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Adolescents, Jonathan C. Grimwood

Theses and Dissertations

An association has been established between total dietary energy intake and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adolescents. However, there is little research examining specific dietary components, such as fruit and vegetable intake. PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this research is to determine if an association exists between fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake and CRF in adolescents. A secondary purpose of this study is to determine if an association exists between F/V intake and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: A sample of 424 adolescents (234 males and 190 females), age 10-18 years, completed the Dietary Behavior section of the Youth Risk Behavior …

The Influence Of Online Social Networking Sites On Selection Into A Dietetic Internship, Noel Lorraine Konken

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Acceptance into a Dietetic Internship (DI) Program is a competitive application process where the growing number of applicants exceeds the number of available positions. Because of this, Dietetic Internship (DI) directors may need to outsource external applicant information on social networking sites (SNS) to better differentiate among top candidates.

Objective: The purpose of this study surveying didactic program in dietetics (DPD) directors and DI directors was to evaluate the effects of SNS education on DPD match rate and how DI directors utilize SNS while reviewing potential candidates’ application materials.

Design: DPD and DI directors were emailed a link to …

Understanding The Association Between Nutrition And Depression By Assessing Diet Quality, Omega-3, Cholesterol, And Sleep Quality In College Students, Kandice H. Abramson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Depression is one of the most common health problems in college students. Understanding the associations between diet quality, total blood cholesterol, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms could aide in improving the mental health of this population.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between diet quality, omega-3 fatty acid intake, total blood cholesterol levels, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms in college students.

Design: Data were collected from a convenience sampling of participants in a general physical fitness course at Illinois State University. The Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI), a composite measure to assess adherence to …

Effectiveness Of Intuitive Eating Intervention Through A Text Messaging Program Among College Students, Tessa J. Loughran

Theses and Dissertations

A critical time period to prevent overweight may be the college age years. College students experience newfound food independence, possibly resulting in the formation of poor eating habits, such as overeating, or binge eating, placing them at high risk for obesity. Additionally, college students with high perceived stress levels are more likely to experience emotional eating, which may lead to weight gain. Intuitive Eating (IE) practice focuses on listening to the hunger and satiety signals, in hopes that it will prevent overeating, resulting in weight loss. Recently, texting intervention has been seen to be a successful intervention platform for behavior …

Establishing Sustainable Community Garden Interventions With Aid From Health Promotion Organizations, Rachel Joann Buenemann

Theses and Dissertations

Community garden interventions provide policy, system and environmental change at the community level to establish health behaviors, which act in contest to obesity risk factors. Limited research examines factors, which influence the sustainability of community garden interventions. Therefore, in this study, a sample of 10 Midwestern community gardens associated through funding from a health promotion organization in 2013, collected data through the interviewing and surveying of 10 garden administrators and surveying of 12 garden volunteers. The study identified garden benefits perceived by garden administrators and volunteers to include contributions to social justice, continued education, enhanced social cohesion, increased access to …

Predictors Of Caffeine-Related Withdrawal Symptoms In College Freshmen, David J. Pomm

Theses and Dissertations

While caffeine withdrawal has been well-characterized, research on caffeine intake and factors associated with withdrawal has been limited. The present study examined prevalence rates of caffeine use and identified psychosocial factors associated with having caffeine withdrawal headaches (CWH). Participants were N = 1,989 college freshmen who participated in the 2011 Spit for Science project. Caffeine use was reported by 80% of the sample. Females were more likely than males to consume caffeine, and soda was the primary source of caffeine for both genders. As hypothesized, daily caffeine users were more likely to report CWH than non-daily users. When multivariable analyses …