Life Sciences Commons^™

Autophagy Regulation After Diet And Exercise In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Megan Elizabeth Rosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Along with the rise in obesity, rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have also increased. NAFLD may begin with fat accumulation in the liver, but can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and eventual cirrhosis. With no pharmacological treatment for NASH, lifestyle interventions appear vital to maintaining liver health. Previous work has shown aberrant mitochondrial content/quality and autophagy in models of NAFLD. Exercise is known to improve mitochondrial health and possibly autophagy, thus autophagy may be a key regulatory factor for treatment of obesity induced-NAFLD. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine how weight loss from diet …

Portion Size Communication By Means Of Package Design, Tami J. Strickland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study assessed consumers’ current methods of determining portion sizing of chicken products and examined their perceptions of how effectively three package designs communicate portion size. Everett M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (DI) Theory analyzes the characteristics of the consumer of the innovation (adopter) and the impact these characteristics have on adopting new innovations. The innovation in this study will be the prototype packaging. Focusing on Rogers’ adopter characteristics and defined proprietary consumer segmentation characteristics, this study will be pivotal for future package design projects targeting nutrition education.

Focus group questions were scrutinized through a pilot study and revised …

The Validity Of Urine Color Self-Assessment As An Index Of Hydration In Males, Daniel Layne Nixon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While water intake is so important, there are few practical hydration assessment techniques for the general population to use on a daily basis. The present study examined the accuracy of self-assessed urine color (Ucol) as a potential hydration assessment tool. Male college aged subjects provided a urine sample into a custom built urinal (n=76; 1.79±0.76 m, 83.9±16.0 kg). The urinal contained a picture of the 1-8 color scale and a light and dark urine color scale. Subjects were asked to give their urine color estimation as a whole number integer and to estimate if their urine was light or dark. …

Effects Of Soybean Pectin On Blood Glucose And Insulin Responses In Healthy Men, Melissa Ann Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to examine the effects of soy pectin on postprandial plasma glucose and insulin responses in healthy adult males␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣ intestinal microbiota to determine if differences in weight or body mass index would be linked to differences in microbiota populations. Pectin is a soluble fiber with demonstrated health benefits such as the ability to lower blood glucose and cholesterol, increase satiety leading to lower caloric intake, improve insulin resistance and lower inflammation. These benefits suggest that pectin may help in prevention and treatment of type II diabetes. Soy pectin is extracted from hulls, a waste product …

The Longitudinal Effects Of Beta-Alanine On Punch Power, Punch Frequency, And Fatigue In Female Amateur Fighters, Rodger Wayne Stewart

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid typically obtained in the diet via high-protein foods (beef, chicken, pork, and fish) and produced in the confines of the liver. BA is a precursor to the cytoplasmic dipeptide carnosine (beta-alanylhistidine). Carnosine is found in high concentrations in human skeletal muscle where it plays a key role in intracellular pH buffering. Research indicates BA supplementation increased punch power, punch frequency, and lactate concentrations in male amateur fighters after 28-day supplementation. There are currently no studies evaluating the effects of BA on boxing performance variables in women. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to …

Effects Of Mild Hypohydration And Hyperthermia On Cognition And Mood In Obese And Non-Obese Females, Jenna Marie Burchfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Information regarding effects of hypohydration (HY) and hyperthermia (HT) on cognition, mood and development of symptoms is conflicting since the two conditions often confound each other. Further, although obese individuals may have physiological impairments during heat stress, whether psychological impairments occur with HY and HT is unknown. PURPOSE: To assess the independent and combined effects of mild HY and HT on cognition, mood, and the development of symptoms in obese and non-obese females. METHODS: Twenty-two healthy females (11 non-obese, 22±2y, 61±6kg, 25±4% body fat; 11 obese, 22±2y, 80±18kg, 44±5% body fat) volunteered in two randomized, repeated-measures trials, involving passive …

Hypohydration And Mood State In Free-Living Males And Females, Thomas Edward Vidal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that acute dehydration can result in changes in mood. These changes have been reported in less than a 1% loss in total body water. However, the effect of hypohydration (i.e., reflected through high urine concentration) on mood in free-living conditions has not been studied. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to determine if hydration status is associated with mood within the general population under free-living conditions. METHODS: A group of 103 apparently healthy subjects (49 male, 54 female, 41±14 y, 1.7±0.1 m, 76.1±16.9 kg) completed three visits separated by a week. Mood was assessed by the …

Development Of A Nutrition Education Tool To Reduce The Risk Of Childhood Obesity In A Northwest Arkansas Hispanic Population, Katherine Ross, Mallori Sando, Cynthia Moore

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The goal of this qualitative research project is to create a bilingual education tool to equip the participants of the English as a Second Language (EASL) class at the Elmdale Elementary School, in Springdale, Ark., to reduce the risk of childhood obesity in their children. Adults of Hispanic descent are at a high risk for developing obesity and so are their children. Children who are overweight and/or obese have a high risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health complications. As a side effect of the language barrier some Hispanics experience, it may be difficult for …

The Effect Of Breakfast Protein Source On Postprandial Hunger And Glucose Response In Normal Weight And Overweight Young Women, Christina Crowder, Brianna I. Neumann, Jamie I. Baum

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Breakfast consumption has been linked to health benefits such as improved weight regulation and glucose control. Studies have shown higher protein breakfasts lead to a greater reduction in hunger compared to breakfasts higher in carbohydrates. However, few studies have examined the impact of higher protein breakfasts from differing protein sources. The objective of this study was to determine if protein quality (animal (AP) versus plant (PP) protein) influences postprandial appetite, food cravings, food intake and glucose response in participants consuming a high protein breakfast (~30% energy from protein). We hypothesized that AP would be more satiating than PP. Normal weight …

Leadership In Food Policy: Raising A Foodie Part Ii, Ashyln Cook, Amy Moorehead, Kelly A. Way

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Obesity is experiencing a problematic rise in America. Children develop habits that potentially last a lifetime, which also dictate their medical fate. The focus of this study was to identify and decrease the factors of childhood obesity through education, healthy eating, and changes in food choices through surveys administered by the researchers. Previous research has linked obesity to the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and chronic diseases in children through decreased physical activity and poor diet due to the lack of essential nutrition knowledge. Other factors contributing to childhood obesity include poor food preparation/creation, deceptive advertising, cultural habits, and an …

Effects Of Grain Sorghum Muffin On Blood Glucose And Insulin Responses In Prediabetic Men, Xuan Gu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prediabetes is a sub-health condition in the development to type 2 diabetes, which has been long overlooked. Grain sorghum contains functional starch fractions, which have been widely reported for their potential on blood glucose control and diabetes prevention. A human study with prediabetic men was conducted to investigate the effects of sorghum starch on postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels. Grain sorghum and wheat (control) muffins containing 50 g total starch were consumed by 15 prediabetic male subjects on two mornings with a 1-week washout period. Plasma samples were collected on -15 (baseline), 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, …

Impact Of Healthy Lifestyle Choices On Smoking Behavior Among College Students Who Smoke Cigarettes, Mitchell Jenkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impact certain healthy lifestyle choices had on smoking behavior among college students who smoke cigarettes. Even with continued reduction in prevalence, cigarette smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in America. With that in mind, it is important to continue to identify factors that relate to decreased tobacco usage. Secondary data from the American College Health Association's bi-yearly National College Health Assessment was used for this study. This assessment/survey encompasses college students' habits, behaviors, and perceptions regarding prevalent health topics. The sample for this study consisted of 14,515 college students who identified themselves as …

Nutrition Knowledge Of High School Senior Students In Northwest Arkansas, Grace Heymsfield, Cynthia Moore

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Though there are many complex factors influencing diet, nutrition knowledge correlates with healthier food choices in older adolescents and can play a pivotal role in health. Nutrition curriculum was addressed in the state of Arkansas through Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003. Numerous changes have been seen in the school environment regarding nutrition, but there is no means of testing nutrition curriculum effectiveness in terms of nutrition knowledge of students. It is the purpose of this descriptive study to improve understanding of the nutrition knowledge of high school seniors. High school senior students (n = 25; males = 12, females = …

Effect Of Functional Starch In Brown Rice And Grain Sorghum On Plasma Glucose And Insulin Responses In Humans, Nicole Marie Poquette

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes and obesity are chronic illnesses increasing at dramatic rates in the U.S. and around the world. Research has looked to prevent or control diabetes and obesity through functional ingredients such as healthy-dietary carbohydrates to control blood glucose levels. Starch is a principle carbohydrate, which influences blood glucose levels, and measuring starch digestibility fractions can help predict the glucose response in the body. The objectives of this study were to investigate the functional starch content of parboiled brown rice flour and grain sorghum flour, and measure the effects on postprandial plasma glucose and insulin levels of 14 and 10 healthy …

The Impact Of Parent Education On Parental Feeding Practices, Larra Kolby Brawley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research looked at the potential impact that parent education may have on the feeding practices of parents of young children. Since eating behaviors are a national concern for both children and adults, it's important to examine how we can create not just healthier children but, as a result, healthier adults. This study utilized an intervention that was an adapted version of a healthy eating curriculum created by Sesame Workshop and the California WIC association with the intention of improving parental feeding practices through a behavior-based approach. Previous research with this curriculum has addressed only low-income populations, with a relatively …

Physio-Chemical And Sensory Properties Of A Nutrient-Fortified Extruded Product, Tajudini Lassissi Akande

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein malnutrition is responsible for half the deaths of children under the age of five each year in developing countries. More than 4%, 26%, and 70% of children with protein malnutrition live in Latin America/the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, respectively. The objective of this research was to develop a novel snack made with millet, black eye bean (from Niger Republic), and rice flour fortified with soybean meal protein using extrusion technology. Proximate analysis of the four flours was carried out to determine their chemical composition. Central composite design (CCD) was used to obtain best extrusion conditions to develop a protein-enriched …

Food Environment And Childhood Obesity, Yucong Jiao

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines whether children's food environment, especially food stores that have fresh produce, affects obesity prevalence among elementary school children in the state of Arkansas. Misclassified food outlet types in the Dun and Bradstreet commercial data set were first corrected and then food environment measures were computed and aggregated to geographic regions corresponding to school attendance areas. After applying classical panel estimation, it was found that the fixed effects model fit the data best. Results indicate that an additional supermarket within a one-mile radial of the census neighborhood block center will bring down childhood obesity prevalence by 0.58 percent, …

Nutrition Knowledge Of Pre-Medical Students, Jennifer Newcome, Cynthia Moore

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Nutrition knowledge has been shown to be increasingly critical in physician practice. Therefore, education has also become very critical. Medical schools have been working over the last few decades to include nutrition education in their curriculum, but due to many barriers, it is difficult to fulfil requirements. It is the purpose of this descriptive study to determine the nutrition knowledge of pre-medical students at the University of Arkansas and conclude if a nutrition class for these students would be beneficial. The average score of the nutrition knowledge assessment was 11.2 ± 3.04 out of a possible 23. Because the literature …

Can Antioxidant-Rich Berries Improve Risk Factors Associated With Cardiovascular Disease In Postmenopausal Smokers?, Jordan Alaine Teeple

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and determine the efficacy of antioxidant-rich berries in ameliorating these risk factors in postmenopausal smokers. Menopause and cigarette smoking have been identified as major risk factors for CVD due to a decrease in antioxidant protection, increase in inflammation and oxidative stress, and adverse changes in serum lipids. Antioxidants, specifically flavonoid compounds found in blackberries and blueberries, have been shown to prevent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation and thus prevent downstream inflammation and oxidative stress. Healthy, postmenopausal nonsmokers (n=14) and smokers (n=31) …