Life Sciences Commons^™

Understanding Eating Behaviors And The Factors That Affect Them In Caucasian And Ethnic Minority College Students, Warrenesha Arnold

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many studies have shown that college students do not eat well (Huang et al., 1994; Lorenzoni et al., 2021; Majeed, 2015). Research has identified factors that contribute to the reasons students don’t eat well. Factors such as food preferences (Deliens et al., 2014) eating habits before college (El Ansari et al., 2012), stress (Choi, 2020), dietary knowledge (Deliens et al., 2014; Nani, 2016), availability and accessibility of healthy foods (Payne-Sturges, 2017), knowledge of how to cook (Halfacre et al., 2021) and costs of food (Maroto et al., 2014) contributed to reasons students don’t eat nutritious meals. Dhillon et al. (2019) …

Student Preferences On The Development Of A Non-Alcoholic Beverage Product To Alleviate The Negative Impact Of Alcohol On College Campuses, Cecilia Azar

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Alcohol abuse and peer pressure to drink are prominent issues on college campuses across the nation. More than 50 percent of college students aged 18 to 22 consume alcohol monthly and 33 percent consistently engage in binge drinking (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2021a). A non-alcoholic beverage product marketed to students as an alternative to alcohol in social settings could alleviate some of the negative impacts, such as peer pressure and the dangers caused by overconsumption.

Through two phases, this study implements University of Arkansas student preferences and recipe modification in the development of a non-alcoholic beverage product …

Camp: Children’S Acceptance Of Muffins With Different Proteins, Amber Knoernschild

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

In 2019, around 40% of school-aged children in Arkansas were classified as overweight (~17%) and obese (~23%), according to BMI data collected. Children with obesity have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Unhealthy eating habits, such as skipping breakfast, have been strongly associated with overeating, weight gain and obesity. Breakfast is a key component of a healthy diet and can positively impact children’s health and well-being. However, there has been a steady decline in breakfast consumption in US children over the past 40 years. Specifically, breakfast consumption declined among 8–10-yearold children by 9% and adolescents …

The Art Of Nutrition, Kylanna Hardaway

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many colleges and universities offer students access to on-campus food pantries, yet very few students utilize these services despite reporting high rates of food insecurity. Considering the importance of a healthy diet on the developing minds of young adults, it is pertinent that colleges and universities find innovative ways to reach food insecure students. The purpose of this hybrid creative-research project was to creatively address commonly cited barriers of seeking food assistance (i.e., negative stigma, embarrassment, unknown location, awareness of resource, etc.) using public art. A mural was designed to encourage healthy eating behaviors and provide signage for the Jane …

Recipe Modification For Cardiovascular Health, Meg Tolbert

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. CVDs affect the heart and blood vessels. The most prominent CVDs are coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions. More than four out of five CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes.

The most important behavioral risk factors of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, but also include harmful abuse of tobacco and alcohol. These lifestyle factors display themselves as phenotypes like high blood pressure, high blood glucose and blood lipids, diabetes, and obesity. These risk factors, outside of genotype …

Food Allergy Education In The Hospitality Industry, Hayley Stull

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food allergies affect thousands of people, because hospitality foodservice workers come into contact with the public, it is necessary that they need to be fully trained to ensure the safety of the public. This is especially important for those who possess food allergies. Previous research has shown major gaps in knowledge amongst these workers, which can lead to the potential to harm individuals with a food allergy. There is a lack in the consistency of training specifically concerning food allergies for food service workers across all states in the U.S. There are previous forms of educational tools concerning food allergies …

Applying Artificial Intelligence In The Hotel Industry: Exploring Perspectives Of Employees, Logan O'Hara

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Service Automation, or RAISA, has become increasingly accessible and affordable for a wider demographic of businesses, including hospitality operations, to implement over the last couple of decades. Especially over the past five years, we’ve seen a significant surge of interest in automating within the service industry and a coupled sense of uneasiness that this technological development would in turn displace the human workers, due to factors such as cost of labor and perceived removal of human error; however, this thesis will posit that automation is most effectively used by augmenting the capabilities of the present workforce. …

Consumer Perceptions Of Plastic-Free Food Packaging, Cara Conner

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study surveyed consumers in Fayetteville, Arkansas to assess their perceptions of plastic-free food packaging. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, surveys were administered via email to Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences undergraduate students and faculty at the University of Arkansas. Eleven questions were asked in the survey. Numerical values were assigned to each answer option in order to interpret the results. The factors impacting consumer decisions to purchase foods packaged with or without plastic were ranked from greatest to least: sanitation/safety, availability where shopping, cost, shelf-life, and convenience. Food packaging materials were ranked from most to …

The Effect Of Whey Protein Supplementation At Breakfast On Tryptophan Levels, Food Intake, And Mood In Postmenopausal Women In A 16-Week Randomized Controlled Trial, Danielle Warren

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Whey protein isolate supplementation has been recognized as having potential for regulating appetite, thereby potentially improving mood and food intake.

The objectives of this project were to 1) analyze the effects of high-quality whey protein intake on overall diet, and 2) identify and examine a correlation between tryptophan levels and mood regulation.

This research was conducted using a randomized experimental design. A total of 13 post-menopausal women (12+ months after last reported menstrual cycle) were recruited and allocated to one of two dietary intervention (DI) groups: 1) control (maintain current lifestyle; CON; n = 6), and 2) whey protein isolate …

How Background Factors Affect Culinary Skills And Knowledge, Mackenzie Harrell

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Students preparing to be registered dietitians must learn and retain culinary skills and knowledge so they can use it in their future career. If dietitians’ nutritional knowledge is limited to medical situations, they cannot educate the public about planning and preparing healthy meals. The purpose of this study was to determine if a student’s history of cooking, shopping for groceries, and other background factors affect culinary skills and knowledge, and to determine the appropriate curriculum for undergraduate students to prepare them for their career as a dietitian. This study was in part a continuation of an assessment conducted by my …

Food Accessibility Related To Double Your Dollar Program, Julia Carlson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Double Your Dollar (DYD) Program is a program that gives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) participants match dollars to spend at local farmers markets. Users are able to spend these dollars on fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, dairy, jam/jelly, honey and food producing plants. DYD’s goal is to incentivize healthy eating among individuals of low income, promote local purchases, and increase spending at farmers markets. Food insecurity effects over 60,000 individuals in Washington and Benton county. With food accessibility being an area of concern in Northwest Arkansas, programs like SNAP and SFMNP …

Association Of Micronutrient Inadequacy And Body Mass Index In Young Adults, Taylor Peabody

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background

Micronutrient inadequacy has been found at higher levels in overweight and obese individuals in a broad range of ages relative to healthy weight. Insufficient micronutrient levels can have a negative impact on physical and mental health along with excess weight.

Objective

Due to health consequences related to inadequate micronutrient intake and the understanding that the general population not only fails to meet the majority of micronutrient recommendations, but is also overweight or obese, the objective of this study is to first, determine if young adults in the Northwest Arkansas Region are consuming adequate levels of micronutrients and second, if …

Assessment Of Factors That Impact Hydration Status Of Professional And Collegiate Mascots, Caroline Atwell

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mascots have unique physical demands and nutrition needs. They exert themselves tremendously on a variety of game days and at practices throughout the week. Hydration is as significant for mascots as it is for any other athlete, yet there is little to no known research available to help this population achieve a good hydration status. Studying similar populations such as cheerleaders, band members, football players, and firefighters provided a better understanding of mascot hydration. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of hydration knowledge in mascots performing at the collegiate and professional levels and determine the different …

The Association Between Fruit And Vegetable Consumption And Mental Health Among Young Adults, Natalie Miller

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

While the majority of the American population is aware that fruits and vegetables can improve physical health, research also suggests that mental health may benefits as well. With depression and anxiety rates increasing and fruit and vegetable consumption decreasing across the country there is potential that the two are related. It has been found that majority of American adults do not meet fruit and vegetable recommendations, while 16 million adults face depression and anxiety. Young adults reported the lowest amount of fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as some of the highest rates of depression and anxiety. The purpose of …

Increasing Low-Income Residents’ Access To Fresh Produce Through A Local Mobile Pantry, Laura Wasson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Seeds that Feed (STF) is a mobile food pantry located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. STF receives produce from local farmers to distribute to residents in low-income housing sites throughout Northwest Arkansas. According to Feeding America, food insecurity affected 14.3% Washington County, Arkansas’ population in 2016. The purpose of this study was to determine if STF’s model is an effective way to increase individuals’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables and increase their potential to meet the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Patterns (USDA-FP) for to fruit and vegetable consumption. Twenty-three participants from three sites completed the study. A survey was …

Allergy Training Or Lack Thereof, Madelyn Freeman, Mary Kate Klenke

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food allergies affect many people in our society today, and the food service industry must keep up with the demand for allergen-free food from their customers. The objective of this research is to gain insight from the employee’s perspective of the importance of food allergies and what training method would help them learn best. Through this research we intend to learn how we can engage employees during training, increase training retention, and stress the importance to change their behaviors and utilize safe practices in regards to allergens. We compared both quick and full-service restaurants’ food-allergy training methods in this study …

Determining The Physical And Social Barriers That Prevent Food-Insecure Students At The University Of Arkansas From Using The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Campus Food Pantry, Sarah Elizabeth Yanniello

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the reasons why 38% of the students at the University of Arkansas experience food insecurity, yet only 1% of students have used the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Campus Food Pantry, in hopes to provide a guide to the Center for Community Engagement in their endeavors to reduce food insecurity on campus (Lisnic, 2016). An online survey was created using Qualtrics software, was submitted to and approved by the University of Arkansas Institutional Review Board, and was distributed to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Arkansas. The sample size …

Effects Of Mitochondrial Nadp+-Dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Deficiency On Fructose-Induced Obesity In Mice, Allison Michelle Montalbano, Kaleigh Elizabeth Beane

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Obesity prevalence in the United States continues to increase and is associated with health consequences such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia. Among many contributing factors to obesity, fructose may be one of the major reasons as it disrupts the antioxidant system thereby resulting in an accumulation of reactive oxidative species and leading to obese conditions. The enzyme, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2), reduces nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate from the TCA Cycle, hence might be implicated with not only energy metabolism but also cellular redox homeostasis. Therefore, the hypothesis was that IDH2 deficiency in mice would exacerbate hepatic lipid …

The Effect Of Breakfast On Energy Metabolism, Appetite, And Food Intake In Young Versus Older Men, Allie Murphy

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

As life expectancy continues to rise, it is important to consider optimal nutrition recommendations to improve health outcomes, quality of life, and physical independence in older adults. Previous studies have focused on the impact of breakfast on postprandial appetite in younger adults. Research on the effects of breakfast on appetite in older adults is limited. Several studies have identified protein as a key nutrient for older adults. Protein has been shown to increase satiety for longer periods of time and decrease cravings later in the day when compared to high carbohydrate meals. However, more research is needed to determine the …

Limiting Food Waste In Child Care Facilities Through Implementation Of Portion Sizes, Margaret E. Wright

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food waste in child care facilities is both a monetary waste and a danger to the environment. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of portion control in a child care facility on the amount of food wasted and the costs associated with food waste. It was hypothesized that establishment of portion control will result in a reduction in the amount of food waste of lunches and afternoon snacks generated by preschool children attending the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center (JTCDSC). A four-week study was conducted where two trials were introduced: 1 two-week trial using the …

Anti-Cancer And Bioavailability Of Arachidin-1 And Arachidin-3 In Colon Cancer Cells, Macy R. Shirley

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cancer is a common cause of death in the United States and locally in the state of Arkansas. Modifiable factors such as tobacco use, physical activity, and diet lead to reduced incidence of colon cancer diagnosis. Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals that confer health promoting properties. Specifically, peanuts contain phytochemicals known as resveratrol, arachidin-1, and arachidin-3 that have been linked to anticancer activities. However, a few research studies have been done on arachidin-1 and arachidin-3 that could further develop understanding of their health promoting properties or nutraceutical applications. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the most effective …

Evaluation Of Protein Source At Breakfast On Energy Metabolism, Metabolic Health, And Food Intake: A Pilot Study, Lauren A. Cambias

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Over 30% of adults in the US are obese. A primary contributor to obesity is an unhealthy diet related to imbalanced macronutrients. Diets higher in protein (PRO) are associated with increased energy expenditure (EE) and reduced food intake. The objective of this pilot study was to determine if protein source at breakfast influences EE in young men (n=4; ages 18-35). Participants consumed three isocaloric (whey (WP), pea (PP), beef (BP); 275 kcal, 62% PRO, 23% CHO, 15% Fat) drinks in randomized, crossover design with a one-week washout period. Each test day EE, appetite, and cravings were assessed at 0, …

Educated Birth: Beliefs Vs. Outcomes, Lauren Presley

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

“Our infant mortality rate is a national embarrassment.”¹ The words seem shocking and harsh across the headline of a 2014 Washington Post article. The thought of America not only not being the best at something, but falling upsettingly behind, is a foreign concept to many who view America as a nation inferior to none. However, the statistics on infant mortality rate tell the stark truth that of 26 “wealthy” countries, the U.S. ranks last, with a sobering 6.1 deaths per 1,000 live infant births.²

Part of the Healthy People 2020 Objectives is to reduce the rate of infant …