Life Sciences Commons^™

Santa Clara County Senior Nutrition Program Evaluation Report, Tae Hwan Ihm

Master's Projects

Santa Clara County conducts a Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) in conjunction with the City of San Jose, the Outreach Paratransit Program and local community-based organizations (CBOs) like Sourcewise (Lam, 2015). These programs combined represent a significant investment of public funds, with more than 45% of the SNP program’s funding coming from the county General Fund (Lam, 2015). Such a large financial commitment needs to demonstrate some benefit to the participants, and some positive outcomes from the current program design. This study evaluated the SNP’s effectiveness in achieving its primary goals. Primary goals of the SNP are to promote senior citizens’ …

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 …

Modifiable And Non-Modifiable Factors Related To The Macular Pigment Optical Density (Mpod) In A Population Of College-Aged Adults, Genesis Gisselle Guerra Gaitan

LSU Master's Theses

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness among the elderly worldwide. Retinal problems, specifically in the macula, hold potential for development of AMD. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) gives a measure of the thickness of the macula and therefore health of the macula. Some of the populations at risk for development of AMD include being white, female, and having light eye color. Factors related to the development of the disease have been divided into modifiable and non-modifiable; non-modifiable include a genetic predisposition. Control of modifiable factors, including body mass index (BMI) and diet [dietary intake …

The Effect Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids On Energy Metabolism, Energy Intake, And Metabolic Response In Normal Weight And Overweight And Obese School Aged Children (8-12 Years), Charlayne Mitchell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Obesity is a major health concern in the United States. Omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA) have been observed to improve metabolic health and therefore might be useful in treatment of obesity. However, little is known regarding the effect of O3FA on school aged normal weight and overweight children.

Objective: The objective of this thesis was to determine if habitual intake of O3FA at breakfast improves energy metabolism, appetite, and metabolic response in overweight and obese school-aged children.

Design: Twenty healthy, normal weight (NW; n = 11) and overweight (OW; n = 9) children aged 8-12 years were randomly assigned to …

The Diet And Subsistence Methods Of The Maya: Their Health And Cultural Consequences From The Pre-Classic Era To Today, Rachel E. Watson

Honors Undergraduate

The Maya, a once great civilization, seemingly vanished without an obvious reason, before the Spanish landed in the region. Some say that their downfall was a result of famine and inadequate nutrition. Surprisingly, most of the archaeological evidence surrounding the Classic Maya diet and subsistence methods indicates that they both adequately sustained the population to the point where there has been practically no change over hundreds of years. Change did not occur to the Maya diet or the classic subsistence methods until the late twentieth century when the tourism industry exploded in the area of the former Maya empire. The …

Nutrition And Exercise Plan For College Students, Rachel Walny

Honors Projects

This is a website designed to help college students lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Many students are unaware of the exercise and nutrition recommendations for adults and have not been in the practice of living on their own and cooking their own meals. It can also be difficult for college students to find time to exercise and eat healthy due to their busy schedules. This source is meant to take some of the planning and questioning out of the process and provide students with a resource that can guide them them in reaching their exercise and nutritional goals.

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 …

Nutritional Impact On Performance In Student-Athletes: Reality And Perception, Sarah Sceery

Health Sciences Student Work

Context: The sports nutrition field is experiencing incredible growth and development. Athletes are often epitomized for optimal health yet are susceptible to many nutrition related risks that can have a profound impact on both positive and negative performance gains. The student-athlete population is of particular interest based on their nutrition knowledge and where information is obtained. Little is known about their perception on nutrition overall. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine student-athlete perceptions of nutrition and their attitudes about how nutrition impacts performance. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were facilitated with the study population. Participants: A total of …

The Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (Igf1) System As A Potential Biomarker For Nutritional Status And Growth Rate In Pacific Rockfish (Sebastes Spp.), Nicole L. Hack

Master's Theses

Growth performance in vertebrates is regulated by environmental factors including the quality and quantity of food, which influences growth via endocrine pathways such as the growth hormone (GH) / insulin-like growth factor somatotropic axis. In several teleost fishes, circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (Igf1) correlate positively with growth rate, and it has been proposed that plasma Igf1 levels may serve as an indicator of growth variation for fisheries and aquaculture applications. Here, I tested whether plasma Igf1 concentrations might serve as an indicator of somatic growth in olive rockfish (Sebastes serranoides), one species among dozens of rockfishes …

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 …

Effect Of Body Image Awareness Program On Weight Satisfaction In Ncaa Division I Female Athletes, Derionne Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Food Insecurity And Eating Behaviors Of Collegiate Male Athletes, Kacie Poll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship of high school (HS) and collegiate (OM) household food security status (FSS) to current food consumption behaviors in a sample of NCAA Division 1 male, collegiate athletes ≥18 years of age (y). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of NCAA athletes from a Southeastern Conference (SEC) university was approved by the Institutional Review Board and conducted during August-September, 2016. The questionnaire included the USDA food security survey module and questions related to disordered eating behaviors and food hoarding USDA methods were used to calculate FSS. RESULTS: Participating athletes (n=111) were 19.7±1.4 y and primarily white, football players …

Instructional Strategies That Promote Cultural Competence In Nutrition And Dietetics Education, Cecile Adkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changing demographics in the United States to a minority-majority culture require health care professionals who are culturally competent to provide appropriate care to patients. In a university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, a gap existed between student education and the culturally competent professional practice of entry-level registered dietitians. Using Freire's notion of social justice and Vygotsky's constructivist theory as the conceptual frameworks, the purpose of this study was to explore educators' instructional strategies that promoted cultural competence in nutrition and dietetics education. The research questions examined how educators described the instructional practices they employed to promote cultural …

Development Of An Educational Program To Obtain And Maintain Healthy Weights Among 4th And 5th Grade Students, Stephanie Dean Black

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Development of an Educational Program to Obtain and Maintain Healthy Weights Among 4th and 5th Grade Students

By

Stephanie D. Black

MSN, University of Phoenix, 2008

BSN, Southwest Baptist University, 2006

ASN, Southwest Baptist University, 2003

Capstone Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

October 2017

Obesity is prevalent in schoolchildren and increases risk of chronic diseases throughout the lifespan. Strategies are needed to address this growing health problem. Education in elementary schools targeting the topics of nutritional choices and prevention of obesity, particularly in 4th-5th grade population, is …

Evaluation Of A Nutrition Education Program Targeting Home-Based Child Care Centers, Cassandra Nicole Urrutia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: The development of a highly obesogenic culture promoting sedentary behavior and the consumption of calorie-dense foods has led to increased levels of overweight and obesity globally. While children and adults are both at increased risk of developing obesity, the risk is even higher in minority and low socioeconomic populations. Changes in familial structure and an increase in mothers of younger children (below the age of 6) entering the workforce have created a new demand for child care services. Although some studies have researched the effectiveness of nutrition programs to increase healthy eating within the child care setting, few have …

A "Default Option" While Online Grocery Shopping To Enhance Nutrition Within A Food Insecure Population, Jaime Ashley Coffino

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

There is a need for sustainable interventions that improve diet-related health within the food insecure community. We examined if use of a “default” prefilled online grocery shopping cart, compared to nutrition education, would result in the purchase of healthier food items. Fifty participants (M age = 46.4 ± 12.46 years; M body mass index = 28.59 ± 6.48 kg/m2; 74.0% male) were randomized to: (1) read a brochure containing nutrition information (n = 23) or (2) be presented with a “default” prefilled online shopping cart containing groceries that meet nutritional guidelines to which they could freely make changes before completing …

Relationship Of Stress, Sleep, Physical Activity, And Food Insecurity On Eating Behaviors And Obesity, Amy Lee Richards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an urgent need to find effective interventions to prevent and reduce obesity as it is associated with chronic disease and decreased quality of life. Gaining a better understanding of how modifiable variables such as stress, sleep, physical activity, and food insecurity are related to eating behaviors associated with obesity is essential to guide the direction of future interventions and research. Interventions that hold promise need to be tested to determine if they have merit or not. This dissertation presents three papers. Two papers are cross-sectional studies evaluating associations between eating behaviors, obesity, and modifiable variables (stress, sleep, physical …

Relationships Between Dietary Habits, Demographics, And Hike Outcome Among 2015 Pacific Crest Trail Backpackers, Lauren Ann Black

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative research study explores the relationship between dietary patterns, hiker demographics, and total miles hiked during a backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Long hiking distances, low rate of thru-hike completion, consumption of processed and ready to eat foods, weight loss, and large time and monetary strains are comthemes accepted anecdotally by the backpacking population11. However, these themes have yet to be adequately researched and validated for long distance backpackers and PCT backpackers specifically. The online survey gathered data from 151 backpackers who hiked the PCT in 2015. Significant positive correlational relationships were found between the number …

Assessment Of The Intake And Knowledge Of Folate/Folic Acid Among Unh Students, Jessica Lee Pelletier, Ruth Reilly, Sherman Bigornia

Honors Theses and Capstones

There are 3,000 U.S. pregnancies affected by spina bifida and anencephaly annually. If women consume adequate amounts of folic acid (400 mcg/day) one month before pregnancy and through the first trimester, then the risk of their infant developing a neural tube defect (NTD) is reduced by 50-70%. However, approximately 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, with some of the highest rates among 18-24 year olds. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge source, knowledge level, and intake of folic acid among college-aged students. Qualtrics surveys from 96 subjects (87.5% female, aged 18-24) were used for analysis. In the …