Nutrition Commons^™

Enhancing Efficiency Of The Nutrition Education For Utah Refugees, Habiba Ali Nur

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Refugees face many challenges related to obtaining and preparing adequate and culturally acceptable and desirable foods in their resettlement communities. These challenges often lead to risk of food insecurity and chronic diseases. A review of literature identified the existing delivery strategies and highlighted the need for nutrition education tailored to the refugees’ conditions. This study identified some of the barriers that refugees face, including the English language, transportation, finding items in grocery stores, availability of ingredients and equipment needed for cooking, affordability of food and budgeting. It also highlighted participants’ preference for having nutrition education.

To overcome these challenges, the …

Educating Dietetics Students About The Nutritional Concerns Of Older Adults, Lily Brickman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The percentage of individuals in the United States who fall within the 65 years and older cohort is anticipated to increase substantially over the next decade due to the large baby boomer generation aging into this category by 2030. Consequently, the healthcare demands of older adults are expected to increase, and medical and healthcare providers must be educated and prepared to meet the unique needs of this population. The purpose of this study is to help learn why interest in FSN 406 Nutritional Care of Older Adults has been so low since its inception in 2020, and whether other institutions …

Eat Well, Be Well: Basic Needs Initiative's Online Hub For Nutrition Education, Misha Moseley

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Basic Needs Initiative at California State University, Monterey Bay is a department that provides students with food, housing, and wellness resources. Over half of the university's students experience food insecurity, and over 85% use non-academic resources to learn about nutrition. This project adds a dietary health section to the department’s website to increase students’ access to nutrition education. It addresses the micro-level agency problem that too few students eat a healthy, balanced diet. Unhealthy eating is a risk factor for food insecurity, so the project indirectly addresses the macro-level health problem that too many college students in California experience food …

Patterns Of Use In A Division I University Fueling Station Before And After Implementing A Nutrition Education Intervention, Cady L. Peters

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Well-timed nutrition strategies are a well-established way to improve athletic performance and minimize recovery time, however, athletes often do not prioritize nutrition as a strategy to gain an edge over their competitors. Even with a resource such as a Fueling Station, which provides athletes with nutrient dense, convenient pre- and post-workout snacks, athletes still struggle understanding which foods are an appropriate choice for their purpose of eating.

The purpose of this research was to examine the changes in the appropriateness of the athlete’s meal choices at the Fueling Station based on their macronutrient distribution and timing of workout or training …

Investigating Elementary School Food Programs: Impacts On Child Knowledge And Dietary Behaviours, Paige Colley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Good nutrition is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A balanced diet can promote positive health outcomes, protecting against health problems caused by nutritional deficiencies. Canada has reported poor diet quality and high rates of overweight and obesity among children. Obesity has been linked to several non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Efforts to improve lifelong, healthy eating behaviours must be implemented.

This dissertation investigated the impacts of school food programming on child nutrition. A Centrally Procured School Food Program (CPSFP) was implemented at 30 elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. …

Comparison Of Nutrition Education Approaches On Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Older Adults, Noelle R. Blasch

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Most Americans do not consume recommended intakes of fruits and vegetables (F/Vs). Hands-on nutrition education applies social cognitive theory as participants practice preparing F/Vs. This study compared a four-week hands-on nutrition education program (L+HO) with lecture only (L) in older adults with assessments at baseline and weeks four and eight. Twenty-three women over the age of 50 participated in either four, 90-minute weekly L+HO classes (n = 14) or four, 40-minute weekly L nutrition education classes (n = 9). Vegetable intake significantly increased at four weeks compared to baseline for both intervention groups. Vegetable intake increased at eight weeks compared …

The Difference In A1c Of Children And Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Using Carbohydrate Counting Compared To Those Using A Structured Meal Plan, Alia El Kubbe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Carbohydrate counting (CHO) is a nutrition education tool used by patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The primary objective was to assess glycated hemoglobin (A1C) in participants with T1DM using CHO counting vs. those using a structured meal plan (SMP). The secondary objectives were to determine if BMI-for-age, parental income, parental involvement, and mothers’ educational level were associated with their children’s glycemic control. A cross sectional study was conducted, where participants aged 4-18 years, or their parents completed a survey. Total sample size was 88 participants (77 in the CHO counting group and 11 in the SMP group). There …

Identification Of High-Risk Food Coping Strategies Of Maine Food Pantry Clients, Kathryn Cutting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food coping strategies are strategies adopted by individuals in order to obtain enough food for themselves and their family. Food coping strategies can range from using coupons (couponing) and buying in bulk to skipping meals and stealing food. Although not all strategies are considered to be high risk, all strategies should be accounted for so that nutrition education programming caters to strategies that individuals are employing. This topic has not been widely researched in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify common food coping strategies of food pantry clients across nine counties in Maine, explore identified …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of The Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program On Diet Quality As Measured By The Healthy Eating Index 2005, Sarah A. Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background:The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is a federally funded program through the United States Department of Agriculture that offers nutrition education to low income families across the U.S.

Purpose:This study assessed the effectiveness of Maine EFNEP on food-related behavior change and diet quality as measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI). This study also explored the relationship between the results on the HEI and participation in food assistance programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), as well as the number of hours spent in the program.

Methodology:This study was a …

Program Coordinators’ Experiences With Introducing Parent-Focused Health Lessons To A Child-Centered Micronutrient Supplementation Program: An Exploration Of Recent Programmatic Changes In Liahona Children’S Foundation, Shannon Barham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper utilizes survey responses from local coordinators of LCF, an international micronutrient supplementation humanitarian organization, to provide insight into the challenges and personal rewards of providing nutrition education to parents of malnourished children. LCF is based in Utah and operates in 19 countries throughout the world. LCF recently introduced a series of health lessons geared toward parents of malnourished children. A survey was sent to LCF workers in 12 countries in order to gather feedback about the health lessons. Qualitative survey responses are explored, and potential suggestions for future changes to the health lessons are proposed. Additionally, data gathered …

Wellness Policy Awareness Among School Leaders And The Impact On Written Policy Scores, Mariah Reil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: All schools participating in the National School Lunch Program must possess a written School Wellness Policy (SWP) as mandated by the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010.1 School officials and leaders play a major role in SWP implementation. It is essential to written SWP implementation that school level officials and leaders in the district are aware of the SWP. However, the association between school leader awareness of SWP and policy quality has not yet been studied.
Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine if school leader awareness of a SWP impacts the written SWP quality. …

The Impact Of School Nutrition Education And Physical Education Programs On Weight Status Of Obese Children Aged 5-12 Years, Lamia Alotaibi

Masters Theses

Epidemiological studies indicate that 12.5 million children and adolescents are considered obese (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Obesity is on the rise globally, and while it affects both children and adults, early measures can be taken to reduce the number of children who are obese, and therefore, come into adulthood at a higher risk for obesity-related diseases, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea. There are many studies in which programs are implemented and tested for effectiveness; therefore, a systematic review of these studies that examine which factors play into overall obesity prevention and health improvements among …

Pink And Dude Chefs: Effectiveness Of An After-School Nutrition Knowledge And Culinary Skills Program For Middle School Students To Increase Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Alyssa S. Vaziri

Master's Theses

The rate of overweight and obesity among adolescents aged 12-19 years has more than tripled since 1980, and disproportionately impacts low-income and marginalized populations. Reduction in adolescent obesity rates may result in decreased health risks, decrease healthcare costs, and increased quality of life. Effective intervention methods for adolescent participants have incorporated nutrition knowledge and culinary skill building into afterschool programs. This study examines whether building knowledge, skills, and confidence through a culinary intervention can improve adolescent participants’ choices of healthful foods through increased fruit and vegetable intake.

Pink and Dude Chefs (PDC) is an afterschool nutrition education and culinary skills …

Culturally Competent Nutrition Counseling And Health Outcomes Of Patients On Emergency Dialysis, Edlyn Geraldine Bustamante

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undocumented end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in the United States only have access to emergency dialysis. To compensate for the lack of regular dialysis these patients must follow strict renal dietary restrictions. However, nutrition counseling by a dietitian is not part of the renal management of patients on emergency dialysis. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental treatment-control study was to assess how the application of nutritional counseling that is both culturally and linguistically competent affects dialysis frequency and biochemical lab values such as serum potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D of patients in emergency dialysis. The study was grounded on …

Development Of The Meal Framework: A Multiliteracies Approach To Engaging Adolescents In Nutrition Education, Samantha Lee Baker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Establishing and maintaining a healthy diet is integral in promoting optimal health, growth and development. Moreover, the food choices we make and dietary behaviours we adopt are a reflection of the multiple personal, interpersonal and environmental factors to which we are exposed. Consequently, changing food habits and dietary behaviour is complex and requires the implementation of multifaceted public health strategies. Comprehensive nutrition education provided to adolescents during their school years is one such approach.

Adolescence is a period of rapid psychological and physiological changes. At a socioemotional level, there is a decreased level of dependence on parents and a greater …

Pink And Dude Chefs: Impact Of A Nutrition And Culinary Education Program With Middle School Students In An Afterschool Setting, Jessie R. Bierlich-Wesch

Master's Theses

The epidemic of adolescent obesity has become one of the greatest public health concerns in the United States. Approximately 20.5% of adolescents of both sexes aged 12-19 years are considered obese. Higher rates of obesity are evident in ethnic minority and lower income status children with the highest prevalence among Hispanic/Latino and Black populations. The causes for obesity are multifactorial in nature and highlight disparities nationwide. These factors include socioeconomic status, education, environment, availability and access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and behavior patterns. Successful intervention methods that have reduced the impact of adolescent obesity have incorporated nutrition knowledge and …

Evaluation Of The Springfield Menu Program, Hannah Stenger

Masters Theses

Studies have shown that many low-income and disadvantaged Americans have a poor diet quality, which increases obesity and chronic disease risk. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, education and income levels of Springfield residents are well below state averages, and racial diversity in Springfield has increased significantly over the past few decades. Springfield’s demographics increase the risk of health disparities in the community, and higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are seen in Springfield. To promote healthy eating behaviors among Springfield residents, Mason Square Health Task Force (MSHTF), a Live Well Springfield (LWS) partner, created a …

Cooking Healthy, Eating Smart (Ches): Evaluating The Feasibility Of Using Volunteers To Deliver Nutrition And Food Safety Education To Rural Older Adults, Morgan Getty

All Theses

Due to their limited resources, rural, older adults in the United States are at risk for poor diet-related health outcomes. Nutrition education is a key component in improving health outcomes in older adults. Cooking Healthy, Eating Smart (CHES) is a nine-lesson curriculum designed to teach rural, older adults culturally appropriate nutrition and food safety information. Funding to hire health professionals to deliver such a curriculum is limited, presenting the need to explore a less expensive mode of dissemination. In this community-based, participatory research study, a formative evaluation and feasibility study were conducted to examine the use of volunteers to deliver …

Pink And Dude Chefs: A Nutrition And Culinary Intervention For Middle School Students, Tianna R. Sheehan

Master's Theses

Pink and Dude Chefs: A nutrition and culinary intervention for middle school students

Tianna Sheehan

The prevalence of obesity in US adolescents has more than tripled in the past 35 years, and the greatest impact has been among low-income and minority racial/ethnic populations. Adolescents report inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, an overconsumption of sweetened beverages, and a high reliance on fast food locations for meals or snacks; increasing the risk of adolescent obesity. Building knowledge and skills through culinary interventions may empower middle school students to create and also choose healthful foods.

Pink and Dude Chefs, a six-week nutrition and …

The Effects Of A Six Month Nutrition Intervention On Diet Quality In Persons With Or At Risk For The Metabolic Syndrome, Rebecca Horne

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

One quarter of the world’s population is thought to have the metabolic syndrome, and first line treatments include dietary strategies for weight loss. Restrictive diet interventions commonly used in research appear to lack long-term sustainability; therefore, other approaches are warranted. The Canadian Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) was used as a framework and outcome measure for a 6-month ad-libitum diet quality intervention that assessed diet quality and key risk factors of the syndrome. Participants (n=23) were randomized to the nutrition program (n=16) or usual care (control) (n=7). Post intervention, CHEI scores increased by 9.1 and 3.4 points intervention and control, respectively …

Nutrition Knowledge And Child Care Feeding Practices Of Early Childhood Education Students: A Preliminary Study, Sarah Jill White

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the nutrition knowledge and child care feeding practices of Early Childhood Education students in a university setting. Thirty-three Early Childhood Education students from seven geographically diverse universities completed a web-based survey assessing nutrition knowledge and child feeding practices. A nutrition knowledge instrument was developed and validated to measure knowledge of nutrition for preschool-aged children. The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire, which has been previously validated in parents, was slightly modified and used to assess child feeding practices. Mean scores for the nutrition knowledge and child feeding practices were determined. Multivariate analyses were conducted …

Comparing The Effectiveness And Acceptability Of The Jump Into Foods And Fitness (Jiff) And Quest For Health Nutrition Interventions Within An African-American Population, Jermaine Shaw

All Theses

The severity of the obesity epidemic has increased the necessity for nutrition education programs. These programs must be culturally and age appropriate in order to be more effective in bringing about positive behavior changes in the target populations.
This study examined the effectiveness and acceptability of the Jump into Foods and Fitness (JIFF) and Quest for Health nutrition education programs within a pre-adolescent African-American population. Two classes from the Boys and Girls Club of Sumter, S.C. were randomly assigned to one of the nutrition education programs. Class one was assigned to the JIFF curriculum, and included 23 participants. Class two …

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption In Four Elementary Schools After Implementation Of Nutrition Education Programs, Lori Nelson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Nutrition education programs in schools often promote fruits and vegetables with the goal of increasing consumption among children. This study determined whether nutrition education programs increased fruit and vegetable intake in four elementary schools in Florida from October 2008 to October 2009. School A offered the U.S.D.A. Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program; School B had a Student Wellness Advisory Council, OrganWise Guys and CATCH; School C had OrganWise Guys and CATCH; School D had no nutrition education programs. Students’ favorite fruits and vegetables at breakfast and lunch were compiled. An increase in fruit intake was observed in three out of …

Child Feeding Practices And Nutrition Education Needs Of The Latino Population In South Carolina, Claire Kirkpatrick

All Theses

The Latino population in South Carolina is rapidly growing. Much of this population is low-income and many have a low level of education. Latinos have a greater incidence of obesity and the resulting diseases than other ethnicities and Latino children are no exception. It is important to provide nutrition education to caregivers so that child overweight and obesity can be prevented in this population. In order to provide effective nutrition education it is essential to know what behaviors need to be targeted. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the child feeding practices used by this population to …

Effects Of The Implementation Of A Pilot Nutrition Education Program In A Rural Appalachian County., Leigh A. Davenport

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine if nutrition knowledge would increase, indicated by improvements in pretest and posttest scores, following implementation of a nutrition lesson plan. The subjects included 532 fourth through eighth grade students from Johnson County, a rural county in northeast Tennessee. The lesson plans and pretests and posttests were developed to be appropriate for each grade level, with increased complexity in higher grades. The principal investigator graded the pretests and posttests and analyzed the data using SPSS. The results showed a significant improvement from pretests to posttests for all grades given a p-value of <0.05.

Nutrition Education For Parents Of Children With Cystic Fibrosis : Assessment Of Needs And Strategies For Improved Knowledge And Confidence In Self Care, Catherine M. Mcdonald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Suboptimal growth and nutritional status are problematic for children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Optimal nutrition predicts better lung function and longevity. Daily nutrition therapy for children with CF requires adequate food resources, knowledge of appropriate nutrition and behavior management skills, and confidence in one's ability to correctly apply the necessary skills. The Mountain West Cystic Fibrosis Consortium Questionnaire (MWCFC-Q) was designed as an educational needs assessment for parents of children with CF. The goal was to identify areas of concern that could be targeted for educational intervention to ultimately improve children's growth and nutritional status.

Data analyzed from 305 returned …

A Nutrition Education Component For High School Health Curriculums, Mary Jane German

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adolescents, who have been shown to be at nutritional risk, and having poor nutritional knowledge and sporadic eating habits, are in need of comprehensive, sequential nutrition education. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a nutrition education unit for inclusion in the health education curriculum of secondary schools. The two-week unit which included nutrient density concepts was evaluated in two high schools in Utah.

Data from a mail survey of health educators (n=74) revealed their need for nutrition training and resources, and guidance for integrating nutrition into health classes. High school health teachers were provided with …

A Self-Instructional, Multi-Media Approach To Facilitate The Teaching Of The Index Of Nutritional Quality, Claudia Kay Probart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A review of the literature dealing with nutrition education established the following: (a) that there is a need for nutrition education at the elementary school level; (b) that elementary teachers do not always have the background or motivation to meet this need for nutrition education; and (c) that new educational methods that are easier to understand and more highly motivating are needed.

The Index of Nutritional Quantity (INQ), a nutrient density concept, was developed at Utah State University to answer the need for easily understood and motivating nutrition information. The INQ method of nutrition education has been used and considered …