International and Community Nutrition Commons^™

Implementation Of A Biometric Screening Program And Wellness Coaching Program In A Hospital Employee Wellness Center, Carl Gastanes

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Background: Wellness programs are an emerging priority among organizations concerned about employee wellness and productivity. Data from Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC) revealed that in 2019 there were 1,690 employee visits to the ER due to chronic diseases; 30% were classified as ER sick visit and 40% of employees who visited the ER had no primary care provider. Many companies use biometric screening and health risk assessment to measure the health of their employees. The purpose of this improvement project was to implement a biometric screening program (BSP) that included wellness coaching to improve the health outcomes of LIJMC …

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 …

Effectiveness Of Individual Nutrition Education Compared To Group Education, In Improving Anthropometric And Biochemical Indices Among Hypertensive Adults With Excessive Body Weight: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Danuta Gajewska, Alicja Kucharska, Marcin Kozak, Shahla M. Wunderlich, Joanna Niegowska

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective: The study aims to compare the effectiveness of individual and group nutrition education methods in improving key anthropometric and biochemical markers in drug-treated, overweight-obese hypertensive adults. Methods: The randomized trial included 170 patients with pharmacologically well-controlled primary hypertension and body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m². For six months, the patients received six sessions, either one-to-one individual nutrition education (IE, n = 89) or group education (GE, n= 81), developed by dietitians. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, and fasting measures of biochemical parameters were obtained at baseline and after six months of intervention. Results: 150 patients completed the …

Seaweeds As Nutraceuticals For Health And Nutrition, Emer Shannon, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Articles

Throughout human history, seaweeds have been used as food, folk remedies, dyes, and as mineral-rich fertilisers. Seaweeds as nutraceuticals or functional foods with dietary benefits beyond their fundamental macronutrient content are now a major research and industrial development concept. The occurrence of dietary and lifestyle related diseases, notably type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and metabolic syndrome has become a health epidemic in developed countries. Global epidemiological studies have shown that countries where seaweed is consumed on a regular basis have significantly fewer instances of obesity and dietary-related disease. This review outlines recent developments in seaweed applications for human health from …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

The Association Between Vitamin A Status Or Supplementation And Hiv/Aids, Mikaela Kathleen Curtis

Food Science and Nutrition

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has infected millions of people since the start of the epidemic in the early 1980s. HIV is the etiologic agent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which has taken millions of lives. It is extremely difficult for particular populations to receive medication to treat HIV infection and prevent the progression of HIV to AIDS. Multiple studies have examined the effect of vitamin A on HIV infection, due to its immune stimulating effects. It is unclear whether an association exists between vitamin A and different aspects of HIV. This review examined the effect of vitamin A …

A Pilot Study For Plant The Seed: A Nutrition Education Program Using Local Food Environment To Put Theory Into Action, Yeon Bai, Shahla M. Wunderlich, Karen A. Lee

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study is to implement Plant the Seed, a garden-based nutrition education program designed to reconnect children with locally grown food, food environments of the past and present, and the benefits of eating seasonal foods. The pilot study investigates the environmental context and theory variables known to influence healthy food choice behavior. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) provided a framework for the program’s curriculum and evaluation. The target audience is middle school students. Plant the Seed is a two-part program. In Part 1 (classroom), students participate in practical, interactive activities based on specific educational objectives that target …

Examination Of Obesity Risk-Reduction Behaviors In Chinese Americans, Yeon Bai, Kathleen D. Bauer, Doreen Liou

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this survey research was to examine the psychosocial characteristics of obesity risk-reduction behaviors in Chinese Americans. Obesity risk-reduction behaviors and psychosocial variables derived from the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Health Belief Model were measured. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 300 young adult Chinese Americans residing in the New York metropolitan area. Results suggest that when communicating messages to low adopters of health behaviors, promoting positive attitudes and social influences for healthful eating should be emphasized. High behavior adopters may benefit from strategies to maintain self-efficacy to enact health-related behaviors conducive to …

Illuminating The Dark Side-Vitamin D Status In Different Localities Of Karachi, Romaina Iqbal, Lena Jafri, Ali Haroon, Aysha Habib Khan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the association between place of residence (grouped into neighbourhoods), and 25-hydroxy D (25[OH]D) levels of individuals of Karachi. Addresses of 4788 individuals tested for 25[OH]D at the clinical laboratory of the Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi, from January 2007 to June 2008 were reviewed. The neighbourhoods were categorized into ten, based on locality attributes. A high overall prevalence (74%) of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) was observed. There was a significant difference (p-value < 0.01) between mean log 25[OH]D levels amongst neighbourhoods grouped according to distinct housing structure attributes and localities. A high frequency of VDD in all the studied localities of an urban city warrant dietary vitamin D supplementation and food fortification.

Associations Between Alcohol Consumption And Fasting Blood Glucose In Young Adults, Julie Ann Lucca

Master's Theses

Current research shows moderate alcohol consumption is associated with decreased risk of diabetes and excessive consumption or binge drinking can cause insulin resistance and diabetes. In 2010, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United Statesand was responsible for significant health complications: blindness, kidney failure, and limb amputations, and is a large national economic burden. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) is a tool used to help diagnose diabetes. Abnormally high FBG, ≥100 mg/dl, is indicative of diabetes and pre-diabetes. Few studies have observed diabetic prevalence among young adults or college students. Studying young adults can help provide added …

Investigating Obesity Risk-Reduction Behaviours And Psychosocial Factors In Chinese Americans, Yeon Bai, Doreen Liou, Kathleen D. Bauer

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

AIM: The purpose of this research was to examine the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to obesity risk reduction in Chinese Americans.

METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 300 US-born and foreign-born Chinese Americans residing in the New York metropolitan area, ranging from 18 to 40 years of age. Obesity risk reduction behaviors and psychosocial variables derived from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Health Belief Model were measured. Acculturation was assessed using a modified Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale. Frequency distributions were delineated and stepwise regression analyses were analyzed for different acculturation groups.

RESULTS: 65% …

Behavioral Changes For African Americans To Improve Health, Embrace Culture, And Minimize Disparities, Dashiel J. Geyen Ed.D., M.P.H.

The Bridge: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Legal & Social Policy

In spite of significant advances in the prevention, diagnoses, and treatment of most chronic diseases, there is evidence that racial and ethnic people of color tend to receive lower quality of care and less preventive interventions than the majority members of a community. While our health system should improve its efforts at addressing and reducing disproportionality in health care, African Americans can make behavioral changes through diet and exercise that will reduce their susceptibility to chronic illnesses. This article first reviews the prevalence, disparities, and characteristics of chronic diseases impacting the African American population. Second, it discusses culturally connected practices …

Evaluating The Impact Of Two Different Methods Of Diabetes Self-Management Education On Knowledge, Attitude, And Behaviours Of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Laura B. Briden

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study compared the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) methods by examining changes in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour (KAB) after receiving education. Participants from a convenience sample were randomized into two groups, one receiving education through conversation maps and the other through traditional group education. Participants’ knowledge and attitude changes were measured by using a repeated measures pre-test/post-test design and changes in Hb A1c were observed. Focus groups were conducted after education was received to obtain perceptions and self-reported behaviour changes. Significant knowledge and attitude score changes were observed in the conversation map group after education. When comparing the …

Eating Behaviors Of Older Adults Participating In Government-Sponsored Programs With Different Demographic Backgrounds, Yeon Bai, Shahla M. Wunderlich, Joseph Brusca, Johnson-Austin Marti, Michelle O'Malley

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study was to determine the food behaviors of nutritionally high-risk seniors as a function of their racial background, gender, marital status, and education level. A total of 69 seniors were identified to be at high nutritional risk using the Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) checklist. A supplemental questionnaire (SQ) was created to examine the risk factors in relation to the participant’s demographic background. Key results indicated that Asians practiced healthy food behaviors and women were more likely to eat alone (p≤0.05). Married participants (90.9%) were most likely to consume 2 meals or more each day. College educated …

Nutrition And Diabetic Management In Urban Kenya, Madeline Jackson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This Independent Study project sought to identify the changes in nutrition from the traditional Luo culture to the new urban setting and explore the management, perceptions and prevalence of Type II diabetes in an increasingly urban area. The focus was on Type II diabetes since the majority of disease burden stems from this acquired form of the diabetes. Through speaking with elderly community members and shadowing the first line diabetic treatment centers in Kisumu, an assessment of the relationship between changing nutrition and diabetic management showed numerous gaps in the system that will continue to increase unless something is done. …

Validating The Food Behavior Questions From The Elementary School Span Questionnaire, Yeon Bai, Krisha Thiagarajah, Alyce D. Fly, Deanna M. Hoelscher, Kaman Lo, Angela Leone, Julie A. Shertzer

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

The School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) questionnaire were developed as a surveillance instrument to measure physical activity, nutrition attitudes, and dietary and physical activity behaviors in children and adolescents. The SPAN questionnaire has 2 versions.

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of food consumption items from the elementary school version of the SPAN questionnaire.

Design

Validity was assessed by comparing food items selected on the questionnaire with food items reported from a single 24-hour recall covering the same reference period.

Setting

5 elementary schools in Indiana.

Participants

Fourth-grade student volunteers (N = 121) from 5 …

The Relation Between The Nutritional Status And The Acute Diarrhetic Diseases In Children Younger Than Five Years Of Age In The Indigenous, Black, And Mestizo Ethnic Groups Of The Rural Area In The Imbabura Province, 1998-1999, Tanya Vaca

Theses and Dissertations

The study conducted in the rural area of the province of Imbabura included a total of 518 families that when compared with the estimated sample of 96%, 42.7 % corresponding to the indigenous ethnic group, 28.15% to Black and 25% to mixed-race ethnic groups, these differences of involvement between ethnic groups is due to the fact that the indigenous population is greater than the two remaining populations. Of the 518 families studied they were able to obtain a total of 794 children younger than 5, in which 48.5% pertaining to the male sex and 51.4% to the female sex. In …