Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Pilot Implementation Of A Nutrition-Focused Community-Health-Worker Intervention Among Formerly Chronically Homeless Adults In Permanent Supportive Housing, Jane E Hamilton, Diana C Guevara, Sara F Steinfeld, Raina Jose, Farrah Hmaidan, Sarah Simmons, Calvin W Wong, Clara Smith, Eva Thibaudeau-Graczyk, Shreela V Sharma

Journal Articles

Food insecurity is a known health equity threat for formerly chronically homeless populations even after they transition into permanent housing. This project utilized a human-centered design methodology to plan and implement a nutrition-focused community-health-worker (CHW) intervention in permanent supportive housing (PSH). The project aimed to increase access to healthy foods, improve nutritional literacy, healthy cooking/eating practices, and build community/social connectedness among 140 PSH residents. Validated food-security screening conducted by CHWs identified low or very low food security among 64% of 83 residents who completed the baseline survey, which is similar to rates found in a previous study among formerly homeless …

Accepting Educational Responsibility For Social Justice: Homeless Mothers’ And Children’S Need Of Education About Health And Nutrition, Smita Guha

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

The goal is to improve health and nutrition among new mothers and their children who were living in shelters. The mothers received workshops and booklets consisting of information, quick and healthy recipes, and learned how to prepare home-made meals with a low budget. The mothers realized nutritious foods are important for them and their children. They learned how to manage time to make nutritious food at the residence. Children regardless of their background, are our future and we need to pay attention to their needs now so that future problems could be prevented. The significance of this study is immense …

Air Temperature And Diet Are Not Associated With Oxygen Consumption Rate In Banded Crickets, Gryllodes Sigillatus, Nicole Bailey, Connor Oakes, Rachel Sleeth, Mallorie Smith

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

All living organisms acclimate to their environments, with ectothermic species particularly susceptible to environmental change, specifically temperature. Ectothermic insects like crickets directly alter their physiological processes depending on the environment in which they live. Temperature is vital in regulating processes such as metabolism, respiration, and reproduction, among other things. What remains unclear is how a change in the environment, specifically extreme temperature change and dietary alterations, affects physiological processes. In this study, we performed experiments on ectothermic banded crickets to examine the effects of temperature change and the interaction of temperature and diet on oxygen consumption. For both experiments, we …

Fruit And Vegetable Intake And Home Nutrition Environment Among Low-Income Minority Households With Elementary-Aged Children, Brittni Naylor Metoyer, Ru-Jye Chuang, Minjae Lee, Christine Markham, Eric L Brown, Maha Almohamad, Jayna M Dave, Shreela V Sharma

Journal Articles

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences were shown to have an influence on child fruit and vegetable intake. This study examined the associations between parent and child fruit and vegetable intake and the home nutrition environment among Hispanic/Latino and African American families. Through a cross-sectional study design, self-reported surveys (

Home Food Production Before, During And Since Start Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Northern New England, Ashleigh Angle, Ashley C. Mccarthy, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

This brief details the results from three separate surveys of Northern New Englanders in Maine and Vermont in summer 2020, spring 2021, and spring 2022. A survey was conducted in summer of 2020 to understand the initial and continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security, diet, and health outcomes. Two additional surveys were conducted using the same methods in spring 2021 and 2022 to continue to assess changes during the pandemic. All surveys were representative of the state populations on race and ethnicity and the data presented in this brief were weighted to be representative of income in …

Plasma Metabolites Associated With Cognitive Function Across Race/Ethnicities Affirming The Importance Of Healthy Nutrition, Einat Granot-Hershkovitz, Shan He, Jan Bressler, Bing Yu, Wassim Tarraf, Casey M Rebholz, Jianwen Cai, Queenie Chan, Tanya P Garcia, Thomas Mosley, Bruce S Kristal, Charles Decarli, Myriam Fornage, Guo-Chong Chen, Qibin Qi, Robert Kaplan, Hector M González, Tamar Sofer

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: We studied the replication and generalization of previously identified metabolites potentially associated with global cognitive function in multiple race/ethnicities and assessed the contribution of diet to these associations.

METHODS: We tested metabolite-cognitive function associations in U.S.A. Hispanic/Latino adults (n = 2222) from the Community Health Study/ Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and in European (n = 1365) and African (n = 478) Americans from the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) Study. We applied Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses to assess causal associations between the metabolites and cognitive function and between Mediterranean diet and cognitive function.

RESULTS: Six metabolites were consistently associated …

Clinical Outcomes Of A Large-Scale, Partnership-Based Regional Food Prescription Program: Results Of A Quasi-Experimental Study, Nalini Ranjit, Jennifer N Aiyer, Jack D Toups, Esther Liew, Kenia Way, Henry Shelton Brown, John Wesley Mcwhorter, Shreela V Sharma

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Food prescription programs are gaining interest from funders, policy makers, and healthcare payers as a way to provide value-based care. A small body of research suggests that such programs effectively impact health outcomes; however, the quality of existing studies is variable, and most studies use small samples. This study attempts to address these gaps by utilizing a quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent controls, to evaluate clinical outcomes among participants enrolled in a food prescription program implemented at scale.

METHODS: We completed a secondary analysis of participant enrollment and utilization data collected between May 2018 and March 2021, by the Houston …

Bringing Back Former Vegans And Vegetarians: An Obstacle Analysis, Jo Anderson, Coni Arévalo

Diet

People have a variety of motivations for switching to plant-based diets, yet not all people who begin the transition to a vegan or vegetarian (collectively called veg*n) diet maintain it long-term. In fact, Faunalytics’ study of current and former veg*ns (2014) found that the number of lapsed (former) vegans and vegetarians in the United States far surpasses the number of current veg*ns, and most who lapse do so within a year. Are these people the low-hanging fruit for diet advocates? They could be—there are many of them and they’re clearly at least somewhat willing to go veg*n, so maybe more …

An Analysis On How Housing Status Influences The Gut-Brain-Axis For Populations In And Around The Skid Row Area Of Los Angeles, California, Mauricio Guzman

Pitzer Senior Theses

Over recent years, the “microbiota-gut-brain axis” (MGBA) has garnered significant attention in the scientific community. Specifically, perturbations of the MGBA via stress and dietary intake have been linked to a wide-range of diseases including gastrointestinal diseases, metabolic diseases, mood disorders, and cognitive diseases. However, most studies have been solely conducted on mice models and have yet to consider the more complex, intricate systems that impact the human body. In addition, researchers have yet to consider the populations who may be most susceptible to chronic stress and negative dietary outcomes. Drawing from the fields of medical sociology, non-invasive human biology, and …

Impacts Of Sea Ice Loss On Polar Bear Diet, Prey Availability, Foraging Behaviors, And Human-Bear Interactions In The Arctic, Jasmin Chen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Anthropogenic-induced climate change has warmed the Arctic 2-3 times faster than the rest of the world, causing sea ice declines that introduce challenges for specialist species, such as polar bears, in adapting to rapid environmental changes. Comparative and quantitative analyses of three Hudson Bay polar bear subpopulations were used to determine the impacts of sea ice loss on polar bear diet, prey availability, foraging behaviors, and human-bear interactions in the Arctic. The study reveal that Hudson Bay polar bears experience the most severe impacts from sea ice declines, resulting in a 30% population decline. Due to their smaller body size, …

Blue Zones: Unlocking Key Themes In The Centenarian's Life, Grace Beer, Grace O. Beer

Honors College Theses

Longevity has been sought after in certain areas of the world, and there are specific regions where this has been achieved. There is an American average life expectancy of 72 years old, but individuals in “Blue Zones” here in America and other areas of the world are expected to and have proven to live well beyond 100. The areas of Okinawa, Sardinia, Nicoya, Ikaria, and Loma Linda are classified as Blue Zones, and there could be more of an understanding of how these people live the way they do to have such healthy physical outcomes. To deeply understand the strategy …

Desired Resources For Changing Diet Among Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: Qualitative Inquiry Informing Future Dietary Interventions, Stephanie L Silveira, Emma V Richardson, Robert W Motl

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: There are approximately 1 million adults in the United States with multiple sclerosis (MS). Persons with MS are interested in diet as a second-line therapy for improving MS symptoms and disease progression. Examination of desired resources regarding diet among persons with MS is necessary for supporting behavior change.

METHODS: Twenty-five adults with MS completed 1-on-1, online semistructured interviews. An inductive, 6-phase, semantic thematic analysis was applied to identify themes associated with participant preferences for dietary behavior change.

RESULTS: The research team crafted 4 key themes from the data that encompassed participants' desired resources for dietary behavior change. Theme 1, …

Going Vegan Or Vegetarian: Motivations & Influences, Faunalytics, Jo Anderson, Marina Milyavskaya

Diet

After studying hundreds of U.S. and Canadian consumers during their transition to vegetarianism or veganism (collectively referred to as veg*nism), a new report from research organization Faunalytics found that 42% of people’s veg*n journeys were motivated by health, 20% by animal protection, and 18% by environmental concern. For animal advocates interested in helping new vegans and vegetarians maintain their change of lifestyle, study results suggest a focus on self-driven motivations (like personal values or moral identity) and experiences with animal advocacy.

Canine Microwear In Relation To Diet In Sumatran Primates And African Great Apes, Putu Pujiantari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis considers canine microwear in relation to diet in five Sumatran primates (Pongo abelii, Hylobates lar, Hylobates agilis, Presbytis thomasi, and Macaca fascicularis) and two African great apes (Pan paniscus and Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) using both microwear texture analysis and microwear feature analysis techniques. Statistical results for texture analysis show that there are significant differences in scale of maximum and heterogeneity. This indicates that some species have large pits on their canine surfaces, having these dominated by deep features at coarse scale yet have a slight microwear heterogeneity. For feature analysis, all variables show statistically significant variation. Variance in …

Otoliths Of South-Western Australian Fish: A Photographic Catalogue, Chris Dowling, Kim Smith, Elain Lek, Joshua Brown

Fisheries research reports

Due to the species-specific nature of otoliths and given they are often the only part of the fish preserved when fish die, otolith catalogues can be used in numerous applications, such as diet studies in fish eating animals, including pinnipeds, fish and sea birds; archaeological purposes such as reconstructing indigenous people’s diets from otoliths found in middens or evolutionary history of fish species by comparing fossilized otoliths. Given the unique mixture of subtropical and temperate fish, including many endemic species that occur off the southwest corner of WA having a catalogue for this area is extremely important for people working …

Otoliths Of South-Western Australian Fish: A Photographic Catalogue, Chris Dowling, Kim Smith, Elaine Lek, Joshua Brown

Fisheries research reports

Due to the species-specific nature of otoliths and given they are often the only part of the fish preserved when fish die, otolith catalogues can be used in numerous applications, such as diet studies in fish eating animals, including pinnipeds, fish and sea birds; archaeological purposes such as reconstructing indigenous people’s diets from otoliths found in middens or evolutionary history of fish species by comparing fossilized otoliths. Given the unique mixture of subtropical and temperate fish, including many endemic species that occur off the southwest corner of WA having a catalogue for this area is extremely important for people working …

Obesity Prevention Toolkit To Combat Weight Gain Related To Sedentary Behavior And Dietary Habits In College Students: An Evidence-Based Project, Maria Amos, Martha Fuller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

Background: Forty percent of the US population ages 20-39 are categorized as obese,

their BMI is over 30, and 35% of college age students are obese or overweight. Issues related to obesity cost the US $147 billion annually. Between 40%-50% of college students are reported to be inactive. Inactivity can lead to increased morbidity and mortality related to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal issues, and depression. Providing dietary and physical activity education and access to nutritional information promotes behavior change in young adults.

Aims of Service Change: This evidence-based project proposal aims to provide a toolkit …

Vegetarian Diets, Maybe Not As Healthy As You Think, Darryl Goh, Debbie Chan, Merson Hoo, Ian Wong

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

Many are approaching vegetarianism as a viable diet option in recent years, presuming that adopting a vegetarian diet would provide health benefits. This paper explores the possibilities of physical and mental effects that vegetarianism may have on humans and its extent by the use of regression analysis. To measure the possible impacts vegetarian diets may hold on both the physiology and physical aspects of humans, we have utilized the measures of life expectancy and prevalence of depression respectively. Cross-sectional data were examined from sources such as the World Health Organization, Our World In Data and the World Bank, with figures …

Impact Of A Summer Nutrition And Physical Activity Intervention To Attenuate Obesity In Urban African-American Youth, Jermaine B. Mitchell, Antonio J. Gardner, Zachary Wahl-Alexander, Ben Schwamberger, Douglas Craddock Jr., Carol N. Agomo, Myia C. Lang

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Improved eating behaviors and daily participation in physical activity such as swimming might abate the likelihood of African American youth becoming obese. Yet many African American youth neither consume the recommended daily servings of nutritious foods nor know how to swim. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a culturally tailored multicomponent summer intervention to reduce obesity and unintentional drownings among underserved African American youth. Children (n = 145) participated in a three-hour, community-based intervention for four weeks. Measures of children’s attitudes perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms toward swimming, nutrition, and physical fitness were …

Caregiver Knowledge And Perceptions Of Dementia-Specific Nutritional Approaches, Danielle Freitag

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Dementia is a syndrome that affects millions worldwide. The syndrome can cause great distress not only for the diagnosed individual but also for the family and friends who provide care. It is known that many caregivers for people with dementia face difficulties in planning and preparing meals, feeding, and making nutritional decisions for their loved ones. Several diets have been shown to assist with dementia-related symptoms pre and post diagnosis. However, what is unknown is whether caregivers are aware of the benefits of these diets and what the barriers are to implementing them into their nutrition regime. This study surveyed …

Nutritional Aspects Related To Covid-19: A Bibliometric Analysis Using Scopus Database, Arti Muley Dr, Srujana Medithi Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Nutrition therapy has lately gained attention as an effective way of combating the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), especially to address the immunity in an individual and their overall health. The present study is a bibliometric assessment of research conducted to understand the role of nutrition in treating COVID-19 which was carried out since the pandemic's sudden outburst during 2020 and 2021 and published in the Scopus database. A total of 93 publications were found, and the results were studied by evaluating these documents. The present analysis identifies the active countries where the research was conducted, various types of documents wherein …

A Review Of The Effects Of Dietary Restriction, Dehydration, And Caffeine Withdrawal On Cognition: Implications For A Disabled Submarine Scenario, Sarah Chabal

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

In the event that submariners become trapped aboard a disabled submarine (DISSUB), they must perform a multitude of cognitively demanding tasks in order to maximize their likelihood of survival. During this time, submariners will also be forced to endure poor living conditions, including drastic changes to their nutrition. These nutritional changes have the potential to impair submariners’ cognitive functioning and affect operational performance, which could jeopardize survival; however, the effects of DISSUB nutrition on cognitive performance are not well understood. This review first describes the unique nutritional conditions that submariners will experience in a DISSUB scenario, including the change to …

From The Democratic Republic Of The Congo To North Carolina: An Examination Of Chronic Disease Risk, Lauren R. Sastre Dr.

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo are one of the largest refugee groups globally and in the US, however, there is limited research with this group. Therefore, objectives of this study were to examine: 1) obesity and hypertension rates, 2) diet and lifestyle behavior changes, and 3) diet, lifestyle and social factors of obesity and hypertension risk of Congolese refugees in the US. This cross-sectional data collection utilized a survey developed specifically for this project. Clinical and anthropometric measures including height, weight and blood pressure were also obtained. Data analysis included descriptive and regression analysis. Participants (n=48, >18 …

Determinants Of Gluten-Free Diet Adoption Among Individuals Without Celiac Disease Or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, Kristina Arslain, Christopher Gustafson, Pratiksha Baishya, Devin Rose

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Gluten free (GF) foods are typically less nutritious and more expensive than their gluten-containing variants, yet people without a diagnosed gluten sensitivity continue to adopt this diet. There is a lack of research about what factors drive people without Celiac disease or non-Celiac gluten sensitivity to follow the GF diet. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 2982 US residents without a diagnosed gluten sensitivity were surveyed about their attitudes, perceptions, and experiences with the GF diet. Logistic regression was used to compare respondents who were currently avoiding or had avoided gluten previously (GF consumer) to respondents who had never …

Relationship Satisfaction & Diet: Exploring The Mechanisms Through Which Intimate Relationships Influence Physical Health, Lindsey Robinson, Dylan Hillock, Dr. Josh Novak

Southeastern Council on Family Relations Conference

Understanding how intimate relationships influence physical health has been an important topic of focus; however, research remains unclear on the mechanisms through which this influence occurs. The purpose of this study was to examine how relationship satisfaction relates to diet quality, through mental health (depression and anxiety) and diet self-efficacy. Using a dyadic mediation model with a sample of 234 heterosexual couples, researchers found that women's higher relationship satisfaction was associated with better diet through lower depression and higher diet self-efficacy. Results revealed the same association between women's relationship satisfaction and diet through lower anxiety. Interestingly, rather than mediation through …

Using Ecological Analyses To Characterize Socio-Economic Food Deserts, Annie Goyanes, J. Matthew Hoch

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Datasets

“Food desert” refers to an area where citizens lack access to fresh, affordable, nutritious food. Food deserts are generally in low-income urban neighborhoods or rural towns and can be considered environmental or economic injustice. South Florida and Broward County have been documented as having a high food insecurity rate, indicative of households having difficulty putting food on the table. Given the high rate of food insecurity, it was hypothesized that a lack of access to food and the presence of socio-economic food deserts was at least partially responsible. Data was collected by visiting three supermarkets in each of the 13 …

Diet Of A Recently Reintroduced River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) Population In Taos County, New Mexico, Gabriela Alexandra Wolf-Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis), native to every U.S. state and Canada, experienced extensive population decreases and range reduction until the mid-20th century as a result of overexploitation and habitat loss during European colonization. The last known river otter in New Mexico was killed on the Gila River in 1953, although unverified reports continued thru 2008. After a nearly 60-year absence from New Mexico, 33 adult river otters were reintroduced to the Rio Pueblo de Taos in the northern part of the state between 2008-2010; however, they were not subsequently monitored or studied. I characterized diet of …

Diet Analysis Reveals Pre-Historic Meals Among The Loma San Gabriel At La Cueva De Los Muertos Chiquitos, Rio Zape, Mexico (600–800 Ce), Elisa Pucu, Julia Russ, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Coprolites have been a source of study for archeologists due to several reasons: they not only provide information on the life and nutritional habits of ancient individuals but also on their health. In this paper, we processed 10 coprolites collected at La Cueva de Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE), Rio Zape, Mexico, with acetolysis solution for pollen analysis. The number of pollen grains/gram of each coprolite sample was quantified along with the macroscopic remains of these samples. The main food item ingested by the population was maize, followed by Agave. Squash blossoms were also part of their food source …

Habitat Use And Prey Selection By Mountain Lions In An Altered Sagebrush Steppe Environment, Jonathan Ewanyk

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Throughout the American West there is an increasing trend of encroachment of woody vegetation on previously open sagebrush steppe habitat. The Modoc Plateau in northeastern California has not been excluded from this encroachment trend and has seen an increase in western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) densities, likely as a result of long-term fire suppression. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have not previously been studied on the Modoc Plateau, and there is potential for an increase in cover due to juniper encroachment to benefit the hunting behavior of lions. To better understand if the presence of cover is being …

Geographic Variability Of Octopus Insularis Diet: From Oceanic Island To Continental Populations, Tatiana S. Leite, Allan T. Batista, Françoise D. Lima, Jaciana C. Barbosa, Jennifer A. Mather

Jennifer Mather, PhD

A predator’s choice of prey can be affected by many factors. We evaluated various influences on population dietary composition, individual specialization and size of prey in Octopus insularis populations from 2 continental and 4 insular locations. We expected that habitat diversity would lead to diet heterogeneity. Furthermore, in keeping with MacArthur & Wilson’s (1967) theory of island biogeography, we expected that diet diversity would be lower around islands than on the coast of the mainland. Both predictions were confirmed when prey remains from octopus middens were examined. The 2 continental areas exhibited a richer habitat diversity and a wider variety …