Digital Commons Network^™

Leptin’S Role In The Obesity Epidemic, Alyssa C. Washeleski

Honors College Theses

Weight loss methods have been around for decades, but yet, individuals still can’t lose weight or keep it off. Researchers have pondered if there is more to being incapable of losing body fat than individuals having a lack of willpower. While the environment plays a critical role in weight regulation, genetics may be just as important.

Research has discovered a hormone called leptin that controls energy expenditure and satiety. Leptin plays a part in many physiological roles, including appetite control, sexual function, immunity, insulin sensitivity, and the metabolism of lipid and bone. Studies done with mice and humans have concluded …

Weighing The Effects Of Food Marketing To Children, Serena Panos

BU Well

The marketing tactics used to promote food products in the United States has grown exponentially over recent years. Companies no longer promote products through traditional television commercials alone but utilize their ability to reach consumers through a multitude of modern social media outlets. Because of this, food promotions are all around us. However, the advertising and marketing of food targeted at children and adolescents may not be as harmless as it seems. This article explores why the progressive target marketing of food to children may be a key factor in the rapid growth rate of childhood obesity in the United …

Increasing Patient Adherence To Gestational Weight Gain Goals In Pregnancy, Annie Vining

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The inability to maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy may contribute to multiple pregnancy-related complications. Nutritional education and support may improve nutrition and vitamin consumption, and recommendations for healthy gestational weight gains have been published. However, pregnant women have reported minimal advice regarding healthy weight gain during pregnancy. A personalized, nutritional counseling program was initiated in a Midwestern, suburban OB-GYN private practice.

Methods: A quality improvement descriptive, correlational design was used. A cohort of pregnant women first trimester through six-weeks postpartum received individual counseling and face-to-face interaction at an office visit each trimester.

Results: Twenty ( …

130— Reducing Stereotypic Behavior With A Ketogenic Diet, Anna Beltramini, Andrew Guido, Alicia Bauers, Joe Spano

GREAT Day Posters

Now a popular fad diet, the ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carb diet that for decades has been used for treatment of intractable epilepsy. Recent therapeutic applications of KD in animal models include treatment of dementia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism. These disorders are associated with stereotypic behaviors (repetitive, invariant behaviors with no apparent function) that are life-impairing and stigmatizing. However, little is known about their underlying mechanisms and no effective pharmacological treatments are available. Here, we present a novel application of KD to reduce stereotypic behavior in an inbred strain of mice (FVBN/J) that displays a prominent repetitive circling …

The Impact Of Anthropometric Measurements On Lactate Levels At Rest And During Exercise, Ashley Kristine Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

49 Pages

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between anthropometric measures with heart rates (HR) at specific blood lactate concentrations [bLa] during exercise.

Method: Participants and data for this study were collected by an orthopedic rehabilitation center in Central Illinois. Participants underwent lactate testing following METHOD CRA protocol on an upright cycle and an optional DEXA scan. Heart rate values at Prime (2 mmol/L), Anaerobic (4 mmol/L) and Peak (6 mmol//L) blood lactate concentrations were recorded. Data was analyzed using Pearson correlations.

Results: A total of 59 participants were included. Participants ages ranged from 21 …

Go With Your Gut: The Role Of Gut Microbiota In Health, Lydia Bangerter, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Jeffrey Chapman, Abbigail Sundell, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

Living within your gastrointestinal tract (gut) are about 100 trillion bacterial cells—your gastrointestinal microbiota—a host of bacteria that play a vital role in your body (Ghaisas, Maher, & Kanthasamy, 2016). Your gut microbiome is responsible for a wide variety of functions that contribute to overall health and may be linked to many chronic diseases including cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease (Ghaisaset al., 2016; Peregrin, 2013). This fact sheet will discuss the role the gut microbiome plays in various aspects of health and how to improve your gut health.

Yeast Beta-Glucan Supplementation Down Regulates Markers Of Systemic Inflammation After Heated Treadmill Exercise, Hannah A. Zabriskie, Julia C. Blumkaitis, Jessica M. Moon, Bradley S. Currier, Riley Stefan, Kayla Ratliff, Patrick S. Harty, Richard A. Stecker, Karolina Rudnicka, Ralf Jäger, Michael D. Roberts, Kaelin Young, Andrew R. Jagin, Chad M. Kerksick

Faculty Scholarship

Aerobic exercise and thermal stress instigate robust challenges to the immune system. Various attempts to modify or supplement the diet have been proposed to bolster the immune system responses. The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of yeast beta-glucan (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation. Healthy, active men (29.6 ± 6.7 years, 178.1 ± 7.2 cm, 83.2 ± 11.2 kg, 49.6 ± 5.1 mL/kg/min, n = 16) and women (30.1 ± 8.9 years, 165.6 ± 4.1 cm, 66.7 ± 10.0 kg, 38.7 ± 5.8 mL/kg/min, n = 15) were randomly assigned in a double-blind …

The Role Of Diet In The Onset Of Depression: A Biochemical Connection Between Nutrition And Mental Health, Katlin Wildeman

Senior Honors Theses

Depression is a major clinical concern, having a complex onset and the presence of multiple, often unidentifiable causes. Depression affects millions of individuals worldwide, with a high prevalence in regions of the world with a Western-style diet as compared to regions with a Mediterranean diet. A Western-style diet consists of foods high in sugar, fat, and processed meats and grains, whereas the Mediterranean diet contains significantly more vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. The link between diet and mental health disorders has implications for individuals of all ages who are hesitant to turn to medication. In addition to presenting …

Effects Of Acute Dietary Polyphenols And Post-Meal Physical Activity On Postprandial Metabolism In Adults With Features Of The Metabolic Syndrome, Dustin W. Davis, James W. Navalta, Graham R. Mcginnis, Reimund Serafica, Kenneth Izuora, Arpita Basu

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Approximately 22% of U.S. adults and 25% of adults globally have metabolic syndrome (MetS). Key features, such as dysglycemia and dyslipidemia, predict type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature disability, and death. Acute supplementation of dietary polyphenols and post-meal physical activity hold promise in improving postprandial dysmetabolism. To our knowledge, no published review has described the effects of either intervention on postprandial glucose, insulin, lipids, and markers of oxidative damage and inflammation in adults with features of MetS. Thus, we conducted this review of controlled clinical trials that provided dietary polyphenols from oils, fruits, teas, and legumes during a dietary challenge, …

Impact Of Health Promoting Nutrition Intervention Package On Severe Malnutrition Among Under-Five Children In Rural Northern India, Poonam Khanna, Tejinder P. Singh, Rajbir Kaur, Jill Miller, Thakur Mejie, Sonia Minhas, Jyoti Dixit, Manoj Sharma

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Globally, 17 million children under 5 years of age are affected with severe malnutrition. Severe wasting is a key contributor (12.6%) to child deaths due to nutritional deficiencies and is responsible for several morbid conditions. The purpose of this paper was to assess the impact of nutritional counseling intervention on severe malnutrition among rural under-five children in Northern India. Nine villages in an ongoing project were included in the study to include all the under-five children (N=573) from these villages. Nutritional assessment was performed as per World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards. Based on their z-scores of malnourishment indicators, …

Recommendations For Food Systems Work Based Upon Research And Data Related To Latinx Residents Of Spartanburg County, Laura Barbas Rhoden, Nora Curiel Muñoz, Natalia Valenzuela Swanson

Community Based Research

The following recommendations are informed by data gathered in Spartanburg County, analyzed, and published in several reports. Reports are open access; titles and links follow the recommendations in the references section of this document. The recommendations here were remitted to the Spartanburg Food System Coalition on April 16, 2020.

A Nutritional And Environmental Analysis Of Local Food Pantries Accessible To College Students In Rural North Carolina, Emily E. Frymark, Jonathon Stickford, Alisha Farris

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Food insecurity is a growing concern among college students and is especially prevalent in rural areas. Food pantries often serve as a resource to food insecure individuals yet, their policies, standards, and nutritional quality vary due to the unpredictability of food donations.

Purpose: To examine the nutritional quality of food items and adherence of best practices at local food pantries accessible to college students near a university in rural Appalachia.

Methods: Three food pantries in North Carolina were selected due to their proximity to a local, rural university. Food items were analyzed for nutrient and food …

The Effects Of Nutrition Smartphone Applications On Parents’ Grocery Shopping And Meal Planning Behaviors, Lacey Bertram

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental research study was to determine the effects that nutrition smartphone applications, specifically grocery list generation applications, have on parents’ overall grocery shopping experience and meal planning behaviors for their families. The prevalence of adolescent obesity in today’s society has significantly increased to an alarming rate and family mealtimes together have decreased. Family mealtimes together can impact a child’s weight status and future health outcomes. A total of 10 participants investigated and classified the aspects in a nutrition smartphone application that were beneficial to meal planning and grocery shopping. The findings indicated that a nutrition smartphone …

The Effects Of Skeletal Muscle Specific Cpt1b Knock Out On Genetically Obese Ay Mice, Allison Stone

LSU Master's Theses

Fatty acid oxidation inhibition is one approach to reducing blood glucose levels in type II diabetes. Skeletal muscle specific Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1b knockout mice (Cpt1b^m-/-) cannot transport long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria to be oxidized in order to produce energy. Cpt1b^m-/- mice have debilitated fat oxidation, less fat mass and improved glucose utilization compared to control C57BL/6 mice fed a 25% fat diet.

We hypothesized that CPT1b inhibition could reduce fat mass and lower blood glucose levels in a genetic mouse model of obesity and diabetes. To test this, we bred Cpt1b^m-/- mice to A …

Orthorexia Nervosa In College Students: Eating Disorder History, Gender, And Dieting Behaviors, Katrina Agger, Brittany Moran, Zhiping Yu Phd, Rnd, Ldn

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Objective: College students are at higher risk for the development of orthorexia nervosa (ON), a term used to describe the pathological obsession with healthy eating. This study aimed to assess how the factors of eating disorder (ED) history, gender, and dieting behaviors affect the ON in this population.

Methods: Students 18 years or older in a southeastern university were invited to take an online survey. Survey questions include Bratman Orthorexia Test (BOT), Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and participant characteristics.

Results: 411 students (ages 18-65, BMI 15.1-55.5, female 75.2%, white 75.6%, graduate students 16.1%) have completed the survey. Comparing to students …

Food Insecurity As A Continuum: Investigating The Emotional Well-Being Of Parents, Monquie Villamor, Jody Nicholson-Bell, Lauri Wright

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Household food insecurity is one of the United States’ leading public health concerns that affects millions of families every year. Current literature has mainly focused on the impact of food insecurity on multidimensional outcomes of children (Jyoti et al., 2005; Shankar et al., 2017). However, there is limited research on parents’ experiences and the distinct levels of food insecurity outlined by the USDA. The present study investigates parents’ emotional well-being in association with levels of food insecurity and participation in food assistance programs. It is hypothesized that increased severity of food insecurity will be associated with poorer emotional well-being in …

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 [2018-2020]

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 …

Racial–Ethnic Disparities In Prediabetes And Diabetes Among Us Adults, Carly Selleck, Jennifer R. Mcatee, Weiwen Chai

UCARE: Research Products

Type-2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease affecting more than3 4 million Americans or 10.5% of the population [1]. While almost 90% of people are not aware of their prediabetes status, around 88 million adults are considered to be prediabetic [2]. Without any prevention methods, 70% of prediabetes cases will eventually develop into diabetes[3]. While the development of type-2 diabetes is multifactorial, lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity as well as socioeconomic (SES) factors such as poverty and education can be main contributors [4]. This study aimed to assess racial-ethnic differences in SES, lifestyle factors and prevalence of …

Seeing Health: Examining The Association Between Hispanic Caribbean Restaurant Characteristics And Healthy Menu Images In New York City, Eddie N. Sakowitz

Student Theses

Hispanics experience more diet-related health disparities in comparison to non-Hispanic whites. Community nutrition environments can influence health outcomes, but restaurants are a largely untapped research area. This study examined how Hispanic Caribbean restaurants promote healthy eating through menu design, and which Hispanic Caribbean restaurants characteristics are associated with healthy menu images. We hypothesize that healthy menu images will be associated with more affluent neighborhoods. We examined the nutrition environment in a random sample of 89 Hispanic Caribbean restaurants in New York City. This analysis included a subsample of Hispanic Caribbean restaurants that had menus with images (n=51). Hispanic Caribbean restaurants …

Stunting And Infectious Disease In Ethiopian And Zambian Children, Alyssa Arndt

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition and Health

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether children who are malnourished/stunted are more likely to have experienced infectious disease.

METHODS: 6th and 7th students (n=546) were interviewed about health history and assessed using anthropometry.

RESULTS: Children who are short for their age also have higher rates of stunting. Malaria is the most experienced infectious disease.

CONCLUSIONS: Given that malaria was the most common infectious disease experience listed among middle school children, and that those who have experienced disease are more likely to be stunted, increased malaria prevention methods may improve the long-term health of Ethiopian and Zambian schoolchildren.

Use Of A Novel Whole-Body Imaging Approach To Predict Resting Metabolic Rates In Athletes, Nicole Vencil

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Prediction of energy expenditure allows for calculation of appropriate energy requirements, which is especially important for athletes. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the greatest contributor to total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and is typically measured via indirect calorimetry. Indirect calorimetry is not always available, which results in the need for predictive equations. Most predictive equations have been developed with participants resembling the general population and have not been found to be appropriate for athletes, as they may incorrectly predict RMR due to the unique differences of body composition between athletes and the general population. The purpose of the present study …

Mothers’ Experience With Infant Complementary Feeding Practices: A Phenomenological Study., Tyler Martin

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Background. Complementary feeding practices include what, when, and how to feed (Birch and Doub, 2014). The gradual transition from feeding exclusively human milk, formula milk, or a combination of both to complementary foods over the first 24 months of life is necessary to ensure proper growth and development (Dewey, 2001; Pearce & Langley-Evans, 2013). While research does exist on complementary feeding, such as infant diet composition, limited research exists on exploring complementary feeding practices from first-time mothers’ experiences.

Methods. This study utilized transcendental phenomenological qualitative research methodology. A pilot tested semi-structured interview guide was used to examine demographics as …

Comparisons Of Celiac Disease And Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, Victoria Thomas

Senior Honors Theses

Celiac disease (CD) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) are often confused or grouped together due to their commonalities. However, this is careless behavior because there are clinically significant differences between the two diseases. Similarities between them include varying degrees of damage or permeability in the lining of the small intestine, involvement of the innate immune system, alleviation of symptoms upon implementation of a gluten-free diet (GFD), and the possibility for complications if the pathology is not adequately treated. Despite these similarities, minor details such as the following make CD and NCGS worth differentiating: the question of gluten as the true …

Jalapeno Peppers, Amanda Christensen

All Current Publications

This publication is part of the Create Better Health Guide to Eating Healthy and includes tips on selecting, growing, preparing, and storing jalapeno peppers.

Social Media Posts' Influence On College Athletes' Protein Knowledge, Kriston T. Love

Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to examine how Instagram can be used as a means of education for collegiate athletes and their knowledge of protein. More specifically this research aimed to compare the prior knowledge about protein that collegiate athletes have to the knowledge they may have retained after being exposed to posts on Instagram about protein. It also aimed to determine the knowledge of protein collegiate athletes already had and if their sport and year in school influenced their protein knowledge. This study surveyed Division I collegiate athletes on their social media use and knowledge of protein before and after being …

Sin Acceso A Alimentos Seguros, Saludables Y Económicos: El Modelo Agroindustrial Dominante Y Sus Efectos En Los Consumidores En Salta, Argentina / Without Access To Safe, Healthy, And Affordable Food: The Dominant Agroindustrial Model And Its Effects On Consumers In Salta, Argentina, Sara Paulsen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper analyzes the effects of the hegemonic food system on low income consumers in Salta, Argentina. Results from previous literature indicate a relationship between the dominant agroindustrial model in Argentina and the concentration of power in the food production system. This paper seeks to contextualize the reports of malnutrition in Salta, a province in northwest Argentina, within larger social, cultural, and nutritional trends. To answer the question of how the hegemonic food system affects access to safe, healthy, and affordable food in Salta, I analyzed reports of various health outcomes (including malnutrition, cancer, birth defects, and obesity) and contextualized …

Cauliflower, Janet Smith

All Current Publications

This publication is part of the Create Better Health Guide to Eating Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and includes information on selecting, preparing, cooking, and storing cauliflower.

Celery, Marie Stosich, Hilari Holgren

All Current Publications

This publication guide to eating, selecting, cooking, and storing celery.

Cherries, Janet Smith, Anita Raddatz

All Current Publications

This publication is part of the Create Better Health Guide to Eating Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and includes information on selecting, preparing, cooking, and storing cherries.

Pumpkins, Amanda Christensen

All Current Publications

This publication is part of the Create Better Health Guide to Eating Healthy and includes tips on selecting, growing, preparing, and storing pumpkins.