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The Rate Of Decline Of Social Skills Across Dementing And Non-Dementing Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Study, Julia D. Lott Jan 2006

The Rate Of Decline Of Social Skills Across Dementing And Non-Dementing Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Study, Julia D. Lott

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to establish rate of decline of adaptive skills in a population of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and dementia compared to similar persons without dementia, as well as examining the variability of positive and negative social behaviors across diagnostic classes. Among the general population, differential rates of functional decline have been established for normal aging and dementia. This knowledge assists in making differential diagnoses of dementia, establishing prognosis, and long-term planning. For this study, participants in each group were individually matched for age, gender, Down’s syndrome status, and level of ID. Participants in the matched control group …

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Nutrient-To-Cost Comparisons Of Daily Dietary Intake, Food Security Status, And Body Mass Index In Female Food Stamp Recipients Residing In Southeast Louisiana, Shanna Lundy Jan 2006

Nutrient-To-Cost Comparisons Of Daily Dietary Intake, Food Security Status, And Body Mass Index In Female Food Stamp Recipients Residing In Southeast Louisiana, Shanna Lundy

LSU Master's Theses

Diets are typically poorer and risk of chronic disease is greatest in low-income populations. A relationship has been established in the literature between food costs and diet quality, where lower cost diets are generally those of the poorest quality. Food group intake, energy/nutrient intake, and diet cost were assessed in 64 female food stamp recipients in Southeast Louisiana. From one 24-hour dietary recall collected at the beginning of the monthly resource cycle (Day 1) and one at the end (Day 2), nutrient intakes and diet costs were able to be analyzed between different time frames. Participants were divided among food …

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Design And Evaluation Of Automated, Continuous Culture Techniques For Brachionus Rotundiformis, Zhengzhong Zhang Jan 2006

Design And Evaluation Of Automated, Continuous Culture Techniques For Brachionus Rotundiformis, Zhengzhong Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A 40-L recirculating rotifer turbidostat (RRT) pilot system consisting of a rotifer reactor, biofilter, foam fractionator, feed container, harvester, and two air-lift pumps was designed to produce B. rotundiformis, a small (S-type) rotifer, that is increasingly demanded for production of small-gape marine finfish larvae. The system’s automatic monitoring (turbidity, pH, conductivity and temperature) and controlling (turbidity, pH, feeding and harvesting) were performed by a Rugid™ computer. A 4 (temperature) x 3 (salinity) study indicated that a 30oC/15 ppt treatment is the most favorable to the growth of B. rotundiformis. Under these conditions, the effect of harvest rate on rotifer system …

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The Effect Of A Condensed Tannin Containing Forage, Sericea Lespedeza On Existing And Challenge Infections Of Haemonchus Contortus In Sheep, Leigh Ann Chafton Jan 2006

The Effect Of A Condensed Tannin Containing Forage, Sericea Lespedeza On Existing And Challenge Infections Of Haemonchus Contortus In Sheep, Leigh Ann Chafton

LSU Master's Theses

Haemonchus contortus is one of the most threatening parasites to small ruminant production. Control has traditionally relied on the use of anthelmintics. Control has waned because the worm population has developed resistance to most of the currently available anthelmintics and alternative control measures are needed. Current consumer pressure is to reduce the use of chemicals in agricultural products, thus pushing control methods to more natural and acceptable approaches. One such approach is the feeding of condensed tannin containing forages either as fresh forage or dried products (hay, meal, pellets, etc). This study was conducted to determine the effect of a …

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Who Said "Words Can Never Hurt?": An Investigation Of Child Weight Status, Childhood Psycosocial Variables, And Later Adult Quality Of Life, Holly Spencer Kihm Jan 2006

Who Said "Words Can Never Hurt?": An Investigation Of Child Weight Status, Childhood Psycosocial Variables, And Later Adult Quality Of Life, Holly Spencer Kihm

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first purpose of the research project was to examine the relationship between child weight status and adult quality of life. The second purpose of the research project was to test psychosocial variables as mediators of the relationship between child weight status and adult quality of life. A total of 164 undergraduate and graduate students from Louisiana State University participated in the study. The students completed five online questionnaires that were used to assess variables such as child weight status, adult weight status, history of childhood teasing experiences, child self-concept, and adult quality of life. Several statistical analyses were employed …

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The Impact Of Hypoxia On Mercury Methylation In Bottom Sediment Of Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Mei Huey Tan Jan 2006

The Impact Of Hypoxia On Mercury Methylation In Bottom Sediment Of Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Mei Huey Tan

LSU Master's Theses

Widespread concern has developed about high mercury content in fish in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent estuaries and bays. Among the areas implicated as possible sources of the mercury that moves up the food chain from the methylmercury formed in sediments and anoxic waters is the seasonal hypoxic zone in the northern Gulf. This research was designed to determine if methylmercury formation is stimulated by the anaerobic sediment conditions accompanying the onset of summer hypoxia in the Gulf. Both field and laboratory studies were carried out. For the field study sediment samples were collected at three stations (i.e. C4, …

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Understanding Parents' Decisions About Serving Vegetables To Their Children, Alissa Villarrubia Jan 2006

Understanding Parents' Decisions About Serving Vegetables To Their Children, Alissa Villarrubia

LSU Master's Theses

With the increasing rate of childhood obesity it is important to examine obesity prevention programs and strategies. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) has been identified as a successful framework to examine and understand human behavior and obesity prevention research. However, there is limited support for the TPB regarding its use and efficacy for understanding parents’ influence on the health behavior of their children. The purpose of this study was to: (a) describe the most common behavioral, normative, and control beliefs of parents’ serving vegetables to their children; (b) examine the social cognitive correlates of parents’ intentions to serve vegetables …

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Racial Disparities, Birth Outcomes, And Changing Demographics Of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Misty D. Richard Jan 2006

Racial Disparities, Birth Outcomes, And Changing Demographics Of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Misty D. Richard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Racial and socioeconomic disparities persist throughout the country regardless of which specific disparity is studied; however, some geographic regions experience more significant racial disparities. East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has a large racial disparity among birth outcomes. Many factors impact the degree of racial disparities, some of which include racial segregation, isolation, or centralization, access to and quality of medical care, and factors of the neighborhood environment. EBRP has undergone dramatic shifts in the demographics of its residents. The purpose of this dissertation was to study the demographic changes in the population; as well as to study the disparities among …

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The Intersection Of News Frames: Examining The Top Two Health Problems In The United States, Lesa D'Anne Hatley Jan 2006

The Intersection Of News Frames: Examining The Top Two Health Problems In The United States, Lesa D'Anne Hatley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research tests the public health model of reporting to discover if changing the way newspaper stories frame the top two health concerns in the United States – cancer and obesity – affects readers’ view of the problem. Using an experimental design, this study manipulated the context of newspaper stories about cancer and obesity. Applying thematic (broader context) and episodic (individual or event) framing concepts and gains (emphasizes benefits – e.g. lives saved) and losses (emphasizes costs – lives lost), this research revealed how the differences in framing affect public opinion about cancer and obesity. This research expands framing theory …

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Substrate Utilization In Skeletal Muscle And Adipose Tissue, Lauren M. Sparks Jan 2006

Substrate Utilization In Skeletal Muscle And Adipose Tissue, Lauren M. Sparks

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are associated with high fat diet (HFD), reduced mitochondrial mass and function and insulin resistance as characterized by glucose disposal and relative to body fatness. We hypothesized that (a) HFD affects expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and function, (b) carbohydrate metabolism and storage is under transcriptional control and (c) both overall fatness and characteristics of adipose tissue influence the interplay between free fatty acids (FFAs) and insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. To test hypotheses “a” and “b”, we fed 10 insulin-sensitive males an isoenergetic HFD for 3 days with muscle biopsies before and after intervention. …

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Nutrient Constraints On Plant Community Production And Organic Matter Accumulation Of Subtropical Floating Marshes, Guerry O., Jr. Holm Jr. Jan 2006

Nutrient Constraints On Plant Community Production And Organic Matter Accumulation Of Subtropical Floating Marshes, Guerry O., Jr. Holm Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the cycle of delta growth and decay, peat-forming wetlands span a time and space continuum. Later in the delta cycle, freshwater floating marshes become increasingly removed from external sediment subsidy and internal nutrient cycling controls plant productivity and organic matter accumulation. An interesting question is whether increased external nutrient loading can affect the basic processes that lead to peat formation—plant production and organic matter decomposition. I conducted several field studies to understand whether belowground organic matter accumulation and decomposition were affected with increased nutrient exposure; in addition, the plant community was monitored over three years. A laboratory soil respiration …

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Tech Culture -- A Real World Practice Of Effectuation Theories, Yi J. Cheng Jan 2006

Tech Culture -- A Real World Practice Of Effectuation Theories, Yi J. Cheng

LSU Master's Theses

Tech Culture is a local startup company that has a very creative idea in the network security management area. The two founders have a very strong startup for their business but encounter some problems during the expansion of their business. This thesis is to analyze their business model using effectuation theories to make sure the business model fits the current economic development. Then, start using various business theories to correctly define and analyze their problems. At the end, some theory-driven suggestions are given to Tech Culture for its future development.

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Once Proud Princes: Planters And Plantation Culture In Louisiana's Northeast Delta, From The First World War Through The Great Depression, James Matthew Reonas Jan 2006

Once Proud Princes: Planters And Plantation Culture In Louisiana's Northeast Delta, From The First World War Through The Great Depression, James Matthew Reonas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Delta country of northeast Louisiana is a richly productive alluvial region stretching south from the Arkansas line to the confluence of the Red and Mississippi Rivers below Natchez. As the source of great cotton fortunes made during antebellum times, it reflected the Old South ideal and, for several decades after the end of the Civil War, remained firmly grounded in this old plantation culture. The economic depression of the 1890s and the coming of the boll weevil in the early 1900s, however, signaled a gradual decline that turned into full-blown dissolution in the years following the First World War. …

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Determination Of Antioxidant Capacity In Corn Germ, Wheat Germ And Wheat Bran Using Solvent And Microwave-Assisted Solvent Extraction, David Swenson Oufnac Jan 2006

Determination Of Antioxidant Capacity In Corn Germ, Wheat Germ And Wheat Bran Using Solvent And Microwave-Assisted Solvent Extraction, David Swenson Oufnac

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT Solvent extraction methods are widely used for extracting antioxidant in foods and other sources. In this study, Traditional Solvent Extraction (TSE) and Microwave-Assisted Solvent Extraction (MASE) were utilized to determine the content of antioxidants in corn germ, wheat bran and wheat germ. Corn germ, wheat bran and wheat germ all contain different levels of antioxidants; TSE and MASE were utilized to determine the content of antioxidants in these three samples. TSE was performed at 60 ¨¬C employing three solvents, acetone, hexane and methanol. MASE was performed using the solvent methanol at four different temperatures, 60, 80, 100 and 120 …

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Control Of Listeria Species And Other Bacteria In Crawfish And Crab Processing Facilities, Utilizing Copper Drains, Coatings And Concrete, Containing Copper Ions, Artem S. Rogovskyy Jan 2006

Control Of Listeria Species And Other Bacteria In Crawfish And Crab Processing Facilities, Utilizing Copper Drains, Coatings And Concrete, Containing Copper Ions, Artem S. Rogovskyy

LSU Master's Theses

The antibacterial properties of copper ions against Listeria spp., Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli and other coliforms, and total aerobic bacteria have been investigated in seafood processing environments. Our hypothesis was that drains fabricated from copper and coatings and concrete containing copper ions that have been used for sealing floors and walls could be utilized in crawfish and crab processing facilities as an effective means of controlling Listeria spp. and other unwanted bacteria. Copper in the form of copper sulfate pentahydrate was incorporated into coatings and concrete at the salt concentration of 25 ppm (6.36 ppm Cu++). Sampling sites were selected …

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Comparing Bermudagrass And Bahiagrass Cultivars At Different Stages Of Harvest For Dry Matter Yield And Nutrient Content, Ryan Thomas Dore' Jan 2006

Comparing Bermudagrass And Bahiagrass Cultivars At Different Stages Of Harvest For Dry Matter Yield And Nutrient Content, Ryan Thomas Dore'

LSU Master's Theses

Rapid growth of warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) is associated with a decline in their nutritional value. This study was initiated to provide production and composition data with different cultivars of bermudagrass (common, Russell, Jiggs) and bahiagrass (Tifton-9, Pensacola, Argentina). Dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) composition and production were evaluated every two weeks for a ten-week period on six different cultivars. Also, Russell bermudagrass was evaluated in a second trial very similar to the first trial for composition and production but was started …

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Detection And Survival Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Cattle Water Troughs And The Effects Of Cetylpyridinium Chloride Against Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Biofilms On The Surface Of Stainless Steel, Sajida Begum Plauche Jan 2006

Detection And Survival Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Cattle Water Troughs And The Effects Of Cetylpyridinium Chloride Against Escherichia Coli O157:H7 Biofilms On The Surface Of Stainless Steel, Sajida Begum Plauche

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an emerging food pathogen that was first identified as a cause of illness in 1982. According to CDC (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates, E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for about 73,000 illnesses, 2,000 hospitalizations and 60 deaths in the United States each year. Cattle are the principal reservoir of E. coli O157:H7. Contamination of feed and drinking water with cattle feces is an importance factor in the prevalence of infection in cattle which, in turn, results in contamination of food and the environment. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a very persistent pathogen and has …

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Phenolic Compounds And Antioxidant Activity Of Oat Bran By Various Extraction Methods, Darryl Lourey Holliday Jan 2006

Phenolic Compounds And Antioxidant Activity Of Oat Bran By Various Extraction Methods, Darryl Lourey Holliday

LSU Master's Theses

Recent studies have suggested that the health promoting capabilities of oats are due to its antioxidants (tocopherols, tocotrienols, and sterols) found within the bran along with phenolic compounds, such as avenanthramides, p-hydroxybenoic acid and vanillic acid. Long-chain fatty acid oxidation is directly responsible for most off-flavors in food. Since oat bran is a good source of antioxidants, a concentrated extract could be used as a natural preservative, for foods rich in unsaturated long-chain fatty acids. Three methods, traditional solvent (TSE), microwave-assisted solvent (MAS), and supercritical fluid treatment (SFT), were used to obtain the extracts. One extraction temperature in TSE, 60°C, …

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Sensory Characteristics Of Salt Substitute Containing L-Arginine, Pamarin Waimaleongora-Ek Jan 2006

Sensory Characteristics Of Salt Substitute Containing L-Arginine, Pamarin Waimaleongora-Ek

LSU Master's Theses

Dietary salt restriction is a common approach recommended by physicians in the treatment and prevention of hypertension. Salt substitute is a potential alternative. The most popular salt substitute is KCl, having similar physical properties to NaCl. Because of the higher molecular weight of cations (K+), KCl imparts undesired bitterness and metallic aftertaste. L-arginine has been found to have the bitterness-suppression property. Therefore, it may be used in the mixture of salt substitutes. In the first study, NaCl and four salt substitute solutions consisting of KCl, NaCl, and L-arginine, were developed at 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% w/v. A discriminative test was …

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Effect Of Vaccination Of Goats With H-Gal-Gp And H11 Antigens From Intestinal Membrane Cells Of Haemonchus Contortus, Donya Dupree Olcott Jan 2006

Effect Of Vaccination Of Goats With H-Gal-Gp And H11 Antigens From Intestinal Membrane Cells Of Haemonchus Contortus, Donya Dupree Olcott

LSU Master's Theses

Extracts of adult Haemonchus contortus were purified and used as a vaccine against the blood feeding parasite in goats as previously studied in sheep. The proteins used were H11 and H-gal-GP, hidden gut antigens from the microvillar membrane of the gut of the worm and combined with Quil A as adjuvant, then administered to a group of goats kept on concrete then artificially infected with H. contortus. The control group received Quil A injections and also infected. This study was performed to analyze the effects of the H11/H-gal-GP vaccine when given to goats as compared to sheep. The trial showed …

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Direct Detection Of Homocysteine And Syntheses Of Lanthanide Complexes As Biosensors, Weihua Wang Jan 2006

Direct Detection Of Homocysteine And Syntheses Of Lanthanide Complexes As Biosensors, Weihua Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

At elevated levels, homocysteine (Hcy) is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also implicated in a number of other diseases such as neural tube defects, pregnancy complications, and renal failures. The monitoring of Hcy levels in plasma is of current concern. To date, the biochemical mechanism by which Hcy is involved in disease states is unclear. Herein, we describe highly selective colorimetric methods for the direct determination of Hcy. Inexpensive, commercially available materials are reported. The results show potential application for the detection of Hcy in human blood plasma. Additionally, new HPLC postcolumn detection methods for …

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Influence Of Typha Latifolia And Phragmites Communis Root Matter On Degredation Of Aged 1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene In Bayou Sediments, Elaiza Maria Alvarez Jan 2006

Influence Of Typha Latifolia And Phragmites Communis Root Matter On Degredation Of Aged 1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene In Bayou Sediments, Elaiza Maria Alvarez

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Typha latifolia and Phragmites communis root matter in degradation of sediments contaminated with aged 1,2,3,4- Tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,3,4-TeCB). In the present study, complete reductive dechlorination of 1,2,3,4-TeCB was observed in root matter systems, contrasting sediment with no roots present. Microcosms amended with Phragmites communis roots achieved the greatest first-order reaction rate constant over a 4-week period (0.113 d-1, half-life time of 6.13 days). Typha latifolia roots also played an important role in reductive dehalogenation of 1,2,3,4-TeCB, although the first-order reaction rate constant observed within the same period of …

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Alpha-Tocopherol: Extraction From Rice Bran By Microwave-Assisted Method, And Entrapment And Release From Polymeric Nanoparticles, Imola G. Zigoneanu Jan 2006

Alpha-Tocopherol: Extraction From Rice Bran By Microwave-Assisted Method, And Entrapment And Release From Polymeric Nanoparticles, Imola G. Zigoneanu

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was two-fold, 1) to extract and quantify vitamin E components from rice bran using microwave extraction, to determine the antioxidant activity of the rice bran oil, and the effect of solvent and temperature on vitamin E components and oil yield, and 2) to entrap alpha-tocopherol into polymeric nanoparticles, to characterize the nanoparticles in terms of morphology, size and size distribution, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and amount of residual PVA associated with the nanoparticles, as well as to study the release of alpha-tocopherol from PLGA nanoparticles. Microwave-assisted extraction was an efficient method for the extraction of …

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Louisiana Cotton, Rice, Soybean And Sugarcane Farmer Stakeholders: Who Are They And What Are Their Perceptions Of Farming Practices As Related To The Environment, Robert James Soileau Jan 2006

Louisiana Cotton, Rice, Soybean And Sugarcane Farmer Stakeholders: Who Are They And What Are Their Perceptions Of Farming Practices As Related To The Environment, Robert James Soileau

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study identified the stakeholders of Louisiana plant commodity farmers and rated them in terms of importance. Findings of this study show that farmers/ranchers, LSU AgCenter Experiment Station Research personnel, family, consumers, farm labor and agriculture chemical, fertilizer and seed dealers are the most important stakeholders. The second aspect of this study was to discover the stakeholder perceptions of agricultural practices and their relationship to the environment. An environmental perceptions survey was conducted with two of the most important stakeholder groups identified – Experiment Station Research Faculty associated with plant commodities and Louisiana consumers. LSU AgCenter Experiment Station Research Faculty …

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Communicating The Modern Entrepreneurial University In The 21st Century: A Case Study Of Academic Capitalism And Media Messaging In The Pursuit Of Revenues And National Prominence At Louisiana State University, Charles F. Zewe Jan 2006

Communicating The Modern Entrepreneurial University In The 21st Century: A Case Study Of Academic Capitalism And Media Messaging In The Pursuit Of Revenues And National Prominence At Louisiana State University, Charles F. Zewe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

American public universities have passed through three stages of development: the religious, the philanthropic/land-grant, and the federal research university. Squeezed by government budget cuts and demands for more money to pay for research and faculty raises, U.S. higher education has entered a fourth phase, the entrepreneurial university. Public universities are increasingly capitalizing on the intellectual property of their faculty and students to sustain themselves and expand. Administrators spout free-market rhetoric as faculty attempt to commercialize research by creating spin-off companies. Using Louisiana State University as a case study, this dissertation, applies a combination of organizational knowledge creation and resource dependence …

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Food Purchasing Behaviors, Dietary Energy Density, Perceived Health Status, And Perceived Nutrition Knowledge Of Female Food Stamp Recipients Living In Southeast Louisiana, Carrie Marie Elks Jan 2006

Food Purchasing Behaviors, Dietary Energy Density, Perceived Health Status, And Perceived Nutrition Knowledge Of Female Food Stamp Recipients Living In Southeast Louisiana, Carrie Marie Elks

LSU Master's Theses

Purchase and consumption of energy-dense nutrient poor [EDNP] foods by low-income individuals contributes to the lower diet quality and increased risk of chronic disease (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes) in this population. Food purchasing behaviors, dietary energy density [ED], perceived health status, and perceived nutrition knowledge were assessed in 22 female food stamp recipients in Southeast Louisiana. Two 24-hour recalls (at the beginning and at the end of the month) and food expenditure receipts were collected; participants also completed several questionnaires. Fifty percent [%] (n=11) of study participants were food secure, and fifty percent (n=11) were food insecure. Sixty-four % …

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The Impact Of The Louisiana Master Gardener Program On The Perceived And Actual Horticultural Knowlede Levels Of Program Participants, Bobby Hugh Fletcher Jan 2006

The Impact Of The Louisiana Master Gardener Program On The Perceived And Actual Horticultural Knowlede Levels Of Program Participants, Bobby Hugh Fletcher

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the impact of participation in the master gardener program on: a. Self-perceived knowledge in selected horticultural areas; b. Knowledge in selected areas of horticulture as measured by a researcher designed test; and c. Use of best management practices (BMPs) in horticultural practice. Gardening is a favorite pastime in the United States that has therapeutic and rewarding benefits. Currently, there is a great demand for accurate gardening (horticultural) information from green industry users such as gardeners from all backgrounds and areas. There is a need for research-based horticultural information to be provided …

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The Perceived Benefits Of Healthcare Information Technology Adoption: Construct And Survey Development, So-Ra Jung Jan 2006

The Perceived Benefits Of Healthcare Information Technology Adoption: Construct And Survey Development, So-Ra Jung

LSU Master's Theses

This paper is a part of a large study, which examines healthcare professionals’ attitudes regarding the adoption, use and perceived benefits of healthcare information technology (HIT). To date, literature on HIT has shown many important benefits related to quality and efficiency as well as limitations related to generalization and to a lack of empirical data on benefits. The aim of this paper is to develop a survey instrument focused the perceived benefits of HIT adoption. We exhaustively reviewed the construct of perceived benefits in various research areas to identify established approaches to predicting individual’s intentions to adopt technology. The items …

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Analysis Of Consumer Attitudes And Their Willingness To Pay For Functional Foods, Cate Nakaweesa Munene Jan 2006

Analysis Of Consumer Attitudes And Their Willingness To Pay For Functional Foods, Cate Nakaweesa Munene

LSU Master's Theses

Survey data collected from randomly selected participants within the four geographical regions of the U.S. were used to evaluate consumer attitudes towards functional foods and determine their willingness to pay for these foods. Contingent valuation using the payment card method was used to elicit premiums that consumers are willing to pay for a spread that maintains a healthy heart (spread A), a spread that is proven to significantly reduce cholesterol (spread B) and a loaf of bread that may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers (bread A). Ordered probit regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect …

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Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of A Body Mass Index-For-Age Percentile Health Report In Raising Parent Awareness Of Their Child's Weight Status, Anantha Padmaja Lakkakula Jan 2006

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of A Body Mass Index-For-Age Percentile Health Report In Raising Parent Awareness Of Their Child's Weight Status, Anantha Padmaja Lakkakula

LSU Master's Theses

Overweight in children has become a major health concern. Research suggests that many parents may not be aware of their child’s actual weight status. The objectives of this study were to test the effectiveness of a body mass index (BMI)-for–age percentile report in raising parent awareness of their child’s weight status. Eighteen public elementary schools in southeast Louisiana were pair matched and divided into nine intervention and nine control schools. Children in the intervention and the control schools were divided into two groups 1) healthy weight (BMI ≥ 5th to <85th percentile) and 2) at risk and overweight (BMI ≥ 85th percentile). Forty children were randomly selected from each of the two weight groups from the intervention and the control schools. Parents of children in the intervention group received a BMI-for-age percentile health report along with a short questionnaire. Parents of children in control schools received the questionnaire only. Parents in the intervention group have 4.7 times more accurate perception about their child’s weight compared to the control group (OR: 4.7, 95% of CI: 0.89-24.86, p=0.00 ). After receiving the report, more parents of at risk or overweight children were concerned and only fewer parents of healthy weight children were anxious about their child’ weight. When parents were compared based on their child’s weight regardless whether they got the report, parents of at risk or overweight children were more than five times less likely to perceive the correct weight classification of their child (OR: 1.8, 95% of CI: 0.05-0.62, p=0.00) and less concerned about their child’s weight (OR: 0.98, 95% of CI: 0.32-2.93, p=0.00) when compared to parents of healthy weight children. All parents were willing to help their child follow healthy behaviors regard less of the report and their child’s weight status. A BMI-for-age percentile report appears to be an effective way to increase parent awareness and concern regarding their child’s weight status. With increased awareness, parents may be more likely to encourage their children to achieve a healthy weight.

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