Life Sciences Commons^™

How Covid19 Has Impacted Students Nutrition And Eating Habits With The Abrupt Closure Of Restaurants And Campuses, Chloe Sermet

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing college campuses, restaurants, and businesses to shut down, many college students found themselves having to return home or find alternative food resources. Due to these factors, it was imperative to examine how college student’s eating habits have changed throughout the pandemic, dealing with lots of stressors, and whether having prior education on nutrition influenced those eating habits. To examine those effects, 17 nutrition minors and 126 non-nutrition minors participated in the current study in which they took the College Students Eating Habit survey and the Perception of Peer Pressure Scale. The outcome of the …

Evaluation Of Nutritional Factors That Influence The Efficacy Of Tributyrin As A Feed Additive For Broilers, Brooke Bodle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tributyrin (TB) is a glyceride ester of butyrate that has the potential to improve broiler performance and intestinal development. Therefore, to fully evaluate this potential, three experiments were conducted to evaluate effect of tributyrin (TB) on broiler growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, intestinal morphology, and gastrointestinal function in birds fed diets varying in composition reared in battery cages and floor pens. Experiment 1 explored the supplementation of graded doses of TB and its impact upon growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics in a step-down program when added to a reduced energy and amino acid diet. A linear reduction …

Exploring How Maternal Phosphorus Status Affects Calf Growth And Performance, Elizabeth Lafferty

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study will focus on how maternal phosphorus status of beef heifers affects the growth and performance of their calves. Heifers have been offered free-choice mineral with either 0 or 4% supplemental phosphorus from 30 days after weaning until calving. A study by H. Hilfiker, a University of Arkansas honors student, investigated the effects of these treatments from 30 days after weaning until 60 days after the breeding season when heifers were confirmed to be bred or open. For this developing heifer project 64 crossbred Angus heifers were assigned randomly into 8 groups (8 heifers/ group) before assigning each group …

Impact Of Different Plant-Based Foods Consumption On The Composition And Diversity Of Gut Microbiota, Ayoub Al Othaim

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plant-based diets are primarily derived from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables. Such patterns are associated with health benefits by promoting general health and preventing many diseases and metabolic disorders. Fruits and vegetables are key sources of high-quality nutrients such as dietary fibers and polyphenols. Since they are rich in dietary fibers and polyphenols, whole fruits and vegetables represent unique and somewhat understudied modulators of the gut microbiota and its associated functions. This study aims to (i) investigate the impact of varying dilutions of cherry juices concentrate on the composition of the murine gut microbiota, (ii) investigate the impact of …

Nutritional Data And Corresponding Performance Impacts Of Uri Student-Athletes, Abigael Fenbert

Senior Honors Projects

This research project investigates the diets of various sport athletes at the University of Rhode Island. The question that this project aims to answer is if our athletes are meeting recommended daily values nutritionally, and if not, why? Research continues to grow regarding how performance implications are tied to varying nutritional disparities for athletes. Various studies show malnourishment leads to performance decline, increased injury risk, and improper recovery. This is influenced by factors such as deficits in caloric intake, macronutrient and micronutrient availability, and dehydration. For college athletes, a lack of food availability and nutritional knowledge leaves them especially predisposed …

Effect Of Nutrition On Resilience In Adults With Childhood Trauma, Carrie Merrill, Nicole Wickstrom, Katie Munn, Timothy Mclaughlin

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

While previous studies have shown that healthy nutrition has a positive effect on our physical and emotional well-being (Marsman et al., 2018; Harbottle, 2019), it is unknown whether those benefits extend to individual levels of resilience among those who have suffered childhood trauma. The purpose of this research is to better understand how nutritional habits influence the relationship between childhood trauma and resilience. A Qualtrics survey design was used to collect data related to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), resilience, and nutritional intake, and was sent via email to University of Southern Maine students and faculty of the school of social …

The Interconnectivity Of Parkinson's Disease And Type Two Diabetes Mellitus, Erica Olfson

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis is about the biochemical connection between Parkinson's disease and Type II Diabetes Mellitus.

Preceptorship Within Accredited Nutrition And Dietetics Programs: A Pragmatic Mixed Methods Study, Angela K. Brekken

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this pragmatic mixed-methods study was to identify the factors that impact a nutrition professional’s preceptorship decision and potential solutions to combat preceptor shortages within accredited nutrition and dietetics programs. Homan’s social exchange theory provided the theoretical framework that if perceived costs of preceptorship outweigh the perceived benefits, then the activity will cease.

Phase one of the study included an online mixed-methods questionnaire. Phase two included a qualitative focus group and interview with self-identified volunteers from phase one. Quantitative analysis through SPSS included descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (one-way ANOVA). Qualitative data for both …

Rotc Cadets' Nutrition Knowledge & Behaviors: A Pilot Study, Mikaela Blake, Annika Israelsen, Tori Gossling, Jacob Lamb

Student Research Symposium

The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) prepares college students for future military service. The ROTC includes a rigorous physical training program. As such, effective nutrition practices are necessary to maintain performance. The purpose of this study was to assess USU Cadets’ nutrition knowledge and practices to inform future research and intervention needs. Cadets were recruited through email and classroom announcements. Participants completed an online survey that gathered demographic, fitness, nutrition knowledge, nutrition behaviors, Intuitive Eating, perceived stress, and food security data. Results indicated that most cadets had a moderate knowledge of nutrition with a deficit in sports nutrition. This study …

Usu Rotc Cadet Focus Group Perspectives On Nutrition And Dietary Intake, Karli Mcrae, Hailee Pulli, Lexie Jex, Natalie Steiner

Student Research Symposium

Nutrition plays a significant role in supporting the physical performance of USU ROTC Cadets. The purpose of this research was to learn more about ROTC cadets' dietary habits, the reasons for their dietary choices, and gain feedback on what they think could improve their dietary intake. Two, 1-hour focus groups were conducted with 8 participants total. During each focus group, participants completed a brief survey about their dietary habits and discussed factors that influenced their food choices.The discussion included information on frequency of meals and snacks, impact of food on performance and lifestyle, ROTC culture surrounding nutrition, and potential helpful …

Your Health, Your Choice: Pre-Teens Guide For A Healthy Life, University Of New England Applied Nutrition Program

All Student-Created Educational Resources

This handout informs pre-teens and their families on how to understand individual food choices and create healthier defaults for optimal nutrition

The Importance Of Nutrition And Preventing Malnutrition In Older Adults: A Literature Review And Informational Booklet, Sophie Johnson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Over years of studying nutrition science and gerontology, there was very little information in classes that combined these two important topics. Older adults are often classified as those above the age of 65 years old. There is a growing number of older adults in the United States, which increases the need for information on how nutrition and aging are interlaced. As humans age, multiple factors can impact nutrition. Nutrition involves consuming the proper amount of nutrients to maintain body function. There are physiological, physical, socioeconomic and medication factors that can all influence nutrition status. It is important to be aware …

The Gut Microbiome, Lucy Patterson

Osmosis Magazine

The gut microbiome is characterized as living microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, and genetic material found within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These microorganisms aid in the digestion and absorption of nutrients in food, and play an active role in the digestive process. However, recent evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is not only helpful in the digestion of food, but also could be linked to mental health and personality.

Magnesium’S Impact On Cannabis Sativa ‘Baox’ And ‘Suver Haze’ Growth And Cannabinoid Production, Patrick Veazie, Paul Cockson, David Logan, Brian Whipker

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

Limited research exists on the fertility needs for industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) and the impact of fertility on plant growth and cannabinoids. Optimizing floral production for cannabinoid production and especially cannabidiol (CBD) production, is an economic goal for growers. Magnesium (Mg) is an essential nutrient for plant growth and plays many key roles in plant growth and when deficient leads to suboptimal plant growth. Six Mg fertility rates (0.0, 12.5, 25.0, 50.0, 75.0, and 100.0 mg·L^-1) were evaluated to determine the optimal fertility for C. sativa on two High CBD-type cultivars ‘BaOx; and ‘Suver Haze’. Foliar …

Nutrients Intake By The Ile‐De‐France Lambs Fed Up With Diets Containing Sugar Cane Forage Variety Or Corn Silage, A. G. Silva Sobrinho, G. M. B. Moreno, A. G. Leão, C. M. B. Loureiro, A. A. M. Sampaio

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Behavior Among Asian Americans: A Thematic Analysis, Chia Liang Dai, Manoj Sharma, Taj Haider, Hema Sunchu

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

© The Author(s) 2021. Consuming 5 or more cups of fruits and vegetables (F & V) per day or 400 g/day for adults is advocated by most health authorities and has short-term and long-term health benefits. There have been numerous studies examining dietary behaviors among different US populations; however, the literature on F & V consumption behavior among Asian Americans (AAs) is sparse. AAs constitute a diverse group and as their population continues to grow in the US; there is a greater need to examine the health practices of AAs and their constituent subgroups. The study aimed to conduct a …

Assessing Food Quality And Regulations At Homeless Shelters In Philadelphia, Emily Casaletto, Rickie Brawer, Phd, Mph, Mches

Phase 1

Introduction: Nutritional diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol disorders are particularly high among individuals experiencing homelessness in comparison to the general United States population, leading the propagation of chronic health conditions and overuse of expensive healthcare resources. In addition, the food served in homeless shelters is the main source of nutrition for those living in these shelters, most notably when there is no option for food storage available. Despite the disproportionate prevalence of nutrition-related diseases among the homeless population, there is limited research on the quality of the food provided in homeless shelters and there are few policies to …

A Short-Term Paleolithic Dietary Intervention Does Not Alter Adipokines Linked To Adiposity, Rachel M. Graff, Kristofer Jennings, Natalie A. Davies, Andres E. Carrillo, Emily C. Lavoy, Edward J. Ryan, Melissa M. Markofski

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(2): 113-122, 2021. The Paleolithic diet, characterized by an emphasis on hunter-gatherer type foods accompanied by an exclusion of grains, dairy products, and highly processed food items, is often promoted for weight loss and a reduction in cardiometabolic disease risk factors. Specific adipokines, such as adiponectin, omentin, nesfatin, and vaspin are reported to be dysregulated with obesity and may respond favorably to diet-induced fat loss. We aimed to evaluate the effects of an eight-week Paleolithic dietary intervention on circulating adiponectin, omentin, nesfatin, and vaspin in a cohort of physically inactive, but otherwise healthy adults. Methods: …

Molecular-Assisted Breeding For Soybean With High Oleic/Low Linolenic Acid And Elevated Vitamin E In The Seed Oil, Katherine Hagely, Anji Reddy Konda, Jeong-Hwa Kim, Edgar B. Cahoon, Kristin Bilyeu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

The uses of vegetable oils are determined by functional properties arising from their chemical composition. Soybean oil was previously used in margarines and baked foods after partial hydrogenation to achieve heat and oxidative stability. This process, however, generates trans fats that are now excluded from food use because of cardiovascular health risks. Also present in soybean oil are the anti-oxidant tocopherols, with α- tocopherol (vitamin E) typically present as a minor component compared to γ-tocopherol. Genetic improvement of the fatty acid profile and tocopherol profile is an attractive solution to increase the functional and health qualities of soybean oil. The …

Evaluating The Nutritional Adequacy Of Peruvian-American Children, Delainey Dietz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As people move and integrate cultures, nutritional trends may change from those of their native country to those of their new country. With today's increasing global immigration, studies have only scratched the surface of the impact of acculturation on children's health and nutrition. Specifically, the Peruvian-American diet is one that has garnered minimal research. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the common foods and drinks that Peruvian-American children consume, assess the children's physical health, and discuss the possible causative factors of any diet trends. The population sampled is children under 18 years living in the United States whose …

Impact Of Acquiring Childhood Cooking Skills On Adults’ Dietary Behaviors, Suzanne Check

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The ability to cook and prepare foods from fresh ingredients is a necessary life skill to improve overall diet quality and to prevent or reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Limited research exists on the appropriate time to develop these skills to have a long-term impact on diet quality and health. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the age of learning cooking skills promotes higher cooking confidence and diet quality during adulthood. In addition, the study investigated the impact of learning cooking skills from various sources on diet quality and cooking confidence in adulthood. A cross-sectional …

Parental Barriers And Challenges Of Raising Plant-Based Children In North America, Shantel Wahl

Papers

Purpose: Is to identify the barriers and challenges parents face while raising plant-based children in North America.

Design: A phenomenological qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was used to establish thematic barriers among plant-based parents.

Setting: Parents raising their children following a vegan and/or whole food plant-based diet and residing in North America.

Participants: A total of 22 parents of plant-based children ages 0-17 participated in 19 ZOOM semi-structured interviews.

Phenomenon of Interest: Barriers and challenges faced by parents raising their children plant-based.

Analysis: Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with NVivo 12 using thematic …

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 …

The Relationship Between Eating Disorders, Weight Control Methods, And Body Satisfaction In Elite Female Runners Competing At The 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, Sophia Elizabeth Berg

All Master's Theses

The prevalence of eating disorders in athletes is higher than in the general population. Various training styles, weight periodization, and presence of eating disorder (ED) may affect energy availability. This study investigated the relationship between lifetime prevalence of ED with training, body satisfaction, and weight-control methods among elite female endurance athletes. Female runners who participated in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon completed an online questionnaire examining training volume, weight-control methods, and self-reported current or past ED. Questions 1-19 were analyzed for this investigation. Participants were grouped according to responses on presence of ED. Thirty-two percent of participants reported …

The Application Of Systems Science In Nutrition-Related Behaviors And Outcomes Implementation Research: A Scoping Review, Ayron E. Walker, Rachel A. Wattick, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Use of systems science can improve the dissemination and implementation (D&I) process. However, little is known about use of systems science in nutrition D&I research. The purpose of this article is to synthesize the ways in which systems science methodology is applied in nutrition D&I research. Scoping review methodology involved searching 6 academic databases for full-text, peer-reviewed, English articles published between 1970 and 2020 that employed systems science within nutrition D&I research. Data extraction included intervention type, population, study aim, methods, theoretical approach, outcomes, and results. Descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analysis followed. Thirty-four retained articles qualitatively identified benefits (successful …

Honey Bee Foraged Pollen Reveals Temporal Changes In Pollen Protein Content And Changes In Forager Choice For Abundant Versus High Protein Flowers, Gabriela Quinlan, Meghan Milbrath, Clint Otto, Autumn Smart, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Robert Cornman, Rufus Isaacs

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Protein derived from pollen is an essential component of healthy bee diets. Protein content in honey bee foraged pollen varies temporally and spatially, but the drivers underlying this variation remain poorly characterized. We assessed the temporal and spatial variation in honey bee collected pollen in 12 Michigan apiaries over 3 summers (2015–2017). We simultaneously monitored forage in flowering habitats (uncultivated floristically-rich areas and conservation program land) near these apiaries throughout the growing season. We used these data, along with data from the literature on plant pollen protein content, to determine if honey bees collected a greater proportion of pollen from …

Polar Bear Behavior: Morphologic And Physiologic Adaptations, John P. Whiteman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Polar bears possess morphologic and physiologic characteristics that reflect their terrestrial lineage as members of the bear family (Ursidae) as well as adaptations to the Arctic marine environment. Among marine mammals, they are the least adapted for aquatic life. They exhibit substantial seasonality in body mass, body condition, and many physiological functions, reflecting the annual cycle of both their Arctic sea ice habitat and the availability of their main prey, ringed seals. This hypercarnivorous diet has likely influenced the polar bear’s craniodental morphology and nutritional physiology. Similar to other marine mammal predators, polar bears exhibit a relatively high resting metabolic …

Exploring How Maternal Phosphorus Status Affects Calf Growth And Performance, Elizabeth Lafferty, Beth Kegley, Brittni Littlejohn, Jeremy Powell

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Phosphorus is an important component of bodily functions and is critical for adequate growth and development. This experiment evaluated the effect of maternal phosphorus intake on the growth and health of the calves. Treatments were 1) a free-choice mineral containing no supplemental P or 2) a free-choice mineral with 4% supplemental phosphorus. Primiparous, or pregnant for the first time, crossbred Angus beef cows (n = 36) were stratified by body weight and pregnancy status (bred by artificial insemination or natural service) then assigned to pasture groups (4 groups, 2/treatment, 9 heifers/group). These bred heifers had been receiving these same dietary …

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 …

The Effect Of Nutrition On Longevity And Fertility In Diverse Drosophila: A Tor-Mediated Process, Tessa E. Steenwinkel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Nutrition and growth are strongly linked, but not much is known about how nutrition leads to growth. To understand the connection between nutrition through diet, growth and/or proliferation, we need to study the phenotypes resulting from the activation and inhibition of central metabolic pathways. Here I use the model organism Drosophila melanogaster (D. mel.) and three non-model Drosophila species with different dietary needs, Drosophila guttifera (D. gut.), Drosophila deflecta (D. def.), and Drosophila tripunctata (D. tri.), to study the effects of dietary amino acid availability in these diverse flies on fecundity and …