Food Science Commons^™

Food Insecurity Measurement And Prevalence Estimates During The Covid-19 Pandemic In A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey In Mexico, Pablo Gaitán-Rossi, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Graciela Teruel, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective: To validate the telephone modality of the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA) included in three waves of a phone survey to estimate the monthly household food insecurity prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. Design: We examined the reliability and internal validity of the ELCSA scale in three repeated waves of cross-sectional surveys with Rasch models. We estimated the monthly prevalence of food insecurity in the general population and in households with and without children and compared them with a national 2018 survey. We tested concurrent validity by testing associations of food insecurity with socio-economic status …

Zellweger Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Symptom Prevalence Using Input From Family Caregivers, Mousumi Bose, David D. Cuthbertson, Marsha A. Fraser, Jean Baptiste Roullet, K. Michael Gibson, Dana R. Schules, Kelly M. Gawron, Melissa B. Gamble, Kathryn M. Sacra, Melisa J. Lopez, William B. Rizzo

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSD) are rare, debilitating genetic diseases of peroxisome biogenesis that affect multiple organ systems and present with broad clinical heterogeneity. Although many case studies have characterized the multitude of signs and symptoms associated with ZSD, there are few reports on the prevalence of symptoms to help inform the development of meaningful endpoints for future clinical trials in ZSD. In the present study, we used an online survey tool completed by family caregivers to study the occurrence, frequency and severity of symptoms in individuals diagnosed with ZSD. Responses from caregivers representing 54 living and 25 deceased individuals with …

Homicide And Drug Trafficking In Impoverished Communities In Brazil, Elenice De Souza Oliveira, Braulio Figueiredo Alves Da Silva, Flavio Luiz Sapori, Gabriela Gomes Cardoso

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Many studies demonstrate that homicides are heavily concentrated in impoverished neighborhoods, but not all socially disadvantaged neighborhoods are hotbeds of violence. Conducted in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, this study hypothesizes that the association between high rates of homicide and impoverished areas is influenced by the emergence of a specific type of street drug-dealing common to favelas (slums). The study applies econometric techniques to police data on homicides and drug arrests from 2008 to 2011, as well as 2010 Census data, to test its hypothesis. The findings provide insight into the development of crime prevention policies in areas of high social vulnerability.

How Much Can Mexican Healthcare Providers Learn About Breastfeeding Through A Semi-Virtual Training? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Meztli Moncada, Diana Flores

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Mexico has shown a worrisome decrease in breastfeeding indicators, especially in the lowest socioeconomic level. Improving breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support services through workforce development is a key area of intervention. The objective of this study is to assess the influence on breastfeeding knowledge and abilities of a semi-virtual training for primary healthcare providers assisting beneficiaries of PROSPERA in Mexico, which is one of the largest conditional cash-transfer programs in the world. Methods: Two independent cross-sectional samples of healthcare providers were drawn at baseline and post-intervention in three states of Mexico. Baseline data were collected among primary physicians, registered …

Self-Efficacy And Psychosocial Considerations Of Obesity Risk Reduction Behaviors In Young Adult White Americans, Doreen Liou, Lauren Kulik

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The obesity epidemic is a pervasive health issue affecting all population groups in developed countries. The purpose of this research was to ascertain obesity risk reduction behaviors and their psychosocial determinants in young adult Americans residing in New Jersey state. A cross-sectional survey design was implemented in which a convenience sample of 174 participants (18 to 40 years) completed a validated online self-administered questionnaire. Nineteen obesity risk reduction behaviors, self-efficacy and psychosocial constructs derived from the Theory of Planned Behavior were measured. Statistical analyses were conducted using frequency distributions, t-tests and regression analysis. Regression analysis indicated that 37.5% of the …

Pecan Kernel Phenolics Content And Antioxidant Capacity Are Enhanced By Mechanical Pruning And Higher Fruit Position In The Tree Canopy, Yi Gong, Ronald B. Pegg, Adrian L. Kerrihard, Brad E. Lewis, Richard J. Heerema

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a tree nut native to North America. Although inhibited light exposure (most specifically as a result of overlapping tree canopies) has been shown to impair yield, the effect of this factor on nut antioxidant properties remains unknown. This study investigated effects of mechanical pruning and canopy height position of fruit on pecan kernel antioxidant contents and capacity. Beginning in 2006, trees in a ‘Western’ pecan orchard in New Mexico were subjected to three mechanical pruning frequency treatments (annual, biennial, and triennial) paralleling conventional practices, while other trees were maintained as unpruned controls. During the 2012 to …

Association Between Breastfeeding And Child Stunting In Mexico, Ana Paola Campos, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Summer Sherburne Hawkins

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Globally, the prevalence of child stunting has been decreasing over the past decades. How-ever, in low-and middle-income countries such as Mexico, stunting is still the most prevalent form of undernutrition affecting a large number of children in the most vulnerable conditions. Breastfeeding has been identified as one of the key affordable and modifiable maternal health behaviors protecting against child stunting. Objective: To examine the association between breastfeeding (defined as never breastfed, any breast-feeding for <6 months, and any breastfeeding for ≥6 months) and other individual-, household-, and area-level factors with child stunting (defined as length/height-for-age-z-score for sex under –2 standard deviations of the World Health Organization child growth standards’ median) in Mexico. Methods: Secondary data analysis using the 2012 Mexican Health and Nutrition Survey, which allowed representativeness of rural and urban areas at national level and among 4 regions in Mexico. Our subset included data on 2,089 singleton Mexican children aged 6–35 months with information on previously identified risk and protective factors for stunting. We conducted fixed-and mixed-effects logistic regression models sequentially controlling for each level of factors. Findings: Overall, 12.3% of children were stunted and 71.1% were breastfed for ≥6 months. Any breast-feeding and being female were consistent protective factors against child stunting across all models. In contrast, child low birthweight, maternal short stature, higher number of children aged <5 years per household, and moderate to severe food insecurity were consistent risk factors for child stunting across all models. Conclusions: According to our findings, efforts to reduce child stunting in Mexico should include prenatal strategies aiming to prevent low birthweight offspring particularly among short-stature women, moderate to severe food insecure households, families with a higher number of children aged <5 years, and indigenous communities. Postnatal components should include multilevel strategies to support breastfeeding.

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

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

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

Chemical Changes In Almonds Throughout Storage: Modeling The Effects Of Common Industry Practices, Daniel R. Parrish, Ronald B. Pegg, William L. Kerr, Ruthann B. Swanson, Guangwei Huang, Adrian Kerrihard

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Further investigations of almond degradation under typical industrial storage conditions from a quantitative perspective are warranted. This study modeled effects of packaging, temperature (TEMP), relative humidity (RH) and roasting on chemical attributes of almonds stored according to common industry practices throughout 16 months. Roasted samples were stored in high-barrier bags (HBB) or polypropylene bags (PPB) at multiple combinations of TEMP and RH. Raw samples were held in unlined cardboard cartons (UC) or PPB under the same conditions. Almonds were assessed bimonthly for oxidation products, free fatty acids, moisture content and water activity. Results indicated roasting almonds improved quality preservation. Models …

Emotional Experience In Parents Of Children With Zellweger Spectrum Disorders: A Qualitative Study, Mousumi Bose, Meena Mahadevan, Dana R. Schules, Rory K. Coleman, Kelly M. Gawron, Melissa B. Gamble, Jean Baptiste Roullet, K. Michael Gibson, William B. Rizzo

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSDs) are rare, debilitating genetic diseases of peroxisome biogenesis that require constant management and lifelong care. Nevertheless, the experience of family caregivers for children diagnosed with ZSD is not well understood. In this study, we sought to characterize the emotional experience of ZSD family caregivers. Three 90-min focus groups were conducted with thirty-seven parents (25 mothers and 12 fathers) of children with ZSD during a family advocacy conference. Focus groups were arranged by age of proband (Group 1: 0–4 years, Group 2: 5–10 years, Group 3: >11 years). Audio recordings of focus groups were transcribed and analyzed …

Reparation Ecologies: Regimes Of Repair In Populist Agroecology, Kirsten Valentine Cadieux, Stephen Carpenter, Alex Liebman, Renata Blumberg, Bhaskar Upadhyay

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Amidst the backdrop of attention to populism in general, it is instructive to understand populism through social movements focused on food and agriculture. Agrarian populism is particularly salient in agrifood movements. Agroecology has been widely identified as a domain of populist claims on environmental and social governance surrounding agricultural–ecological and political–economic systems. As authoritarian populist leaders gain power throughout the world at a time of expanding economic globalization and contingent socioecological crises, contests over populism in agrifood regimes can highlight current dynamics relevant for formative evaluation of alternative political agroecology strategies and of populist environmental governance more broadly. Can populism …

An Iterative Process For Training Design And Implementation Increased Health Workers' Knowledge For Taking Nutrition Behavior Change To Scale, Wendy Gonzalez, Anabelle Bonvecchio Arenas, Armando García-Guerra, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Alejandría Villa De La Vega, Laura Quezada, Cynthia Rosas, Ana Lilia Lozada-Tequeanes, Amira Hernández

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

The shortage of skilled, motivated, and well-supported health workers is a major barrier to scaling up nutrition interventions and services. Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the process for developing and implementing a training of health personnel for the delivery of the Integrated Strategy for Attention to Nutrition (EsIAN), an evidence-based strategy for promoting infant and young child feeding through primary health care in Mexico. The specific objective is to provide a case study and highlight challenges, as well as elements to successfully mitigate these, and discuss potential applications of findings beyond the Mexican context. Methods: The …

Global Sustainability That Respects Cultural Diversity & Individual Health Needs, Meriterese Racanelli

Sustainability Seminar Series

The USA Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health have classified excessive sodium consumption, high blood pressure and diabetes as national health epidemics across various ethnic cultures. The United Nations and other countries classify these as Global Epidemics. Interestingly,some ways to help fix this national and global health crisis can be found in the balance of sustainable environmentally-friendly agriculture, green technologies, and cultural competencies. Learn how sustainability studies, research, and jobs can still respect an individual’s ethnic heritage, culture, and nutritional health needs, while improving the community health at large... from local to global. Sustainability can help us …

Impact Of A School-Based Culinary Nutrition Education Program On Vegetable Consumption Behavior, Intention, And Personal Factors Among Korean Second-Graders, Yeon Bai, Young Hee Kim, Young Hee Han, Taisun Hyun

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Veggiecation was developed to improve children’s vegetable consumption through classroom lecture and cooking activities. In this study, we explored potential determinants of vegetable consumption behavior and intention, and examined the impact of Veggiecation on vegetable consumption behavior, intention and personal factors among Korean children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The 4-week Veggiecation program was implemented for second-graders in South Korea (35 children in the intervention group, 36 in the control group). We identified personal and environmental factors influencing vegetable consumption behavior and intention using multiple regression analyses. Consumption behavior, intention and, personal factors such as preference, attitude, and self-efficacy were compared between the …

Modeling Sensory And Instrumental Texture Changes Of Dry-Roasted Almonds Under Different Storage Conditions, Anna N. Cheely, Ronald B. Pegg, William L. Kerr, Ruthann B. Swanson, Guangwei Huang, Daniel R. Parrish, Adrian Kerrihard

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The rejection of roasted almonds by consumers is often due to the development of rancidity or textural changes. Dry-roasted ‘Nonpareil’ almonds were stored in polypropylene bags (PPB) in environmental chambers at 15, 25, 35 °C and 50 or 65% relative humidity (RH) or at 4 °C without RH control, and in high barrier bags (HBB) at 4, 15, 25, and 35 °C without RH control. Descriptive and consumer sensory testing as well as instrumental texture analyses were conducted on the samples over 16 months. Of the 11 samples, four (PPB/25 °C/65% RH, PPB/35 °C/50% RH, PPB/35 °C/65% RH, and HBB/35 …

An Assessment Of Daily Plain Water Intake Level And Its Association With Total Energy Intake Among College Students, Maria Alanazi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Water is an essential nutrient for humans with several vital roles including maintaining body functions, temperature and preventing dehydration. Nevertheless, many population groups in the United States do not drink the recommended amount of water on a daily basis. The literature notes that drinking water is associated with better dietary practices including reduced sugar-sweetened beverages consumption, but few studies investigated the impact of drinking water on the total energy (calories) intake. In this study, an assessment of the intake of both plain water (pure water) and total water (water from pure water, beverages, and foods) is performed, and the intake …

The Non-Additive Effect Of Food And Wine In The Spanish Diet On Total Antioxidant Capacity Of The Spanish Mediterranean Diet, Carol Majkrzak

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

With an increase in mortality rates related to obesity, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and other related diseases, a greater understanding of the Mediterranean diet may be important to dietary treatment of these illnesses and comorbidities. While the foods in the Mediterranean diet have been studied in depth for their great health benefits, the potential role of wine in this diet is under examined. Interest in wine and its health benefits has increased within the past decade. While wine is a common component of the Mediterranean diet, very few studies have looked at the possible effects and outcomes of consuming wine …

Effects Of Storage Conditions On Consumer And Chemical Assessments Of Raw ‘Nonpareil’ Almonds Over A Two-Year Period, Emily A. Pleasance, William L. Kerr, Ronald B. Pegg, Ruthann B. Swanson, Anna N. Cheely, Guangwei Huang, Daniel R. Parrish, Adrian Kerrihard

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Abstract: Raw almonds are a major commodity, yet much is unknown about how storage conditions determine their shelf life. The storage stability, as measured by consumer assessments and chemical measures, of raw almonds was determined for samples stored in cardboard boxes and polypropylene packaging for 2 years at 4, 15, 25, and 35 °C, and at 50% and 65% relative humidity (RH). Samples stored in unlined cartons always failed (>25% rejection) before their counterparts stored in polypropylene bags under identical environmental conditions. Models determined that polypropylene packaging (as opposed to unlined cardboard cartons) extended the time until sample rejection …

Raíces Del Sur: Cultivating Ecofeminist Visions In Urban New Jersey, Renata Blumberg, Rosa Huitzitzilin, Claudia Urdanivia, Brian C. Lorio

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Significant research has been devoted to analyzing community gardens, including their benefits and problems. This article contributes to debates about community gardens by using concepts from feminist geography and food justice research to reflect upon the challenges and possibilities of community gardening in small, peripheral cities with large immigrant populations. We argue that these concepts provide a useful framework to enact ecofeminist visions through community gardens, especially in places dominated by immigrant populations that are particularly marginalized in the present political era. Our case study garden, Raíces Del Sur, was located in the City of Passaic, a low-income, post-industrial urban …

The Stability Of Tea Polyphenols As A Food Additive And Its Effect On Streptococcus Mutans, Chia-Liang Huang

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Dental caries is one of the most concerning chronic diseases, Streptococcus mutans is one the most prominent contributing bacterium. S. mutans metabolizes sugar in processed foods to demineralize the tooth’s surface leading to tooth caries. This study focuses on whether green tea polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and/or its modifications, palmitoyl-epigallocatechin gallate (P-EGCG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCG-S), can reduce the number of S. mutans in different concentrations of sucrose. A colony forming unit assay was utilized to test viability. Results suggested that the tea polyphenols were efficient in inhibiting S. mutans up to 5 grams of sucrose per 100ml of artificial saliva …

Green Tea Polyphenols As Potential Food Additives, Danxia Shi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As time has progressed, companies have increasingly produced foods for longer term storage. This has led to an increased use of food preservatives in processed foods. People have now come to expect many foods to have a significantly longer shelf life, and this is a matter of government concern for public health due to foodborne contaminations. Foodborne illnesses have become a common problem caused by bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli). Finding an effective natural preservative source might be better received by the public and alleviate some health concerns over chemical sources. The most important active ingredient found in green tea is …

Do Emotions Have An Effect On Brand Versus Non Branded Cold Green Tea Drinks?, Michael Fattrosso

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Introduction The objectives were to assess consumers’ emotional valence in response to drinking canned green tea, and assess effects of brand identification. Corollary objectives were to determine triangulated relationships across qualitative and quantitative approaches. Methods 61 panelists evaluated identical tea samples: 27 were informed of the brand, 34 received tea without branding. Responses of panelists were assessed by self-report with the EsSense25 emotional profile tool, instrumental FaceReader, and qualitative open-ended interviews.

Results For FaceReader (0-1 scale), top mean scores were: Happy (0.98), Surprised (.59) and Disgusted (.50). When controlling for age and gender, branded has a significant positive association with …

The Role Of Nutrition Education And Active Choice To Increase Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Among Second Grade Students During Lunchtime, Robyn M. Cafiero

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Fruit and vegetable intake within the United States is considerably lower than the standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture. With this information, there is no surprise that these rates are especially low for school aged children. Although many studies have tried to incorporate programs that would effectively increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables among youngsters, many have fallen short with being able to sustain consumption over time. This study provided a way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption during lunchtime for second grade students by using a dual module of the Social Cognitive Theory and active …

Effects Of Differences Of Middle Eastern And American Cultural Backgrounds On Salt Perception Using Facereader : A Pioneering Tool To Capture Instant Emotional Reactions, Mohamad Bassel Khair

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

A preliminary study was conducted (n=65) to compare the consistency of measurements of emotional reactions to salt intake using FaceReader (facial expression analyzer) and hedonic self-reports. Study participants tasted six different samples of mashed potatoes with three different concentrations of sodium (Na) (two samples of 0 mg, 178 mg, and 356 mg/15g each). Emotional reactions were measured with FaceReader and self-reported on a 10-point scale, and the mean for each of the different sodium concentrations was calculated. Six different emotional expressions were measured (happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, and disgusted) for each of the samples. Differences between the means for …

Factors Influencing The Eating Practices Of Hospital Nurses During Their Shifts, Tina Maria Monaghan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Background

Nursing is the largest health care profession in the U.S. There are 3.1 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide, over four times as many as there are physicians. Hospital nurses have a vital presence in the healthcare industry as highly skilled professionals who perform the essential service of patient care on the front line. Research points toward an association between work environment and nurse outcomes. Several studies have linked favorable nurses’ work environments to improved patient experience and care quality. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence hospital nurses’ eating practices during their shifts.

Methods …

Street Drug Markets Beyond Favelas In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Elenice De Souza Oliveira, Braulio Figueiredo Alves Silva, Marcos Oliveira Prates

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examines whether social disorganization mechanisms that explain clusters of street drug markets in socially disorganized neighborhoods in developed countries can also help explain geographical patterns of drug dealing across neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Data for this study includes drug arrests from 2007 to 2011 and socio demographic data from the 2010 Census. To examine the influence of exploratory variables on drug market locations, the Negative Binominal regression model was used at two levels of analysis—the Belo Horizonte city center and other neighborhoods including favelas. The findings show that a high hot spot of street drug markets located …

Target Shooting As A Serious Leisure Pursuit–An Exploratory Study Of The Motivations Driving Participant Engagement, David Spencer Martin, Douglas Murray, Martin A. O'Neill, Martin Maccarthy, Jason Gogue

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The current study is an attempt to better understand the motivations of consumers that engage in target shooting as a serious leisure activity. The instrument design was based on the Leisure Satisfaction Scale and the Leisure Motivation Scale. A total of 5502 usable surveys were collected utilising the Internet and a website related to gun ownership and target shooting. Exploratory in nature, results indicated that three variables in particular, Escapism, Social Interaction and Self-Actualisation, were primary motivators when it comes to engagement in target shooting as a serious leisure pursuit. These findings have important implications to the target-shooting community, and …

Bridging Patient Outcome Gap For Type 2 Diabetes : Can We Bridge Physician Practices To Produce Results Achieved In Evidence-Based Lifestyle Intervention Research?, Brenda Killen Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The United States is abounding in the prevalence and incidence of avoidable chronic diseases, and high among these diseases is type 2 diabetes. Further, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Common Fund, 40% of harmful health behaviors is what contributes to chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. NIH noted there are few personalized, effective ways to inspire people to change their behaviors in the shortterm, but if done, this behavior is not sustained long-term (The NIH Common Fund, 2011). Yet, this research discovered a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is one of these few personalized, effective interventions that …

An Exploratory Study Of College Students’ Dietary Choices Relative To Independence, Emily Raines

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The college years have been acknowledged as a time of emerging adulthood, during which students develop habits and make choices that endure long into their future (Arnett, 2000). To date, limited research exists that examines the college population, particularly in relation to diet. The purpose of this study is to explore the dietary choices college students make as they transition from the home and develop autonomy and to help fill the gap in literature. Four focus groups were organized (n=24) to reveal themes intrinsic to the development of dietary habits during the on-campus experience. The focus groups were recorded with …

The United States Department Of Agriculture Policies To Improve School Food Quality While Protecting The Environment, Shahla Wunderlich, Yeon Bai, S. Chung

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

In the United States, the Farm Bill is the primary agriculture and food policy legislation and its administration is under the preview of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA has established policies and programs aimed at providing school children with better food and at the same time, supporting local farmers. The Farm to School Program connects schools and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school and supporting local and regional farmers. It is believed that local and regional farmers are deeply committed to social and environmental concerns. The Farm to School Program is …