Nutrition Commons^™

Evaluating The Impact Of Two Different Methods Of Diabetes Self-Management Education On Knowledge, Attitude, And Behaviours Of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Laura B. Briden

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study compared the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) methods by examining changes in knowledge, attitude, and behaviour (KAB) after receiving education. Participants from a convenience sample were randomized into two groups, one receiving education through conversation maps and the other through traditional group education. Participants’ knowledge and attitude changes were measured by using a repeated measures pre-test/post-test design and changes in Hb A1c were observed. Focus groups were conducted after education was received to obtain perceptions and self-reported behaviour changes. Significant knowledge and attitude score changes were observed in the conversation map group after education. When comparing the …

Findings From The Nutrition Challenge Program, Rayleen Earney, Nicole Bungum, Timothy J. Bungum

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Over 61% of U.S. adults and 58% of Nevada adults have Body Mass Index’s (BMI) that classify them as either overweight or obese (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System [BRFSS], 2005). According to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, obesity was the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States behind tobacco use (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup & Gerberding, 2004).

While obesity and overweight are complex, multi-factorial health conditions, an important contributor to the overweight and obesity epidemic is poor dietary habits. One of the major …

A Study To Determine If University Athletic Teams In Desert Environments Experience Risky Diet-Related Behaviours, Susan Meacham, Christine Bergman, Marcia M. Ditmyer, Kyle Wilson, Connie Mobley

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Training and competing in desert environments may exacerbate concerns related to disordered eating, supplement use, and hydration in some student athlete populations. A survey administered equitably to both genders solicited self-reported responses from members of 18 different teams over four years from a southwestern United States university athletic program. More than 1,700 athletes responded to 42 items on the questionnaire. Teams, not individual student athletes, were the units of measure for statistical analyses. Initial analysis of results indicated that there were no overt concerns regarding dietary behaviors due to training and competing in the desert environment. Further analysis subjected the …

The Effects Of Television Food Advertising On Childhood Obesity, Aleathia Cezar

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Children’s food choices are influenced by the media, television advertising, focusing directly at infants and toddlers. This literature review presents multiple studies that explain how TV advertising of fast food, sugary cereals and other foods high in calories, fat, sugar, sodium and low in nutrients are contributing to the increase rates of childhood obesity. It is concluded that children are exposed to high amounts of food advertisements which affect young children’s food choices and poor food consumption. Due to the growing numbers of hours that children sit in front of the television, less physical activity and the epidemic of childhood …

Carbohydrate Consumption And Fatigue: A Review, Jennifer R. Pharr

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Fatigue is a condition that negatively impacts quality of life and occurs in about twenty four percent of adults worldwide. Many factors may contribute to fatigue. One factor is the macronutrient composition of a person’s diet, particularly, the amount of simple carbohydrates. This paper is a review of the current literature and examines the relationship of carbohydrate consumption and fatigue to determine if a diet low in simple carbohydrates results in an improvement in fatigue ratings. Results of studies regarding carbohydrate consumption and fatigue vary, the preponderance demonstrate a positive relationship between simple carbohydrate consumption and fatigue. Additionally, diets low …

School Food Environment The Frontline For Childhood Obesity Prevention: A Mixed-Method Study Of Nutritional Competencies And Skills Of School Nutriiton Professionals In Nebraska, Zainab Rida

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

The purpose of this statewide study was to address the nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of school foodservice personnel in Nebraska regarding offering/serving healthy school meals. Moreover, this study identified some potential barriers and avenues of action for offering/serving healthy school meals. Data obtained from this study indicates that there is a strong correlation (r= .103, p r .237, p< .01) between the foodservice staff’s self-efficacy and their practices of offering/serving healthy school meals. Fortunately, the relationship between foodservice staff practices of offering/serving healthy school meals and their self-efficacy was positive and significantly predicted practices scores, β =.237, P< 0.01. The finding of the present study also identifies many barriers including lack of time and support that face the foodservice personnel in offering/serving healthy school meals. The findings suggested that there is an urgent need of a full school approach to promote and encourage healthy eating habits among students. Future research is needed to evaluate school wellness policies regarding healthy eating practices in schools. Moreover, establish partnerships with communities and universities for intervention that target students and their parents.

Advisor: Wanda Koszewski

Sp605-F Keys To Healthy Eating, Martha Keel, Janie Burney, Janice Mccoy

Health, and Fitness

No abstract provided.

The Valley Trust: A Historical Review Of Food Security And Nutrition-Related Programs At A Health Promotion Non-Governmental Organization In The Valley Of A Thousand Hills, Kwazulu-Natal, Jeannine Garcia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The aim of this study is to provide an in-depth review and analysis of past and present programs focused on food security and nutrition at The Valley Trust, in the Valley of a Thousand Hills, KwaZulu-Natal. The Valley Trust is a socio-medical health promotion NGO that works to improve the health of the communities it serves through development, empowerment, and educational initiatives. The study will seek to provide an overview of the various activities The Valley Trust has engaged in over its long history related to improving the nutritional status of communities it influences.

Data was collected on the history …

Nutrition And Diabetic Management In Urban Kenya, Madeline Jackson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This Independent Study project sought to identify the changes in nutrition from the traditional Luo culture to the new urban setting and explore the management, perceptions and prevalence of Type II diabetes in an increasingly urban area. The focus was on Type II diabetes since the majority of disease burden stems from this acquired form of the diabetes. Through speaking with elderly community members and shadowing the first line diabetic treatment centers in Kisumu, an assessment of the relationship between changing nutrition and diabetic management showed numerous gaps in the system that will continue to increase unless something is done. …

Relationship Between Nut Consumption And Memory Domains Of Cognitive Function Among Elderly Seventh-Day Adventists, Angeline B. David

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Objective. To determine the relationship between consumption of all types of nuts, tree nuts, and peanut and peanut butter and specific memory domains of cognitive function in a community-dwelling elderly population.

Design. Cross-sectional analysis using clinic data from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study and dietary intake data from the Adventist Health Study-2.

Subjects/Methods. Adults aged 50 and older were administered the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT) Short Form and provided self-report frequency and portion sizes of nut consumption, anthropometric measures, and other demographic, lifestyle, and clinic data. CVLT scores were age- and gender-strata specific z-scores normed to a …

Household Dietary Diversity, Wild Edible Plants, And Diarrhea Among Rural Households In Tanzania, Lorraine Cordeiro

Lorraine Cordeiro

Communities in Tanzania have an extensive history of using wildplants for nutritional and medicinal purposes. The high prevalence of food insecurity and infectious disease, combined with a lack of access to healthcarein rural areas, makes traditional plant sources of food and medical treatment a practical alternative for vulnerable households. In this study, the association between household consumption of wild edible plants and self-reported diarrhea across categories of household food security status was examined. Focus group discussions in four villages in Kilosa, Tanzania, were used to elicit coping strategies, including consumption of wild edible plants, employed during periods of food shortage. …

A Spoonful Of Sugar, Natali Bode

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

No abstract provided.

Association Of Vitamin D Deficiency With Hypertension In Uninsured Women, Sreenivasa R. Chandana, Lakshmi P. Kocharla, Susan S. Harris, Radhika R. Kakarala

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic in the United States. Uninsured women are at high risk due to a lower intake of vitamin D and limited sun exposure. We examined the association between vitamin D deficiency and hypertension in 96 uninsured women at a County Free Medical Clinic in urban Michigan. Questionnaires were used to obtain information about demographics, medical history including hypertension, and dietary habits. Measurements including blood pressure and serum 25(OH)D level were also collected. Prevalence of hypertension was higher in subjects with 25(OH)D less than 50nmol/l compared with others (85% vs. 27.3%, p = 0.014). For every …

The Efficacy Of An Audio Program And Discussion Guide In Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding In Cameroon, Africa, Kathryn R. Reinsma

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: In the Northwest Region of Cameroon, approximately 90% of women initiate breastfeeding; however, only 34% continue exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended six months (Kakute, et al., 2005; WHO, 2008). Entertainment-education is a mass-media communication strategy of placing educational information into media such as television programs, movies, and radio programs (Siegel & Lotenberg, 2007). This form of behavioral change communication has proven effective in addressing health-related issues in developing countries.

Purpose: The aim was to design an audio program and discussion guide to test the hypothesis that an audio program and discussion guide improves exclusive breastfeeding knowledge, beliefs, benefits, self-efficacy, …

College Student Perceptions On Campus Alcohol Policies And Consumption Patterns, Brenda L. Marshall, Katherine J. Roberts, Joseph Donnelly, Imani N. Rutledge

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Environmental strategies for colleges and universities to reduce alcohol consumption among their students include the development and enforcement of campus alcohol policies. This study examines students' knowledge and attitudes toward campus alcohol policies and how they relate to alcohol consumption and alcohol social norms. A sample of 422 freshman students was surveyed during their first month at a 4-year public college. Findings indicated that the majority of students (89%) were aware of campus policies, yet of those who were aware, less than half (44%) were accepting of these campus rules and regulations. In addition, the majority (79%) of students drank …

Impact Of Nutrition Education In High School Students, Leticia Cortez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The diet of adolescents is typically high in calories, fat, and saturated fat and often fails to meet the daily recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, and calcium-rich foods. The frequent consumption of unhealthy diets in combination with the lack of physical activity has resulted in a high prevalence of obesity worldwide. Approximately 17% of adolescents in the United States are obese. Obesity is a common risk factor for the development of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes. In the last few decades and along with a high prevalence of obesity there has also been an increased prevalence of …

Explaining Benefit Utilization Variability In Fmnp In Kentucky: An Application Of Pierre Bourdieu’S Theory, Stephanie M. Holcomb-Kreiner

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Research has demonstrated the crucial role fresh fruit and vegetable consumption plays in maintaining good health. However, most Americans do not consume adequate amounts, and low-income Americans consume the lowest quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) attempts to rectify this situation by providing vouchers to low-income women, children, and elders that can be used only at farmers’ markets for the purchase of locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, FMNP and SFMNP exhibit variable and often low benefit utilization. This variable and often low benefit utilization is …

Prenatal Participation In Wic : Impact On Breastfeeding Initiation And Duration And On Infant Weight Gain, Lynn S. Edmunds

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is one of the most studied federal food assistance programs. However, few studies have examined the association between maternal WIC participation and breastfeeding or weight gain during infancy. Prenatal WIC participation provides an important widow of influence on birth outcomes but also on early life risk factors for chronic disease. This study utilizes a cohort of WIC enrolled infants to assess the added effect of prenatal exposure to WIC on two specific outcomes - breastfeeding initiation and duration and rate of infant weight gain.

The Role Of Local Food In Increasing Access To Healthy Food In Indianapolis, Indiana, Anna Hostetter

Capstone Collection

In the United States today, incidents of obesity are on the rise, currently more than one-third, or 35.7% of U.S. adults are considered obese, up from 30.5% in 2000. These startling numbers are causing news institutions and politicians to refer to it as the “obesity epidemic”.

Obesity is linked to multiple health problems including Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and breast cancer (Aronne, L.J., 2002). There are numerous causes of obesity, including genetics, yet high rates of obesity have also been positively linked with a diet high in processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables (Drewnowski, A. …

Inadequate Feeding Of Infant And Young Children In India: Lack Of Nutritional Information Or Food Affordability?, Nisha Malhotra

Nisha Malhotra

Why does child malnutrition persist in India? Amongst the fastest growing economies over the last two decades, India has struggled to make progress in the health of its children. In this article the author argues that the reason malnutrition persists is not limited to poverty or inadequate access to food; but that a lack of nutritional knowledge amongst families plays a very important role.

Scientific Abstract Objective: Despite a rapidly growing economy and rising income levels in India, improvements in child malnutrition have lagged. Data from the most recent National Family Health Survey reveal that the infant and young child …