Nutrition Commons^™

The Impact Of The Mediterranean Diet On Depression: A Narrative Review, Emma Kate Schaaf

Honors Theses

Background. The Western diet has extensive negative ramifications on physical health and emotional well-being. The Mediterranean diet, widely regarded as one of the healthiest eating patterns in the world, may have the ability to improve psychological conditions. This study aims to examine existing research from randomized control trials (RCTs) on the association between depression prevalence and the Mediterranean diet.

Methods. The following review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines and the Google Scholar and PsycInfo databases. The criteria for inclusion were that studies: 1) were randomized control trials (RCTs) examining the Mediterranean diet; 2) included samples of adults (i.e., > 18 years …

A Qualitative Evaluation Of Diabetes Solutions Telehealth Coaching Services, Caroline Brock

Honors Theses

Diabetes remains a growing public health concern, particularly in underserved regions such as rural Mississippi, where barriers to healthcare access and diabetes education contribute to poor disease management. This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of 27 participants enrolled in Diabetes Solutions, a telehealth-based diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES/T) program offered by the Mississippi Diabetes Network. Using a phenomenological approach and structured interviews, the study identifies four major themes: structural benefits of the program, knowledge gained, common changes by participants, and quality of life outcomes. Participants consistently emphasized the value of personalized coaching, emotional encouragement, and practical education on …

Client-Centered Food Distribution: An Analysis Of Patron Preferences At The Oxford Food Pantry, Ella Mann

Honors Theses

Food insecurity has long penetrated the rural South. This limits access to nutritious foods like fresh produce and contributes to chronic health conditions that may arise. Food pantries serve as a vital resource in addressing these disparities by providing free food to families in need. Many of these pantries incorporate strategies to increase consumption of nutrient dense options such as fruits as vegetables. These strategies can vary but the client choice model has proven to align with the self determination theory and promote greater autonomy in food selection. This study aimed to assess the food preferences of patrons at the …

Shelving Stigma: A Grocery Store Client Choice Pantry Model - A Solution To Food Insecurity In Young Adults Of Marginalized Communities While Eradicating The Stigmatization Of Food Pantry Services, Anna C. Buckley

Honors Theses

An increasing number of young adults, age 18 to 35, are becoming food insecure across America, but disproportionately in urban and people of color communities. However, food pantries have remained a social stigma causing food insecure persons to avoid using a food pantry for hunger relief. Research has shown that the grocery store model for food pantries is most beneficial for staff, while also minimizing the stigma and increasing accessibility for pantry clientele. The purpose of this program proposal is to highlight the feasibility of implementation of a client choice grocery store pantry model at the NY Common Pantry (NYCP) …

The Impact Of School-Based Education Program On Body Image In Middle School Students, Elizabeth Hendon

Honors Theses

Body dissatisfaction is an emerging public health concern and carries significant health-related consequences. These implications encompass mental health challenges, eating disorders, unhealthy weight management practices, adverse effects on self-esteem, and potential physical health consequences. Because adolescence is a critical period for healthy body image development due to age-related transitions occurring at this time, it is essential to implement an education program to promote positive body image. Educational programs focused on protective factors designed to enhance self-compassion can potentially improve body image, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction. School-based body image education programs aim to provide adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and …

Nhm 728: Advanced Survey Data Analysis, Yunhee Chang

GMAS Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Nhm 726: Applied Regression Analysis In Nutrition And Hospitality Management, Hyun-Woo (David) Joung Ph.D.

GMAS Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Comparing Calculated And Perceived Energy Needs In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Lyndsey T. Reed

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate NCAA student-athletes' level of knowledge related to their energy needs. The participants were 75—42 male and 33 female—NCAA Division I student-athletes enrolled at the University of Mississippi (UM) from a variety of sports. In-person data collection took place at UM Athletics facilities by sports registered dietitians during team talks. The names of the athletes were used to find their pre-existing calculated energy, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and total energy expenditure (TEE) using the Nelson equation and the appropriate activity factor. Questionnaire and RMR/TEE data were analyzed and compared to assess knowledge related …

Allowing And Using Low Nutritional Value Foods For Celebrations, Rewards, And Motivators In K-12 School Classrooms: Teacher Candidates’ Beliefs At The University Of Mississippi, Chandler Cohn

Honors Theses

Objective: Identify University of Mississippi teacher candidates’ beliefs and observations about offering low nutritional value foods for student events from their K-12 school placements.

Methods: A twenty-two-item, cross-sectional survey was developed with Qualtrics based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey was distributed to juniors and seniors at the University of Mississippi, with a response rate of 79%.

Results: A majority of teacher candidates (69%) observed that their clinical instructor currently uses low nutritional value foods in the classroom to reward academic achievements, while only 38% agree that this is the right decision.

Conclusions and Implications: A greater focus …

A Qualitative Study Of Food Behaviors In University Of Mississippi Students As They Relate To Nutrition Security, Bethany Selby

Honors Theses

Recent literature has demonstrated high rates of food insecurity in college students, with most estimates ranging from 30 to 40 percent. Additionally, the college diet is notoriously lacking in nutrition, and a large majority of college students do not meet the recommendations made by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Nutrition security, defined as an individual having consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods that promote wellbeing and prevent disease, addresses both of these issues.

This study, conducted in Spring 2022, used focus groups to examine food behaviors in a sample of majority undergraduate students at the University of Mississippi (n …

Nhm 526: Statistics I In Nutrition And Hospitality Management, Hyun-Woo (David) Joung Ph.D.

GMAS Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Do Current Pre-Exercise Fluid Recommendations For Athletes Need To Be Updated?: A Review, Samantha B. Kostelnik, Melinda W. Valliant

Faculty and Student Publications

Introduction: Maintaining adequate hydration throughout the day is extremely important, especially for the athletic population. While several recommendations have been developed to aid in timing (i.e., before, during and after exercise) and quantity of fluid intake, research has shown that approximately 70% of collegiate athletes arrive to practice in a dehydrated state. This review aims to identify the studies that have developed fluid protocols or utilized fluid recommendations for athletes prior to exercise.
Methods: Two databases and 13 search terms were used to find relevant articles.
Results: To date, several position papers, observational, and experimental (25 investigations total) studies that …

Objectively Measured Physical Activity Is Lower In Individuals With Normal Weight Obesity In The United States, Nadeeja N. Wijayatunga, Heontae Kim, Harry M. Hays, Minsoo Kang

Faculty and Student Publications

The role of physical activity in normal weight obesity (NWO), which is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk, is not clear. This study aimed to determine body composition phenotype-specific differences in objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in adults in the United States. A total of 2055 adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 18.5 m2 were studied using 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Physical activity and percent body fat (BF%) were measured using accelerometer and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, respectively. A BF% > 23.1% and >33.3% for men and women, respectively, was considered excess. A BMI of 18.5–24.9 …

Comparing Intuitive Eating Behaviors Between Student Athletes And College Students Enrolled At The University Of Mississippi, Mary Mckennon Pierce

Honors Theses

Intuitive eating strives to consciously listen to the internal hunger and fullness cues our body provides, as humans often practiced long before counting calories and dieting existed. Rational thought, instinct, and emotion influence an intuitive eater’s decision-making and allow for full capability in navigating food decisions. While intuitive eating habits can benefit any individual, little research has compared the intuitive eating habits between collegiate students and student-athletes. measures unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, reliance on hunger and fullness cues, and body-food choice congruence. Student-athletes presented a significantly higher overall intuitive eating score (3.53±0.54, p=0.003) …

Investigation Into The Comorbidities Of Disordered Eating And Social Anxiety Disorder In College Students, Alice Mccraney

Honors Theses

In recent years, psychiatrists have reported a trend that individuals with social anxiety disorders are more likely to also have disordered eating and vice versa. Research into this connection has suggested that risk factors, such as stress reactivity, negative self- esteem, perfectionism and fear of negative evaluation are potential links. This is important because understanding the correlation between the two disorders could help develop better treatments plans for people who suffer from these disorders. This study investigates the relationship between the two. A total of 257 college students between ages 18-22 completed a questionnaire using the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale …

What Is The Satisfaction Of Youth Participating In A Pilot Reading And Food-Based Stem Education Program In Rural Appalachian Mississippi?, Meagan Smith

Honors Theses

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is a vital subsection of primary education which focuses on imparting knowledge to foster STEM literacy and ultimately bolster the workforce of STEM related fields (Holmlund, 2018). Due to both geographic and socioeconomic challenges, STEM education in rural areas suffers from a lack of engaging learning opportunities and contributes to a shortage of STEM professionals originating from rural areas (Munn, 2019)(Murphy, 2020). Rural areas such as Calhoun County, MS, where the pilot program associated with this thesis was conducted, do not have the means to support interactive learning institutions such as aquariums and …

Cognitive Determinants Of Weight Control By Dietary Patterns Among Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis: An Application Of Theory Of Planned Behavior, Hossein Hajizadeh, Pouria Sefidmooye Azar, Haidar Nadrian, Farhang Soltani Bejestani, Sousan Kolahi, Kritika Gupta

Faculty and Student Publications

Background: In this study, we aimed to assess the cognitive determinants of weight control behaviors by dietary patterns among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Methods: This cross-sectional study, based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was conducted from July to December 2017 among 240 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis in Tabriz, Iran. A validated and reliable TPB-based instrument, namely Weight-CuRB, and the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were used. Results: The results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated three dietary patterns (total variance explained = 24.44%); healthy (n = 71), mixed (n = 78), and western (n = 91). In addition, food …

Comparison And Predicted Equation Of Energy Expenditure During Walking Or Running Among Caucasians, African Americans And Asians, Xi Jin, Teresa Carithers, Mark Loftin

Faculty and Student Publications

Knowledge of measured energy expenditure (EE) during walking and running is important for exercise prescription. Further, research on the EE comparison and EE predicted equation during walking or running among different ethnicities is limited. The purpose of the current study was to compare EE to walk or run 1 mile in Caucasian, African American and Asian adults and to develop a regression equation to predict EE to walk or run 1 mile. Two hundred and twenty-four participants were included (71 Caucasians, 68 African Americans and 85 Asians) with 3 groups (normal weight walking, overweight walking and running). EE was measured …

Factors Affecting Customer Intention To Use Online Food Delivery Services Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Chanmi Hong, Hayeon (Hailey) Choi, Eun Kyong (Cindy) Choi, Hyun Woo (David) Joung

Faculty and Student Publications

With the emerging popularity of online food delivery (OFD) services, this research examined predictors affecting customer intention to use OFD services amid the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, Study 1 examined the moderating effect of the pandemic on the relationship between six predictors (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, price saving benefit, time saving benefit, food safety risk perception, and trust) and OFD usage intention, and Study 2 extended the model by adding customer perceptions of COVID-19 (perceived severity and vulnerability) during the pandemic. Study 1 showed that all of the predictors except food safety risk perception significantly affected OFD …

College Student Sleep Quality And Mental And Physical Health Are Associated With Food Insecurity In A Multi-Campus Study, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Melissa D. Olfert, Lillian Macnell, Bailey Houghtaling, Lanae B. Hood, Mateja R. Savoie Roskos, Jeannine R. Goetz, Valerie Kern-Lyons, Linda L. Knol, Georgianna R. Mann, Monica K. Esquivel, Adam Hege, Jennifer Walsh, Keith Pearson, Maureen Berner, Jessica Soldavini, Elizabeth T. Anderson-Steeves, Marsha Spence, Christopher Paul

Faculty and Student Publications

Objective: To assess the relationship between food insecurity, sleep quality, and days with mental and physical health issues among college students. Design: An online survey was administered. Food insecurity was assessed using the ten-item Adult Food Security Survey Module. Sleep was measured using the nineteen-item Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Mental health and physical health were measured using three items from the Healthy Days Core Module. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to assess the relationship between food insecurity, sleep quality, and days with poor mental and physical health. Setting: Twenty-two higher education institutions. Participants: College students (n 17 686) enrolled …

Prediction And Cross-Validation Of An Energy Expenditure Equation In Walking Or Running In Asian Adults, Xi Jin, Teresa Carithers, Mark Loftin

Faculty and Student Publications

The prevalence of obesity is increasing across the world. Knowledge of the actual energy expenditure (EE) of walking and running can lead to a more precise exercise prescription which may contribute to obesity reduction or avoidance. Limited research has focused on EE prediction during walking or running in Asian adults. So, the aims of this study included developing an EE prediction equation and cross-validating the equation for Asian adults. Methods: A total of 85 Asians participated to test EE through indirect calorimetry. Linear regression analysis was employed for EE prediction, and a dependent t-test and Chow statistical test were used …

Challenges And Benefits Experienced By Mississippi Schools In The Adoption Of Farm To School Programs, Manuel Aldair Franco Pech

Honors Theses

Mississippi obesity rates are the second highest in the United States. An appropriate target group to combat the state’s high obesity rates are school age children (ages 18 and under), because healthy eating habits developed at this age translate into adult years. An avenue to encourage and develop healthy eating habits are Farm to School (F2S) programs, which provide in-school accessibility to healthy, locally produced foods. The objective of this study was to analyze the results from the 2015 United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) F2S Census, which collected details regarding F2S participation across the country, to determine the benefits …

Perceived Adult/Child Health And Diet By Snap Usage And Food Security In A Rural, Appalachian Mississippi Community, Georgia Inglis

Honors Theses

This study examined if there were differences in perceived adult health score, perceived adult diet score, parent-perceived child health score, and parent-perceived child diet score by SNAP usage and food security in a rural, Appalachian Mississippi community. Adults (n=1084) with elementary school- aged children were surveyed in a rural, Appalachian Mississippi school district. Demographic, household adult food security (USDA 10-item measure), and perceived health and dietary data were collected. Using IBM SPSS version 24, demographic statistics were calculated to summarize data. Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test was utilized to assess for differences between groups. P.05) …

Food Security Status And Disordered Eating Of Male High School Football Players In Rural, Appalachian Mississippi Participating In A Food Education Program, Miller Carlton

Honors Theses

Food insecurity is associated with disordered eating in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) male athletes. This study evaluated the impact of a food education program on youth food security and disordered eating of high school football players in rural, Appalachian Mississippi. A Pre-Post design was utilized. Prospective participants (n=47) were recruited in July, 2019. The 12-week season-long food education program included weekly education with practical food-based sport nutrition principles along with food packages to implement principles at home. Youth food security was measured using Self-administered Youth Food Security Module (Connell, 2004). Disordered eating was measured using 5-item scale (Morgan, Reid, …

Effectiveness Of An Educational Intervention To Reduce Ageism In Undergraduate Students In An Entry-Level Nutrition Class, Ann Irvin Armstrong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the older adult population continues to increase, ageism remains an issue in the healthcare system and is prevalent among nutrition-related professionals. The aim of our study is to is determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention to reduce ageism among pre-healthcare professionals including Nutrition major students. Undergraduate students enrolled in an entry-level nutrition class were recruited and randomized into an intervention (INT) group (n=30) and a control (CON) group (n=29). The online educational intervention consisted of pre-recorded lectures and videos regarding ageism and myths regarding aging for the INT group, and on cultural competency and biases (other than ageism) …

Smart Snacks In Universities: Possibilities For University Vending, Georgianna Mann, Laurel Greenway Lambert, Kritika Gupta, Megan Partacz

Faculty and Student Publications

Background:The study goal was to evaluate the nutritional impact of a healthy snack intervention on a southern university campus. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted during the fall 2017 semester weekly for 14 weeks in a large southern U.S. university. For the intervention, half of vending snacks in four campus residential halls (housing from 216 to 361 students) were substituted with snacks complying with federal Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards for K-12 schools. For analysis, data from the Nutrition Facts labels of 14 vending machines or from manufacturer's websites was collected by trained graduate and undergraduate researchers. Results: On …

Baseline Health Assessment Of A Rural Delta Community, Sydney Mitchell

Honors Theses

The Lower Mississippi Delta is characterized by poverty, chronic health issues, health disparities, and food insecurity. The rural Delta communities are primarily African American, experiencing disproportionately higher rates of poverty, job loss, and chronic health problems. Historically, chronic health issues have persisted in these areas over time, including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, which have only seemed to increase in this region. The food environment in this rural region tends to assist in the creation of the largely obesogenic population which, in turn, contributes to the increased prevalence of diabetes and hypertension and a lower quality of life. Many residents in …

Teacher Evaluation Of An Integrated Nutrition Curriculum For Mississippi Schools, Janiya A. Davis

Honors Theses

The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled over the last four decades from 5 percent in 1978 to 18.5 percent in 2016, and according to the Mississippi Obesity Action Plan, 40.4% of Mississippi elementary school children (grades K-5) were either overweight or obese. Some reports have suggested that Mississippi’s overall obesity rate could reach 66.7% by 2030. Although the literature on best practices for the prevention of this condition is limited, some success has been achieved through the use of school-based nutrition interventions, in which children are taught how to make healthy food choices. …

Perceptions Of School Nutrition Standard Rollbacks By Child Nutrition Program Directors In Mississippi, Payton Meadows

Honors Theses

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 established national nutrition standards for school meals, these standards included mandates for whole grain serving requirements and sodium and flavored milk restrictions. In 2017, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture relaxed the standards allowing schools to serve 1% flavored milk, half of grains offered as refined grains, and halted reduction of sodium standards. This study investigated perceptions of child nutrition program directors in Mississippi regarding these changes. An online survey was used to assess Mississippi child nutrition program directors’ perceived barriers to implementation of the original standards and their perceptions of the recent changes …

Blood Glucose Levels Of Esports Athletes During High Intensity Gaming, Gunner Rhoden

Honors Theses

Given the rise in popularity of Esports, it is important to better understand the relationship between Esports and the human body. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between blood glucose levels and performance in Esports. Ten undergraduate students (9 male, 1 female; age = 20.3±1.2 years; BMI = 28.8±7.6; Esports mean hours per week = 18.9±14.3) were recruited from the Esports club at the University of Mississippi. Blood glucose levels were measured using a HemoCue Glucose 201 Analyzer (Angelhome, Sweden) a total of 8 times (4 per session). After the completion of an initial familiarization session, …