Nutrition Commons^™

Children's Knowledge Of Healthy And Unhealthy Foods And Its Correlation With Body Mass Index, Sally Elizabeth Allen

Student Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in America. Children's knowledge of healthy and unhealthy food could be correlated to their Body Mass Index (BMI). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine if there is a correlation between children's BMI and their knowledge of healthy and unhealthy foods and to determine if any knowledge differences exist between overweight, obese, and healthy weight children. Participants were 54 kindergarten and 1st grade students in a small rural Arkansas school district. Data were collected quantitatively through a) a 40 question flashcard test in which participants were asked to identify the name of …

Changes In Fruit And Vegetable Household Food Availability Among Low-Income Families Over A One-Month Period Of Time, Ann Alicia Wells

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: There is little evidence of how fruit and vegetable (FV) household food availability changes over a one-month period among low-income households. The objective of this study was to analyze how FV variety and sustainability changes over a 4-week period.
Design: Inventories were conducted in low-income family households (n=49) once a week over a 4-week period. Trained researchers gathered the weights of all FV, including legumes, within the home. Previously determined mean container weights were subtracted to obtain the estimated weight of the FV. All weights were then converted to edible cups of FV, taking into account the weight that …

What Are The Effects Of Raw Vs. Pasteurized Milk Consumption On Growth Rate And Fertility In A Colony Of Mice?, Kari Sholing, Lindsay Ganong, Amy Olson

Nutrition Student Work

Interest in consuming unprocessed foods has led to assumptions that raw milk has health benefits over pasteurized milk. This study was designed to evaluate the belief that raw milk is nutritionally superior. Eighteen mice were randomly assigned to one of two groups: raw milk or pasteurized milk. Mice were grouped into breeding trios and given a fresh supply of milk every four hours between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. for 55 days. Milk consumption was tracked at each feeding by measuring the amount of milk that was provided and the amount of milk that was left from the previous feeding. …

Factors Influencing Travel Order As Proxy For Leadership And Trade-Offs In Activity Budgets In Lactating And Nonlactating African Savanna Elephants, Malgorzata Wisniewska

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Nutritional and energetic needs of female mammals depend upon size or reproductive investment and shape individual activity budgets and behavioral patterns. To maximize nutritional and energetic intake females may increase time allocated to foraging or access resources through risk-prone behaviors, represented as aggression or leadership. Conversely, to minimize nutritional and energetic spending females may engage in risk-averse activities such as resting or nonaggressive social interactions. Females with the highest needs should exhibit activities and behaviors that facilitate the greatest nutritional and energetic returns or highest metabolic savings. The propensity for risk-prone behaviors may be greater among older as well as …

A Measure Of Self-Efficacy Among Agency Directors To Offer Nutrition Education To Lowcountry Food Bank Clients, Lucie Maguire

All Theses

In 2005, the Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) in Charleston, SC, launched an initiative to provide nutrition education to clients that seek food assistance. The agency directors of the 332 member agencies of the LCFB are in direct contact with clients, therefore they could provide nutrition education rather than the LCFB staff alone. As such, the self-efficacy of agency directors to deliver nutrition education must be measured. The objective of this project was to measure the self-efficacy of agency directors of the LCFB. A 17-item instrument measuring self-efficacy was developed, including ten validated items from the General Self-Efficacy Scale and an …

How Sweet It Is!, Winston J. Craig

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Can Antioxidant-Rich Berries Improve Risk Factors Associated With Cardiovascular Disease In Postmenopausal Smokers?, Jordan Alaine Teeple

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and determine the efficacy of antioxidant-rich berries in ameliorating these risk factors in postmenopausal smokers. Menopause and cigarette smoking have been identified as major risk factors for CVD due to a decrease in antioxidant protection, increase in inflammation and oxidative stress, and adverse changes in serum lipids. Antioxidants, specifically flavonoid compounds found in blackberries and blueberries, have been shown to prevent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation and thus prevent downstream inflammation and oxidative stress. Healthy, postmenopausal nonsmokers (n=14) and smokers (n=31) …

Subcritical Water Hydrolysis Of Whey Proteins, Ashley Dawn Espinoza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydrolyzing food by-products is a unique approach to potentially increase by-product value and reduce waste. An abundant by-product of cheese production, whey, contains all essential amino acids and some distinctive peptides with functional and nutraceutical properties. Typically, proteins from whey are tailored for specific uses by chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis; however, subcritical water hydrolysis is a novel alternative used successfully to hydrolyze various substrates. Nevertheless, minimal research exists on: (1) the hydrolysis of whey protein; (2) the incorporation of additives; (3) the hydrolysis of whole whey; and (4) the production of volatiles when using subcritical water hydrolysis.

Therefore, whey protein …

Feeding Practices Of Mothers In The Gobi Desert Of Mongolia, Julie F. Tate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The diets of Mongolia infants are deficient in vitamins and minerals and complementary foods are introduced too early. Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for infants until 6 months of age. A survey of 50 Mongolian mothers with children under the age of 5 in the town of Sainshand, Dornogobi, was conducted in July 2011. Mongolian infants are among the highest percent of infants in the world who are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of their lives, thus providing them with excellent nutrition. However, complementary feedings and supplements are not appropriately used or understood. Therefore, the diets …

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy And Risk Factors For Cardiovascular Disease In Adulthood, Bernardo Lessa Horta, Denise P. Gigante, Aydin Nazmi, Vera Maria F. Silveira, Isabel Oliveira, Cesar G. Victora

Food Science and Nutrition

Objective: This study was aimed at assessing the effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on metabolic cardiovascular risk factors in early adulthood in a Brazilian birth cohort, after controlling for possible confounding variables and health behaviors in early adulthood.

Methods: In 1982, the maternity hospitals in Pelotas, southern Brazil, were visited and all births were identified. Those livebirths whose family lived in the urban area of the city were studied prospectively. In 2004–2005, we attempted to follow the whole cohort, the subjects were interviewed, examined and blood sample was collected. The following outcomes were studied: blood pressure; HDL cholesterol; triglycerides; …

The Food Waste Management System In A Southeastern Hospital, Amal Habadi

All Theses

Effective waste management has always posed a challenge to those in food service operations. This study investigated the amount of food waste from Bon Secours St. Francis Health System foodservice operations using the Trim Trax¨ program. Trim Trax¨ is a food waste management program in which employees measure the volume of waste produced in pre-production and post-production areas. The objectives of this study were to collect the amount of waste produced during meal preparations and compare it with three weeks of retrospective data kept by employees in the salad/baking pre-production area, the cooking/grilling pre-production area and post-production area. Results showed …

Effect Of Diet Quantity And Quality On Female Sampling Behavior And Mating Preferences In A Field Cricket, Heidi L. Bulfer

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the adaptive significance of variation in female mating behaviour is important because variation may often be favored by selection instead of a change in mean mating behaviour, particularly in variable environments. Females are known to adjust their mating behaviour to a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors including nutrition. There are multiple reasons why female behaviours might vary with nutrition; we tested two of these hypotheses: the search cost hypothesis and the direct benefits hypothesis. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, but they make contrasting predictions under some conditions. Low nutrition females may have less available energy to support …

Molecular Interactions Of Salmonella With The Host Epithelium In Presence Of Commensals, Prerak T. Desai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Food-borne infections are a major source of mortality and morbidity. Salmonella causes the highest number of Food-borne bacterial infections in the US. This work contributes towards developing strategies to control Salmonella by (a) defining receptors used by Salmonella to adhere to and invade the host epithelium; (b) developing a host receptor based rapid detection method for the pathogen in food matrix; (C) and defining mechanisms of how probiotics can help alleviate Salmonella-induced cell death in the host epithelium.

We developed a cell-cell crosslinking method to discover host-microbe receptors, and discovered three new receptor-ligand interactions. Interaction of Salmonella Ef-Tu with …

An Examination Of Diet, Acculturation And Risk Factors For Heart Disease Among Jamaican Immigrants, Carol Renee Oladele

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: The South Florida region is home to over 85,000 Jamaican immigrants. Yet, little is known about the dietary intakes and predictors of risk of disease within this immigrant group. An assessment of dietary intakes and the development of dietary intake methodologies specific to the Jamaican population was important as it permitted accurate estimation of the nutrient intakes of this immigrant population whose dietary habits are not well documented. In addition, nothing is known about the prevalence of risk factors for heart disease or factors influencing risk factors among this immigrant group. The purpose of this study was to assess …

Maternal, Neonatal And Feeding Type Factors Associated With Severity Of Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Cheryl Ann Miner

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To identify statistical associations with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) severity as dichotomized into cases with Bell stage II and III disease.
Study Design: We conducted a retrospective study using eight consecutive years of data from a multihospital healthcare system analyzed NEC severity (Bell stage II vs. III).
Results: We identified 220 neonates with stage ≥ II who had 225 separate episodes of NEC (157 stage II and 68 stage III). Those with stage III were born at earlier gestational age (P<0.0001) and lower birth weight (P<0.0001). Diagnosis of NEC occurred on about the same day of life in stage II and stage III cases. Those who developed stage III had significantly higher C-reactive protein (P<0.0001), I/T ratio (P= 0.0005), mean platelet volume (MPV) (P= 0.0001) and lower pH (P<0.0001) and platelet counts (P<0.0001). Transfusions were more common to those who progressed to stage III (P<0.0001). Regression analysis indicated higher odds of stage III in relationship to the volume of RBC transfusions (OR 2.41, {CI 1.85 to 3.11}, P<0.0001) and pasteurized human milk (PHM) (OR 1.32, {CI 1.07 to 1.62}, P = 0.0089). In contrast, feeding early mother's own milk (colostrum) for five days reduced the odds for stage III (OR 0.802, {CI 0.67 to 0.96}, P=0.0170). Those with small bowel resection were less likely to have received mother's own milk before NEC (OR 0.94, {CI 0.89 to 0.99}, P = 0.019) and factors predicting death from NEC were a low pH (OR 2.21, {CI 1.27 to 3.85}, P = 0.0005) and less colostrum (OR 0.96, {CI 0.94 to 0.99}, P = 0.003).
Conclusions: RBC transfusions and PHM increased the odds for stage III NEC, whereas early mother's own milk five days …

Nutrition Risk Factors Among Home Delivered And Congregate Meal Participants: Need For Enhancement Of Nutrition Education And Counseling Among Home Delivered Meal Participants, Shahla Wunderlich, Yeon Bai, J. Piemonte

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective: The short-term impact of nutrition education and counseling intervention on nutrition risk factors among home delivered (HDM) and congregate (CGM) meal participants using Nutrition Survey Risk Screening was studied. Design: A two-year intervention was conducted with 355 participants (n=259 CGM, n=96 HDM). Various nutrition behaviors that affect the nutrition risk score were compared. Setting: Congregate and home delivered meal locations in a northern county of New Jersey. Participants: CGM and HDM participants in a northern county of New Jersey age 60 and older. Intervention: CGM participants received regular topical nutrition education and counseling in a classroom format with cooking …

New Findings Emerge, Winston J. Craig

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Thrombospondin1 Deficiency Reduces Obesity-Associated Inflammation And Improves Insulin Sensitivity In A Diet-Induced Obese Mouse Model, Yanzhang Li, Xiaopeng Tong, Courtney Rumala, Kate Clemons, Shuxia Wang

Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Obesity is prevalent worldwide and is associated with insulin resistance. Advanced studies suggest that obesity-associated low-grade chronic inflammation contributes to the development of insulin resistance and other metabolic complications. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) is a multifunctional extracellular matrix protein that is up-regulated in inflamed adipose tissue. A recent study suggests a positive correlation of TSP1 with obesity, adipose inflammation, and insulin resistance. However, the direct effect of TSP1 on obesity and insulin resistance is not known. Therefore, we investigated the role of TSP1 in mediating obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance by using TSP1 knockout mice.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Male TSP1-/- mice …

What's The Story With Ocean Fish?, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about the nutritional benefits of ocean fish. Also addresses concerns about ocean fish and mercury. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Really Living, Winston J. Craig

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Cranberries, Melanie Jewkes

All Current Publications

Cranberries can be an easy way to add variety to meals and snacks. Learn how to use fresh cranberries and other ways to incorporate the nutritional benefits of cranberries into your diet.

Flax Facts, Carolyn Washburn

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides nutritional, safety, storage, and health information on flax.

“ Gimme Samoa That!”: The Changing Diet In Samoa, Dana Melby

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With globalization and Samoa’s entrance into the global economy imported and processed foods, which are high in fat, sugar, and sodium, are increasingly available for consumption. Diet transition, the change in diet from one high in local and traditional foods to one high in imported processed foods, began in Samoa post-World War II, however, the rate of diet change has increased rapidly in the past three decades. The change in diet has led to increased prevalence of obesity, other risk factors, and non-communicable diseases. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) include cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and cancer. This study looks at what factors …

Using High Intensity Ultrasound As A Tool To Change The Functional Properties Of Interesterified Soybean Oil, Yubin Ye, Ashwini Wagh, Silvana Martini

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

High intensity ultrasound (HIU) was used to change the crystallization behavior, generate small crystals, and improve the texture of a low saturated shortening (interesterified soybean oil). Samples were crystallized at different temperatures (26, 28, 30, and 32 °C) without and with the application of HIU. Different acoustic power levels (110, 72, 61, 54, and 44 W) were used. Results show that higher acoustic powers had a greater effect on crystal size reduction, induced crystallization, and generated harder, more elastic and viscous materials. These effects were more significant when HIU was applied in the presence of crystals and when the sample …

Perceived Importance And Actual Intake Of Calcium And Vitamin D In Young Female Athletes, Miriam E. Zambrano

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

Calcium needs increase as a child grows. Actual intake often decreases as a child gets older, leaving his/her developing bones at risk for injury during childhood and increasing the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between psychosocial factors influencing consumption of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods and actual intakes of these nutrients. We examined the dietary calcium and vitamin D intakes, determined serum vitamin D levels, and assessed nutrition knowledge and perception of a sample of 20 young girls participating in competitive cheerleading in Omaha, Nebraska. From this information we …

Effect Of Tannin Additions Postfermentation With Gelatin Remediation In Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, Briana Heywood, Geraldine S.P. Ritchie

Food Science and Nutrition

The resultant color of a Cabernet Sauvignon wine connotes overall quality. Therefore, it is in the best interests of a winery to produce a well-balanced wine, containing the deepest color possible, using the least amount of additives. This experiment studied the effects of adding ColorPro, VRSupra, and Gelatin Extra No.1 to Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from Paso Robles to determine if anthocyanin and tannin levels changed with respect to the aforementioned supplements. To increase color and tannin extraction, ColorPro was added to the grape must prior to fermentation. A tannin powder, VRSupra, was added later in the winemaking process to reduce …

Executive Summary, Cumberland County Foodshed Assessment, Report 1, Barbara Ives

Local Food Systems

Like everyone else in these troubled economic times, Mainers are looking for ways to create jobs that will remain relevant and vital in a global economy, that cannot be outsourced, and that will regenerate rather than exploit our natural resources.

A growing number of people believe that a food system rooted in local farms, fisheries, and food production and distribution enterprises can strengthen Maine’s economy and its communities’ health, thereby increasing revenue and decreasing an expense that is crippling government agencies and individuals alike – healthcare. Business people who want to make a living related to food, and public and …

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fish For Your Health, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on omega fatty acids, their health benefits, and dietary sources. Focuses on benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Ocean Fish, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on ocean fish as a source of beneficial nutrients. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Selenium And Mercury, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on selenium. Includes information on nutritional benefits, dietary sources, and mitigating the risks of mercury consumption. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]