Nutrition Commons^™

Success Stories And Emerging Themes In Conservation Physiology, Christine L. Madliger, Steven J. Cooke, Erica J. Crespi, Jennifer L. Funk, Kevin R. Hultine, Kathleen E. Hunt, Jason R. Rohr, Brent J. Sinclair, Cory D. Suski, Craig K. R. Willis, Oliver P. Love

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The potential benefits of physiology for conservation are well established and include greater specificity of management techniques, determination of cause–effect relationships, increased sensitivity of health and disturbance monitoring and greater capacity for predicting future change. While descriptions of the specific avenues in which conservation and physiology can be integrated are readily available and important to the continuing expansion of the discipline of ‘conservation physiology’, to date there has been no assessment of how the field has specifically contributed to conservation success. However, the goal of conservation physiology is to foster conservation solutions and it is therefore important to assess whether …

Design And Commissioning Of A Community Scale Solar Powered Membrane-Based Water Purification System In Haiti, Shavin Pinto, Yung Wong, Kyle Fennesy, Yan Tang, Marc Compere

Publications

This paper presents the design and commissioning of a solar powered water purification system at the Ryan Epps Home for Children (REHC) in Michaud, Haiti. This system supplies clean drinking water to the 200 children who live and go to school at REHC and also to the community in the form of a micro-business. This micro-business is the mechanism for income generation for sustainable system operation. The purifier uses a three stage filtration system with a disc-type sediment filter, a 0.1 micron ultrafiltration membrane, and an ultraviolet light for disinfection. The backwash cycle extends the life of the ultrafiltration membrane …

Nutrition Knowledge Among A Predominantly Hispanic College Population, Heather Sandford

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Many chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer are prevalent and have been associated with unhealthy eating patterns. At the same time overweight and obesity are contributing factors to the development of these conditions. There are multiple factors contributing to overweight and obesity. Some of these include a frequent consumption of unhealthy or high energy-dense foods combined with the lack of physical activity. A true understanding and foundation of proper nutrition allows people to make healthy eating choices. It has been documented that among the population, college students have a limited nutrition …

Foodservice Employees Behaviors And The Presence Of Foodborne-Illness Responsible Microorganisms On Smart Phones, Louise Louise De Gracia, R.D.

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

As technology advances, smart phone (SP) use is on the rise, including in foodservice establishments. Likewise, the incidence of foodborne-illness in the United States remains high. The presence of disease-responsible microorganisms on health care employees’ mobile phones is well-documented, but little research has examined this relationship concerning foodservice employees’ SPs. Employees (n=50) from a Michigan foodservice establishment were surveyed for their SP use behaviors, and their SPs were swabbed to detect Salmonella, coliforms, and norovirus. Poor hygienic behaviors, such as SP use in the bathroom (75.5%, n=37) were widespread. ServSafe®-certified employees (46%, n=23) were significantly (p=0.041) less likely to use …

Regulation Of Brown And White Adipocyte Transcriptome By The Transcriptional Coactivator Nt-Pgc-1Α, Jihyun Kim, Vivian E. Fernand, Tara M. Henagan, Jeho Shin, Peter Huypens, Susan Newman, Thomas W. Gettys, Ji Suk Chang

Department of Nutrition Science Faculty Publications

The β3-adrenergic receptor (AR) signaling pathway is a major component of adaptive thermogenesis in brown and white adipose tissue during cold acclimation. The β3-AR signaling highly induces the expression of transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α and its splice variant N-terminal (NT)-PGC-1α, which in turn activate the transcription program of adaptive thermogenesis by co-activating a number of transcription factors. We previously reported that NT-PGC-1α is able to increase mitochondrial number and activity in cultured brown adipocytes by promoting the expression of mitochondrial and thermogenic genes. In the present study, we performed genome-wide profiling of NT-PGC-1α-responsive genes in brown adipocytes to identify genes potentially …

Expectation, Expectoration And Disgust: Information Manipulation Alters Spitting Efficiency, A Proxy For Salivary Flow, Cordelia Running, John E. Hayes

Department of Nutrition Science Faculty Publications

Saliva is becoming an increasingly useful research material across multiple fields of inquiry, including biomedical, dental, psychological, nutritional, and food choice research. However, both the flow rate and protein composition of stimulated saliva differ as a function of the collection method. We hypothesized that the context in which a salivary stimulus is presented to participants may alter salivation via behavioral (i.e., spitting efficiency) or top down cognitive effects. We presented participants with a constant stimulus (commercially available green tea) in two distinct contexts, once where the tea was described as a food item (“tea”) and once where it was described …

Parental Awareness, Consumption And Feeding Practices Of Functional Foods, Peter Jewel Weiss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Functional foods are believed to improve overall health and well-being and reduce the risk of specific diseases. Research has examined adult awareness and consumption of functional foods. However, research on whether parental awareness and consumption of functional foods results in feeding their children functional foods is lacking. Therefore, this study’s objective was to examine relationships between parental awareness and consumption of functional foods, and feeding their children functional foods. Parents of children in two school districts in Mississippi were surveyed (n=202). The section on parental awareness, consumption, and feeding their children consisted of 27 questions featuring 19 functional food components, …

The Relationship Of Parental Barriers To Parents Feeding Their Children Health-Promoting, Functional Foods, Jordyn Michelle Thornton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies have discovered barriers that prevent parents from feeding children nutritiously. There is sparse information about whether parents intentionally feed their children functional foods, raising the question of whether there are barriers that inhibit parents when feeding their children nutritiously. This study of parents in two Mississippi school districts in 2015 ( n=193) examined the barriers parents face to consuming health-promoting, functional foods as well as the relation of these barriers to feeding their children functional foods. The age group 45–54 was less likely to perceive taste as a barrier (p<.05) to consuming functional foods, while individuals with some college education (p<.05) and individuals with an associate degree (p<.05) were more likely to perceive taste as a barrier. Additionally, the age group 55+ was less likely to perceive availability of food as a barrier (p<.01). Lastly, the females were more likely than males to perceive knowledge as a barrier ; lack of knowledge of foods’ health benefits was significant for the female gender (p<.05) to consuming functional foods. This study also found a significant relationship between parent’s lack of knowledge of health-promoting foods when feeding their children functional foods for specific health benefits. The findings concluded that parents who perceived lack of knowledge as a barrier to consuming functional foods, were more likely to feed their children foods with health benefits for cancer prevention (p<.01), heart health ( p<.05), and other health benefits (p<.01), while not for bone, digestive, and weight health. Further investigation shothat foods beneficial for cancer prevention, heart health, and other health benefits are among food items incorporated in children’s diets through foods such as fruits, vegetables, fortified foods/beverages, etc.

Can Physical Activity Reinforce Nutrition Education? Evaluation Of Physical Activity In The Families In Transformation (Fit), Wellness Program For Children., Meagan Dyan Maloney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: to determine if physical activity can reinforce nutrition education messages in the families in transformation (fit) program at Healthworks! located in Tupelo, Mississippi. Methods: children ages 7-13 participating in the (fit) program made up the subjects for this study. A control and treatment group were observed using a nutrition reinforcement physical activity and a non-nutrition reinforcement activity during the regular physical activity nights of the (fit) program, and a pre and post nutrition quiz, health habits survey, anthropometric data, and fitness data were obtained pre and post study to determine if the intervention had an impact on the subjects. …

Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The relationship between measures of temperament, growth performance, and social hierarchy in finishing beef cattle were explored in two experiments. In experiment 1, high OCS (objective chute score) steers had periods of significantly higher ADG (P < 0.01), but OCS had no relationship with dominance ranking (P > 0.47). Conversely, slow exit velocity (EV) correlated with higher ranking (P ≤ 0.06), but EV had no relationship with performance (P > 0.37) in a competitive environment. Rank showed no relationship with performance (P > .58). In experiment 2, steers with fast EV had periods of decreased growth (P ≤ .06), intake (P ≤ .06), and gain:feed (G:F; P = 0.02). There were no interactions between …

The Relationship Between Nutrient Intake And Social Emotional Functioning In Preschool Children, Tracy L. Daniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health disorders are rising in children and being referred to as an epidemic. Numerous studies have shown micronutrient deficiencies and poor diet quality are suspected of playing a contributory role in the escalation of certain disorders. However, there is no research in young children focusing specifically on social emotional disorders and possible links to nutrition. Conventional treatment for social emotional disorders in children typically involves medication. Parents are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine to treat their children with a method that is individualized and holistic. The biopsychosocial model provided the theoretical framework for this correlational study that …

Methylmercury Exposure Via Canned Tuna Fish Consumption And Breast Cancer, Jennifer Bodenrader

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Widespread consumption of canned tuna fish since the 1950s may explain some of the increase in breast cancer prevalence in the United States and Europe. Although canned tuna is the primary source of human exposure to methylmercury, its role as an estrogen activating metalloestrogen has been overlooked in the etiology and incidence of breast cancer. Carcinogenic theory asserts that increased exposure to estrogen elevates the risk of breast cancer. The purpose of this population-based, case control study was to examine the association between canned tuna consumption, total blood mercury, and breast cancer in the NHANES 2003-2006 surveys. A multivariable logistic …

Emotional Intelligence, Job Satisfaction, And Burnout For Dietitians, Cara Perdue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are low retention rates of dietitians and this impacts quality of care. Emotional intelligence (EI) may be the missing component to improve retention, due to EI increasing job satisfaction and decreasing burnout for other health providers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between EI, job satisfaction, and burnout for dietitians. The theoretical framework utilized was the 4-branch model of EI. Method of inquiry was convenience, quantitative non-experimental design. Registered dietitians (N = 84,173) living in the United States were contacted via e-mail. Approximately 9.5% of dietitians (n = 8,038) completed the Wong and Law EI …

Adventist Affiliation And Type 2 Diabetes Pre- And Post-Complete Health Improvement Program (Chip), Janie Unruh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adventists following a plant-based diet have half the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarian Adventists. This study used a quantitative, correlational study design to assess if there was a significant difference in type 2 diabetes prevalence rate between Adventists and non-Adventists preprogram, and if there were significant differences in biometrics between Adventists and non-Adventists with diabetes pre- and post-Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP). This study incorporated the social ecological model for its conceptual framework and examined pre- and postprogram changes among Adventists (n=210; 20.1%) and non-Adventists (n=836; 79.9%) with type 2 diabetes. It used secondary data from …

Female Natural Bodybuilding Competition Preparation: A 6-Week Case Study, Samantha G. Gwazdauskas

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Bodybuilding is unlike any other sport. Competitors are judged on appearance rather than performance, where muscle size and definition are keys to achieving success. This case study tracked four, drug-free, female bodybuilders for 6-weeks leading up to their competitions. The purpose of this project was to examine the physiological and psychological experiences of female bodybuilders as they prepare for competition. Each competitor reported for testing at three occasions to evaluate cardiovascular measures, body composition, resting metabolic rate, performance measures of strength, power, muscular endurance, and maximal oxygen consumption, mood state, social physique anxiety, and overall experience. Each subject in this …

Food Labeling And Consumer Associations With Health, Safety, And Environment, Joanna K. Sax, Neal Doran

Faculty Scholarship

The food supply is complicated and consumers are increasingly calling for labeling on food to be more informative. In particular, consumers are asking for the labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMO) food based on health, safety and environmental concerns. At issue is whether the labels that are sought would accurately provide the information desired. The present study examined consumer (n = 181) perceptions of health, safety and the environment for foods labeled organic, natural, fat free or low fat, GMO, or non-GMO. Findings indicated that respondents consistently believed that foods labeled GMO are less healthy, safe and environmentally-friendly compared to …

Promoting Diabetes Self-Managment Eduaction And Training In Out-Patient Clinics, Inemesit Godwin Udo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a long term metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. T2DM is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation, and other complications that are costly to patients and the U.S. health care system. Lack of knowledge and underdeveloped skills for self-management of diabetes continues to be the biggest problem for patients with T2DM. Using a team approach and Rosswurm and Larrabee's (1999) conceptual model as a framework, the purpose of this doctorate of nursing practice quality improvement project was to develop an …

Oral Nutritional Supplement Use In Relation To Length Of Stay In Heart Failure Patients At A Regional Medical Center, Ellen Burkhardt Babb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Improving the nutritional status of hospitalized patients has been shown to reduce length of stay (LOS), hospital costs, readmission rates, complication rates, and mortality. Provision of nutrient-rich, liquid, oral nutrition supplements (ONS) is one approach to improving nutritional status. ONS use has been associated with improved outcomes among patients with diagnoses of orthopedic injuries and pressure ulcers, mainly using prospective designs among elderly and/or malnourished patients. Less information is available for other diagnoses, and no analysis of the effects of ONS could be found that considered the epidemiological triad of person, place, and time. This study used a quantitative, retrospective …

Barriers To Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Mothers During The First Four Weeks Postpartum, Jessy V. Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the World Health Organization, breastfeeding is natural and the most effective way of nourishment to feed infants and young children to ensure child health and survival. Currently, the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other health organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life. Although exclusive breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the occurrence of adverse health outcomes to the infant and mother, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding remains relatively low in the United States. The theory of planned behavior was used as a theoretical framework for this study. The purpose of …

Providing Optimal Nutrition In Critical Care, Jo Anne Foley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malnutrition among hospitalized patients is prevalent and associated with adverse outcomes. At the health care facility for which this quality improvement (QI) initiative was developed, patients were not consistently fed within the nationally recommended 48 hours. The purpose of this project was to facilitate the early initiation of enteral feedings to prevent malnutrition in a vulnerable patient group by development of an evidence-based enteral feeding policy, algorithm, and nursing education module. The find, organize, clarify, understand, select, plan, do, check, and act model provided a systematic approach for development of the project. Validation of the QI initiative was through the …

Influence Of Overweight, Obesity, Social Support, And Self-Efficacy On Breastfeeding Outcomes Among African-American Women, Elizabeth Hoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breastfeeding reduces morbidity and mortality among mothers and children, yet African-American women breastfeed at lower rates than women of other racial and ethnic groups do. Higher rates of overweight, obesity, and low socioeconomic status may be contributing factors in this population; however, limited research exists regarding the roles of maternal overweight and obesity on breastfeeding outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether social support and self-efficacy positively influence breastfeeding outcomes among overweight and obese African American women. Self-efficacy and social support theories provided the theoretical framework for the study. Research questions examined whether (a) maternal overweight and …

A Plan For The Implementation And Evaluation Of Diet Education In Type 2 Diabetes, Soy Ramsumeer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States with a projected increase of 552 million people worldwide who will be affected with this illness by 2030. The need to address this issue is vital to prevent complications and reduce healthcare spending. The DNP project is aimed at planning and designing a nutritional education program tailored toward specific ethnic groups in order to increase knowledge in making healthy food choices. This project is intended to educate Registered Nurses (RNs) on nutrition so that they can offer dietary knowledge to T2DM patients. Additional …

Influences Of Nutritional Food Label Understanding In African-American Women With Obesity, Cynthia Jean Hickman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nutritional food label understanding (NFLU) in African American Women (AAW) is a philosophy that addresses obesity. Public health efforts have implemented nutritional and caloric information to packaged and restaurant foods to improve nutrient and calorie literacy. Research suggest NFLU might have a minimal effect on reducing obesity. However, it is not known how obese AAW born during the baby-boom era (51 to 64 years of age) perceive NFLU in relation to their dietary behaviors. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of obese AAW regarding NFLU from a cognitive and behavioral perspective. Twelve, AAW answered …

Evaluation Of Students' Satisfactions With And Importance Of Attributes Of Three Unique All-You-Can-Eat University Dining Facilities, Ruth Zegel

Honors Theses

This study was conducted to evaluate students' satisfaction with and importance of nine attributes of three unique all-you-can-eat university dining facilities at the University of Mississippi, the Grill at 1810, Marketplace at the Residential College, and the Rebel Market. The attributes included food quality, service quality, variety of menu items, cleanliness, nutritional content, availability of healthy options, location, atmosphere/environment, and image/reputation. Additionally, the study evaluated students' satisfaction with each university dining facility overall, the students' satisfaction versus importance at each facility. This information was used to determine attributes that may need improving within each university dining facility and areas that …

Adaptability In A Bhutanese Refugee Community: Navigating Integration And The Impacts On Nutritional Health After U.S. Resettlement, Chris Grosh

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

Increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and related metabolic diseases documented among refugee communities across the United States necessitate greater attention to how processes of integration impact refugee health. These nutritional health trends (e.g., increasing rates of obesity) suggest potential disconnects between refugees' past environments and their conditions after re-settlement, which may contribute to adverse changes in energy balance (diet and exercise). While Bhutanese refugees were among the largest refugee groups entering the US during the five years leading up to this research, very few studies have examined how they have responded to integration and the impact of this transition on …

Childhood Obesity, A Public Health Crisis: Narrative Review Of Public Health Interventions For Childhood Obesity, Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali, Nadir Suhail, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Gulshan Bano

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Child obesity is the major pediatric public health crisis of the current century and its trend is increasing in the developing countries due to nutrition and epidemiologic transition. Considering the burden of childhood obesity and its associated outcomes need for obesity prevention in children has become priority both for government and researchers.
Objective: The objective of this review is to provide the updated knowledge and evidence from various research studies, designed to provide interventions either in school or at home.
Methodology: Electronic databases like Google scholar, PubMed and Sciencedirect were used as search engines. Key terms used during the …

Suppression Of Nlrp3 Inflammasome By Γ-Tocotrienol Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes, Yongeun Kim, Wei Wang, Meshail Okla, Inhae Kang, Regis Moreau, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Nod-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an intracellular sensor that sets off the innate immune system in response to microbial-derived and endogenous metabolic danger signals. We previously reported that γ-tocotrienol (γT3) attenuated adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in diet-induced obesity, but the underlying mechanism remained elusive. Here, we investigated the effects of γT3 on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and attendant consequences on type 2 diabetes. γT3 repressed inflammasome activation, caspase-1 cleavage, and interleukin (IL) 1β secretion in murine macrophages, implicating the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome in the anti-inflammatory and antipyroptotic properties of γT3. Furthermore, supplementation of leptin-receptor KO mice …

Disparities In Access To Preventive Health Care Services Among Insured Children In A Cross Sectional Study, Christian King

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Children with insurance have better access to care and health outcomes if their parents also have insurance. However, little is known about whether the type of parental insurance matters. This study attempts to determine whether the type of parental insurance affects the access to health care services of children. I used data from the 2009–2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and estimated multivariate logistic regressions (N=26,152). I estimated how family insurance coverage affects the probability that children have a usual source of care, well-child visits in the past year, unmet medical and prescription needs, less than 1 dental visit per year, …

Four Weeks Of High- Versus Low-Load Resistance Training To Failure On The Rate Of Torque Development, Electromechanical Delay, And Contractile Twitch Properties, N.D.M. Jenkins, Terry J. Housh, S.L. Buckner, H.C. Bergstrom, C. M. Smith, Kristen C. Cochrane, E.C. Hill, Amelia A. Miramonti, Richard J. Schmidt, G. O. Johnson, Joel T. Cramer

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 4-weeks of high- versus low-load resistance training to failure on rate of torque development (RTD), electromechanical delay (EMD), and contractile twitch characteristics. Fifteen men (mean±SD; age=21.7±2.4 yrs) were randomly assigned to either a high- (80% 1RM; n=7) or low-load (30% 1RM; n=8) training group and completed elbow flexion resistance training to failure 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The participants were tested at baseline, 2-, and 4-weeks of training. Peak RTD (pRTDV) and RTD at 0-30 (RTD30V), 0-50 (RTD50V), 0-100 (RTD100V), and 0-200 (RTD200V) ms, integrated EMG amplitude …

Soft Drinks Consumption And Child Behaviour Problems: The Role Of Food Insecurity And Sleep Patterns, Christian King

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Objective: To examine whether the association between soft drinks consumption and child behaviour problems differs by food security status and sleep patterns in young children.

Design: Cross-sectional observational data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), which collected information on food insecurity, soft drinks consumption, sleep patterns and child behaviour problems. Bivariate and multivariate ordinary least-squares regression analyses predicting child behaviour problems and accounting for socio-economic factors and household characteristics were performed.

Setting: Twenty urban cities in the USA with a population of 200 000 or more.

Subjects: Parental interviews of 2829 children who were about 5 years …