Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, And Hemoglobin A1c In The Lower Income African Americans, Lisa Gabel, Joci Verb, Lauren Windham

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Honors project is in conjunction with a larger, state funded, intervention study, the Finding A Better U! (FABU) project, by Carolyn J. Murrock, PhD, RN, Mary Jo MacCracken, PhD, Judi-Juvancic-Heltzel PhD, and Alex Holt. While the larger study focuses on the effects of a weekly exercise and nutrition intervention on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) outcomes, the honors project will analyze data to determine preliminary findings, specifically, the relationship between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and hemoglobin A1C in the lower income African Americans (AA). The honors students will also assist the FABU team in …

Long-Term Effects Of Breastfeeding Compared With Alternative Food Sources: A Systematic Review, Charlotte Bates

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The topic of the long-term impact of breast milk and alternative foods on the health status of children continues to be a focus of discussion and research. The aim of this systematic review was to describe and appraise evidence about the effects of breast feeding on health outcomes in children four years and older. Seventeen studies about on infant feeding were identified using Google Scholar and scholarly databases through The University of Akron. Google Scholar, CINAHL, and MEDLINE PLUS methods of searching were utilized, incorporating keywords, i.e., “breastfeeding” AND “cognitive development;” “obesity,”, “intelligence,”, and “immune system.” Based on appraisal of …

Exploring The Utility Of Muac In Classifying Adult Metabolic Syndrome Using Nhanes 2015-16, Hayley Boucher

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of cardiometabolic risk factors that, when presented in tandem, increases the risk of heart disease and insulin resistance. Finding a simple and validated screening method is critical to proactively intervene and attenuate the development of cardiometabolic diseases and improving healthcare outcomes. PURPOSE: This study defined and validated a risk criterion for MetS using MUAC as an alternative criterion for MetS classification risk. METHODS: The sample was derived from National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2016 data of adults over 18 years (N = 9,971). MetS was defined using the NCEP ATP III 2005 …

Effectiveness Of School-Based Interventions Versus Family-Based Interventions In The Prevention And Treatment Of Childhood Obesity, Ashley Capestrain, Emily Montague, Meghan Frantz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Childhood obesity affects 155 million children worldwide. As prevalence increases, it is important to identify effective interventions in the treatment and prevention of childhood obesity. Obesity may result in short and long term effects linked to some of the leading causes of morbidity and early mortality. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify, review, and critically appraise evidence from studies examining the effect of family and school based interventions. This review answers the following PICO question: In children, how do family based interventions compare to school based interventions, in the prevention and treatment of obesity? Methods included literature …

Preliminary Nutritional Profile Analysis Of Box Tops 4 Education Food Products, Hannah Griffith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The marketing of unhealthy food to children is often cited as a cause of the obesity epidemic.¹ However, most studies that examine this issue evaluated the marketing of food through print or television advertising. This project investigates the marketing of food products to children through incentive based programs, specifically General Mill’s Box Tops 4 Education. This study undertakes a preliminary systematic analysis of Box Tops food items to determine their healthfulness. A subset of all Box Tops food products was selected for review and a basic quantitative content analysis of priority nutrients was performed. Priority nutrients were identified …

Potential Role Of Protein Kinase Cbeta In High Fat Diet-Induced Adipose Dysfunction By Regulating Autophagy Levels, Neil Mehta

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in the United States and worldwide. Public health efforts and other anti-obesity measures clearly have not controlled the obesity epidemic. There is a great need to understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying fat accumulation. Research of the past decade supports a prominent role for diet-induced adipose tissue dysfunction in the development and/or progression of obesity and associated insulin resistance. Potential mechanisms for the development of adipose tissue dysfunction include ectopic (visceral) fat accumulation, genetic factors, and alterations in autophagy and inflammatory processes. However, the molecular mechanisms linking dietary fat intake with alterations in adipose …