Dietary Protein Influences Paracellular Calcium Transport: Two Molecular Targets, Belinda M. Kotler

Master's Theses

The effect of dietary protein on bone health remains controversial. We have shown that increasing dietary protein increases calcium absorption in both humans and rats with no change in bone resorption. We used a rat model in which dietary protein increases intestinal calcium absorption and whole body calcium retention, to explore the molecular basis for this effect. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a low (5%) or high (40%) protein diet for 7 days. On day 7, duodenal mucosa was harvested and total RNA isolated. Microarray analyses using these RNA samples identified 208 genes whose expression was at least 1.5 fold …

Dietitian’S Problem Solving Knowledge To Promote And Support Breastfeeding, Cassandra L. Dytrych

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

As a result of ongoing efforts in the U.S. to promote breastfeeding as the normal way to nourish an infant, breastfeeding initiation rates are higher than they have been in decades. As the experts on food and nutrition through the lifecycle, registered dietitians (RDs) should be knowledgeable to promote and support breastfeeding. It is not well known if RDs have this knowledge. The purpose of this study was to determine the current knowledge of RDs about breastfeeding, the types of professional opportunities RDs have to promote and support breastfeeding, and the level of education RDs have to deal with breastfeeding …

Perception And Knowledge About Dietary Intake In Patients With Liver Cirrhosis And Its Relationship With The Level Of Education, Rustam Khan, Ashfaq Ahmed, Faisal Wasim Ismail, Shahab Abid, Safia Awan, Syed Hasnain Shah, Saeed Hamid, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Objective: To determine patients perception and knowledge regarding diet in cirrhosis and its relationship with the level of patients education.
Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinics at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, the Aga Khan Health Services, Malir, Karachi and Hamdard University, Karachi, from January to December 2010.
Methodology: Consecutive adult patients with compensated cirrhosis were enrolled. Demographic data, level of education, type and reason of food restriction as well as the source of dietary information was asked. Baseline laboratory test were performed, and nutritional status was …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Food Safety Knowledge, Beliefs And Practices In Hispanic Families With Young Children In Nebraska, Kristen M. Stenger

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods study addresses food safety for Hispanic families with young children in Nebraska. A convergent mixed methods design was used, where qualitative and quantitative data were collected in parallel, analyzed separately and then merged in analysis and interpretation. A quantitative food safety knowledge survey (n=90, 52 from focus groups, 38 from piloting the survey), was used to assess the FightBac!™ concepts: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill, and two additional concepts: foods that increase risk, and groups at increased risk. Qualitative focus groups explored food safety handling beliefs and practices through the lens of the Health Belief Model. Focus groups …

The Nutritional Status Of Patients With Clostridium Difficile Associeated Disease And Dietetic Practices Concerning The Management Of These Patients, Yvonne Hickey

Masters

Background: Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of noscomial infection and is responsible for increased morbidity and mortality (Hookman & Barkin, 2009). There are limited data available on the nutritional status and dietetic management of these patients. Aims: 1. To carry out an observational study to assess the prevalence of the risk of malnutrition in patients with Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) and compare it to a group of patients in the same hospital. 2. To investigate dietitians’ beliefs and recommendations of probiotics in CDAD and determine the probiotic products and strains being used in this patient group. To assess …

Structure, Function And Diversity Of The Healthy Human Microbiome, Curtis Huttenhower, Jacques Izard

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Studies of the human microbiome have revealed that even healthy individuals differ remarkably in the microbes that occupy habitats such as the gut, skin and vagina. Much of this diversity remains unexplained, although diet, environment, host genetics and early microbial exposure have all been implicated. Accordingly, to characterize the ecology of human-associated microbial communities, the Human Microbiome Project has analysed the largest cohort and set of distinct, clinically relevant body habitats so far. We found the diversity and abundance of each habitat’s signature microbes to vary widely even among healthy subjects, with strong niche specialization both within and among individuals. …

A Dietary Approach For Treating Dyslipidemia And Hyperglycemia, Joseph Stefon Feuerstein, Leyna Bautista, Wendy Bjerke

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Purpose:

Elevated LDL cholesterol and impaired fasting glucose are significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease; the most prevalent cause of mortality in the USA. Many dietary approaches have been examined to help combat these medical problems. Each type of diet typically places a particular emphasis on the relative proportions of the three macronutrients; fat, carbohydrate and protein.

Analysis Of Dietary Patterns Over Freshman Year Of College, Chelsea Lofland

Statistics

This analysis is an investigation of changes in Cal Poly students’ eating habits over freshman year. The motivation behind this was an interest in college students’ lifestyles; college is the first time most students live on their own and it can be an important maturation period. College is stressful, exciting, liberating, and terrifying all at the same time. This distinctive life experience, along with my desire to handle big and messy data, led me to this research question.

The response variable analyzed was food consumption and the explanatory variables were: sex, race, quarter, food group, stress, exercise, BMI, sleep quality …

Identification And Assessment Of Markers Of Biotin Status In Healthy Adults, Wei Kay Eng

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

Human biotin requirements are unknown and the identification of reliable markers of biotin status is necessary to fill this knowledge gap. Here we used an outpatient feeding protocol to create states of biotin deficiency, sufficiency, and supplementation in 16 healthy men and women. Twenty possible markers of biotin status were assessed including the abundance of biotinylated carboxylases in lymphocytes, the expression of genes from biotin metabolism, and the urinary excretion of biotin and organic acids. Only the abundance of biotinylated 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase (holo-MCC) and propionyl-CoA carboxylase (holo-PCC) allowed for distinguishing among all three levels of biotin intake. The urinary excretion …

The Association Of Diet With Affect, Patricia Ann Ford

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with mental health yet few studies have examined whether foods protective or deleterious for cardiovascular disease affect mood. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between consumption of foods typical of Mediterranean and Western diets and fatty acids with positive and negative affect.

Adventist church attendees residing in North America completed a validated food frequency questionnaire in 2002-6 as part of the Adventist Health Study-2. A subset of these participants ^=9,121) completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study conducted in 2006-7. …

The Effect Of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis On Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome, Samer Hammoudeh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Several criteria establish the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, including high waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides and glucose and above normal blood pressure. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is on the rise following the rise in obesity across the globe. Qatar, a country in the Arabian Peninsula shares the burden of obesity with recent studies showing prevalences of'---61% among women and —39% among men. These studies found that metabolic syndrome is more common among women. Physical activity helps reduce visceral …

Effects Of Photovoice On Youth Perceptions Of Healthy Food Access In The Built Environment, Sharlene A. Gozalians

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Minority communities are at a higher risk for chronic diseases related to obesity because they lack access to stores that have affordable, fresh, nutritious foods that are necessary for a healthy diet. Photovoice can serve as a tool to engage youth in positive health behaviors and behavior change. Healthy food access has been analyzed based on nutrition, yet there is a lack of literature as to what factors enable and prevent access to healthy foods.

Methodology. The purpose of this study was to determine if a photovoice intervention would create a difference in perception of food access, empowerment …

Cholesterol Lowering Effects Of Milk With Added Phytosterols, Laura Kells Cusack

Master's Theses

Foods incorporating plant sterols (PS) reduce Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) on average approximately 10%. PS with a higher lipid solubility may promote greater reductions. We examined the cholesterol lowering effect of a novel triglyceride recrystallized phystosterol (TRP). Twenty subjects (mean ± SD; age, 56 ± 10 years; BMI, 27 ± 5) with elevated LDL (>100 mg/dL) participated in three 4-week phases; Phase I, 2% milk; Phase II, milk with 2.0 grams (g) free PS; Phase III, milk with 2.0 g TRP. Before and after each phase two fasting blood draws were obtained for determination of serum cholesterol. Between the 2% …

Breakfast Consumption Habits Of Youth Living In Low Income Neighborhoods In A Large Three County Metropolitan Area, Elijah Dacy

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

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify youth attitudes, frequency of, and barriers for breakfast consumption and the use of available nutrition programs by youth living in poverty or food insecure households in a large three county metropolitan area. Methods: A phone survey was developed and tested in order to collect information on breakfast consumption habits and attitudes of children, targeted as food insecure. There were no incentives for persons to participate in the survey and all information gathered was kept in a secure place at the Center for Human Nutrition. Participants who were allowed to …

Obstacles To Dieting Behavior, Shahram Heshmat

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Despite documented short term success, dieting has a very low success rates, most dieters regain their weight back within 3-5 years. The question is why do people fail to stick to their goal for eating a healthy diet in order to lose weight? One possible answer is that people have self-control problems in the form of a present-biased preference. From a prior perspective, they want to behave relatively patiently, but as the moment of action approaches, they want to behave relatively impatiently. The essay presents some insights from behavioral economics to explain why people fail to maintain healthy behavior.

Moving Toward Culture Change: Defining Skilled Nursing Facility Residents Dining Style Preferences, Katheryn Adams

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Background Public policy fulfillment coupled with skilled nursing facility's desire to increase quality of service to meet changes in residents' expectations and improve marketability warrant a new look at culture change and home like dining as defined by the residents in skilled nursing facilities.

Objective The objectives of this study were to determine residents' home dining practices, define residents' desired dining style practices in the skilled nursing facility and determine the relationship between at home dining and dining preferences in skilled nursing facilities.

Design The quasi-experimental study started with a convenience sample taken from a facility generated potential participant list. …

Chemical Characterization Of Meat Related To Animal Diet, Rossarin Tansawat

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is currently much interest in increasing health benefits from consuming nutritious food, including beef. Plant secondary compounds (PSC) such as tannins or saponins in various forages have an influence on animal nutrition and health, depending on the type of PSC and the amount consumed. However, relatively little is known about effects of PSC on meat color, flavor, and nutritional value. Thus, additional information is needed to better understand and to develop new animal feeding regimes for optimum animal growth, meat flavor, and meat nutritional quality.

In the first study, grain- vs. pasture-fed beef rib steaks were evaluated. The objective …

Golden Rice: The Need, The Science, And Public Reception Of Gmos, Elizabeth A. Quemada

Honors Theses

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects people all over the world. The most severely affected individuals are those in countries where access to Vitamin A rich foods such as dark leafy greens and dark red or orange vegetables, along with liver, eggs, and cheeses are not readily available. Vitamin A deficiency most harmfully affects young children, where it is needed for correct development, and pregnant women, where Vitamin A stores are depleted. Several methods have been put into action over the years in severely affected countries to help combat VAD. There are programs to increase the availability of Vitamin A in …

Mixed Methods Analysis Of School Wellness Programs In Nebraska And Indiana: A Descriptive Study, Jessica A. Robinson

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

Schools have become one of the major fronts that the battle against childhood obesity is being fought. In 2004 the Child Nutrition Act passed by Congress required all school districts receiving funds for the National School Lunch Program to create a wellness policy. Since then there have been many research projects conducted to learn more about these policies, and their implementation as programs in the schools. Thus far, no such research has been done in Nebraska or Indiana. The purpose of this descriptive study is to describe how schools in Nebraska and Indiana are implementing wellness programs in their schools. …

Living The Tasty Life: Cooking For People With Diabetes, Sarah Feye, Carrie Flowers, Amanda Johnson

Undergraduate Research Conference

To compile, format, distribute and organize high quality, affordable and easy-to-understand recipes to the greater East Texas Area in conjunction with East Texas Community Health Services, Inc. of Nacogdoches, TX.

To address the following Didactic Program in Dietetics student learning outcomes required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics: KR 2.1 a, b; KR 4.1 a, and KR 4.2 b.

Single-Chain Vαvβ T Cell Receptors Function Without Mispairing With Endogenous Tcr Chains1, David H. Aggen, Adam S. Chervin, Thomas M. Schmitt, Boris Engels, Jennifer D. Stone, Sarah A. Richman, Kurt H. Piepenbrink, Brian M. Baker, Philip D. Greenberg, Hans Schreiber, David M. Kranz

Food for Health: Publications

Transduction of exogenous T cell receptor (TCR) genes into patients’ activated peripheral blood T cells is a potent strategy to generate large numbers of specific T cells for adoptive therapy of cancer and viral diseases. However, the remarkable clinical promise of this powerful approach is still being overshadowed by a serious potential consequence: mispairing of the exogenous TCR chains with endogenous TCR chains. These “mixed” heterodimers can generate new specificities that result in graft-versus-host reactions. Engineering TCR constant regions of the exogenous chains with a cysteine promotes proper pairing and reduces the mispairing, but, as we show here, does not …

Assessment Of Nutrition Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Of Ncaa Athletes, Melissa M. Wallinga

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

BACKGROUND Little data has been collected on the nutrition knowledge and self efficacy of NCAA Athletes, and if Sports Nutrition Departments at Universities do positively affect the nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy of athletes. OBJECTIVES To determine and compare differences in nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy of athletes at two NCAA Division I Universities, one with a Sports Nutrition Department, and one without.

SETTING Participants completed a survey in person at their respective University.

PARTICIPANTS Male and female student athletes (n=327) from two Division I Universities, participating in men’s football, men’s wrestling, women’s soccer, or women’s swimming/diving.

RESULTS Approximately 42% of the …

Busting A Gut: Portrayals Of Obesity In Popular Culture, Carly Babel

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Obesity is America’s number one leading health epidemic, affecting more than 93 million Americans today (OAC). From 1985 to 2010, obesity has gone from affecting an average of 10% of individuals in just about every state to today affecting 33.8% of people within each state. Children and adults alike all over the U.S. are being diagnosed with obesity and encouraged to change their lifestyles. Doctors are prescribing patients to lose weight, exercise, eat healthy, and in extreme cases, go under the knife, but none of these recommendations are making a dent in lowering the rate of obesity. Rather, the number …

A Pilot Study On The Attitudes Of Management Practices In Adults With Pku, Elizabeth L. Vlock

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic disorder caused by the deficiency of the enzyme, phenylalanine hydroxylase. Phenylalanine accumulation in brain causes cognitive impairment and behavioral problems, which can be prevented by dietary restriction of phenylalanine. People with PKU have to maintain a highly restrictive low protein diet throughout their entire life. PKU is typically diagnosed at birth through newborn screening. In order for a patient to reach their optimal IQ and health status, they need to maintain their blood phenylalanine (phe) level within the recommended range of 60-360 µmol/L.

The purpose of this study is to investigate attitudes of adults diagnosed …

Conformational Melding Permits A Conserved Binding Geometry In Tcr Recognition Of Foreign And Self Molecular Mimics, Oleg Y. Borbulevych, Kurt H. Piepenbrink, Brian M. Baker

Food for Health: Publications

Molecular mimicry between foreign and self antigens is a mechanism of T cell receptor cross reactivity and is thought to contribute to the development of autoimmunity. The αβ TCR A6 recognizes the foreign antigen Tax from the virus HTLV-1 when presented by the class I MHC HLA-A2. In a possible link with the autoimmune disease HAM/TSP, A6 also recognizes a self peptide from the neuronal protein HuD in the context of HLA-A2. We found here that the complexes of the HuD and Tax epitopes with HLA-A2 are close but imperfect structural mimics, and that in contrast with other recent structures …

Childhood Obesity And Restrictions Of Parental Liberty. A Response To "Paternalism, Obesity, And Tolerable Levels Of Risk", Kristin Voigt

Democracy & Education

This paper responds to Michael Merry’s recent contribution on childhood obesity. Merry’s analysis highlights the difficulties in finding an appropriate balance between children’s and parents’ interests in antiobesity interventions and emphasizes the importance of weight stigma and its effects on the obesity debate. He concludes by recommending both a greater focus on policies that address society's contribution to childhood obesity and a greater involvement of obese individuals in the policy debate. This response focuses on three points. First, a more explicit recognition of parents’ interests can support the case for the kinds of policies Merry has in mind. Second, while …

Paternalism, Obesity, And Tolerable Levels Of Risk, Michael S. Merry

Democracy & Education

In this article the author examines the relationship between paternalism and childhood obesity. In particular he examines the risks of paternalistic intervention in order to prevent or curtail the occurrence of obesity among young children.

Food Store Environment Modifies Intervention Effect On Fruit And Vegetable Intake Among Low-Income Women In North Carolina, Alison A. Gustafson, Joseph Sharkey, Carmen D. Samuel-Hodge, Jessica C. Jones-Smith, Jianwen Cai, Alice S. Ammerman

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background. The aim of the study is to determine how the food store environment modifies the effects of an intervention on diet among low-income women. Study Design. A 16-week face-to-face behavioral weight loss intervention was delivered among low income midlife women. Methods. The retail food environment for all women was characterized by (1) the number and type of food stores within census tracts; (2) availability of healthy foods in stores where participants shop; (3) an aggregate score of self-reported availability of healthy foods in neighborhood and food stores. Statistical Analyses. Multivariable linear regression was used to …

Fueling Sport Performance: Increasing Awareness In Female Collegiate Vegetarian Athletes, Rachael Irene Marie Sofie

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Vegetarian diets, when well-planned out, have been shown to meet the needs of female athletes. Although the lifestyle provides many benefits, it does not come without risk. Women athletes, in particular, are of the greatest concern. Energy restriction is common among female collegiate athletes. Because athletes are already converting to and practicing a vegetarian lifestyle, it is necessary that athletes and related sport professionals become aware of the risks and benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. By increasing knowledge among related personnel, athletes can use vegetarianism as a performance enhancer. Outlining possible implications of the lifestyle will allow female collegiate athletes …

A Cross-Sectional Study Of Us Rural Adults’ Consumption Of Fruits And Vegetables: Do They Consume At Least Five Servings Daily?, M. Nawal Lutfiyya, Linda F. Chang, Martin S. Lipsky

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Rural residents are increasingly identified as being at greater risk for health disparities. These inequities may be related to health behaviors such as adequate fruits and vegetable consumption. There is little national-level population-based research about the prevalence of fruit and vegetable consumption by US rural population adults. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence differences between US rural and non-rural adults in consuming at least five daily servings of combined fruits and vegetables.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of weighted 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data using bivariate and multivariate techniques. 52,259,789 US adults were identified …