Medical Nutrition Commons^™

Assessing Predoctoral Dental Student Interest In Nutrition Education: A Study Across Two Dental Schools, Nadine M. Tassabehji, Xiaoyuan Han, Parvati Iyer Dr., Michelle Brady, Matthew Finkelman, Shafa Nathani, Anna Garrison, Annie Han

Pacific Journal of Health

The mouth is a mirror of overall health. Dentists have a vital role in the diagnosis of oral diseases, prevention, for health promotion. The purposes of our exploratory study were to investigate dental students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding nutrition education and to propose a curriculum checklist for integrating nutrition content into dental curricula.

An optional exploratory survey was distributed at two North American urban dental schools to 351 students, to compare student perspectives regarding implementation of nutrition education. The results were analyzed as a step to improve nutrition education in dental curricula. A validated stepwise checklist was developed to guide …

Evaluating Correlates Of Healthy Eating And Dietary Quality Among Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Approach To Development And Application Of A New Survey Instrument, Sara K. Rosenkranz, Donya Shamati, Anna Biggins, Alissa Mick, Christopher Acosta, Richard R. Rosenkranz

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Objectives: Community-dwelling older adults face unique challenges related to nutrition and health, but little is known about their barriers and facilitators for healthy eating behaviors. This study sought to develop and evaluate a new instrument to measure the capability, opportunity, and motivation for healthy eating behaviors (COM-HE) among community-dwelling older adults.

Design: A mixed methods approach was used to obtain qualitative and quantitative data. Participants were aged 65 years or older, community-dwelling, and English-speaking. Participants engaged in focus groups (n = 12) and pilot-testing (n = 81) to evaluate the COM-HE instrument. The Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants – Shortened …

Relationship Between Maternal Plasma Retinol And Provitamin A Carotenoids With Fetal And Infant Kidney Development, Anum Akbar

Theses & Dissertations

Vitamin A plays a critical role in fetal organ development. Studies suggest that maternal vitamin A deficiency affects fetal nephron numbers, potentially leading to smaller kidney sizes and an increased risk of chronic kidney disease later in life. However, human studies exploring maternal vitamin A's impact on fetal kidney development lack longitudinal data and within-cohort comparisons. Furthermore, the influence of provitamin A carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin) on kidney size remains unexplored. This dissertation addresses these gaps by analyzing relationships between maternal and cord plasma retinol and provitamin A carotenoid concentrations with fetal and infant kidney sizes. Our prospective cohort …

Benchmarking And Improving Foundation Model Dietary Estimates From Meal Images, Yongcheng Mu, Jiangwen Sun, Jing He

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Accurate quantifying dietary contents, such as calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, from an image of a meal plate is vital for managing diabetes. Recently, Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) have excelled in complex vision-language tasks due to their use of very large, highly diverse data. This study benchmarked the use of seven LMMs that include full and lightweight models of GPT, Gemini, and Llama for nutrition estimation based on Google's Nutrition5k dataset and our own phone-collected DonateAndLearn dataset. We analyzed the performance of LMMs and the RGB-D fusion model, in which the RGB-D model was specifically trained using Nutrition5k data. On …

Improving Food Security To Decrease Hypertension At An Urban Community Clinic, Christine S. Villalta

Master's Projects and Capstones

Diet and lifestyle changes have been proven to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension, and a key dietary approach aligned with this recommendation is the DASH diet, which includes consuming fruits and vegetables. Food insecurity, defined as lacking enough safe, nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life, is a growing crisis in the United States, affecting 13.5% of U.S. households in 2023. This is especially significant for those whose chronic disease management depends on the accessibility of healthy food. An urban community clinic implemented a Food Security Program to decrease food insecurity and reduce hypertension among their …

Advances And Challenges In Conventional And Modern Techniques For Halal Food Authentication: A Review, Ifrah Usman, Saima Sana, Muhammad Afzaal, Ali Imran, Farhan Saeed, Aftab Ahmed, Yasir Abbas Shah, Muniba Munir, Huda Ateeq, Atka Afzal, Iqra Azam, Afaf Ejaz, Gulzar Ahmad Nayik, Mahbubar Rahman Khan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Food is one of the most necessary needs since human civilization. For Muslims, it is mandatory to consume halal food. From a halal authentication perspective, adulteration of food products is an emerging challenge worldwide. The demand for halal food consumption has resulted in an ever-increasing need for halal product validity. In the market, there are several food products in which actual ingredients and their source are not mentioned on the label and cannot be observed by the naked eye. Commonly nonhalal items include pig derivatives like lard, pork, and gelatin derivatives, dead meats, alcohol, blood, and prohibited animals. Purposely, various …

Advancing School Nursing Practice: A Novel Approach To Screening For Gastrointestinal Disorders In Children, Ashley Bunting, Isabella Cavlan

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Currently, mandated health screenings in California schools are limited to vision, hearing, and scoliosis; this leaves several other body systems unmonitored during the crucial years of childhood development. One such system is the gastrointestinal (GI) system, which plays a vital role in the normal growth, nutrition status, development, and overall health of children. Objective: By developing and implementing a GI-specific screening tool in the outpatient school setting, this research aims to increase the detection of GI disorders in children. Not only that, but school nurses can use this novel screening tool to promote early diagnosis, intervention, and …

Chronic Kidney Disease Nutritional Management: Developing A Guideline, Benjamin L. Wallace

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

The global prevalence and incidence of those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are unknown. Thirty-seven million adults are estimated to have CKD and need nutritional assessment, education, and management to prevent further kidney damage and mortality (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022; United States Renal Data System, 2022). Maintaining the nutritional requirements for CKD is listed as a global concern in the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in CKD 2020 (Ikizler et al., 2020). After a review of more than 50 publications, five recommendations were developed and proposed. A team of multidisciplinary stakeholders, …

Nutrient Profile Assessment Of A Meal Program Impact On Older Adults' Diet Quality And Food Security Status, Millicent Yaa Gyasiwaa Ms

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The rise in food insecurity globally has ignited institutions and organizations to implement policies and programs to reduce the burden on vulnerable people including older adults and people living in underserved areas. Though programs such as congregate, home-delivered meals, and pantries have been initiated to contribute to reducing food insecurity the nutrient content of these meals including recovered meals and their effect on food security status, food quality, and health has not been widely studied. The current study, Meals on Wings (MOW), assessed the nutrient profile of the free meals offered 4 times per week for 3 months, from May …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Exploring Modern Trends And Prevention Strategies For Childhood Obesity: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Anya E. Bogen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This literature review seeks to provide an overview of the current research on childhood obesity. The study examines the prevalence and causes of childhood obesity, including genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The review also discusses the health consequences associated with childhood obesity, such as the increased risk for chronic diseases and psychological and social problems. Additionally, the review explores the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent childhood obesity, including individual lifestyle modifications, education from health practitioners and school programs, and global, national, and state programs to promote wellness. The literature review concludes that childhood obesity is a complex and multifactorial …

Urinary Aflatoxin M1 Concentration And Its Determinants In School-Age Children In Southern Ethiopia, Tafere Gebreegziabher Belay, Melanie Dean, Elilta Elias, Workneh Tsegaye, Barbara J. Stoecker

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins that can contaminate grains, legumes, and oil seeds. These toxic compounds are an especially serious problem in tropical and sub-tropical climates. The objective of this study was to raise awareness of aflatoxin exposure among primary school children in Shebedino woreda, southern Ethiopia, by measuring urinary aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). The study employed a cross-sectional design and systematic random sampling of children from eight schools in the district. The mean ± SD age of the children was 9.0 ± 1.8 years. Most (84.6%) households were food insecure with 17.9% severely food insecure. Urinary AFM1 was detected in more than …

Nutritional Support And Prophylaxis Of Azithromycin For Pregnant Women To Improve Birth Outcomes In Peri-Urban Slums Of Karachi, Pakistan-A Protocol Of Multi-Arm Assessor-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial (Mumta Pw Trial), Ameer Muhammad, Zoha Zahid Fazal, Benazir Baloch, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Fyezah Jehan, Yasir Shafiq

Medical College Documents

Background: Maternal undernutrition is critical in the etiology of poor perinatal outcomes and accounts for 20% of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. High levels of food insecurity, antenatal undernourishment, and childhood undernutrition necessitate the supplementation of fortified balanced energy protein (BEP) during pregnancy in low-income settings especially with scarce literature available in this subject. Hence, this paper extensively covers the protocol of such a trial conducted in an urban slum of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: The trial is community-based, open-labelled, four-arm, and randomized controlled that will include parallel group assignments with a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio in low-income squatter settlements in urban Karachi, Pakistan. …

Output Consistency Scale To Standardize Ostomate Output Description In Clinical Practice And Studies, Lisa Whisenhunt, Linda Xu, Fan Yang, Jacques Izard

Food for Health: Publications

Stool descriptors have become popular due to the large diffusion of the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) via clinical studies, clinical trials, and social media. The applications have been numerous and centered around standardization of terminology that can be used by health care professionals and patients alike, as well as individuals interested in their wellness and the associated partners in the wellness industry. For a portion of the population, the digestive content is rerouted to an external manufactured pouch or bag, making the use of the BSFS visual descriptors of stool difficult. From day one post-resection surgery, ostomates are challenged …

Testing The Effects Of Two Field-To-Fork Programs On The Nutritional Outcomes Of Elementary School Students From Diverse And Lower-Income Communities, Kimberly R. Hartson, Kristi M. King, Carol O'Neal, Aishia Brown, Toluwanimi Olajuyigbe, Shakeyrah Elmore, Angelique Perez

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the effects of two farm-to-school programs, specifically the Field-to-Fork Multi-visit Program (N  =  264) and the Field-to-Fork After-school Club (N  =  56), on nutritional outcomes of elementary school students (third to fifth grade) from urban, diverse, and lower-income communities. Data were collected via self-report surveys measuring: (a) knowledge of recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable intake; (b) fruit and vegetable consumption; (c) knowledge of cooking a healthy recipe using vegetables; and (d) desire for farm fresh foods at school. Statistical analyses included McNemar’s and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. The …

Sarcopenia Screening By Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Rdns) In The United States (U.S.), Madison Marcom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sarcopenia is a disease of muscle wasting primarily seen in older adults. Although this term was first coined over three decades ago, there is a lack of consensus on a definition, screening criteria, and treatment protocol for sarcopenia. The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States (U.S.) screen for sarcopenia. Study participants were recruited through a randomized email list and included RDNs throughout the U.S. Respondents completed a survey questioning knowledge of sarcopenia, screening tools and company protocols in place, and the need and desire for sarcopenia education. Data revealed …

Ketogenic Diet As A Preventative Measure Or Treatment Option For Osteoarthritistargeting Nfl Athletes As A High-Risk Group, Kelsi J. Smith

Selected Honors Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disease that results from the degradation of articular cartilage, leading to inflammation, pain, and eventual joint failure. At one time, it was thought that OA was only the result of the natural decline experienced in old age; however, various risk factors have now been identified that may contribute to an increased risk for developing OA. Risk factors may include joint loading, altered biomechanics, obesity, and joint injury, to which athletes are exposed at a high rate. NFL athletes are one group of athletes that have continued to show a high prevalence of arthritis in …

Physician Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Towards Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, Amy Motley Jones

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diet is increasingly linked with overall quality of life, and a healthy diet is now being considered one of the cornerstones of preventative care. Physicians rely on Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) as most doctors lack the nutrition knowledge to properly treat their patients, especially during their residency. Little published information exists on the specific collaboration of RDNs and resident physicians. This study aimed to determine whether mentoring with an RDN increased physician nutrition knowledge, increased consults to RDNs, and whether physician attitudes improved regarding their understanding of the role of the RDN in healthcare. Knowledge or attitude alone are not …

Therapeutic Potential Of A Ketogenic Diet In The Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder, Jordan A. Murrin

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the second most common mental health condition and a leading cause of disability in the world. It is theorized that MDD develops from a combination of biological, psychological, and social stressors. The condition is typically treated using pharmaceuticals and psychotherapy. However, not all individuals with MDD have access to or choose to use these treatments, or may prefer to incorporate therapeutic lifestyle changes such as exercise, sleep, and healthy eating. Even with treatment, MDD can alter brain structure and function, leading to the development of comorbid mental health and chronic metabolic conditions like obesity, cardiovascular …

Increasing Patient Adherence To Gestational Weight Gain Goals In Pregnancy, Annie Vining

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The inability to maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy may contribute to multiple pregnancy-related complications. Nutritional education and support may improve nutrition and vitamin consumption, and recommendations for healthy gestational weight gains have been published. However, pregnant women have reported minimal advice regarding healthy weight gain during pregnancy. A personalized, nutritional counseling program was initiated in a Midwestern, suburban OB-GYN private practice.

Methods: A quality improvement descriptive, correlational design was used. A cohort of pregnant women first trimester through six-weeks postpartum received individual counseling and face-to-face interaction at an office visit each trimester.

Results: Twenty ( …

Use Of A Novel Whole-Body Imaging Approach To Predict Resting Metabolic Rates In Athletes, Nicole Vencil

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

Prediction of energy expenditure allows for calculation of appropriate energy requirements, which is especially important for athletes. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the greatest contributor to total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and is typically measured via indirect calorimetry. Indirect calorimetry is not always available, which results in the need for predictive equations. Most predictive equations have been developed with participants resembling the general population and have not been found to be appropriate for athletes, as they may incorrectly predict RMR due to the unique differences of body composition between athletes and the general population. The purpose of the present study …

Biogeographic Study Of Human Gut-Associated Crassphage Suggests Impacts From Industrialization And Recent Expansion, Tanvi P/ Honap, Krithivasan Sankaranarayanan, Stephanie L. Schnorr, Andrew T. Ozga, Christina Warinner, Cecil M. Lewis Jr.

Anthropology Faculty Research

CrAssphage (cross-assembly phage) is a bacteriophage that was first discovered in human gut metagenomic data. CrAssphage belongs to a diverse family of crAss-like bacteriophages thought to infect gut commensal bacteria belonging to Bacteroides species. However, not much is known about the biogeography of crAssphage and whether certain strains are associated with specific human populations. In this study, we screened publicly available human gut metagenomic data from 3,341 samples for the presence of crAssphage sensu stricto (NC_024711.1). We found that crAssphage prevalence is low in traditional, hunter-gatherer populations, such as the Hadza from Tanzania and Matses from Peru, as compared to …

The Self-Perceived Impact Of A Food Recovery-Meal Delivery Program On Homebound Seniors’ Food Security, Nutrition Health, And Well-Being, Alice Marie Sanchez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For many senior citizens, meeting nutritional needs is essential to good health and daily function. Studies indicate that many American older adults are not meeting their nutrition needs and often suffer from food insecurity. Meals on Wings (MOW) is a food recovery-meal delivery program that attempts to decrease the influence of food insecurity among older adults. This study aims to explore the self-perceived impact of a food recovery-meal delivery program on homebound seniors’ nutrition health, food security, and well-being.

Semi-structured interviews were administered to adults age 55 and older on the waitlist for Meals on Wheels America in Duval County …

Rising Rural Body-Mass Index Is The Main Driver Of The Global Obesity Epidemic In Adults, Con Burns, Tara Coppinger, Janette Walton, Et Al

Publications

Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities1,2. This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity3,4,5,6. Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to …

Early Oral Feeding After Bowel Resection, Jennifer Strang

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus: The primary purpose of this project was to determine if there was an association of factors with time to first solid meal in gastrointestinal (GI) surgery patients and the impact solid diet has on length of stay (LOS) in the hospital, GI symptoms, and incidence of post-operative ileus (POI). A secondary purpose was to observe and describe when an oral diet was started and the progression of diet after GI surgery.

Research Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, retrospective chart review of a convenience sample in a multi-centered hospital system conducted in 84 GI resection patients …

Blunted Serum 25(Oh)D Response To Vitamin D3 Supplementation In Children With Autism, Conor Kerley, Basil Elnazir, Peter Greally, David Coghlan

Articles

Introduction: Data suggest a potential role for vitamin D in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevention and treatment. It is likely that the serum response to vitamin D supplementation contributes to its effectiveness. Multiple factors affect serum vitamin D 25(OH)D response to supplementation.

Methods: We conducted post-hoc analysis of two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials (RCT) of vitamin D3 supplementation, one RCT involving children with ASD and another involving children with asthma. Both trials were conducted in the same geographic location (Dublin, Ireland, 53°N), conducted over Winter season and utilized the same vitamin D3 dose (2000 IU/day).

Results: We …

The Contribution Of Solid Food On Total Water Intake In 3-13 Y Children, Audrey Caroline Smith

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Adequate hydration is important element of good health. Several studies indicate that the majority of kids are hypohydrated and do not meet dietary water intake guidelines. Some scientist also suggest that good hydration might be achieved by large consumption of food that are rich in water (i.e. fruits and vegetables). However, the information of food consumption on total water intake in children is limited.

Purpose: We evaluated the contribution of water from solid food on total water intake in children.

Methodology: For this cross-sectional study 81 children (35 female) 3 to 13 years old were randomly recruited to participate. …

Clinical Significance Of A False Positive Glucose Challenge Test In Patients With A High Body Mass Index, A Borja, M Moretti, Nisha Lakhi

NYMC Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is an increased maternal or neonatal morbidity in overweight and obese patients with a false positive glucose challenge test (GCT). METHODS: Patients with a body mass index (BMI) >/=25.0 at registration were included in this prospective 36-month study. The study cohort consisted of patients with a false positive (FP) GCT, with two comparison cohorts: those with a (1) screen negative (SN) GCT result and (2) true positive (TP) GCT result. Risks were reported as odd ratios with 95% confidence intervals, with a P/=4000 g in the FP cohort, but this fell short of reaching statistical …

Lactose Intolerance: An Overview Of The Facts And Their Implications, Noelle M. Yeo

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Lactose intolerance is often blamed for the symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, and nausea, that ail many people. Patients often do not seek proper diagnosis from a physician and create their own treatment plans, severely restricting lactose intake, without professional guidance. Even those who do seek the care of a physician find that diagnosis is complicated by less-than ideal testing and confusion due to the symptoms common to many other conditions. The misconceptions and inability to confirm a diagnosis of lactose intolerance can cause nutrient deficiencies in these patients, as well as begin a pattern of unnecessary …

Benefits Of A Flexitarian Diet: Educating College Students Of Lifestyle Approaches To Reduce The Risk Of Developing Breast And Prostate Cancer, Abbigail Pace

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Practicing the Flexitarian diet, a plant-based diet, in conjunction with physical activity can promote a lifestyle consistent with the American Cancer Society’s recommendations for reducing risks of breast and prostate cancer (American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, 2015) College students were assessed on knowledge of the relationship between diet and cancer risk prior to and after accessing information on the American Institute of Cancer Research site or the WKU Flexitarian Pinterest Page. Participants were recruited from the National Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council memberships and the International students at Western Kentucky University. Participants completed a …