Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Nutritional Patterns Of School-Aged U.S. Children, Abigail Prendergast

Honors Projects

This study aims to evaluate the nutritional impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children within the U.S. by assessing how children’s nutritional patterns have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, determining how these changes are impacted by participation in school federal nutrition assistance programs, and exploring additional food-related barriers the COVID-19 pandemic has created for families. A cross-sectional survey of American parents was used to evaluate changes to their children’s nutritional patterns. Data was collected through an electronic survey administered through the Qualtrics platform. Participants were recruited through Facebook advertisements and the distribution of electronic survey links. The COVID-19 …

Caregiver Knowledge And Perceptions Of Dementia-Specific Nutritional Approaches, Danielle Freitag

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Dementia is a syndrome that affects millions worldwide. The syndrome can cause great distress not only for the diagnosed individual but also for the family and friends who provide care. It is known that many caregivers for people with dementia face difficulties in planning and preparing meals, feeding, and making nutritional decisions for their loved ones. Several diets have been shown to assist with dementia-related symptoms pre and post diagnosis. However, what is unknown is whether caregivers are aware of the benefits of these diets and what the barriers are to implementing them into their nutrition regime. This study surveyed …

Cultivating Opportunities For At-Risk Youth And Nutritious Food For The Community, Keith Leighton Rongstad Jr.

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Garden City Harvest is a Missoula, Montana nonprofit organization. Garden City Harvest sponsors the Youth Harvest program. Youth Harvest teaches at-risk youth job and life skills. The program’s mission is to improve participants’ professional and personal outcomes as adults. Participants utilize farming and retail skills they learn in the program to improve their employment opportunities and learn important life skills, such as money management, nutritional literacy, and food preparation. Participants also have the opportunity to assist other vulnerable people in Missoula and to become more connected to their communities. This paper is an analysis of questionnaires that Youth Harvest staff …

Comparison Of Nutrition Education Approaches On Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Older Adults, Noelle R. Blasch

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Most Americans do not consume recommended intakes of fruits and vegetables (F/Vs). Hands-on nutrition education applies social cognitive theory as participants practice preparing F/Vs. This study compared a four-week hands-on nutrition education program (L+HO) with lecture only (L) in older adults with assessments at baseline and weeks four and eight. Twenty-three women over the age of 50 participated in either four, 90-minute weekly L+HO classes (n = 14) or four, 40-minute weekly L nutrition education classes (n = 9). Vegetable intake significantly increased at four weeks compared to baseline for both intervention groups. Vegetable intake increased at eight weeks compared …

Increasing Low-Income Residents’ Access To Fresh Produce Through A Local Mobile Pantry, Laura Wasson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Seeds that Feed (STF) is a mobile food pantry located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. STF receives produce from local farmers to distribute to residents in low-income housing sites throughout Northwest Arkansas. According to Feeding America, food insecurity affected 14.3% Washington County, Arkansas’ population in 2016. The purpose of this study was to determine if STF’s model is an effective way to increase individuals’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables and increase their potential to meet the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Patterns (USDA-FP) for to fruit and vegetable consumption. Twenty-three participants from three sites completed the study. A survey was …

Determining The Physical And Social Barriers That Prevent Food-Insecure Students At The University Of Arkansas From Using The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Campus Food Pantry, Sarah Elizabeth Yanniello

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the reasons why 38% of the students at the University of Arkansas experience food insecurity, yet only 1% of students have used the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Campus Food Pantry, in hopes to provide a guide to the Center for Community Engagement in their endeavors to reduce food insecurity on campus (Lisnic, 2016). An online survey was created using Qualtrics software, was submitted to and approved by the University of Arkansas Institutional Review Board, and was distributed to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Arkansas. The sample size …

Intergenerational Financial Exchange And Cognitive Well-Being Among Older Adults In China, Ping Xu

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Although cognitive loss is part of normal aging, it has unfavorable consequences for older individuals, their family, as well as society. The prevalence of mild cognition impairment is expected to go up in China. How to maintain normal cognition for a longer period of time and to delay impair process is an emerging concern for older Chinese adults. Unlike Western countries, China lacks of formal support system. Intergenerational support between older parents and adult children is a predominant resource when they are in need. This study examines how intergenerational financial exchanges between older parents and their adult children is related …

The Influence Of Time On Food Intake Patterns: Age, Period, Cohort Differences, Karina L. Christopher

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

The impact of diet and exercise on overall health and chronic disease risk has been well examined. Multiple studies show that Americans eat more now than they did fifty years ago. What isn’t known is how much of an impact time has on food intake patterns of individuals in terms of different age groups, historic periods of structural influences, and birth cohorts.

In order to identify the impact of time on food intake this study examined time from multiple perspectives. The first aim of this study was to determine food intake patterns among age groups across five time periods using …

School Gardens: Cultivating A Child’S Nutritional Habits, Environmental Knowledge, And Sustainability Practices, Jeffrey Meltzer

Honors Theses

School gardens have existed since the late nineteenth century and today are becoming increasingly popular in many parts of the world, including where I studied in Maine and Australia (AUS). Multiple organizations support school gardens in Maine, including the Maine School Garden Network, which has over 125 registered school gardens. In AUS, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation primarily supports the school garden movement and has over 800 registered school gardens. While many researchers have studied school gardens, few have compared two countries, focused on environmental sustainability, or investigated Maine in particular. This thesis combines information from literature reviews, and …

Understanding The Behavior And Attitude Of Professional Athletes In Saudi Arabia Toward Dietary Supplements, Sulaiman O. Aljaloud

Dissertations

A dietary supplement is defined as a product taken orally that contains a "dietary ingredient" (vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes, etc.), and is intended to supplement one's diet. Dietary supplements include plant extracts and concentrates from foods. Supplements help provide required nutrients to fulfill nutritional levels for daily training or competitive performance, and can help remedy nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, it is important that sports professionals have a thorough knowledge of these supplement products. However, athletes need to be informed about the use and possible benefits, side effects, and risks associated with the use of dietary supplements. Four objectives guided …

Validation Of The Remote Food Photography Method To Quantify Intake Of Infant Formula, Abby Duhe

LSU Master's Theses

Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since the 1970s, and this increased prevalence is cause for concern as childhood obesity increases the risk of adult obesity and other comorbid diseases. Evidence suggests that the origins of obesity can be identified in infanthood. Accurate methods of assessing food intake in infants can be utilized to establish effective feeding practices in infanthood and to assess the relationship between infant feeding practices and the risk of childhood obesity. Current methods are either subjective or have limited ability for widespread use beyond clinical research settings due to cost and high burden. The aim …

Kentucky Wic Participants’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs Regarding Grains, Dustin Tyler Reed

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and poor dietary habits are major healthcare problems in the United States. These issues are especially prevalent in the state of Kentucky and among at-risk populations such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants. Studies have found that whole grains play a role in weight maintenance, protection against type 2 diabetes, and lowering cholesterol. Interventions aimed at improving WIC participant dietary behavior and intake has been successful as well. This study assessed Kentucky WIC participants’ knowledge of the benefits of consuming grains, attitudes and beliefs regarding food purchasing and grains, and identified grains consumed in a …

Wellness And Nutrition Education Program To Promote Improve Nutritional Practices And Decreased Body Mass In Individuals Working In A Health Care Setting., Jessica Brown Bandy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a wellness and nutrition education program directed at employees of a health care facility would result in changes in weight, waist and hip circumference, BMI, and nutritional practices. Nine participants completed the five week program including final weight, measurements and post-program survey to determine nutritional practices. All participants attended weekly group classes with topics related to nutrition, physical activity, and behavior changes. Changes in weight, anthropometric measurements, and BMI were calculated. Changes in nutritional practices were analyzed using Minitab statistical software. There were improvements made in weight, anthropometric measurements, and BMI …

Effect Of The Consumption Of Farm Animals On The Diet And Hemoglobin Levels Of School Age Children In The Rural Communities Of Topo, Imbabura, Gualabi, Calpaqui, And Compania Of The Imbabura Province, Alexandra Echeverría

Theses and Dissertations

This research addressed malnutrition in the villages of Topo, Imbabura, Gualabí, Calpaquí and Compañía in the city Otavalo, which is in the Province of Imbaura, Ecuador. The research determined the effects of consumption of small-animals on the diet and hemoglobin levels in school aged boys and girls. This study involved 311 indigenous children between 6 and 12 years of age. Following parental authorization, blood tests and fecal samples were taken from each child to analyze hemoglobin and parasites. Additional information gathered from this study group included a socio-economic survey, frequency of food consumption, 24 hour inventory, animal production, and basic …

The Quality Of Hotel Employee Meals, And Employees' Perception Of The Quality, Eugene Tetteh Gorleku

LSU Master's Theses

Growing interest in nutrition and health and the increase in the number of people eating away from home gives power and responsibility to retail foodservice operators. Employees of hotels, restaurants, and other food service establishments are in an important position to influence and impact the diet of the general public since they cook, recommend, and serve customers who visit their institutions. Healthful foods are available, and chefs would benefit from nutritional guidance. The escalating importance of foodservice establishments as the main distribution sites for Americans’ meals highlights the importance of the chef’s role in preparing and providing healthful food consistent …

Constructing Compatibility : Managing Breastfeeding And Weaning From The Mothers' Perspective, Yvonne Louise Hauck

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Breastfeeding involves phases of initiation, continuation, and weaning. Research to date has focused upon its initiation and continuation rather than the later phases, when the child is weaned from the breast. Selective aspects relating to weaning have been explored to determine infant feeding practices such as the timing of food introduction. However, that research has focused upon developing countries where the impact of infant feeding patterns and weaning practices have a significant impact on infant growth and child health. The weaning process or final phase of breastfeeding from the mothers' perspective has not been examined within the western world. In …

Nutritional Understanding Of Preschool Children Taught In The Home And Child Development Laboratory, Thomas R. Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was devised to determine the readiness of preschool children to learn about basic concepts of nutrition. Sixty preschool children enrolled in the Utah State University Child Development Laboratory, comprised the sample. Twenty children were taught at home by parents, 20 were taught at the Laboratory, and 20 received no instruction. The curriculum was based on the concept of nutrient density and used the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) in developing instructional mate rials. INQ is an index for comparing the amount of nutrients to the amount of calories in a food. Food Profile Cards, visual representations of this …