Nutrition Commons^™

Secular Trends In Regional Differences In Nutritional Biomarkers And Self-Reported Dietary Intakes Among American Adults: National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes) 1988–1994 To 2009–2010, Ashima K. Kant, Barry I. Graubard

Publications and Research

Objective: To understand the contribution of regional differentials in dietary exposures to regional gradients in health, we examined 20-year trends in the association of US census region of residence with nutritional biomarkers and dietary intakes of American adults.

Design: Observational. Setting: The biomarker and 24 h dietary recall data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted during 1988–1994 and 1999–2010. The US census region was operationalized as Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Nutritional biomarker outcomes were serum folate, vitamins B6, B12, C, D and E, and carotenoids; dietary outcomes were intakes of nutrients, food groups and …

Effect Of Word Choice On Comfort Level In Male Collegiate Hockey Players During Air Displacement Plethysmography Assessments, Elizabeth A. Suschana

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Using “Photovoice” To Identify Rural Community Food Issues, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Tara Shafrath, Lindsay Moore, Ann Schwader, Daniel T. Remley, Suzanne Stluka

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Rural communities experience unique barriers to food security. Developing food policy councils (FPCs) is a systematic approach to address food security. FPCs bring together a diverse network of community stakeholders to address local food system strengths and concerns. A six-state team developed new or provided support to existing FPCs in rural communities. Photovoice is a project component used to engage youths, helped identify community food issues, such as food access and affordability in studied communities. Furthermore, it was meant to engage FPCs in meaningful dialogue to identify solutions, such as community gardens and work with local food pantries. Because of …

Applications In Utilization Of Forage Chemical Composition And Predicting Equine Digestibility, Veronica Taylor Bill

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Most forage quality models were developed for ruminant nutrition, and may not apply to the horse. This two-part study evaluated the relationship between forage chemical composition and dry matter digestibility (DMD) using an in vitro method with equine feces as the inoculums. The first experiment determined that compared to 48 h of incubation, 72 h of incubation resulted in higher DMD for some forages. As a result of experiment 1, incubations in experiment 2 were conducted using 48 and 72 h incubation periods at 38 degrees C. The second experiment evaluated the effect of chemical composition on DMD. Thirty-one hay …

Examining The Credentials Of Food Bloggers And The Online Environment Of Food Blogs, Jessica Coburn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study evaluated characteristics of food blogs and food bloggers that potentially affect food choices. It was hypothesized that most food bloggers would not have a nutrition-related degree and food blog environments wouldn’t be supportive of health-conscious food choices. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a novel evaluation tool on 187 blogs, out of which 100 blogs met inclusion criteria. Because some blogs had multiple bloggers, two samples were investigated: 111 bloggers (n1 = 111) and 100 food blogs (n2 = 100). Data were gathered from a randomized list of blogs taken from americanfoodbloggers.com. Results showed that 6% of bloggers …

Vitamin D Works Through The Lipid Droplet Protein Plin2 To Augment Mitochondrial Function In Skeletal Muscle, David M. Schnell

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Vitamin D has been connected with increased intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle. It is also shown to prevent lipotoxicity in several tissues, but this has not yet been examined in skeletal muscle. Perilipin 2 (PLIN2), a lipid droplet protein upregulated with vitamin D treatment, is integral to managing IMCL capacity and lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle. Increased lipid storage and oxidation is associated with increased tolerance to a hyperlipidic environment and resistance to lipotoxicity. Therefore, I hypothesized that vitamin D increases β-oxidation and lipid turnover though a PLIN2 mediated mechanism, thereby preventing lipotoxicity.

This hypothesis was divided …

Pcb Disruption Of Gut And Host Health: Implications Of Prebiotic Nutritional Intervention, Jessie Baldwin Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Exposure to environmental pollutants poses numerous risk factors for human health, including increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Persistent organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been strongly linked to the development of these chronic inflammatory diseases and the primary route of exposure is through consumption of contaminated food products. Thus, the gastrointestinal tract is susceptible to the greatest levels of these pollutants and is an important facet to study.

The first two hypotheses of this dissertation tested that exposure to PCBs disrupts gut microbiota directly (in vitro) and within a whole body system. PCB exposure …

The Prebiotic Inulin Beneficially Modulates The Gut-Brain Axis By Enhancing Metabolism In An Apoe4 Mouse Model, Jared D. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and a growing disease burden that has seen pharmacological interventions primarily fail. Instead, it has been suggested that preventative measures such as a healthy diet may be the best way in preventing AD. Prebiotics are one such potential measure and are fermented into metabolites by the gut microbiota and acting as gut-brain axis components, beneficially impact the brain. However, the impact of prebiotics in AD prevention is unknown. Here we show that the prebiotic inulin increased multiple gut-brain axis components such as scyllo-inositol and short chain fatty acids in the …

Towards A Healthier Chocolate Formula Which Is Rich In Polyphenols And Low In Fat, Lakmani Tharaka Galaniha

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Chocolate is a food that is craved by many in the world and healthy chocolates have become a current topic in the healthy eating trend. The healthiness of a chocolate depends mainly on the polyphenol, fat and sugar contents. Although the literature serves several interventions to reduce the fat content and total calorie content of chocolates, it does not provide many interventions that consider both improving the polyphenol and reducing the fat content simultaneously. Considering this gap in the literature, this research project sought to develop a chocolate that is both low in fat and high in polyphenol content, without …

Cultural Sensitivity In Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Programming In Kentucky, Anna Caroline Durr

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to learn how cultural sensitivity was integrated and perceived in community nutrition education of an existing program offered by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Nutrition Education Program. Data collection consisted of a quantitative cultural competence assessment survey tool used with nutrition education paraprofessionals (n=74), qualitative in-depth interviews of nutrition education paraprofessionals (n=8) and focus groups of Hispanic/Latino nutrition education program participants (n=39). Findings were focused in three areas; the cultural sensitivity needs of the program, the perception of nutrition education by participants and the training and professional development needs of …

Farmers Market Education With Supplemental Voucher Improves Farmers Market Awareness In Elementary Children, Ali Papendick

All Master's Theses

Purpose:The purpose of this pilot intervention study was to provide farmers market (FM) education coupled with FM voucher to assess FM awareness, attendance, and voucher use. Methods:Kindergarten through 3^rdgrade students attending a summer school program participated in this three-week FM pilot intervention study. A pre/post intervention questionnaire was distributed to students to assess FM awareness and attendance. In addition, an $8 FM voucher was provided to children for purchases of fruit and vegetables at the local FM. The voucher was valid for two weeks and fruit and vegetable purchases were recorded each week. Results:This study …

Effects Of Pre-Exercise Ice Slurry Ingestion On Physiological And Perceptual Measures In Athletes With Spinal Cord Injuries, Alexis Moore, Kelly Pritchett, Robert Pritchett, Elizabeth Broad

All Master's Theses

Athletes with spinal cord injuries (SCI) have an impaired ability to thermoregulate during exercise, leading to an increased core temperature (T_core) due to a decrease in sweat response. Elevated core temperature may result in premature onset of fatigue and decreased athletic performance. Therefore, precooling techniques that decrease T_core before exercise may increase the storage capacity for metabolic heat production, thereby improving exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pre-exercise ice slurry ingestion as a precooling method in elite athletes with SCI during a match simulation. Employing a field-based, counterbalanced-design, subjects were …

The Relationship Of Factors Contributing To Burnout And Grit Among Division I Collegiate Athletes, Mckenzie Cavanaugh Cavanaugh

Honors Theses

Within the sports field, one popular interest is burnout among athletes. The objective of this study was to determine the association of risk factors to burnout and grit among Division I collegiate athletes. Seventeen males and twenty-five females (age= 19.88 ± 1.02) participated in this study (football, n = 8; cross country/track n = 1; soccer, n = 1; basketball, n = 2; golf, n = 1; volleyball, n = 13; baseball, n = 5; and rifle, n = 11). A survey and the athlete burnout questionnaire (ABQ) was used to evaluate risk factors of burnout and to assess burnout …

Apple Pomace Consumption Favorably Alters Hepatic Lipid Metabolism In Young Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed A Western Diet, Roy Chris Skinner, Derek C. Warren, Soofie N. Lateef, Vagner A. Benedito, Janet C. Tou

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Apple pomace, which is a waste byproduct of processing, is rich in several nutrients, particularly dietary fiber, indicating potential benefits for diseases that are attributed to poor diets, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD affects over 25% of United States population and is increasing in children. Increasing fruit consumption can influence NAFLD. The study objective was to replace calories in standard or Western diets with apple pomace to determine the effects on genes regulating hepatic lipid metabolism and on risk of NAFLD. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned (n = 8 rats/group) to isocaloric diets of AIN-93G and …

Food Insecurity And Behavioral Characteristics For Academic Success In Young Adults Attending An Appalachian University, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

In order to investigate the impact of food insecurity on college students in a highly health disparate region we (1) assessed the prevalence of food insecurity among young adults at a large, rural university in Appalachia, and (2) investigated the relationship between food insecurity and behavioral characteristics including academic performance, coping strategies, and money expenditure. A cross-sectional design was used to capture a representative sample of young adults attending a large, central Appalachian university in Fall 2016. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Adult Food Security Survey was used to measure food insecurity. Independent variables include money expenditure (MES), …

Dietary Nitrate And Diet Quality: An Examination Of Changing Dietary Intakes Within A Representative Sample Of Australian Women, Jacklyn K. Jackson, Amanda J. Patterson, Lesley K. Macdonald-Wicks, Catherine P. Bondonno, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Natalie C. Ward, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Julie E. Byles, Mark A. Mcevoy

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Dietary nitrate is increasingly linked to a variety of beneficial health outcomes. Our purpose was to estimate dietary nitrate consumption and identify key dietary changes which have occurred over time within a representative sample of Australian women. Women from the 1946–1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health with complete food frequency questionnaire data for both 2001 and 2013 were included for analysis. Dietary nitrate intakes were calculated using key published nitrate databases. Diet quality scores including the Australian Recommended Food Score, the Mediterranean Diet Score and the Nutrient Rich Foods Index were calculated along with food group …

Antibiotic Resistance In Gram Negative Bacteria Isolated From Fish Sold In Western Australia, Hannah Kathleen Robinson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background Information The global misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human medicine and the animal production industry is contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This is a serious threat to modern medicine and public health. Antibiotic resistant organisms can cause severe infections in humans which are difficult to treat, and in some cases impossible to resolve which can lead to premature death. Several studies have been conducted across the globe to assess the use of antibiotics in the seafood industry and the associated health risks, however, limited studies have recently explored this risk in an Australian setting. …

Food Insecurity And Child And Parent/Caretaker Overweight/Obesity In A Rural, Appalachian Mississippi Community, Sydney Antolini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the differences in parent/caretaker body mass index (BMI) and parent/caretaker-reported child overweight/obesity by food security status in a rural, Appalachian, Mississippi community, as well as the relationship of parent/caretaker BMI and parent/caretaker-reported child overweight/obesity to food security status. A cross-sectional survey of elementary school parents/caretakers recruited at three elementary schools in an economically-distressed Appalachian, Mississippi county was conducted. Parent/caretaker BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Caretaker-reported child overweight/obesity was determined using caretaker report of a medical professional identifying child overweight/obesity within the past year. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (version 23, 2015) to assess …

Mcdonald’S Users’ Perceptions Of Health And Nutrition, Quality, And Value On Visit Frequency, Claire Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the vast amount of quick service restaurants (QSRs) that are available to consumers in the United States (U.S.), the hospitality industry has become an integral part of Americans’ diet and lifestyle. This study examines how McDonald’s customers’ perceptions of health and nutrition, quality, and value vary demographically (gender, age, ethnicity, educational level, and body mass index [BMI]) by McDonald’s visit frequency. An online survey was employed to collect data of participants who were 18 years of age and older, McDonald’s customers, and a resident of the U.S. Of the 843 respondents who filled out the survey, 607 (72%) surveys …

Evaluation Of Parent Involvement In Families In Transformation (Fit) Wellness Program For Children, Heather Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.