Nutrition Commons^™

Scrotal Temperature Change During Running In Naked Humans, Yasuho Takii, Makoto Fukuda, Kazuyuki Kanosue, Tamae Yoda

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Male reproductive organs are functionally affected by high body temperature. This study aimed to clarify the thermoregulation mechanisms of the human scrotum during running, and experiments were conducted to investigate temperature changes in the whole body and the scrotum. Eleven male long-distance runners performed treadmill running at 60%[Formula: see text] for 60 min in an indoor environment at 27 °C and 40% relative humidity. Immediately after the start of the run, the skin temperatures in areas other than the scrotum decreased or showed a tendency to decrease. In contrast, the scrotal temperature increased immediately after the start of the run. …

Probiotic Intervention In Managing Chronic Stress, Bianca Opdenbosch

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Chronic stress can induce gut dysbiosis which contributes to the dysregulation of the gut-brain axis and leads to anxiety and depressive-like symptoms. The gut-brain axis relies on nervous, immune, and endocrine interactions. Gut dysbiosis, an imbalance within the gut microbiome, disrupts gut-brain communication, impairing gut barrier integrity, inflammation regulation, and hormonal and neurotransmitter production. These gut changes contribute to mood disorders resulting from stress, and thus it is important to implement dietary interventions, like probiotics, to help mitigate these effects. Research highlights the potential of probiotics to act as an intervention to combat stress-induced gut dysbiosis and replenish beneficial bacteria …

Factor Structure Of Food And Physical Activity Parenting Practices Among Us Fathers By Ethnicity And Survey Language: A Cross Sectional Study, Salma M A Musaad, Louise C Mâsse, Alicia Beltran, Oriana Perez, Teresia M O'Connor

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Parenting practices contribute to children’s eating and physical activity behaviors, and thereby their risk of obesity and associated medical conditions. Fathers may engage in different parenting practices than mothers. The objective of this study was therefore to establish psychometrically sound tools in English and Spanish for measuring Physical Activity Parenting Practices (PAPP) and Food Parenting Practices (FPP) for Hispanic and non-Hispanic fathers of diverse races for use in future studies, such as evaluations of family-based obesity interventions targeted at fathers.

Methods: We conducted a preliminary assessment of the psychometric properties of a reduced version of the PAPP and FPP …

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 …

Correlates Of Professional Breastfeeding Perceived Role, Perceived Influence, And Confidence In Providing Lactation Support Among Registered Dietitians And Registered Nurses, Lauren M. Dinour, Melanie Shefchik, Andrea Uguna

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Lactation support from health professionals is a crucial social determinant of health. Registered dietitians (RDs) and registered nurses (RNs) can play an important role in supporting breastfeeding, yet most have minimal formal lactation education and training. This study seeks to explore the correlates of professional breastfeeding perceived role, perceived influence, and confidence in providing lactation support among RDs and RNs. Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 111 credentialed providers completed an online survey assessing their breastfeeding-related training, experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. We also examined perceptions of social support, intentions for future breastfeeding, professional roles, and confidence in …

Dietary Patterns For Weight And Glycemic Management In Persons With Type 1 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis Of Clinical Trials, Daria Igudesman, Laura M Nally, Alyssa A Grimshaw, Craig G Gunderson, Elizabeth G Considine, Laura M Jacobsen, Mustafa Tosur, Peter A Gottlieb, Irl B Hirsch, Lori M Laffel, Jennifer L Sherr, Chantal Mathieu, Richard E Pratley

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Medical nutrition therapy is fundamental for managing glycemia and weight in type 1 diabetes, yet dietary guidance specific to this population and relevant subgroups is lacking.

Purpose: We synthesized the interventional literature investigating diet patterns for glycemic and weight management in youth and adults with type 1 diabetes, with attention to interindividual variation that suggests the need for precision approaches. The protocol was prospectively registered (CRD42024519941).

Data sources: AMED, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Google Scholar, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched from January 2011 to June 2024.

Study selection: Clinical trials ≥4 weeks with …

Understanding The Nutrition Ecology And Related Distal And Proximal Research Gaps Impacting School-Aged Children's And Adolescents' Functioning-A Report From The "Biomarkers Of Nutrition For Development: Knowledge Indicating Dietary Sufficiency (Bond-Kids)" Project Working Group 2., Maureen M Black, Meg M Bruening, Amy Carroll-Scott, Jayna M Dave, Kristie L Ebi, Lora L Iannotti, Susan L Johnson, Lorrene D Ritchie, Elizabeth Y Jimenez, Alison L Steiber, Daniel J Raiten

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Nutrition is critical to the health, development, and well-being of children and adolescents, operating through nutrients and the social and physical influences of dietary behaviors. Child and adolescent growth and development depend on complex biological systems interacting with the nutrition ecology. In this review, we focus on bidirectional interactions with the multilevel nutrition ecology, including distal systems (climate, geopolitical, and food systems) and proximal systems (community food options; health, social, and food services; and school policies and programs), all mediated by the family. Thus, the impact of nutrition on children's and adolescents' functional outcomes is dependent on understanding the multilevel …

Refugee Health And Nutrition, Miriam Mutambudzi, Naomi Shanguhyia

The Lender Center for Social Justice

Refugees resettled in Syracuse, New York, face persistent challenges to maintaining healthy, culturally appropriate diets, barriers that extend far beyond food availability. This policy brief explores the complex intersection of nutrition, culture, and health equity among refugee families. Through community-engaged research with sub-Saharan African refugee households, findings reveal that food insecurity remains widespread, with families struggling to access familiar ingredients and affordable, nutritious options. Despite these constraints, refugee families demonstrate remarkable resilience and commitment to preserving traditional diets and promoting health within their households. However, limited cultural competence in food assistance programs and exposure of youth to unhealthy dietary norms …

Beyond The Plate: Equity-Focused Solutions To Childhood Nutrition And Family Well-Being, Lynn Brann, Rachel Razza, Xiafei Wang, Kristen Davis

The Lender Center for Social Justice

Food insecurity continues to affect millions of U.S. families, with nearly one in ten households with children struggling to consistently access nutritious food. This policy brief explores equity-focused solutions to childhood nutrition and family well-being, drawing on insights from parents of young children in low-income, culturally diverse households in Syracuse, New York. Through a participatory action research approach, parents shared their experiences, challenges, and hopes for improving their children’s eating habits and preserving cultural food traditions. The findings reveal that while parents are committed to providing healthy meals, systemic barriers such as financial constraints, limited access to culturally relevant foods, …

Associations Among Human Milk Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids And Infant Sleep Patterns: A Cross-Sectional Study, Ana M Palacios, Dominick J Lemas, Bridget E Young, Erik Parker, Stephanie Dickinson, Nandi Marshall, Kelly L Sullivan, Haley Wilt, Michelle I Cardel, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Infant sleep is critical for cognitive, emotional, and long-term health outcomes. Although diet-sleep relationships are established, limited research has explored how polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in human milk (HM) relate to infant sleep.

Objectives: This study aims to examine associations between PUFAs in HM and sleep patterns in 2-mo-old infants exclusively fed with HM.

Methods: This cross-sectional secondary analysis used data from a lactation cookie trial involving 131 parents of healthy, term infants. Participants provided a fasting HM sample and completed sociodemographic and Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire surveys. Multivariate linear models were adjusted for infant sex assigned at birth, …

All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality Among Patients With Narcolepsy., Chih-Wei Hsu, Yen-Shan Yang, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Liang-Jen Wang, Mu-Hong Chen, Yao-Hsu Yang, Chih-Sung Liang, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Importance: Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder potentially affecting mortality, yet evidence on this association remains sparse.

Objective: To examine whether narcolepsy is associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 2001 to 2021, with patients followed up until death or December 31, 2022. Patients were aged 6 years or older with 2 or more narcolepsy diagnoses from psychiatrists or neurologists. Controls were selected from the NHIRD as a population-based sample. Controls without narcolepsy were matched in a 1:4 …

Menopause Factors And Alterations In Gut Microbiota And Insulin Homeostasis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of The Microbiome And Insulin Longitudinal Evaluation Study (Miles), Vincent J Maffei, Alain G Bertoni, Alexis C Wood, Jerome I Rotter, Osa Crago, Yii-Der I Chen, Joseph F Petrosino, Kristi L Hoffman, Mark O Goodarzi, Elizabeth T Jensen

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Aim: To assess the risk for impaired insulin homeostasis as a function of menopause-related factors and gut microbiota dysbiosis in non-diabetic, post-menopausal women.

Materials and methods: Baseline data (n = 175 women) from the Microbiome and Insulin Longitudinal Evaluation Study (MILES) were used, including insulin and dysglycaemia indices calculated from a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test, untargeted peripheral metabolomics, targeted peripheral short chain fatty-acid levels and faecal bacterial microbiota surveyed by whole-metagenomic sequencing.

Results: After adjustment for covariates, menopause age < 50 years and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were associated with lower Matsuda et al. insulin sensitivity index levels (β = -0.232, confidence interval (CI) = [-0.450, -0.014] and β = -0.275, CI = [-0.444, -0.107], respectively) but not pre-menopausal gynaecologic surgery. Pre-menopausal gynaecologic surgery was significantly associated with faecal microbiota beta diversity driven by a relative increase in diabetogenic Ruminococcus gnavus and Clostridium species and a decrease in protective Alistipes species and Akkermansia muciniphila relative abundances. A reduction in two glycerophospholipids in the plasmalogen class significantly statistically mediated an inverse association between gynaecologic surgery before menopause and insulin sensitivity.

Conclusions: Menopause age and history of HRT are more strongly associated with insulin resistance than gynaecologic surgery before menopause. However, …

Characterization Of Pigeonpea As An Alternate Summer Forage Crop In Virginia, Satya S. S. Narina, Glenn Chappell Iii, Harbans L. Bhardwaj

Virginia Journal of Science

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.), a major multifunctional food legume crop valued globally, contributes to food security by supplying protein-rich grain for human consumption and provides nutrient-rich biomass for livestock feeding across diverse production systems. However, little is known about its forage potential in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. In 2009 and 2010, four cultivars (GA-1, GA-2, W-1, and W-3) were evaluated in a split-plot design with three intra-row plant populations (2, 4, or 6 plants per 0.3 m row) and three planting dates (May, June, and July). Forage yield, crude protein, minerals, and other nutritional traits were …

Hungry Minds: Analyzing The Impact Of Food Insecurity And Food Assistance Programs On Neurocognitive Development And Childhood Mental Health, Kayla A. Davenport

Senior Theses

Introduction: Food insecurity affects millions of children in the United States and is increasingly recognized as a significant risk factor for poor nutritional intake and adverse health outcomes. However, less is known about how the experience of food insecurity disrupts healthy development and well-being, particularly among American youth. This thesis had two aims: (1) to examine the relationship between household food insecurity and children’s neurocognitive and mental health outcomes and (2) to evaluate how major food assistance programs address, or fail to address, these developmental risks.

Methods: This thesis uses a mixed-methods approach, integrating a narrative literature review, a cross-sectional …

Repeated Withdrawal Of A Glpr Agonist Induces Hyperleptinemia And Deteriorates Metabolic Health In Obese Aging Um-Het3 Mice, Nisi Jiang, Jiyuan Yin, Noah Lawrence, Jieyi Meng, Laurence T Maeyens, Ziying Xu, Xin Li, Mbolle Ekane, Ariana Chaudhary, Pengju Cao, Guannan Li, Carolina Solis-Herrera, Yi Zhu, Shangang Zhao

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

GLP-1-based therapy is highly effective in combating aging-associated metabolic diseases. However, the metabolic effects of frequent withdrawal from this therapy in aged, obese mice have not been previously studied. In this study, aged obese UM-HET3 mice were assigned to three groups: Group 1 received no liraglutide treatment (Lira OFF); Group 2 underwent 3 cycles of treatment followed by withdrawal (Lira ON/OFF); and Group 3 remained on continuous treatment (Lira ON). As expected, mice in Group 3 showed reduced body weight and food intake, along with improved metabolic health. In contrast, mice in Group 2 developed hyperleptinemia and visceral fat expansion, …

Characteristics Contributing To The Risk Of Diabulimia In Adults Living In The United States, Danielle Van Hout, Nicole Stendell-Hollis, Tafere Gebreegziabher Belay, Kelly Pritchett

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Nicole Stendell-Hollis, PhD, RDN; Tafere G Belay, PhD; Kelly Pritchett, PhD, RDN, CSSD

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors that contribute to the risk of diabulimia by using the validated Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised (DEPS-R)¹ screening tool in adults living in the U.S., as well as to examine differences in individuals at-risk and not-at-risk for diabulimia. This observational study included a 30-question Qualtrics survey containing the DEPS-R distributed via various social media outlets and flyers on the CWU Ellensburg campus. Participants were required to be 18 years or older, diagnosed with …

Focus Group Interview: Perspectives Of Virtual Dietary Counseling Method’S Post Covid-19 Pandemic, Maria Mendoza

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Nicole Stendell-Hollis, PhD; Tafere Belay, PhD; Katy Williams; Jessica Tyrrell

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions related to different delivery methods of dietary counseling. This qualitative research study will examine the perceptions related to different methods of dietary counseling (telephone calls, video calls, or face-to-face visits). Focus group one contained provider participants (N = 7), which were all RDNs and focus group two hosted patient participants (N = 6). Semi structured interviews were performed asking subjects about any personal experiences related to receiving or providing nutrition education, positive or negative, as they participated in …

Prevalence Of Diabetes Related To Acculturation, Dietary Quality, And Sedentary Lifestyle In Mexican Americans: National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 To 2018, Kivima Acevedo

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): David Gee, PhD; Kathaleen Briggs Early, PhD, RDN, CDCES; Katy Williams, MS, RDN

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of diabetes in Mexican American adults (MA-adults) and how risk factors like acculturation, dietary quality, and sedentary lifestyle contribute to the rising rates of diabetes, using the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) 2011 to 2018 data. Methods: We analyzed the NHANES data of MA-adults and Non-Hispanic White adults (NHW-adults) (n= 10670) for the association of diabetes and its risk factors (dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle) by acculturation levels. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). …

Fish Oil And Vernonia Amygdalina Leaves-Supplemented Biscuits Increased Insulin Secretion And Suppressed Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines In Type 2 Diabetic Wistar Rats, Omolola Soji-Omoniwa, Uthman Olanrewaju Abdulazeez, Christfavour Oluwaseyi Oloba, Samuel Olajuwon Kolawole, Johnson Opeyemi Olayinka, Emmanuel Olorunleke Oludipe, Anuoluwapo Faith Ajediti, Habib Tajudeen Yusuf

Al-Bahir

This research determined the effect of fish oil and Vernonia amygdalina-enriched biscuits (FVSB) on insulin sensitivity and inflammatory cytokines in type 2 diabetic rats. Forty-nine male rats were grouped into seven, i.e. A-G. Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was induced in groups B-G by administering 230 mg/kg body weight [BW] NAD (ip) and 65 mg/kg BW streptozotocin (ip). Group A represented the control (Non-diabetic + unsupplemented biscuit), B (untreated diabetic), C (diabetic + 120 mg/kg BW metformin), D-F (diabetic + FVSB at 1g, 2g and 3g leaf inclusion respectively), and G (diabetic + conventional biscuit). The experiment lasted 35 days, …

Interleukin-6 (Il-6) Mediated Pathways In Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Nafld) And Its Implications On Magnesium And Zinc Mineral Deficiencies: A Scoping Review, Marianne Koleng, Leann Nguyen

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

The prevalence and incidence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is rising. In the United States alone, the prevalence of NAFLD is currently 38% and there has been a 50% increase over the last three decades. The present study investigated the role of ultratrace mineral deficiencies, specifically magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn), and if so, what nutritional interventions could be made to ameliorate or protect against the development of NAFLD. The role of trace and ultratrace minerals in pro-inflammatory cytokine pathways contributing to NAFLD, specifically Interleukin-6 (IL-6), were investigated. IL-6 is produced by hepatocytes and plays a crucial role in …