Our study provided an analysis and comparison of specific blood values, dietary intake, body composition, and inflammatory markers (high sensitivity-C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) between adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes (PDM) to adults without diabetes. A total of 22 participants (PDM/T2DM n=12, controls n=10) in the San Luis Obispo, CA area completed the study prior to our ending recruitment due to Covid-19. Body composition data were collected through DXA scans. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day food record survey and nutritional analysis conducted using ESHA food processing software. In addition, participants completed an overnight fast and early morning blood draw for evaluation of blood glucose regulation, blood lipid profile and inflammatory biomarkers. Analysis included a series of randomization tests that were conducted to determine possible statistical differences between the mean of basic characteristics (age, BMI, weight, HbA1C, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels) of the control group and the PDM/T2DM group. Secondly, 2-way ANOVA statistical analyses were conducted to determine the interaction between sex and diabetes status on caloric intake, macronutrient distribution, quality of fat intake, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and inflammatory biomarkers. We found there was a significant difference in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) between the control group and the PDM/T2DM group. We did not find a statistically significant difference in caloric intake, macronutrient distribution, quality of fat intake, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and inflammatory biomarkers between the PDM/T2DM and control group. Due to the lack of studies that include adults with PDM, we concluded additional future research needs to focus on blood biochemistry values, dietary intake, body composition, and inflammatory markers health-risk factors in both adults with PDM and T2DM since these values can improve diagnosis and treatment of T2DM.

D. Tech. (Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Faculty of Human Sciences) Vaal University of Technology. / The elderly in Nigeria are used to consuming foods that are inadequate in providing the required amount of nutrients for a healthy living due to uninformed food choices and dietary food intake habits. The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of the developed food and nutrition guidelines on the dietary behaviour of the elderly in Ondo West city Ondo, Nigeria. The developed food and nutrition guidelines were used to generate a training manual for the caregivers’ in order to apply and disseminate the correct information about food nutrients and food choices to the elderly through the knowledge acquired in the nutrition education training programme by the caregivers. A baseline study was conducted making use of the measuring instruments namely, socio-demographic questionnaire, 24-hour recall, food frequency questionnaire completed by the elderly attending the old people’s home and a nutrition knowledge questionnaire to test the nutrition knowledge of the caregivers. The methodology for the study was in six phases: Phase 1: is about the baseline survey, involving the training of fieldworkers, administering and completing questionnaires: Socio-demographic, 24-hour recall, food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), by the elderly and the nutrition knowledge questionnaire (NKQ) by the caregivers. Phase 2: It involved the planning and development of food and nutrition guidelines for the caregivers of the elderly. Phase 3: This phase is about the training of the caregivers by the researcher, making use of the developed training manual with information sourced from the developed food and nutrition guidelines. Phase 4 was about the intervention programme in the study, i.e. the nutrition education programme (NEP) using information from guidelines of USA, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria and adapted FAO framework. Phase 5 was about the evaluation of the study, involving the completion of the nutrition knowledge questionnaire (NKQ), by the caregivers on post-test assessment after intervention, conducting observation and group interview. Phase 6 involved determining the impact of the food and nutrition guidelines and conducting a post-test making use of the research instruments, 24-hour recall, and food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) with the main objective drawn and followed up by the conclusion and recommendations in the study. A content analysis of both the observation and focus group discussion resulted in compliance with the food and nutrition guideline specifications and a remarkable improvement on food preparation skills and performance of the old people’s homes’ personnel. The main findings in the study revealed that consistent and, full compliance, with effective implementation of the food and nutrition guidelines would improve the older people’s dietary behaviour and food consumption patterns. The NEP did not improve the knowledge of the caregivers at the expected rate and level because of the low-level basic scientific background of the caregivers. The socio-demographic questionnaire revealed that 61.7% of those researched were females and 38.3% males with an average age between 60 and 65 years; 54% were married with a household income between N20001- N50000 and majority of them spending between N10001-N15000 on two meals (40%) and three meals (30%). The result from 24-hour recall and the food frequency (FFQ) questionnaires indicated that, the intake of energy, calcium and fiber were below the recommended daily allowance (RDA), while protein and carbohydrate were higher, with an emphasis on starchy foods. The nutrition knowledge questionnaire (NKQ) identified the need for higher level of food and nutrients by the caregivers in their responsibility to the elderly, for improvement in their healthy dietary habits as indicated in the four sections of NKQ results (A, B, C and D). The consumption of fruits and vegetables were impressively high, after the intervention compared to before. Moreover, there was a drastic reduction in the consumption of carbohydrate-sourced food items, fat, sugar and salt as informed by the developed guidelines. Conclusively, the study was able to establish a reliable basis on the improvement of nutrient based dietary intake with the effective utilisation of available information in the guidelines. Also, awareness was created for the elderly to improve their eating habits through the exposure of the caregivers to training on nutrition knowledge. The researcher recommended an in-house organized refresher programme which should take place periodically and consistently on the information in the developed nutrition guidelines along with encouraging the personnel in the handling of foods (caregivers, chefs, cooks) for effective implementation.

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Le stress oxydatif et la formation des radicaux libres sont impliqués dans plusieurs mécanismes de la mort neuronale qui caractérisent la maladie d'Alzheimer. Les antioxydants sont reconnus comme une source de protection contre le stress oxydatif et peuvent avoir un effet protecteur sur le développement de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Cette étude visait à évaluer le potentiel antioxydant, par le biais du score « oxygen radical absorbance capacity » (ORAC), de l’alimentation habituelle de personnes âgées atteintes de la maladie d’Alzheimer en comparaison avec des témoins appariés pour l’âge sans problèmes cognitifs. L’hypothèse stipulait que les patients atteints de la maladie d’Alzheimer ont une alimentation dont le potentiel antioxydant est inférieur à celui des témoins sans problèmes cognitifs. L’étude a consisté en des analyses secondaires de données provenant de l’étude « Nutrition-Mémoire » (NMS), durant laquelle quarante-deux patients avec une démence du type Alzheimer (DTA) probable et leurs aidants étaient suivis pendant une période de dix-huit mois. Pour la présente étude, les données provenaient de trois jours de collecte alimentaire, ont été colligées au début (T0) de l’étude NMS, selon la méthode « Multiple-Pass ». Le potentiel antioxydant de l’alimentation a été déterminé à l’aide de la description des aliments énumérés dans la base de données des valeurs ORAC de l’USDA. Les résultats de l’étude ont montré que les patients avaient une alimentation dont le potentiel antioxydant était inférieur à celui des témoins (13784,07 ± 7372,70 μmol TE/100g contre 23220,54 ± 10862,55 μmol TE/100g, patients et témoins, respectivement; p<0,0001). Les analyses de régression hiérarchique pas à pas montraient que l’IMC, l’éducation, et le groupe (patients, témoins) étaient des facteurs influençant le score ORAC total. La consommation des aliments riches en antioxydants est un comportement préventif à faible risque qui pourrait bénéficier des individus susceptibles de développer la maladie d'Alzheimer. / Oxidative stress and the formation of free radicals are involved in several mechanisms of neuronal death that are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Antioxidants are known to help defend against oxidative stress and may protect against the development of Alzheimer's disease. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant potential, using the “oxygen radical absorbance capacity” (ORAC) score of the diet of older adults people with Alzheimer's disease compared with cognitively-intact age-matched controls. It was hypothesized that the antioxidant potential of the diet of elderly people with Alzheimer's disease will be lower than that of controls without cognitive problems. The current study is a secondary analysis of data obtained from the "Nutrition-Memory study" (NMS). The NMS study recruited forty-two patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease, and their caregivers, and followed them over a period of eighteen months. The current study focuses on three days of dietary data collection, compiled at the beginning (T0) of the NMS study. The antioxidant potential of the diet was determined using the list of ORAC scores highlighted in the USDA database for the oxygen radical absorbance capacity of selected foods. Our results showed that the diet of patients (13784.07 ± 7372.70 μmol TE/100g) had a lower antioxidant potential than that of controls (± 23220.54 10862.55 μmol TE/100g). Moreover, BMI, education and group-status were factors that influenced the total ORAC score. Eating foods rich in antioxidants is a low risk preventative behaviour that could benefit individuals susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s disease.

<p>The increasing number of immigrants in Sweden during the past decades has brought the health of different ethnic groups into focus. Many groups of immigrants in Sweden have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) than a Swedish reference group. The objective of this thesis was to study the health status and prevalence of metabolic risk factors among immigrant women from Iran and Turkey in comparison with native-Swedish women. The analyses are based on a cross-sectional study of first-generation immigrant women and women born in Sweden aged 35-64. The women underwent a clinical examination, including blood sampling and anthropometric measurements. Dietary intake was assessed by four repeated 24-hour food intake recalls. </p><p>The results show important ethnic differences in risk factors for CHD and the metabolic syndrome between the immigrant and the Swedish-born women. Immigrant women from Iran and Turkey are heavier, with a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity and an unfavourable lipid profile and a high degree of physical inactivity during leisure-time, which may predispose for a higher incidence of diabetes and atherosclerotic CVD. The associations between dietary variables and metabolic risk factors were generally relatively weak. The degree of underreporting of the energy was significant, especially among immigrant women, which might have attenuated possible associations. The fatty acid profile of the diet and in serum among the immigrant women indicated both favourable and unfavourable features, despite a higher prevalence of obesity and dyslipidemia compared to the Swedish-born women. Signs of oxidative stress and inflammation are evident in the immigrant women from the Middle East. </p><p>With reference to ethnical differences in metabolic risk factors, as demonstrated in this thesis, increased emphasis should be given to modifying the underlying factors such as overweight/obesity and physical inactivity associated with the metabolic syndrome in various immigrant groups. </p>

The increasing number of immigrants in Sweden during the past decades has brought the health of different ethnic groups into focus. Many groups of immigrants in Sweden have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) than a Swedish reference group. The objective of this thesis was to study the health status and prevalence of metabolic risk factors among immigrant women from Iran and Turkey in comparison with native-Swedish women. The analyses are based on a cross-sectional study of first-generation immigrant women and women born in Sweden aged 35-64. The women underwent a clinical examination, including blood sampling and anthropometric measurements. Dietary intake was assessed by four repeated 24-hour food intake recalls. The results show important ethnic differences in risk factors for CHD and the metabolic syndrome between the immigrant and the Swedish-born women. Immigrant women from Iran and Turkey are heavier, with a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity and an unfavourable lipid profile and a high degree of physical inactivity during leisure-time, which may predispose for a higher incidence of diabetes and atherosclerotic CVD. The associations between dietary variables and metabolic risk factors were generally relatively weak. The degree of underreporting of the energy was significant, especially among immigrant women, which might have attenuated possible associations. The fatty acid profile of the diet and in serum among the immigrant women indicated both favourable and unfavourable features, despite a higher prevalence of obesity and dyslipidemia compared to the Swedish-born women. Signs of oxidative stress and inflammation are evident in the immigrant women from the Middle East. With reference to ethnical differences in metabolic risk factors, as demonstrated in this thesis, increased emphasis should be given to modifying the underlying factors such as overweight/obesity and physical inactivity associated with the metabolic syndrome in various immigrant groups.

Le stress oxydatif et la formation des radicaux libres sont impliqués dans plusieurs mécanismes de la mort neuronale qui caractérisent la maladie d'Alzheimer. Les antioxydants sont reconnus comme une source de protection contre le stress oxydatif et peuvent avoir un effet protecteur sur le développement de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Cette étude visait à évaluer le potentiel antioxydant, par le biais du score « oxygen radical absorbance capacity » (ORAC), de l’alimentation habituelle de personnes âgées atteintes de la maladie d’Alzheimer en comparaison avec des témoins appariés pour l’âge sans problèmes cognitifs. L’hypothèse stipulait que les patients atteints de la maladie d’Alzheimer ont une alimentation dont le potentiel antioxydant est inférieur à celui des témoins sans problèmes cognitifs. L’étude a consisté en des analyses secondaires de données provenant de l’étude « Nutrition-Mémoire » (NMS), durant laquelle quarante-deux patients avec une démence du type Alzheimer (DTA) probable et leurs aidants étaient suivis pendant une période de dix-huit mois. Pour la présente étude, les données provenaient de trois jours de collecte alimentaire, ont été colligées au début (T0) de l’étude NMS, selon la méthode « Multiple-Pass ». Le potentiel antioxydant de l’alimentation a été déterminé à l’aide de la description des aliments énumérés dans la base de données des valeurs ORAC de l’USDA. Les résultats de l’étude ont montré que les patients avaient une alimentation dont le potentiel antioxydant était inférieur à celui des témoins (13784,07 ± 7372,70 μmol TE/100g contre 23220,54 ± 10862,55 μmol TE/100g, patients et témoins, respectivement; p<0,0001). Les analyses de régression hiérarchique pas à pas montraient que l’IMC, l’éducation, et le groupe (patients, témoins) étaient des facteurs influençant le score ORAC total. La consommation des aliments riches en antioxydants est un comportement préventif à faible risque qui pourrait bénéficier des individus susceptibles de développer la maladie d'Alzheimer. / Oxidative stress and the formation of free radicals are involved in several mechanisms of neuronal death that are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Antioxidants are known to help defend against oxidative stress and may protect against the development of Alzheimer's disease. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant potential, using the “oxygen radical absorbance capacity” (ORAC) score of the diet of older adults people with Alzheimer's disease compared with cognitively-intact age-matched controls. It was hypothesized that the antioxidant potential of the diet of elderly people with Alzheimer's disease will be lower than that of controls without cognitive problems. The current study is a secondary analysis of data obtained from the "Nutrition-Memory study" (NMS). The NMS study recruited forty-two patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease, and their caregivers, and followed them over a period of eighteen months. The current study focuses on three days of dietary data collection, compiled at the beginning (T0) of the NMS study. The antioxidant potential of the diet was determined using the list of ORAC scores highlighted in the USDA database for the oxygen radical absorbance capacity of selected foods. Our results showed that the diet of patients (13784.07 ± 7372.70 μmol TE/100g) had a lower antioxidant potential than that of controls (± 23220.54 10862.55 μmol TE/100g). Moreover, BMI, education and group-status were factors that influenced the total ORAC score. Eating foods rich in antioxidants is a low risk preventative behaviour that could benefit individuals susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The primary objective of this PhD program was to investigate the impact of training at a constant-load moderate-intensity (FATmax) compared to work-matched high-intensity intervals (HIIT) on the metabolic, physiological and psychosocial health profiles of sedentary overweight and obese men. This study was unique in that it was the first time the effect of exercise intensity had been investigated to examine concurrently the components of whole-body energy metabolism and body composition as measured using gold standard techniques. Based upon the positive alterations in blood lipids, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness and substrate oxidation, it appears that training at FATmax can positively impact health parameters as well as, or if not better than, high-intensity training. Furthermore, there are ramifications for public health messages and obesity management strategies arising from these findings, primarily attributable to the increased exercise adherence and the reduction in health risks stemming from the significant loss of abdominal visceral adipose tissue after FATmax training.