The school food environment has the ability to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables in rural adolescents. This study used a survey to allow adolescents in seven rural counties to self-report their fruit and vegetable intake as well as utilizing the USDA Mathematica tool and the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study audits to evaluate what food and beverage products were actually available to adolescents. By using these two measures, associations between fruit and vegetable intake and availability of healthy and unhealthy foods were determined. The availability of healthy snacks and beverages was found to be associated with sugar-sweetened beverage intake in adolescents (p < 0.001); the availability of unhealthy snacks and beverages was associated with fruit and vegetable intake in adolescents (p < 0.001); the school marketing of water bottle stations and/or water dispenser availability was associated with sugar- sweetened beverage intake in adolescents (p < 0.001). Increasing the availability and school marketing of healthy foods and beverages in rural schools may be an effective way to improve fruit and vegetable consumption in adolescents.

Due to socioeconomic disparities and geographic isolation, rural Kentucky residents bear a greater burden of poor health compared to national averages. Specifically, rural Kentucky residents are at greater risk of becoming obese and suffering from comorbidities of obesity such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of the present study was two-fold. First, we the barriers to nutrition and physical activity unique to rural Kentucky counties which high proportions of obese adults (< 40%) were examined and extrapolated. Second, this information was used to develop a health and wellness app tailored to rural Kentucky counties. The objective was met via a formative assessment regarding causes for obesity in three rural Kentucky counties using focus groups. From these discussions, two major themes arose: barriers to good nutrition and physical activity, and desired web‐app features. From this assessment, FitFaceoff was developed and released into the same counties. Usage and user interaction were assessed using GoogleAnalytics™ software. Analysis revealed poor user liking and unsuccessful implementation of FitFaceoff, however further qualitative research is needed to evaluate poor user reception of FitFaceoff and possible future directions.

Consumers have a variety of ice cream available for purchase through retail stores, including: standard commercial, specialty store, organic, and premium commercial options. This study used a sensory analysis to solicit responses from a group of adults to determine consumer preference and acceptance of four vanilla ice creams based on taste. Consumers preferred (i) organic ice cream to standard, commercial ice cream and (ii) specialty store ice cream to standard, commercial ice cream. Additionally, consumers could identify (i) the organic ice cream when compared to the standard, commercial ice cream and (ii) the premium, commercial ice cream had more overrun than the standard, commercial ice cream. Despite the preference for organic ice cream, it was unable to be determined if consumers were willing to pay a higher price for perceived higher quality organic ice cream. This research was unable to determine if organic ice creams offer additional nutritional benefits as compared to non-organic ice cream, but nutritional analysis was performed, and further research is warranted.

Nutrition education has become a topic of significant concern in today’s society. An area prominent in the interest of nutrition is the battle against food security. Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) is helping to improve its participants’ food security by providing nutrition education. Kentucky SNAP-Ed participants were asked to complete a survey and a 24-hour food recall to evaluate their knowledge in the following areas: Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, food resource management and nutrition practices. Each participant completed an average of 7-12 nutrition education lessons throughout the year. To graduate from the program participants were required to complete the same survey and food recall, applying knowledge gained from the program. Responses from 2,868 participants were analyzed to assess the impact of the SNAP-Ed program. Results demonstrated an improvement of average post-mean responses in all three areas (p-value < 0.001). In conclusion, this research supports that those who participated in the 2012 – 2013 SNAP-Ed program graduated with an overall positive change in nutrition behavior, promoting enhanced food security in low-income families.

Background: Obesity is a complex health issue, which results from the interaction between many determinants: genetics, physical environments, society, economy, and culture. Data indicate that about 19% of American children (2 to 19 years) have obesity, a condition that considerably affects physical and mental health and that usually continues into adulthood. Aside from its direct physical and mental effects, there is strong evidence that childhood obesity is strongly associated with early onset and adult cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Family and parental factors, which have both genetics and environmental components, have long been implicated in previous research as major forces in the development of childhood obesity. This study delved deeper into the relationship between family and parental factors and childhood obesity. Methods: Data examined in this study is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Survey for Child Health collected during 2013-2015. In total, 42,121 subjects were included in this representative sample. Multiple logistic regression models were run to determine association between family and parental factors (access to the children’s health insurance programs (CHIP), low birth weight (LBW), poverty, family size, and location of residence) with obesity (defined as a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for the same age and sex). The model was adjusted for possible confounders such as demographics (age, sex and race) and emotional status. SAS v 9.4 was used for analysis. Results: After adjusting for all covariates, there was a significant association determined between childhood obesity and CHIP, poverty, LBW, the number of children in a family and family location. The odds of being obese decreased significantly with an increase in the number of children in each family (Odds Ratio (95% confidence interval) (OR): 0.877 (0.875-0.879), P Conclusion: Family and parental factors such as access to CHIP, family poverty, family size, LBW and location heavily affect the prevalence of childhood obesity in America. Further studies are needed to understand how family structure, dynamics, and parental influences impact rates of obesity in children.

The aim of the present study was to determine if a nutrition and yoga intervention will improve quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer survivors (BCS). Using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping as a guide to lead the intervention, the intervention assessed potential barriers, self-efficacy, diet quality, and physical activity as it relates to quality of life. Twenty-seven women were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to the control or intervention group. The intervention consisted of 6-weeks of yoga classes and 6-weeks of online nutrition education. The control group received a nutrition consultation and nutrition guidelines from the American Cancer Society. Measurement of variables was conducted at baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and follow-up (12 weeks). One-way repeated measures ANOVA, paired samples t-test, and post hoc analysis with Bonferroni adjustment was used to analyze the data. Mediation analysis with regression was performed to demonstrate the effect the intervention had on quality of life. The intervention elicited a statistically significant difference in the Total Outcome Index quality of life score from baseline to post-intervention (P < .005) and from baseline to follow-up (P < .005) in the intervention group. The frequency of how often fruits and vegetables were consumed was significant between time points, (P < .05), but not between the control and intervention group, P = .538. The amount of fruit and vegetables consumed each time was statistically significant for the intervention group from baseline to post-intervention (P < .05) however there was no significant difference from baseline to follow-up (P = .067). There was no difference between the control and intervention group, (P = .216). There was a statistically significant difference for physical activity for time (P P = .166) however the intervention group has a statistically significant difference between baseline and post-intervention (PP = .082). We cannot confidently predict that participant’s quality of life scores are determined by group with the help of mediators after conducting a mediation analysis with regression. A six-week nutrition and yoga intervention in BCS elicited significant changes in QoL in BCS. Even though the results did not show significant changes between the control and intervention group there were significant changes within the intervention group from baseline to post-intervention and baseline to follow-up which may indicate a 6-week online nutrition education program coupled with a 6-week yoga intervention an effective tool to improve QoL in BCS.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is a major public health concern worldwide. It has been theorized that diets rich in fruits and vegetables may be protective against the development of cardiovascular disease mainly through their high content of flavonoids. Flavonoids were thought to influence traditional risk factors of cardiovascular disease such as blood pressure, lipid profile, and systemic inflammation. Recent clinical studies have shown that this may not be the case. The production of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) by the gut microbiota from dietary sources of choline has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of a high flavonoid diet on gut microbiota composition and plasma trimethylamine oxide concentrations. Potential benefits of this research include the determination of a potential correlation between diet and markers of traditional and non-traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Also, the effects that a high flavonoid diet has on the composition of the gut microbiota and plasma trimethylamine oxide concentrations may provide insight into possible dietary interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Carbohydrates are a major energy source for the human body and particularly glucose is the only energy source for the brain. Thus glucose metabolism is important to maintain normal brain function. Evidence showed insulin resistance and diabetes are associated with cognitive decline and a large amount of highly processed carbohydrate intake; in other words, a high glycemic load diet, which increases blood glucose faster and insulin demand, is associated with increased risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. Based on this premise, the hypothesis that a high glycemic load (GL) diet increases the risk of incident Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was examined among Cache County elderly people in Northern Utah. At the baseline survey, 3,831 participants 65 years of age or older completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and cognitive screening. Observation time to collect the data for incident AD was approximately 10 years. Incident AD was determined by final consensus conference after multi-steps of screening. GL was calculated as the product of carbohydrate intake and glycemic index (GI) and adjusted for energy intake. FFQs from diabetics were considered to be invalid to assess dietary carbohydrates intake and excluded. The analysis was examined separately by gender. The Cox proportional hazard regression model in survival analysis was used to relate GL to incident AD using a time variable with age of AD onset. There was no association in men but a negative association in women in the unadjusted model. Evidence of confounding by total kcal was apparent in women, particularly in the lowest GL group, which had the highest total kcal mean intake. Finally no association between GL and AD was found after adjustment for education, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, Body Mass Index (BMI), physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, APOE ε-4 alleles, multi-vitamins use, total kcal, and controlling interaction between GL and total kcal. The low GL group had unique characteristics in lifestyle factors, macro-nutrients intake, and pattern of food use. The inverse relationship between GL and total kcal may partly be explained by lifestyle factors, particularly alcohol intake. The characteristics of low GL group, current smokers, alcohol users, and their relationship and interaction between total kcal and risk of AD should be explored further.

This study compared the effect of packaging method (0.4% carbon monoxide, 80% oxygen or vacuum), storage time (7, 14 and 21 days) and internal cooking temperature 49, 57, 66, 71 and 79°C) on color and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values of top sirloin steaks and ground beef patties. Ground beef was obtained from 3 different sources (chuck, loin and trim). All samples were stored at 2°C for 7, 14 and 21 days. All raw ground beef samples stored in 0.4% carbon monoxide remained bright red throughout the 21-day storage period. The phenomenon of premature browning (appearance of cooked color at lower than normal cooking temperatures) was observed in samples stored in high oxygen. TBA values were highest for the samples stored in 80% oxygen. Internal a* redness values were lowest for samples stored in 80% oxygen. Percent myogobin denaturation (PMD) increased with increase in internal cooking temperature and was highest for the ground beef samples stored in 80% oxygen. The a* redness values were highest for raw steaks stored in 0.4% CO. Steaks stored in vacuum had a uniform purple color, but some browning was noticed on the surface of the samples by day 14. PMD and TBA values of cooked top sirloin steaks were highest for the samples stored in 80% oxygen This study confirms that high oxygen packaging promotes rancidity in ground beef and top sirloin steaks. Packaging in 0.4% carbon monoxide helps maintain a bright cherry red color in ground beef and top sirloin steaks for up to 21 days.

Lactic acid bacteria are essential as flavor producers of cheese and fermented products. They are capable of catabolizing aromatic, branched chain, and sulfur amino acids to flavor compounds. During cheese ripening the numbers of lactococcal colonies decrease, but lactococci survive without replication in culture. This prompted an investigation into possible mechanisms of catabolism of branched chain amino acids into branched chain fatty acids and the physiological relevance of amino acid catabolism to the bacteria. We hypothesized that lactococci catabolize branched chain amino acids to branched chain fatty acids during nonculturability. Lactococci, lactobacilli, and brevibacteria catabolized both branched chain amino acids and keto acids into branched chain fatty acids. Lactococci survived carbohydrate-limited conditions for over 4 yrs. Their survival was represented by maintaining intracellular ATP, enzyme activity, membrane integrity, capability of ATP- and PMF-dependent substrate transport, transcription, and catabolism of amino acids to fatty acids. Assays conducted with NMR spectroscopy coupled with in silico analysis showed that branched chain substrates are catabolized via keto acids, HMG-CoA, and acetyl-CoA to branched chain fatty acids. A short list of candidate genes was identified for the pathway by gene expression analysis coupled to NMR analysis. The expression of these genes and the presence of the related catabolites were identified in long-term starved cultures of nonculturable lactococci. This verified that catabolism of branched chain amino acids to branched chain fatty acids occurred during the nonculturable state only and in conditions of carbohydrate deprivation. The pathway also facilitated fixation of carbon by lactococci, revealing the mechanism of survival of lactococci over 4 yrs in culture without the addition of external carbon sources. Between strains the availability of carbohydrate and acid stress played significant roles in modulating their ability to produce branched chain catabolites. The ability of lactococci to catabolize branched chain amino acids during sugar starvation represents a shift in carbon catabolic routes. The identified pathway also represented a balance between catabolism and anabolism, suggesting that the bacteria were in a homeostatic state during nonculturability. We accepted the hypothesis that nonculturable lactococci catabolized branched chain amino acids to branched chain fatty acids during starvation./p>