Studies have estimated total daily salt consumption in the U.S. at 10 - 14.5 grams, despite increasing public awareness and decreased usage by the food industry. To avoid excess governmental regulation to modify current salt intake, determination of the amount of salt currently being used in a discretionary manner is needed. This study investigated the feasibility/limitations of a data collection technique to assess discretionary salt intake in in-flight meal service, Discretionary salt use by airline passengers was determined by weighing salt packets remaining on used meal trays. Results showed an average discretionary salt consumption of 167 milligrams/meal among passengers able to add up to one gram of salt to their meal. At least 63% of the passengers used no discretionary salt, Intake was not influenced by sodium content of the menu, different flight days, or inclusion of a salad with the meal. Salt usage appeared to be an "indescriminate" function of habit. The data collection tool proved a feasible method for estimating discretionary salt intake and could be useful in future consumer education studies.

A healthy diet has been established as a key component contributing to an individual’s quality of life. Statistics show that the diet of Americans needs improvement (Guenther et al., 2007) indicating possible lack knowledge of what healthy eating behaviors are. There is an abundance of nutrition misinformation available to the consumer (American Dietetic Association, 2002a). Dietary interventions that provide credible education based on readiness to change behaviors and goal setting have been successful in increasing awareness of what healthy eating behaviors are and changing existing behaviors over time (Ammerman et al., 2002; Evans & Sawyer-Morse, 2002; Gambera et al., 1995; Hebert et al., 1999; Oenema & Brug, 2003; Proper, et al., 2003). In an effort to provide a college community with credible nutrition education based on dietary analysis and stage of change, a nutrition assessment and consultation program was developed and implemented at a college campus during the fall 2003 quarter. It was integrated into the existing fitness testing and prescription program, polyFIT. Seven students, referred to as fitness consultants, majoring in Nutrition or Kinesiology were recruited and trained to distribute appropriate education based on individual clients’ dietary analysis, a stage of change assessment and personal goals. Intervention materials were constructed using a variety of resources focusing on areas of nutrition. Thirty clients participated during the fall 2003 quarter; all were freshman and sophomores enrolled in a Healthy Living course. Separate survey questionnaires were designed for the consultants and the clients to gather their perceptions of the program components. PolyFIT continued to offer the program, modifying it over time, for at least 4 years after the initial implementation.

The importance of proper nutrition education among older adults is crucial in promoting overall physical health and management of chronic health conditions. However, access to such education has been limited, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the current boom in social media popularity, as well as virtual communication portals such as Zoom, the question must be asked if nutrition education could be effectively implemented for the use of older adults through these electronic channels. The study design for this particular research was a cross sectional survey to inform development of an online nutrition education program for older adults in Northeast Tennessee. (Appendix B). The survey was distributed as a paper-based survey in seven senior centers and as an online Qualtrics survey distributed by all senior center directors in Northeast Tennessee. A total of 160 surveys were collected (61 paper-based, 99 online), with 150 surveys being complete. Frequencies showed that the majority of participants have internet access and use social media platforms, such as Facebook and YouTube, which was not affected by home location, such as rural versus urban. Most participants were interested in participating in a nutrition education program. The survey also revealed more information about seniors in Northeast Tennessee that will be helpful when developing this program.

In westernized culture, there is a deficit of healthy fats in the average person’s diet. Decreased intake of omega-3 fatty acids has been correlated to many different conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic inflammatory issues. The “Mediterranean Diet” has been proposed as an ideal way to combat these issues. This diet promotes fish as a protein source and as a way to increase intake of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Due to location and dietary trends, fish is less often the main component of Northeast Tennessee's diet. This study investigated ways to fortify a more commonly consumed food in western culture, marinara sauce, with flaxseed oil, walnut oil, or anchovies. These fortified marinara sauces were compared to a commercial sauce, Paul Newman’s Marinara. We hypothesized that adding omega-3 rich ingredients to a base marinara sauce recipe will significantly vary the fatty acid profile and increase the amount of omega-3 fatty acids and decrease the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio. Marinara sauces were prepared and analyzed using proximate analysis methods to evaluate each variant sauce for macronutrient distribution. Preparation included cooking, freeze-drying, and grinding the variants into a fine powder. The tests that we performed included: bomb calorimetry, Kjeldahl protein analysis, Soxhlet fat analysis, ash/mineral analysis, FRAP Assay of antioxidant content, and gas chromatography to characterize fatty acid profiles. The focus of our proximate analysis was investigating the fatty acid composition to answer our main research question. Other tests conducted allowed us to understand better the nutrient composition of the 3 variants for possible future studies. The three variants showed a better omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio than the Paul Newman’s sauce. Samples with the highest to lowest omega-6 to omega-3 ratio were Paul Newman's Marinara, Anchovies, Walnut Oil, Flaxseed Oil, respectively. Gas chromatography showed different concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids as (% area under the curve): flaxseed oil (32.42%), walnut oil (7.637%), anchovies (3.018%), and Paul Newman’s Marinara (1.599%). All three variant sauces, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and anchovy, compared to the commercial Paul Newman's sauce, had better omega-3 fatty acid content and lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. In conclusion, simple additions of omega-3 ingredients to marinara sauce could decrease the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the diet.

This study aimed to implement and assess a school-based multi-component intervention aimed at increasing elementary school-aged children's knowledge of, preference for, and intake of vegetables. The multi-component intervention included lunchroom exposure, nutrition curriculum in the classroom, after school program vegetable curriculum, family friendly nutrition newsletter, vegetable fair and parent cooking class. Lunchtime vegetable consumption was assessed by direct observation. Changes in preference, attitude, and knowledge were assessed using a pre- and post-intervention survey. The multi-component intervention was implemented at Canyon Elementary during the 2008-2009 school year. Classroom teachers provided 20 minutes of nutrition education to students in grades one through five (n=450) once every month from September 2008 through May 2009. Students who participated in the after school program received additional education once a week for three weeks each month. Overall, no significant difference was observed between children's pre- and post-intervention except for their willingness to try new vegetables. Students in grades second and fourth (n=81) were asked to participate in a plate-waste study by allowing researchers to photograph the amount of vegetables they selected and consumed during (p=0.483) second and (p=0.467) fourth pre-intervention and (p=0.71) second and (p=0.34) fourth post-intervention lunch-period. No change in vegetable consumption was observed (p >0.05). Although the intervention was well received by Canyon Elementary administration, teachers, food-service director, and students, we observed not significant changes in the outcomes we assessed. The results of this study are not consistent with other multi-component school-based interventions that have effectively changed diet- related behaviors among children. Additional work in this area at this school should include additional validated outcomes assessments, changes to the selection of vegetables offered to children in school lunch menus, and a stronger parent involvement.

There is currently much interest in the comparative health benefits of various meat products, including pasture-fed beef. However, little is known about the specific pasture-finishing diets (mixed forages, alfalfa, or sainfoin, compared to grain) on meat quality, consumer preferences, and human health. Thus, additional information is needed to better understand and develop new animal feeding regimes for optimum animal growth, meat flavor, and meat nutritional quality. The objective of the current study was to examine how animal diets, including secondary metabolites in the diet, affect meat chemical characteristics, meat quality, and nutritional value. In study 1 (Chapter 3), grain- vs. pasture-fed beef rib steaks were evaluated. Ribs from pasture-fed animals had a much lower fat content (P < 0.01), which was its main positive nutritional attribute. Pasture-fed beef had more (P < 0.05) omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef, but was only a moderately good source of PUFA, compared to salmon. Pasture-fed beef had higher antioxidant capacity and lower measures of oxidation (P < 0.05). Pasture and grain diets influenced the volatile profile of cooked meat. Flavor descriptors barny, gamey, and grassy were associated with pasture feeding, and were uniquely shown in this study to be positively correlated with specific aroma volatiles benzaldehyde, toluene, dimethyl sulfone, 3- heptanone, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (P < 0.05). In study 2 (Chapter 4), the effects of legume pasture-finishing of beef cattle on meat quality were evaluated, comparing alfalfa pasture (containing saponins) versus sainfoin pasture (containing tannins). No strong differences (P > 0.05) were found between the two legume diets in all meat characteristics, indicating that sainfoin was similar to alfalfa as a cattle forage. Similar (P > 0.05) low TBA values after 12 d of storage at 2 °C were obtained from both diets, comparable to pasture-fed beef from study 1. This verified the prolonged retail shelf life benefit of forage-fed beef, compared to grain-fed beef. In study 3 (Chapter 5), lambs fed four different diets, plain/control (P), tanninsrich diet (T), saponins-rich diet (S), or choice of them (C), were evaluated on metabolomics profiles using GC/MS technique. Forty metabolites were detected (30 named and 10 unknown). A principal component analysis (PCA) plot showed a clear separation of P, T, and S diet treatments while the C diet was overlapped with S and P diets, indicating that S or P diets were preferred while the T diet was avoided. In summary, the effects of ruminant diets on meat characteristics depended on the type and concentration of plant secondary compounds (PSC), especially the PSC levels contained in the pastures.

No description available.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of death worldwide. Previous research supports a relationship between vitamin D and TBI outcomes; however, they rely on animal studies. This review aimed to examine the neuroprotective role of vitamin D in humans with TBIs. A search was completed (PubMed and Scopus) following PRISMA guidelines to review publications investigating the relationship between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and TBI or the effect of vitamin D supplementation on TBI outcomes; 8 studies were identified. Patients had thefollowing ranges: 26-88% deficiency and 62-88% insufficiency compared to 24% and 49% of the general population. Supplementation reduced ventilation duration, improved the quality of consciousness, and significantly improved mini-mental status examination scores. Research showed high percentages VDD/insufficiency in TBI patients. Results remain consistent suggesting a neuroprotective effect of vitamin D. Further research is needed to understand the effect of vitamin D status and supplementation on TBIs.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of selected physical socio-environmental variables on total percent body fat. The sample population consisted of single, LDS, white women attending Brigham Young University (BYU) and California State University at Fullerton (CSUF). Significant data as well as trends that appeared were included in this paper.From the data collected, it was concluded that the sample populations at BYU and CSUF were the same. The incidence of obesity was determined only among individuals attending both universities. The entire sample population mean was 22.19 percent. This percentage did not meet the obesity criteria.Analysis of data indicated a high correlation at the 0.05 level of confidence between total percent body fat and the variables of age, height, and weight.

The general objective of this investigation was to implement and strengthen family orchards for the diversification of the diet and improvement of the consumption of vegetables and fruits available in the communities of the Rinconada and Cuambo. They collaborated in the implementation and strengthening of the family orchards and by means of focal group techniques determined the readiness, seasonal variance, and alimentary habits of the available vegetables and fruits. They made 10 nutritive preparations in each community in participating shops with the foods that were harvested in the orchards and with the help of consistent educational material as 2 three-page leaflets about the “Importanceâ of Iron in the Daily Dietâ and el Importance of Vitamin A in the Daily Diet, mothers were trained. Among the principle results they were able to determine that the women were very interested in having family orchards, since it allowed them to have fresh vegetables without the need of going to the market. The majority of families have gardens and orchards for both vegetables and fruits. In the community of the Rinconada they cultivate yellow carrot, chard, cabbage, and onion. In the community of Cuambo, tomato kidney, pepper, onion paitena, and pickle any time of the year are cultivated. Families from the Rinconada have more orchards with fruit than those of the Cuambo which produce tree tomato, taxo, and blackberries. In Cuambo they produce banana, papaya, watermelon, mango, lime, avocado, guava and custard apple. The vegetables and fruits most ready, determined through focal groups, are the same ones that are produced in the orchards and families from both communities donât have the habit of buying vegetables in the market. In Rinconada, the cultivations are seasonal and the surpluses of the harvests are wasted because they have not applied appropriate elaboration and conservation techniques. All the families in the communities investigated like all the vegetables and fruits that they harvest in their family gardens, the vegetables preferably added to soups and very little to salads. The majority of mothers in these communities know that these foods are important to eat every day if they want to grow strong and prevent illness. However, these mothers donât know how to prepare, for which reason they proceeded to prepare recipes that were adapted to the habits and tastes of the consumers, the same ones that were accepted in the communities, this action helped to increase the consumption of vegetables in the different times of eating, like in lunch and dinner in the two communities, where few families eat breakfast. The consumption of fruits is minimal in Rinconada, and in Cuambo the situation improves as long as they consume it during different times of eating.