There is an ongoing and increasing interest in the significant and essential role that food plays in the health and survival of all people. As masticatory efficiency diminishes drastically in edentulous patients, many researchers in the past two decades have been studying how dietary intake varies when different types of oral rehabilitation are provided. Since the use of implants to support prostheses in edentulous mandibles has been shown to significantly improve masticatory performance, the question remains as to whether this improvement will influence nutritional status. In the present study, we used several nutritional markers to compare the nutritional status of edentulous patients who randomly received either mandibular conventional dentures or implant-supported overdentures one year previously. Although the conventional denture wearers reported having more difficulty chewing hard foods, no significant differences were detected in any of the nutritional markers. Therefore, even though chewing is more difficult for the patients wearing conventional dentures, it appears that the nutritional status of these two groups is similar.

Iron deficiency anaemia is associated with several ill-health effects. Its treatment and/or control with iron preparations in malaria endemic areas has, however, been implicated to increase host susceptibility to malaria infection. Scientific evidence accumulated to date remains equivocal about the presence of this increased susceptibility. The present work was planned to address the existing controversy by assessing the effect of oral iron supplementation on host susceptibility to malaria infection. / A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled field trial of oral ferrous sulphate supplementation in schoolchildren 5 to 14 years of age was carried out in northwest Ethiopia where transmission of malaria is high. A total of 500 school children, all with mild-to-moderate iron deficiency, were randomly assigned to receive either ferrous sulphate (60 mg elemental iron per day) or a look-alike placebo, over a period of 12 weeks. Follow-up continued for 24 weeks post-randomization. / Children who received iron supplementation tended to develop more clinical attacks of malaria than those children who received placebo, although the difference between the groups was not statistically significant, either during the initial 12 week supplementation period (RR = 1.59; 95% CI: 0.92-2.75) or during the 24 weeks of follow-up (RR = 1.45; 95% CI: 0.95-2.20). Similarly, a trend of increased risk of malaria infection (parasitemia) was noted in the iron-supplemented group over the 24 week follow-up period (RR = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.98-1.52). No difference in any other outcome measure (spleen rate, average enlarged spleen index, and parasite density index) was observed between the groups either during the 12 weeks of supplementation or the 24 weeks of follow-up. / This study suggests that iron supplementation, in areas where iron deficiency and malaria co-occur, may enhance host susceptibility to malaria infection. Thus, approaches to control or prevent iron deficiency anaemia in malaria endemic areas should be integrated with malaria control activities in order to minimize the unintended effects of malaria infection while providing the greatest benefit.

Objectives. To estimate calcium and vitamin D intakes in Canadian men and women, to compare these intakes to Canadian guidelines, and to determine factors associated with intake of these nutrients. / Methods. We estimated intakes of calcium and vitamin D from both diet and supplements using cross-sectional data from 9,423 randomly selected subjects 25 years of age and older who completed an interviewer administered abbreviated food frequency questionnaire. The participants were recruited from July 1995 to September 1997 in nine centres across Canada. We characterized the relationships of calcium and vitamin D with socio-demographic and lifestyle variables, physical characteristics, medical diagnosis and use of osteoporosis related medications. / Results. The median daily intake for calcium was estimated to be 930 (interquartile range (IQR) = 589;1360) mg for women, and 774 (IQR = 507;1155) mg for men; for vitamin D, intakes were 3.6 (IQR = 1.1;10.0) pg and 2.7 (IQR = 0.9;7.5) pg for women and men, respectively. Age and study centre were found to be associated with calcium and vitamin D intakes in both genders. Other variables associated with calcium intake included vitamin D intake, weekly energy expenditure and femoral neck bone mineral density. Factors found to be associated with vitamin D intake in both genders included calcium intake, height and caffeine intake. / Conclusions. The only group that on average met adequate daily intake levels for calcium was women aged 51-70. For vitamin D, on average, women and men under age 51 met adequate intake levels. Further education programs may be required to encourage increased consumption of these nutrients.

Background. Worldwide, the incidence of Crohn's Disease (CD) has been rising in the last thirty years. It has no known causal factor, and remains incurable today. Using a hospital registry of French Canadian CD patients, a case-control study was undertaken in 1989 to assess potential risk factors for CD. / Methods. 49 CD cases and 48 controls (healthy family members) answered a food frequency questionnaire that referred to dietary exposure at the time of CD diagnosis. / Results. CD patients were younger than family controls: 35 years vs. 41 years (p = 0.001). They also had more years of schooling (8.0 years vs. 5.0 years; p = 0.017) and held higher skilled work (OR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.08-0.69). Univariate analyses showed that CD patients consumed more carbohydrate-rich and less fiber-rich foods than controls: OR cornflakes = 3.43 (95% CI: 1.40-7.91); OR white bread = 8.75 (95% CI: 3.01-25.42); OR high fiber bread = 0.09 (95% CI: 0.03-0.23); OR fruit and vegetable intake = 0.24 (95% CI: 0.09-0.60). Multivariate conditional logistic regression modeling confirmed that cornflakes, white bread and to a lesser extent, fiber, were associated with CD: OR cornflakes = 5.23 (95% 1.02-26.91); OR white bread = 7.91 (95% CI: 1.16- 54.11); OR fiber = 0.36 (95% CI: 0.01-1.30). / Conclusions. Although this original study confirms previous results, the possibility that biases, namely reverse-causality and recall, may have influenced associations between dietary factors and CD, warrants further research. A nested case-control study may offer an interesting design.

In order to determine the role of nutritional status as a predictor of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 348 patients with severe airway obstruction were followed for 1 to 3 years. Baseline measurements were done on patients recruited for a clinical trial of negative pressure ventilation in severe COPD. When adjusted for the severity of disease, as assessed by the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV$ sb1$) and the use of oxygen therapy, body mass index (BMI) was a significant predictor of mortality in the recruited group. The relative risk (RR) for BMI comparing the 25$ sp{ rm th}$ to the 75$ sp{ rm th}$ percentile was 1.86 (1.76, 1.97). Both BMI and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) were the nutritional parameters which significantly predicted mortality in the subgroup of randomized patients when adjusted for the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO$ sb2$) and use of oxygen therapy. The RR's comparing the 25$ sp{ rm th}$ to the 75$ sp{ rm th}$ percentile for BMI and TSF respectively, were 2.09 (1.92, 2.27) and 1.80 (1.66, 1.96).

<p> The purpose of this project was to create a tool to evaluate web-based educational sources that are geared towards Latino parents with preschool children to combat childhood obesity and to promote healthy lifestyles. The goals of this project were to increase awareness of the Latino childhood obesity problem and provide a tool to web developers to aid in the development of culturally appropriate nutrition education websites for preschool Latino children. </p><p> The primary evaluation tool is organized into eleven groups: site content, site functionality, site design, layout, readability, user learning experience, type style, use of color, photos and illustrations, non-English site development, and site evaluation. All criteria were included based on evidence-based research and a review of literature. A feasibility study was conducted to review the primary evaluation tool and a content evaluation form for users provided feedback. </p>

<p> Aging is broadly defined as the deterioration of bodily tissues over time. Excluding death due to infectious disease or accidents, aging is what ultimately places finite limits on lifespan and healthspan, the time in which in individual remains active and in good health. Although healthspan and lifespan are intimately linked, it is the extension of human healthspan that is a major goal of gerontological research. Such an achievement would have broad social and economic benefits and importantly would mitigate the dire consequences of the predicted future rise in the prevalence of age-related diseases due to the growing proportion of the population that is of advanced age (65yr and over). A broad understanding of the physiological, metabolic, hormonal, cellular and molecular factors that contribute to aging and lifespan determination will allow for the development of strategies to extend healthspan. </p><p> The work presented herein describes the use of three unique mouse models of extended healthspan and maximum lifespan, including calorie restricted (CR), Snell Dwarf and rapamycin-treated mice, to investigate several factors linked to healthspan and lifespan determination in mammals. These factors include reduced insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) expression, reduced cell proliferation, reduced protein synthesis and enhanced proteome stability. Using these three models the following conclusions have been drawn: 1) Physiological adaptations to CR previously suggested to confer the healthspan and lifespan benefits of CR in rodents cannot account for the global cell proliferation rate-lowering effect of CR; 2) Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is not necessary for the reduction in IGF-1 or the reduction in global cell proliferation rates in response to moderate CR in adult mice; 3) A reduction in global cell proliferation rates is not a consistent predictor of maximum lifespan extension in mice; 4) A reduction in hepatic protein replacement rates is a sensitive and early predictor of maximum lifespan extension in mice and likely reflects a more stable and functional proteome.</p>

<p> Over the past two decades, Americans' omega-3 FA intake has been decreasing while the U.S. rate of depression diagnoses and antidepressant prescriptions have been increasing. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the relationship between dietary omega-3 FA intake and depression scores using a sample data set of U.S. adult survey participants in the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Specifically, this study examined the relationship between depression scores and dietary EPA, dietary DHA and total 30-day supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Results showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between each independent variable and total depression scores; furthermore, indicating that as dietary EPA, DHA and 30-day PUFA intakes increase, depression scores decrease. Although results were statistically significant, the <i>R²</i> values suggest low predictive power; thus, results are not generalizable to the entire population.</p>

<p> The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the impact of enteral nutrition (EN) support factors on days of mechanical ventilation (MV) and length of stay (LOS) in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) among subjects age 3 7 weeks to 21 years. Specifically, nutrition support factors included a) days to reach prescribed calories, b) days to reach prescribed protein, c) percentage of prescribed calories received, and d) percentage of prescribed protein received through the use of EN.</p><p> Purposive sampling was used to select subjects that received nutrition support in the PICU. Data was collected via chart review within the time frame January 1, 2011 to August 1, 2013.</p><p> The results demonstrated MV days and LOS were significantly different for patients who reached prescribed calories and protein within 72 hours of admission. LOS was also significantly different for patients who received at least 80% prescribed calories.</p>

<p> Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with neuroprotection and cognitive benefits throughout the life span. These associations have sparked interest in plant-derived polyphenols as biologically active agents with potential for targeting brain benefits. However, little is known regarding the ability of the polyphenols or their metabolites from polyphenol-rich products to cross the blood-brain-barrier, and be available for biological action. Furthermore, additional insight is needed on factors affecting the absorption and brain distribution of polyphenol metabolites <i>in vivo.</i> To fill gap in current knowledge, this thesis will focus on the effects of diabetogenic diet and diabetic state which have been considered potential risk factors for neurodegenerative disease on polyphenol bioavailability from a 'Standardized Grape Polyphenol' (grape seed extract, Concord grape juice and resveratrol). Additionally, this thesis will provide novel evidence on plasma pharmacokinetics and regional brain distribution of polyphenol metabolites from apple/grape seed and bilberry extracts in a weaning piglet model. </p><p> We have found that background diabetogenic diet had limited effects on polyphenol plasma levels and brain bioavailability in a healthy Sprague-Dawley rat model. However, the diabetic state negatively influenced polyphenol metabolite levels in plasma and brain tissues, possibly in part, due to excessive excretion in urine. By using a young piglet model, we determined plasma pharmacokinetics of polyphenol metabolites using physiological and pharmacological doses of apple/grape seed and bilberry extracts. We found that in a physiological dose achievable by supplementation, polyphenol metabolites were able to cross blood-brain barrier to deposit in the brain. There was a difference in regional brain deposition with cerebellum being a preferred site for accumulation. Our data warrant the future design of functional tests on aging-related diseases, specifically Alzheimer's disease as well as improvement in cognitive and memory in healthy infant/child model.</p>