RED-S is a syndrome that stems from low energy availability (LEA) in athletes. It can impact numerous physiological and psychological functions, as well as negatively affect performance. Because RED-S is a relatively new syndrome, there are few studies showing the impact of RED-S on performance and physiological factors. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the consequences of induced LEA in relation to RED-S in male athletes. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, Five studies were deemed eligible based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies measured risk of RED-S through body composition, bone mineral density, clinical biomarkers, and performance. Studies ranged in duration from 2- 8 weeks with a decrease in energy availability of 50% or 25%. Of the five studies investigated, data showed significant changes lactate metabolism and IGF-1,non-significant changes in body composition, and inconclusive changes in performance.

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge of diabetes and promote healthy lifestyle behaviors to reduce diabetes onset in a community with a relatively high incidence of type 2 diabetes. Three hundred eighty seven students grades 7 – 12 participated in the program and taste test. Changes in knowledge before and after an educational program focusing on diabetes prevention were measured by comparison of identical pre, post, and retention tests. Students were also asked to name specific behaviors they could use to decrease the risk of diabetes. Responses were analyzed using Chi square analysis and content analysis. Overall, respondents demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge. The taste test was very well accepted, with 50% of respondents preferring low fat milk instead of a higher fat option. Goals set by participants to decrease the risk of diabetes strongly emphasized physical activity and healthy eating, further indicating increased knowledge and awareness.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the nutritional needs of high-risk community members are met by supplemental food baskets distributed by charitable groups in northeast Tennessee. Hunger is a real problem among the area's elderly population, as 14.3% of the populations live at or below the poverty level. Data were collected using observation interviews at the food bank. A nutrient analysis tool was used to analyze the nutrient content of food items in a standard food basket. The findings were compared to the recommended dietary allowance for the elderly population. The supplemental food basket was adequate in calories but deficient in some nutrients especially calcium. In order to improve the quality of supplemental food baskets, organizations should solicit for highly nutritious foods that can better meet the nutritional needs of the elderly population.

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge of the effects of prenatal substance use and to introduce the special nutritional needs of pregnancy in two counties in a region with high rates of low birth weight and prenatal substance abuse. A comparison of the efficacy of the educational program being delivered by a registered dietitian or by a group of high school students trained by the dietitian was performed. One hundred six high school students participated in the program and took identical pre- and posttests. The tests were compared to measure knowledge gain and were analyzed by paired t-tests. All respondents demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge. The group receiving instruction from the registered dietitian and the group receiving instruction from the trained high school students demonstrated virtually identical gains in knowledge as measured by the testing instruments.

The purpose of this study was to determine if cardiac nutrition education can affect dietary patterns of subjects participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Surveys, a pretest given prior to the first cardiac class and a second identical test, administered following cardiac rehabilitation classes, were conducted. Fifty-five randomly selected participants from the outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Program were initially given the posttest. Thirty-three of the 55 surveys were returned. Cardiac health classes offered by various health professionals included cardiac nutrition education, group nutrition classes, guest lectures on nutrition, and cooking demonstrations. The tests were compared to measure changes in diet and were analyzed for both surveys. Paired t-tests were used for analysis along with frequency, percentage and group statistics. The majority of the respondents demonstrated a statistically significant healthy increase in dietary changes after having participated in the classes.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether serum prealbumin levels would serve as a predictor of hospital length of stay for elderly orthopedic patients who underwent hip replacement surgery. The study consisted of a set of 54 patients admitted to a hospital in Bristol, Tennessee. Patients with depleted prealbumin levels, low to low/normal prealbumin levels, or normal prealbumin levels were analyzed. Data collected from a retrospective chart review included: age, length of stay, serum glucose, sodium, potassium, hematocrit, hemoglobin, BUN, creatinine, WBC, prealbumin, and post operative diet consumption. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance for treatment effects. Because of the limited size of the data set, probabilities approaching p<0.10 were considered and levels of p<0.05 were considered significant. The research failed to show a significant relationship between prealbumin levels at admission and length of patient stay during post-operative recovery.

Teachers and food service employees at a middle school in Washington County, Tennessee were surveyed to determine their perceptions of a recently implemented nutrition program in their school. The nutrition program was designed to address childhood obesity concerns via cafeteria food selections. All teachers and food service employees were eligible to receive surveys. Participants included 19 teachers (5 males, 14 females) and 5 food service employees (1 male, 4 females) employed by Washington County Department of Education and working at Boones Creek Middle School. Survey questions were based on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were insufficient to complete statistical analysis; however, findings indicated that teachers and food service employees felt the nutrition program was less than effective in making changes to the obesity problems in their school.

Sarcopenia is a growing health problem in this country as more Americans are living well into old age. It has been thought that a higher protein intake may be related to greater lean muscle mass as well as greater muscular strength and physical functioning. The purpose of this research was to examine protein intake and its relationship to lean body mass and physical functioning in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. This research used cross-sectional data from the NHANES 2003-2004 to examine the relationship between protein intake, as an average from two 24h recalls, and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) lean body mass measures. Additionally, these lean body mass measures were examined as predictive of Physical Limitation Score (PLS), an index created from self-reported difficulty in performing basic activities of daily living. Protein intake was examined as total grams of intake, a percentage of total daily energy and as a percent contributed by animal foods. The lean body mass measures used in this analysis included: total lean mass, appendicular lean mass, muscle mass index [lean mass / height (m2)], appendicular lean mass [appendicular lean mass / height (m2)] and percent lean body mass. Questions used to create the self-reported index of functioning, the Physical Limitation Score (PLS), included difficulty in independently: walking ¼ mile, walking up ten stairs without resting, lifting and carrying 10lbs and standing from an armless straight chair. It was found that protein intake significantly, positively predicted lean body mass in select age-gender groups, while more often in men than in women. Total grams of protein intake positively predicted total and appendicular muscle mass index in men ages 19-50 (p-value <0.05), appendicular muscle mass index in men ages 51-70 (p-value 0.038) and percent lean mass in men 71+ years (p-value 0.026). Protein as a percent of energy was a significant, positive predictor of appendicular lean mass in men 19-50 (p-value 0.048), muscle mass index in women 19-50 (p-value 0.007), appendicular muscle mass index in women 19-50 (p-value 0.024) and percent lean mass in men 71+ years (p-value 0.019). Protein as a percent of energy was a significant negative predictor of percent lean mass in older women 71+ years (p-value 0.046). Protein as a percent contributed by animal foods was not a significant predictor of lean mass in any age-gender group. It was also found that Physical Limitation Score (PLS) was surprisingly positively predicted by total and appendicular lean and total and appendicular muscle mass index in nearly all age-gender groups (p-value <0.05) or at least moderately, positively predicted by these (p-value <0.10), meaning that having a greater amount of lean mass predicted greater physical limitation. The only exception was percent lean mass, which was a significant negative predictor of PLS in men and women 60-70 years (p-value <0.05). In this case, a higher percent lean mass was associated with less physical limitation. Additional follow-up analyses revealed that total body fat mass (kg) and percent body fat were significant positive predictors of PLS in most age-gender groups (p-value <0.05), indicating that higher amounts of body fat predicted greater self-reported limitation. Protein expressed as total grams per day or as a percent of total daily energy were generally significant or marginally significant predictors of lean mass in men of all ages but not often in women while protein as a percent contributed by animal foods was not found to be a significant predictor in any age-gender group. Total lean mass, total fat mass and total percent body fat were generally significant positive predictors of physical limitation, calling into question the functional implications of body composition in an older population. Results suggest that in older adults, excess body fat may be a stronger predictor of physical limitation than low lean muscle mass.

Body fat distribution has been identified as a more significant risk factor for metabolic-related diseases. This study investigated whether body fat distribution affects dietary outcomes (quality and intake), anthropometric measures, body composition, and skin carotenoid levels. A cross-sectional study with 91 female students was conducted. Thirty-one percent of participants (n=28) had an android body fat distribution. Body fat distribution was associated with WC and WHtR (p

Breastfeeding rates in America are lower than other high-income countries, with Mississippi having one of the lowest rates. A survey using the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) was distributed twice to Mississippi State University students to understand their breastfeeding attitudes. Attitudes were determined by calculating a composite score and conducting statistical tests for significance. Knowledge between health and non-health related majors were explored by using five statements, and attitudes towards the statement “Breastmilk is the ideal food for babies” were compared across demographics. Of 642 respondents, the composite score was 57.3 out of 85, and all demographics had a neutral score (between 49-69). All demographics agreed that “Breastmilk is the ideal food for babies” and health (46.1%) and non-health related majors (53%) had similar knowledge towards breastfeeding. College students may become parents, so understanding their attitudes can provide insight into their feeding methods and educational needs.