M.S.

Appropriate nutrition is linked to the prevention of several major diseases, yet over 50% of Americans do not eat diets sufficient in the necessary proportions of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Increased interest in health prevention has led to the development of a variety of programs designed to change dietary habits. Most have been only marginally successful. One explanation for their failure is the lack of consideration given to the characteristics of the targeted population in the development of the programs. In this study, a five week multicomponent intervention was designed using marketing and psychological principles to increase the selection of dinner entrees low in fat, calories, and sugar and to improve participants‘ knowledge of and attitude toward appropriate nutrition. Subjects were 8600 students who ate in the dining halls of a large southeastern university. The study investigated the additive effectiveness of three intervention components in three dining halls. One dining hall received availability; the second, availability plus point of choice information; the third, availability‘ plus point of choice information plus an incentive program. The results were derived from three separate sources: cafeteria data, survey data, and individual data. Cafeteria results were not significant. Inspection of daily selection data revealed wide fluctuation in selection across entrees, indicating dramatic changes in student preferences. Inspection of weekly selection means revealed that the incentive program combined with increased availability and point of choice information was initially effective in increasing the selection of the Perfect Balance entree. Prompting was the most effective intervention, yielding an average increase of 31.5% in selection of the Perfect Balance entree. Survey data indicated a minor increase in knowledge in. the information condition. Across all conditions there was a decrease in self-efficacy. Forty-four individuals were involved in a tracking project designed to assess whether the aggregate impact of the interventions reflected consistent change within specific individuals or intermittent change across all individuals. Analyses indicated a significant increase in selection behavior across time ( p <.05). The condition by phase interaction approached significance ( p =.07). The greatest change occurred in the incentive condition with a 16% increase, compared to a .3% increase in the information condition, and a 2.5% increase in the availability condition. The social marketing analysis of the study reveals several important barriers to change: resistance from staff and administration, poor quality entrees, student distrust of the dining hall administration, and limited availability of certain entrees. / Ph. D.

1. A saturation study was conducted on three normal college girls, weighing 50, 43, and 54 kg. Subject I was found to require more than 2.2 mg. per kg. of ascorbic acid or a total of 110 mg. To maintain tissue saturation and subjects II and III were found to require 1.6 mg. per kg. or a total of 67 mg. And 86 mg. respectively. 2. The data for subjects II and III suggest that they may be a relationship between body size and the ascorbic acid requirement, since on the per kg. basis, they both needed the same (1.6 mg. per kg.). However, the fact that subject I required a much greater amount to maintain tissue saturation, more than 2. mg. per kg. Indicates that individual difference may overshadow body size in its effect on requirement of vitamin C. 3. The effect of various factors on the ascorbic acid excretion were observed: a. The correlations between the percentage of ascorbic acid intake excreted and the urinary pH were -.2122, -.315, and -/8588 for subjects I, II, and III respectively, only that of subject III being significant. b. Insignificant correlations of .293, -.2015, and -.0507 were found between the urinary volume and the percentage of ascorbic acid excreted. c. Correlations for subjects I and II between ascorbic acid excretion and cigarettes smoked were .0243 and .3198. Neither was considered significant. d. Insignificant correlations, -.149 and .00286, were found between ascorbic acid excretion and the coffee intake. e. A slightly significant correlation of -.3848 was found between the percentage (Average for the three subjects) of the ascorbic acid intake excreted and the maximum daily temperature. 4. A comparison of the results of this saturation study with two other saturation studies (2, 24) points out that 1.6-1.7 mg. per kg. May be an adequate requirement in most of the cases studied. However, all three studies give data on only thirteen subjects. 5. Suggestions are offered which it is hoped will so simplify the procedure of the saturation test that with efficient planning a much larger number of subjects may be studied: a. Collection and analysis of urine only on test dose days. b. Ad libitum intake of foods containing negligible amounts of vitamin C. c. Determination of the urinary pH at the time of collection. / Master of Science

Assessment methods are continually updated to adequately measure dietary intakes. Rapid Assessment Methodologies, or RAMs, are being developed to quickly measure specific nutrients. Although no perfect measure of an individual’s diet exists, diet records (DRs) are considered the most accurate assessment technique. The goal of this research was to design a short form using the frequency of consumption to detect clientele with high dietary fat intake. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) of 24 foods was developed based on data from national sources and on data on college students. College student FFQ ratings were compared with three-day DRs to determine the foods predicting the fat in their diet. Two RAMs, Fat Factor Short (FF Short) and Fat Factor Long (FF Long) were designed: FF Short (a shortlist of six foods) and FF Long (a longer list of 12 foods). FF Short was the preferred predictor of students consuming a high-fat diet. Short food lists should be useful in predicting dietary fat intake and assist in detecting individuals requiring further educational programs on reducing dietary fat. / Master of Science

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Masters in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / Introduction: Many studies have attempted to establish the association between the academic performance of university students and various factors that impact on academic performance. Students’ socio-economic backgrounds have been cited as a significant predictor of academic success among university students, with first generation students (FG) reporting a lower retention and graduation rate compared to non-first generation (NFG) students. First generation students are those that are the first in a family to enroll in institutions of higher learning, whether college or university, while NFG students, are students whose parents or siblings have attended an institution of higher learning. The low academic success rate among FG students is mainly attributed to unpreparedness for college/university, financial challenges and lack of support from family. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between diet quality, nutrition status and academic performance of first generation and non-first generation university students in Durban. Methodology: A total of 270 randomly selected students (135 FG and 135 NFG) between the ages of 18 and 30 years participated voluntarily in the study. The study was descriptive in nature with a cross-sectional design. Trained fieldworkers administered the questionnaires in an interview setting. A socio-demographic questionnaire measured the socio-economic characteristics of the students; anthropometric measurements were used to determine the nutritional status against the WHO cut-off points; three 24 hour recall questionnaires and a food frequency questionnaire determined their diet quality and nutrition adequacy, and the students’ matric and first year results were used to measure academic performance. The socio-demographic questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and the academic results were captured on Microsoft Excel® and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences® (SPSS) version 21.0. A trained nutrition professional captured and analyzed the 24 hour data using the Food Finder® version 3 computer programme. Results: The sample was fairly representative of both groups of students and genders with 20% (n=52) FG men, (17%; n=44) NFG men, (30%; n=78) FG women, and 33% (n=86) NFG women. The majority of FG (63.1%; n=82) and NFG (59.2%; n=77) students came from townships, and the highest number of students (FG 60.7%; n=79 and NFG 49.3%; n=64) depended on student loans to pay for university fees. Furthermore, most of the FG (76.8%; n=100) and NFG (81.5%; n=106) students lived in university residences. Although the highest number of FG students (38.5%; n=50) had a household income of between R0–R500 compared to the highest number of NFG students having a household income of R501–R1000 per month, the highest number of both groups of students (FG=25.4%; n=33 and NFG=26.2%; n=34) spent R401–R500 per month on food, and almost 50% of both groups of students indicated that they sometimes lacked money to buy food. Non-first generation students were affected by obesity more so than FG students, with one (2.27%) NFG man and 13.92% (n=12) affected by obesity class I (BMI 30-34.99), and 4.65% (n=4) NFG women falling within the obesity class II range (BMI of 35-39.99), compared to none of the FG men affected by obesity, and only 3.85% (n=3). Furthermore, a higher number of NFG students exceeded the WC cut-off points for men (102cm) and women (88cm) compared to FG students, with none of the FG men exceeding the cut-off points for men, compared to 1.82% of NFG men, and only 20.51% of FG women exceeding the cut-off points for women compared to 32.61%. The waist-to-height ratio also indicated that a higher percentage (63.74%) of NFG women exceeded the cut-off point (˃0.5) compared to 60.25% of FG women. Refined carbohydrate based foods made up the majority of the students’ diet, with the top 3 foods among FG and NFG men being carbohydrate based (maize meal pap, bread/rolls, and rice), and the top two foods being rice and bread/rolls among FG and NFG women. All the students (FG and NFG), failed to meet the WHO’s recommendation of consuming ≥400g of fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, between 80-100% of men and women (FG and NFG) failed to meet the RDI’s for calcium, magnesium, and vitamins C, D, E and K. Although both FG and NFG students reported few protein rich sources on the top 20 foods lists, all the students exceeded the DRI for protein with mean (SD) intakes of (62.62g±21.984) by FG men, 70.98g±25.534 (NFG men), 57.97g±23.248 (FG women), and 55.94g±18.397 (NFG women). Carbonated drinks were ranked 6th for both FG and NFG men, and 8th among FG and NFG women, with NFG men reporting a higher per capita intake per day (142.52g) compared to FG men (115.67g) and among women, a per capita intake of 106.07g (FG) 96.95g (NFG). Both FG and NFG students reported low food variety scores (<30 individual foods), with FG men reporting a slightly higher mean (SD) FVS (28.56±10.079) compared to 27.41±10.342 of NFG men, and NFG women reported a higher mean (SD) FVS (29.92±8.549) compared to 28.67±10.775 (FG women). The majority of the students (FG and NFG) reported high food group diversity scores (FGDS), with the majority of men (FG=98.08%; n=51 and NFG=93.18%; n=41) and women (FG=94.9%; n= 74 and NFG=100%; n=86) reporting a high FGDS (6-9 food groups). The matric results of the participants indicated that 100% (n=260) of all the students (FG and NFG) passed matric with a pass rating of 3-6, and the first year academic results indicated that the highest number of FG and NFG students passed the first year of university with a percentage range of 51-74% [FG men=92.31(n=48); NFG men=86.36 (n=38); FG women=93.59% (n=73); and NFG women=84.88 (n=73)]. The first year results also showed that a higher number of NFG (11.36%; n=5) men and women (10.47%; n=9) failed the first year of university compared to the FG men (5.77%; n=3) and women (5.13%; n=4). Conclusion: Although there are some statistically significant correlations between some of the variables, it does not prove conclusively that diet and nutrition status had an impact on the academic performance of this group of students. Due to the lack of diversity with regard to socio-demographic factors, including socio-economic profile and race, no notable differences were observed except in the case of nutrition status, where a higher incident of obesity was observed among NFG students compared to FG students. Inter-gender differences were more apparent compared to inter-generation differences. / M

Competitive swimming is a sport in which "the need to succeed" is stressed and the desire to reach the optimal level of performance--physically, emotionally, and nutritionally is strong. This research sought to investigate whether there were differences in nutrient intakes, percent body fat, and body image between male and female swimmers and their non-athletic counterparts at Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Indiana.The accessible population for this study included those male and female athletes and non-athletes, ages 14 to 18, who attended Muncie Central High School during the 1989-1990 school year.The data indicated that athletes did not differ from non-athletes while males and females did differ significantly in significant differences in height between athletes and non-athletes, primarily due to the differences in the height of female athletes as males appeared to be similar, but female athletes were one-half inch taller, on the average, than female non-athletes. There were no significant differences between the weights of male between athletes and non-athletes,male non-athletes were and female athletes and non-athletes; however, male athletes were 13 lbs. lighter, on the average, than their male counterparts. There was a significant interaction, in percent body fat, significantly fatter than male athletes. There was a tendency for males to have lower scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) than females, suggesting that males were at lower risks for disorders than females.These data suggest that nutrition education programs should be planned to ensure good diets for all students, athletes, and non-athletes. / Department of Home Economics

The purpose of the present study is to determine the calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium content of the composite food, mid-morning fruit juice, fluid milk, and "seconds" of nursery school lunches.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 M32 / Master of Science / Human Nutrition

Thesis (MTech (Consumer Science: Food and Nutrition))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / Objective: To determine the association between the dietary fat knowledge and consumption of foods rich in fat among first-year students in self-catering residence at a university of technology, Cape Town, South Africa. Design: The two concepts – the dietary fat knowledge (represented by dietary fat food knowledge and dietary fat nutrition knowledge) and the consumption of foods rich in fat – were assessed separately. Two norm-referenced, valid and reliable knowledge tests and an intake screening questionnaire were used for the assessments (as subsidiary objectives), before the associations between the concepts were determined (main objective). The dietary fat food and nutrition knowledge as assessed was categorised in the range poor or below average, average and good or above average, and the consumption of foods rich in fat as high, quite high, the typical Western diet, approaching low or desirable. The Pearson‟s chi-square test was applied to these categorical findings to determine if associations (five percent significance) existed between the concepts. Results: The stratified sample included 225 first-year students. Nearly half (48.4%) of them achieved an average fat food knowledge score, while the majority (80.9%) achieved a poor fat nutrition knowledge score. More than half (52.5%) either followed a typical Western diet, a diet quite high in fat or high in fat. While no significant (p > 0.05) association was found between the students‟ dietary fat food knowledge and consumption of foods rich in fat, significant results were found in the association between the students‟ dietary fat nutrition knowledge and consumption of foods rich in fat (p < 0.05) and between their fat food knowledge and fat nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001). Conclusions: An inverse association was found between the students‟ dietary fat nutrition knowledge and fat consumption, a positive association between their dietary fat food knowledge and dietary fat nutrition knowledge, and no association between their dietary fat food knowledge and fat consumption.

Research suggests that participation in the School Breakfast Program positively impacts academic success by improving student behavior, cognitive functioning, and attendance. Additionally, the School Breakfast Program appears to improve food insecurity, overall health and weight-related issues. However, compared to the National School Lunch Program, participation in the School Breakfast Program has been historically low, especially at the high school level. Using an integrated composite framework, a combination of social cognitive theory and ecological systems theory, as the conceptual model, this qualitative case study explored factors influencing student breakfast eating and participation in the school's breakfast program within a college-preparatory high school serving culturally diverse, predominantly low-income students. I used an all-staff survey as a qualitative data collection tool, and semi-structured interviews with school staff, student focus groups, and a Draw-A-High-School-Student-Breakfast Test to collect qualitative data. Using thematic networks as an analysis tool, I examined the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of school staff and students about breakfast eating and participation in the school's breakfast program. The study found that communication about the School Breakfast Program, arriving to school in time to eat, and relationships with food service staff, influence participation in the School Breakfast Program. The findings are discussed in terms of their significance on practice and policy within both education and public health sectors. The study concludes with recommendations for future research.