Eating disorders and disordered eating habits and behaviors were measured using the Eating Disorders Inventory-3 Referral Form (EDI-3 RF). The sample consisted of 159 elite, collegiate student athletes, males and females, aged 18 to 22. Five sports were represented, including basketball, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, and volleyball. Overall, findings support the position that athletes, as a distinct population, and specifically female athletes and those that participate in lean sports, are at an increased risk for disordered eating behaviors and diagnosable eating disorders. Of the 159 total athletes that completed the questionnaire, 33% (n=53) of the athletes sampled met one or more referral criteria based on reported behavior in the 3 months prior. A total of 37 athletes were referred to professional healthcare providers for meeting criteria of disordered eating behavior according the the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 Referral Form.

Serum vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and elevated blood pressure are important health concerns especially among minorities with type 2 diabetes. The effect of vitamin D3 supplementation (cholecalciferol) at 6,000 IU/day (d) vs. 4,000 IU/d on kidney function and cardiovascular disease markers among Hispanics and African Americans with type 2 diabetes and hypovitaminosis D (/ml) was evaluated. Subjects (n=63) were recruited from two clinics in Miami-Dade County, FL. Fasting venous blood and fresh, single-voided first morning urine samples were collected from each participant by a certified phlebotomist and analyzed by Solstas Lab Partners, Davie, FL. Linear mixed models were used to compare the interaction between time and intervention. Least Significant Difference (LSD) comparisons were used to detect significant differences within and between 4,000 IU/d and 6,000 IU/d groups from baseline, 3 and 6 months. In the 4,000 IU/d and 6,000 IU/d groups, a significant increase in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were observed from baseline [(19.9±1.1 ng/mL) and (21.4±1.3 ng/mL)] to 3 months [(36.1±2.2 ng/mL, p3 longer than 6 months may be needed to determine sustained long term effects in kidney and cardiovascular disease markers. Further research could provide more information for translation of these findings into recommendations for individuals with CKD, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The efficacy of vitamin D3 supplementation as complementary therapy for CKD and blood pressure in minority and other ethnic groups needs further investigation in larger and longer duration randomized controlled trials.

Sarcopenia is a disease of muscle wasting primarily seen in older adults. Although this term was first coined over three decades ago, there is a lack of consensus on a definition, screening criteria, and treatment protocol for sarcopenia. The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States (U.S.) screen for sarcopenia. Study participants were recruited through a randomized email list and included RDNs throughout the U.S. Respondents completed a survey questioning knowledge of sarcopenia, screening tools and company protocols in place, and the need and desire for sarcopenia education. Data revealed a lack of pre-existing protocols in place, a dissonance of validated and unvalidated screening tools used in practice, and substantial need for sarcopenia education.

Understanding how intimate relationships influence physical health has been an important topic of focus; however, research remains unclear on the mechanisms through which this influence occurs. The purpose of this study was to examine how relationship satisfaction relates to diet quality, through mental health (depression and anxiety) and diet self-efficacy. Using a dyadic mediation model with a sample of 234 heterosexual couples, researchers found that women's higher relationship satisfaction was associated with better diet through lower depression and higher diet self-efficacy. Results revealed the same association between women's relationship satisfaction and diet through lower anxiety. Interestingly, rather than mediation through mental health, the association between men's relationship satisfaction and diet was mediated through their partners' diet self-efficacy. This presentation will review the gendered pathways by which relationship satisfaction influences diet in heterosexual couples and discuss the important implications of these findings for tracing how intimate relationships affect overall well-being.

Home availability of both healthful and unhealthful foods may influence consumption among rural adolescent populations. In conjunction, the availability of food in an individual’s local food environment has the potential to significantly impact what is procured for the home and eaten away from the home. The purpose of this study was to determine how in-store food availability and parental purchases influences home availability and, ultimately, dietary intake among adolescents. This study measured perceived home availability, using the University of Minnesota Project EAT Survey, and dietary intake, using the NHANES Dietary Screener Questionnaire, of (n=28) adolescent participants in two Kentucky counties during 2013. Availability of food in local stores was measured using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores (NEM-S). The results of multiple linear regression analysis suggest that overall store availability does not significantly impact parental purchases. However, in-store availability of specific unhealthy food categories, such as snacks, junk food, candy, and pop, was associated with increased parental purchases of similar unwholesome items and a greater predicted intake of sugar. Therefore, it may be beneficial to develop interventions aimed at decreasing the availability of unhealthy food items in stores in order to improve diet quality among rural adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the amount and variety of fruit and vegetable intake increased among community-dwelling older adults participating in Kentucky’s congregate meal site program following a series of educational nutrition lessons. A convenience sample (n=35) of community-dwelling older adults at two intervention (n=19) and two control (n=16) senior centers in central Kentucky participated in this quasi-experimental pre-post pilot study. Following the intervention there was a trend towards increased self-reported intake in the variety of fruit and vegetables among the intervention group (range:0.03±3.31 to 1.32±2.75 servings per week); a significant increase in the number of days participants incorporated at least 4.5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day intake; significant increases in the incorporation of fruits and vegetables in evening meal, and all meals (p≤0.05); and phytochemical knowledge (p≤0.05). Actual fruit and vegetable intake at the congregate meal increased post-intervention among the intervention group only (p≤0.05) as measured by plate waste. The mean Phytochemical Index score was 25.4, with participants consuming 79% of the phytochemical- rich component to their meal. These results indicate that theory-based educational nutrition lessons among older adults is linked to favorable trends towards increased fruit and vegetable consumption and phytochemical knowledge.

Prior research has shown that pediatric cancer survivors face a multitude of longterm effects from treatment of their disease. Many of these conditions can be treated or managed through proper nutrition, however patients of the DanceBlue Kentucky Children's Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic do not see a registered dietitian. This study looked at food and drink consumption of the past 30 days by the patient using the NHANES Dietary Screener Questionnaire to see if they met nutrition recommendations as outlined by the 2015‐2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Results from the study found that off‐treatment pediatric cancer survivors (n=21) failed to meet dietary recommendations in fruit and vegetable, whole grain, and dairy intake. It was also shown that participants exceeded their limit of added sugars. From these findings it was concluded that pediatric cancer survivors in the DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic would benefit from nutrition counseling and education provided by a Registered Dietitian.

While caffeine withdrawal has been well-characterized, research on caffeine intake and factors associated with withdrawal has been limited. The present study examined prevalence rates of caffeine use and identified psychosocial factors associated with having caffeine withdrawal headaches (CWH). Participants were N = 1,989 college freshmen who participated in the 2011 Spit for Science project. Caffeine use was reported by 80% of the sample. Females were more likely than males to consume caffeine, and soda was the primary source of caffeine for both genders. As hypothesized, daily caffeine users were more likely to report CWH than non-daily users. When multivariable analyses examined other variables identified through univariable analyses, the most parsimonious model for distinguishing between those with and without CWH included the following set of predictor variables: daily caffeine use; female; non-white minority; peers with alcohol problems; greater neuroticism, and those reporting maternal depression or anxiety.

Obesity has been recognized as an increasing issue within our country. Obesity contributes to many health related issues, including type 2 diabetes mellitus. Portion size is a factor that has generated clinical research interest. The aim of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between management of diabetes measured by hemoglobin A1c and portion size selection for type 2 diabetics. In this study, subjects selected portion sizes of four different foods. Data were compared to recent A1c levels. Due to the small sample size, nonparametric statistical analysis was used. The relationship of grain portion weight selection and A1c was significant (Spearman R = .900, p = .037). This finding has potential for future investigation and patient education.

Purpose of this study was to compare two methods of supplementing diets in order to provide additional protein and calories to increase body weight. The study consisted of two groups from the James H. Quillen Veterans Affair Medical Center Nursing Home Care Unit. Experimental group received foods fortified with increased calories and protein at mealtimes. Control group received nutrition supplements between meals. Fifteen subjects began the study. Analysis of weight change revealed that those in the experimental group had no weight change over the four months. Subjects in the control group gained an average of 4.8 lbs of body weight in the same period. The Mann-Whitney Test was used to determine if the weight changes were significantly different between groups. Analysis indicated that (p-value = 0.2550) there was no significant difference in body weight gain between the groups. A larger sample size would have improved the outcome of the study.