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The NHLBI's Growth and Health Study (NGHS) data set provided an opportunity to test differences in diet quality and its relationship to weight classification for black (n=270) and white (n=243) adolescent females. Three-day food records from adolescents enrolled in the Washington, D.C. center of the NGHS were scored according to the Diet Quality Index (DQI) developed by Ruth Patterson and others. This index stratifies food intake into three levels for scoring across eight dietary factors. A score of zero showed that the goal was met, while a score of one indicated a fair evaluation, and a score of two indicated a poor rating to create an index score ranging from zero to 16. Statistical analysis by a t-test showed whites had significantly better DQI scores than blacks in the NGHS sample (black mean = 9.4, white = 8.1). Black females had a greater prevalence of overweight than do their white counterparts. To evaluate how dietary quality relates to the development of overweight, DQI scores were compared to body mass index measurements to note the relationship of diet quality to increasing weight for body height. No relationship was found between BMI and DQI. When the independent variables of race and body weight classification were assessed for their impact upon the dependent variable of diet quality; the influence of race proved significant while weight classification did not. This evidence suggests that practitioners must assess the current dietary status of clients prior to assuming a particular dietary pattern based upon body weight for height alone. / Master of Science

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over one-third of US adults are obese. In order to assess causes of and treatments for obesity, researchers have evaluated a number of processes underlying health-related behaviors, one of which is delay discounting. Delay discounting is a cognitive process that describes the phenomenon by which individuals discount the value of a future reward compared to the value of an immediate reward. Researchers have associated delay discounting with drug addiction, alcoholism, and cigarette smoking. More recently, delay discounting has been studied with regards to health-related behaviors, such as body weight management, food intake, glucose control, and physical activity. While a number of studies have concluded that obese individuals tend to be greater discounters, the relationship between delay discounting and various health-related behaviors beyond smoking and drug use remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between delay discounting and diet quality, glucose tolerance, physical activity, and fasting vs. non-fasting conditions. Methods: Sixty-five males (n=20) and females (n=45) were recruited for the present study. Participants completed two lab sessions: one under non-fasting conditions, and one under fasting conditions which involved measurements of body mass and composition, blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, and health-related questionnaires. Delay discounting and food purchase tasks were completed at both visits. Participants were asked to complete a four-day food intake record and wear a physical activity monitor for four days. Results: Lower rates of discounting were found in those who consumed more total vegetables, and lower food reinforcement was observed in those who spent less time sedentary and more time physically active, had greater dietary Restraint, and had a lower resting heart rate. There were no significant differences between discounting rates and food reinforcement across fasting and non-fasting conditions. / Master of Science