Thesis (M.S.)--Oklahoma State University, 2009. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oklahoma State University, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oklahoma State University, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Magister Artium (Child and Family Studies) - MA(CFS) / Research suggests that parents feeding practices play a critical role in the development of children tastes, eating habits, nutrition and eventual weight status. Thus if parental feeding practices play such a critical role, the question arises as to whether there is a difference in parental feeding practices that determine different developments in children nutritional habits. Furthermore, feeding practices are possibly based on the nutritional knowledge of parents. The aim of this study was to assess the Body Mass Index (BMI), nutritional knowledge and behaviour of primary care-givers. This study followed the quantitative research paradigm. A sample of 147 staff members, who were primary care- givers of children at a University in the Western Cape was self-selected to participate in the study. Only primary care-givers of children were invited to participate. The primary care-givers were asked to complete two online questionnaires, the Comprehensive Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFPQ) developed by Musher-E-Eisenman and Holub (2007), and the General Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ) for adults. Data analysis was done by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS17). Results indicated that the majority of participants were overweight (46% of the participants). Primary care-givers across all body mass index groups did not lack nutritional knowledge but variations in behaviour were found with regard to feeding practices. However similarities were found in the BMI categories in the areas of teaching about nutrition, pressure to eat at meal times and encouraging balance and variety. / South Africa

No description available.

The current epidemic of obesity is driven, at least in part, by excessive caloric intake and fat intake has been implicated as a major contributing factor. The mammalian taste system displays marked plasticity, and it has been shown that the detection of fatty acids, the prototypical fat taste stimulus, leads to reduced sensitivity upon prolonged exposure to a high-fat diet. Increased obesity and metabolic disorders in postmenopausal females indicate that the female steroid hormone, estrogen, may contribute to metabolic homeostasis. Sex differences in the taste system were explored using a multidisciplinary approach to examine the ways in which estrogen influences the detection and recognition of fatty acids in the taste system. The findings suggest that estrogen in females is an essential factor in mediating sex differences in fat taste. Moreover, the stimulatory effect of fatty acid taste cell activation is further enhanced by estradiol (E2), suggesting a specific role of E2 in modulating peripheral fat detection. Genes and protein function important for the transduction pathway of fatty acids vary between males and females and these differences exist across the various taste papillae. In vivo support for the effect of estrogens in taste cells was provided by comparing the fatty acid responsiveness in males, intact females, and ovariectomized (OVX) female mice with and without hormone replacement. In general, females detected fatty acids at lower concentrations and the presence of circulating estrogens increased this apparent fat taste sensitivity. To study the long-term effects of fat intake in males and females, a diet-induced obesity model was used. Estrogen loss in females lead to increases in food intake, body weight, adiposity, and fat mass, and ultimately reduced taste cell activity. These metabolic effects were reversed by estrogen replacement in females. Taken together, these data indicate that increased circulating estrogens in the taste system may play a significant role in physiology and chemosensory cellular activation and, in turn, may alter taste driven behavior and overall nutrient intake.

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).

ABSTRACT Assessment of the Effects of Malaria and Anemia in Pregnant Malawian Women Before and After Treatment of Moderate Malnutrition William Shipley Background: Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) can lead to adverse maternal and infant outcomes and possibly further complications. Supplementary foods or treatments with high quality nutrients should be administered to those with MAM in hopes to increase the chance of healthy maternal and infant outcomes. Sometimes supplementary food is not enough to overcome MAM and disease may play a role, particularly in pregnant malnourished women. Objective: To determine if the effects of malaria and anemia moderated the effect of nutritional treatments (one of the three given nutritional interventions) used to improve malnutrition and achieve a MUAC ≥ 23 cm during study participation. Additionally, this research serves to assess whether the relationship between malaria and anemia is associated with malnutrition status. Methods: Women were given a dose of IPTp at each antenatal visit between zero and four total IPTp doses. Infant anthropometrics – length, weight, head circumference, and MUAC were taken at birth, 6 weeks, and 3 months. Maternal hemoglobin levels were assessed at enrollment and after 10 weeks of enrollment as well as infant hemoglobin at 3 months. Anemia was defined by a hemoglobin less than 11.0 g/dL. Mild anemia was defined as hemoglobin greater than 7.0 but less than 9.9 g/dL and moderate anemia was defined by hemoglobin values 9.9 or greater but less than 11.0 g/dL. Analysis was completed using ANOVA, and if any significant differences were observed, they were compared via Tukey HSD (continuous) or Chi-squared test (categorical). Results: Total number of IPTp doses was found to be a more statistically significant predictor of maternal weight gain during treatment than timing of the doses. It stands to reason that women receiving three or more IPTp doses was the most beneficial for women during treatment as it saw the highest increases in maternal weight gain. At baseline, women that achieved a MUAC > 23 cm during the study was 32.0% (n = 1805). The greatest proportion of women, after adjustment, that achieved a MUAC ≥ 23 cm was seen in women receiving four (47.3 %) and three (37.8 %) total IPTp doses during pregnancy. Maternal weight gain correlated closely with hemoglobin at enrollment (p-value = 0.0111). Total number of IPTp doses received during pregnancy was not found to have a statistical effect on infant hemoglobin or anemia at three months. Infant length at six weeks was higher in infants from mothers that received two or three IPTp doses compared to mothers that received one IPTp dose (p-value = 0.0218). A p-value below 0.05 by total number of IPTp doses was observed for infant weight, head circumference, and MUAC at birth, six weeks, and three months. Conclusion: At least three IPTp was effective in improving maternal weight gain and achievement of MUAC > 23 cm as well as improved many infant outcomes. Hemoglobin at enrollment was a predictor of maternal weight gain during tx but was not associated with any other outcomes.

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).