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- All Subjects: Nutrition
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
- Resource Type: Text
- Status: Published
Methods: Survey design and ethnographic field methods were used to develop, test, and validate the Street Food Stand Assessment Tool (SFSAT). Geographic information system and ground-truthing methods were used to identify a sample of street segments across 20 neighborhoods representing low-, middle- and high-income neighborhoods in Mexico City on which to assess the availability, density, variety, and distribution of SFS and the foods and beverages sold at these food venues using the SFSAT.
Results: A sample of 391 SFS were assessed across 791 street segments. Results showed that SFS were found in all neighborhoods. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, most SFS were found in middle-income neighborhoods. While the availability of street foods and beverages was higher in middle-income neighborhoods, the variety was less consistent: fruit/vegetable variety was high in high-income neighborhoods whereas processed snack variety was higher in low-income neighborhoods. SFS were most often distributed near homes, transportation centers, and worksites across the three neighborhood income levels.
Conclusion: This study bridged the gap in knowledge about the availability, density, variety, and distribution of SFS and products sold at these sources of food by using an assessment tool that was developed, tested, and validated specifically for SFS. The findings showed that SFS were found across all neighborhoods. Furthermore, results also suggested that SFS can be a source of healthy food items. Additional studies are needed to understand the relationship between SFS availability, food consumption, and health outcomes in the Mexican population.
Results: No significant associations between WIC store counts near children’s homes and consumption were observed in the overall sample at any distance. A small, but significant inverse relationship was seen in total added sugar consumption among children residing in WIC households only, with each additional WIC store within a 0.5 mile roadway network associated with a 0.24-decile lower consumption (p = .047). In age-stratified exploratory analysis, higher vegetable (p = .024) and combined fruits and vegetables (p = .006) consumption were seen in the under 5 age group only.
Conclusions: Living close to more WIC-authorized stores was associated with healthier consumption, but only for a subset of children and only for a few food categories examined. Lack of a consistent pattern of healthier consumption among children suggests that access to WIC stores may have a positive, albeit limited impact on children’s diets.
Background. College students’ modifiable health behaviors, including unhealthful eating patterns, predispose them to risk for future cardiometabolic conditions.
Purpose. This novel 8-week randomized control parallel-arm study compared the effects of a daily 18-hour Time-Restricted Feeding protocol vs. an 8-hour fast on diet quality in college students. Secondary outcomes were resting morning blood pressure, biomarkers of glucose regulation, biomarkers of lipid metabolism, and anthropometric measures.
Methods. Eighteen healthy college students (age = 23 ± 4 years; BMI = 23.2 ± 2.3 kg/m2; MET = 58.8 ± 32.9 min/wk) completed this study. Participants were randomized to a daily 18-hour fasting protocol (Intervention; n = 8) or a daily 8-hour fasting protocol (Control; n = 10) for eight weeks. One ‘cheat’ day was permitted each week. Outcomes were measured at weeks 0 (baseline), 4, and 8. A non-parametric Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the week 4 change from baseline between groups. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05.
Results. Diet quality (p = 0.030) and body weight (p = 0.016) improved from baseline to week 4 for the INV group in comparison to the CON group. The data suggest these improvements may be related to reductions in snacking frequency and increased breakfast consumption. Fasting blood glucose and hip circumference tended to improve for the INV group in comparison to the CON group (p = 0.091 and p = 0.100). However, saturated fat intake tended to increase in the INV group in comparison to the CON group (p = 0.064). Finally, there were no treatment differences between groups (p>0.05) for the 4-week change in total calories, dietary vitamin C, added sugars, resting systolic blood pressure, resting diastolic blood pressure, insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, waist circumference, or MET.
Conclusion. These data, although preliminary, suggest that the 18-hour fasting protocol was effective for improving diet quality and reducing weight in comparison to the 8-hour fasting protocol in healthy college students. Future intervention trials will need to confirm these findings and determine the long-term relevance of these improvements for health outcomes.
(FODMAP) has been shown to exacerbate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS). Previous literature has shown significant improvement in IBS symptoms after
adherence to a low FODMAP diet (LFD). However, dietary adherence to the LFD is
difficult with patients stating that information provided by healthcare providers
(HCPs) is generalized and nonspecific requiring them to search for supplementary
information to fit their needs. Notably, studies that have used a combination of
online and in-person methods for treatment have shown improved adherence to the
LFD. Objective: To determine whether a novel artificial intelligence (AI) dietary
mobile application will improve adherence to the LFD compared to a standard online
dietary intervention (CON) in populations with IBS or IBS-like symptoms over a 4-
week period. Methods: Participants were randomized into two groups: APP or CON.
The intervention group was provided access to an AI mobile application, a dietary
resource verified by registered dietitians which uses artificial intelligence to
individualize dietary guidance in real-time with the ability to scan menus and
barcodes and provide individuals with food scores based on their dietary preferences.
Primary measures included mobile app engagement, dietary adherence, and
manifestation of IBS-like symptoms. Baseline Results: A total of 58 participants
were randomized to groups. This is an ongoing study and this thesis details the
methodology and baseline characteristics of the participants at baseline and
intervention start. Validation of the application could improve the range of offerings
for lifestyle diseases treatable through dietary modification.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of specific macronutrient feedings on competitive golf performance and perceived levels of fatigue and alertness. Participants played three, nine hole rounds of golf, consuming an isocaloric beverage as a control (CON), with the addition of carbohydrate (CHO), or combination of protein and carbohydrate (COM). Physiological and performance measurements were taken before, during, and following each nine hole round. Performance measurements include driving accuracy (DA), driving distance (DD), iron accuracy (IA), chipping accuracy (CA), and putting accuracy (PA). Pre-golf hydration status (urine specific gravity [USG]) and Sweat Rate during golf performance showed no significant differences between trials. All nine hole rounds were performed in ~2 hours. Environmental conditions were similar for all three testing days (mean WBGT=10.946). No significant differences were seen in Driving Distance, Driving Accuracy, and Iron Accuracy for all nine holes between groups receiving different macronutrient feedings. Chipping Accuracy was significantly better in CON trial compared to CHO (p=0.004) and COM (p=0.019). No significant differences were seen in putting make percentages. COM trial significantly lowered Perceived Levels of Fatigue (p=0.019) compared to CON. The CHO trial showed significant improvements in DA compared to CON (13.7 vs. 44.1, p=0.012) and COM (13.7 vs. 33.6, p=0.004) in the first four holes. In the last five holes, the COM trial showed significant improvements in DA compared to CHO (17.5 vs. 29.7, p=0.007). Low Handicap golfers (3 +/- 3) performed significantly better than High Handicap golfers (14 +/- 3.6) in DD (265 vs. 241, p<0.001), DA (15.0 vs. 29.3, p=0.004), IA (15.2 vs. 25.2, p<0.001), CA (52.0 vs. 61.5, p=0.027), and PA 5ft (64% vs. 40%, p=0.003). High Handicap players showed no significant differences between the three trials for any golf performance measurements. Low Handicap players showed significant improvements in DA for COM trial compared to CON trial (13.6 vs. 27.6, p=0.003). The results suggest that carbohydrates at the start and a combination of carbohydrate and protein is beneficial at the second part of 9 holes to improve golf performance and maintain levels of fatigue, however, it needs to be investigated how this knowledge will relate to playing more holes.