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Background: Nearly 95% of Americans will develop hypertension, and 67% will not seek treatment. Furthermore, hypertension is the leading risk factor for coronary heart disease. While previous studies have increased the use of blood pressure medication among patients that have received hypertension education, medications may not work for everyone.

Background: Nearly 95% of Americans will develop hypertension, and 67% will not seek treatment. Furthermore, hypertension is the leading risk factor for coronary heart disease. While previous studies have increased the use of blood pressure medication among patients that have received hypertension education, medications may not work for everyone. Due to the life-threatening nature of this condition, it is essential to find an effective alternative for treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of organometallic complex supplementation on hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy in 6-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats that were fed either standard rodent chow or a high fat diet for 10 weeks at a university in Arizona.

Methods: Forty-two healthy six-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups: plain water control, 0.6 mg/ml organometallic complex or 3.0 mg/ml organometallic complex as soon as they arrived. Each rat was then housed individually to prevent the sharing of microbiota through coprophagia. Rats in each treatment group were further divided into two dietary groups that were fed either a high fat diet containing 60% kcal fat that was changed every three days or standard rodent chow. Researchers were not blind to which rat was in each group. At the end of the 10-week study, rats were euthanized with an overdose of sodium pentobarbital (200 mg/kg, i.p.). Heart, left ventricle of the heart, liver, and spleen masses were recorded for each animal. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA using SigmaPlot 10.0 software.

Results: At the conclusion of this study, the left ventricle mass of the rats in the high fat diet group were significantly larger than those in the chow group. Neither dose of the organometallic complex supplement prevented these effects induced by high fat feeding.

Conclusion: The organometallic complex supplement was not effective at mitigating the effects of a high fat diet on cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Therefore, this supplement should not be used to treat cardiac hypertrophy.
ContributorsMcCormick, Kelly Ann (Author) / Sweazea, Karen L (Thesis advisor) / Whisner, Corrie M (Committee member) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
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Description
Most American children consume less than the recommend amount of fruits and vegetables (F&V), 74% and 84%, respectively. Eating too few F&V in childhood is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, respiratory symptoms, and some cancers later in life. Adequate F&V consumption favorably impacts antioxidant status, gut flora,

Most American children consume less than the recommend amount of fruits and vegetables (F&V), 74% and 84%, respectively. Eating too few F&V in childhood is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, respiratory symptoms, and some cancers later in life. Adequate F&V consumption favorably impacts antioxidant status, gut flora, mood, and cognitive functioning. Nutrients such as vitamin C and fiber are only naturally occurring in plant foods. For many children, school lunches are an important source of F&V. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of providing condiments to increase children’s consumption of salad bar F&V in an elementary school cafeteria at lunchtime. The trial site was a single Title 1 elementary school in a large, urban district in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Taste tests were conducted on three convenience samples of children in grades 3 – 7, aged 8 – 12 years (n=57) to identify the most popular condiment flavors. The five highest rated flavors were made available daily at a “flavor station” in the school’s lunchroom for three consecutive weeks during the Fall 2018 semester. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. A cost analysis was conducted for capital outlays related to the flavor station. School employee perceptions of F&V and the flavor station were assessed via posttest online surveys. Peanut butter was rated the best tasting condiment by children and was the only condiment that increased in popularity throughout the intervention. Overall, daily F&V consumption increased 17 g per child. There was a linear increase in F&V consumption during the study (r=0.986; P=0.014). As a proportion of the total F&V selected, F&V waste decreased by nearly 3%. The average daily cost of providing the flavor station was $0.09 per student. Sixty-five percent of school staff felt that the flavor station should continue at their school. Peanut butter is an affordable, nutrient-dense food that accommodates the USDA Food and Nutrition Service meal patterns and nutrition standards, and thus, is a viable strategy for increasing F&V consumption and decreasing F&V waste. The results herein inform the development of future interventions to improve the palatability of F&V for children.
ContributorsScholtz, Cameron (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Hooker, Steven (Committee member) / Schwake, David (Committee member) / Swan, Pamela (Committee member) / Wharton, Christopher (Christopher Mack), 1977- (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
In my creative project, I decided to shadow a naturopathic doctor to experience what the process of naturopathic treatment entails. I conducted interviews with patients and Dr. Raisanen to explore their backgrounds and motivations, and read studies he recommended that explained some of the science behind his methods of treatment,

In my creative project, I decided to shadow a naturopathic doctor to experience what the process of naturopathic treatment entails. I conducted interviews with patients and Dr. Raisanen to explore their backgrounds and motivations, and read studies he recommended that explained some of the science behind his methods of treatment, such as fasting, dietary adjustment (a plant based diet), sodium and saturated/trans fats reduction, caffeine reduction, exercise, stress modulation, supplements, and sleep adjustments. I wrote small expositional summaries on these studies. I also took measurements recorded by Dr. Raisanen through the course of treatments with different patients to produce visuals of changes in body composition. I finally produced a small handout with Dr. Raisanen's help that summarized on a page the basics of lifestyle changes that a naturopathic doctor would want a patient to undertake.
ContributorsSkoog, David Alexander (Author) / Alexon, Christy (Thesis director) / Raisanen, Peter (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
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Description
This creative project seeks to demonstrate the nutritional and financial benefits of cooking in versus eating out to college age students. We sought to determine what factors significantly differentiated restaurant meals versus home-cooked versions, and how we could share this information with our peers to potentially influence them to make

This creative project seeks to demonstrate the nutritional and financial benefits of cooking in versus eating out to college age students. We sought to determine what factors significantly differentiated restaurant meals versus home-cooked versions, and how we could share this information with our peers to potentially influence them to make a healthy lifestyle change. The first step was to determine the factors that influence college-aged students eating habits, and was presented with a review of relevant literature in several topics. We researched food literacy in young adults, the impact of fast food, social media's role in healthy eating habits, health behavior change in young adults, and the benefits of home cooking to obtain a general baseline of the knowledge of college-aged students. The initial research was utilized to write more effective blog posts that appropriately addressed our targeted demographic and to determine what platforms would be most appropriate to convey our information. These ideas were taken and then translated into a blog and Instagram account that contained healthy, copycat recipes of popular restaurant meals. We wrote 30 blog posts which were made up of 20 original recipes, 8 nutrition informational posts, and an introduction/conclusion. Finally, a focus group was hosted to ascertain the opinions of our peers, and to determine if they would be willing to make a lifestyle change in the form of cooking more frequently as opposed to eating out regularly. We provided them with a pre and post survey to gather their opinions before and after reviewing the findings of our research and project. We concluded that if given the information in an accessible way, college students are willing to eat in, not out.
ContributorsKirch, Jayme Elizabeth (Co-author) / Sanford, Victoria (Co-author) / Lehmann, Jessica (Thesis director) / Martinelli, Sarah (Committee member) / Levinson, Simin (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
Vitamin D is a nutrient that is obtained through the diet and vitamin D supplementation and created from exposure to Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. While there are many factors that determine how much serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration is in the body, little is known about how genetic variation in

Vitamin D is a nutrient that is obtained through the diet and vitamin D supplementation and created from exposure to Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. While there are many factors that determine how much serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration is in the body, little is known about how genetic variation in vitamin D-related genes influences serum 25(OH)D concentrations resulting from daily vitamin D intake and exposure to direct sunlight. Previous studies show that common genetic variants rs10741657 (CYP2R1), rs4588 (GC), rs228678 (GC), and rs4516035 (VDR) act as moderators and alter the effect of outdoor time and vitamin D intake on serum 25(OH)D concentrations. The objective of this study is to analyze the associations between serum 25(OH)D concentrations resulting from outdoor time and vitamin D intake, and genetic risk scores (GRS) established from previous studies involving single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located on or near genes involving vitamin D synthesis, transport, activation, and degradation in 102 Hispanic and Non-Hispanic adults in the San Diego County, California. This study is a secondary analysis of data from the Community of Mine study. Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected by the Qstarz GPS device worn by each participant was used to measure outdoor time, a proxy measurement for sun exposure time. Vitamin D intake was assessed using two 24-hour dietary recalls. Blood samples were measured for serum 25(OH)D concentrations. DNA was provided to assess each participant for the various genetic variants. Adjusted analyses of the GRS and serum 25(OH)D concentrations showed that individuals with high GRS (3-4) had lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations than individuals with low GRS (0-2) for both Nissen GRS and Rivera-Paredez GRS.
ContributorsAnderson, Heather Ray (Author) / Sears, Dorothy (Thesis advisor) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Dinu, Valentin (Committee member) / Jankowska, Marta (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
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Description
Objective: This research examined the impact of daily ingestions of commercial high protein nutrition bars (with or without added fiber) on 24-h energy intake and satiety for one week among free-living young healthy adults. Design: In a 4-week double-blind, randomized crossover trial, 21 normal and overweight participants (Mean BMI 23.9

Objective: This research examined the impact of daily ingestions of commercial high protein nutrition bars (with or without added fiber) on 24-h energy intake and satiety for one week among free-living young healthy adults. Design: In a 4-week double-blind, randomized crossover trial, 21 normal and overweight participants (Mean BMI 23.9 ± 2.7 kg/m²), free of chronic diseases, were randomized assigned to HP (high protein: 21 g protein) or HPHF (high protein high fiber: 20g, 14 g fiber) nutrition bars. Participants were included in the trial if they meet the criteria for non-smoking, and not taking prescribed medication for chronic diseases. Participants were instructed to consume commercial nutrition bars daily for seven consecutive days. Body composition was measured with a bioelectrical impedance scale at weeks 1, 3, and 5. Dietary data was recorded by the MyFitnessPal app on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday of each week. Results: The mean energy intake for the weeks HPHF bars were consumed is significantly higher compared to baseline (1998 ± 534 vs. 1806 ± 537 respectively; p = 0.035). The mean fat mass following one week of HPHF bar consumption was significantly higher than the baseline value (18.8 ± 6.8 vs. 18.3 ± 6.7 respectively; p = 0.023) and trended higher (18.8 ± 6.8 vs. 18.3 ± 6.7 respectively; p = 0.057) in comparison to the value following one week of HP bar consumption. For the high physical activity level group (n = 10), the mean energy intakes for the baseline week and the weeks the HP and HPHF bars were consumed were 1883 ± 597 kcal, 2154 ± 712 kcal, and 2099 ± 603 kcal respectively (p ˂ 0.04; energy intakes for both bars were significantly different from baseline). Nutrient intakes differed significantly mirroring the nutrient profile for each specific bar. There are significant effects after both bars on satiety, but there were no differences between each bar. Conclusions: Sales of nutrition bars gained rapid growth and may represent a unique source for specific nutrients. However, ingestion of commercial high protein nutrition bars may increase the risk of gaining fat mass and eventual body mass over time.
ContributorsPang, Minghan (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Shepard, Christina (Committee member) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
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Description
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death globally. In 2018, 34.2 million Americans had type 2 diabetes. Many symptoms of diabetes are similar to those of scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C marginality and inadequacy are more prevalent in Type 2 Diabetes/prediabetes than with normal glucose tolerance. Intracellular

Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death globally. In 2018, 34.2 million Americans had type 2 diabetes. Many symptoms of diabetes are similar to those of scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C marginality and inadequacy are more prevalent in Type 2 Diabetes/prediabetes than with normal glucose tolerance. Intracellular vitamin C inadequacy is suspected due to competition between dehydroascorbic acid and glucose at GLUT 1 and 3 cellular receptors. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility is noted in Gulo -/- knockout mice unable to synthesize endogenous vitamin C. The ascorbate deficient red blood cells presented with low cytoskeletal B-spectrin, spherocyte appearance, and impaired deformability. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between diabetes status, erythrocyte osmotic fragility, and serum vitamin C status. Participants were aged 18-65, non-smoking, reported no unresolved health complications, and denied prior vitamin C supplementation. Those with T2D indicated diagnosis of >1 year. All participants provided written informed consent and the study was approved by the local Institutional Review Board in January 2021. Participants provided one fasted blood sample. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility was measured via UV/Vis spectrophotometry with various concentrations of sodium chloride (0.85% - 0.10%) to induce osmotic stress. In addition, plasma was extracted and mixed 1:1 with 10% (w/v) metaphosphoric acid in 2 mmol/L disodium EDTA and centrifuged. The supernatant was stored at -80°C until analysis with isocratic reverse-phase UV-HPLC separation. Participant characteristics did not differ significantly between groups apart from age (p< 0.01) and HbA1c (p=0.002). Data are presented for adults with T2D (n=14; 36% female; 55.5±8.2 y; 31.5±9.0 kg/m2; HbA1c: 7.4±1.9%; plasma vitamin C: 36.0±12.2 uM) and without T2D (n=16; 69% female; 38.7±13.5 y; 26.8±6.6 kg/m2; A1c: 5.4±0.3%; plasma vitamin C: 34.8±10.9uM). Erythrocyte osmotic fragility was significantly elevated (+4.4% hemolysis) in adults without T2D at 0.35% saline (p=0.039). Greater VC status (>30 uM) was associated with lower hemolysis at 0.35% NaCl (p=0.031). Erythrocyte osmotic stability was linked to greater vitamin C intake at 0.20% saline in those without T2D (p =0.019). In this pilot study, vitamin C status did not differ significantly by diabetes status. Vitamin C status was directly linked to erythrocyte osmotic stability in adults without T2D.
ContributorsLundy, Ciara Cheyanne (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Sweazea, Karen (Committee member) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
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Description
The Adequate Intake (AI) level for total fiber for adults is 14 grams per 1,000 kilocalories per day; however, only 12.9% of Americans met their total fiber needs according to the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A lower frequency of home-cooked meals and a higher frequency of

The Adequate Intake (AI) level for total fiber for adults is 14 grams per 1,000 kilocalories per day; however, only 12.9% of Americans met their total fiber needs according to the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A lower frequency of home-cooked meals and a higher frequency of restaurant meals have been cited as a possible explanation for the low dietary fiber intake among Americans, and according to the Social-Ecological Model, the retail food environment can influence our food choices such as the choice to eat at home or eat out. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between a dynamic measurement of exposure to the retail food environment and fiber intake (total fiber, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and pectin). This is a secondary analysis of data from the Community of Mine study, a cross-sectional study of 602 adults residing in San Diego County, California. Dynamic exposure to the retail food environment was assessed using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data collected by the Qstarz GPS device worn by each participant. Fiber intake was assessed using two 24-hour dietary recalls. Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess correlations. Descriptive results showed no significant differences in dynamic exposure to the retail food environment by sex, Hispanic ethnicity, and income. There were significant differences in fiber intake by sex and ethnicity. The results of the multivariate regression analysis suggest that exposure to the retail food environment is not associated with fiber intake among a subset of American adults.
ContributorsHarb, Amanda A (Author) / Sears, Dorothy (Thesis advisor) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Jankowska, Marta (Committee member) / Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
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Description
The medicinal use of vinegar dates to ancient times, and empirical evidence has mounted over the past several decades supporting health benefits from vinegar ingestion, including reductions in blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. Additionally, although clinical trial data are mixed, there are several reports demonstrating reductions in body

The medicinal use of vinegar dates to ancient times, and empirical evidence has mounted over the past several decades supporting health benefits from vinegar ingestion, including reductions in blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. Additionally, although clinical trial data are mixed, there are several reports demonstrating reductions in body mass and fat mass with daily vinegar ingestion. This blinded, randomized placebo-controlled trial examined the impact of daily vinegar ingestion on anthropometric measures in healthy young adults recruited from a campus population. Participants (n=28; aged 25.8±7.0 y; body mass index [BMI] > 23 kg/m2) were stratified by age, sex, and BMI and randomly assigned to the liquid [VIN] or pill [CON] groups. VIN participants diluted 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (750 mg acetic acid; Pompeian Inc.) in 8-12 ounces of water to drink with food at mealtime twice daily. CON participants consumed 1 vinegar pill daily (22.5 mg acetic acid; Spring Valley). All participants provided written consent for this IRB approved trial. The study lasted four weeks, and anthropometric measurements were conducted in a fasted state at weeks 0 and 4. Study adherence varied slightly (90±17% and 100±14% for VIN and CON respectively, p=0.029); hence, adherence was controlled for in all analyses. Changes in BMI (-0.1±0.5 and +0.1±0.3 kg/m2, p=0.127) and body weight (-0.3±1.4 and +0.1±1.1 kg, p=0.158) did not differ significantly between VIN and CON groups, respectively. However, both waist circumference and percent body fat were reduced significantly for VIN participants in comparison to CON participants (-0.5±1.3 vs. +0.6±2.4 cm [p=0.026]and -0.4±0.7 vs. +0.3±1.0% [p=0.045]. Although the observed differences between groups are modest, the study was short in duration and this protocol did not apply energy restriction or exercise interventions, suggesting a possible benefit of vinegar ingestion on adiposity.
ContributorsMeyer, Lexie Rae (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Grant, Shauna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
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Description
Mood disorders are prevalent within the college student population, increasing the potential for poor academic performance among those students. Intermittent fasting, particularly time-restricted feeding (TRF) regimens, have shown promising results associated with improvements in health outcomes related to weight loss, cardiovascular health, glucose and insulin regulation, and breast cancer; however,

Mood disorders are prevalent within the college student population, increasing the potential for poor academic performance among those students. Intermittent fasting, particularly time-restricted feeding (TRF) regimens, have shown promising results associated with improvements in health outcomes related to weight loss, cardiovascular health, glucose and insulin regulation, and breast cancer; however, very limited research exits for the impact on mood states. The objective of this eight-week randomized, controlled trial was to examine the effects of a daily fasting regimen of 18 hours (six hour feeding window), compared to a daily fasting regimen of eight hours (16 hour feeding window), on the mood state of healthy college students attending Arizona State University or University of Arizona. Twenty nine students were recruited and randomized into the TRF group (n = 16) following a 16-hour fast or the control (CON) group (n = 13) following an eight-hour fast. Participants in each group were instructed to consume their first meal within an hour of waking, which would then begin their assigned feeding window. Participants were also allowed one ‘cheat day’ per week in which they were not required to follow their assigned fasting protocol, otherwise no additional dietary instructions were given; participants were permitted to consume food and beverages ad libitum throughout their feeding window. Mood state was assessed at baseline, week four, and week eight using the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and the GAD-7, specific to generalized anxiety. Of the initial 29 participants recruited, 18 completed the trial (TRF group n = 8; CON group n = 10). Data were reported through week four only, due to inconsistencies with week eight data as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mood state measures did not show any statistically significant changes after four weeks. The results of this study suggest that a TRF regimen of 18 hours does not significantly impact overall or individual mood states among college students.
ContributorsChondropoulos, Kelly Nicole (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Shepard, Tina (Committee member) / Alexon, Christy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021