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- All Subjects: Family Experiences with Eating Disorders
- All Subjects: Sodium in the body
- Creators: Johnson, Melinda
- Creators: Werner, Kaitlyn Nicole
- Member of: Theses and Dissertations
Description
Nutrition instruction has become more accessible; it is no longer relegated to the doctor’s office, dietitian briefing, outpatient clinic, or hospital. Now it is available in people’s hands, pockets, and purses via their smartphone. Since nutrition instruction has become more accessible, health professionals and members of the general public are increasingly interested in using smartphone apps to assist with health-related dietary changes. With more and more of the population required to follow certain dietary recommendations and/or monitor specific nutrient intake, commercially available apps may be a useful and cost-effective resource for the public. The purpose of this four-week intervention was to determine if the popular calorie counter app, MyFitnessPal, can be used to reduce sodium intake to ≤ 2,300 mg/day compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil method. This four-week randomized parallel trial enrolled 30 generally healthy adults who were 18 to 80 years of age. Participants were randomly assigned to the MyFitnessPal (“APP”) group or to the paper (“PAP”) group and required to meet three times with the researcher for screening, baseline (start), and completion of the study. There was a significant difference in the mean urinary sodium change between the APP group and the PAP group from the start of the intervention to the completion (-24.0±32.6 and 8.5±41.9 mmol/g creatinine respectively, p = 0.027). Other positive trends that resulted from the intervention included a decline in dietary sodium in both groups and a higher adherence in the APP group compared to the PAP group regarding recording method. The MyFitnessPal app proved to be a useful tool in reducing and/or monitoring sodium intake. Thus, this trial reinforces the potential of this app to be used for monitoring other nutrients, but further research needs to be conducted.
ContributorsIpjian, Michelle (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis advisor) / Shepard, Christina (Committee member) / Johnson, Melinda (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
At least 30 million people in the United States suffer from an eating disorder during their lifetime (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 2016). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines anorexia nervosa as a disorder where the person strives to maintain a lower than normal body weight through restriction and starvation (CDC MMWR, 1996). People with this disorder constantly have to control and count everything they eat (Mayo Clinic, 2016). For my creative project, I documented my sister's struggles through Digital Storytelling. My hope was to use my creative project to help others who are also struggling with anorexia nervosa. The goal is to provide advice and encouragement based on my family's experiences as well as my sister's accounts of her time in a rehabilitation center. Some of the things that helped my sister through her recovery were patience, support and communication from family and loved ones, caring for animals, and practices with positive self- talk.
ContributorsWerner, Kaitlyn Nicole (Author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Johnson, Melinda (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12