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Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to compare changes in preschool children's identification, preferences, and beliefs related to fruits and vegetables introduced to a child care center's menu before and after a nutrition education and food exposure intervention. The study also sought to determine how these changes were related to Body Mass Index (BMI). Methods: This study utilized a one-group, pretest-posttest design. The children were offered a combined intervention featuring nutrition education and exposure to novel fruits and vegetables at meals in a preschool setting. Results: Nineteen children aged 3.3 through 5.6 years completed the study. Children were able to identify several novel fruits and vegetables more accurately following the intervention. The mean calculated scores for identification, preference, healthfulness, and exposure all significantly changed from pre-to post-measures (p < 0.05). BMI z-score was inversely related to identification (r = -0.60), preference (r = -0.46), healthfulness (r = -0.66), and exposure (r = -0.49) scores following the intervention (p < 0.05) but not before the intervention. Application to Child Nutrition Professionals: Children in this pilot study who learned about fruits and vegetables were more likely to identify them as healthy and want to eat them, so exposure at meals in combination with a nutrition education program may improve acceptance of novel food on the school's menu.

Background: Population-level surveillance of the prevalence and trends of basic self-care limitations will help to identify the magnitude of physical disablement in the rapidly growing older American demographic. We sought to evaluate the prevalence and trends of activities of daily living (ADL) limitations in the United States., Methods: The analytic sample included 30,418 Americans aged ≥50 years from the 2006-2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. ADLs were self-reported. Weighted prevalence estimates were presented, and trends analyses were performed., Results: Although overall ADL disability prevalence was 16.5% (95% confidence interval: 15.8-17.2) in 2018, there were no changes in limitations during the study period ( p = 0.52). Older adults had a greater ADL disability prevalence than middle-aged adults ( p < 0.001). While older persons experienced a declining trend of ADL limitations ( p < 0.001), middle-aged persons had an increasing trend ( p < 0.001). Males had a lower ADL limitation prevalence than females ( p < 0.001). Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black had a higher ADL disability prevalence than non-Hispanic White ( p < 0.001)., Conclusions: This investigation revealed that while the estimated prevalence of ADL limitations in the United States was substantial, changes in such limitations were not observed. Our findings can help guide ADL screening, target sub-populations with an elevated ADL limitation prevalence, and inform interventions.

Body composition tools vary in reliability, portability, and accessibility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability of MuscleSound® (MS) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for both two compartment (region) and three compartment (tissue) models. A secondary aim was to compare body composition values produced by both devices. Fifty participants ( n = 25 male, n = 25 female) aged 18-39 years completed two body composition assessments, twice in a single session. Participants arrived at the lab after a 12-hour fast. DXA required participants to lay supine for 10-15 minutes during the scanning process. Thereafter, MS was utilized to measure subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness at seven sites: chest, subscapula, triceps, axilla, suprailium, abdomen, and mid-thigh. MS automatically estimated body composition utilizing a modified Jackson-Pollock equation and the Siri equation within the software. The sequence of assessments was then repeated. Statistical analysis included paired T-tests with Pearson correlations, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and least significant change (LSC). Both methods were strongly reliable (ICC MS = .997, ICC DXA-region = .999, ICC DXA-tissue = .999). MS and DXA-region body fat percentages were significantly different (mean difference (%): 2.60 ± 1.32, p < .001) but highly correlated ( r = .928, p < .001). Notably, the mean difference was within DXA-region's calculated least significant change of 3.24%. MS is reliable for assessing body fat percentage in young and middle-aged adults and operators can utilize MS to collect body composition data in the field.

Weight loss through dietary and exercise intervention is commonly prescribed but is not effective for all individuals. Recent studies have demonstrated that circulating microRNA (miR) biomarkers could potentially be used to identify individuals who will likely lose weight through diet and exercise and attain a healthy body weight. However, accurate detection of miRs in clinical samples is difficult, error-prone, and expensive. To address this issue, we recently developed iLluminate -a low-cost and highly sensitive miR sensor suitable for point-of-care testing. To investigate if miR testing and iLluminate can be used in real-world obesity applications, we developed a pilot diet and exercise intervention and utilized iLluminate to evaluate miR biomarkers. We evaluated the expression of miRs-140, -935, -let-7b, and -99a, which are biomarkers for fat loss, energy metabolism, and adipogenic differentiation. Responders lost more total mass, tissue mass, and fat mass than non-responders. miRs-140, -935, -let-7b, and -99a, collectively accounted for 6.9% and 8.8% of the explained variability in fat and lean mass, respectively. At the level of the individual coefficients, miRs-140 and -935 were significantly associated with fat loss. Collectively, miRs-140 and -935 provide an additional degree of predictive capability in body mass and fat mass alternations.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases risk for morbidity and premature mortality. Blood pressure, waist circumference, and fasting triglycerides (TG), blood glucose (BG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) are factors for determining MetS. The Simple Method for Quantifying Metabolic Syndrome (siMS) score and risk score estimate risk of MetS. The purpose for this study was to exam the relationship of animal-based (ABP) and plant-based protein (PLP) with MetS as estimated by siMS score and risk score. Physical activty is another important consideration in MetS as it can reduce blood pressure, waist circumference and blood glucose, and affect blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations., Methods: A cross-sectional study examined whether physical activity (PA) level and dietary protein source (i.e., animal- or plant-based) among young (18-24 years) and middle-aged (45-60 years) females were associated with siMS score and siMS risk score. Average time spent in sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; min/wk), steps (steps/day), energy intake (kcal/day), percent dietary protein to total energy intake, ABP and PLP dietary intake, and ABP:PLP ratio (g/day) were included in the analysis. Volunteers were recruited from North Dakota and Minnesota from 2017 to 2019., Results: Eighty-one female participants (mean ± SD; young, n = 38, 20.4 ± 1.7 years, middle-aged, 52.5 ± 4.8 years) were included in the independent t -tests used to examine group differences in age, body mass index, HDL, BG, TG, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, energy intake, energy intake percentage of total carbohydrates, fat, protein, ABP, and PLP, ABP:PLP, siMS score, and siMS risk score. Stepwise linear regressions were used to evaluate whether PA level and dietary protein source were predictors of siMS score and siMS risk score among young and middle-aged adult females. There was an inverse relationship between PLP intake and siMS score. The model explained 6.9% of the variance in siMS risk score (F 1, 80  = 5.93). Plant-based protein intake was inversely related to siMS risk score while light PA was positively associated with siMS risk score. The model explained 16% of the variance in siMS risk score (F 1, 80  = 7.53). Animal-based dietary protein intake did not impact siMS score ( p  = 0.180) and siMS risk score ( p  = 0.283)., Conclusions: Plant-based protein intake was associated with a lower risk of MetS via siMS scores, while ABP was not associated. Given the nature of the cross-sectional design of this study, no causal relationship can be determined, but longitudinal studies or randomized control trials to confirm the results from this study are needed in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Purpose: Individuals in the emerging adult age group (18-30 years) with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) have unique medical and social needs. The purpose of this study was to observe barriers and strategies for diabetes management among emerging adults with T1DM., Methods: A qualitative grounded theory model was utilized. An open-ended approach with a telephone interview was designed to allow a deeper understanding of the T1DM experience. The participants were from a larger survey-volunteer participant group and were asked to complete 1 interview in spring 2020 (n = 21, diagnosed age: mean 15.00 ± 8.00, females, n = 19). The data were analyzed for cohesive themes using grounded theory., Results: Participants indicated three main barrier themes (physiology, environment, and insurance) and 3 barrier subthemes (mental health, lack of social support, and weather). Three main strategy themes to diabetes management were recognized (medical technology, access to social support, and physical activity). There were 2 strategy subthemes (social media and social accountability)., Conclusions: Regular use of social media can be a key tool for social accountability while lack of social support and physiological shifts can be barriers to management of T1DM. Physical activity should be considered as part of an individualized plan for management of diabetes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Background: Physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health concern for older adults. Telehealth presents a safe platform for conducting health-related interventions that may have additional benefits such as widespread reach. Our pilot study sought to examine how a telehealth intervention changed activity profiles in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: There were n =13 adults aged 70.6 ± 4.5 years that participated in a 6 week telehealth intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The didactic intervention contents were shared online, and participants worked with trained interviewers over the telephone to discuss physical activity. At baseline and post-intervention, the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults examined activity profiles, while accelerometry estimated time spent sedentary and in physical activity., Results: Relative to the baseline measures, there was an 88 min/day (95% confidence interval (CI): 39, 137) increase in computer time and 36 min/day (CI: 10, 62) reduction in time spent in active transport at post-intervention. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity participation also increased by an estimated 2 min/day (CI: -21, 26) and 12 min/week (CI: -154, 180), but this trend was not statistically significant., Conclusion: We recommend that support be provided to older adults transitioning to telehealth, especially as migration to telehealth progresses., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objective: We sought to determine whether daily protein intake and protein distribution across eating occasions were associated with functional disability in a national sample of older Americans. Methods : Data from 8,070 adults aged ≥60 years from the 2007-2016 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. Protein intake and functional capacity was self-reported. A daily protein recommendation of ≥1.0 g/kg/day was utilized. The daily protein recommendation was then spread-out across four meals, whereby a ≥0.25 g/kg/meal threshold was used. Results : Those meeting the daily protein recommendation had 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.65, 0.93]) decreased odds for functional disability. Persons meeting the protein intake threshold per eating occasion for one, two, three, and four occasions had 0.60 (CI = [0.38, 0.95]), 0.48 (CI = [0.30, 0.77]), 0.47 (CI = [0.29, 0.77]), and 0.39 (CI = [0.20, 0.75]) decreased odds for functional disability, respectively. Discussion : Protein consumption seems to be important for preserving function in older Americans.

Background: Handgrip strength (HGS) is a convent measure of strength capacity and associated with several age-related health conditions such as functional disability. Asymmetric strength between limbs has been linked to diminished function. Therefore, both HGS asymmetry and weakness could be associated with functional disability. We examined the associations of HGS asymmetry and weakness on functional limitations in a nationally representative sample of older Americans. Methods : Data were analyzed from 2689 adults ≥ 60 years who participated in the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Weakness was defined as HGS < 26 kg for men and < 16 kg for women. Asymmetry was determined from the ratio of the dominant and non-dominant HGS. Those with HGS ratio 0.9-1.1 were considered as having HGS symmetry, and those outside this range had asymmetry. Results: Compared to those with symmetric HGS and were not weak, those with weakness alone, and both weakness and HGS asymmetry had 2.47 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-5.35) and 3.93 (CI: 1.18-13.07) greater odds for functional limitations, respectively. However, HGS asymmetry alone was not associated with functional limitations (odds ratio: 0.80; CI: 0.62-1.03). Conclusion: The use of HGS asymmetry in protocols could improve the prognostic value of handgrip dynamometers., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Background: American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals experience disproportionate levels of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and overweight and obesity that are influenced by dietary patterns and food choices. Understanding factors that influence healthy food choices among tribal college students can enrich education and programs that target dietary intake., Objective: To build an understanding of factors that influence healthy food choices among tribal college students at increased risk for college attrition., Design: A nonexperimental cohort design was used for qualitative descriptive analysis., Participants/setting: Participants (N=20) were purposively sampled, newly enrolled, academically underprepared tribal college students enrolled in a culturally relevant life skills course at an upper Midwest tribal college between September 2013 and May 2015. Participant demographic characteristics included various tribal affiliations, ages, and number of dependents., Main Outcome Measures: Participant responses to qualitative research questions about dietary intake, food choices, self-efficacy for healthy food choices, psychosocial determinants, and barriers to healthy food choices during telephone interviews were used as measures., Analysis: Qualitative analysis included prestudy identification of researcher bias/assumptions, audiorecording and transcription, initial analysis (coding), secondary analysis (sorting and identifying meaning), and verification (comparative pattern analysis)., Results: Qualitative analysis revealed a variety of themes and subthemes about healthy food choices. Main themes related to barriers included taste, food gathering and preparation, and difficulty clarifying healthy food choices. Main themes related to strategies included taste, cultural traditions and practices, and personal motivation factors., Conclusions: Qualitative analysis identified barrier and strategy themes that may assist nutrition and dietetics practitioners working with tribal/indigenous communities, tribal college educators and health specialists, and tribal community health workers who target health and dietary intake of American Indian and Alaskan Native students., (Copyright © 2018 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)