Title: AN EXAMINATION OF OBESITY AND OBESITY-RELATEDRISK FACTORS IN SOUTHERN UNITED STATES ELDERLY

Author(s): M. G. Roseman, A. Sakamoto; Nutrition and FoodScience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Learning Outcome: To describe the associations between obesityand obesity-related health risk factors among southern U.S. elderlyusing data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor SurveillanceSystem (BRFSS).

Text: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is anon-going telephone health survey administered by the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention that tracks health conditions andrisk behaviors in the U.S. Understanding obesity trends in relation toobesity-related risk factors in specific regions of the U.S. wherehigher incidences of obesity and obesity-related mortality exist iscrucial. For this study, 2005 BRFSS data was examined of elderly 65years of age and older in 17 southern U.S. states based on U.S.Census’ classification (n�28,345): Alabama, Arkansas Delaware,District of Colombia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The study sought todetermine if associations existed between obesity and risk factors:low consumption of fruits and vegetables and diagnosis ofhypertension, coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes.Statistical tests and estimation of the association between obesityand demographics and obesity and obesity-related risk factors wereconducted by frequencies, chi-square, and multinomial regression.Multinomial regression indicated that lower education levels werecorrelated to obesity in the elderly. Elderly males (OR�1.82; 1.21),blacks (OR�1.35; 1.70) and married (OR�1.24; 1.22), along withelderly diagnosed with high cholesterol (OR�1.24; 1.30), diabetes(OR�1.67; 3.54), and hypertension (OR�1.46; 2.06) were associatedwith both overweight and obesity. Associations found betweensouthern U.S. elderly who were overweight or obese and certaindiseases support the need to continue to encourage elderly to controltheir weight and make healthy lifestyle choices.

Funding Disclosure: None

Title: NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE OF FEMALE ATHLETESPARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE SPORTS

Author(s): J.R. Jones, W.E. Billon, M. Hollis; Health Sciences,Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Learning Outcome: To determine the nutritional knowledge anddietary intake of female collegiate athletes before and after nutritionintervention.

Text: Reports in the literature indicate that inadequate nutrition canhamper athletic performance. Additional reports indicate thatappropriate knowledge of nutrition is largely inadequate ormisunderstood by collegiate female athletes. The purpose of thisstudy was to evaluate the nutritional knowledge of collegiate femaleathletes attending a university in the southeast and to evaluatechanges in the athletes’ nutrition knowledge and dietary intake aftera nutrition education intervention program. Participants (n�97)included female athletes from basketball, track, soccer, volleyball,and softball competing in NCAA athletics. Participants completed apre-test that assessed their nutrition knowledge. The questionnairecentered on knowledge of total calorie, carbohydrate, protein, fat,calcium, and iron intake. A 24 hour recall was obtained prior tonutrition education intervention. Nutrition classes were presented tothe athletes that covered the topics mentioned above. After theeducation sessions, a post-test and another food recall were obtainedto determine if improvement in knowledge and/or dietary practicesoccurred. The data was analyzed using SPSS 14.0. Paired t testsanalyses revealed no significant differences between the pre- andpost-tests for protein, fat, or iron. Significance was found fordifferences between only three of the questions relating tocarbohydrate (p�0.037, 0.010, 0.017) and only one of the questionsrelating to calcium (p�0.030). There were no significant differencesbetween the pre- and post-recalls. The amounts and types of foodeaten were virtually unchanged and almost all indicated inadequateintake. Our results are in agreement with the literature as tonutritional knowledge of collegiate female athletes.

Funding Disclosure: None

Title: DIETARY BEHAVIORS OF MEXICAN WOMEN ANDSECOND-GENERATION MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMEN

Author(s): L. Fernyhough, L. Wiseley, V. Bennett, E. Bergman,D. Gee; Health, Human Performance & Nutrition, CentralWashington University, Ellensburg, WA

Learning Outcome: Describe differences in dietary behaviors inMexican women and second-generation Mexican-American women.

Text: Risk for developing chronic diseases has been reported to behigher among Mexican-Americans than in the general Americanpopulation. Adoption of a westernized lifestyle has been suggested tobe a risk factor for people of Mexican descent. A high percentage ofMexican-Americans living in central Washington State immigratedfrom the state of Michoacan in Mexico. Research Outcome: Thepurpose of this study was to determine if dietary behaviors differbetween women living in Michoacan and central Washington and ifthese differences were associated with any physiological differencesin these populations. Methods: Sixty-one women (ages 18-50) livingin Morelia, Michoacan and 26 second-generation Mexican-Americanwomen living in central Washington participated in this study.Results: Body mass index tended to be higher in the Mexican-American women (32�7 vs. 29�6, p�0.06) as was waistcircumference (39�7 vs. 36�5 inches, p�0.06). The women surveyedin both populations tended to be overweight or obese. No differenceswere seen in resting heart rate or in systolic or diastolic bloodpressure. Mexican women reported using low- or non-fat dairyproducts, ate potatoes without adding fat, trimmed fat off of their redmeat, and consumed fruit juices more frequently than Mexican-American women. No significant differences were found inconsumption of fresh fruit, preparing beans, tortillas, or potatoes byfrying in fat, taking the skin off of chicken, draining fat from cookedground beef, or eating vegetables as a snack. Conclusions: Thesedifferences in dietary behaviors may contribute to the differencesobserved in BMI and waist circumference.

Funding Disclosure: None

Title: CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS OF HEALTHY DIET AMONGAPPALACHIAN CAREGIVERS

Author(s): K. J. Williams,1 C. A. Taylor,2 K. N. Wolf,2 R. Lawson,3

R. Crespo4; 1Department of Dietetics, Marshall University, Huntington,WV, 2Medical Dietetics Division, The Ohio State University, Columbus,OH, 3School of Educational Policy and Leadership, The Ohio StateUniversity, Columbus, OH, 4School of Medicine, Marshall University,Huntington, WV

Learning Outcome: To identify the cultural perceptions of a healthy dietin rural Appalachian caregivers.

Text: Appalachian adults experience a disproportionately high rate ofobesity and chronic diseases. Understanding the perceptions of a healthydiet and the food consumption patterns of West Virginia adults areparamount to health promotion and disease prevention efforts. Focusgroup interviews were conducted in three West Virginia middle and highschools with adolescents and their parents and caregivers. Groundedtheory was used to develop the questioning route, and guide analysis ofverbatim transcripts. To address healthy diet perceptions in Appalachianyouth, it was important to understand the beliefs of those who providedtheir care. Inaccurate perceptions of a healthy diet were indicated amongthe parents and caregivers while food consumption patterns were ofteninconsistent with federal guidelines. Commonly, caregivers defined ahealthy diet through statements related to federal and professionaldietary recommendations, such as eating a diet low in fat and increasingvegetable and fruit intake; however, other popular fad diet practices wereindicated to promote weight management or weight loss. Household foodpractices often contradicted these perceptions. Caregivers reported oftenchoosing “unhealthy” foods for their family because preparation was easierand less expensive; they also stated a lack of regional availability of“healthy” foods, especially on a limited income. Few researchinvestigations have addressed these perceptions among ruralAppalachians. These findings support the role of known factors related todietary habits while providing insight into how additional cultural andregional influences intercede.

Funding Disclosure: Funding was provided by the Marshall UniversitySchool of Medicine through the Benedum Foundation.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

POSTER SESSION: PROFESSIONAL SKILLS/NUTRITION ASSESSMENT/MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY

Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION / A-27