Health Belief Model Predicts Likelihood of Eating Nutrient-Rich Foods among U.S. Adults.

Despite decades of messaging, most Americans still consume excess fats and sugars, but inadequate fiber, potassium, and calcium. Nutrient-rich foods (NRFs) have a high density of favorable nutrients related to calories. Choosing NRFs could lower risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases and aid in their control.

Factors Influencing Omega-3 Index Status in Active-Duty Military Personnel.

Background: This study assessed omega-3 fatty acid (O3FA) status, previous brain injury risk exposures, and associations between O3FA status and risk exposures among active-duty military personnel.

Methods: O3FA status was measured by a Holman omega-3 blood test. A survey was conducted to assess brain injury risk history and dietary O3FA factors.

The relationship between resting metabolic rate and quality of life is moderated by age and body composition in women: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is related to body composition, which is also related to resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR can be increased by exercise and diet interventions that are not dependent on changes in body composition, so a link between RMR and HRQOL may provide interventions that directly improve HRQOL in women.

Methods: One hundred twenty women (median age 63.

The Impact of Ashwagandha on Stress, Sleep Quality, and Food Cravings in College Students: Quantitative Analysis of a Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of ashwagandha (ASH) () on sleep, perceived stress, and cravings in a college student population. Sixty healthy students were screened/enrolled into a 30-day double-blinded placebo (PLA)-controlled intervention (700 mg daily, full spectrum extract of ASH root). Anthropometrics, demographics, and validated questionnaires assessing physical activity, restorative sleep, perceived stress, and food cravings were assessed before and after the study.

The Perceived Impact of Ashwagandha on Stress, Sleep Quality, Energy, and Mental Clarity for College Students: Qualitative Analysis of a Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial.

Stress, anxiety, and depression, along with feeling overwhelmed and exhausted have been widely reported by college students as factors that negatively impact their academic performance, and overall well-being. Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that has been used historically to support healthy responses to stressors, but has recently gained popularity in the United States for its ability to support well-being for populations who experience chronic stress. To our knowledge, there have not been any human trials evaluating the efficacy of ashwagandha on stress in the United States.

Training interns in nutrition and dietetics: a cross-sectional study of the barriers and motivators to being a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist preceptor.

Background: As is common across the health professions, training of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) requires experiential learning for interns/students to gain skills and demonstrate entry-level competency. Preceptors are essential to the experiential learning component of health care professional training, providing supervision and mentoring as students and interns gain the skills required for entry-level practice competency. Over the past 27 years, 47-73% of applicants to dietetic internships have received a placement.

Effect of menstrual cycle on resting metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The need to control for the potential influence of menstrual cycle phase on resting metabolism (RMR) places a burden on research participants who must self-report onset of menstruation and researchers who must schedule metabolic testing accordingly.

Purpose: To systematically review and analyze existing research to determine the effect of menstrual cycle on RMR.

Methods: We searched PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus databases using the search terms "menstrual cycle and metabolic rate" and "menstrual cycle and energy expenditure.

Dietitians vary by counseling status in bean promotion with type 2 diabetes clients: A pilot study.

Beans are noted for their beneficial effects on blood glucose for persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, little is known about dietitian attitudes and perceptions, self-efficacy, or counseling practices about beans in T2DM management. Through an online survey, the attitudes and perceptions dietitians have toward the role of beans in managing T2DM were examined.

Arizona Registered Dietitians Show Gaps in Knowledge of Bean Health Benefits.

Registered Dietitians (RDs) promote nutrition practices and policies and can influence food consumption patterns to include nutrient dense foods such as beans. Although many evidence-based health benefits of bean consumption (e.g.

Glycemic Response to Black Beans and Chickpeas as Part of a Rice Meal: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial.

Legumes, such as black beans ( L.) and chickpeas ( L.), have a low glycemic index, and may reduce the glycemic load of meals in which they are included.

The Impact of Virgin Coconut Oil and High-Oleic Safflower Oil on Body Composition, Lipids, and Inflammatory Markers in Postmenopausal Women.

This randomized crossover study compared the impact of virgin coconut oil (VCO) to safflower oil (SO) on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors. Twelve postmenopausal women (58.8 ± 3.

Myofascial release as a treatment for orthopaedic conditions: a systematic review.

Objective: To critically analyze published literature to determine the effectiveness of myofascial release therapy as a treatment for orthopaedic conditions.

Data Sources: We searched the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Premier, Cochrane Library, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), with key words myofascial release, myofascial release therapy, myofascial release treatment, musculoskeletal, and orthopedic. No date limitations were applied to the searches.

Daily flaxseed consumption improves glycemic control in obese men and women with pre-diabetes: a randomized study.

The study hypothesis was that fasting glucose, insulin, fructosamine, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 decrease and adiponectin increases with daily flaxseed consumption in overweight or obese individuals with pre-diabetes. In this randomized, cross-over study overweight or obese men and postmenopausal women (n = 25) with pre-diabetes consumed 0, 13, or 26 g ground flaxseed for 12 weeks. Glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR), and normalized percent of α-linolenic fatty acid (ALA) were significantly different by treatment (multiple analysis of variance, P = .

Phaseolus beans: impact on glycaemic response and chronic disease risk in human subjects.

Consumption of Phaseolus vulgaris bean species such as pinto, black, navy or kidney may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. In particular, conditions that are promoted by increased glycaemic stress (hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia) including diabetes, CVD and cancer seem to be reduced in individuals who eat more of these beans. The present paper discusses the influence of P.

Bean and rice meals reduce postprandial glycemic response in adults with type 2 diabetes: a cross-over study.

Background: Around the world, beans and rice are commonly consumed together as a meal. With type 2 diabetes increasing, the effect of this traditional diet pattern on glycemic response has not been studied fully.

Methods: We evaluated the glycemic response of bean and rice traditional meals compared to rice alone in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies.

Background: Many consumers avoid eating beans because they believe legume consumption will cause excessive intestinal gas or flatulence. An increasing body of research and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans supports the benefits of a plant-based diet, and legumes specifically, in the reduction of chronic disease risks. The purpose of the current research was to investigate the perception of increased flatulence and gastrointestinal discomfort among participants who consumed a ½ cup of beans daily for 8 or 12 weeks.

Dietary intakes, attitudes toward carbohydrates of postmenopausal women following low carbohydrate diets.

Purpose: Middle-aged women have the highest levels of obesity and comprise the largest group of dieters. Few investigators have examined how women apply weight-loss diet principles in an unsupervised setting. Dietary intakes and attitudes toward carbohydrates were examined in women who were self-reported low carbohydrate dieters (SRLCDs); these intakes and attitudes were compared with those of women who were following their normal diet (non-dieters [NDs]).

Pinto bean consumption reduces biomarkers for heart disease risk.

Objective: To determine effects of daily intake of 1/2 cup pinto beans, black-eyed peas or carrots (placebo) on risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) in free-living, mildly insulin resistant adults over an 8 week period.

Methods: Randomized, crossover 3x3 block design. Sixteen participants (7 men, 9 women) received each treatment for eight-weeks with two-week washouts.

Effects of an 8-week high-protein or high-carbohydrate diet in adults with hyperinsulinemia.

Context: Incidence of insulin resistance (IR) in Americans is steadily rising. IR may be ameliorated with < or = 5% loss in body weight.

Objective: To examine effects of 2 weight-loss diets on body weight and composition in overweight adults with IR.

Soy isoflavone and ascorbic acid supplementation alone or in combination minimally affect plasma lipid peroxides in healthy postmenopausal women.

The objective of this study was to assess synergistic antioxidant properties of vitamin C and isoflavones. The design was a placebo-controlled crossover trial: 500 mg vitamin C, 5 mg/kg body weight isoflavones, 500 mg vitamin C plus 5 mg/kg body weight isoflavones, or placebo. Total lipid peroxides, plasma vitamin C, and blood pressure were measured.

Hypertensive crisis associated with high dose soy isoflavone supplementation in a post-menopausal woman: a case report [ISRCTN98074661].

Background: Isoflavones are gaining popularity as alternatives to hormone replacement therapy. However, few guidelines exist to inform the public as to an appropriate dose. This case involves a postmenopausal woman who experienced a hypertensive crisis while consuming a high-dose isoflavone supplement as part of a research protocol.

Effect of flaxseed and wheat bran on serum hormones and lignan excretion in premenopausal women.

Objective: To examine the effects of flaxseed consumption (a lignan-rich plant food) alone and in combination with wheat bran on serum hormones and urinary lignan excretion in premenopausal women.

Methods: Sixteen subjects were studied for four feeding treatments lasting two menstrual cycles each in a randomized, crossover design. During each treatment, subjects consumed their habitual diets supplemented with baked goods containing no flaxseed or wheat bran, 10 g of flaxseed, 28 g of wheat bran, or 10 g of flaxseed plus 28 g of wheat bran/day.

Types of dietary fat and soy minimally affect hormones and biomarkers associated with breast cancer risk in premenopausal women.

Fourteen premenopausal women participated in a randomized, crossover controlled feeding study of three diets, each two menstrual cycles long. We compared a high saturated fat Western diet (control diet) with two other diets: the control diet plus soy protein (soy diet) and the control diet with polyunsaturated fat (PUFA diet) replacing most of the saturated fat. We measured reproductive and serum hormones, urinary estrogen metabolites and isoflavonoids, and menstrual cycle length.