Vitamin and mineral supplements have a nutritionally significant impact on micronutrient intakes of older adults attending senior centers.

Older adults frequently report use of vitamin and mineral (VM) supplements, although the impact of supplements on dietary adequacy remains largely unknown. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate micronutrient intakes of older adults with emphasis on identifying nutrients most improved by VM supplements, nutrients most likely to remain inadequate, and nutrients most likely consumed in excess. Community-based volunteers were recruited from senior centers and completed a questionnaire querying demographic data, current health status, and VM supplement use.

Public-health education at Kansas State University.

What are veterinary medical and public-health professionals doing to remedy the immediate and impending shortages of veterinarians in population health and public practice? This question was addressed at the joint symposium of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the Association of Schools of Public Health, held in April 2007. Thinking locally, faculty and students at Kansas State University (KSU) asked similar questions after attending the symposium: What are we doing within the College of Veterinary Medicine to tackle this problem? What can we do better with new collaborators? Both the professional veterinary curriculum and the Master of Public Health (MPH) at KSU provide exceptional opportunities to address these questions. Students are exposed to public health as a possible career choice early in veterinary school, and this exposure is repeated several times in different venues throughout their professional education.

Breastfeeding duration and childhood overweight among low-income children in Kansas, 1998-2002.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether increased duration of breast-feeding was associated with decreased risk of overweight among 4-year-old children in Kansas families with limited means.

Methods: We linked data on Kansas families from the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System and Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System, 1998 to 2002, to determine breastfeeding duration and weight status at age 4 years. Overweight among 4-year-old children was defined as body mass index-for-age at the 95th percentile and above.

Calcium-fortified beverage supplementation on body composition in postmenopausal women.

Background: We investigated the effects of a calcium-fortified beverage supplemented over 12 months on body composition in postmenopausal women (n = 37, age = 48-75 y).

Methods: Body composition (total-body percent fat, %FatTB; abdominal percent fat, %FatAB) was measured with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. After baseline assessments, subjects were randomly assigned to a free-living control group (CTL) or the supplement group (1,125 mg Ca++/d, CAL).

Geographic variation in the prevalence of macular disease among elderly medicare beneficiaries in Kansas.

This study used Medicare Part B claims and enrollment data to estimate the prevalence of macular disease in Kansas at county and area levels. Spatial analysis by aggregated county clusters was assessed with standardized prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals, and a thematic map was produced to illustrate geographic distribution. A total of 17888 unduplicated claims were identified among 335132 beneficiaries older than age 64 years.

Physical activity minimizes the association of body fatness with abdominal obesity in white, premenopausal women: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

This study explored the association of physical activity with body fatness and abdominal obesity in 1,004 premenopausal white women who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Physical activity was classified into four levels based on fitness criteria from the American College of Sports Medicine. Standard protocols were used for measuring body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).

Consumption of caroltenoid-rich foods and central vision loss:a matched case-controlled study in Kansas.

The purpose of this study was to explore the association between consumption of carotenoid-rich foods and risk of central vision loss in 168 rural elders. Food consumption was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Median servings per week were used as the cut points for consumption levels.