D.E. Wright

Nutrition Knowledge and Intake of Selected Nutrients in Pregnant Women with and Without AIDS/HIV

Abstract Subjects were a convenience sample of pregnant women attending OB/GYN and OB/GYN Immunology outpatient clinics in a major metropolitan area. After providing consent, 16 HIV+ and 21 HIV− pregnant women completed a nutrition knowledge and food safety questionnaire specific for pregnant HIV+ women. The subjects were also interviewed to obtain demographics and a 24-hr food recall. The average age of the subjects was 23 years. No significant differences were found between the HIV+ and HIV− subjects for age, height, pre-pregnancy weight, or current weight No significant difference was found in knowledge scores of the two groups (p=0.302). Mean knowledge scores of the HIV+ and HIV− subjects were 67.3% ± 15.4 and 62.5% ± 12.5, respectively. Higher intakes of calories, protein, and folate (p=0.017, p=0.003, and p=0.006, respectively) were found in the HTV+ group. Additionally, a higher proportion of the HIV+ group met the recommended level or RDA for specific nutrients. Registered Dietitians were reported as the source of nutrition information by only 6.3% of the HIV+ subjects in comparison to 19.1% of the HIV− subjects. Only 25% of the HIV+ subjects reported that issues of food safety had been discussed with them. Despite some differences in intake between HTV+ and HIV− pregnant women, the results of this study demonstrate a continuing need for education on nutrition and food safety issues in this population. Because the sample size of this study was small, more studies are needed to corroborate the results.

Fat Modified Snack Foods:Less Fat, Fewer Calories?

Abstract An overemphasis on the consumption of low-fat foods may be associated with the increasing percentage of adults considered overweight. Although food products are reduced in fat, do other changes in the product formula necessarily result in a significant reduction in their caloric content? The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences between original fat snack foods compared to modified fat snack foods in the amount of calories, fat, and cost per serving. A total of 63 product pairs of national brand snack food items was selected by convenience sample from three grocery stores located within the same geographic area of Houston. Data were collected from 5 categories: Salty/crunchy (25 pairs); Frozen or Refrigerated (14 pairs); Cookies (12 pairs); Cake-like Snacks (7 pairs); and Boxed Mixes (5 pairs). The amounts of fat and calories per serving were obtained from the food label. The cost per serving was calculated based on the total package price of each product and the number of servings per container. One-tailed paired t-tests were utilized to interpret results (p

The Relationship Between Hyperinsulinemia And Weight Loss In Black Obese Women

Abstract Obesity is a health problem of considerable magnitude. Ninety-four black obese women currently participating in a lifestyle intervention study were used to determine what relationship exists between hyperinsulinemia (determined at baseline) and change in body mass index (BMI) (at 16 weeks) controlling for the variables: baseline BMI, treatment group, and physical activity level. The subjects were divided into two groups based on baseline fasting serum insulin levels, (normoinsulinemic ⩽ 25 μU/ml and hyperinsulinemic > 25 μU/ml), and a regression analysis was used to determine what relationship exists between fasting serum insulin level and change in BMI. The regression analysis found that baseline fasting serum insulin level was not significantly related to the mean change in log of BMI (t = 0.415, p > 0.05) controlling for the variables: log of BMI at baseline, treatment group, and physical activity level. The analysis did find that the entire regression model (log of BMI at baseline, treatment group, physical activity level, and insulin level) explained 90% of the variation in the mean change in log of BMI (p