Elizabeth A. Applegate
University of California, Davis
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Featured researches published by Elizabeth A. Applegate.
Physiology & Behavior | 1982
Elizabeth A. Applegate; David E. Upton; Judith S. Stern
Body weight gain, food intake, body composition and blood lipids of male and female Osborne Mendel rats were compared on the same exercise treadmill program. To mimic their nocturnal habits, rats were exercised daily at the beginning of the 12 hour dark cycle and food intake was measured for both light and dark cycles. After a 10 day treadmill adaptation period, the duration of exercise was successively increased over a 12 day period until 60 min/day at 21.3 meters/min was reached. Relative to their respective controls, exercised male rats showed a reduction in body weight and light cycle food intake while female runners showed no change in body weight or food intake. Exercise resulted in a decrease in percent body fat in both males and females while only male runners increased percent protein. Both males and females reduced serum triglycerides while serum cholesterol was reduced only in the males. The short term exercise program produced highly significant changes in the males while the females were more resistant to the same exercise regimen.
Journal of The American College of Nutrition | 2000
Elizabeth A. Applegate
For years, eggs have been held up as a powerhouse of nutrition. This reputation has been due to eggs’ exceptional nutrition profile as a nutrient-dense food containing high quality protein and a substantial amount of many essential vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately their position on the nutrition pedestal fell with the discovery that they are also a source of dietary cholesterol. The most recent scientific research not only returns eggs to their golden past, but elevates their position as a functional food and ultimately provides more reasons than ever to consume eggs. In February 2000, scientists convened at a conference in Amelia Island, Florida, to discuss the latest research about the role of eggs in disease prevention and the promotion of health. This supplement of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (JACN)presents compelling scientific evidence about eggs’ functional food attributes, reaffirms that eggs have a minimal effect on blood cholesterol levels and presents new research on the contribution of eggs to the American diet. For health professionals, this issue provides a new scientifically based viewpoint on eggs and their role in health and nutrition, a viewpoint that should be imparted to all consumers in an effort to ensure optimal health and well-being.
Nutrients | 2015
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller; Diana Cassady; Elizabeth A. Applegate; Laurel Beckett; Machelle D. Wilson; Tanja N. Gibson; Kathleen Ellwood
Nutrition information on packaged foods supplies information that aids consumers in meeting the recommendations put forth in the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans such as reducing intake of solid fats and added sugars. It is important to understand how food label use is related to dietary intake. However, prior work is based only on self-reported use of food labels, making it unclear if subjective assessments are biased toward motivational influences. We assessed food label use using both self-reported and objective measures, the stage of change, and dietary quality in a sample of 392 stratified by income. Self-reported food label use was assessed using a questionnaire. Objective use was assessed using a mock shopping task in which participants viewed food labels and decided which foods to purchase. Eye movements were monitored to assess attention to nutrition information on the food labels. Individuals paid attention to nutrition information when selecting foods to buy. Self-reported and objective measures of label use showed some overlap with each other (r = 0.29, p < 0.001), and both predicted dietary quality (p < 0.001 for both). The stage of change diminished the predictive power of subjective (p < 0.09), but not objective (p < 0.01), food label use. These data show both self-reported and objective measures of food label use are positively associated with dietary quality. However, self-reported measures appear to capture a greater motivational component of food label use than do more objective measures.
Patient Education and Counseling | 2010
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller; Tanja N. Gibson; Elizabeth A. Applegate
OBJECTIVE The goal of the present study was to examine relationships among several predictors of nutrition comprehension. We were particularly interested in exploring whether nutrition knowledge or motivation moderated the effects of attention on comprehension across a wide age range of adults. METHODS Ninety-three participants, ages 18-80, completed measures of nutrition knowledge and motivation and then read nutrition information (from which attention allocation was derived) and answered comprehension questions. RESULTS In general, predictor variables were highly intercorrelated. However, knowledge, but not motivation, had direct effects on comprehension accuracy. In contrast, motivation influenced attention, which in turn influenced accuracy. Results also showed that comprehension accuracy decreased-and knowledge increased-with age. When knowledge was statistically controlled, age declines in comprehension increased. CONCLUSION Knowledge is an important predictor of nutrition information comprehension and its role increases in later life. Motivation is also important; however, its effects on comprehension differ from knowledge. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Health educators and clinicians should consider cognitive skills such as knowledge as well as motivation and age of patients when deciding how to best convey health information. The increased role of knowledge among older adults suggests that lifelong educational efforts may have important payoffs in later life.
Metabolism-clinical and Experimental | 1987
Elizabeth A. Applegate; Judith S. Stern
Thirteen-week-old male, Osborne-Mendel rats were exercised for 6 weeks on a motorized treadmill. Exercise depressed weight gain and cumulative light cycle food intake while cumulative dark cycle and 24-hour total food intake were unaffected. Rats in sedentary and exercise groups were killed 24 hours after the last bout of exercise to assess the effects of chronic exercise and at 48, 60, 72, and 84 hours to determine the effects of exercise termination. Compared to sedentary controls, exercise decreased plasma insulin, epididymal and retroperitoneal depot weight and cell size, and retroperitoneal lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. Forty-eight hours after exercise, plasma insulin concentration increased to sedentary levels. By 60 hours, dark cycle food intake was increased above and adipose LPL activity was comparable to sedentary levels. At 84 hours postexercise termination, dark cycle food intake, plasma triglyceride, and epididymal LPL activity per depot and per cell were significantly greater than sedentary values. Exercise termination resulted in a preparatory response for rapid lipid deposition probably arising from increased food intake, plasma insulin, and enhanced LPL activity within 84 hours following termination of exercise.
Journal of Health Psychology | 2011
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller; Tanja N. Gibson; Elizabeth A. Applegate; Jeannette de Dios
Prior knowledge, working memory capacity (WMC), and conceptual integration (attention allocated to integrating concepts in text) are critical within many contexts; however, their impact on the acquisition of health information (i.e. learning) is relatively unexplored.We examined how these factors impact learning about nutrition within a cross-sectional study of adults ages 18 to 81. Results showed that conceptual integration mediated the effects of knowledge and WMC on learning, confirming that attention to concepts while reading is important for learning about health. We also found that when knowledge was controlled, age declines in learning increased, suggesting that knowledge mitigates the effects of age on learning about nutrition.
PLOS ONE | 2015
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller; Diana Cassady; Laurel Beckett; Elizabeth A. Applegate; Machelle D. Wilson; Tanja N. Gibson; Kathleen Ellwood
Front-of-package nutrition symbols (FOPs) are presumably readily noticeable and require minimal prior nutrition knowledge to use. Although there is evidence to support this notion, few studies have focused on Facts Up Front type symbols which are used in the US. Participants with varying levels of prior knowledge were asked to view two products and decide which was more healthful. FOPs on packages were manipulated so that one product was more healthful, allowing us to assess accuracy. Attention to nutrition information was assessed via eye tracking to determine what if any FOP information was used to make their decisions. Results showed that accuracy was below chance on half of the comparisons despite consulting FOPs. Negative correlations between attention to calories, fat, and sodium and accuracy indicated that consumers over-relied on these nutrients. Although relatively little attention was allocated to fiber and sugar, associations between attention and accuracy were positive. Attention to vitamin D showed no association to accuracy, indicating confusion surrounding what constitutes a meaningful change across products. Greater nutrition knowledge was associated with greater accuracy, even when less attention was paid. Individuals, particularly those with less knowledge, are misled by calorie, sodium, and fat information on FOPs.
Journal of Medical Internet Research | 2017
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller; Laurel Beckett; Jacqueline J. Bergman; Machelle D. Wilson; Elizabeth A. Applegate; Tanja N. Gibson
Background Nutrition labels offer the information needed to follow Dietary Guidelines for Americans, yet many individuals use labels infrequently or ineffectively due to limited comprehension and the effort required to use them. Objective The objective of our study was to develop and test a Web-based label-reading training tool to improve individuals’ ability to use labels to select more healthful foods. We were particularly interested in determining whether practice can lead to increased accuracy using labels as well as decreased effort, together reflecting greater efficiency. We compared a basic and an enhanced, prior-knowledge version of the tool that contained an additional component, a brief nutrition tutorial. Methods Participants were 140 college students with an average age of 20.7 (SD 2.1) years and education 14.6 (SD 1.2) years, who completed 3 sets of practice that were designed to teach them, through repetition and feedback, how to use nutrition labels to select more healthful products. Prior to training, participants in the prior-knowledge group viewed a multimedia nutrition presentation, which those in the basic group did not receive. Mixed-effects models tested for improvement in accuracy and speed with practice, and whether improvements varied by group. Results The training led to significant increases in average accuracy across the 3 practice sets (averaging 79% [19/24 questions], 92% [22/24], 96% [23/24] respectively, P<.001), as well as decreases in time to complete with mean (SD) values of 8.7 (2.8), 4.6 (1.8), and 4.1 (1.7) seconds, respectively. In block 3, the odds of a correct answer for the prior-knowledge group were 79% higher (odds ratio, OR=1.79, 95% CI 1.1-2.9) than those for the basic group (P=.02). There was no significant difference between the groups in block 2 (P=.89). Conclusions Practice led to improvements in nutrition label reading skills that are indicative of early stages of automatic processing. To the extent that automatic processes are at the core of healthy habit change, this may be an efficient way to improve dietary decision-making.
Public Health Nutrition | 2017
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller; Elizabeth A. Applegate; Laurel Beckett; Machelle D. Wilson; Tanja N. Gibson
Objective The ability to use serving size information on food labels is important for managing age-related chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cancer. Past research suggests that older adults are at risk for failing to accurately use this portion of the food label due to numeracy skills. However, the extent to which older adults pay attention to serving size information on packages is unclear. We compared the effects of numeracy and attention on age differences in accurate use of serving size information while individuals evaluated product healthfulness. Design Accuracy and attention were assessed across two tasks in which participants compared nutrition labels of two products to determine which was more healthful if they were to consume the entire package. Participants’ eye movements were monitored as a measure of attention while they compared two products presented side-by-side on a computer screen. Numeracy as well as food label habits and nutrition knowledge were assessed using questionnaires. Setting Sacramento area, California, USA, 2013–2014. Subjects Stratified sample of 358 adults, aged 20–78 years. Results Accuracy declined with age among those older adults who paid less attention to serving size information. Although numeracy, nutrition knowledge and self-reported food label use supported accuracy, these factors did not influence age differences in accuracy. Conclusions The data suggest that older adults are less accurate than younger adults in their use of serving size information. Age differences appear to be more related to lack of attention to serving size information than to numeracy skills.
Journal of Nutrition | 1997
Elizabeth A. Applegate; Louis E. Grivetti