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This nutrition and physical fitness curriculum kit provides a means for students, teachers, parents, and school health and food service staff to learn about the nutritional value of food and the relationship of food and physical fitness to growth, development, and health; develop food and activity habits which promote good health; and share this knowledge with family members and the community. Fifth and sixth grade class plans for nutrition instruction identify objectives for the lesson, list instructional aids, outline learning activities, and offer pertinent explanatory information on the lesson topic. Topics covered include: (1) cells and energy nutrients; (2) body composition; (3) food-energy measurement, and structural and regulatory nutrients; (4) nutrient identification, and vitamin, and mineral review; (5) metabolism and digestion; (6) body types; (7) nutrition status assessment; (8) factors which influence eating habits; (9) environmental foodways; (10) food labeling and advertising; (11) fueling body cells, pulse rate, and exercise; (12) physical fitness; (13) personal fitness test; (14) personal fitness; (15) dental health, snacks, and calories; (16) nutrient density; (17) goals for healthful eating, and school lunch; (18) nutrition-fitness case studies; and (19) nutrition information evaluation. Testing materials are included as well as selected references and instructional aids. Spirit master originals are provided for classroom use. (JD)

This kit is designed to be used as part of health, science, physical education, and home economics education at the middle school level. It provides current information about and describes student learning activities in food, nutrition, physical fitness, and ecology. Class plans are offered for five lesson topics: (1) Food supplies nutrients, which form unique dynamic body composition; (2) Food safety and sanitation prevents food borne illness; (3) Many factors influence eating and activity habits; (4) Fitness levels and eating habits influence health status; and (5) Apply nutrition and fitness knowledge when making food and activity choices. Class plan objectives are summarized at the beginning of each of the five sets of lesson plans, and 43 student worksheet handouts suitable for photocopying are provided. Selected references and instructional aids are included. (JD)

This kit provides coaches, physical education teachers, and health professionals with current nutrition information and guidelines for applying that information in classes and athletic training programs. The kit contains four components. A "Key Terms" section provides an index to nutrition-fitness terminology and concepts. The instructional materials section contains information on: (1) sports-nutrition essentials; (2) fitness assessment and conditioning; (3) nutrition and athletic performance; and (4) nutrition-fitness assessment skills training. A directory provides information on how to obtain nutrition and fitness education materials, audiovisual aids, and nutrition-fitness assessment tools. The reference section lists resources used to develop the kit. Additional reference information is appended, including suggestions for classroom activities; sample high-carbohydrate daily food game-plans; a chart of recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for adolescents; a Cooperative Extension Service (Arizona University, College of Agriculture) publication on nutrition and fitness; tables containing the nutritive value of foods; and a sports-nutrition posttest, with answer key.

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern with origins in childhood and is potentially linked to childhood obesity. This study used novel approaches in bone imaging to characterize skeletal development in girls and to assess the influence of whole body and regional soft tissue composition on bone material, structural and geometric properties, the primary determinants of bone strength, controlling for important covariates such as maturation, diet and physical activity. Prospective analyses were conducted to assess associations between measures of total body fat (TBFM) and android fat masses (AFM) and skeletal muscle fat (SMF) content on bone mineral content, density and strength. The results showed that higher TBFM and AFM were inversely associated with changes in cortical bone sites of the femur and tibia. These findings suggest that gains in abdominal adiposity during the pre- and early- pubertal years may contribute to suboptimal bone development and skeletal fragility later in life. The analyses also showed inverse associations between baseline muscle density of the thigh and calf with 2-year changes in bone strength and bone density of the metaphyseal and diaphyseal sites of the femur and tibia. This paradoxical relationship between SMF and bone outcomes was explained by subsequent analyses showing that girls exhibiting larger gains in muscle density experienced larger increases in bone density and strength compared to girls who did not significantly increase muscle density. These findings suggest that fatty infiltration of skeletal muscle contributes to suboptimal bone development in peri-pubertal girls. Further longitudinal analyses were conducted to examine the individual effects of the muscle-bone unit components on 2-year changes in bone strength. These results showed that muscle size contributed to gains in bone strength, independent of its mechanostat effect on BMC. These results underscore the importance of muscle size for promoting bone development

Osteoporosis, a major public health problem, likely has its origins in childhood. During periods of rapid skeletal growth, diet may influence accrual of bone mineral density (BMD) and adult bone health. This study used novel approaches in bone imaging to further characterize optimal skeletal development and enhance our understanding of key dietary components that influence attainment of peak bone mass (PBM) and contribute to determinants of peak bone strength in peri-pubertal females. The use of a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) enabled the influence of usual dietary intake on bone parameters to be examined.This study examined the relationship of dietary intake of micronutrients and bone macro-architectural structure in peri-pubertal girls. This study suggested that vitamin C and zinc intake are associated with objective measures of bone status in 4th, but not 6th grade girls. This indicates potential differences in micronutrient and bone associations at various age-associated stages of bone maturation.The impact of dietary fat on peri-pubertal skeletal growth is not well characterized. This study examined relationships of select dietary fatty acid (FA) intakes and measures of bone status in peri-pubertal girls. This study suggested that MUFA, total PUFA, n-6 and linoleic acid (LA) are inversely associated with bone status prior to menarche, but composition of dietary fat may be more important during the early-pubertal years. Decreased intakes of n-6 PUFA may benefit bone health in young girls.The impact of a dietary protein on volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and bone strength throughout maturation remains controversial. Given evidence of both anabolic and catabolic affects of protein on bone health, this study examined relations of dietary protein from different sources with bone parameters in peri-pubertal girls. This study showed that dietary protein intake is related to higher trabecular but not cortical vBMD, BMC

The Trans-community Approaches to Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Study (Activa Y Sana) was a two-year (August 2006 to May 2008) intervention in one hundred and forty-one 3rd and 4th grade children and their parents from four schools in the Sunnyside School District in Tucson, Arizona. Activa was designed to expand upon schools as an intervention venue, and was the first to test the feasibility and impact of a multi-level, or "trans-community" approach (involving children, their parents or caregivers, schools, and community agencies) on the prevention of childhood weight gain in an at-risk Mexican-American population.Families were assigned to one of three interventions, depending upon which school the child attended: Level 1, state-mandated nutrition- and physical activity-based health curricula; Level 2, Level 1 curricula plus an after-school program; or Level 3, Level 1 + Level 2 activities, plus a family intervention.Primary endpoints of this study were changes in child BMI z-score, % fat, abdominal circumference, activity levels and food intake, psychosocial characteristics and correlates of these measures.The three manuscripts contained herein represent the main findings of this pilot study. Identifying potential mediators and describing their influence on childhood overweight is essential to development of successful interventions. In Study #1, the findings for the examination of correlates of child BMI z-score and % fat are reported. Activa Y Sana was designed to test whether combining different levels of intervention would have a greater impact on child weight. In Study #2, the results of this trans-community intervention on child weight status is discussed. The majority of evidence-based obesity prevention programs in use today were not designed with minorities in mind, and the continued scarcity of research in Latino populations has hindered the development of culturally-competent interventions that might reduce overweight prevalence. The challe

Objective. This study was designed to test the hypotheses that a 16-week, individualized, intensive strength training program in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients taking Remicade™ (Infliximab) would improve strength, body composition, disease activity, physical function, pain and quality of life outcomes , as compared to RA patients on Remicade™ with no strength training program. Methods. Twenty-four patients with RA taking Remicade™, participated in a randomized, controlled trial. The exercise group carried out a three time a week strength training program, with the control group continuing standard of care. Assessments were completed at baseline, 8-week, and 16-week time points . Maximal strength, physical function, disease activity, body composition, quality of life, and pain were measured with active tests and via questionnaires. Patients also completed exit evaluations on their satisfaction with the study. Results. Highly significant strength gains were seen in the exercise group according to 3 repetition maximums (3RMs) (p<.01), as well as in all 8 exercises performed in the gym (p<.01). The mean exercise attendance for the 16 weeks was 82.0±10.6%. Compared to the control group, there was a significant increase in right hand grip strength (p<.1), and lean tissue in the trunk (p<.01). Significant improvements were also seen in physical function according to 50-foot walk time (p<.01), the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 (AIMS2) hand and arm function subscales (p<.05), and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36) (p<.1), as compared to controls. The exercise group showed clinically important differences via the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ DI), with a mean change of -0.41±0.42. Significant reductions in pain, as measured by the Pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), also occurred (p<.1). The individualization of the strength training program and personal attention received by the patients was critical to the success of the st

The long-range goal of this project is to investigate the protective effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) against carcinogenesis. In this dissertation, we demonstrate the mechanisms of CLA action on cell cycle progression and repression of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in breast and colon cancer cells. CLA reduced the expression of factors required for G1 to S-phase transition including cyclins D1 and E, and hyperphoshorylated retinoblastoma Rb protein. In contrast, the over-expression of mutant p53 (175Arg to His) in MCF-7 cells prevented the CLA-dependent accumulation of p21 and the reduction of cyclin E levels suggesting that the expression of wild-type p53 is required for CLA-mediated activation of the G1 restriction point. We also report, CLA reduced the expression of COX-2 promoter activity induced by the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-ligand benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). Mutagenesis or deletion of potential xenobiotic responsive elements (XREs) within the COX-2 promoter abrogated its ability to be induced by the high affinity AhR-ligand TCDD. In addition, promoter studies using a XRE-dependent CYP1A1 plasmid revealed CLA can inhibit PAH-induced AhR/XRE-driven genes. In both studies, the t10,c12-CLA isomer was more effective than c9,t11-CLA in inhibiting cell proliferation and AhR/XRE-dependent genes. Taken together, these data suggest that the anti-cancerous properties of CLA appear to be a function, at least in part, of the relative content of specific isomers and their 1) ability to elicit a p53 response that leads to the accumulation of pRb and cell growth arrest, and 2) ability to inhibit PAH-induced cyclooxygenase-2 promoter activity through an AhR-dependent mechanism.

To identify factors associated with obesity and ethnicity, the diets and selected behaviors of 47 Anglo and 51 Mexican-American (MA) 3-7 year-old children were examined in interviews with their mothers. Children also wore a Caltrac physical activity monitor. Obesity was assessed using four criteria: the 85th and 95th percentiles of weight-for-height z-scores, and the 85th and 95th percentiles of the mean z-score of triceps and subscapular skinfolds. Results indicate that MA children ingest more energy than do Anglo children. The MA children have higher intakes of sweets, soda pop, protein, fat exchanges, fruits, and vegetables, though the Anglos eat more vegetables relative to energy intake. Except for calcium, the MA children have greater intakes of the vitamins and minerals examined. The MA children watch approximately 20 minutes more television per day than the Anglos and they had lower mean hourly Caltrac values. The obese received lower subjective physical activity ratings by their mothers, and they viewed 1.5-1.8 more hours of television per day than did the nonobese. The obese were breast-fed less as infants and are more likely to live in a household with someone who smokes. Mothers of the obese, particularly the MA obese, gained more weight and consumed more caffeinated beverages during pregnancy. Obese MA were much less likely to receive vitamin supplements than the nonobese MA. Fathers of obese MA children were less educated than fathers of the nonobese. Among the MA, acculturation to the U.S. society was higher for mothers of the obese children. With maternal acculturation comes the adoption of several behaviors which may increase risk for development of obesity. Acculturation is negatively correlated with the intakes of several vitamins and minerals, milk, vegetable servings, and vitamin A foods. It is positively correlated with soda pop, pizza, and caffeine intakes, as well as child television viewing (r = 0.43) and weight gain during pregnancy (r = 0.3

This study surveyed working young adults to explore their food choice influences. Focus group data determined which food choice influences were important for young adults and were used to develop a pilot survey. Analysis of the pilot survey assisted in revising the survey which was again pilot tested; minor revisions were made before data collection. The sample included 18-24 year old young adults who were taking nine or fewer credit hours and were not living with a parent or child. Of the 111 subjects, 42 percent were male, 64 percent female; 77 percent Caucasian, 16 percent Hispanic; and 68 percent were taking no classes. The food choice influences which appear to be the strongest for working young adults are, in order of strength: Appearance of food, Taste, What was eaten as a child, Convenience, What friends eat, Health, Calorie content, Advertising, and Price. Appearance of food and taste were much stronger than the rest. Cluster analysis identified three groups of working young adults: Socially-oriented, health-oriented, and time-oriented. The socially-oriented group viewed what friends ate and convenience as significantly more important. This group tended to be less educated. Health-oriented working young adults rated eating healthy and low-calorie foods as significantly more important while they were significantly less concerned about price and advertising. Time-oriented working young adults were significantly less concerned about eating healthy foods and thought their time for food preparation was significantly less adequate. Taste and appearance of food were significantly less important for this group. Time-oriented working young adults tended to be the most educated. The proportion of males and females in each cluster was approximately equal to the sample distribution. Nutrition educators should focus less on health, calories, and price and more on taste and appearance in their nutrition messages; cooking demonstrations and food samples are suggested appr

The effectiveness of training individuals in portion size estimation skills in order to increase their accuracy of food quantity estimation was investigated. The retention of gain in estimation accuracy over six months and the effects of the completion of diet records on the retention of estimation accuracy were also investigated. A multi-technique training program combining the measurement and estimation of real foods and food models by standard household measurements and dimensions was used. Three foodforms were represented: solids, liquids, and amorphous foods. Two subject samples, composed of Caucasian females, 28-42 years old, were recruited. One sample (n = 25) was pretested on portion size estimation accuracy, trained, and posttested. They subsequently completed four randomly assigned, nonconsecutive days of diet records and were posttested again six months after their first posttest. The other sample (n = 66) was randomly assigned to one of four groups using the Solomon four-group design: (1) control, pre- and posttested, (2) control, posttested only, (3) trained, pre- and posttested, and (4) trained, posttested only. One control group (Group 2, n = 14) and one trained group (Group 4, n = 14) were administered a second posttest six months after their first posttest for comparison with the other subject sample. Groups 2 and 4 did not complete diet records during the six month period between posttests. Using 14 separate 2 x 2 ANOVAs, results showed that training significantly increased portion size estimation accuracy calculated by difference ("D" method, p =.007) and by absolute value ("Ab" method, p =.003). This training effect for the total test was attributed specifically to the increase in estimation accuracy for solids estimated in cups ("D" method, p =.000; "Ab" method, p =.008) and for amorphous foods ("D" method, p =.000; "Ab" method, p =.000). Comparisons between first and second posttest scores for Groups 2, 4, and the group that completed diet reco

Whole-body bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was evaluated for its reliability and accuracy in estimating body composition in children and youth. The established electrical principle for estimating volume in a geometrical system from conductor-length('2) divided by impedance is the basis for the use of this method in humans. The hypothesis that body-height('2) divided by the resistance component of impedance (resistance index) can be used to estimate total body water (TBW), fat free body (FFB), and percent fat (%FAT) was tested. Validation studies in adults indicate BIA is a reliable and fairly accurate method of estimating TBW, FFB, and %FAT but no testing has been completed on children. The subjects were 103 nonobese and obese anglo males and females from 10 to 14 years old. Within-day reliability of resistance and reactance was assessed by analysis of variance with built-in comparisons. Between-day reliability for all measurements, made four to five weeks apart, was evaluated by test-retest correlation coefficients and paired t-tests. The criterion variables were FFB and %FAT estimated using equations developed for children and youth based on: (1) skinfolds, (2) body density, (3) TBW, (4) density and TBW, (5) density, TBW, and bone mineral content. Regression and multiple regression analyses were used to select the most accurate method of measuring FFB and %FAT and to determine the relationship among criterion variables and the following independent variables: resistance index alone and combined with sex, fatness category, sex x fatness, age, sexual maturation status, weight, anthropometric variables, and reactance. From this study the following conclusions were made: (1) BIA measurements were reliable, (2) resistance index had a linear relationship with FFB estimated from several criterion variables, (3) weight, sex, fatness category, sex x fatness, age, and sexual maturation status were significant variables for predicting criterion variables used in combi