Biomedical subjects

J Dollahite

Publications and source records attributed to J Dollahite.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Readability of printed sources of diet and health information.

This study surveyed nutrition education materials which are low in cost, brief and the type most used in patient education to determine which might be useful with low literacy clients. Readability of 209 pamphlets from professional health organizations, commercial organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions was assessed using three different tests. Using the Flesch and Raygor tests, materials from educational institutions had significantly lower reading levels than materials from professional organizations and government agencies. No significant differences were seen among the sources using the Fry test. Sixty-eight percent (142) of the publications were written at ninth grade level or higher. Eleven percent (24) scored at sixth grade or below on either the Fry or Raygor scale. Only two publications were written at the third grade level. Many of the publications reviewed can be read and understood by many Americans, but there were few for the millions that have limited literacy skills.

Educational Status↗

PubMed1995

Problems encountered in meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowances for menus designed according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Forty-three menus that were to be used in a diet manual were designed to meet the requirements of a specific diet; provide 2,200 to 2,400 kcal, unless energy-restricted; meet the 1990 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; meet current recommendations for sodium (2g to 3 g/day), cholesterol (< or = 300 mg/day), and fiber (20g to 30 g/day); and meet or exceed the highest level for adults in the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). In addition, regular and low-fat, low-cholesterol menus for 1 week were collected from 11 hospitals throughout Arkansas. Menus were analyzed for energy, cholesterol, and 18 nutrients. Only 11% of the menus met the RDA for zinc. Half of the menus did not meet the RDA for vitamin B-6 and one third did not meet the RDA for iron. Zinc content of the menus was positively correlated (P < .001) with protein (r = .73) and with beef (r = .45). Vitamin B-6 was positively correlated with protein (r = .44, P < .001) and with all meat (r = .38, P < .01). Regular and low-fat, low-cholesterol hospital menus had the same nutrient inadequacies because they did not differ in total servings from any food group. These data indicate that the public may have difficulty choosing a diet that meets both the Dietary Guidelines and the RDAs.

Arkansas↗

PubMed1994

Patterns of food choices among Arkansans with less than a high school education.

This study surveyed students in Adult Basic Education (ABE) Programs in Arkansas to determine their pattern of food choices. The results indicated that entire food groups, e.g. vegetables, fruits, or milk were not included in the diets of many participants. This population more frequently chose high fat than low fat foods. Regression analyses indicated that the choice of low fat products increased with age and family income level. The most dramatic trends were in changes in consumption of dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. These data support the need for nutrition education in Arkansans with less than a high school education.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

Salt taste preference in baboons.

Dietary salt (NaCl) has been implicated in the etiology of hypertension and atherosclerosis, although its role remains controversial. The human preference for salted foods is well-known and many investigators believe the taste for salt is acquired. An experiment we conducted suggests that the baboon does not have an acquired taste for salt. A sample of 36 baboons from a population of 70 baboons of known sire, sex, and dietary history was used; each had been raised since birth on a diet of fixed salt content in a study of dietary salt and blood pressure. Given this unique group of animals, we decided to test whether baboons raised on one dietary salt level (low, medium, or high) would prefer a different level. After baseline consumption was measured for 9 days, we offered each animal equal amounts of all 3 diets simultaneously in a counterbalanced randomized sequence for 9 days, controlling for tray position preference and color preference. We measured consumption of each diet by weighing the amount of food remaining. Our statistical analyses indicated an overwhelming preference for the lowest dietary salt level, regardless of which diet the animal had been fed since birth (p less than 0.0001).

Animals↗