blarrick, Author at IAFNS

Best Practices for the Design, Laboratory Analysis, and Reporting of Trials Involving Fatty Acids

July 2, 2017 in Dietary Lipids /by blarrick

Differences in how samples are collected, analyzed, and reported hamper research reproducibility and translation into dietary guidance. The goal of this project is to develop best practices for measuring and reporting circulating fatty acids in blood. The resulting best practices are intended to improve reproducibility in studies in which blood fatty acids are reported, by setting and communicating best practices for measurement and reporting factors that are directly controlled by study investigators.

Institutions: University of Texas at Austin, Université de Sherbrooke, University of Waterloo, University of Manitoba, NIAA National Institutes of Health
Principal Investigators: Expert writing group: J Thomas Brenna, PhD; Mélanie Plourde, PhD; Ken Stark, PhD; Peter Jones, PhD; Yu-Hong Lin, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

Learn more about the IAFNS Dietary Lipids Committee.

Evaluating the Applicability of Read-Across Tools and High-Throughput Screening Data for Food Relevant Chemicals

June 1, 2017 in Food Chem Safety, Summer Fellow /by blarrick

The IAFNS Food and Chemical Safety Committee invests in the training and education of future scientists and leaders in the fields of food and chemical safety and food toxicology by supporting a Summer Fellowship Program for doctoral students. This project focused on Evaluating the Applicability of Read-Across Tools and High-Throughput Screening Data for Food Relevant Chemicals.

Institution: University of Wisconsin Madison
Summer Fellow: Jalissa Wynder, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

Learn more about the IAFNS Food and Chemical Safety Committee.

Camp DASH Ancillary Studies

May 4, 2017 in Sodium /by blarrick

The Camp DASH study trial will compare the effect of two dietary patterns and two levels of sodium intake on blood pressure and blood lipids in adolescents in the upper third of distribution for blood pressure. The two dietary patterns are based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial in adults. Purdue University is leading the trial, with sponsors and collaborators from Johns Hopkins, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, Indiana University School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The IAFNS Sodium Committee is supporting 2 ancillary studies.

The ancillary studies will enhance the discoveries possible in the parent grant. The first ancillary study provides funding to allow 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) in all study subjects. As 24-hour ABPM is becoming more standard in the evaluation of children with hypertension, and it can provide valuable information re: risk for target organ damage and CVD risk. Being able to determine the effect of diet quality and sodium reduction on these measures will enhance the knowledge gleaned from Camp DASH. The data provided is anticipated to influence future hypertension and CVD guidelines in pediatrics. The objective of the second ancillary study is to develop the capacity for measuring body sodium distribution. Sodium metabolism and distribution determines whether it impacts water retention, and therefore hypertension. The location of salt accumulation is a subject of debate and it only has been studied in adults. The fate of sodium accumulation among skin, soft tissues, and bone and racial differences in sodium regulation will be determined. Understanding sodium regulation and distribution in Camp DASH will help to understand the impact potential of diet on controlling hypertension.

Institution: Purdue University
Principal Investigator: Connie Weaver, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

This project was part of a larger study that was terminated by Purdue University.

Learn more about the IAFNS Sodium Committee.

Vitamin B12 and Perinatal Health: Elucidating Mechanisms and Biomarkers for Prevention of Birth Defects

March 31, 2017 in Future Leader Award /by blarrick

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most common and severe birth defects in the United States and globally. Vitamin B12 deficiency and perturbations in one-carbon metabolism have been linked to common adverse pregnancy outcomes, including neural tube closure defects. Recent evidence from population studies have identified vitamin B12 deficiency as the leading nutritional risk factor for NTDs after folate. However, the biological mechanisms are unknown, and experimental and causal data are lacking. The scientific objective of this application is to elucidate the role of vitamin B12 in the etiology of neural tube defects, to inform the development of risk-predicting biomarkers and preventive interventions.

Institution: Cornell University
Principal Investigator: Julia Finkelstein, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

The IAFNS Future Leader Award, given annually to promising nutrition and food scientists, allows new investigators the opportunity to add to an existing project or to conduct exploratory research that might not receive funding from other sources or add to an existing project. Consideration is given to individuals proposing research in the areas of experimental nutrition, nutrition and toxicology, and nutrition and food science. Grants extend for a period of 2 years at a funding level of $15,000 USD per year. Funds may not be used for overhead or to support the investigator’s salary.

View all Future Leader Award Recipients.

Impact of Fortification/Enrichment on Total Nutrient Intakes from Foods within Specific Groups by Socioeconomic Status

March 22, 2017 in Fortification /by blarrick

As part of its review every five years, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) estimates the nutrient intake of the American population and identifies those nutrients of national concern. The Scientific Report of the 2015 DGAC identified “shortfall nutrients” and “overconsumed nutrients” and assessed which of those nutrients posed “substantial” public health concern. The aims of this study are to define: 1) What is the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI), (EAR, RDA, AI, UL) achievement among the 15 selected (fortifiable) nutrients by socioeconomic demographic as defined by the poverty index ratio for children and adults? 2) How does fortification/enrichment/supplementation contribute to DRI achievement? and 3) Which populations do and do not benefit from fortification and enrichment?

Institution: Medical University of South Carolina
Principal Investigator: Jill Newman, MS; Angela Malek, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

Read more: Nutrients in the US Diet: Naturally Occurring or Enriched/Fortified Food and Beverage Sources, Plus Dietary Supplements: NHANES 2009–2012

Read more: Race/Ethnicity, Enrichment/Fortification, and Dietary Supplementation in the U.S. Population, NHANES 2009–2012

Learn more about the IAFNS Fortification Committee.

Novel Estimation of Energy Balance through the Calibration of Consumer Devices in Free-Living, Rural US Children

March 15, 2017 in Balancing Food & Activity for Health /by blarrick

Children in rural areas are disproportionately affected by pediatric obesity. The American Heart Association has listed delivery of obesity treatment to rural families using mobile health (mHealth) as a major research priority. Improving the estimation of energy intake and balance is a priority for developing successful mHealth obesity treatment programs. The aims of this project are to: 1) Validate and calibrate consumer devices to estimate energy balance using gold-standard methods and a Bayesian semi-parametric approach, and 2) Estimate energy intake using the intake-balance technique using consumer monitors.

Institution: The Children's Mercy Hospital
Principal Investigator: Robin Shook, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

Learn more about the IAFNS Balancing Food and Activity for Health Committee.

Dietary Patterns Associated with Cognition During Aging

March 1, 2017 in Future Leader Award /by blarrick

In 2011, 15% of Canadians 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. Despite the fact that the cause of AD is not known, age and the presence of the epsilon 4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE4) are the most important risk factors. Diet is central to health and some studies are emerging to establish relation between dietary patterns (DP) and chronic diseases instead of single nutrients or macronutrients. Our hypothesis is that the participants consuming a Prudent (healthy) diet have higher global cognition and verbal fluency than those consuming a Western profile and this is independent of age but dependent on APOE4 genotype. The goal of this study is to provide useful information to the food and nutrition industry to design appropriate foods that fits into the beneficial dietary patterns for those at risk for AD.

Institution: Université de Sherbrooke
Principal Investigator: Melanie Plourde, PhD
Year Awarded: 2017

The IAFNS Future Leader Award, given annually to promising nutrition and food scientists, allows new investigators the opportunity to add to an existing project or to conduct exploratory research that might not receive funding from other sources or add to an existing project. Consideration is given to individuals proposing research in the areas of experimental nutrition, nutrition and toxicology, and nutrition and food science. Grants extend for a period of 2 years at a funding level of $15,000 USD per year. Funds may not be used for overhead or to support the investigator’s salary.

View all Future Leader Award Recipients.

Scientific Integrity Resource Guide

October 17, 2016 in Scientific Integrity /by blarrick

In October 2016, IAFNS published a “Scientific integrity resource guide: Efforts by federal agencies, foundations, nonprofit organizations, professional societies, and academia in the United States” in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. This resource guide lays out the work being done in 5 different sectors on scientific integrity. The manuscript will be a living […]

Survival and Inactivation of Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Model Low-Moisture Foods

October 1, 2016 in Food Microbiology /by blarrick

Low-moisture food (LMF) products are often ingredients (e.g. nuts, dried fruits, cereal products, and chocolate) used in the manufacture of many food products. Because of this, they carry significant potential for the amplification of outbreaks and recalls over a wide variety of products. There has been worldwide recognition of the need to more seriously manage the microbiological hazards associated with these products. The aim of this project is to understand the survival of pathogens (Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, and viruses) in the dry food manufacturing environment and in low water activity products.

Institution: University of Guelph
Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Farber, PhD
Co-Investigators: Sabah Bidawid, PhD, Nathalie Corneau, Neda Nasheri, PhD (Health Canada); Sophia Kathariou, PhD (North Carolina State University); Keith Warriner, PhD (University of Guelph)
Year Awarded: 2016

Learn more about the IAFNS Food Microbiology Committee.

Comparison and Analysis of Toxcast Data with In Vivo Data for Food-Relevant Compounds Using The Risk21 Approach

June 1, 2016 in Food Chem Safety, Summer Fellow /by blarrick

The IAFNS Food and Chemical Safety Committee invests in the training and education of future scientists and leaders in the fields of food and chemical safety and food toxicology by supporting a Summer Fellowship Program for doctoral students. This project focused on Comparison and Analysis of Toxcast Data with In Vivo Data for Food-Relevant Compounds Using The Risk21 Approach.

Institution: Michigan State University
Summer Fellow: Alex Turley, PhD
Year Awarded: 2016