Browsing by Author "Mann, Georgianna Rhodes"

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    The Availability of Competitive Foods and Beverages to Middle School Students in Appalachian Virginia Before Implementation of the 2014 Smart Snacks in School Standards
    Mann, Georgianna Rhodes; Kraak, Vivica; Serrano, Elena L. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015-09)
    The study objective was to examine the nutritional quality of competitive foods and beverages (foods and beverages from vending machines and à la carte foods) available to rural middle school students, before implementation of the US Department of Agriculture’s Smart Snacks in School standards in July 2014. In spring 2014, we audited vending machines and à la carte cafeteria foods and beverages in 8 rural Appalachian middle schools in Virginia. Few schools had vending machines. Few à la carte and vending machine foods met Smart Snacks in School standards (36.5%); however, most beverages did (78.2%). The major challenges to meeting standards were fat and sodium content of foods. Most competitive foods (62.2%) did not meet new standards, and rural schools with limited resources will likely require assistance to fully comply.
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    Effect of a New Nationally-Mandated Healthy Competitive Foods Policy on Middle School Students' Dietary Intake
    Mann, Georgianna Rhodes (Virginia Tech, 2016-02-11)
    Nearly one-third of children in the United States (U.S.) are classified as overweight or obese. Weight status in childhood and adolescence has been tied to adult obesity, which also affects more than one-third of adults in the U.S. Availability of foods and beverages can affect dietary habits, particularly in schools. Students spend most of their waking hours and consume almost half of their daily energy intake in schools. In July of 2014, competitive foods and beverages were required to meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Competitive foods and beverages are items sold outside of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Competitive foods include items offered à la carte, in vending machines, in school stores, and as fundraisers. The goals of this study were to: 1) examine the nutritional quality of competitive foods and beverages in vending machines and as à la carte available to students and 2) assess snack food and beverage intake by students before and after the implementation of the new standards in a sample of middle schools in rural Appalachian Virginia. Eight middle schools with higher than 50% of student eligibility for free or reduced priced lunches were included in the sample. Audits of food and beverage products sold in vending machines and à la carte were completed in the spring of 2014 and 2015. Food frequency questionnaires were completed by students in participating schools. Results showed improvements in school food offerings, though no schools were completely compliant with the new standards. The components of students' diets did not change significantly during the study period, suggesting that improved compliance may not be enough to create a dietary shift. Foods were often replaced with reformulated versions of the same products sold before the implementation of the standards. Incentives for schools to sell more nutrient-dense options such as fruits and vegetables may be helpful to create changes in student's diets. Schools may also require additional training and assistance to fully implement nutrition standards and reach full compliance. Further research is needed to understand barriers to and possible solutions for offering healthier foods and beverages to students in middle schools.
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    Effects of mineral content of bovine drinking water: Does iron content affect milk quality?
    Mann, Georgianna Rhodes (Virginia Tech, 2013-05-06)
    Implications of water chemistry on milk synthesis are not well described yet water is an important nutrient for dairy cattle. High mineral concentrations (>0.3 mg/kg Fe and others) may be associated with natural levels in ground water, contaminating sources, drought conditions, or storage systems. This study evaluated effects of added iron in bovine drinking water on milk composition (Ca, Cu, Fe, P) measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and oxidative stability measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay for malondialdehyde (MDA), volatile chemistry and sensory analysis (triangle test). Prepared ferrous lactate treatments, corresponding to 0, 2, 5, and 12.5 mg/kg drinking water levels were given abomasally (10 L/d) to 4 lactating dairy cows over 4 periods (1 wk infusion/period) in a Latin square design. Milk was collected (d6 of infusion), processed (homogenized, pasteurized), and analyzed within 72 h of processing and 7 d of refrigerated storage. No differences in MDA (1.46�0.04 mg/kg) or iron (0.22�0.01 mg/kg) were observed in processed milk. Cross effects analysis (treatment*cow) showed significant differences in calcium, copper and iron (P < 0.05). Sensory differences (P < 0.05), in treatment vs. control, suggested iron from water sources contributes to milk flavor changes. A case study with high and low (0.99; 0.014 mg/kg) iron treatments revealed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in mineral composition (0.23�0.06 mg/kg Fe) or MDA (0.77�0.03 mg/kg) of raw milk. Iron added to milk causes changes in oxidation; high levels of iron in bovine drinking water may not have observed effects.