Date of Award

Winter 3-1-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Food Science

First Advisor

Simone Camel

Abstract

Fruits and vegetables are at the core of a healthy, balanced diet. They assist in preventing the development of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer (Fadnes, et al., 2022). Aging is a natural biological process followed by disease, cognitive impairment, and a natural decline of the body’s ability to perform at its best. The older adult population is currently the fastest-growing population globally (El-Shebiney et al., 2022). Vitamin A is crucial for several parts of the body to function correctly. Despite the positive effects of Vitamin A on the body, the recommended dietary intake is not being met in the United States. This is especially important in the growing population of adults ≥ 50. Educating this population on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet is crucial in preventing the onset of chronic diseases and other age-related issues. This study assessed the consumption of Vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables in adults ≥ 50 residing in Northwest Louisiana using the Veggie Meter® device and selfreported fruit and vegetable intake. This cross-sectional research design included a researcher-developed electronic questionnaire and non-invasive physical measurements of skin carotenoids. Participants were recruited via email invitations, flyers, and personal contacts. Eligible participants include those ≥ 50 years of age who are free-living, noninstitutionalized, and can self-report food intake. Data was collected using the Veggie Meter® Instrument and through Qualtrics Survey Software. The survey consisted of 5 demographic items, 11 health and vitamin supplement items, the REAP-S diet quality tool (14 items), six eating environment items, three medication items, three diet counseling items, and a Vitamin A food frequency component modeled after a previous study conducted in the Nutrition and Dietetics program at Louisiana Tech University (Putnam et al., 2023). A total of fifty-nine adults participated in this study. However, only fifty-six completed the electronic questionnaire and all non-invasive Veggie Meter® measurements. The majority of participants were females (66.1%), and 33.9 percent of participants were males. The majority of participants were White and Non-Hispanic (98.0%), while the smallest proportion of race was African-American or Black (0.03%). The mean age of participants was 67, while participants ranged from ages 52 to 84 years of age. Several findings were revealed in this study. It was reported that males had higher mean carotenoid scores than females; there was a significant positive correlation between food frequency scores, total REAP-S scores, and mean carotenoid scores. There was no correlation between BMI in older adults ≥ 50, which is a different finding from that of younger adult populations. There was no difference in carotenoid scores between age quartiles; however, the sample size was small. There was a positive correlation between REAP-S diet quality scores and participants who rarely skipped breakfast. Participants who rarely skipped breakfast scored higher on the REAP-S portion of the questionnaire. Those who saw a Registered Dietitian for any reason in the past scored significantly higher on the REAP-S portion of the questionnaire, which resulted in a positive correlation. There was a negative correlation between age and eating out. As age increased, the number of times participants ate meals outside of the home per week decreased. Unlike in a previous study, no significant correlations were found between this sample and BMI. The REAP-S items regarding fruit and vegetable intake revealed that 68% of participants are not eating ≥ two servings of fruit per day and 79% are not eating two or more servings of vegetables per day Expanding the size and diversity of participants and conducting more research could give insight into more appropriate interventions for this population. By implementing more educational pieces to the puzzle, adults 50 years of age and older could develop healthier habits overall and increase their quality and longevity of life.

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