Tami Turner - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Tami Turner

Pediatric obesity, Jan 12, 2015

Mobile health (mHealth) is a relatively nascent field, with a variety of technologies being explo... more Mobile health (mHealth) is a relatively nascent field, with a variety of technologies being explored and developed. Because of the explosive growth in this field, it is of interest to examine the design, development, and efficacy of various interventions as research becomes available. This systematic review examines current use of mobile health technologies in the prevention or treatment of pediatric obesity to catalogue the types of technologies utilized and the impact of mHealth to improve obesity-related outcomes in youth. Of the 4021 articles that were identified, 41 articles met inclusion criteria. Seventeen intervention studies incorporated mHealth as the primary or supplementary treatment. The remaining articles were in the beginning stages of research development and most often described moderate to high usability, feasibility, and acceptability. Although few effects were observed on outcomes such as body mass index, increases in physical activity, self-reported breakfast and fruit and vegetable consumption, adherence to treatment, and self-monitoring were observed. Findings from this review suggest that mHealth approaches are feasible and acceptable tools in the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity. The large heterogeneity in research designs highlights the need for more agile scientific processes that can keep up with the speed of technology development.

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, May 1, 2017

In the past, he was a speaker for Novartis and Merck, but not for the last several years. These a... more In the past, he was a speaker for Novartis and Merck, but not for the last several years. These activities involve diabetes, but have nothing to do with this manuscript. Dr. Phillips is also cofounder of a company, Diasyst, Inc., which aims to develop and commercialize diabetes management programs. No other authors declare a conflict of interest.

Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest we... more Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest weight reduction in adults can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes mellitus; however in children, successful weight management interventions are rarely found outside of controlled clinical settings. The lack of effective community-based programs is a barrier to reducing obesity prevalence and diabetes risk in children. The objective of our study is to develop and test a group-randomized family-centered community-based type 2 diabetes prevention intervention targeting at-risk children, 9- to 12-years-old. Methods/Design: Using participatory methods, the adult-focused YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program was adapted for families, creating a novel lifestyle behavior change program focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and a supportive home environment. The program will be tested in sixty 9- to 12-year-old children at risk of diabetes and sixty parents over 12 consecutive weeks with two inter...

PLoS ONE, 2013

The InterAct Consortium* Membership of the InterAct Consortium is provided in the Acknowledgments.

Chromatographia, 2012

Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effect... more Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effecting over 200 million people. Interventions including carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, containing aand b-carotene, and b-cryptoxanthin, are being tested for their potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency in several countries. Thus, there is a need for a faster isocratic reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method than the methods currently available. Efficient extraction procedures for biological samples are also valuable to save time, materials, and cost. We developed an HPLC method and compared several extraction methods for carotenoids, retinoids, and vitamin E in plasma and human breast milk. The method uses an Agilent 1100 system equipped with a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 column (3 9 125 mm 3 lm) and similar guard column (ThermoScientific ODS2 3 9 20 mm 3 lm). Mobile phase of 7:2:1 acetonitrile:dichloromethane: methanol was run at 0.5 mL min-1 , and run times were complete in approximately 8 min. This rapid method uses little solvent and provides excellent results in the analysis of these fat-soluble nutrients. Analyte measurements were repeatable using standards and plasma and were accurate compared to NIST certified and reference serum values. The validated HPLC method was applied to the analysis of plasma samples from a vitamin A intervention study.

California Agriculture, 2011

California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vit... more California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vitamin A. Deficiencies of this vitamin are common in southern Asia and Africa, causing blindness and more than one-half million deaths each year. We evaluated the potential of tangerines and oranges to prevent vitamin A deficiency worldwide by measuring their carotenoid concentrations, estimating the amounts needed to meet the recommended safe nutrient intake for vitamin A and determining their availability in countries with vitamin A deficiency. We conclude that tangerines-particularly Satsuma mandarins, which have high concentrations of the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin-but not oranges, could be useful in preventing vitamin A deficiency, though not as the sole source. * RNI reports in retinol equivalents (RE); DRI reports in retinol activity equivalents (RAE). † Recommended adequate intake, since no dietary reference intake has been established. ‡ Adolescent group is combined with adults.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013

Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in ... more Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in not well understood. Objective: We measured the effects of consuming CX-and b-carotene (BC)-rich foods on plasma and breast milk VA and carotenoids in lactating women with low VA status. Design: Participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 34, 34, 34, and 33, respectively) receiving orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) (12 mg BC/d), tangerines (5.3 mg CX/d), whitefleshed sweet potatoes (WFSPs) with a VA supplement (0.5 mg/d), or WFSPs 2 times/d, 6 d/wk for 3 wk. All except the VA group received placebo capsules identical in appearance to VA supplements. Changes in plasma and breast milk VA, BC, and CX were measured. Results: Plasma retinol increased in the VA group. Plasma BC in the OFSP group and CX in the tangerine group increased 250% and 830%, respectively; apparent relative absorption in the CX group, considering the amounts consumed, was 4 times that in the BC group. Mean (6SEM) changes in milk VA in the OFSP (0.028 6 0.074 mmol/L) and tangerine (0.067 6 0.091 mmol/L) groups did not differ from those in the control (20.077 6 0.068 mmol/L) or VA (0.277 6 0.094 mmol/L) group. Milk CX increased in the tangerine group. Conclusions: VA capsules increased plasma and milk VA concentrations. The greater change in CX concentrations in the tangerine group than in BC concentrations in the OFSP group suggests that CX in tangerines was better absorbed, but both foods failed to increase milk VA concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01420406.

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2016

Participants were asked to select dietary supplements/ herbals used on a regular basis and a few ... more Participants were asked to select dietary supplements/ herbals used on a regular basis and a few questions about attitudes and behaviors. Results: Reasons for supplement use included: health, immunity, muscle, deficiency, optimal energy/mood. Of the supplements utilized, 53% utilized a multi-vitamin (56% Colorado vs. 49% Wisconsin), 24% used protein as a sports supplement (17% Colorado vs. 38% Wisconsin, p<0.05) and of the herbals and dietary supplements surveyed, 35% used fish oil (35% for both Colorado and Wisconsin). less than 10% of people reported using herbals. Only 58% informed their doctor about supplement use; 64% used medications and supplements simultaneously. Registered dietitians were some of the most underutilized professionals for knowledge acquisition. Conclusions and Implications: People use supplements and many don't inform their healthcare providers about it. Dietitians should be the knowledge source for dietary supplements, but they are not. More effort should be made to have dietitians become trusted sources for supplement education.

Preventive Medicine Reports

JMIR Research Protocols

Response Options Day and time sent Day Intro and how to Day Learn to Observe Day Play and observe... more Response Options Day and time sent Day Intro and how to Day Learn to Observe Day Play and observe Day Insomniac Hippo "Did you try using the mindfulness technique to fall asleep?" Y/N; if Y "did it help you to fall asleep?" Y/N; multiple choice "not at all, very little, some, a lot" Day 5; 9am Day Radio Podcast Day Body parts are taking over Day Environment Day Drinking "Did you try mindful drinking during the guided practice?"

BMC Public Health, 2015

Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest we... more Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest weight reduction in adults can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes mellitus; however in children, successful weight management interventions are rarely found outside of controlled clinical settings. The lack of effective community-based programs is a barrier to reducing obesity prevalence and diabetes risk in children. The objective of our study is to develop and test a group-randomized family-centered community-based type 2 diabetes prevention intervention targeting at-risk children, 9-to 12-years-old. Methods/Design: Using participatory methods, the adult-focused YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program was adapted for families, creating a novel lifestyle behavior change program focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and a supportive home environment. The program will be tested in sixty 9-to 12-year-old children at risk of diabetes and sixty parents over 12 consecutive weeks with two intervention formats randomized by location: a face-to-face instructor-led program, or a hybrid program with alternating face-to-face and mobile technology-delivered content. Anthropometric, behavioral, psychosocial and physiological outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (12 weeks), and follow-up (24 weeks). Secondary outcomes are participant acceptability, feasibility, and adherence. The RE-AIM framework (reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) will guide intervention implementation and evaluation. Changes at 12 weeks will be assessed using a paired t-test combining both delivery formats. Exploratory models using linear regression analysis will estimate the magnitude of the difference between the face-to-face and hybrid format. The sample size of 60 children, informed by a previous YMCA intervention in which −4.3 % change in overweight (SE = 1.1) was observed over 6 months, will give us 80 % power to detect an effect size of this magnitude, assuming a one-sided test at alpha = 0.05. Discussion: The proposed study capitalizes on a partnership with the YMCA, a popular and widespread community organization, and uses mobile technologies to extend program reach while potentially reducing burden associated with weekly attendance. The long-term goal is to create a scalable, replicable, and sustainable pediatric "diabesity" prevention program that overcomes existing barriers to the translation of efficacious interventions into effective community programs.

ABSTRACT Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in h... more ABSTRACT Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in human blood but can achieve high concentrations especially in Japanese and Spanish populations. Its richest food sources include mandarin oranges, persimmons, oranges, papayas, pumpkin, and red sweet peppers. Beta-cryptoxanthin appears to be absorbed better from its major food sources than other carotenoids, and thus may be more important for human health than previously assumed. Beta-cryptoxanthin has multiple functions and actions that may be important for human health. First, beta-cryptoxanthin is a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed for eyesight, growth, development, and immune response. Second, like all carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin is an antioxidant. Thus, it may help protect against some cancers and other degenerative diseases. Finally, some interesting studies in cell lines and animals suggest that beta-cryptoxanthin may have an anabolic effect on bone, thus potentially decreasing bone loss with age. In this chapter we review the literature and evaluate the evidence for the functions and potential health benefits of beta-cryptoxanthin.

Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in human bloo... more Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in human blood but can achieve high concentrations especially in Japanese and Spanish populations. Its richest food sources include mandarin oranges, persimmons, oranges, papayas, pumpkin, and red sweet peppers. Beta-cryptoxanthin appears to be absorbed better from its major food sources than other carotenoids, and thus may be more important for human health than previously assumed. Beta-cryptoxanthin has multiple functions and actions that may be important for human health. First, beta-cryptoxanthin is a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed for eyesight, growth, development, and immune response. Second, like all carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin is an antioxidant. Thus, it may help protect against some cancers and other degenerative diseases. Finally, some interesting studies in cell lines and animals suggest that beta-cryptoxanthin may have an anabolic effect on bone, thu...

California Agriculture, 2011

California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vit... more California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vitamin A. Deficiencies of this vitamin are common in southern Asia and Africa, causing blindness and more than one-half million deaths each year. We evaluated the potential of ...

Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in ... more Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in not well understood. Objective: We measured the effects of consuming CX-and b-carotene (BC)-rich foods on plasma and breast milk VA and carotenoids in lactating women with low VA status. Design: Participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 34, 34, 34, and 33, respectively) receiving orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) (12 mg BC/d), tangerines (5.3 mg CX/d), whitefleshed sweet potatoes (WFSPs) with a VA supplement (0.5 mg/d), or WFSPs 2 times/d, 6 d/wk for 3 wk. All except the VA group received placebo capsules identical in appearance to VA supplements. Changes in plasma and breast milk VA, BC, and CX were measured. Results: Plasma retinol increased in the VA group. Plasma BC in the OFSP group and CX in the tangerine group increased 250% and 830%, respectively; apparent relative absorption in the CX group, considering the amounts consumed, was 4 times that in the BC group. Mean (6SEM) changes in milk VA in the OFSP (0.028 6 0.074 mmol/L) and tangerine (0.067 6 0.091 mmol/L) groups did not differ from those in the control (20.077 6 0.068 mmol/L) or VA (0.277 6 0.094 mmol/L) group. Milk CX increased in the tangerine group. Conclusions: VA capsules increased plasma and milk VA concentrations. The greater change in CX concentrations in the tangerine group than in BC concentrations in the OFSP group suggests that CX in tangerines was better absorbed, but both foods failed to increase milk VA concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01420406.

Chromatographia, 2012

Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effect... more Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effecting over 200 million people. Interventions including carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, containing α-and β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin, are being tested for their potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency in several countries. Thus, there is a need for a faster isocratic reverse-phase HPLC method than the methods currently available. Efficient extraction procedures for biological samples are also valuable to save time, materials, and cost. We developed an HPLC method and compared several extraction methods for carotenoids, retinoids, and vitamin E in plasma and human breast milk. The method uses an Agilent 1100 system equipped with a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 column (3x125mm 3µm) and similar guard column (ThermoScientific ODS2 3x20mm 3µm). Mobile phase of 7:2:1 acetonitrile: dichloromethane: methanol was run at 0.5ml/min, and run times were complete in approximately eight minutes. This rapid method uses little solvent and provides excellent results in the analysis of these fat-soluble nutrients. Analyte measurements

Pediatric obesity, Jan 12, 2015

Mobile health (mHealth) is a relatively nascent field, with a variety of technologies being explo... more Mobile health (mHealth) is a relatively nascent field, with a variety of technologies being explored and developed. Because of the explosive growth in this field, it is of interest to examine the design, development, and efficacy of various interventions as research becomes available. This systematic review examines current use of mobile health technologies in the prevention or treatment of pediatric obesity to catalogue the types of technologies utilized and the impact of mHealth to improve obesity-related outcomes in youth. Of the 4021 articles that were identified, 41 articles met inclusion criteria. Seventeen intervention studies incorporated mHealth as the primary or supplementary treatment. The remaining articles were in the beginning stages of research development and most often described moderate to high usability, feasibility, and acceptability. Although few effects were observed on outcomes such as body mass index, increases in physical activity, self-reported breakfast and fruit and vegetable consumption, adherence to treatment, and self-monitoring were observed. Findings from this review suggest that mHealth approaches are feasible and acceptable tools in the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity. The large heterogeneity in research designs highlights the need for more agile scientific processes that can keep up with the speed of technology development.

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, May 1, 2017

In the past, he was a speaker for Novartis and Merck, but not for the last several years. These a... more In the past, he was a speaker for Novartis and Merck, but not for the last several years. These activities involve diabetes, but have nothing to do with this manuscript. Dr. Phillips is also cofounder of a company, Diasyst, Inc., which aims to develop and commercialize diabetes management programs. No other authors declare a conflict of interest.

Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest we... more Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest weight reduction in adults can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes mellitus; however in children, successful weight management interventions are rarely found outside of controlled clinical settings. The lack of effective community-based programs is a barrier to reducing obesity prevalence and diabetes risk in children. The objective of our study is to develop and test a group-randomized family-centered community-based type 2 diabetes prevention intervention targeting at-risk children, 9- to 12-years-old. Methods/Design: Using participatory methods, the adult-focused YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program was adapted for families, creating a novel lifestyle behavior change program focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and a supportive home environment. The program will be tested in sixty 9- to 12-year-old children at risk of diabetes and sixty parents over 12 consecutive weeks with two inter...

PLoS ONE, 2013

The InterAct Consortium* Membership of the InterAct Consortium is provided in the Acknowledgments.

Chromatographia, 2012

Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effect... more Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effecting over 200 million people. Interventions including carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, containing aand b-carotene, and b-cryptoxanthin, are being tested for their potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency in several countries. Thus, there is a need for a faster isocratic reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method than the methods currently available. Efficient extraction procedures for biological samples are also valuable to save time, materials, and cost. We developed an HPLC method and compared several extraction methods for carotenoids, retinoids, and vitamin E in plasma and human breast milk. The method uses an Agilent 1100 system equipped with a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 column (3 9 125 mm 3 lm) and similar guard column (ThermoScientific ODS2 3 9 20 mm 3 lm). Mobile phase of 7:2:1 acetonitrile:dichloromethane: methanol was run at 0.5 mL min-1 , and run times were complete in approximately 8 min. This rapid method uses little solvent and provides excellent results in the analysis of these fat-soluble nutrients. Analyte measurements were repeatable using standards and plasma and were accurate compared to NIST certified and reference serum values. The validated HPLC method was applied to the analysis of plasma samples from a vitamin A intervention study.

California Agriculture, 2011

California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vit... more California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vitamin A. Deficiencies of this vitamin are common in southern Asia and Africa, causing blindness and more than one-half million deaths each year. We evaluated the potential of tangerines and oranges to prevent vitamin A deficiency worldwide by measuring their carotenoid concentrations, estimating the amounts needed to meet the recommended safe nutrient intake for vitamin A and determining their availability in countries with vitamin A deficiency. We conclude that tangerines-particularly Satsuma mandarins, which have high concentrations of the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin-but not oranges, could be useful in preventing vitamin A deficiency, though not as the sole source. * RNI reports in retinol equivalents (RE); DRI reports in retinol activity equivalents (RAE). † Recommended adequate intake, since no dietary reference intake has been established. ‡ Adolescent group is combined with adults.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013

Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in ... more Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in not well understood. Objective: We measured the effects of consuming CX-and b-carotene (BC)-rich foods on plasma and breast milk VA and carotenoids in lactating women with low VA status. Design: Participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 34, 34, 34, and 33, respectively) receiving orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) (12 mg BC/d), tangerines (5.3 mg CX/d), whitefleshed sweet potatoes (WFSPs) with a VA supplement (0.5 mg/d), or WFSPs 2 times/d, 6 d/wk for 3 wk. All except the VA group received placebo capsules identical in appearance to VA supplements. Changes in plasma and breast milk VA, BC, and CX were measured. Results: Plasma retinol increased in the VA group. Plasma BC in the OFSP group and CX in the tangerine group increased 250% and 830%, respectively; apparent relative absorption in the CX group, considering the amounts consumed, was 4 times that in the BC group. Mean (6SEM) changes in milk VA in the OFSP (0.028 6 0.074 mmol/L) and tangerine (0.067 6 0.091 mmol/L) groups did not differ from those in the control (20.077 6 0.068 mmol/L) or VA (0.277 6 0.094 mmol/L) group. Milk CX increased in the tangerine group. Conclusions: VA capsules increased plasma and milk VA concentrations. The greater change in CX concentrations in the tangerine group than in BC concentrations in the OFSP group suggests that CX in tangerines was better absorbed, but both foods failed to increase milk VA concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01420406.

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2016

Participants were asked to select dietary supplements/ herbals used on a regular basis and a few ... more Participants were asked to select dietary supplements/ herbals used on a regular basis and a few questions about attitudes and behaviors. Results: Reasons for supplement use included: health, immunity, muscle, deficiency, optimal energy/mood. Of the supplements utilized, 53% utilized a multi-vitamin (56% Colorado vs. 49% Wisconsin), 24% used protein as a sports supplement (17% Colorado vs. 38% Wisconsin, p<0.05) and of the herbals and dietary supplements surveyed, 35% used fish oil (35% for both Colorado and Wisconsin). less than 10% of people reported using herbals. Only 58% informed their doctor about supplement use; 64% used medications and supplements simultaneously. Registered dietitians were some of the most underutilized professionals for knowledge acquisition. Conclusions and Implications: People use supplements and many don't inform their healthcare providers about it. Dietitians should be the knowledge source for dietary supplements, but they are not. More effort should be made to have dietitians become trusted sources for supplement education.

Preventive Medicine Reports

JMIR Research Protocols

Response Options Day and time sent Day Intro and how to Day Learn to Observe Day Play and observe... more Response Options Day and time sent Day Intro and how to Day Learn to Observe Day Play and observe Day Insomniac Hippo "Did you try using the mindfulness technique to fall asleep?" Y/N; if Y "did it help you to fall asleep?" Y/N; multiple choice "not at all, very little, some, a lot" Day 5; 9am Day Radio Podcast Day Body parts are taking over Day Environment Day Drinking "Did you try mindful drinking during the guided practice?"

BMC Public Health, 2015

Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest we... more Background: It is well established that behavioral lifestyle interventions resulting in modest weight reduction in adults can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes mellitus; however in children, successful weight management interventions are rarely found outside of controlled clinical settings. The lack of effective community-based programs is a barrier to reducing obesity prevalence and diabetes risk in children. The objective of our study is to develop and test a group-randomized family-centered community-based type 2 diabetes prevention intervention targeting at-risk children, 9-to 12-years-old. Methods/Design: Using participatory methods, the adult-focused YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program was adapted for families, creating a novel lifestyle behavior change program focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and a supportive home environment. The program will be tested in sixty 9-to 12-year-old children at risk of diabetes and sixty parents over 12 consecutive weeks with two intervention formats randomized by location: a face-to-face instructor-led program, or a hybrid program with alternating face-to-face and mobile technology-delivered content. Anthropometric, behavioral, psychosocial and physiological outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (12 weeks), and follow-up (24 weeks). Secondary outcomes are participant acceptability, feasibility, and adherence. The RE-AIM framework (reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) will guide intervention implementation and evaluation. Changes at 12 weeks will be assessed using a paired t-test combining both delivery formats. Exploratory models using linear regression analysis will estimate the magnitude of the difference between the face-to-face and hybrid format. The sample size of 60 children, informed by a previous YMCA intervention in which −4.3 % change in overweight (SE = 1.1) was observed over 6 months, will give us 80 % power to detect an effect size of this magnitude, assuming a one-sided test at alpha = 0.05. Discussion: The proposed study capitalizes on a partnership with the YMCA, a popular and widespread community organization, and uses mobile technologies to extend program reach while potentially reducing burden associated with weekly attendance. The long-term goal is to create a scalable, replicable, and sustainable pediatric "diabesity" prevention program that overcomes existing barriers to the translation of efficacious interventions into effective community programs.

ABSTRACT Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in h... more ABSTRACT Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in human blood but can achieve high concentrations especially in Japanese and Spanish populations. Its richest food sources include mandarin oranges, persimmons, oranges, papayas, pumpkin, and red sweet peppers. Beta-cryptoxanthin appears to be absorbed better from its major food sources than other carotenoids, and thus may be more important for human health than previously assumed. Beta-cryptoxanthin has multiple functions and actions that may be important for human health. First, beta-cryptoxanthin is a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed for eyesight, growth, development, and immune response. Second, like all carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin is an antioxidant. Thus, it may help protect against some cancers and other degenerative diseases. Finally, some interesting studies in cell lines and animals suggest that beta-cryptoxanthin may have an anabolic effect on bone, thus potentially decreasing bone loss with age. In this chapter we review the literature and evaluate the evidence for the functions and potential health benefits of beta-cryptoxanthin.

Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in human bloo... more Beta-cryptoxanthin is a common carotenoid. It is generally the fourth most abundant in human blood but can achieve high concentrations especially in Japanese and Spanish populations. Its richest food sources include mandarin oranges, persimmons, oranges, papayas, pumpkin, and red sweet peppers. Beta-cryptoxanthin appears to be absorbed better from its major food sources than other carotenoids, and thus may be more important for human health than previously assumed. Beta-cryptoxanthin has multiple functions and actions that may be important for human health. First, beta-cryptoxanthin is a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient needed for eyesight, growth, development, and immune response. Second, like all carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin is an antioxidant. Thus, it may help protect against some cancers and other degenerative diseases. Finally, some interesting studies in cell lines and animals suggest that beta-cryptoxanthin may have an anabolic effect on bone, thu...

California Agriculture, 2011

California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vit... more California is a major producer of tangerines and oranges, which contain carotenoids that form vitamin A. Deficiencies of this vitamin are common in southern Asia and Africa, causing blindness and more than one-half million deaths each year. We evaluated the potential of ...

Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in ... more Background: The potential of b-cryptoxanthin (CX)-rich foods to form vitamin A (VA) in humans in not well understood. Objective: We measured the effects of consuming CX-and b-carotene (BC)-rich foods on plasma and breast milk VA and carotenoids in lactating women with low VA status. Design: Participants were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 34, 34, 34, and 33, respectively) receiving orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) (12 mg BC/d), tangerines (5.3 mg CX/d), whitefleshed sweet potatoes (WFSPs) with a VA supplement (0.5 mg/d), or WFSPs 2 times/d, 6 d/wk for 3 wk. All except the VA group received placebo capsules identical in appearance to VA supplements. Changes in plasma and breast milk VA, BC, and CX were measured. Results: Plasma retinol increased in the VA group. Plasma BC in the OFSP group and CX in the tangerine group increased 250% and 830%, respectively; apparent relative absorption in the CX group, considering the amounts consumed, was 4 times that in the BC group. Mean (6SEM) changes in milk VA in the OFSP (0.028 6 0.074 mmol/L) and tangerine (0.067 6 0.091 mmol/L) groups did not differ from those in the control (20.077 6 0.068 mmol/L) or VA (0.277 6 0.094 mmol/L) group. Milk CX increased in the tangerine group. Conclusions: VA capsules increased plasma and milk VA concentrations. The greater change in CX concentrations in the tangerine group than in BC concentrations in the OFSP group suggests that CX in tangerines was better absorbed, but both foods failed to increase milk VA concentrations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01420406.

Chromatographia, 2012

Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effect... more Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effecting over 200 million people. Interventions including carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, containing α-and β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin, are being tested for their potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency in several countries. Thus, there is a need for a faster isocratic reverse-phase HPLC method than the methods currently available. Efficient extraction procedures for biological samples are also valuable to save time, materials, and cost. We developed an HPLC method and compared several extraction methods for carotenoids, retinoids, and vitamin E in plasma and human breast milk. The method uses an Agilent 1100 system equipped with a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 column (3x125mm 3µm) and similar guard column (ThermoScientific ODS2 3x20mm 3µm). Mobile phase of 7:2:1 acetonitrile: dichloromethane: methanol was run at 0.5ml/min, and run times were complete in approximately eight minutes. This rapid method uses little solvent and provides excellent results in the analysis of these fat-soluble nutrients. Analyte measurements