Submission Date

4-29-2019

Document Type

Paper- Restricted to Campus Access

Department

Health & Exercise Physiology

Adviser

Deborah Feairheller

Committee Member

Stephen Kolwicz; Del Engstrom

Committee Member

Catherine Van de Ruit; Deborah Feairheller

Committee Member

April Carpenter; Katharine Davis; Kathlene Wright

Department Chair

Del Engstrom

Project Description

As of 2018, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of mortality throughout the world. Despite its prevalence, CVD can be avoided and prevented with lifestyle choices such as regular physical activity and proper diet.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study is to examine the implementation of a novel Mediterranean Diet (MD) scoring system used to assess participant adherence to diet. A secondary aim is to compare MD adherence with CVD risk factors.

METHODS: 52 weeks’ worth of participants diets were analyzed and scored for adherence with three new scoring systems. The original method had 11 points total based on a met or no met scale with 18/50 weeks of met adherence.

RESULTS: The final scoring method chosen had 17 points total with partial points based on percentage and 24/50 weeks met adherence. The new MD scoring system was chosen because it sufficiently scores participants adherence while best emphasizing the important aspects of MD.

CONCLUSION: In addition to the new scoring method, we have taken new approaches to diet education to improve the overall diet adherence of participants. Also, after analyzing adherence, CV risk factors, and fitness levels in MD and FV diet pre/post intervention, preliminary data suggests that no difference is apparent between the changes of each group pre/post-intervention. However, more research needs to be done in this area to confirm or deny these findings.

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