SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NE1439 : Changing the Health Trajectory for Older Adults through Effective Diet and Activity Modifications
- Period Covered: 10/01/2018 to 09/30/2019
- Date of Report: 10/31/2019
- Annual Meeting Dates: 06/05/2019 to 06/07/2019
Participants
Members who attended: Sarah Francis (ISU), David Buys (MSU), Matthew Delmonico (URI), Ingrid Lofgren (URI), Furong Xu (URI), Elgloria Harrison (UDC), Judith Gilbride (NYU), Nancy Cohen (UMASS), William Belden (RUTGERS), Sabine O’Hara (UDC) Guests who attended: Elmira Asongwed (UDC), Pier Broadnax (UDC), Michelle Harris (UDC), Diane Hyman (UDC), Phronie Jackson (UDC), Anne Marie Jean-Baptiste (UDC), Tia Jeffery (UDC), Lillie Monroe-Lord (UDC), Kelly Thomas (UDC)
Accomplishments
Short-term Outcomes:
- Objective 1 projects:
- We adopted and applied leukocyte telomere length assay resulting in one joint publication (Rutgers and West Virginia University).
- We performed age-related studies using model organisms to understand how the circadian transcriptome and facultative heterochromatin changes with age.
- Conducted experiments designed to better understand how the circadian clock (a major factor in metabolism) and epigenetics change with age. This entailed examining how the liver transcriptome changes under amino-acid stress and how non-coding RNAs guide facultative heterochromatin.
- Conducted research studies that contributed to understanding the need for folic acid fortification.
- Created jobs: 1 previous doctoral student involved with the dietary lipids in aging work is now serving as a scientific officer
- Objective 2 projects:
- We anticipate a change in knowledge among nutrition and gerontology professionals and community providers regarding steps communities can take to improve older adult nutrition.
- Objective 3 projects:
- Promoted awareness of the SNAP among 958 older Iowans; 0% of participants were better informed about SNAP after attending these outreach sessions.
- Conducted four-week program to 196 older Iowans that significantly increased familiarity about consuming three meals, protein, and produce daily and being physically active. The majority also reported being “very likely” to make the recommended lifestyle behavior after each lesson.
- A commodity and supplemental food nutrition education program (NEWS) reached about 4,000 older Iowans. Of those surveyed, 80.7% used the information provided to make food choices, 89.1% stated the food assistance information or budget-friendly shopping tips have been useful, 60.8% have made at least one of the recipes at home.
- Increased the knowledge of students to nutrition assessment techniques in older adults
- Improved assessment of health and nutrition status among older adults at a Y in New York City.
- Increased nutrition knowledge and behaviors of older adults at Y in New York City.
- Conducted food demonstrations using a cookbook developed as part of the NE1439 project amongst urban-residing older adults in low-income areas
- Provided research participants with the information they need to better monitor their health status changes in terms of diet, physical activity and physical function.
Outputs:
- Collectively we trained 39 undergraduate students, 34 graduate students, 1 Post-Doctoral Associate and 12 Extension personnel. The skills acquired by these trainees include:
- Quantitative research (e.g., data collection, data entry, analysis)
- Qualitative research (e.g., conducting focus groups, analyzing focus group data, etc.)
- Professional writing (e.g., manuscripts, abstracts, theses)
- Laboratory skills (e.g., telomere length assays, northern blots, etc.)
- Anthropometric measures (e.g., height, weight, skin folds, etc.)
- Nutritional Status assessment (e.g., DST, MNA)
- Dietary Intake Assessment (e.g., 24-hour food recalls, food records, etc.)
- Program implementation
- Collectively we received 8 grants ($1,427,075 Total): 2 Federal, 4 state, and 2 research station grants.
- The team published 25 journal articles including 4 joint journal articles (Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and West Virginia) and 10 published abstracts.
- The team provided 28 research presentations.
- The team supervised the publication of 4 theses and/or dissertations.
- 2 Extension lessons with supplemental materials and one cookbook were produced
Activities:
- Four states (ISU, UMass, NYU, and WVU) published an article related to a study conducted 2015-2017 (Objective 2).
- Four articles were submitted and accepted for a special issue in Topics in Clinical Nutrition about the work that has been completed through the NE1439 multistate project. (All objectives)
Milestones:
- Incorporated the prioritization tool in the screening of needs in all nutrition programs in the state of Maryland
- This year, we evaluated consumer perceptions of environmental supports for healthy eating among older adults.
- We have identified and begun collaboration with two experts in targeted lipidomics.
Impacts
- Aging adults face numerous barriers towards achieving optimal health and wellness including chronic disease, nutritional risk, food insecurity and functional impairments. The United States (U.S.) population is experiencing a shift in demographics, as adults aged 60 to 65 years and older, have become the largest growing age group. The USDA NE-1439 Multistate Project “Changing the Health Trajectory for Older Adults through Effective Diet and Activity Modifications” is an interdisciplinary team of researchers who are examining diet and activity factors that influence healthy aging through translational research approaches. Our work addresses the numerous factors impacting the health and well-being of older adults including poverty, food security, nutritional risk, dietary intakes, and physical activity. We examine these issues at a cellular, individual and societal level. In 2018 to 2019, we trained 39 undergraduate and 34 graduate students, 1 post-doctoral associate, and 12 Extension personnel. Our team members were awarded 8 grants totaling $1,472,075 for projects conducted as part of this multi-state research project. We published 25 journal articles including four joint articles (Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and West Virginia) and 10 research abstracts. We gave 28 research presentations. First, our work had led to a better understanding of how the circadian clock and epigenetics contribute to metabolism and how these change with age. Specifically, we examined how the clock conforms and contributes to age-related changes on the cellular level. Our findings have indicated the circadian clock is relatively stable regardless of age; however, central metabolism changes from metabolic processes to catabolic processes as one ages (Objective 1). Second, the lipid work conducted as part of this project will help improve the current recommendations for human nutrition concerning what types of fats are healthiest for the aging population. The impact of using healthier oils could be best observed in muscle mass and muscle strength (Objective 1). Our food environment work (Objective 2) may lead to changes in policy or programs at the community level, and ultimately, improved dietary intake and nutritional health for community-dwelling older adults.Furthermore, our food security focused interventions have resulted in older adults making healthier food choices, applying food budget tips, and being better informed about SNAP. Additionally, our nutrition and physical activity work (Objective 3) resulted in the education of over 6,500 older adults. The programs, education and/or interventions provided resulted in the preparation of healthy recipes at home, increased nutrition knowledge and behaviors as well as improved health status.
- FUNDING RECEIVED ($1,472,075) FOR NE1439 RELATED PROJECTS 1. Funding Period: October 2018 – September 2019 Title of Grant: Linn County Innovations in Nutrition Program Funder: Iowa Department on Aging Grant Amount: $25,360 Role: S. Francis PI for evaluation 2. Funding Period: October 2018 – September 2019 Title of Grant: Fresh Conversations Evaluation Funder: Iowa Department of Public Health Grant Amount: $41,332 Role: S. Francis PI for evaluation 3. Funding Period: October 2018 – September 2019 Title of Grant: Promoting Wellness and Independence for Midlife and Older Iowans through the Iowa Food Assistance Program Funder: Iowa Department of Human Services Grant Amount: $36,887 Role: S. Francis PI 4. Funding Period: October 2018 – September 2019 Title of Grant: Nutrition Education with Seniors (NEWS) education program Funder: Department of Community, Family and Youth Services’ Senior Services and Commodity Supplemental Foods Programs in Polk County Grant Amount: $15,996 Role: S. Francis PI 5. Funding Period: September 29, 2018 through September 28, 2019 Title of Grant: “Advancing, Inspiring, and Motivating for Community Health through Extension: AIM for CHangE” Funder: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Grant Amount: $1,100,000 Role: David Buys, PI 6. Funding Period: October 1, 2018- September 30, 2019 Title of Grant: Changing the Health Trajectory for Older Adults through Effective Diet and Activity Modifications Funder: USDA NIFA, MA Experiment Station Grant Amount: $2500 Role: Nancy Cohen, PI 7. Funding Period: Nov 2018- Oct 2023 Title: National Needs Fellowship: Multidisciplinary Training of Fellows in Food & Nutrition for Obesity & Cancer Prevention Funder: USDA 2017-09503 Amount: $300,000 Role: Martha Belury Project Director 8. Period: Jan 2018-Jan 2021 Title: Dietary fats, mitochondrial function and muscle health in cancer patients Funder: NIH/NCI R21206566 Grant Amount: $400,000 Role: Martha Belury, Dual-PI