Arts - Buffalo State College

80
Health and Wellness
Underage But Overweight
Kevin Carr, HEW 411W: Critical Issues in Health and Wellness
Faculty Mentor: Professor Barbara Olivieri, Health and Wellness
Obesity in high-school-aged youth is a major concern. This
disease affects everyone, from the parents, to the child, to the health
care system. The world is moving to more processed low nutritional
value, high sodium, fatty foods. This research will examine activity
levels and nutritional deficiencies high-school-aged, non-active
students. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years. A
comparison study first conducted in 1970 saw an increase in obesity
rates of children aged 12 - 19 years when reexamined in 2010 with
rates increasing from 5% to 18% (CDC, 2011). Excess medical costs
due to overweight adolescents are estimated at more than $14 billion
per year for the health care system (National Center for Children
in Poverty, 2010). Recommendations include increasing physical
activity classes throughout high school and possibly college. Former
President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind Act” mandates schools meet
testing standards that have forced schools to cut funding for physical
education instructors. According to the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior
Survey (CDC), more than one-third of high school students do not
regularly participate in vigorous physical activity. Healthy People
2020 (USHHS, 2012) states 34% of those aged 20 and over were
obese during the time period 2005 - 2008. Working toward a 10%
improvement, reducing obesity rates to 30% is the goal of Healthy
People 2020 (USHHS, 2012).
Presentation Type and Session: Poster IV
Understanding and Surviving HIV
Daniel Dienhoffer, HON 400: All College Honors Colloquium
Faculty Mentor: Professor Andrea Guiati, Director, All College
Honors Program
HIV is a debilitating, common disease. The HIV retrovirus is the
world’s greatest current pandemic. Nearly a million people in the
United States are living with HIV, with many more contracting and
dying of the disease every day. What is it like to live with HIV? In the
eighties HIV reached its peak cultural frenzy and awareness. It has
since dimmed in the forefront of concerns. As modern medicine has
improved, the longevity of HIV patients has increased dramatically.
However, the side affects of such medicine, the symptoms and
issues HIV positive people face are widely unknown and ignored.
Through the course of my research, I intend to increase knowledge
in the dealings of HIV. My research is designed to compile data to
help people better understand the severity of the disease and its
complications. I intend to compile my data into a novel based on a
fictional partnership in which one partner is HIV positive. I hope that
this novel will revitalize awareness and bring a better understanding
of the disease.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster I
Vitamin D: A Multi-Tasking Prohormone
For a Healthy Body
Jane Calvert and Emily Frack, NFS 330: Seminar on
Complimentary and Alternative Nutrition and HON 400: All College
Honors Colloquium
Faculty Mentors: Professor Suk Oh, Dietetics and Nutrition and
Professor Andrea Guiati, Director, All College Honors Program
Besides the commonly known associations of Vitamin D with
bones or calcium absorption, Vitamin D has many other roles in
the body. Through review of the available literature, we examined
the relationship between Vitamin D status and a number of disease
states and conditions. Our research findings include Vitamin D
Receptors (VDRs), and how VDRs enable the Vitamin D prohormone
to function in the non-bone tissues of the body. Many studies have
shown that Vitamin D deficiency bears the consequence of higher
risk for conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, cancer,
kidney disease, and diabetes. Despite the fact that further research
brings more and more questions about Vitamin D as a prohormone,
it is evident that its role is important for more than just calcium
metabolism and bone health. Through review of the literature, we
examined the relationship between Vitamin D status and a number
of disease states and conditions. Our research included findings
about Vitamin D Receptors (VDRs) and how VDRs enable the
Vitamin D to play a number of biological functions as a prohormone
providing a multitude of benefits including supporting healthy heart
function, immunity, and bone health.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster IV
Who’s Affected?
Kim Georges, HEW 411W: Critical Issues in Health and Wellness
Faculty Mentor: Professor Barbara Olivieri, Health And Wellness
Obesity is declared an epidemic in the United States and is
affecting many different people. The problem is growing because
many Americans practice bad health habits. What may not be so
apparent to people is that there are certain individuals that are
most affected, although this nation as a whole is living in an era
of an unhealthy and physically inactive lifestyle. Physical inactivity
is a causal factor that is affecting certain cultures more so than
others; females more than males, and youth. There are more African
Americans and Hispanics that are affected by obesity as compared
to others. Females in these particular races, and in general, are less
likely to be involved in aerobic physical activity. According to Basch
(2011), almost two thirds of the nation’s high school students do not
meet one recommended level of participation in aerobic physical
activity. Approximately 20% more of white high school students met
this criterion as compared to black or Hispanic HS students (37% vs.
31.1% and 30%, respectively). Compared to whites, all other ethnic
groups are more likely to report no physical activity and were less
likely to engage in extracurricular activities. Generally, older females
are less likely to be physically active as compared to older males.
Uncovering the problems will take research. Determining a solution