Calcium Intake in Low-Income Women in Indiana

Abstract Background: Calcium has been identified as a nutrient which many individuals are lacking in their diets. Furthermore, the calcium intake of low income individuals tends to be lower than their higher income counterparts. The purpose of this research study was to specifically assess the overall calcium intake level and knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding consumption of milk products for low-income female Indiana residents ages 19 and older. Methods: Women ages 19 and older throughout Indiana and eligible to participate in the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) and/or Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) were recruited by FNP and EFNEP paraprofessionals on a voluntary basis. The study was a cross-sectional baseline analysis of calcium intake and knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about milk products among participants. A three-part survey, including: 1) a pre-validated one-page Short Calcium Questionnaire as well as 2) demographic and 3) behavioral questions, was administered to participants, through face-to-face interviews conducted by paraprofessionals, prior to any milk-related nutrition education lessons. Descriptive statistics as well as chi-square, linear and multivariate regression and ANCOVA were conducted using SPSS software after establishing normality of the data. Results: The sample (n=673) population was primarily ages 19-50 years old, white, had completed high school, was neither pregnant nor breastfeeding and had 1-2 children. Across all subjects mean daily dietary calcium intake was found to be 1,063 mg (SD = 478 mg), mean daily supplemental calcium was 160 mg (SD = 247 mg), mean total daily calcium was 1,233 mg (SD = 531 mg) and mean consumption of milk and milk equivalents per day was 1.8 cups (SD = 1.1 cups). When examined by age, a significant different (P=0.001) was observed in dietary calcium intake between women ages 19-50 (1,100 mg) and women ages 51 and older (951 mg). No significant differences existed when total calcium intake was compared between age groups. There were no significant differences in calcium intake among women of different races. Significant relationships existed between some, but not all, of the knowledge, attitude and behavior questions and calcium or milk product intake. The more participants liked the taste of milk, the more calcium they consumed in their diet yet, the more concerned they were about their intake or if they had lactose intolerance, the less calcium they consumed in their diet. In addition, participants were less likely to know about the relationship of milk/calcium with blood pressure (68%) and weight management (41%), were unconcerned about their calcium intake (50%), and preferred the taste of reduced fat or whole milk (60%). Discussion: Based on data collected, women ages 51 and older tend to have lower dietary calcium intakes than younger women, with 70% of older women not meeting the Adequate Intake (AI) compared with 44% younger women not meeting their respective AI for calcium. However, when total calcium intake (dietary and supplemental calcium) was compared among the age groups, a smaller insignificant difference existed between the two groups, indicating that older women may be compensating for a lower dietary intake of calcium by using calcium-containing supplements. Information obtained from knowledge, attitude and behavior questions identified several potential focus areas for educational programming within the representative population

Latitudinal wave coupling of the stratosphere and mesosphere during the major stratospheric warming in 2003/2004

The coupling of the dynamical regimes in the high- and low-latitude stratosphere and mesosphere during the major SSW in the Arctic winter of 2003/2004 has been studied. The UKMO zonal wind data were used to explore the latitudinal coupling in the stratosphere, while the coupling in the mesosphere was investigated by neutral wind measurements from eleven radars situated at high, high-middle and tropical latitudes. It was found that the inverse relationship between the variability of the zonal mean flows at high- and low-latitude stratosphere related to the SSW is produced by global-scale zonally symmetric waves. Their origin and other main features have been investigated in detail. Similar latitudinal dynamical coupling has been found for the mesosphere as well. Indirect evidence for the presence of zonally symmetric waves in the mesosphere has been found

The 16-day planetary waves: multi-MF radar observations from the arctic to equator and comparisons with the HRDI measurements and the GSWM modelling results

International audienceThe mesospheric and lower thermospheric (MLT) winds (60?100 km) obtained by multiple MF radars, located from the arctic to equator at Tromsø (70° N, 19° E), Saskatoon (52° N, 107° W), London (43° N, 81° W), Hawaii (21° N, 157° W) and Christmas Island (2° N, 157° W), respectively, are used to study the planetary-scale 16-day waves. Based on the simultaneous observations (1993/1994), the variabilities of the wave amplitudes, periods and phases are derived. At mid- and high-latitude locations the 16-day waves are usually pervasive in the winter-centred seasons (October through March), with the amplitude gradually decreasing with height. From the subtropical location to the equator, the summer wave activities become strong at some particular altitude where the inter-hemisphere wave ducts possibly allow for the leakage of the wave from the other hemispheric winter. The observational results are in good agreement with the theoretical conclusion that, for slowly westward-traveling waves, such as the 16-day wave, vertical propagation is permitted only in an eastward background flow of moderate speed which is present in the winter hemisphere. The wave period also varies with height and time in a range of about 12?24 days. The wave latitudinal differences and the vertical structures are compared with the Global Scale Wave Model (GSWM) for the winter situation. Although their amplitude variations and profiles have a similar tendency, the discrepancies are considerable. For example, the maximum zonal amplitude occurs around 40° N for radar but 30° N for the model. The phase differences between sites due to the latitudinal effect are basically consistent with the model prediction of equatorward phase-propagation. The global 16-day waves at 95 km from the HRDI wind measurements during 1992 through 1995 are also displayed. Again, the wave is a winter dominant phenomenon with strong amplitude around the 40?60° latitude-band on both hemispheres

Gravity Wave and Tidal Influences on Equatorial Spread F Based On Observations During the Spread F Experiment (SpreadFEx)

The Spread F Experiment, or SpreadFEx, was performed from September to November 2005 to define the potential role of neutral atmosphere dynamics, primarily gravity waves propagating upward from the lower atmosphere, in seeding equatorial spread F (ESF) and plasma bubbles extending to higher altitudes. A description of the SpreadFEx campaign motivations, goals, instrumentation, and structure, and an overview of the results presented in this special issue, are provided by Fritts et al. (2008a). The various analyses of neutral atmosphere and ionosphere dynamics and structure described in this special issue provide enticing evidence of gravity waves arising from deep convection in plasma bubble seeding at the bottomside F layer. Our purpose here is to employ these results to estimate gravity wave characteristics at the bottomside F layer, and to assess their possible contributions to optimal seeding conditions for ESF and plasma instability growth rates. We also assess expected tidal influences on the environment in which plasma bubble seeding occurs, given their apparent large wind and temperature amplitudes at these altitudes. We conclude 1) that gravity waves can achieve large amplitudes at the bottomside F layer, 2) that tidal winds likely control the orientations of the gravity waves that attain the highest altitudes and have the greatest effects, 3) that the favored gravity wave orientations enhance most or all of the parameters influencing plasma instability growth rates, and 4) that gravity wave and tidal structures acting together have an even greater potential impact on plasma instability growth rates and plasma bubble seeding

On theconsistency of model, ground-based and satellite observations of tidal signatures: Initial results from theCAWSES tidal campaigns

Comparisons between tidal wind signatures diagnosed from satellite and ground-based observations and a general circulations model for two (September–October 2005, March–April 2007) of the four Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System (CAWSES) Global Tidal Campaign observation periods are presented (CAWSES is an international program sponsored by Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics). Specific comparisons are made between model (extended Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model), satellite (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED)), meteor, MF and incoherent scatter radar (ISR), and lidar tidal signatures in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The satellite and ground-based signatures are in good agreement and demonstrate for the first time that the tidal wind fields observed by both types of observations are consistent with each other. This is the first time that such agreement has been reported and effectively resolves the long-standing issue between ground-based radar and satellite optical measurements of winds. This level of agreement, which has proved elusive in the past, was accomplished by superposing the significant tidal components from the satellite analyses to reconstruct the fields observed by the ground stations. Particularly striking in these comparisons is the extent to which the superposed fields show strong geographic variability. This variability is also seen in the component superpositions generated from the extended Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (eCMAM), although differences in the geographic patterns are evident

Global observations of 2 day wave coupling to the diurnal tide in a high-altitude forecast-assimilation system

We examine wave components in a high-altitude forecast-assimilation system that arise from nonlinear interaction between the diurnal tide and the westward traveling quasi 2 day wave. The process yields a westward traveling “sum” wave with zonal wave number 4 and a period of 16 h, and an eastward traveling “difference” wave with zonal wave number 2 and a period of 2 days. While the eastward 2 day wave has been reported in satellite temperatures, the westward 16 h wave lies outside the Nyquist limits of resolution of twice daily local time satellite sampling. Hourly output from a high-altitude forecast-assimilation model is used to diagnose the nonlinear quadriad. A steady state primitive equation model forced by tide-2 day wave advection is used to intepret the nonlinear wave products. The westward 16 h wave maximizes in the midlatitude winter mesosphere and behaves like an inertia-gravity wave. The nonlinearly generated component of the eastward 2 day wave maximizes at high latitudes in the lower thermosphere, and only weakly penetrates to low latitudes. The 16 h and the eastward 2 day waves are of comparable amplitude and alias to the same apparent frequency when viewed from a satellite perspective