20th Annual Student Research Conference
Human Potential and Performance
An Inquiry into the Nutritional Merit of Dairy
Chaeli A. Dougherty
Dr. Roberta Donahue, Faculty Mentor
Dairy is often perceived to be an integral part of a healthy diet. This study was an intensive pilot investigation into the dairy habits of a small group of undergraduate student volunteers. During the course of this study, participants attempted to completely eliminate dairy products from their diet for a two week period. Subsequently they attempted to double their dairy consumption for two weeks, based on a previously established baseline measure. Participants documented their food intake as well as their physical well-being in a standardized journal provided by the researcher. Most participants encountered great difficulty eliminating dairy from their diets; many had underestimated the extent of their dietary reliance on dairy. Few of the participants successfully increased their dairy consumption without choosing high-fat alternatives such as cheese and ice cream. These results suggest future dietary educational interventions may need to focus on the importance of choosing low-fat dairy.
Keywords: Dairy, Perception, Pilot Study
Topic(s):Health Science
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 36-2
Location: VH 1000
Time: 1:30 pm