College of Public Health Student Presents Research on Nutrition
| Dec. 2, 2016 | UAMS College of Public Health student ReeShema Britt presented her research on nutrition for the elderly at two conferences recently.
Britt presented her paper, “Raising Awareness in the Elderly Nutritional Needs for African Americans,” at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, held Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 in Denver.
In the study, Britt and her research partners surveyed the results of 15 academic studies on African-American nutrition from 1982-2014. They concluded that proper nutrition for the elderly can enhance their quality of life by providing the necessary nutrients to strengthen their bodies, reduce illness and increase longevity. Specifically, they concluded that elderly African-Americans need more protein, vitamins, minerals and dairy products in their diets.
She presented “African Americans and their Understanding of Hydration for Health” at the Gerontological Society of America’s 69th annual Scientific Meeting on Nov. 16-20 in New Orleans.
In the project, Britt surveyed 66 educated African-Americans. The results showed they had a lack of understanding about proper hydration and she concluded that more awareness is needed in this area.
Britt is pursuing two specialties in the College of Public Health – Health Behavior and Health Education; and Rural Public Health Practice. She is in her final semester of the Master’s in Public Health program.