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Is There a Moderating Effect of Food-Related IADL on the Association between Cognitive Function and Nutrition Risk
(University of Waterloo, 2026-08-28) Ajaz, Sanowber
Grocery shopping and meal preparation are among the earliest instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) to decline in older adults experiencing cognitive loss. Dependence on these activities can impact their nutritional status. Prior research examines IADL as a global construct rather than focusing on specific areas of IADL dependence. This study examined the associations among cognitive function, food-related IADL difficulty, receipt of support, and nutrition risk, and assessed whether food-related IADL difficulty and receipt of support moderate the association between cognitive function and nutrition risk among community-dwelling older adults with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). This was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the SCREEN-14 validation study involving community-dwelling older adults with subjective cognitive impairment (n = 151; age ≥55 years). Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), nutrition risk using the Nutrition Risk Rating Score (NRRS), and food-related IADLs using measures of perceived difficulty or burden and support with grocery shopping and meal preparation. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to summarize participants' characteristics and to examine gender differences in food-related IADLs. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, gender, and living situation, and interaction terms were used to test moderation effects. The sample had a mean age of 76.8 ± 9.1 years, and 63.4% were women. Lower MoCA scores was independently associated with higher nutrition risk (B = −0.130, SE = 0.025, 95% CI: −0.179 to −0.082, p < 0.001). Among the food-related IADLs examined, only grocery shopping difficulty was independently associated with higher nutrition risk (B = 1.269, SE = 0.291, 95% CI: 0.698 to 1.839, p < 0.001). In addition, lower MoCA scores was associated with greater odds of receiving meal preparation support (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.76 to 0.91, p < 0.001) and grocery shopping support (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.66 to 0.83, p < 0.001). However, food-related IADL difficulty or burden and receipt of support did not significantly moderate the association between cognitive function and nutrition risk (all p > 0.05), suggesting that cognitive function and food-related IADLs were independently associated with nutrition risk among community-dwelling older adults with SCI. Therefore, it was concluded that dementia on its own is associated with nutrition risk and this association cannot be explained by IADL difficulty or burden or support received for IADL. Geriatric nutrition assessments should also consider cognition of clients and how this could influence nutritional status through several mechanism beyond IADL impairment.
Dignified Food Access in Place: Flexible Payment and Placemaking in a Community Health Centre Food Market
(University of Waterloo, 2026-08-28) Gerow, Charisa
Food insecurity remains a persistent public health and planning issue in Canada, shaped by household income in addition to spatial, social and organizational conditions through which people obtain food. Flexible payment food models that operate with a pay-what-you-can approach, have emerged as an alternative between full payment grocery retail and no-payment charitable food provision. Although these models are classified according to payment structure, this study evaluates them as broader systems of food access, considering payment and affordability alongside food adequacy, dignity and placemaking. However, limited research has examined how these models work in practice, particularly when embedded within community health and social service settings. Through a qualitative applied evaluation using a comparative questioning strategy, this thesis explores the Community Market at Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo, a flexible payment food procurement model located within a Community Health Centre in Kitchener, Ontario. This study asks: How does the Community Market shape user experiences of food procurement including dignity and placemaking in ways that may help address food insecurity? To answer this question, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Community Market users who had also used full payment and no-payment food procurement models. Flexible payment food procurement models were also explored in the context of affordability interventions and place-based systems of food access. The findings show that payment structure shaped affordability and access, however, it did not determine user experience on its own. Model efficacy depended on how payment operated alongside food adequacy and place conditions that supported dignity, comfort and belonging. Several planning and program recommendations are provided, grounded in the experiences of Community Market users. These recommendations can help planners, community health centres and community organizations evaluate flexible payment food models in ways that address food insecurity, dignity, community wellbeing and equitable food access.
Assessing perceptions of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces within the broader network of community supports in Waterloo Region: A qualitative study
(University of Waterloo, 2026-08-28) Noor, Hateem
Background: As extreme heat, cold, and poor air quality events increase in frequency, the need for appropriate climate change adaptation strategies continues to grow. One strategy is the Waterloo Region, Heat, Cold, and Air Quality network (WRHCAN), which is coordinated by Region of Waterloo Public Health (ROWPH) and includes a network of organizations that offer warming, cooling, and clean air spaces. Waterloo Region also grapples with intersecting issues such as, the housing crisis, unregulated substance use, and demographic shifts that impact the delivery of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces. As such, this study explored the following research question: How do intersecting social and structural issues influence the operations of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces and other community supports in Waterloo Region? Specifically, the study examined: 1) network members’ perceptions surrounding the structural factors that influence the operations of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces in Waterloo Region; and 2) network members perceptions on the relationship between warming, cooling, and clean air spaces and other community supports available in Waterloo Region. Methods: This research was guided by an existing partnership with ROWPH and follows a case study design. Semi-structured interviews (n=13) were conducted with WRHCAN members, with two additional follow up interviews. To triangulate data, focus groups with ROWPH staff members were conducted and fieldnotes were taken at an in-person WRHCAN meeting to gain a contextual understanding on how the network operates. Interview data was transcribed using a naturalized transcription approach and thematically analyzed using a deductive approach. Results: The WRHCAN provides valuable coordination of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces in Waterloo Region, and resource sharing between various organizations. However, operations of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces is impacted by structural issues such as the housing crisis, unregulated substance use, and rapid demographic shifts in Waterloo Region. Furthermore, the study identified warming, cooling, and clean air spaces as entities in Waterloo Region that exist among a broader system of existing supports tailored to different populations such as people experiencing homelessness, people with substance use and mental health concerns, older adults, and newcomers. Warming, cooling, and clean air spaces provide temporary relief from extreme temperature and poor air quality events. These spaces may contribute to, but are not a solution for, broader systems-level challenges in Waterloo Region. Contributions: This study was completed at a time where Southern Ontario is facing record high temperatures and frequent poor air quality days, underscoring the need for suitable extreme temperature and poor air quality related adaptation strategies. Findings will contribute to scholarly knowledge in strengthening local and regional health and social service systems and current climate change adaptation strategies. Importantly, examining operations of warming, cooling, and clean air spaces uncovers localized structural issues. Analyzing these issues makes it possible to better meet the needs of individuals disproportionately impacted by extreme temperature and poor air quality events.
Development of an Analytical Method for Sulfolane Determination in Plant Tissue
(University of Waterloo, 2026-08-28) Sweett, Alexander
Sulfolane (tetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide) is a highly water-soluble industrial solvent used in sour gas processing and oil refining, posing significant risks of environmental contamination and subsequent uptake by vegetation in nearby ecosystems(1). Although its environmental mobility is well documented, far less is known about its behavior in plant tissues. There also remains a lack of analytical methods for the detection of sulfolane in plant tissue that are simple, scalable, and consistent with green chemistry practices. This thesis addresses that gap by developing and validating an analytical method for the extraction and quantification of sulfolane in plant tissue, and by applying advanced chromatographic techniques to characterize sulfolane in environmental samples. Plant uptake theory predicts that highly hydrophilic compounds such as sulfolane are transported primarily with the transpiration stream through plant tissue(2). Consistent with this framework, published studies demonstrate that vegetation exposed to sulfolane contaminated groundwater contains measurable sulfolane in both root and shoot tissues, confirming that plants can absorb and translocate the compound with concentration in the tips of the plant(3,4). To meet this need, a microwave assisted extraction method was developed using water as a microwave absorbing solvent to extract sulfolane from plant tissue samples. This contribution provides a preliminary approach for quantifying sulfolane in plant tissues.
Characterizing Evolving Dynamics of Belcher Glacier, Nunavut, Canada
(University of Waterloo, 2026-08-28) Marchant, Tamara
The Canadian Arctic is currently a major contributor to sea level rise and under a warming climate, is projected to continue losing significant mass to the oceans. Within this region lies Belcher Glacier, the largest tidewater terminating glacier of Devon Ice Cap (DIC) and its greatest source of mass loss via dynamic discharge. In 2015, Belcher Glacier began to experience a significant acceleration of its flow velocities, particularly in the near terminus region, and reminiscent of the recent speed-up observed at Trinity and Wykeham Glaciers, the fastest flowing glaciers in the Canadian Arctic. Previous studies have identified this acceleration, however, no investigation into the drivers of this recent speed-up or its impact on intra-annual dynamics had been conducted. Therefore, this study undertook an in-depth exploration of the acceleration of Belcher Glacier, accomplishing two major goals: (1) determine why Belcher Glacier began to accelerate in 2015 and characterize this dynamic change; and (2) investigate how the seasonality of Belcher Glacier’s flow velocities have evolved over more than a decade given its recent acceleration. A combination of remote sensing imagery, in situ observations, and ERA5 2 m surface temperature climate reanalysis data were used in this study to achieve these goals. Two distinct dynamic periods are identified on Belcher Glacier: a period of general stability prior to 2015, and a period of accelerated velocities from 2015 onwards, which in this study is described as a brief tidewater glacier cycle. Investigation into the geometry of Belcher Glacier identifies a period of dynamic thinning in the near terminus between 2011-2014. Thinning of the terminus driving extensive flotation allowed Belcher Glacier to detach from a basal pinning point, initiating a period of instability that manifested as an acceleration of flow velocities. Further acceleration and thinning of Belcher Glacier’s terminus promoted a major calving event between 2015-2016, resulting in retreat of the northern edge of the glacier front to a probable new pinning point. This has since resulted in a slight deceleration of velocities and a slowed rate of retreat. This multi-annual period of acceleration has also influenced intra-annual speed-up and a change in the glacier’s seasonality behaviour. Since 2022, the intra-annual velocities of Belcher Glacier have increased along the length of the glacier trunk, with acceleration identified as far as ~20 km from the terminus when compared to the seasonality in 2009. Despite a greater variability in surface temperature between the Day of Year (DOY) 170-243 in 2022 and 2023 compared to 2009, Belcher Glacier has evolved to experience larger seasonal acceleration events that now extend to higher elevations and occur later into the melt season. It is likely that these changes are driven by an expansion of the surface hydrology network to higher elevations, alongside a reduced firn storage capacity, allowing meltwater to penetrate to the bed later into the season and further up-glacier than has previously been observed. Collectively, these findings provide valuable insight into how a large tidewater glacier is evolving under a warming climate, which in turn can improve the understanding of glacier dynamics in the Canadian High Arctic.