Leptin Differentially Regulate Stat3 Activation In Ob/Ob Mouse Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Zhou Zhou, Manish Neupane, Hui R. Zhou, Dayong Wu, Chia-Cheng Chang, Naima Moustaid-Moussa, Kate J. Claycomb

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

Background

Leptin-deficient ob/ob mice exhibit adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia as well as elevated adipose tissue and systemic inflammation. Multipotent stem cells isolated from adult adipose tissue can differentiate into adipocytes ex vivo and thereby contribute toward increased adipocyte cell numbers, obesity, and inflamm ation. Currently, information is lacking regarding regulation of adipose stem cell numbers as well as leptin-induced inflammation and its signaling pathway in ob/ob mice.

Methods

Using leptin deficient ob/ob mice, we investigated whether leptin injection into ob/ob mice increases adipose stem cell numbers and adipose tissue inflammatory marker MCP-1 mRNA and secretion levels. We also determined leptin …

Effect Of Body Size And Exercise On Mood State, Alexandra Lachance

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Exercising in the presence of nature (i.e., "green exercise"), has been shown to heighten the physiological and mental benefits of traditional exercise on non-obese individuals. The effects of green exercise on obese individuals are unknown. It is hypothesized that green exercise is more beneficial for obese (greater positive improvements in mental health scores), compared to non-obese individuals. For example, the benefits of green exercise could help lower feelings of depression, improve mood and self-esteem to increase the propensity of obese individuals to meet exercise recommendations. Accordingly, this study investigated the physiological and psychological effects of green exercise on 12 obese …

Effects Of Obesity On Thermoregulation And Cardiovascular Function During Exercise In Females, Jon David Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that obese individuals are at greater risk for heat illnesses because of impaired thermoregulation. However, laboratory studies investigating cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function in obese individuals are difficult to interpret because of low sample sizes and methodological concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in thermoregulatory and cardiovascular function between obese and non-obese females. Twenty-four females, 13 obese (43.3 ± 4 .3 % fat, 77.2 ± 13.7 kg) and 11 non-obese (27.8 ± 6.0 % fat, 55.7±6.7 kg), cycled for 60 min in a warm environment (~40°C, 30% humidity) at a …

The Relationship Between Sleep Deprivation, Food Motivation, And Energy Intake In Normal-Weight And Obese Females, Lora Light Romney

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Sleep deprivation has been proposed as a potential correlate of obesity, particularly influencing energy intake. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare neural indices of attention related to food motivation and energy intake in normal-weight and obese women under two separate sleep conditions: 1) sleep-restricted (<5 hours) and 2) recommended sleep (~8 hours). This study used a combined cross-over and ex post facto design with condition order counter-balanced. Methods: Twenty-two normal-weight (age=30.9±9.5y, BMI=22.0±1.6 kg/m2) and 18 obese (age=29.7±10.7 y, BMI=36.4±5.3 kg/m2) women completed both sleep conditions. To confirm sleep levels, participants recorded sleep quality and quantity via sleep logs and wore a wrist actigraph. Following each condition, participants reported to the laboratory under the same fed state (energy shake ~10% of total daily needs) to verify they followed the sleep protocol. Subsequently, motivation for food was tested using electroencephalogram (EEG); participants completed a computerized passive-viewing task of food and flowers, while event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded. After EEG testing, participants continued their normal routine but recorded all energy intake using weighed food scales. There were no instructions or limitations on dietary intake. Analyses included P300 and LPP amplitudes in response to picture type, total next day energy intake, and energy intake by several periods of the day. Results: Participants averaged 4.7±0.4 hours of sleep during the sleep-restricted condition and 7.7±0.3 hours during the recommended sleep condition (F=1057.02; P<0.0001). There was no group*condition interaction for next day food motivation (P300: F<2.896, P>0.09; LPP: F<2.967, P>0.093). Next day total energy intake also did not differ by group*condition (F=1.81; P=0.187). When participants were pooled, there was no difference in energy intake by sleep condition (F=0.00; P=0.953). However, when participants’ energy intake was analyzed during the lunch period (following testing to 1:30pm) there was a …

Findings From The Nutrition Challenge Program, Rayleen Earney, Nicole Bungum, Timothy J. Bungum

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Over 61% of U.S. adults and 58% of Nevada adults have Body Mass Index’s (BMI) that classify them as either overweight or obese (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System [BRFSS], 2005). According to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, obesity was the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States behind tobacco use (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup & Gerberding, 2004).

While obesity and overweight are complex, multi-factorial health conditions, an important contributor to the overweight and obesity epidemic is poor dietary habits. One of the major …

Gender Difference In Obesity And Preventive Health Behaviors In A Us-Mexico Border Hispanic Cohort, Jing Wang, Belinda M. Reininger, Stanley Cron, Deidra Carroll, Susan P. Fisher-Hoch

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Overweight and obesity is a prevalent chronic disorder in Mexican Americans, however, obesity-related behaviors and the role of gender remain unclear. This study examined gender difference in obesity-related health behaviors among Mexican Americans. Methods: A sample (n=1439) was drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, a prospective cohort sample of Mexican American adults aged 18 years and older living in a large and poor city along the Texas / Mexico border. The participants’ baseline demographic, behavioral, and clinical measures were used for this analysis. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were conducted to analyze the data. Results: The sample had …

Neighborhood Walkability And Physical Activity: Results From The Health Is Power (Hip) Study, Nathan Parker

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Health Is Power (NIH 1R01CA109403) was a longitudinal, multi-site intervention aimed to increase physical activity (PA) among community dwelling, healthy African American and Hispanic or Latina women. This study investigated the relationship between neighborhood walking environments and PA maintenance from T1 (baseline) through T2 (end of intervention) and to T3 (6-month follow-up post-intervention). Method: Women (N=410, M age=45.2 years, SD=9.4, 62.7% African American) completed interviewer-administered questionnaires assessing demographics at T1 and the International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ) to assess physical activity at T1, T2 and T3. Walkability characteristics for all street segments within 800m of participants’ homes …

Altered Irinotecan Pharmacokinetics In Diet-Induced Obesity, Pranav Shah, Adarsh Gandhi, Romi Ghose

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Title: Altered Irinotecan Pharmacokinetics in Diet-Induced Obesity

Authors: Pranav Shah*, Adarsh Gandhi and Romi Ghose

Affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Houston, TX - 77030

Purpose: Irinotecan (CPT-11) is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that has been shown to be highly effective in treatment of colon, stomach, pancreas, and non-small cell lung cancers. It has recently been shown that CPT-11 administration is associated with liver toxicity and this effect is compounded by baseline obesity. It was found that patients with a BMI index of >25 were twice as much susceptible to developing liver toxicity than patients with …

Addressing Obesity Prevention And Control In The Workplace, Mary D. Hill

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Texas Obesity Research Center

Addressing Obesity Prevention and Control in the Workplace

Hill MD, Lankford T

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, Georgia

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Over one-third of adults in the United States (U.S.), over 72 million people, are obese. There are health and economic costs associated with obesity. In 2008, obesity-related medical costs were estimated to be as high as $147 billion. Method: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend policy and environmental change strategies that address obesity in multiple settings: healthcare, schools, child care, worksites, and community. In 2011, about 111.5 million U.S. adults were full-time …

Negative Body Image Is Related To Overeating Among Overweight Pregnant Women, Tracey Ledoux, Najmus Saher, Mcclain Sampson, Martina R. Gallagher, Pamela D. Berens

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Background: Overeating and pre-pregnancy obesity increase risks for complications during pregnancy. According to Social Cognitive Theory, individual and environmental factors influence health behaviors. Purpose: This study’s purpose was to determine whether social norms (environmental factor) and body image (individual factor) regarding pregnancy weight control were related to overeating behaviors among overweight/obese (OW/Ob) pregnant women.

Methods: Baseline data from an ongoing prospective study to identify predictors of excess gestational weight gain were used in this study. Pregnant women are being recruited from an obstetric clinic to complete a questionnaire, and research assistants are obtaining gestational weight gain data from …

Correlates Of Military Sexual Trauma, Mental Health, And Obesity Among Women Veterans, Deleene S. Menefee, Wendy S. Leopoulos, Sarah M. Torres, Rebecca Wagner

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Obesity is a growing concern for Veterans Affairs (VA) providers of women Veterans as recent evidence suggests that females more than males have a higher prevalence of obesity. Further, women Veterans present to VA with rates of military sexual trauma that exceed prevalence rates in the civilian population. Research findings support the tenet that disorder eating, and adverse health outcomes are consequences of sexual trauma. However, the mental health correlates of MST and obesity have not been well established. One recent study of returning combat Veterans found that obesity is a significant concern. This purpose of the current …

Leptin And Its Association With Obesity Among Mexican Adolescents, Jesus M. Araujo-Contreras, Elias H. Avila-Rodriguez, Armando Avila-Rodriguez, Efren Rivas-Avila, Nelda Mier, Abelardo Camacho-Luis, Nohe Vargas-Chavez

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: To investigate the association between leptin concentrations and nutritional status among a Mexican adolescent population. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 448 adolescents attending five schools in Durango, Mexico. Serum leptin concentrations were measured by ELISA. Other measurements included height, weight, and waist and hip circumference. Body fat of participants was assessed with bio-electrical impedance using a body composition analyzer InBody-720. Sociodemographic information was also collected. Results: Based on IOTF BMI cut-off points, 34.1% of adolescents were overweight and obese and prevalence rates were higher among females (37.1%) than males (29.5%). In agreement with waist circumference, 22.5% of participants …

Angiotensin At2r Activation Increases Ace2/Ang1-7/Masr Axis And Prevents Fatty-Diet-Induced Obesity, Sourashish Nag, Quaisar Ali, Yonnie Wu, Tahir Hussain

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Adipose tissue, the obligatory site of fat accumulation causing obesity, expresses local renin angiotensin system (RAS). RAS is commonly known to regulate blood pressure. However recently, we observed that angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) activation prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced adiposity and hyperinsulinemia. Although, the mechanism(s) is(are) not known. There is evidence that other RAS components namely, the angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) positively regulates while the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which catalyzes the production of Mas receptor (MasR) peptide agonist Ang (1-7), inversely regulates adiposity and hyperinsulinemia. In light of the RAS inter-regulatory features, we hypothesize that AT2R …

Lifestyle Factors And Ovarian Cancer Outcomes, Imani Butler, Raheem Paxton Phd, Maria Berglund Ms, Mike Hernandez Ms, Lovell A. Jones Bs, Ma, Phd

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Few studies have reported on the lifestyle characteristics of ovarian cancer survivors. The objectives of this study were to characterize the associations between physical activity (PA) and body size (BS) with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and ovarian cancer recurrence in a sample of regional and distal stage ovarian cancer survivors.

Methods: Epithelial ovarian cancer survivors in their first clinical remission, with no evidence of recurrent disease were identified from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center tumor registry. A total of 51 survivors consented to participate in a battery of self-reported questionnaires. Trained staff collected data on …

Race & Gender Disparities In The Embedding And Accumulation Of Childhood Poverty On Young Adult Bmi, Daphne C. Hernandez, Emily Pressler

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: A disproportionate number of race/ethnic minorities are both impoverished and overweight compared to white populations. Experiencing poverty during childhood is positively correlated with being obese in adulthood, especially for females. However, it is unclear whether it is the embedding of childhood poverty (i.e. timing of childhood poverty in relation to children’s stage of development) or the accumulation (i.e. duration) of the exposure to childhood poverty which contributes to the race and gender disparities in young adult body mass index (BMI). Method: Data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Study of Youth and the Children and Young Adult file were used …

Evaluation Of Comadres De Salud-A Culturally Sensitive Obesity Prevention Intervention For Latinas, Martina R. Gallagher

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Title: EVALUATION OF COMADRES DE SALUD-A CULTURALLY SENSITIVE OBESITY PREVENTION INTERVENTION FOR LATINAS

Authors: Martina R. Gallagher, PhD, MSN1, RN, Tracey Ledoux, PhD, RD2,

McClain Sampson, PhD3

Affiliations: 1School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 2Texas Obesity Research Center, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, 3College of Social Work, University of Houston

Purpose: The aim was to conduct a formative assessment of a community-based obesity prevention intervention, “Comadres de Salud” (Kin Sisters in Health). Based on the Social Cognitive Theory, Comadres de Salud is a multicomponent intervention aimed at improving diet and physical …

Solving The Obesity Epidemic In African American And Hispanic Communities: Voices From The Community, Scherezade K. Mama, Erica G. Soltero, Tracey A. Ledoux, Rebecca E. Lee

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Science & Community: Ending Obesity Improving Health (Science & Community) aimed at reducing obesity in Houston by developing partnerships and collaborating with community organizations to identify community research priorities and develop an obesity reduction program. Method: Partnership members were recruited from Science & Community events and invited to participate in in-depth interviews to gain insight on obesity prevalence, causes, and solutions. Partnership and community members (N=22) completed a 60-90 minute in-depth interview with a trained Science & Community team member. The interview guide consisted of 30 questions about pressing health problems in the community, potential solutions to …

Biomechanical Effects Of Obesity On Balance, Hannah Del Porto, Celia Pechak, Darla Smith, Rebecca Reed-Jones

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 5(4) : 301-320, 2012. The objective of this review was to analyze the current literature related to the effects of obesity on balance. These effects were observed during conditions of static balance, perturbed balance and dynamic balance during gait. The literature review included studies focused on the biomechanical effects of obesity, the relationship between weight loss and balance, and the relative efficacy of weight loss as a balance intervention. The older adult population, which faces increased risk of falls and related injuries, was highlighted where targeted research was available. The existing literature provides evidence for …

Histamine H1 Receptor Agonist And Control Of Olanzapine-Induced Obesity, Jiamei Lian, Xu-Feng Huang, N Pai, C Deng

Xu-Feng Huang

No abstract provided.

Examining The Pathways Linking Chronic Sleep Restriction To Obesity, Christopher A. Magee, Xu-Feng Huang, Donald C. Iverson, Peter Caputi

Xu-Feng Huang

A growing number of studies have identified chronic sleep restriction as a potential risk factor for obesity. This could have important implications for how obesity is prevented and managed, but current understanding of the processes linking chronic sleep restriction to obesity is incomplete. In this paper, we examined some of the pathways that could underlie the relationship between chronic sleep restriction and obesity. This involved exploring some of the potential environmental, health, behavioral, and sociodemographic determinants of chronic sleep restriction, which require further investigation in this context. Three pathways that could potentially link chronic sleep restriction to obesity were then …

The Effects Of A Six Month Nutrition Intervention On Diet Quality In Persons With Or At Risk For The Metabolic Syndrome, Rebecca Horne

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

One quarter of the world’s population is thought to have the metabolic syndrome, and first line treatments include dietary strategies for weight loss. Restrictive diet interventions commonly used in research appear to lack long-term sustainability; therefore, other approaches are warranted. The Canadian Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) was used as a framework and outcome measure for a 6-month ad-libitum diet quality intervention that assessed diet quality and key risk factors of the syndrome. Participants (n=23) were randomized to the nutrition program (n=16) or usual care (control) (n=7). Post intervention, CHEI scores increased by 9.1 and 3.4 points intervention and control, respectively …

Synergistic Effects Of Leucine And Resveratrol On Insulin Sensitivity And Fat Metabolism In Adipocytes And Mice, Antje Bruckbauer, Michael B. Zemel, Teresa Thorpe, Murthy R. Akula, Alan C. Stuckey, Dustin Ryan Osborne, Emily B. Martin, Stephen Kennel, Jonathan S. Wall

Nutrition Publications and Other Works

Background

Sirtuins are important regulators of glucose and fat metabolism, and sirtuin activation has been proposed as a therapeutic target for insulin resistance and diabetes. We have shown leucine to increase mitochondrial biogenesis and fat oxidation via Sirt1 dependent pathways. Resveratrol is a widely recognized activator of Sirt; however, the biologically-effective high concentrations used in cell and animal studies are generally impractical or difficult to achieve in humans. Accordingly, we sought to determine whether leucine would exhibit synergy with low levels of resveratrol on sirtuin-dependent outcomes in adipocytes and in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice.

Methods

3T3-L1 mouse adipocytes were treated …

A Ranksum Statistics Based Framework To Decipher Transcription Regulation, Iuan-Bor Chen

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unbiased generation of specific and meaningful hypotheses from the deluge of data generated by modern genomic methods remains a challenge. These datasets require increasing level of expertise to analyze fully, and are often underutilized even in the originating lab. It would be desirable to have a computational strategy that is easy to implement, robust against outliers and missing data, and broadly applicable to diverse experimental designs. In this dissertation, I present a set of ranksum statistics-based analytical methods as a framework to extract testable hypotheses from large and complex datasets. To illustrate its utility, this framework was applied to …

Green Tea Extract Protects Against Fibrogenesis Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Diet-Induced Obese Rats, Allyson M. Bower

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Can Sedentary Behavior Be Made More Active? A Randomized Pilot Study Of Tv Commercial Stepping Versus Walking, Jeremy A. Steeves, David R. Bassett, Eugene C. Fitzhugh, Hollie Raynor, Dixie L. Thompson

Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies Publications and Other Works

Background

There is a growing problem of physical inactivity in America, and approximately a quarter of the population report being completely sedentary during their leisure time. In the U.S., TV viewing is the most common leisure-time activity. Stepping in place during TV commercials (TV Commercial Stepping) could increase physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of incorporating physical activity (PA) into a traditionally sedentary activity, by comparing TV Commercial Stepping during 90 min/d of TV programming to traditional exercise (Walking).

Methods

A randomized controlled pilot study of the impact of 6 months of TV Commercial …

An Investigation Of Relationships Between Body Mass Index And Factors Of Wellness Among Full-Time Employees At Private Kentucky Colleges And Universities, Christopher Schmidt

Dissertations

The United States is in the middle of a health epidemic that shows no signs of stopping. Obesity is a disease that carries a significant number of health-related issues. The adult population has experienced a decrease in overall wellness, where the mental and physical health of individuals is disrupted by the effects of obesity. Even more alarming is the rate of increase in childhood obesity and its impact on America’s future.

The consequences of this health epidemic are especially visible in the increased costs of health care caused by obesity-related diseases. This epidemic reaches across many aspects of life. The …

Angiotensinogen Gene Silencing Reduces Lipid Accumulation And Inflammation In Cultured 3t3-L1 Adipocytes, Wenting Xin Carroll

Masters Theses

Obesity is characterized by metabolic complications which are related to several life-threatening diseases. Dysregulated inflammatory adipokines secretion from adipose tissue is believed as the major contributor to obesity-associated local and systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and other metabolic dysfunctions.

Numerous studies in our lab and others pointed to the role of local adipose tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the pathogenesis of obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance. We hypothesized that adipocytes-derived angiotensinogen (Agt) played a critical role in adipogenesis and/or lipogenesis as well as adipose inflammation. To test, we established 3T3-L1 preadipocytes stably transfected with Agt-shRNA or scrambled sequence (Sc-shRNA). Transfected preadipocytes …

Kids Can Bike! A Parks And Recreation Program To Promote Youth Cycling, Jessica Lynn Chandler

Masters Theses

Physical inactivity is a major concern, and is believed to contribute to the high prevalence of childhood obesity in U.S. schoolchildren. To address this problem, the Knoxville Area Coalition on Childhood Obesity launched a ‘Kids Can BIKE!’ program in 2012. The bicycling program is seven weeks long and is designed to increase physical activity, teach safe cycling skills, and explore Knoxville parks and greenways while having fun. The program targeted children in grades 4 and 5 who were already enrolled in an afterschool or summer program. Once a week, the children were transported to a location where they could safely …

Development And Comparison Of Two Field-Based Body Fat Prediction Equations: Nhanes 1999-2004, Michael Zanovec, Jing Wang, Carol E. O'Neil

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 5(3) : 223-231, 2012. Clinical guidelines define obesity in terms of excess body weight adjusted for height (i.e., bodymass index [BMI] categories) and/or gender-specific waist circumference (WC) cut-point values. Since body composition, particularly fat mass, is the most variable among individuals due to differences by gender, age, and race, and total percent body fat (%BF) can be estimated accurately using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the purpose of this study was to develop and compare two field-based body fat prediction equations suitable for a nationally representative sample of the US adult population. Data were analyzed from …

Fat In Food And The Obesity Epidemic, Linda C. Tapsell

L. C. Tapsell

Dietary fat is strongly implicated in the development of insulin resistance and obesity, both major public health problems today. While the amount of dietary fat is relevant, the type of fat is important in fuel utilisation, storage and appetite regulatory mechanisms. Human calorimetry research confirms the importance of dietary fat in energy balance, but more work needs to be done to uncover the impact of type of dietary fat in weight control. Population and intervention research confirm the importance of fat in dietary interventions, bearing in mind the contribution of physical activity to energy balance. The food industry has an …