Digital Commons Network^™

A Literature Review Of Societal Obesity And Its Impact On United States Military Recruitment, Megan Thibodeaux

Capstone

In recent decades, obesity rates have increased in the United States, raising significant health and societal concerns, especially in terms of military readiness. The ever-rising rates of weight-related health obstacles present a critical national security issue as it impacts the effectiveness of recruitment. This literature review aims to analyze how obesity impacts military recruitment and readiness to serve while utilizing the socio-ecological model to help determine gaps in evidence. Data was drawn from Embase, PubMed, and PsychInfo. Inclusion criteria consisted of academic journals and reports from government and non-profit organizations written in English. They focused only on the United States …

Longitudinal Trends In Body Mass Index And Risk Of Obesity Among Blue Cross & Blue Shield Of Nebraska Insured Sample Population During 2017-2022, Devi Venkata Naga Akshay Dwarabandam

Capstone Experience

Objective: To estimate and compare the longitudinal trends in the crude prevalence of obesity in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) sample of the adult population with the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) of Nebraska during the pre-pandemic period (2017-2019) and COVID-19 pandemic period (2020-2022) using standardization methods.

Background: Studying the obesity disease burden in a commercial insurance company's administrative claims data can provide critical insights that can inform policy, practice, and interventions aimed at improving health outcomes, managing costs, and reducing the burden of obesity at the population level.

Methods: This study utilized a cohort …

Weight Gain Trajectory Over Five Years For Adult Primary Care Patients In Nebraska, Elizabeth M. Morris

Capstone Experience

INTRODUCTION: The continued rise in the prevalence of adult obesity in the United States is a public health concern. Several studies have identified the increasing rates of obesity, its impacts, and the factors leading to obesity. Some researchers have made obesity prevalence projections at the national and state levels. This study aims to fill the critical gap in real-time weight data trends among primary care adult patients in Nebraska. The main goal of this study is to determine and analyze the weight trajectory of adults in Nebraska over the past five years and determine if the trends vary among age …

The Impact Of Obesity On Covid-19 Outcomes In A High-Risk, Majority Hispanic Community Sample, Maxwell A. Lawlor

Capstone Experience

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused over 33.7 million cases and 605,000 deaths in the United States¹. Factors associated with increased odds for hospitalization, death, and other poor outcomes include age, comorbid conditions like cardiovascular disease and lung disease, and obesity. COVID-19 has also disproportionately affected Hispanic communities across the United States and in Omaha. Potential explanations for this disparity include social determinants of health, particularly occupational factors, structural challenges to access healthcare services, and increased medical comorbidities including obesity. In this retrospective cohort study, we used patient data from April to May 2020 (N=1,000) …

Identifying, Adapting, And Implementing A Weight Management Program In Rural Primary Care, Gwenndolyn Porter

Theses & Dissertations

Rural adults are at heightened risk for obesity, yet evidence‐based interventions lack consistent translation into clinical practice. This multi-phase study addresses this gap. First, a systematic review and meta-analysis of rural adult weight loss interventions were conducted to assess overall impact. Though few studies reported participant representativeness, meta‐analyses revealed a significant weight reduction among interventions. Second, 10 focus groups were conducted with primary care (PC) staff to determine the feasibility of implementing a weight-management program through PC. Differences in responses among rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan was also assessed. Thematic analyses revealed rural PC currently lacks the capacity to manage patient …

Pancreatic Cancer Associated With Obesity And Diabetes: An Alternative Approach For Its Targeting, Ramesh Pothuraju, Satyanarayana Rachagani, Wade M. Junker, Sanjib Chaudhary, Saraswathi Viswanathan, Sukhwinder Kaur, Surinder K. Batra

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is among foremost causes of cancer related deaths worldwide due to generic symptoms, lack of effective screening strategies and resistance to chemo- and radiotherapies. The risk factors associated with PC include several metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Studies have shown that obesity and T2DM are associated with PC pathogenesis; however, their role in PC initiation and development remains obscure.

MAIN BODY: Several biochemical and physiological factors associated with obesity and/or T2DM including adipokines, inflammatory mediators, and altered microbiome are involved in PC progression and metastasis albeit by different …

Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Many health disparities among individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are due to obesity-associated diseases. Several causes of obesity have been discovered, but few risk factors are known. In the general public, low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with obesity.

Objective: Examine the relationship between SES and body mass index (BMI) among people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Design: A secondary analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys dataset. The psychiatric group (N=480) included individuals with symptoms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Those reporting no symptoms were controls (N=5,161). Childhood SES variables included mother and father education and profession, …

Association Between Adverse Events In Childhood And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die significantly earlier than members of the general public (16-18 years and 12-13 years, respectively). Diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke account for much of this discrepancy. People with mental illness often have difficulty losing weight despite intensive interventions. As a result, nurses caring for patients with mental illness need to monitor their weight diligently and implement individualized interventions to promote achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Because intensive interventions come with some risk and expense, programs must target individuals with the most potential to develop obesity. In …

Obesity And Physical Function In Rural Women Who Enroll In A Lifestyle Modification Intervention For Reducing Blood Pressure, Patricia A. Hageman, Carol H. Pullen, Paul J. Dizona, Kristin Schmidt, Linda S. Boeckner

Journal Articles: Physical Therapy

Purpose: Rural women have high prevalence of obesity and prehypertension. Obesity, if associated with poor physical function, may have implications for applying activity guidelines for women volunteering for lifestyle modification. This study examined associations of body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat with measures of 1-mile walk time, post-walk perceived exertion, and 10-repetition chair stands in rural women ages 40-69.

Methods: Cross-sectional baseline data were collected using standardized methods from 289 rural women with prehypertension who volunteered for a lifestyle clinical trial for reducing blood pressure. ANOVAs and linear regression were used for analysis.

Results: With exception of the …

Associations Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness And Fatness With Metabolic Syndrome In Rural Women With Prehypertension., Patricia A. Hageman, Carol H. Pullen, Melody A. Hertzog, Linda S. Boeckner, Susan Noble Walker

Journal Articles: Physical Therapy

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the associations of fitness and fatness with metabolic syndrome in rural women, part of a recognized US health disparities group.

METHODS: Fitness, percentage body fat, BMI, and metabolic syndrome criteria were assessed at baseline in 289 rural women with prehypertension, ages 40-69, enrolled in a healthy eating and activity community-based clinical trial for reducing blood pressure.

RESULTS: Ninety (31%) women had metabolic syndrome, of which 70% were obese by BMI (≥30 kg/m²), 100% by percentage body fat (≥30%), and 100% by revised BMI standards (≥25 kg/m²) cited in current literature. Hierarchical logistic regression models, adjusted for …