Life Sciences Commons^™

The Obesity Epidemic, Lenka Kollar, Evienne Epifano, Molly Mckneight, Jeff Miskovich, Heather Moore

Student Papers in Public Policy

The incidence of chronic, noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, is increasing at an alarming rate on the global scale. The growing prevalence of overweight and obesity have led to an upsurge in cases of diabetes and other obesity-related diseases. About 18 million people die every year from heart disease, of which diabetes and obesity are major predisposing factors. Worldwide, more than 1.1 billion adults are overweight, 312 million of which are obese. The number of children that are overweight or obese is also growing (Hossain, Parvez et al.). Obesity, and the associated diseases, has become a worldwide epidemic and …

Preventing Paediatric Obesity; Recommendations From A Community-Based Qualitative Investigation, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer Irwin, L. Sangster Bouck, Meizi He, G. Pollett

Trish Tucker

Childhood obesity is on the rise, and interventions targeted at pre-school-aged children are essential for the primary prevention of this disease. Physical activity programming and decreasing screen viewing may be advantageous ways to reduce the early onset of obesity. Parents' perceptions regarding effective tools and programmes to target obesity are needed to develop an efficacious programme. Ten semi-structured focus groups were conducted for this qualitative study. Two experienced moderators facilitated all focus groups which were conducted in local day cares, workplaces and play groups, frequented by parents. All focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of …

Co-Active Coaching As An Intervention For Obesity Among Female University Students, Melissa Van Zandvoort, Jennifer Irwin, Don Morrow

Donald Morrow

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of Co-active coaching on obese female university students’ body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), functional health status and self-esteem, and conjointly to identify the coaching skills and primary agenda topics that facilitate coaching’s efficacy as an intervention for obesity.

Design: A multiple-baseline, single-subject research design was utilized.Methods: Two certified coaches provided an average of nine, 35-minute, one-on-one sessions with five students whose BMI?30kg/m2 (obesity threshold). Measures included BMI, WC, the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Visual inspection was used to analyze changes in …

The Impact Of Co-Active Life Coaching On Female University Students With Obesity, Melissa Van Zandvoort, Jennifer Irwin, Don Morrow

Donald Morrow

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the impact of Co-active life coaching on obese female university students. Five obese (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2), female university students received an average of nine weekly, 35-minute, one-on-one sessions with a certified coach. Semi- structured, in-depth interviews before and after participating in the coaching intervention were conducted, and inductive content analysis was utilized. Strategies to enhance data trustworthiness were incorporated throughout. Participants initially reported: struggling with barriers and experiencing pressure from family to lose weight; negative relationships with themselves; feeling self-conscious and remorse for their size and lifestyle choices. At the conclusion …

Participants' Perceived Utility Of Motivational Interviewing Using Co-Active Life Coaching Skills On Their Struggle With Obesity, Courtney Newnham-Kanas, Don Morrow, Jennifer Irwin

Donald Morrow

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the impact of Motivational Interviewing (MI) using Co-Active Life Coaching skills as a treatment for adults (age, 35–55 years) struggling with obesity. Eight women (BMI≥30) who reside in London, Ontario, received 18 coaching sessions over six months with a Certified Professional Co-Active (CPCC) coach. Participants engaged in semi-structured pre- and post-interviews, along with a focus group six months after the last coaching session. The study's CPCC was also interviewed post-intervention to gain an understanding of what it was like coaching this population. All interviews were analysed using inductive content analysis. Following …

The Quantitative Assessment Of Motivational Interviewing Using Co-Active Life Coaching Skills As A Treatment For Adults Struggling With Obesity, Courtney Newnham-Kanas, Jennifer Irwin, Don Morrow, Danielle Battram

Donald Morrow

No abstract provided.

Exposure To Persistent Organic Pollutants And Metabolic Diseases, Zafar Zayirovich Aminov

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of diseases that tend to occur together, including diabetes, hypertension, central obesity, cardiovascular disease and hyperlipidemia. Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been associated with increased risk of development of several of the components of the MetS.