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Vitamin D Deficiency In Early Pregnancy, Diet And Physical Activity And Development Of Gestational Diabetes In Emirati Women, Sharifa Ali Abdulrahman Al Belooshi

Medical Education Dissertations

Vitamin D deficiency and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are common health problems among pregnant women in the Middle East region including the United Arab Emirates. However, a few prospective studies have investigated the association between vitamin D deficiency and the risk of GDM.

We estimated the incidence of GDM and examined the association of vitamin D status in early pregnancy and the development of GDM in Emirati pregnant women. In addition, we studied the association of diet, low physical activity and other covariates with the risk of GDM.

We conducted a prospective cohort study on Emirati pregnant women who visited …

Connecting Links For Reducing Risks: Understanding The Impact Of Obesity On Cancer Development, Kristi A. Acker

Biennial Convention (CONV)

There are several factors related to obesity which are linked to the development of cancer. Advanced Practice Nurses need to be apprised of the evidence surrounding obesity and cancer development in order to develop novel strategies for weight reduction and increased physical activity for reducing the incidence of cancer diagnoses.

Snack: A Collaborative Approach To Improve Children's Fitness And Nutrition, Tracy J. Perron

Biennial Convention (CONV)

A collaborative approach to improve children's fitness and nutrition, SNACK was developed to combat childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes in 2 urban elementary schools where the childhood obesity rate is 49%. Maximizing a coordinated school health approach increases the positive results on students, schools and communities.

An Overview Of Assessment Methodology For Obesity-Related Variables In Infants At Risk, Danae Dinkel, Corrine Hanson, Karsten Koehler, Ann Anderson Berry, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Matthew Bice, Jill Wallen, Danstan Bagenda, Laura Jana, Jana Pressler

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background: The first 2 years of a child’s life are a particularly critical time period for obesity prevention.

Aim: An increasing amount of research across the world is aimed at understanding factors that impact early childhood obesity and developing interventions that target these factors effectively. With this growing interest, new and interdisciplinary research teams are developing to meet this research need. Due to rapid growth velocity during this phase of the lifespan, typical assessments used in older populations may not be valid or applicable in infants, and investigators need to be aware of the pros and cons of …

Does Breastfeeding Shape Food Preferences? Links To Obesity, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

The first 2 years of life have been recognized as a critical window for obesity prevention efforts. This period is characterized by rapid growth and development and, in a relatively short period of time, a child transitions from a purely milk-based diet to a more varied solid-food diet. Much learning about food and eating occurs during this critical window, and it is well-documented that early feeding and dietary exposures predict later food preferences, eating behaviors, and dietary patterns. The focus of this review will be on the earliest feeding experiences - breast- and formula-feeding - and the unique role of …

Association Of Obesity With Hypertension, Wilbert S. Aronow

NYMC Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Cancer-Related Risk Factors And Incidence Of Major Cancers By Race, Gender And Region; Analysis Of The Nih-Aarp Diet And Health Study, Tomi Akinyemiju, Howard Wiener, Maria Pisu

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Racial disparities in the incidence of major cancers may be attributed to differences in the prevalence of established, modifiable risk factors such as obesity, smoking, physical activity and diet.

Methods: Data from a prospective cohort of 566,398 adults aged 50–71 years, 19,677 African-American and 450,623 Whites, was analyzed. Baseline data on cancer-related risk factors such as smoking, alcohol, physical activity and dietary patterns were used to create an individual adherence score. Differences in adherence by race, gender and geographic region were assessed using descriptive statistics, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between adherence and …

General Nutrition Knowledge And Perceived Stress In A Rural Female Faith Community, Lori Alexander, M. Laurie Branstetter Dnp

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

In rural America, high rates of obesity are influenced by a lack of education and limited community resources. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of an educational intervention on recommended nutrition and body mass index knowledge and to describe the perceived stress in a rural female faith community. A quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test post-test research design was used. English speaking female participants (N=49) 18 years of age and older from two rural community churches received an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model. Participants completed a demographic survey, self-reported height and weight, general nutrition …

A Prospective Study Comparing Distance-Based Vs. Time-Based Exercise Prescriptions Of Walking And Running In Previously Sedentary Overweight Adults, Cody E. Morris, John C. Garner Iii, Scott G. Owens, Melinda W. Valliant, Hunter Debusk, Mark Loftin

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(5): 782-798, 2017. Prior work has reported that the declines observed in body mass index (BMI) and circumference measurements in their cross-sectional data were twice as large when calculated from distance energy expenditure estimations compared to energy expenditure estimations based on time and intensity. The primary purpose of this study was to compare walking/running for distance to walking/running for time as part of an exercise intervention. This study followed a between-subjects, repeated measures design. Fifteen overweight, but otherwise healthy participants completed the study. The time-based group walked/ran for self-reported time while the distance-based group walked/ran …

Efficacy Of A Weight Loss Intervention For African American Breast Cancer Survivors, Patricia M. Sheean, Melinda Stolley, Ben Garber, Claudia Arroyo, Linda Schiffer, Anjishnu Banerjee, Alexis Visotcky, Giamila Fantuzzi, Desmona Strahan, Lauren Matthews, Roxanne Dakers, Cynthia Carridine-Andrews, Katya Seligman, Sparkle Springfield, Angela Odoms-Young, Susan Hong, Kent Hoskins, Virginia Kaklamani, Lisa Sharp

Nursing: School of Nursing Faculty Publications and Other Works

African American women with breast cancer have higher cancer-specific and overall mortality rates. Obesity is common among African American women and contributes to breast cancer progression and numerous chronic conditions. Weight loss interventions among breast cancer survivors positively affect weight, behavior, biomarkers, and psychosocial outcomes, yet few target African Americans. This article examines the effects of Moving Forward, a weight loss intervention for African American breast cancer survivors (AABCS) on weight, body composition, and behavior.

Choline Supplementation Normalizes Fetal Adiposity And Reduces Lipogenic Gene Expression In A Mouse Model Of Maternal Obesity, Chauntelle Jack-Roberts, Yaelle Joselit, Khatia Nanobashvili, Rachel Bretter, Olga V. Malysheva, Marie A. Caudill, Anjana Saxena, Kathleen Axen, Ahmed Gomaa, Xinyin Jiang

Publications and Research

Maternal obesity increases fetal adiposity which may adversely affect metabolic health of the offspring. Choline regulates lipid metabolism and thus may influence adiposity. This study investigates the effect of maternal choline supplementation on fetal adiposity in a mouse model of maternal obesity. C57BL/6J mice were fed either a high-fat (HF) diet or a control (NF) diet and received either 25 mM choline supplemented (CS) or control untreated (CO) drinking water for 6 weeks before timed-mating and throughout gestation. At embryonic day 17.5, HF feeding led to higher (p < 0.05) percent total body fat in fetuses from the HFCO group, while the choline supplemented HFCS group did not show significant difference versus the NFCO group. Similarly, HF feeding led to higher (p < 0.05) hepatic triglyceride accumulation in the HFCO but not the HFCS fetuses. mRNA levels of lipogenic genes such as Acc1, Fads1, and Elovl5, as well as the transcription factor Srebp1c that favors lipogenesis were downregulated (p < 0.05) by maternal choline supplementation in the HFCS group, which may serve as a mechanism to reduce fat accumulation in the fetal liver during maternal HF feeding. In summary, maternal choline supplementation improves indices of fetal adiposity in obese dams at late gestation.

The Effect Of Dietary Fat On Obesity, Gene Expression, And Dna Methylation In Two Generations Of Mice, Madeline Rose Keleher

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

As obesity rates continue rising nationally and globally, it is crucial to understand how a high-fat diet disrupts the regulation of the genome and leads to adverse health effects. Uncovering the underlying gene expression and DNA methylation changes induced by an individual’s high-fat diet and a maternal high-fat diet can pinpoint new targets for epigenetic therapies and reveal the physiological and behavioral changes in obesity. The goal of this dissertation is to gain deeper insight into the DNA methylation and gene expression changes that occur in response to a high-fat diet.I studied the response to dietary fat within two generations …

Exploring The Role Of Nutrition Education In Reducing Obesity Among The U.S. Adult Population, Nikitha Reddy Ravula

Master's Projects and Capstones

Obesity is a major concern among the low-income groups, yet the problem lacks adequate awareness. It is observed that the prevalence of obesity in the United States is increasing in the U.S., this paper is focused on obtaining information on low-income participants’ knowledge about consumption of nutritious food and its contribution in preventing obesity. This paper focuses on identifying the steps that participants have been taking to prevent obesity. To reach the goal of this qualitative study two surveys were designed by the researcher. From the study, it was found that majority of the participants were aware that consumption of …

Teen, Parent, And Clinician Expectations About Obesity And Related Conditions During The Annual Well-Child Visit, Andrew S. Bossick, Charles Barone, Gwen L. Alexander, Heather A. Olden, Tanya Troy, Andrea E. Cassidy-Bushrow

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: This study aimed to examine family (patient, parent/guardian) and clinician preferences for identification and management of obesity and obesity-related conditions during the well-child visit.

Methods: Four focus groups with teen patients (n = 16), four focus groups with parents (n = 15) and one focus group with providers (n = 12) were conducted using a structured moderator guide tailored to each population. Eligible patients had a well-child visit during the past 12 months and a diagnosis of overweight, obesity, hyperlipidemia or elevated blood pressure. Parents who attended their child’s well-child visit and whose child met the diagnostic …

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction In Women With Overweight Or Obesity: A Randomized Clinical Trial., Nazia Raja-Khan, Katrina Agito, Julie Shah, Christy M Stetter, Theresa S Gustafson, Holly Socolow, Allen R Kunselman, Diane K. Reibel, Richard S Legro

Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and cardiometabolic effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in women with overweight or obesity.

METHODS: Eighty-six women with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m

RESULTS: Compared to health education, the MBSR group demonstrated significantly improved mindfulness at 8 weeks (mean change from baseline, 4.5 vs. -1.0; P = 0.03) and significantly decreased perceived stress at 16 weeks (-3.6 vs. -1.3, P = 0.01). In the MBSR group, there were significant reductions in fasting glucose at 8 weeks (-8.9 mg/dL, P = 0.02) and at 16 weeks (-9.3 mg/dL, P = 0.02) compared to baseline. Fasting glucose did …

Early Effects Of The Affordable Care Act On Health Care Access, Risky Health Behaviors, And Self-Assessed Health, Charles J. Courtemanche, James Marton, Benjamin Ukert, Aaron Yelowitz, Daniela Zapata

Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise Working Papers

The goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was to achieve nearly universal health insurance coverage through a combination of mandates, subsidies, marketplaces, and Medicaid expansions, most of which took effect in 2014. We use data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine the impacts of the ACA on health care access, risky health behaviors, and self-assessed health after two years. We estimate difference-in-difference-in-differences models that exploit variation in treatment intensity from state participation in the Medicaid expansion and pre-ACA uninsured rates. Results suggest that the ACA led to sizeable improvements in access to health care in both …

Using Neonatal Skin To Study The Developmental Programming Of Aging, Leryn J. Reynolds, Brett J. Dickens, Benjamin B. Green, Carmen J. Marsit, Kevin J. Pearson

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Numerous studies have examined how both negative and positive maternal exposures (environmental contaminants, nutrition, exercise, etc.) impact offspring risk for age-associated diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and others. The purpose of this study was to introduce the foreskin as a novel model to examine developmental programming in human neonates, particularly in regard to adipogenesis and insulin receptor signaling, major contributors to age-associated diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Neonatal foreskin was collected following circumcision and primary dermal fibroblasts were isolated to perform adipocyte differentiation and insulin stimulation experiments. Human neonatal foreskin primary fibroblasts take up lipid when …

Assessment Of The Campus Food Environment Using Components Of The Healthy Campus Environmental Audit, Candace Sorden

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective was to assess whether the food environment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) campuses supports healthy eating behaviors using components of the Healthy Campus Environmental Audit (vending, dining, and convenience store audits). Secondary aims were to compare the UNL food environment to other college campuses and explore whether there are existing health promotion and obesity prevention initiatives, programs, pledges and/or policies at UNL.

Research team members accessed a secure online website to review training materials prepared by Syracuse University. Evaluators did audit practice trials to meet inter-rater reliability score standards (>80%). audits were conducted at designated sites …

Clinical And Therapeutic Significance Of Obesity In Melanoma, Jennifer L. Mcquade

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

While the FDA approval of targeted and immune therapies in metastatic melanoma (MM) have dramatically improved outcomes in this disease, de novo and/or acquired resistance can limit the clinical benefit of these agents. The IGF-1/PI3K/AKT pathway has been implicated in resistance to both targeted and immune therapy. The IGF-1/PI3K/AKT pathway has also been shown to play a key role in the pathogenesis of obesity in other malignancies. To date, the impact of energy balance on clinical outcomes and therapeutic response in MM has not been studied. I hypothesized that energy balance would impact the molecular biology, behavior, and drug sensitivity …

Processing And Cooking On Lentil Prebiotics To Reduce Obesity, Niroshan Siva

All Theses

Lentil is a rich source of proteins, range of prebiotic carbohydrates including sugar alcohols (SA), raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO), fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and resistant starch (RS), minerals, and vitamins. Research indicated that foods rich in prebiotics reduce obesity via modulating gut microbiota. The objectives of this thesis were 1) to determine the effects of lentil processing (dehulling, splitting, and cooking) on SA, RFO, FOS, and RS in three lentil market classes (red, green, and pardina), and 2) to determine the effects of lentil diet on rat body weight, percent body fat, plasma triglycerides (TGs) concentration, and change of fecal bacteria. Lentil …

Providers Perspectives On Self-Regulation Impact Their Use Of Responsive Feeding Practices In Child Care, Dipti A. Dev, Katherine E. Speirs, Natalie A. Williams, Samantha Ramsay, Brent A. Mcbride, Holly Hatton-Bowers

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Supporting children's self-regulation in eating through caregivers' practice of responsive feeding is paramount to obesity prevention, and while much attention has been given to supporting children's selfregulation in eating through parents' responsive feeding practices in the home setting, little attention has been given to this issue in childcare settings. This qualitative study examines childcare providers' perspectives on using responsive feeding practices with young children (2–5 years). Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with providers until saturation was reached. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The final sample included 18 providers who were employed full-time in Head Start or state-licensed center-based childcare …

Working With The Obese Client: Helping Achieve Lifestyle Changes To Meet Their Weight Loss Goals, Anna Marie Hefner, Renee Pozza, Tarek I. Hassanein, Catherine Mccoy Hill

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The central issue to achieving and maintaining weight loss is changing one's behaviors. Change theory and motivational interviewing provide tools and techniques in helping clients meet weight loss goals. In this retrospective analysis, evaluation of a collaborative, client-centered approach was used helping clients achieve their identified weight loss goals.

Understanding Differences Between Summer Vs. School Obesogenic Behaviors Of Children: The Structured Days Hypothesis, Keith Brazendale, Michael W. Beets, R. Glenn Weaver, Russell R. Pate, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Jessica L. Chandler, Amy Bohnert, Paul T. Von Hippel

Faculty Publications

Background: Although the scientific community has acknowledged modest improvements can be made to weight status and obesogenic behaviors (i.e., physical activity, sedentary/screen time, diet, and sleep) during the school year, studies suggests improvements are erased as elementary-age children are released to summer vacation. Emerging evidence shows children return to school after summer vacation displaying accelerated weight gain compared to the weight gained occurring during the school year. Understanding how summer days differ from when children are in school is, therefore, essential.

Discussion: There is limited evidence on the etiology of accelerated weight gain during summer, with few studies comparing obesogenic …

Smart Nutrition And Conditioning For Kids (Snack): An Interprofessional Approach To Nutrition And Physical Education, Tracy J. Perron, Tami L. Jakubowski, Anne Farrell

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: The purpose of SNACK was to increase the fitness and health of elementary school age children and to empower parents and caregivers to encourage healthy food choices. SNACK was developed in response to the 2010 Childhood Obesity Study recognizing a 49% childhood obesity rate in Trenton, New Jersey. Lifestyle influences contributing to childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus include poor food choices, inadequate access to healthy foods, decreased physical activity and insufficient access to safe play environments. SNACK provided nutrition lessons to second grade students in an urban and urban rim elementary school during regularly scheduled physical education …

Residential Segregation, Neighborhood Social And Physical Context In Obesity Disparities In Hispanic Preschoolers: A Conceptual Model, Catherina Chang Martinez Phd(C), Nasar U. Ahmed Phd, Ruby A. Natale Phd, Psyd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

During the last decade, there has been a significant inclusion in obesity prevention studies from individual characteristics to household factors then neighborhood factors. The study of place in the context of early childhood obesity studies has been limited to the food and physical built environment. With the persistent disparities in the prevalence of childhood obesity, and Hispanic minorities being increasingly affected, there is a need to reexamine existing models and develop new model conceptual frameworks to examine the role of place and residential segregation in the context of race, ethnicity, social position, and socioeconomic disparities. In the context of place …

Identifying Exercise Barriers For Nurses Working In Sedentary Work Roles, Carol M. Patton

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

More and more nurses and nurse educators are working in sedentary work roles that require them to be sedentary for long periods of time. Typically nurses working in sedentary roles know intellectually they need to engage in physical activity to stay healthy; however, there are many barriers and challenges preventing nurses working in sedentary roles to engage in adequate physical activity. Contemporary literature indicates there are numerous physiological impacts on the health status and outcomes for nurses completing fewer than 5000 steps per day. Nurses completing fewer than 5000 steps per day are considered to have a sedentary work role. …

Wnt5a Regulates Adipose Tissue Angiogenesis Via Antiangiogenic Vegf-A165b In Obese Humans, Melissa G. Farb, Doan T.M. Ngo, Song-Young Park, Samantha M. Saggese, Naomi M. Hamburg, Brian Carmine, Donald T. Hess, Kenneth Walsh, Noyan Gokce

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Experimental studies have suggested that Wingless-related integration site 5A (WNT5A) is a proinflammatory secreted protein that is associated with metabolic dysfunction in obesity. Impaired angiogenesis in fat depots has been implicated in the development of adipose tissue capillary rarefaction, hypoxia, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction. We have recently demonstrated that impaired adipose tissue angiogenesis is associated with overexpression of antiangiogenic factor VEGF-A165b in human fat and the systemic circulation. In the present study, we postulated that upregulation of WNT5A is associated with angiogenic dysfunction and examined its role in regulating VEGF-A165b expression in human obesity. We biopsied subcutaneous and visceral adipose …

Body Mass Index Adjustments To Increase The Validity Of Body Fatness Assessment In Uk Black African And South Asian Children, M. T. Hudda, C. M. Nightingale, A. S. Donin, M. S. Fewtrell, D. Haroun, S. Lum, J. E. Williams, C. G. Owen, A. R. Rudnicka, J. C.K. Wells, D. G. Cook, P. H. Whincup

All Works

© 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Body mass index (BMI) (weight per height2) is the most widely used marker of childhood obesity and total body fatness (BF). However, its validity is limited, especially in children of South Asian and Black African origins. We aimed to quantify BMI adjustments needed for UK children of Black African and South Asian origins so that adjusted BMI related to BF in the same way as for White European children. METHODS: We used data from four recent UK studies that made deuterium dilution BF measurements in UK children of White European, …

Sagittal Abdominal Diameter, Waist Circumference, And Bmi As Predictors Of Multiple Measures Of Glucose Metabolism: An Nhanes Investigation Of U.S. Adults, Shelby Anne Firouzi

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: The key objective of the present investigation was to compare associations between sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), waist circumference, and BMI to the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), along with fasting glucose, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The study also analyzed the effect of multiple covariates on the anthropometric and glucose metabolism associations. METHODS: A cross-sectional design, including 3,582 subjects, was used. SAD was assessed using an abdominal caliper. All other data were collected following strict NHANES protocol. The OGTT was the primary variable used to index glucose metabolism. Fasting glucose, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR …

The Association Between Nutrition, Physical Activity, And Weight Status Among Adults In Georgia, Trang Nguyen, Janani R. Thapa, Donglan Zhang, Elizabeth Pullekines

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Obesity is classified as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 and is associated with higher risks of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart diseases, hypertension, and other adverse health outcomes. In 2015, the prevalence of self-reported obesity among adults in Georgia was 30.7. The present study focused on how, in 2015, lifestyle factors, specifically nutrition and physical activity levels, related with weight status in Georgia.

Methods: The dataset used for this analysis was from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The association between weight status (as measured by BMI) and nutrition and physical activity levels was …