Digital Commons Network^™

African American Single Mothers' Perceptions Of Physical Activity, Sheryl Lynn Richard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Insufficient physical activity detracts from healthy living and has a disparate impact on African American women and their female children. The extensive body of prior research addressing preventable chronic disease and other consequences of insufficient physical activity includes limited information specific to African American single mothers. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of African American single mothers' perceptions of physical activity. Specifically investigated were African American women's familial influences and potential effects of these influences on their children's health behaviors. The health belief model served as the theoretical framework for this study and provided …

Poverty, Food Insecurity, And Obesity Among Urban And Rural Populations, Tameka Ivory Walls

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over 17 million food-insecure households are associated with increasing obesity rates across the United States. Although food insecurity and obesity are distinct social concerns, the two are linked and may be influenced by poverty and geographic location. Public health authorities and state leaders responsible for the health and nutrition of rural populations in particular would benefit from this information. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine whether poverty mediated the relationship between food insecurity and obesity among urban and rural adults. The study was guided by the poverty, food insecurity, and obesity conceptual framework. The study addressed …

The Development And Content Validation Of An Adult Obesity Educational Program, Abel Okuma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overweight and obesity in patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at epidemic levels in the United States. The problem identified for this DNP project is the incidence of overweight and obesity in IDD. The framework used involved the quality model for improvement. For this DNP project a new program called the Daily-Enhanced Physical Activities Program (DEPA) was developed to promote weight loss, reduce sedentary activities, and optimal body mass index (BMI) for IDD patients. Local experts consisting of two registered nurses, two physical therapists, and one direct support personnel working with IDD patients were recruited. Each expert reviewed …

Determinants Of Obesity Among Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Adults, Lindsay Buchko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trends of obesity increased over the last 3 decades with the obesity rate doubling from 1980 to 2010. People with disability are more likely to experience health disparities including obesity compared to the general population. Yet research on the determinants of obesity such as self-efficacy, hearing levels, and deaf acculturation styles among those who are deaf or hard of hearing (HoH) is limited. This cross-sectional study, using the social cognitive theory framework, examined BMI and self-efficacy differences between deaf/HoH adults and hearing adults, aged 20 years and older. This study also examined the associations between BMI or self-efficacy and factors …

Rural Obese African American Women And Depression, Food Culture, And Binge Eating, Tracee Tamiko Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rural African American population has a high incidence of severe psychosocial problems and a skewed perception of obesity, despite obesity's extremely high prevalence rate in this population. Despite the acknowledgements of these problems, there is a gap in literature relative to the effective treatments for obese African Americans diagnosed with depression. This study measured correlations between obesity and depression, binge eating, and food culture amongst African American women residing in Jefferson County, MS. The health belief model was used to guide an assessment of beliefs, perceptions, susceptibility, cues to action, and self-efficacy. A cross-sectional design was used based on …

Exploring Obesity Risk Factors In Five Regions Of Virginia, Karen Toth Carpenter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity continues to weaken our nation physiologically, psychologically and financially with an overall prevalence rate of 34.9% or 78.6 million Americans affected. Variance in obesity prevalence rates, in the state of Virginia, account for over a 15% difference from one health district to the next. The purpose of this research was to better explore the regional obesogenic factors that may exist among five health districts in the state of Virginia. The socio ecological theory provides the conceptual framework of the study to understand the variance in regional obesity rates, as a function of the contributing risk factors that a region …

An Examination Of The Technical And Relational Hypotheses Of Motivational Interviewing In A Sample Of African American Adolescent Girls Seeking Obesity Treatment, Rachel L. Boutte

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent obesity has increased exponentially over the past three decades in the United States. In response, behavioral interventions have been developed and implemented to address this epidemic; however, treatment adherence is often suboptimal. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a directive, person centered approach to reducing patient ambivalence about change, which has been shown to increase engagement in obesity interventions. The current study investigated the underlying process of MI by exploring two different, but related pathways that explain how change happens (e.g., the technical and relational hypotheses) in the context of a multidisciplinary obesity intervention with African American adolescent girls (N …

Urolithin A, C And D, But Not Iso-Urolithin A And Urolithin B, Attenuate Triglyceride Accumulation In Human Cultures Of Adipocytes And Hepatocytes, Inhae Kang, Yongeun Kim, Francisco A. Tomás-Barberán, Juan Carlos Espín, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Scope: Urolithins (Uro) are ellagic acid (EA)-derived metabolites produced by gut microbes. There is a growing interest in the biological activities of Uro. Our aim was to evaluate the impacts of Uro on regulating triglyceride (TG) accumulation using cultures of primary human adipocytes and hepatoma Huh7 cells.

Methods and Results: UroA, B, C, D, and iso-UroA, were used to determine the effect of Uro on adipogenesis and lipogenesis. Individual Uro (30 M) were added to human adipogenic stem cells (hASCs) during differentiation. UroA, C and D, but not iso-UroA and UroB, significantly inhibited new fat cell formation by decreasing TG …

Suppression Of Nlrp3 Inflammasome By Γ-Tocotrienol Ameliorates Type 2 Diabetes, Yongeun Kim, Wei Wang, Meshail Okla, Inhae Kang, Regis Moreau, Soonkyu Chung

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Nod-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an intracellular sensor that sets off the innate immune system in response to microbial-derived and endogenous metabolic danger signals. We previously reported that γ-tocotrienol (γT3) attenuated adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in diet-induced obesity, but the underlying mechanism remained elusive. Here, we investigated the effects of γT3 on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and attendant consequences on type 2 diabetes. γT3 repressed inflammasome activation, caspase-1 cleavage, and interleukin (IL) 1β secretion in murine macrophages, implicating the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome in the anti-inflammatory and antipyroptotic properties of γT3. Furthermore, supplementation of leptin-receptor KO mice …

Using Nutrition And Fitness Awareness To Reduce Overweight And Obesity In Adolescents, Allissa.Johnson Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, adolescent obesity rates continue to increase unabated, yet there is a paucity of programs to address these conditions for this population. The current study evaluated an after-school program in California high schools that uses a mentoring model with youth to promote regular exercise and healthy food choices. It is grounded in Social Cognitive Theory which focuses on both the impact of the environment on shaping behaviors and the ability of an individual to construct his or her own suitable environment. A quantitative single-group pretest-posttest design using archived participant responses was utilized in order to determine whether …

Healthy Weight Maintenance: Narrative Analysis Of Weight Cycling In The Formerly Obese, Cheri Renee Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical and economic costs for obesity are estimated at $147 billion per year, yet less than 1/3 of overweight individuals successfully maintain weight loss. The literature is replete with descriptions of the problem and research on treatments, yet demonstrations of effective loss and maintenance are lacking. Missing is an understanding of the experiences of individuals who successfully maintained healthy weight loss, which could provide insights regarding effective psycho-social interventions. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore key events and experiences in the lives of former weight cyclers. The primary phenomena of interest included weight cycling and sustained …

A Study Of Provider Practices In The Screening, Diagnosis, And Treatment Of Childhood Overweight And Obesity In A Rural Eastern Kentucky Clinic, Ashley R. Healy

DNP Projects

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the current practices of providers for overweight and obese children at well visits, and how the demographics of age, sex, race, ethnicity, primary language spoken, insurance type, and provider type influence the care provided to overweight and obese children at the study site, which is a rural primary care clinic in eastern Kentucky.

Methods: This study is a retrospective design auditing well child charts (n = 571) from the study site over a two year period. Charts were audited for the data points of age, sex, race, ethnicity, primary spoken language, …

Retrospective Analysis Of Body Mass Index Screening And Obesity Counseling In A Primary Care Setting: Comparative Analysis Of Demographic Variables And Co-Morbidities, Christina Fisher Higdon

DNP Projects

Study Purpose: To assess obesity screening and counseling in patients at annual wellness exams in an urban primary care clinic. Specific aims of the study: determine percentage of patients with documented body mass index (BMI), ICD-9/ICD-10 diagnosis of overweight or obesity, documentation of education or a follow-up plan for weight management, follow-up visit for weight loss and documentation by provider, and comparative analysis of co-morbidities and demographic variables during well-exam visits.

Target Population and Measures: Adults over the age of 18 in an urban primary care clinic with a BMI greater than 25 kilograms (kg)/meters squared (m2). BMI screening and …

An Evaluation Of The Screening And Management Of Childhood Overweight And Obesity In The Primary Care Setting, Diane L. Crutcher

DNP Projects

Background: Worldwide, the World Health Organization (2016) estimates that forty-two million children from two to five years of age are overweight or obese. In the United States, Kentucky ranks sixth for the highest rate of overweight youth in the nation (Partnership for Fit Kentucky, 2009). The long term consequences of overweight and obesity are early onset of adult chronic diseases as well as social and psychological issues in childhood and adulthood.

Purpose: The objective of this gap analysis was to assess BMI screening and weight management of children ages two to five who presented for a well-child check …

Perspectives For Adolescent Engagement: The Bright Bodies Program, Athena Theodora Samaras

Public Health Theses

While responses to the obesity epidemic have largely encompassed top-down approaches with a focus on health-related outcome evaluation, for successes to be sustained, a greater emphasis is needed on local initiatives and intervention process evaluation. Pediatric weight management programs in the healthcare and community settings represent local initiatives that have had considerable health-related impacts, yet are often limited by high attrition rates. Because adolescence is marked by substantial weight shifts and the formation of long-lasting health habits, it represents a critical point for implementing obesity prevention and treatment. Accordingly, this study sought to assess factors that promote adolescent participant engagement …

Predictors Of Nutritional Status Among Young Samoan Children, Courtney C. Choy

Public Health Theses

The nutrition transition is associated with the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in low-and middle-income countries and in Samoa, young children are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition in various forms. In this present study, we documented the current prevalence and co-existence of child nutritional status outcomes within this population and by census region. We then examined the role of selected child, maternal, and household characteristics as potential predictors of child nutritional status. A cross-sectional, community-based design was used to collect data from singleton pairs of a non-pregnant mother and child between 24 to 59 months olds in the Samoan island of …

What Can We Learn From Healthy Positive Weight Deviants In Samoa?, Sophia Hua

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Over 90% of females and over 80% of males in Samoa are either overweight or obese. The continuing economic and nutrition transition in Samoa has contributed to a sharp rise in prevalence. Excess weight affects both the younger and older generation of Samoa. With little evidence of decreasing prevalence in overweight or obesity, the country needs to make weight loss/prevention of weight gain a public health priority. This paper will look at the behaviors of healthy positive weight deviants in Samoa to inform targetable changes the population can make.

Setting/Participants: 3,475 participants were eligible for this study from four …

Life Satisfaction, Overweight And Obesity, Masanori Kuroki

Faculty Publications - The LeMoyne Smith School of Business

Many economists share the view that the rise in obesity is largely the result of rational decision-making by individuals who compare risks and benefits. A dominant view among economists is that there is no economic justification for government intervention unless there is a market failure. However, recent developments in behavioral economics suggests that people often fail to make optimal decisions, and that public welfare may be improved by government interventions even when there is no externality. This paper examines the association between one’s body weight and life satisfaction by utilizing data on self-reported life satisfaction, which approximates individual utility, after …

Factors Affecting Body Mass Index Levels In African American Women Living In North Carolina, Padmini Shanti Kirpalani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of obesity has doubled over the past 25 years in the United States, particularly in North Carolina. Obesity is influenced by biological, social, and environmental factors; its prevalence has been found to be higher among African American women and other racial ethnic minorities. Guided by the social ecological model, the purpose of this cross sectional study was to examine the relationship of the psycho-social, psycho-behavioral factors, and body mass index levels (BMI) in African American women living in North Carolina versus their Hispanic American and European American counterparts. A logistic regression model using secondary data from the Behavioral …

Effect Of Healthy Food Demonstration On Minority Women's Dietary Habits In San Antonio, Texas, Staria Hudson Black

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has become a global epidemic. Healthcare cost continues to increase due to co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease associated with obesity. The purpose of this project was to examine whether teaching nutritious food choices to obese African American and Hispanic females in healthy cooking demonstrations would have an effect on their dietary behavior. The holistic self-care model was used to develop healthy strategies for weight loss. The model guided the development of nutritional support, exercise, and spiritual strategies for weight reduction. African American and Hispanic females between the ages of 25 to 64 were solicited from …

Methods For Measuring Individually Experienced Temperature And Food Intake In Controlled Thermal Environments, Molly Bernhard

All ETDs from UAB

The three studies to be presented assess individual-level heat exposure in free-living urban and rural environments and assess food intake in randomized controlled trials in a 2-hour exposure, and a 7-hour crossover heat exposure. The first interest was broad: examining heat exposure and its relation to potential health outcomes. To examine whether heat exposure could be measured in free-living organisms, a light and temperature monitoring device was repurposed and used in a pilot study of individual-level heat exposure in urban and rural community members. Differences between the current and most commonly accepted way of estimating heat exposure, weather station datasets, …

Influence Of Overweight, Obesity, Social Support, And Self-Efficacy On Breastfeeding Outcomes Among African-American Women, Elizabeth Hoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breastfeeding reduces morbidity and mortality among mothers and children, yet African-American women breastfeed at lower rates than women of other racial and ethnic groups do. Higher rates of overweight, obesity, and low socioeconomic status may be contributing factors in this population; however, limited research exists regarding the roles of maternal overweight and obesity on breastfeeding outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether social support and self-efficacy positively influence breastfeeding outcomes among overweight and obese African American women. Self-efficacy and social support theories provided the theoretical framework for the study. Research questions examined whether (a) maternal overweight and …

Influence Of Built Environment On Physical Activity Outcomes Among African Americans In Community-Based Obesity Intervention Studies, Amanda Sue Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

More than sixty-five percent of people in the U.S. are considered overweight or obese. African-Americans in the U.S. have a higher risk of obesity than any other racial group. One way to reduce this statistic is physical activity. Recreational green spaces (parks) can serve as an avenue to complete the 150 min/wk of recommended physical activity for adults by the ACSM. Data from SISTAS and HEALS interventions, that recruited overweight/obese African-Americans from Columbia and Florence, SC, was used to assess the association of recreational green space (parks) around a residence and physical activity. Physical activity measures of RAPA questionnaire (self-report), …

Overall Prevalence Of Feline Overweight/Obesity In Japan As Determined Froma Cross-Sectional Sample Pool Of Healthy Veterinary Clinic-Visiting Cats In Japan, Nobuko Mori, Eiji Iwasaki, Yuki Okada, Koh Kawasumi, Toshiro Arai

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Many veterinarians feel that feline obesity is increasing in prevalence within Japan, but are unsure as to what real rate of obesity prevalence exists currently. The objectives of this study are twofold. First, we sought to determine the ratio of overweight/obese cats, as determined via body condition score (BCS), based on a cross-sectional pool of healthy cats. Second, using a uniform method of biochemical measurement for cat plasma collected all over Japan, we sought to construct cross-sectional working reference ranges of plasma metabolites using age, BCS, and sex as classifying factors. Overall, the rate of overweight and obese cats (BCS …

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And School Performance In Middle School Girls, Jamie Anne Donnelly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has indicated a significant relationship between physical fitness and standardized test scores; however, the relationship between physical fitness and other aspects of school performance has yet to be empirically examined in a population specifically composed of middle school girls. This study examined several factors that contribute to school success, such as classroom behavior, attendance, and grades, in relation to physical fitness among a group of adolescent girls. It was specifically designed to examine the statistical relationship between physical fitness, as measured by the Fitnessgram, and quantitative data on school performance including grades, standardized test scores, school behavior, and …

Environmental Factors Associated With Body Mass Index Among Long Haul Truck Drivers, Charlotte Hughes Huntley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2009–2010, the prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults was 40%, and the prevalence was 69% among long haul truck drivers. Researchers have not established a clear relationship between working environment and weight among truck drivers. This quantitative cross-sectional study, using an ecological framework, evaluated the relationship between the working environment (sleep performance, food choices, driving environment, and activity level) and weight severity (e.g., body mass index [BMI]) among long haul truck drivers. One hundred and twenty six adults (46 + 10, years of age), including both genders (male = 97 and females = 29) completed an online questionnaire evaluating …

Birth Weight, Early Life Course Bmi, And Body Size Change: Chains Of Risk To Adult Inflammation?, Bridget J. Goosby, Jacob Cheadle, Thomas Mcdade

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper examines how body size changes over the early life course predict high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in a U.S. based sample. Using three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we test the chronic disease epidemiological models of fetal origins, sensitive periods, and chains of risk from birth into adulthood. Few studies link birth weight and changes in obesity status over adolescence and early adulthood to adult obesity and inflammation. Consistent with fetal origins and sensitive periods hypotheses, body size and obesity status at each developmental period, along with increasing body size between periods, are highly …

Exploring The Relationship Between Childhood Obesity And Proximity To The Coast: A Rural/Urban Perspective, Sophie L. Wood, Philippe R. Demougin, Sahran Higgins, Kerryn Husk, Benedict W. Wheeler, Mathew White

Peninsula Medical School

Abstract Childhood obesity is one of the 21st century's most serious global health challenges. Research suggests that better access to ‘greenspace’ (e.g. parks) may encourage physical activity and reduce the risk of obesity amongst children. We extend earlier work by considering childhood obesity in relation to proximity to the coast, using data from England's National Child Measurement Programme. Results suggest that although the overall prevalence of childhood obesity is slightly lower at the coast (−0.68% points comparing <1 km to >20 km, p<0.001), the relationship depends on area type. Specifically, although a coastal proximity gradient (lower obesity rates nearer the coast) was found for rural areas and smaller cities and towns, it was not present among large urban conurbations (interaction p-value<0.001). Coastal environments and access to them are changing in many areas, and research to explore potential impacts on child health is warranted.

Distribution Of And Relationship Between Medically Classified Weight And Self-Perceived Body Size Across Sexual Orientation: An Add Health Analysis, Ashley J. Strauss

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Rates of overweight and obesity have reached epidemic status in the United States and better understanding and treatment of obesity is vital to our success in ending this national trend. Current understanding of special populations informs us sexual minority women are at a higher risk of overweight and obesity. This study sets out to verify this using a nationally representative sample population in a fixed factor blocked ANOVA, controlling for common confounding variables shown to be strong influences of overweight and obesity. Next, the relationship between self-perceived body size and medically classified body size will be compared across sexual orientation …

A Comparison Of The 2013 Aha/Acc/Tos Guideline For The Management Of Overweight And Obesity In Adults To Clinical Outcomes Of A Plmm Intervention Among Hispanics, Silvia Salinas-Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Obesity is a serious and costly condition, causing a higher prevalence of chronic diseases and having an average medical cost of $1,430 higher than non-overweight patients (Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, & Dietz, 2009). With more than two thirds of U.S. adults suffering from overweight or obesity, health organizations have recognized the disease as a threat to the well-being of the nation. In 2013, the American Health Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) among other stakeholders developed a set of guidelines and recommendations for primary health providers in order to reduce overweight, obesity and concomitant conditions (Jensen et al., …