Digital Commons Network^™

Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor Affects Food Intake And Body Weight, Wei Li, Thomas M. Mcintyre

Biomedical Sciences

“Let’s Move!” is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, dedicates to solving problems of obesity, which is growing in child. The life behaviors do affect obesity; however, the mechanistic insight in molecular level is still not clear. In this study, by continually monitoring mouse body weight under chow and high fat western diets as well as metabolic, physical activity and food intake behaviors assessed in a CLAMS Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System, we demonstrated that the platelet-activating factor receptor (PTAFR) contributes to modification of life behaviors. PTAFR does not affect metabolism of ingested dietary fat and …

Reflections Of The Holy Quran And The Mediterranean Diet: A Culturally Congruent Approach To Obesity?, Basil H. Aboul-Enein

Health & Wellness Department Faculty Publications and Research

BACKGROUND:

The Holy Quran is considered to be the authoritative spiritual and behavioral guide for practicing Muslims all around the world. With obesity becoming a growing public health problem in the predominantly Muslim Arab countries, culturally competent dietary and health-promoting strategies and interventions are warranted. The traditional Mediterranean-style diet (MD), which is considered among the healthiest diets, holds both a cultural and historical context within the dietary traditions of North Africa and the Middle East.

OBJECTIVE:

To conduct a narrative study of relevant passages mentioned in the Holy Quran which supports the characteristic features associated with the MD.

METHODS:

A …

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 …

Psychiatric Comorbidities And Bmi: An Exploratory Analysis, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Individuals with most forms of mental illness have higher rates of obesity than members of the general public putting them at an increased risk for many physical health problems that reduce both quality of life and life expectancy. The presence of multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in other mental health measures such as disability and sobriety and is proposed as a risk factor for elevated BMI (body mass index) in this study.

Objective: Determine if multiple psychiatric comorbidities are associated with elevated BMI and, if so, which combinations are linked with the greatest …

Pandemic Of Pregnant Obese Women: Is It Time To Re-Evaluate Antenatal Weight Loss?, Anne Davis

Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

The obesity pandemic will afflict future generations without successful prevention, intervention and management. Attention to reducing obesity before, during and after pregnancy is essential for mothers and their offspring. Preconception weight loss is difficult given that many pregnancies are unplanned. Interventions aimed at limiting gestational weight gain have produced minimal maternal and infant outcomes. Therefore, increased research to develop evidence-based clinical practice is needed to adequately care for obese pregnant women especially during antenatal care. This review evaluates the current evidence of obesity interventions during pregnancy various including weight loss for safety and efficacy. Recommendations are provided with the end …

Association Of Obesity With Infertility Among Pakistani Men: A Case Control Study, Nida Zahid, Sarah Saleem, Syed Iqbal Azam, Tariq Moatter

Community Health Sciences

Background: The reported prevalence of infertility in Pakistan is 21% of which 35% is contributed by male factor. Male infertility has multifactorial etiologies ranging from modifiable to genetic risk factors. Among all the risk factors that may account for male infertility, obesity is one of the emerging public health problems. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the association of obesity with infertility in Pakistani men.
Methods: We conducted a case control study. Cases were men with impaired semen parameters and controls did not have impaired semen parameters.
Results: The final multivariable logistic regression model after adjusting for …

Longitudinal Relations Of Infant Feeding Practices And Growth During The First Two Years Of Life Among Predominantly African-American And Low Income Families, Tiffany Mary Janina Rybak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Profiles of mothers' perceptions of infant (ages 4 weeks and 12 months) feeding practices served as predictors of differences in growth and adiposity, controlling for sex, race, and income. Participants were an urban sample of mothers and infants (N = 1,280), generally at risk for pediatric obesity. Latent profile analysis was used to determine profiles across the first year (at 4 weeks and 12 months). A manual BCH appraoch was used to relate profiles to growth and adiposity at 12 and 24 months, controlling for sex, race, and income. A three-class model of infant feeding practices was selected reflecting awareness …

My News

My News (2014-2020)

• Dr. Jean Bartels Named Interim President of Georgia Southern
• Georgia Southern Study Shows Overweight and Obese Teens Think They’re ‘Just Fine’
• Georgia Southern’s Garden of the Coastal Plain Named to Top 50 List
• Farm to Table Dinner Raises Funds, Materials for Zach S. Henderson Library

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern’s Garden of the Coastal Plain Named to Top 50 List
• Georgia Southern study shows overweight and obese teens think they’re ‘just fine’

Self-Compassion And Mindfulness Differentially Predict Eating Behaviors Among Emerging Adults, Tosca Braun

Master's Theses

Objectives: Poor eating behaviors (EB) and food cravings (FC) represent risk factors for obesity and related outcomes. Mindfulness and self-compassion (SC) have been individually linked to healthful EB in prior research, representing salient intervention targets. While conceptualized as having health behavioral self-regulatory benefits, no research has examined these variables’ differential contributions to EB and FC.

Method: Participants were 283 university undergraduates (152 females; m. age = 19.1 + 1.6; m. BMI = 23.7 + 4.2 kg/m²). Multiple regression analyses in women (W) and men (M) assessed how validated measures of mindfulness and SC were associated with Fruit/Vegetable intake …

College Students As Facilitators In Reducing Adolescent Obesity Disparity In Southern Appalachia: Team Up For Healthy Living, Deborah Slawson, William T. Dalton, Taylor Mckeehan Dula, Jodi Southerland, Liang Wang, Mary Ann Littleton, Diana Mozen, George Relyea, Karen Schetzina, Elizabeth F. Lowe, James M. Stoots, Tiejian Wu

ETSU Faculty Works

The proportion of obese adolescents in Southern Appalachia is among the highest in the nation. Through funding from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities — National Institutes of Health, the Team Up for Healthy Living project was a cluster-randomized trial targeting obesity prevention in adolescents through a cross-peer intervention. The specific aims of the project were to: 1) develop a peer-based health education program focusing on establishing positive peer norms towards healthy eating and physical activity (PA) among high school students, 2) test program efficacy, and 3) explore mechanisms underlying the program. The study was guided by …

Obesity Early In Adulthood Increases Risk But Does Not Affect Outcomes Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Manal M. Hassan, Reham Abdel-Wahab, Ahmed Kaseb, Ahmed Shalaby, Alexandria Phan, Hashem El-Serag, Ernest Hawk, Jeff Morris, Kanwal Pratap Singh Raghav, Ju-Seog Lee, Jean-Nicolas Vauthey, Gehan Bortus, Harrys Torres, Christopher Amos, Robert Wolff, Donghui Li

Dartmouth Scholarship

Despite the significant association between obesity and several cancers, it has been difficult to establish an association between obesity and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with HCC often have ascites, making it a challenge to accurately determine body mass index (BMI), and many factors contribute to the development of HCC. We performed a case–control study to investigate whether obesity early in adulthood affects risk, age of onset, or outcomes of patients with HCC.

The Association Of Racial Identity And Locus Of Control With Eating Attitudes And Obesity In African American College Women, Jamie Grisham

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

African-American women have been disproportionately affected by the obesity epidemic in the United States, and studies have suggested that sociocultural factors may have a negative influence on weight and weight loss efforts. Relatedly, other studies have found that African-American women have reported feeling less motivated to lose weight than other ethnic groups. Previous research has also indicated that locus of control plays a role in some health outcomes for African America women. The current study aimed to examine the impact of Black identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation on obesity in African-American college women. Uncontrolled eating and exercise …

Mobilisation Of Public Support For Policy Actions To Prevent Obesity, Terry T-K Huang, John H. Cawley, Marice Ashe, Sergio Costa, Leah M. Frerichs, Lindsey Zwicker, Juan A. Rivera, David Levy, Ross A. Hammond, Estelle V. Lambert, Shiriki K. Kumanyika

Publications and Research

Public mobilisation is needed to enact obesity prevention policies and to mitigate backlash against their implementation. However, current approaches in public health focus primarily on dialogue between public health professionals and political leaders. Strategies to increase popular demand for obesity prevention policies include refining and streamlining public information, identifying effective frames for each population, enhancing media advocacy, building citizen protest and engagement, and developing a receptive political environment with change agents embedded across organisations and sectors. Long-term support and investment in collaboration among diverse stakeholders to create shared value is also important. Each actor in an expanded coalition for obesity …

The Importance Of Family Meals And Sedentary Behavior In Understanding Childhood Depression And Obesity, Draycen D. Decator

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The ongoing obesity epidemic within the United States is a problem that has received a lot of attention, but is still inadequately understood. Understanding the epidemic requires examining BMI from a larger perspective, with an ecological mindset (Rosenkranz & Dzewaltowski, 2008). A bidirectional relationship between depression and obesity, which has been found in the past, might be due to family meals. Sedentary behaviors has been linked to both outcomes, and is predicted by family meal frequency, suggesting that it may play a mediational role. In order to help clarify the relationship between depressive symptoms and obesity, a sample of 120 …

Fructose Mediated Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Is Attenuated By Ho-1-Sirt1 Module In Murine Hepatocytes And Mice Fed A High Fructose Diet, Komal Sodhi, Nitin Puri, Gaia Favero, Sarah Stevens, Charles Meadows, Nader G. Abraham, Rita Rezzani, Hayden A. Ansinelli, Edward Lebovics, Joseph I. Shapiro

Biochemistry and Microbiology

Background

Oxidative stress underlies the etiopathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a potent endogenous antioxidant gene that plays a key role in decreasing oxidative stress. Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) belongs to the family of NAD-dependent de-acyetylases and is modulated by cellular redox.

Hypothesis

We hypothesize that fructose-induced obesity creates an inflammatory and oxidative environment conducive to the development of NAFLD and metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to determine whether HO-1 acts through SIRT1 to form a functional module within hepatocytes to attenuate steatohepatitis, hepatic fibrosis and cardiovascular dysfunction.

Methods …

Ucp1 Is An Essential Mediator Of The Effects Of Methionine Restriction On Energy Balance But Not Insulin Sensitivity, Desiree Wanders, David H. Burk, Cory C. Cortez, Nancy T. Van, Kirsten P. Stone, Mollye Baker, Tamra Mendoza, Randall L. Mynatt, Thomas W. Gettys

Faculty Publications

© FASEB. Dietary methionine restriction (MR) by 80%increases energy expenditure (EE), reduces adiposity, and improves insulin sensitivity. We propose that the MRinduced increase in EE limits fat deposition by increasing sympathetic nervous system-dependent remodeling of white adipose tissue and increasing uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression in both white and brown adipose tissue. In independent assessments of the role of UCP1 as a mediator of MR's effects on EE and insulin sensitivity, EE did not differ between wild-type (WT) and Ucp1^-/- mice on the control diet, butMR increased EE by 31%and reduced adiposity by 25% in WT mice. In contrast, …

Who’S To Blame? Blame Attributions And Obesity-Related Law And Policy, Lindsey E. Wylie

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Obesity is a foremost public health concern that has received considerable attention. Because of this so-named “epidemic,” law-makers are challenged with implementing effective policies that the public supports. Little is known, however, about the antecedents and consequences of these policies—especially attributions of blameworthiness. Study 1 developed the Obesity Blame Attribution Scale (OBAS). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that controllability, responsibility and dispositional blame were separate constructs and were part of a higher-order dispositional blame factor. Situational blame was a separate higher-order factor, not correlated with dispositional blame, consisting of blame toward the food industry and towards government policy. Using the OBAS, …

My News

My News (2014-2020)

• Georgia Southern study shows parents think their overweight preschool children are 'about the right weight'
• Former Eagle Makes Major League Debut
• Miss Georgia Southern Send­off June 3
• Summer at Georgia Southern brings special on­campus hours for dining and study

Newsroom, Georgia Southern University

Newsroom (2006-2023)

• Georgia Southern study shows parents think their overweight preschool children are ‘about the right weight’

Wecan Implementation For Parents Of At-Risk Hispanic Adolescents In Middle School, Shannon Leigh Devita

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

CDC-reported childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past three years. Among children in grades five, seven and nine, 30% are overweight or obese, with Hispanic students more likely to be overweight than White students. This evidence-based project examined the effectiveness of NHLBI’s WeCan! for at-risk middle-school-age Hispanic children and parents. The program was implemented at school in two weekly sessions, and its effectiveness was evaluated using the WeCan! survey. The program resulted in improved knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes related energy balance, portion size, healthy foods, physical activity, and screen time and may be useful in other school settings.

Ketone Body Metabolism Preserves Hepatic Function During Adaptation To Birth And In Overnutrition, David Graham Cotter

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Mammalian ketone body metabolism partially oxidizes hepatic acyl-chains to ketone body intermediates, which can serve as alternative fuels in extrahapetic tissues during carbohydrate restricted states. Ketone body production (ketogenesis) occurs primarily in liver, due to hepatocyte-specific expression of the fate committing ketogenic enzyme, mitochondrial 3-hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGCS2). In contrast, the fate committing enzyme of ketone body oxidation, mitochondrial Succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid CoA Transferase (SCOT), is expressed ubiquitously, except in liver. Here I demonstrate novel roles for ketone body metabolism during a classically ketogenic period, the transition to birth, and in a classically `non-ketogenic' state, overnutrition, using novel genetic mouse models, high-resolution measures …

The Effects Of Walking On The Alter-G® Treadmill On Fat Oxidation In Overweight/Obese Males, Toni Lasala, Toni Lasala

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Purpose: To determine if a reduction of body weight from 100% to 75% while walking on a lower body positive pressure treadmill (LBPP) affects peak oxygen consumption (V̇O_2peak), fat oxidation (FO), peak fat oxidation (PFO), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in overweight and or obese men. Methods: Fourteen, overweight and obese men (mean age 23.2 ± 2.4 years, BMI 36.5 ± 3.8 kg/m² and Body Fat % 38.6 ± 7.0%) were randomly assigned to walking on the LBPP treadmill at 100% and 75% of their body weight. The protocol …

Exploring The Evolutionary Origins Of Obesity Through The Endocrine-Physical Activity-Bone Axis, Maria G. Lapera

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

As the global obesity epidemic spreads, scientists struggle to understand the biological, cultural, and evolutionary bases for modern fatness. Understanding the contributions of the interaction between physical activity and the endocrine system to regulating metabolism could potentially help people who are overweight or obese in losing weight and illustrate one of the evolutionary pathways that encourages modern obesity. This study used an innovative approach that integrated a lifestyle physical activity and diet questionnaire coupled with endocrine analysis (leptin, osteocalcin) and anthropometric measures in order to create baseline measurements of fit individuals. The mean osteocalcin level was 4201.46 pg/mL and the …

Overweight And Obesity Knowledge Assessment Of Alaskan Nurse Practitioners, Kelly M. Cerutti

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

The purpose of this project was to describe Alaskan Nurse Practitioners (NPs) current practice and beliefs regarding overweight and obesity, and to identify barriers that may prevent evidence based management. A descriptive study was conducted using a convenience sample of 116 Alaskan NPs who completed The Treatment of Obesity Questionnaire. Findings revealed which factors NPs considered to determine risk status; their current management strategies; barriers to treatment; and, their beliefs regarding the etiology of obesity. An open-ended question revealed other treatment strategies, barriers, and beliefs regarding the treatment of overweight and obese patients.

The Importance Of Glp-1 And Pyy In Resistant Starch's Effect On Body Fat In Mice, June Zhou, Roy J. Martin, Anne M. Raggio, Li Shen, Kathleen Mccutcheon, Michael J. Keenan

Faculty Publications

Resistant starch (RS) is a dietary fermentable fiber that decreases body fat accumulation, and stimulates the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) in rodents. GLP-1 and PYY are gut-secreted hormones with antiobesity effect. Thus, blocking the signals of increased GLP-1 and PYY may also block the effect of dietary RS on body fat. In a 10-week study, C57BL/6J and GLP-1 receptor null (GLP-1R KO) mice were fed control or 30% RS diet, and received daily intraperitoneal injection of either saline or PYY receptor antagonist (BIIE0246, 20 μg/kg body weight). Dietary RS significantly decreased body fat accumulation only …

Characterization Of Ghrelin O-Acyltransferase Active Site, Leslie Patton

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Ghrelin, first discovered in 1999, is a 28-amino acid peptide hormone involved in the regulation of appetite, insulin secretion and sensitivity, and many neurological effects such as learning, memory, and depression.^1-6 Ghrelin has been identified to have a unique posttranslational octanoylation carried out by the enzyme ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT). This distinctive modification is a point of interest in studying GOAT whereby blocking the acylation of the ghrelin could potentially halt the activity of the peptide hormone and provide a means of treating obesity, diabetes, and other diseases affected by ghrelin levels. The duration of my project involved working …

Maternal Obesity And Incidence Of Depression, Caroline A. Habjan

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Obesity is a national epidemic in the United States, which both directly and indirectly affects the social productivity of individuals, the American macro economy and individuals’ personal health and well being. Depression often interferes with an individual’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy life. A maternal state of both obesity and depression may cause serious adverse medical conditions in the mother’s child. Taking steps to treat depression and obesity are critical in the construct of modern medicine. This project yields results that have the potential to make treatment options better tailored, more efficient, effective and economically-sound for the …

The Missing Link: The Impact Of Nutrition Education And The School Lunch Program, Rachel E. Calhoun

Honors Theses

In the U.S., the weight status of overweight and obesity in children is increasing from recent decades (Carrol & Ogden, 2010). Research shows that the prevalence of children developing chronic diseases is influenced by obesity and overweight statuses, shown by existing risk factors (Freedman, Dietz, Srinivasan, & Berenson, 1999). Recent legislation of the National School Lunch Program has aimed to improve the nutritional value of school lunches in elementary schools by requiring fruit and vegetable meal components be provided on each lunch tray (Nutrition Standards, 2012). This quasi experimental study aimed to increase fourth graders nutrition knowledge and fruit and …