Digital Commons Network^™

Tackling Overweight And Obesity: Does The Public Health Message Match The Science?, Katherine Hafekost, David Lawrence, Francis Mitrou, Therese O'Sullivan, Stephen Zubrick

Research outputs 2013

Background: Despite the increasing understanding of the mechanisms relating to weight loss and maintenance, there are currently no validated public health interventions that are able to achieve sustained long-term weight loss or to stem the increasing prevalence of obesity in the population. We aimed to examine the models of energy balance underpinning current research about weight-loss intervention from the field of public health, and to determine whether they are consistent with the model provided by basic science. EMBASE was searched for papers published in 2011 on weight-loss interventions. We extracted details of the population, nature of the intervention, and key …

Brief Oral Health Promotion Intervention Among Parents Of Young Children To Reduce Early Childhood Dental Decay, Peter Arrow, Joseph Raheb, Margaret Miller

Research outputs 2013

Background: Severe untreated dental decay affects a child's growth, body weight, quality of life as well as cognitive development, and the effects extend beyond the child to the family, the community and the health care system. Early health behavioural factors, including dietary practices and eating patterns, can play a major role in the initiation and development of oral diseases, particularly dental caries. The parent/caregiver, usually the mother, has a critical role in the adoption of protective health care behaviours and parental feeding practices strongly influence children's eating behaviours. This study will test if an early oral health promotion intervention through …

Dietary Patterns Associated With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Chronic Disease Risk: A Review, Samantha L. Gardener, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Jennifer Keogh, Suzanne Mathieson, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2013

The world’s population is growing older due to improved healthcare and nutrition. As a result, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prevalence is rapidly increasing. The focus of the current research climate is shifting from understanding AD pathology and diagnosis to primary prevention and intervention strategies. Diet represents one potential intervention strategy accessible to all. Accumulating evidence suggests diet plays a major role in risk and development of AD and AD-related chronic diseases of the periphery like cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. This paper reviews studies that have explored the relationship between “a priori” dietary patterns, AD and AD-related chronic disease risk. The …

Self-Regulatory Skills For Controlled Eating Emanating From Newly Initiated Physical Activity, James J. Annesi Ph.D., Kandice Johnson Porter

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The relationship of physical activity with weight loss may largely be due to its association with psychosocial factors. The goal of this research was to clarify such relationships using a field design lasting 24 weeks. In Study 1, change in self-regulation for controlled eating, but not energy expenditure, mediated the relationship between changes in physical activity and weight in formerly sedentary, severely obese adults (n = 174). In Study 2 (n = 148), the addition of a cognitive-behavioral nutrition treatment was associated with significantly greater improvement in self-regulation for eating. Physical activity-related self-regulation changes were related to those …

The Road To “Severe Obesity”: Weight Loss Surgery Candidates Talk About Their Histories Of Weight Gain, Julia Temple Newhook, Deborah Gregory, Laurie Twells

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Much research focuses on the causes of weight gain, but few studies examine the perspectives of those who have been categorized as “severely obese.” This paper discusses the findings of 54 interviews with weight loss surgery candidates in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We explore participants’ perspectives on their histories of weight gain, focusing on their explanations for weight gain as well as the emotions surrounding their weight gain experiences. We find that the dominant individualized, medicalized construction of obesity both (1) adds to the burden of blame for weight loss surgery candidates, with potential emotional health implications, and (2) overlooks …

Framed Golden Arch Messages: A Content Analysis Of Mcdonald's Television Commercials In Correlation With The Obesity Epidemic Around The Globe, Laura Leanne Macauley

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Obesity is a growing problem all around the world. Fast food companies invest billions of dollars every year intending to sell their new and improved menu items. This study examined one of the largest fast food companies in the world, McDonalds. The present study investigated how McDonalds communicates nutritional claims as well as portion size throughout television commercial messages. The countries that took part in this examination were the United States, Canada, India, and Japan. Each of these countries has much different percentage rates of obese citizens. A content analysis examined one commercial in each of the four countries. In …

Taxing The Platypygous, James J. White

Articles

This Article maintains that obesity in the United States is an enormous public health issue that causes the health care costs of the obese Americans greatly to exceed those of citizens of normal weight. Recognizing that that much of that cost will be born by publicly financed programs and that the taxes supporting those programs will constitute an externality that the fat impose on the thin, the Article proposes a tax on high calorie food-but only when that food is purchased by the obese. The Article addresses many of the administrative, moral and other objections to a tax aimed at …

Text Messaging As Adjunct To Community Based Weight Management Program, Claudia Bouhaidar

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity ascending rates are still a public health priority. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of tailored text messages on body weight change in overweight and obese adults in a community based weight management program. A secondary aim was to detect behavioral changes in the same population. The study design was quasi-experimental with pre and posttest analysis, conducted over 12 weeks. A total of 28 participants were included in the analysis. Body weight, eating behaviors, exercise and nutrition self-efficacy, attitude toward mobile technology, social support and physical activity were assessed at baseline and at 12 …

The Relation Of Igf-1 And Insulin Resistance In A Sample Of Iraqi Obese Type 2 Diabetic Patients With Macrovascular Disease, Bushra.F Hasan, Isam.N. Salman, Nisreen.A Hamzah

Baghdad Science Journal

Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is a metabolic disease that is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis by 2-4 folds than in non- diabetics. In general population, low IGF-1 has been associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and mortality .This study aims to find out the relationship between IGF-1 level and other biochemical markers such as Homeostasis Model Assessment insulin resistance(HOMAIR) and Body Mass Index(BMI) in type 2 diabetic patients . This study includes (82) patients (40 females and 42 males) with age range (40-75) years,(34) non obese diabetic patients and (48) obese diabetic patients. The non obese individuals …

Successful Weight Loss, Weight Loss Maintenance And Psychological Characteristics In Minority Men And Women Attending An Inner-City Weight Loss Program, Julie Ann Hall

Masters Theses

Inner-city communities are disproportionately impacted by obesity and chronic disease. The LOSE BIG Challenge is a motivational physical activity and nutrition education program offered to inner-city Grand Rapids, Michigan residents with diabetes or hypertension. Twenty-eight participants (26 women, 2 men) in a 12-week culturallybased weight loss program were studied. Before and after the intervention, height, weight, lifestyle information, readiness to change, eating behaviors, depression scores, and quality of life scores were measured. Participants were followed 4 and 6 months post intervention. At baseline, 86% of the participants were obese (BMI >30 kg/m²), 54% watched more than ten hours …

Attitudes Of College Students In Relationship To Weight And Physical Activity, Emily N. Estes

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

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a limited amount of knowledge of the impact current and goal weights of college students have on their attitudes surrounding weight and physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: To examine weight/body image and physical activity attitudes of students and whether those attitudes correlate current and goal weights of students.

SETTING: The questionnaires utilized were completed between the years 2006-2011 at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln.

PARTICIPANTS: Male and female students from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln.

RESULTS: The mean BMI of all participants (n=2255) was 23.8 ± 4.1; for females (n=1403) 23.0 ± 4.0; and for males (n=852) 24.9 ± …

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) And The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap): Comparing Policies And Suggesting Changes, Regina T. Cucurullo

Journal of Food Law & Policy

National concerns, such as obesity, should be addressed through national efforts. Considering the national reach of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and their ability to influence the diets of a significant amount of the nation's population, changes to these programs should be made to encourage healthy nutrition.

The Relationship Between Sleep Deprivation, Food Motivation, And Energy Intake In Normal-Weight And Obese Females, Lora Light Romney

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Sleep deprivation has been proposed as a potential correlate of obesity, particularly influencing energy intake. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare neural indices of attention related to food motivation and energy intake in normal-weight and obese women under two separate sleep conditions: 1) sleep-restricted (<5 hours) and 2) recommended sleep (~8 hours). This study used a combined cross-over and ex post facto design with condition order counter-balanced. Methods: Twenty-two normal-weight (age=30.9±9.5y, BMI=22.0±1.6 kg/m2) and 18 obese (age=29.7±10.7 y, BMI=36.4±5.3 kg/m2) women completed both sleep conditions. To confirm sleep levels, participants recorded sleep quality and quantity via sleep logs and wore a wrist actigraph. Following each condition, participants reported to the laboratory under the same fed state (energy shake ~10% of total daily needs) to verify they followed the sleep protocol. Subsequently, motivation for food was tested using electroencephalogram (EEG); participants completed a computerized passive-viewing task of food and flowers, while event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded. After EEG testing, participants continued their normal routine but recorded all energy intake using weighed food scales. There were no instructions or limitations on dietary intake. Analyses included P300 and LPP amplitudes in response to picture type, total next day energy intake, and energy intake by several periods of the day. Results: Participants averaged 4.7±0.4 hours of sleep during the sleep-restricted condition and 7.7±0.3 hours during the recommended sleep condition (F=1057.02; P<0.0001). There was no group*condition interaction for next day food motivation (P300: F<2.896, P>0.09; LPP: F<2.967, P>0.093). Next day total energy intake also did not differ by group*condition (F=1.81; P=0.187). When participants were pooled, there was no difference in energy intake by sleep condition (F=0.00; P=0.953). However, when participants’ energy intake was analyzed during the lunch period (following testing to 1:30pm) there was a …

Ecological Momentary Assessment And Time-Varying Factors Associated With Eating And Physical Activity, Amy Jeffers

Theses and Dissertations

The obesity epidemic is a significant problem in the United States. It is well established that lifestyle factors, such as unhealthy eating and physical inactivity, are key contributors. These causes are generally voluntary activities and it is important to examine health decision-making with respect to these behaviors. The current study examined time-varying factors of stress and mood and their relationship with healthy eating and physical activity in a sample of undergrads (N = 26). Ecological momentary assessment via one's cell phone was used to collect multiple measurements over six days. Positive mood was found to follow physical activity episodes for …

Findings From The Nutrition Challenge Program, Rayleen Earney, Nicole Bungum, Timothy J. Bungum

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Over 61% of U.S. adults and 58% of Nevada adults have Body Mass Index’s (BMI) that classify them as either overweight or obese (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System [BRFSS], 2005). According to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, obesity was the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States behind tobacco use (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup & Gerberding, 2004).

While obesity and overweight are complex, multi-factorial health conditions, an important contributor to the overweight and obesity epidemic is poor dietary habits. One of the major …

Altered Irinotecan Pharmacokinetics In Diet-Induced Obesity, Pranav Shah, Adarsh Gandhi, Romi Ghose

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Title: Altered Irinotecan Pharmacokinetics in Diet-Induced Obesity

Authors: Pranav Shah*, Adarsh Gandhi and Romi Ghose

Affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Houston, TX - 77030

Purpose: Irinotecan (CPT-11) is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that has been shown to be highly effective in treatment of colon, stomach, pancreas, and non-small cell lung cancers. It has recently been shown that CPT-11 administration is associated with liver toxicity and this effect is compounded by baseline obesity. It was found that patients with a BMI index of >25 were twice as much susceptible to developing liver toxicity than patients with …

Leptin And Its Association With Obesity Among Mexican Adolescents, Jesus M. Araujo-Contreras, Elias H. Avila-Rodriguez, Armando Avila-Rodriguez, Efren Rivas-Avila, Nelda Mier, Abelardo Camacho-Luis, Nohe Vargas-Chavez

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: To investigate the association between leptin concentrations and nutritional status among a Mexican adolescent population. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 448 adolescents attending five schools in Durango, Mexico. Serum leptin concentrations were measured by ELISA. Other measurements included height, weight, and waist and hip circumference. Body fat of participants was assessed with bio-electrical impedance using a body composition analyzer InBody-720. Sociodemographic information was also collected. Results: Based on IOTF BMI cut-off points, 34.1% of adolescents were overweight and obese and prevalence rates were higher among females (37.1%) than males (29.5%). In agreement with waist circumference, 22.5% of participants …

Angiotensin At2r Activation Increases Ace2/Ang1-7/Masr Axis And Prevents Fatty-Diet-Induced Obesity, Sourashish Nag, Quaisar Ali, Yonnie Wu, Tahir Hussain

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Adipose tissue, the obligatory site of fat accumulation causing obesity, expresses local renin angiotensin system (RAS). RAS is commonly known to regulate blood pressure. However recently, we observed that angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) activation prevents high-fat diet (HFD)-induced adiposity and hyperinsulinemia. Although, the mechanism(s) is(are) not known. There is evidence that other RAS components namely, the angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) positively regulates while the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which catalyzes the production of Mas receptor (MasR) peptide agonist Ang (1-7), inversely regulates adiposity and hyperinsulinemia. In light of the RAS inter-regulatory features, we hypothesize that AT2R …

Lifestyle Factors And Ovarian Cancer Outcomes, Imani Butler, Raheem Paxton Phd, Maria Berglund Ms, Mike Hernandez Ms, Lovell A. Jones Bs, Ma, Phd

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Purpose: Few studies have reported on the lifestyle characteristics of ovarian cancer survivors. The objectives of this study were to characterize the associations between physical activity (PA) and body size (BS) with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and ovarian cancer recurrence in a sample of regional and distal stage ovarian cancer survivors.

Methods: Epithelial ovarian cancer survivors in their first clinical remission, with no evidence of recurrent disease were identified from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center tumor registry. A total of 51 survivors consented to participate in a battery of self-reported questionnaires. Trained staff collected data on …

Struggling With The Freshman Fifteen: College Students’ Recollections Of Parents’ Memorable Messages About Weight, Charee M. Thompson, Sarah T. Zaitchik

Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research

Considering the college years are considered a critical time in one’s life for changes in diet and exercise behavior and an increase in weight gain, this study explored the significant and impactful communication between college students and their parents during this transitional period. Using open-ended responses to an online questionnaire (N = 222), we explored the Memorable Messages (Knapp, Stohl, & Reardon, 1981) college students recall receiving from their parents about overweight and obesity. Students’ responses demonstrate that not only is weight a difficult topic to talk about, but it is also a difficult issue for people to manage on …

Biomechanical Effects Of Obesity On Balance, Hannah Del Porto, Celia Pechak, Darla Smith, Rebecca Reed-Jones

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 5(4) : 301-320, 2012. The objective of this review was to analyze the current literature related to the effects of obesity on balance. These effects were observed during conditions of static balance, perturbed balance and dynamic balance during gait. The literature review included studies focused on the biomechanical effects of obesity, the relationship between weight loss and balance, and the relative efficacy of weight loss as a balance intervention. The older adult population, which faces increased risk of falls and related injuries, was highlighted where targeted research was available. The existing literature provides evidence for …

On The Genetic And Environmental Associations Between Body Composition, Depression Symptoms And Smoking Behavior., Roseann Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a serious public health crisis and recent estimates of its incidence are the highest in United States history, with 35% and 17% of American adults and children affected, respectively. The clinical definition of adult obesity is operationalized as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. Although the prevalence of common obesity has increased dramatically over the past 30 years–largely thought to be due to changes in the environment, such as high calorie diets and sedentary lifestyles—twin and family studies have shown consistently that relative body weight is under considerable genetic influence in both children and adults, …

The National School Lunch Program: Local Implementation Of Federal Reform, Shannon Cagney

Professional Projects

This research study examined the National School Lunch Program and local implementation of federal reform in public and private schools in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The survey participants were selected by the way of purposeful sampling; interviews were conducted over the telephone; and a 90-minute focus group was held. Major themes from the study consist of the need for well-balanced meals in schools, concern regarding childhood obesity, and barriers of local implementation of federal guidelines. Many advocates expressed their concern regarding the calorie restrictions, specifically to the 850 kcal maximum for physically active students. This study provides insight on how the …

School Nutrition Policy: An Evaluation Of The Rhode Island Healthier Beverages Policy In Schools, Chad D. Jensen, Amy F. Sato, C. Meghan Mcmurtry, Chantelle N. Hart, Elissa Jelalian

Paediatrics Publications

Background. School policies limiting the availability of sweetened beverages are often considered to be effective interventions for improving children's diet and weight-related health. This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of the Rhode Island Healthier Beverage Policy in reducing consumption of unhealthy beverages and in producing changes in children's weight status. Method. Students in 2 public middle schools in Rhode Island completed self-reported measures of dietary intake and were measured for height and weight prior to and 1 year following the implementation of a state-mandated healthier beverage policy. An inventory of beverages available in vending machines after the beverage …

Ursinus Magazine, Fall 2012, Wendy Greenberg, Kathryn Campbell, Ellen Labrecque, Bobby Fong, Paul Dempsey, Carlin Romano, Abbie Cichowski, Zeba Hussaini

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

Center for Science and the Common Good • On traditions and history: A bright note • New Chair and Trustees named • Service and learning abroad • Ursinus bear gets a face-lift • The Boren Scholarship brings Buchele one step closer to "making a difference" • Generous giving • New coaches for Ursinus athletic department • The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art exhibitions on view • Center for Science and the Common Good seminars • Roamin' fever: Conference on Edith Wharton celebrates a great American writer • A new semester begins • Ursinus alumni and faculty work to …

25(Oh)D3 And Cardiovascular Risk Factors In Female Nonhuman Primates., Matthew J Jorgensen, Lawrence L Rudel, Matthew Nudy, Jay R Kaplan, Thomas B Clarkson, Nicholas M Pajewski, Peter F Schnatz

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

OBJECTIVE: To determine if interindividual differences in plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25(OH)D(3)) have pathophysiologic significance, we evaluated a cohort of female monkeys, seeking to identify associations with clinically relevant cardiovascular risk factors, including age, abdominal obesity (waist circumference), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

METHODS: One hundred fifty-five female vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) aged 3-25 years consumed a typical western diet for 7-8 weeks that provided a woman's equivalent of approximately 1000 IU/day of vitamin D(3). Measurements of vitamin D(3) and HDL-C concentrations, as well as waist circumference, were obtained.

RESULTS: Among young monkeys (aged 3-5 years), compared to …

Depression And Anxiety As Predictors Of Obesity In Children, Cortney J. Taylor

Open Access Dissertations

Objectives: Prior research indicates that minority youth are more at risk for developing obesity, and that obesity is associated with several health complications as well as significant healthcare costs. The current study addressed the role of symptoms of internalizing disorders with regards to obesity in primarily ethnic minority fourth and fifth graders. In addition, this study was the first to expand upon prior research by determining whether symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social anxiety were associated with BMI at six month follow up in this age group, and whether gender moderated the relationship of internalizing symptoms and BMI. Finally, the …

A Ranksum Statistics Based Framework To Decipher Transcription Regulation, Iuan-Bor Chen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The unbiased generation of specific and meaningful hypotheses from the deluge of data generated by modern genomic methods remains a challenge. These datasets require increasing level of expertise to analyze fully, and are often underutilized even in the originating lab. It would be desirable to have a computational strategy that is easy to implement, robust against outliers and missing data, and broadly applicable to diverse experimental designs. In this dissertation, I present a set of ranksum statistics-based analytical methods as a framework to extract testable hypotheses from large and complex datasets. To illustrate its utility, this framework was applied to …

Green Tea Extract Protects Against Fibrogenesis Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Diet-Induced Obese Rats, Allyson M. Bower

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Ouch! Recruitment Of Overweight And Obese Adolescent Boys For Qualitative Research, Zachary Morrison, David Gregory, Steven Thibodeau, Jennifer Copeland

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study is to examine the complexities of recruiting overweight and obese adolescent boys for qualitative research, discuss specific recruitment considerations for this population, and offer guidance to researchers interested in recruiting overweight adolescent boys. Three overweight adolescent boys and six community professionals participated in this study. Data collection methods included fieldwork observations (60 hours) and person-centered interviews (N=9). Emergent themes revealed that establishing trust, understanding the sensitivities of discussing obesity, and considering adolescent boys’ fears of sharing personal information may have enhanced recruitment success. Researchers should consider the importance of building relationships with professionals who can …