Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Physiological Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet On Cardiovascular Health, Jenevieve Petray

Nursing | Senior Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly more prevalent in today’s society and is attributed to an alarming percentage of American hospitalizations and deaths. Americans are unhealthier than ever before, and the main contributor is the Western diet. Diet is a double-edged sword that can offer benefits or detriments to one’s health. CVD encompasses numerous diagnoses originating from various underlying physiological alterations. These alterations are downstream effects of increased body weight and BMI, increased cholesterol levels, decreased insulin sensitivity and increased arterial plaque buildup. Research shows that a plant-based diet has the potential to manage and reverse all fundamental physiological alterations that …

Stress As A Contributing Factor For Pediatric Obesity: Literature Review And Internship Experience, Jessica Handley

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article is an examination of how stress drives diet and physical activity behaviors that contribute to pediatric obesity in the United States. An increasing rate of childhood obesity is being reported in the United States and therefore a multitude of studies and reviews have been conducted on the topic. This review of the literature systematically analyzes how stress, diet, and physical activity behaviors contribute to this rising rate of pediatric obesity. An analysis of the chosen articles for review indicates that stress and its counterpart (resilience) tend to be driving forces in how American children and adolescents participate in …

The Effects Of Resistance Training On Cognition And Brain Health In Older Adults At Risk For Diabetes: A Pilot Feasibility Study, Joyla Furlano

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Type 2 diabetes is associated with neurocognitive deficits and increased risk for dementia, with high prevalence of diabetes occurring in old age. There are many known risk factors for diabetes, including physical inactivity, obesity, and prediabetes. Studies show that individuals who are at risk for diabetes (i.e., have one or more risk factors) already experience some brain deficits seen in diabetes. One way to combat these deficits is aerobic exercise; however, the effects of resistance exercise in this population are relatively unknown. The objectives of this thesis were to report on the current evidence of brain deficits in prediabetes, and …

Role Of Smad2 And Smad3 On Adipose Tissue Development And Function, Roshan Kumari

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: Obesity and its associated metabolic syndrome are major medical problems worldwide including United States. Adipose tissue is the primary site of energy storage, playing important roles in health. Adipose tissue also has other critical functions, producing adipocytokines and contributing to normal nutrient metabolism, which in turn play important roles in satiety, inflammation, and total energy homeostasis. Activin A and activin B play important roles in maintaining body composition and energy homeostasis. This dissertation highlights the role of activin/SMADs signaling in adipose tissue development, function, and maintenance.

SMAD2/3 proteins are downstream mediators of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) family signaling, including …

The Effect Of Obesity On Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty: Functional Outcome, Ninety-Day Costs, Reoperations, Readmissions And Cost-Effectiveness, Mohamad Nasser Eddine

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The demand for revision total knee arthroplasty (RTKA) is increasing due to obesity and an aging population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of different body mass index (BMI) categories on RTKA using a retrospective cohort analysis. The first part was to assess patients’ functionality post-RTKA. The second part was to determine the survival of RTKA and re-revision rate. The third part was to explore the complication and readmission rates, and to estimate the 90-day costs of RTKA. We found the most common indication for RTKA in super obese patients is infection, unlike other BMI categories, …

Free Fatty Acid Treatment Alters Autophagy During Mouse Preimplantation Embryo Development, Zuleika C. L. Leung

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Obesity-induced hyperlipidemia is one of the main factors for female infertility. Hyperlipidemia, specifically with high levels of palmitic acid (PA) and oleic acid (OA), interferes with preimplantation development. Autophagy is essential in early embryo development but, it is unknown whether hyperlipidemia affects autophagic mechanisms in preimplantation embryos. It was hypothesized that PA will alter autophagy in preimplantation mouse embryos and that the subsequent effects will be reversed by OA. PA impaired blastocyst development by arresting embryos at the 8-cell stage. PA also elevated early embryo autophagy by increasing autophagosome formation, decreasing maturation, and disrupting degradation. Co-treatment with OA showed developmental …

Food Addiction And Obesity, Lisa Ling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The obesity rate in the U.S. adult population has increased to epidemic levels despite attempts to decrease obesity through evidence-based knowledge, clinical practice guidelines, medical interventions, and individual efforts. For certain individuals, food addiction behaviors such as food cravings, loss of control, and binge eating contribute to obesity and require a different approach to care. Little work has been done on adding the possibility of food addiction to obesity screening and treatment. This study utilized a quasi-experimental quantitative pre- and postsurvey research design based on Lewin’s change theory. Nurse practitioners were surveyed regarding the provider’s perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about …

Effects Of Ergothioneine On Endothelial Cell And Macrophage Characteristics, And Markers Of Atherosclerosis Risk Under High Lipid Conditions, Daniel Lam-Sidun

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ergothioneine (EGT) is an antioxidant and potential anti-inflammatory molecule that may have protective effects against the lipid-induced oxidative stress and inflammation that occurs in the vasculature of individuals with obesity and metabolic syndrome. This thesis addresses the hypothesis that EGT supplementation decreases endothelial cell dysfunction and macrophage inflammatory characteristics under high lipid conditions, and markers of atherosclerotic risk in diet-induced obese mice. Results showed that EGT did not influence endothelial tube formation or stability but reduced nitric oxide production in endothelial cells. Moreover, EGT decreased the production of reactive oxygen species, and potentially nitric oxide, by macrophages. In diet-induced obese …

Racial And Socioeconomic Disparities Influencing Obesity Amongst Middle-Aged Women, Morgan Woods

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Many studies have examined the effects of racial and socioeconomic differences on health-related disparities involving obesity but, few have examined the mental and physical well-being intersection. Obesity is a disease that affects many Americans and has become an epidemic affecting the American population. Obesity, especially morbid obesity, is a risk factor for many other obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and more. Using the 2018 Healthcare Avoidance Study, differences were found between two racial groups, Caucasian and African-American women. Race was found as a significant factor for both level of physical activity and ideal body image perception

Exploring Β-Cell Function And Heterogeneity In Obese Sm/J Mice, Mario Alejandro Miranda

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic β-cells perform glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, a process required to maintain systemic glucose homeostasis. Obesity promotes glycemic and inflammatory stress, causing β-cell death and dysfunction, resulting in diabetes. Efforts to improve β-cell function in obesity have been hampered by observations that β-cells are highly heterogeneous, varying in morphology, function, and gene expression. There is great need to understand the breadth of β-cell heterogeneity in health and obesity to improve diabetic therapies.High fat-fed SM/J mice spontaneously transition from hyperglycemic-obese to normoglycemic-obese with age, providing a unique opportunity to study β-cell adaptation. Here, we show that as they resolve hyperglycemia, obese SM/J …

Effect Of Microbiome Alterations On The Progression & Treatment Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Rachelle Virgin

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the presence of hepatic steatosis that is not caused by alcohol consumption, viruses, or medications (Sivell, 2019). Fatty liver can become more inflamed and lead to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and possibly progress to cirrhosis and liver failure (Sheka et al., 2020). As rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes rise, healthcare providers can expect to see this disease more prevalently in practice. It can be difficult to provide timely healthcare because there are usually no signs or symptoms present with NAFLD (Mayo Clinic, 2020). This poster discusses the importance of recognizing comorbidities and risk …

Exploring The Relationship Between The Distance Of Parks And Rates Of Adult Obesity In El Paso, Texas, Shawna Payan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: In El Paso, areas of the city do not have access to parks within walking distance. The rates of people suffering from obesity and the comorbidities that come with obesity are rising annually. Physical activity has been shown to increase lifespan and provide positive health outcomes for the individual. Increasing physical activity in adults by using the parks can decrease their risk for heart disease and diabetes. Objectives: The overall aim of the procedure is to determine a relationship between park density and distance from residence to the nearest park, adult population density, and the obesity rate density within …

The Impact Of Obesity On Covid-19 Outcomes In A High-Risk, Majority Hispanic Community Sample, Maxwell A. Lawlor

Capstone Experience

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused over 33.7 million cases and 605,000 deaths in the United States¹. Factors associated with increased odds for hospitalization, death, and other poor outcomes include age, comorbid conditions like cardiovascular disease and lung disease, and obesity. COVID-19 has also disproportionately affected Hispanic communities across the United States and in Omaha. Potential explanations for this disparity include social determinants of health, particularly occupational factors, structural challenges to access healthcare services, and increased medical comorbidities including obesity. In this retrospective cohort study, we used patient data from April to May 2020 (N=1,000) …

Implementation Of The Center For Disease Control (Cdc) Prediabetes Risk Test In The Medical Weight Loss Setting, Gabriela Miller, Rn, Bsn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugars are higher than normal which increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), heart disease and stroke. One in three US adults have prediabetes and 90% of them do not know. Losing 5-7% of body weight and regular physical activity can lower the risk of developing T2DM by more than half.

Methods: Screening patients for prediabetes at a medical weight loss clinic using the evidence-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Prediabetes Risk Test. A score of five or higher on the screening tool indicates the patient is at risk …

Obesity Prevention Toolkit To Combat Weight Gain Related To Sedentary Behavior And Dietary Habits In College Students: An Evidence-Based Project, Maria Amos, Martha Fuller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

Background: Forty percent of the US population ages 20-39 are categorized as obese,

their BMI is over 30, and 35% of college age students are obese or overweight. Issues related to obesity cost the US $147 billion annually. Between 40%-50% of college students are reported to be inactive. Inactivity can lead to increased morbidity and mortality related to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal issues, and depression. Providing dietary and physical activity education and access to nutritional information promotes behavior change in young adults.

Aims of Service Change: This evidence-based project proposal aims to provide a toolkit …

Better Together? The Effects Of Shared Medical Appointments On Bmi In Obese Adults, Amanda Larson

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The United States (U.S.) is amidst an obesity epidemic, with Indiana ranking as the 15th worst state (Institute of Medicine, 2012; United Health Foundations, 2020). Despite current management strategies, the obesity rate in both the U.S. and Indiana continues to rise (WHO, 2020). Therefore, obesity management must change. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to determine if the addition of shared medical appointments (SMAs) consisting of informational group sessions by specialists and brief individualized meetings with the provider will result in greater reduction of weight and body mass index (BMI) compared to standard care alone in those …

Fucoxanthin: A Review Of Potential Benefits Relative To Human Health, Michael R. White

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid sourced and extracted mainly from dark orange and brown seaweeds found in the pacific ocean, such as the wakame algae. The allenic bonds and unique oxygen groups give fucoxanthin its unique structure and are thought to be part of the reason fucoxanthin has unique physiological functions. Fucoxanthin has potentially numerous effects on the physiology of human health, ranging from skin health to metabolic health, which have been demonstrated in animal model research. The goal of this review is to examine current literature to discuss fucoxanthin’s potential application as a nutraceutical, treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes, …

Fucoxanthin: A Review Of Potential Benefits Relative To Human Health, Michael R. White

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid sourced and extracted mainly from dark orange and brown seaweeds found in the pacific ocean, such as the wakame algae. The allenic bonds and unique oxygen groups give fucoxanthin its unique structure and are thought to be part of the reason fucoxanthin has unique physiological functions. Fucoxanthin has potentially numerous effects on the physiology of human health, ranging from skin health to metabolic health, which have been demonstrated in animal model research. The goal of this review is to examine current literature to discuss fucoxanthin’s potential application as a nutraceutical, treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes, …

You Are What You Think: The Impacts Of Body Weight Perception In Young Adolescent Women, Olivia Ceja

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

While research suggests a multifactorial array of contributors to adolescent obesity including lack of physical activity, dietary behaviors, psychosocial factors including the perception of being overweight and body dissatisfaction have been more recently associated with unhealthy weights, unhealthy behaviors and amplified risk of obesity. At an all girl’s private college preparatory middle and high school in Los Angeles, amid a competitive and rigorous academic environment, students face additional pressure to succeed and strive for perfection. Although body weight perception can be used to identify students who are at risk for eating disorders at the middle and high school levels, the …

Healthy Food Accessibility In Rural Mississippi And Potential For A Corner Store Intervention, Anna Conner

Honors Theses

Some areas of the United States have poorer food environments than others. The Mississippi Delta has limited access to nutritious food, often relying on corner stores for sustenance. The impact of a poor diet can increase chronic disease prevalence, creating additional barriers to health and nutrition for Mississippians. The purpose of this study was to document and explore the rural food environment and discuss urban intervention studies in light of the current state of stores in the Delta. An adapted version of the Baltimore Healthy Kids survey and store impact questionnaire was used to record owner perceptions and food availability. …

Leptin Activation Of Metabolically-Related Hypothalamic Neurons, Kailee Hixon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Obesity is often associated with multiple other clinical conditions, including hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Currently, more than one-third of the world’s population is classified as obese. Leptin is a neuropeptide that is released from adipose cells and is responsible for reducing appetite and increasing metabolism. Leptin also has a role in the activation of cardiovascular and metabolic pre-sympathetic neurons and has been reported to increase blood pressure and heart rate. Thus, understanding the activation of the autonomic nervous system by leptin has implications in the development and safety of drugs to avoid activation of cardiovascular pre-sympathetic neurons. This is important …

Soda, Water, And Convenience: An Evaluation Of The Mexican Soda Tax, Benjamin Hager

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to evaluate the Mexican soda tax of 2014 by exploring the reasons for the tax and the underlying factors that the tax seems to ignore. This soda tax, in particular, was implemented to address obesity by curbing the consumption of sugary soft drinks due to the large quantities consumed by the Mexican populous. However, as this thesis shows there are some potential pitfalls in this type of obesity prevention policy. By exploring potable water data from the World Bank, the rural and urban noncommunicable disease rates of two Mexican states, and the penetration of levels of the …

Overcoming Obesity: Provider Reminders And Education In Pediatrics, Michelle Warren

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The prevalence of pediatric overweight and obesity is rising globally (Di Cesare et al., 2019) and results in lifelong chronic health problems and an estimated annual healthcare cost of $14.1 billion (Trasande & Chatterjee, 2009). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to address overweight and obesity in patients between the ages of five and 12 years through the provision of provider reminders, education, and guidelines. Primary outcomes included frequency of diagnosis, frequency of patient referrals, return to see times, and frequency of patient nutrition and activity education while secondary outcomes included patient weight, body mass index (BMI), and …

Final Culminating Project: Program Development, Erin Helms

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

This 16-week capstone project was completed at Parker Place, a children’s health, and wellness center, with a focus on program development and advocacy with additional work related to leadership and administration. The overall goal of the capstone project was to determine the benefit of using an occupation-based approach to enhance health outcomes for the patients at Parker Place. The capstone student provided education about the role of occupational therapy in a non-traditional setting, created a program to help patients acquire sustainable healthy habits, developed a workshop for families struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and provided resources about picky eating …

Pediatric Obesity: Prevention, Assessment And Treatment In Primary Care, Susan Johnson

Theses and Graduate Projects

People of all ages deserve care for the disease of obesity. Pediatric obesity affects one in three children in the United States, and the number of obese children has tripled since the 1970s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2018a). High blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea are complications that pediatric patients now face, and these diseases are well known to worsen quality of, and potentially shorten life. This scholarly project addresses the question: How can family nurse practitioners effectively address pediatric obesity in the primary care setting? Interventions early in life, perhaps even pre-conception, …

Obesity Bias: Bachelor Of Science Nursing Student Perceptions, Ashlyn Nicole Beasley

Honors College Theses

The National Institutes of Health identifies that one in three adults is obese. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above. Patients with obesity may deny themselves healthcare due to the mistreatment and mistrust they may develop within the healthcare system. If the prejudice against obese patients is addressed, it could prevent future issues for patients and healthcare providers. Not only can bias against obese patients lead to injury, but it can also lead worsening conditions. When a patient perceives the stigma of a weight bias from a caregiver, it can cause them to withdraw …

Effect Of Sesamol On Neurobiochemical Changes In Diet Induced (Dio) Obesity Model Of Zebra Fish (Danio Rerio), Rashmii K.S.

Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Does Better A1c Control Worsen Osteoarthritis? An Electronic Health Record Cross-Sectional Study, Sarah C. Cattaneo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). There is evidence that diabetes also increases risk. Our hypothesis is that A1C is a predictor of OA severity. The aim is to investigate the association between A1C, BMI, and knee and hip OA severity. This is a cross-sectional study within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) database containing 818 patients with diagnosed diabetes. Patients at one VHA facility with recorded diabetes in fiscal year 2020 were identified. A1C and BMI data was obtained from the electronic health record. Chart reviews were performed to collect data on imaging reports of weight-bearing joints …

Potential Bioactives And Inflammatory Mediators Regulating Adipose Tissue Function In Obesity, Seok-Yeong Yu

Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity is a serious health problem in the U.S. and worldwide and is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Observational studies have also shown an inverse relationship between obesity and reduced bioavailability of fat-soluble vitamins, which is due in part to increased sequestration in expanded adipose tissue (AT). AT serves as the primary site of storage organ for excess energy, however, in morbid obesity enlarged adipocytes exhibit decreased lipid uptake, impaired lipid hydrolysis and oxidation and increased inflammation, which are collectively referred to as AT dysfunction. Substantial evidence characterizes AT …

Discovery Of Genetic Pleiotropy For Obesity And Inflammation And Mediation In Identified Variants Through Obesity-Related Pathways, Yiqian Wenren

Public Health Theses

Genetic data suggest that obesity and inflammation shared a portion of their genetic architectures. Meanwhile, epidemiologic data suggest a causal link between obesity and inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that there are variants in the human genome that display pleiotropy for obesity and inflammation and that the effects of at least some of those variants could be mediated by obesity-related pathways. To test these hypotheses, we conducted univariate genome-wide association analyses of obesity-related traits (BMI and WHRadjBMI) and inflammation (CRP) in the UK Biobank (n= 291,396 Caucasian subjects), searched for overlapping signals, fine-mapped the regions to identify putative causal SNPs, and …