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The Influence Of A Low Glycemic Load Diet On Appetite In Women With Pcos, Sarah Et Hoover Jan 2023

The Influence Of A Low Glycemic Load Diet On Appetite In Women With Pcos, Sarah Et Hoover

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Dysregulated appetite may contribute to weight gain and high prevalence of comorbid obesity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), yet dietary recommendations to promote satiety and facilitate weight maintenance in this population remain scarce. The objective of this dissertation was to determine if women with PCOS have alterations in appetite-regulating hormones that can be manipulated by low glycemic load diet habituation to improve satiety. This was tested by secondary analyses of two randomized controlled dietary intervention trials in women with and without PCOS. First, we explored differences in women with and without PCOS during a standardized liquid meal test …


The Association Between Metabolically Healthy Obesity And Coronary Heart Disease Among Regards Study Participants, Kiara N. Aaron Jan 2022

The Association Between Metabolically Healthy Obesity And Coronary Heart Disease Among Regards Study Participants, Kiara N. Aaron

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A major obstacle to the advancement of our understanding of the metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) phenotype is the inconsistent definition of metabolic health and obesity among studies. A harmonized definition of MHO in adults has been proposed based on the diagnosis of obesity (BMI > 30 k/m2) and meeting the cardio-metabolic criteria for triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), no antihypertensive treatment, fasting blood glucose, and no drug treatment with glucose-lowering agents. In addition, waist circumference can be associated with increased disease risk when WC is >94 cm in men and >80 cm in …


The Role Of Obesity, Gdm, And Lifestyle Factors On Metabolic Syndrome Scores In Mothers And Their Children 4-10 Years After Pregnancy, Makenzie Callahan Jan 2021

The Role Of Obesity, Gdm, And Lifestyle Factors On Metabolic Syndrome Scores In Mothers And Their Children 4-10 Years After Pregnancy, Makenzie Callahan

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Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of symptoms that increase risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, early detection of MetS is vital for disease prevention. Gestational diabetes (GDM) and/or obesity during pregnancy are associated with a greater risk for MetS in mothers and their children compared to mothers with no GDM. However, little is known about how much a GDM history or in utero exposure to maternal GDM contributes to MetS risk years after that pregnancy in addition to risk attributable to obesity itself. Therefore, the overall objective of this dissertation was explore how a history of …


Do Outcomes From A Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention Differ In Alabama Vs Colorado?, Julianne Clina Jan 2021

Do Outcomes From A Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention Differ In Alabama Vs Colorado?, Julianne Clina

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There are well-established regional differences in obesity prevalence in the U.S., but relatively little is known about whether these differences impact efforts for weight loss. The objective of the study was to determine whether changes in body weight, engagement in physical activity (PA), and psychosocial factors differed in Colorado (CO) vs Alabama (AL) in response to a 16 week standardized behavioral weight management program. We hypothesized that weight loss would be greater in Colorado due to a more favorable physical and social environment.This is an ancillary study to a weight loss intervention being conducted simultaneously in AL and CO with …


Circadian Clock And Lipid Metabolism Disruption In Fatty Liver Disease, Jennifer Valcin Jan 2020

Circadian Clock And Lipid Metabolism Disruption In Fatty Liver Disease, Jennifer Valcin

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Hepatic Steatosis, characterized by the accumulation of triglyceride (TG) in the liver is the first stage of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Many metabolic pathways, including lipid metabolism, are regulated by the molecular circadian clock. Importantly, alcohol consumption and obesity induce circadian clock disruption, a risk factor for many diseases, including liver disease. In our first study, we investigated the combined effect of clock disruption and alcohol feeding on liver pathology, and diurnal rhythms in the liver molecular clock and lipid metabolism. Male liver-specific Bmal1 knockout (LKO) mice and control littermates were fed a control …


Dietary Nitrate And The Oral Microbiome In Obesity, Health And Exercise, Christian E. Behrens Jan 2020

Dietary Nitrate And The Oral Microbiome In Obesity, Health And Exercise, Christian E. Behrens

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Obesity ranks among the top growing health concerns worldwide. The prevalence of obesity at all life stages continues to rise with nearly 40% of adults and 35% of children/adolescents being affected. Equally troublesome is the increased risk for a number of comorbidities associated with obesity including cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and certain types of cancer. The successful treatment of obesity, particularly long-term, continues to prove challenging and is often met with limited success. This highlights the importance of continued investigation into alternative strategies that may reduce the incidence and severity of obesity and associated pathophysiologies. Regular physical …


Obesity-Induced Immune Dysfunction: Implications For Anti- Tumor Immunity And Immunotherapeutic Efficacy, Justin Tyler Gibson Jan 2020

Obesity-Induced Immune Dysfunction: Implications For Anti- Tumor Immunity And Immunotherapeutic Efficacy, Justin Tyler Gibson

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In the US, nearly 40% of adults have obesity. Further, obesity is known toincrease the risk for development, recurrence, and mortality associated with multiple types of cancer. However, despite such high prevalence, the impact of excess body weight on anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapeutics remains poorly and incompletely understood. In order to address these deficiencies, we have utilized multiple approaches to study obesity-associated perturbations in the immunogenetic, soluble protein, and cellular profiles of mice bearing mammary tumors and treatment naive human subjects with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In a pre-clinical murine model of breast cancer, we find …


Downstream Pathways Of Glucagon Receptor Agonism In Obesity, Shelly Nason Jan 2020

Downstream Pathways Of Glucagon Receptor Agonism In Obesity, Shelly Nason

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Obesity is highly prevalent and strategies to improve weight loss maintenance are critical for healthcare. Behavioral interventions are effective but require major lifestyle changes that are often difficult to maintain long-term. Therefore, modifying energy balance with pharmacotherapy is a strategy to combine with lifestyle modifications for sustained weight loss. Glucagon, a hormone involved in maintaining glucose homeostasis, also regulates energy expenditure, food intake, and lipid metabolism. As such, glucagon-based therapies have gained attention as an attractive clinical target. Glucagon Receptor (GCGR) mono-agonism induces glucose intolerance; therefore, dissecting the mechanisms by which GCGR signaling mediates energy balance are clinically relevant to …


Understanding The Impact Of Diet And Obesity On Anti-Tumor Immunity And Therapeutic Efficacy In Kidney Cancer, Rachael Miller Orlandella Jan 2020

Understanding The Impact Of Diet And Obesity On Anti-Tumor Immunity And Therapeutic Efficacy In Kidney Cancer, Rachael Miller Orlandella

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Obesity is regarded as a major risk factor for developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Advanced-stage RCC exhibits chemotherapeutic resistance, but is responsive to immunotherapies such as the immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1). Despite some clinical successes, response rates remain low for anti-PD-1 monotherapy (20-30%). Preclinical evaluations of immunotherapeutic strategies typically use lean mice and do not account for patient comorbidities. This may explain the underwhelming success rates following clinical translation of new cancer treatments. Recent studies found that obesity was associated with favorable outcomes and responses to immunotherapy in melanoma. However, the effects of obesity on anti-tumor immunity …


Significance Of Acculturation, Assimilation, And Allostatic Load As Risk Factors For Obesity Among Hispanics, Yenni Elvia Cedillo Jan 2019

Significance Of Acculturation, Assimilation, And Allostatic Load As Risk Factors For Obesity Among Hispanics, Yenni Elvia Cedillo

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Obesity has increased during the last two decades in the United States (U.S.) and is considered a major risk factor for chronic diseases within the Hispanic community. The burden of obesity in Hispanics is associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality and an increase in healthcare costs. Hispanics’ challenges after migration extend to subsequent generations, putting the population at risk for disease development. Specifically, migration can lead to the adoption of health behaviors, beliefs, values, and language of the host country, a process known as acculturation, which has been associated with changes in health behaviors. Among the Hispanic population, …


Associations Between Dietary Fat Intake And Waist Circumference, Phonchit Teng Soukhamneut Jan 2019

Associations Between Dietary Fat Intake And Waist Circumference, Phonchit Teng Soukhamneut

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The objective of this study was to assess: 1) trends in dietary fat intake from 2003-2016 2) the association between type of dietary fat intake and waist circumference (WC), 3) the association between type of dietary fat intake and body shape, and 4) whether these associations vary by sex and race/ethnicity. This secondary data analysis included 27,057 adults aged 19 to 65 from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2016. For WC, participants were categorized into high-risk (men: WC ≥ 40 in; women: WC ≥ 35 in) and low-risk (men: WC < 40 in; women: WC < 35 in). Total fat intake was categorized as high (TOTFAT ≥ 35%) and low (TOTFAT< 35%). Saturated fat intake was categorized into high (SATFAT ≥ 10%) and low (SATFAT < 10%). Unsaturated fat intake was categorized into high (UNSATFAT ≥ 25%) and low (UNSATFAT < 25%). Logistic regression was performed to assess the associations between DFI and WC and DFI and body shape, controlling for age, BMI, and total caloric intake. NHW men with high TOTFAT were found to have 1.41 (OR: 1.41, 1.19 – 1.68) times the odds of having a high-risk WC compared to men with a diet low in TOTFAT, controlling for age, BMI, and total caloric intake. NHW men with a diet high in SATFAT were at increased odds of having a high-risk WC compared to men with a diet low in SATFAT, after controlling for covariates (OR: 1.49, 1.21 -1.84). NHW men with a diet high in UNSATFAT were at increased odds of having a high-risk WC compared to men with a diet low in UNSATFAT after controlling for covariates (OR: 1.375, 1.09 – 1.74). There were no significant associations found among NWB and MA men for any type of dietary fat intake. For women, no associations were found between type of dietary fat and WC by race/ethnicity. There were no associations between DFI and body shape by race/ethnicity groups and sex. Future studies are needed to further investigate the body shape cut-off points for increased risk associated with chronic disease.


Obesity In People With Spinal Cord Injury: Secondary Data Analysis Of National Spinal Cord Injury Database, Huacong Wen Jan 2019

Obesity In People With Spinal Cord Injury: Secondary Data Analysis Of National Spinal Cord Injury Database, Huacong Wen

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People with disabilities are 1.5-2.5 times more likely to be obese than those without disabling conditions. We have learned a lot about obesity in the general population. However, the neurological deficits of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) make it difficult to generalize the findings in the general population to the SCI population. Therefore, the purposes of this dissertation were to 1) assess racial differences in body mass index (BMI) change over 5 years; 2) evaluate the role of neighborhood in the relationship between race and obesity; 3) examine the impact of BMI at the time of injury on 1-year …


Effects Of Dietary R,S-1,3 Butanediol Diacetoacetate On Components Of Energy Balance, Rachel A H Davis Jan 2018

Effects Of Dietary R,S-1,3 Butanediol Diacetoacetate On Components Of Energy Balance, Rachel A H Davis

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Ketogenic diet (KD) has been used to attenuate the decline in energy expenditure occurring from calorie restriction-induced weight loss, but long-term adherence can be difficult due to the strict nature of the diet. The growing body of evidence supporting KD-treatment of neurologic and metabolic diseases, as well as obesity, has prompted interest in the ability to increase circulating ketones via exogenous delivery. Ketone esters (KE) can raise blood ketone concentrations similarly to fasting and appear to reduce food intake acutely, but studies assessing effects on energy balance are limited and provide a potentially promising direction for weight control. Previous investigations …


Prenatal And Postnatal Factors Regulate Food Intake And Body Composition, Minsung Kang Jan 2018

Prenatal And Postnatal Factors Regulate Food Intake And Body Composition, Minsung Kang

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This research sought to identify the effects of prenatal and postnatal factors on systemic metabolism and the regulation of food intake, weight, and body composition. It was found that the manipulation of maternal diets influenced the systemic metabolism of offspring. The offspring of dams fed an isocaloric, low protein diet were significantly smaller and consumed less food than offspring from dams fed a control diet. In the case of the offspring from dams fed a western diet, they were significantly heavier and consumed more food than offspring from dams fed a control diet. In addition, the offspring showed altered glucose …


Reducing Acute Cardiovascular Hospitalizations With A Weight Management Program (Reach), Laura A. Graham Jan 2017

Reducing Acute Cardiovascular Hospitalizations With A Weight Management Program (Reach), Laura A. Graham

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Reducing cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors such as obesity through lifestyle and behavioral interventions like weight management programs should result in better cardiovascular health. However, there is conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions in reducing long-term CVD outcomes such as acute myocardial infarction or stroke. This reflects an important gap in our understanding about factors affecting recruitment and engagement in these programs and how these factors relate to improvement in long-term cardiovascular health. To address this gap, we will use a retrospective study with up to 11 years of follow up data from the nation’s largest health care system-associated …


Associations Of Food Environment, Mediterranean Diet And Obesity In United States: A Geographic Information System (Gis) Analysis, Meifang Chen Jan 2017

Associations Of Food Environment, Mediterranean Diet And Obesity In United States: A Geographic Information System (Gis) Analysis, Meifang Chen

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Given the growing obesity epidemic in the U.S., modifying current obesogenic food environment, and identifying and promoting an obesity-modifying dietary approach that fits in the food environment context are urgent. Emerging evidence indicates that Mediterranean diet (MD) could be a beneficial dietary pattern to protect against overweight/obesity. However, as a relatively new dietary pattern in the U.S., how the unique food environment influences MD adherence, and whether consuming a MD can mediate the relationship between food environment and obesity among the population remain unknown. This dissertation, applying Geographic Information System (GIS) and path analytical methods using data from the REasons …


The Dietary Context Of Nut Intake Among Overweight And Obese African-American Women Living In The Rural South: An Exploratory Study, Samara Sterling Jan 2017

The Dietary Context Of Nut Intake Among Overweight And Obese African-American Women Living In The Rural South: An Exploratory Study, Samara Sterling

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Obesity has become a national epidemic over the last few decades, and lays its heaviest burden on certain populations (eg, rural residents, African-Americans, and African-American women in the Southeast). Obesity increases medical costs substantially, and is a significant risk factor for various chronic conditions, including certain cancers. There is a need to identify specific dietary behaviors that may contribute to obesity and obesity-related cancers among African-American women in the rural South, and to recommend dietary modifications that may alleviate those risks. Previous research has shown that nuts offer numerous health benefits, including weight loss and cancer protection. More research is …


Methods For Measuring Individually Experienced Temperature And Food Intake In Controlled Thermal Environments, Molly Bernhard Jan 2016

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

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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, …


An Examination Of Farm-To-Consumer Retail Outlet Usage Among Participants Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) In Birmingham, Al, Chelsea Renee Singleton Jan 2015

An Examination Of Farm-To-Consumer Retail Outlet Usage Among Participants Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) In Birmingham, Al, Chelsea Renee Singleton

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Disparities in the neighborhood retail food environment have been hypothesized to be associated with poor diet quality and adverse health outcomes such as obesity. Studies have found that lower income communities often have reduced access to affordable healthy foods. In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proposed direct farm-to-consumer (FTC) retail outlets (i.e. farmers markets, farm/roadside stands, community gardens and community supported agriculture programs) as a potential strategy to alleviate retail food environment disparities in communities with limited resources. Information on the behavioral and health implications of FTC outlet usage by lower income individuals is limited. This research …


Obesity Weighs Down Memory: Emerging Insights Into The Epigentic Basis Of Obesity-Induced Memory Impairment In Adult Mice, Frankie Darryn Heyward Jan 2015

Obesity Weighs Down Memory: Emerging Insights Into The Epigentic Basis Of Obesity-Induced Memory Impairment In Adult Mice, Frankie Darryn Heyward

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A preponderance of evidence has established that obesity contributes to memory impairments in mid-age adults. Empirical evidence has revealed that diet-induced obesity contributes to memory impairments in adult rodents. Precisely how obesity disrupts memory remains an open question. Bourgeoning data indicate that molecular epigenetic mechanisms mediate the changes in gene transcription that are necessary for hippocampus-dependent memory consolidation. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, stably regulate gene expression without affecting the DNA sequence. Moreover, DNA methylation of memory-related genes with in the hippocampus is indispensible for memory formation. There is recent evidence of obesity-induced aberrantions in DNA methylation both peripherally …


Obesity And Mortality In Us-Residing Hispanic Adults, Carrie Howell Jan 2015

Obesity And Mortality In Us-Residing Hispanic Adults, Carrie Howell

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Previous epidemiological studies observed the lack of an association between increased body mass index (BMI: kg/m2) and all-cause mortality in US-residing Hispanic adults. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the validity of three hypothesized explanations for the absence of significant associations. Using data on Hispanic participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [1988-1994 and 1999-2004] and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), this dissertation examined whether: (1) BMI was associated with cause-specific mortality; (2) measures of body composition was associated with all-cause mortality; and (3) the BMI-all-cause mortality association differed as a function of Hispanic …


Exploring Body Image And The Association Between Body Image Dissatisfaction And Waist Circumference Among Overweight And Obese Rural African American Women Participating In A Weight Loss Program, Erica Rayshelle Johnson Jan 2015

Exploring Body Image And The Association Between Body Image Dissatisfaction And Waist Circumference Among Overweight And Obese Rural African American Women Participating In A Weight Loss Program, Erica Rayshelle Johnson

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African American (AA) women are disproportionately burdened by obesity, an epidemic with implications that reach beyond physiological consequences. Given that perceptions of body image may impact health-promoting behaviors and weight management efforts, we sought to evaluate the presence and magnitude of body image dissatisfaction (BID) and explore its relationship with waist circumference (WC), independent of weight among overweight and obese treatment-seeking rural AA women. Participants referred to images from the Pulvers Figure Rating Scale that included nine body silhouettes to answer: “How I think I look now” (i.e., current body image) and “How I would like to look” (i.e., desired …


Mitochondrial Genetics Modify Body Composition, Metabolic Efficiency And Myocardial Metabolism, Kimberly Joanne Dunham Jan 2014

Mitochondrial Genetics Modify Body Composition, Metabolic Efficiency And Myocardial Metabolism, Kimberly Joanne Dunham

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Obesity and cardiometabolic pathologies have reached epidemic levels worldwide over the last 30 years. Currently, the majority of research investigating possible genetic causes of obesity is focused on nuclear DNA (nDNA). While this has lead to the development of numerous animal models, it is apparent the etiology of obesity is more complex than single gene mutations. Recently it has also been suggested that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations sustained during evolution as a consequence of our prehistoric environment may influence individual propensity and risk of disease. Contemporary human populations are no longer faced with the challenges of our ancestors such as …


Risk Assessment And Staging Of Cardiometabolic Diseases, Fangjian Guo Jan 2014

Risk Assessment And Staging Of Cardiometabolic Diseases, Fangjian Guo

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Obesity is associated with elevated risk for morbidity and mortality and has become an epidemic both in the United States and around the world. Insulin resistance is essentially involved in the pathogenic process of cardiometabolic diseases in obese people, which involves defects in glucose production by the liver and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and utilization by peripheral tissues. Insulin resistance appears at an early stage of life and is the first step in the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Long-term insulin resistance will induce metabolic syndrome and prediabetes and eventually will cause type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity may exacerbate insulin …


Gut Microbiome And Its Role In Obesity And Aging In C57bl/6j Mice, Yongbin Yang Jan 2014

Gut Microbiome And Its Role In Obesity And Aging In C57bl/6j Mice, Yongbin Yang

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The gut microbiome has been found to be associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and many other diseases. Many studies have shown microbial composition changes with obese status or switching of diets. However, few of them have investigated the long-term microbial changes in subjects under the same environmental factors. This study examined gut microbiome changes in multiple aspects with well-controlled diet-induced obese mice models and demonstrated the following: there were great variations in gut microbiome composition and diversity in the same strain of inbred mice under the same environment and diet; certain lineages of bacteria were associated with digestive efficiency; …


Apparent Change In Obesity-Mortality Associations: Methodological Issues In Survival Analyses With Censored Outcomes, Tapan Shirish Mehta Jan 2013

Apparent Change In Obesity-Mortality Associations: Methodological Issues In Survival Analyses With Censored Outcomes, Tapan Shirish Mehta

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Analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have suggested that the mortality rate (MR) associated with obesity has decreased over calendar time. However, there has been conflicting evidence about the apparent change in the obesity-MR over calendar time. This dissertation investigates some of the empirical and methodological issues involved in assessing the longitudinal change in the obesity-mortality associations. In the first manuscript, Obesity and Mortality: Are the Risks Declining? Evidence from Multiple Prospective Studies in the U.S., a multiple longitudinal design is proposed and implemented to evaluate whether the obesity-mortality associations have declined over calendar time after …


Obesity, Prediabetes, And Perceived Stress In Municipal Workers, Louise Camilleri O'Keefe Jan 2013

Obesity, Prediabetes, And Perceived Stress In Municipal Workers, Louise Camilleri O'Keefe

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Obesity and diabetes are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in the United States. According to the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention, obesity is growing faster than any other public health problem in the United States. The prevalence of diabetes has also increased significantly with an estimated 79 million Americans aged 20 years or older suffering from prediabetes. Few studies have examined the influence of perceived stress on obesity and prediabetes among working adults. Investigations are needed to examine factors that can contribute to higher health care costs for both employees and employers. The aims of this …


Prevalence Of Overweight And Obesity In Classic Rett Syndrome., Kathrine Clova Grigsby Jan 2013

Prevalence Of Overweight And Obesity In Classic Rett Syndrome., Kathrine Clova Grigsby

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Introduction: Rett syndrome (RTT) is a genetic, neurodevelopmental disorder that displays high incidence of growth failure, variations in body composition, feeding/gastrointestinal complications, and undernutrition. The ongoing Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDNCRN) Rett Syndrome Natural History Research Project has yielded observations regarding the less recognized occurrence of overnutrition in adult females with classic Rett syndrome. The purpose of this study was the determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity in children and young adults with classic Rett syndrome, the percent overweight and obese among adults with classic Rett syndrome, and to determine if the prevalence of overnutrition increases after the puberty years …


A Phenomenological Study Of Obesity And Its Impact On Functional Status, Life-Space Mobility, And Physical Activity In Southern African American Older Women, Pamela G. Bowen Jan 2012

A Phenomenological Study Of Obesity And Its Impact On Functional Status, Life-Space Mobility, And Physical Activity In Southern African American Older Women, Pamela G. Bowen

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The majority of work on health disparities has focused on public policy and identifying disparate conditions. Obesity is a significant public health problem that has reached epidemic proportions, considered the second leading cause of preventable death, encourages a sedentary lifestyle, and can lead to a higher prevalence of functional impairments. Moreover, obesity increases the risk that persons may develop one or more serious medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis, especially among African Americans. In the United States, African American women are more likely to be classified as overweight or obese. In fact, approximately …


Using Mouse Models To Investigate Ciliopathies, Raymond Carl Pasek Jan 2012

Using Mouse Models To Investigate Ciliopathies, Raymond Carl Pasek

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Cilia and flagella are microtubule based organelles found on nearly every cell type in the mammalian body. Flagella have an essential role in sperm locomotion and reproduction, while motile cilia have a known role in fluid movement in the brain, lungs, and portions of the female reproductive tract. While the role of most primary cilia remained unknown for decades, they are now recognized as being essential to mammalian development, renal homeostasis, and satiety, just to name a few. Because of their widespread presence and importance, dysfunction of cilia and flagella can lead to a variety of human diseases, collectively referred …