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Perspective: Food Environment Research Priorities For Africa-Lessons From The Africa Food Environment Research Network, Amos K. Laar, Phyllis Addo, Richmond Aryeetey, Charles Agyemang, Francis Zotor, Gershim Asiki, Krystal K. Ramapalli, Gideon S. Anevinya, Akua Tandoh, Silver Nanema, Akosua Pokua Adjei, Matlida E. Laar, Kobby Mensah, Dennis Laryea, Daniel Sellen, Stefanie Vandevijvere, Christopher Turner, Hibbah Osei-Kwasi, Mark Spires, Christine E. Blake, Dominic Rowland, Suneetha Kadiyala, Isabel Madzorera, Adama Diouf, Namukolo Covic, Isaac M. Dzudzor, Reginald Annan, Peiman Milani, John Nortey, Nicholas Bricas, Sukati Mphumuzi, Kenneth Yongabi Anchang, Ali Jafri, Meenal Dhall, Amanda Kee, Sally Mckay, Samuel O. Oti, Karen Hofman, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Michelle Holdsworth Jan 2023

Perspective: Food Environment Research Priorities For Africa-Lessons From The Africa Food Environment Research Network, Amos K. Laar, Phyllis Addo, Richmond Aryeetey, Charles Agyemang, Francis Zotor, Gershim Asiki, Krystal K. Ramapalli, Gideon S. Anevinya, Akua Tandoh, Silver Nanema, Akosua Pokua Adjei, Matlida E. Laar, Kobby Mensah, Dennis Laryea, Daniel Sellen, Stefanie Vandevijvere, Christopher Turner, Hibbah Osei-Kwasi, Mark Spires, Christine E. Blake, Dominic Rowland, Suneetha Kadiyala, Isabel Madzorera, Adama Diouf, Namukolo Covic, Isaac M. Dzudzor, Reginald Annan, Peiman Milani, John Nortey, Nicholas Bricas, Sukati Mphumuzi, Kenneth Yongabi Anchang, Ali Jafri, Meenal Dhall, Amanda Kee, Sally Mckay, Samuel O. Oti, Karen Hofman, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Michelle Holdsworth

Faculty Publications

Over the last 2 decades, many African countries have undergone dietary and nutrition transitions fueled by globalization, rapid urbanization, and development. These changes have altered African food environments and, subsequently, dietary behaviors, including food acquisition and consumption. Dietary patterns associated with the nutrition transition have contributed to Africa's complex burden of malnutrition—obesity and other diet-related noncommunicable diseases (DR-NCDs)—along with persistent food insecurity and undernutrition. Available evidence links unhealthy or obesogenic food environments (including those that market and offer energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages) with suboptimal diets and associated adverse health outcomes. Elsewhere, governments have responded with policies to improve food …


Greenspace Across The United States: Exploring Equity And Associations With Physical Activity, Obesity, And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Ellen W. Stowe Oct 2022

Greenspace Across The United States: Exploring Equity And Associations With Physical Activity, Obesity, And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Ellen W. Stowe

Theses and Dissertations

Neighborhood greenspace is important for health and well-being but may not be equitably present in neighborhoods across the United States. Also, many adults are physically inactive, have obesity, and report poor health-related quality of life. Greenspace has been tied to these health conditions, but with mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to 1) use an environmental justice perspective to examine variations in 11 measures of greenspace by neighborhood race/ethnicity, income, and rurality in block groups across the contiguous United States and 2) examine 11 greenspace measures in connection to physical activity, obesity, and health-related quality of life in …


The Global Burden Of Cancer Attributable To Risk Factors, 2010-19: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Khanh Bao Tran, Justin J. Lang, Kelly Compton, Rixing Xu, Alistair R. Acheson, Hannah Jacqueline Henrikson, Jonathan M. Kocarnik, Louise Penberthy, Amirali Aali, Qamar Abbas, Behzad Abbasi, Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari, Zeinab Abbasi-Kangevari, Hedayat Abbastabar, Michael Abdelmasseh, Sherief Abd-Elsalam, Ahmed Abdelwahab Abdelwahab, Gholamreza Abdoli, Hanan Abdulkadir Abdulkadir, Aidin Abedi, Ismaeel Yunusa, Et. Al. Aug 2022

The Global Burden Of Cancer Attributable To Risk Factors, 2010-19: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Khanh Bao Tran, Justin J. Lang, Kelly Compton, Rixing Xu, Alistair R. Acheson, Hannah Jacqueline Henrikson, Jonathan M. Kocarnik, Louise Penberthy, Amirali Aali, Qamar Abbas, Behzad Abbasi, Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari, Zeinab Abbasi-Kangevari, Hedayat Abbastabar, Michael Abdelmasseh, Sherief Abd-Elsalam, Ahmed Abdelwahab Abdelwahab, Gholamreza Abdoli, Hanan Abdulkadir Abdulkadir, Aidin Abedi, Ismaeel Yunusa, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Background

Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally.

Methods

The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk–outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change …


Household Food Insecurity And Children’S Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour In The United States: The Healthy Communities Study, Sophia M. Navarro, Marisa M. Tsai, Lorrene D. Ritchie, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Barbara A. Laraia, Russell R. Pate, Lauren E. Au Jun 2021

Household Food Insecurity And Children’S Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour In The United States: The Healthy Communities Study, Sophia M. Navarro, Marisa M. Tsai, Lorrene D. Ritchie, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Barbara A. Laraia, Russell R. Pate, Lauren E. Au

Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between household food insecurity and children's physical activity and sedentary behaviours. DESIGN: Secondary analysis was conducted on the Healthy Communities Study, an observational study from 2013 to 2015. Household food insecurity was assessed by two items from the US Department of Agriculture's 18-item US Household Food Security Survey Module. Physical activity was measured using the 7-d Physical Activity Behavior Recall instrument. Data were analyzed using multilevel statistical modelling. SETTING: A total of 130 communities in the USA. PARTICIPANTS: In sum, 5138 US children aged 4-15 years. RESULTS: No associations were found for the relationship between household …


Association Between Dietary Inflammatory Index, Dietary Patterns, Plant-Based Dietary Index And The Risk Of Obesity, Yoko B. Wang, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert Scd, Amanda J. Page, Yohannes Adama Melaku May 2021

Association Between Dietary Inflammatory Index, Dietary Patterns, Plant-Based Dietary Index And The Risk Of Obesity, Yoko B. Wang, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert Scd, Amanda J. Page, Yohannes Adama Melaku

Faculty Publications

Evidence on the association between various dietary constructs and obesity risk is limited. This study aims to investigate the longitudinal relationship between different diet indices and dietary patterns with the risk of obesity. Non-obese participants (n = 787) in the North West Adelaide Health Study were followed from 2010 to 2015. The dietary inflammatory index (DII®), plant-based dietary index (PDI) and factor-derived dietary pattern scores were computed based on food frequency questionnaire data. We found the incidence of obesity was 7.62% at the 5-year follow up. In the adjusted model, results from multivariable log-binomial logistic regression showed that a prudent …


The Association Of Dietary Patterns With Dietary Inflammatory Index, Systemic Inflammation, And Insulin Resistance, In Apparently Healthy Individuals With Obesity, Maryam Saghafi-Asl, Susan Mirmajidi, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi, Farhad Vahid, Nitin Shivappa, James Hébert Scd, Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh Attari Apr 2021

The Association Of Dietary Patterns With Dietary Inflammatory Index, Systemic Inflammation, And Insulin Resistance, In Apparently Healthy Individuals With Obesity, Maryam Saghafi-Asl, Susan Mirmajidi, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi, Farhad Vahid, Nitin Shivappa, James Hébert Scd, Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh Attari

Faculty Publications

Infammation is considered a key mechanism leading to obesity. Dietary patterns and certain food items infuence infammation. Few studies have investigated the contribution of major dietary patterns to biological measures of infammation. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the associations of diferent dietary patterns with dietary infammatory index (DII), systemic infammation, and insulin resistance (IR) in the apparently healthy obese. In this cross-sectional study, 151 abdominally obese subjects were recruited from the Northwest of Iran. Dietary intake, demographic data, anthropometric indices, and physical activity (PA) was assessed. DII scores were calculated based on a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire …


The Moderating Effects Of Parenting Factors And Perceived Stress On African American Adolescent Weight Related Outcomes, Colby Kipp Apr 2020

The Moderating Effects Of Parenting Factors And Perceived Stress On African American Adolescent Weight Related Outcomes, Colby Kipp

Theses and Dissertations

African American adolescents experience a higher prevalence of obesity than nonminorities with approximately 40% being overweight or obese. Chronic stress, both among parents and adolescents, may be important to consider when assessing the factors that influence adolescent weight status. Baseline data were collected from one hundred forty eight African American adolescents (Mage = 12.93, SD = 1.75; MBMI% = 96.7, SD = 3.90) and their caregivers (Mage = 44.5, SD = 8.6; MBMI = 37.63, SD = 8.21) enrolled in the Families Improving Together (FIT) for Weight Loss trial. Adolescents self-reported their perceptions of …


Association Of Body Mass Index Genetic Risk Markers With Body Composition During Adolescence, Brice A. Smoker Apr 2020

Association Of Body Mass Index Genetic Risk Markers With Body Composition During Adolescence, Brice A. Smoker

Senior Theses

Background. Obesity affects nearly a fifth of all children in the United States and is a common risk factor for numerous chronic diseases. Many risk factors contribute to obesity, including race and genetics. Obesity is partially heritable, and many genetic loci have been identified as being associated with body mass index (BMI) in adults. Some of these loci have also been associated with childhood BMI, with effects strengthening with age. A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with changes in BMI in children aged 1 – 17 years.

Purpose. The purpose of the current …


The Role Of A Community-Driven, Structured Exercise Program On Children's And Adolescent's Quality Of Life, Padgett Singley Powe Apr 2020

The Role Of A Community-Driven, Structured Exercise Program On Children's And Adolescent's Quality Of Life, Padgett Singley Powe

Senior Theses

Childhood obesity is a long-standing epidemic in the United States as of 2020, and the problem is continuing to worsen. Childhood obesity has been shown to have many unhealthy effects, such as increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease, depression, and social anxiety, which all can contribute to a worsened quality of life. Research suggests that summer is the most critical time period to combat childhood obesity is because children’s lives are less structured over the summer, which can lead to increased unhealthy behaviors, obesity, and a decrease in quality of life. The current study, the Skybrook Swim Team Study, aimed to …


Gestational Infections And Obesity: Implications For Intellectual Disability Risk, Maggie S. J. Mccarter Feb 2020

Gestational Infections And Obesity: Implications For Intellectual Disability Risk, Maggie S. J. Mccarter

Theses and Dissertations

Maternal body weight, measured as Body Mass Index (BMI) and infection during pregnancy are established risk factors of multiple adverse birth outcomes that are also associated with intellectual disability (ID) in children, but little is known of the interaction of these two factors. This retrospective cohort study sought to explore whether BMI is an effect modifier in the association between maternal infection during pregnancy and ID of the child, and to make comparisons between categories of gestational infection. The study sample (n= 124,047 after exclusion) was derived from Medicaid administrative data. After preliminary analysis of interaction, stratified logistic regression analysis …


Dietary Inflammatory Index And Non-Communicable Disease Risk: A Narrative Review, Catherine M. Phillips, Ling-Wei Chen, Barbara Heude, Jonathan Y. Bernard, Nicholas C. Harvey, Liesbeth Duijts, Sara M. Mensink-Bout, Kinga Polanska, Giulia Mancano, Matthew Suderman, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert Aug 2019

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Non-Communicable Disease Risk: A Narrative Review, Catherine M. Phillips, Ling-Wei Chen, Barbara Heude, Jonathan Y. Bernard, Nicholas C. Harvey, Liesbeth Duijts, Sara M. Mensink-Bout, Kinga Polanska, Giulia Mancano, Matthew Suderman, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert

Faculty Publications

There are over 1,000,000 publications on diet and health and over 480,000 references on inflammation in the National Library of Medicine database. In addition, there have now been over 30,000 peer-reviewed articles published on the relationship between diet, inflammation, and health outcomes. Based on this voluminous literature, it is now recognized that low-grade, chronic systemic inflammation is associated with most non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancers, respiratory and musculoskeletal disorders, as well as impaired neurodevelopment and adverse mental health outcomes. Dietary components modulate inflammatory status. In recent years, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®), a literature-derived …


Macrophages And Associated Inflammation Differentially Impact Obesity, Colorectal Cancer And Obesity-Enhanced Colorectal Cancer, Jackie Bader Jul 2019

Macrophages And Associated Inflammation Differentially Impact Obesity, Colorectal Cancer And Obesity-Enhanced Colorectal Cancer, Jackie Bader

Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third-most common malignancy for men or women, with chronic inflammation considered as a primary risk factor. Obesity is also considered a chronic inflammatory disease and is associated with increased CRC incidence. Further, obesity and CRC occur in men and women differently with the highest incidence of either disease found in men, suggesting that female sex hormones may play a protective role in inflammatory diseases. Macrophages can promote inflammation and are a driving force in obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction. Conversely, macrophages also contribute to pro-tumoral responses including, proliferation, angiogenesis and tissue remodeling. This heterogeneity of macrophage behavior …


The Plant-Based And Soul-Full Study (Pass): Examining How Owners Of Local Vegan Soul Food Restaurants Promote The Consumption Of Vegan Foods In The African American Community, Anthony Crimarco Jul 2019

The Plant-Based And Soul-Full Study (Pass): Examining How Owners Of Local Vegan Soul Food Restaurants Promote The Consumption Of Vegan Foods In The African American Community, Anthony Crimarco

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Obesity remains a prevalent public health epidemic and African American (AA) adults are disproportionately affected by obesity more than any other ethnic group. There are also disparities in obesity by location, with the South having the highest rates compared to other geographic regions in the United States. Addressing poor dietary habits is important for improving obesity rates among AAs, but there has been limited research that has focused on specifically developing culturally-tailored interventions. With a recent number of soul food restaurants serving exclusively vegan meals opening up across the country to appeal to AAs and others interested in eating …


The Contribution Of Adipose Tissue From Ovariectomized Mice To Colon Cancer, Meredith Smith Carson Jul 2019

The Contribution Of Adipose Tissue From Ovariectomized Mice To Colon Cancer, Meredith Smith Carson

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is considered a major public health concern worldwide due to the increased incidences of metabolic dysfunction and cancer risk. The obese state is, in part, attributable to the overconsumption of calorie-dense foods commonly seen in a standard Western diet, which aids in the progression of chronic, lowgrade inflammation. The role of estrogen varies depending on menopausal status, where estrogen deficiency coupled with increased visceral fat associated with post-menopause leads to increased secretions of pro-inflammatory adipokines and cytokines. However, the presence of estrogen in a premenopausal state has been shown to attenuate the pro-inflammatory response, which has been demonstrated when …


An Interdisciplinary Weight Loss Program Improves Body Composition And Metabolic Profile In Adolescents With Obesity: Associations With The Dietary Inflammatory Index, Yasmin Alaby Martins Ferreira, Ana Claudia Pelissari Kravchychyn, Sofia De Castro Ferreira Vicente, Raquel Munhoz Da Silveira Campos, Lian Tock, Lila Missae Oyama, Valter Tadeu Boldarine, Deborah Cristina Landi Masquio, David Thivel, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Ana R. Dâmaso Jun 2019

An Interdisciplinary Weight Loss Program Improves Body Composition And Metabolic Profile In Adolescents With Obesity: Associations With The Dietary Inflammatory Index, Yasmin Alaby Martins Ferreira, Ana Claudia Pelissari Kravchychyn, Sofia De Castro Ferreira Vicente, Raquel Munhoz Da Silveira Campos, Lian Tock, Lila Missae Oyama, Valter Tadeu Boldarine, Deborah Cristina Landi Masquio, David Thivel, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Ana R. Dâmaso

Faculty Publications

Background and Aims: The prevalence of overweight and obesity consitutes a global epidemic and it is growing around the world. Food and nutrition are essential requirements for promoting health and protecting against non-communicable chronic diseases, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. Specific dietary components may modulate inflammation and oxidative stress in obese individuals. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) was developed to characterize the anti- and pro-inflammatory effects of individuals' diet. Few studies have investigated the role of diet-associated inflammation in adolescents with obesity. The present study aims to investigate the effects of an interdisciplinary weight loss therapy on DII scores …


Adiposity Mediates The Association Between The Dietary Inflammatory Index And Markers Of Type 2 Diabetes Risk In Middle-Aged Black South African Women, Asanda Mtintsilana, Lisa K. Micklesfield, Elin Chorell, Tommy Olsson, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hebert, Andre P. Kengne, Julia H. Goedecke May 2019

Adiposity Mediates The Association Between The Dietary Inflammatory Index And Markers Of Type 2 Diabetes Risk In Middle-Aged Black South African Women, Asanda Mtintsilana, Lisa K. Micklesfield, Elin Chorell, Tommy Olsson, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hebert, Andre P. Kengne, Julia H. Goedecke

Faculty Publications

The dietary inflammatory index (DII®), a validated tool used to measure the inflammatory potential of the diet, has been associated with metabolic disorders in various settings, but not in African populations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the DII is associated with markers of type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, and if this association is mediated by adiposity and/or low-grade inflammation, in black South Africa women. Energy-adjusted-DII (E-DII) scores were calculated in 190 women (median age, 53 years) from the Birth-to-Twenty plus cohort using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c, and inflammatory cytokines …


Dietary Inflammatory Index And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Adults: The Diabetes Mellitus Survey Of Mexico City, Edgar Denova-Gutiérrez, Paloma Muñoz-Aguirre, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Lizbeth Tolentino-Mayo, Carolina Batis, Simón Barquera Mar 2018

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Adults: The Diabetes Mellitus Survey Of Mexico City, Edgar Denova-Gutiérrez, Paloma Muñoz-Aguirre, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Lizbeth Tolentino-Mayo, Carolina Batis, Simón Barquera

Faculty Publications

Diet and inflammation are both associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the present study, we aimed to assess the relation between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the presence of T2DM in Mexican adults participating in the Diabetes Mellitus Survey administered in Mexico City (DMS-MC). The study involved 1174 subjects (48.5% men) between 20–69 years of age. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was employed to evaluate dietary intake and to compute DII. The DII is based on scientific evidence about the association between dietary compounds and six established inflammatory biomarkers. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to …


Trading Pounds For Points: Engagement And Weight Loss In A Mobile Health Intervention, Sarah Hales, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy, Sarah Wilcox, Rachel Davis, Arjang Fahim, Michael N. Huhns, Homayoun Valafar Apr 2017

Trading Pounds For Points: Engagement And Weight Loss In A Mobile Health Intervention, Sarah Hales, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy, Sarah Wilcox, Rachel Davis, Arjang Fahim, Michael N. Huhns, Homayoun Valafar

Faculty Publications

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to describe participant engagement and examine predictors of weight loss and points earned through the point-based incentive system of the Social Pounds Off Digitally (POD) app.

Materials and methods Overweight and obese adults with Android smartphones/tablets (body mass index 25–49.9 kg/m2; N = 24) were recruited for a 3-month weight loss intervention. Participants completed a survey assessing demographics and personality and had their weight measured. Participants received the content of the intervention via podcasts and used the Social POD app to self-monitor diet, physical activity, and weight. The Social POD app contained: …


Relationships Of Chronotype, Social Jetlag, Sleep, Physical Activity And Diet With Mood, Perceived Stress, Obesity, Blood Pressure And Prostate Cancer, Daria M. Mcmahon Jan 2016

Relationships Of Chronotype, Social Jetlag, Sleep, Physical Activity And Diet With Mood, Perceived Stress, Obesity, Blood Pressure And Prostate Cancer, Daria M. Mcmahon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Chronotype, social jetlag, poor sleep, proinflammatory diet, and low physical activity have been associated with increased risk of chronic diseases: obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression and cancer. Yet the relationships between these factors have not been extensively investigated in prospective studies.

Methods: Two studies were conducted. The first study followed 390 healthy men and women ages 21-35 for two years. Social jetlag [SJL] and sleep measures (total sleep time [TST], sleep onset latency [SOL], wake after sleep onset [WASO]), sleep efficiency [SE]), were derived from physical activity personal (armband) monitoring. The participants wore the armband for 4-10 …


Influence Of Built Environment On Physical Activity Outcomes Among African Americans In Community-Based Obesity Intervention Studies, Amanda Sue Thomas Jan 2016

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

Theses and Dissertations

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


Refinement And Pilot Testing Social Networks For Encouraging Healthy Behaviors: The Social Pounds Off Digitally (Social Pod) Study, Sarah B. Hales Dec 2015

Refinement And Pilot Testing Social Networks For Encouraging Healthy Behaviors: The Social Pounds Off Digitally (Social Pod) Study, Sarah B. Hales

Theses and Dissertations

Currently about 71% of adults in the US are considered overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity are associated with higher risk of developing many chronic diseases; however, health risks associated with overweight and obesity can be reduced by as little as a 3% to 5% reduction in weight. Mobile health (mHealth) has shown promise as a way to deliver weight loss interventions, yet maintaining participant engagement over time has been a challenge. The purpose of this study was to develop, refine, and pilot test the Social Pounds Off Digitally (POD) Android app for personalized health monitoring and interaction; revise the …


Periodontal Microorganisms, Obesity, Chronic Inflammation, And Type 1 Diabetes, Georges Joseph Nahhas Dec 2014

Periodontal Microorganisms, Obesity, Chronic Inflammation, And Type 1 Diabetes, Georges Joseph Nahhas

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal disease is a low-grade chronic inflammation in the tissues surrounding the teeth caused by multiple, mostly gram-negative pathogens. It is associated with diabetes, obesity, and chronic inflammation. The specific roles that periodontal microorganism play in these conditions are not well-studied. Hereby, we explored how periodontal bacteria from sub gingival plaque clustered in youth with and without type 1 diabetes, and how such patterns related to body-mass-index percentile (BMI percentile), C-reactive protein (CRP) and adiponectin. Cross-sectional data were collected from 105 youth with type 1 diabetes and 71 without diabetes. Participants were between 12 and 19 years of age receiving …


Exploring The Association Between Depression And Obesity Among Alzheimer's Patients, Stephanie Clugstone Dec 2014

Exploring The Association Between Depression And Obesity Among Alzheimer's Patients, Stephanie Clugstone

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological disorder that affects elderly individuals, and is becoming an increasing concern among the aging population of the world. Due to the projected increase in incidence of AD, modifiable risk factors such as depression and obesity should be evaluated, as prevention is the only current option. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and depression among AD patients, and to evaluate the association between depression and obesity. Patients were chosen from a subset of the South Carolina Alzheimer’s disease registry, which included information about weight status and depression, as well as several other …


Linking Obesity To Colorectal Cancer: Recent Insights Into Plausible Biological Mechanisms, Catherine Guffey Jan 2013

Linking Obesity To Colorectal Cancer: Recent Insights Into Plausible Biological Mechanisms, Catherine Guffey

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity has emerged as a leading environmental risk factor for the development of CRC. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship have not yet been fully explained. Recent literature has focused on 1) inflammatory processes, 2) adipokines, and 3) estrogen. Obesity-enhanced inflammation is largely orchestrated by increases in adipose tissue macrophages leading to the secretion of TNF-alpha, MCP-1, and IL-6, all of which are linked to CRC. Adiponectin is decreased with obesity and has been reported to be negatively associated with CRC, while leptin, which is increased, is positively associated with the disease. Estrogen has been shown to influence CRC, although …


High Fat Diet Induced Obesity In A Mouse Model For Colorectal Cancer, Kennerly Clinton Patrick Jan 2013

High Fat Diet Induced Obesity In A Mouse Model For Colorectal Cancer, Kennerly Clinton Patrick

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is widely correlated with the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC). The exact mechanisms that link obesity to CRC risk have not yet been fully established, and only a limited number of animal models are available to study pathways involved in obesity-related colon carcinogenesis. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of HFD-induced obesity on AOM/DSS-mediated colorectal tumorigenesis, tumor proliferation, and symptom severity. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a novel high fat diet, designed to mimic the standard American diet (12 % saturated fat & 28 % unsaturated fat), at 4 weeks of age until 16 weeks …


Bmi At Diagnosis And Its Association With Markers Of Hiv Disease Progression And Cardiovascular Disease Risk., Kelly Deshon Johnson Jan 2013

Bmi At Diagnosis And Its Association With Markers Of Hiv Disease Progression And Cardiovascular Disease Risk., Kelly Deshon Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) has transformed the state of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from acute to chronic. As a result, the long-term effect of HAART has caused weight gain among HIV-infected individuals, leading to an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity. Increased Body Mass Index (BMI) has been associated with adverse health outcomes in non-HIV and HIV populations, yet among HIV-infected individuals, a higher BMI at diagnosis offers a slower progression from HIV to AIDS. Pre-HAART, studies reported that obese HIV-infected individuals have higher increases in CD4 count over time. However post-HAART, some report that overweight HIV-infected individuals with …


Body Mass Index Trajectories From Adolescence To Midlife: Differential Effects Of Parental And Respondent Education By Race/Ethnicity And Gender, Katrina M. Walsemann, Jennifer A. Ailshire, Bethany A. Bell, Edward A. Frongillo Aug 2012

Body Mass Index Trajectories From Adolescence To Midlife: Differential Effects Of Parental And Respondent Education By Race/Ethnicity And Gender, Katrina M. Walsemann, Jennifer A. Ailshire, Bethany A. Bell, Edward A. Frongillo

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Race/ethnicity and education are among the strongest social determinants of body mass index (BMI) throughout the life course, yet we know relatively little about how these social factors both independently and interactively contribute to the rate at which BMI changes from adolescence to midlife. The purpose of this study is to 1) examine variation in trajectories of BMI from adolescence to midlife by mothers' and respondents' education, and 2) determine if the effects of mothers' and respondents' education on BMI trajectories differ by race/ethnicity and gender.

Design: We used nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth …


Dog Ownership During Pregnancy, Maternal Activity, And Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study, Carri Westgarth, Jihong Liu, Jon Heron, Andrew R. Ness, Peter Bundred, Rosalind M. Gaskell, Alexander J. German, Sandra Mccune, Susan Dawson Feb 2012

Dog Ownership During Pregnancy, Maternal Activity, And Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study, Carri Westgarth, Jihong Liu, Jon Heron, Andrew R. Ness, Peter Bundred, Rosalind M. Gaskell, Alexander J. German, Sandra Mccune, Susan Dawson

Faculty Publications

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is an observational study of 14273 UK pregnant singleton mothers in 1990/1991. We examined outcomes of self report of strenuous activity (hours per week) at 18 and 32 weeks of gestation, hours spent in leisure-time physical activities and types, and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI); overweight status was defined as pre-pregnancy BMI$25 and obesity BMI$30. Pet ownership and activity data were reported for 11,466 mothers. Twenty-five percent of mothers owned at least one dog. There was a positive relationship between participation in activity at least once a week and dog ownership …


Long-Term Effects Of Changes In Cardiorespiratory Fitness And Body Mass Index On All-Cause And Cardiovascular Disease Mortality In Men: The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, Duck-Chul Lee, Xuemei Sui, Enrique G. Artero, I-Min Lee, Timothy S. Church, Paul A. Mcauley, Fatima C. Stanford, Harold W. Kohl Iii, Steven N. Blair Dec 2011

Long-Term Effects Of Changes In Cardiorespiratory Fitness And Body Mass Index On All-Cause And Cardiovascular Disease Mortality In Men: The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, Duck-Chul Lee, Xuemei Sui, Enrique G. Artero, I-Min Lee, Timothy S. Church, Paul A. Mcauley, Fatima C. Stanford, Harold W. Kohl Iii, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background - The combined associations of changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index (BMI) with mortality remain controversial and uncertain.

Methods and Results - We examined the independent and combined associations of changes in fitness and BMI with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in 14,345 men (mean age 44 years) with at least 2 medical examinations. Fitness, in metabolic equivalents (METs), was estimated from a maximal treadmill test. BMI was calculated using measured weight and height. Changes in fitness and BMI between the baseline and last examinations over 6.3 years were classified into loss, stable, or gain groups. …


The Association Between The Food Environment And Weight Status Among Eastern North Carolina Youth, Stephanie B. Jilcott, Scott Wade, Jared T. Mcguirt, Qiang Wu, Suzanne Lazorick, Justin B. Moore Sep 2011

The Association Between The Food Environment And Weight Status Among Eastern North Carolina Youth, Stephanie B. Jilcott, Scott Wade, Jared T. Mcguirt, Qiang Wu, Suzanne Lazorick, Justin B. Moore

Faculty Publications

Objective: To examine associations between various measures of the food environment and BMI percentile among youth.

Design: Cross-sectional, observational.

Setting: Pitt County, eastern North Carolina.

Subjects:We extracted the electronic medical records for youth receiving well child check-ups from January 2007 to June 2008. We obtained addresses for food venues from two secondary sources and ground-truthing. A geographic information systems database was constructed by geocoding home addresses of 744 youth and food venues. We quantified participants' accessibility to food venues by calculating 'coverage', number of food venues in buffers of 0●25, 0●5, 1 and 5 miles (0●4, 0●8, 1●6 and …