Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Molecular Mechanisms Of Obesity-Induced Osteoporosis And Muscle Atrophy, Bipradas Roy, Mary E. Curtis, Letimicia S. Fears, Samuel N. Nahashon, Hugh M. Fentress

Biology Faculty Research

Obesity and osteoporosis are two alarming health disorders prominent among middle and old age populations, and the numbers of those affected by these two disorders are increasing. It is estimated that more than 600 million adults are obese and over 200 million people have osteoporosis worldwide. Interestingly, both of these abnormalities share some common features including a genetic predisposition, and a common origin: bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. Obesity is characterized by the expression of leptin, adiponectin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), growth hormone (GH), parathyroid …

Fto Genotype And Weight Loss: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of 9563 Individual Participant Data From Eight Randomised Controlled Trials., Katherine M Livingstone, Carlos Celis-Morales, George D Papandonatos, Bahar Erar, Jose C Florez, Kathleen A Jablonski, Cristina Razquin, Amelia Marti, Yoriko Heianza, Tao Huang, Frank M Sacks, Mathilde Svendstrup, Xuemei Sui, Timothy S Church, Tiina Jääskeläinen, Jaana Lindström, Jaakko Tuomilehto, Matti Uusitupa, Tuomo Rankinen, Wim H M Saris, Torben Hansen, Oluf Pedersen, Arne Astrup, Thorkild I A Sørensen, Lu Qi, George A Bray, Miguel A Martinez-Gonzalez, J Alfredo Martinez, Paul W Franks, Jeanne M Mccaffery, Jose Lara, John C Mathers

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of the FTO genotype on weight loss after dietary, physical activity, or drug based interventions in randomised controlled trials.

DESIGN: Systematic review and random effects meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomised controlled trials.

DATA SOURCES: Ovid Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane from inception to November 2015.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDY SELECTION: Randomised controlled trials in overweight or obese adults reporting reduction in body mass index, body weight, or waist circumference by FTO genotype (rs9939609 or a proxy) after dietary, physical activity, or drug based interventions. Gene by treatment interaction models were fitted to individual …

Community Health News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern Examines the Effectiveness of a Physical Activity Educational Campaign
• Georgia Southern develops and conducts psychometric testing of a childhood obesity perception survey

Methylation Of Socs3 Is Inversely Associated With Metabolic Syndrome In An Epigenome-Wide Association Study Of Obesity, Omar Ali, Diana Cerjak, Jack W. Kent Jr, Roland James, John Blangero, Melanie A. Carless, Yi Zhang

School of Medicine Publications

Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, mediate the interaction between gene and environment and may play an important role in the obesity epidemic. We assessed the relationship between DNA methylation and obesity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at 485,000 CpG sites across the genome in family members (8-90 y of age) using a discovery cohort (192 individuals) and a validation cohort (1,052 individuals) of Northern European ancestry. After Bonferroni-correction (Pα=0.05 = 1.31 × 10-7) for genome-wide significance, we identified 3 loci, cg18181703 (SOCS3), cg04502490 (ZNF771), and cg02988947 (LIMD2), where methylation status was associated with body mass index percentile (BMI%), a …

Obesity, An Emerging Epidemic In Pakistan-A Review Of Evidence., Sana Tanzil, Tanzil Jamali

Community Health Sciences

BACKGROUND:

In Pakistan, the disease pattern is facing a huge changeover from acute and communicable diseases to the non-communicable diseases. Moreover, an emerging epidemic of obesity is still under recognized in Pakistan. A detailed review and dissemination of the existing knowledge to determine the extent of burden of obesity can help understand this important public health issue.

METHODS:

A detailed literature review was conducted through PubMed search engines, regarding obesity burden in Pakistan. The original peer reviewed research articles, reports of WHO in English language, non-government organizations reports were included in the review. "Obesity AND Pakistan" were used as a …

The Contributions Of Skeletal Muscle Pkc Theta To Diet-Induced Obesity, Erika Harness, Joseph S. Marino, Phd, Yvette Huet, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Protein Kinase C- Theta (PKCθ) is a gene predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells and skeletal muscle. In skeletal muscle, PKCθ regulates fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity. PKCθ activity increases in response to high levels of diacylglycerol in the cell, a common outcome of chronic high fat diet consumption and obesity. PKCθ is associated with skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction, which may exacerbate weight gain and metabolic disease. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the selective deletion of PKCθ from skeletal muscle protects against diet-induced obesity.

Mice lacking PKCθ in skeletal muscle were created using Cre-Lox recombination. …

An Intervention To Promote Navajo Gardening, Nutrition, And Community Wellness, Sonia Avitia, Mark C. Bauer, Phd, Linda Garcia

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The rates of diabetes and obesity in Navajo communities are higher than national rates. A healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables will help to prevent and reduce such rates. So the project focuses on promoting gardening to make vegetables and fruits more accessible at the comfort of one’s own home. Previous research in this area shows that gardeners consume 2 more servings of fruits and vegetables than nongardeners. Thirty participants were recruited by flyer distribution at chapter houses, senior centers, and community centers, from four Navajo targeted areas: Shiprock, NM; Tsaile, AZ; Lukachukai, AZ, and Hogback, NM. With the …

Leptin Induces Proliferation And Notch Expression In Pancreatic Cancer, Felice Watson, Ruben Gonzalez-Perez, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) is an aggressive cancer. It develops in a way that causes almost no detectable symptoms, which leads to a rapid progression and a short survival rate.

Researchers have discovered a link between pancreatic cancer (and other cancer types) and obesity. High levels of leptin, an appetite hormone secreted by adipocytes, have been found in obese people. Studies have shown that the absence of leptin in the body or severe leptin resistance can lead to uncontrolled eating and weight gain, hence, its connection to obesity. Consequently, our lab is analyzing the relationship between obesity and leptin and what …

Exploration Of Antagonist Efficacy For Lpra2 Like Peptide, Ayobami Loye, Ruben R. Gonzalez-Perez, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Leptin is a small protein hormone that controls satiety and is produced by adipocytes. Obese people have increased levels of circulating leptin. Excessive leptin levels cause a break down in the control of leptin signaling pathways leading to increased angiogenesis, proliferation, cell migration, invasion, and anti-apoptotic events. Obesity and leptin signaling have been linked to cancer progression. Literature shows that LPrA2 is an effective leptin antagonist as it decreases proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro.

This project compares the effectiveness of LPrA2 like compounds in breast cancer cell-line MDA-MB-468 (M-468 BCs). We hypothesize that the new peptide antagonists have …

Pituitary Adenylate-Cyclase Activating Polypeptide Regulates Hunger- And Palatability-Induced Binge Eating, Matthew M. Hurley, Brian Maunze, Megan E. Block, Michael J. Reilly, Eugene Kim, Yao Chen, Yan Li, David A. Baker, Qing-Song Liu, Sujean Choi

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

While pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) signaling in the hypothalamic ventromedial nuclei (VMN) has been shown to regulate feeding, a challenge in unmasking a role for this peptide in obesity is that excess feeding can involve numerous mechanisms including homeostatic (hunger) and hedonic-related (palatability) drives. In these studies, we first isolated distinct feeding drives by developing a novel model of binge behavior in which homeostatic-driven feeding was temporally separated from feeding driven by food palatability. We found that stimulation of the VMN, achieved by local microinjections of AMPA, decreased standard chow consumption in food-restricted rats (e.g., homeostatic feeding); surprisingly, …

Have You Counted The Ingredients On Your Child's Lunch Tray?: An Economic Analysis Of Sustainability Initiatives Within The School Lunch Program, Vanessa R. Scalora

Business and Economics Summer Fellows

In 2010, President Obama signed the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act, establishing a monetary incentive for schools that served meals following a more rigorous nutritional requirement than standard guidelines. This act is a step in the right direction towards placing more importance on school lunches, however America’s lunchroom practices continue to be environmentally unsustainable, and students absorb this message. The production and transportation of processed cafeteria food contributes to climate change, its packaging is polluting, and its consumption contributes to obesity. The use of premade foods and sales from vending machines increase as lunch times grow ever shorter. In addition, …

The Effect Of A Nutrition Intervention On Parents Living In A Rural Georgia Community, Regina Elliott-Walker, Dawn M. Hayes, Emeka Oraka, Rashunda Lewis, Andre Leon

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Childhood obesity is a concern for public health organizations. Nearly one in four children living in rural communities are obese, and children living in rural Georgia communities are no exception. For rural communities, prevention efforts are needed to address challenges to reducing childhood obesity. The objective of the present effort was to increase the knowledge of parents in a rural community of the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption and other healthy options.

Methods: The “We Can Energize Families” curriculum, developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute was implemented in a rural Georgia community. Pender’s Health Promotion …

Structure And Functions Of Angiotensinogen, Hong Lu, Lisa A. Cassis, Craig W. Vander Kooi, Alan Daugherty

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Angiotensinogen (AGT) is the sole precursor of all angiotensin peptides. Although AGT is generally considered as a passive substrate of the renin–angiotensin system, there is accumulating evidence that the regulation and functions of AGT are intricate. Understanding the diversity of AGT properties has been enhanced by protein structural analysis and animal studies. In addition to whole-body genetic deletion, AGT can be regulated in vivo by cell-specific procedures, adeno-associated viral approaches and antisense oligonucleotides. Indeed, the availability of these multiple manipulations of AGT in vivo has provided new insights into the multifaceted roles of AGT. In this review, the combination of …

The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model: An Examination Of Obesity Prevention Behavioral Change In Children Who Participated In The Afterschool Program Virginia Beach Let’S Move, Marilyn Miroshlava Bartholmae

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model (IMB) as a foundation to design childhood obesity prevention afterschool programs. This study employed a secondary analysis of pre (n=172), post (n=170), and 1-year follow-up (n=32) evaluations of the obesity prevention afterschool program Virginia Beach Let’s Move for children ages 5-11 years. Independent variables included demographic characteristics for the participating children and their parents. Dependent variables used in this study were the IMB constructs information and motivation. Motivation was measured by the attitudes of the children and information was measured by the children’s knowledge.

The …

Exploring Body Mass Index Changes In Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients, Raquel E. Thomas, Corrine Hanson, Glenda Woscyna, Brian D. Lowes

The VAD Journal

Background: Current treatment options for end-stage heart failure, such as transplantation, can be limited by obesity guidelines. Mechanical devices such as Left Ventricular Assistive Devices (LVAD) can bridge heart failure patients to transplantation, however, after implantation; some patients may experience weight gain that precludes them from transplantation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate weight changes after the implantation of an LVAD.

Methods: A retrospective review of 130 patients receiving an LVAD were divided into two groups based on BMI at the time of implantation: obese (>30 kg/m²) and non-obese (/m²). Patients were …

A Clinical Score To Predict Dose Reductions Of Antidiabetes Medications With Intentional Weight Loss: A Retrospective Cohort Study., Ghanshyam Palamaner Subash Shantha, Anita Ashok Kumar, Vimal Ravi, Rohit C Khanna, Scott Kahan, Lawrence J Cheskin

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Abstract

Background

We assessed the predictive accuracy of an empirically-derived score (weight loss, insulin resistance, and glycemic control: “WIG”) to predict patients who will be successful in reducing diabetes mellitus (DM) medication use with weight loss.

Methods

Case records of 121 overweight and obese patients with DM at two outpatient weight management centers were analyzed.

Results

Mean period of follow-up was 12.5 ± 3.5 months. To derive the “WIG” scoring algorithm, one point each was assigned to “W” (loss of 5% of initial body weight within the first 3 months of attempting weight loss), “I” (triglyceride [TGL]/highdensity lipoprotein ratio >3 …

Piloting A Screening Tool For Eating And Eating-Related Behavior, Michael N. Reynolds

Dissertations

Obesity is a common medical condition associated with negative health and social outcomes. Obesity has a primary malleable behavioral cause, eating more calories than are metabolized. While metabolic rate is malleable with exercise, eating can more quickly add calories than exercising can subtract them. In the past, behavioral weight-loss treatment studies relied on multi-component package interventions that have shown reliable patterns of participant weight-loss during treatment and weight-regain in follow-up. Those findings could be conceptualized as an ABA withdrawal design, eating behavior returns to baseline after the prosthetic contingencies of the treatment study are withdrawn. We must develop ways to …

Implementing The 5as Framework For Obesity Management, Jennifer C. Sassman

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) pilot project strives to improve management of obesity by increasing provider knowledge and utilization of the 5As Framework which is an effective evidence-based intervention and a behavioral counseling tool. Pre-data including BMI and waist circumference were collected over one month. An educational in-service on the 5As was held for one primary care nurse practitioner. Post data was gathered over five months. Provider knowledge on the 5As was increased however, there was not an increase in identifying obesity. The 5As was used about 10% of time with obese patients. This pilot project can be expanded …

Discrepancies In Obesity Levels By Three Separate Criteria (Waist Girth, Bmi, And Body Fat Percentage), J. Cassaro, C. Rossi, C. Bopp

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Please refer to the pdf version of the abstract located adjacent to the title.

Effective Communication Of School Health Screening Information: A Pilot Study Evaluating The Effect Of Electronic Communication Of Bmi Screening Information In Elementary Schools, Kara Elizabeth Carter

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Obesity is a growing concern surrounding today’s youth. School-based health screenings are promoted as a public health strategy to identify obese children and those at high risk for becoming obese. Despite numerous programs, data is lacking in effective school to parent communication of health related information. The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of electronic communication of health screening outcomes, including parents’ understanding of screening information, utilization of informational resources, and decision to seek physician follow-up. Screenings for body mass index, acanthosis nigricans and blood pressure were conducted during school hours among children in kindergarten and third …

Cinnamon In The Treatment Of Type Ii Diabetes, Pauline J. Maddox

Graduate Research Projects

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this review of literature is to evaluate the effects of cinnamon on hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose/fasting plasma glucose (FBG/FPG) in various populations such as type II diabetes, prediabetics, metabolic syndrome, and overweight or obese individuals.

Research Design and Methods

A comprehensive literature review was done with the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database using the keywords, cinnamon, type II diabetes, diabetes, HbA1c, and FBS. References used in previous meta-analysis were also searched and reviewed for inclusion. Studies were included in this review if they evaluated cinnamon effects on …

Omics Strategy Discoveries To Obesity In The Prevention And Personalized Therapy, Hong-Duck Kim, M L. Carpenter, Diane E. Heck

NYMC Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness And Feasibility Of In-Office Versus Smartphone Text-Delivered Nutrition Education In The College Setting: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study, Jordan Rose, Deepika Goyal, Mary Ellen Wilkosz, Anita Catlin

Doctoral Projects

Often, being away from home for the first time, coupled with limited knowledge regarding healthy eating behaviors, leads to poor food choices and an increased risk of obesity among college-aged young adults. These college students are prone to high-calorie diets and limited physical activity, putting them at risk for obesity, a physiologically, psychologically, and financially costly epidemic in the United States. College students use their cellular phones over eight and a half hours a day and cell phones are their primary means of information consumption outside of the classroom, suggesting that the phones would be a useful tool to provide …

Evaluating Dietary Quality And Taste Preferences With A Simple Liking Survey: Application To Studying Individuals With Morbid Obesity, Marina L. Zoghbi

Honors Scholar Theses

Feasible ways are needed to screen for dietary behaviors and taste preferences in clinical settings. We examined the internal validity and reliability of a brief survey to assess food preferences and dietary behaviors among morbidly obese individuals considering bariatric surgery. Survey-reported liking is a proxy for dietary intake, correlating with reported food intake and biomarkers of nutritional status (Sharafi et al, 2015) and linking taste genetics with diet and health (Pallister et al, 2015). Methods –Enrolled were 138 morbidly obese patients awaiting bariatric surgery, who completed a 100-item liking survey of foods/beverages, physical/sedentary activities, and pleasurable/unpleasurable experiences. They were oriented …

Effect Of Body Mass Index On Outcome Of Labour Induction, Farheen Yousuf, Tahira Naru, Sana Sheikh

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

The retrospective study to explore the adverse effect of obesity on pregnancy and labour was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, and comprised data of all patients booked between 12-14 weeks and required induction of labour from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Women were grouped into two body mass index categories: normal weight (23 kg/m2). Obesity increased the risk of development of gestational hypertension and diabetes. Therefore obese women were more likely to be induced due to medical indication whether primiparous or multiparous adjusted odds ratio =2.89(95% confidence interval 1.29-6.48) and 2.77 (95% confidence interval 1.07-7.19) respectively. …

The Relationships Between The Home Food Environment And Weight Status Among Children And Adolescents, Ages 6–17 Years, Martha J. Nepper

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

The home food environment is an important setting in regard to a child’s dietary intake and the development of obesity, since 65% to 72% of daily calories are consumed in the home. Research is beginning to explore how the home food environment may influence children’s weight status. It is suggested that homes with healthy weight children are more likely to have healthier food options available and limit access to unhealthy foods. Prior research on the influence of the home food environment on children and adolescent’s weight status is not clear, as some researchers have found that the home food environment …

Na/K-Atpase Amplification Of Oxidant Stress; A Universal But Unrecognized Clinical Target?, Zijian Xie, Phd, Joseph I. Shapiro, Md

Marshall Journal of Medicine

The Na/K-ATPase has a signaling function which appears to be separate from its ion pumping function. This signaling function refers to the transduction of conformational changes in the Na/K-ATPase alpha1 subunit into activating Src’s tyrosine kinase activity, triggering a cascade which generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), modulates other signaling pathways, and causes many physiological and pathophysiological effects. We have recently observed that ROS themselves as well as cardiotonic steroids can actually initiate the signal by directly inducing conformational changes in alpha1. It therefore appears that the Na/K-ATPase signal cascade can serve as a feed forward amplification for ROS with circulating …

An In Vitro And In Vivo Investigation Of Bivalent Ligands That Display Preferential Binding And Functional Activity For Different Melanocortin Receptor Homodimers, Cody J Lensing, Katie T Freeman, Sathya M Schnell, Danielle N Adank, Robert Charles Speth, Carrie Haskell-Luevano

Faculty Articles

Pharmacological probes for the melanocortin receptors have been utilized for studying various disease states including cancer, sexual function disorders, Alzheimer's disease, social disorders, cachexia, and obesity. This study focused on the design and synthesis of bivalent ligands to target melanocortin receptor homodimers. Lead ligands increased binding affinity by 14- to 25-fold and increased cAMP signaling potency by 3- to 5-fold compared to their monovalent counterparts. Unexpectedly, different bivalent ligands showed preferences for particular melanocortin receptor subtypes depending on the linker that connected the binding scaffolds, suggesting structural differences between the various dimer subtypes. Homobivalent compound 12 possessed a functional profile …

Body Image And Anthropometric Measurements In Bariatric Surgery Patients, Julie Ann Varns

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore body image and anthropometric (body mass index) measurements in bariatric surgery patients over three months. Conceptual framework: The dimensions of body image are body attitude, Appearance Evaluation, body checking, body space, body size, and Appearance Orientation. Body attitude is affective distress related to one’s weight, shape, size, and fatness. Appearance Evaluation is feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with one’s looks. Body checking is the repeated scrutiny of one’s body size, shape, and weight. Perceived body space is the amount of space individuals perceive their bodies to occupy. Perceived body size is …

Epidemiology News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern students assess characteristics for weight underestimation of children with obesity