Public Health Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …

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

Tobacco, Alcohol, And Processed Food Industries – Why Do Public Health Practitioners View Them So Differently?, Katherine Smith, Lori Dorfman, Nicholas Freudenberg, Benjamin Hawkins, Shona Hilton, Oliver Razum, Heide Weishaar

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Winning The Obesity Battle, Daniel S. Blumenthal

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Winning the Obesity Battle

Adapting A Physical Activity Intervention For Youth In A Rural Area: A Case Study, Moya L. Alfonso, Gavin Golquitt, Ashley Walker, Akrati Gupta

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Physical activity offers children and youth many well-documented positive effects on health. The present study adapted a community-based prevention marketing campaign (CBPM), VERBTM Summer Scorecard (VSS) to promote physical activity among minority youth in rural, southeast Georgia. The purpose of this paper is to describe the adaptation process, emphasizing methods used and lessons learned.

Methods: A qualitative study design was used to identify social marketing concepts that informed program adaptation, including two focus groups with 12 children and two focus groups with 14 parents. Qualitative thematic data analysis was used to analyze formative research. The adapted program was implemented …

Gender Disparities In Weight Gain Among Offenders Who Are Obese Upon Entering Correctional Facilities, Madison L. Gates, Nancy C. Webb, Rebecca Stone, Darra Ballance, Wonsuk Yoo

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Obesity is a significant health issue for offenders, who have a higher prevalence of obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, compared to non-incarcerated populations. Within incarcerated populations, there are obesity disparities in terms of race, gender, and age, as well as excess weight gain during incarceration.

Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted for 2005 – 2010 in collaboration with a Department of Corrections in the east south central region of the United States. From electronic health records of 10,841 offenders, weight, height, and demographic data were extracted. As determined from these data, 2,622 offenders met the inclusion criteria (two or …

Evaluation Of A Diabetes Prevention Program For Rural Citizens, Barbara B. Kawulich, Diana Mindrila, Gina Brandenburg

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Georgia has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the US. Obesity and inactivity contribute to the onset of this disease. Tanner Health System addressed the obesity epidemic in three rural counties of Georgia through a 16-week diabetes prevention program (DPP) for 176 residents. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the DPP.

Methods: The multiple methods design of this project used pre- and post-surveys from January/February, 2014, classes to determine diabetes-related lifestyle factors, 11 mid-point telephone interviews, and focus groups with 17 members to identify lifestyle changes that were implemented. Additionally, initial and final measurements of body mass …

Growing Fit: Georgia’S Model For Engaging Early Care Environments In Preventing Childhood Obesity, Kelsey Mcdavid, Catalina Piedrahita, Emily A. Vall, Christi Kay, Jean O’Connor

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: In the United States, one in three children is overweight or obese by their fifth birthday. In Georgia, 35 percent of children are overweight or obese. Contrary to popular belief, children who are overweight or obese are unlikely to outgrow their weight status as adults, making early childhood an essential time to address weight status. An estimated 380,000 Georgia children attend early care and education environments, such as licensed child care centers, Head Start, and pre-kindergarten programs, which provide an opportunity to reach large numbers of children, including those at risk for obesity and overweight.

Methods: To address this …

The Association Between Obesity, Depression, And Anxiety: Evidence From A Community Health Needs Assessment Survey, Grace B. Adams, Angela Murcia

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The obesity epidemic has garnered much attention as a public health crisis. In order to make progress, it is necessary to understand the factors associated with obesity. One area of research needing more development is the link between obesity and other chronic health conditions. The objective of the present study was to further understand the relationship between obesity and the prevalence of anxiety and depression in Athens-Clarke County in northeast Georgia.

Methods: Data from the 2015 Athens-Clarke County Community Health Needs Assessment (n=1234) were used to assess the relationship between obesity and the prevalence of anxiety and depression among …

Weight Status And Satisfaction With Healthcare Received In The U.S. And Georgia, Saswat Panda, Koichiro Otani, Janani R. Thapa

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight or obese, and, in Georgia, adult obesity rates are among the highest. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer, and adherence to treatment of such disease conditions is affected by patients’ perception of healthcare received. The present study examined the association between weight status and satisfaction with healthcare received in the U.S. and in Georgia.

Methods: The association between weight status and satisfaction with healthcare received in the U.S. and Georgia was examined using multiple logistic regression analyses, controlling for demographic and other healthcare-related …

Using The Exercise Is Medicine® On Campus Platform To Assess College Students’ Practice Of Physical Activity In A Rural Setting, Bridget Melton, Jazmin A. Williamson, Helen Bland, Jian Zhang

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The college setting offers public health educators and exercise scientists a favorable environment to implement wide-spread change in levels of physical activities. With over two-thirds of all adults in the U.S. now categorized as obese or overweight (CDC, 2015), it has become necessary to increase physical activity levels on college campuses. Exercise is Medicine® on Campus (EIM®-OC) is a national initiative to increase physical activity on college campuses by creating an environment to change the subjective norm of diminished exercise movement and fitness among adults. The purpose of the present study was to use the EIM®-OC platform to assess …

The Need For Culturally-Tailored Smartphone Applications For Weight Control, Stephen S. Coughlin, Dale Hardy, Lee S. Caplan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Approximately 35% of U.S. adults are obese, and this rate is expected to increase by almost 50% by 2030. New media such as smartphone applications (apps) provide a useful and low-cost way to disseminate weight control information. For many culturally distinctive population subgroups, however, there is currently an absence of research-tested smartphone apps for weight control.

Methods: In this commentary, we highlight the need for culturally tailored smartphone apps for weight control and offer recommendations for further research by providing two specific examples: 1) the characteristic dietary patterns and absence of smartphone apps for weight loss for Hispanic Americans, …

A Quantile Regression Approach To Measuring The Educational Effect On Body Mass Index, Dakshina G. De Silva, Bradley T. Ewing, Catherine P. Slade, Mark A. Thompson

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: By use of a publically available database, the effects of education and geography on obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) were evaluated with a quantile regression approach. The focus of the analysis was on the practical interpretation of the regression results to inform health policy decision makers about the importance of educational attainment for the growing public health issue of obesity in the US, particularly in the Southeast.

Methods: With data from the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), quantile regressions were employed to estimate the educational effect on BMI while controlling for relevant lifestyle, socioeconomic, …

Depression And Body Mass Index, Differences By Education: Evidence From A Population-Based Study Of Adult Women In The U.S. Buffalo-Niagara Region, Ashley Wendell Kranjac, Jing Nie, Maurizio Trevisan, Jo L. Freudenheim

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

The relationship between obesity and depression is well described. However, the evidence linking depression and body mass index (BMI) across the broad range of body size is less consistent. We examined the association between depressive symptoms and BMI in a sample of adult women in the Buffalo-Niagara region between 1997 and 2001. Using logistic regression, we investigated whether increased weight status beyond normal-weight was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, and if educational attainment modified the association between obesity and depression. There was a trend for increased weight status to be associated with higher depressive symptoms (obese II/III, …

Promotion Of Drinking Water Among Latino Immigrant Youth, Nicole Barrett, Allison Elkins, Uriyoan Colón-Ramos, Ivonne Rivera, W. Douglas Evans, Mark Edberg

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Objective: To design an innovative intervention to increase drinking water behaviors among Latino immigrant youth.

Methods: We conducted two rounds of focus groups, totaling 10 sessions (n=61), with Latino immigrant youth, aged 6-18 years, living in Langley Park, Maryland. Participants were stratified into focus groups by age group (elementary, middle, and high school) and language preference (Spanish and English). A professional, bilingual-speaking moderator used a semistructured discussion guide to examine: (1) what youth preferred to drink in different settings and why, (2) their reactions to promotional messages, (3) slogans that would entice them to drink more water in school and …

Walking Mediates Associations Between Neighborhood Activity Supportiveness And Bmi In The Women's Health Initiative San Diego Cohort., Jordan A. Carlson, Rosemay A. Remigio-Baker, Cheryl A M Anderson, Marc A. Adams, Gregory J. Norman, Jacqueline Kerr, Michael H. Criqui, Matthew Allison

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether walking mediates neighborhood built environment associations with weight status in middle- and older-aged women.

METHODS: Participants (N=5085; mean age=64 ± 7.7; 75.4% White non-Hispanic) were from the Women's Health Initiative San Diego cohort baseline visits. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were measured objectively. Walking was assessed via survey. The geographic information system (GIS)-based home neighborhood activity supportiveness index included residential density, street connectivity, land use mix, and number of parks.

RESULTS: BMI was 0.22 units higher and the odds ratio for being obese (vs. normal or overweight) was 8% higher for every standard deviation …

Project Energize: Intervention Development And 10 Years Of Progress In Preventing Childhood Obesity Public Health, Elaine Rush, Carolyn Cairncross, Margaret Hinepo Williams, Marilyn Tseng, Tara Coppinger, Steph Mclennan, Kasha Latimer

Publications

Prevention of childhood obesity is a global priority. The school setting offers access to large numbers of children and the ability to provide supportive environments for quality physical activity and nutrition. This article describes Project Energize, a through-school physical activity and nutrition programme that celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2015 so that it might serve as a model for similar practices, initiatives and policies elsewhere. The programme was envisaged and financed by the Waikato District Health Board of New Zealand in 2004 and delivered by Sport Waikato to 124 primary schools as a randomised controlled trial from 2005 to 2006. …

The Association Between Secondhand Smoke Exposure And Metabolic Syndrome In Children With Elevated Bmi, Alexandra Lawson

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background & Purpose: The childhood obesity epidemic is associated with increased metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether secondhand tobacco smoke exposure (SHSe) is associated with MetS in children with elevated body mass index (BMI).

Method: A retrospective chart review was conducted on children aged six to 11 years with elevated BMI seen in a pediatric lipid clinic from 2008-2014. Data included age, sex, race, BMI, and five MetS criteria. MetS was defined as BMI ≥85th percentile and ≥two of the following: systolic or diastolic blood pressure ≥90th percentile, HDL/dL, triglycerides >150 …

Promoting Healthy Eating And Physical Activity: A Qualitative Examination Of Community-Based Obesity Interventions In Rural Kentucky, Brooke F. Butterworth

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Rural Americans are medically underserved groups and are at greater risk of becoming obese than urban Americans. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the perceived causes of obesity in six counties of rural Kentucky and to determine how to customize strategies to reduce obesity in these areas. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents formed coalitions in each of the six counties to assess their communities’ needs and assets to inform plans for implementing evidence-based obesity interventions. Between February and August of 2015, the coalitions were convened for a total of 11 meetings. Each of the coalition …

The Effect Of Dietary Fruits & Vegetable Consumption And Physical Activity On Obesity In African American Adolescent Females., Tanisha Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is epidemic among Black adolescent females, and adolescent obesity often leads to adult obesity. Previous research suggests that there may be an interaction between physical activity and dietary fruit and vegetable intake on body mass index (BMI) in obese adolescent females in general, but it was unclear whether the same pattern is evident in Black adolescent females, who, on average, tend to have low levels of physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake. Bandura's social learning theory implies the possibility that adolescent females might model their behaviors on the behavior of others in their high school years, including physical …

Behavioral Modification Program To Control Obesity Among School Children In Knott County, Kentucky, Samjhana Shakya

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Childhood obesity is one of the major public health concerns in the United States (US). Obese children have a greater likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, and impaired blood glucose[7].The prevalence of obesity among children 2 to 5 years of age in Kentucky was 15.7% (US average 8.4%) and 17.6% (US average 17%) among adolescents in Kentucky being higher than the national averages [8,3].

A major goal of the Behavioral Modification Program is to promote healthy behaviors among elementary school children to control obesity by modifying eating, physical activity and screen time …