Project Health: Enhancing Effectiveness of a Dissonance-Based Obesity Prevention Program
Overweight and ObesityThis project seeks to improve the effectiveness of a novel dissonance-based obesity prevention program that has reduced future BMI gain and overweight/obesity onset by (a) experimentally testing whether implementing it in single- versus mixed-sex groups, which should increase dissonance-induction that contributes to weight gain prevention effects, and (b) experimentally testing whether adding food response and attention training, which theoretically reduces valuation of and attention for high-calorie foods, increases weight gain prevention effects. This randomized trial would be the first to experimentally manipulate these two factors in an effort to produce superior weight gain prevention effects. A brief effective obesity prevention program that can be easily, inexpensively, and broadly implemented to late adolescents at risk for excess weight gain, as has been the case with another dissonance-based prevention program, could markedly reduce the prevalence of obesity and associated morbidity and mortality.
Overweight and Obesity and Puberty Development Cohort Study
Precocious PubertyOverweight and ObesityPrecocious puberty and childhood overweight and obesity are important public health problems that both had adverse effects, which including psychological symptom in childhood, short final height or reproductive dysfunction in adulthood, on children's physical and psychological development.The prevalence of precocious puberty and childhood overweight and obesity are both high, and a growing body of epidemiological studies suggested that there was a close relationship of childhood overweight and obesity with puberty development, especially in girls. However, the underlying mechanism between them is unclear. Existing evidence shows that the occurrence of precocious puberty and overweight and obesity are the result of interaction of multiple factors, which consists growth environment and genetics, and many previous studies provided that more overlapping genes existed between obesity and precocious puberty patients, suggesting that common genes may result in these diseases. Therefore, based on a case control study, which will investigate the associations between obesity pleiotropic genes and early puberty, the researchers will collect information related to obesity, growth environment factors and risk genes in this study to evaluate the relationships of these related factors and precocious puberty, and to further explore whether there exists biological interaction effects of these risk factors on sexual precocity. This project has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
Gastric Insufflation During Facemask Ventilation at Different Levels of End-expiratory Pressure...
Gastric InsufflationFace-mask Ventilation2 moreGastric insufflation occurs when the inspiratory pressure exceeds the lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Thus, it is desirable to avoid excessive positive pressure during mask ventilation after induction of anesthesia and keeping the inspiratory pressure <15-20 cmH2O.In patients with obesity the lower compliance of the respiratory system usually requires higher inspiratory pressures to maintain adequate ventilation making these patients more prone to gastric insufflation. This high risk of gastric insufflation can be aggravated by the use of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) which is recommended to avoid lung atelectasis. The application of PEEP during mask ventilation increases the risk of gastric insufflation as it reduces the pressure threshold at which gastric insufflation occur The optimum ventilatory strategy during mask ventilation should achieve the balance between adequate lung ventilation and avoiding gastric insufflation. In obese patients, it is not clear whether the use of PEEP during mask ventilation would increase the risk of gastric insufflation or not. We hypothesize that using zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) or low PEEP during mask ventilation would reduce the risk of gastric insufflation in comparison to high PEEP.
Multidisciplinary Intervention With Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Obese Adults
ObesityThis study aims to describe the research procedures and treatment of a multidisciplinary intervention with cognitive remediation therapy for adults with obesity in a Randomized Controlled Trial. The changes will be measured before and after the intervention and three months follow-up. To evaluate them, psychometric, psychological, physiological, and physical activity tests will be taken.
Motivational Interviewing to Promote Healthy Behaviours in Young Adults
ObesityRisk FactorsThe overall goals of this project are to evaluate the feasibility of web-based nurse-led motivational interviewing and educational interventions to promote healthy behaviours for obesity prevention and maintenance of healthy weight and behaviours among young adults attending university (age 18-29) in Hamilton, Ontario. A secondary goal is to evaluate if the intervention is more successful among people at higher risk of obesity (a risk stratification approach). A pilot randomized controlled trial will be conducted. Young adults will be randomized to receive a tailored behavioural intervention through motivational interviewing sessions with a nurse combined with educational materials, or control (educational materials only). Both groups will be followed for 6 months and their weight at baseline and end of the study will be measured. Outcomes related to the feasibility of the intervention and participants' experiences in the study will also be measured.
A Virtual Cardiometabolic Health Program for African Immigrants: The Afro-DPP Program
Diabetes MellitusDiabetes Mellitus9 moreA pilot study titled "A Virtual Cardiometabolic Health Program for African Immigrants (The Afro-DPP Program) will be conducted to address the cardiometabolic of community-dwelling African immigrants who have multiple cardiometabolic risk factors including hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, and overweight/obesity. The proposed study will recruit a total of 60 participants and will use a non-equivalent control group design to test the effectiveness of the intervention at two African churches in the Baltimore, Washington, D.C. area. The two churches will be randomly assigned to the intervention or delayed intervention group. At the end of a 6-month follow-up period, the control church will receive the intervention (delayed control group). All participants will receive a Bluetooth-enabled digital scale (Omron Model: BCM-500) that measures body composition including Body Weight, Body Fat percentage, Visceral Fat, Skeletal Muscle percentage, Resting Metabolism and Body Mass Index. A Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure monitor (Omron Model: BP7250) will also be distributed to all participants. All participants will download the Omron Connect app which will allow the participants to sync participants' blood pressure readings and body composition readings into the app. The research team will access these readings to monitor study outcomes and participants progress during the follow-up period.
Childhood Traumas in Obese Women: Association With Deregulation of the Glucocorticoid Axis and Inflammatory...
ObesityWe postulate that childhood traumas are associated with deregulation of the glucocorticoid axis and the inflammatory system in obese women. The main objective of the study is to compare the salivary cortisol awaking response in obese women according to the presence of childhood trauma (assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ).
Weight Loss Intervention for the Reduction of Cancer Risk and Health Disparities in Rural Ohio
Obesity-Related Malignant NeoplasmThis study determines the feasibility of a telephone-based weight lost intervention in reducing cancer risk and health disparities in rural Ohio. Obesity is the leading preventable cause of cancer, and obesity-related inflammation is linked to elevated cancer risk, independent of obesity itself. Rural populations are a vulnerable population in need of increased access to tailored strategies and benefit from weight loss interventions. This study aims to see whether a telephone-based intervention may help obese people in rural area to reduce body weight, so as to prevent obesity-related cancer.
Ovarian Reserve and Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric SurgeryObesity2 moreThe expansion of the obesity epidemic is accompanied with an increase in bariatric procedures, in particular in women of reproductive age. Severe obesity has negative effects on fertility and on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes, and the weight loss induced by the bariatric surgery (BS) is believed to reverse the deleterious impact of overweight and obesity on female fertility. However, research is limited to retrospective cohort studies, small case-series and case-control studies. Weight reduction has been shown to improve fecundity and hormonal state of a subgroup of obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this population, recent studies have demonstrated an increase of naturally conceived pregnancies following bariatric surgery. However, these studies have evaluated only short-term evolution of ovarian function and not all studies demonstrated improvements in fertility outcomes after BS. Clearly, more studies are needed regarding the effect of BS on obesity-related infertility, and long-term outcome of ovarian function has to be assessed. Markers of ovarian reserve, including Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), antral follicle count (AFC), and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), have been used to counsel patients regarding in their reproductive outcomes. Serum AMH concentrations remain remarkably stable throughout the menstrual cycle, which is a great advantage over other markers of fertility. Various studies have evaluated the association between AMH and body mass index (BMI) but reported contradictory results. Some of them have reported a significant inverse correlation between AMH and BMI, but others found no relationship between AMH and BMI. Scarce and small preliminary studies have been performed to evaluate AMH changes after surgical weight loss and showed a decrease in serum AMH.
NOURISH-T+: Promoting Healthy Eating and Exercise Behaviors
ObesityChildhood2 morePediatric cancer survivors are at an increased risk of excessive weight gain and reduced exercise behaviors with the potential for this risk to worsen over time. With over 80% of pediatric cancer patients living to adulthood, many pediatric cancer survivors experience long-term health consequences such as heart disease - the leading cause of death in this population. The purpose of this clinical research study is to teach parents/caregivers skills that will help prevent and reduce the problems of obesity in childhood cancer survivors. In this study, parents have the opportunity to participate in one of two web-based groups in which parents in either group will learn valuable information to improve the health of their child and of themselves.