The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the feline population is estimated to be 25.7% and 33.8%, respectively. Feline obesity is associated with comorbidities such as insulin resistance and hepatic lipidosis. Several risk factors are associated with obesity including middle age, neuter status, decreased activity, and diet. Obesity management is multifaceted and includes client education, diet modification, and consistent monitoring. Successful obesity management may be dependent on owner perception of their cat's quality of life during a prescribed weight loss plan. Poor quality of life perception may result in failure to complete the weight loss process. Food toys may be used to enhance environmental enrichment, allow cats to express their natural predatory behavior and overall improve owner-perceived quality of life. Therefore, we set out to investigate the role of food toys in owner-perceived quality of life of obese cats during a prescribed weight loss plan. Fifty-five cats with a BCS > 7 were enrolled in a double-blinded weight loss study and randomized into one of two groups: food toy (n=26) or food bowl (n=29). Each cat was provided a prescribed weight loss diet and instructions. Body weight and body condition score were evaluated monthly. Additionally, owners completed a monthly questionnaire to assess their cat's quality of life. Of the 44 cats in the final analysis, 66% (n=29) successfully completed the study and lost > 2 BCS points and/or achieved an ideal BCS of 5/9. Low-calorie vegetables were offered to the majority of cats (n= 32) due to owner reports of disruptive food seeking behavior. Of the cats offered vegetables, 87.5% (n=28) cats required a commercial palatant to consume the vegetables. All enrolled cats had a higher (p<0.0000) owner-perceive quality of life at the final visit/recheck/end of study (median QOL=110.0), as compared to the initial weight loss appointment (median QOL=126.0). The increase in quality of life was primarily driven by improvement in moving from one place to another, grooming and scratching, engaging in social activities, and playing and hunting. There was no effect (p=0.27) of food toy on owner-perceived quality of life. Prescribed weight loss improves owner-perceived quality of life of obese cats. A single food toy (ball-style) was included in this study and did not appear to influence owner-perceived QOL. However, the role of food toys needs further investigation as there are several food toy styles that have not yet been investigated during a prescribed weight loss plan. We suspect that most/all of the 32 cats fed vegetables would have withdrawn from the study. Therefore, including vegetables in the prescribed weight loss plan appears to improve success of weight loss in obese cats. / Master of Science / About 60% of cats are overweight or obese, which equates to about 56 million cats in the United States. Feline obesity is associated with poor health outcomes such as insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. Risk factors for feline obesity include middle age, neutered, decreased activity, and diet. Obesity is commonly diagnosed via body condition scoring in small companion animals. Owner-perceived quality of life is an important factor for a successful weight loss plan. Low perceived quality of life may result in owners abandoning the weight loss process. Food toys provide environmental enrichment, slow food consumption and may increase activity. However, the impact of food toys on owner-perceived quality of life and the success of a weight loss plan were not previously investigated. Fifty-five cats were enrolled into the weight loss study and randomly placed into one of two groups. Twenty-six cats were placed in the food toy group, and 29 cats were placed in the food bowl group. Monthly follow-up visits consisted of weighing and body condition scoring each cat. In addition, owners completed a questionnaire to evaluate their cat’s quality of life. Food toys did not influence cat owner perception of their cat’s quality of life. However, cat owners perceived their cat’s quality of life to be higher at the end of the study compared to the beginning for all cats. The increase in quality of life was primarily driven by improvement in moving from one place to another, grooming and scratching, engaging in social activities, and playing and hunting. Satiety was an issue for several cats during the study. Low-calorie vegetables were offered to over half of the study cats to decrease hunger and food-seeking behavior. This study indicates quality of life is increased in cats undergoing a prescribed weight loss plan. A single food toy was utilized in the present study although several types of food toys are currently available that have not been investigated in relation to owner-perceived quality of life during a prescribed weight loss plan.

The purpose of this study was to determine that a behavioral lifestyle modification approach to weight loss changes participants' dietary intake and physical activity levels and that these changes were associated with weight loss and weight loss maintenance. Behavioral factors important in other weight control studies were also investigated to see if they are important indicators of successful weight control in this program as well. A group of previously validated questionnaires, along with a weight history written for this study, was administered to current participants in Providence Health System's Smart CHOICES program both before and after program participation. The same questionnaires were administered to past participants in a one-time follow-up for the CHOICES program approximately 2 years after program completion. The study found that current participant successful weight losers did decrease their percentage of energy intake from fat more than did non-successful weight losers over the course of the program. Also, successful weight losers decreased their caloric intake and increased physical activity levels during the program and these changes did not occur in non-successful weight losers. The Eating Inventory scales for cognitive restraint and Westenhoefer's flexible control showed expected increases and disinhibition and hunger scores showed expected decreases among successful weight losers. However, non-successful weight losers showed these same changes except for the hunger scores, which did not decrease during the program. There were no differences found between past participant weight loss maintainers and non-maintainers in caloric intake, percentage fat intake, physical activity levels, Eating Inventory scales, or flexible and rigid control. When compared to successful weight losers among the current participants, there were suggestions that past participant weight loss maintainers and non-maintainers regressed toward their pre-treatment levels in percentage of fat intake, physical activity levels, and flexible control scores over time. While the Smart CHOICES program is effective in bringing about short-term behavior change to produce weight loss, maintenance of weight loss is a problem in this program as it is in other lifestyle modification programs. The factors differentiating successful weight maintenance from weight regain after loss in this program were not identified. / Graduation date: 2002

Fifty-five wrestlers from Tucson, Arizona were studied to develop equations using anthropometric measurements to predict a wrestler's minimum wrestling weight (MWW). This sample was also used to cross-validate seven equations that predict MWW by using anthropometric measures. All estimates of percent fat and MWW were validated by densitometry. The mean age, weight, percent fat and MWW for this sample, with standard deviations, were 16.8 ± 1.1 yrs, 63.7 ± 12.7 kg, 8.8 ± 5.49 percent, and 60.6 ± 9.49 kg. Using multiple regression analysis, the best combination of variables predicted MWW with an adjusted R2 of.93 and standard error of estimate (SEE) of 2.45 kg. The next best equation from this sample predicted MWW with an adjusted R2 of.91 and SEE of 2.8 kg. All seven of the equations from other samples were successfully cross validated on this sample. These equations predicted the criterion MWW with respective adjusted R2's and SEE's ranging from.91 and 2.84 kg to.79 and 4.28 kg.

In Western cultures, social significations are associated with body weight and shape (Woolf, 1990, as cited by Malson, 1998). Thinness is especially valued and especially for women and girls. As a result, many teenage girls aim to be thinner. This thesis examines five blogs on the website LiveJournal that are written by teenage girls who perceive themselves as overweight and who use blogs to talk about their attempts to lose weight. All five of these girls say that they practice at least one extreme method of weight loss and all of them have dangerously low weight loss goals. Two research questions motivated this study: 1) how do teenage girls who perceive themselves as overweight use blogs in their journeys to lose weight? 2) Can LiveJournal, or any other personal blogging site, provide a useful source for researchers so that they can learn about eating disorders in girls’ own words? The blogs provided a tool by which I could discover first-hand experiences of teenage girls who are trying to lose weight. Essentially, the blogs were used as both the data and the mean by which the data was collected. My results suggest that girls rarely discuss their weight loss practices with family or friends and thus their blogs provide a space where they can share their experiences and receive support and encouragement from other members of their online community who will not judge or stigmatize them. The results of this study are useful for social science researchers in two ways. First, the results provide important information pertaining to first-personal narratives about body image, weight loss and the practice of extreme methods of weight loss by teenage girls who perceive themselves as overweight. Second, the results provide useful information for social researchers seeking to use blog research for their projects. This project highlights the benefits of blog research and provides a sort of how-to for future researchers hoping to use the method. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-06-28 00:01:52.273

Class of 2010 Abstract / OBJECTIVES: The objective was to compare differences in weight loss data presented in published orlistat studies on orlistat to their corresponding studies submitted to the FDA. METHODS: This meta-­‐analysis compared one-­‐year weight loss data reported in six published orlistat 120 mg studies to data reviewed by the FDA in the New Drug Application (NDA). The primary dependent variables were the percentage of subjects achieving 5% and 10% weight loss. Prior to analysis, weight loss data was stratified into placebo and orlistat groups. Potential for bias was assessed with a funnel plot and by calculating Kendall’s tau. The a priori alpha level was 0.05. RESULTS: Corresponding FDA reviews were located for 6 published orlistat trials. The pooled odds ratio of published vs. FDA 5%weight loss data for the placebo arm was 2.18 (95% CI: 1.83 to 2.60; p < 0.001) and 1.95 (95% CI: 1.70 to 2.24; p < 0.001) for the orlistat arm. The pooled odds ratio of published vs. FDA for 10% weight loss data for the placebo arm was 2.25 (95% CI: 1.74 to 2.91; p < 0.001) and 2.20 (95% CI: 1.88 to 2.57; p < 0.001) for the orlistat arm. The p-­‐values for Kendall’s tau for the 5% and 10% weight loss data were 0.054 and 0.34, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Published orlistat trials presented 5% and 10% weight loss data that were twice of that reported in the FDA-­‐reviewed trials, and there was potential for bias in the 5% weight loss data.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of weight loadings and repetitions, frequency of exercise, and knowledge of theoretical principles of weight training on changes in muscular strength. Another purpose was to analyze these effects and determine implications for coaches, physical educators, physical therapists, and others interested in determining the optimum combination of the three variables for increasing muscular strength.

The transition to college has been identified as a critical period for increases in overweight status. Overweight college students are at-risk of becoming obese adults, thus prevention efforts targeting college age individuals might be one key to reducing adult obesity rates. The current study developed and implemented an intensive, 6-session, internet intervention. This intervention was evaluated with first year college students assigned randomly to one of four treatment conditions: 1) no treatment, 2) 6-week weight and caloric feedback only, 3) 6-week internet intervention, and 4) 6-week combined feedback and internet intervention. As expected, the combined intervention group had lower BMI at post-testing than the internet, feedback, and control groups. The combined intervention showed reduced snacking behaviors after dinner; however, other measures of eating and exercise behaviors and beliefs were not observed. Ethnic and gender differences were observed. African American participants had lower body dissatisfaction than White participants. Further, within the White subsample, the combined intervention group manifested reductions in binge eating symptoms and increased fiber intake compared to controls. Males reported more physical activity across all intervention arms than females. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and feasibility of an internet based intervention to prevent weight gain among college students. Future studies are needed to understand the mechanisms involved in preventing weight gain in this age group and to develop more culturally targeted interventions for diverse students.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agric)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of egg weight on hatchability, hatch-weight and subsequent productivity of Venda chickens. A total of 360 Venda chicken eggs based on their weights were collected within one week and assigned to four treatments with five replicates of 18 eggs per replicate. A randomized design was used. The four treatment weights were below 49 g, between 50 and 59 g, between 60 and 69 g and above 70 g. the eggs were incubated for 21 days. The chicks were raised up to 13 weeks based on their treatments but fed a similar diet. Egg weight was positively and strongly correlated (r2 = 0.727) with hatchability. Similarly, egg weight was positively and strongly correlated (r2 = 0.0.953) with chick hatch-weight. Between one and seven weeks old, Venda chicks hatched from heavier eggs ate less (P< 0.05) than those hatched from lighter eggs. Heavier eggs hatched chicks with better (P< 0.05) feed conversion ratio. However, chicks hatched from heavier eggs tended to have higher (P< 0.05) live weight at seven weeks old than those hatched from lighter eggs. Heavier eggs tended to hatch chicks that had higher (P< 0.05) mortality rates. However, metabolisable energy and nitrogen retention of the chicks aged seven weeks was not (P> 0.05) affected by egg weight. Growth rate and live weight of the chicks aged between one and seven weeks were optimized at different Venda chicken egg weights of 56 (r2 = 0.514) and 60 (r2 = 0.870) g, respectively. Egg weight had no (P> 0.05) effect on metabolisable energy, feed conversion ratio, growth rate, live weight, carcass weight and carcass parts of Venda chickens aged between eight and 13 weeks except fat pad weight. Venda chickens hatched from lighter eggs had lower (P< 0.05) fat pad weights than those hatched from heavier eggs. Meat samples of chickens hatched from lighter eggs had higher (P< 0.05) nitrogen contents. It is concluded that Venda chicken egg weight affects (P< 0.05) egg hatchability, chick hatch-weight, growth rate, live weight and carcass characteristics of the chicken. However, these variables are optimized at different egg weights. This has implications on selecting eggs for incubation.

Thesis (PhD. (Clinical Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / Low-birth-weight/premature children seem to be vulnerable to psychiatric, neuropsychological and other deficiencies. Limited research is available in the South African context about these ever-increasing phenomena. The aim of this study was to investigate the magnitude and characteristics of internalising (Separation Anxiety, Overanxious and Major Depressive Disorders) and externalising symptoms (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity, Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorders) among low-birth-weight children in comparison with normal-birth-weight children, as well as to establish neuropsychological deficiencies (motor, visual-spatial, memory and executive functioning) between the birth weight groups, analysed as a function of gender and age. The sample (158 children) was selected from nine urban mainstream primary schools in the Tshwane North and South districts by means of stratified random sampling. Low-birth-weight children (weighing below 2 000 g) (N=79) were matched with normal-birth-weight children (above 3 000 g) (N=79) according to age, gender, language and socio-economic status. The neuropsychological test battery and self-reporting questionnaire were individually administered to the sample at the selected schools during school hours. Teachers and parents of selected participants were requested to complete a rating scale. As expected, low birth weight is associated with a tendency towards increased internalising and externalising psychological symptoms, as well as poorer neuropsychological functioning. This was particularly significant in the domains of internalising symptoms (depression), externalising symptoms (hyperactivity/impulsiveness, inattention, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder) and neuropsychological impairments (motor, visual-spatial/visual-motor, memory and executive functioning). The neuropsychological impairments observed in this study among the LBW children probably increase the risk of subsequent externalising (conduct and oppositional behavioural problems) and internalising (depressive) psychological symptoms. These impairments are possibly exacerbated by inattention and hyperactivity/ impulsiveness. Reciprocal interaction seems to take place between the psychological symptoms andneuropsychological functions. Only a few gender differences were observed. Neuropsychological deficits were observed both in the 6 to 9 and 10 to 13 age groups, indicating deficient resolution of impairments with increasing age. Increased pre-, peri- and postnatal complications in the low-birth-weight group may predispose these children biologically to neuropsychological deficiencies and subsequent internalising/externalising symptoms. These impairments most probably affect academic, emotional, social and other significant areas of functioning, increasing public health cost.

<p>Fetma och övervikt är ett hot mot folkhälsan. Många med övervikt och fetma försöker gå ner i vikt, men få lyckas bibehålla viktminskningen. Studiens syfte var att ta reda på erfarenheter av betydelsefulla faktorer och strategier för en bestående viktminskning, samt motivation för bibehållandet av vikten. Enligt Self-determination theory (SDT) blir beteendeförändringar bestående om de är autonoma och om motivationen är intern. Åtta kvinnor som deltagit i Itrims viktminskningsprogram intervjuades. Resultatet visade att förändringar i kost, motion och förhållningssätt var för egen vinning och viktiga för en bibehållen vikt. Andra faktorer var kunskap, psykiskt och fysiskt välmående samt vilja. Bibehållandet av viktminskningen var ett självständigt arbete där kunskaper från programmet och från inre reflektion införlivades i livsstilen, vilket överrensstämmer med SDT.</p>