The aim of the current study is to understand the health trajectory of female veterans who participated in a VHA sponsored weight management program and explore possible barriers to sustained weight loss and improved metabolic functioning over time. Obesity is a major health concern for discharged service members and women veterans in particular are faced with an increasing prevalence of obesity at a younger age with obese ethnic minorities posing the greatest health risk over time. The current study measured body mass index (BMI), triglycerides, and total cholesterol in female participants enrolled in the MOVE! ® Weight Management Program for Veterans at the Miami VAHS from 2005-2008 (N = 170). The sample was derived from an archival data set and participants were predominantly non-Hispanic Black (NHB) (n = 93, 54.7%), with a mean age of 48.26 (SD = 11.77) and BMI of 34.97 (SD = 6.61) at program entry. Medical information was gathered as part of routine primary care and participants were not asked to provide additional information. Multilevel modeling was utilized to measure change in BMI, triglycerides, and total cholesterol across seven time points before and after MOVE! ® participation. For the piecewise model, results showed a positive linear growth pattern in BMI prior to program enrollment, SE = .12, p < .001, and a negative linear pattern post-intervention, SE = .08, p = .05. For the continuous models, significant differences in triglycerides were observed between ethnic groups at program entry, but overall triglycerides did not significantly change over time. A significant negative linear effect was found for total cholesterol, SE = 1.08, p < .001. Age was found to be a significant negative predictor of triglycerides, SE = .003, p = .008, and total cholesterol, SE = .27, p = .003. VA user status, small sample size, and other extraneous lifestyle factors not directly measured in the current study may explain the lack of significant differences in BMI found between ethnic groups relative to literature on weight loss outcomes. Additionally, BMI in women may underestimate their total fat, which for the present study may explain why larger improvements in metabolic functioning were not observed. Future designs may consider measuring waist circumference to understand the complex relationship between total fat distribution and markers for poor health and utilizing a tailored approach to weight management.

No description available.

The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Physical Activity and Nutrition Self-Efficacy (PANSE) scale. If proven a valid and reliable measure of self-efficacy for weight-loss behaviors, the PANSE scale may be useful in future research involving activity and nutrition for weight loss. This is particularly important given today’s high prevalence of overweight and obesity, which may be curtailed with increased levels of activity and/or improved food-related behaviors. Initial reliability and validity testing was performed using a sample of 71 women low-income in central Texas. The average age of the participants was 24.5 ± 4.75 years; 35.2% were African American, 32.4% were Hispanic, and 32.4% were White. The women completed the 11-item PANSE questionnaire at baseline and at a 7-week follow-up data collection. Test-retest results provided reliability evidence, and there was sufficient evidence of internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.89). Construct validity was established with significant correlations in expected directions with the Self Care Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and Decisional Balance Inventory. The predictive validity of the PANSE scale for weight-loss at 7-week follow-up and program drop out was not established. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a 2-factor model for the 11 items. Initial examination provided evidence for the reliability and construct validity of the PANSE scale. Future testing of the scale should to be conducted with other populations to assess the generalizability of the PANSE scale outside of the population studied in the current report. / text

The percentage of obese adults in the U.S. has more than doubled since the late 1970.s. A large percentage of adults, especially women, are trying to lose weight at any given time. Although recommended weight-loss strategies combine reduced caloric intake with physical activity, the actual strategies used can vary. This dissertation uses a mixed-methods approach to investigate weight, weight loss, and body image in post-menopausal women ages 50 to 64. Quantitative data were analyzed from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and semi-structured interviews with 81 women in Kentucky. Qualitative data was gathered from in-depth interviews with eight Kentucky women focusing on life-course factors that affect weight and perception of weight. Over 70% of the Kentucky subjects had attempted weight loss in the last year; 47% of the NHANES women had done so. The most common weight-loss strategies of the Kentucky sample were .ate less food. and .exercised.; in the NHANES samples, the most common choices were .ate less food. and .ate less fat.. In the Kentucky sample, feeling that one is in control of one.s own weight was associated with having joined a weight loss program. Exercise and restaurant frequency and were the most significant predictors of the weight outcomes investigated. Increased exercise was associated with an increased likelihood of being normal weight, gaining less than 10 pounds in the last 10 years, and gaining less than 30 pounds since age 25; decreased restaurant frequency was associated with all of these outcomes in the Kentucky sample. The in-depth interviews revealed that making good food choices, having others as role models, and the desire to be attractive were seen as positive influences on weight. The consumption of .bad. foods, stress, health problems that prevent exercise, menopause, and age were seen as negative influences. The qualitative data also strongly suggested that childhood weight, and past reactions of others to one.s weight, influence perception of current weight. It is the responsibility of women and the public health sector to make the most of these acknowledged motivators and minimize the perceived barriers to reverse the increasing obesity levels in the U.S.

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

Obesity-related diseases account for the majority of morbidity and mortality in U.S. adults. An estimated 4 million women in the United States deliver an infant annually, of which approximately 34% are overweight/obese prior to pregnancy. More than 30% of these women gain weight that exceeds the IOM’s recommendations; increasing their risk of postpartum weight retention and possibly increasing their risk of greater weight gain and retention over time. This research sought to test the efficacy of a traditional MED diet for 4-months on weight loss/control and biomarkers of inflammation in breastfeeding women compared to women randomized to the USDA’s MyPyramid diet for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding (control diet). At baseline, the women (N=129) were 29.7±4.6 years, overweight (BMI: 27.2±4.9 kg/m2), and primarily non-Hispanic white (75.2%). The majority of women were exclusively breastfeeding (73.6%) and a mean 17.5 weeks postpartum. Adherence to the MED diet was evaluated via calculation of the MED diet score from validated FFQs administered pre- and post- the diet intervention. Anthropometric measurements (body weight, body fat, and waist and hip circumference) and biosamples (blood, urine, and breast milk) were collected at baseline and 4-months (diet completion). Biomarkers of inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α) were assessed via standard ELISA kits. The MED diet score was increased by 0.68±2.74 and 0.27±1.57 for the MED and control group, respectively. Increases in fish and dairy intake and a decrease in meat/poultry intake were significantly different between diet groups (P<0.05). Participants in both diet groups demonstrated significant (P=0.002) reductions in all anthropometric measurements; no significant between group differences were shown. A significant decrease in TNF-α, but not IL-6, was demonstrated in both diet groups. There were no significant between group differences. Both the MED diet and the USDA’s MyPyramid diet were effective in reducing anthropometric measurements and inflammation in postpartum breastfeeding women.

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.

No description available.

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

Eating unhealthy foods and eating past satiety are inappropriate behaviors that promote obesity. The ability to effectively inhibit an inappropriate behavior is a key component of cognitive restraint and its impairment has been previously linked to obesity. In this study, a Go/No-Go fMRI task was completed by a cohort of adult women that had experienced initial weight loss followed by various levels of weight regain or continued weight loss. Region of interest fMRI analysis revealed that greater total weight loss was significantly related to decreasing activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus and the right superior frontal gyrus. These results suggest that as weight loss increases fewer cognitive resources are needed in order to maintain levels of inhibitory control. This cognitive efficiency, though only partially supported by better task performance, is supported by greater exercise. An analysis of resting state patterns of correlation between task-activated regions revealed a significant correlation between the right inferior frontal gyrus and the left middle temporal gyrus. The strength of this relationship was significantly correlated with increasing total weight loss and continued weight loss over time. Cognitive restraint was also associated with this fronto-temporal correlation and provides support for cognitive efficiency. Right inferior frontal gyrus was also correlated with left inferior frontal gyrus and this relationship was positively correlated with initial weight loss suggesting that fewer neurocognitive resources were required by those who were able to achieve greater initial weight loss.