Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2004. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-54).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 25-31).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 1980. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-49). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on October 16, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Background: Diet and exercise have been recommended to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in individuals with obesity. However, the effects of these interventions on muscle remodeling during CRC initiation in individuals who were previously obese is unknown. Since CRC is associated with a high-risk of cachexia, it is important to understand how diet and exercise interventions can impact muscle remodeling in populations at risk of developing CRC-induced cachexia. Our aim was to investigate the effects of weight loss, with or without exercise, on markers of muscle remodeling in a mouse model of CRC. We hypothesized that exercise plus weight loss would increase muscle mass, reduce muscle fibro/fatty tissue, and increase muscle stem/progenitor cell content compared to weight loss alone. Methods: Mice consumed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity or a control (CON) diet. Subsequently, mice received injections of azoxymethane (AOM) to induce CRC. Then, weight loss was induced in HFD mice by placing them on the CON diet and those mice either remained sedentary (HFD-SED) or completed a treadmill exercise intervention (HFD-EX). Results: After 40 weeks, mice were sacrificed and analyzed for markers of muscle remodeling. HFD-SED and HFD-EX showed weight loss and a loss in percent fat mass when looking at changes between sacrifice and before AOM injections (p<0.05 vs. CON). HFD-SED and HFD-EX had increased lean mass (p<0.05 vs. CON), and HFD-EX had increased tibialis anterior (TA) weight (p<0.05 vs. CON). The proportion of medium-sized fibers increased (p<0.05 vs. HFD-SED and CON) in HFD-EX, but there were no differences in overall cross-sectional area, myonuclei per fiber, or myonuclear domain. HFD-SED had increased fibrosis (p<0.05 vs. HFD-EX and CON) and adiposity (p<0.05 vs. CON). The number of committed (Pax7+MyoD+) satellite cells (SCs) and FAPs was greater in HFD-EX (p<0.05 vs. CON). There were no differences in uncommitted (Pax7+MyoD-) or differentiated (Pax7-MyoD+) SCs. Additionally, nuclear p-NF-κB was reduced following exercise (p<0.05), specifically in the interstitium with a significant decrease in the number of interstitial p-NF-κB cells in the HFD-EX group (p<0.05 vs. CON and HFD-SED). Conclusions: Findings suggest that a HFD, followed by weight loss with exercise, can reduce fibrotic and fatty degeneration of the muscle and improve markers of muscle remodeling. These findings provide the rationale to further examine exercise interventions for maintaining muscle quality during weight loss interventions to reduce CRC-induced cachexia.

Because there can be serious health and social consequences to obesity, the need for effective treatment programs is great. So far researchers in the field have been more successful in improving the short-term effectiveness of treatment programs for weight loss than the likelihood of long-term maintenance. This study investigated the effects of a 4-week non-diet maintenance intervention program for 59 female participants who had successfully reached a target goal weight, maintained their loss for at least six months, and had moderately high levels of concern about future maintenance. Two treatment conditions were compared, a maintenance intervention (MI) and a relapse prevention intervention (RPI) with a waiting list serving as a control group. Measures of self-efficacy and coping were taken before and after treatment, and by mail at a 6-week follow-up for the 2 treatment conditions; the waiting list was tested at corresponding time intervals without intervening treatment. It was expected that levels of self-efficacy and the relative use of problem-focused coping would increase from pretest to posttest for both treatment conditions compared with the waiting list and that only the relapse prevention intervention group would maintain these increases from posttest to follow-up. No such significant differences were found among the groups on the dependent measures, however, as hypothesized, problem-focused coping at posttest was positively correlated with levels of self-efficacy at follow-up. When clinical significance was assessed, individual participants in both treatment conditions showed improvement in self-efficacy (MI, 36%; RPI, 28%), and relative use of problem-focused coping (MI, 22%; RPI, 33%). In addition, correlational findings were similar to those of other maintenance studies (i.e., smaller weight regains were associated with higher levels of exercise and regular monitoring of weight). It was concluded that the relapse prevention treatment had not produced the desired effect of raising levels of self-efficacy and increasing the relative use of problem-focused coping, but also that the program's objectives had been too ambitious for a 4-week program. The relationship between self-efficacy and problem-focused coping found in this study indicates that this is a fruitful area for further investigation in the development of effective intervention programs for successful dieters at risk of relapse. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Community Psychology), Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013. / In recent years, significant attention has been given in the popular and academic press to an ‘obesity crisis’ that supposedly, is both ever increasing and sweeping across the world. The study was undertaken to explore the influence of wellness in weight loss. Although it is not known why the prevalence of obesity has increased so suddenly and markedly specifically in the past twenty years, experts agree that the rise is unlikely to be related to a sudden shift in genetic or biological factors within the individual. The causes are largely environmental or a consequence of the mismatch between our physiology and an environment where food is abundant and physical activity unnecessary. Moreover, there seems to be an increasing belief that psychological instability and childhood experiences play a great role in this epidemic. The present study focused on the influence of wellness in weight loss. The holistic approach to deal with this study was undertaken looking at mental, physical and spiritual wellness. Specifically the study looked at food or diet (healthy food and nutrition as important in promotion of good health), fitness or exercise, meditation (helps reduce stress), mental or emotional health and community (social isolation leads to severe stress, which in turn may result in unhealthy behaviour). The results were interesting in that, there was a significant loss of weight amongst the participants at the end of the study; participants demonstrated a positive change and displayed willingness to take better care of their selves to stay well. Qualitatively, participants reported an increase in daily physical activities, healthier dietary choices, feelings of optimism and greater self acceptance. Thus wellness shows promise as a weight loss intervention.

In an attempt to replicate and extend previous research on the validity of food diary records, 18 obese and 16 previously obese individuals from the community were quizzed on food recording and kcalorie estimation in a controlled analogue of self-monitoring. Results of the experimental phase of the study replicate those of previous studies indicating that the food diaries of obese clients are invalid because of poor food descriptions, incorrect quantity estimates, and errors in converting kcalories. The results also indicate that subjects tend to overestimate quantities and kcalories of foods. However, the present study extended previous research by examining the differences between obese and previously obese individuals. It was thought that weight differences might be a function, to some degree, of the person's accuracy at food recording, quantity of portion and kcalorie estimation. The present results suggested no relationship between current weight and accuracy. The implications of this finding suggests that success at weight loss may not be significantly related to an individual's ability at food description, quantity of portion and ability in kcalorie estimation, as was suggested by previous studies. The results of this study strongly question the validity of self-reports in food consumption. Its implications in research and practice were examined. The assessment phase of the study obtained information via a questionnaire on 177 individuals involved in a weight control program. The areas in the questionnaire consisted of: (a) general information, (b) health, (c) environment, (d) emotional aspects of eating, (e) exercise. The findings support past research on obesity, and revealed some areas of interest for future research.