ABSTRACT Obesity is the top public health threat in the US and precedes cardiovascular disease. Little improvement in obesity incidence and prevalence has occurred in women greater than 40 years of age. Dietary calcium is known for its role in bone health and has also been implicated to have a role in body adiposity, adipokine concentration, and lipidemia. Calcium homeostasis may be affected by various factors, including dietary protein and vitamin D. Structural equation modeling may be helpful to elucidate these relationships. This study examined differences between 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and adipocytokine (adiponectin and leptin) hormone concentrations in African American (AA) and Caucasian groups of postmenopausal women and the effects of dietary calcium-to-protein ratios and vitamin D intakes on circulating levels of 25(OH)D and PTH, adiposity (BAI, BMI, and girth circumferences), adipocytokines, and lipidemia (TG, HDL, and LDL levels) using structural equation modeling (SEM). Low calcium consumers were selected (<900 mg/day). Women did not differ based on age, education level, or BMI. PTH levels were significantly lower and leptin-to-adiponectin significantly higher in AA women compared to Caucasian. There was a relationship between adiposity and 25(OH)D levels but not PTH in both groups of women. Years of menopause were longer in AA women and a major confounding factor in the model. Dietary factors did not impact adiposity, adipokines, or lipidemia in either group of women. Data indicate minimal influence of dietary calcium-to-protein ratio on obesity. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2012. / March 28, 2012. / epidemiology, nutrition, obesity, SEM / Includes bibliographical references. / Jasminka Ilich-Ernst, Professor Directing Dissertation; Katherine P. Mason, University Representative; Penny A. Ralston, Committee Member; Maria Spicer, Committee Member; Ming Cui, Committee Member.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_182968 |
Contributors | Lemacks, Jennifer Lynn (authoraut), Ilich-Ernst, Jasminka (professor directing dissertation), Mason, Katherine P. (university representative), Ralston, Penny A. (committee member), Spicer, Maria (committee member), Cui, Ming (committee member), Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Science (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
Source Sets | Florida State University |
Language | English, English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Text, text |
Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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