THE INFLUENCE OF WEIGHT CYCLING AND CHRONIC OBESITY EXPOSURE ON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION: A LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS

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Hardin, A. (2017). THE INFLUENCE OF WEIGHT CYCLING AND CHRONIC OBESITY EXPOSURE ON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION: A LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

Pediatric obesity is a growing public health concern while cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death among women. As a result, research is seeking to illuminate the links among obesity and chronic diseases in later life, and whether lifestyle modifications like diet and exercise interventions are effective. Yet, an excessive focus on diet may paradoxically contribute to morbidity risk through weight cycling and associated metabolic changes. The present study sought to investigate in what way weight cycling and chronic obesity may contribute to chronic disease trajectory in young girls and women. Results revealed that obesity exposure was a significant predictor of CRP above and beyond a girl’s most recent weight; for each additional year of obesity exposure, girls could expect to increase their CRP in early adulthood by between .38 and .40 mg/L, depending on model. There was no evidence of impact of weight cycling factors on CRP early in adulthood. Results also suggested a mediated link between drive for thinness and CRP through numbers of attempts to lose weight and obesity exposure. Given these results, public health officials may consider alternative health behavior change interventions that discourage excessive focus on restrictive dieting. Conclusions, limitations and future directions are discussed.

Details
Author

Hardin, Abigail

Title

THE INFLUENCE OF WEIGHT CYCLING AND CHRONIC OBESITY EXPOSURE ON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION: A LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS

Physical Description

1 online resource (65 pages) : PDF

Date

2017

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Pediatric obesity is a growing public health concern while cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death among women. As a result, research is seeking to illuminate the links among obesity and chronic diseases in later life, and whether lifestyle modifications like diet and exercise interventions are effective. Yet, an excessive focus on diet may paradoxically contribute to morbidity risk through weight cycling and associated metabolic changes. The present study sought to investigate in what way weight cycling and chronic obesity may contribute to chronic disease trajectory in young girls and women. Results revealed that obesity exposure was a significant predictor of CRP above and beyond a girl’s most recent weight; for each additional year of obesity exposure, girls could expect to increase their CRP in early adulthood by between .38 and .40 mg/L, depending on model. There was no evidence of impact of weight cycling factors on CRP early in adulthood. Results also suggested a mediated link between drive for thinness and CRP through numbers of attempts to lose weight and obesity exposure. Given these results, public health officials may consider alternative health behavior change interventions that discourage excessive focus on restrictive dieting. Conclusions, limitations and future directions are discussed.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Psychology
Psychophysiology

Degree

Ph.D.

Keywords

Chronic Obesity
C-Reactive Protein
Weight Cycling

Subject Area

Health Psychology

Advisor(s)

Webb, Jennifer

Committee Members

Reeve, Charlie
Bennett, Jeanette
Coffman, Maren

Degree Note

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2017.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Hardin_uncc_0694D_11472

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:456