Faculty Research
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Lora Burke, PhD, RN, MPH
| Department: |
Health & Community Systems |
| Location: |
415 Victoria Building |
| Email: |
lbu100@pitt.edu |
| Phone: |
412/624-2305 |
Keywords:
- Behavioral Interventions,
- Lifestyle (diet/exercise) to Prevent
Cardiovascular Disease
Current Funded Research:
Burke, L. E.
05/01/01 - 04/30/2009
NIH/NIDDK
Treatment Preference and
Vegetarian Diet in Weight Loss
Obesity, a chronic disorder affecting one third of the U.S.
adult population, is the second leading cause of preventable
death and a major contributor to increased health care costs.
Even a modest weight loss can ameliorate complications and
improve longevity. Although behavioral weight loss treatment
results in good short-term success, it is followed by an extremely
high rate of recidivism.
The primary aim of the present study is to promote long-term
weight loss by focusing on the use of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian
(LOV) eating plan as a dietary strategy and also on the role
of treatment preference. Clinical studies have shown that
vegetarian eating plans can be followed for sustained periods
and can produce significant and sustained weight loss as well
as numerous health benefits. Pilot data showed that a vegetarian
plan leads to acceptable weight loss. There is also evidence
to suggest that use of treatment preference leads to improved
adherence and reduced attrition. The proposed study will test
if giving participants their preference in treatment will
improve long-term weight loss. Preference will be crossed
with two treatment options: standard behavioral treatment
(SBT) and standard behavioral treatment + lacto-ovo-vegetarian
eating plan (SBT + LOV). Participants (N = 168) will be randomized
to 1 of 2 conditions: Treatment Preference-Yes/No. Individuals
with Preference-Yes will be assigned to their treatment choice,
those in Preference-No will be randomized to 1 of 2 treatment
conditions: SBT or SBT + LOV. All subjects will receive treatment
for 12 months and will complete assessments at baseline, 6,
12, and 18 months. The primary aim will test the interaction
between treatment assignment and treatment preference and
its effect on the primary outcome, weight change from baseline
to 18 months. Secondary outcomes include adherence and serum
lipids.
This study represents an innovative approach to a serious
issue, the failure of long-term weight loss. It will provide
important information about the efficacy of a vegetarian eating
plan in the treatment of obesity, and will address the criticism
of vegetarian studies that suggest that patient self-selection
is a critical factor in their reported successful outcomes.
Additionally, the study will provide information on the role
of treatment preference, its effect on behavioral and clinical
outcomes, and participants' characteristics by treatment preference.
Burke, L. E.
09/15/05-06/30/10
NIH/NIDDK
Improving Self-Monitoring in Weight Loss with Technology
The prevalence of obesity, a major chronic health problem
that is an independent risk factor for coronary heart
disease (CHD), continues to increase at an alarming rate.
Although weight control research has significantly improved
short-term treatment success, long-term weight loss
maintenance has lagged behind. Research has demonstrated a
consistent relationship between self-monitoring eating and
physical activity habits ands success in weight loss as well
as in maintenance of weight loss.
However, the methods primarily used for self-monitoring
continue to be the paper diary (PC), which is time consuming
and burdensome. Moreover, PDs do not permit immediate
external feedback to support and motivate the individual.
Emerging technologies could improve self-monitoring and
weight loss treatment. However, the use of these
technological advances, such as a personal digital assistant
(PDA), has not been studied in weight loss treatment.
The primary aim of this behavioral weight loss treatment
study is to determine if self-monitoring of daily eating and
physical activity habits using a PDA, with or without a
tailored feedback intervention, is superior to using a PD in
terms of promoting and maintaining short- and long-term
weight loss. Secondary aims include comparing the effect of
treatment group assignment on adherence to self-monitoring
and on risk factors for CHD (lipids, glucose, insulin,
C-reactive protein). We propose to enroll 198 subjects and
randomize them to one of three treatment groups that will
use different methods to self-monitoring eating and physical
activity habits: (1) use of traditional PD with delayed
written feedback, (2) use of a PDA with limited feedback on
daily targets, or (3) use of a PDA with limited feedback on
daily targets plus receive daily, subject-tailored messages
via the PDA. The proposed study includes prolonged (24
months) supervision of self-management with three important
components: self-monitoring, feedback, and ongoing contact.
Subjects will complete assessments at baseline, 6, 12, 18,
and 24 months. This innovative study will provide
information on the efficacy of combining technological
advances with proven behavioral strategies.
Burke, L. E.
07/01/2006 - 06/30/2009
NIH/NINR
Long-term Changes in Weight and Adipokines and the Associations with Genetic Variance
The study’s three aims are: 1) describe the patterns of weight loss and regain from baseline to 24 months and their effect on insulin resistance (plasma insulin), adipokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6, adiponectin, IL-10), and ghrelin and leptin; 2) describe the behaviors related to energy intake and energy expenditure and explore their temporal associations with weight loss and weight gain; and 3) explore whether variation in genes implicated in weight change are related to change in serum level of adipokines and to the behaviors related to weight loss and regain
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