Melinda R. Stolley

Bio: Melinda R. Stolley is an academic researcher from Medical College of Wisconsin. The author has contributed to research in topics: Breast cancer & Population. The author has an hindex of 30, co-authored 78 publications receiving 3544 citations. Previous affiliations of Melinda R. Stolley include Northwestern University & University of Illinois at Chicago.

Obese people who seek treatment have different characteristics than those who do not seek treatment

Abstract: A group of obese people who had not sought treatment, an obese group who had sought treatment in a professional, hospital-based program, and normal-weight controls (N = 547) were compared in regard to level of psychopathology, binge eating, and negative emotional eating. Because the groups differed significantly on several demographic variables, 3 demographically matched groups were created and compared (n = 177, 59 per group). In the matched subgroups, obese people who had sought treatment reported greater psychopathology and more binge eating than did those who had not sought treatment or did normal-weight controls. Both obese groups (including those who had not sought treatment) endorsed more symptoms of distress, negative emotional eating, overeating, difficulty resisting temptation, and less exercise than did normal-weight controls.

Mobile phone text messaging to promote healthy behaviors and weight loss maintenance: a feasibility study.

Abstract: There is a need to investigate newer strategies pertaining to the maintenance of healthy behaviors and weight We investigated the feasibility of mobile phone text messaging to enable ongoing communication with African-American women participating in a weight management program Ninety-five African-American women participated in this pilot study and received regularly scheduled text messages Forty-two of these women chose to create 165 personal text messages that included tips on healthy eating and physical activity, as well as reminders to drink water and expressions of encouragement A commercially available client-based application transmitted these personal messages and general health messages at least three times per week The software transmitted over 4,500 text messages during the first four months with 114 returned as undeliverable Participants expressed generally positive attitudes toward incoming text messages, with only one participant declining to continue after enrollment This study demonstrated early feasibility and acceptability of text messaging as a method for promoting healthy behaviors for weight maintenance

Hip-Hop to Health Jr. for Latino Preschool Children

Abstract: Objective: Hip-Hop to Health Jr. was a diet/physical activity intervention designed to reduce gains in BMI (kilograms per meter squared) in preschool minority children. Research Methods and Procedures: Twelve predominantly Latino Head Start centers participated in a group-randomized trial conducted between Fall 2001 and Winter 2003. Six centers were randomized to a culturally proficient 14-week (three times weekly) diet/physical activity intervention. Parents participated by completing weekly homework assignments. The children in the other six centers received a general health intervention that did not address either diet or physical activity. The primary outcome was change in BMI, and secondary outcomes were changes in dietary intake and physical activity. Measures were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at Years 1 and 2 follow-up. Results: There were no significant differences between intervention and control schools in either primary or secondary outcomes at post-intervention, Year 1, or Year 2 follow-ups. Discussion: When Hip-Hop to Health Jr. was conducted in predominantly black Head Start centers, it was effective in reducing subsequent increases in BMI in preschool children. In contrast, when the program was conducted in Latino centers, it was not effective. Although the intervention did not prevent excessive weight gain in Latino children, it was very well received. Future interventions with this population may require further cultural tailoring and a more robust parent intervention.

Hip-Hop to Health Jr. Obesity Prevention Effectiveness Trial: postintervention results.

Abstract: The preschool years offer an opportunity to interrupt the trajectory toward obesity in black children. The Hip-Hop to Health Jr. Obesity Prevention Effectiveness Trial was a group-randomized controlled trial assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of a teacher-delivered weight control intervention for black preschool children. The 618 participating children were enrolled in 18 schools administered by the Chicago Public Schools. Children enrolled in the nine schools randomized to the intervention group received a 14-week weight control intervention delivered by their classroom teachers. Children in the nine control schools received a general health intervention. Height and weight, physical activity, screen time, and diet data were collected at baseline and postintervention. At postintervention, children in the intervention schools engaged in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than children in the control schools (difference between adjusted group means = 7.46 min/day, P = 0.02). Also, children in the intervention group had less total screen time (-27.8 min/day, P = 0.05). There were no significant differences in BMI, BMI Z score, or dietary intake. It is feasible to adapt an obesity prevention program to be taught by classroom teachers. The intervention showed positive influences on physical activity and screen time, but not on diet. Measuring diet and physical activity in preschool children remains a challenge, and interventions delivered by classroom teachers require both intensive initial training and ongoing individualized supervision.

Vitamin D deficiency.

Abstract: admission. This proportion could already be greater in some parts of the country and may increase if referrals of cases of self-poisoning increase faster than the facilities for their assessment and management. The provision of social work and psychiatric expertise in casualty departments may be one means of preventing unnecessary medical admissions without risk to the patients. Dr Blake's and Dr Bramble's figures do not demonstrate, however, that any advantage would attach to medical teams taking over assessment from psychiatrists except that, by implication, assessments would be completed sooner by staff working on the ward full time. What the figures actually suggest is that if assessment of overdoses were left to house doctors there would be an increase in admissions to psychiatric units (by 19°U), outpatients (by 5O°'), and referrals to social services (by 140o). So for house doctors to assess overdoses would provide no economy for the psychiatric or social services. The study does not tell us what the consequences would have been for the six patients who the psychiatrists would have admitted but to whom the house doctors would have offered outpatient appointments. E J SALTER

2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and The Obesity Society

Abstract: Harmon S. Jordan, ScD, Karima A. Kendall, PhD, Linda J. Lux, Roycelynn Mentor-Marcel, PhD, MPH, Laura C. Morgan, MA, Michael G. Trisolini, PhD, MBA, Janusz Wnek, PhD Jeffrey L. Anderson, MD, FACC, FAHA, Chair , Jonathan L. Halperin, MD, FACC, FAHA, Chair-Elect , Nancy M. Albert, PhD, CCNS, CCRN,

Interventions for preventing obesity in children

Abstract: The current evidence suggests that many diet and exercise interventions to prevent obesity in children are not effective in preventing weight gain, but can be effective in promoting a healthy diet and increased physical activity levels.Being very overweight (obese) can cause health, psychological and social problems for children. Children who are obese are more likely to have weight and health problems as adults. Programmes designed to prevent obesity focus on modifying one or more of the factors considered to promote obesity.This review included 22 studies that tested a variety of intervention programmes, which involved increased physical activity and dietary changes, singly or in combination. Participants were under 18 and living in Asia, South America, Europe or North America. There is not enough evidence from trials to prove that any one particular programme can prevent obesity in children, although comprehensive strategies to address dietary and physical activity change, together with psycho-social support and environmental change may help. There was a trend for newer interventions to involve their respective communities and to include evaluations.Future research might usefully assess changes made on behalf of entire populations, such as improvements in the types of foods available at schools and in the availability of safe places to run and play, and should assess health effects and costs over several years.The programmes in this review used different strategies to prevent obesity so direct comparisons were difficult. Also, the duration of the studies ranged from 12 weeks to three years, but most lasted less than a year.

Literacy and health outcomes

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To review the relationship between literacy and health outcomes DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS), Industrial and Labor Relations Review (ILLR), PsychInfo, and Ageline from 1980 to 2003 STUDY SELECTION: We included observational studies that reported original data, measured literacy with any valid instrument, and measured one or more health outcomes Two abstractors reviewed each study for inclusion and resolved disagreements by discussion DATA EXTRACTION: One reviewer abstracted data from each article into an evidence table; the second reviewer checked each entry The whole study team reconciled disagreements about information in evidence tables Both data extractors independently completed an 11-item quality scale for each article; scores were averaged to give a final measure of article quality DATA SYNTHESIS: We reviewed 3,015 titles and abstracts and pulled 684 articles for full review; 73 articles met inclusion criteria and, of those, 44 addressed the questions of this report Patients with low literacy had poorer health outcomes, including knowledge, intermediate disease markers, measures of morbidity, general health status, and use of health resources Patients with low literacy were generally 15 to 3 times more likely to experience a given poor outcome The average quality of the articles was fair to good Most studies were cross-sectional in design; many failed to address adequately confounding and the use of multiple comparisons CONCLUSIONS: Low literacy is associated with several adverse health outcomes Future research, using more rigorous methods, will better define these relationships and guide developers of new interventions