Compact for THE

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Obesity Prevention Center

FY 2006-07

Introduction

Description: AHC level 3 Center established in August 2004

Governance: Director: Robert Jeffery; Co-Directors: Simone French and Mary Story

Membership: 45 U of M faculty from 17 different units, 9 other members from the community

The compact between the Provost/Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and the Director of the Obesity Prevention Center (OPC) for 2006-07 includes the following:

  1. UNIT MISSION:

The goals of the Obesity Prevention Center are 1) to be a catalyst for efforts to obtain new extramural funding to support faculty initiated interdisciplinary research on obesity prevention, 2) to strengthen and expand obesity-related education programs at the University of Minnesota and 3) to work with community partners to reduce the obesity epidemic in Minnesota. Activities of the OPC are intended to support two of the President’s Interdisciplinary Academic Initiatives, the Initiative on Healthy Foods and Healthy Lives and the Initiative on Children, Youth, and Families.

  1. PERFORMANCE SCORECARD:

FY 07 presents the first opportunity for the OPC to participate in the combined compact and budget planning processes. Agreed upon performance measures have not been formally documented to date. Because funding for research provides the foundation for the financial success and academic accomplishments of the Center, we briefly summarize that here. The direct costs for extramural grants administered through the OPC in the past year have totaled $1,789,047. The Year 2 goal for measuring progress in OPC housed research grants for this year was $500,000 annual direct cost grant income. In addition, the OPC played a key role in the successful funding of several obesity related grants (described in section B.1.) that are not officially housed in the Center. The direct costs for these awards are in excess of $20,000,000. Thus, the Center has achieved its financial goals ahead of projections

C.UPDATE - STRATEGIC GOALS FROM 2005-06:

  1. Foster interdisciplinary research on obesity prevention.

Impact of Goal: Ii is believed that the University of Minnesota's ability to respond to the current opportunities and challenges presented by the obesity epidemic and to make the University of Minnesota a recognized national and international leader in the field has been enhanced by the presence of a visible entity dedicated to the study of obesity prevention in the Academic Health Center. The OPC has provided an organizational network for drawing together faculty and resources for creative interdisciplinary and innovative new research and education initiatives to address the new and challenging issues created by the population-wide obesity epidemic. Accomplishments in the last year are detailed below.

Initiatives to Achieve Goal:

Pilot Research

Through a competitive process, eight pilot research grants have been awarded from OPC funds to innovative projects that focus on understanding and responding to the public health crisis of obesity. Three of the awards went to projects housed in the School of Public Health and five were outside the School. The projects are multidisciplinary in approach and involve multi-unit participation. Recipients include:

  • Margaret Kersey, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics: Barriers and Facilitators to Prolonged and Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mexican Immigrant Mothers.
  • Simone French, Professor, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health: Weight Control Behaviors: Short-Term Effects on Body Weight, Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors, and Psychological Well-being.
  • Kevin Krizek, Assistant Professor, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs: An Observational Study of Physical Activity Along Phase II of the Minneapolis Greenway.
  • Jayne Fulkerson, Associate Professor, School of Nursing: The Family Mealtime Environment of Families with 8-10 Year Old Children
  • Lisa Harnack, Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health: Impact of Nutrition Labels on Fast Food Choices
  • Martha Kubik, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing: A Clinic-based Intervention Targeting Primary and Secondary Prevention of Childhood Obesity
  • Mark Muller, Director, Environment and Agriculture Program,Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy: Evaluation of Mini-Farmers' Markets to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Access and Consumption in Low-Income and Minority Communities
  • Melissa Stigler, Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health: The Epidemiology and Etiology of Obesity Among Youth in Urban India

Effects of Portion Size on Body Weight was a pilot project conducted to determine the effect of repeated exposure to a large portion meal (lunch) on total energy intake and body weight over a 10-week period. Collaborators included Drs. Carolyn Dunn and Robert Jeffery, from Epidemiology and Community Health, Allen Levine from Food Science and Nutrition, and Paul Pentel from Hennipen County Medical Center.

New Research Initiatives

Grants Administratively Housed in the OPC:

Examining the Obesity Epidemic through Youth, Families and Young Adults, is a Transdisciplinary Center grant awarded by the National Cancer Institute (funded 9/15/05 – 08/31/10 $11,031,236 direct). The purpose of the grant is to conduct transdisciplinary research, training, and outreach on obesity and cancer in youth, family, and young adults. The Center will address questions about the etiology, prevention, and treatment of obesity in youth and families, and explore biological pathways that may link obesity to cancer. The grant is directed by a multidisciplinary team including Drs. Simone French, Leslie Lytle, Katie Schmitz, Mindy Kurzer, and Robert Jeffery (PI) and involves 17 faculty from the School of Public Health and 9 faculty from 7 other departments.

A significant element of the TREC center grant is to fund developmental projects aimed at collecting preliminary data that could form the basis of future independent funding. Special emphasis is placed on developmental projects that support the careers of junior faculty. Projects funded under this mechanism are transdisciplinary in nature and compliment the themes of the TREC center, which are obesity and cancer in youth and families. Funding for five developmental projects has been awarded. The developmental project awards total $361,916.

  • Donald Dengel, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology:

Biological Determinants of Obesity in Teens

  • Maureen O’Dougherty, PhD, Research Associate, Department of Food Science and Nutrition: Social, Cultural and Contextual Dimensions of Young Women's Physical Activity
  • Mark Pereira, PhD, Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health: Validation of Internet-based Dietary Assessment
  • Andrea Plate, PhD, Post Doctoral Associate, Department of Food Science and Nutrition: Effects of Exercise on Breast Cancer Biomarkers in Nipple Aspirate Fluid
  • John Sirard, PhD, Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health: Physical Activity and Media in the Home Environment

Obesity Related Grants Involving Investigators from the OPC:

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Eating Research Initiative: Drs. Mary Story, Robert Jeffery and Leslie Lytle began development of a National Program Office for a 5-year, $16 million initiative focusing on policy, environment, and evidence-based research in childhood obesity prevention.

Minnesota Obesity Center (MNOC)

(PI – Allen Levine, Epidemiology and Intervention Core Director – Robert Jeffery)

NIH/NIDDK: Renewal funded 04/01/06 to 03/31/11 $4,870,760 direct

MNOC is an Obesity Nutrition Research Center with an overall mission to find ways to prevent weight gain, obesity and its complications. Center resources are organized into core facilities, which provide support for conducting research. The Epidemiology and Intervention Core, under the direction of Dr. Jeffery, provides services for epidemiological and behavioral intervention studies with an annual budget of approximately $100,000.

Modifiable Determinants of Weight Gain and Obesity Among College Students

(PI - Melissa Nelson, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Minnesota Medical Foundation: Funded 01/01/06 to 12/31/06 $24,973

This project will pilot test two survey tools designed to assess modifiable determinants of weight gain in undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota. The survey tools will be included as part of a larger research initiative to address major gaps in our knowledge of college-age obesity and develop effective intervention strategies aimed at preventing excess weight gain on college campuses.

Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME)

(PI – Jayne Fulkerson, School of Nursing)

NIH/NIDDK: Funded 03/15/06 to 02/28/08 $275,000

This research project involves parents in an intervention to prevent childhood obesity by encouraging regular and nutritionally sound meals in which families members eat together. The project builds on a previously funded OPC pilot grant.

Team COOL Pilot Study

(PI – Martha Kubik, School of Nursing)

NIH: Funded 10/1/2005-9/30/2007 $175,000 annual direct costs

The Team COOL exploratory study aims to develop and test the acceptability and feasibility of an innovative school-based intervention to prevent further weight gain and/or promote weight loss among a sample of ethnically and economically diverse adolescents attending alternative high schools.

Community Web Health Portal for Diabetes Prevention

(PI – Jennifer Linde, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health)

NIDDK/Subcontract to Princeton Multimedia Technologies Corporation

Funded 09/23/05 to 09/01/07 $32,108

This project is designed to develop and evaluate a comprehensive community health web portal to be used as a tool for weight control and diabetes prevention.

Etiology of Childhood Obesity: A Longitudinal Study

(PI – Leslie Lytle, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health)

NIH: Received Priority Score, Funding Requested $2,498,216

The purpose of this study is to examine the etiology of childhood obesity using a socio-ecological approach considering possible risk and protective factors at individual, family, school and neighborhood levels.

Guided Self-help for the Treatment of Childhood Obesity

(PI – Kerri Boutelle, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health)

NIH/NIDDK: Submitted 02/01/06, Funding Requested $200,000

This study will test the efficacy of a guided self-help method for treating childhood obesity with 40 families.

Pending OPC Grants Applications

Control of Hypertension and Obesity: Improving Clinical Effectiveness (CHOICE)

(PI - Robert Jeffery; Subcontract PI - Nancy Sherwood)

NIH: Funding requested $4,147,390

The goal of this project is to demonstrate that obesity and hypertension treatment strategies that have been successful in research settings can be integrated and effectively provided in routine clinical practice. The research project brings together experts in primary care, weight and hypertension management from the University of Minnesota and HealthPartners Research Foundation.

NOVEL Approaches to Weight Loss Maintenance

(Prime PI - Nancy Sherwood, Subcontract PI - Robert Jeffery)

NIH/HealthPartners Prime: Funding requested $101,135

This research will evaluate the efficacy of an innovative approach to promoting weight maintenance among recent weight losers

  1. Strengthen and expand obesity-related education programs.

Impact of Goal: A primary aim of the OPC is to contribute to the training and professional development of the next generation of obesity prevention researchers and practitioners. Through enhanced coursework, combined with interdisciplinary seminars and research, the Center strives for students and new investigators to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully address the obesity epidemic.

Initiatives to Achieve Goal:

Career Development Program:

A career development program has been implemented for junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and current doctoral students as part of the TREC center grant. The program will provide trainees with exposure to advanced methods and experimental approaches in transdisciplinary obesity and cancer related research and with the skills needed to pursue independent research careers in this area. Trainees will be able to establish a mentoring relationship with scientists of stature engaging in obesity and cancer research. To date, six investigators have been accepted into the two-year training program (Jennifer Linde, Melissa Nelson, Scott Shimotsu from Epidemiology and Community Health, Maureen O’Dougherty and Andrea Plate from Food Science and Nutrition, and Steve Stovitz from Medicine).

Expanded Coursework:

The PUBH 5075 Obesity and Eating Disorders course has been revised and will be offered beginning Fall 2006. Revisions to the course emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the etiology, treatment and prevention of obesity and eating disorders. The course will be structured over two semesters, expanded from its previous one semester format. It is also cross-listed in the departments of participating faculty. OPC plans to fund a portion of the faculty effort involved in teaching. Tuition recovery will be explored.

Research Seminar:

The OPC has organized a weekly obesity research seminar series. Attendees and presenters have included faculty and students from several academic units including the Medical School, Pediatrics, Nursing, Psychiatry, Psychology, Applied Economics, Epidemiology and Community Health, Humphrey Institute, Center for Urban Design, and HealthPartners Research Foundation.

Public Seminars:

The OPC co-sponsored a symposium, under the direction of Dr. French, titled "Do Obesity Prevention Interventions Cause Eating Disorders?” The symposium featured a panel of national and international experts aiming to provide an understanding of the health benefits and potential risks of promoting behaviors related to maintaining energy.

3.Develop a publicity and outreach strategy

Impact of Goal: The OPC has continued development of a publicity and outreach strategy to draw greater attention nationally and locally to the issue of obesity as an important and urgent public health problem and to the many resources available at the University of Minnesota to address it. The goal is a proactive strategy for speaking out on obesity related issues as well as developing resources that are of value in guiding individuals, health care professionals, and policy makers in adopting behaviors, treatment strategies and policies that will reduce prevalence of obesity in the community.

Initiatives to Achieve Goal:

Access to Healthy Foods in Minneapolis Urban Communities was a symposium co-sponsored by the Obesity Prevention Center on March 28, 2006. Dr. French received a grant from the University of Minnesota Office of Public Engagement for the event. The program focused on bringing together University researchers and community leaders to identify and discuss issues related to healthy food access in lower income Minneapolis communities. A goal of the symposium was to better understand the community, business, economic and food policy issues that influence food access, and to identify potential leverage points for policy changes at community and state levels. The symposium was designed to contribute to the University of Minnesota’s broader efforts with community and other business groups to address the educational and healthcare needs of Minneapolis's Northside community.

The OPC has attempted to raise public awareness about the epidemic of obesity and obesity prevention research findings through press releases and other efforts with the media. For example, the Northside symposium was featured during a local television news broadcast and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Eating Research Initiative was covered in several regional newspapers.

Two pilot research projects that were funded through the OPC include significant community outreach components.

  • A Clinic-based Intervention Targeting Primary and Secondary Prevention of Childhood Obesity (PI – Martha Kubik) is a pilot study being conducted in partnership with Allina to develop, implement and evaluate a clinic-based BMI measurement and behavioral counseling intervention to increase health provider assessment of annual BMI in children and delivery of targeted behavioral counseling to parents and children.
  • Evaluation of Mini-Farmers' Markets to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Access and Consumption in Low-Income and Minority Communities (PI - Mark Muller) is a study to assess the impact that farmers’ markets within the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis will have on fruit and vegetables consumption in a cohort of community members.

Allina Hospitals and Clinics will be hosting a child obesity summit on October 6, 2006 to bring together statewide stakeholders addressing the problem. The OPC has begun to provide input on the agenda and will provide financial support for the event.

International Collaborations:

With the worldwide incidence of obesity increasing, OPC members have also begun to develop collaborations with international investigators. The Center’s international ties include work with Dr. David Crawford at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia and Dr. K. Srinath Reddy from the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Possible international collaborations have also been discussed with Drs. Jasjit Ahluwalia from the Department of Medicine and Harsohena Kaur from the Department of Pediatrics.

Website:

The OPCweb site was expanded to include more information about the Center and it’s membership, current obesity research, educational opportunities, and a variety of resources, including statistics and recorded oral presentations. The site also provides information to investigators, media, job seekers, and research subjects,

The OPC has continued to provide consultation to the Steps to a Healthier Minneapolis Community Consortium, established through an initiative of the Center for Disease Control and a federal grant awarded to the MDH and the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, Willmar, and Rochester.

  1. Staffing Summary:

The School of Public Health provided initial financial support for the OPC to recruit a non-tenure-track Assistant Professor for an academic research position and a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor for research and teaching in the area of obesity prevention. A second research faculty position was made available through funding from new research initiatives in Center. Drs. Jennifer Linde, Melissa Nelson and John Sirard have joined the University of Minnesota faculty in the past year with OPC financial support. All three have their academic home in the School of Public Health. Discussions are underway with HealthPartners Research Foundation regarding creating a joint faculty position with the OPC. This position would increase opportunities for obesity prevention research in a healthcare delivery setting.

D.NEW STRATEGIC GOALS:

The overall goals of the Obesity Prevention Center related to research, teaching, and outreach will remain unchanged for the coming year. Following are the proposed initiatives directed toward the achievement of these goals.