Nazrat Mirza - US grants

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by Applicant): [unreadable] The applicant is a pediatrician with a doctorate in public health, who holds primary appointments at the Children's National Medical Center and the George Washington University. Dr. Mirza has extensive clinical experience in pediatrics and public health nutrition in underserved populations. This award will enable her to obtain the training and mentoring to become an independent clinical investigator in the area of childhood obesity. The educational plan includes didactic courses to enhance Dr. Mirza's analytical capabilities, as well as a deeper understanding of the molecular and biological aspects of childhood obesity and its complications. The research project will enable Dr. Mirza to develop skills in intervention methodology and project management, and also provide her with hands-on experience in family-based nutrition interventions. Overweight is highly prevalent among Hispanic children in the U.S., and is commonly accompanied by insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia in children with a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Low-glycemic load (GL) diets have been proposed to reduce hyperinsulinemia and body weight in children. However, it is unknown if reducing GL in Hispanic American children will improve insulin sensitivity or reduce overweight. The objectives of the research project are to compare the short- and long-term effects of a low-GL versus a low-fat diet on insulin sensitivity, body composition, and markers of metabolic risk in overweight Hispanic-American children at risk for T2DM. The hypothesis is that consumption of a low-GL diet will result in greater improvement in insulin sensitivity, greater decrease in BMI z-score and body fat, and a higher reduction in metabolic risk factors and inflammatory response compared to a low-fat diet. 84 children age 7-14y with BMI>95th percentile and at-risk for T2DM will be randomly assigned either to a low-GL or a low-fat dietary plan for 2y. Subjects will also participate in a culturally competent, family-based intervention program which includes behavior modification and enhanced physical activity. Changes in insulin sensitivity, BMI z-score, body fat, and aspects of the metabolic syndrome in the two dietary groups will be compared. Successful interventions to prevent the onset of T2DM are urgently needed for at-risk minority youth. Through this career development award, Dr. Mirza expects to become established as an independent investigator and a leader in pediatric obesity and clinical nutrition. [unreadable] [unreadable]

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Obesity is on the rise in America among all ages and all populations. Healthy People 2010 identified obesity as one of the ten leading health indicators for the U.S. This is of concern not only because of immediate health consequences associated with obesity, but also because obesity in childhood can lead to development of adverse metabolic consequences in adulthood. The goal of the FitFamily program is to treat and prevent childhood obesity by promoting healthy dietary choices and eating habits, increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behavior, and improving parenting skills. FitFamily is a collaborative program between the FBR Branch of the Boys &Girls Club of Greater Washington and Children's National Medical Center targeted to children ages 6 through 18 years and their families. This two-year program will be delivered in three phases. In phase 1, the children and their families will participate in weekly sessions for 10 weeks, then once a month in phase 2, and once every 3 months in phase 3. Parents and children will have separate group sessions at every meeting. The sessions will be on nutrition and dietary education and fitness education for both parents and children. The FitFamily program will also include hands-on demonstrations in nutrition. Parents will also participate in parenting group sessions that are specifically designed to empower parents to assist their children regarding weight control. At each visit children and parents will set and contract their own food and activity goals. The effectiveness of the FitFamily program will be assessed using several outcome measures including changes in nutrition, physical activity, and parenting knowledge;changes in dietary, physical activity and sedentary behavior;and changes in body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness.