Obesity Research and Programs at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 55; no. 9; pp. 917 - 920
• Main Authors: Simons-Morton, Denise G., MD, PhD, Donato, Karen, SM, Loria, Catherine M., PhD, Pratt, Charlotte A., PhD, Ershow, Abby G., ScD, Morrissette, Meredith A., MPH, Czajkowski, Susan, PhD, Arteaga, S. Sonia, PhD, Obarzanek, Eva, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 02.03.2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research - methods; body weight; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Children & youth; effectiveness; efficacy; epidemiology; Humans; Internal Medicine; mechanistic research; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Morbidity - trends; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.) - trends; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - therapy; Program Evaluation; Studies; translation; United States - epidemiology; Weight control; United States; body weight; effectiveness; epidemiology; mechanistic research; translation; obesity; efficacy; Heart; Biological fluid; Obesity; Research program; Lung; Nutrition disorder; Circulatory system; Cardiology; Nutritional status; Blood
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2009.09.058

A new effort is funding translational research from basic behavioral and social sciences to improve understanding of obesity-related behaviors and inform development of promising new intervention approaches. Because accurate data on diet and physical activity are essential for understanding energy balance and gene-environment interactions, the NHLBI also supports bioengineering-oriented and technology research for novel methods and devices to improve assessment of food intake and energy expenditure as well as body composition, tissue lipid content, and metabolic status. In youth, the DISC (Dietary Intervention Study in Children) found that a dietary intervention focusing on dietary fat modification can be safe through the peripubertal period and can significantly but modestly reduced elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels over a period of 3 years (18).