Publications by authors named "Courtney K Pickworth"

Introduction: Lumbosacral radiculopathy (LR), also known as sciatica, is a common type of radiating neurologic pain involving burning, tingling, and numbness in the lower extremities. It has an estimated lifetime prevalence as high as 43%.

Objectives: The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the impact of virtually delivered Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) on patients with LR during the COVID-19 pandemic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Lumbosacral radiculopathy/radiculitis (LR) or "sciatica" is a commonly intractable sequelae of chronic low back pain (LBP), and challenges in the treatment of LR indicate that persistent pain may have both mechanical and neuropathic origins. Mindfulness-based interventions have been demonstrated to be effective tools in mitigating self-reported pain in LBP patients. This paper describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effects of the specific mindfulness-based intervention Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) on LR symptoms and sequelae, including mental health and physical function.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The specific aims are: 1) To characterize the health, wellness, and lifestyle of graduate and undergraduate students, and how these characteristics change over time; 2) To evaluate associations between lifestyle factors and gut microbiota populations and diversity; and 3) To evaluate associations between stress and stress management practices with sleep habits, quality of life, and overall health. The International Cohort on Lifestyle Determinants of Health (INCLD Health) longitudinal cohort study is designed to assess health behaviors and lifestyle practices amongst adults studying complementary and integrative health (CIH) and higher-education students more generally after at least one to six years of exposure to CIH education. INCLD Health will adhere to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), linked to systemic inflammation, are associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular events, yet few studies explore dietary changes as a treatment option.
  • - A systematic review analyzed randomized controlled trials from 2000 to 2017, focusing on the connection between different dietary patterns and hsCRP levels, identifying 56 relevant studies for in-depth review.
  • - Various dietary patterns, such as Mediterranean and DASH diets, show potential in reducing hsCRP, but the overall quality and results of studies remain inconsistent, suggesting a need for more research in this area.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background/aims: Animal studies suggest that leptin may adversely affect bone mineral density (BMD). Clinical studies have yielded conflicting results. We therefore investigated associations between leptin and bone parameters in children.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Loss of control (LOC) eating in youth is associated with excess body weight and adiposity. After adjusting for fat mass, youth with LOC eating have higher blood pressure and higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to youth without LOC eating. Increased inflammation may account for this relationship, although few data have examined this hypothesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Prospective data suggest depressive symptoms worsen insulin resistance and accelerate type 2 diabetes (T2D) onset.

Purpose: We sought to determine whether reducing depressive symptoms in overweight/obese adolescents at risk for T2D would increase insulin sensitivity and mitigate T2D risk.

Method: We conducted a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial comparing a 6-week cognitive-behavioral (CB) depression prevention group with a 6-week health education (HE) control group in 119 overweight/obese adolescent girls with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale [CES-D] ≥16) and T2D family history.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is aimed at improving negative affect that is purported to contribute to the development and maintenance of loss-of-control (LOC) eating. Although youth who report LOC over eating tend to consume more snack-foods than those without LOC, it is unknown if IPT impacts objective energy intake.

Methods: To test if IPT improves mood and eating in the laboratory, we examined a sample of 88 girls with LOC eating who were randomized to either IPT (n = 46) or a standard-of-care health education (HE) group program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Extant research indicates that some of the comorbidities associated with adult obesity may be adversely affected by the stress resulting from negative body image and weight-related stigma. This study examined the association between weight-related pressure and insulin sensitivity in adolescents, who are vulnerable to both weight-based teasing and the onset of metabolic dysregulation.

Methods: Participants were 215 adolescent healthy volunteers (55% female; 59% white; 35% overweight/obese; mean ± standard deviation age = 15.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Adults with binge eating disorder may have an exaggerated or blunted cortisol response to stress. Yet, limited data exist among youth who report loss of control (LOC) eating, a developmental precursor to binge eating disorder.

Methods: We studied cortisol reactivity among 178 healthy adolescents with and without LOC eating.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Preliminary data in adults suggest that binge eating is associated with greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components. However, there are limited data in youth, and little is known of the role of binge episode size in these relationships.

Methods: We examined the relationship between loss of control eating and metabolic characteristics in a convenience sample of 329 treatment-seeking and non-treatment-seeking adolescent boys and girls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship of dispositional mindfulness to binge eating and associated eating attitudes and behaviors among adolescent girls at risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Participants were 114 overweight or obese adolescents enrolled in a study of girls with a family history of T2D and mild depressive symptoms. Adolescent self-reports of mindfulness, eating in the absence of hunger, and depressive symptoms were collected.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) refers to the consumption of palatable foods in a sated state. It has been proposed that EAH promotes excess weight gain in youth; yet there are limited prospective data to support this hypothesis. We examined whether EAH at baseline predicted increases in body mass (BMI and BMIz) and fat mass (kg) 1 year later among adolescent boys and girls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Limited data suggest that the children of U.S. service members may be at increased risk for disordered-eating.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Data suggest that depressed affect and dietary restraint are related to disinhibited eating patterns in children and adults. Yet, experimental research has not determined to what extent depressed affect acutely affects eating in the absence of physiological hunger (EAH) in adolescents. In the current between-subjects experimental study, we measured EAH in 182 adolescent (13-17 y) girls (65%) and boys as ad libitum palatable snack food intake after youth ate to satiety from a buffet meal.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF