Background: The number of women entering pregnancy with overweight or obesity is increasing. This can increase the risk for excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) which is associated with health complications for mother and baby. There are limited evidence-based interventions within antenatal care settings to encourage healthy eating and physical activity behaviours and support women with managing GWG.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ Open
October 2023
Dementia is a major public health challenge owing to its increasing prevalence and recognised impact on disability among older adults. Observational data indicate that weight loss is associated with increased dementia risk of 30%-40% and precedes a diagnosis of cognitive impairment or dementia by at least one decade. Although relatively little is known about the mechanisms of unintentional weight loss in dementia, this provides a window of opportunity to intervene with strategies to counteract undernutrition and delay, or prevent, the onset of dementia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDementia is a complex, growing challenge for population health worldwide. Dietary patterns (DPs) may offer an opportunity to beneficially influence cognitive ageing and potentially reduce an individuals' risk of dementia through diet-related mechanisms. However, previous studies within this area have shown mixed results, which may be partly explained by the lack of sensitivity and accuracy within cognitive testing methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a peer support intervention to encourage adoption and maintenance of a Mediterranean diet (MD) in community groups where existing social support may assist the behaviour change process. Four established community groups with members at increased Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk and homogenous in gender were recruited and randomised to receive either a 12-month Peer Support (PS) intervention (PSG) ( 2) or a Minimal Support intervention (educational materials only) (MSG) ( 2). The feasibility of the intervention was assessed using recruitment and retention rates, assessing the variability of outcome measures (primary outcome: adoption of an MD at 6 months (using a Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS)) and process evaluation measures including qualitative interviews.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: While Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is encouraged throughout the research process, engagement is typically limited to intervention design and post-analysis stages. There are few approaches to participatory data analyses within complex health interventions.
Methods: Using qualitative data from a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), this proof-of-concept study tests the value of a new approach to participatory data analysis called Participatory Theme Elicitation (PTE).
Background: Statin use after colorectal cancer diagnosis may improve survival but evidence from observational studies is conflicting. The anti-cancer effect of statins may be restricted to certain molecular subgroups. In this population-based cohort study, the interaction between p53 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase (HMGCR) expression, KRAS mutations, and the association between statin use and colon cancer survival was assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The association between aspirin use and improved survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis may be more pronounced in tumors that have PIK3CA mutations or high PTGS2 expression. However, the evidence of a difference in association by biomarker status lacks consistency. In this population-based colon cancer cohort study the interaction between these biomarkers, aspirin use, and survival was assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Both morphological and molecular approaches have highlighted the biological and prognostic importance of the tumour microenvironment in colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite this, microscopic assessment of the tumour microenvironment has not been adopted into routine practice. The study aim was to identify those tumour microenvironmental features that are most likely to provide prognostic information and be feasible to use in routine pathology reporting practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCochrane Database Syst Rev
August 2016
Background: It is estimated that up to 75% of cancer survivors may experience cognitive impairment as a result of cancer treatment and given the increasing size of the cancer survivor population, the number of affected people is set to rise considerably in coming years. There is a need, therefore, to identify effective, non-pharmacological interventions for maintaining cognitive function or ameliorating cognitive impairment among people with a previous cancer diagnosis.
Objectives: To evaluate the cognitive effects, non-cognitive effects, duration and safety of non-pharmacological interventions among cancer patients targeted at maintaining cognitive function or ameliorating cognitive impairment as a result of cancer or receipt of systemic cancer treatment (i.
Purpose: Treatment of prostate cancer with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is associated with an increased fat mass, decreased lean mass, increased fatigue and a reduction in quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 6-month dietary and physical activity intervention for prostate cancer patients receiving ADT, to help minimise these side effects.
Methods: Patients (n = 94) were recruited to this study if they were planned to receive ADT for prostate cancer for at least 6 months.
Background: Treatment with Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer is associated with changes in body composition including increased fat and decreased lean mass; increased fatigue, and a reduction in quality of life. No study to date has evaluated the effect of dietary and physical activity modification on the side-effects related to ADT. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a 6-month dietary and physical activity intervention for prostate cancer survivors receiving ADT to minimise the changes in body composition, fatigue and quality of life, typically associated with ADT.
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