A Data Science approach to behavioural change: large scale interventions on physical activity and weight loss

This PhD thesis is a quantitative investigation combining Behaviour Change Science with a Data Science approach in search of more effective large scale, multi-component behavioural interventions for health and well-being. There is limited evidence about how technology-based interventions (including those using wearable physical activity monitors and apps) are efficacious for increasing physical activity and nutrition. The relevance of this research is the systematic approach to overcome previous studies’ limitations in method and measurement: restricted research about multi-component interventions, limited analysis about the impact of social networking, the inclusion of components without sufficient evidence about the components’ effectiveness, the absence of a control group(s), small sample sizes, subjective physical activity reporting, among other limitations. The research was done in conjunction with Tictrac Ltd as the industrial partner, and the UCL Centre for Behaviour Change. Tictrac Ltd builds platforms for the collection and aggregation of personal data generated by the users’ devices and mobile apps. The collaboration with the UCL Centre for Behaviour Change has been instrumental to design, implement, evaluate and analyse behaviour change interventions that impact wellbeing and health. The thesis comprises three areas of research: 1. Computational platforms for large scale behavioural interventions. To support this research, computational platforms were designed, built, deployed and used for randomised behavioural interventions with control groups. The interventions were implemented as experiments related to the behavioural impact on physical activity, weight loss and change in diet. / 2. Behaviour change experiments. The two experiments use the Behaviour Change Wheel framework for behaviour change, intervention design and evaluation. A Data Science approach was used to test hypotheses, determine and quantify the effect of the fundamental intervention components and their interactions. The effective use of tracking devices and apps was determined by comparing the results of ‘structured intervention’ –vs- those of the control group. / Experiment 1: Large scale intervention in a corporate wellness setting. Multi-component behavioural intervention with: control group, self-defined goals, choice architecture and personal dashboards for physical activity and weight loss. The analysis covers network effects of social interactions, the role of being explicit about a type of goal, the impact of making part of team, among other relevant outcomes. / Experiment 2: Identification of critical factors of a technology-based intervention. Multi-component behavioural intervention with simultaneous target behaviours related to weight loss and physical activity, inspired by factorial design for the determination of critical factors and effective components. The analysis comprises: components’ interactions (coach, challenge, team, action plans, forum), non-linear relationships (BMI, change in diet habit), five personality traits, among other relevant results. / 3. Frameworks for future large scale interventions in behaviour change. The implementation of both experiments required an applied use of theoretical and practical principles for the design of the experimental computational platforms. As a result, two frameworks were suggested for future interventions: an implementation framework and a data strategy framework

What do they eat? A survey of eat-out habit of university students in Taiwan

[EN] Main purpose of this research is trying to understand food likeliness of Taiwan college students, and probe whether these food are healthy. Three survey steps are taken as: step 1, market survey for what kind of foods are selling around the campuses; step 2, questionnaire investigation for students food preference; step 3, analyzing whether these favorite foods are healthy or not. The result shows: major consideration for students food selection are “taste” and “price”; 63% of students are taking food or snacks late at night at least once a week. Top three most favorite foods are: Taiwanese fries (yan su ji), carbon grilled chicken and fried fish steaks. Quantities of these foods are small, prices are low, and easy access from roadside food stands. Problems of them are high calories, easy to accumulate free radical in human body, plus insanitary food processing environment. They are harmful to student health. We suggest Taiwan government take it seriouslyShih, K.; Wang, M.; Shih, H.; Lee, S.; Lin, T. (2020). What do they eat? A survey of eat-out habit of university students in Taiwan. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 421-430. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2019.2019.10562OCS42143

Dietary lipid effects on platelet metabolism

Increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) has been associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in man. Platelets have been theorized to play a role in the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Two rat feeding studies are reported delineating the effect of feeding diets constant in fat and cholesterol content, and differing in the FA composition of the fat fed, on platelet metabolism. A survey of young men consuming self-selected diets with the same measures determined is also reported;The first study reports the effects of feeding rats diets providing 30% of Kcal (en%) as fat (beef tallow and corn oil) and 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, or 7.5 en% linoleate with exogenous cholesterol added as required to provide equal cholesterol content in all diets, on platelet FA and cytosolic free ionized calcium ((Ca[superscript]++][subscript] i) regulation of thromboxane synthesis (TX). The percentage linoleate in platelet FA rose linearly with increasing dietary linoleate. No measure of (Ca[superscript]++][subscript] i or TX was changed by differing dietary linoleate; indicating that the platelet FA composition changes effected by these diets did not change regulation of (Ca[superscript]++][subscript] i of TX;The second study reports the effects of feeding diets similar to those fed in the first study, with the addition of a diet providing 9.0 en% linoleate, on platelet FA, net phospholipase A[subscript]2 activity (PLA), and TX. The linoleate in platelet FA rose with dietary linoleate. PLA and TX decreased as en% dietary linoleate rose from 4.5-9.0. The concomitant changes in PLA and TX suggest that membrane FA composition controls PLA and TX, when diets provide from 4.5-9.0 en linoleate;A survey of 20 to 34 year old male humans consuming self-selected diets used three 24-hour food intake records to determine the usual fat and linoleate intakes. Data were grouped by linoleate intake into low (2.5-5.0 en%, LL), medium (5.0-8.0 en%, ML), and high (8.0-11.1 en%, HL) linoleate intake groups. Platelet (Ca[superscript]++][subscript] i, FA, PLA, and TX were measured. The LL group had lower platelet linoleate percentages than the ML and HL groups, which were not different from each other. Platelet linoleate was correlated with dietary linoleate from 2.5-8.0 en%; there was no correlation when dietary linoleate was greater than 8.0 en%. No differences in platelet (Ca[superscript]++][subscript] i or PLA were found due to dietary linoleate grouping. Platelet TX was lowest in the ML group. PLA and TX were lower than the same measures in rat platelets, although a correlation between the two was found, as in rats. Regulation of PLA and TX in humans is different from that in rats. Medium linoleate intake (5-8 en%) is recommended to promote lower TX

South Dakota Farm and Home Research

Director’s Comment: When you count up the organizations to which you belong, do you forget one? [p] 2 The mouse connection:Heredity, diet, habit are intertwined with obesity. Its secret is starting to unravel [p] 3The ‘Norbeck experience: after 20 years Norbeck Station closes interseeded pastures still going strong [p] 6‘South’ doesn’t apply: South Dakota is far north when it comes to large mouth stocking recs; we need our own [p] 9Trees in trouble: First year of survey shows windbreaks in sad shape. We can’t afford to lose them [p] 11The gee-whiz crop: Is it a wonder crop or is it a bomb? Don’t plant it if you can’t market it [p] 13Ping-pong piglets: Ping-Pong balls were stand-ins for piglets in prize-winning (and marketable) student research [p] 17https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_sd-fhr/1135/thumbnail.jp

Conceptual review on Agnimandya with reference to Ajeerna (indigestion) and its Ayurveda management

The word ‘Agnimandya’ in its of itself signifies the state of inadequate process of digestion on ingested food. In Ayurveda there is a concept called Ama, which is considered as the main reason for majority of the diseases. Ama is a toxic substance formed due to Ajirna. This Ama is circulated all over the body through minute channels and gets lodged in different parts of the body causing diseases. The main reason for indigestion is Agnimandya (weakened digestive fire). Incomplete metabolism due to weakened digestive fire leads to unprocessed state of food causing Ajirna. According to predominance of vitiated doshas - Ajirna is classified in three types; Amajirna – vitiated kapha dosha, Vidagdh Ajirna – vitiated pitta dosha and Vishtabdh Ajirna. Agnimandya is main reason for Ajirna which is due to improper diet habit. Deepan, Pachan, Laghan are the basic management in Ajirna along with internal Medicine like Trikatu, Ajmoda, Triphala, Chitrakadi Vati and Lashunadi Vati, Hingwastaka Churna

Paralytic Ileus in Vegetarian with Pneumonia Infection

Paralytic ileus which is commonly found in clinical practice is referred to clinical syndrome of transportation disturbance of the intestinal lumen content due to various etiology and underlying condition. It has been considered a transient gastrointestinal syndrome with good prognosis. Most cases respond well to conservative management. However, inappropriate diagnostic approach and management will result in severe complication leading to death such as septicemia and perforation. We reported a case of paralytic ileus in young male who is vegetarian with pneumonia infection as the suspected underlying etiology. Radiological examination of the abdomen in three position (upright, supine and lateral) showed dilated gaster and duodenum with minimal air fluid level, no herring bone appearance and absent of free intraperitoneal air. The laboratory result also showed low level of vitamin B12 which might be due to his lactovegetarian diet habit. Management including supportive therapy such as decompression, fasting, adequate parenteral nutrition, fluid balance and treatment of pneumonia as the underlying cause of paralytic ileus had been resulted in good clinical response

Promotion of healthy nutrition in clinical practice: a cross-sectional survey of practices and barriers among physiotherapists in southeast Nigeria

AbstractBackgroundHealthy diet counselling is an important concept in health promotion. Physiotherapists are well positioned to initiate or support healthy nutrition in addition to physical activity counselling, in routine patient consultation.ObjectiveTo determine the practices about and barriers to diet counselling practices among physiotherapists in Southeast Nigeria.MethodsIn this cross-sectional survey, a total of 140 questionnaires were distributed among physiotherapists.ResultsOverall, 103 physiotherapists responded. Physiotherapists are confident and consider the incorporation of dietary counselling very important and of high priority in their daily clinical work. They, however, assessed and counselled on dietary status opportunistically in patients. Notwithstanding, physiotherapists believed that the diet counselling they give could be effective in helping patients change their unhealthy dieting practices. Patients were also amenable to physiotherapists advocating on diet issues as part of their consultation. Several barriers to incorporating diet counselling into physiotherapy practice were identified, including lack of access to a dietician/health promotion staff/counsellors, lack of proper patient education materials, lack of expertise in relation to dietary risk factors' assessment and management, and uncertainty about what dietary services to provide.ConclusionAlthough physiotherapists consider it important to incorporate diet counselling in their daily clinical practice, development and implementation of strategies to improve physiotherapists' diet counselling knowledge, competence, skills, and practice are warranted

Malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia and oral lichen planus: a retrospective cohort study of 293 Ukrainian patients

Background: The five-year survival rate of early stage (I and II) oral squamous cell carcinoma might be about 80%, but of advanced stage (III and IV) oral squamous cell carcinoma is only approximately 20%. Because most cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma are preceded by clinically evident oral potentially malignant disorders, it is important to prevent malignant change for those patients diagnosed with oral potentially malignant disorders. Purpose: to estimate the malignant transformation rate of a retrospective cohort of 293 patients with oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral lichen planus (OLP) (mean follow-up of 4,5 years) and identify significant risk factors of malignant transformation in Ukraine. Materials and Methods: All archived files of patients with the clinical and pathologic diagnosis of OL and OLP from 2011 to 2015 were retrospectively reviewed in Oncology Hospital in Zhitomir and Chernigov. All clinical history and follow-up data were obtained from the archived files. Information regarding gender, age, site of lesions at the time of the initial diagnosis of OL and OLP was all documented in detail. Results: Two important parameters should be considered when evaluating the potential for malignant transformation of OPMDs. First, the initial OPMD lesions should be confirmed using histopathological diagnoses; second, the amount of time it takes for the lesion to be transformed into a malignancy at the same location as the original OPMD lesion. Conclusions: In the current study, we analyzed and updated the data of malignant transformation of various OPMDs in a cohort of patients from Ukraine. Moreover, our data indicated that patients with OPMDs need a long-term clinical follow-up and histopathological examination is an important predictor of cancer development to monitor the possibility of malignant transformation

Women's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Adherence and Health Behaviours Following Referral to Three Different Program Models: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation is associated with significantly lower mortality and improved psychosocial well-being. However, women are less likely to participate than men. CR4HER was a single-blind, 3 parallel-arm, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial comparing CR program adherence, functional capacity, and health behaviors between women referred to mixed-sex, women-only, or home-based CR. The study occured between November 2009-July 2013. Low-risk patients with coronary artery disease were recruited from six sites in Ontario. Consenting participants completed a pre-program survey assessing health behaviors (physical activity, diet, medication adherence, and smoking), wore pedometers for 7 days, and clinical data were extracted from charts. Participants were referred to CR at one of 3 sites. After intake assessment, including a graded exercise stress test, eligible patients were randomized to supervised mixed-sex, supervised women-only, or home-based CR. Six months later, CR adherence and exit assessment data were ascertained, and participants were mailed follow-up surveys and pedometers. Among 264 consenting patients, 169 (64.0%) were eligible and randomized. Twenty-seven (16.0%) did not attend CR and 43 (25.4%) attended a different model than that to which they were randomized, with most women switching to a model other than home-based CR. Program adherence was moderate overall (54.4635.14%). Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences based on per protocol analysis (PP; p=.63), but as-treated, home-based participants attended significantly more than women-only (p<.05). Overall, there was a significant increase in functional capacity pre to post-program (p<.001). While there were no significant differences in functional capacity by model at CR exit based on PP, there was a significant difference on an as-treated basis, which sustained adjustment. Women attending mixed-sex CR attained significantly higher post-CR functional capacity than women attending home-based programs (p<.05). Self-reported physical activity increased among women randomized to, and who attended, mixed-sex and women-only CR (ps<.05). Diet improved among women attending women-only CR (p<.05). However, analyses adjusted for confounding variables revealed no significant differences in any outcome by model. Offering women alternative program models may not promote greater CR adherence, functional capacity, or behavioral outcomes. Nevertheless, replication is warranted. Other proven strategies such as action planning and self-monitoring should be applied