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302998
Relationship between Weight Status and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Special Diets Use

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Glenda Lindsey, Dr. PH, MS, R.D., L.D. , Lindsey and Associates, Lutherville, MD
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Special Diets were considered fad diets and often frowned upon by medical and nutrition practitioners. During the 1950’s-1970’s cardiovascular disease weight- related hypertension and diabetes were epidemic in the United States. Recently, clinical studies using CAM Special Diets on selected populations have demonstrated efficacy in improving hypertension and diabetes outcomes. 
Using the 2007 National Health Interview Survey and CAM Supplement, the study will seek to determine if there was an association between weight status and the use of CAM Special Diets among adults 18 to 74. In addition, the study assesses whether this relationship changed in the presence of weight related chronic diseases. The study’s hypotheses were:
 Hypothesis 1a/1b: Overweight or obese individuals are more likely to ever use CAM Special Diets than individuals of healthy weight.
 Hypothesis 2a/2b :Overweight  or obese  individuals with a chronic disease are more likely to ever use CAM Special Diets than healthy weight individuals with a chronic disease.
Findings from this study are the first explicating the demographic profile of CAM Special Diet users. The results show that they are more often used by women, whites, and middle aged people with higher education and income. Results using logistic regression show that as weight status categories increase, CAM Special Diet use increases. The relationship between CAM Special Diet use and weight status is not changed in the presence of weight related chronic disease as measured by hypertension and diabetes in this study.  These findings indicate that future studies  are needed to determine the effectiveness of CAM Special Diets use for the public.

Learning Areas:

Basic medical science applied in public health
Chronic disease management and prevention
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify the categories and types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Special Diets (Atkins , Zone, South Beach, Pritikin, Vegetarian, Macrobiotic and Ornish) Describe that overweight individual are more likely to use CAM Special Diets Explain that obese individuals are more likely to use CAM Special Diets Discuss that overweight individuals with a chronic disease (hypertension or diabetes) are more likely to use CAM Special Diets . Discuss that obese individuals with a chronic disease (hypertension or diabetes) are more likely to use CAM Special Diets.

Keyword(s): Alternative and Complementary Health, Weight Management

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have experience in higher education, public health, and nutrition. I served as a coordinator for several programs at Coppin State University pertaining to health and nutrition. My other professional experiences in public health programs included working with infants, children , women, teens, the elderly and veterans. While in graduate school for my doctorate, I received and completed a fellowship in Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3200.0: Research in Complementary, Integrative and Alternative Health Practices