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ACCESSION NO: 0215413  SUBFILE: HNRIMS; CRIS 

PROJ NO: ILLE-2008-03560 AGENCY: NIFA ILLW 
PROJ TYPE: OTHER GRANTS PROJ STATUS: TERMINATED 
CONTRACT/GRANT/AGREEMENT NO: 2008-38420-04787 PROPOSAL NO: 2008-03560 
START: 01 SEP 2008 TERM: 31 AUG 2013 
GRANT AMT: $234,000 GRANT YR: 2008
INITIAL AWARD YEAR: 2008

INVESTIGATOR: Donovan, S. M.; Beverly, J. L.; Chapman-Novakofski, K. M.; deMejia, E.; Evans, E. M.;
Freund, G. F.; Grigsby-Toussaint, D.; Harrison, K.; Kim, J.; Nakamura, M. T.; Pan, Y. X.; Swanson, K. S.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION: 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
2001 S. Lincoln Ave. 
URBANA, ILLINOIS 61801

TRAINING IN HUMAN NUTRITION: OBESITY PREVENTION FROM CELL TO COMMUNITY

NARRATIVE: Obesity prevalence is increasing rapidly. Worldwide, around 250 million people are obese
and the World Health Organization has estimated this number will increase to 300 million people by 2025.
Obesity is strongly associated with increased morbidity, disability and mortality and accounts for 7% of
U.S. health care costs. Given these dire statistics, strategies for prevention of obesity must become a
higher public health priority. However, without an understanding of the complex biological, sociological
and behavioral mechanisms underlying the development of obesity, it is impossible to design effective
prevention strategies. Using obesity prevention as a research focus, our aim is to educate three doctoral
students in a highly interdisciplinary program aimed at Obesity Prevention from Cell to Community, which
focuses on the integration of basic biology, nutrition and behavioral sciences. Expected outcomes include
the preparation of future professionals who are well-trained in conducting multidisciplinary research in
nutrition, publication of peer-reviewed journal articles, and the development of successful intervention
strategies for public outreach.

OBJECTIVES: Obesity prevalence is increasing rapidly. Worldwide, around 250 million people are obese
and the World Health Organization has estimated this number will increase to 300 million people by 2025.
Obesity is strongly associated with increased morbidity, disability and mortality and accounts for 7% of
U.S. health care costs. Given these dire statistics, strategies for prevention of obesity must become a
higher public health priority. However, without an understanding of the complex biological, sociological
and behavioral mechanisms underlying the development of obesity, it is impossible to design effective
prevention strategies. Using obesity prevention as a research focus, our aim is to educate doctoral
students in a highly interdisciplinary program that focuses on the integration of basic biology, nutrition and
behavioral sciences across the continuum from cell to community. Three doctoral candidates will be
trained in Human Nutrition (N) in the Targeted Expertise Shortage Area of obesity. Specifically, fellows
will be trained in interdisciplinary research aimed at Obesity Prevention from Cell to Community. Expected
outputs include the preparation of 3 doctoral students who are well-trained in conducting multidisciplinary
research in nutrition, publication of peer-reviewed journal articles, and the development of successful
intervention strategies for public outreach.

APPROACH: The Division of Nutritional Sciences has a preeminent record in nutrition education,

research, and public service and is ideally positioned to provide the proposed training. Training
opportunities for fellows will encompass genomics and epigenetics to epidemiology and intervention
studies. Affiliated faculty members are actively engaged in well-funded cellular and molecular research
and community-based interventions and collaboration among the investigators is particularly evident. Two
multidisciplinary intervention studies (PEER and STRONG kids) provide exceptional opportunties for
cross-training of graduate students. Core and elective coursework focusing on integrative nutrition and
experiential learning will fulfill the Ph.D. requirements and complement the trainee's research.

PROGRESS: 2008/09 TO 2013/08
Target Audience: The target audience for the training is the fellows. In terms of their outputs, target
audiences include educators and practitioners whomay use the web-based HOT project for educating
teens on obesity and diabetes prevention, practitioners who may use the Four Nutrient Profiling System
and basic scientists and clinicians who can apply the knowledge related to anti-carcinogenic bioactive
components from citrus fruits to improving the survival and quality of life of their patients, many of which
are overweight or obese. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and
professional development has the project provided? The three fellowslearned a number of new methods
through graduate training and workshops duringtheir doctoral training. They all presented their work at
scientific conferences.Two fellows completed internships with Abbott Nutrition at the University of Illinois
Research Park. One fellow hadmany opportunities to participate in Extension trainings and to disseminate
the HOT project through Extension and teacher training. How have the results been disseminated to
communities of interest? The three fellows presented their work at scientific conferences and are
publishing scientific manuscripts. The HOT website has been disseminated to Extension Educators and
highschool teachers in areassurrounding Champaign-Urbana. What do you plan to do during the next
reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

IMPACT: 2008/09 TO 2013/08
What was accomplished under these goals? Thetwo fellows funded by this grantcompleted their
academic training and research and the third is supported by another funding source and will complete
his training in the upcoming year. The first fellow was advised by Dr. Karen Chapman-Novakofski. Her
research examined the efficacy of an interactive web-based educational program (HOT; Healthy
Outcomes for Teens), focused on preventing obesity and diabetes in teens. She completed her PhD in
August 2012 and has two manuscripts under review. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the
University of Illinois focusing in childhood obesity prevention. The second fellow is advised by Dr. Elivra
deMejia. Her research is examining the interaction between obesity and pancreatic cancer and the effects
of bioactive components present in citrus fruits. She published two manuscripts in the last year. She
graduated in August 2013 and is currently completing a postdoctoral fellowship. The third fellow is
advised by Dr. Manabu Nakamura. His research involves the development and validation of an
innovative, visual method of describing dietary intake and quality called the Four Nutrient Profiling
System. He has one manuscript under review. He is currently completing a dietetic internship at the
University of Illinois. He will complete his PhD in May 2014.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2008/09 TO 2013/08

1. Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2013 Citation: Johnson, J. and
Gonzalez de Mejia, E. 2013. Interactions between dietary flavonoids apigenin or luteolin and
chemotherapeutic drugs to potentiate anti-proliferative effect on human pancreatic cancer cells, in vitro.
Food Chem Toxicol In Press.
2. Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Johnson, J. and de Mejia, E.G.
Dietary factors and pancreatic cancer: The role of food bioactive compounds. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011
Jan;55(1):58-73.
3. Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2013 Citation: Johnson, J. and
Gonzalez de Mejia, E. Flavonoid apigenin modified gene expression associated with inflammation and
cancer and induced apoptosis in BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of GSK-
3alpha/NF-kB signaling cascade. Mol Nutr Food Res In Press.
4. Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2013 Citation: Muzaffar, H.,
Chapman-Novakofski, K., Castelli, D.M. and Scherer, J.A. The HOT (Healthy Outcome for Teens) project.
Using a web-based medium to influence attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and
intention for obesity and type 2 diabetes prevention. Appetite. 2013 Oct 4. pii: S0195-6663(13)00406-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.09.024.
5. Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hot/