Ashley E Knowell and Shanora Brown
South Carolina State University, USA
Title: Analyzing the role of high pro-inflammatory diets and childhood obesity in the risk of adult carcinogenesis in South Carolinian children
Biography
Biography: Ashley E Knowell and Shanora Brown
Abstract
Childhood obesity has been a growing epidemic in the United States with about one in five of U.S. children considered overweight or obese. The increased number of overweight and obese children can be linked to several factors including nutrition and social economic status. Obesity in children can lead to numerous health complications such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis. Therefore, the goal of this study is to eliminate or reduce preventable risk factors such as unhealthy nutrition and childhood obesity, which in turn may reduce clinical manifestations of adult cancer outcomes. Areas of South Carolina have a long history of being under-developed which contribute to numerous problems such as obesity, poverty and sub-par health care. We have enrolled SC children from varying degrees of rurality to determine if obesity and/or high-fat pro-inflammatory diets contribute to increased levels of pro-inflammatory markers and obesity related genes to include: Adiponectin, leptin, SAA1/2, Interleukin 1 and 6. Subjects were be randomized into obese and non-obese groups based on BMI guidelines. The transcriptional levels of pro-inflammatory genes were measured by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results suggest increased expression of these pro-inflammatory markers are directly correlated to diet irrespective of weight class (normal, overweight, obese). Reducing childhood obesity and pro-inflammatory diets, while providing access to healthy foods are beneficial in the reduction of cancer risk and will serve as preventive measures for early-stage onset of adult cancers.