Excessive Weight, Inflammation, Diabetes, and Cancer: Relationships and Differences by Race
type: CreativeWork
description: Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, account for over 2/3 of deaths in the United States. Overweight and obesity have been shown to be associated with a number of chronic diseases, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and various cancers. Currently in the United States, over 2/3 of the population is considered overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity have also been shown to be strongly associated with chronic inflammation, an uncontrolled process linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. Chronic inflammation has also been associated with diabetes and cancer. Compared to European Americans, African Americans have been shown to be at a higher risk for a number of chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer (CRC). Also, after CRC diagnosis, African Americans have a mortality rate that is 1.4 times higher compared to European Americans. Consistent with the negative effects of overweight and obesity on health outcomes, African Americans are also more likely to be overweight and obese. 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data found the prevalence of overweight among European Americans to be 66.7% compared to 73.8% and 77.9% among African Americans and Hispanics, respectively. As we can see, there are differences in the risk of chronic disease outcomes by race/ethnicity. Also, a major contributor to the development of many chronic diseases, overweight and obesity, is more prevalent among African Americans compared to European Americans. In this dissertation, the goal was to assess the associations along the pathway from overweight and obesity to chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, while assessing differences by race/ethnicity. First, data from NHANES was used to estimate the prevalence of elevated C - reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, among the United States population by race/ethnicity and gender. Next, using CRP as a 3 level ou…
abstract: Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, account for over 2/3 of deaths in the United States. Overweight and obesity have been shown to be associated with a number of chronic diseases, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and various cancers. Currently in the United States, over 2/3 of the population is considered overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity have also been shown to be strongly associated with chronic inflammation, an uncontrolled process linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. Chronic inflammation has also been associated with diabetes and cancer. Compared to European Americans, African Americans have been shown to be at a higher risk for a number of chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer (CRC). Also, after CRC diagnosis, African Americans have a mortality rate that is 1.4 times higher compared to European Americans. Consistent with the negative effects of overweight and obesity on health outcomes, African Americans are also more likely to be overweight and obese. 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data found the prevalence of overweight among European Americans to be 66.7% compared to 73.8% and 77.9% among African Americans and Hispanics, respectively. As we can see, there are differences in the risk of chronic disease outcomes by race/ethnicity. Also, a major contributor to the development of many chronic diseases, overweight and obesity, is more prevalent among African Americans compared to European Americans. In this dissertation, the goal was to assess the associations along the pathway from overweight and obesity to chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, while assessing differences by race/ethnicity. First, data from NHANES was used to estimate the prevalence of elevated C - reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, among the United States population by race/ethnicity and gender. Next, using CRP as a 3 level ou…
author: Cavicchia, Philip Patrick
keywords: Epidemiology, Medicine and Health Sciences, Public Health, Cancer, Diabetes, Inflammation, Overweight
date published: 2011-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T04:37:56Z
provider: University of South Carolina
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of South Carolina