Our department conducts research to improve health, focusing on conditions
related to heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, osteoporosis,
exercise, aging, women's health, and health-risk behavior. The projects
that are listed below represent just a sample of the many research studies
and multicenter clinical trials that have involved our faculty and staff:
| • Action for Health
in Diabetes (Look AHEAD)--a multicenter trial examining the
effects of intentional weight loss in obese type 2 diabetic people.
For more information, visit the Look AHEAD website at http://www.lookaheadstudy.org/. |
| • Activity Counseling
Trial (ACT)--a study examining the effectiveness of a primary-care,
practice-based exercise intervention on physical fitness in sedentary
adults. |
| • Calcium, Health
and Metabolism in Preteens Study (CHAMPS)--a study to determine
if calcium supplementation has a benefit on the growing bones of children
aged 8 to 13. |
| • Contraceptive Hormones
and Risk Markers (CHARM)--a clinical trial investigating
hormonal contraceptives and cardiovascular risk in premenopausal women. |
| • Fitness, Arthritis,
and Seniors Trials (FAST)--a randomized clinical trial comparing
aerobic exercise and resistance exercise with a health-educational
program in older adults who have knee osteoarthritis. |
| • Fracture Intervention
Trial (FIT)--a clinical trial testing whether an investigational
medication (not a hormone) would prevent osteoporotic bone loss, increase
the amount of healthy bone, and prevent fractures in postmenopausal
women. |
| • Health, Aging,
and Body Composition Study (Health ABC)--a study of the interrelationships
between changes in body composition, incident and chronic health events,
and incident functional limitation in a cohort of 3,075 older adults
residing in the Memphis and Pittsburgh areas. For more details, visit
the Health ABC website: http://www.nia.nih.gov/research/intramural/edb/healthabc/. |
| • Health Opportunities
for Physical Exercise (HOPE)--a randomized clinical trial
targeting exercise behavior change in overweight urbanites who live
in underserved areas. |
|
• Healthy Eating on the Loop (LOOP)--a
study to evaluate the nutritional status of patients seeking treatment
at the Health Loop primary care clinics in Memphis. By further identifying
the socioeconomic and behavioral factors that influence intakes,
the study aims to increase healthful food choices and promote positive
lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of chronic diseases including
type 2 diabetes.
Healthy
Eating on the Loop newsletter: click HERE (pdf file,
size 121 KB) |
| • Heart and Estrogen/progestin
Replacement Study (HERS)--a multicenter, randomized clinical
trial investigating whether postmenopausal hormone therapy can prevent
recurrence of heart disease in women. |
| • Magnesium and Osteoporosis
Study (MOST)--a research study to determine if a daily magnesium
supplement will prevent the bone loss that occurs as people get older. |
| • Osteoporosis and
Sodium Intake Study (OASIS)--a research study to determine
effects of various levels of salt intake on bone mineral density in
postmenopausal women. |
| • PEARL--a
major international research study to determine if an investigational
medication will benefit multiple conditions (osteoporosis, breast
cancer and heart disease) which affect or influence the health of
postmenopausal women. |
| • Providers and Alzheimer’s
Caregivers Together (PACT)--a three-year home care intervention
study seeking to decrease Alzheimer’s disease caregivers’
depression, anxiety and burden by providing home-based interventions.
|
| • Research on Nicotine
Effects in Expectant Women (RENEW)--a clinical trial investigating
the efficacy of the nicotine patch in pregnant women smokers. |
| • Resources for Enhancing
Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH II)--a three-year,
multisite, national study, a continuation of an earlier UT Alzheimer
caregiver study (REACH I), designed to improve the well-being of the
Alzheimer caregiver. |
| • Sibutramine Use
in Cigarette Cessation: Effects on Smoking Study (SUCCESS)--a
study to assess whether a combination of a weight-loss medicine and
a smoking cessation program may help smokers to quit smoking without
gaining weight. Click HERE
to view a brochure (pdf file, size 342KB). |
| • Smoking cessation
Therapy for Adults Ready to quit (STAR)--study to assess
the effects of sustained release bupropion and nicotine replacement
therapy in helping smokers stop smoking. Click HERE
to view a brochure (pdf file, size 367KB). |
| • Sports, Physical
Activity, and Recreation for Kids: Pre-K (SPARK Pre-K)--also
known as the Early Childhood Physical Activity Project: SPARK Pre-K
study, which focuses on promoting developmentally appropriate health-related
physical activity in preschool children. The study includes the development
and implementation of an early childhood physical activity curriculum
to be used in the Title I Early Childhood Education of the Memphis
City Schools. |
| • Study of Effects
of Nicotine Patch Compared to Placebo--a randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled clinical trial to study the effects of the 21 mg
nicotine patch compared to placebo patch on blood glucose and insulin
levels in premenopausal women smokers. |
| • Systolic Hypertension
in the Elderly Program (SHEP)--a randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial investigating the efficacy
of antihypertensive drug treatment in preventing strokes in older
people with isolated systolic hypertension. |
| • Tennessee Opportunity
Programs--research using administrative claims data to examine
HIV and AIDS care in Tennessee. |
| • Trial of Nonpharmacologic
Therapy for Hypertension in the Elderly (TONE)--a multicenter,
randomized clinical investigation of nonpharmacologic treatment of
high blood pressure in older adults aged 60 to 80. |
| • Women’s Health
Initiative (WHI)--a multicenter, randomized clinical trial
and observational study of postmenopausal women's health in relation
to hormone replacement, low-fat diet, or calcium/vitamin D supplementation.
For more information, visit the Women's Health Initiative website:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/. |
| • Women's Health
Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS)--a multicenter, randomized
clinical trial examining the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy
on the development of dementia. |
Research