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To improve understanding of psychosocial factors, their changes, and racial differences with implications for behavioral obesity treatments. Women with obesity of White (n = 64) and Black (n = 33) racial groups participated in cognitive-behavioral community-based obesity treatment and were assessed on body satisfaction, emotional eating, and weight changes over 3, 6, 12, and 24 months via mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression analyses. Baseline body satisfaction scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in Black participants. White participants had significantly higher (P = 0.04) emotional eating scores. Significant overall improvements (P < 0.001) in body satisfaction, emotional eating, and weight were found, with weight reduction significantly greater (P = 0.05) among the White women. Weight reductions were significantly predicted by changes in body satisfaction and emotional eating (R 2 = 0.12–0.20, P < 0.01). When racial group was entered into the analyses, the explained variance in weight change over 6 and 12 months significantly increased (P < 0.05). Findings suggest addressing body satisfaction, emotional eating, and racial differences by adjusting obesity treatment targets could improve outcomes. Research-to-practice needs include a control group and further identification/elucidation of other psychosocial and economic factors that might affect outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful wrestling performance is largely dictated by weight. Some wrestlers engage in rapid weight loss methods to maximize performance at lower weight classes. Data from other sports suggest these methods can negatively affect body image (BI) and physical health and put athletes at risk for disordered eating behaviors, but the actual impact in wrestling is unknown. The present study examined the relationship between perceptions of masculinity and BI to eating disorder (ED) risk in male collegiate wrestlers. Survey data were collected from active male NCAA wrestlers (n = 63). Wrestlers completed the Eating Attitudes Test, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, the Hoffman Gender Scale, and three open-ended response items. ED risk was positively correlated to appearance self-importance (r = 0.361, p < 0.01) and body weight vigilance (r = 0.618, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated to BI satisfaction (r = -0.328, p < 0.05). Gender self-acceptance was correlated to lower importance placed on BI (r = 0.402, p < 0.01). Additionally, 35 (53.9%) participants reported at least one maladaptive eating behavior (e.g. binging, vomiting, laxative use). Qualitative data indicates similarities in traits associated with successful wrestlers and the traditional ideal male (mental and physical strength, toughness, surpassing limits). The masculine traits exemplified by the sport of wrestling may negatively impact BI and encourage maladaptive eating and/or weight-control behavior and increase ED risk. The information in this study can be used to inform the development of safer weight loss practices and specialized educational programs for ED risk for wrestlers. This study highlights a need for further qualitative analysis of weight-control behaviors in collegiate wrestling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: PAX proteins function as transcription factors and play an essential role in organogenesis during embryonic development in regulating cell proliferation and self-renewal, resistance to apoptosis, migration of embryonic precursor cells, and the coordination of specific differentiation programs. Recent studies have also discovered a role for PAX proteins in specific stem cell or progenitor cell populations, including melanocytes, muscle, and B-cells. The normal functions of the PAX proteins, including apoptosis resistance and repression of terminal differentiation, may be subverted during the progression of a number of specific malignancies. This is supported by the fact that expression of PAX proteins is dysregulated in several different types of tumors, although the precise roles for PAX proteins in cancer are not clearly understood. An emerging hypothesis is that PAX proteins play an essential role in maintaining tissue specific stem cells by inhibiting terminal differentiation and apoptosis and that these functional characteristics may facilitate the development and progression of specific cancers. In this review, we provide a general background to the PAX protein family and focus on specific cells and tissues and the role PAX proteins play within these tissues in terms of development, mature tissue maintenance, and expression in tumors. Understanding the normal developmental pathways regulated by PAX proteins may shed light on potentially parallel pathways shared in tumors, and ultimately result in defining new molecular targets and signaling pathways for the development of novel anti-cancer therapies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]