Healthy Bodies, Healthy Hearts after Menopause

简介（由申请人提供）：Margaret (Molly) B. Conroy博士是匹兹堡大学医学和流行病学助理教授。为了成为一名独立的临床研究者，她正在申请指导患者导向研究职业发展奖（K23）。她的建议侧重于绝经后妇女身体活动、腹部和肌肉肥胖和心血管疾病（CVD）之间的关系。女性是高危人群，因为她们比男性更有可能缺乏运动，随着年龄的增长，这种差异变得更加明显。绝经后，女性心血管疾病的发病率增加，而参加定期体育活动的人数减少。对于绝经后体育活动影响心血管疾病风险的途径，特别是那些包含身体成分和潜在可改变的社会心理因素的途径，需要进一步的研究。康罗伊博士将通过追求三个具体目标来检查这些关系，并在临床环境中实施和评估身体活动干预。目的1将确定在绝经后妇女队列中腹部和肌肉脂肪是否介导体力活动与亚临床心血管疾病风险之间的关系。目的2将检查在密集的生活方式干预后，身体活动、腹部和肌肉脂肪和心血管疾病风险之间的关系。目标3将涉及对早期绝经后妇女进行随机、受控的身体活动干预，以适应临床试验方法，并将其转化为初级保健患者群体和实践环境。目标1将由一项辅助研究来解决，该研究是通过活动和营养（WOMAN）队列进行的。目的2将在慢性血管不良反应（SAVE）研究中得到解决。目标3可以通过从康罗伊医生的初级保健诊所招募干预队列来解决。体育活动和心血管疾病流行病学、转化研究、行为医学和干预设计领域的专家将指导康罗伊博士的职业发展。她将接受以下方面的专门培训：(1)收集、分析和解释最先进的肥胖和亚临床心血管疾病结局指标；(2)规划和执行体育活动和生活方式干预所需的理论背景和实践技能；(3)转化研究，侧重于在临床系统中实施生活方式干预的策略、协作模式和技术支持系统。更好地了解绝经后体力活动、肥胖和心血管疾病之间的联系机制，以及在这一高危人群中采用创新的体力活动促进策略，是促进女性心血管健康的关键步骤。（摘要结束）

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dr. Margaret (Molly) B. Conroy is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is applying for a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) in order to become an independent clinical investigator. Her proposal focuses on the relationships between physical activity, abdominal and muscular adiposity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women after menopause. Women are a high-risk population, as they are more likely to be physically inactive than men, a disparity that becomes more striking with advancing age. Following menopause, the incidence of CVD in women increases, while participation in regular physical activity declines. Further investigation is warranted of the pathways through which physical activity impacts CVD risk after menopause, particularly those incorporating body composition and potentially modifiable psychosocial factors. Dr. Conroy will examine these relationships and implement and evaluate a physical activity intervention in a clinical setting by pursuing three specific aims. Aim #1 will determine whether abdominal and muscular adiposity mediate the relationship between physical activity and subclinical cardiovascular disease risk in a cohort of postmenopausal women. Aim #2 will examine the relationships between changes in physical activity, abdominal and muscular adiposity and cardiovascular disease risk after an intensive lifestyle intervention. Aim #3 will involve a randomized, controlled physical activity intervention for early postmenopausal women that adapts clinical trial methods and translates them to the primary care patient population and practice setting. Aim #1 will be addressed by an ancillary study in the Women on the Move through Activity and Nutrition (WOMAN) cohort. Aim #2 will be addressed in the Slow Adverse Vascular Effects (SAVE) study. Aim #3 wiN be addressed by recruiting an intervention cohort from Dr. Conroy's primary care clinic. Experts in the fields of physical activity and CVD epidemiology, translational research, behavioral medicine and intervention design will supervise Dr. Conroy's career development. She will receive specific training in (1) collection, analysis and interpretation of state-of-the art outcome measures of obesity and subclinical cardiovascular disease; (2) theoretical background and hands-on skills necessary for planning and executing physical activity and lifestyle interventions; and (3) translational research, focused on strategies, collaborative models and technical support systems for implementing lifestyle interventions in clinical systems. A better understanding of the mechanisms linking physical activity, adiposity and CVD after menopause and innovative physical activity promotion strategies in this high-risk population are critical steps towards advancing cardiovascular health in women. (End of Abstract)