网红头条

KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 21, 2020

Gestational diabetes affects nearly one in 10 pregnancies and is associated with children facing an increased risk of obesity and diabetes as adults. 网红头条 researcher Katherine Ingram is tackling these transgenerational health issues through a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Ingram, associate professor of in , is the principal investigator for the $406,000 grant awarded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

The project鈥檚 primary focus is to determine the independent and interactive relationships between abdominal fat, fitness and inactivity during pregnancy to identity the influence of each factor on gestational diabetes risk. With several connections with Atlanta-area obstetrics clinics, Ingram and her team will recruit research participants from the clinics鈥� patient populations as well as via social media.

鈥淥besity, especially abdominal obesity, in pregnant women is a strong risk factor for gestational diabetes with research showing that exercise is protective.鈥� said Ingram. 鈥淗owever, it is unknown how much each of these factors contribute to risk. This study focuses on the novel use of abdominal fat, fitness, and inactivity measures as early risk predictors.鈥� 

Data, including the novel use of ultrasound measures of abdominal fat, will be collected during the period of early pregnancy (12-15 weeks) to post-partum (4 weeks). The research will be conducted within the Physiology Laboratory and the Biomarkers Laboratory, both located on the Kennesaw campus in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services.

鈥淭he purpose for my work as a scientist is to eradicate transgenerational obesity by resolving gaps in knowledge that will lead to the development of effective lifestyle interventions,鈥� Ingram said. 鈥淭he NIH study is a culmination of my previous research on maternal metabolic health that has been funded by KSU internal grants.鈥�

Ingram鈥檚 interdisciplinary team for the three-year study includes KSU co-investigators Janeen Amason, associate professor of nursing; Brian Klizszewicz, associate professor of exercise science; and Nicole Ferguson, associate professor of statistics. KSU graduate and undergraduate research assistants will assist in all aspects of the research from project development to data collection and analysis. 

The work of the Ingram lab was recently highlighted during the inaugural spring season of the web series, 鈥淩esearch with Relevance: Friday Features,鈥� produced by KSU鈥檚 Office of Research. Ingram and Amason, who regularly collaborate, and fielded questions from KSU and community virtual attendees.  

鈥�The overall goal of our program is to identify high-risk women much earlier in pregnancy and to improve the diet and exercise programs that they are prescribed,鈥� said Ingram. 鈥淲e believe that these steps are needed to improve care for women struggling with obesity and to mitigate the effects of obesity during pregnancy on the child.鈥�

鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Jo毛lle Walls

Photos by David Caselli

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 网红头条 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. 网红头条is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 网红头条is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.