10/03/2024
By Kaylea Flanagan
The Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, cordially invites you to a dissertation proposal by Kaylea Flanagan on "Ultra-Processed Food Consumption, Cognitive Health and Diabetes Control among Puerto Rican Adults."
Candidate Name: Kaylea Flanagan
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST
Location: Dugan 110B and via Zoom. Those interested in attending via Zoom should contact the Sc.D. Candidate Kaylea_Flanagan@student.uml.edu at least 24 hours before the proposal defense to request.
Committee Members:
- Committee Chair, Advisor, Sabrina Noel, Associate Professor of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, UMass Lowell
- Katherine Tucker, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, UMass Lowell
- Karyn Heavner, Associate Teaching Professor of Public Health, UMass Lowell
- Tammy Scott, Research Assistant Professor of Nutrition Epi and Data Science, Tufts University
Aim 1: To examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between UPFs and cognitive decline (Global cognitive score (GCS), brain age) and anatomical brain measures (total brain volume, hippocampal volume, white matter intensity).
H1: Higher energy intake from UPFs will be associated with cognitive decline.
Aim 2: To determine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between UPF intake, T2D and insulin resistance (HbA1c, HOMA-IR).
H2: Higher energy intake from UPFs will be associated with both prevalent and incident T2D and increased insulin resistance.
Aim 3: To determine metabolites associated with UPF intake, cognitive decline, T2D, and insulin resistance using an untargeted metabolomics approach.
H3: Clusters of metabolites indicative of UPF intake will be positively associated with cognitive decline, T2D and insulin resistance.