UF professors to participate in SEC symposium on obesity prevention

July 9, 2014

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Two University of Florida professors will participate in the 2014 SEC Symposium about obesity prevention Sep. 21-23 in Atlanta.

Kristina von Castel-Roberts, the project director at the UF Weight Management Lab, will be a speaker. Michael Perri, the dean of the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, will act as a moderator.

Castel-Roberts and Perri are working on the Rural Lifestyle Eating and Activity Program, or Rural LEAP. Researchers are comparing three strategies for long-term weight management: individual phone counseling, group phone counseling and counseling via email or U.S. mail. If effective, group phone counseling could represent a more cost-effective treatment option that could reach larger numbers of patients. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute supports the research with a $3.7 million grant.

Castel-Roberts’ interests consist of weight control in adults, impact of nutrition quality on weight control, execution of nutrition programs and nutrition education.

Perri’s research focuses on diet and physical activity changes to promote health and prevent disease. He has contributed to 131 peer-reviewed journal articles, four books and 30 book chapters/monographs.

The purpose of the symposium led by the University of South Carolina is to discuss an important topic among scholars from Southeastern Conference universities. The event will also bring opinion leaders from other United States institutions to the Southeast.

Because the U.S. has had no significant decrease in obesity, researchers at the event aims to identity ways to noticeably reduce weight problems by prevention. Keynote speakers will include Nancy Brown, the CEO at the American Heart Association, and Michael Lauer, the director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Topics will include technology and media influences, the basic science of obesity, community influences and interventions. Speakers will elaborate on their institute’s research at the SEC University Showcase.

The university with the most registered undergraduate attendees will receive the Excellence in Student Attendance Award.

In addition, participants may submit abstracts for the poster exhibition.

For more information on registration and the symposium, go to www.secsymposium.com