MRC PhD student

Level of study: MSc

Title: Respiratory Quotient (RQ) and Food Quotient (FQ) interaction in Lean and Obese South African Women and the impact on their Health Status

Obesity has become a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. The prevalence of obesity and other chronic diseases of lifestyle (hypertension, diabetes type 2, hyperlipidemia), are increasing in adult communities in South Africa and place a significant burden of disease on individuals, communities and health services.
Questions arise to whether obesity is largely due to genetic predispositions or environmental pressures (habitual diet, physical activity) or even both or whether additional factors play a role in the prevalence of obesity in the female population such as hormones, contraceptive methods, dietary restraint or eating behaviour.

Our aim is to measure the interaction between RQ and FQ with regards to various behavioural, environmental, physiological (biological) and socio-demographic factors and find possible reasons for weight maintenance and/or weight gain as well as possible mechanisms to lose weight.

Supervisors: Prof. Estelle Vicki Lambert, Dr Julia Goedecke &
                     Prof. Marianne Senekal
Study Institution: University of Cape Town
MRC Unit: Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle