Principal Investigator: Richard Bruno
Project Dates: 7/9/18-9/30/2020
Anticipated Total Award Amount: $185,000
Project Sponsor: Alliance for Potato Research & Education
Cardiometabolic Benefits of Potatoes Mediated Along the Gut-Vessel Axis in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome
Despite being a nutrient-dense crop of importance to the US agricultural industry, significant con-troversy surrounds the cardiometabolic health benefits of potatoes. This is largely driven by ob-servational studies suggesting adverse health effects despite not being designed to establish causality nor have they closely considered the frequent manner in which potatoes are consumed (e.g. French fries). Thus, randomized controlled trials conducted in a rigorous manner, such as those proposed herein, are needed to redefine the status quo by demonstrating that a potato-containing dietary pattern actually lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), consistent with its resistant starch content that has strong potential to alleviate gut dysbiosis in association with improved vascular endothelial function (VEF). Thus, the objective of this application is to establish evidence that incorporation of potatoes into a dietary pattern based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) enhances cardiometabolic health in persons with metabolic syn-drome (MetS) by improving microbiota- and host-mediated metabolic responses along the gut-vessel axis. Our hypothesis is that the inclusion of potatoes, as part of a DGA-based dietary pattern, will potentiate gut barrier function and attenuate postprandial hyperglycemia (PPH)-me-diated impairments in VEF. This is based on our reports in normoglycemic and glucose intolerant populations showing that the management of PPH and/or its downstream oxidative stress re-sponses are critical for improving VEF. Our preliminary data also show the importance of dietary approaches that target gut health to enhance gut barrier function and glucose tolerance. Thus, consistent with the observed benefits of resistant starch isolated from potatoes, clear rationale exists to validate a potato-containing DGA diet to promote cardiometabolic health along the gut-vessel axis. Our approach entails a 2-arm, randomized controlled, cross-over trial in which the diet of MetS adults will be rigorously controlled to deliver a eucaloric DGA-based meal pattern containing potatoes or an energy-matched bagel (control). We will then test our hypothesis by addressing these specific aims: 1) potato-mediated improvements in gut barrier function, and 2) improved glucose homeostasis in relation to VEF by potatoes. In Aim 1, we expect to demonstrate that potatoes, driven by its resistant starch, function to improve gut barrier integrity in association with alleviating gut dysbiosis and preventing the absorption of gut-derived endotoxins that other-wise provoke CVD risk. In Aim 2, we expect to demonstrate independent benefits of potato re-sistant starch to prevent PPH-mediated impairments in VEF by attenuating glycemic excursions triggering oxidative stress responses that reduce nitric oxide bioavailability. This proposed re-search is innovative because it will directly assess the cardiometabolic health benefits of pota-toes independent of weight change using a “whole food” approach in persons with MetS who are at high CVD risk due to underlying metabolic endotoxemia in association with vascular endothelial dysfunction. Outcomes of these studies are therefore expected to be of significance to the potato industry and will advance translational messages of public health importance that support pota-toes to achieve gut and heart health when integrated into an easily implementable dietary pattern.
Principal Investigator: Jane Wiechel
Project Dates: 07/11/2018-7/10/2019
Anticipated Total Award Amount: $3,000
Project Sponsor: Delta Dental Plan of Michigan, Inc.
The Ohio State University Early Head Start dental partnership program
Principal Investigator: Barbara Boone
Project Dates: 07/10/2018-06/30/2019
Anticipated Total Award Amount: $85,000
Project Sponsor: Ohio Department of Education
Coordination of regional family-community engagement network: IDEA parent, community, and educator collaboration
Through this project, Dr. Barbara Boone and her colleagues at CETE lead a statewide community of practice, dedicated to building a strong state-wide regional support system for family and community engagement for families of students with disabilities and school personnel. The Ohio State University, CETE, provides supports and services to the Ohio Department of Education’s 16 State Support Teams and other key state partnering organizatinos to strengthen Ohio’s multi-tiered system of supports for family and community engagement. The regional teams support districts in developing the capacity to fully implement evidence-based processes and educational practices using a connected set of tools and resources that result in data based decisions, learning across all levels of the system and sustained implementation. Through collaboration within and across regions, State Support Teams access resources to support districts educators and families.