PhD opportunity on consequences of obesity treatment

at  Wageningen University Research

The PhD fellowship opportunity
The MONUCO project (MOnitoring NUtritional COnsequences of Obesity Treatment) was conceptualized to better understand the consequences of obesity treatment on women’s longer-term health, with a primary focus on musculoskeletal health. This multicentre 10-year prospective observational cohort study of approx. 1200 women will include a birth cohort. Measurements will be performed 6-weeks pre-surgery, three & six months and one year up to ten years post-surgery. Within the integrated birth cohort measurements will be collected preconception, at each trimester during pregnancy and two- & six-months postpartum, after one year up to four years after pregnancy. The MONUCO study will provide insights on the development of evidence-based guidelines for optimal guidance of women who received obesity treatment to ultimately improve health of these women and their offspring.

In keeping with the goal of MONUCO, the specifics objectives of this PhD fellowship opportunity are to:

• explore dietary and lifestyle changes post-obesity treatment across different treatment modalities;
• explore changes related to food purchases, meal preparation, meal timings, meal frequency, meal duration, eating windows, food-related intentions (cravings and aversions etc), in populations across the different obesity treatments they receive;
• assess changes in dietary patterns, with a focus on ultra processed dietary patterns (meal composition, meal quantities) in populations receiving either pharmacological or surgical obesity treatment;
• study associations between ultra processed dietary patterns in relation to post treatment cardiometabolic health outcomes in patients receiving obesity treatment.

PhD duties and responsibilities include:

• systematic review existing literature;
• qualitative and quantitative tool development and data collection;
• data analysis;
• writing scientific publications;
• presenting findings and dissemination;
• actively contribute to the activities of the Division of Nutrition and the PhD community.

• systematic review existing literature;
• qualitative and quantitative tool development and data collection;
• data analysis;
• writing scientific publications;
• presenting findings and dissemination;
• actively contribute to the activities of the Division of Nutrition and the PhD community