A better understanding of the relationship between these variables and the response to various weight loss strategies can lead to the development of more effective and potentially targeted prevention and treatment strategies. The STEDMAN (Study of the Effects of Diet on Metabolism And Nutrition) Project is the flagship clinical research project currently being conducted at the Stedman Center. The STEDMAN Project is designed as a comprehensive metabolic, endocrinologic, inflammatory marker, and physiologic profiling study of obese study participants as they lose weight by different interventions available through Duke University Medical Center or private programs in the Durham area. The project is under the leadership of Laura P. Svetkey, MD, Director of Clinical Research at the Center. Andrea M. Haqq, MD and Lillian Lien, MD are co-investigators on the study.

Discussions, which began at the Metabolism Research Forum, led to the development of the unique STEDMAN Project design by Dr. Newgard, Dr. Svetkey, and the directors of seven weight-loss programs affiliated with Duke University Medical Center.

We believe that our study will provide the first comprehensive analysis of the biochemical changes that accompany weight loss in response to each of these diverse interventions, helping us to answer questions like, "Why does the Atkins diet work and is it safe?" The data collected in this pilot study will generate hypotheses and identify areas of interest for future studies aimed at understanding and promoting the attainment and maintenance of healthy body weight.

In the long term our program may ultimately allow an obese patient to enter a Duke clinic, where he or she will receive a detailed "metabolic fingerprint" via our technology platform. This profile may then dictate the best course of weight loss intervention for that individual.

Representative Recent Publications from Sarah Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center Clinical Science Faculty

1) Harsha DW, Sacks FM, Obarzanek E, Svetkey LP, Lin P-H, Bray GA, Aickin M, Conlin PR, Miller ER III, Appel LJ. Effect of dietary sodium intake on blood lipids. Results from the DASH-Sodium trial. Hypertension. 2004;43:393-398.

2) Bray GA, Vollmer WM, Sacks FM, Obarzanek E, Svetkey LP, Appel LJ, for the DASH Collaborative Research Group. A further subgroup analysis of the effects of the DASH diet and three dietary sodium levels on blood pressure: Results of the DASH-Sodium Trial. Am J Cardiol. 2004;94:222-227.

3) Szczech LA, Gupta SK, Habash R, Guasch A, Kalayjian R, Appel R, Fields TA, Svetkey LP, Flanagan KH, Klotman PE, Winston JA. The clinical epidemiology and course of the spectrum of renal diseases associated with HIV-infection. Kidney International. 2005; In Press.

4) Svetkey LP, Simmons-Morton DG, Proschan MA, Sachs FM, Conlin PR, Harsha D, Moore TJ for the DASH-Sodium Collaborative Research Group. Effect of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet and reduced sodium intake on blood pressure control. J Clin Hypertension. 2004;6:373-381.

5) McGuire HL, Svetkey LP, Harsha DW, Elmer PJ, Appel LJ, Ard JD. Comprehensive lifestyle modification and blood pressure control: a review of the PREMIER trial. J Clin Hypertension. 2004;6:383-390.

6) Ard JD, Coffman CJ, Lin P-H, Svetkey LP. One-year follow-up study of DASH-Sodium participants blood pressure and dietary pattern. Am J Hypertension. 2005; In Press.

7) Svetkey LP, Erlinger TP, Vollmer WM, Feldstein A, Cooper LS, Appel LJ, Ard JD, Elmer PJ, Harsha D, Stevens VJ. Effect of lifestyle modifications on blood pressure by race, sex, hypertension status and age. J Human Hypertension. 2005: In Press.

8) Svetkey LP, Harsha DW, Vollmer WM, Stevens VJ, Obarzanek E, Elmer PJ, Lin P-H, Champagne C, Simons-Morton DG, Aicken M, Proschan MA, Appel LJ. PREMIER: A clinical trial of comprehensive lifestyle modification for blood pressure control: Rationale, Design and Baseline Characteristics. Ann Epidemiol. 2003;13:462-471.

9) Appel LJ, Champagne CM, Harsha DW, Cooper LS, Obarzanek E, Elmer PJ, Stevens VJ, Vollmer WM, Lin P-H, Svetkey LP, Young DR. Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on blood pressure control: Main results of the PREMIER clinical trial. JAMA. 2003;289:2083-2093.

10) Akita S, Sacks FM, Svetkey LP, Conlin PR, Kimura G for The DASH-Sodium Trial Collaborative Research Group. Effects of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet on pressure-natriuresis relationship. Hypertension. 2003;42:8-13.

11) Haqq AM, Hanna CE. Precocious puberty caused by an estrogen and androgen secreting adrenal adenoma: A case report and review of the current literature. The Endocrinologist. 2001;11:9-15.

12) Haqq AM, Farooqi IS, ORahilly S, Stadler DD, Rosenfeld RG, Pratt KL, LaFranchi SH, Purnell JQ. Serum ghrelin levels are inversely correlated with body mass index, age and insulin concentrations in normal children and are markedly increased in Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003; 88:174-178.

13) Haqq AM, Stadler DD, Rosenfeld RG, Jackson RH, Purnell JQ, LaFranchi SH. Effects of growth hormone on pulmonary function, sleep quality, behavior, cognition, growth velocity, body composition, and resting energy expenditure in Prader-Willi Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003; 88:2206-2212.

14) Haqq AM, Stadler DD, Rosenfeld RG, Pratt KL, Weigle DS, Frayo RS, LaFranchi SH, Cummings DE, Purnell JQ. Circulating ghrelin levels are suppressed by meals and octreotide therapy in children with Prader-Willi Syndrome, J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;88:3573-3576.

15) Haqq AM, Rene P, Kishi T, Khong K, Lee CE, Friedman J, Elmquist JK, Cone RD. Characterization of a novel binding partner of the Melanocortin-4 Receptor: Attractin-like protein (ALP), Biochem J. 2003;376(Pt 3):595-605.

16) Lien L, Whitson H, Grant, A, McNeill D. Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 Presenting with Chronic and Persistent Diarrhea. Endocrine Practice. 2004;10:83-83.

17) Lien L, Brown A, Appel L, Erlinger T, Stevens V, Ard J, Champagne C, Brantley P, Harsha D, Svetkey LP. Effects of PREMIER Study Behavioral Interventions on Blood Pressure and Insulin Resistance in Metabolic Syndrome Subgroups. Hypertension. 2004;44(No. 4):50-51.

18) Lien L, Bethel MA, Feinglos M. In-hospital Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Medical Clinics of North America. 2004;88(No. 4):1085-1105.