Østbye, Truls

Research Interests:

I am a chronic disease epidemiologist and public health researcher with a special interest in obesity and diseases of the elderly. In New Zealand, I worked with the Tokelau Island migrant study, an epidemiological study documenting the increase in obesity, gout, diabetes and cardiovascular disease among Pacific Islanders who moved to New Zealand and adopted a "Western" diet and lifestyle. I was a center principal investigator of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, a population based, longitudinal study of dementia and other diseases in the elderly, including over 10,000 Canadians followed for over a decade.

I teach outcomes research to family medicine resident at Duke in Durham. My current research includes studies of: obesity in the postpartum period (Active Mothers Postpartum – AMP), in children (Kids and Adults Now – Defeat Obesity – KANDO) and in health care workers (Live for Life), appropriate use of clinical preventive services, predictors of cognitive decline, health and social support among the elderly, doctor-patient communication relating to obesity, bariatric surgery and occupational health surveillance among health care workers.

Through the Duke Global Health Institute, I am also working in Sri Lanka (Ruhuna University). Health survey and epidemiological projects I am involved in there include: health risk factors among teenagers and adults; febrile illness surveillance; health problems among textile workers and other high risk occupational groups; depression and dementia  among elderly Sri Lankans and caregiving for the elderly. A number of Duke students have undertaken clinical and research electives in Sri Lanka

In Singapore, my current research includes studies of health and lifestyles of elderly Singaporeans, physical, mental and social facets of caregiving for elderly Singaporeans, pregnancy and post-partum weight gain patterns among Singaporean women, research inclination of medical students, and improving cognitive impairment and dementia care services. My research team in Singapore includes Dr. Rahul Malhotra MD MPH, a community health physician/epidemiologist originally from India. His current research interests include obesity, geriatric health, social determinants of health and secondary data analysis of large national or regional datasets.

Selected Publications:

Worni M, Guller U, Shah A, Gandhi M, Shah J, Rajgor D, Pietrobon R, Jacobs DO, Østbye T. Cholecystectomy concomitant with laparoscopic gastric bypass: a trend analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2001 to 2008. Obesity Surgery 2012: 22 (2): 220-229.

Østbye T, Peterson B, Katrina K, Swamy G. Lovelady C. Predictors of postpartum weight change among overweight and obese women: results from the Active Mothers Postpartum (AMP) study. Journal of Women’s Health 2012: 21(2): 215-222.

Finkelstein E, Østbye T, Malhotra R. Body Mass Trajectories through Mid-Life among Adults with Class I Obesity. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (accepted for publication 2011)

Malhotra C, Chan A, Malhotra R, Østbye T. Fifteen dimensions of health among community dwelling older Singaporeans. Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research (accepted for publication 2011)

Tan S-B, Koh GCH, Ding Y-W, Malhotra R, Ha TC. Pietrobon R, Kusumaratna R, Tie RN, Cunha G, Martins H, Seim A, Altermatt F, Biderman A, Puone T, Carvalho E, Østbye T. Inclination towards a research career among first year medical students: an international study. South East Asian Journal of Medical Education (accepted for publication 2011)

Østbye T, Chan A, Malhotra R Variation in and correlates of body mass status of older Singaporean men and women: Results from a national survey. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health (accepted for publication 2011)

Østbye T, Malhotra R, Landerman R. Body mass trajectories through adulthood: results from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Cohort (1989-2006). International Journal of Epidemiology 2011; 40(1): 240-250.

Chan A, Malhotra C, Østbye T. Correlates of limitations in Activities of Daily Living and mobility among community dwelling older Singaporeans. Ageing & Society 2011; 31(4):  683-682.

Østbye T, Zucker N, Krause KM, Lovelady CA, Evenson K, Peterson BL, Bastian LA, Swamy GK, West DG, Brouwer RJN. Kids and Adults Now! Defeat Obesity (KAN-DO): rationale, design and baseline characteristics. Contemporary Clinical Trials 2011: 32: 461-469.

Østbye T, Kolotkin RL, He H, Overcash F, Brouwer R, Binks M, Syrjala KL, Gadde KM. Sexual functioning in obese adults enrolling in a weight loss study. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy 2011; 37(3): 224-235.

Chan A, Malhotra C, Malhotra R, Østbye T. Living arrangements, social networks and depressive symptoms among older men and women in Singapore. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2011; 26: 630-639.

Krause KM, Lovelady CA, Østbye T. Predictors of breastfeeding in overweight and obese women: data from Active Mothers Postpartum (AMP). Maternal and Child Health Journal 2011: 15(3): 367-375.