Body Weight In Pounds Research Articles

Incremental validity of weight suppression in predicting clinical impairment in bulimic syndromes.

Research has shown that weight suppression (WS; the difference between a person's highest and current body weight in pounds) is a robust predictor of weight gain and eating-disorder (ED) symptoms among individuals with bulimic syndromes. Given the important prognostic role that WS plays in ED course and outcome, we hypothesized that WS would represent a clinically useful indicator of impairment for bulimic syndromes. We further posited that WS would demonstrate incremental validity above-and-beyond other proposed indicators in explaining clinical impairment in bulimic syndromes. Participants were community-recruited adults (N = 101; 80.2% female) with full-threshold (n = 51) or subthreshold (n = 50) bulimia nervosa. Other indicators of impairment included body mass index, frequency of inappropriate compensatory behaviors, lifetime history of any internalizing disorder, and multiple purging. Clinical impairment was assessed with the clinical impairment assessment (CIA). Hierarchical linear regression tested whether WS added to the explanation of CIA score variance above-and-beyond other indicators of bulimic-syndrome impairment. WS was significantly associated with clinical impairment (p = .011), but did not demonstrate incremental validity over other independent variables in predicting CIA scores. WS explained an additional 1.7% of the variance in CIA scores above-and-beyond other variables and the independent effect of WS on CIA scores represented a medium-sized effect (Cohen's d = 0.521). Results suggested that WS may be an indicator of ED-related clinical impairment. Inquiring about WS could be an informative component of routine bulimic-syndrome assessment, given that WS explains some of the variance in clinical impairment in bulimic syndromes.

An exploration of food and the lived experience of individuals after treatment for colorectal cancer using a phenomenological approach.

There is a paucity of qualitative literature investigating people's experiences of food and nutrition after treatment for cancer. The present study aimed to explore people's relationships with food and nutrition throughout their colorectal cancer journey. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants who had undergone surgery for colorectal cancer. The study design was informed by principles of phenomenology. Data were collected then transcribed and analysed using an inductive coding process and a thematic analysis to allow the themes to highlight people's lived experiences. Data enabled five primary themes to be drawn including: 'appetite swings', 'emotions on a changing physicality', 'the medicalisation of food', 'taking control of symptom management' and a cross-cutting theme 'drivers and vehicles for action'. Feelings and emotions described by participants around their relationship with food and nutritional status often guided decisions on what was eaten more than objective nutritional measure or dietary advice. Participants used weight changes, appetite and food as barometers to measure their overall recovery. Food was an area over which people exhibited control of their lives and they could quantify, in measurable units, their overall well-being and rehabilitation. They did this either by using the currency of body weight in pounds or the size of portions eaten. Appetite, weight and symptoms influenced dietary intake substantially and were poignant issues affecting people's lives. The relationship people have with food determines their eating habits and an understanding of the essences and nuances of their experiences is essential to enable the delivery of patient-centred care.

The effect of fruit and vegetable powder mix on hypertensive subjects: a pilot study

Objective This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a fruit and vegetable powder mix on cardiovascular health as determined by blood pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) in a chiropractic college faculty and student population. Methods Forty subjects were recruited in the study via a schoolwide e-mail notification and through personal contacts. NanoGreens (Biopharma Scientific, Inc, San Diego, CA) vegetable supplement drink was tested to document its effect on the blood pressure and HRV in relation to cardiovascular health. Results After taking the supplement for 90 days, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly in the treatment group. The systolic blood pressure decreased from 140.4 ± 17.7 to 128 ± 14.2 mm Hg, and the diastolic blood pressure decreased from 90.2 ± 7.7 to 83.1 ± 7.4 mm Hg. No significant blood pressure decrease was observed in the control group (systolic blood pressure from 130.8 ± 16.3 to 131 ± 16.1 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure from 83.6 ± 9.6 to 83.1 ± 7.9 mm Hg). Subject's body weight in pounds did not change significantly in the experimental group: from 193.5 ± 31.1 to 194 ± 31.3. The body weight in the control group showed an increase from 175.9 ± 27.4 to 178 ± 29.9, but it was not significant. The heart rate did not show any statistically significant changes. Time domain analysis of HRV showed an increase in the standard deviation of the average R-R intervals root mean square of successive interbeat intervals, but it did not reach statistical significance. Frequency analysis of HRV found an increase in the total power, but it did not reach a significant level. Conclusion It was concluded that taking the nutritional supplement for 90 days reduced blood pressure but not body weight in this group of subjects. The HRV was not affected by the supplement over the 3-month period. Larger studies should be conducted to determine effects on other populations.

Orlistat for overweight subjects with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis #

We appreciate the comments of Dowman and colleagues in reference to our study with orlistat in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.1 Regarding study design, specifically with respect to the lack of a calculation for power, this study was designed as a pilot trial and not necessarily intended to definitively answer the question of whether orlistat therapy alone is efficacious. However, we have subsequently performed a retrospective power analysis using the values for weight loss reported in the article. The independent variables are treatment (control, orlistat) and time (before, after treatment). The dependent variable is body weight. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of body weight before treatment is 225 ± 42 pounds. A 10% weight loss will be 22.5 pounds, an effect size of 0.54 SD. Four two-tailed, post hoc tests (two between and two within groups) are appropriate for this analysis, so a Bonferroni correction of P = 0.05/4 ≃ 0.01 was used. With SPSS Sample Power, version 2.0, we obtained a sample size estimate of 82 subjects per group for a power of 80% with a level of confidence of 95%. We concur that a larger sample size than was used in the article is needed to detect a 10% difference in weight loss between groups. With 23 subjects in one group and 18 in the other, we had the power to detect a 1.13 SD effect size or 25.4 pound difference in weight loss between groups. Presented as descriptive statistics, body weight in pounds was 226 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 153–299) in the orlistat group before treatment, 224 (95% CI: 132–316) in the control group before treatment, 208 (95% CI: 132–284) in the orlistat group after treatment, and 210 (95% CI: 120–300) in the control group after treatment. Regarding analysis, as previously noted in our article, there were no significant differences in histopathology between the two groups, so further case-by-case analysis was not thought to be helpful in this pilot trial. Subsequently, when no treatment effect was observed, the data were pooled and categorized by weight loss. The observed weight losses were 6.0% in the control group and 8.3% in the orlistat group. The 5% and 9% cut-points bracket the observed weight loss values and split the group sizes by a 2:3 ratio. Power analyses were not performed. Power is not an issue when statistically significant differences are found. However, increasing the number of hypothesis tests increases the probability of a Type I error. The results of Spearman correlation analysis between weight change ≥ 5% and changes in dependent variables were the quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI; r = −0.327, P = 0.039, n = 40) and steatosis (r = −0.388, P = 0.013, n = 40). The results of Spearman correlation analysis for weight change ≥ 9% were QUICKI (r = −0.385, P = 0.014, n = 40), steatosis (r = −0.453, P = 0.003, n = 40), ballooning (r = −0.326, P = 0.040, n = 40), inflammation (r = −0.321, P = 0.044, n = 40), adiponectin (r = 0.461, P = 0.002, n = 41), and the NAFLD activity score (NAS; r = −0.419, P = 0.007, n = 40). We agree that larger studies are needed to fully delineate the efficacy of orlistat in the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. However, quantification of a specific weight loss goal that is associated with clinical and histopathologic improvement is also important. We thank Dowman and colleagues for giving us the opportunity to present the descriptive and nonparametric results. Stephen Harrison*, Elizabeth Brunt , Brent Neuschwander-Tetri , * Gastroenterology Service, Department of Gastroenterology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO.

Analysis of Guidelines for Basal-Bolus Insulin Dosing: Basal Insulin, Correction Factor, and Carbohydrate-To-Insulin Ratio

To analyze and compare the underlying mathematical models for basal-bolus insulin-dosing guidelines in patients with type 1 diabetes in a retrospective controlled study. Algebraic model-development yielded several systems of models with unknown constants, including 3 systems currently in use. These systems were compared for logic and consistency. One of these systems was the accurate insulin management (AIM) system, which we developed in the setting of our large endocrine practice. Our database consisted of retrospective clinical records for a 7-month period. During this time, correction factor (CF), carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio (CIR), and basal insulin were being adjusted incrementally by titration. The variables studied were height, body weight in pounds (BWlb), CF, CIR, hemoglobin A1c (A1C), basal insulin, and 6-day mean total daily dose of insulin (TDD). The values of the variables used in the study were those determined on arrival of the patients at the office. The last 6 TDDs were entered into the database, and the mean was calculated by formulas within the database. We sorted our database into 2 groups, a well-controlled test group (n = 167; A1C <or=7%, time on pump >180 days, no severe hypoglycemic events since the last office visit, and C-peptide level <or=0.5 ng/mL) and a control group with poor control (n = 209; A1C >7% or time on pump <180 days). We obtained one office visit per patient, as follows: from the test group, we chose the visit with the lowest A1C value; from the control group, we chose one visit by use of a computer's random number generator. A significant difference was demonstrated between the correlation constants of the test group versus the control group by performing T tests between the means and F tests between the standard deviations. The least squares estimates of the correlation constants from the test group were recommended in the guidelines, in place of the means, to gain accuracy. By these methods, the guidelines used by the patients with good glycemic control are made available for all patients. With use of the AIM system, the TDD for continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion = 0.24 * BWlb; basal insulin = 0.47 * TDD; CF = 1,700/TDD; and CIR = 2.8 * BWlb/TDD. Three mathematical models for CIR are presented, with a rationale for supporting one of them (the AIM model). This model, together with 3 related AIM models, when provided with statistically correlated constants, constitutes the AIM system of guidelines, a consistent and convenient means of estimating insulin-dosing variables for patients with type 1 diabetes.

Promoting Nutrition in Breastfeeding Women

Nurses have a vital role in providing nutritional education to breastfeeding women. In this article, the authors discuss the nutritional requirements for breast-feeding women in terms of micronutrients, macronutrients, and minerals. They provide recommendations for women with vegetarian diets and low-income women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program who may have dietary deficiencies, and they present a directed case study to provide an example of how to perform a dietary assessment and the educational support that may be offered by nurses to breastfeeding women.

Body weight, serum cholesterol, and stage of primary breast cancer.

To determine if body weight and serum cholesterol are associated with advanced primary breast cancer, the authors compared levels of both by TNM stage and estrogen receptor protein (ERP) concentration in a population of 148 premenopausal and 167 postmenopausal white women with histologically confirmed Stage I, II, and IIIa breast cancer. The women were admitted to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City between 1982 and 1984. Overweight, whether measured as body weight in pounds, Quetelet index, or body surface area, was not found to be associated with TNM tumor stage, tumor size, extent of axillary node disease, or ERP concentration at mastectomy. Elevated serum cholesterol, either alone or in combination with overweight, also showed no association. When assessed in light of earlier studies, the study findings suggest that if overweight, as defined in this study, and/or elevated serum cholesterol do influence early breast cancer recurrence, they do so other than through an association with advanced primary disease. Suggestions for future research are proposed.

Effect of Inbreeding on 8-Week Weight in Chickens

During investigations for another purpose data were accumulated indicating inbreeding depression of 8-week weight in Athens-Canadian Randombred (A.C.R.) chickens. When inbred birds were compared with contemporary non-inbreds from a mass mating the inbreds were lighter in 31 of 34 comparisons. The differences are listed in Table 1.A search of indices in Poultry Science revealed only three published values of regression of body weight on inbreeding in chickens. Shoffner (1948) reported a non-significant estimate (−0.004 ± 0.003) of regression of mature body weight in pounds on inbreeding. Glazener et al. (1951) reported a significant estimate (−0.1297 ± 0.005) of regression of 12-week weight in ounces on inbreeding. Blow and Glazener (1953) reported another non-significant estimate (−1.044 ± 0.851) of regression of body weight at sexual maturity in grams on inbreeding. There have, however, been several estimates of regression of body weight on inbreeding in mammals. Some of these are tabulated…

Anatomical subdivisions of the volume of respiratory dead space and effect of position of the jaw

The mean volume of the extrathoracic respiratory tract in six cadavers was found to be 72 ml (BTPS), (S.D. ±32). Expressed as a fraction of body weight in pounds this amounted to 0.55. The intrathoracic anatomical dead space was measured in three intubated subjects. The mean value was 66 ml (BPTS), (S.D. ±29) or 0.43 times the body weight in pounds. The influence of the position of the jaw on the dead space was studied in the six cadavers and three conscious subjects. Depression of the jaw with flexion of the neck produced a mean decrease in the dead space of 31.4 ml while a protrusion of the jaw with extension of the neck increased the dead space by 39.7 ml. Submitted on July 28, 1958

Body Size and Lactation Rate

Summary The influence of age on lactation rate can be determined when the effect of body size is derived independently. This derivation can be made on the basis of the theory that lactation capacity is proportional to the metabolic body size ( 3 4 power of body weight) of the cows. There are two reasons why the effect of body size on lactation rate cannot be calculated from records within one herd: first, the variability of lactation rate, aside from the influence of size, ranges from±10 to±20 per cent of the mean rate, even in well-bred herds kept under uniform conditions; second, size differences within each of those herds are usually rather small. The unreliability of results from a recent attempt to calculate size effects on lactation rates within a herd is demonstrated. A table is calculated showing the number of cows necessary to distinguish significantly between production rate per unit weight and production rate per unit of metabolic body size. A table is supplied in which metabolic body size of cows can be read directly when body weight in pounds is given. Lactation rate per unit of metabolic body size ( 3 4 power of body weight) is a sound basis for calculating the effects of age on lactation rate. The average daily milk production during a 10-month period, expressed as milk energy or fat-corrected milk, and divided by the mean metabolic body size, is suggested as an important result in summaries of production records. When the cows have been kept under quasi-optimal conditions, such a result may be known as relative lactation capacity. This term, which expresses quantitatively the inherent ability of cows for milk production, would be useful as a major criterion for breeding dairy cattle.

ADMINISTRATION OF DIGITALIS BY "EGGLESTON METHOD"

Many requests have been received for information as to the practical application of this method of administering digitalis, and therefore it seems advisable to publish a brief statement regarding the details involved. The reader is referred to the original paper 1 for the data on which the method is based, and to the papers by S. Marx White and R. Edwin Morris, 2 and by R. Edwin Morris, 3 for comments on the method. This method of digitalis dosage and administration is designed especially for rapid digitalization by oral administration. It depends on the establishment of an average total amount of digitalis which is required to produce full digitalization, or the minor toxic actions of digitalis. This total amount is expressed in terms of the activity of the drug and the patient's body weight in pounds. The activity of the drug is determined by the cat method of Hatcher, 4