Excess Body Fat Research Articles

Swimming exercise changed the collagen synthesis and calcification in calcaneal tendons of mice.

Obesity is characterized by the excess of body fat and, therefore, may cause musculoskeletal alterations that can negatively influence the tendons. Such overweight-influenced alterations are exercise sensitive though. Morphological and biochemical alterations were reported in the calcaneal tendon of mice submitted to a lipid-rich diets along with practicing exercises, with the following groups: normal diet without exercise (ND), normal diet with exercise (NDex), lipid-rich diet without exercise (LD), lipid-rich diet without exercise (LDex). The calcaneal tendons were removed and subjected to histological and biochemical analysis. Layers of the tissue were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Picrosirius Red and Von Kossa while a protein dosage was conduce by the Bradford method. The morphologicals analysis there was no statistical difference concerning the number of fibroblasts among the groups. Groups submitted to exercises showed higher amount of collagen and non-collagenous protein deposition. The lipid-rich diet without exercse group had a more disorganized collagen matrix with intense basophilia. The same group had areas of calcification confirmed by Von Kossa technique. Practicing physical activity, such as swimming, can improve the changes caused in the calcaneal tendon in mice submitted to a lipid-rich diets, having a better collagen organization and the synthesis.

Clapping jumping jacks to improve endothelial function in obese adults: if you're happy and you NO it, clap your hands.

Clapping jumping jacks to improve endothelial function in obese adults: if you're happy and you NO it, clap your hands.

“I Did Not Choose to Be Obese”—Experiences of Stigma among Market Women in Kaneshie, Ghana

Excess body fat is associated with impaired physical and socio-emotional health outcomes. There is limited evidence on stigma and discrimination associated with overweight and obesity in developing country settings like Ghana where the rate of overweight is rapidly increasing. This current study explored the experiences of obesity-related stigma and discrimination among adult female vendors in the Kaneshie Market in Accra, Ghana. Employing a mixed concurrent method, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Quantitatively, about half (56%) of the survey respondents were obese, however, most of them misperceived their weight. Using Pearson Chi-square test of association, respondent age, marital status, educational level, ethnicity and parity were significantly associated with BMI status. Multiple (adjusted) ordered logistic regression model showed age, ethnicity and marital status and parity to be significant demographic characteristics predictive of weight status. Single women had about four times lesser odds of having a higher weight status compared to those who were either married, divorced/sepa- rated/widowed, or cohabiting. Educational status was not significantly associated with BMI status in adjusted model. The qualitative findings revealed derogatory name calling, limitations to use of public spaces, and denial of opportunities as stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes experienced by obese respondents.

The food frequency intake and eating behaviours of metabolically obese and non obese polycystic ovary syndrome women

AbstractIntroduction: Normal weight obesity is characterized as regular BMI and excessive body fatness. This type of metabolic obesity may be observed and overlooked in polycystic ovary syndrome women (PCOS), in whom obesity and increased cardiometabolic risk are observed. There are limited data concerning eating habits and lifestyle behaviours of/in normal weight obesity PCOS women. The purpose of this study is to distinguish the food frequency intake and eating habits behaviours of PCOS women characterized by regular weight and body fatness, regular weight and excess fatness and overweight and excess body fatness.Methods: Women with PCOS (n = 149, BMI: 26 ± 6 kg/m2, aged 17–44 years) were divided into three groups according to the BMI and body fatness percentage (FM%): Regular weight and FM% (RW, n = 64), regular weight and high FM% (RWHF, n = 24) and high weight and high FM% (HWHF, n = 61). FM% was measured by air displacement plethysmography (BodPod, Life Measurement Inc, Concord, CA). Anthropometrics included weight, height and waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR) were measured. Food frequency intake and lifestyle behaviours were assessed by Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire (KomPAN, The Committee of Human Nutrition, Polish Academy of Science). To assess psychological factors influencing nutrition, My Eating Habits (MEH) Questionnaire was used. To detect the differences between the groups Kruskall-Wallis ANOVA and Mann Whitney-U tests were used.Results: The results showed that the groups with higher body fatness (HWHF and RWHF) had significantly higher scores of dietary restrictions than the RW group. The RWHF group had significantly lower frequency intake of grains and lower physical activity in relation to other groups. In the group HWHF we indicated the higher risk of eating disorders since scored there higher in emotional overeating section of Eating Habits questionnaire.Conclusion:The differences in body fatness in PCOS women might by driven by eating behaviours and frequency of intake selected food groups. Individual approach emphasized on dietary coaching of eating and lifestyle habits, might be beneficial to body composition management and cardiometabolic risk reduction in PCOS women.

Excessive adiposity is associated with an inflammation induced elevation in serum hepcidin, serum ferritin and increased risk of iron overload

AbstractExcess body fat is associated with the production of pro-inflammatory molecules from dysfunctional adipose tissue resulting in systemic inflammation. Inflammation stimulates expression of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin, resulting in elevated serum ferritin and iron overload in metabolic tissues. Hepcidin driven iron maldistribution may be implicated in the development of metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of body fat and the associated inflammation on markers of iron homeostasis.Analyses were based on data from the cross-sectional National Adult Nutrition Survey (2008–2010) (www.iuna.net). Percentage body fat (BF%) of participants (n = 1211) was measured by a Tanita BC420MA device. Participants were classified as healthy, overweight or obese based on age and gender-specific BF% ranges. Serum ferritin and serum hepcidin were measured using immunoturbidimetric immunoassays. ANCOVA with Bonferroni post hoc (p < 0.05) was used to compare anthropometric parameters, biochemical markers of iron status and inflammation and nutrient intakes between BF% groups. Predictors of serum hepcidin and serum ferritin were determined using linear regression analysis.In the population 42% were classified as healthy, 33% as overfat and 25% as obese. Serum hepcidin was significantly elevated in obese participants (8.42ng/ml ± 4.2) compared to their healthy counterparts (6.49ng/ml ± 3.9)(p < 0.001). Significantly higher serum ferritin was observed in obese (223ng/ml ± 170) and overfat males (166ng/ml ± 120) compared to healthy males (135ng/ml ± 91)(p < 0.001). A significant percentage of overweight (20%) and obese (32%) participants were at severe risk of iron overload compared to healthy participants (8%)(p < 0.001). No significant differences in dietary iron intakes were observed between BF% groups. Linear regression analysis indicated that BF% was a significant (p < 0.001) predictor of hepcidin in males (β = 0.327) and females (β = 0.226). IL-6 (β = 0.317,p < 0.001) and TNFα (β = 0.229,p < 0.001) were the strongest inflammatory predictors of hepcidin in females only. In males, leptin was a positive predictor (β = 0.159,p = 0.003) of hepcidin, while adiponectin displayed a negative predictive relationship (β = -0.145,p = 0.001)Our results indicate that excessive adiposity is associated with elevated serum ferritin and hepcidin independent of dietary intake. Cytokines are a potential driver of hepcidin in females, with adipose-derived hormones seeming to have the greater effect in males. These results may help to elucidate the relationship between obesity and dysregulated iron metabolism. Further research is required to investigate the metabolic effects of hepcidin-induced iron overload in those with excess body fat.

Sicyos angulatus Prevents High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Mice.

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to a serious extent. It is a chronic disease that can lead to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the anti-obesity effects of Sicyos angulatus (SA) extract on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced C57BL/6J obese mice. The mice were divided into vehicle and three SA groups (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight). The mice were fed a HFD with or without SA for 12 weeks. The oral administration of SA reduced body and adipose tissue weight in HFD-fed mice compared to those in the vehicle group (p<0.05). Adipocyte size and inflammation significantly decreased in the SA-administered groups in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, adipocytes larger than 5000 µm2 were remarkably reduced by around 50% in the SA-treated groups (p<0.05). In addition, SA contributes towards reducing insulin resistance (measured as the HOMA-IR index) and glucose intolerance in HFD-induced obese mice (p<0.05; Vehicle 21.5±3.1 vs. SA100 4.7±0.4). These beneficial effects of SA on obesity may be linked to the suppression of lipogenesis and stimulating energy metabolism in white adipose tissue and muscle. In white adipose tissue and muscle, the administration of SA activated AMPK pathway, leading to the inhibition of the development of pathophysiological conditions associated with obesity, including lipogenesis and inflammation. These findings suggest that SA may prevent obesity through inhibiting fat accumulation in HFD-induced obese mice. Therefore, SA is able to exert metabolic benefits in the prevention of obesity and insulin resistance.

Structured Physical Activity did not Affect the Body Fat Percentage among Gymnastics Studio Members

The excess of body fat in the body can be associated with the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic diseases. Activit ies which can reduce the body fat percentage is a structured physical activity . This study aims to identify the effect of the structured physical activity on the decrease in body fat percentage on members of the gymnastics studio. This study use d one group of pretest-posttest design. The intervention was an aerobic exercise , conducted for a minimum duration of 150 minutes per week, and followed up for three months. The samples were selected by using purposive sampling and we re collected by measuring the respondent's weight with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at the beginning and the end of this study. The data were analyzed by using paired sample t - test. The result showed that the average of the body fat percentage on the pre-test was 33.156 %, and on the post-test wa s 32.920 %. Based on the data, t here was a decrease in a body fat percentage on pre-test and post-test in 13 out of 25 respondents . The p-value was 0.357, and it can be conclude d that the structured physical activity d id not have a significant effect on the decrease in body fat percentage.

Obesity: a sociological guide for health practitioners.

Obesity is a condition of excess body fat that has been identified as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death globally and increases the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and various cancers. Obesity worldwide has tripled in the adult population over the past 40 years, with 13% of the world's adult population now obese, leading to calls for control of a global obesity epidemic. Causes of obesity can be delineated at individual, societal and systemic levels, highlighting the need for analysis that transcends the biomedical paradigm to explore the sociological influences of this condition. The pathophysiology of why obesity occurs has not changed within recent history, but the way that people live their lives and the cultural understandings that evolve within communities have. This article describes the interaction between obesity and the social environment, explores the meaning of obesity within the context of health and considers the social determinants of obesity within the community. It also discusses the influences of the professional-patient exchange in obesity, the comprehension of obesity as a disease and the challenges of addressing obesity within the healthcare system.

Age period cohort analysis in cancers associated with overweight and obesity in Ireland

AbstractThe Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Ireland report that 62% of adults were overweight or obese in 2017(1). In 2019, the latest data from the national longitudinal study “Growing Up in Ireland” showed that 15% of five-year olds were overweight and 5% were obese(2). According to WHO projections, Ireland may have the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in Europe by 2030(3). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) state there is sufficient evidence for a cancer preventative effect of the absence of excess body fatness for 13 different cancer sites(4). Recent USA based research showed that the risk of developing an obesity-related cancer seems to be increasing in a stepwise manner in successively younger birth cohorts(5), therefore we aimed to investigate trends in the age of obesity related cancer diagnosis.National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) data was obtained for 25 to 84 year olds between 1997 and 2016 for several cancer types and 5-year intervals were constructed to categorise age (25–29, 30–34 etc.) and year of diagnosis (1997–2001, 2002–2006 etc.). An age-period-cohort model was fitted to each cancer type, resulting in estimated temporal trends in incidence (expressed as annual percent change (APC) per year) and significance of the trend across age groups was tested using a Wald test(5).Analysis of NCRI data reflect significantly increasing incidence of colorectal cancer with decreasing age in Ireland (n = 40703, p = 0.00). Despite the limitation of low numbers for several cancer sites in younger age groups, similar trends were observed for a number of cancer types including thyroid and cervical cancer (p &lt; 0.05). Although other factors (such as early detection) may contribute to these observations, addressing the large increase in incidence of obesity and colorectal cancer among young adults is essential. Research to identify exposure to modifiable risk factors, including nutrition and physical activity, throughout life in Ireland is necessary to examine potential determinants of such trends.

Pre and postoperative deficiencies in iron, ferritin and B12 vitamin among portuguese patients undergoing bariatric surgery

AbstractIntroduction:According to the World Health Organization obesity it's the result of an abnormal or excessive body fat accumulation, which presents a high risk for the health. Bariatric surgery appears as an alternative to the conventional treatment for the morbid obese individuals. However, this type of intervention causes changes in the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, which may lead to the development of nutritional deficiencies in patients, in particular anemia.Aim:To evaluate micronutrient deficiencies in patients submitted to bariatric surgery in preoperative and postoperative periods, in particular iron, ferritin, and B12 vitamin.Methods:In this longitudinal study, we evaluated, retrospectively and prospectively, patients who attended the nutrition appointment at a central hospital. We completed a preexisting database containing anthropometric and biochemical data, adding biochemical data, at various periods: pre at 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th, 30th and 36th months post-surgery.Results:from the 121 patients submitted to bariatric surgery, 79,3% were female. The prevalence or iron deficiency reached 15%, ferritin deficiency reached almost 10% and B12 vitamin deficiency reached 18%. Furthermore there were deficiencies in other nutrients, e.g., vitamin D, magnesium and zinc. There was more than 85% adhesion to take the multivitamin supplementation and frequent use of specific supplementation.Conclusion:The prevalence of nutritional deficiencies is high, with a tendency to persist over time even with use of multivitamin supplementation, leading to the need for complementary supplementation, in particular to prevent the risk of anemia. Hence, periodic and long term monitoring is fundamental.

Influência do Magnésio e Cálcio sobre o Estresse Oxidativo na Obesidade

Introdução: A obesidade é caracterizada por excesso de gordura corporal decorrente do desequilíbrio entre a ingestão alimentar e gasto energético. Estudos têm demonstrado que o excesso de tecido adiposo se associa com estresse oxidativo em grau elevado. Outro aspecto importante, diz respeito às alterações nas concentrações de micronutrientes, a exemplo do magnésio e cálcio, em organismos obesos. Pesquisas têm destacado redução nos valores séricos desses minerais nesses indivíduos, bem como têm evidenciado que em situações de deficiência parece haver maior produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio, contribuindo para o estresse oxidativo. Portanto, a presente revisão objetiva trazer informações atualizadas sobre a relação existente entre magnésio, cálcio e estresse oxidativo na obesidade. Metodologia: Realizou-se um levantamento bibliográfico nas bases de dados Pubmed, SciELO e LILACS, utilizando as seguintes palavras-chave: “calcium”, “magnesium” e “obesity”; “obesity” e “oxidative stress”; “calcium”, “magnesium”, “obesity” e “oxidative stress”. Resultados: Os indivíduos obesos parecem apresentar deficiência de magnésio decorrente de uma ingestão inadequada do mineral, comprometendo mecanismos de defesa antioxidante, como também contribuindo para o aumento de cálcio intracelular, fator que acarreta uma produção elevada de espécies reativas de oxigênio, promovendo o estresse oxidativo. Conclusão: A inadequação no consumo de magnésio contribui para a manifestação de sua deficiência em obesos, situação que está atrelada a alterações no metabolismo do cálcio e no sistema de defesa antioxidante. No entando, mais estudos são necessários, considerando que o metabolismo dos micronutrientes estudados não estão completamente elucidados.

The association between DXA-derived body fat measures and breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative.

BackgroundMost studies demonstrating an association between excess adiposity and postmenopausal breast cancer have used anthropometric measures, particularly body mass index (BMI). However, more direct body fat measures may more accurately determine the relationship between body fat distribution and breast cancer risk.MethodsCox proportional hazards regression models were created to examine the associations of dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) body fat measures (at baseline and during follow‐up) with breast cancer risk among 10 931 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative cohort. A total of 639 incident invasive breast cancer cases (including 484 estrogen receptor positive (ER+) cases) were ascertained after a median follow‐up of 15.0 years.ResultsExcess whole body fat mass and trunk fat mass were positively associated with risk invasive breast cancer risk. These associations persisted even after additional adjustment for standard anthropometric measures. In time‐dependent analyses, we observed that both whole body fat mass and trunk fat mass, in the highest versus lowest category, were associated with a doubling of risk of invasive breast cancer overall (HR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.54‐3.05 and 2.20; 1.55‐3.14, respectively) and of ER+ breast cancer (2.05; 1.37‐3.05 and 2.03; 1.34‐3.07, respectively). The remaining DXA measures were also positively associated with breast cancer risk in baseline and time‐dependent analyses.ConclusionThese findings suggest that DXA‐derived body fat measures are positively associated with breast cancer risk after adjustment for BMI and other conventional breast cancer risk factors.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ALLOY FREQUENCY OF THE T102C POLYMORPHISM OF THE 5HT2A GENE WITH ANTHROPOMETRIC AND CARDIOMETABOLIC MEASURES

Obesity is a disease characterized by excessive body fat. Among the neurobiological factors associated with obesity, the serotonergic system stands out. The neurotransmitter of these circuits is serotonin (5-HT). Decreased levels of 5-HT have been linked to increased desire to ingest sweets and carbohydrates. This study aims to verify the relationship of the 5HT2A T102C gene polymorphism with obesity and anthropometric parameters. Blood samples and anthropometric data were collected from 150 volunteers, divided between the control and obese groups. The results showed that for individuals with diastolic pressure (p = 0.3681), Estimated Mean Glycemia (GMe) (p = 0.0228) and Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA-IR-IR) (p = 0.001) all altered, a higher frequency of C alleles was observed. For normal GMe (p = 0.0270), a higher frequency of the T allele was observed. There was no difference for the allele distribution between the normal and altered groups for the parameters of Triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin and Insulin. The distribution of the alleles between the groups, normal diastolic pressure (p = 0.3681) and HOMA-IR (p = 0.9203) groups presented no difference. From the genotypic analyzes of the T102C polymorphism of the 5HT2A gene, it was possible to demonstrate a relationship between the presence of the C allele with biochemical and anthropometric markers related to obesity and hypertension.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Body Mass Index in Defining Childhood Obesity: Analysis of Cross-Sectional Data from Ghanaian Children

Background: Screening methods for childhood obesity are based largely on the published body mass index (BMI) criteria. Nonetheless, their accuracy in African children is largely unknown. The diagnostic accuracies of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) BMI-based criteria in defining obesity using deuterium dilution as a criterion method in a sample of Ghanaian children are presented. Methods: Data on anthropometric indices and percent body fat were collected from 183 children aged 8–11 years. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated. The overall performance of the BMI criteria was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (AUC). Results: Overall sensitivity of WHO, CDC, and IOTF were 59.4% (40.6–76.3), 53.1% (34.7–70.9), and 46.9% (29.1–65.3) respectively. The overall specificity was high, ranging from 98.7% by WHO to 100.0% by IOTF. The AUC were 0.936 (0.865–1.000), 0.924 (0.852–0.995), and 0.945 (0.879–1.000) by the WHO, CDC, and IOTF criteria respectively for the overall sample. Prevalence of obesity by the WHO, CDC, IOTF, and deuterium oxide-derived percent body fat were 11.5%, 10.4%, 8.2%, and 17.5% respectively, with significant positive correlations between the BMI z-scores and percent body fat. Conclusions: The BMI-based criteria were largely specific but with moderate sensitivity in detecting excess body fat in Ghanaian children. To improve diagnostic accuracy, direct measurement of body fat and other health risk factors should be considered in addition to BMI.

Cord Leptin, C-Peptide and Insulin Levels in Large for Gestational Age Newborns in Sri Lanka

Background Large for gestational age (LGA) infants are more prone to be obese and are at a higher risk of metabolic complications later in life. It is established that Asians have lower skeletal muscle mass and excess body fat for a given body mass index. Thus, objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leptin, insulin, C-peptide in cord blood on the birth weight of newborns and to determine whether these parameters are deviated from data already published from other populations. Methods Umbilical cord blood was collected from 90 newborns (male 50, gestational age 38–42 weeks) which comprise of 43 LGA and 47 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns. Serum leptin, insulin and C-peptide levels were measured and anthropometric parameters of the newborn and maternal characteristics were recorded. Results Significantly higher (P < 0.001) concentrations of leptin, insulin and C-peptide levels (12.670 ± 2.345 ng/mL, 18.725 ± 0.644 µIU/mL, 9.318 ± 0.772 ng/mL) were observed in the LGA group compared to AGA group (7.108 ± 0.906 ng/mL, 13.081 ± 0.428 µIU/mL, 5.439 ± 0.192 ng/mL) and all three parameters showed positive and significant correlations with anthropometric parameters of the newborn and maternal characteristics. Conclusion Although increased leptin, insulin and C-peptide levels may be involved in insulin resistance, increased adiposity and macrosomia, they were not significantly deviated from published data from other populations. Other factors may contribute to higher fat mass found in Asian populations and finding this relationship during neonatal period is useful to predict risk factors for childhood obesity.

Bayesian Space-Time Analysis of Brain Cancer Incidence in Southern Ontario, Canada: 2010-2013.

Canada has one of the highest incidence rates of brain cancer in the world. This study investigates the space–time variation of brain cancer risk across Southern Ontario, Canada. A Bayesian spatio-temporal regression model is used to estimate the relative risk of brain cancer in the 12 spatial health units of Southern Ontario over a four-year period (2010–2013). This work also explores the association between brain cancer and two potential risk factors: traumatic head injury (THI) and excess body fat (EBF). Across all areal units from 2010–2013, results show that the relative risk of brain cancer ranged from 0.83 (95% credible interval (CI) 0.74–0.91) to 1.26 (95% CI 1.13–1.41). Over the years, the eastern and western health units had persistently higher risk levels compared to those in the central areas. Results suggest that areas with elevated THI rates and EBF levels were also potentially associated with higher brain cancer relative risk. Findings revealed that the mean temporal trend for cancer risk progression in the region smoothly decreased over time. Overall, 50% of the health units displayed area-specific trends which were higher than the region’s average, thus indicating a slower decrease in cancer rates for these areas in comparison to the mean trend.

Effect of the herbal medicines in obesity and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Obesity is a medical situation in which excess body fat has gathered because of imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. In spite of the fact that the variety of studies are available for obesity treatment and management, its "globesity" still remains a big challenge all over the world. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of effective herbal medicines in the management and treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome in human. We systematically searched all relevant clinical trials via Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and the Cochrane database to assess the effects of raw or refined products derived from plants or parts of plants on obesity and metabolic syndrome in overweight and obesity adult subjects. All studies conducted by the end of May 2019 were considered in the systematic review. Data were extracted independently by two experts. The quality assessment was assessed using Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials checklist. The main outcomes were anthropometric indices and metabolic syndrome components. Pooled effect of herbal medicines on obesity and metabolic syndrome were presented as standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 279 relevant clinical trials were included. Herbals containing green tea, Phaseolus vulgaris, Garcinia cambogia, Nigella sativa, puerh tea, Irvingia gabonensis, and Caralluma fimbriata and their active ingredients were found to be effective in the management of obesity and metabolic syndrome. In addition, C. fimbriata, flaxseed, spinach, and fenugreek were able to reduce appetite. Meta-analysis showed that intake of green tea resulted in a significant improvement in weight ([SMD]: -0.75 [-1.18, -0.319]), body mass index ([SMD]: -1.2 [-1.82, -0.57]), waist circumference ([SMD]: -1.71 [-2.66, -0.77]), hip circumference ([SMD]: -0.42 [-1.02, -0.19]), and total cholesterol, ([SMD]: -0.43 [-0.77, -0.09]). In addition, the intake of P. vulgaris and N. sativa resulted in a significant improvement in weight ([SMD]: -0.88, 95 % CI: [-1.13, -0.63]) and triglyceride ([SMD]: -1.67, 95 % CI: [-2.54, -0.79]), respectively. High quality trials are still needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plants in obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Analysis of Protein–Receptor Interactions on an Example of Leptin–Leptin Receptor Interaction Using the Resonant Recognition Model

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat may have a negative effect on health and lifestyle, and it is becoming an increasing problem within modern society. Leptin is the key protein that regulates body energy balance by inhibiting hunger, and it could potentially be used in treatment of obesity and overweight. Here, we applied our own Resonant Recognition Model, which is capable of analyzing the selectivity of any protein–receptor interaction on an example of leptin–leptin receptor. We have identified a specific characteristic parameter for leptin activity through the leptin receptor, and this parameter could be used in development of new treatments for obesity.

Widespread vitamin D deficiency and its sex-specific association with adiposity in Chinese children and adolescents.

Vitamin D is involved in various physiologic and pathologic processes in the human body. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the association of adiposity indicators with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) in Chinese children and adolescents. This was a population-based, nationwide, multicenter cross-sectional study involving 10 696 participants (51.2% boys) 6 to 18 y of age. Total body fat mass was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and measures of body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), fat mass percentage (FMP), and plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were obtained. The adjusted mean of 25(OH)D was 39.3 nmol/L for all participants, 40.7 nmol/L for boys, and 37.9 nmol/L for girls. Of the children, 30% had vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D <30 nmol/L) and 80% had vitamin D insufficiency (25[OH]D <50 nmol/L). The prevalence rates of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were higher in girls (31%, 83.4%, respectively) than in boys (22.8%, 78.7%, respectively). An L-shape relationship between age and 25(OH)D was observed in all children, with a threshold age of 14 y. Also, there was an inverted U-shaped association of BMI with 25(OH)D, and multivariable linear models shown FMI and FMP were inversely associated with 25(OH)D concentrations, particularly in boys (β=-0.86 and -0.83, respectively, all P < 0.05). Vitamin D deficiency was widespread and its sex-specific association with an excess of body fat in Chinese children and adolescents. The findings indicate that targeted screening and treatment guidelines may be useful.

OSTEOSARCOPENIC OBESITY AND VITAMIN D IN U.S. ADULTS AGES 50 AND OLDER: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Osteosarcopenic Obesity (OSO) is the concurrent presence of obesity (excess body fat), sarcopenia (low muscle mass) and osteoporosis (low bone mineral density). Low levels of serum vitamin D (vitD) have been associated with each disease and their simultaneous presence. We examined this association in adults aged ≥50 years from the 2001-2006 survey cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (N=3791). SAS v9.4 complex survey procedures were used. Demographics and vitD status were compared across OSO components (0,1,2,3) by chi-squared tests and ANOVAs. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between vitD status and increasing number of OSO components were calculated using multinomial logistic regression (alpha=0.05). The mean age was 65.0 years (30% were older adults ≥ 65), 45.6% were female, and prevalences for obesity, osteoporosis, sarcopenia and OSO were 84.7%, 8.0%, 16.3%, and 1.8%, respectively. Additionally, 30.9% of the sample was vitD deficient. After adjusting for supplement use, and race, women with 1 or 2, and men with 1,2 or 3 OSO components were more likely to be vitD deficient than sufficient, compared to those with none [women: 2.8(1.4-5.7), 2.1(1.4-6.8), and men: 2.3 (1.5-3.6), 3.5(2.1-5.9) and 6.3(1.0-38.5), respectively]. Vitamin D status was associated with having one or two OSO components in women, and OSO and components in men, after adjusting for supplement use, sex, and race. These results suggest it is important to consider obesity, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia jointly with respect to vitamin D status in the chronic disease management of aging and older adults.