Higher Body Mass Index Scores Research Articles

Satisfaction with perinatal care providers and the childbirth experience: the moderating role of body mass index

BackgroundSatisfaction with birth and healthcare provider experiences have long-term effects for maternal health. Research has shown that mothers who report more trust, respect, and self-efficacy in their relationship with their healthcare providers are more likely to report positive birthing experiences. Further, individuals with obesity, including pregnant mothers, are more likely to experience weight-related stigma from healthcare providers which may negatively impact satisfaction with this relationship. Thus, the current study examines maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) as a moderator between birth and provider satisfaction.MethodsA sample of 94 women (ages 16–38) were recruited during pregnancy. Participants completed surveys about their satisfaction with their birth experience, provider satisfaction, height, weight, and demographics including age and education. A moderation analysis was used to examine pre-pregnancy BMI as a moderator between birth and provider satisfaction.ResultsResults show that provider satisfaction is positively associated with birth satisfaction among mothers with moderate (overweight) to high (obese) pre-pregnancy BMI scores in our sample.ConclusionsFindings suggest that strengthening the patient-provider relationship may promote satisfaction with birth experiences.

Exposome-Wide Association Study of Body Mass Index Using a Novel Meta-Analytical Approach for Random Forest Models.

Overweight and obesity impose a considerable individual and social burden, and the urban environments might encompass factors that contribute to obesity. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of research that takes into account the simultaneous interaction of multiple environmental factors. Our objective was to perform an exposome-wide association study of body mass index (BMI) in a multicohort setting of 15 studies. Studies were affiliated with the Dutch Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO), had different population sizes (688-141,825), and covered the entire Netherlands. Ten studies contained general population samples, others focused on specific populations including people with diabetes or impaired hearing. BMI was calculated from self-reported or measured height and weight. Associations with 69 residential neighborhood environmental factors (air pollution, noise, temperature, neighborhood socioeconomic and demographic factors, food environment, drivability, and walkability) were explored. Random forest (RF) regression addressed potential nonlinear and nonadditive associations. In the absence of formal methods for multimodel inference for RF, a rank aggregation-based meta-analytic strategy was used to summarize the results across the studies. Six exposures were associated with BMI: five indicating neighborhood economic or social environments (average home values, percentage of high-income residents, average income, livability score, share of single residents) and one indicating the physical activity environment (walkability in buffer area). Living in high-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods with higher livability scores was associated with lower BMI. Nonlinear associations were observed with neighborhood home values in all studies. Lower neighborhood home values were associated with higher BMI scores but only for values up to . The directions of associations were less consistent for walkability and share of single residents. Rank aggregation made it possible to flexibly combine the results from various studies, although between-study heterogeneity could not be estimated quantitatively based on RF models. Neighborhood social, economic, and physical environments had the strongest associations with BMI. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13393.

STONE Score: A Predictor for Need of Blood Transfusion in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

To determine if the STONE score is a predictor of blood transfusion and if patient-related factors, i.e., the presence of comorbidities such as urinary tract infection and obesity, can predict blood transfusion post-percutaneous nephrolithotomy. A cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Urology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, between March 2022 and 2023. All patients admitted for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNCL) were included in the study. STONE score and patient related factors were assessed. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was applied to check the association between the dependent variables (blood transfusion) and the independent variables. Logistic regression analysis was applied to compare the variables responsible for the outcome. Results: During the study period, 150 patients underwent PCNL. After exclusion, 89 patients were included in the study. The mean STONE score was 7.87, and the total number of transfusions was 8 (8.9%). BMI (body mass index) >25kg/m2 and STONE score were found to be significant factors predicting the need for transfusion with p-values of 0.02 and 0.03, respectively. On multivariate analysis, only BMI was found to be a significant contributing factor for blood transfusion. High BMI and STONE score are significant predictive factors for blood transfusion post-PCNL. Blood product arrangements should be restricted to obese patients. STONE score, Body mass index, Blood transfusion.

Development of a predictive model for hypoxia due to sedatives in gastrointestinal endoscopy: a prospective clinical study in Korea.

Sedation has become a standard practice for patients undergoing gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. However, considering the serious cardiopulmonary adverse events associated with sedatives, it is important to identify patients at high risk. Machine learning can generate reasonable prediction for a wide range of medical conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with sedation during GI endoscopy and develop a predictive model for hypoxia during endoscopy under sedation. This prospective observational study enrolled 446 patients who underwent sedative endoscopy at the Korea University Ansan Hospital. Clinical data were used as predictor variables to construct predictive models using the random forest method that is a machine learning algorithm. Seventy-two of the 446 patients (16.1%) experienced life-threatening hypoxia requiring immediate medical intervention. Patients who developed hypoxia had higher body weight, body mass index (BMI), neck circumference, and Mallampati scores. Propofol alone and higher initial and total dose of propofol were significantly associated with hypoxia during sedative endoscopy. Among these variables, high BMI, neck circumference, and Mallampati score were independent risk factors for hypoxia. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the random forest-based predictive model for hypoxia during sedative endoscopy was 0.82 (95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.86) and displayed a moderate discriminatory power. High BMI, neck circumference, and Mallampati score were independently associated with hypoxia during sedative endoscopy. We constructed a model with acceptable performance for predicting hypoxia during sedative endoscopy.

Association between fatigue and MDS-UPDRS in individuals with Parkinson's disease: cross-sectional study.

Fatigue is significant in the context of Parkinson's disease (PD), considering that one-third of patients classify it as the most restricting symptom in their daily life activities (DLAs). The objective was to verify the relationship (association) between fatigue and non-motor and motor symptoms of PD. A cross-sectional study which included 100 individuals with PD. Initially, demographic and clinical data (modified Hoehn and Yahr scale-HY, anxiety, and depression) were collected. To assess the non-motor and motor symptoms of PD, the Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) was applied. Fatigue was evaluated using the Parkinson Fatigue Scale. A higher HY score, greater severity of non-motor aspects of DLAs and motor aspects of DLAs, more motor complications, and higher levels of anxiety as well as depression were observed in the "fatigue" group. Fatigue was associated with a lower daily equivalent levodopa dose (LEDD), a higher body mass index (BMI), anxiety, depression, and the presence of non-motor symptoms. Non-motor symptoms are more determining factors for fatigue than the motor condition itself, with an association between fatigue and higher BMI scores, increased anxiety and depression, lower LEDD, and greater severity of non-motor aspects of DLAs. Individuals in the "fatigue" group had higher HY scores, anxiety, and depression, worse non-motor and motor symptoms related to experiences of daily life, as well as motor complications.

Evaluation of food security status, psychological well-being, and stress on BMI and diet-related behaviors among a sample of college students

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate food insecurity on body mass index (BMI) and diet-related behaviors among college students and whether psychological well-being (PWB) and stress levels mediate this relationship. Study designThis was a cross-sectional study. MethodsData from 1439 students from the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment III (Fall 2020) were used. Food security status was evaluated by the USDA Six-Item Short Form. PWB was measured using the Diener Flourishing Scale. Diet-related behaviors included the average servings of fruits, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages consumed per day. Stress was measured by self-reported levels. Regression model analysis evaluated the influence of food security status, PWB, and stress levels on BMI. PWB and stress were also tested as mediators in the relationship between food insecurity and BMI. ResultsAmong our sample of college students, 44.54% (n = 641) were food insecure, and 55.46% (n = 798) were food secure. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher food insecurity, older age, full-time enrollment status, and fifth-year student status were positively associated with a higher BMI score (P < 0.05). Results from mediation models revealed that PWB, but not stress, mediated the relationship between food security and BMI among Black/African American students. Regarding diet-related behaviors, high stress levels mediated the relationship between food insecurity and sugar-sweetened beverage intake among students. ConclusionsFood insecurity appears to influence BMI in college students. This relationship seems to be mediated by disrupted PWB and a higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages due to stress.

Tinnitus Is Marginally Associated with Body Mass Index, Heart Rate and Arterial Blood Pressure: Results from a Large Clinical Sample.

This study aimed to explore whether body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (RR syst), diastolic blood pressure (RR diast) or heart rate (HR) are associated with tinnitus status and/or severity. To that end, we evaluated the influence of tinnitus status and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score on BMI, RR syst, RR diast and HR by comparing data from a large sample of patients presenting to a specialized tertiary referral clinic (N = 1066) with data from a population-based control group (N = 9885) by means of linear models. Tinnitus patients had a significantly lower BMI and higher RR syst, RR diast and HR than non-tinnitus patients; however, the contribution of the case-control status to R2 was very small (0.1%, 0.7%, 1.4% and 0.4%, respectively). BMI had little predictive power for the THI score (higher BMI scores were related to higher THI scores; R2 = 0.5%) and neither RR syst, RR diast, nor HR showed a statistically significant association with THI. Our findings suggest that HR, RR and BMI are at most marginally associated with tinnitus status and severity.

Impact of COVID-19 on the body mass index of school students in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

The precautionary restrictions that were imposed on school students in Saudi Arabia have significantly influenced school students' lifestyles and nutrition intake. This paper aims to reveal the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on school students' body mass index (BMI) in the Al-Ahsa region, which is located in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The study used cross-sectional data that was collected randomly from school students representing all school levels in Al-Ahsa. The paper used a seemingly unrelated regression method, paired t-test, and McNaimar test to examine the factors affecting students' BMI scores before and after the Coronavirus pandemic. The most critical factor that affected the BMI of the school student indirectly is distance learning, where students spent a lot of time in front of electronic devices to study, learn, use social media, and play electronic games. These led to a decrease in their physical activity and an increase in food consumption. All these factors led to a significant increase in BMI for male and female school students. Also, the results show that fruit consumption is associated with a lower BMI score, whereas vegetable consumption is associated with a higher BMI score. The study also revealed that students infected with the Coronavirus have lower BMI scores, on average than students who were not infected with the Coronavirus. The largest impact on school students' BMI is associated with social media usage and Coronavirus infection. To the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first paper to use a seemingly unrelated regression method to reveal the impact of socio-economic and nutritional variables on students’ BMI.

Home blood pressure-lowering effect of digital therapeutics in hypertension: impact of body weight and salt intake.

Lifestyle modifications, including body weight reduction and salt restriction, help reduce blood pressure (BP). This study investigated the effects of body mass index (BMI) and salt intake on home BP reductions in unmedicated patients with hypertension receiving guideline-based lifestyle modification from doctors (control group) or with the addition of a digital therapeutics intervention. Data from the HERB Digital Hypertension 1 (HERB-DH1) pivotal trial were analyzed. Home BP was measured for 7 days before each study visit (baseline, and 4/8/12 weeks). Body weight was measured at each visit and salt intake questionnaire was answered at baseline and 12 weeks. This analysis included 302 patients with sufficient home BP monitoring data (digital therapeutics: 156; control group: 146). The reduction in morning home SBP from baseline to 12 weeks was significantly greater in the digital therapeutics vs. control group for patients with baseline BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and higher salt intake group (self-reported salt intake score ≥ 14) (-5.1 mmHg, p < 0.01). Patients in the digital therapeutics group who experienced a reduction in BMI and an improvement in salt intake score during the 12-week study also had a significantly greater reduction in morning home SBP compared with patients in the control group (-7.2 mmHg, p < 0.01). The digital therapeutic intervention reduced home BP the most in unmedicated patients with hypertension with high baseline BMI and salt intake score. Those with improvements in both BMI and salt intake during the digital therapeutics intervention achieved the greatest reduction in home BP vs. control.Clinical trial registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT2032190148).

Postdischarge pain, fatigue severity and quality of life in COVID-19 survivors

Objectives: Fatigue and pain symptoms were common complaints among post-COVID-19 patients, and these lead to impaired quality of life (QoL). We aimed to evaluate severity of pain and fatigue 3 months after disease onset in discharged COVID-19 patients. Methods: Patients were contacted by phone at their third month following disease onset. Demographic data of the patients such as weight, height, body mass index (BMI), gender, smoking history, comorbidities, length of hospitalization, duration of stay in the intensive care unit, were recorded. The patients' pain and fatigue severities were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS). QoL was questioned with the EuroQol Group Association five-domain, three-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L). Results: A total of 392 participants enrolled into the study. At admission, 94.6% of the participants had fatigue and 73.7% of them had pain. A high proportion of them still reported fatigue (55.1%) and pain (41.3%) at third month. The mean value of pain-VAS score was 5.37 ± 3.85, and it was 7.58 ± 2.82 for fatigue-VAS at admission. VAS scores of pain and fatigue at third month were 1.44 ± 2.11 and 2.04 ± 2.40 respectively. While 66.6% of the patients reported moderate-severe pain at disease onset, the rate was 18.1% at the third month. And also almost half had severe pain at admission (48%), it was 2.8% at third month. At disease onset 89.6% of the patients reported moderate-severe fatigue (severe: 48%). Aproximately one third of them had moderate-severe fatigue (27.9%) at third month (severe: 5.1%). The mean value of EQ-VAS score was 26.76 ± 20.26 at admission, and it was 78.84 ±16.15 at third month. Statistically significant differences were recorded between the disease onset and third month in terms of pain-VAS fatigue-VAS, and EQ-VAS scores (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Female gender, ICU admission, long duration of hospitalization, older age, higher BMI scores, multiple comorbidities, fatigue and pain severity were related to the decrease in QoL scores. Conclusions: Hospitalized COVID-19 survivors need ongoing support for pain, fatigue complaints and impaired QoL after discharge. The factors that cause poor QoL should be taken into account during post-COVID-19 follow up.

Postoperative hemorrhage following pancreatic injury: Risk factors and clinical outcomes.

Postoperative hemorrhage (POH) is a severe adverse event following pancreatic injury. The present study aimed to investigate the risk factors and outcomes of POH after pancreatic injury. All patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pancreatic injury who underwent surgical intervention between January 2010 and December 2018 were identified and extracted from the trauma database. Logistic regression was performed to identify the risk factors for POH and specific outcomes. A total of 88 cases that underwent surgical intervention were analyzed, and POH occurred in 31 (35.23%) patients. After multivariable analysis, independent predictors of POH were intra-abdominal abscess (IAA) (p=.002), intestinal fistula (p=.008), shock on admission (p=.003), absence of abdominal suction drainage (p=.005), and higher body mass index (BMI) (p=.005). In addition, patients with POH after pancreatic injury also showed more complications, prolonged hospital and ICU durations, and a significantly higher mortality rate (p=.004). Patients with IAA, intestinal fistula, shock on admission, absence of abdominal suction drainage, and higher BMI score were associated with POH after pancreatic injury. Moreover, POH was associated with a poor prognosis. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Unique identifier: NCT03681041).

Sleep impairments and quality of life in Thai adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus

PurposeAdolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are susceptible to sleep impairments. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors related to sleep impairments, and the associations of sleep impairments with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Thai adolescents with SLE. MethodsPittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQA), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 Core Scales were administered to 57 participants with SLE aged 13–18 years to evaluate sleep, depression, and HRQOL, respectively. Participants were divided into “good sleep” (PSQI scores <5) and “poor sleep” groups (PSQI scores ≥5). Participants with body mass index (BMI) >23 kg/m2 were classified into the high BMI group. FindingsEighteen participants (31.6%) were in the poor sleep group. High BMI and PHQA scores were associated with sleep impairments with the odds ratio of 8.00 (95% CI 1.50–42.64; p = 0.02), and 1.25 (95% CI 1.01–1.54; p = 0.04), respectively. In terms of HRQOL, adolescents with SLE had the highest scores in social functioning and the lowest scores in school functioning. Good sleepers had better scores than poor sleepers across all sub-categories except for social functioning, and the difference was significant in emotional functioning (90% (IQR 75–100) vs. 70% (IQR 55–85); p = 0.03). ConclusionsA substantial number of adolescents with SLE had sleep impairments, which decreased HRQOL, particularly in emotional functioning. Sleep impairments were associated with obesity and depression. ImplicationsProactive management in addressing weight, mood, and sleep problems should be included in the multidisciplinary care of adolescents with SLE to improve their health and well-being.

Total joint replacement may be a valuable treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with osteoarthritis, but uptake is low.

Despite bearing a higher burden of osteoarthritis, little research has examined disparities in the access, utilisation and surgical outcomes associated with total joint replacement (TJR) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal patients who underwent primary hip and knee replacement at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne between 1996 and 2019. A total of 10 277 primary total knee or hip replacements were performed in the 1996-2019 study period, of which 49 (0.5%) patients identified as either Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients were younger (61.7 ± 11.8 vs. 68.3 ± 10.3 years; P < 0.001), recorded higher Body Mass Index scores (median (IQR), 36.0 (29.5-41.4) vs. 30.8 (27.0-35.3); P < 0.001) and were more likely to experience multiple co-morbidities at the time of surgery. Despite these findings, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients did not experience higher complication rates and experienced comparable, clinically meaningful quality of life improvements 12-months post-surgery. TJR appears to be a valuable treatment option for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with end-stage osteoarthritis. Our study was limited by the small number of procedures conducted in patients who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Further research is needed to understand why uptake of TJR by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is low.

587-P: Discrepancies in Patient Perceptions of Health Care Interactions and Diabetes Empowerment Reveal Potential Impact of Weight Bias in Type 2 Diabetes Care

Background: Weight bias is associated with adverse health consequences and may be experienced by people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) from multiple sources, including healthcare providers (HCPs) . This study assessed T2D patients’ sentiments surrounding their most recent visit with their HCP and psychosocial self-efficacy related to diabetes management across body mass index (BMI) range. Methods: In September 2020, 2,975 adults with T2D in the United States completed an online questionnaire, including a series of questions about experiences at their last healthcare visit and the Diabetes Empowerment Scale-Short Form (DES-SF) to assess diabetes-related psychosocial self-efficacy. Health and demographic information were collected. BMI was calculated using patient-reported measures for height and weight. Results: Respondents with a BMI of 40.0 or higher were more likely to feel blamed by their HCP for having diabetes (9%) compared to those with BMIs of 18.5-24.9 (4%) , 25.0-25.9 (5%) , and 30.0-34.9 (5%) , and more likely to feel as though their provider doubted their ability to manage their diabetes or follow their treatment plan (17%) compared to those with BMIs of 25.0-25.9 (11%) and 30.0-34.9 (12%) . Adults with T2D and a BMI of 35.0 or higher scored significantly lower on the DES-SF than those with BMIs of 18.5-24.9 and 25.0-29.9. Respondents with a BMI ≥40.0 were less likely to agree with the DES-SF subitem that they can ask for support surrounding having and caring for diabetes when they need it (63%) , compared to those with BMIs of 18.5-24.9 (74%) , 25.0-25.9 (68%) , and 30.0-34.9 (69%) . Conclusions: These findings suggest that T2D patients with higher body mass index scores are more likely to feel stigma when interacting with HCPs, which may negatively impact diabetes empowerment and patient-provider relationships, emphasizing the need for increased focus on weight neutrality in diabetes care. Disclosure J.Stevenson: Other Relationship; Abbott Diabetes, Ascensia Diabetes Care, Beta Bionics, Inc., Dexcom, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Insulet Corporation, LifeScan, Medtronic, Roche Diabetes Care, Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. R.Gowen: Other Relationship; Abbott Diabetes, Ascensia Diabetes Care, Beta Bionics, Inc., Dexcom, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Insulet Corporation, LifeScan, Medtronic, Roche Diabetes Care, Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc., Virta Health Corp. E.Ye: Employee; dQ&amp;A. R.Wood: Other Relationship; Multiple companies and patient organizations (&amp;gt;10) .

School-Age Children's Actual Motor Competence and Perceived Physical Competence: A 3-Yr Follow-up.

This study examined school-age children's actual motor competence (MC) and perceived physical competence (PC) over 3 yr along with the covariate effects of gender and body mass index (BMI). Participants were 1121 (girls 573, boys 548) children (mean age, 11.26 ± 0.32 yr) from 35 randomly selected public schools across Finland. MC was assessed using three movement tests targeting locomotor, stability, and object control skills, and PC was assessed using the sport competence subscale of the Physical Self-Perception Profile via four-phase monitoring. MC and PC remained stable over time. Of the three variables, locomotor skills showed the strongest association with PC. Lower BMI was associated with advanced MC skills and a less steep decrease in locomotor and stability skills over time. The acquisition of fundamental motor skills in childhood and early adolescence is a prerequisite for enhancing MC and PC. The contribution of locomotor skills to PC indicated that versatile lower limb strength, speed, dynamic balance, and movement skills are important for positive subjective beliefs about PC capability. Increasing the MC skills of the children in most need, particularly those with high BMI scores, merits special attention.

Prevalence and correlates of undiagnosed hypertension among staff of a Nigerian university community.

Introductionthe prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is high, with a considerable proportion of it being undiagnosed. Nevertheless, early identification of influencing variables for hypertension in different population groups is important for several reasons. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of undiagnosed hypertension among staff of a university community in Nigeria.Methodsa purposive sample of 281 staff of Bauchi State University, Gadau, Nigeria, fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Demographics, blood pressure, height, weight, socioeconomic status and physical activity were measured. Diagnosis of hypertension was defined based on a systolic and diastolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and ≥90 mmHg, respectively. Data obtained was analysed descriptively, and by means of Chi-square, univariate and multivariate statistics using SPSS v24 software.Resultsthe mean age and body mass index (BMI) of the participants was 34.5 years and 23.1 ± 5.17 Kg/m2, respectively. The prevalence rate of undiagnosed hypertension was 27.8%. Normotensives significantly differed from participants with undiagnosed hypertension in most of the clinical and demographic variables (p<0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that a positive family history of hypertension had the highest odds of having undiagnosed hypertension (aOR: 0.833, 95%CI: 16.55-432.87, p= 0.000). Next, a higher BMI score (aOR: 0.425, 95%CI: 0.085-0.447, p= 0.000), male gender (aOR: 0.451, 95%CI: 0.141-0.829, p= 0.018), job cadre (aOR: 0.515, 95%CI: 0.073-0.550, p= 0.002) and low physical activity level (aOR: 0.572, 95%CI: 5.296-49.777, p=0.000) were other factors with about 50% odds for having undiagnosed hypertension among the participants. Lastly, smoking status and socioeconomic status of the participants were not significantly associated with undiagnosed hypertension (p>0.05).Conclusiona high percentage of the studied population have undiagnosed hypertension that is mainly associated with non-modifiable (especially positive family history) and a few modifiable risk factors. These variables can be used for early identification and in designing appropriate preventive strategies.

Association study of rs17782313 polymorphism near MC4R gene with obesity/overweight, BMI, and hedonic hunger among women from Northwestern Iran

BACKGROUND: Obesity, as a medical condition, results from interactions between environmental and genetic factors. The rs17782313 polymorphism, located 188kb downstream of the Melanocortin 4 Receptor (MC4R) gene, is one of the essential candidate genetic markers that has shown the highest association with obesity in different populations. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the possible associations of rs17782313 polymorphism near the MC4R gene with obesity/overweight, body mass index (BMI), and hedonic hunger among women from the Iranian Azeri ethnic group. METHODS: Five hundred sixty-three women, composed of 396 patients with obesity/overweight and 167 unrelated healthy controls, were genotyped for the rs17782313 polymorphism by applying the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) method. RESULTS: This population was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P = 0.878). The study confirmed a significant association of rs17782313 with obesity, where subjects carrying the C/C genotype had higher odds of obesity (OR = 2.681, P = 0.005, 95%CI:1.340–5.365). Also, C allele carriers have statistically significantly higher BMI scores than those carrying the T allele (P = 0.029). However, no significant associations were found among PFS scores and genotypic/allelic groups of rs17782313 polymorphism (P = 0.368). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that rs17782313 polymorphism is strongly associated with obesity and BMI but not with hedonic hunger among Northwest Iran women. Moreover, the sequencing data analysis in several homozygous and heterozygous carriers of the C allele led to identifying a novel frameshift variant with TCT deletion (rs534212081) in the 166 upstream of rs17782313, which has not been reported so far.

HEALTH AND SKILLS RELATED FITNESS INDICATORS IN ALBANIAN CHILDREN – REFERENCE VALUES FROM A COUNTRY IN TRANSITION

&lt;p&gt;The aims of this study were to analyze age and gender differences for health-related fitness, physical activity and gross motor coordination level in Albanian children. Data consisted of a cross-sectional study of 1176 children between first and fourth grade elementary school (618 boys and 558 girls) aged 7-10 years old). Anthropometrics (body mass and height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, % body fat), level of gross motor coordination (Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder, KTK) and physical activity by questionnaire (PAQ-C) were assessed. Gross motor coordination and physical activity level increased until 9 years of age and then declined. Significant gender differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found for body mass, BMI and waist circumference where boys were heavier, had higher BMI scores and had greater values in waist circumference measurement then girls. Data obtained from this study showed that boys and girls in all age group fell into the normal level of physical activity. The results from this investigation study reveal strong evidence that children in Albania show motor difficulties in everyday skills (moderate motor disorder-31.2% and severe motor disorder-8%. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0994/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

U.S. Preschool Children’s Body Composition And Its Association With Physical Activity Participation: A Cross-sectional Study

Body composition measures, such as body mass index (BMI) and skinfold thickness, have been used to assess preschool children’s weight status, but their relationship with physical activity (PA) participation is still unclear. PURPOSE: To determine the U.S. preschool children’s body composition and its associations with their PA participation. METHODS: The weighted sample data of preschool children in the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 3-5 years old, N = 12509706, with 50.96% males) were used for the study. Children’s BMI and calf, triceps, and subscapular skinfolds, as well as their PA measured by ActiGraph GT3X+ (for 7 consecutive days with the outcome in the Monitor-Independent Movement Summary unit (MIMS)), were used for this study. % of Underweight, Normal weight, Overweight (%OW), and Obese (%OB) by age and sex, as well as corresponding total skinfold (TS) and PA, were computed. RESULTS: Boys had a higher BMI score than girls at 3-, 4, and 5-yr.-old (16.55 vs. 16.43, 16.94 vs. 16.15, and 16.43 vs. 16.28), respectively. TS showed an increasing trend from 3- to 5-yr.-old (26.00 to 27.32 mm for boys & 29.61 to 31.45 mm for girls). As expected, girls had a larger TS than boys at 3-, 4- and 5-yr.-old (29.61 vs. 26.00, 29.56 vs. 26.85, &31.45 vs. 27.32 mm), respectively. As they aged, the %OW of both boys and girls decreased (from 24.77% to 18.82% for boys & from 15.70% to 9.28% for girls), but their %OB increased (from 11.48% to 15.45% for boys & from 12.30% to 19.67% for girls). 4-year-old children had the highest PA (MIMS: 17956.14 for boys, & 18537.13 for girls) compared to other age groups. The overall correlation between BMI and PA was low (r = .023), no correlation was found between TS and PA (r = .003). CONCLUSION: A significant percentage of U.S. preschool children are either overweight or obese and a low correlation was found between children’s BMI and PA participation. There is an urgent need to start obesity prevention and PA promotion for U.S. preschool children.

Effect of After School Program with Physical Activity on Body Mass among Black American Middle School Students

The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not there was a significant difference in body mass index (BMI) between Black American middle school students who participated in physical activities in the afterschool program and those who did not. A total of 49 sixth to eight grade middle school Black American students participated in this study, with 27 in the physical activity group. The body mass was calculated by using the Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator for Child and Teens. No significant difference in BMI was found between the two groups. Since the average BMI score in the group with physical activities was in the healthy category and the group with no physical activities in the overweight category, it may still indicate that physical activity played a role in weight control. However, due to both of the two groups showed a relatively high BMI score, more effective treatments, such as a combination of healthy diet program and physical activity program, are recommended to fight this obesity pandemic in the minority youth groups.