Ideal Body Mass Index Research Articles

A study on oxygen dependent fitness (aerobic capacity) in pre-collegiate boys of North Karnataka region

Background: Aerobic capacity (VO2 max) measures the higher limit of energy content in the muscles. In general, genetics of an individual decides the higher limit of the muscle, but physical training can improve it by up to 20% as compared to nontrained individuals. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate oxygen dependent fitness (aerobic capacity) in pre-collegiate boys (age group of 16-18 years) of North Karnataka region. Materials and Methods: A total of 87 young adolescent healthy pre-collegiate boys volunteered for this study. Physical anthropometric parameters such as body surface area (BSA), body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage (BF%); physiological parameters such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure; fitness tests such as physical fitness index (PFI) and aerobic capacity (VO2 max) were measured. Correlation analysis and Z-test was used to obtain the data. Results: Physical anthropometric parameters of the subjects were found within normal range. Statistically significant exercise-induced rise in blood pressure was observed in Harvard step test. PFI correlated with aerobic capacity. Aerobic capacity correlated with BSA and did not correlate with BF% and BMI. Conclusion: The PFI was in good category, normal physiological response to exercise, and PFI correlated with aerobic capacity (VO2 max). Aerobic capacity was found within the normal range in pre-collegiate boys of age 16-18 years in the study area. Ideal BMI may not be possible in this age group.

Impact of Obesity on the Management and Clinical Course of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Obesity has been linked with a proinflammatory state and the development of inflammatory diseases. Data on the clinical course and treatment of obese patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are limited. We used an institutional IBD registry to investigate the impact of obesity on IBD severity and treatment. This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data for 3 years (2009-2011). Patients with IBD were categorized by body mass index (BMI). IBD-related quality of life, biochemical markers of inflammation, comorbidities, health care utilization, and treatment were characterized. Obesity was defined as a BMI ≥30 (type I: 30-34.9, type II: 35-39.9, and type III ≥40). Among 1494 patients with IBD, 71.9% were above their ideal BMI and 31.5% were obese. Obesity was more common in ulcerative colitis compared with patients with Crohn's disease (P = 0.04). Obese class II and class III patients were predominantly female. Obesity in IBD was associated with female gender (P < 0.0001), diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001), hypertension (P < 0.001), hyperlipidemia (P < 0.001), poor quality of life (P < 0.0001), and increased rates of C-reactive protein elevation (P = 0.008). In logistic regression analysis, quality of life and C-reactive protein elevation were not independently correlated with obesity. There was no association between increasing BMI and annual prednisone use, emergency department visits, hospitalization, and surgery. Obesity was associated with lower milligrams per kilogram doses of purine analogs and biologics. Obesity in IBD is not associated with increased health care utilization and IBD-related surgeries. Optimal regimens for drug dosing in obese patients with IBD have yet to be defined.

Latent class analysis suggests four distinct classes of complementary medicine users among women with breast cancer.

BackgroundBreast cancer patients commonly report using >1 form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, few studies have attempted to analyze predictors and outcomes of multiple CAM modalities. We sought to group breast cancer patients by clusters of type and intensity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use following diagnosis.MethodsDetailed CAM use following breast cancer diagnosis was assessed in 2002–2003 among 764 female residents of Long Island, New York diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996–1997. Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to CAM modalities while taking into account frequency and intensities.ResultsFour distinct latent classes of CAM use emerged: 1) “Low-dose supplement users” (40 %), who used only common nutritional supplements; 2) “Vitamin/mineral supplement users” (39 %), using an abundance of supplements in addition to other practices; 3) “Mind-body medicine users” (12 %), with near-universal use of supplements, mind-body medicine techniques, and massage; and 4) “Multi-modality high-dose users” (9 %), who were highly likely to use nearly all types of CAM. Predictors of membership in classes with substantial CAM use included younger age, more education, higher income, Jewish religion, ideal body mass index, higher fruit and vegetable intake, higher levels of physical activity, receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy, and prior use of oral contraceptives.ConclusionsLCA identified important subgroups of breast cancer patients characterized by varying degrees of complementary therapy use. Further research should explore the reproducibility of these classes and investigate the association between latent class membership and breast cancer outcomes.

Gender differences in body image and preferences for an ideal silhouette among Brazilian undergraduates

The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the accuracy of body size estimation and body dissatisfaction among Brazilian undergraduates and their relationships with perceptions of the ideal body silhouettes that would be selected by same-gender and opposite-gender peers. A total of 159 undergraduates (79 males) from a public University in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil, participated in the study. They completed a Figure Rating Scale and indicated the figure that best describes the size of their own body (actual), their desired body, the body they judged would be ideal to same-gender peers, and the body they judged would be ideal to opposite-gender peers. The results showed that women were less precise in estimating their actual size and more dissatisfied. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) that was selected as “current” by women was significantly higher than their desired and ideal BMIs, whereas the mean BMIs that were selected by men were practically the same. Men and women selected ideal silhouettes for their own gender that were the same as those that were selected as ideal by the opposite gender. The mean BMIs that were actually chosen by men and women as desired and ideal were closer to the upper end of normal weight and lower end of overweight, respectively. Such results contradict what has been assumed to be a normative characteristic of men and women in several countries, raising some doubts regarding the role of beliefs about judgments of the opposite gender in the development of body image disturbances.

1571 Ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) is significantly different between curatively resected and metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients on chemotherapy

1571 Ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) is significantly different between curatively resected and metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients on chemotherapy

Prevalence and management of oropharyngeal dysphagia in patients with severe anorexia nervosa: A large retrospective review.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD) refers to difficulty swallowing food or a liquid bolus from the oral and pharyngeal cavities into the esophagus and increases the risk of possibly life-threatening pneumonia. Little has been reported on OPD in adults with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study includes a description of OPD in severe AN and discusses potentially effective clinical management. Two hundred and six adults with severe AN, admitted over a five-year period to a national referral center specializing in the multidisciplinary medical stabilization of this population, were retrospectively evaluated by electronic database query and manual chart review. All patients whose initial medical assessment triggered a speech-language pathology (SLP) consultation, due to concerns for OPD, were reviewed in detail. Of the 206 total patients, 42 presented with symptoms of OPD and received SLP consultation. In the OPD cohort, 37 (88%) were women, with median age 32 years old, and mean admission weights of 57% ideal body weight (IBW) and body mass index (BMI) of 12 kg/m(2). Compared with those who did not have OPD, OPD patients had significantly lower BMI on admission (12 kg/m(2) vs. 13.1 kg/m(2), p < 0.001), longer stay (21 days vs. 14 days, p < 0.001), and were more medically compromised, including a greater incidence of refeeding hypophosphatemia (60.9% vs. 29.7%, p < 0.004). Clinical awareness of OPD may reduce the incidence of aspiration pneumonia and promote life-saving oral nutrition in patients with severe AN. Proper, timely evaluation and intervention may improve clinical outcomes.

Ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) difference between curatively resected and metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients on chemotherapy.

e20675 Background: Increased BMI is associated with a higher risk of developing polyps and subsequently CRC. In patients (pts) with curatively resected CRC (crCRC) the relationship between post-sur...

Status of Cardiovascular Health in Chinese Adults

BackgroundCardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death in China. ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to evaluate the current status of cardiovascular health in Chinese adults. MethodsCardiovascular health data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 96,121 Chinese adults age ≥20 years in 2010. Ideal cardiovascular health was defined according to the American Heart Association’s 2020 Strategic Impact Goals as follows: the simultaneous presence of 4 favorable health behaviors (ideal smoking status, ideal body mass index, physical activity at goal, and healthy dietary habits) and 4 favorable health factors (ideal smoking status, untreated total cholesterol <200 mg/dl, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, and untreated fasting plasma glucose <100 mg/dl) in the absence of a history of cardiovascular disease. ResultsThe estimated percentage of ideal cardiovascular health was 0.2% in the general adult population in China (0.1% in men and 0.4% in women). An estimated 0.7% (0.4% in men and 1.0% in women) of Chinese adults had all 4 ideal health behaviors, and 13.5% (5.0% in men and 22.3% in women) had all 4 ideal health factors. Men most frequently had 3 to 4 ideal components, and women most commonly had 4 to 5 ideal components of the 7 cardiovascular health metrics. Ideal diet (1.6%) was the least common among all cardiovascular health metrics. Female sex and younger age were the 2 most common protective factors for cardiovascular health in Chinese adults. ConclusionsThe percentage of ideal cardiovascular health in Chinese adults is extremely low. Both population-wide and high-risk strategies should be implemented with great effort to promote cardiovascular health in China.

When Size Matters: Challenging the Obesity Paradox. Analysis of 3,977 Cardiac Patients and Review of the Literature

When Size Matters: Challenging the Obesity Paradox. Analysis of 3,977 Cardiac Patients and Review of the Literature Aim: The relationship between obesity and surgical outcomes, including the reported “obesity paradox”, remains controversial. We examine the influence of obesity, as defined by the WHO, on cardiac surgery outcomes. Methods: We analysed prospectively collected data for CABG and/ or valve patients (n=3,977) from 2007 through 2012, and identified six WHO body mass index (BMI) categories. We investigated the impact of BMI on operative mortality and morbidity, and performed a literature review. Results: Most patients (76.5%) had elevated BMI (kg/m2): overweight (25–29.9) 43.1%, class I obesity (30–34.9) 22.9%, class II obesity (35–39.9) 8.1%, and class III or morbid obesity (=40) 2.4%. Ideal BMI (18.5–24.9) constituted 22.8% and underweight BMI (<18.5) 0.7%. Median age and predicted mortality decreased substantially, while the prevalence of diabetes increased, with rising BMI. Extremes of BMI were associated with higher rates of respiratory complications, haemofiltration, long hospital stays and operative mortality. Surgical site complications increased progressively with BMI. After adjusting for potential confounders, ideal weight patients had the lowest operative mortality. By multivariate analysis, BMI <18.5 kg/m2 (OR 8.60, 95% CI 2.35–31.49) and BMI=40 kg/m2 (OR 4.56, 95% CI 1.18–17.65) were independent predictors of mortality. Literature review revealed lack of support for “obesity paradox”. Conclusion: Most cardiac patients are overweight and have outcomes that are comparable to ideal BMI patients. Underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m2 ) and morbid obesity (BMI=40 kg/m2 ), however, independently increased the risk of operative mortality. The “obesity paradox” is not supported in cardiac surgery patients.

Ideal cardiovascular health: associations with biomarkers and subclinical disease and impact on incidence of cardiovascular disease in the Framingham Offspring Study.

The American Heart Association Cardiovascular Health score (CVH score) is inversely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, but the mechanisms underlying this association warrant exploration. We related the CVH score to circulating biomarkers and prevalent subclinical CVD (defined as ≥1 of the following: increased carotid intima-media thickness or stenosis, left ventricular hypertrophy [by ECG or echocardiography], left ventricular systolic dysfunction, microalbuminuria, and a reduced ankle-brachial index) in 2680 Framingham Study participants (mean age, 58 years; 55% women). After adjustment for age and sex, an ideal CVH score (nonsmoking status, ideal body mass index, regular physical activity, healthy diet, and an optimal profile of serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose; 1 point for each) was associated with higher circulating concentrations of natriuretic peptides (N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide) and lower blood concentrations of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, aldosterone, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, fibrinogen, homocysteine, and growth differentiation factor-15 levels (P<0.001 for all), as well as lower odds of subclinical disease (odds ratio, 0.74 per 1-unit increase in CVH score; 95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.80). The incidence of CVD (267 events over 16 years) was inversely associated with the CVH score in age- and sex-adjusted models (hazard ratio, 0.77 per 1-unit increase in CVH score; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.86), which was slightly attenuated upon adjustment for biomarkers and subclinical disease (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.97). In our prospective community-based study, the inverse association between an ideal cardiovascular health score and CVD incidence was partly attributable to its favorable impact on CVD biomarker levels and subclinical disease.

CALCULATING CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK: A DISEASE SIMULATION MODEL TO ESTIMATE THE LIFETIME RISK OF COMPLICATIONS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES

non-contiguous months between June 2103 and March 2014), participants were also queried regarding their medication adherence, current lifestyle habits, and health goals. RESULTS: Among 10,120 individuals treated for dyslipidemia, the average age was 63 years, 55% were female, 58% were overweight (body mass index> 27), 25% were sedentary (weekly METS<720), 64%were takingmedication for hypertension, 12% smoked, 24% had diagnosed diabetes, and 27% had diagnosed cardiovascular disease (CVD). Optimal (100%) adherence with daily lipid medication during the previous month was reported by 7,261 (72%), while 2,502 (25%) hadmissed takingmedication on at least one day, and 357 (3%) had discontinued their medication. The most common reasons for not taking their lipid medications were: forgetting (70%), not having medication available (19%), feeling OK (14%), and perceived side effects (13%). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, we identified independent factors significantly associated (p <0.05) with missing or discontinuing medication including: younger age, female, overweight, sedentary, smoking, not taking anti-hypertensive medication, and lower satisfaction with the quality of their sleep. When asked to identify their current action plan to reduce their cardiovascular risk, the most frequently mentioned goals were increasing physical activity (72%) and losing weight (71%) while the least frequent were speaking with their physician (20%) or pharmacist (4%). CONCLUSION: Self-reported non-adherence with lipid medication and lifestyle risk factors for CVD are common among Canadian adults. Healthy lifestyle habits including not smoking, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy body weight were associated with better medication adherence. Accordingly, engaging patients to adopt and maintain these healthy lifestyle habits could prove highly effective in managing blood lipid levels and other modifiable CVD risk factors.

Eating behavior and perception of body shape in Japanese university students.

PurposeWe investigated the relationship between eating behavior measured by the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ) and perception of body shape, examining the current physical status and ‘ideal’ physical parameters in females and males.MethodsThe participants, 548 Japanese university students (age 19.2 ± 0.9 years, mean ± SD; 252 males, 296 females), completed a questionnaire which asked for their current physical status (e.g., weight and height), their ideal physical parameters, their perception of their current body shape, their ideal body shape, and their eating behaviors.ResultsThe ideal weight and ideal body mass index (BMI) were significantly higher than the current weight and BMI in the males, but significantly lower in the females. Among the females, the ideal body shape was smaller than their perception of current body shape. The DEBQ scores for restrained, emotional, and external eating were higher in the females than the males among the normal-weight participants, and among the underweight participants, the restrained eating and external eating scores were higher in the females than the males. Restrained eating was negatively associated with the discrepancy between the current and ideal weight, BMI, and body shape in both the males and females. Emotional eating was negatively associated with the discrepancy in current/ideal BMI and body shape only in the females.ConclusionsAt least in Japanese university students, the gender differences in ideal body shape are related to eating behavior.

Can Body Mass Index Influence the Outcome of a Laparoscopic Hysterectomy?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in outcomes on the basis of body mass index (BMI) in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy. Design: The study was a retrospective analysis. Methods: All cases of laparoscopic hysterectomy performed from May 2008 to May 2012 for benign, microinvasive cervical, early endometrial, and occult ovarian carcinoma were reviewed. There were 347 patients analyzed by BMI. As proposed by the World Health Organization classification system of obesity, patients were categorized by BMI. Ideal BMI was defined as being between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2, overweight was defined as having a BMI between 25 and 29.9 mg/m2, and obesity was defined as having a BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Laparoscopic surgery was completed successfully in 338 patients, and 9 patients had their surgery converted to laparotomy for findings at the surgery, not for complications relating to the surgery, and, therefore, were excluded from the analysis. Results: Mean age was 51.1 years in the ideal group, 50.45 in the overweight group, and 55.49 in the obese group. The patients' ages ranged in all the samples between 31 and 94 years (p<0.003). Mean operating time was 105.5 minutes, mean blood loss was 252 mL, and mean length of hospital stay was 2.4 days. There was not a significant difference among the three groups. Total major complication rate was 3.7% and early postoperative complication rate was 5. There was not a significant difference among the three groups. Urologic injury was present in 0.6% of all patients. Conclusions: Laparoscopic hysterectomy is feasible and safe, resulting in short hospital stay, minimal blood loss, and minimal operating time for patients in all BMI groups. The laparoscopic approach may extend the benefits of minimally invasive hysterectomy to the very obese, for whom abdominal surgery poses serious risk. (J GYNECOL SURG 30:74)

Prospective relationship of change in ideal cardiovascular health status and arterial stiffness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

BackgroundIn 2010, the American Heart Association defined ideal cardiovascular health as the simultaneous presence of 4 favorable health behaviors (nonsmoking, ideal body mass index, physical activity at goal, and dietary pattern that promotes cardiovascular health) and 3 favorable health factors (ideal levels of total cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose). The association between a change in ideal cardiovascular health status and pulse wave velocity, a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease, has not been reported.Methods and ResultsThe study cohort consisted of 1143 white adults from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who were followed for 21 years since baseline (1986). This cohort was divided in 2 subgroups: 803 participants (aged 9 to 18 years at baseline) to study the health status change from childhood to adulthood and 340 participants (aged 21 to 24 years at baseline) to study health status change from young adulthood to middle age. The change in the ideal cardiovascular health index was inversely associated with pulse wave velocity (adjusted for age, sex, and heart rate), every 1‐point increase corresponded to a 0.09‐m/s (P<0.001) decrease in pulse wave velocity in both groups. This association remained significant in subgroups based on the ideal cardiovascular health index at baseline.ConclusionsThe change in ideal cardiovascular health status, both from childhood to adulthood and from young adulthood to middle age, was an independent predictor of adult pulse wave velocity. Our results support the concept of ideal cardiovascular health as a useful tool for primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Association of Body Mass Index with Outcomes in Patients with CKD

Obesity is associated with higher mortality in the general population, but this association is reversed in patients on dialysis. The nature of the relationship of obesity with adverse clinical outcomes in nondialysis-dependent CKD and the putative interaction of the severity of disease with this association are unclear. We analyzed data from a nationally representative cohort of 453,946 United States veterans with eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). The associations of body mass index categories (<20, 20 to <25, 25 to <30, 30 to <35, 35 to <40, 40 to <45, 45 to <50, and ≥50 kg/m(2)) with all-cause mortality and disease progression (using multiple definitions, including incidence of ESRD, doubling of serum creatinine, and the slopes of eGFR) were examined in Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression models. Multivariable adjustments were made for age, race, comorbidities and medications, and baseline eGFR. Body mass index showed a relatively consistent U-shaped association with clinical outcomes, with the best outcomes observed in overweight and mildly obese patients. Body mass index levels <25 kg/m(2) were associated with worse outcomes in all patients, independent of severity of CKD. Body mass index levels ≥35 kg/m(2) were associated with worse outcomes in patients with earlier stages of CKD, but this association was attenuated in those patients with eGFR<30 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Thus, until clinical trials establish the ideal body mass index, a cautious approach to weight management is warranted in this patient population.

Menstruation disorders in adolescents with eating disorders-target body mass index percentiles for their resolution.

ABSTRACTObjective:To analyse the progression of body mass index in eating disorders and to determine the percentile for establishment and resolution of the disease.Methods:A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study. Review of clinical files of adolescents with eating disorders.Results:Of the 62 female adolescents studied with eating disorders, 51 presented with eating disorder not otherwise specified, 10 anorexia nervosa, and 1 bulimia nervosa. Twenty-one of these adolescents had menstrual disorders; in that, 14 secondary amenorrhea and 7 menstrual irregularities (6 eating disorder not otherwise specified, and 1 bulimia nervosa). In average, in anorectic adolescents, the initial body mass index was in 75th percentile; secondary amenorrhea was established 1 month after onset of the disease; minimum weight was 76.6% of ideal body mass index (at 4th percentile) at 10.2 months of disease; and resolution of amenorrhea occurred at 24 months, with average weight recovery of 93.4% of the ideal. In eating disorder not otherwise specified with menstrual disorder (n=10), the mean initial body mass index was at 85th percentile; minimal weight was in average 97.7% of the ideal value (minimum body mass index was in 52nd percentile) at 14.9 months of disease; body mass index stabilization occured at 1.6 year of disease; and mean body mass index was in 73rd percentile. Considering eating disorder not otherwise specified with secondary amenorrhea (n=4); secondary amenorrhea occurred at 4 months, with resolution at 12 months of disease (mean 65th percentile body mass index).Conclusion:One-third of the eating disorder group had menstrual disorder – two-thirds presented with amenorrhea. This study indicated that for the resolution of their menstrual disturbance the body mass index percentiles to be achieved by female adolescents with eating disorders was 25–50 in anorexia nervosa, and 50–75, in eating disorder not otherwise specified.

Cardiovascular Health Metrics and Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity Levels: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2006

To determine whether relationships exist between accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and other cardiovascular (CV) health metrics in a large sample. Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected from January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2006, were used. Overall, 3454 nonpregnant adults 20 years or older who fasted for 6 hours or longer, with valid accelerometer data and with CV health metrics, were included in the study. Blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), smoking status, diet, fasting plasma glucose level, and total cholesterol level were defined as ideal, intermediate, and poor on the basis of American Heart Association criteria. Results were weighted to account for sampling design, oversampling, and nonresponse. Significant increasing linear trends in mean daily MVPA were observed across CV health levels for BMI, BP, and fasting plasma glucose (P<.001). Those with a poor BMI and BP had significantly lower mean daily MVPA than those with intermediate and ideal BMIs and BPs (all P<.001). In addition, individuals with an intermediate fasting plasma glucose level had significantly lower mean daily MVPA than individuals at the ideal levels (P<.001). No significant linear trends were observed for cholesterol, smoking, and diet. A significant linear trend was observed for mean daily MVPA and the overall number of other CV health metrics (P<.001). Objectively measured MVPA was related to other CV health metrics in this large sample. These results support the inclusion of physical activity in the overall definition of ideal CV health.

Abstract 339: Association of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 Metric for Cardiovascular Health with Risk of Venous Thrombosis: the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Cohort

Background The AHA released a metric, Life’s Simple 7 (LS7), in 2010 to track cardiovascular health. The AHA 2020 Goals include improving population levels of LS7 by 20%. LS7 classifies 7 health components into poor, intermediate or ideal levels. The 7 components are physical activity, diet, smoking, body-mass index, glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol. Associations of these individual components with risk of venous thrombosis (VT) vary in the literature, but we hypothesized a decreased risk of VT with favorable LS7 summary scores. Methods We recruited 30,239 black and white participants age ≥45 across the US in 2003-7. With 4.6 years of follow up we validated 278 cases of first-time VT, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus. We considered a 14 point summary score for LS7 and divided it into inadequate (0-4 points), average (5-9 points) and optimum (10-14) cardiovascular health. Cox proportional hazards models were used to relate baseline LS7 score to risk of subsequent VT, adjusting for age, sex, race, income, education and region of residence. Results Cases of VT were older and more likely to be male than noncases. Across categories of optimum, average and inadequate baseline health based on the summary LS7 score, the incidence rates of VT were 1.8, 2.1 and 3.1 per 1000 person years, respectively. Compared to those with inadequate health, persons with average health had an adjusted HR of VT of 0.60 (95% CI 0.42-0.84) while those with optimum health had a HR 0.52 (95% CI 0.36-0.77). The HR for a 1 point improvement in overall score (analogous to improvement of one of the 7 factors from poor–&gt;intermediate or intermediate–&gt;ideal) was 0.87 (95% CI 0.81-0.94). The individual factors of LS7 most strongly related to VT risk were ideal physical activity level (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.46-0.83) and ideal body-mass index (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.30-0.60); these associations were independent of each other. All associations were similar in blacks and whites. Conclusions A summary measure of cardiovascular health was strongly associated with reduced risk of VT in this US population sample. Results suggest that lifestyle interventions might be effective in reducing incidence of VT, and that achieving AHA’s 2020 Goals will also reduce VT incidence.

Relationship of a desire of thinness and eating behavior among Japanese underweight female students

We conducted a questionnaire survey among Japanese female students to explore the influence of a desire for thinness and dietary behaviors on the development of eating disorders. Self-reported measures of socio-demographic characteristics, body weight perception, height and weight, and dietary and exercise behavior were completed by 631 female university students at 6 universities in Kyoto, Japan. Many students had a desire for thinness (underweight students, 51.7%; normal-weight students, 88.8%), whereas ideal weight and body mass index were lower in the students with a desire for thinness than the students without a desire for thinness, and were also lower in the underweight students than the normal-weight students. The eating attitude test (EAT-26) scores of underweight students with a desire for thinness were higher than those of the normal-weight students with a desire for thinness. As a result of a logistic regression analysis, underweight, desire for thinness, and experience with weight control were positively associated with eating problems. Further, the association of eating problems increased along with the increase in the number of factors (underweight, desire for thinness, and experience with weight control). These results indicate that underweight females have strong associations with eating problems.

Status of Cardiovascular Health in US Adolescents

Background— The American Heart Association recently developed definitions and metrics for monitoring the spectrum of cardiovascular health in adolescents and children. Current nationally representative prevalence estimates according to sex and race/ethnicity are unavailable. Methods and Results— We examined the components of cardiovascular health in 4673 participants aged 12 to 19 years (representing ≈33.2 million US adolescents) from the 2005–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Population prevalence of individual cardiovascular health behaviors and factors was estimated according to American Heart Association criteria for poor, intermediate, and ideal levels. Ideal blood pressure was most prevalent (males, 78%; females, 90%), whereas a dramatically low prevalence of ideal Healthy Diet Score was observed (males, &lt;1%; females, &lt;1%). Females exhibited a lower prevalence of ideal total cholesterol (65% versus 72%, respectively) and ideal physical activity levels (44% versus 67%, respectively) yet a higher prevalence of ideal blood glucose (89% versus 74%, respectively) compared with males. Approximately two thirds of adolescents exhibited ideal body mass index (males, 66%; females, 67%) and ideal smoking status (males, 66%; females, 70%). Less than 50% of adolescents exhibited ≥5 ideal cardiovascular health components (45%, males; 50%, females). Prevalence estimates according to sex were consistent across race/ethnic groups. Conclusions— The low prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors in US adolescents, particularly physical activity and dietary intake, will likely contribute to a worsening prevalence of obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and dysglycemia as the current US adolescent population reaches adulthood. Population-wide emphasis on establishment of ideal cardiovascular health behaviors early in life is essential for maintenance of ideal cardiovascular health throughout the lifespan.