Increased Body Mass Index Values Research Articles

Effect of body mass index on semen quality, sperm chromatin integrity and sperm DNA methylation

Obesity represents a growing problem due to its impacts on human health and reproduction. In this study, we analysed semen quality, sperm DNA integrity and gene-specific CpG methylation in 116 healthy men from normal population. The men were divided into three groups according to their body mass index (BMI), and their ejaculates were analysed using standard methods, sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), methylation next generation sequencing (NGS) and amplicon sequencing. The sperm methylation NGS revealed six significantly differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Using subsequent targeted amplicon sequencing in 116 men, two of the DMRs were proved as differentially methylated in sperm of men with normal BMI vs. BMI ≥ 25. The DMRs were located in the EPHA8 and ANKRD11 gene. Also, we detected a significant decline in the EPHA8, ANKRD11 and CFAP46 gene methylation in association with increasing BMI values. The genes EPHA8 and ANKRD11 are involved in the nervous system and brain development; the CFAP46 gene plays a role in a flagellar assembly and is associated with sperm motility. Significantly lower rates of motile and progressive motile sperm were observed in men with BMI ≥ 30. Our results show that excess body weight can modify CpG methylation of specific genes, affect sperm motility, and compromise sperm chromatin integrity. These factors can stand behind the observed reduced fertility in men with obesity. The methylation changes might be transmitted to their offspring through sperm, and become a basis for possible developmental and reproductive issues in the next generation.

Correlation between diet, body mass index, and lipid profile in Kosovar women treated for primary infertility

The increasing prevalence of female fertility requires the identification of potentially modifiable factors and non-pharmacological treatments. There is strong evidence that healthy preconception dietary patterns of women of reproductive age have a beneficial effect on fertility. In accordance with the hypothesis, the aim of the study is to evaluate the influence of diet on overweight and obesity in infertile women as well as the correlation of serum lipid concentration by making a comparison between three observed groups with different body mass index (BMI). A total of 107 women who were treated for infertility were investigated. Diet and food pattern survey, BMI, and lipidogram determination from venous blood samples were carried out. The determination of lipidogram parameters was carried out by enzymatic colorimetric test with the COBAS INTEGRA 400 apparatus. From the total number of patients included in the study (107), infertile women with abnormal BMI accounted for 26.16%, while fertile women with normal BMI accounted for 73.83% (p<0.001). The total cholesterol value for groups with BMI>25 kg/m2 was 6.78 mmol/L (p=0.031). High triglycerides with increased BMI were observed (2.27 mmol/L versus 2.68 mmol/L) (p=0.028). Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol had higher concentrations in obese women (n=28), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol had lower concentrations in women with BMI>25 km2 (p<0.05). Western dietary patterns of nutrition results in obesity and increased BMI values in infertile women. Increased BMI has a positive correlation with lipid profile in obese infertile women.

Exploring patterns and insights in a comprehensive diabetes dataset

Diabetes, a pressing global health concern, imposes significant economic and healthcare burdens on millions worldwide. Understanding the multifaceted factors contributing to diabetes is pivotal for effective prevention strategies. In this study, we leverage a comprehensive dataset (952 instances, 17 predictor variables) and employ a multifaceted statistical approach to explore the intricate interplay among stress levels, blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), age, sleep quality, and physical activity in relation to diabetes, with a focus on classification and predictive implications. Our research begins by establishing fundamental relationships between discrete variables using crosstabs and chi-square tests. We uncover close associations between stress levels and BP, heightened diabetes risk with increased BMI values, and the influence of age on sleep quality. Subsequent analysis, based on descriptive data, reveals a robust correlation between physical activity and stress levels, with the paradoxical observation that excessive exercise may increase stress levels. Factor analysis further elucidates the pivotal roles of sound sleep and regular exercise in diabetes prevention, supported by asymptotic significance levels below 0.05. To culminate our study, we construct a logistic regression model with an impressive 89.3% accuracy rate for predicting diabetes risk. Notably, age, family history of diabetes, and regular medication usage emerge as the most influential factors, with regular medication demonstrating significant potential for reducing diabetes risk. Our research underscores the intricate web of factors shaping individual health and offers valuable insights for a comprehensive understanding of health and well-being in the context of diabetes prevention. Moreover, it highlights the importance of considering multiple factors in health-related research. Future research could delve into the long-term effects of interventions targeting the identified risk factors, explore the impact of socio-economic factors on diabetes risk, and investigate the potential role of emerging technologies in personalized diabetes prevention strategies.

Association between different metabolic phenotypes of obesity and thyroid disorders among Chinese adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Increased body mass index (BMI) and metabolic abnormalities both have potential associations with thyroid disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between different metabolic phenotypes of obesity and thyroid disorders using nationwide data from China. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey called the Thyroid Disorders, Iodine Status, and Diabetes Epidemiological Survey conducted between 2015 and 2017 in China. A total of 69007 subjects aged 18 years or older were defined and divided into six groups on the basis of BMI and metabolic health status: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW), metabolically healthy overweight (MHOW), metabolically unhealthy overweight (MUOW), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). We estimated the odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals [CIs] for different thyroid disorders according to metabolic phenotypes using multivariate logistic regression models. In our study, we found that the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was almost as high in the MUNW group as in the MUO group, the prevalence of overt hyperthyroidism was highest in the MUNW group and Graves' disease was highest in the MHO group. Our results also suggested that the prevalence of goiter and thyroid nodules increased with increased BMI values and that the MUO group had the highest incidence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that subjects with unhealthy metabolic phenotypes (MUNW, MUOW, and MUO) all had an increased risk of subclinical hypothyroidism, regardless of their BMI. MUNW subjects had an approximately 1.6-fold higher risk of overt hyperthyroidism and a 1.8-fold higher risk of Graves' disease than their metabolically healthy counterparts (MHNW). The present study also demonstrated that the MUO group had the highest risk of goiter and thyroid nodules among the metabolic phenotypes of obesity. Based on our study, we found that metabolic abnormalities and obesity play different roles in various thyroid diseases. Metabolically unhealthy individuals, both with and without obesity, have a higher risk of thyroid disorders than metabolically healthy individuals without obesity.

Evaluating a linkage between obesity and the occurrence of dental caries among school going children in Sakaka, Al Jouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

BackgroundObesity and dental caries are global public health problems. There are conflicting reports about the relationship between caries and obesity. The aim of this study was to analyze the type of relationship between the dental caries and obesity among school children in Al-Jouf region of Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 participants aged 6 to 14 years. The study involved measuring caries (dmft/DMFT), assessing body mass index (BMI), and administering a self-completion questionnaire. An independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.ResultsOut of 400 participants, 380 agreed to participate in the study. Overall caries prevalence among the participants was 76.1% and mean DMFT and dmft values were 2.8 ± 1.0 and 3.7 ± 1.6. Among the factors associated with mean caries scores, relation between DMFT scores and frequency of consumption of sugar was statistically significant (F = 3.82,0.01). Regression models has identified children with increased BMI values has 3.2 times more risk of getting dental caries in permanent teeth (P = 0.001).ConclusionThere was a positive association between obesity and dental caries in school going Saudi Arabian children. Comprehensive multidisciplinary approach by health professionals is recommended for preventive public health issues related to caries and obesity in teenagers.

Obese Vegetarians and Omnivores Show Different Metabolic Changes: Analysis of 1340 Individuals.

Our study evaluated the association between the increase in body mass index (BMI) in men and women (menstruating and non-menstruating) (n = 1340) with different dietary groups (omnivores, semi-vegetarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and vegans) and the measurement of the biochemical markers high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), ferritin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Increasing BMI values in all groups and dietary profiles were related to a significant increase in hs-CRP (p < 0.0001), ALT (p = 0.02), ferritin (p = 0.009), and HbA1C (p < 0.0001), with no difference between dietary groups (p < 0.05). The increase in BMI increases the levels of HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001) and GGT (p < 0.05), with higher values found in men when compared to women (p < 0.0001 for HOMA- IR and p = 0.0048 for GGT). The association between ALT and BMI was different between dietary groups, as it showed a decrease in vegan women who do not menstruate compared to other dietary groups (p = 0.0099). When including only obese individuals (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, n = 153) in the analysis, we observed lower concentrations of GGT and ferritin in vegetarians than in omnivores, regardless of gender and menstrual blood loss (p = 0.0395). Our data showed that for both vegetarians and omnivores, the higher the BMI, the worse the metabolic parameters. However, regarding obesity, vegetarians showed better antioxidant status (lower GGT elevation) and lower inflammatory status (lower ferritin elevation), which may provide them with potential protection in the development of morbidities associated with overweight.

Body Mass Index and the Risk of Poor Outcome in Surgically Treated Patients With Good-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND:Heterogeneity among study populations and treatment procedures has led to conflicting results on outcome predictors for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). One such conflicting predictor is body mass index (BMI).OBJECTIVE:To clarify whether high BMI values protect patients from poor outcome after aSAH, as previously suggested.METHODS:We surveyed 6 prospective studies conducted in 14 different countries (93 healthcare units) between 1985 and 2016 and pooled the data on surgically treated patients with good-grade (Glasgow Coma Scale 13-15 on admission) aSAH. We calculated BMI for each patient and created 4 balanced categories based on the BMI quartiles of each cohort. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs for the 3-month poor outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale 1-3) by BMI.RESULTS:The pooled study cohort included 1692 patients with good-grade aSAH (mean age 51 years; 64% female). At 3 months, 288 (17%) had poor outcomes. The risk for poor outcomes increased with increasing BMI values (OR = 1.15 [1.02-1.31] per each standard deviation increase of BMI). The risk for poor outcome was over 1.6 times higher (OR = 1.66 [1.13-2.43]) in the highest BMI category (range 27.1-69.2) compared with the lowest BMI category (range 14.4-23.8). These associations were found in each of the 6 study cohorts in both men and women, regardless of age.CONCLUSION:Because higher BMI values seem to associate with poor outcomes in surgically treated patients with good-grade aSAH, it seems unlikely that obesity protects patients with aSAH from poor outcomes.

Body mass index but not genetic risk is longitudinally associated with altered structural brain parameters

Evidence from previous studies suggests that elevated body mass index (BMI) and genetic risk for obesity is associated with reduced brain volume, particularly in areas of reward-related cognition, e.g. the medial prefrontal cortex (AC-MPFC), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the striatum and the thalamus. However, only few studies examined the interplay between these factors in a joint approach. Moreover, previous findings are based on cross-sectional data. We investigated the longitudinal relationship between increased BMI, brain structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters and genetic risk scores in a cohort of n = 502 community-dwelling participants from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) with a mean follow-up-time of 4.9 years. We found that (1) increased BMI values at baseline were associated with decreased brain parameters at follow-up. These effects were particularly pronounced for the OFC and AC-MPFC. (2) The genetic predisposition for BMI had no effect on brain parameters at baseline or follow-up. (3) The interaction between the genetic score for BMI and brain parameters had no effect on BMI at baseline. Finding a significant impact of overweight, but not genetic predisposition for obesity on altered brain structure suggests that metabolic mechanisms may underlie the relationship between obesity and altered brain structure.

Evaluation of Erectile Dysfunction in Nonobese, Nondiabetic Men with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background: Erectile Dysfunction (ED) has affected people suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) and multiple studies have confirmed this correlation. Objective: The objective of the is to identify the association between ED and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in nonobese, nondiabetic men based on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 143 nonobese, nondiabetic men with OSA (age, ≥20 years) who visited the Sleep Outpatient Clinic of the Otorhinolaryngology Department at Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias from May 2017 to August 2018. Patient age, body mass index (BMI), drinking, smoking, laboratory diagnosis of hypogonadism based on total testosterone levels, and sleep parameters (e.g., apnea–hypopnea index, rapid eye movement density, and minimum Oxygen Saturation [SatO2]) were considered. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate means. The chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare variables and Person’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze numerical variables. Results: The mean minimum SatO2 was 78.89%, and 46% of patients exhibited minimum SatO2 &lt;80%. Moreover, minimum SatO2 of &lt;80% and increasing age were associated with ED complaints based on IIEF scores,. A laboratory diagnosis of hypogonadism was associated with increased BMI, and aging was associated with SatO2. Conclusion: The results of the study revealed that oxygen desaturation of &lt;80% was related to complaints of ED from the IIEF. Moreover, a relationship between laboratory hypogonadism and increased BMI values, aging, and oxygen desaturation has been demonstrated. Therefore, we recommend polysomnography in patients with ED complaints.

Changes of morphofunctional state of cardiovascular system in adolescents with metabolic syndrome manifestations

The results of investigation of features of morphofunctional state of cardiovascular system in adolescents with manifestations of metabolic syndrome depending on presence of hyperuricemia are presented. In the cardiorheumatology department of the hospital, 34 adolescent patients were observed. Criteria for inclusion in the study: the presence of increased blood pressure levels, increased body mass index values. Depending on serum uric acid levels, patients were divided into two groups: group 1 patients without hyperuricemia (n = 18) and group 2 patients with hyperuricemia (n = 16). Functional diagnostic methods were used: standard 12-channel electrocardiography, transtoral echocardiography, daily Holter monitoring. The main attention was paid to the study of the parameters of the left ventricle. Students t-test was used to determine the significance of the differences, the results at p 0.05 were considered reliable. It was established that adolescents with hyperuricemia were more often diagnosed with primary and secondary arterial hypertension, less often with labile arterial hypertension and autonomic dysfunction syndrome by hypertensive type, and adolescents without hyperuricemia were equally often diagnosed with primary arterial hypertension and labile arterial hypertension, autonomic dysfunction syndrome by hypertensive type. Signs of left ventricular remodeling according to echocardiography were more often noted in boys without hyperuricemia (62.5% of cases) than in girls without hyperuricemia (10%; p 0.01) and in boys with hyperuricemia (26.7%; p 0,05). The findings indicated more significant changes in the morphofunctional state of the cardiovascular system in adolescents with hypertensive conditions and manifestations of metabolic syndrome without hyperuricemia, which requires further study.

Nutrition Trends in Patients Over the Long Term After Kidney Transplantation

ObjectivesNutritional behaviors may exert important influence on morbidity and graft function in patients after kidney transplantation (KT). Nutritional status is closely related to potential risk factors of developing posttransplant complications, including diabetes mellitus, weight gain, and negative effects on immunosuppressive therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary intake in patients after KT. Design and methodsNutritional intake of 154 (61 women and 93 men) patients was assessed based on a questionnaire regarding food intake (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, cholesterol, sugar, phosphorus, calorific value) within 3 working days preceding the routine outpatient posttransplant visit. Patient medical history, concomitant medications, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was obtained from medical charts. ResultsThe mean age (years) ± SD of patients was 51.9 ± 14.1. The patients were evaluated 94 ± 67 months after KT, with a median eGFR of 53 (range, 41.2-64.1) mL/min/1.73 m2. Sixty-two percent of patients had increased body mass index values. The mean total energy intake was 2159.4 ± 551.9 kcal/day. The patients reported elevated salt (8.5 ± 2.4 g per day) and fat intake (99.4 ± 3.2 g per day) including 57% saturated fatty acids. The patients consumed products containing high amounts of sugars (108.2 ± 107.0 g per day), carbohydrates (238.3 ± 64.3 g per day), and cholesterol (303.6 ± 11.1 mg per day). The diet among kidney recipients consisted predominantly of fats, meat, cured meat, and sweets. ConclusionsThe nutritional behaviors of patients after KT are in most cases poor. Improvement of eating habits in these patients seems to be a simple method to preserve kidney function over the long term.

P112 Body composition and resting energy expenditure in IBD patients receiving biological therapy

Abstract Background As a feature of changing phenotype of IBD in the last decade, we observe increased rates of obesity and increased BMI values as well as changes in body composition. Special interest is the impact of biological therapy on body composition and prevalence of obesity in IBD patients, since the data on this topic are limited. The aim of this study was to determine body composition and resting energy expenditure of patients treated with biological therapy. Methods The study included 74 patients (39 male and 35 female) at the Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb (52 patients with Crohn’s disease and 22 with ulcerative colitis) treated with infliximab/adalimumab/ustekinumab/vedolizumab. Resting energy expenditure was measured by the indirect calorimetry (Cosmed Quark CPET) and compared with the predicted resting energy expenditure calculated using Harris-Benedict equation. Detailed medical and nutritional anamnesis was taken and we measured the following body composition parameters using TANITA body composition analyser, BC-420MA: body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), visceral fat rating (VFR), muscle mass (MM) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was calculated. Results Increased BMI was observed in 32% of the patients, while 41% of the whole sample had an increased FM. The mean value of skeletal muscle index (SMI) was 9,061,15 kg m−2 and it revealed the presence of moderate sarcopenia in 32 patients (43%), of which 30 were men. Indirect calorimetry (IC) obtained the value of resting energy expenditure (REE), with the measured REE (1569,81240,95 kcal) on average significantly lower than predicted (1640,36255,28 kcal), t(73)=−3.023, p &amp;lt; 0.05. The results of this study revealed a significant prevalence of moderate sarcopenia in men, increased body mass and fat mass, and slightly lowered resting energy expenditure. There was no significant difference between body composition parameters and REE between different types of biological therapy. Conclusion The incidence of classical forms of malnutrition in this group of patients is significantly lower in comparison with standard therapy and previous experience. Most of the patients were well nourished and we observed trends toward overweight and sarcopenic obesity in some patients. A slight decrease in REE in the whole sample could be a reflection of impact of biological therapy on fat tissue and profound modulation of lipid metabolism as well as decreased muscle mass and physical activity level of the patients.

The correlation between obesity and metabolic syndrome in young female university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ObjectiveTo examine the association between increased body mass index (BMI) values and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in young female science students. MethodologyThe study population was 174 female students aged 18–25 years attending King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Anthropometric measurements obtained included weight, height, waist, and hips circumferences. Blood pressure was also measured, and blood samples were collected for measurements of total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and other biochemical parameters. ResultsAround 17.7% of the students were at risk of developing MetS, with three or more risk factors detected, and 45% of the students had one or two risk factors. Increased BMI values were associated with an elevated risk of developing MetS, as 41.4% of the overweight students and 44.8% of the obese students had three or more risk factors. ConclusionThe prevalence of MetS is increasing in Young female university in the KSA as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, including a lack of physical activity, leading to increased weight and the possible development of chronic diseases.

The effect of increased body mass index values on surgical outcomes after radical resection for low rectal cancer.

This study aimed to explore the effect of increased body mass index (BMI) values (overweight: BMI ≥ 25-30kg/m2; obese: BMI ≥ 30kg/m2) on surgical outcomes after radical resection for low rectal cancer (LRC). Patients with LRC who underwent radical surgery from January 2009 to December 2013 were included. The patients were divided into three groups according to their BMI values (control group: BMI < 25kg/m2; overweight group: BMI 25 to < 30kg/m2; obese group: BMI ≥ 30kg/m2). The patients' clinicopathological characteristics and survival data were collected and analyzed. A total of 792 patients were enrolled in this study finally (control, n = 624; overweight, n = 147; obese, n = 21). The baseline characteristics of the three groups were similar. We found that an increased BMI was associated with a longer operative time (P < 0.001) and length of postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.032). Patients with increased BMI values had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative complications, including pulmonary infection (P = 0.008), anastomotic leakage (P = 0.029), allergy (P = 0.017) and incisional hernia (P = 0.045). The limited data showed that the pathological outcomes of the three groups did not differ to a statistically significant extent. A multivariate analysis showed that increased BMI was not associated with poorer OS or DFS. In LRC resection, an increased BMI was associated with a longer operative time, postoperative hospital stay, and an increased number of postoperative complications. However, it did not contribute to poorer pathological or survival outcomes.

Establishing a genetic link between FTO and VDR gene polymorphisms and obesity in the Emirati population

BackgroundObesity is a metabolic disease that is widely prevalent with approximately 600 million people classified as obese worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial and involves a complex interplay between genes and the environment. Over the past few decades, obesity rates among the Emirati population have been increasing. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of candidate gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), namely FTO (rs9939609) and VDR (rs1544410), with obesity in the UAE population.MethodsThis is a case-control study in which genomic DNA was extracted from saliva samples of 201 obese, 115 overweight, and 98 normal subjects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Genotyping for the variants was performed using TaqMan assay.ResultsThe mean Body Mass Index (BMI) ± SD for the obese, overweight, and normal subjects was 35.76 ± 4.54, 27.53 ± 1.45, and 22.69 ± 1.84 kg/m2, respectively. Increasing BMI values were associated with increase in values of HbA1c, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. There was a significant association observed between the FTO SNP rs9939609 and BMI (p = 0.028), with the minor allele A having a clear additive effect on BMI values. There was no significant association detected between BMI and rs1544410 of VDR. Moreover, significant interaction between the FTO rs9939609 and physical activity reduced the “AA” genotype effect on increase in BMI (p = 0.027).ConclusionsOur study findings indicate that the minor allele A of the rs9939609 has a significant association with increasing BMI values. Moreover, our findings support the fact that increasing BMI is associated with increasing risks of other comorbidities such as higher blood pressure, poorer glycemic control, and higher triglycerides. In addition, physical activity was found to attenuate the effect of the “AA” genotype on the predisposition to higher BMI values.

Are IL18RAP gene polymorphisms associated with body mass regulation? A cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between IL18RAP and body mass index (BMI) and obesity and to verify the effect of a polymorphism in the microRNA136 (MIR136) IL18RAP binding region.DesignWe analysed samples...

Disordered Eating Behaviors in Emerging Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: A Common Problem for Both Men and Women

IntroductionEmerging adults (EA) with disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) and Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at increased risk for severe complications of T1D, and these behaviors have been reported in EA women with T1D. Few studies, though, have included men. This study assessed the prevalence of DEB in both EA men and women with T1D. MethodsDEB was measured with the diabetes-specific Diabetes Eating Problem Survey–Revised (DEPS-R); scores of 20 or greater indicate need for further evaluation for DEB. ResultsA total of 27 women and 33 men (age range = 21 ± 2.5 years) completed the DEPS-R; 27% of women and 18% of men had scores of 20 or greater (p = .23). Hemoglobin A1c level was significantly higher in subjects with elevated DEPS-R scores (10.4 ± 2.1% vs. 7.8 ± 1.3%; p < .001), and DEPS-R scores correlated with increased body mass index values (r = 0.27, p < .05). DiscussionClinicians should assess for DEB in both male and female emerging adults with T1D, especially overweight patients with poor glycemic control.

Association Between Sleep Disorder and Increased Body Mass Index in Adult Patients

Abstract Introduction and objectives. Obesity is a public health issue, with increasing prevalence and incidence all over the world. Diet and exercise applied in obesity treatment are not always as effective as expected, as there are many other determining factors which can lead to obesity. One of these modifiable factors seem to be sleep disorder. The objective of our study was to test the positive association between the presence of sleep disorder and increased body mass index (BMI). Material and method. 84 patients were screened in a descriptive cross-sectional study. Each patient completed the adjusted 7 items University of Toronto Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ©). Each affirmative answer was accounted 1 point. The total score was calculated. Mild sleep disorder was considered at 4-5 points, severe sleep disorder at 6 - 7 points. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each patient by the formula weight (Kg)/squared height (m2). We considered increased BMI values greater than 25 kg/m2. The association between the sleep disorder and increased BMI was statistically tested. Results. We interviewed 84 patients, 32 (38%) men (average age 54 +/− 6.63) and 52 (62%) women (average age 50 +/− 5.26). Mild sleep disorder was present in 36 patients, and severe sleep disorder in 25 patients. We noticed association between sleep disorder and increased BMI (p=0.0064, RR=2.925, 95% CI 1.16-7.36). We observed the risk for increased BMI dependent on the sleep disorder severity. Conclusions. Sleep disorder is a potentially modifiable risk factor which can be included in obesity therapeutic approach and management. Early diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorder is important in obesity prevention.

Trends in Adolescents Obesity and the Association between BMI and Blood Pressure: A Cross-Sectional Study in 714,922 Healthy Teenagers.

Seventeen percent of youth in the United States are obese. Obesity has been linked to higher prevalence of hypertension. Past studies were limited by their size and conflicting results. The aim of this study was to analyze trends in adolescents' obesity between 1998 and 2011 and to evaluate the relationship between blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) in healthy adolescents. All adolescents who underwent a medical exam in the years 1998-2011 and were found fit for combat duties in the Israeli Defense Force were included. The cohort included 714,922 healthy adolescents with 59% of them being males. The mean age was 17.4±0.45 and mean BMI was 22±3.5 kg/m(2). The percentage of overweight adolescents (BMI > 25 kg/m(2)) has increased from 13.2% in 1998 to 21% in 2011, P < 0.001. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased with increasing BMI deciles (systolic blood pressure by 10mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 3-4mm Hg from the 1st decile to the 10th decile, P < 0.001 for both). In multivariate analysis, each increase of 1 unit of BMI was associated with an increased risk of systolic blood pressure above 130 mm Hg in both males (OR = 1.108, 95% CI 1.107-1.110, P < 0.001) and females (OR = 1.114, 95% CI 1.139-1.146, P < 0.001). BMI in adolescents is significantly associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in both genders and in both the normal weight and overweight groups. There has been consistent trend of increasing BMI values over recent years.

Minimal endoscopic changes in non-erosive reflux disease.

BackgroundGastroesophageal reflux disease is an increasingly common condition worldwide causing a considerable economic impact. More than half the patients with clinical symptoms of reflux disease display no mucosal erosions on esophagogastroduodenoscopy, making it impossible to confirm the diagnosis without further investigations.AimTo evaluate the correlation between minimal endoscopic changes on white-light esophagogastroduodenoscopy (carditis, mucosal thickening and invisibility of vessels) and histologic changes observed in distal esophageal biopsies in a sample of patients with symptoms suggestive of reflux disease, and to verify the specificity of these symptoms for non-erosive reflux disease.MethodsRetrospective, cross-sectional study based on information retrieved from a digital database at a Brazilian hospital for the period March-October, 2012. The sample consisted of previously untreated, non-smoking subjects aged >18 years with symptoms suggestive of reflux disease but no esophageal erosions, submitted to esophagogastroduodenoscopy and distal esophageal biopsy.ResultsThe final sample included 23 subjects. The most frequently observed change was invisibility of vessels (n=21; 91.3%), followed by mucosal thickening (n=15; 65.2%) and carditis (n=5; 21.7%). The correlation coefficient between each variable and the anatomopathological diagnosis was 0.386 for body mass index, 0.479 for mucosal thickening, -0.116 for invisibility of vessels, 0.306 for carditis and 0.462 for hiatal hernia.ConclusionAll patients displayed minimal endoscopic changes on esophagogastroduodenoscopy, but only mucosal thickening revealed a moderately significant correlation with severity of esophagitis, although increased body mass index values and the presence of hiatal hernia were also associated.