Body Composition Modifications Research Articles

Maternal exercise modifies body composition and energy substrates handling in male offspring fed a high-fat/high-sucrose diet.

Maternal training during gestation enhances offspring body composition and energy substrates handling in early adulthood. Offspring nutrition also plays a role as some beneficial effects of maternal training during gestation disappear after consumption of a high-fat diet. Maternal exercise during gestation has been reported to modify offspring metabolism and health. Whether these effects are exacerbated when offspring are receiving a high-fat diet remains unclear. Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of maternal exercise before and during gestation on the offspring fed a high-fat/high-sucrose diet (HF) by assessing its body composition, pancreatic function and energy substrates handling by two major glucose-utilizing tissues: liver and muscle. Fifteen-week-old nulliparous female Wistar rats exercised 4weeks before as well as during gestation at a constant submaximal intensity (TR) or remained sedentary (CT). At weaning, pups from each group were fed either a standard diet (TRCD or CTCD) or a high-fat/high-sucrose diet (TRHF or CTHF) for 10weeks. Offspring from TR dams gained less weight compared to those from CT dams. Selected fat depots were larger with the HF diet compared to control diet (CD) but significantly smaller in TRHF compared to CTHF. Surprisingly, the insulin secretion index was higher in islets from HF offspring compared to CD. TR offspring showed a higher muscle insulin sensitivity estimated by the ratio of phosphorylated protein kinase B to total protein kinase B compared with CT offspring (+48%, P<0.05). With CD, permeabilized isolated muscle fibres from TR rats displayed a lower apparent affinity constant (Km ) for pyruvate and palmitoyl coenzyme A as substrates compared to the CT group (-46% and -58%, respectively, P<0.05). These results suggest that maternal exercise has positive effects on young adult offspring body composition and on muscle carbohydrate and lipid metabolism depending on the nutritional status.

Can Chronic Probiotic Intake Modulate Psychological Profile, Gut Microbiota and Body Composition of Women Affected by Normal Weight Obese Syndrome and Obesity? A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Evidence of probiotics effects on gut function, brain activity and emotional behaviour were provided. Aim: Given the link between gut microbiota, body composition, and the risk of psychiatric illness, we investigated whether chronic probiotic intake could modulate psychological state, eating behavior, and body composition of normal weight obese (NWO) and preobese-obese (PreOB/OB) compared to normal weight lean women (NWL). Methods: 60 women were enrolled. We categorized the subjects according to BMI, and % of total body fat (TBFat) into three groups: NWL, (BMI 2, %TBFat2, %TBFat ≥30); PreOB/OB, (BMI ≥25 kg/m2, %TBFat ≥30). At baseline and after 4 week of a probiotic oral suspension (POS) intake all subjects underwent to: anthropometric evaluation (body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences); body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); gut microbiota evaluation by Glucose Breath Hydrogen test (GHBT). Moreover, all patients were also assessed by means of self-report questionnaries (i.e. Eating Disorder Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, State and Trait Anxiety inventory, and Body Uneasiness Test). POS contained Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp Lactis, Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactococcus lactis subsp Lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus Reuteri (1.5 ×1010 colony-forming unit CFU for each/day). Multivariate of interest analyses, Pearson or Spearman's rank correlation, and Partial Least Squares (PLS) were performed. Trial Registraton: ClinicalTrials.gov Id: NCT01890070. Results: Of the 60 women initially recruited, 8 did not meet inclusion criteria, 4 dropped out of the study voluntarily. We found a 22% of NWO, 26% of NWL, and 48% of PreOB/OB women. Significant differences (p). Conclusion: Four-week intake of selected probiotic, by modulating body composition, bacterial contamination, psychopathological scores and eating behavior of women affected by NWO syndrome and obesity, offers a tractable approach to problems related to obesity, psychological state and unhealthy eating. Further research is needed on a larger population and for longer period of treatment before definitive conclusions can be made.Table: Table. Results of lactulose breath testTable: Table. Symptoms in patients before and after therapy

Benefits of different intensity of aerobic exercise in modulating body composition among obese young adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe aim of present study was to compare the effects of different aerobic exercise intensities and energy expenditures on the body composition of sedentary obese college students in Taiwan.MethodsForty-eight obese participants [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2, age 18–26 years] were randomized into four equal groups (n = 12): light-intensity training group (LITG), 40%–50% heart rate reserve (HRR); middle-intensity training group (MITG), 50%–70% HRR; high-intensity training group (HITG), 70%–80% HRR; and control group (CG). The aerobic exercise training program was conducted for 60 min per day on a treadmill 3 days per week for 12 weeks. All participant anthropometric data, blood biochemical parameters, and health-related physical fitness components were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks.ResultsAt baseline, the anthropometric indices did not differ significantly among the four groups (p > 0.05). After 12-week exercise intervention, the HITG and MITG had significantly more changes in body weight, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) than the LITG. The changes in BMI and body fat percentage differed among all four groups (p < 0.05).ConclusionsA 12-week high-intensity exercise intervention with high energy expenditure can considerably reduce body weight, body fat, WC, WHR, and WHtR, whereas a light-intensity exercise intervention can significantly reduce body weight and body fat.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials TPECTR09831410900, registered on 24th Dec 2009.

Fatty acid oxidation by the osteoblast is required for normal bone acquisition in a sex- and diet-dependent manner.

Postnatal bone formation is influenced by nutritional status and compromised by disturbances in metabolism. The oxidation of dietary lipids represents a critical source of ATP for many cells but has been poorly studied in the skeleton, where the prevailing view is that glucose is the primary energy source. Here, we examined fatty acid uptake by bone and probed the requirement for fatty acid catabolism during bone formation by specifically disrupting the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (Cpt2), an obligate enzyme in fatty acid oxidation, in osteoblasts and osteocytes. Radiotracer studies demonstrated that the skeleton accumulates a significant fraction of postprandial fatty acids, which was equal to or in excess of that acquired by skeletal muscle or adipose tissue. Female, but not male, Cpt2 mutant mice exhibited significant impairments in postnatal bone acquisition, potentially due to an inability of osteoblasts to modify fuel selection. Intriguingly, suppression of fatty acid utilization by osteoblasts and osteocytes also resulted in the development of dyslipidemia and diet-dependent modifications in body composition. Taken together, these studies demonstrate a requirement for fatty acid oxidation during bone accrual and suggest a role for the skeleton in lipid homeostasis.

Can psychobiotics intake modulate psychological profile and body composition of women affected by normal weight obese syndrome and obesity? A double blind randomized clinical trial

BackgroundEvidence of probiotics effects on gut function, brain activity and emotional behaviour were provided. Probiotics can have dramatic effects on behaviour through the microbiome–gut–brain axis, through vagus nerve. We investigated whether chronic probiotic intake could modulate psychological state, eating behaviour and body composition of normal weight obese (NWO) and preobese–obese (PreOB/OB) compared to normal weight lean women (NWL).Methods60 women were enrolled. At baseline and after a 3-week probiotic oral suspension (POS) intake, all subjects underwent evaluation of body composition by anthropometry and dual X-ray absorptiometry, and psychological profile assessment by self-report questionnaires (i.e. EDI-2, SCL90R and BUT). Statistical analysis was carried out using paired t test or a non-parametric Wilcoxon test to evaluate differences between baseline and after POS intake, one-way ANOVA to compare all three groups and, where applicable, Chi square or t test were used to assess symptoms.ResultsOf the 48 women that concluded the study, 24% were NWO, 26% were NWL and 50% were PreOB/OB. Significant differences in body composition were highlighted among groups both at baseline and after a POS (p < 0.05). After POS intake, a significant reduction of BMI, resistance, FM (kg and %) (p < 0.05), and a significant increase of FFM (kg and %) (p < 0.05) were observed in all subjects in NOW and PreOB/OB. After POS intake, reduction of bacterial overgrowth syndrome (p < 0.05) and lower psychopathological scores (p < 0.05) were observed in NWO and PreOB/OB women. At baseline and after POS intake, all subjects tested were negative to SCL90R_GSI scale, but after treatment subjects positive to BUT_GSI scale were significantly reduced (8.33%) (p < 0.05) compared to the baseline (33.30%). In NWO and PreOB/OB groups significant differences (p < 0.05) in response to the subscales of the EDI-2 were observed. Significant improvement of the orocecal transit time was observed (p < 0.05) after POS intake. Furthermore, significant differences were observed for meteorism (p < 0.05) and defecation frequency (p < 0.05).ConclusionsA 3-week intake of selected psychobiotics modulated body composition, bacterial contamination, psychopathological scores of NWO and PreOB/OB women. Further research is needed on a larger population and for a longer period of treatment before definitive conclusions can be made.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Id: NCT01890070

Critical questions on nutrition of preterm infants

Infants born preterm represent a nutritional emergency that must be addressed immediately in order to avoid/limit the development of nutritional deficits that lead to postnatal growth retardation. When taking care of preterm infants from a nutritional point of view, it must be taken into consideration that promotion of growth is achieved by the accomplishment of their high nutritional needs, that become even more demanding with the occurrence of comorbidities. Identification of the factors that determine and/or affect nutrient requirements is therefore mandatory. A full understanding of the most appropriate biological setting that should be used for establishing preterm infants nutritional requirements is desirable. A deeper knowledge with regard to these points would allow for the provision of appropriate amount of specific essential nutrients, avoiding the under- or overexposure to certain nutrients, and for the individualization of nutritional care of preterm infants.The avoidance of early malnutrition is of major importance since adequate postnatal growth has been associated with improvement of later neurodevelopment outcome. Limitation of extrauterine growth restriction prevents the need for rapid catch-up growth after discharge which, in turns, has been linked to later adverse metabolic consequences. Increasing evidence has indicated that postnatal growth retardation is accompanied by a fat-free mass deficit, probably related to immature metabolic mechanisms, delayed amino acid administration and protein intakes lower than recommendations. The potential long-lasting effects of these body composition modifications on future health, both in terms of neurodevelopment outcome and metabolic risk, are still under investigation.

Polyphenols and Their Role in Obesity Management: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Polyphenols have been suggested to reduce body weight and modify body composition through different mechanisms. These effects have been extensively studied in animals and in vitro and to a lesser extent in humans. The aim of this review is to consider the association between polyphenols and body weight status by focusing on human intervention studies. We conducted a systematic literature search in MEDLINE (via EBSCOhost), ProQuest CENTRAL, and Cochrane CENTRAL without time restrictions. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of polyphenols on weight and/or body composition in the overweight and/or obese population were included. Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Results suggest that further research is required before supporting a potential role of polyphenols in reducing weight in overweight and obese individuals (nine studies showed a significant decrease in weight by a mean of 1.47±0.58kg). Nevertheless, several studies indicated that polyphenols might be effective in preventing small increases in weight during periods of overfeeding rather than reducing weight as such. The outcomes noted do not yet support polyphenol supplementation as a complementary approach in weight loss diets. Further larger trials with a duration of 12months or more are needed to elucidate the effect of polyphenols on body weight status. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparative effects of brown and golden flaxseeds on body composition, inflammation and bone remodelling biomarkers in perimenopausal overweight women

Flaxseed may improve the adverse effects of the lack of oestrogens. This study compared the effects of brown and golden flaxseed intake on body composition, inflammation and bone biomarkers in overweight perimenopausal women. The participants were divided into groups: control, brown, and golden flaxseed and received a calorie-restricted diet plan of 250kcal per day. The brown and golden flaxseed groups consumed 40g of the respective flaxseed per day for 12weeks. Both flaxseeds reduced waist circumference, but the golden flaxseed also reduced body weight, body mass index, and fat mass. Flaxseed supplementation, irrespective to the variety, had no significant effect on pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) biomarkers, hormones (25(OH)D3 and 17β-oestradiol) or on the bone formation (osteocalcin) and resorption (N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen - NTX-I) biomarkers. Brown flaxseed was less effective than the golden flaxseed in modifying body composition of perimenopausal women.

Power distribution, performance changes and bioelectrical impedance properties during the preparation period of professional cyclists

Introduction Athletic training improves exercise performance and modifies body composition. The influence of training volume and intensity during the general preparation period on performance and body composition has not been extensively studied in cyclists. Thus, this study aimed to investigate performance changes as well as changes in the body composition and bioelectrical impedance properties during a three-month training period with varying training volume and intensity.  Methods Eight professional road cyclists participated in the study. After a one-month off season and before starting with their seasonal preparation period, bioelectrical impedance vector analyses (BIVA) and skinfold thickness measurements (9 sites) were performed at T0, T10 (after a month from T0), T40, T68. The bioelectrical values analyzed were Reactance/height (Xc/h), Impedance(IMP). Training volume and intensity (4 zones: 500, Metcalfe et al. 2016) as well as the Training Stress Score (TSS) were monitored at T10, T40, T68. Detailed data acquisition was done only for the last ten days during the first period. We used training data with the Training Peaks Software (Peaksware LLC, Lafayette, CO, USA) and determined the functional threshold power (FTP), the functional reserve capacity (FRC) and the peak power during 5 s (P5s), 5 min (P5min), 20 min (P20min) and 60 min (P60min).  Results Total training volume decreased from T40 to T68(distance: 2,720±270 km to 2,060±200 km; climbing: 30,400±9324 m to 16,560±6,690 m; time: 6,142±1100 min to 3,890±90 min; external work: 63,035±10,385 J to 42,628±4,338 J; p 500 watts training was completed. The phase angle and the reactance that are biomarkers of muscle function (Norman et al. 2012) improved over the 68 days of training period. Interestingly, at T10, vector length tended to increase which indicates that body water content declined (Lukaski 2013; Piccoli et. 1994) while body weight decreased. Conversely, at T40, vector length slightly decreased that indicates body water volume was restored, whereas no significant changes in body weight occurred. We hypothesize that the body fluid and weight losses from T0 are due to a negative energy balance (hypocaloric diet + increased energy expenditure). Heydenreich et al. (2017) noted that during the preparation phase the athletes often reduce their energy intake to reduce their body weight. After increasing training volume and intensity (T40), body fluid increased which is in accordance with reports showing that intensified training and increasing physical strain leads to body fluid gains (Pollastri et al. 2016; Sawka et al. 2000). We conclude that bioelectrical impedance is a practical method to monitor body water changes in response to physical training.

Does Human Milk Modulate Body Composition in Late Preterm Infants at Term-Corrected Age?

(1) Background: Late preterm infants account for the majority of preterm births and are at risk of altered body composition. Because body composition modulates later health outcomes and human milk is recommended as the normal method for infant feeding, we sought to investigate whether human milk feeding in early life can modulate body composition development in late preterm infants; (2) Methods: Neonatal, anthropometric and feeding data of 284 late preterm infants were collected. Body composition was evaluated at term-corrected age by air displacement plethysmography. The effect of human milk feeding on fat-free mass and fat mass content was evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis; (3) Results: Human milk was fed to 68% of the infants. According to multiple regression analysis, being fed any human milk at discharge and at term-corrected and being fed exclusively human milk at term-corrected age were positively associated with fat-free mass content(β = −47.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −95.7; −0.18; p = 0.049; β = −89.6, 95% CI = −131.5; −47.7; p < 0.0001; β = −104.1, 95% CI = −151.4; −56.7, p < 0.0001); (4) Conclusion: Human milk feeding appears to be associated with fat-free mass deposition in late preterm infants. Healthcare professionals should direct efforts toward promoting and supporting breastfeeding in these vulnerable infants.

The impact of duration on effectiveness of exercise, the implication for periodization of training and goal setting for individuals who are overfat, a meta-analysis.

Given the assumption that all methods of exercise, e.g., endurance (ET), resistance (RT), or combination of both (E+R), can induce a beneficial effect size (ES) for changes in body composition and health status of individuals who are overfat. Thus the aim and purpose of this study is to evaluate the current body of knowledge to address the question as to the impact that the duration of exercise has on its relative effectiveness for inducing health and body compositional changes in individuals who are overfat to assist with developing periodized exercise protocols and establishing short and long term goals. A tiered meta-analysis of 92-studies and 200-exercise groupings were used for establishing pooled ES within and between groupings based on the increments of 4-week of duration and study designs of ≤8, 9-16, 17-23, 24-36, and ≥36 weeks. Analysis based on random-effect of response indicates a continuum of effectiveness within and between ET, RT and E+R based on duration. Where beneficial effectiveness is not indicated for any measures until after 8-weeks of continuous training with progressive effectiveness being noted in changes to cardiorespiratory fitness, inflammatory cytokines, and alteration of metabolic status from 12-weeks through 32-weeks of continuous training. Results indicate a greater ES for RT and E+R versus ET early in intervention that equalizes with longer durations. Supporting the use of RT and E+R within a periodized program. And secondarily, goals should be established first on performance gains and second body composition or health status modifications for the individual who is overfat.

Perinatal Polychlorinated Biphenyl 126 Exposure Alters Offspring Body Composition.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants whose exposure levels are associated with various health hazards. We hypothesized that in utero and lactational exposure to PCBs can cause changes in body composition and obesity in a mouse model. Pregnant mice were exposed biweekly to two concentrations of PCB 126 via oral gavage. Maternal PCB exposure did not result in heavier offspring, however, dose-dependent and sex specific changes in body composition were observed. Female offspring displayed the most susceptibility to PCB-induced alterations in body composition, having less percent lean body mass and increased adiposity compared to females born to control dams, and these effects were largely dose-dependent. In contrast to females, and independent of the exposure level of PCB 126, male offspring had reduced lean body mass but no change in fat mass compared to males born to control dams. In conclusion, perinatal PCB 126 exposure did not affect body weight, but rather modulated body composition in a dose-dependent and gender-specific manner.

Is there a relation between pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, cachexia and osteoporosis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis?

BackgroundOsteoporosis is a well-known complication of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, data about body composition modifications and muscle performance showed conflicting results. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia and cachexia in patients with AS and analyze its relationship with bone loss and symptomatic and severity parameters of the disease.MethodsSixty-seven consecutive male patients with AS (mean age of 40.9 ± 11.0 years) and 67 healthy controls were studied. Body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) scans were obtained using DXA. The fat-free mass index (FFMI; fat-free mass divided by height squared) and the percent of fat mass (%FM) were calculated. Pre-sarcopenia was defined by low skeletal muscle mass (SMI <7.25 kg/m2), sarcopenia by the combined presence of the two following criteria: SMI <7.25 kg/m2 and a low muscle strength (handgrip strength <30 kg) or a low muscle performance (timed get-up-and-go test >10 s) and cachexia by a BMI <20 kg/m2 plus 3 from the 5 following parameters: anorexia, fatigue, handgrip strength <30 kg, CRP >5 mg/l, SMI <7.25 kg/m2.ResultsPre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, cachexia, and osteoporosis prevalences were (50.4, 34.3, 11.9, and 16.0) respectively. Patients had a mean 3 kg significant decrease in FFM and a 1 kg/m2 decrease in appendicular mass vs. healthy controls. Pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia and cachexia were significantly associated to higher BASDAI levels and low BMD.ConclusionOur study showed that men with AS had a statistically significant reduction in total and appendicular lean mass that is related to higher disease activity and significantly associated to bone loss.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1155-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Assessment of pulse arrival time for arterial stiffness monitoring on body composition scales

This study presents a system that aims to estimate changes in arterial health status in an unobtrusive way. It might be especially useful in long-term self-monitoring of cardiovascular performance for successful treatment and empowerment of patients. This system applies the electrocardiographic and impedance plethysmographic signals acquired using modified body composition scales for the calculation of pulse arrival time, which is directly related to arterial stiffness. The proposed device was tested in a cohort of 14 subjects. The modified scales were compared to the commercial PulsePen tonometer and the results showed significant relationship between these different devices (rs=0.93, p<0.01). The system also showed the ability to track small pulse arrival time variations induced by paced respiration. These findings suggest that scales evaluating parameters of cardiovascular function have potential to become a convenient device for self-monitoring of arterial stiffness.

Skeletal Muscle Changes After Elective Colorectal Cancer Resection: A Longitudinal Study.

BackgroundMuscle depletion is a poor prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, but there were no data assessing comparative temporal body composition changes following elective CRC surgery. We examined patient skeletal muscle index trajectories over time after surgery and determined factors that may contribute to those alterations.Methods Patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing elective surgical resection between 2006 and 2013 were included in this study. Image analysis of serial computed tomography (CT) scans was used to calculate lumbar skeletal muscle index (LSMI). A multilevel mixed-effect linear regression model was applied using STATA (version 12.0) using the xtmixed command to fit growth curve models (GCM) for LSMI and time.ResultsIn 856 patients, a total of 2136 CT images were analyzed; 856 (38.2 %) were preoperative. A quadratic GCM with random intercept and random slope for patients’ LSMI was identified that demonstrated laparoscopy produces a positive change on the LSMI curve [estimate = 0.17 cm2/m2, standard error (SE) 0.06 cm2/m2; p = 0.03], whereas Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage III + IV disease contributed to a negative curve change (estimate = −0.19 cm2/m2, SE 0.09 cm2/m2; p = 0.03). Older age (p < 0.01), female gender (p < 0.01), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (p < 0.01), and altered systemic inflammatory response [SIR] (p = 0.03) were factors significantly associated with lower values of LSMI over time.ConclusionIn patients undergoing CRC surgery, laparoscopy and the absence of a significantly elevated SIR favored preservation and restoration of skeletal muscle, postoperatively. These emerging data may permit the development of new treatment protocols whereby monitoring and modification of body composition has therapeutic potential.

Body Composition and Anti-Neoplastic Treatment in Adult and Older Subjects - A Systematic Review.

The estimation of the risk of poor tolerance and overdose of antineoplastic agents protocols represents a major challenge in oncology, particularly in older patients. We hypothesize that age-related modifications of body composition (i.e. increased fat mass and decreased lean mass) may significantly affect tolerance to chemotherapy. We conducted a systematic review for the last 25 years (between 1990 and 2015), using US National library of Medicine Medline electronic bibliographic database and Embase database of cohorts or clinical trials exploring (i) the interactions of body composition (assessed by Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, Bioelectrical Impedance Analyses, or Computerized Tomography) with pharmacokinetics parameters, (ii) the tolerance to chemotherapy, and (iii) the consequences of chemotherapies or targeted therapies on body composition. Our search identified 1504 articles. After a selection (using pre-established criteria) on titles and abstract, 24 original articles were selected with 3 domains of interest: impact of body composition on pharmacokinetics (7 articles), relationship between body composition and chemotoxicity (14 articles), and effect of anti-cancer chemotherapy on body composition (11 articles). The selected studies suggested that pharmacokinetic was influenced by lean mass, that lower lean mass could be correlated with toxicity, and that sarcopenic patients experienced more toxicities that non-sarcopenic patients. Regarding fat mass, results were less conclusive. No studies specifically explored the topic of body composition in older cancer patients. Plausible pathophysiological pathways linking body composition, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics are sustained by the actual review. However, despite the growing number of older cancer patients, our review highlighted the lack of specific studies in the field of anti-neoplastic agents toxicity regarding body composition conducted in elderly.

Body composition of young people aged 17-18 years, practicing and not practicing swimming, with the use of the bioelectrical impedance method

Purpose: Body composition evaluation of youth aged 17-18 of a different physical activity with the help of bioelectric impedance method. Material and Methods: 18 boys practicing swimming and 19 boys not practicing it took part in the study, making up a control group. Height, weight, BMI, lean body mass, the content of fat and water, Rohr factor were evaluated. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney test has been used to evaluate the differences in the range of the tissue components between the two groups. Results: Statistically significant differences were found on the p-0,05 level in % fat content. Mean body weight in experimental group was 71.5 kg, while in control group it was 69.4 kg. Minimum and maximum weight in group of swimming-practicing persons was: 56.6-92.2 kg. Increased body weight in the group of swimmers can result from greater amount of active tissue in this group compared with persons of low physical activity. Proportionally, it amounted to 64.3 kg and 61.3 kg. In the tested groups, minimal and maximal values of amount of active tissue proportionately amounted to: 54.1-78 and 49.5-72,3 kg. Conclusions: Physical activity modifies body composition. Active lifestyle is one of the methods for prevention of overweight and obesity.

G17 - The impact of nutritional support in head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiation therapy

Background: Head and neck cancer patients are frequently malnourished at the time of diagnosis and prior to the beginning of treatment. In addition, chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) causes or exacerbates symptoms, such as alteration or loss of taste, mucositis, xerostomia, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, with consequent worsening of malnutrition.Patients and methods: All patients undergoing CRT (60-70 Gy plus concomitant weekly cisplatin at 40 mg/sqm) for head and neck cancer (adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting) underwent to a nutritional evaluation before the beginning of the treatment, in order to pre-plan the best nutritional support for each of them.Results: 55 patients, mostly affected by oropharyngeal (47.3%), nasopharyngeal (18.2%) and oral (14.5%) cancer, have been evaluated. The cancer stage at time of CRT was: cII 3.6%, cIII 8%, cIVA 43.6%, cIVB 7.3%, pIII 1.8%, pIVA 11%. CRT program has been completed in all patients. 92.8% of them received artificial nutrition during the treatment: 41.8% parenteral nutrition (PN), 29.1% enteral nutrition through PEG (EN), 21.9% oral support (oral supplement containing eicosapentaenoic acid or/and progesterone derivates) only. The choice of artificial nutrition modality (EN vs. PN) was unrelated to disease stage (cIII 28.6% vs. 71.4%, cIVA 50% vs. 50%, cIVB 50% vs. 50%, pIVA 44.4% vs. 55.6% respectively). Effects on nutritional status were evaluated in terms of weight maintenance, body composition and biochemical modifications from baseline. EN seems to guarantee the best results for all variables: weight (-0.45 kg), albumin serum levels (+0.40ng/dl), prealbumin serum levels (+1.28mg/dl), transferrin serum levels (+19.00mg/dl), fat body mass (-1.08kgl), fat free body mass (+0.40kg), total body water (-0.52kg) median variations. Furthermore, a trend toward lower incidence of gr. 3-4 oral mucositis in the EN than in the PN subgroup (50% vs. 66.7% respectively) has been observed, as well as a trend for shorter duration of mucositis (14.68 ± 19.14 days vs. 22.50 ± 21.98 days respectively). 61.5% patients obtained a CR, 12.8% a PR, 10.3% a PD and 2.6% SD, without differences for type of nutrition. A trend toward shorter PFS in pts treated with PN vs. EN (57.3 vs not reached, p = 0.283) has been observed.Conclusions: Nutritional support with enteral nutrition during CRT for head and neck cancer might guarantee a better outcome in terms of nutritional status, treatment tolerance and PFS. Background: Head and neck cancer patients are frequently malnourished at the time of diagnosis and prior to the beginning of treatment. In addition, chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) causes or exacerbates symptoms, such as alteration or loss of taste, mucositis, xerostomia, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, with consequent worsening of malnutrition. Patients and methods: All patients undergoing CRT (60-70 Gy plus concomitant weekly cisplatin at 40 mg/sqm) for head and neck cancer (adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting) underwent to a nutritional evaluation before the beginning of the treatment, in order to pre-plan the best nutritional support for each of them. Results: 55 patients, mostly affected by oropharyngeal (47.3%), nasopharyngeal (18.2%) and oral (14.5%) cancer, have been evaluated. The cancer stage at time of CRT was: cII 3.6%, cIII 8%, cIVA 43.6%, cIVB 7.3%, pIII 1.8%, pIVA 11%. CRT program has been completed in all patients. 92.8% of them received artificial nutrition during the treatment: 41.8% parenteral nutrition (PN), 29.1% enteral nutrition through PEG (EN), 21.9% oral support (oral supplement containing eicosapentaenoic acid or/and progesterone derivates) only. The choice of artificial nutrition modality (EN vs. PN) was unrelated to disease stage (cIII 28.6% vs. 71.4%, cIVA 50% vs. 50%, cIVB 50% vs. 50%, pIVA 44.4% vs. 55.6% respectively). Effects on nutritional status were evaluated in terms of weight maintenance, body composition and biochemical modifications from baseline. EN seems to guarantee the best results for all variables: weight (-0.45 kg), albumin serum levels (+0.40ng/dl), prealbumin serum levels (+1.28mg/dl), transferrin serum levels (+19.00mg/dl), fat body mass (-1.08kgl), fat free body mass (+0.40kg), total body water (-0.52kg) median variations. Furthermore, a trend toward lower incidence of gr. 3-4 oral mucositis in the EN than in the PN subgroup (50% vs. 66.7% respectively) has been observed, as well as a trend for shorter duration of mucositis (14.68 ± 19.14 days vs. 22.50 ± 21.98 days respectively). 61.5% patients obtained a CR, 12.8% a PR, 10.3% a PD and 2.6% SD, without differences for type of nutrition. A trend toward shorter PFS in pts treated with PN vs. EN (57.3 vs not reached, p = 0.283) has been observed. Conclusions: Nutritional support with enteral nutrition during CRT for head and neck cancer might guarantee a better outcome in terms of nutritional status, treatment tolerance and PFS.

Diet and diet combined with chronic aerobic exercise decreases body fat mass and alters plasma and adipose tissue inflammatory markers in obese women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 6 months aerobic exercise and diet alone or in combination on markers of inflammation (MOI) in circulation and in adipose abdominal tissue (AT) in obese women. Thirty obese subjects were randomized into a 24-week intervention: (1) exercise (EX), (2) diet (DI), and (3) exercise and diet (EXD). Blood samples were collected at baseline, after 12 and 24 weeks. AT biopsies were obtained only at baseline and after 24 weeks. In the EXD and DI groups, the fat loss was after 12 weeks was −13.74 and −7.8 % (P < 0.01) and after 24 weeks was −21.82 and −17 % (P < 0.01) with no changes in the EX group. After 12 and 24 weeks, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was increased by 21.81–39.54 % (P < 0.05) in the EXD group and 18.09–40.95 % in the EX group with no changes in the DI group. In the EXD and DI groups, circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 were decreased after 24 weeks for both groups (P < 0.01). No changes in the EX group. Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance decreased (P < 0.05) only after 24 weeks in the EXD group. In AT biopsies, subjects in the EXD and DI groups exhibited a significant decrease in MO (P < 0.01 for all). No changes in AT biopsies were found in the EX group. In conclusion, chronic aerobic exercise was found to have no effects on circulating and AT MOI despite an increased VO2max. Rather important body composition modifications were found to have beneficial effects on circulating and AT MOI in these obese women.

Discussion of "The effects of pre-exhaustion, exercise order, and rest intervals in a full-body resistance training intervention"--Pre-exhaustion exercise and neuromuscular adaptations: an inefficient method?

Dear Editor, we appreciated reading the article by Fisher et al. (2014), entitled “The effects of pre-exhaustion, exercise order, and rest intervals in a full-body resistance training intervention”, published in the November 2014 issue of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism (APNM). This article determined the effects of a 12-week pre-exhaustion training intervention on muscular strength and body composition, comparing chronic adaptations between 3 groups: a pre-exhaustion group, a group performing the same exercises in the same order with moderate rest intervals between exercises, and a group performing the same exercises in a different order. The results showed no significant difference betweengroup effects for strength in chest press (1.32, 1.67, and 1.25 effect size), leg press (1.15, 1.36, and 1.89 effect size), or pull-down (1.82, 1.49, and 1.54 effect size) exercises, or for lean body mass (0.41 ± 1.08; –0.34 ± 3.37; –0.40 ± 0.60 kg) changes in pre-exhaustion group without rest interval and pre-exhaustion group with 60 s of rest interval between exercises and control group, respectively. The conflicting results regarding the hypothesis of the preexhaustion method originally proposed by Jones (1970) and the results of Fisher et al. (2014) on muscle performance and body composition changes can be, at least in part, explained by the lack of a gold-standard and/or most appropriate methods to analyze important variables regarding muscle hypertrophy and training. For example, the authors mention the recommendations of the American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM) for trained individuals, a recommendation based on the totality of the research literature. However, these authors suggest that single set resistance training leading to failure is far more time-efficient to increase muscle strength, and even acknowledge that this can be an alternative recommendation to increase muscle strength. However, for trained subjects, it is important to note that resistance training volume can increase the magnitude of muscle strength improvements (Krieger 2010). Moreover, 2 acute studies of Gentil et al. (2007) and Augustsson et al. (2003) revealed that the pre-exhaustion method does not increase muscle electromyographic activity. However, Junior et al. (2010) found that when the pre-exhaustion method was performed not to failure, the magnitude of motor units’ recruitment was higher when a single-joint exercise preceded a multijoint exercise. It has also been shown that muscle strength can increase even without a significant increase in muscle electromyographic activity (evaluated as the root mean square of the electromyography (EMG) signals) (Watanabe et al. 2014). It has been proposed that muscle hypertrophy can be achieved by the pre-exhaustion method based on the hypothesis that a target muscle can be exhausted with an isolation exercise preceding a compound exercise without rest (Schoenfeld 2013). Thus, thismethodwould increase the time under tension andmetabolic stress, a method that has been widely and empirically used by bodybuilders (Schoenfeld 2013). The metabolic stress manifested by accumulation of metabolites, such as lactate and H+ ions, and acute muscle hypoxia associated with resistance training can mediate hypertrophic adaptations, such as cellular swelling and alterations in local myokines, including interleukin-6 (Schoenfeld 2013). In this sense, considering the possible higher metabolic stress induced by the pre-exhaustion method, it is surprising that no metabolic measures or any other valuable markers of hypertrophy were obtained in the study of Fisher et al. (2014). Moreover, to draw precise conclusions regarding muscle hypertrophy, magnetic resonance and ultrasound should be used, while this was not the case. In our opinion it is premature to assume that pre-exhaustion training offers no greater benefit than a traditional resistance training approach, at least formuscle hypertrophy and for strengthwhen more sets are incorporated. Although the authors mention the lack of dietetic control, this is clearly a study limitation. Also, the lack of modifications in body composition may also be the result of a very low-volume training, considering the trained background of the studied subjects. It has been widely shown that training-induced improvements will be reduced as training progresses (Rhea 2004). The study should also provide more details regarding the training background of participants as this can result in significant variations. Additionally, there is no mention of the presence of high responders versus low responders in each group. This may also help to explain the results. For example, Garcia et al. (2014) found that the allocation of the groups resulted in bias because more high responders were unintentionally located in the multiple-sets group as compared with a group submitted to a tri-set method. This may also confound data interpretation. Thus, the identification of responders and nonresponders to resistance training may help to avoid data misinter-