Normal-weight Female Subjects Research Articles

Body water percentage from childhood to old age.

Total body water (TBW) increases with growth, but the body water percentage (TBW%) decreases with aging. The objective of our study was to delineate TBW% in males and females by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) from early childhood to old age. We enrolled 545 participants aged 3 to 98 years (258 male, 287 female). Among the participants, 256 had a normal weight and 289 were overweight. The TBW was measured by BIA, and TBW% was derived by dividing the TBW (L) value by body weight (kg). For analysis, we divided participants into the four age groups of 3-10, 11-20, 21-60, and ≥61 years. In normal-weight subjects, the TBW% was similar at 62% between males and females in the 3-10-year group. It remained unchanged in males until and through adult life, then decreased to 57% in the ≥61-year group. In normal-weight female subjects, the TBW% decreased to 55% in the 11-20-year group, remained relatively unaltered in the 21-60-year group, then decreased to 50% in the ≥61-year group. In overweight subjects, the TBW% values in males, as well as females, were significantly lower as compared to those with normal weight. Our study showed that the TBW% in normal-weight males changes very little from early childhood to adult life compared to that of females, who showed a decrease in TBW% during the pubertal years. In normal-weight subjects of both sexes, the TBW% decreased after the age of 60 years. Overweight subjects had significantly lower TBW% as compared to those with normal weight.

TMT-based proteomic and bioinformatic analyses of human granulosa cells from obese and normal-weight female subjects

BackgroundIncreasing evidence supports a relationship between obesity and either infertility or subfertility in women. Most previous omics studies were focused on determining if the serum and follicular fluid expression profiles of subjects afflicted with both obesity-related infertility and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are different than those in normal healthy controls. As granulosa cells (GCs) are essential for oocyte development and fertility, we determined here if the protein expression profiles in the GCs from obese subjects are different than those in their normal-weight counterpart.MethodsGC samples were collected from obese female subjects (n = 14) and normal-weight female subjects (n = 12) who were infertile and underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment due to tubal pathology. A quantitative approach including tandem mass tag labeling and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (TMT) was employed to identify differentially expressed proteins. Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were then conducted to interrogate the functions and pathways of identified proteins. Clinical, hormonal, and biochemical parameters were also analyzed in both groups.ResultsA total of 228 differentially expressed proteins were noted, including 138 that were upregulated whereas 90 others were downregulated. Significant pathways and GO terms associated with protein expression changes were also identified, especially within the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The levels of free fatty acids in both the serum and follicular fluid of obese subjects were significantly higher than those in matched normal-weight subjects.ConclusionsIn GCs obtained from obese subjects, their mitochondria were damaged and the endoplasmic reticulum stress response was accompanied by dysregulated hormonal synthesis whereas none of these changes occurred in normal-weight subjects. These alterations may be related to the high FFA and TG levels detected in human follicular fluid.

Range of motion limitations of the upper body in obese female workers.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, and the economic consequences of an increased percentage of obese workers are relevant in terms of health costs and absences from work. Obesity is associated with reduced participation in the workforce, increased absence from work, disability and health costs, lower salaries and reduced productivity. We aimed at quantifying the limitations in range of motion (ROM) of the upper limb and the trunk of obese workers during basic occupational tasks. One group of 15 obese female subjects (BMI: 42.10±9.10 kg/m2) and one control group of 13 normal-weight female subjects were recruited. Three group of tasks were selected as representative of basic occupational movements: 1) upper limb movements (reaching, abduction-adduction, frontal elevation); 2) trunk movements (lateral bending, rotation); 3) whole body movement (target task). We observed significant range of motion limitations in lateral and frontal upper arm elevation. Statistically significant difference in terms of center of pressure (the point of application of the ground reaction force measured by means of force platform) excursions was observed for lateral bending and trunk rotation tasks. Our results show that obese subjects have significant range of motion limitations of the upper body during basic occupational activities. This study provides quantitative evidence of these limitations of obese workers and may serve occupational specialists to allocate them to adequate jobs and reduce the rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Differences between liking and wanting signals in the human brain and relations with cognitive dietary restraint and body mass index

Eating behavior is determined, to a significant extent, by the rewarding value of food (ie, liking and wanting). We determined brain regions involved in liking and wanting and related brain signaling to body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) and dietary restraint. Fifteen normal-weight female subjects [mean ± SEM age: 21.5 ± 0.4 y; BMI: 22.2 ± 0.2] completed a food-choice paradigm by using visually displayed food items during functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Two scans were made as follows: one scan was made in a fasted condition, and one scan was made in a satiated condition. The paradigm discriminated between liking and wanting, and subjects were offered items rated highly for wanting immediately after each scan. Imaging contrasts for high and low liking and wanting were made, and data for regions of interest were extracted. Activation related to liking and wanting, respectively, was determined. Outcomes were correlated to cognitive dietary restraint and BMI. Dietary restraint predicted liking task-related signaling (TRS) in the amygdala, striatum, thalamus, and cingulate cortex (r = -0.5 ± 0.03, P < 0.00001). In the nucleus accumbens, the premeal liking and wanting TRS and premeal to postmeal liking TRS changes correlated positively with dietary restraint [bilateral average r = 0.6 ± 0.02, P < 0.04 (Bonferroni corrected)]. BMI and hunger predicted wanting TRS in the hypothalamus and striatum (P < 0.05). Postmeal liking TRS in the striatum, anterior insula, and cingulate cortex and wanting TRS in the striatum predicted the energy intake (liking: r = -0.3 ± 0.05, P < 0.0001; wanting: r = -0.3 ± 0.03, P < 0.00001). Successful dietary restraint was supported by liking TRS from premeal to postmeal in the nucleus accumbens. Reward-related signaling was inversely related to BMI and energy intake, indicating reward deficiency.

Metformin increases fasting plasma peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

The beneficial effects of metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are thought to be in part due to weight reduction. However, the mechanisms by which metformin causes weight loss are unclear. We sought to determine whether circulating levels of the anorectic gut hormone peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) show any correlation with metformin-induced weight loss. We examined the acute effects of orally administrated metformin on fasting PYY levels in eight healthy normal-weight female subjects. Subsequently, we evaluated the effects of 6 months metformin treatment on fasting PYY levels and anthropometric measurements in 20 women with PCOS. In normal-weight females 10 days' metformin treatment increased fasting PYY levels (P < 0.01). Similarly, in PCOS subjects metformin treatment increased fasting PYY concentrations (P < 0.05). In both groups a marked variation in PYY increase in response to metformin was observed. Long-term metformin treatment was associated with improvements in weight (P < 0.05), BMI (P < 0.05), fasting glucose (P < 0.05) and menstrual frequency (P < 0.01). Interestingly, change in PYY levels were correlated with change in waist circumference (r = 0.55, P < 0.05). Acute and chronic oral metformin administration increase fasting PYY levels and may contribute to metformin's weight loss effect. Further studies are now required to clarify whether changes in circulating PYY levels in response to metformin treatment can be used to predict which patients will subsequently lose weight long-term and gain cycle restoration.

Association between Low‐Molecular Weight Apolipoprotein(a) Isoforms and Obesity in Italian Women

Low-molecular weight (MW) apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] isoforms are closely associated with an increased incidence of atherothrombotic disease, prevalence of which is higher in obese individuals, particularly in women. The hypothesis of this study was to assess whether there are differences in the distribution of apo(a) phenotypes between obese patients and healthy controls. One hundred three obese Italian women (BMI > or = 30.0 kg/m2) were enrolled in the study, and apo(a) phenotyping was performed in all subjects. The prevalence of low-MW apo(a) isoforms, detected in plasma samples of our obese women, was compared with that found in a control group of 84 normal-weight, never-obese (BMI < 25.0 kg/m(2)), age-matched women. The distribution of apo(a) isoforms in the population of obese women was significantly different from that found in normal-weight female subjects. In particular, the percentage of subjects in the obese group with at least one apo(a) isoform of low MW was significantly higher than that in the control group (51.4% vs. 32.1%, p = 0.0079). Our results seem to suggest the possibility that small-sized apo(a) isoforms may be used together with other traditional risk factors to better assess the overall predisposition to atherothrombotic disease in obese women.

Sex differences in the relationships of abdominal fat to cardiovascular disease risk among normal-weight white subjects.

The objectives of this study are to investigate the relationships between abdominal fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among normal-weight (NW) white subjects and to determine how these relationships differ by sex. NW adults (177 males and 258 females) and overweight adults (133 males and 111 females) from the Québec Family Study and the HERITAGE Family Study were retained for this study. Risk factors included systolic and diastolic blood pressures, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols, triglycerides, and fasting glucose. Only in NW female adults, abdominal visceral fat (AVF) area assessed by computed tomography was significantly correlated with all risk factors, except for fasting glucose, even after age, study cohort, and fat mass were taken into account. NW female subjects with at least one risk factor had a significantly higher AVF than those without risk factors, although the difference was small. Thus, only NW female adults with more AVF tended to have a more adverse CVD risk factor profile.

Eating Disorders and Social Phobia

To the Editor.— We read with great interest the article by Halmi and colleagues 1 in which the lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a group of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) was presented. Social phobia (SP) was present at some point in 21 (33.9%) of these 62 patients. The authors devoted relatively little discussion to having found such a high prevalence of this disorder in their sample. One possible artifact contributing to this may have been fear of eating in public. Since this is a specific exclusion criteria in the DSM-III-R , 2 we presume that this was not the focus of fear for these patients with SP. We found a similar high lifetime prevalence of SP not related to eating in public in a group of patients with bulimia nervosa (BN). 3 Fifty-nine normal-weight female subjects with BN were recruited for a treatment study and evaluated using the Structured

Body image distortion in anorexics as a non-sensory phenomenon: a signal detection approach.

Body image in anorexic and normal weight female subjects was investigated with a video TV monitor. Eighteen subjects were presented with a task in which they manipulated their body size to obtain "ideal" and actual images and a task wherein they judged the accuracy of a projected image of their body. There were no differences in estimated actual body size between anorexics and control subjects. For both groups, ideal images were below their actual image. For the second task, a signal detection analysis revealed no sensory sensitivity differences between weight groups. Anorexic subjects were more likely to report an image of themselves as distorted, regardless of whether distortion was present. Both weight groups adopted a strict criterion when they were viewing a heavy image of themselves. The finding that body estimation difference between anorexics and controls is non-sensory are discussed, and ramifications for treatment of anorexia are described.