Protective Factor For Obesity Research Articles

Influence of IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-α gene polymorphism on obesity.

Obesity is one of the most serious public health issues. Obesity is caused by a complex interaction of genetic, metabolic, social, cultural, and environmental variables. Obesity prevalence in both children and adults has risen substantially in recent years, and the condition is now considered an epidemic. Forty-two obese males with BMI≥ 30 were included in this study. Their age interval was (16-45) years. Controls include 42 males with normal BMI≤25 and age group (16-45) years were selected. Serum level and single nucleotide polymorphism were determined for IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-α. For evaluating gene polymorphism, the allele was counted by direct allele counting. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was assessed with the χ2-test. In IL-10 the GA genotype was found about 5th folded than controls with (OR:4.71, C.I:1.86 to 11.91). IL-6 genotype GG was revealed as an etiologic factor and GC as a protective factor for obesity. While for TNF-α the GG genotype was protective and GA was a risk factor for obesity. Point mutation in G/A for IL-10 and TNF-α were considered as developing factors, whereas the GG genotype was etiologic to obesity in this study.

Rising trends in obesity prevalence among Royal Thai Army personnel from 2017 to 2021

Obesity is an essential health issue leading to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as well as atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to determine the trends in obesity prevalence among Royal Thai Army (RTA) personnel and their associated factors using the health examination of RTA personnel database. A series of cross-sectional studies were conducted from 2017 to 2021. A self-report guide was created using a standardized case report form to obtain demographic characteristics and determine behavioral risk factors. Obesity was defined as BMI ge 25 kg/m2, and a total of 512,476 RTA personnel nationwide were included. Obesity prevalence rose from 42.1% (95% CI 41.7–42.4) in 2017 to 44.2% (95% CI 43.9–44.5) in 2021 (p for trend < 0.001). A significant surge was observed in obesity prevalence among young RTA personnel aged 18–24 years from 23.7% in 2017 to 28.4% in 2021 (p for trend < 0.001). Higher age individuals, male participants and RTA personnel residing in Bangkok tended to have a significantly higher risk for obesity. Further, regular exercise was a protective factor for obesity. Our data emphasized that obesity among the RTA personnel has been continuously rising over one half-decade, especially among young adults.

HUBUNGAN PEMBERIAN ASI EKSKLUSIF ENAM BULAN DENGAN KEJADIAN OBESITAS PADA ANAK USIA PRASEKOLAH DI KOTA DENPASAR

Background : Obesity is the accumulation and excess storage of fat in the body. The prevalences of children obesity is increasing in worldwide. Obesity is influenced by several factors. Exclusive breastfeeding can be a protective factor for obesity. This study is to determine a relationship between six months of exclusive breastfeeding with incidence of obesity in preschool children in Denpasar city. Method : This study was conducted using a case-control method. The research subjects consisted of 84 children divided into case groups of 42 children and control groups of 42 children at TK Saraswati 3, TK Cipta Dharma, TK Santo Yoseph, TK Waturenggong, TK Saraswati 1, TK Kartika VII-13, TK Santo Yoseph 1 , and TK Harapan Bangsa. Result : Based on the results of the bivariate analysis showed that six months of exclusive breastfeeding and the incidence of obesity had a significant relationship with the p value of 0.001 (p?0.05, OR = 0,205). Conclusion : There is a relationship among six months of exclusive breastfeeding with the incidence of obesity in preschool children in Denpasar City.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords : Obesity, exclusive breastfeeding, children

Adherence to National Food Guide Recommendations: Can It Slow the Obesity Epidemic? A Systematic Review

Dietary guidelines (DG) have the objective to promote healthy diet and prevent chronic diseases. In order to evaluate if this purpose is being achieved, we systematically reviewed studies that associated adherence to DG with obesity. We identified 2012 articles published in the last 5years, and 38 remained in the final sample. The majority of studies demonstrated a negative association between adherence to DG and obesity. Studies with positive or no association presented mutual characteristics, such as populations composed only by children or adolescents, and dietary intake or dietary adherence assessed through non-validated or weak methods. Adherence to DG seems to be a protective factor for obesity in adults, but this relationship is not so clear for children and adolescents. To improve the quality of dietary intake results, studies must utilize appropriate methods to answer their questions with less biased estimate of dietary intake.

Association of altitude and urbanization with hypertension and obesity: analysis of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016.

BackgroundNepal's Himalayan range attracts mountaineers, climbers and tourists from all across the globe. Limited recent evidence suggests that exposure to hypoxia at a higher altitude may be a risk factor for hypertension and a protective factor for obesity. The existing urban–rural disparities in Nepal in health and economic resources may be anticipated in the burden of hypertension and obesity, two rapidly growing public health issues, but they remain largely unstudied. Therefore this study aims to assess the association of altitude and urbanization with hypertension and overweight/obesity in Nepal.MethodsData on 10 473 participants from a nationally representative survey, the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), was used. The NDHS assessed/measured blood pressure, height, weight, urbanization and the altitude of participants’ households by following standard procedures. Logistic and linear regression models were used to study the association of altitude (per 100 m increases) and urbanization with hypertension and obesity, or their continuous measurements (i.e. systolic and diastolic blood pressure [SBP and DBP, respectively] and body mass index [BMI]).ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension, overweight and obesity was 25.6%, 19.6% and 4.8%, respectively. After controlling for covariates, residents of metropolitan cities had a 30% higher prevalence of overweight/obesity (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.30 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.11 to 1.52]) than their rural counterparts. For altitude, there was a marginally increased odds of hypertension and overweight/obesity with elevation. Consistently, DBP (β = 0.18 [95% CI 0.09 to 0.27]) and BMI increased with altitude (β = 0.11 [95% CI 0.08 to 0.13]).ConclusionUrbanization was positively associated with BMI, while altitude showed a marginally positive association with hypertension and overweight/obesity. Given the role of obesity and hypertension in the aetiology of other chronic diseases and subsequently associated mortality and health care costs, residents in urban areas and at higher altitudes may benefit from weight control interventions and BP monitoring, respectively.

Breastfeeding and childhood obesity: A 12-country study.

This study aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding and childhood obesity. A multinational cross‐sectional study of 4,740 children aged 9–11 years was conducted from 12 countries. Infant breastfeeding was recalled by parents or legal guardians. Height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat were obtained using standardized methods. The overall prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and high body fat were 12.3%, 9.9%, and 8.1%, respectively. After adjustment for maternal age at delivery, body mass index (BMI), highest maternal education, history of gestational diabetes, gestational age, and child's age, sex, birth weight, unhealthy diet pattern scores, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity, sleeping, and sedentary time, exclusive breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of obesity (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.57, 1.00]) and high body fat (OR 0.60, 95% CI [0.43, 0.84]) compared with exclusive formula feeding. The multivariable‐adjusted ORs based on different breastfeeding durations (none, 1–6, 6–12, and > 12 months) were 1.00, 0.74, 0.70, and 0.60 for obesity (P trend = .020) and 1.00, 0.64, 047, and 0.64 for high body fat (P trend = .012), respectively. These associations were no longer significant after adjustment for maternal BMI. Breastfeeding may be a protective factor for obesity and high body fat in 9‐ to 11‐year‐old children from 12 countries.

Abstract P312: Association Between Religious Attendance And Obesity In African American And Afro-Caribbean Men

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of obesity continues to be a public health concern in the United States (US). Religiosity, commonly characterized as the frequency of ritualistic practice and attendance at places of worship has been found to provide favorable cardiovascular health impacts including lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels; however, studies on the effect of religiosity on obesity have been mixed. Furthermore, national surveys have shown obesity prevalence to differ by ethnicity; foreign-born blacks have lower rates of obesity compared to US-born blacks. Research on a potential ethnic interaction on the impact of religious attendance on obesity has also been limited. Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that the association between religious attendance and obesity in black Americans may differ by ethnicity. Methods: Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between religious attendance and obesity for African American (N = 1208) and Afro-Caribbean men (N = 628), 18 years and older, in the National Survey of American Life (2001-2003). Odds ratios (OR) of the association between religious attendance and adult obesity were estimated after adjusting for age, socioeconomic measures, health and lifestyle measures within regression models stratified by ethnicity. Results: The overall prevalence of obesity was 29.15% among African American men and 19.74% among Afro-Caribbean men. The prevalence of obesity among those who attended church weekly or more than weekly was 33.48% for African American men and 13.36% for Afro-Caribbean men. Afro-Caribbean men who attended church weekly or more than weekly had 48% lower odds of obesity than men who attended church less than weekly; age-adjusted OR = 0.52; 95%CI: (0.28, 0.98). The protective association of church attendance remained for Afro-Caribbean men after additionally adjusting for socioeconomic, health and lifestyle factors; adjusted OR = 0.40; 95%CI: (0.23, 0.67). No significant association between religious attendance and obesity was found for African American men. Conclusions: These findings suggest that religious attendance may be a protective factor for obesity among Afro-Caribbean men in the US. Since the prevalence of obesity among the foreign-born increases with length of US residency, religiosity may curb cardiovascular risk by lowering their body mass index trajectories across the life course.

Cardiometabolic comorbidities and epidemiological features among rural Chinese elderly people.

China had already entered the aging society and taken up the largest number of elderly among the world. We intend to estimate cardiometabolic comorbidities situation among elderly coming from rural China. We conducted a survey during 2012 to 2013 which enrolled 1744 elderly from rural Northeast China. Data regarding the demographic and lifestyle characteristics and the blood biochemical indexes of these participants were collected by well-trained personnel. Data in this study shows that the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, stroke and hyperuricemia was 74.8%, 14.9%, 67.4%, 39.9%, 18.9% and 13.1%, respectively. Female had significantly higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (79.3% vs. 55.9%), diabetes (18.4% vs. 11.4%) and obesity (42.1% vs. 37.7%) than male. Elder subjects (> 75years) had higher prevalence of hypertension (80.4% vs. 73.4%) than younger ones (65-75years) while obesity was more prevalent among younger subjects (41.4% vs. 34.1%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that moderate physical activity and current smoking show beneficial effect on cardiometabolic comorbidities. Higher family income (> 20, 000 CNY/year) was risk factor of diabetes and obesity only while sleep duration between 7 and 8h/day and married status were risk factors for hypertension only. Current drinking increases the risk of hypertension and dyslipidemia but as protective factor for obesity and stroke. The prevalence of cardiometabolic comorbidities among was high among rural elderly from China. Physical activity, current smoking and drinking, family income, sleep duration and married status were associated with cardiometabolic comorbidities. Metabolic screen was recommended in the older subjects in rural China.

Health predictors and conditions associated to moderate and vigorous physical activity among adults and elderly from Southern Brazil.

Regular physical activity (PA) generates several health benefits. This study aimed to analyze the predictors of moderate PA (MPA) and vigorous PA (VPA) separately, as well as some health outcomes related to each intensity. A population-based, cross-sectional study, with adults and the elderly in the urban area of the city of Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. PA was collected through the leisure section of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The cutoff points used for MPA and VPA were, respectively, 150min/wk and 75min/wk. The health conditions analyzed were: obesity, stress, hypertension, diabetes, depression and self-perception of health. A total of 1,290 individuals participated in the study, with a mean age of 46.0 years (SD = 17.3); 14.3% (95%CI 11.7 - 16.8) were classified as active for MPA, and 14.6% (95%CI 12.1 - 17.1) for VPA. Male gender, higher schooling, more favorable perception of the neighborhood and more hours of sleep were associated with higher prevalence of MPA. Males, aged 20 to 39 years, white skin color, absence of smoking, higher schooling and higher index of assets were associated with higher prevalence of VPA. Regarding health outcomes, MPA conferred protection for stress, while VPA was a protective factor for obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. It was observed that both the predictors and the health outcomes differed according to the intensity of the PA.

The relationship between human adenovirus 36 and obesity in Chinese Han population.

The study aimed to explore the prevalence of human adenovirus-36 (HAdV-36) infection and the association of HAdV-36 with obesity in Chinese Han population. A qualitative determination using ELISA was performed to determine by duplication of the antibodies to HAdV-36 in the serum samples. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between HAdV-36 seropositivity and obesity. The overall HAdV-36 seroprevalence was 49.8% amongst 824 participants. The prevalence of HAdV-36 seropositive was 42.9 and 51.4% in the obese and non-obese participants, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P=0.05). There were significant differences in the anthropometric and biochemical parameters observed between the two groups except for height (P=0.067) and total cholesterol (TC) (P<0.29). After the adjustment for age and gender, HAdV-36 seropositivity was a protective factor for obesity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.69, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) = 0.48–0.97, P=0.03). In the male population, the adjusted OR for AD-36 antibody-positive status was statistically decreased for obese adults (OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.39–0.91; P=0.02). However, the similar result was not obtained in the female population (OR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.48–1.67; P=0.73). We found a high prevalence of HAdV-36 infection in China and significant association between HAdV-36 infection and obesity or weight gain after the adjustment for age and gender. The HAdV-36 infection may be related to the weight loss in Chinese Han population, especially in the male group, which needs to be further confirmed.

Ownership of consumer electronics is associated with measures of adiposity during health transition in Vanuatu.

The Republic of Vanuatu, like many developing nations, is undergoing a rapid health transition. Our previous study identified several behavioral risk factors for the rising prevalence of obesity. Unexpectedly, daily time spent using television and radio was revealed as a protective factor for obesity in 2007. In this study, we sought to explore associations between ownership of consumer electronics (CE) and measures of adiposity in Vanuatu in 2011. We surveyed 873 adults from five islands varying in level of economic development. Height, weight, and waist circumferences; triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac skinfolds; and percent body fat by bioelectrical impedance were measured. Ownership of eight types of CE, diet through 24-h dietary recall and leisure-time activity patterns were assessed using a questionnaire. Participants from more developed islands owned more types of CE, and revealed higher measures of adiposity on average as well as higher prevalence of obesity/central obesity. When controlling for demographic factors, and dietary and activity patterns, increased measures of adiposity and risk for obesity/central obesity were associated with ownership of cellphones, music players, televisions, video players, microwaves, and/or refrigerators. Positive correlations between CE ownership and measures of adiposity were mainly observed among men on the two most developed islands. The results of this study indicate a possible role of CE use in the rising prevalence of obesity and the shift to a sedentary lifestyle in Vanuatu and many other modernizing regions, where prevention efforts including education on healthy use of CE are imperative.

Fruit intake and obesity Fruit and vegetables consumption and obesity in Brazil

Introduction: Obesity affects more than half of the adult population and correlates with the development of chronic and psychosocial diseases. The consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) is a protective factor for obesity, but their consumption is often below the recommendations. Objective: To identify the level of fruit consumption in human development cycles, as well as the data on the association of fruit consumption with excess weight in Brazil. Methods: A non-systematic literature review on the Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases for the period 2005 to 2015. A total of 23 studies were selected in the English and Portuguese languages, according to the study design and population group. Only cohorts and cross sections studies in Brazil were selected. Appropriate FV consumption was considered to be 400 g/day or a frequency of 5 servings/day (3 servings/day of fruits), and overweight was evaluated according to each age group and development cycle. Results: The average consumption for pregnant women was found to be 350 g/day; an inverse relationship was found between total fi bre consumption and gestational weight gain. The average consumption of FV for children and adolescents has remained between 30% and 40%, consumption falling with increasing age. Vigitel data between 2006 and 2014 shows an increase in the prevalence of adequate consumption of FV for adults and seniors according to gender, age and education. Appropriate consumption tripled during this period. There was an association between fruit consumption and weight loss, increased risk of obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and presence of metabolic syndrome (SM). Conclusions: The prevalence of adequate consumption of FV is low in all regions of Brazil and among all age groups, the highest prevalence is among women and increases with the advance of age, higher education level and higher socioeconomic status. Adequate fruit consumption correlates to weight loss and/or weight gain control of individuals.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with visceral abdominal tissue in Caucasian subjects

& aim: Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) is inversely related with abdominal adiposity as detected by waist circumference but the specific association to subcutaneous and visceral abdominal tissue has not been investigated. To this purpose we evaluated the association between MDP, visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) abdominal tissue in a large sample of Italian adults. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 4388 consecutive adults (73.2% women) followed as outpatients at Nutritional Research Centre in Milan, ICANS. VAT and SAT were measured by ultrasonography. MDP was evaluated using a Mediterranean dietary score (MEDscore) obtained from a validated 14-item questionnaire. At multiple linear regression adjusted for sex, age, smoking and physical activity, a 1-unit increase in MEDscore was associated with a -0.118 kg/m(2) decrease in BMI (p < 0.01), a -0.292 cm decrease in waist circumference (p < 0.01), a -0.002 cm:cm decrease in waist to height ratio (p < 0.001), a -1.125 mm decrease in the sum of 4 skinfolds (p < 0.001), and with a -0.045 cm decrease in VAT (p < 0.05). MEDscore was, however, not associated with SAT. Finally, the adherence to the MDP was a protective factor for obesity (OR = 0.717, 95%CI: 0.555-0.922) and VAT excess (OR = 0.717, 95%CI: 0.530-0.971). Our study confirms the inverse association between MDP, BMI and waist circumference and adds that the association with abdominal obesity as detected by waist circumference is due to an association with VAT and not with SAT.

Prevalência de obesidade geral e central na população adulta na cidade de Tubarão, Santa Catarina: um estudo de base populacional

AAIMS: To estimate the prevalence of overall and central obesity, and associated factors in adults in southern Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted among adults living in Tubarao, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, between November 2011 and June 2012. Participants were interviewed, and anthropometric measurements were taken. The interview assessed socio-demographic data, levels of physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, dietary habits and clinical data. The association between the variables of interest was tested using Pearson's Chi-square; Student t-test was used to compare means, and agreement between both types of obesity was assessed using Kappa statistics. Modified Poisson's regression analysis was performed including variables with p less than 0.2 as well as variables selected through literature review. RESULTS: We studied 371 adult patients (mean age 40.5±12.3 years; 63.9% women). Overall obesity prevalence was 23.1% for men and 29.1% for women (no statistical difference between them). Waist circumference measurement revealed that 24.6% of men and 43.5% of women had central obesity. Kappa value for the agreement between central and overall obesity was 0.7 (good level of agreement). Non-obese participants showed an average of 4.3 healthy feeding steps versus 3.7 steps of subjects with central and overall obesity (respectively p 0.002). Regarding overall obesity, there was an independent association with younger age, family history of obesity and use of diet pills. Regarding central obesity, there was an independent association with female gender, older age, stable marital relationship, family history of obesity, and use of diet pills. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of overall obesity was 26.9%, and the associated factors were older age, genetic predisposition, and diet pills. The prevalence of central obesity was 36.7%, and the associated factors were female gender, older age, and stable marital relationship. There was a good agreement between central and overall obesity. A healthy diet was a protective factor for obesity. The use of diet pills was associated to both types of obesity.

The role of IL-6 572 C/G, 190 C/T, and 174 G/C gene polymorphisms in children's obesity.

The aim of this study was to establish the correlations between the polymorphisms of the genes interleukin (IL)-6 572, 190, and 174 in obese children. We assessed 222 hospitalized children divided into two groups: group I (control) included 110 patients with normal nutritional status, and group II consisted of 102 obesity patients. The two groups underwent IL-6 572 C/G, 190 C/T, and 174 G/C polymorphism testing, measurement of anthropometric parameters (mid-upper arm circumference and tricipital skinfold thickness), and paraclinical evaluation (protein, albumin, leptin, adiponectin, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)). We observed that phenotype CC was more frequent in obese children for IL-6 572 (p = 0.0001), whereas CG heterozygotes were more frequent in the obese group for the IL-6 190 gene (62.7 %; p = 0.0001). Leptin was dependent on IL-6 572 and IL-6 174 gene polymorphisms and albumin, whereas adiponectin was dependent on the IL-6 174 gene polymorphism. Body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and tricipital skinfold thickness (TST) serum albumin levels correlated with C allele carriers of the IL-6 572 and IL-6 190 genes in children with obesity, whereas the CC genotype of IL-6 174 was a protective factor for obesity. Obesity is most frequently associated in children with IL-6 174 C allele carriers and with IL-6 190 C allele carriers.

Breastfeeding Offers Protection Against Obesity in Children of Recently Immigrated Latina Women

Breastfeeding has been found to have a protective effect on subsequent development of obesity in childhood, particularly in white, non-Hispanic populations. The protective effect of nursing for more than 12 months in children of Latina women is less clear, which may be due to differences in levels of acculturation in previously studied populations. We evaluated the association between breastfeeding for 12 months or more and risk for obesity in a cohort of children of recently immigrated relatively unacculturated Latina mothers. Maternal characteristics at birth, including length of stay in the United States, breastfeeding habits at 4-6 weeks of age, 6 months, and 1 year, and anthropometric measurements were obtained for a cohort of 196 children participating in a prospective study. At 1 year of age 39.0% of infants were being breastfed. Being breastfed at 1 year of age was associated with a decreased risk of obesity in both univariate (odds ratio (OR) 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.83) and multivariate models (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.02-0.93) adjusting for maternal BMI, marital status, education level, country of origin, age, years of living in the United States, and child's birth weight at 3 years of age, regardless of mother's acculturation status using length of stay in the United States as a proxy for acculturation. The association with breastfeeding persisted at 4 years of age as a protective factor for obesity (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11-0.80). Breastfeeding for longer than 12 months provides a significant protective effect on the development of obesity in early childhood in a cohort of children of high-risk recently immigrated Latina women in San Francisco who were relatively unacculturated to the United States.

Social, dietary and lifestyle factors associated with obesity among Bahraini adolescents

The main purpose of this study was to explore some of the social, dietary and lifestyle factors that could be related to the risk of obesity among adolescents in Bahrain. A multistage stratified method was used to select secondary school students (15–18years old) from governmental schools in Bahrain. The total sample selected was 735 (339 males and 396 females). A pre-validated self-report questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographics, food and the lifestyle habits of adolescents. Weight and height were taken and percentiles of Body Mass Index for age and gender were used to classify the adolescents as non-obese and obese (overweight and obese), using NHANES-1 growth standard. In general, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 29.5% and 36.8% among males and females, respectively. The risk of obesity was not consistent among male and female adolescents. Mothers’ education was found to be a risk factor for obesity among both males and females (p=0.0167 and p=0.007, respectively). Bringing food from home to school (odds ratio (OR)=0.54, confidence interval (CI) 0.35–0.81) was protective factor for obesity among females but not among males. Fathers’ education (p=0.0167), rank among siblings (p=0.009), place where breakfast is eaten (p=0.0398), eating between lunch and dinner (p=0.0152), fruit intake (p=0.042), sweet intake (p=0.0192), size of burger (p=0.002) and hours of watching television per day (p=0.004) were significantly associated with the risk of obesity among males, but not among females. Various social, dietary and lifestyle factors were found to contribute to obesity among adolescents in Bahrain. These factors should be considered in school health policy in the country.

G-2548A Leptin Promoter and Q223R Leptin Receptor Polymorphisms in Obese Mexican Subjects

Leptin interaction with its receptor in the hypotha lamus stimulates a specific signaling cascade that results in the synthesis of anorexigenic and orexigenic peptid es in order to regulate food intake and energy expe nditure. Many polymorphisms in leptin (lep ) and leptin receptor ( lepr ) genes have been associated with body weight. In particular, G-2548A in the lep promoter and Q223R in lepr variants have been associated with obesity in several populations, although no linkage has been e videnced in others. Here, we examined the genetic associations of these polymorphisms with Body Mass Index (BMI) and serum leptin levels in adult Mexica n people. A set of 160 subjects was recruited at the Acupuncture Clinic of the National School of Medicine and Homeopathy of the National Polytechnic Institute (Mexico) and classified according to BMI, gender and age. Blood samples were obtained to extract genomic DNA and determine genetic variants by PCR-RFLP. Leptin was quantified by ELISA assays. Analysis of association and determination of Odd Ratio (OR) were performed using SPSS software. G-2548A in lep gene promoter and Q223R in lepr gene polymorphisms were not found associated with BMI in the whole study population. However, GG genotype in lep gene promoter was related to an increased leptin concentration (p ≤0.05) and suggested as a protective factor for obes ity in Mexican women. Leptin levels were higher in postmenopausal women, confirming the link between the hormonal system and body weight control. In contrast, no association was fou nd between lepr gene polymorphism and serum leptin level. Our results suggest a possible association between G-2548A polymorphism in lep gene promoter, BMI and leptin levels in Mexican women. Further analysis of a larg er population is required to confirm the biological relevance of this polymorphism for obesity in the Mexican population.

Depression, Obesity, Eating Behavior, and Physical Activity

My coeditors and I are delighted to share this special issue of the Journal of Obesity focused on understanding the comorbidity between obesity and depression. Depression is highly comorbid with obesity [1–3] and may impede weight loss treatment [4–9]. Just as a successful reduction in the obesity epidemic must entail a multilevel approach to obesity, the papers contained in this special issue represent a diverse examination of the depression and obesity comorbidity. Papers include an examination of individual and environmental factors relevant to depression and obesity, child and adult samples, animal models, and laboratory and epidemiological studies. A brief overview of the papers follows. Obesity in childhood is highly predictive of adult obesity [10, 11]. Thus, there has been an increasing focus on the prevention of obesity in children to address the epidemic. Research suggests that in utero factors can contribute to childhood obesity (e.g., [12–14]). Expanding on this work, K. G. Ingstrup and colleagues explored whether symptoms of maternal distress during pregnancy predict childhood obesity at age 7 in a large prospective cohort study in Denmark. Parents are one source of influence discussed in the review article by S. Russell-Mayhew and colleagues regarding mental health issues in childhood obesity. They raise important questions about the challenges overweight and obese children face that can contribute to poorer health outcomes. In adults, the positive association observed between depression and obesity is relatively robust, though the relationship between suicidal ideation and obesity, particularly in women, is less clear. G. Zhao and colleagues used NHANES data to examine the relationship between suicide and obesity, waist-hip ratio, and waist circumference. Though depression may not necessarily hinder weight loss treatment [15, 16], the increased suicidal ideation observed in obese women suggests that depression symptoms should not be ignored during weight loss treatment. The fact that negative moods can both prompt and result from binge eating episodes, and that binge eating is associated with obesity, suggests that a conversation about depression and obesity would be remiss if it did not include binge eating. R. F. Petersen and colleagues examined the relationship between binge eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and caloric intake in overweight and obese adult women to elucidate how negative mood states impact food intake in the context of binge eating disorder. The work of J. W. Jahng and colleagues provides additional insight into why negative moods may result in binge eating by exploring the dopaminergic activity of rats during fasting and refeeding cycles. These papers nicely set the stage for the study by C. Cifani and colleagues who explored a potential treatment agent for binge eating, Hypericum perforatum, more commonly known as St. John's Wort, in rats. Lastly, as physical activity may serve as a protective factor for obesity and depression, it is important to understand the barriers and facilitators to engagement in physical activity. W. Yang and colleagues explore some of the individual and environmental variables that are associated with engagement in leisure time physical activity. These factors may serve as important treatment targets for interventions that seek to increase physical activity as a potentially parsimonious treatment for comorbid obesity and depression. Although the articles in this special issue address a range of topics relevant to the depression and obesity comorbidity, there is clearly much more work to be done to reduce the comorbidity. We hope that this special issue stimulates ideas for future research and facilitates interventions for prevention and treatment. Kristin L. Schneider Austin S. Baldwin Devin M. Mann Norbert Schmitz

Childhood obesity: a health care centre reality

Childhood obesity is an important public health issue, especially in developed countries, with a multifactorial nature. We purpose to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a group of children and analyze related risk factors. Study including 207 children aged 5-6 years old enrolled in Urban Extension of ACES Ave III - Famalicão. Data were collected from connector plugs school health and phone interview of parents. Cross sectional observational study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software and parametric tests were used to verify the statistical significance of data, considering statistical significance for p values <0.05. The overall prevalence of overweight was 46.9% and obesity 28.5%, and the majority were girls. Odds ratio revealed that obesity risk increased with birthweight (<2500 g: 1.28; 2500-3000 g: 1.84; 3000 g-3500 g: 1.83; 3500 g-4000 g: 2.00 ), the number of hours of sleep (<9 hours: 1.5, 9-10 hours: 1.75;> 10 hours: 1.89), the number of hours of television (<2 hours: 1.71; 2-4 hours: 1.81;> 4 hours: 1.89) and intake of fruit juice as the main drink (not: 1.70; yes: 1.80). The obesity risk was higher when parents were overweight and obese (father/mother: normal-weight: 1.58 / 1.62; pre-obese: 1.93 / 2.10, obese: 1.86 / 1 79), lived in rural areas (urban: 1.67, rural: 1.75) and have basic education (father/mother: 1st-4th class: 2.20 / 2.58, 5th 9th class: 1.80/ 1.69; 10th-12th class: 1.38 / 1.65; university: 1.78 / 1.76). There was a association between the number of siblings and obesity (zero: 1.84; a: 1.68; two: 1.87; three: 1.75). The physical activity acted as a protective factor for obesity (practice: 1.74; not practice: 1.78). The results of this study revealed the need for immediate implementation of measures involving health professionals, parents and educators. Knowledge of various risk factors allows for the adoption of preventive strategies to mitigate the impact of childhood obesity.