Self-reported Anthropometric Measures Research Articles

Attitudes, weight stigma and misperceptions of weight loss strategies among patients living with obesity in the Lazio Region, Italy

IntroductionPatient engagement is essential to achieve long-term goals in obesity management. It is crucial to identify patients’ perspectives, misperceptions and unmet educational needs on obesity etiology and treatments, to establish a correct therapeutic alliance between healthcare providers and patients.MethodsObjective: This study, promoted by the regional section of the Italian Obesity Society (SIO Lazio), explores attitudes towards obesity, self-awareness, misperceptions of weight loss strategies, experiences of weight stigma and educational needs of patients living with overweight or obesity. Design and subject: We conducted an anonymous survey among patients who accessed an Obesity Management Centers across the Lazio region of Italy for the first time, from October 2023 to April 2024. Approach: The survey consisted of 27 closed-ended questions grouped into 4 sections: (1) sociodemographic factors and self-reported anthropometric measures; (2) self-awareness and attitudes towards obesity and weight loss strategies; (3) experiences of obesity-related stigma; (4) knowledge and perceptions of obesity treatment options.ResultsA total of 300 patients (67.9% women, aged 49.1 ± 14.4 years) returned completed surveys. Despite the self-reported BMI 35.3 ± 7.0 kg/m2 with three out of four (75.3%) of participants having a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, only 49% correctly identified themselves as affected by obesity. Almost one-third of the patients believed that obesity does not imply a genetic predisposition (31.9%) and that it is always secondary to psychological or behavioral disorders (29.7%). Interestingly, 66.7% of the patients declared themselves as completely responsible for their own condition and 39.4% considered obesity always treatable by means of lifestyle interventions. Stigma and weight discrimination in healthcare settings were reported by a substantial portion of patients (31.9%). A perception of inadequate support from the National Healthcare System emerged in most of the interviews (61.9%). Most patients (72.1%) felt they were not sufficiently informed about anti-obesity medications and a relevant part of their knowledge was derived from healthcare providers (57.7%) and social networks (19.1%). Weight loss medications were considered useful (63.2%) or necessary (18.4%) by the majority of patients, but only 60.1% would accept without any hesitation a pharmacologic treatment. The main reasons for refusal of pharmacological treatments were the belief that lifestyle intervention is a sufficient treatment (46.9%), the fear of adverse effects (28.1%) and feeling defeated (12.5%). Similarly, for most of participants bariatric surgery is useful (73.3%) or necessary (13.6%).ConclusionDespite advancements in obesity research, this study underscores the need to improve patient education and public awareness to optimize the management and treatment of obesity. Addressing misconceptions, stigma, and gaps in knowledge are critical steps towards improving patient outcomes and fostering a supportive healthcare environment.

Self-Reported Sleep Duration Is a Useful Tool to Predict Sarcopenia in Chilean Older Adults: Evidence from the ALEXANDROS Longitudinal Study.

Age-related sleep disorders share common pathways with sarcopenia. Prospective data from Latin American populations are scarce, and the association between sleep disorders and sarcopenia in Chileans remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to study the longitudinal association between sleep disorders and sarcopenia in a cohort study of 1116 community-dwelling Chilean older people ≥60 years old from the ALEXANDROS cohorts. After the exclusion criteria, 318 subjects were followed. Sociodemographic data, self-reported chronic diseases, sedentarism, sleep characteristics, anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, and muscle performance were assessed. Results indicated that at baseline, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 24.10% without gender differences, and the prevalence of self-reported sleep problems was 23.3%, higher in women (26.46% versus 17.15% in men). The adjusted Cox regression models for sarcopenia showed an association between sarcopenia, sleep disorders (HR = 2.08, 95% IC 1.14-3.80), and long sleep duration (HR = 2.42, 95% IC 1.20-4.91). After 8.24 years of follow-up, there were 2.2 cases of sarcopenia per 100 person-years. This study demonstrates that sleep disorders are an independent risk factor for sarcopenia in Chilean older people. The identification of sleep disorders through self-reported data provides an opportunity for early identification of risk and cost-effective sarcopenia prevention.

Academic stress, hair and saliva cortisol, and their relationship with body mass index and fat percentage in first year medical students.

Although a large part of the population may be exposed to various pressures that can lead to mental or eating problems and increased perceived stress, the transition from adolescence to adulthood has been shown to be a crucial stage. Medical students are particularly vulnerable during the transition period as they must adapt to new circumstances, which may contribute to increased perceived stress. Cortisol plays an important role between stress, weight gain, and the development of obesity. We designed a study to investigate the association between stress, eating behaviour, cortisol, and body weight in a sample of first-year medical students. We determined 75 first-year medical students' hair and salivary cortisol concentrations by ELISA and related it to self-reported stress, eating behaviour, and anthropometric measurements throughout the academic period. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in females was 25% and 10%, and in males was 35% and 6%, respectively. We report an increase in hair cortisol, higher self-reported stress scores, and BMI mainly in females. Finally, we found evidence of positive associations between hair cortisol and BMI in females (r = 0.348) and males (r = 0.423). There is a low association between short-term single-point cortisol measures and long-term cortisol, mainly in males. Hence, short-term cortisol reactivity is moderately associated with long-term cortisol reactivity when both are evaluated simultaneously. These results support the previous evidence of positive associations between cortisol with body fat percentage and BMI, and finally, that eating behaviours are modified by academic stress perception, mainly in females.

Body mass index and prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Korean adults before and after the COVID-19 outbreak: a retrospective longitudinal study.

Studies evaluating weight changes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have yielded inconsistent results, and most of those studies were based on self-reported anthropometric measures. We investigated changes in body mass index (BMI), professionally measured waist circumference (WC), and metabolic syndrome components from before to during the pandemic in a sample of the adult population in Korea. This retrospective study included 1,118 male and female (age≥18 years) who underwent health checkups at a university medical center between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2022. Changes in BMI, lifestyles, and metabolic syndrome components during the pandemic were analyzed using the paired t-test, McNemar test, generalized estimating equations, and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Changes in body weight, BMI, and body fat percentage during the pandemic were not clinically significant. However, statistically significant results were found for decreased physical activity (p<0.001) and WC (p<0.001), and exacerbation of all metabolic syndrome components (except serum triglyceride levels). Moreover, the metabolic syndrome prevalence increased significantly from 20.2% to 31.2% during the pandemic (p<0.001). The prevalence of abdominal obesity and high fasting blood glucose levels also significantly increased from 2019 to 2021. Metabolic syndrome, its components, and fat distribution worsened significantly after the implementation of social distancing and lockdowns, despite no clinically significant changes in body weight and BMI. Further studies on the post- pandemic period should investigate the long-term impact of social lockdowns on BMI and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

The effects of an 8-week mindful eating intervention on anticipatory reward responses in striatum and midbrain.

Accumulating evidence suggests that increased neural responses during the anticipation of high-calorie food play an important role in the tendency to overeat. A promising method for counteracting enhanced food anticipation in overeating might be mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). However, the neural mechanisms by which MBIs can affect food reward anticipation are unclear. In this randomized, actively controlled study, the primary objective was to investigate the effect of an 8-week mindful eating intervention on reward anticipation. We hypothesized that mindful eating would decrease striatal reward anticipation responses. Additionally, responses in the midbrain-from which the reward pathways originate-were explored. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we tested 58 healthy participants with a wide body mass index range (BMI: 19-35 kg/m2), motivated to change their eating behavior. During scanning they performed an incentive delay task, measuring neural reward anticipation responses to caloric and monetary cues before and after 8 weeks of mindful eating or educational cooking (active control). Compared with the educational cooking intervention, mindful eating affected neural reward anticipation responses, with reduced caloric relative to monetary reward responses. This effect was, however, not seen in the striatum, but only in the midbrain. The secondary objective was to assess temporary and long-lasting (1 year follow-up) intervention effects on self-reported eating behavior and anthropometric measures [BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR)]. We did not observe effects of the mindful eating intervention on eating behavior. Instead, the control intervention showed temporary beneficial effects on BMI, waist circumference, and diet quality, but not on WHR or self-reported eating behavior, as well as long-lasting increases in knowledge about healthy eating. These results suggest that an 8-week mindful eating intervention may have decreased the relative salience of food cues by affecting midbrain but not striatal reward responses, without necessarily affecting regular eating behavior. However, these exploratory results should be verified in confirmatory research.The primary and secondary objectives of the study were registered in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR): NL4923 (NTR5025).

Self-reported and measured anthropometric variables in association with cardiometabolic markers: A Danish cohort study.

General obesity is a recognized risk factor for various metabolically related diseases, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and pre-diabetes. In epidemiological studies, anthropometric variables such as height and weight are often self-reported. However, misreporting of self-reported data may bias estimates of associations between anthropometry and health outcomes. Further, few validation studies have compared self-reported and measured waist circumference (WC). This study aimed to quantify the agreement between self-reported and measured height, weight, body mass index (BMI), WC, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and to investigate associations of these anthropometric measures with cardiometabolic biomarkers. A total of 39,514 participants aged above 18 years were included into the Diet, Cancer, and Health-Next Generation Cohort in 2015-19. Self-reported and measured anthropometric variables, blood pressure, and cardiometabolic biomarkers (HbA1c, lipid profiles, C-reactive protein and creatinine) were collected by standard procedures. Pearson correlations (r) and Lin's concordance correlations were applied to evaluate misreporting. Misreporting by age, sex and smoking status was investigated in linear regression models. Multivariable regression models and Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses assessed associations of self-reported and measured anthropometry with cardiometabolic biomarkers. Self-reported height was overreported by 1.07 cm, and weight was underreported by 0.32 kg on average. Self-reported BMI and WC were 0.42 kg/m2 and 0.2 cm lower than measured, respectively. Self-reported and measured height, weight, BMI, WC and WtHR were strongly correlated (r = 0.98, 0.99, 0.98, 0.88, 0.86, respectively). Age, sex, smoking, and BMI contributed to misreporting of all anthropometric measures. Associations between self-reported or measured anthropometric measures and cardiometabolic biomarkers were similar in direction and strength. Concordance between self-reported and measured anthropometric measures, including WC, was very high. Self-reported anthropometric measures were reliable when estimating associations with cardiometabolic biomarkers.

Building Machine Learning Models to Correct Self-Reported Anthropometric Measures.

Monitoring population obesity risk primarily depends on self-reported anthropometric data prone to recall error and bias. This study developed machine learning (ML) models to correct self-reported height and weight and estimate obesity prevalence in US adults. Individual-level data from 50 274 adults were retrieved from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2020 waves. Large, statistically significant differences between self-reported and objectively measured anthropometric data were present. Using their self-reported counterparts, we applied 9 ML models to predict objectively measured height, weight, and body mass index. Model performances were assessed using root-mean-square error. Adopting the best performing models reduced the discrepancy between self-reported and objectively measured sample average height by 22.08%, weight by 2.02%, body mass index by 11.14%, and obesity prevalence by 99.52%. The difference between predicted (36.05%) and objectively measured obesity prevalence (36.03%) was statistically nonsignificant. The models may be used to reliably estimate obesity prevalence in US adults using data from population health surveys.

Are self-reported anthropometric data reliable enough to meet antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines in orthopedic surgery?

BackgroundSurgical site infection is a serious complication in orthopedic surgery. The use of antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) combined with other prevention strategies has been shown to reduce this risk to 1% for hip arthroplasty and 2% for knee arthroplasty. The French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (SFAR) recommends doubling the dose when the patient's weight is greater than or equal to 100 kg, and the body mass index (BMI) is greater than or equal to 35 kg/m2. Similarly, patients with a BMIgreater than40 kg/m2 orlesser than18 kg/m2 are ineligible for surgery in our hospital. Self-reported anthropometric measurements are commonly used in clinical practice to calculate BMI, but their validity has not been assessed in the orthopedic literature. Therefore, we conducted a study comparing self-reported with systematically measured values and observed the impact these differences may have on perioperative AP regimens and contra-indications to surgery. HypothesisThe hypothesis of our study was that self-reported anthropometric values differed from those measured during preoperative orthopedic consultations. Materials and methodsThis single-center retrospective study with prospective data collection was conducted between October and November 2018. The patient-reported anthropometric data were first collected and then directly measured by an orthopedic nurse. Weight was measured with a precision of 500 g and height was measured with a precision of 1 cm. ResultsA total of 370 patients (259 women and 111 men) with a median age of 67 years (17–90) were enrolled. The data analysis found significant differences between the self-reported and measured height [166 cm (147–191) vs. 164 cm (141–191) (p<0.0001)], weight [72.9 kg (38–149) vs. 73.1 kg (36–140) (p<0.0005)] and BMI [26.3 (16.2–46.4) vs. 27 (16–48.2) (p<0.0001)]. Of these patients, 119 (32%) reported an accurate height, 137 (37%) an accurate weight, and 54 (15%) an accurate BMI. None of the patients had two accurate measurements. The maximum underestimation was 18 kg for weight, 9 cm for height, and 6.15 kg/m2 for BMI. The maximum overestimation was 28 kg for weight, 10 cm for height, and 7.2 kg/m2 for BMI. The verification of the anthropometric measurements identified another 17 patients who had contra-indications to surgery (12 with a BMI>40 kg/m2 and 5 with a BMI<18 kg/m2) and who would not have been detected based on the self-reported values. ConclusionsAlthough patients underestimated their weight and overestimated their height in our study, these had no impact on the perioperative AP regimens. However, this misreporting failed to detect potential contraindications to surgery. Level of evidenceIV; retrospective study with prospective data collection and no control group.

An intensive culinary intervention programme to empower type 2 diabetic patients in cooking skills: The SUKALMENA pilot study

An inverse association has been shown between healthy dietary habits and the risk of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). However, there is a limited knowledge on the benefits that a culinary and nutritional training may have in patients with T2D. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of a culinary intervention on health parameters and dietary-culinary habits among T2D patients. Fifty-three volunteers with T2D were randomly (1:1) assigned to an intensive culinary intervention group (CIG) or a nutritional intervention group (NIG). The CIG received 8 online cooking lessons and the NIG received written material with nutritional information to follow the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet). Anthropometric parameters, biochemical determinations, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and dietary-culinary related questionnaires were collected at baseline and after 3-month follow-up. At 1-year follow-up, self-reported anthropometric measurements and dietary-culinary related questionnaires were collected by telephone. Fifty-one volunteers completed the intervention. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for changes on MedDiet adherence, anthropometry, biochemical determinations, and AGEs. A significant increase in blood glucose (p = 0.017) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL–c) (p = 0.024) levels was observed in the NIG after the 3-month follow-up period. Participants from the CIG showed a significant reduction in the C reactive protein (p = 0.007) and a significant increase in total cholesterol (p = 0.001), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.001) and LDL-c levels (p = 0.001) after 3 months. The CIG also showed a significant reduction in weight (p = 0.008, p = 0.002), body mass index (p = 0.007, p = 0.001), and waist circumference (p = 0.047, p = 0.004) after 3-month and 1-year follow-up, respectively. Participants from the CIG increased the use of boiling, compared to participants from the NIG (p = 0.034). Likewise, when analysing the CIG only, a significant increase in the use of steaming (p = 0.015) and in the consumption of raw vegetables (p = 0.039) was found after 3-month follow-up, but these changes were not maintained after 1-year follow-up. These findings suggest that a culinary intervention based on MedDiet is a promising approach to promote healthy dietary-culinary habits in patients with T2D. To explore the potential effect of this culinary programme on glycemic parameters, larger randomized controlled trials would be necessary.

Abstract 3218: Lifestyle intervention of food and exercise for lymphoma survivors (LIFE-L): a pilot intervention protocol for adults

Abstract Background: Lymphomas are among the top seven most frequent cancers in men and women in the United States. In 2022, more than 21,000 deaths related to this neoplasm are expected. The use of common treatment modalities (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplant) may lead to negative physical and psychosocial symptoms. Furthermore, these adverse effects decrease treatment tolerance and adherence. Little is known about the potential of lifestyle factors (nutrition and physical activity) to mitigate these adverse events in lymphoma patients. To fill this gap, we propose a pilot feasibility study to assess the impact of healthy diet and exercise intervention on relative dose intensity (RDI), an integrated measure of chemotherapy dose delays and reductions; patient-reported outcomes, (e.g., quality of life (QoL), fatigue, and cognition);immune and metabolic markers; and body composition. Methods: 60 newly diagnosed lymphoma patients will be recruited in this two-arm stratified (by treatment type) randomized waitlist controlled pilot study. Eligibility criteria include adults fluent in English or Spanish, presenting with any type of lymphoma at any stage, receiving one of the following three chemotherapy regimens: R-CHOP, BR, B±ABVD. Participants must have clearance from their oncologist to participate. Participants must have access to the internet through an electronic device. They are randomized to either the intervention arm, that consists of telephone- or video call-delivered health coaching to achieve a Mediterranean diet and 150 minutes per week of moderate or vigorous exercise, or a waitlist control (n=15) arm which will receive the study materials and two telephone-based coaching sessions after study completion. Interventions will take place during active treatment. Data will be collected prior to randomization, the third and sixth cycle of chemotherapy, and four weeks post-treatment at standard of care visits through self-reported questionnaires, anthropometric measures, physical assessments, ActiGraph watches, blood samples, CT scans (if available), and clinical information from electronic medical records (EMR). Discussion: Results from this pilot will provide valuable information about the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a lifestyle intervention in lymphoma patients undergoing active treatment. Lessons learned from this study seek to fill the gap in supportive oncology care programs among lymphoma patients to improve treatment outcomes, such as RDI, and patient reported outcomes, and overall QoL. Citation Format: Paola Rossi, Moira Pissinis, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Sarah Freylersythe, Hong Su An, Lashae Rolle, Craig Moskowitz, Tracy Crane. Lifestyle intervention of food and exercise for lymphoma survivors (LIFE-L): a pilot intervention protocol for adults [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 3218.

Using random-forest multiple imputation to address bias of self-reported anthropometric measures, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in the Belgian health interview survey

BackgroundIn many countries, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases risk factors is commonly assessed through self-reported information from health interview surveys. It has been shown, however, that self-reported instead of objective data lead to an underestimation of the prevalence of obesity, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. This study aimed to assess the agreement between self-reported and measured height, weight, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and to identify an adequate approach for valid measurement error correction.MethodsNine thousand four hundred thirty-nine participants of the 2018 Belgian health interview survey (BHIS) older than 18 years, of which 1184 participated in the 2018 Belgian health examination survey (BELHES), were included in the analysis. Regression calibration was compared with multiple imputation by chained equations based on parametric and non-parametric techniques.ResultsThis study confirmed the underestimation of risk factor prevalence based on self-reported data. With both regression calibration and multiple imputation, adjusted estimation of these variables in the BHIS allowed to generate national prevalence estimates that were closer to their BELHES clinical counterparts. For overweight, obesity and hypertension, all methods provided smaller standard errors than those obtained with clinical data. However, for hypercholesterolemia, for which the regression model’s accuracy was poor, multiple imputation was the only approach which provided smaller standard errors than those based on clinical data.ConclusionsThe random-forest multiple imputation proves to be the method of choice to correct the bias related to self-reported data in the BHIS. This method is particularly useful to enable improved secondary analysis of self-reported data by using information included in the BELHES. Whenever feasible, combined information from HIS and objective measurements should be used in risk factor monitoring.

High prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors amongst young adults in the United Arab Emirates: the UAE Healthy Future Study

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the world. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it accounts for 40% of mortality. CVD is caused by multiple cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs) including obesity, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension and central obesity. However, there are limited studies focusing on the CVD risk burden among young Emirati adults. This study investigates the burden of CRFs in a sample of young Emiratis, and estimates the distribution in relation to sociodemographic and behavioral determinants.MethodsData was used from the baseline data of the UAE Healthy Future Study volunteers. The study participants were aged 18 to 40 years. The study analysis was based on self-reported questionnaires, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, as well as blood analysis.ResultsA total of 5167 participants were included in the analysis; 62% were males and the mean age of the sample was 25.7 years. The age-adjusted prevalence was 26.5% for obesity, 11.7% for dysglycemia, 62.7% for dyslipidemia, 22.4% for hypertension and 22.5% for central obesity. The CRFs were distributed differently when compared within social and behavioral groups. For example, obesity, dyslipidemia and central obesity in men were found higher among smokers than non-smokers (p < 0.05). And among women with lower education, all CRFs were reported significantly higher than those with higher education, except for hypertension. Most CRFs were significantly higher among men and women with positive family history of common non-communicable diseases.ConclusionsCRFs are highly prevalent in the young Emirati adults of the UAE Healthy Future Study. The difference in CRF distribution among social and behavioral groups can be taken into account to target group-specific prevention measures.

Agreement between measured weight, height and BMI and Web-based self-reported data in participants of the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort, Brazil: a cross-sectional validation study.

to evaluate the agreement between measured height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) during the 22-year follow-up of the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and self-reported data during the online follow-up of the coortesnaweb. this was a cross-sectional validation study; agreement was assessed by means of Lin's concordance correlation coefficient for continuous measures and weighted Kappa for nutritional status; Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to estimate the correlation between measurements. a total of 783 participants were included; it could be seen high correlation and high agreement between the measured height (r = 0.966; ρ = 0.966), weight (r = 0.934; ρ = 0.928), and BMI (r = 0.903; ρ = 0.910) and Web-based self-reported data; there was no correlation between mean difference and the time interval between measurements. using the Internet to collect self-reported anthropometric measurements is as valid as the traditional method.

The Effect of a Multifaceted Intervention on Dietary Quality in Schoolchildren and the Mediating Effect of Dietary Quality between Intervention and Changes in Adiposity Indicators: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Some studies have found associations between dietary quality and obesity and their concurrent changes were observed in a few interventions. The present study aimed to assess the effect of a multifaceted intervention for childhood obesity on dietary quality and examine the mediating effect of dietary quality between the intervention and changes in adiposity indicators. Based on the social ecological model, the cluster randomized controlled trial included five components (three targeted children and two targeted their environment). In total, 1176 children from three cities in China participated in a baseline (2018) and end-of-trial (2019) examination, including 605 children in the intervention group and 571 in the control group. Self-reported behavior and anthropometric measures were collected at both time points. The Diet Balance Index Revision (DBI-07) was calculated to assess dietary quality. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate the intervention effect on dietary quality and its mediating effects were examined. Compared to the controls, the proportion of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake (OR = 0.27, p < 0.001, corrected p < 0.001) decreased in the intervention group. Higher bound scores (HBS) of the DBI-07 indicating over-intake decreased in the intervention group compared to the controls (mean difference = −1.52, p = 0.005, corrected p = 0.015). Changes in the HBS partially mediated the associations between the intervention and changes in body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. Future intervention should promote knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to dietary quality.

A cross-sectional study examining self-reported anthropometric measurements with adolescents' nutrition attitudes, obesity awareness and diet quality indices during the pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between adolescents' nutritional attitudes, obesity awareness, and diet quality with their self-reported anthropometric measurements taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and methodsThis cross-sectional type of study was conducted in a district in the south of Turkey. The research was carried out online with 907 adolescents who agreed to participate voluntarily. ResultsAmong the adolescents, 28.5% considered themselves overweight, and 32.1% were currently trying to lose weight. According to BMI, 16.1% were affected by overweight/obesity. Adolescents' nutritional attitudes and obesity awareness levels were moderate, while their KIDMED nutritional habits were also moderate. In this study, a negative relationship was found between the adolescents' ASHN mean scores and their body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, neck circumference, waist/hip ratio and waist/height ratio measurements; and between their OAS mean scores and their body weight, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio and waist/height ratio measurements; and between their KIDMED index scores and their waist/height ratio measurements (p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe rate of adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight is higher than the results obtained from the measurement values. BMI levels and other anthropometric measurement values of adolescents with positive nutrition attitudes and physical activity behaviours are also positively affected. Practice implicationsThis study may have a significant impact on the formulation and implementation of interventions to prevent obesity and increase physical activity for school health nurses. Since the pandemic is still continuing, healthcare providers must stress the risk of obesity in adolescence.

Social inequality in obesity in an Eastern Mediterranean population: evidence from a national health survey in Cyprus.

We aimed to explore socioeconomic factors associated with obesity among adults and to investigate social inequality in obesity prevalence in Cyprus. Cross-sectional study. We conducted a survey among 3,021 Greek-Cypriots aged 25-64 years, collecting self-reported demographics, health behaviors, socioeconomic characteristics and anthropometric measurements. We performed univariable and multivariable (adjusting for demographics and health behaviors) sex-specific Poisson's regression with robust variance, reporting adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals. The prevalence of obesity was 22% among males and 17% among females. According to univariable analyses, higher obesity prevalence was associated with increased age, decreased physical activity and decreased alcohol consumption in both genders. In addition, obesity was associated with refugee status and former smoking in males and with a higher healthy diet score in females. There was a clear linear decrease in obesity prevalence each step up the socioeconomic hierarchy in both genders. In the fully adjusted model, a clear inverse gradient in obesity prevalence by educational attainment was observed in females (p=0.002), while, in males, lower obesity prevalence remained significantly associated with the highest level of family-net income and educational attainment (aPR:0.48; 95% CI:0.27-0.84 and aPR:0.46; 95% CI:0.25-0.84, respectively). Occupational social class was not associated with obesity. This study highlights striking social inequalities in obesity in an Eastern Mediterranean population, which only recently moved from rural living to high levels of development. We recommend that public health interventions should address education - and income-related barriers, as a means of tackling health inequalities.

Meal patterns associated with energy intake in people with obesity.

It is widely assumed that people with obesity have several common eating patterns, including breakfast skipping, eating during the night and high fast-food consumption. However, differences in individual meal and dietary patterns may be crucial to optimising obesity treatment. Therefore, we investigated the inter-individual variation in eating patterns, hypothesising that individuals with obesity show different dietary and meal patterns, and that these associate with self-reported energy intake (rEI) and/or anthropometric measures. Cross-sectional data from 192 participants (aged 20-55 years) with obesity, including 6 d of weighed food records, were analysed. Meal patterns and dietary patterns were derived using exploratory hierarchical cluster analysis and k-means cluster analysis, respectively. Five clear meal patterns were found based on the time-of-day with the highest mean rEI. The daily rEI was highest among 'midnight-eaters' (10669 (sd 2301) kJ), and significantly (P < 0·05) higher than 'dinner-eaters' (8619 (sd 2301) kJ), 'lunch-eaters' (8703 (sd 2176) kJ) and 'supper-eaters' (8786 (sd 1925) kJ), but not 'regular-eaters' (9749 (sd 2720) kJ). Despite differences of up to 2050 kJ between meal patterns, there were no significant differences in anthropometric measures or physical activity level (PAL). Four dietary patterns were also found with significant differences in intake of specific food groups, but without significant differences in anthropometry, PAL or rEI. Our data highlight meal timing as a determinant of individual energy intake in people with obesity. The study supports the importance of considering a person's specific meal pattern, with possible implications for more person-focused guidelines and targeted advice.

Validity of Self-Reported Anthropometric Measures in Estimating Obesity Prevalence in Brazil: Study with Data from the National Health Survey (PNS), 2013

Background Self-reported height and weight measurement is a simple and a non-invasive method of collecting data in population surveys. However, the inaccuracy of self-reported data may bias the population nutritional status evaluation. The aim of this study is to compare the obesity prevalence estimated with self-reported anthropometric data and with measured weight and height using data from the National Health Survey, Brazil, 2013. Methods A three-stage cluster sampling (census tracts, households, and individuals) with stratification of the primary sampling units and random selection in all stages was used to select Brazilian adults aged 18 years and over. Excluding pregnant women, measurements of weight and height were taken among all selected adults and were also self-reported during the interview on the same day. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the sociodemographic factors and lifestyles associated with the outcome "reported weight and height during the interview”. Obesity prevalence estimates calculated with self-reported and measured weight and height were compared in all variable categories. Results From the sample of 59,402 adults, 70.2% self-reported weight and height. Men were most likely to report their weight (OR = 1.14) and white people when compared to non-white (OR = 0.60). People from the upper socioeconomic class are 6.5 times more likely to report their weight and height during the interview. Healthy habits and medical consultation in the past year were significantly associated with the outcome. Among women, obesity prevalence estimated with self-reported measures (20.5%) was significantly lower than those with measured weight and height (24.4%), with larger differences among women of high socioeconomic status. No significant differences were found among men. Conclusions Given that the body mass index is used as a guide for identifying health risks, these findings indicate that direct measurement of height and weight should be performed whenever possible in Brazilian surveys to adequately support public health policies. Keywords: Health surveys; Nutritional status; Obesity; Self-reported anthropometric measures.

Changes in Diet, Lifestyle and Orthorexia Nervosa Attitudes of Vegetarian, Vegan and Omnivorous Individuals in COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, one of the most changing practices of individuals has been the eating habits. This study evaluated the effects of COVID-19 on nutritional habits of vegetarian, vegan and omnivorous individuals.Methods: In a cross-sectional online survey, questions about eating habits, lifestyle behaviours and self-reported anthropometric measurements were assessed using dfferent social media platforms (instagram, twitter, facebook, etc.). A total of 965 people (357 vegetarians, 246 vegans and 362 omnivores) were enrolled.Results: Organic food consumption and food label reading habits of vegan (respectively OR:4.66; 95%CI 1.81-5.9 and OR:4.64; 95%CI 1.13-8.91) and vegaterian (respectively OR:4,66; 95%CI 1.60-7.54 and OR:1.79; 95%CI 1.08-2,97) individuals in the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased compared to omnivores. While the physical activity duration of individuals in all groups decreased at a high rate, the most significant change was observed in the vegan group. Body weight increased mostly in the omnivorous group. Those in the vegetarian group had the least change in screen time, body weight and sleep time. With the COVID-19 pandemic, orthorexia nervosa (ON) score of vegetarians (-1.0±2.9), vegans (-1.6±3.09) and omnivores (-1.4±3.0) decreased significantly.Conclusion: With the COVID-19 pandemic, physical activity duration and ON score decreased in each group. More than one third of the individuals in each group stated that their body weight increased. Considering the nutritional sensitivity of vegetarian and vegan individuals, it is recommended that the nutritional and physical activity recommendationsgiven during the COVID-19 pandemic to be increased.

Nutrition Behaviors in Polish Adults before and during COVID-19 Lockdown.

Unexpected isolation, which has not yet been seen on a global scale, has created the conditions for evaluating nutrition in a situation of reduced spatial activity. The study aimed to assess the influence of lockdown on selected eating habits of Polish adults. An anonymous questionnaire was conducted, including questions about eating habits and self-reported anthropometric measurements, referring to “before” and “during” lockdown. We reported the findings of 312 adults (aged 41.12 ± 13.05 years). Overall, 64.1% of the participants were women, 77.7% urban inhabitants and 78.6% employed. The average length of social isolation was 50.79 ± 10.53 days. The majority (51.6%) of the respondents did not eat outside the house during lockdown (p < 0.0001). The number of meals eaten during the day during lockdown increased significantly, 11.2% of the respondents ate 5 and more meals (p < 0.0001). The percentage of people snacking between meals increased by 5.1% during lockdown (p = 0.0001). Eggs, potatoes, sweets, canned meat and alcohol were consumed considerably more commonly during lockdown, while fast-food products, instant soups and energy drinks were eaten or drunk significantly less frequently. A marked decrease in the number of daily servings of the following products was observed: bakery products, red meat, fast food, instant soups, sweet beverages and energy drinks. Conversely, the number of daily servings of sweets and canned meat significantly increased. Two thirds of the respondents reported body weight changes, with 45.86% of the participants being overweight during lockdown. Significant changes in the diet of Polish adults were found during lockdown due to COVID-19.