Waist Measurements Research Articles

A STUDY TO ASSESS ANTHROPOMETRIC PARAMETERS AND SERUM LIPID VARIATIONS IN HIV PATIENTS RECEIVING HAART

Background:- There is evidence that ART is associated with lipodystrophy syndrome, a disturbance of lipid metabolism characterised by insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and fat maldistribution, usually presenting as visceral abdominal obesity and cervical fat pad accumulation (buffalo hump)1,metabolic bone disease (osteopenia and/or osteoporosis) and lactic acidosis. ART- associated dyslipidaemia is characterized by elevated serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein 2(LDL-c), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), Apo lipoprotein B (apoB) and low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL-c) constituting an atherogenic lipid profile2. Materials And Methods:- In this study 100 young patients who were attending the Antiretroviral Therapy Plus Centre & Medicine Wards, ACSR GMC, NELLORE were included randomly. Anthropometric Measurement :- Body weights were measured (to the nearest 0.5 kilogram) with the subject standing on a weighing scale after it was adjusted to zero kg. Heights were measured (to the nearest 1.0 centimeter) with the subject standing in an erect position against a vertical scale of portable standiometer and a L-square placed on the head and the head positioned to a level with the inferior margin of the bony orbit. The waist measurements were taken from the middle point between the iliac crest and the last rib as recommended by the WHO. Hip circumference was measured as the maximal circumference over the buttocks. BMIs were then calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the height in meter squared. Results:- The results of the study showed that the Anthropometric parameters on analysis showed a normal range BMI in 59% of patients. Waist-to-hip ratio which have been shown to be better reflector of body fat distribution and is significantly elevated in the HIV-infected patients on HAART. Waist-Hip ratio value analysis showed normal in 18.19% and abnormal in 81.81% of cases. The mean value in males is 0.9578 and in females is 0.9204. This showed a significant correlation to Waist/ hip ratio and the gender. Conclusions:- Significant metabolic and morphological alterations occur in HIV infected patients especially in patients on HAART. The patients on HAART had an elevated Castelli Index I, indicating an increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in this population. Waist-to-hip ratio which are the key indices for assessing body fat distribution were significantly raised in HAART-experienced patients in this study implying that HAART could result to lipodystrophy.

Anthropometric evaluation of a 3D scanning mobile application.

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging systems are increasingly being used in health care settings for quantifying body size and shape. The potential exists to provide similar phenotyping capabilities outside of professional settings using smartphone applications (apps). The current study aim was to compare waist, hip, upper arm, and midthigh circumference measurements acquired by a free downloadable app (MeThreeSixty; Size Stream, Cary, North Carolina) and a conventional 20-camera 3D system (SS20; Size Stream) with those measured with a flexible tape at the same anatomic sites. Fifty-nine adults were scanned with the app and SS20; the same software was used to generate circumference estimates from device-acquired object files that were then compared with reference tape measurements. The app and SS20 had similar coefficients of variation that were minimally larger than those by the tape (e.g., waist, 0.93%, 0.87%, and 0.06%). Correlations of the app and of SS20 with tape circumferences were all strong (p < 0.001) and similar in magnitude (R2 s: 0.72-0.93 and 0.78-0.95, respectively); minimally significant (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01) bias was present between both imaging approaches and some tape measurements. These proof-of-concept observations combined with ubiquitous smartphone availability create the possibility of phenotyping adult body size and shape, with important clinical and research implications, on a global scale.

English

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of anthropometric variables and flexibility on the performance of women aged 55+ years on abdominal test protocols. The sample was composed by 20 physically active volunteers, aged 55 years (median 61), who were participants in gymnastic activities program. Each volunteer performed two abdominal tests: partial trunk flexion with a 7.6 cm sliding of the hands (P1) and partial flexion of the trunk with the hands on the thighs (P2), both executed with the feet resting on the ground. For analysis, the number of correct executions (final position) was considered in each test, as recommended by the authors. Measurements of body mass, flexibility, height, waist and hip perimeters, subjective perception of exertion, and calculations of body mass index and waist-hip ratio were performed. The perception of abdominal effort, and discomfort or pain in the cervical and lumbar region were also evaluated. The results showed that there were no statistically significant associations between the analyzed indicators (Age: P1: rs = -0.024, p = 0.916; P2: rs = -0.194, p = 0.407; BMI: P1: rs =-0.064, p = 0.792; P2: rs = -0.235, p= 0.327; Waist Circumference: P1: rs = -0.143, p = 0.563; P2: rs = 0.027, p = 0.908; Flexibility: r s= -0.327, p = 0.169; P2: rs = 0.0009, p = 0.991; Hip waist ratio: P1: rs = -0.209, p = 0.371; P2: rs = 0.217, p = 0.353) and the performance on the tests. In addition, 35% of the participants made valid attempts on P1 while 45% produced at least one valid attempt on P2. It was concluded that both abdominal tests were adequate for the studied sample and they can be applied to adult and elderly women to assess their abdominal musculature.

Nutritional and physical improvements in older adults through the DOREMI remote coaching approach: a real-world study

BackgroundMalnutrition (excess or defect) and sedentariness act as an accelerator in the older people frailty process. A systemic solution has been developed to engage older people in a healthier lifestyle using serious games and food monitoring. The study aimed to evaluate protocol influence on variables related to unhealthy behaviors improving dietary habits through a remote nutritional coaching approach and stimulating the population to increase physical activity through Exergames. MethodsThirty-two subjects (25 Treatments and 7 Controls, aging 65–80 years), of which 15 (11 Treatments and 4 Controls) living in the UK (ACCORD and ExtraCare Villages placed in Shenley Wood (Milton Keynes), St. Crispin (Northampton), and Showell Court (Wolverhampton)) and 17 (14 Treatments and 3 Controls) in Italy (Genoa, Liguria), were recruited and characterized in terms of nutritional status, physical, somatometric, hemodynamic and biochemical measurements, and body composition. Participants were stimulated to adopt the Mediterranean dietary pattern, by a food diary diet-app, and perform regular physical activity, by the Exergame app, for three months. At the end of the trial, users underwent the same test battery. Data were tested for normality of distribution by the Shapiro-Wilk test. Comparisons between groups were performed at baseline by unpaired Student's t-test for continuous variables, chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures was used to analyze the significance of changes over time between groups. ResultsAt the end of the trial, significant reductions of systolic (15 mmHg, P = 0.001), diastolic (5 mmHg, P = 0.025), mean (10 mmHg, P = 0.001) blood pressure, and rate-pressure product (RPP) (1,105 mmHg*bpm, P = 0.017) values were observed in DOREMI users. A trend of improvement of physical performance by the short physical performance battery (SPPB) was observed for balance and walk subtests. A significant decrease (0.91 kg, P = 0.043) in Body Mass Index (BMI) was observed in overweight subjects (BMI >25 kg/m2) after DOREMI intervention in the entire population. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score (1, P = 0.004) significantly increased after intervention, while waist measure (3 cm, P <0.001) significantly decreased in the DOREMI users. A reduction in glycated hemoglobin (Hb) was registered (0.20%, P = 0.018) in the DOREMI UK users. ConclusionsImprovement of healthy behavior by technological tools, providing feedback between user and remote coach and increasing user's motivation, appears potentially effective. This information and communication technologies (ICT) approach offers an innovative solution to stimulate healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors, supporting clinicians in patient management.

Observational Study on Unhealthy Eating Behavior and the Effect of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter2 Inhibitors: The Luseogliflozin Ehime Diabetes Study.

IntroductionLuseogliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. Unhealthy eating behavior is associated with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. However, evidence regarding the effect of medications, including SGLT2 inhibitors, on unhealthy eating behavior is limited. This study investigated the association between unhealthy eating behavior and the laboratory and physical findings of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes given luseogliflozin once daily for 24 weeks.MethodsTwenty-nine patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in a 24-week prospective, open-label, single-arm pilot study. The information regarding unhealthy eating behaviors (eating fast, late dinner, nighttime snack, skipping breakfast, and eating until full) was obtained using self-reported questionnaires.ResultsThe baseline rate of eating fast, late dinner, nighttime snack, skipping breakfast, and eating until full was 51.7%, 24.1%, 24.1%, 10.3% and 55.2%, respectively. After administration of luseogliflozin, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), weight, body mass index, and waist measurement all decreased significantly. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hematocrit increased significantly. In the healthy eating behavior group, the improvements of fasting plasma glucose and ALT, but not other variables, were attenuated. HbA1c level was significantly improved in patients with eating fast, while other unhealthy eating behaviors attenuated the effect of luseogliflozin for HbA1c. The effect of leseogliflozin on the relationship between eating behavior and weight reduction was inconsistent after administration luseogliflozin.ConclusionLuseogliflozin might be more effective for controlling plasma glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes who have a tendency to eat fast, but it might have less effect on those with other unhealthy eating habits.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Individually Tailored Lifestyle Intervention in Patients With Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a theoretically-based individually tailored lifestyle intervention on healthy lifestyle changes and improvement in disease management in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 120 patients with FH were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive education and counseling based upon the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavioral Change (n = 60) or conventional clinical education (n = 60). All patients were evaluated for healthy lifestyle changes, adherence to therapy, lipid levels, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist measurement at baseline and at 12th and 24th weeks' visits. Motivational interviews resulted in a significant improvement in healthy lifestyle changes and treatment adherence in the intervention group. In addition, there were significant decreases in body mass index (-7.49%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-37.14%), and blood pressure (13.3%) in the intervention group. Our results showed that an individually tailored lifestyle intervention was effective in facilitating healthy lifestyle changes and improvement in treatment adherence and in decreasing cardiovascular risk factors including cholesterol levels in patients with FH.

Simulation of 3D Body Shapes for Pregnant and Postpartum Women

Several studies have reported that pre-pregnant women’s body mass index (BMI) affects women’s weight gain with complications during pregnancy and the postpartum weight retention. It is important to control the BMI before, during and after pregnancy. Our objectives are to develop a technique that can compute and visualize 3D body shapes of women during pregnancy and postpartum in various gestational ages, BMI, and postpartum durations. Body changes data from 98 pregnant and 83 postpartum women were collected, tracked for six months, and analyzed to create 3D model shapes. This study allows users to simulate their 3D body shapes in real-time and online, based on weight, height, and gestational age, using multiple linear regression and morphing techniques. To evaluate the results, precision tests were performed on simulated 3D pregnant and postpartum women’s shapes. Additionally, a satisfaction test on the application was conducted on new 149 mothers. The accuracy of the simulation was tested on 75 pregnant and 74 postpartum volunteers in terms of relationships between statistical calculation, simulated 3D models and actual tape measurement of chest, waist, hip, and inseam. Our results can predict accurately the body proportions of pregnant and postpartum women.

Effects of an low carbohydrate/healthy fat/ketogenic diet on biomarkers of health and symptoms, anxiety and depression in Parkinson's disease: a pilot study.

Aim: To evaluate a low carbohydrate/healthy fat/ketogenic diet (LCHF/KD) on symptoms, depression, anxiety and biomarkers in adults with Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients & methods: 16adults ages 36-80 with PDparticipated in the intervention for 12weeks. The study provided pre-post-study comparisons of biomarkers, weight, waist measurement, united Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Parkinson's Anxiety Scale (PAS) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised-20 (CESD-R-20) Depression Scale. Results: Although LCHF/KD improves blood glucose in diabetes and seizure control in epilepsy, research gaps exist in this dietary intervention in PD. Statistically, significant improvements occurred in several measurements, PAS scores and Part I of the UPDRS. Conclusion: The LCHF/KD shows positive trends with improvements in biomarkers and anxiety symptoms. Further research is needed to evaluate dietary interventions for PD.

Measurement of obesity in primary care practice: chronic conditions matter.

Lay Summary Primary care providers can deliver tailored advice and support to patients who are overweight or have obesity. The 2020 Canadian Adult Obesity Practice Guideline for primary care providers recommended that patients’ waist circumference (WC) be measured if their height and weight place them in the overweight or Class I obesity category. The guideline does not recommend how often providers should measure WC nor describe how often this is measured in current practice. We reviewed electronic medical records (EMRs) of 707,819 Canadian adult patients aged 40 and older. Among them, 48.7% had 1 or more body mass index (BMI) recorded; 11.5% had at least 1 waist measurement recorded. Of those with a BMI classified as overweight or having Class I obesity, 23.7% had at least 1 WC measurement recorded, which differed by chronic disease. WC was documented in more patients who had diabetes mellitus (36.8%) than hypertension (26.1%), or osteoarthritis (24.3%). This difference may be reflective of more specific advice in diabetes guidelines. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe documentation of WC measurement for patients who are overweight or have Class I obesity in Canadian primary care EMRs across obesity-related conditions.

Anthropometric and adiposity indicators and risk of type 2 diabetes: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies

ObjectiveTo present a comprehensive review of the association between measures of body weight, waist, and fat, and different ratios of these measures, and the risk of type 2 diabetes.DesignSystematic review...

The relationship of obstructive sleep apnea risk with the disease severity and clinical parameters in COPD population

Aim: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have common pathophysiological mechanisms affecting the prognosis of each other. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the presence of OSA risk and the severity of COPD and to determine the possible clinical features for OSA risk for COPD patients.&#x0D; Material and Method: The patients (n=181) who applied to the outpatient clinics of pulmonology between September - November 2019 with the diagnosis of COPD, were analyzed cross-sectionally. Demographic features, anthropometric measurements, comorbidities, smoking status, and severity of dyspnea, respiratory functions, and exacerbation frequency in the last year were evaluated. All patients were questioned with the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) for detecting excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and the STOP-Bang for determining the risk of OSA. &#x0D; Results: The rate of diabetes, waist and hip circumference measurements, median ESS score, and EDS ratio were found to be higher in patients with moderate/high OSA risk when compared to patients with low OSA risk. In the multivariate regression model; lower oxygen saturation (OR: 0.83; p=0.007) and higher ESS score (OR=1.28; p

Anthropometrics and Myocardial Infarction Risk: A Misleading Evidence Was Accepted by Cardiovascular Sciences When Errors of Bias Were Overlooked Worldwide. When Should We End Discussion about the Optimal Metric?

Despite the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic, myocardial infarction remains the leading cause of cardiovascular deaths in Europe. Body mass index (BMI)-defined obesity is a major risk factor for myocardial infarction. However, in the association of anthropometrics and myocardial infarction, the lack of balance between the simple body measurements when comparing healthy and unhealthy cases has demonstrated that affects the outcome. Thus, regardless of association strength of anthropometrics, other criteria to judge the biological causality must be investigated. We aim to assess different studies worldwide to understand the key concepts to demonstrate association biases for anthropometrics when predicting myocardial infarction risk. In this approach, natural mathematical inequalities between simple measurements in healthy subjects were investigated. Weight, height, height/2, waist circumference and hip circumference mathematically represent absolute values that do not express mathematically equality for the true risk. That way, the mathematical concept of fraction or ratio in anthropometrics such as BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) or waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) plays an important role. Thus, some anthropometrics may be seen as confounding variables when measuring high-risk body composition. Weight is a confounding factor without indicating a high-risk body composition, meaning that BMI is not fully predictive. WHR is a confounding variable concerning waist and WHtR due to imbalances between the mean hip–waist and hip–height, respectively, which indicates a protective overestimation for hip concerning waist and height. Waist measure may be a confounding variable concerning WHtR due to an imbalance in the mean waist–height. This occurs if, and only if, WHtR risk cut-off is &gt;0.5 and if height is ignored as volume factor, therefore creating an overestimation of risk for waist circumference in the tallest people and underestimation in the shortest. Mathematically/anthropometrically, only WHtR-associated risk above BMI, waist and WHR holds true while considering it as a relative risk volume linked to a causal pathway of higher cardiometabolic risk. In conclusion, WHtR is the only metric that is directly associated to a risk volume and having more biological plausibility. It should be used to assess the anthropometrically-measured myocardial infarction risk, once the imbalances between measurements and association biases are recognised.

The academics in National family health surveys

The recent release of the National Family Health Survey-5 report has attracted attention from all quarters including the print media. The media has reported on morbidity profiles based on the finding of this report. To be fair, I am in favour of health attracting media attention. Health breaking headlines is welcome. At the same time, a critical appraisal by academics of these reports breaking headlines in media should also be welcome. That brings me to the point as to how much academics goes into the conduct and reporting such surveys. Appraisal is also needed to understand as to how much of utility these reports finally have for the academic medicine in this country. As per the report, four survey schedules - household, woman’s, man’s and biomarker - were used for collection of data.[1] For the biomarker schedule, measurements of height, weight and hemoglobin levels for children were completed. Similarly, measurements of height, weight, waist and hip circumference, and hemoglobin levels for women age 15-49 years and men age 15-54 years were completed. In addition, blood pressure and random blood glucose levels for women and men aged 15 years and over were obtained as part of the biomarker schedule. For all practical purposes, age 15-49 has been taken as adults. This is precisely where my academic concerns lie with regard to this report. Firstly, for classifying blood sugar levels, the criteria used are not standard. Random blood glucose level >140 mg/dL is classified as high and those >160 mg/dL as very high. The criteria used for the defining of diabetes and hypertension have not been detailed and the cut-offs used appear arbitrary. As per the WHO recommendations for the diagnostic criteria for diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia, diabetes is fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL or 2-hour plasma glucose ≥200 mg/dL. Prediabetes is often referred as either impaired fasting glucose (110-125) or impaired glucose tolerance (≥140 to <200 mg/dl), based on whether it is fasting plasma glucose or 2-hour plasma glucose respectively There is no classification as high or very high blood sugar in any guidelines as is mentioned in the NFHS report. Similarly, for hypertension, the report mentions mildly, moderately or severely elevated blood pressure which again is not the standard classification. As per JNC 7 guidelines, its stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension if BP >140/90 and 160/100 mm of Hg respectively.[2] Secondly, the criteria used for definition of overweight/obesity are the standard World Health Organization criteria of using Body Mass Index (BMI) or Quetelet index.[3] My concern lies in the age group considered for the BMI calculations i.e., 15-49 years. As per the WHO, the criteria stand corrected for the adults aged >20 years of age. For children between 5-19 years of age, overweight is BMI-for-age greater than 1 standard deviation above the WHO Growth Reference median; and obesity is greater than 2 standard deviations above the WHO Growth Reference median. Under the section, ‘Nutritional status of adults’, the age mentioned is 15-49 years but the cut offs used for overweight/obese are for women and men. Even if we go by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) redefinition of the ideal or reference Indian adult man and woman, instead of 20-39 years, the age is between 19-39 years which is nowhere in concordance with the cut offs of age taken by NFHS-5 report.[4] Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

BODY COMPOSITION IN A SAMPLE OF THE ADULT POPULATION FROM MOSCOW

Objectives. To evaluate body composition and describe the prevalence of various types of obesity in a sample of the adult population from Moscow. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study included measurements of weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, and bioimpedance analysis for body composition assessment in the sample of 131 adults (44 males aged 21 to 73 years and 87 females aged 18 to 67 years) from Moscow. Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Results. Up to 30% of the adults were classified as overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2); among them more than half had signs of central obesity. Almost 20% of females with normal BMI had increased body fat and were classified as normal weight obese. A significant increase in body fat mass and a decrease in lean muscle mass were associated with ageing. Conclusions. About a third of the adults from the studied sample were classified as overweight and obese. Central obesity was observed in conjunction with general obesity. The prevalence of normal weight obesity was higher in the group of females. Because the “obesogenic” environment promotes chronic positive energy balance, people with normal BMI may also have excessive body fat and the subsequent health risks similarly to people with general obesity. Further research is needed to estimate the prevalence of different types of obesity in the Moscow population. Keywords: obesogenic environment, Moscow city, normal weight obesity, central obesity, adults.

Metabolic and Anthropometric Parameters of Persons at Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Before and After 3 Months of Consuming Insoluble Dietary Fiber.

Background:Observational studies have shown that insoluble fiber (IF) can be effective in preventing type 2 diabetes (T2D), but there is a lack of experimental data on the effect of short-term consumption of IF on metabolic parameters. We tried to investigate whether there was an improvement in glycemia and body composition in individuals at risk for T2D after 3 months of IF consumption.Methods:This “Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Prevention Ukraine (T2DPUA)” study describes participants with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) as determined by ADA criteria. The study involved 30 people, including 21 women (70%). Daily, 15 g of IF derived from wheat was used. T2DPUA did not have a placebo group and the intervention lasted 3 months. Evaluation of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2h plasma glucose (2hPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, uric acid, and γ-glutamyl transferase was performed. The baseline and 3-monthly anthropometric examinations included measurements of weight, waist and hip circumference. Fat mass was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Paired samples t-test or Wilcoxon test were used.Result:A decrease of FPG (P = .042), HbA1c (P < .001), 2hPG (P = .005), weight (P < .001), body mass index (P < .001), the proportion of body fat (P = .006), and the absolute amount of fat (P < .001), increases in systolic (P < .001) and diastolic (P = .008) blood pressure was shown. The number of people with hypertension did not change. The absolute amount of body fat decreased by almost 5% and tolerance to the standard glucose load improved by 15%. The dynamics of other metabolic parameters were not revealed.Conclusion and Recommendation:Data about improvement of glycemia and body composition over a short period of using IF by individuals with IFG are new and deserve larger studies.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio: A Better Anthropometric Index for Predicting the Risk of Obesity in Children and Adolescents

Obesity is a complex challenge that needs to be addressed at both a societal and individual level. Now obesity presents a huge public health threat and should be stressed and investigated. This project was planned to improve the health and nutrition status of children to avoid obesity in them. Both waist and hip measurements were found to be having significant differences between overweight and obese children in comparison wit normal children.

탄성밴드를 사용한 소프트형 웨어러블 슈트의 효과 연구

Many of the workers are exposed to work that burdens the musculoskeletal system, and musculoskeletal diseases, such as low back pain, are increasing every year. Various muscle support systems, such as wearable robots, have been developed to prevent musculoskeletal diseases at industrial sites, but the system is bulky. Therefore, the total weight is high, it is inconvenient to wear, and the wearer cannot freely perform the activities when power is not supplied. In this paper, in order to compensate for the shortcomings of the hard-type wearable robot system, a soft-type wearable suit using an elastic band was manufactured so that it is light and portable, as it does not require an actuator. The experiment was conducted to verify the effect of muscle strength assistance through an experiment (Measurement of Maximum Waist Torque and Measurement of the Approximate Dose) on the effect of the soft wearable suit. In addition, by making two different types of elastic bands in the wearable suit, it was possible to classify the more effective types for the waist and lower extremities according to the elasticity by comparing the muscle strength assisting effect according to the elastic band.

Frequency of Metabolic Syndrome and its Associated Factors in Patients with Breast Carcinoma at Tertiary Care University Hospitals of Pakistan

Objective: To determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome and its associated factors in patients with biopsy proven breast cancer at tertiary care university hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan.&#x0D; Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at the hospitals affiliated with Dow university of health sciences &amp; Baqai medical university from January 2018 to September 2019.A total of 114women between 30 to 50 years of age presented to the out patients clinics and underwent triple assessment including detailed history &amp;examination, radiological assessment and fine needle aspiration cytology for confirmation of breast cancer were included in the study after taking written informed consent. Along with the routine baseline investigations blood sugar for hyperglycemia&amp;blood sample for lipid profile was taken in fasting from Dow Lab. Blood pressure of the patients was also checked along with the weight, height and waist measurements. The SPSS version 19 was applied to the data for description and analysis.&#x0D; Results: Mean age of the patients was 42.57 ±4.90 years. Stages of cancer showed that stage III was found in majority (n=50, 43.9%). Frequency of metabolic syndrome was observed in 44 (38.6%) of the patients. A significant association of metabolic syndrome with educational status (p-value &lt;0.001), Hypertension (p-value &lt;0.001), Central obesity (p-value &lt;0.001), Fasting blood sugar levels (p-value &lt;0.001), Triglyceride levels (p-value &lt;0.001), High density lipoprotein levels (p-value &lt;0.001), and different Stages of breast cancer (p-value 0.003) was observed.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study show that a significant number of patients with breast cancer are suffering from metabolic syndrome which is also correlates with the educational status of the patients.

Overweight/obesity and chronic health conditions in older people with intellectual disability in Ireland.

This study examines overweight/obesity and chronic health conditions (CHCs) in older people with intellectual disability (ID). Data for this cross-sectional observational study emanated from Wave 2 of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, a longitudinal study assessing the health and well-being of older Irish adults with ID aged ≥40years across all levels of ID. Participation involves an interview process and collation of objective health measures. In this study, body mass index (BMI) (n=572), used as a measure of weight status, was examined with clustered doctor's diagnosed CHCs. Descriptive analysis was conducted where counts (n) and proportions (%) were used to summarise the variables univariately, while cross-tabulations were used for bivariate summary into counts and proportions. With overweight/obesity prevalence established and patterns described using logistical regression, Pearson's chi-squared test was used to test for significant associations. Overweight/obesity identified in 69% of participants occurred with greater frequency in women (72%). A higher percentage of participants aged <50years (72.5%) were overweight/obese than those aged 50-64 (70%) and 65+ (61.4%). Level of ID and residence type were significantly associated with weight status (P<0.001), with overweight/obesity more prevalent in mild (85.7%) than moderate (72%) or severe/profound ID (51.4%). Of those who lived independently/with family, 78.4% were overweight/obese, as were 74% living in a community group home (P<0.001). Almost all overweight/obese participants' waist measurements were in the substantially increased risk of metabolic disease waist measurement category (92%, P<0.001). Logistical regression used to model CHCs on BMI showed significant association between BMI and gastrointestinal tract [odds ratio (OR)=0.57, P<0.008, 95% confidence interval (CI)=(0.37; 0.86)], respiratory condition [OR=8.95, P<0.004, 95% CI=(2.57; 56.72)] and musculoskeletal disorders [OR=0.40, P<0.001, 95% CI=(0.25; 0.63)]. The findings illustrate the strong cross-sectional association between overweight/obesity and CHCs. These findings suggest a need to prioritise weight status as a health risk to people with ID as they age.

Audit of waist measurement methods during statutory diving medical assessments.

Measurement of waist circumference is used to assess abdominal fat and risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and stroke. It is performed in several clinical settings for health promotion and medical assessment purposes, including statutory medical assessments where results may influence decisions on fitness to work. Under the Diving at Work Regulations 1997, working divers must have an annual assessment of their fitness to dive performed by an approved medical examiner of divers (AMED), appointed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The assessment includes measurement of height, weight and waist circumference, the latter used as an indicator of central adiposity and associated health risks. To establish the practice of AMEDs in measuring waist circumference of working divers undergoing medical assessment to determine their fitness to dive. Ninety-seven AMEDs were sent a questionnaire and asked to describe their current practice in measuring waist circumference. The response rate was 79%. The audit standard used was the consensus document published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Of the 77 responses, 76 were completed sufficiently to allow analysis. When the waist was measured, there was consistency in the diver's level of clothing, stage of breathing and posture for the procedure but variability in the site of measurement. Only 7/76 (9%) respondents carried out waist measurement fully in line with WHO guidance. The audit has identified that there is a need for guidance for AMEDs on measuring waist circumference in the statutory medical assessment of working divers.