Anthropometric variability in the USA: 1971–2002

Aim: The study analysed variability in physical stature, weight, and body mass index (BMI) in the USA during 1971–2002. Subjects: Subjects were non-Hispanic Blacks and Whites, 2–74 years of age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES I–III and 1999–2002). Methods: The coefficient of variation and the standard deviation of the logarithm of stature, weight, and BMI were used to assess anthropometric variability for groups defined by age, race, sex, income, and survey year. Weighted ordinary least squares regressions were used to estimate the effect of socio-economic variables on anthropometric variability. Results: (a) The relation between age and variability in weight or BMI resembles an inverted U, (b) men have lower variability in BMI than women, (c) Blacks and the poor have greater variability in weight and BMI than Whites or than the non-poor, and (d) variability in anthropometric indices increased during 1971–2002. Results were robust to the measure of variability used and to the use of the mean and mean square of the anthropometric indicators as explanatory variables. Conclusion: Since anthropometric indices correlate reliably with canonical indicators of well-being (e.g. income), growing variability in anthropometric indices, particularly among the Blacks and the poor, signals growing inequality in quality of life—a worrisome trend.     

Differences of height and body mass index of youths in urban vs rural areas in Hunan province of China

Background: Economic reforms in China were implemented approximately 30 years ago. Since then, people's nutrition, living conditions and overall health have continually improved, but there has been an imbalance between the progresses in urban vs rural areas. Height and body mass index (BMI) are regarded as two important indicators of nutritional status and overall health.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in height and BMI between Chinese youths of rural vs urban areas and further, to determine whether these differences have changed over time (1990s vs 2000s).

Subject and methods: 24 194 urban youths and 7130 rural youths were recruited in Hunan province of China. In each gender group, the subjects were divided into eight subsets according to age, geographic area residence, and decade when the youths were measured. Independent t-tests were used to test the differences of height and BMI between the studied groups.

Results: Both male and female youths from urban areas were significantly taller than youths from rural areas in both the 1990s and 2000s (all p<0.001), with the exception of the 1990s female 15–18 years subset (p=0.21). The height of youths was significantly greater in the 2000s compared to the corresponding gender and geographic subset in the 1990s (p<0.001), except for the female 15–18 years subset from rural areas (p=0.10). Similar results were obtained for BMI.

Conclusion: There are significant differences in height and BMI between youths raised in urban vs rural areas, and positive growth trends of height and BMI over time (1990s vs 2000s) in youths in Hunan Province of China.     

Body mass index and resistance to recombinant human erythropoietin therapy in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Abstract

The aim of this work was to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between resistance to recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) therapy and body mass index (BMI) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We evaluated 191 HD patients and 25 healthy individuals. Complete blood count, reticulocyte count, and circulating levels of ferritin, transferrin, iron, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), transferrin saturation, hepcidin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), albumin, and adiponectin were measured in all patients and controls. Non-responder patients (n?=?16), as compared with responder patients (n?=?175), showed statistically significant lower BMI values, an enhanced inflammatory and higher adiponectin levels, associated with disturbances in iron metabolism. Analyzing the results according to BMI, we found that underweight patients required higher rhEPO doses than normal, overweight, and obese patients, and a higher percentage of non-responders patients were found within the underweight group of HD patients. Moreover, underweight patients presented lower levels of transferrin and higher levels of adiponectin compared to overweight and obese patients, and lower levels of iron compared with normal weight patients. Multiple regression analysis identified the sTfR, hemoglobin, BMI, and albumin as independent variables associated with rhEPO doses. In conclusion, our work showed that HD patients resistant to rhEPO therapy present a functional iron deficiency and a higher degree of inflammation, despite their lower BMI values and higher levels of adiponectin. Actually, BMI is poorly related with markers of systemic inflammation, such as IL-6 and CRP, while adiponectin works a fairly good indirect marker of adiposity within HD patients.     

Associations of multiple unhealthy lifestyle behaviors with overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity among Brazilian adolescents: A country-wide survey

Background and Aims

Physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking and heavy drinking are four key unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (ULB) that may influence body weight and obesity development. More recently, sedentary time has been recognized as another potentially emerging ULB related to obesity. We therefore investigated the association of multiple ULB with overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity among Brazilian adolescents.

卧床院内感染患者的营养指标探讨

目的：对卧床的院内感染患者的营养指标进行探讨,寻找出上臂围和小腿围对其营养不良的诊断截值。方法：收集我院2013年11月至2014年10月能自主活动的院内感染患者的基本资料、身体测量指标和实验室数据,使用 SPSS18.0进行数据分析和统计学处理。结果：院内感染患者中体质指数与实验室指标相关性较弱。不同性别、年龄的上臂围差异没有统计学意义,不同性别的小腿围差异没有统计学意义,不同年龄的小腿围差异有统计学意义。上臂围对营养不良的诊断界值为23.4 cm,小腿围对营养不良的诊断界值为30.65 cm（18～60岁）和28.75cm（>60岁）。结论：身体测量指标中上臂围和小腿围可以很好的反映院内感染患者的营养状况,对于不能获得身高体重的院内感染患者,可以测量其上臂围和小腿围来进行营养评估,为进一步的营养支持提供依据。     

Effect of intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss,maintenance and cardiometabolic risk: A randomized 1-year trial

Background & aims

Long-term adherence to conventional weight-loss diets is limited while intermittent fasting has risen in popularity. We compared the effects of intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss, maintenance and cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with abdominal obesity and ≥1 additional component of metabolic syndrome.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in individuals with airflow obstruction in a Japanese general population: The Yamagata-Takahata Study

Background

Diabetes has been reported as a comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Western countries, but it has not been demonstrated in epidemiological reports in Japan. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether the relationship between airflow obstruction and diabetes can be confirmed in a Japanese general population.