Trends in thin body stature among Japanese female adolescents, 2003–2012

Background: The past decades have witnessed a steady increase in thin body stature associated with unhealthy dieting among Japanese female adolescents. The most recent trends in thinness, however, have not been reported.

Aim: To describe changes in the distribution of body mass index (BMI) of Japanese female adolescents, from 2003–2012.

Subjects and methods: This study examined BMI distribution changes in 2541 relatively affluent Japanese girls, aged 12.5–17.5 years, during 2003–2012. The 2003 and 2004 data were combined and compared to the combined 2011 and 2012 data. Tukey mean-difference plots were used to study the direction and magnitude of shifts in BMI distributions.

Results: Prevalence of thinness (BMI <5th percentile of the 1978–1981 references) has progressively increased from 2.0–5.7% in 2003–2004 to 3.5–7.8% in 2011–2012 in Japanese girls. The downward shift in BMI was larger in 12.5–14.5 year olds than in 15.5–17.5 year olds and more prominent in the lower BMI spectrum.

Conclusion: The trend towards thinness has continued in Japanese girls during the past decade. The distribution of BMI suggests thinner and younger sub-groups of girls are more susceptible to this trend.     

Eros in body psychotherapy – a crucible of awakening,destruction and reparation

Abstract

Eros and Sexuality have been central to the development and the philosophy of body psychotherapy but have since been pushed towards the margins of the field. The author reviews historic paradigm shifts alongside contemporary perspectives and conceptions that recognise the continued significance of Eros and erotic dynamics for body psychotherapy practice. Relational and psychobiological perspectives on working with Eros and erotic dynamics are illustrated with the help of clinical vignettes.     

Trends in thin body stature among Japanese male adolescents, 2003–2012

Background: The desire for thin body stature and unhealthy eating behaviours have spread among Japanese boys. The prevalence of thinness in boys is expected to increase; however, recent trends have not been reported.

Aim: To describe changes in the distribution of body mass index (BMI) of Japanese boys, from 2003 to 2012.

Subjects and methods: BMI distribution changes were studied in 2599 relatively affluent Japanese children and adolescents, aged 12.5–17.5 years, during 2003–2012. The 2003 and 2004 data were combined and compared to the combined 2011 and 2012 data. Tukey mean-difference plots were used to study the direction and magnitude of shifts in BMI distributions.

Results: Prevalence of thinness has progressively increased from 2.8–4.7% in 2003–2004 to 5.1–7.6% in 2011–2012 in Japanese boys. Tukey plots showed that the increases in the prevalence of thinness are related to shifts in the entire distribution of BMI in the sample.

Conclusion: Thin body stature was documented in increasing proportion of Japanese male adolescents. BMI z-scores decreased across the entire BMI centile spectrums, indicating that the whole school population may be at risk of thinness.     

The effects of mind–body training on stress reduction,positive affect,and plasma catecholamines

This study was designed to assess the association between stress, positive affect and catecholamine levels in meditation and control groups. The meditation group consisted of 67 subjects who regularly engaged in mind–body training of “Brain-Wave Vibration” and the control group consisted of 57 healthy subjects. Plasma catecholamine (norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), and dopamine (DA)) levels were measured, and a modified form of the Stress Response Inventory (SRI-MF) and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) were administered. The meditation group showed higher scores on positive affect (p = .019) and lower scores on stress (p < .001) compared with the control group. Plasma DA levels were also higher in the meditation (p = .031) than in the control group. The control group demonstrated a negative correlation between stress and positive affects (r = −.408, p = .002), whereas this correlation was not observed in the meditation group. The control group showed positive correlations between somatization and NE/E (r = .267, p = .045) and DA/E (r = .271, p = .042) ratios, whereas these correlations did not emerge in the meditation group. In conclusion, these results suggest that meditation as mind–body training is associated with lower stress, higher positive affect and higher plasma DA levels when comparing the meditation group with the control group. Thus, mind–body training may influence stress, positive affect and the sympathetic nervous system including DA activity.     

Does body mass index reflect adequately the body fat content in perimenopausal women?

OBJECTIVE: To test whether BMI cut-off points for obesity, reflect adequately the actual obesity status, in a sample of perimenopausal women. For study's purposes, a new bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equation was estimated. METHODS: 115 Greek, middle-aged women were tested. Body composition was estimated by dual X-ray absorptiometry and BIA method. Waist (WC) and hip circumference (HC) and skinfolds were also measured. RESULTS: The BIA equation predicted fat free mass (FFM) from height, weight, age and resistance (R(2)=0.88, S.E.E.=1.89 kg). The bias was not significant and the limits of agreement +/-3.6 kg. BMI, FFM, body fat percentage (BF%), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), WC and HC did not differ between pre (N=37) and postmenopausal (N=48) women (at p=0.05). Both BF% and BMI correlated with WHR and WC (r(BF%-WHR)=0.287, p=0.009; r(BMI-WHR)=0.355, p=0.001 and r(BF%-WC)=0.72, p<0.0001; r(BMI-WC)=0.81, p<0.0001). The mean values for BF%, WC and WHR for women with normal BMI were 36.15% (+/-4.19), 72.53 cm (+/-3.64) and 0.749 (+/-0.05), whereas values for overweight women were 41.42% (+/-3.16), 83.06 cm (+/-7.55) and 0.787 (+/-0.05) and for obese these were 47.40% (+/-3.67), 95.10 cm (+/-8.52) and 0.814 (+/-0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: The body composition analysis of the study sample revealed undesirably high BF%, even in subjects with BMI below 25, in whom BMI did not reflect the body fat content. However, BF was mainly distributed at the lower part of the body. Whether BMI or BF% is a more sensitive index for obesity related diseases, in perimenopausal period, remains to be defined.     

Viewing television shows containing ideal and neutral body images while exercising: does type of body image content influence exercise performance and body image in women?

This study examined how exposure to media containing different body image content while exercising influenced exercise performance and feelings concerning appearance. 41 females completed two sessions of cycling (30 minutes). During exercise, participants viewed a television show that contained either media-portrayed ideal or neutral female body images. There were no differences in exercise performance between conditions. Physical appearance state anxiety (PASA) decreased post-exercise. After viewing ideal bodies, participants scored higher on appearance and comparison processing. The high internalization group scored higher on appearance and comparison processing and PASA increased following ideal body image content while the low internalization group decreased.     

Do anxiety, body image, social support and coping strategies predict survival in breast cancer? A ten-year follow-up study

A longitudinal study enrolled 75 women with primary breast cancer. Before the confirmation of diagnosis, authors measured trait-anxiety and body satisfaction. Three weeks after diagnosis, coping strategies and state-anxiety were evaluated. The number of days of survival was measured 10 years after diagnosis. In Cox proportional-hazards models adjusting for severity of disease and age, high social support and low state-anxiety predicted an increased risk of death from breast cancer. A significant increased risk of death in women with low scores on the Body Image Questionnaire appeared only in the univariate model.     

Can alternating lower body negative and positive pressure during exercise alter regional body fat distribution or skin appearance?

The purpose of this study was to determine whether physical activity, with and without lower body pressure, leads to increased regional fat loss in the lower extremities of overweight females. Eighty-six obese women with a female phenotype were randomly assigned into four groups: control group (C), diet only (D), diet plus exercise (DE) or diet, exercise and lower body pressure intervention (DEP). The three treatment groups followed the same diet, the two exercise groups (DE and DEP) additionally followed an endurance training program of 30 min of cycling at 50%VO₂max three times per week with or without lower body pressure. Body composition and fat distribution were assessed by DXA. Body size circumference measurements were recorded as well as subjective ratings of cellulite and skin appearance. As expected, all test groups (D, DE, DEP) showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in total body mass and fat mass. DXA revealed significant differences between the experimental groups and C. The DEP group also lost significantly more body mass and fat mass when compared with D, while no significant difference was observed between the other groups. A similar pattern was seen for circumference measurement data. A significant perceived improvement was made by the DEP group when compared with C, D and DE groups for skin condition and also between the DEP versus C and D groups for cellulite. The combination of diet and exercise is successful for weight reduction. The additional application of lower body pressure especially affects skin appearance.     

Non-invasive assessment of human large vein diameter, capacity, distensibility and ellipticity in situ: dependence on anatomical location, age, body position and pressure

The objective was to compare in-situ diameter, capacity and distensibility changes as well as ellipticity of large human veins of different locations, reveal alterations with age, body position and increased intraluminal pressure. Ultrasonographic assessment of mediolateral and anteroposterior diameters was performed of femoral, axillary and inner jugular veins, in erect and reclined positions as well as before and during controlled Valsalva test. Groups of young (24.0±0.4 years, n=11) and elderly (72.6±1.5 years, n=11) subjects were studied. Capacity of the femoral vein (reclined patients) gradually increased when a graded Valsalva test was applied. Its in situ distensibility was found to be 0.048±0.011 mm Hg⁻¹ between 0–15 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa) pressure loads in reclined young subjects, which decreased to 0.009±0.005 mm Hg⁻¹ at 45–60 mm Hg. The femoral vein was considerably more rigid in the erect than in the reclined body position while an opposite correlation was found for the inner jugular vein. Axillary vein distensibility was very low and independent of body position. Ellipticity of femoral and axillary veins was minimal (the ratio of the two perpendicular diameters <1.25). Inner jugular veins were more elliptic in the erect position and without Valsalva (2.94±0.99 in young patients). Old femoral veins had higher capacity in the reclined position without Valsalva, while distensibility at low pressures was much more prominent in young vessels. The in situ femoral vein is more distensible in supine than in erect position, opposite to the inner jugular vein. The axillary vein is rather rigid in both positions. Only the inner jugular vein shows significant elipticity in situ. Aging decreases the distensibility of the femoral vein in reclined position.     

Aerobic and resistance exercise training effects on body composition,muscular strength,and cardiovascular fitness in an hiv—1 population

Although HIV-1 infection rates peaked in the 1980s in the United States, advanced stage HIV disease will grow by about 40% in the next 40 years. This fact has signaled the need for intervention strategies that go beyond primary prevention and into treatment of the complications associated with this chronic disease. Recently, the role of exercise in reversing the wasting process experienced by individuals with HIV-1 has received much needed attention. The purpose of this study was to examine the independent contributions of a 12-week aerobic or resistance weight training exercise regimen in improving body composition, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness in an HIV-1 population. Participants for this study (N = 33) were randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise training group, a resistance weight training group, or a stretching/flexibility control group. Measures of body composition, muscular strength, and cardiovascular fitness were assessed both prior to and following completion of the intervention. In general, the results revealed significant improvements in the amount of lean muscle tissue, upper and lower body muscular strength, and predicted VO(2)max for exercise participants, whereas control participants experienced declines in all physiological measures. Based on these findings, it is suggested that exercise may be one complimentary therapeutic modality capable of combating the wasting process associated with advanced HIV-1 infection.     

Does the relationship of ambulatory blood pressure to position and location vary by age,sex, race/ethnicity,or body mass index?

The effects of position and location on ambulatory blood pressure, and the variability in these effects across individuals was examined. The extent to which the variability among individuals could be predicted by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and body mass was also assessed. The data include 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure recordings of 246 subjects from an ongoing worksite study. A random coefficients model yielded estimates of within-person and between-person effects. The position and location of individuals significantly affect their ambulatory blood pressure. As position changes from reclining to sitting to standing, blood pressure increases, after controlling for location. Likewise, blood pressure is typically higher at work than at home, controlling for position. The effects on blood pressure of both position and location vary considerably across persons. Interpersonal variability, measured by the standard deviation, is typically 30–75% as large as the variability in mean levels of blood pressure. There is also an interaction effect of position and location: the difference in blood pressure between standing and sitting down at work is not the same as the corresponding difference at home. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI) predict 17% of the interpersonal variability in average systolic blood pressure while sitting at home, and 6% in diastolic blood pressure. The analysis of whether the effects of position or location vary by age, sex, race/ethnicity or BMI shows that the difference between work and home blood pressures is not significantly related to any of these four factors. However, the difference between awake and sleep diastolic blood pressures can be predicted, in part, by age and perhaps race/ethnicity. As age increases, the drop in diastolic blood pressure during sleep is attenuated. Hispanics also appear to experience a smaller drop in blood pressure during sleep. The drop in blood pressure associated with lying down (while awake) is similarly related to age and race/ethnicity. The increase in blood pressure associated with standing (vs. sitting) while at work is also attenuated in older individuals. Although significant interaction effects were demonstrated, these four major risk factors for hypertension predicted only small percentages of the interpersonal variability in the effects of position and location on blood pressure. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:459–470, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.