Sitting time and work patterns as indicators of overweight and obesity in Australian adults

BACKGROUND: Increasing levels of physical inactivity and sedentariness are contributing to the current overweight and obesity epidemic. In this paper, the findings of two recent studies are used to explore the relationships between sitting time (in transport, work and leisure), physical activity and body mass index (BMI) in two contrasting samples of adult Australians. METHODS: Data on sitting time, physical activity, BMI and a number of demographic characteristics were compared for participants in two studies-529 women who were participants in a preschool health promotion project ('mothers'), and 185 men and women who were involved in a workplace pedometer study ('workers'). Relationships between age, number of children, physical activity, sitting time, BMI, gender and work patterns were explored. Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of being overweight or obese, among participants with different physical activity, sitting time and work patterns. RESULTS: The total reported time spent sitting per day (across all domains) was almost 6 h less among the mothers than the workers (P<0.001), and compared with the mothers, a significantly greater proportion of the workers was classified as overweight or obese (BMI > or =25 kg/m(2)). Univariate analysis found that, compared with men in full-time work, women who worked full-time (OR=0.42, CI: 0.24-0.74), part-time (OR=0.35, CI: 0.20-0.59) or in full-time home duties (OR=0.51, CI: 0.29-0.88) were about half as likely to be overweight or obese. Participants who reported high daily levels of sitting (> or =7.4 h) were also significantly more likely than those who reported 'low' levels (<4.7 h/day) to be overweight or obese (OR=1.68, CI: 1.16-2.42). Multivariate analysis (including physical activity, work patterns and sitting time) confirmed that full-time and part-time working women (but not 'home duties' women) were less likely to report BMI > or =25 kg/m(2) than full-time working men (full-time: OR=0.44, CI: 0.25-0.78; part-time: OR=0.45, CI: 0.24-0.86), but the OR for BMI > or =25 among those in the high sitting category was attenuated (OR=1.61, CI 0.96-2.71). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need for inclusion of measures of both activity and inactivity in future studies, so that the complex relationships between these behavioural determinants of BMI can be clarified.     

Sex differences in subclinical cardiac disease in overweight and obesity (the FATCOR study)

Background and aims

Subclinical cardiac disease, like abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry or left atrial (LA) dilatation, is common in obesity. Less is known about sex differences in the prevalence and type of subclinical cardiac disease in obesity.

Abnormal systolic time intervals in obesity and their relationship with the amount of overweight

We studied 17 severely obese subjects (age range 26 to 42 years), without hypertension, diabetes mellitus, angina, or clinical signs of heart failure or respiratory disease, and 16 age-matched control subjects. X-teleroentgenographic findings (transverse cardiac diameter and cardiothoracic ratio), blood pressure, and mechanocardiographic parameters were analyzed in both groups. By means of conventional simultaneous recordings of ECG, phonocardiogram, and carotid pulse (100 mm/sec), systolic time intervals were calculated as mean values from 10 beats in the morning. The following comparisons were made by means of analysis of variance: heart rate, preejection period (PEP), rate-corrected PEPI (PEPI), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), and QS2 interval (QS2); the latter two were both corrected for heart rate, respectively, as LVETI and QS2I and the PEP/LVET ratio. Abnormal x-ray data were shown in the obese group along with higher values for heart rate, PEP, PEPI, and PEP/LVET and a shorter LVETI; there were no differences in QS2I or blood pressure. There was a correlation between the amount of overweight and, respectively, transverse cardiac diameter (r = 0.84), heart rate (r = 0.69), PEP (r = 0.49), PEPI (r = 0.59), LVETI (r = -0.61), and PEP/LVET ratio (r = 0.72). A correlation was also found between transverse cardiac diameter and PEP/LVET (r = 0.67). We conclude, therefore, that abnormalities in the mechanocardiographic parameters are related to cardiac enlargement, suggesting a preclinical cardiac dysfunction secondary to chronic cardiocirculatory overload in severe obesity. Thus systolic time intervals appear to be affected by preclinical abnormalities of cardiac performance in these subjects.     

青少年超重与肥胖的研究进展

第65届美国糖尿病学会(ADA)年会对肥胖的研究较多,有数百篇相关文章在大会上进行了交流,现将青少年超重、肥胖的主要研究成果阐述如下.     

第65届美国糖尿病学会（ADA）年会专题报道青少年超重与肥胖的研究进展

第65届美国糖尿病学会(ADA)年会对肥胖的研究较多,有数百篇相关文章在大会上进行了交流,现将青少年超重、肥胖的主要研究成果阐述如下。1青少年肥胖的流行病学超重在2型糖尿病(T2DM)患者中普遍存在,但青少年糖尿病患者中超重的患病率以前未见统计。Jonathan等对加拿大埃德蒙顿地区一所学校875名5～19岁的儿童进行调查发现,根据体重指数(BMI)确定的肥胖和超重的患病率分别为7.8%和14.3%(2759PO)。美国Liu等对青少年糖尿病患者调查资料分析发现,超重患病率为非西班牙裔白人94.7%,非西班牙裔黑人100%,西班牙裔青少年90.5%。在非西班牙裔…     

Epidemiologic trends in overweight and obesity.

Obesity in adults is associated with excess mortality and excess risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, gallbladder disease, certain cancers, and osteoarthritis. Overweight children often become overweight adults, and overweight in adulthood is a health risk. Although childhood overweight may not always result in excess adult health risk, immediate consequences of overweight in childhood are psychosocial and also include cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and abnormal glucose tolerance. The causes of obesity are poorly understood, and both the prevention and the treatment of obesity are difficult. In this context, the ability to track epidemiologic trends in overweight and obesity is important.     

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Turkey

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Turkey, and to investigate their association with age, gender, and blood pressure. A crosssectional population-based study was performed. A total of 20,119 inhabitants (4975 women and 15,144 men, age > 20 years) from 11 Anatolian cities in four geographic regions were screened for body weight, height, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the years 1999 and 2000. The overall prevalence rate of overweight was 25.0% and of obesity was 19.4%. The prevalence of overweight among women was 24.3% and obesity 24.6%; 25.9% of men were overweight, and 14.4% were obese. Mean body mass index (BMI) of the studied population was 27.59 +/- 4.61 kg/m(2). Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure for women were 131.0 +/- 41.0 and 80.2 +/- 16.3 mm Hg, and for men 135.0 +/- 27.3 and 83.2 +/- 16.0 mm Hg. There was a positive linear correlation between BMI and blood pressure, and between age and blood pressure in men and women. Obesity and overweight are highly prevalant in Turkey, and they constitute independent risk factors for hypertension.     

Redefining overweight and obesity in rheumatoid arthritis patients

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether body mass index (BMI) and body fat (BF) differ between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, patients with non-inflammatory arthritis (osteoarthritis, OA) and healthy individuals, and whether disease specific measures of adiposity are required to accurately reflect BF in these groups. METHODS: 641 individuals were assessed for BMI (kg/m(2)) and BF (bioelectrical impedance). Of them, 299 (174 RA, 43 OA and 82 healthy controls (HC)) formed the observation group and 342 (all RA) the validation group. RA disease characteristics were collected. RESULTS: ANOVA revealed significant differences between disease groups for BMI (p<0.05) and BF (p<0.001). ANCOVA showed that age accounted for the differences in BMI (F(1,294) = 5.10, p<0.05); age (F(1,293) = 22.43, p<0.001), sex (F(1,293) = 380.90, p<0.001) and disease (F(2, 293) = 18.7, p<0.001) accounted for the differences in BF. For a given BF, patients with RA exhibited BMI levels reduced by 1.83 kg/m(2) (p<0.001) compared to HC; there were no significant differences between OA and HC. A predictive model for BF was developed (R(2) = 0.769, p<0.001) and validated using limits of agreement Analysis against measured BF in the validation group (95%LIM(AG) = 6.17; CV = 8.94). CONCLUSIONS: In individuals with RA, BMI cut-off points should be reduced by 2 kg/m(2) (that is, to 23 kg/m(2) for overweight and 28 kg/m(2) for obesity). The equation developed can be used to accurately predict BF from BMI in RA patients. These findings may be important in the context of the cardiovascular comorbidity of RA.     

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Netherlands

This paper shows the trends in the prevalence of overweight (body mass index [BMI] >or= 25 kg m-2) and obesity (BMI >or= 30 kg m-2) in the Netherlands. Overweight (obesity) prevalence in adult males increased from 37% (4%) in 1981 to 51% (10%) in 2004, and in adult females from 30% (6%) in 1981 to 42% (12%) in 2004, according to self-reported data. In boys and girls, obesity prevalence doubled or even tripled from 1980 to 1997, and again from 1997 to 2002-2004 a two- or threefold increase was seen for almost all ages. According to the most recent data, overweight (obesity) prevalence figures range, depending on age, from 9.2% to 17.3% (2.5-4.3%) in boys, and from 14.6% to 24.6% (2.3-6.5%) in girls. There is a lack of data on the national prevalence of overweight and obesity based on measured height and weight and on prevalences in different subgroups of the population. Regular national representative health examination surveys that measure height and weight are needed to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity and its distribution over subgroups in the population, and to properly direct and evaluate prevention activities.     

我国成人超重、肥胖和腹型肥胖的流行特点

肥胖患病率在全球呈快速增长趋势。肥胖是指体内脂肪过度堆积,并显著增加心血管代谢紊乱性疾病的发病风险。已观察到在一些人群中,超重/肥胖和腹型肥胖患病率的变化表现不一致。本文就我国超重/肥胖和腹型肥胖患病率的变迁进行总结。     

Epidemiologic data on obesity and overweight in the elderly

The incidence and the prevalence of obesity are progressively increasing in all the more industrialized Western nations: in the USA, approximately 280,000 deaths/year are attributable to obesity. Moreover the general structure of the population to world-wide level is enduring a strong change, since it is increasing towards the bands of more advanced ages: the strong aging of population makes it necessary to deepen the behavior and the consequences of obesity as risk factor also in the third age. In Italy, overweight subjects, amounting to more than 15 million over the age of eighteen, have not increased since 1994, but the obese ones in the general population are approximately 8%. The distribution of the prevalence of obesity in the range of age between 45 and 75 does not seem to be much age correlated in the male population, while it is more age related in the women: the prevalence decreases in the last class of age. We can found a similar trend for the overweight conditions. Differences in the distribution of this important risk factor, even if often neglected, also are tied to the professional skills and education.     

Factors associated with overweight and obesity in Quebec adults

OBJECTIVE: To measure the independent correlates of excess body weight and obesity in Quebec in 1993 and 1997. DESIGN: A population-based, cross-sectional survey in three settings in the province of Quebec. SUBJECTS: A total of 10014 individuals aged 18-64 y. MEASUREMENTS: Excess body weight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) (self-reported weight and height) greater than or equal to 25 kg/m(2) and obesity as BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m(2). Data were collected by a questionnaire completed at home by the participants. Diet was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: The correlates varied according to gender. While university achievement, smoking habit and physical activity level reduced the risk of excess body weight in both genders, increased dietary fat intake was positively associated with overweight and obesity in men only. In women, greater family income lowered the risk of having a BMI over 25. Increasing age, speaking a language other than French and living in a rural environment elevated the risk. CONCLUSION: Future interventions for the control of obesity should be gender-specific. Target groups should include individuals with low education, those living in rural environments and non-caucasian women. Dietary interventions should target men in particular.     

Estimated overweight and obesity in Mexican American school children

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Mexican American children 6 to 17 years of age was estimated in 1972 (n = 1269) and 1983 (n = 868). Children were classified as overweight or obese on the basis of the body mass index (weight/stature2), the triceps skinfold, or both, relative to reference data for white children in NHANES-1. Overweight was defined as greater than or equal to 90th percentiles, while obesity was defined as greater than or equal to 95th percentiles of age- and sex-specific reference data. Over the entire age range, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity between 1972 and 1983, but there was variation with age and sex. Fewer children were classified as overweight or obese when the two criteria were used together than when they were used individually. The results suggest that the body mass index and the triceps skinfold may vary in sensitivity as indicators of overweight and obesity particularly in 10- to 17-year-old children. Children classified as obese by the body mass index had significantly larger estimated midarm muscle circumferences than those classified as obese by the triceps skinfold or by both the body mass index and the triceps skinfold.     

Prevalence of obesity and overweight among adults in Iran

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in most developed and developing countries have been increasing markedly over the past two decades. This increase includes all ages, genders, racial and ethnic groups, income, and educational levels. This study examined the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults aged 25–55 years in Shiraz (Southern Iran). The data are based on a random multistage sample survey of 2282 married adults (1141 pairs) living is Shiraz, whose heights and weights were measured in the 2002–2003 academic year. The prevalence of overweight or obesity (body mass index ≥ 25) was 49.7% in men and 63.9% in women. The prevalence of obesity (body mass index ≥ 30) was 10.5% and 22.5% in men and women, respectively, which shows an increased secular change of 5.8% in men and 17.4% in women during a 14‐year period. Overweight and obesity are common in Iran. Obesity and overweight were significantly more common among women than among men (P‐valve = 0.000). There is a need to establish programmes for prevention and treatment of obesity especially Iranian's women.