Factors associated with abdominal obesity among childbearing-age women

OBJECTIVE: To investigate variables potentially associated with abdominal obesity among childbearing-age women. METHODS: A total of 781 women were studied based on data from the Nutrition and Health Survey conducted in 1996 in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist girth (WG) > 80 cm or waist:hips girth ratio (WHR) > 0.85. Statistical analysis involved calculation of central trend measures. Calculating the odds ratio using multivariate logistic regression tested the association between abdominal obesity and BMI, age, parity, and tobacco use. RESULTS: The highest frequencies of abdominal obesity were observed in women over 35 years of age and those with two or more children (50.7%). OR showed the effect of interaction between parity and age for WG>80 cm when only the effect of these two variables was controlled. Based on the logistic regression models, the study showed that when the population was categorized into women with and without overweight, schooling was the only factor associated with WHR, while the association with age and parity disappeared for WG>80 cm. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal obesity in this population group is independent of age and parity when adjusted by relative weight, with overall adiposity and schooling as the greatest determinant. Having more schooling meant having a smaller WHR. It is crucial to implement strategies to prevent the development of obesity in childbearing-age women.     

Association between Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies and subfertility in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC 1966), at the age of 31 years

The objective of this study was to assess the serological association between previous Chlamydia trachomatis infection and subfertility in a general population sample. A nested case (n = 493)-control (n = 986) study in a population-based birth cohort consisting of 12,058 live births from the year 1966 was conducted. The analysis was restricted to those 6007 cohort members who replied to a postal inquiry and participated in a health examination including blood samples at the age of 31 years. The presence of C. trachomatis-specific serum IgG antibodies was screened by a synthetic peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All the positive sera were further tested by the microimmunofluorescence method using immunotype pools and individual immunotypes of C. trachomatis as antigens. An association was found between the detection of immunotype-specific C. trachomatis antibodies and subfertility both in men and women. The results of the present study confirm the serological association between past C. trachomatis infections and subfertility in male or female partners of the couple in the population-based sample.     

Visceral abdominal fat is correlated with whole-body fat and physical activity among 8-y-old children at risk of obesity

BACKGROUND: Abdominal fat is more related to health risk than is whole-body fat. Determining the factors related to children's visceral fat could result in interventions to improve child health. OBJECTIVE: Given the effects of physical activity on adults' visceral fat, it was hypothesized that, after accounting for whole-body fat, physical activity would be inversely related to children's visceral (VAT), but not to subcutaneous (SAT), abdominal adipose tissue. DESIGN: In this cross-sectional observational study conducted in forty-two 8-y-old children (21 boys, 21 girls) at risk of obesity [>75th body mass index (BMI) percentile, with at least one overweight parent], familial factors (eg, maternal BMI), historic weight-related factors (eg, birth weight), and the children's current physical activity (self-reported and measured with accelerometry) and diet were examined as potential correlates of the children's whole-body composition (measured with BMI and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and abdominal fat distribution (measured by magnetic resonance imaging). RESULTS: Accelerometer-measured physical activity was related to whole-body fat (r = -0.32, P < 0.10), SAT (r = -0.29, P < 0.10), and VAT (r = -0.43, P < 0.05). In regression models, whole-body fat was positively associated with and the only significant correlate of SAT. Whole-body fat was positively related and accelerometer-measured physical activity was negatively and independently related to the children's VAT. CONCLUSIONS: Both SAT and VAT in 8-y-old children at risk of obesity are most closely associated with whole-body fat. However, after control for whole-body fat, greater physical activity is only associated with lower VAT, not SAT, in these children.     

Understanding income inequalities in health among men and women in Britain and Finland.

The aims of this study were to investigate whether the relationship between income and self-perceived health is similar for men and women in two contrasting welfare states, Britain and Finland; whether the relationship between income and health is accounted for by employment status, education, and occupational social class; and whether the association differs when using alternative ways of measuring income: gross individual and net household equivalent income. Among British and Finnish men, low household and low individual income were related to poor health, even after adjusting for employment status, education, and social class. The adjusted relationship between individual income and health was stronger for British than Finnish men. Among British and Finnish women, net household equivalent income was strongly related to health, but after adjusting for employment status, education, and social class this relationship became weaker for British women and practically disappeared for Finnish women. For British women the association between income and health differed strongly depending on the income measure used; gross individual income had almost no effect on health. These results indicate that the association between health and income has no threshold in the sense that only people in poverty have poorer health than others. In further studies of income and health, household equivalent income should be used as the principal measure of income with adjustments for employment status, and men and women should be studied separately.     

The longitudinal study of the Northern Finland birth cohort of 1966

The Northern Finland birth cohort comprises 12,058 live births in 1966-96.3% of all births in the region. The investigation was started during pregnancy and the last follow-up of the total series was at the age of 14 years, when the coverage was still large. Smaller samples of the children and data for the study population from national registers were also examined for the older age groups. The health and development of the children was studied, with special emphasis placed on obtaining reliable incidence figures for neurological handicaps and their correlation with perinatal events. In particular, the correlation between low birthweight and handicapping conditions was documented thoroughly. The indicators predictive of low birthweight among the biological characteristics of the mother and the social conditions of the mother and family, included maternal smoking during pregnancy. The latter was associated not only with adverse perinatal outcome but also with reduction in educational achievement and height among survivors.     

Predictors of sexual behaviour among men and women in New York City area prisons

The USA currently has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Individuals at greatest risk for HIV also tend to be among those at an elevated risk for incarceration. The HIV epidemic is driven by injection drug use and sexual behaviour, and estimates of prison-based sexual behaviour vary widely. This study examined sexual behaviour among 1369 incarcerated men and women in the New York City area. Approximately 13% of the sample (n = 176) reported being sexually active while incarcerated over the previous 6 months. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the predictors of prison sexual behaviour. The following variables were associated with increased odds of sexual activity in the previous six months: female gender (OR = 3.28; 95%CI = 1.95,5.51), Black race (OR = 2.26; 95%CI = 1.47,3.46), history of drug use (OR = 1.85; 95%CI = 1.04,3.30), bisexual (OR = 3.19; 95%CI = 1.90,5.38) or homosexual identity (OR = 8.50; 95%CI = 3.92,18.43) and conjugal visitation programme participation (OR = 66.26; 95%CI = 31.42,139.74). Educational programmes regarding sexually transmitted infections and appropriate harm reduction measures are warranted for this population. The expansion of conjugal visitation programmes may also be useful in helping prisoners sustain their relationships with partners from their community and reduce the risk of infectious disease transmission in this environment.     

Total and abdominal obesity among rural Chinese women and the association with hypertension

Objective

Obesity increases the risk of hypertension and other chronic diseases, which are little known in rural China. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiologic features and the association with hypertension of obesity in rural Chinese women.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2004 through 2006, which used a multistage cluster sampling method to select a representative sample in Liaoning Province, China. In total 23 178 rural participants at least 35 y of age were examined (the percentage of subjects >64 y old was 14.5%). Data on demographic variables (age, sex, and race), smoking status, use of alcohol, physical activity, and education level were obtained by interview. Overweight and obesity were defined according to the World Health Organization classification. Hypertension was defined according to the criteria established by the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee, and untreated hypertensive subjects were further classified into three subtypes: isolated systolic hypertension, isolated diastolic hypertension, and systolic and diastolic hypertension. Multivariable models and performed Poisson logistic regression analysis were used to determine associations among body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and variables.

Results

Overall, the prevalences of overweight and obesity were 24.4% and 2.7%, respectively, as defined by BMI, whereas the prevalences were 48.6% and 4.9% as defined by waist circumference. Poisson regression revealed that high levels of physical activity (defined by BMI, moderate: prevalence ratio [PR] 0.976, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.965-0.988, high: PR 0.985, 95% CI 0.971-0.999; defined by waist circumference, moderate: PR 0.955, 95% CI 0.944-0.965, high: PR 0.973, 95% CI 0.960-0.985) and current smoking status (defined by BMI, PR 0.950, 95% CI 0.938-0.962; defined by waist circumference, PR 0.966, 95% CI 0.954-0.978) were protective factors and ethnicity was a risk factor (defined by BMI, Mongolian nationality: PR 1.042, 95% CI 1.030-1.054; defined by waist circumference, PR 1.043, 95% CI 1.033-1.054) for overweight or obese participants. There were other risk factors for overweight or obese participants such as high levels of education defined by BMI (PR 1.033, 95% CI 1.010-1.058) and diet score defined by waist circumference (PR 1.004, 95% CI 1.000-1.008). After adjustment, BMI and waist circumference were associated with the greatest likelihood of systolic and diastolic hypertension (for BMI ≥30 kg/m², PR 2.455, 95% CI 1.786-3.374; for waist circumference ≥88 cm, PR 1.517, 95% CI 1.133-2.031). BMI was more related to isolated diastolic hypertension than to isolated systolic hypertension, whereas waist circumference was more related to isolated systolic hypertension than to isolated diastolic hypertension.

Conclusion

Although the prevalence of overweight and obesity as defined by BMI was low, it was relatively high as defined by waist circumference in rural Chinese women. High levels of physical activity and current smoking status had negative relations to overweight or obesity, whereas ethnicity, high levels of education, and diet score showed positive relations. Obese women defined by BMI or waist circumference had an increased risk of hypertension.     

Predictors of disability among midlife men and women: Differences by severity of impairment

This study examines the influences on disability among men and women controlling for the degree of functional incapacity imposed by chronic illness or impairment. The associations between demographic, attitude, social role characteristics and disability are separately examined for persons with mild and severe levels of limitation in order to determine whether different factors are associated with disability when impairment is mild as opposed to severe. Separate logit regressions are estimated for four sex/severity groups using data from the 1978 Survey of Disability and Work. It is hypothesized that among persons with severe impairments, only demographic variables will be significantly associated with disability because the severity of limitations would make other factors unimportant, while among persons who are mildly impaired attitudes and social roles will be important influences. Contrary to these expectations, the factors associated with disability are similar among the four sex/severity groups. In all four groups the presence of pain and fatigue strongly influence disability while gender roles are generally not associated with disability. Attitudes regarding the importance of work for self-esteem are also found to be associated with reports of disability. An unexpected outcome of this analysis is an indication of what predicts theabsence of disability among severely impaired persons. In particular, persons who report that their sense of self-esteem is tied to work are least likely to report disability. These findings suggest which non-medical factors may contribute to the maintenance of usual work roles and life activities among persons with severe levels of impairment. They also identify variables which may link impairment and disability across all levels of severity.Nancy R. Mudrick, Ph.D. is Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Syracuse University! Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Nancy R. Mudrick, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. This research has been supported by grant No. AG04347 from the National Institute on Aging. The author is grateful for their support and for the research assistance of Emelda Tabao-Driscoll.     

Comparison of abdominal adiposity and overall obesity in predicting risk of type 2 diabetes among men

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, few studies have compared the predictive power of overall obesity with that of central obesity. The cutoffs for waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) as measures of abdominal adiposity remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare body mass index (BMI), WC, and WHR in predicting type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study (Health Professionals Follow-Up Study) of 27 270 men was conducted. WC, WHR, and BMI were assessed at baseline. Covariates and potential confounders were assessed repeatedly during the follow-up. RESULTS: During 13 y of follow-up, we documented 884 incident type 2 diabetes cases. Age-adjusted relative risks (RRs) across quintiles of WC were 1.0, 2.0, 2.7, 5.0, and 12.0; those of WHR were 1.0, 2.1, 2.7, 3.6, and 6.9; and those of BMI were 1.0, 1.1, 1.8, 2.9, and 7.9 (P for trend < 0.0001 for all). Multivariate adjustment for diabetes risk factors only slightly attenuated these RRs. Adjustment for BMI substantially attenuated RRs for both WC and WHR. The receiver operator characteristic curve analysis indicated that WC and BMI were similar and were better than WHR in predicting type 2 diabetes. The cumulative proportions of type 2 diabetes cases identified according to medians of BMI (>/=24.8), WC (>/=94 cm), and WHR (>/=0.94) were 82.5%, 83.6%, and 74.1%, respectively. The corresponding proportions were 78.9%, 50.5%, and 65.7% according to the recommended cutoffs. CONCLUSIONS: Both overall and abdominal adiposity strongly and independently predict risk of type 2 diabetes. WC is a better predictor than is WHR. The currently recommended cutoff for WC of 102 cm for men may need to be reevaluated; a lower cutoff may be more appropriate.     

中国育龄女性腹型肥胖相关因素的纵向多水平分析

目的纵向分析身体活动、静坐时间和膳食摄入水平对中国育龄女性腰围、腹型肥胖的影响。方法在"中国健康与营养调查"于2004、2006、2009、2011、2015年的五轮调查中,选择至少参加过两轮调查的2951名15~49岁的育龄女性为研究对象,采用问卷调查收集身体活动和静坐时间数据、采用连续3天24小时回顾法收集食物消费数据。采用方差分析对连续性变量的时间差异进行分析,采用卡方检验对分类变量的时间分布差异进行分析,采用线性多水平模型分析不同身体活动、静坐时间和膳食摄入水平与腰围的关系,采用Logistic多水平模型分析不同身体活动、静坐时间和膳食摄入水平与腹型肥胖的患病风险。结果将身体活动、静坐时间和膳食摄入水平分别纳入多水平模型后,与低水平休闲身体活动相比,中等水平休闲身体活动组的腰围增加了0.47 cm(P=0.025);与低水平电视时间相比,中、高水平电视时间组的腰围分别增加0.49 cm(P=0.033)和0.58 cm(P=0.013),发生腹型肥胖的相对危险度分别是1.13(P=0.049)和1.17(P=0.010);与深色蔬菜摄入不足组相比,摄入充足组的腰围减少0.82 cm(P<0.001),发生腹型肥胖的相对危险度是0.87(P=0.028);与低水平糕点摄入组相比,高水平摄入组的腰围增加1.16 cm(P<0.001),发生腹型肥胖的相对危险度是1.33(P<0.001)。将身体活动、静坐时间和膳食摄入水平同时纳入多水平模型后,电视时间和膳食摄入水平与腰围及腹型肥胖仍然存在统计学意义,且统计值相差不大。与低水平电视时间相比,中、高水平电视时间组的腰围分别增加0.54 cm (P=0.028)和0.58 cm (P=0.025),发生腹型肥胖的相对危险度为1.15(P=0.034)和1.18(P=0.011);与深色蔬菜摄入不足组相比,摄入充足组的腰围减少0.80 cm(P<0.001),发生腹型肥胖的相对危险度是0.87(P=0.027);与低水平糕点摄入组相比,高水平摄入组的腰围增加1.13 cm(P<0.001),发生腹型肥胖的相对危险度是1.32(P<0.001)。身体活动水平与腰围及腹型肥胖无统计学意义。结论电视时间、膳食因素(深色蔬菜摄入不足、糕点摄入过多)是影响中国育龄女性腹型肥胖的独立危险因素。除了加强体育活动外,预防育龄女性腹型肥胖还应该加强减少电视时间、推广适当膳食行为(增加深色蔬菜摄入、减少糕点摄入)的干预措施。     

Country of birth, acculturation status and abdominal obesity in a national sample of Mexican-American women and men

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the influence of country of birth and acculturation status on indicators of obesity using national samples of Mexican-American women and men. METHODS: We analysed data for 1387 Mexican-American women and 1404 Mexican- American men, ages 25-64, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). We examined whether waist circumference and abdominal obesity varied by country of birth and acculturation status (primary language spoken), and whether among those with abdominal obesity, number of associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors varied by country of birth and acculturation status. RESULTS: Both country of birth and, to a lesser degree, acculturation status were significantly associated with waist circumference and abdominal obesity. Mexican-born women and men had the smallest waist circumference (90.4 cm, 94.0 cm respectively), US-born English-speaking women and men had intermediate waist circumference (93.6 cm, 97.3 cm), and US-born Spanish-speaking women and men had the largest waist circumference (96.9 cm, 97.7 cm), after accounting for age, education, per cent of energy from dietary fat, leisure-time physical activity, and smoking. All women had high prevalences of abdominal obesity, particularly US-born Spanish-speaking women (68.7%). In addition, US-born Spanish-speaking women with abdominal obesity were significantly more likely than their counterparts to have one or more of the following CVD risk factors: high serum insulin, non-insulin dependent diabetes, high blood lipids, and/or hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: These findings illustrate the heterogeneity of the Mexican-American population and suggest that country of birth and lack of acculturation to the majority culture, as well as secondary lifestyle changes, may explain the significant clinical differences observed in abdominal obesity within Mexican-American population subgroups.     

Predictors of iron status in well-nourished 4-y-old children

BACKGROUND: Iron status in childhood is influenced by diet. Other factors affecting iron status at that age are unclear. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to evaluate iron status in 4-y-old children, to track that status from infancy to childhood, and to examine the associations of iron status with dietary factors, growth, and heredity. DESIGN: This study consisted of a longitudinal follow-up at age 4 y of children (n = 127) from the cohort of a study that began at age 6 mo. Blood samples and anthropometry were assessed in both children and their parents; food records were collected from children only. RESULTS: Dietary intake was not significantly correlated with hemoglobin concentrations, whereas the consumption of meat products had a positive effect on serum ferritin concentrations and mean corpuscular volume in boys (P = 0.015 and 0.04, respectively). The prevalences of anemia and iron deficiency were low, affecting 2 (1.8%) and 3 (2.8%) children, respectively; no child had iron deficiency anemia. There was significant within-subject tracking of hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume from age 6 mo to 4 y. The mother's but not the father's hemoglobin correlated with the child's hemoglobin over time. CONCLUSIONS: Food choices had little effect on iron status. Hemoglobin concentrations and mean corpuscular volume were tracked from infancy to childhood. In healthy, well-nourished children with a low prevalence of iron deficiency, the mother's hemoglobin was significantly associated with that of her child, but the underlying mechanism is unclear.     

Hospitalizations in adolescence and early adulthood among Swedish men and women born preterm or small for gestational age

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth and reduced intrauterine growth appear to be related to morbidity in childhood and later adulthood. We studied whether the risk of all-cause hospitalization in adolescence and early adulthood differed between individuals who were born preterm or small for gestational age (SGA) compared with those born at term and appropriate for gestational age. METHODS: Using Swedish registries, we followed 304,275 men and women born in 1973-1975 for any hospitalizations occurring in 1987-1996. Preterm birth was defined as <37 weeks of gestation and SGA as babies smaller than 2 standard deviations below the mean weight for gestational length, according to Swedish standards. We created 3 mutually exclusive categories: "preterm" (<37 weeks and not SGA), "SGA" (SGA and not preterm), and "both preterm and SGA." The comparison group was all term births not SGA. Childhood socioeconomic characteristics were accounted for in the analyses. RESULTS: The overall risk of hospitalization was higher for men and women born SGA (adjusted odds ratio = 1.16; 95% confidence interval = 1.12-1.21), for those born preterm (1.06; 1.02-1.10), and for those born both preterm and SGA (1.42; 1.26-1.59). In addition to higher risks for previously reported adverse health outcomes, such as neurodevelopment sequelae and congenital anomalies, men and women born SGA or preterm were more likely to be hospitalized due to unspecified symptoms. SGA also appeared to be associated with genitourinary diseases and drug use. CONCLUSIONS: Men and women born SGA or preterm were at higher risk for hospitalization during adolescence and early adulthood, with men and women born SGA more at risk than those born preterm.     

Obesity and education: recent trends and disparities among 65- to 84-year-old men and women in Finland

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze trends and disparities in obesity by education among Finnish men and women aged 65-84 years from 1993 to 2003. METHOD.: Data were derived from nationally representative monitoring surveys conducted biennially from 1993 to 2003 by the National Public Health Institute (KTL). In total, 5740 men and 5746 women were included in the study (response rate 80%). Obesity was set as body mass index (BMI) >or=30, based on self-reported measurements. Age adjusted trends were examined by education and gender. A logistic regression model was used to study educational disparities in obesity. RESULTS: Obesity trends were similar among men and women. The prevalence of obesity increased in both educational groups over the ten-year period. Throughout the period, those with lower education had higher risk of obesity, and educational disparities persisted at about the same level. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is increasing among older people. Information on continuing socioeconomic disparities in obesity is important for those targeting health promotion activities.     

Predictors of sudden cardiac death among Hawaiian-Japanese men

A cohort of 7,591 middle-aged Hawaiian-Japanese men free at initial examination of evidence of coronary heart disease or stroke were followed starting in 1965. Between 1965 and 1983, 1,342 of these men died; 229 deaths occurred less than 24 hours after the onset of the terminal episode, of which 98 deaths occurred in less than one hour. In the category of deaths occurring less than one hour after onset, the risk characteristics of those whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease and those whose deaths were attributed to an unknown cause were similar. It is appropriate to combine them as "sudden cardiac death." In the category of deaths occurring one to 24 hours after onset, the risk characteristics of those whose deaths were attributed to coronary heart disease and those whose deaths were attributed to an unknown cause differed. It is not appropriate to assume coronary heart disease as the underlying cause of death in this unknown cause group. The predictors of sudden cardiac death were blood pressure, serum cholesterol, serum glucose, cigarette smoking, history of parental heart attack, and electrocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy or strain. Inversely related to risk were alcohol intake and the number of years spent in Japan. No factor distinguished those at risk for sudden cardiac death from those at risk for other manifestations of coronary heart disease.