Changes in body fat percentage during body weight stable conditions of increased daily protein intake vs. control

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine if increased protein intake vs. control influences body fat percentage during stable body weight.

Design

Body composition was assessed before and after a 3-month isoenergetic dietary intervention of 2MJ/d supplements exchanged with 2MJ/d of habitual ad libitum energy intake. The parallel design consisted of protein-rich supplements in the protein group (n = 12) and an isoenergetic combination of carbohydrate and fat supplements in the control group (n = 12). Daily protein intake was calculated from a 24 h urinary nitrogen. Body composition was measured by a combination of underwater-weighing technique, deuterium-dilution technique and whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a method that allows for estimation of 4-body compartments (fat and lean; water, bone and rest).

Results

Subjects were weight stable and did not change their habitual physical activity. Daily protein intake increased in the protein group during the intervention compared to baseline with + 11 ± 14 g (P < 0.05) vs. the control group that did not change their protein intake − 1 ± 15 g. This resulted in a significant difference in protein intake during the intervention of 80 ± 21 g of the protein group vs. 59 ± 11 g of the control group (P < 0.01). Change in body fat percentage showed a significant group × time interaction of decreased body fat percentage of − 1.0 ± 1.1% of the protein group vs. 0.1 ± 0.6% of the control group (P < 0.05). The group × time interaction of change in fat mass was significant (P < 0.05), and change in fat-free mass was a trend (P = 0.05). Fat-free mass of the protein group had increased with + 0.9 ± 0.6 kg (P < 0.01), and fat mass had decreased with − 0.6 ± 0.8 kg (P < 0.05), while the control group had not changed.

Conclusion

During increased daily protein intake vs. control body fat percentage decreased with unchanged physical activity during 3 months of stable body weight.     

Development and validation of two equations estimating body composition for overweight and obese postmenopausal women

Objective

The aim of this study was to develop and validate two equations that best predict body composition of overweight and obese postmenopausal women.

Methods

Bioelectrical impedance analyses (BIAs) and anthropometric data such as circumferences and skinfolds were incorporated in the development of these two equations, respectively, while dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used as the reference method. A total number of 196 overweight and obese Greek postmenopausal women were used (131 subjects to develop the equations, and 65 to validate them).

Results

The BIA equation was: (FFM) = 38.475 + 0.207 × Wt − 0.092 × Rz/Ht² + 0.291 × Xc/Ht² (R² = 0.800, p < 0.0001) and the anthropometry equation was FM = −31.913 + 0.333 × GC + 0.840 × body mass index (BMI) + 0.064 × (biceps + triceps skinfold) (R² = 0.835, p < 0.0001). Both equations were found to result in unbiased estimates. Regarding reliability, BIA equation was found to be more reliable compared to existing ones when applied to this population. Additionally, BIA equation was more reliable compared to the anthropometric equation (±3.12642 kg vs. ±5.2342 kg limits of agreement, respectively).

Conclusion

These conclude that the equations developed in the current study are more reliable than the existing ones in the literature, and could be applied for assessing body composition in clinical practice and research.     

Changes in body composition following a dietary and lifestyle intervention trial: The postmenopausal health study

Objective

To examine whether dietary changes and the consumption of dairy products fortified with calcium and vitamin D₃ versus the use of a calcium supplement alone could have any effect on anthropometric and body composition indices of postmenopausal women over a 12-month period.

Methods

101 healthy postmenopausal women were randomized to a dietary intervention group (DG: n = 39), receiving approximately 1200 mg of calcium and 7.5 μg of vitamin D₃ per day via fortified dairy products and attending biweekly dietary and lifestyle intervention sessions; a calcium supplemented group (CaG: n = 26) receiving a total of 1200 mg calcium per day; and a control group who continued with their usual diet (CG: n = 36). Dietary, physical activity, anthropometric, body composition and distribution (based on DXA) data were collected at baseline and after 12 months of intervention.

Results

No significant differences were observed in the mean 12-month changes in certain anthropometric (i.e. weight, BMI) and DXA (i.e. total body fat and lean mass) indices between groups. However, the DG was found to have a lower decrease in mid-arm muscle circumference (P < 0.001) and a lower increase in the sum of skinfolds’ thickness (P = 0.042) compared with the CaG and the CG. Furthermore, the DG was also found to have a greater decrease in the percentage of legs’ fat mass (P = 0.025) and a higher increase in the percentage of legs’ lean mass (P = 0.012) compared with the two other groups.

Conclusion

The application of a holistic intervention approach combining nutrition and lifestyle counseling with consumption of fortified dairy products for 12 months was found to have favourable changes in certain anthropometric and body composition indices compared to calcium supplementation alone.     

Orange juice improved lipid profile and blood lactate of overweight middle-aged women subjected to aerobic training

Objective

This study investigated how consumption of orange juice associated with aerobic training affected serum lipids and physical characteristics of overweight, middle-aged women.

Methods

The experimental group consisted of 13 women who consumed 500 mL/d of orange juice and did 1 h aerobic training 3 times a week for 3 months. The control group consisted of another 13 women who did the same aerobic training program but did not consume orange juice.

Results

At the end of the experiment, the control group lost an average of 15% of fat mass (P < 0.05) and 2.5% of weight (P < 0.05), whereas the experimental group lost 11% of fat mass and 1.2% of weight (P < 0.05). Consumption of orange juice by the experimental group was associated with increased dietary intake of vitamin C and folate by 126% and 61% respectively. Serum LDL-C decreased 15% (P < 0.05) and HDL-C increased 18% (P < 0.05) in the experimental group, but no significant change was observed in the control group. Both groups improved the anaerobic threshold by 20% (P < 0.05), but blood lactate concentration decreased 27% in the experimental group compared to the 17% control group, suggesting that experimental group has less muscle fatigue and better response to training.

Conclusions

The consumption of 500 mL/d of orange juice associated with aerobic training in overweight women decreased cardiovascular disease risk by reducing LDL-C levels and increasing HDL-C levels. This association also decreased blood lactate concentration and increased anaerobic threshold, showing some improvement in the physical performance.     

Disease-specific education in the primary care setting increases the knowledge of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomized controlled trial

Objective

To examine the effect of brief disease-specific education delivered in primary care on objective measures of knowledge in individuals recently diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

A randomized control trial was undertaken during which an experimental group received 2 h of education delivered by a certified COPD educator and a control group received usual care. The Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ) was self-administered at the time of randomization and approximately three months later.

Results

Of the 93 individuals that completed the study, 50 (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV₁] = 60.0 ± 14.3% predicted; 22 males) and 43 (FEV₁ = 58.2 ± 14.4% predicted; 20 males) participants were randomized to the experimental and control groups, respectively. The BCKQ increased from 27.6 ± 8.7 to 36.5 ± 7.7 points (p < 0.001) in the experimental group, which was greater than any seen in the control group (between-group difference 8.3, 95% confidence interval 5.5-11.2 points).

Conclusion

As little as 2 h of education delivered in primary care was effective at increasing objective measures of disease-specific knowledge.

Practice implications

A program of brief education delivered in the primary care setting, represents an important approach for many individuals with COPD who are unlikely to access pulmonary rehabilitation.     

Metabolic transitions at menopause: In post-menopausal women the increase in serum uric acid correlates with abdominal adiposity as assessed by DXA

Objectives

The present study aimed to investigate any associations between parameters of body fat mass distribution and levels of serum uric acid (sUA), a well-documented cardiovascular risk factor, among non-obese women ranging from pre- to post-menopausal status.

Methods

In this cross-sectional population-based study we assessed body fat distribution by dual-energy-X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and sUA levels in 101 pre- and 134 post-menopausal non-obese apparently healthy women.

Results

Multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed that sUA was independently associated to the indicators of overall fatness, i.e. body mass index (β = 0.339, p < 0.001) and DXA-assessed total and percentage body fat (β = 0.366, p < 0.001 and β = 0.412, p < 0.001, respectively), only among post-menopausal women. Within this sample subset, trunk (i.e. central) fat mass emerged as a strong predictor of sUA (β = 0.408, p < 0.001), after taking the potential confounders (including body mass index) into account.

Conclusion

Central fat accumulation was found to be independently associated with higher sUA levels among non-obese women in post- but not among those in pre-menopause.     

Genetic associations with acute stress-related changes in eating in the absence of hunger

Background

Acute psychological stress is associated with eating in the absence of hunger.

Objective

To investigate if BclI and FTO polymorphisms are associated with eating in the absence of hunger as a result of acute psychological stress.

Methods

FTO (rs9939609) and BclI were genotyped in 98 subjects (BMI = 23.9 ± 3.3 kg/m²). In a randomized crossover design, the ‘eating in absence of hunger’ protocol was measured as a function of acute stress vs. a control task and of STAI (State Trait Anxiety Index) state scores.

Results

In comparison with the FTO T allele, the A allele was associated with an increased feelings of hunger after food intake in the stress (11 ± 10 vs. 18 ± 15, p < 0.01) and control condition (12 ± 9 vs. 16 ± 12, p < 0.05), even though food intake was not different. For the first time, it was observed that in comparison to the BclI C/C genotype, the BclI G/G genotype was associated with higher STAI states scores at 0, 10, and 20 min after the stress condition (30.8 ± 6.4 vs. 36.3 ± 8.2; 28.3 ± 5.5 vs. 32.3 ± 7.5; 27.7 ± 6.1 vs. 31.2 ± 7.5, p < 0.05). Additionally, the BclI G/G genotype was associated with a larger difference in energy intake between the stress and control condition, in comparison with the BclI C/C genotype (136.6 ± 220.4 vs. 29.4 ± 176.3 kJ, p < 0.04).

Conclusion

In concordance with previous studies, the FTO A allele is related to a lower feeling of hunger after a standardized meal. For the first time, the BclI G/G genotype is shown to be associated with increased sensitivity to psychological stress, and increased eating in the absence of hunger after stress.

Practice implications

Interventions to reduce body weight should consider the subjects’ genetic background.     

Vitamin D deficiency and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women receiving aromatase inhibitors for early breast cancer

Objective

Aromatase inhibitors (AI) treatment leads to an increased risk of bone loss and fractures. In a group of women with early breast cancer (EBC) and baseline Vitamin D deficiency (<30 ng/ml) who are treated with AI, we aim to describe: serum levels of Vitamin D, bone mineral density (BMD), calcium intake, and the increase of serum 25(OH)D accomplished in 3 months of treatment with Vitamin D supplements.

Study design

Prospective, non-randomized clinical trial.

Methods

In 232 consecutively included women with EBC in treatment with AI, we assessed baseline calcium intake, serum levels of 25(OH)D, BMD and, spine X-ray. All received Calcium and Vitamin D supplements, and those with vitamin deficiency received 16,000 IU Vitamin D every 2 weeks. Serum levels of 25(OH)D were newly assessed after treatment. All the baseline evaluation was performed before starting AI treatment.

Results

Mean age at baseline (±SD) was 63.2 ± 8.8 years. In 150 (64.9%) cases, the women had been treated previously with tamoxifen; 101 (43.7%) started exemestane, 119 (51.5%) letrozole, and 11 (4.8%) anastrozole. The AI were initiated within 6 weeks after surgery or after the last cycle of chemotherapy.At baseline, 88.1% had 25(OH)D levels <30 ng/ml, 21.2% had severe deficiency (<10 ng/ml), and 25% of the participants had osteoporosis. Mean daily calcium intake was low (841 ± 338).We found a significant association between 25(OH)D levels and BMD at baseline, which remained significant in femoral neck BMD after multivariate adjustment.Plasma 25(OH)D levels improved significantly at 3 months follow-up in those treated with high dose Vitamin D supplements: mean increase 32.55 ng/ml (95%CI 28.06–37.03).

Conclusions

Our study suggests a high prevalence of commonly unrecognized Vitamin D deficiency in women with EBC treated with AI, a known osteopenic agent. Our results support the need for a routine assessment of 25(OH)D levels and, when necessary, supplementation in these patients.     

Menopause is an independent predictor of metabolic syndrome in Iranian women

Background

Gender differences in prevalence and consequences of the metabolic syndrome as a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), are challenging problems. Postmenopausal status may explain in part the cause of acceleration of CVD with aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation of menopause and metabolic syndrome independent of aging among Iranian women.

Methods

On the basis of consecutive recruitment, 940 women between 20 and 76 years old participated in the study. Anthropometric indices, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile were measured, Framingham risk score and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) were calculated for all participants. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. We used IDF definition for metabolic syndrome modified by our recent local data as an alternative measurements.

Results

The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 26.4%. Its prevalence was 53.5% in postmenopausal versus 18.3% in premenopausal women. On binary logistic regression analysis, HOMA index, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, family history of diabetes and hypertension had an independent and significant effect on metabolic syndrome. Age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of postmenopausal status for metabolic syndrome was 2.85 (95%CI: 1.31–6.20) (P < 0.008). Framingham risk score was 8.3 ± 7.7 in MetS+ve cases versus 1.9 ± 2.1 in MetS−ve cases (P < 0.001). There were significant differences between Framingham risk score in postmenopause 9.1 ± 6.4 versus premenopause 1.6 ± 1.6 (P < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between Framingham risk score and body mass index, waist to hip ratio, HOMA-IR and components of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.001). Forty percent of participants with premature menopause had metabolic syndrome versus 24% in age-matched group and Framingham risk score was significantly higher than normal cases 5.4 ± 4.9 versus 2.0 ± 2.3 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Menopausal status can be a predictor of metabolic syndrome independent of age in Iranian women. Menopause is a process closely related to insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors.     

Association of the (TAAAA)n repeat polymorphism of SHBG gene with the age at menopause in Greek postmenopausal women

Objective

To assess the potential association of the pentanucleotide (TAAAA)n repeat polymorphism in the promoter of SHBG gene with the age at menopause in a Greek female population.

Study design

Cross-sectional study. Two hundred and ten postmenopausal women aged 46–63 years were enrolled. The age at the last menstrual period and anthropometric parameters were recorded in all participants. Blood sampling for genotyping of the (TAAAA)n polymorphism of SHBG gene was performed.

Main outcome measure(s)

Frequency and association of the (TAAAA)_n alleles with age at menopause.

Results

The alleles with seven and eight TAAAA repeats were associated with the age at menopause. The age at menopause was higher in carriers than in non-carriers of the (TAAAA)₇ allele (50.2 ± 3.1 years vs. 48.0 ± 4.8 years, p = 0.026). Furthermore, the age at menopause was lower in women carrying the (TAAAA)₈ allele (47.5 ± 4.8 years) than in women not carrying this allele (48.8 ± 4.4 years, p = 0.048).

Conclusions

The (TAAAA)₇ and (TAAAA)₈ alleles of the SHBG (TAAAA)_n polymorphism may contribute to variation in the timing of natural menopause in postmenopausal women of Northwestern Greece.     

Autonomic function and change in insulin for exercising postmenopausal women

Purpose

Obesity, physical inactivity and altered estrogen metabolism play an integrated role contributing to the disease risk profiles of postmenopausal women. These same risk factors also affect modulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Methods

We examined 332 postmenopausal, overweight, previously sedentary women (mean ± SD; age, 57.6 ± 6.3 years; weight, 84.3 ± 11.9 kg; BMI, 31.7 ± 3.7 kg/m²) participating in a 6-month, moderate intensity, aerobic exercise training intervention to determine the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) derived autonomic function and fasting insulin. We analyzed quartiles of change in time and frequency domain indices of ANS activity and changes in insulin for between and within group differences using ANCOVA and Tukey post hoc tests adjusted for age, ethnicity, randomization group, change in fitness, and change in weight.

Results

We observed at baseline that insulin was positively correlated with body anthropometry (body weight, r² = 0.34; BMI, r² = 0.39; waist circumference, r² = 0.29; all, P < 0.001), and inversely associated with rMSSD (r² = −0.12) and SDNN (r² = −0.18; all, P < 0.01). After the intervention, changes in rMSSD (r² = −0.21, P < 0.002) and SDNN r² −0.19, P < 0.0001) were inversely correlated to insulin change. Further ANCOVA analysis revealed that rMSSD and SDNN were both significant (P < 0.0001); however, only rMSSD exhibited a step-wise pattern of improvement when quartiles of rMSSD were compared to corresponding insulin reductions: Q1 (referent group, 8.41 ± 3.2 uIU/ml), Q2 (−3.30 ± −3.2 uIU/ml), Q3 (−5.66 ± −3.2 uIU/ml; P < 0.02), and Q4 (−9.60 ± −3.2 uIU/ml; P < 0.006).

Conclusion

Our study shows that changes in autonomic function are associated with changes in insulin and that exercise training may influence this relationship in postmenopausal women.     

The profession of public health informatics: Still emerging?

Purpose

Although public health informatics (PHI) was defined in 1995, both then and still now it is an “emerging” profession. An emergent profession lacks a base of “technical specialized knowledge.” Therefore, we analyzed MEDLINE bibliographic citation records of the PHI literature to determine if a base of technical, specialized PHI literature exists, which could lead to the conclusion that PHI has emerged from its embryonic state.

Method

A MEDLINE search for PHI literature published from 1980-2006 returned 16,942 records. Record screening by two subject matter experts netted 2493 PHI records that were analyzed by the intervals of previous PHI CBMs 96-4 and 2001-2 for 1980-1995 (I₁₉₈₀) and 1996-2000 (I₁₉₉₆), respectively, and a new, third interval of 2001-2006 (I₂₀₀₁).

Results

The distribution of records was 676 (I₁₉₈₀), 839 (I₁₉₉₆) and 978 (I₂₀₀₁). Annual publication rates were 42 (I₁₉₈₀), 168 (I₁₉₉₆), and 163 (I₂₀₀₁). Cumulative publications were accelerating. A subset of 19 (2.5%) journals accounted for 730 (29.3%) of the records. The journal subset average (±SD) annual publication rates of 0.7 ± 0.6 (I₁₉₈₀), 2.9 ± 1.9 (I₁₉₉₆), and 3.1 ± 2.7 (I₂₀₀₁) were different, F(3, 64) = 7.12, p < .05. Only I₁₉₈₀ was different (p < .05) from I₁₉₉₆ or I₂₀₀₁. Average (±SE) annual rate of increase for all journals (8.4 ± 0.8 publications per year) was different from the subset of 19 (2.7 ± 0.3), t(36) = 5.74, p < .05. MeSH first time-to-indexing narrowed from 7.3 (±4.3) years to the year (0.5 ± 0.8) the term was introduced, t(30) = 7.03, p < .05.

Conclusion

A core set of journals, the proliferation of PHI articles in varied and numerous journals, and rapid uptake of MeSH suggest PHI is acquiring professional authority and now should not be tagged as an “emerging” profession.     

Thalidomide alleviates acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury via down-regulation of NFκB induced TNF-α

Aims

We studied the effect of thalidomide on NFκB-induced TNF-α in acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury in the rat.

Methods

Rats were intragastrically administered thalidomide (100 mg/kg) daily for 8 days and then acute pancreatitis was induced by retrograde infusion of 5% sodium taurocholate into the rat biliopancreatic duct. Serum amylase (AMY), blood oxygen partial pressure (PaO₂), ratios of lung wet/dry weight, and cytoplasmic IκBα and TNF-α protein and nuclear NFκBp65 protein were measured. Also, lung NFκBp65 and TNF-α mRNA were measured.

Results

Compared with the model group, the pathological score of the pancreas and lung, serum AMY, ratios of lung wet/dry weight, and lung NFκBp65 and TNF-α mRNA and protein of rats given thalidomide were decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but PaO₂ and IκBα protein was elevated significantly (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Thalidomide may inhibit TNF-α expression via down-regulation of the NFκB signaling pathway to alleviate acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury in rats.     

Uremic anorexia and ghrelin expression in the amygdala

Background/aims

Ghrelin can act as a signal for mealtime hunger and meal initiation. Amygdala is indispensable in appetitive behavior motivated by learned emotions. This study was to investigate the alteration of ghrelin in the amygdala of rats with chronic renal failure (CRF) and its relation with uremic anorexia.

Methods

SD rats were randomly classified into CRF group and control group (n = 16 per group). The CRF model was constructed using 5/6 nephrectomy. When plasma creatinine (PCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in the CRF group were twice more than the normal level, food intake (g/24 h) was measured and then all rats were killed for detection of ghrelin protein expression in the amygdala using immunohistochemical analysis and mRNA expression using RT-PCT. Statistics was conducted with one-way analysis of variance, Student–Newman–Keuls-q test and correlation analysis.

Results

By the 8th week after the surgery, the BUN and PCr of CRF rats exceeded double the normal level, and their food intake was obviously decreased compared with the controls (P < 0.05). The protein and mRNA expression of ghrelin in the amygdala of CRF group were significantly reduced, and there was a positive correlation between this reduction and the decrease in food intake (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The reduction of amygdala's ghrelin in CRF rats may be associated with uremic anorexia.     

Effects of a nutritional intervention in obese postmenopausal women on atypical antipsychotics

Objectives

To investigate the effects of a nutritional intervention on the body weight, body composition, blood glucose and lipid levels of obese postmenopausal women taking atypical antipsychotics in Greece.

Study design

In a case–control design, 25 obese postmenopausal women treated with antipsychotic medications and 28 obese healthy comparisons were followed for 3 months. A nutritional program was individually designed for each participant.

Main outcome measures

At baseline and at 3 months of the study, anthropometric, body composition, blood glucose and lipid measurements were performed.

Results

Significant reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat and waist circumference were found both in the patients and their healthy comparisons from baseline to 3 months (P < 0.05). Patients reduced significantly less their BMI (P = 0.044) and body fat percentage compared to the healthy women (P = 0.023). Waist circumference was significantly reduced in both subject groups, with no significant difference found between them (P = 0.07). Glucose and lipid levels were not altered during the intervention in the patients’ group, while significant changes were observed in the healthy women in total cholesterol (P = 0.016), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.022) and triglycerides (P = 0.042).

Conclusions

Obese postmenopausal women on atypical antipsychotic medication appear to respond favorably to a nutritional program. The improvements seen in BMI and body fat are attenuated in the patients compared to their healthy counterparts; moreover no change in lipid levels was found in the patients’ group. These findings suggest that atypical antipsychotics may play an adverse role in fat loss and lipid metabolism in this population.     

Effects of raloxifene and hormone replacement therapy on forearm skin elasticity in postmenopausal women

Objectives

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases skin elasticity in postmenopausal women. However, the effects of raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), on skin degenerative changes in postmenopausal women remain unknown. We investigated whether raloxifene increases skin elasticity, similar to HRT, in postmenopausal women.

Methods

In a 12-month trial, 17 postmenopausal women (mean age, 66.4 ± 7.8 years) received continuous raloxifene treatment (60 mg/day), 19 women (56.2 ± 6.4 years) received continuous 17-β estradiol treatment using a patch (0.72 mg/2 days) plus cyclic medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5 mg/day, for 12 days/month), and 11 women (58.1 ± 7.3 years) did not receive either therapy. In each subject, the skin elasticity of the forearm was measured using a suction device at baseline and at 12 months after the start of the study.

Results

Raloxifene and HRT significantly increased skin elasticity from 52.4 ± 3.8% and 64.1 ± 7.2% at baseline to 55.1 ± 4.7% and 67.4 ± 7.4% after 12 months, respectively (P < 0.05, each), but the untreated subjects did not exhibit any significant change in skin elasticity during the study. The delta value for skin elasticity was significantly higher among the raloxifene and HRT subjects than among the untreated subjects (P < 0.05, each).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that raloxifene may have a beneficial effect on skin elasticity, which undergoes degenerative changes in postmenopausal women, in addition to its effects on bone metabolism.     

Concentraciones de interleucina-18 en preeclámpticas y embarazadas normotensas sanas

Objective

To compare concentrations of interleukin-18 in pre-eclampsia patients and healthy normotensive pregnant women.

Method

A total of 100 patients were selected. Fifty pre-eclamptic patients were selected as cases (group A) and a control group selected by having the same age and body mass index to study group, consisting of 50 healthy normotensive pregnant women. Blood samples were collected in all patients before labour and immediately after diagnosis in group B to determine interleukin-18 concentrations.

Results

There were no significant differences in relation to maternal age, gestation age and body mass index at the time of taking the sample (P = ns). There was a statistically significant difference in interleukin-18 concentrations between patients in cases group (group A; 38.6 ± 6.5 pg/ml) and patients in control group (group B; 32.2 ± 8.5 pg/ml; P < .05). There was a moderate, positive and significant correlation with systolic blood pressure values (r = 0.341; P < .05) and with diastolic blood pressure values (r = 0.408; P < .05).

Conclusions

Pre-eclampsia patients had significantly higher concentrations of interleukin-18 when compared with healthy normotensive pregnant women.     

Resistance training attenuates fat mass regain after weight loss in ovariectomized rats

Objective

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of maintaining only one of the two components of a food restriction (FR) + resistance training (RT) regimen on the regain of body weight and fat mass (liver and adipocytes) in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats.

Methods

Five week Ovx rats were submitted to a weight loss program consisting of a 26% FR combined with RT (OvxFR + RT) for 8 weeks. RT consisted of climbing a 1.5 m vertical grid with a load attached to the tail, 20–40 times with progressively increasing loads 4 times/week. Following this weight loss intervention, OvxFR + RT rats were sub-divided into 3 groups for an additional 5 weeks: 2 groups went back to a normal ad libitum feeding with or without RT and the other group kept only FR.

Results

Combined FR + RT program in Ovx rats led to lower body mass gain, liver triacylglycerol (TAG) levels, and fat mass gain compared to sedentary normally fed Ovx rats (P < 0.01). Stopping both FR and RT over a 5 week period resulted in the regain of body weight, intra-abdominal fat pad weight and liver TAG (P < 0.01). When only FR was maintained, the regain of body and fat pad weight as well as liver and plasma TAG concentrations was completely prevented. However, when only RT was maintained, regain in the aforementioned parameters was attenuated but not prevented (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

It is concluded that following a FR + RT weight loss program, continuation of only RT constitutes an asset to attenuate body weight and fat mass regain in Ovx rats; although the impact is less than the maintaining FR alone. These results suggest that, in post-menopausal women, RT is a positive strategy to reduce body weight and fat mass relapse.     

Intensive exercise: a remedy for childhood obesity?

Background

Acute exercise can affect the energy intake regulation, which is of major interest in terms of obesity intervention and weight loss.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that intensive exercise can affect the subsequent energy intake and balance in obese adolescents.

Design

The study was conducted in 2009 and enrolled 12 obese pubertal adolescents ages 14.4 ± 1.5 years old. Two exercise and one sedentary sessions were completed. The first exercise (EX₁) and sedentary session (SED) were randomly conducted 1 week apart. The second exercise session (EX₂) was conducted following 6 weeks of diet modification and physical activity (3 × 90 min/week) to produce weight loss. Energy intake was recorded, subjective appetite sensation was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scales and energy expenditure was measured using ActiHerats during EX₁, EX₂ and SED.

Results

Total energy intake over the awakened period was significantly reduced by 31% and 18% during the EX₁ and EX₂ sessions compared with the SED session, respectively (p < 0.01). Energy balance over the awakened period was negative during EX₁, neutral during EX₂ and positive during SED. There was no significant difference in terms of subjective appetite rates between sessions during the awakened hours.

Conclusions

Intensive exercise favors a negative energy balance by dually affecting energy expenditure and energy intake without changes in appetite sensations, suggesting that adolescents are not at risk of food frustration.     

Fuel utilisation during prolonged low-to-moderate intensity exercise when ingesting water or carbohydrate

Previously, we examined the effects of carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion on glucose kinetics during exercise at 70% of maximum O₂ uptake ( O_2,max). Here we repeat those studies in heavier cyclists (n=6 per group) cycling for 3 h at a similar absolute O₂ uptake but at a lower (55% of O_2,max) relative exercise intensity. During exercise, the cyclists were infused with a 2-³H-glucose tracer and ingested U-¹⁴C glucoselabelled solutions of either flavoured water (H₂O) or 10 g/100 ml glucose polymer, at a rate of 600 ml/h. Two subjects in the H₂O trial fatigued after 2.5 h of exercise. Their rates of glucose appearance (R _a) declined from 2.9±0.6 to 2.0±0.1 mmol/min (mean ± SEM) and, as their plasma glucose concentration [Glu] declined from 4.7±0.2 to below 3.5±0.2 mM, their rates of glucose oxidation (R _ox) and fat oxidation plateaued at 2.7±0.4 and 1.7±0.1 mmol/min respectively. In contrast, all subjects completed the CHO trial. Although CHO ingestion during exercise reduced the final endogenousR _a from 3.4±0.6 to 0.9±0.3 mmol/min at the end of exercise, it increased totalR _a to 5.5±0.5 mmol/min (P<0.05). A higher totalR _a with CHO ingestion raised [Glu] from 4.3±0.3 to 5.3±0.1 mM and acceleratedR _ox from 3.5±0.2 to 5.9±0.2 mmol/min after 180 min of exercise (P<0.05). The increased contribution to total energy production from glucose oxidation (34±1 vs. 20±1 %) decreased energy production from fat oxidation from 51±2 to 40±5% (P=0.08) and produced patterns of glucose, muscle glycogen (plus lactate) and fat utilisation similar to those during exercise at 70% of ( O_2,max). Thus, CHO ingestion is necessary to sustain even prolonged, low to moderate intensity exercise and when ingested, it suppresses the higher relative rates of fat oxidation usually observed at exercise intensities less than 60% of O_2,max.