Sex difference in measures of body fatness and the possible difference in the effect of dietary fat on body fatness in men and women

Association of sex-specific body mass index and waist circumference trajectories with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease incidence based on growth mixture modeling

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease. The relationship between the trajectories of obesity indicators and incident NAFLD is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to explore the sex-specific association between the trajectories of obesity indicators and the incidence of NAFLD.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In total, 9067 participants were recruited for this longitudinal study. Obesity indicators use body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). The trajectory of obesity indicators was analyzed using the growth mixture modeling. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between obesity indicators' trajectories and incident NAFLD. Over a median follow-up of 1.82 years, 1013 (11.74%) participants developed NAFLD. We identified BMI and WC change trajectories as the stable group, increasing group, and decreasing group. After adjusting for baseline level and other confounders, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with stable group of BMI, the increasing group, and decreasing group odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of NAFLD were 2.10 (1.06-4.15), and 0.25 (0.09-0.67) in men, and 1.82 (1.08-3.04) and 0.32 (0.16-0.64) in women. Compared with stable group of WC, the increasing group was 2.57 (1.39-4.74) in men, the increasing group, and decreasing group were 2.29 (1.70-3.10) and 0.28 (0.12-0.64) in women. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were stable.

CONCLUSION

The BMI and WC changing trajectories are significantly associated with the incidence of NAFLD in men and women. Populations of real-world health examinations can be categorized based on obesity indicator changes to prevent NAFLD.

Association of television viewing time with central obesity status in rural Asian Indian women: Santiniketan women study

OBJECTIVES

The present community based cross-sectional study aimed to investigate anthropometric and body composition measures, and blood pressure characteristics by TV viewing times in rural women of Asian Indian Origin.

METHODS

A total of 343 apparently healthy rural Asian Indian women living in and around Santiniketan, West Bengal, India and aged between 25 and 65 years took part in the study. Anthropometric measures namely body mass index (BMI), percentages of body fat (PBF), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and intra-abdominal visceral fat (IVF) were measured using an Omron body fat analyzer. Fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM), arm muscle area (AMA), arm fat area (AFA), and arm muscle circumference (AMC) were calculated using standard techniques. Each individual was also asked how many minutes/day they spend watching TV.

RESULTS

Comparison of central obesity status (CNO = waist circumference < 80 cm and CO = waist circumference ≥ 80 cm) by TV viewing times (categories) revealed a significant difference [χ(3)2 14.29] for central obesity status across the groups.

CONCLUSION

Increased leisure-time activity was associated with central obesity status and warrant early intervention to prevent increasing incidences of cardiovascular disease in this population.

Association of maternal nutritional status, body composition and socio-economic variables with low birth weight in India

The present cross-sectional study examines the association of maternal nutritional status, body composition and socio-economic status with newborn low birth weight (LBW). It was conducted on 503 mothers and their singleton newborns in an urban hospital in Siliguri, West Bengal, India. The maternal anthropometric measurements (weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold), socio-economic variables (education, household income, occupation and birth order) and newborn birth weight were recorded. The average birth weight was 2.746 (+/-0.40) kg and 17.30% of the newborns had LBW. The multinomial regression analysis showed maternal age, height, weight nutritional status, birth order and household income to have significant associations with newborn LBW. The receiver operating characteristic curve-area under curve analysis showed maternal weight and mid-upper arm circumference to be the best surrogate measures of LBW.

Patient Sex and its Influence on General Anaesthesia

Physiological and pharmacological differences exist between men and women. Women wake faster than men following general anaesthesia. Women also differ from men in their postoperative recovery as reflected by differences in postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting and overall quality of recovery. These gender differences seem to be more pronounced in premenopausal women, suggesting hormonal mechanisms are a major contributing factor.

Age-variability in body shape associated with excess weight: the UK National Sizing Survey

BACKGROUND

The health risks of obesity are disproportionately due to central abdominal adiposity; however, the extent to which age is associated with the body shape of obese adults is not known.

OBJECTIVE

Three-dimensional (3D) data on body shape from the UK National Sizing Survey were analyzed to investigate age-associated changes in body shape within the BMI bands <20, 20-24.99, 25-29.99 and > or =30 kg/m(2).

METHODS

Measurements of anthropometry (weight and height) and a 3D body scan were obtained in 4,344 men and 5,266 women recruited from eight British cities.

RESULTS

The body shape of men showed high consistency within BMI bands between early adulthood and old age. In contrast, the body shape of women altered within each BMI band with increasing age. In obese, overweight, and normal weight women, age was associated with decreased thigh girth, increased waist, and bust girth. Whereas young obese women maintained an hourglass shape, in old age the body shape of obese women converged on that of obese men.

DISCUSSION

The association of age with body shape is markedly different between the sexes, with the impact of obesity on shape strongly age-dependent in women but not in men. The age delay in the association between obesity and high waist girth in women may contribute to the sex-difference in life expectancy. The relationship between body shape change and cardiovascular risk merits longitudinal investigation within individuals.