The association of the age, period, and birth cohort with 15-year changes in body mass index and waist circumference in adults: Tehran lipid and glucose study (TLGS)

Objective

To examine the association of age, period, and birth cohort with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) changes among the participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study from 1999 to 2015.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 4895 participants aged ≥20 years (41.3% men), who were divided into twelve gender stratified groups, having a ten-year age difference between them. Analyses were conducted to explicitly assess the association of age vs. period on BMI and WC changes. In addition, we evaluated BMI and WC changes among different birth cohorts.

Results

Upon 15 years of follow-up, the mean BMI of men and women increased from 26.0 ± 3.9 to 27.5 ± 4.3 kg/m² and from 27.5 ± 4.8 to 29.9 ± 5.4 kg/m² (P trend < 0.001), and this trend was accompanied by an increase in WC from 88.8 ± 10.9 to 97.8 ± 10.4 cm and from 87.3 ± 12.4 to 95.8 ± 12.1 cm, respectively (P trend < 0.001). Men and women in all age cohorts tended to have a rise in their BMI and WC with aging throughout the follow-up period. For men, this trend was more prominent in younger birth cohorts at phase III for BMI and at phases III and V for WC (indicating a significant negative association with birth cohort). For women, this trend was more prominent in older birth cohorts at both phases III and V for BMI and WC (indicating a significant positive association with the birth cohort).

Conclusion

The rise in BMI and WC was strongly associated with age in both sexes. The men born in the recent birth cohorts and the women born in earlier birth cohorts had the most alarming BMI and WC trends. More efforts must be spent on obesity prevention policies, especially for younger men.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12810-z.

A rare case report of late-onset phytobezoar formation following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: delayed redo bariatric surgery

Background

Phytobezoar formation is a complication of bariatric surgery and mostly occurs after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) operations. Here, we present an extremely rare case of late phytobezoar formation following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).

Case presentation

A 52-year-old woman with a body mass index (BMI) of 40.7 kg/m² underwent LSG. Following persistent symptoms of nausea, vomiting, early satiety, and tremendous weight loss, endoscopy was performed, and gastric phytobezoar was detected at one-year post-operation. After endoscopic fragmentation, phytobezoar was removed by snare, and the patient later underwent redo bariatric surgery (conversion of LSG to LRYGB).

Conclusions

With an increase in the number of LSG procedures performed globally, and the late-onset nature of phytobezoar formation, more cases of this complication are expected to be detected in future. Long-term postoperative follow-up alongside applying surgical methods to avoid gastric stenosis are needed to reduce the chance of phytobezoar formation in patients undergoing LSG.

Comparison of the one-year outcomes of bariatric surgery in adolescents and young adults: a matched case-control study, Tehran Obesity Treatment Study (TOTS)

PURPOSES

The increasing use of bariatric surgery in adolescents has raised some concerns regarding the postoperative outcomes and the optimal time of surgery at young ages. However, no study has yet compared the weight loss and comorbidity resolution following bariatric surgery between adolescents and young adults.

METHODS

This study was conducted on a case group of adolescents (aged 11-18) and a control group of young adults (aged 19-29) undergoing bariatric surgery (sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass). The two groups were matched in terms of gender, body mass index (BMI), and surgery type and were assessed regarding the surgical outcomes at 1 year after surgery.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics of the adolescents (n = 118, mean age: 17.0 ± 1.6 years) and young adults (n = 236, mean age: 25.2 ± 3.2 years) were similar, as well as surgery-associated complications. The mean loss of BMI (- 15.4 ± 3.6 vs. -15.8 ± 4.6 kg/m²) and 12-month percentage of excess weight loss (80.4 ± 20.1 vs. 80.2 ± 20.1%) were similar in the two groups. Both groups showed parallel reductions in the cardiovascular risk factors. The remission of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia was similar between the groups. The increase in the hemoglobin level and copper deficiency was greater in young adults, whereas the increase in ferritin deficiency was greater in adolescents.

CONCLUSION

Similar to young adults, bariatric surgery is an effective and safe method to achieve weight loss, resolve obesity-related comorbidities, and improve cardiovascular risk factors in the adolescents.

Effects of bariatric surgery in different obesity phenotypes: Tehran Obesity Treatment Study (TOTS)

BACKGROUND

Not all morbid obese patients suffer from metabolic co-morbidities; thus, a sub-group of metabolically healthy morbid obese (MHMO) individuals are identified. However, the role of bariatric surgery is not well understood in this subgroup.

METHODS

A total of 2244 morbid obese individuals aged 18-65 years undergoing bariatric surgery were selected. Patients were considered MHMO according to the joint interim statement (JIS) definition, as having two or less abnormalities in these five parameters: waist circumference (WC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), systolic or diastolic blood pressure (SBP or DBP), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Otherwise, they were considered metabolically unhealthy morbid obese (MUMO). Follow-up data were collected at 6, 12, and 24 months post-surgery.

RESULTS

Prior to surgery, 36.2% of participants were MHMO and had significantly lower BMI, WC, TG, FPG, SBP, and DBP and higher HDL-C compared to MUMO. Both MHMO and MUMO participants showed a significant decrease in BMI, WC, TG, SBP, DBP, and FPG and increase in HDL-C and the percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL). Two-year post-operative changes (from baseline) of BMI, WC, and %EWL were greater in MHMO subjects and changes of TG, HDL-C, DBP, SBP, and FPG were greater in MUMO subjects. Further multivariate regression analysis for delta (∆) change in these characteristics revealed that only the delta (∆) changes of WC and %EWL were statistically different between the two phenotypes and were greater in MHMO subjects, 2 years after the surgery (- 3.077 cm decrease in WC and + 3.612% higher %EWL compared to MUMO subjects).

CONCLUSION

Bariatric surgery is an effective method for reduction of metabolic abnormalities and weight loss in both MUMO and MHMO phenotypes. Benefits of this intervention are comparable between patients with these two obesity phenotypes.

Predictors of Intensive Care Unit Admission among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in a Large University Hospital in Tehran, Iran

Background: The rapid increase in the spread of COVID-19 and the numbers of infected patients worldwide has highlighted the need for intensive care unit (ICU) beds and more advanced therapy. This need is more urgent in resource-constrained settings. The present study aimed to identify the predictors of ICU admission among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Study design: The current study was conducted based on a retrospective cohort design.

Methods: The participants included 665 definite cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hospitalized in Imam Hossein Hospital from February 20 to May 14, 2020. The baseline characteristics of patients were assessed, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine the significant odds ratio (OR) for ICU admission.

Results: Participants were aged 59.52±16.72 years, and the majority (55.6%) of them were male. Compared to non-ICU patients (n=547), the ICU patients (n=118) were older, had more baseline comorbidities, and presented more often with dyspnea, convulsion, loss of consciousness, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypoxia, and less often with myalgia. Significant OR (95% CI) of ICU admission was observed for the 60-80 age group (2.42, 95%CI: 1.01; 5.79), ≥80 age group (3.73, 95%CI: 1.44; 9.42), ≥3 comorbidities (2.07, 95%CI: 1.31; 3.80), loss of consciousness (6.70, 95%CI: 2.94, 15.24), tachypnea (1.79, 95%CI: 1.03, 3.11), and SpO2<90 (5.83, 95%CI: 2.74; 12.4). Abnormal laboratory results were more common among ICU-admitted patients; in this regard, leukocytosis (4.45, 95%CI: 1.49, 13.31), lymphopenia (2.39, 95%CI: 1.30; 4.39), elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK) (1.99, 95%CI: 1.04; 3.83), and increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (2.25, 95%CI: 1.18-4.30) had a significant OR of ICU admission. Chest computer tomography (CT) revealed that consolidation (1.82, 95%CI: 1.02, 3.24), pleural effusion (3.19, 95%CI: 1.71, 5.95), and crazy paving pattern (8.36, 95%CI: 1.92, 36.48) had a significant OR of ICU admission.

Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, the predictors of ICU admission were identified among epidemiological characteristics, presenting symptoms and signs, laboratory tests, and chest CT findings.

One-year outcomes of bariatric surgery in older adults: a case-matched analysis based on the Tehran Obesity Treatment Study

PURPOSE

Knowledge is limited about the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in older adult patients with obesity.

METHODS

Fifty-six patients aged ≥ 60 years who underwent bariatric surgery, as either sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass, were matched for sex, baseline body mass index (BMI) and surgery type, with 112 younger controls, aged 18-60 years. We compared complications, weight loss, resolution of co-morbidities, and changes in body composition status (fat mass [FM], fat-free mass [FFM], lean mass [LM] and percentage of fat mass [FM%]) 12 months postoperatively between the groups.

RESULTS

Complications were similar in the two groups. Diabetes mellitus (DM) and dyslipidemia showed similar remission and improvement rates postoperatively in the two groups. Remission from hypertension (HTN) was higher in the control group, but improvement rates were similar. Changes from baseline to 12 months postoperatively in weight, BMI, excess weight loss (EWL%), total weight loss (TWL%), FFM, and LM were greater in the control group than in the older-age group. Changes in FM and FM% were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Bariatric surgery is a safe intervention for the management of obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities in older adults, with similar surgery-risk and complication rates to those of younger adults. Reduction in FM and FM% was equal in two groups and the concern about greater LM loss in older adults seems unfounded.

Incidence of obesity and its predictors in children and adolescents in 10 years of follow up: Tehran lipid and glucose study (TLGS)

Background

Childhood obesity is one of the most challenging public health issues of twenty-first century. While we know that there is an increase in prevalence of childhood and adolescence obesity, incidence studies must be carried out. The main objective of this study was to determine childhood obesity incidence and its potential predictors in Tehranian urban population.

Methods

This study was conducted within the framework of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), addressing incidence and risk factors of obesity throughout several phases from 1999–2001 to 2009–2011 among Tehranian urban population. Total study subjects were 1033 non-obese children, aged between 7 to 11 years, with a median 8.7 years of follow-up. Body mass Index (BMI) was used to define obesity and overweight based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and definition of metabolic syndrome (MetS) for children was based on the Cook survey. Cumulative incidence of obesity and obesity incidence rates were calculated for each gender. Cox proportional hazard models was used to estimate potential risk factors of obesity.

Results

Our Participants had a mean age of 9.2 ± 1.4 years, mean BMI of 16.1 ± 2.2 kg/m² and mean waist circumference (WC) of 57.2 ± 6.7 at baseline. Total cumulative incidence of obesity was calculated to be 17%, CI =14.1–20.4 for whole population (19.6%, CI =15.4–24.8 for boys and 14.5%,CI = 10.9–19.1 for girls). Participants which were in the age group of 7–9 years at baseline experienced higher rate of cumulative obesity incidence compared to those who were in the age group of 10–11 years at baseline (22% vs 10.8%).

In addressing risk factors, 5 parameters were significantly associated with obesity incidence: being overweight at baseline (HR = 14.93 95%CI: 9.82–22.70), having higher WC (HR = 5.05 95%CI: 3.01–8.48), suffering from childhood MetS (HR: 2.77 95%CI: 1.57–4.89) and having a obese father (HR: 2.69 95%CI: 1.61–4.50) or mother (HR: 3.04 95%CI: 1.96–4.72).

Conclusion

Incidence of obesity is significantly high in Tehranian children, especially the age group 7–9 years. Best predictors of childhood obesity incidence are childhood overweight, WC above 90th percentile, childhood MetS and parental obesity.