Biomedical subjects

Lise Gauvin

Publications and source records attributed to Lise Gauvin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Musculoskeletal fitness and weight gain in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing health issue in Canada, and identifying the determinants of weight gain is important for the development of appropriate prevention strategies. PURPOSE: To quantify the association between musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) and subsequent weight gain and development of obesity. METHODS: The sample included 606 participants (20-69 yr; 291 men, 315 women) from the Physical Activity Longitudinal Study (PALS), a follow-up of participants from the 1981 Canadian Fitness Survey. Standardized assessments of height, weight, MSF (push-ups, sit-ups, grip strength, and trunk flexibility), and cardiorespiratory fitness were made at baseline (1981). Follow-up data on self-reported height and weight and body mass index (BMI) were collected by survey in 2002-2004. Logistic regression was used to predict obesity and weight gain of > or = 10 kg between 1981 and 2002-2004. RESULTS: During the 20-yr follow-up, the prevalence of obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg.m(-2)) increased from 3.1 to 15.2%, reflecting a mean weight gain of 7.4 kg (men: 6.7 kg; women: 8.1 kg). Further, independent of age, sex, baseline BMI, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, smoking, alcohol consumption, and income, low MSF was associated with significantly higher odds of having gained at least 10 kg during follow-up (OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.14-2.79). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that MSF is a significant predictor of weight gain during a 20-yr period. Promoting participation in activities that enhance MSF may be beneficial in attenuating age-related weight gain and in preventing obesity among Canadians.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Effect of a ban on extracurricular sports activities by secondary school teachers on physical activity levels of adolescents: a multilevel analysis.

To study the effect of a teachers' ban on supervising sports-related extracurricular physical activities (ECAs), levels of physical activity among 979 grade 7 students (mean age=12.7 [0.5] years at baseline) were compared during and after the ban in seven schools that fully implemented the ban, and three schools that did not implement the ban fully. On average, schools offered 18.0 (SD=5.1) ECAs during a no-ban school year. Students attending full implementation schools were significantly more likely than students in nonimplementation schools to be active after the ban ended (odds ratio for being active=1.89 [95% confidence interval: 1.39, 2.58]). They also increased the number of physical activities in which they participated (coefficient=4.04; SE=1.01). Ending a teachers' ban on sports-related ECAs was associated with increased involvement in physical activity among secondary school students.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Behavior change following a self-management intervention for housebound older adults with arthritis: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the impact of a home-based self-management intervention for housebound older adults with arthritis on the adoption of health behaviors. The moderating role of socio-demographic, psychological, and physical characteristics in the process of behavior change was also investigated. METHODS: Participants were 113 older adult women (n = 102) and men (n = 11) with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 68) or wait list control (n = 45) groups. Participants were interviewed using standardized questionnaires at baseline, pre-intervention, and post-intervention. RESULTS: Adjusted multilevel modeling analyses indicated that from pre to post intervention, experimental participants significantly increased their weekly frequency of exercise and relaxation activities. Socioeconomic status and depression played a moderating role in this change for exercise with larger effects occurring among more privileged, non-depressed participants. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a self-management intervention can successfully improve involvement in exercise and relaxation among housebound older adults with arthritis.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Community unemployment and immigrants' health in Montreal.

This research examines the relationship between community unemployment and the physical and mental health of immigrants in comparison to non-immigrants in Montreal under the hypothesis that high unemployment in the community may generate more negative effects on the health of immigrants than on non-immigrants. Possible gender differences in these associations are also examined. Montreal residents were studied via multilevel analysis, using both individual survey data and neighbourhood data from 49 police districts. Individual-level data were excerpted from a 1998 health survey of Montreal residents, while neighbourhood data originated from survey data collected in the 49 Montreal police districts and the 1996 Canadian Census. The associations between community unemployment and self-rated health, psychological distress and obesity are examined, and hypotheses regarding the modifying mechanisms via which male and female immigrants may run a greater risk of poor health than non-immigrants when living in areas of high unemployment were tested. Between neighbourhoods, variations in the three health outcomes were slight, and differences in health were not associated with differences in community unemployment. The associations between community unemployment and health varied according to immigration status. At the individual level, immigrants do not differ from non-immigrants with respect to the three health indicators, except that second-generation males are slightly heavier. However, when living in areas of high unemployment, immigrants tend to report poor physical and mental health in comparison to non-immigrants. Among first-generation immigrants, community unemployment was associated with psychological distress. Among second-generation immigrants, the probability of obesity and poor self-rated health increased significantly for those living in areas with high unemployment, but these associations reached statistical significance only for men. Findings among first-generation immigrants are interpreted with respect to the effects of possible discrimination in areas with low job availability. Among second-generation men, poor physical health and obesity may be the result of poor health habits stemming from perceived lack of life opportunities.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Intrafamilial correspondences on platelet [3H-]paroxetine-binding indices in bulimic probands and their unaffected first-degree relatives.

Reduced brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) transporter activity has been associated with susceptibility to various forms of psychopathology, including bulimia nervosa (BN) and related syndromes characterized by appetitive or behavioural dysregulation. We applied density (Bmax) of platelet [3H-]paroxetine binding as a proxy for central 5-HT reuptake activity in two groups of women (33 with BN-spectrum disorders and 19 with no apparent eating or psychiatric disorders), most of these individuals' mothers (31 and 18, respectively), and a small sampling of their sisters (seven and eight, respectively). Hierarchical linear modeling techniques were used to account for nesting of individuals within families and diagnostic groupings. Bulimic probands, their mothers, and their sisters all displayed significantly lower density (Bmax) of platelet-paroxetine binding than did 'control' probands, mothers, or sisters-even when relatives showing apparent eating or psychiatric disturbances were excluded. In addition, in bulimic probands and mothers, significant within-family correlations were obtained on Bmax. These findings imply a heritable trait (or endophenotype), linked to 5-HT activity, and carried by BN sufferers and their first-degree relatives (even when asymptomatic). We propose that, under conducive circumstances, such a trait may increase risk of binge-eating behavior, or associated symptoms of affective or behavioral dysregulation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Links between maternal breast-feeding duration and Québec infants' health: a population-based study. Are the effects different for poor children?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the relationship between breastfeeding duration and the health status of 5-month-old Quebec infants differs by poverty status. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development data of a sample of 2223 infants who were 5 months old. Two infant health indicators were considered: presence of chronic diseases and hospitalization for at least one night since birth. Differences in the associations between infant health and breastfeeding duration according to poverty status were explored using a logistic regression model and controlling for children's and mothers' characteristics. RESULTS: Infants of low-income mothers were breastfed less often and for shorter periods of time. At five months, they had poorer health compared with children from families with adequate income. However, a positive association between breastfeeding duration and these health indicators was observed and was independent of poverty level. There was no interaction between poverty level and breastfeeding duration for the two health indicators studied. CONCLUSIONS: The associations between maternal breastfeeding for 4 months or more and both hospitalizations before 5 months of age and chronic diseases are independent of family income level. However, low-income mothers breastfeed less often and for shorter periods of time. Interventions intended to promote and support breastfeeding should especially target mothers living in poverty conditions.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Opportunities for student physical activity in elementary schools: a cross-sectional survey of frequency and correlates.

The objectives of this study were to describe opportunities for student physical activity (PA) in elementary schools and to identify factors in the school environment associated with higher PA opportunity. Self-report questionnaires were completed by school principals and physical education teachers in 277 schools (88% response) in metropolitan Montreal. Correlates of opportunity were identified using ordinal logistic regression. There was substantial variation in PA opportunities between schools. Higher opportunity was associated with role modeling of PA by school principals, their interest in increasing PA through links to the municipality, adequate financial and human resources, access to school sports facilities, adequate space for storing student sports equipment, and suburban location. There is both the need and the potential for intervention to increase PA opportunities in elementary schools. Addressing barriers related to resources and access to sports facilities may help reduce disparities between schools in opportunities for students to engage in PA.

Attitude↗

PubMed2005

Moving forward in fall prevention: an intervention to improve balance among older adults in real-world settings.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effectiveness of a group-based exercise intervention to improve balancing ability among older adults delivered in natural settings by staff in local community organizations. METHODS: The main component of the intervention consisted of biweekly group-based exercise sessions conducted over 12 weeks by a professional, coupled with home-based exercises. In a quasiexperimental design, 10 community organizations working with older adults offered the intervention to groups of 5 to 15 persons concerned about falls, while 7 organizations recruited similar groups to participate in the control arm of the study. Participants (98 experimental and 102 control) underwent balance assessments by a physiotherapist at registration and 3 months later. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of participants attended the 3-month measurement session (n=177). A linear regression analysis showed that after adjusting for baseline levels of balance and demographic and health characteristics, the intervention significantly improved static balance and mobility. CONCLUSION: Structured, group-based exercise programs offered by community organizations in natural settings can successfully increase balancing ability among community-dwelling older adults concerned about falls.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2005

The 5HTTLPR polymorphism, psychopathologic symptoms, and platelet [3H-] paroxetine binding in bulimic syndromes.

BACKGROUND: A short (s) allele in the promoter region of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter gene (5HTTLPR) has been associated with low transcription of the 5-HT transporter protein, and with clinical manifestations including impulsivity, affective disorder, and bulimia nervosa. METHODS: We studied implications of the 5HTTLPR s allele for eating symptoms, psychopathologic traits, and platelet [3H-] paroxetine binding in 59 women with bulimia spectrum syndromes. RESULTS: Compared with those without it, carriers of the s allele of 5HTTLPR showed significantly more affective instability, behavioral impulsivity, interpersonal insecurity, comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD), and lower density (Bmax) of paroxetine-binding sites. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that proneness to impulsivity, affective dysregulation, and reduced central 5-HT reuptake may (in part) be codetermined by the 5HTTLPR polymorphism. However, given inconsistent 5HTTLPR expression in different populations, we speculate that we may be observing a phenotype (i.e., eating disorder)-dependent manifestation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

A naturalistic evaluation of the relation between dietary restraint, the urge to binge, and actual binge eating: a clarification.

OBJECTIVE: The current study attempted to characterize the natural course of events linking dietary restraint to urges to binge and actual binge episodes. METHOD: Using preprogrammed, hand-held computers, 39 women with bulimia-spectrum eating disorders monitored ongoing eating episodes, dietary restraint, and binge cravings over a 7-29-day interval. RESULTS: Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that restraint was not systematically elevated before binging. However, elevated restraint preceded strong binge cravings. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that dietary restraint may contribute to binge cravings, but may not be a direct antecedent to binge episodes. Such findings are consistent with restraint theory, which suggests that dietary restraint potentiates binging, but does not necessarily trigger its occurrence.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

From walkability to active living potential: an "ecometric" validation study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to establish the reliability and validity of a neighborhood-level measure of active living potential by applying principles of ecometrics. METHODS: Following a 3-day training session, observers (n =8) were provided with a map of a predetermined walking route constructed through the joining of ten randomly selected street blocks. Then, using an 18-item observation grid, pairs of observers performed ratings of 112 neighborhoods. Resulting observations produced a hierarchically structured data set including 4032 observations nested within observers, which in turn were nested within neighborhoods. Data from the 2001 Canadian census were linked to the neighborhood data. RESULTS: Application of ecometric multilevel modeling analyses showed that once interitem and interobserver variability were statistically controlled, about one third of the variability in observations were at the between-neighborhood level. Reliability estimates were 0.78 for items measuring activity-friendliness, 0.76 for safety, and 0.83 for density of destinations. Assessment of the convergent validity of the instrument identified that safety of the environment was positively associated with neighborhood affluence. Density of destinations was negatively associated with affluence and positively associated with higher proportions of persons in the neighborhood walking to work. CONCLUSIONS: The three dimensions of the neighborhood active-living potential measure have good reliability and convergent validity and are able to capture between neighborhood differences. Measurement characteristics would have been difficult to ascertain without the ecometrics methodology.

Environment Design↗

PubMed2005

Mood- and restraint-based antecedents to binge episodes in bulimia nervosa: possible influences of the serotonin system.

BACKGROUND: In bulimic syndromes, binge episodes are thought to be caused by dietary restraint and negative moods. However, as central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) mechanisms regulate appetite and mood, the 5-HT system could be implicated in diet- and mood-based binge antecedents. METHOD: We used hand-held computers to obtain repeated "online" measurements of eating behaviors, moods, and self-concepts in 21 women with bulimic syndromes, and modeled 5-HT system activity with a measure of platelet [3H]paroxetine-binding density. RESULTS: Mood and self-concept ratings were found to be worse before binge episodes (than at other moments), and cognitive restraint was increased. After binges, mood and self-concept deteriorated further, and thoughts of dieting became more intense. Intriguingly, lower paroxetine-binding density predicted poorer mood and self-concept before a binge, larger post-binge decrements in mood and self-concept, and larger post-binge increases in dietary restraint. CONCLUSIONS: Paroxetine binding thus seemed to reflect processes that impacted upon mood-related antecedents to binge episodes, and consequences implicating mood and dietary restraint.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Understanding the dimensions of socioeconomic status that influence toddlers' health: unique impact of lack of money for basic needs in Quebec's birth cohort.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To examine the unique impact of financial difficulties as measured by a lack of money for basic needs on the occurrence of health problems between the ages of 17 and 29 months, controlling for mother's level of education and neonatal health problems. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Analyses were performed on the 29 month data of the Quebec longitudinal study of child development. This longitudinal study followed up a birth cohort annually. Interviews were conducted in the home with the mother in 98.8% of cases. This information was supplemented with data from birth records. At 29 months, the response rate was 94.2% of the initial sample (n = 1946). The main outcome measures were mothers' report of acute health problems, asthma episodes, and hospitalisation as well as growth delay and a composite index of health problems (acute problems, asthma attack, growth delay). MAIN RESULTS: Children raised in a family experiencing a serious lack of money for basic needs during the preceding year were more likely to be reported by their mothers as presenting acute health problems, a growth delay, two or more health problems, and to have been hospitalised for the first time within the past few months as compared with babies living in a family not experiencing a lack of money for basic needs regardless of the mother's level of education and of neonatal health problems. CONCLUSION: Financial difficulties as measured by a lack of money for basic needs have a significant and unique impact on toddlers' health.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Sustainability of the impact of a public health intervention: lessons learned from the laval walking clubs experience.

To inform health promotion practice regarding the sustainability of public health interventions, the authors interviewed the directors of 13 new community-based organizations created through a practitioner-initiated public health intervention designed to promote physical activity at the community level. The purpose of the interviews was to uncover the factors that lead organization directors to become involved in the initiative and to maintain their involvement across an extended period of time. Results showed that there were 3 categories of positive outcomes associated with leading a walking club: maintaining and improving health, personal satisfaction, and group motivation. Difficulties associated with directing the club included high participant turnover rates, isolation of club directors, and lack of support from community organizations. Club directors indicated that sustainability would be enhanced through developing individual competencies, becoming more proficient at leading group dynamics, and developing better rootedness in the community. This information is interpreted in light of the six factors associated with sustainability.

Group Processes↗

PubMed2005

Appreciating the predicament of housebound older adults with arthritis: portrait of a population.

This paper draws a socio-demographic, physical, psychosocial, and behavioural profile of housebound older adults with arthritis and compares older adults with rheumatoid arthritis to those with osteoarthritis. Data from 125 housebound older adults with osteoarthritis (65 per cent) or rheumatoid arthritis (35 per cent) were compared to published samples and to population data using appropriate weighting. Respondents were mainly women, living alone, mean age 77 years (SD10.50). Symptoms of stiffness, fatigue, and pain intensity were moderate to severe, and a substantial proportion (51.4 per cent) reported depression. Participants reported low levels of health behaviours such as exercise. Overall, older adults with rheumatoid arthritis were significantly younger, reported less pain and limitations, were more optimistic and satisfied with their social life, and had a higher self-efficacy than older adults with osteoarthritis. Home-based pain self-management programs should be constructed considering the unique profiles and needs of this population.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

The contribution of daily experiences and acute exercise to fluctuations in daily feeling states among older, obese adults with knee osteoarthritis.

This study examined the contribution of daily experiences and acute exercise to fluctuations in feeling states of older, obese adults with knee osteoarthritis and explored the role of perceived physical function and general health perceptions as moderator variables. Using an experience sampling procedure, a total of 964 feeling state assessments were recorded and coded into samplings that occurred either on a nonexercise day or prior to or following scheduled activity on an exercise day. Multilevel modeling analyses controlling for the influence of subjective stress, contemporaneous pain reports, and diurnal variations revealed that physical exhaustion was higher immediately following exercise. Analyses of the moderator variables demonstrated that general health perceptions and perceived physical function accounted for significant portions of between-subject variance with more positive perceptions of each variable being related to higher levels of pleasant feeling states and lower feelings of physical exhaustion. However, perceived physical function and general health perceptions did not influence feeling states that emerged in conjunction with physical activity. The present findings suggest that whereas daily fluctuations in feeling states are influenced by perceived physical function and general health perceptions, older adults with knee OA do not exhibit the improvements in feeling states that have often been observed following acute exercise in younger, more physically active populations.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Serotonin function, personality-trait variations, and childhood abuse in women with bulimia-spectrum eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: Across populations, findings associate impulsivity, behavioral disinhibition, or hostility with reduced central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) activity and increased likelihood of childhood abuse. Inconsistently, findings associate compulsivity, behavioral inhibition, or anxiousness with elevated 5-HT neurotransmission. We explored relationships among measures of 5-HT system functioning, behavioral inhibition/disinhibition, and childhood abuse in women with bulimia-spectrum eating syndromes. METHOD: In 73 bulimic (body mass index [kg/m2] under 30, binge eating at least once weekly) and 50 normal-eater control women, we obtained indices of platelet paroxetine binding and 5-HT agonist (m-CPP)-stimulated neuroendocrine responses. Cluster analysis was used to classify the bulimic women according to 5-HT "profiles." Resulting groups were then compared on symptom and trait measures. RESULTS: Measures of paroxetine-binding density (Bmax) and affinity (Kd) contributed significantly (p < .001 and p < .02, respectively) to a classification of bulimic women into groups with "low density/high affinity" (N = 52) or "high density/low affinity" (N = 21) binding. The 5-HT based classification did not predict eating-symptom severity. However, the "high density" pattern was associated with increased perfectionism and compulsivity, reduced risk of childhood sexual abuse, and (to some extent) reduced probability of borderline personality disorder. DISCUSSION: In women with bulimic syndromes, serotonergic factors, personality-trait variations, and developmental typologies converge in principled fashion. Our findings corroborate (with neurobiological evidence) the concept of underregulated and overregulated subtypes within the bulimic population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Implications of compulsive and impulsive traits for serotonin status in women with bulimia nervosa.

Studies of bulimia nervosa (BN) often report decreased brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) activity. Across populations, impulsivity has been linked to reduced 5-HT activity, but compulsivity has been associated (at least inconsistently) with an increase. We therefore became interested in the association between behavioral-trait variations and 5-HT status in BN. In 56 bulimic and 29 non-bulimic women, we measured eating symptoms, personality traits, platelet paroxetine binding, and neuroendocrine responses following oral meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP). Relative to normal eaters, bulimic women showed reduced density (Bmax) of platelet paroxetine-binding sites, blunted prolactin (PRL) responses following m-CPP, and (as a trend) lower basal PRL levels. However, after effects of binge-purge frequencies, body mass, and other extraneous factors were controlled, PRL levels at baseline and other moments in the serial sampling varied systematically with presence of impulsive and compulsive traits. PRL was generally low in BN, but 'high-compulsive'/'low-impulsive' traits were associated with higher (normal-range) PRL values. Comparable trait-related variations were not observed on paroxetine-binding indices. Our findings suggest that 5-HT status in BN may correspond to impulsive or compulsive traits, and they encourage multidimensional modeling of the pathophysiological role of 5-HT in BN.

Adolescent↗