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Biomedical subjects

M Visser

Publications and source records attributed to M Visser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Efficacy of an ivermectin controlled-release capsule against some rarer nematode parasites of sheep.

A controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the intraruminal ivermectin controlled-release capsule (CRC) (IVOMEC Maximizer CR Capsule for Sheep, Merial Ltd.) against induced incoming third-stage larvae and established adult infections with some rarer gastrointestinal nematode parasites of sheep. Twenty-one worm-free lambs were allocated by restricted randomisation based on body weight within sex to one of the following treatments: unmedicated control, ivermectin CRC given on Day 0 prior to induced infection, and ivermectin CRC given on Day 70 after establishment of induced infection. The ivermectin CRC delivers ivermectin at a minimum dose rate of 20 microg/kg/day for 100 days. Infections were induced by daily administration of third-stage larvae for five consecutive days. Nematodes were counted on Day 84, 14 days after treatment of established infection. The treatment with the ivermectin CRC prevented the establishment of Ostertagia leptospicularis, O. ostertagi, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Cooperia oncophora, C. punctata, C. surnabada, Nematodirus helvetianus, N. roscidus and Strongyloides papillosus by >99% as compared with the untreated controls (p < 0.01). The administration of the ivermectin CRC reduced established adult infections of O. ostertagi, B. trigonocephalum, C. oncophora, C. punctata, C. surnabada, N. roscidus and S. papillosus by >99% (p < 0.01), and reduced established adult infections of O. leptospicularis and N. helvetianus by 96.5 and 98.4% (p < 0.01), respectively.

Abomasum↗
PubMed2000

Muscle strength and body mass index as long-term predictors of mortality in initially healthy men.

BACKGROUND: Muscle weakness, low body weight, and chronic diseases are often observed in the same people; however, the association of muscle strength with mortality, independent of disease status and body weight, has not been elucidated. The aim was to assess hand grip strength as a predictor of all-cause mortality within different levels of body mass index (BMI) in initially disease-free men. METHODS: Mortality was followed prospectively over 30 years. Maximal hand grip strength tests and BMI assessments were done at baseline in 1965 to 1970. The participants were 6040 healthy men aged 45 to 68 years at baseline living on Oahu, Hawaii. RESULTS: The death rates per 1000 person years were 24.6 in those with BMI <20, 18.5 in the middle BMI category, and 18.0 in those with BMI > or = 25. For grip strength tertiles, the mortality rates were 24.8 in the lowest, 18.5 in the middle, and 14.0 in the highest third. In Cox regression models, within each tertile of grip strength, BMI showed only minimal effect on mortality. In contrast, in each category of BMI there was a gradient of decreasing mortality risk with increasing grip strength. Among those with BMI <20, the adjusted relative risks (RRs) of mortality over 30 years were 1.36 (95% confidence interval 1.14-1.63) for those in the lowest third of strength at baseline, 1.27 (1.02-1.58) in the middle, and 0.92 (0.66-1.29) in the highest third. Correspondingly, for those with BMI 20-24.99, the RRs of death were 1.25 (1.08-1.45), 1.14 (1.00-1.32), and 1.0 (reference) in the lowest, middle, and highest third of grip strength, respectively. In those with BMI > or =25, the RRs were 1.39 (1.16-1.65) in the lowest, 1.27 (1.08-1.49) in the middle, and 1.14 (0.98-1.32) in the highest third of grip strength. Models were adjusted for age, education, occupation, smoking, physical activity, and body height. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy middle-aged men, long-term mortality risk was associated with grip strength at baseline, independent of BMI. The possible interpretation of the finding is that early life influences on muscle strength may have long-term implications for mortality. Additionally, higher strength itself may provide greater physiologic and functional reserve that protects against mortality.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength in relation to lower-extremity performance in older men and women.

OBJECTIVE: Low muscle strength is associated with poorer physical function, but limited empirical evidence is available to prove the relationship between muscle mass and physical function. We tested the hypothesis that persons with lower muscle mass or muscle strength have poorer lower-extremity performance (LEP). DESIGN: A cross-sectional, population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: A cohort of 449 men and women aged 65 years and older living in Amsterdam and its surroundings participating in the second examination (1995-1996) of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. MEASUREMENTS: Leg skeletal muscle mass was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Grip strength was used as an indicator of muscle strength. Timed functional performance tests, including walking and repeated chair stands, were used to assess LEP. RESULTS: After adjustment for body height and age, leg muscle mass was positively associated with LEP in men (regression coefficient 0.178 [95% confidence interval 0.013-0.343], P = .035). In women an inverse association was observed, which became positive after additional adjustment for body mass index (BMI) (0.202 [-0.001-0.405], P = .052). Grip strength was positively associated with LEP in men and women. After additional adjustment for behavioral, physiological, and psychological variables, the associations between leg muscle mass and LEP disappeared, whereas grip strength remained to be independently associated with LEP in men (0.079 [0.042-0.116], P = .0001), with a tendency in women (0.046 [-0.009-0.101], P = .11). Results were similar when quartiles of leg muscle mass or grip strength were used. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that low muscle strength, but not low muscle mass, is associated with poor physical function in older men and women. However, prospective studies are needed to investigate the association between loss of muscle mass and physical function.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1999

Elevated C-reactive protein levels in overweight and obese adults.

CONTEXT: Human adipose tissue expresses and releases the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 6, potentially inducing low-grade systemic inflammation in persons with excess body fat. OBJECTIVE: To test whether overweight and obesity are associated with low-grade systemic inflammation as measured by serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, representative of the US population from 1988 to 1994. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 16616 men and nonpregnant women aged 17 years or older. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Elevated CRP level of 0.22 mg/dL or more and a more stringent clinically raised CRP level of more than 1.00 mg/dL. RESULTS: Elevated CRP levels and clinically raised CRP levels were present in 27.6% and 6.7% of the population, respectively. Both overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25-29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI, > or =30 kg/m2) persons were more likely to have elevated CRP levels than their normal-weight counterparts (BMI, <25 kg/m2). After adjustment for potential confounders, including smoking and health status, the odds ratio (OR) for elevated CRP was 2.13 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-2.91) for obese men and 6.21 (95% CI, 4.94-7.81) for obese women. In addition, BMI was associated with clinically raised CRP levels in women, with an OR of 4.76 (95% CI, 3.42-6.61) for obese women. Waist-to-hip ratio was positively associated with both elevated and clinically raised CRP levels, independent of BMI. Restricting the analyses to young adults (aged 17-39 years) and excluding smokers, persons with inflammatory disease, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes mellitus and estrogen users did not change the main findings. CONCLUSION: Higher BMI is associated with higher CRP concentrations, even among young adults aged 17 to 39 years. These findings suggest a state of low-grade systemic inflammation in overweight and obese persons.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Diminishing returns from mutation supply rate in asexual populations.

Mutator genotypes with increased mutation rates may be especially important in microbial evolution if genetic adaptation is generally limited by the supply of mutations. In experimental populations of the bacterium Escherichia coli, the rate of evolutionary adaptation was proportional to the mutation supply rate only in particular circumstances of small or initially well-adapted populations. These experiments also demonstrate a "speed limit" on adaptive evolution in asexual populations, one that is independent of the mutation supply rate.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1999

Exposure to peanuts in utero and in infancy and the development of sensitization to peanut allergens in young children.

This study attempted to determine the underlying factors that may influence the development of peanut sensitization in young children in South Africa. One of our objectives was to ascertain whether the consumption of peanuts or peanut-containing foods during pregnancy and lactation by mothers from atopic families impacted upon the development of an allergic response to peanuts in the child. Forty-three children between the ages of 0 and 3 yr participated in this study. There were 25 peanut-sensitized subjects and 18 control subjects (children sensitized to milk and/or egg, but not to peanuts). A significant association was found between peanut sensitization and sensitivity to soya (p=0.0002), wheat (p=0.03), and cod fish. We found that mothers who consumed peanuts more than once a week during pregnancy were more likely to have a peanut-allergic child than mothers who consumed peanuts less than once a week (odds ratio=3.97, 98% confidence interval 0.73-24). Peanuts or peanut butter was introduced into the child's diet from a significantly younger age in the peanut-allergic subjects (p<0.03). There was a positive correlation in the peanut-allergic subjects between age of introduction of peanuts and age at the onset of symptoms (r=0.63). Exclusive breast feeding did not protect against the development of peanut sensitization. Peanut allergy is associated with an increased risk of sensitization to other foods. It is more likely to occur if mothers eat peanuts more frequently during pregnancy and introduce it early to the infant's diet. These features highlight potentially avoidable factors that might prevent sensitization.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Past and current smoking in relation to body fat distribution in older men and women.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is reported to be positively related to abdominal fat in young and middle-aged persons; however, it is unclear whether this relationship exists in elderly persons. Behavioral influence on fat distribution is of importance because of the accumulation of abdominal fat with age and its associated health risks. METHODS: The relationship was investigated in a population-based sample of 1,178 men and 1,163 women aged 55-85 years, representative of the Dutch older population in 1992-1993. Waist and hip circumference and their ratio were used as indices of fat distribution. Past and current smoking habits were obtained by questionnaire. RESULTS: Smoking was associated with waist/hip-ratio (WHR) in men, with current smokers having the highest WHR and never smokers the lowest. A dose-response relationship between the daily number of cigarettes smoked and WHR was observed in men. These associations remained significant after adjustment for confounding due to age, education, body mass index, health status, alcohol intake, and sports activity. The dose-response relationship did not change after additional adjustment for duration of smoking. Among former male smokers, recent quitters had a higher WHR compared to long-term quitters. Additional analysis showed that smoking was more strongly associated with waist than with hip circumference. In women the relationship between smoking and fat distribution was not clear. CONCLUSIONS: Past and current smoking habits are positively associated with abdominal fat in older men, but not in older women.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1999

Validity of fan-beam dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for measuring fat-free mass and leg muscle mass. Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study--Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry and Body Composition Working Group.

The aim of the study was to examine the accuracy of fan-beam dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) for measuring total body fat-free mass (FFM) and leg muscle mass (MM) in elderly persons. Participants were 60 men and women aged 70-79 yr and with a body mass index of 17.5-39.8 kg/m(2). FFM and MM at four leg regions were measured by using DEXA (Hologic 4500A, v8.21). A four-compartment body composition model (4C) and multislice computed tomography (CT) of the legs were used as the criterion methods for FFM and MM, respectively. FFM by DEXA was positively associated with FFM by 4C (R(2) = 0.98, SE of estimate = 1.6 kg). FFM by DEXA was higher [53.5 +/- 12.0 (SD) kg] than FFM by 4C (51.6 +/- 11.9 kg; P < 0.001). No association was observed between the difference and the mean of the two methods. MM by DEXA was positively associated with CT at all four leg regions (R(2) = 0.86-0.96). MM by DEXA was higher than by CT in three regions. The results of this study suggest that fan-beam DEXA offers considerable promise for the measurement of total body FFM and leg MM in elderly persons.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1998

Hip fracture risk in older white men is associated with change in body weight from age 50 years to old age.

BACKGROUND: Change in body weight is a potentially modifiable risk factor for hip fracture in older women but, to our knowledge, its relationship to risk in older men has not been reported previously. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of weight loss and weight gain from age 50 years to old age on the risk of hip fracture among elderly men. METHODS: The association between weight change and risk of hip fracture was studied in a cohort of 2413 community-dwelling white men aged 67 years or older from 3 sites of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly. RESULTS: The older men in this study, observed for a total of 13620 person-years during the 8 years of follow-up, experienced 72 hip fractures, yielding an overall incidence rate of 5.3 per 1000 person-years. Extreme weight loss (> or =10%) beginning at age 50 years was associated in a proportional hazards model with increased risk of hip fracture (relative risk, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-3.3). Weight loss of 10% or more was associated with several indicators of poor health, including physical disability, low mental status score, and low physical activity (P<.05). Weight gain of 10% or more beginning at age 50 years provided borderline protection against the risk of hip fracture (relative risk, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-1.00). CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences between older men and women in the incidence of and risk factors for hip fracture, weight history is also an important determinant of the risk of hip fracture among older men. Weight loss of 10% or more beginning at age 50 years increases the risk of hip fracture in older white men; weight gain of 10% or more decreases the risk of hip fracture. The relationship between extreme weight loss and poor health suggests that weight loss is a marker of frailty that may increase the risk of hip fracture in older men. Physicians should include weight history in their assessment of the risk of hip fracture among older men.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Cardiovascular events and mortality in newly and chronically depressed persons > 70 years of age.

The role of duration of depressed mood in the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires further study, as it has been suggested that emerging depressive symptoms may be a better predictor than persistent depressive symptoms. This prospective cohort study of 3,701 men and women aged > 70 years uses 3 measurement occasions of depressive symptomatology (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale) during a 6-year period to distinguish persons who were newly (depressed at baseline but not at 3 and 6 years before baseline) and chronically depressed (depressed at baseline and at 3 or 6 years before baseline). Their risk of subsequent CVD events and all-cause mortality was compared with that of subjects who were never depressed during the 6-year period. Outcome events were based on death certificates and Medicare hospitalization records. During a median follow-up of 4.0 years, there were 732 deaths (46.2/1,000 person-years) and 933 new CVD events (64.7/1,000 person-years). In men, but not in women, newly depressed mood was associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality (relative risk 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00 to 3.05), new CVD events (relative risk 2.07, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.96), and new coronary heart disease events (relative risk 2.03, 95% CI 1.28 to 3.24) after adjustment for traditional CVD risk factors. The association between newly depressed mood and all-cause mortality was smaller (relative risk 1.40, 95% CI 0.95 to 2.07). Chronic depressed mood was not associated with new CVD events or all-cause mortality. Our findings suggest that newly depressed older men, but not women, were approximately twice as likely to have a CVD event than those who were never depressed. In men, recent onset of depressed mood is a better predictor of CVD than long-term depressed mood.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Efficacy of an ivermectin controlled-release capsule against nematode and arthropod endoparasites in sheep.

Five controlled trials were conducted in Germany or in the United Kingdom, using 74 female sheep of merino or Dorset horn breeds, to evaluate the efficacy of an ivermectin controlled-release capsule against naturally acquired or induced infections of gastrointestinal nematodes, lungworms and nasal bot larvae and against incoming infections with gastrointestinal and pulmonary nematodes. Half of the animals were treated with one ivermectin controlled-release capsule that delivered ivermectin at the rate of 1.6 mg per day for 100 days while the other half remained untreated. Parasites were counted 21, 28, 35 or 56 days after administration of the capsule. The treatment was highly effective (> or = 99 per cent) against established parasites of the following species: Haemonchus contortus (adults and fourth-stage larvae), Ostertagia circumcincta, O pinnata, O trifurcata, Ostertagia species fourth-stage larvae, Trichostrongylus axei, T colubriformis, T vitrinus, Cooperia curticei, Nematodirus battus, N filicollis, Strongyloides papillosus, Chabertia ovina, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Trichuris ovis, Tr skrjabini, Dictyocaulus filaria, Protostrongylus rufescens and Oestrus ovis (larvae). The treatment prevented the establishment of the gastrointestinal nematodes H contortus, O circumcincta, T axei, T colubriformis, C curticei, N battus, N filicollis, Ch ovina, Oe vennulosum and the establishment of the lungworm D filaria by > 99 per cent compared with untreated controls (P < or = 0.01).

Animals↗
PubMed1998

High body fatness, but not low fat-free mass, predicts disability in older men and women: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, we studied the relation between body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass, assessed by bioelectrical impedance) and self-reported, mobility-related disability (difficulty walking or stair climbing) in 2714 women and 2095 men aged 65-100 y. In a cross-sectional analysis at baseline (1989-1990), disability was reported by 26.5% of the women and 16.9% of the men. A positive association was observed between fat mass and disability. The odds ratio for disability in the highest quintile of fat mass was 3.04 (95% CI: 2.18, 4.25) for women and 2.77 (95% CI: 1.82, 4.23) for men compared with those in the lowest quintile. Low fat-free mass was not associated with a higher prevalence of disability. In a longitudinal analysis among persons not reporting disability at baseline, 20.3% of the women and 14.8% of the men reported disability 3 y later. Fat mass at baseline was predictive of disability 3 y later, with odds ratios of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.80, 4.46) for women and 1.72 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.85) for men in the highest quintile of fat. The increased risk was not explained by age, physical activity, chronic disease, or other potential confounders. Low fat-free mass was not predictive of disability. The results showed that high body fatness is an independent predictor of mobility-related disability in older men and women. These findings suggest that high body fatness in old age should be avoided to decrease the risk of disability.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1998

Body fat and skeletal muscle mass in relation to physical disability in very old men and women of the Framingham Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Low muscle mass has been assumed to be associated with disability, but no studies confirming this association have been published. High body weight and high body mass index, both rough indicators of body fatness, have been shown to increase the risk for disability; however, the specific role of body fatness has not been studied. METHODS: The relations of skeletal muscle mass and percent body fat with self-reported physical disability were studied in 753 men and women aged 72 to 95 years. Cross-sectional data from biennial examination 22 (1992-1993) of the Framingham Heart Study were used. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Disability was scored as any versus none on a 9-item questionnaire. RESULTS: Total body and lower extremity muscle mass were not associated with disability in either men or women. However, a strong positive association between percent body fat and disability was observed. The odds ratio for disability in those in the highest tertile of body fatness was 2.69 (95% confidence interval 1.45-5.00) for women and 3.08 (1.22-7.81) for men compared to those in the lowest tertile. The increased risk could not be explained by age, education, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, estrogen use (women only), muscle mass, and health status. Analyses restricting disability to mobility items gave similar results. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to current assumptions, low skeletal muscle mass was not associated with self-reported physical disability. Persons with a high percent body fat had high levels of disability. Because it cannot be ruled out that persons with low skeletal muscle mass dropped out earlier in the study, prospective studies are needed to further assess the relationship between body composition and physical disability.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1998

Association between insulin-like growth factor I and bone mineral density in older women and men: the Framingham Heart Study.

Few studies of the GH axis and bone have focused specifically on elderly people. The objective of this study was to determine the association between insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and bone mineral density (BMD) in 425 women and 257 men aged 72-94 who participated in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study component of the Framingham Heart Study in 1992-1993. Serum IGF-I level was determined by RIA. BMD at three femoral sites and the lumbar spine was determined by dual x-ray absorptiometry, and at the radius by single-photon absorptiometry. IGF-I level was positively associated with BMD at all five sites (Ward's area, femoral neck, trochanter, radius, and lumbar spine) in women after adjustment for weight loss and other factors (P < or = 0.01) and protein intake in a subset of participants (0.006 < P < 0.07). A threshold effect of higher BMD was evident at each of the 3 femoral sites and the spine (P < 0.03) but not at the radius for women in the highest quintile of IGF-I (> or = 179 g/liter) vs. those in the lowest four quintiles. IGF-I was not significantly associated with BMD in men. These results indicate that higher IGF-I levels are associated with greater BMD in very old women, and suggest that future clinical trials employing GH may have a role in the development of treatments for older women with osteoporosis.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1998

A polymerase chain reaction procedure for the detection of Salmonella spp. within 24 hours.

Salmonella spp. are one of the most important groups of food-borne pathogens worldwide. Conventional methods for the detection of Salmonella spp. in foodstuffs are generally cumbersome and time consuming. Whereas various more rapid detection methods have been developed over the past few years, there is currently no reliable true 24-hour detection method available. We report here a reliable Salmonella PCR detection method yielding results within 24 h. Chicken samples were preenriched in buffered peptone water (BPW) for 6 h. The DNA was extracted using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and then heated at 95 degrees C for 10 min. The Salmonella-specific primers ST11 and ST15 were used to amplify a 429-bp region specific to all Salmonella spp. This approach proved to be sufficient for the reliable detection of Salmonella spp. from both artificially and naturally contaminated poultry samples. The characteristic 429-bp PCR product was obtained in artificially contaminated samples with a detection limit of 50 CFU. A variety of chicken samples confirmed to harbor Salmonella spp. by conventional culture methods tested positive by our 24-h procedure, whereas no detectable amplification product was detected in those samples testing negative by culture methods. This method proved to be an excellent tool for the rapid and sensitive detection of Salmonella spp. from poultry samples using a specific primer set (ST11 and ST15) after only 6 h of preenrichment.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Endoparasitic infections in sheep from the Swabian Alb].

The endoparasite fauna of 59 slaughtered sheep (30 lambs, 29 ewes) from the Swabian Alb, Germany, was examined. One species of trematodes, 3 species of cestodes, 29 species of nematodes (23 species of gastro-intestinal and 6 species of lung nematodes), 1 species of arthropodes and 1 species of protozoa were recorded. All animals were infected with Dicrocoelium dentriticum as well as gastro-intestinal and lung nematodes, 45.8% with Moniezia spp., 15.3% with Cysticercus tenuicollis, 55.9% with Oestrus ovis and 11.9% with Sarcocystis gigantea. The most important gastro-intestinal nematodes were Ostertagia circumcincta and Cooperia curticei, which were recorded in all sheep, Ostertagia trifurcata and Chabertia ovine (98.3% each), Oesophagostumum venulosum (96.6%), Nematodirus filicollis (81.4% each), Ostertagia pinnata (78.0%), Trichuris ovis and Trichostrongylus colubriformis (76.3% each). The ewes harboured more abomasal and small intestinal nematodes (1819 and 3702) than the lambs (695 and 1730), which haboured more large intestinal nematodes (177) than those (56). The most often recorded lungworms were Cystocaulus ocreatus (74.6%) and Muellerius capillaris (72.9%), followed by Neostrongylus linearis (57.6%), Dictyocaulus filaria (50.8%), Protostrongylus brevispiculum (37.3%) and Protostrongylus rufescens (28.8%). The ewes carried higher lungworm burdens than the lambs.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Total and sports activity in older men and women: relation with body fat distribution.

Physical activity is reported to be inversely associated with abdominal fat in young and middle-aged populations, which may in part explain its beneficial effect on health. However, it is unclear whether this inverse association exists in older people. The authors investigated the relation of total and sports activity with fat distribution in a population-based sample of 1,163 men and 1,154 women aged 55-85 years, representative of the Dutch elderly population in 1992-1993. Waist and hip circumference and their ratio (WHR) were used as indicators of fat distribution. Physical activity of the previous 2 weeks was obtained by questionnaire. Among men, total physical activity time was negatively associated with waist (98.3 +/- 0.4 cm in the most active quartile vs. 100.5 +/- 0.4 cm in the least active quartile, p = 0.0001 (mean +/- standard error)) and WHR (0.98 +/- 0.00 vs. 0.99 +/- 0.00, p = 0.005) after adjustment for age, education level, body mass index, smoking, and season of the year. This association was not observed among women. Men and women who participated in sports activity had a smaller waist and WHR than those who did not. After adjustment, the time spent on sports activity was negatively associated with waist (p = 0.004 for men and p = 0.07 for women) and WHR (p = 0.03 for men and p = 0.09 for women) in both sexes. No relation between total physical activity time and body fat distribution was observed among respondents who were not participating in any sports activity (p > or = 0.17), suggesting that performance of activities of low/moderate intensity has no effect on body fat distribution. No associations with hip circumference were observed. The results did not change after additional adjustment for chronic illness. The results of this large-scale study show that physical activity, and specifically intensive activity, is negatively associated with abdominal fat in older people.

Adipose Tissue↗