Biomedical subjects

M Zaffanello

Publications and source records attributed to M Zaffanello.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

Parental and perinatal factors associated with childhood obesity in north-east Italy.

The association between obesity and perinatal, constitutional and social factors was studied in 1363 children (676 males, 687 females) living in six areas of north-east Italy. The children were randomly selected from four age categories (4,8,10 and 12 years of age). After adjustment for age, significant associations between the risk of obesity in the child and their body weight at birth (P < 0.01) and the father's or mother's body mass index (P < 0.001) were found in both genders. When these parental and perinatal variables were included as independent variables in a multiple logistic regression model controlling for the effect of age, parental body mass index and children's birth-weight remained independently associated with childhood obesity. In females, an interaction between birthweight and the mother's body mass index on the prevalence of obesity in childhood was found. In conclusion, parental obesity and birthweight represent major risk factors for obesity among children in north-east Italy.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Energy expenditure during walking and running in obese and nonobese prepubertal children.

We measured body composition and energy expenditure during walking and running on a treadmill in 40 prepubertal children: 23 obese children (9.3 +/- 1.1 years of age; 46 +/- 10 kg (mean +/- SD)) and 17 nonobese matched control children (9.2 +/- 0.6 years of age; 30 +/- 5 kg). Energy expenditure was assessed by indirect calorimetry with a standard open-circuit method. At the same speed of exercise, the energy expenditure was significantly (p < 0.01) greater in obese than in control children, in both boys and girls. Expressed per kilogram of body weight or per kilogram of fat-free mass, the energy expenditure was comparable in the two groups. Obese children had a significantly (p < 0.01) larger pulmonary ventilatory response to exercise than did control children. Heart rate was comparable in boys and girls combined but significantly higher (p < 0.05) in obese subjects, if boys and girls were analyzed separately. These data indicate that walking and running are energetically more expensive for obese children than for children of normal body weight. The knowledge of these energy costs could be useful in devising a physical activity program to be used in the treatment of obese children.

Body Weight↗

PubMed1991

Basal energy expenditure in obese and normal weight schoolchildren.

The present study was performed using indirect calorimetry to test the hypothesis of a reduction of the basal energy expenditure in obese prepubertal children. The obese and control children studied were comparable regarding age, height and fat-free mass (FFM). Total weight and body fat percentage were significantly greater in the obese children. Plasma insulin and glucagon concentrations were significantly higher in obese than in control children. In the two groups of children the basal metabolic rates (BMRs) were comparable in both absolute values and values adjusted for FFM, age and gender utilizing the multiple regression analysis. The most important variable to predict BMR was FFM, followed by age. BMR was significantly correlated with FFM, both for obese and control children, and also when the two groups were combined. In conclusion, our data do not support the idea that a child's obesity is maintained by increased metabolic efficiency at least in basal conditions.

Age Factors↗