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PubMed2003

Diet and breast cancer.

Obesity, overweight, and a sedentary lifestyle-all common conditions in breast cancer patients-are likely to be associated with poor survival and poor quality of life in women with breast cancer. Diet-related factors are thought to account for about 30% of cancers in developed countries. Most studies of diet and healthcare have focused on the role of single nutrients, foods, or food groups in disease prevention or promotion. Recent cancer guidelines on nutrition and physical activity emphasize diets that promote maintenance of a healthy body weight and a prudent dietary pattern that is low in red and processed meats and high in a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Except for dietary fat, few nutritional factors in adult life have been associated with breast cancer. Extensive data from animal model research, international correlations linking fat intake and breast cancer rates, and case-control studies support the hypothesis that a high-fat diet is conducive to the development of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Conflicting findings from cohort studies, however, have created uncertainty over the role of dietary fat in breast cancer growth and recurrence. Results from large-scale nutritional intervention trials are expected to resolve such issues. As new and improved data on dietary factors and patterns accumulate, dietary guidelines for cancer risk reduction will become more focused.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed2006

Self-selection contributes significantly to the lower adiposity of faster, longer-distanced, male and female walkers.

OBJECTIVE: Cross-sectional studies show that active individuals are leaner than their sedentary counterparts. The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent that this is due to self-selection bias, specifically to initially leaner men and women choosing to exercise longer and more intensely. METHODS: Walking quantity (weekly distance) and intensity (speed) were compared to current body mass index (BMI) (BMI(current)) and BMI at the start of walking (BMI(starting)) in 20,353 women and 5174 men who on average had walked regularly for exercise for 7.2 and 10.6 years, respectively. RESULTS: The relationships of both BMI(current) and BMI(starting) to both distance and intensity were nonlinear (convex). On average, BMI(starting) explained >70% of the association between BMI(current) and intensity, and 40 and 17% of the associations between BMI(current) and distance in women and men, respectively. Although the declines in BMI(current) with distance and intensity were greater among fatter individuals than leaner individuals, the portions attributable to BMI(starting) remained relatively constant regardless of fatness. Thus, self-selection bias accounted for most of the decline in BMI with walking intensity and smaller, albeit significant, proportions of the decline with distance. CONCLUSION: Although walking intensity and walking distance are both strongly associated with greater leanness, intensity is less likely to be causally related to leanness than is distance, and the latter should be encouraged for reversing or preventing weight gain.

Adiposity↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Girls on the move program to increase physical activity participation.

BACKGROUND: Because physical inactivity poses serious health risks, interventions are urgently needed to reverse the increasingly sedentary lifestyles of adolescent girls. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of "Girls on the Move," an individually tailored computerized physical activity (PA) program plus nurse counseling intervention, in increasing PA. METHODS: A pretest-posttest control group design was used with 77 racially diverse sedentary girls in Grades 6, 7, and 8 from two middle schools. Each of the instructional grades was randomly assigned to either an intervention or control condition. After completing computerized questionnaires, each girl in the control group received a handout listing the PA recommendations. To encourage PA, each girl in the intervention group received computerized, individually tailored feedback messages based on her responses to the questionnaires, individual counseling from the school's pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP), and telephone calls and mailings from a trained research assistant. At 12 weeks, girls in both groups responded to the questionnaires. RESULTS: No differences in self-reported PA emerged between the intervention and control groups at Weeks 1 (baseline) and 12 (postintervention). Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant interaction between group and time for social support for PA, F(1, 69) = 5.73, p = .019, indicating that the intervention group had significantly greater social support across time than did the control group. From baseline to postintervention, social support increased for the intervention group but decreased for the control group. DISCUSSION: Reasons for the lack of significant differences between the groups on the PA measures were cited. Important information that could inform subsequent studies that test interventions to increase youth PA was acquired from conducting this study. Future efforts to increase PA participation might include this approach for enhancing social support for PA.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Inactivity, exercise, and visceral fat. STRRIDE: a randomized, controlled study of exercise intensity and amount.

Despite the importance of randomized, dose-response studies for proper evaluation of effective clinical interventions, there have been no dose-response studies on the effects of exercise amount on abdominal obesity, a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. One hundred seventy-five sedentary, overweight men and women with mild to moderate dyslipidemia were randomly assigned to participate for 6 mo in a control group or for approximately 8 mo in one of three exercise groups: 1) low amount, moderate intensity, equivalent to walking 12 miles/wk (19.2 km) at 40-55% of peak oxygen consumption; 2) low amount, vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 12 miles/wk at 65-80% of peak oxygen consumption; or 3) high amount, vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 20 miles/wk (32.0 km). Computed tomography scans were analyzed for abdominal fat. Controls gained visceral fat (8.6 +/- 17.2%; P = 0.001). The equivalent of 11 miles of exercise per week, at either intensity, prevented significant accumulation of visceral fat. The highest amount of exercise resulted in decreased visceral (-6.9 +/- 20.8%; P = 0.038) and subcutaneous (-7.0 +/- 10.8%; P < 0.001) abdominal fat. Significant gains in visceral fat over only 6 mo emphasize the high cost of continued inactivity. A modest exercise program, consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control/American College of Sports Medicine (CDC/ACSM), prevented significant increases in visceral fat. Importantly, a modest increase over the CDC/ACSM exercise recommendations resulted in significant decreases in visceral, subcutaneous, and total abdominal fat without changes in caloric intake.

Abdominal Fat↗

PubMed2003

Relative feeding specialization may depress ontogenetic, seasonal, and sexual variations in diet: the endemic lizard Cnemidophorus littoralis (Teiidae).

We investigated the feeding habits of the teiid lizard Cnemidophorus littoralis in the markedly seasonal habitat of Restinga da Barra de Maricá (22 degrees 57'S, 43 degrees 50'W), Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, to evaluate to what extent its diet is ontogenetically, sexually, and/or seasonally conservative. Lizard stomach contents were analyzed, identified, counted, estimated for volume (in mm3), and grouped in four classes (active, sedentary, and clumped preys, and plant material). The relative contribution of each food class to the total prey volume consumed by adult males and females and juveniles was compared in three ways: between juveniles and adults, sexes, and seasons (wet and dry). Sexual dimorphism in head size was tested by comparing head width and jaw length using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Isopterans were the most important prey item, occurring in 93% of the lizard stomachs examined and corresponding to 96.4% of total prey content and 69.7% of total prey volume. They occurred in high frequencies in the stomachs of C. littoralis throughout all study months. We found no sexual, ontogenetic, or seasonal differences in C. littoralis diet although the sexes differed significantly in head width. We concluded that isopterans are the main item in the diet of C. littoralis in Restinga da Barra de Maricá, both for juveniles and adults. The lack of seasonal, sexual, or ontogenetic variation in its diet results from the massive consumption of these insects. Isopterans are small, occur in clumps, and are available year-round, and thus are an advantageous food item for the active forager C. littoralis. We also found sexual dimorphism in the head size of C. littoralis: males have wider heads than females. This dimorphism, however, does not seem to be related with the diet of the species, and is probably a result of sexual selection.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Effectiveness of counselling patients on physical activity in general practice: cluster randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long term effectiveness of the "green prescription" programme, a clinician based initiative in general practice that provides counselling on physical activity. DESIGN: Cluster randomised controlled trial. Practices were randomised before systematic screening and recruitment of patients. SETTING: 42 rural and urban general practices in one region of New Zealand. SUBJECTS: All sedentary 40-79 year old patients visiting their general practitioner during the study's recruitment period. INTERVENTION: General practitioners were prompted by the patient to give oral and written advice on physical activity during usual consultations. Exercise specialists continued support by telephone and post. Control patients received usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in physical activity, quality of life (as measured by the "short form 36" (SF-36) questionnaire), cardiovascular risk (Framingham and D'Agostino equations), and blood pressure over a 12 month period. RESULTS: 74% (117/159) of general practitioners and 66% (878/1322) of screened eligible patients participated in the study. The follow up rate was 85% (750/878). Mean total energy expenditure increased by 9.4 kcal/kg/week (P=0.001) and leisure exercise by 2.7 kcal/kg/week (P=0.02) or 34 minutes/week more in the intervention group than in the control group (P=0.04). The proportion of the intervention group undertaking 2.5 hours/week of leisure exercise increased by 9.72% (P=0.003) more than in the control group (number needed to treat=10.3). SF-36 measures of self rated "general health," "role physical," "vitality," and "bodily pain" improved significantly more in the intervention group (P<0.05). A trend towards decreasing blood pressure became apparent but no significant difference in four year risk of coronary heart disease. CONCLUSION: Counselling patients in general practice on exercise is effective in increasing physical activity and improving quality of life over 12 months.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pedometers as a means to increase ambulatory activity for patients seen at a family medicine clinic.

Because of their frequent encounters with sedentary patients, family physicians are poised to be on the forefront of the medical community's response to physical inactivity. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine whether the addition of a pedometer to brief physician counseling could help patients increase their ambulatory activity. Ninety four participants recruited from a family medicine clinic were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Both groups received a brief physician endorsement of regular physical activity, a handout on the benefits of an active lifestyle, and 3 follow-up phone calls from a health educator. In addition, the intervention group received a pedometer and was instructed to record their steps daily over the 9-week study period. Measurements were taken for self-reported walking, walking stage-of-change, walking self-efficacy, and pedometer steps (intervention group only). Among completers, mean daily step counts in the pedometer group rose from 6779 at baseline to 8855 at study end. Average individual improvement was 41% over the study period. Both groups significantly increased blocks walked per day, stair climbing versus using the elevator, days per week walking > or = 30 minutes, and walking for fun/leisure. The frequency of walking short trips improved significantly more in the pedometer group relative to the comparison group. The results of this pilot study highlight the need for further research on the use of pedometers as a motivational tool in the context of medical encounters with inactive patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Comparison of perceived health to physiological measures of health in Black and White women.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and sedentary lifestyles are prevalent among minority women. This study compared perceived and physiological measures of health in 35 non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and 155 non-Hispanic White (NHW) sedentary women. METHODS: Self-perception of body weight, physical shape and appearance, physical fitness, and eating habits were assessed via questionnaire using 10-point scales (1 = poor, 10 = excellent), and height, weight, aerobic capacity (V(O(2))(max)), and 4-day food records were directly measured. RESULTS: Although body mass index (BMI, 30.3 +/- 5.3 vs 27.2 +/- 4.5 kg/m(2)) and weight (82.7 +/- 16.5 vs 73.1 +/- 12.9 kg) were greater (both P = 0.0001) in NHB, groups were similar in self-perception of physical shape and appearance and weight. V(O(2))(max) was lower in NHB compared to NHW (20.7 +/- 4.5 vs 23.5 +/- 4.6 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), P = 0.002), despite no difference between groups in self-perception of physical fitness. Finally, there was no difference between groups for self-perception of eating habits and percentage of calories derived from fat (%fat). The results were unchanged after adjusting for age, education, and income, except that %fat was greater in NHB compared to NHW (35.7 +/- 6.3 vs 33.8 +/- 6.9%, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Although NHB were heavier, more obese, less fit, and consumed a greater %fat than NHW, they perceived their weight, physical shape and appearance, physical fitness, and eating habits to be no worse than those of their White counterparts. The perceptions of NHB regarding their weight, fitness, and eating habits may represent barriers to change.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Long-term voluntary exercise and the mouse hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis: impact of concurrent treatment with the antidepressant drug tianeptine.

We investigated whether voluntary exercise and concurrent antidepressant treatment (tianeptine; 20 mg/kg/day; 4 weeks) exert synergistic effects on the mouse hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. Animals had access to a running wheel, were treated with the antidepressant, or received both conditions combined. Control mice received no running wheel and no drug treatment. Exercise resulted in asymmetric changes in the adrenal glands. Whereas sedentary mice had larger left adrenals than right ones, this situation was abolished in exercising animals, mainly due to enlargement of the right adrenal cortex. However, antidepressant treatment alone was ineffective whereas the combination of antidepressant treatment and exercise resulted in an enlargement of both adrenal cortices. In these respective conditions, the levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA expression in the left and right adrenal medullas varied greatly in parallel to the changes observed in the adrenal cortex sizes. TH mRNA expression in the locus coeruleus of exercising mice was significantly increased irrespective of concomitant tianeptine treatment. Corticotrophin-releasing factor mRNA levels in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus were decreased after voluntary exercise but were unaffected by tianeptine. Exercise, particularly in combination with tianeptine treatment, resulted in decreased early morning baseline plasma levels of corticosterone. If animals were exposed to novelty (i.e. a mild psychological stressor), a decreased response in plasma corticosterone levels was observed in the exercising mice. By contrast, after restraint, a mixed physical and psychological stressor, exercising mice showed an enhanced response in plasma corticosterone compared to the controls; a response which was even further boosted in exercising mice concomitantly treated with tianeptine. Under either condition, plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone levels were not different between groups. Thus, voluntary exercise impacts substantially on HPA axis regulation. Concurrent tianeptine treatment results in synergistic actions, mainly at the adrenal level, affecting both its structure and function.

Adrenal Cortex↗

PubMed2006

Outcomes from the women's wellness project: a community-focused physical activity trial for women.

BACKGROUND: Given the low rates of physical activity participation, innovative intervention approaches are needed to make a public health impact. METHODS: The study was conducted at the Miriam Hospital/Brown Medical School in Providence, RI, and in communities of Southeastern Massachusetts from 2002 to 2005. Previously sedentary women (n = 280; mean age = 47.1; 94.6% Caucasian) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) Choose to Move, a self-help printed booklet (n = 93), (2) Jumpstart, a motivationally tailored, print based intervention (n = 95); or (3) Wellness, women's health materials (n = 92). Face-to-face contact at months 3 (M3) and 12 (M12) occurred within participants' communities in local libraries. RESULTS: At M3, participants in the Jumpstart condition reported significantly more minutes of physical activity per week (M = 140.4, SE = 14.82) than participants in the Wellness condition (M = 98.1, SE = 15.09), (t(275) = 2.00, p < 0.05). The Jumpstart arm showed a trend towards significance (t(275) = 1.93, p = 0.054) when compared with the CTM arm (M = 99.5, SE = 15.11); there was no significant difference between the CTM and Wellness arms (t(275) = 0.07, p = NS). At M12, there were no significant differences (F(2,275) = 0.147, p = NS) between any of the treatment arms. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that print-based programs for physical activity may be efficacious short-term, but more research is needed to find approaches that are effective long-term. It is possible to deliver print-based programs through existing community infrastructures, however these approaches need further evaluation to examine maintenance effects apart from the demand characteristics of a research study.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Environmental, policy, and cultural factors related to physical activity in sedentary American Indian women.

Focus group interviews were conducted to explore sociocultural, environmental, and policy-related determinants of physical activity among sedentary American Indian women. Thirty women aged 20 to 50 years (mean = 37.4 +/- 10.6 years) participated. Three sessions were conducted with women aged 20 to 34 years and three with women aged 35 to 50 to evaluate response differences by age. Because no obvious age differences were observed, data were pooled. Barriers to physical activity included inadequate support for household and child care responsibilities and difficulties balancing home-related and societal expectations with physical activity. In addition, women reported little support from their communities and work sites to be physically active. Environmental barriers included lack of safe outdoor areas and accessible walking trails. Weather and stray dogs were also commonly mentioned. Sociocultural barriers included giving family obligations priority above all other things, being expected to eat large portions of high-fat foods, and failing to follow a traditionally active lifestyle. Enablers of physical activity included support from family and coworkers and participation in traditional community events. Suggested intervention approaches included accessible and affordable programs and facilities, community emphasis on physical activity, and programs that incorporated the needs of larger women and of families. Participants emphasized a preference for programs that were compatible with the role expectations of their families and communities, and they expressed the desire for acceptance and encouragement to be physically active from the family, the community, the worksite, and their tribal leaders.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Identifying sedentary subgroups: the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey.

BACKGROUND: Developing effective interventions for the 24% to 28% of U.S. adults who are sedentary requires a better understanding of the factors related to sedentary lifestyles as well as the communication channels to reach various subgroups. This study identified key sociodemographic and health communication characteristics of various subgroups with high rates of inactivity using signal detection methodology. METHODS: The sample from the nationally representative Health Information National Trends Survey 2003 (n=6369) was randomly split into two samples. Exploratory analyses (conducted 2004 and 2005) were employed on the first sample to identify various subgroups, and the stability of inactivity rates in those subgroups was examined in the second sample. RESULTS: Eight subgroups with varying levels of inactivity were identified. Three subgroups had inactivity levels of 40% or higher, while the lowest subgroup had a level of less than 15%. The highest inactivity subgroup consisted of individuals with at least some college education who were in fair/poor health and who watched 4 or more hours of television per day. The second-highest inactivity subgroup was composed of those without a college education who tended not to use or attend to many communication channels. The third highest inactive subgroup consisted of those without a college education who read the newspaper and were obese. Levels of inactivity in the second independent sample subgroups were not significantly different from those found in the exploratory sample. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified empirically based, physically inactive subgroups that differed on sociodemographic and health communication characteristics. This information should be useful in creating future evidence-based, targeted, and tailored intervention strategies.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Moderate-intensity exercise and self-rated quality of sleep in older adults. A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of moderate-intensity exercise training on self-rated (subjective) sleep quality among healthy, sedentary older adults reporting moderate sleep complaints. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial of 16 weeks' duration. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of 29 women and 14 men (of 67 eligible subjects) aged 50 to 76 years who were sedentary, free of cardiovascular disease, and reported moderate sleep complaints. No participant was withdrawn for adverse effects. INTERVENTION: Randomized to 16 weeks of community-based, moderate-intensity exercise training or to a wait-listed control condition. Exercise consisted primarily of four 30- to 40-minute endurance training sessions (low-impact aerobics; brisk walking) prescribed per week at 60% to 75% of heart rate reserve based on peak treadmill exercise heart rate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: Compared with controls (C), subjects in the exercise training condition (E) showed significant improvement in the PSQI global sleep score at 16 weeks (baseline and posttest values in mean [SD] for C=8.93 [3.1] and 8.8 [2.6]; baseline and posttest values for E=8.7 [3.0] and 5.4 [2.8]; mean posttest difference between conditions=3.4; P<.001; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-5.4), as well as in the sleep parameters of rated sleep quality, sleep-onset latency (baseline and posttest values for C=26.1 [20.0] and 23.8 [15.3]; for E=28.4 [20.2] and 14.6 [13.0]; net improvement=11.5 minutes), and sleep duration baseline and posttest scores for C=5.8 [1.1] and 6.0 [1.0]; for E=6.0 [1.1] and 6.8 [1.2]; net improvement=42 minutes) assessed via PSQI and sleep diaries (P=.05). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with moderate sleep complaints can improve self-rated sleep quality by initiating a regular moderate-intensity exercise program.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Secular trends in the body mass index of Canadian children.

BACKGROUND: Various changes in society have created the opportunity for more sedentary behaviour and the consumption of food that is high in kilojoules, which may lead to a progressive increase in body mass over time. The purpose of this study was to examine secular changes in the body mass index (BMI) of Canadian children between 1981 and 1996. METHODS: Nationally representative data from the 1981 Canada Fitness Survey, the 1988 Campbell's Survey on the Well-being of Canadians and the 1996 National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth were used in the analysis. Regression analyses were used to assess population changes in BMI from 1981 to 1996 for children aged 7-13 years. Changes in the distribution of BMI results were evaluated by plotting the residuals from regression analyses of BMI on age, assessed separately by sex, using the 1981 data as baseline. The proportions of children exceeding the 85th and 95th age- and sex-specific percentiles from the 1981 (baseline) data were also calculated. RESULTS: Since 1981, BMI has increased at the rate of nearly 0.1 kg/m2 per year for both sexes at most ages, indicating a clear secular trend toward an increase in BMI of Canadian children. The prevalence of overweight among boys increased from 15% in 1981 to 28.8% in 1996 and among girls from 15% to 23.6%. The prevalence of obesity in children more than doubled over that period, from 5% to 13.5% for boys and 11.8% for girls. INTERPRETATION: Secular trends indicate that Canadian children aged 7-13 years are becoming progressively overweight and obese.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Health related practices of students of the University of Ibadan.

University students are predisposed by environmental factors to adoption of habits that impact on their health Smoking, alcohol abuse, a sedentary lifestyle and failure to use health services appropriately may all impair current or future health. These students represent a large population of young persons but have not been recognised as a specific concern among health care planners except in the area of reproductive health and sexuality. Seven hundred and fifty students of the University of Ibadan were randomly selected from the halls of residence by multi stage sampling. Verbal consent was obtained and trained student peers administered questionnaires to the subjects Seven hundred and twenty-four students returned completed questionnaires, an overall response rate of 96.5% The respondents consisted of 484 males and 240 females Six hundred and two were undergraduate and 122 were graduate students. All the university's faculties were represented. Most (92.3%) of the respondents were single The mean age of the group was 23.8 years (SD 4.6). Current and ever used smoking prevalence was 5.7% and 23.2% respectively. Smokers were predominantly males pursuing degrees in the Arts and Humanities. Current and ever use of alcohol were reported by 24.7% and 46.1% respectively of the students. Main associations with alcohol consumption were with male gender, age less than 30 years, single marital status and non-medical course of study. Only 12 students (1.8%) exercise daily. This study demonstrates the need for continued surveillance of health related habits of young persons, not only for the benefit of the individual students but also for the general population for whom these educated persons represent lifestyle models.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental and lifestyle factors associated with overweight and obesity in Perth, Australia.

PURPOSE: To examine associations between environmental and lifestyle factors and overweight or obesity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey and an environmental scan of recreational facilities. SETTING: Metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. SUBJECTS: Healthy sedentary workers and homemakers aged 18 to 59 years (n = 1803) living in areas within the top and bottom quintiles of social disadvantage. MEASURES: Four lifestyle factors, one social environmental factor, and five physical environment factors (three objectively measured). RESULTS: After adjustment for demographic factors and other variables in the model, overweight was associated with living on a highway (odds ratio [OR], 4.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-11.09) or streets with no sidewalks or sidewalks on one side only (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.03-1.78) and perceiving no paths within walking distance (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.08-1.86). Poor access to four or more recreational facilities (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.11-2.55) and sidewalks (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, .98-2.68) and perceiving no shop within walking distance (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.01-3.36) were associated with obesity. Conversely, access to a motor vehicle all the time was negatively associated with obesity (OR, .56; 95% CI, .32-.99). Watching 3 or more hours of television daily (ORs, 1.92 and 1.85, respectively) and rating oneself as less active than others (ORs, 1.66 and 4.05, respectively) were associated with both overweight and obesity. After adjustment for individual demographic factors and all other variables in the model, socioeconomic status of area of residence and leisure-time physical activity were not associated with overweight or obesity. CONCLUSION: Factors that influence overweight and obesity appear to differ, but aspects of the physical environment may be important. Objectively measured neighborhood environment factors warrant further investigation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

[Atherogenic food habits of population groups in a metropolitan area of southeastern Brazil].

This present study is one part of the project "Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, lipemic disorders, hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus in a population of the metropolitan area of S. Paulo, Brazil" undertaken in Cotia county. An alimentary inquiry based on the alimentary history of the individual was carried out among a subsample of the population (568 individuals). The objectives of the inquiry are the following: a) the identification of the atherogenic potential of the diets of different human groups, stratified according to social class and b) the analysis of consumption differentials of some nutrients, which confer atherogenicity to the diet, as between social classes. The consumption differentials were analyzed as between men and women, by social class and taking the 50th percentile (P50) of the sample as the standard of reference, with regard to the following dietary constituents: energy, total proteins, proteins of animal origin, percentages of protein calories (P%), fatty acids, fats (F%) and carbohydrates (CH%). Also, according to this criterion, some diet profiles were analyzed in the light of the recommendations of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NEP) as regards the calorie supplied by fats (F%), saturated fatty acids (SFA%), carbohydrates (CH%) and cholesterol (> 300 mg/day). The following were the findings obtained: the consumption differentials were more pronounced among the men. The social class which presented the largest percentages above the P50 of the sample, with regard to energy, total proteins, fats and carbohydrates, were the non-specialized workers, i.e. the manual laborers who have a high expenditure of energy, an that of small property owners and shop-keepers who lead a sedentary life. The class of the greatest acquisitive power and highest educational level presented a moderate consumption of these constituents. On the other hand, the consumption of the proteins of animal origin, above the P50, among men and women, maintained a direct relationship with socioeconomic level. The proportion of calories coming from fats (F%) and protein (P%) was directly proportional to the acquisitive power of the class, while that of carbohydrates (CH%) presented an inverse relationship. On the other hand, the consumption of cholesterol in excess of 300 mg/day was found to between 37 and 50% and 20 and 32% for men and women, respectively. The percentage of diets with more than 30% of calories coming from fats (F%) varied from 25 to 40% for men and 45 to 50% for women. The participation of the saturated fatty acids (SFA%) in proportions greater or equal to 10 was relatively low for both sexes: being of 5 to 17% for the men and of less than 10% for the women. The percentages of cases in the relationship saturated to unsaturated fatty acids (SFA/UFA) maintaining values less than 1% was also low for the population in general, being of 7 and 22% for the men and less than 10% for the women. It is concluded that diet probably is an important risk factor in cardiovascular diseases, lipemic disorders, obesity and hypertension, for a large part of the population, mainly for the small property owners and shop-keepers, is viable.

Brazil↗

PubMed2006

Orexin A mediation of time spent moving in rats: neural mechanisms.

The brain regulates energy balance and spontaneous physical activity, including both small- and large-motor activities. Neural mediators of spontaneous physical activity are currently undefined, although the amount of time spent in sedentary positions versus standing and ambulating may be important in the energetics of human obesity. Orexin A, a neuropeptide produced in caudal hypothalamic areas and projecting throughout the neuraxis, enhances arousal and spontaneous physical activity. To test the hypothesis that orexin A affects the amount of time spent moving, we injected orexin A (0-1000 pmol) into three orexin projection sites in male Sprague-Dawley rats: hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, rostral lateral hypothalamic area and substantia nigra pars compacta, and measured spontaneous physical activity. Orexin A affects local GABA release and we co-injected orexin A with a GABA agonist, muscimol, in each brain site. Dopamine signaling is important to substantia nigra function and so we also co-injected a dopamine 1 receptor antagonist (SCH 23390) in the substantia nigra pars compacta. In all brain sites orexin A significantly increased time spent vertical and ambulating. Muscimol significantly and dose-dependently inhibited orexin A effects on time spent moving only when administered to the rostral lateral hypothalamic area. In the substantia nigra pars compacta, SCH 23390 completely blocked orexin A-induced ambulation. These data indicate that orexin A influences time spent moving, in three brain sites utilizing separate signaling mechanisms. That orexin A modulation of spontaneous physical activity occurs in brain areas with multiple roles indicates generalization across brain site, and may reflect a fundamental mechanism for enhancing activity levels. This potential for conferring physical activity stimulation may be useful for inducing shifts in time spent moving, which has important implications for obesity.

Analysis of Variance↗