Search

AIM:This paper deals with some methodological aspects of data collection in the context of measuring dietary intake in individuals in their adolescence life stage.METHOD:Experiences from three partners of the HELENA project in dietary intake measurement in children and adolescents are presented in this paper with emphasis on characteristics of under-reporting, long-term diet measurement and food patterns (Dortmund DONALD group), influences of survey duration on under-reporting (Ghent group) and meal habits (Spanish AVENA group).RESULTS:Under-reporters in the DONALD Study, particularly female adolescents, had a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than non-under-reporters; BMI could not be explained by different long-term dietary patterns during childhood and adolescence clustered according to fat consumption; consumers of fast food had higher BMI values than nonconsumers. In the Ghent experience, the decline in population mean energy intake as calculated over selected clusters of days is 184 kcal (6.5%) in boys and 116 (5.6%) in girls; the cluster of 1 recording day and the cluster of 3 recording days were not significantly different but they were both significantly different from the 7-day cluster; no significant interaction was observed between the effect of time and BMI. In the AVENA Study, the percentage of adolescents skipping breakfast was higher in females (8.6%) than in males (3.5%, P<0.001); higher BMI values were observed in those skipping breakfast than in those notskipping breakfast, but differences were statistically significant in males at 15 y and in females at 14 and 17 y; adolescents avoiding some food groups for breakfast had higher BMI values (carbohydrates, fruits and pastries in males and milk, fruits and pastries in females).CONCLUSION:Dietary and nutrient intake data in the HELENA project will be obtained by means of repeated 24-h dietary recalls. Data from HELENA might be a basis for developing complex approaches like Healthy Eating Indices.International Journal of Obesity (2005) 29, S66–S77. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803063 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Obesity-related under-reporting of usual dietary intake is one of the most persistent sources of bias in nutrition research. The aim of this paper is to characterize obese and non-obese individuals with respect to reporting errors observed with two common dietary instruments, using energy and protein recovery biomarkers as reference measures.Population and methods:This report employs data from the Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition (OPEN) study. Analyses are based on stratified samples of 211 (57 obese) men and 179 (50 obese) women who completed 24-h recalls (24HR), food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), doubly labelled water (DLW) and urinary nitrogen (UN) assessments.Results:In obese and non-obese subgroups, FFQ yielded lower energy and protein intake estimates than 24HR, although biomarker-based information indicated under-reporting with both dietary instruments. Gender differences in obesity-related bias were noted. Among women, the DLW-based energy requirement was 378 kcal greater in obese than in non-obese groups; the FFQ was able to detect a statistically significant portion of this extra energy, while the 24HR was not. Among men, the DLW-based energy requirement was 485 kcal greater in the obese group; however, neither FFQ nor 24HR detected this difference in energy requirement. Combining protein and energy estimates, obese men significantly over-reported the proportion of energy from protein using the 24HR, but not with the FFQ. In obese women, no significant reporting error for energy percent protein was observed by either method. At the individual level, correlations between energy expenditure and reported energy intake tended to be weaker in obese than non-obese groups, particularly with the 24HR. Correlations between true and reported protein density were consistently higher than for protein or energy alone, and did not vary significantly with obesity.Conclusion:This work adds to existing evidence that neither of these commonly used dietary reporting methods adequately measures energy or protein intake in obese groups. The 24HR, while capturing more realistic energy distributions for usual intake, may be particularly problematic in the obese.International Journal of Obesity (2007) 31, 956–961; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803527; published online 13 February 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ability to non-invasively measure body composition in mouse models of obesity and obesity-related disorders is essential for elucidating mechanisms of metabolic regulation and monitoring the effects of novel treatments. These studies aimed to develop a fully automated, high-throughput micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)-based image analysis technique for longitudinal quantitation of adipose, non-adipose and lean tissue as well as bone and demonstrate utility for assessing the effects of two distinct treatments.Methods: An initial validation study was performed in diet-induced obesity (DIO) and control mice on a vivaCT 75 micro-CT system. Subsequently, four groups of DIO mice were imaged pre- and post-treatment with an experimental agonistic antibody specific for anti-fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (anti-FGFR1, R1MAb1), control immunoglobulin G antibody, a known anorectic antiobesity drug (rimonabant, SR141716), or solvent control. The body composition analysis technique was then ported to a faster micro-CT system (CT120) to markedly increase throughput as well as to evaluate the use of micro-CT image intensity for hepatic lipid content in DIO and control mice. Ex vivo chemical analysis and colorimetric analysis of the liver triglycerides were performed as the standard metrics for correlation with body composition and hepatic lipid status, respectively.Results: Micro-CT-based body composition measures correlate with ex vivo chemical analysis metrics and enable distinction between DIO and control mice. R1MAb1 and rimonabant have differing effects on body composition as assessed by micro-CT. High-throughput body composition imaging is possible using a modified CT120 system. Micro-CT also provides a non-invasive assessment of hepatic lipid content.Conclusions: This work describes, validates and demonstrates utility of a fully automated image analysis technique to quantify in vivo micro-CT-derived measures of adipose, non-adipose and lean tissue, as well as bone. These body composition metrics highly correlate with standard ex vivo chemical analysis and enable longitudinal evaluation of body composition and therapeutic efficacy monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Adenovirus-36 (Adv-36) infection is associated with exaggerated adipogenesis in cell culture and the development of obesity in animal models and humans, but a causal relationship remains unproven. Our objective was to determine whether serological evidence of Adv-36 infection in childhood and/or adulthood is associated with adult obesity.Subjects/methods: Paired plasma concentrations of Adv-36 antibodies were measured by a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a subgroup (n=449) of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study in childhood (mean age 11.9 years) and adulthood (mean age 41.3 years). The study group included (1) individuals who had maintained normal-weight status (2) those who became obese adults from a normal-weight status in childhood and (3) those that were overweight/obese as a child and obese as an adult.Results: Mean (s.d.) time between baseline and follow-up was 29.4 (3.2) years (range 21-31 years). A total of 24.4% of individuals who were normal weight throughout life were seropositive for Adv-36 during child and/or adulthood as compared with 32.3% of those who became obese adults (P=0.11). Those who became obese in adulthood were more likely to be Adv-36 seropositive as adults compared with those who maintained normal weight (21.3% vs. 11.6%, P=0.02). This difference was mediated by a decline in Adv-36 seropositivity between child and adulthood in those maintaining normal weight. No differences were observed in body mass index across the life course, nor in waist circumference in adult life, between those who were Adv-36 seronegative or seropositive at any age.Conclusions: Individuals who gained weight across the life course were more likely to be Adv-36 seropositive in adult life than those who did not gain weight. However, analysis of change in weight status in relation to Adv-36 positivity did not support a causal role for Adv-36 in the development of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the effects of aerobic training, resistance training, or both on abdominal subcutaneous fat (subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT)) (deep and superficial), visceral fat (visceral adipose tissue (VAT)), apolipoproteins A-1 and B (ApoA-1, ApoB), ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP) in post-pubertal adolescents with obesity.Participants: After a 4-week supervised moderate-intensity exercise run-in period, 304 postpubertal adolescents with overweight (body mass index (BMI) ⩾85th percentile for age and sex+diabetes risk factor) or obesity (⩾95th BMI percentile) aged 14-18 years were randomized to four groups for 22 weeks (5 months): aerobic training, resistance training, combined training or a non-exercising control.Methods: This study used a randomized controlled design. All groups received dietary counseling designed to promote healthy eating with a maximum daily energy deficit of 250 kcal. Abdominal fat (SAT and VAT) at the level of the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5) was measured by magnetic resonance imaging and ApoA-1, ApoB and HSCRP were measured after a 12-h fast at baseline and after 6 months.Results: Changes in SAT at L4-L5 were -16.2 cm(2) in aerobic (P=0.04 vs control), -22.7 cm(2) in resistance (P=0.009 vs control) and -18.7 cm(2) in combined (P=0.02 vs control). Combined training reduced ApoB levels from 0.81±0.02 to 0.78±0.02 g l(-1) (P=0.04 vs control) and ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio from 0.67±0.02 to 0.64±0.02 (P=0.02 vs control and P=0.04 vs aerobic). There were no significant differences in VAT, ApoA-1 or HSCRP levels between groups.Conclusions: Aerobic and resistance training and their combination decreased abdominal SAT in adolescents with obesity. Combined training caused greater improvements in ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio compared with aerobic training alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: The identification of brown/beige adipose tissue in adult humans has motivated the search for methods aimed at increasing its thermogenic activity as an approach to treat obesity. In rodents, the brown adipose tissue is under the control of sympathetic signals originating in the hypothalamus. However, the putative connection between the depots of brown/beige adipocytes and the hypothalamus in humans has never been explored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of the hypothalamus and brown/beige adipose tissue to cold stimulus in obese subjects undergoing body mass reduction following gastric bypass.Subjects/methods: We evaluated twelve obese, non-diabetic subjects undergoing Roux-in-Y gastric bypass and 12 lean controls. Obese subjects were evaluated before and approximately 8 months after gastric bypass. Lean subjects were evaluated only at admission. Subjects were evaluated for hypothalamic activity in response to cold by functional magnetic resonance, whereas brown/beige adipose tissue activity was evaluated using a (F 18) fluorodeoxyglucose positron emisson tomography/computed tomography scan and real-time PCR measurement of signature genes.Results: Body mass reduction resulted in a significant increase in brown/beige adipose tissue activity in response to cold; however, no change in cold-induced hypothalamic activity was observed after body mass reduction. No correlation was found between brown/beige adipose tissue activation and hypothalamus activity in obese subjects or in lean controls.Conclusions: In humans, the increase in brown/beige adipose tissue activity related to body mass reduction occurs independently of changes in hypothalamic activity as determined by functional magnetic resonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article lists the conflict of interests and funding disclosures related to obesity. This includes research papers sponsored by various organization such as National Institutes of Health, Diabetes Foundation Netherlands, Sbarro Health Research Organization, and Utah Agricultural Experiment Station Project. The names of submitting authors and reference numbers are also provided.

Objective:To compare the enrollment, attendance, retention and weight losses of young adults in behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs with older participants in the same trials.Methods:Data were pooled from three NIH-funded adult BWL trials from two clinical centers in different regions of the country (total N=298); young adults were defined as those aged 18–35 years. Both young adults and adults were compared on session attendance, retention at the 6-month assessment, weight loss and physical activity at 6 months.Results:Young adults represented 7% of the sample, attended significantly fewer sessions than did adults (52 vs 74%, respectively; P<0.001) and were less likely to be retained for the 6-month assessment (67 vs 95%, respectively; P<0.05). Controlling for demographic variables, study and baseline weight, the mean weight losses achieved were significantly less for young adults compared with adults (−4.3 kg (6.3) vs −7.7 kg (7.0), respectively; P<0.05); fewer young adults achieved 5% weight loss at 6 months compared with older participants (8/21 (38%) vs 171/277 (62%); P<0.05). After controlling for session attendance, differences in the mean weight loss were not significant (P=0.81). Controlling for baseline values, study and demographics, changes in total physical activity over the initial 6 months of treatment were less for young adults compared with adults, but these differences only approached statistical significance (P=0.07).Conclusion:These data indicate that standard programs do not meet the weight control needs of young adults. Research is urgently required to improve recruitment and retention efforts with this high-risk group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal growth restraint associates with the risk for later diabetes, particularly if such restraint is followed by postnatal formula-feeding (FOF) rather than breast-feeding (BRF). Circulating incretins can influence the neonatal programming of hypothalamic setpoints for appetite and energy expenditure, and are thus candidate mediators of the long-term effects exerted by early nutrition. We have tested this concept by measuring (at birth and at age 4 months) the circulating concentrations of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in BRF infants born appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA; n=63) and in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants receiving either BRF (n=28) or FOF (n=26). At birth, concentrations of GLP-1 were similar in AGA and SGA infants. At 4 months, pre-feeding GLP-1 concentrations were higher than at birth; SGA-BRF infants had GLP-1 concentrations similar to those in AGA-BRF infants but SGA-FOF infants had higher concentrations. In conclusion, nutrition appears to influence the circulating GLP-1 concentrations in SGA infants and may thereby modulate long-term diabetes risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To examine associations between dietary patterns and obesity.Design:Cross-sectional study.Subjects:A total of 3760 Japanese female dietetic course students aged 18–20 years from 53 institutions in Japan.Measurements:Diet was assessed over a 1-month period with a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire with 148 food items, from which 30 food groups were created and entered into a factor analysis. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from self-reported body height and weight.Results:Mean BMI (±s.d.) was 20.9±2.8 kg m−2. Four dietary patterns were identified. After adjustment for several confounding factors and total energy intake, the ‘Healthy’ pattern, characterized by high intakes of vegetables, mushrooms, seaweeds, potatoes, fish and shellfish, soy products, processed fish, fruit and salted vegetables, was significantly associated with a lower risk of BMI25 (odds ratio of the highest quintile vs lowest, 0.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.37–0.87; P for trend <0.05). In contrast, the ‘Japanese traditional’ pattern, characterized by high intakes of rice, miso soup and soy products, and the ‘Western’ pattern, characterized by high intakes of meats, fats and oils, seasonings, processed meats and eggs, were both significantly associated with an increased risk of BMI25 (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.17–2.67; P for trend <0.01 and OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.01–2.40; P for trend=0.04, respectively).Conclusion:Three major dietary patterns, Healthy, Japanese traditional and Western, were all independently and significantly related to the risk of obesity even among a relatively lean young Japanese female population.International Journal of Obesity (2008) 32, 541–549; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803737; published online 25 September 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To study associations of size and body proportions at birth, and growth during infancy and childhood, to body composition and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors at the age of 6 years.Design:The Pune Maternal Nutrition Study, a prospective population-based study of maternal nutrition and CVD risk in rural Indian children.Methods:Body composition and CVD risk factors measured in 698 children at 6 years were related to body proportions and growth from birth.Measurements:Anthropometry was performed every 6 months from birth. At 6 years, fat and lean mass (dual X-ray absorptiometry) and CVD risk factors (insulin resistance, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, plasma lipids) were measured.Results:Compared with international references (NCHS, WHO) the children were short, light and thin (mean weight <−1.0 s.d. at all ages). Larger size and faster growth in all body measurements from birth to 6 years predicted higher lean and fat mass at 6 years. Weight and height predicted lean mass more strongly than fat mass, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) predicted them both approximately equally and skinfolds predicted only fat mass. Neither birthweight nor the ‘thin-fat’ newborn phenotype, was related to CVD risk factors. Smaller MUAC at 6 months predicted higher insulin resistance (P<0.001) but larger MUAC at 1 year predicted higher systolic blood pressure (P<0.001). After infancy, higher weight, height, MUAC and skinfolds, and faster growth of all these parameters were associated with increased CVD risk factors.Conclusions:Slower muscle growth in infancy may increase insulin resistance but reduce blood pressure. After infancy larger size and faster growth of all body measurements are associated with a more adverse childhood CVD risk factor profile. These rural Indian children are growing below international ‘norms’ for body size and studies are required in other populations to determine the generalizability of the findings.International Journal of Obesity (2007) 31, 1534–1544; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803679; published online 24 July 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have suggested that a variant in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene is important in protecting against common obesity. Larger studies are needed, however, to confirm this relation.Methods: We assessed the association between the V103I polymorphism in the MC4R gene and obesity in three UK population based cohort studies, totalling 8304 individuals. We also did a meta-analysis of relevant studies, involving 10 975 cases and 18 588 controls, to place our findings in context.Finding: In an analysis of all studies, individuals carrying the isoleucine allele had an 18% (95% confidence interval 4-30%, P=0.015) lower risk of obesity compared with non-carriers. There was no heterogeneity among studies and no apparent publication bias.Interpretation: This study confirms that the V103I polymorphism protects against human obesity at a population level. As such it provides proof of principle that specific gene variants may, at least in part, explain susceptibility and resistance to common forms of human obesity. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association will help determine whether changes in MC4R activity have therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Olfacto-gustatory sensory-specific satiety plays an important role in the termination of food ingestion. A defect in this mechanism, by increasing food intake, could be a factor in development of overweight. The present study was conducted to explore whether sensory-specific satiety in the overweight may be different from that in normal-weight subjects.Subjects:144 subjects (half men, half women; age range: 17–62 years; BMI range: 17–39 kg m−2).Measurements:Olfactory pleasure (OP) and flavor pleasure (FP) were evaluated before and after ingestion of a single chosen food. Six foods from three classes were offered: cucumber and tomato, pineapple and banana, and peanut and pistachio. According to the subjects' preference for one of them, subjects were classified into six groups (24 subjects each with equal sex ratio). The experimental sequence was (1) evaluation of the six foods (OP), (2) ad libitum intake of the preferred food (FP) and (3) second evaluation of the six foods (OP).Results:Food intake was limited by sensory-specific satiety (that is, a decline in FP for the ingested food) in overweight subjects just as it was in the leanest. There was no significant correlation between BMI and hedonic parameters (OP and FP) or intakes (quantity and volume). Pre-ingestive OP and FP correlated with the ingested food's weight (OP: r=0.468; FP: r=0.415; P<0.01), volume (OP: r=0.428; FP: r=0.407; P<0.01) and intake duration (OP: r=0.184; FP: r=0.343; P<0.05). The decline in OP, but not in FP, correlated with ingested weight (r=0.271, P<0.01) and volume (r=0.263, P<0.01) but not with duration.Conclusion:After intake of a single food, olfacto-gustatory sensory-specific satiety correlated with the ingested food's weight and volume and with the duration of ingestion, but not with bodyweight. This suggests that overweight and lean subjects have similar hedonic control of food intake with simple foods.International Journal of Obesity (2007) 31, 987–995; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803504; published online 12 December 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous research has focused on overall associations between work stress and body mass index (BMI) ignoring the possibility that stress may cause some people to eat less and lose weight and others to eat more. Using longitudinal data, we studied whether work stress induced weight loss in lean individuals and weight gain in overweight individuals.Design: Prospective cohort study.Subjects: A total of 7965 British civil servants (5547 men and 2418 women) aged 35-55 at study entry (The Whitehall II study).Measurements: Work stress, indicated by the job strain model and measured as job control, job demands and job strain, was assessed at baseline and BMI at baseline and at 5-year follow-up.Results: In men, the effect of job strain on weight gain and weight loss was dependent on baseline BMI (P27 kg/m(2)), these stress indicators were associated with subsequent weight gain. No corresponding interaction was seen among women.Conclusion: Inconsistent findings reported by previous studies of stress and BMI have generally been interpreted to indicate the absence of an association. In light of our results, the possibility of differential effects of work stress should also be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the association between body weight measures across the lifecourse and the risk of adult-onset diabetes.Methods: We analysed data from the Glasgow Alumni Cohort and the British Women's Heart and Health Study (BWHHS). The former included 5,571 men and women who had height and weight measured at university, and reported birthweight, mid- and later-life weight in a postal questionnaire. The BWHHS analysis included 4,280 women who had height and weight measured in later adulthood and recalled their birthweight and early adult height and weight. Adult-onset diabetes was defined as doctor-diagnosed disease after age 30, either self-reported or abstracted from medical records.Results: Thirty nine women and 209 men (Glasgow Alumni study) and 314 women (BWHHS) had diabetes. Those with diabetes had lower mean birthweight than those without, although the differences were small. Individuals with diabetes were also shorter and heavier at all ages than those without diabetes. Being overweight during at least one time period in adult life was associated with an increased risk of diabetes, compared to those who were never overweight. While there was no age at which being overweight was particularly detrimental, the risk associated with being overweight was cumulative across the lifecourse.Conclusions: Being overweight at any point during life is associated with an increased risk of adult-onset diabetes. The cumulative nature of this association reinforces the need to prevent the development of excess weight at an early age to reduce diabetes prevalence in coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To determine prospectively whether physical activity can prevent age-related weight gain and whether changing levels of activity affect body weight.Design/subjects:The study consisted of 8080 male and 4871 female runners who completed two questionnaires an average (±standard deviation (s.d.)) of 3.20±2.30 and 2.59±2.17 years apart, respectively, as part of the National Runners’ Health Study.Results:Changes in running distance were inversely related to changes in men's and women's body mass indices (BMIs) (slope±standard error (s.e.): −0.015±0.001 and −0.009±0.001 kg/m2 per Δkm/week, respectively), waist circumferences (−0.030±0.002 and −0.022±0.005 cm per Δkm/week, respectively) and percent changes in body weight (−0.062±0.003 and −0.041±0.003% per Δkm/week, respectively, all P<0.0001). The regression slopes were significantly steeper (more negative) in men than women for ΔBMI and Δ%body weight (P<0.0001). A longer history of running diminished the impact of changing running distance on men's weights. When adjusted for Δkm/week, years of aging in men and years of aging in women were associated with increases of 0.066±0.005 and 0.056±0.006 kg/m2 in BMI, respectively, increases of 0.294±0.019 and 0.279±0.028% in Δ%body weight, respectively, and increases of 0.203±0.016 and 0.271±0.033 cm in waist circumference, respectively (all P<0.0001). These regression slopes suggest that vigorous exercise may need to increase 4.4 km/week annually in men and 6.2 km/week annually in women to compensate for the expected gain in weight associated with aging (2.7 and 3.9 km/week annually when correct for the attenuation due to measurement error).Conclusions:Age-related weight gain occurs even among the most active individuals when exercise is constant. Theoretically, vigorous exercise must increase significantly with age to compensate for the expected gain in weight associated with aging.International Journal of Obesity (2006) 30, 543–551. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803172; published online 29 November 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relations of attendance of children in an after-school physical activity (PA) program to changes in body composition and cardiovascular fitness (CVF).Design: Eight-month after-school PA-based intervention.Subjects: In all, 278 third-grade boys and girls from nine elementary schools (age, 8.7 y (s.d. = 0.6 y), body mass index (BMI) 19.1 kg/m2 (s.d. = 4.4) and percent body fat (%BF) 26.0 (s.d. = 9.0)).Measurements: Body composition (from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), BMI (from height and weight), waist circumference (WC) and CVF (from the YMCA submaximal bench-stepping test).Results: There was a significant negative linear trend between level of attendance in the after-school program and change in %BF and fat mass; there was also a significant positive linear trend between program attendance and change in CVF. There was a marginally significant linear trend between program attendance and fat-free mass. Greater increases in bone mineral density were observed with higher program attendance. Changes in BMI and WC were not influenced by program attendance.Conclusion: Understanding the dose-response effect of PA on health outcomes, particularly body composition, in children is crucial in our effort to prevent overweight and its health consequences. Since there is limited data available to base PA dose recommendations for youths, findings from this study are relevant, and suggest that greater health benefits can be obtained in young children with more frequent participation in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To conduct linkage analysis for body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), visceral adipose tissue mass (VAT, cm2) and subcutaneous adipose tissue mass (SAT, cm2) using a whole genome scan. Design: Cross-sectional family study. Study Subjects: African-American families from Los Angeles (AA, n=21 extended pedigrees) and Hispanic-American families (HA) from San Antonio, TX (HA-SA, n=33 extended pedigrees) and San Luis Valley, CO (HA-SLV, n=12 extended pedigrees), totaling 1049 individuals in the Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis (IRAS) Family Study. Measurements: VAT and SAT were measured using a computed tomography scan obtained at the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae. All phenotypes were adjusted for age, gender, and study center. VAT, SAT, and WHR were analyzed both unadjusted and adjusted for BMI. Results: Significant linkage to BMI was found at D3S2387 (LOD=3.67) in African-Americans, and at D17S1290 in Hispanic-Americans (LOD=2.76). BMI-adjusted WHR was linked to 12q13-21 (D12S297 (LOD=2.67) and D12S1052 (LOD=2.60)) in Hispanic-Americans. The peak LOD score for BMI-adjusted VAT was found at D11S2006 (2.36) in Hispanic families from San Antonio. BMI-adjusted SAT was linked to D5S820 in Hispanic families (LOD=2.64). Evidence supporting linkage of WHR at D11S2006, VAT at D17S1290, and SAT at D1S1609, D3S2387, and D6S1056 was dependent on BMI, such that the LOD scores became nonsignificant after adjustment of these phenotypes for BMI. Conclusions: Our findings both replicate previous linkage regions and suggest novel regions in the genome that may harbor quantitative trait locis contributing to variation in measures of adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine interactions between physical activity and possibly functional variants of the genes encoding uncoupling proteins -2 and -3 in relation to body weight change. We hypothesize that physical inactivity acts synergistically with a 45 bp insertion variant in the 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of the UCP2-gene and with a t-allele of codon -55 in the promoter of the UCP3-gene in relation to subsequent weight change. Design: Population-based longitudinal study of cohorts of juvenile obese and nonobese men, who were identified at the mandatory draft board examination in Copenhagen and adjacent regions at a median age of 19 y in 1943-77 and later examined at general health surveys in 1981-83 and 1991-93. The juvenile obese cohort included 568 men who at the draft board had a BMI > or =31 kg/m2 and the cohort of controls included 717 randomly selected draftees. Measurements: Height and weight were measured, and information about physical activity was collected from a self-administered questionnaire. The genotyping of the polymorphisms was performed using RFLP techniques. The main outcome measure was change in BMI during the 10-y follow-up period. Additional outcome measures were obesity, waist circumference and body fat mass index measured at follow-up. Results: Physical activity, the 3'UTR insertion polymorphism and the -55 c/t polymorphism were not consistently associated with changes in BMI, and there were no evidence for interactions between the UCP-variants and physical activity in relation to changes in BMI. No evidence for interaction between the UCP-variants and physical activity was found in relation to the additional obesity measures. Conclusion: This study does not support that interactions between physical activity and variants in the UCP2- or UCP3-gene are major determinants of subsequent weight changes in Danish Caucasian men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the criterion validity of a newly developed self-reported last 7-day physical activity questionnaire (SAPAQ) for use in Swedish adolescents with a wide variation in body fatness.Measurements: We compared the self-reported total number of MET-minutes with objectively assessed variables of physical activity obtained by accelerometry in 49 (18 male, 31 female subjects) 17-year-old adolescents.Results: Self-reported physical activity was significantly and inversely related to time spent sedentary (r=-0.45; P<0.001) and significantly and positively associated with time spent in physical activity (r=0.51; P<0.001) and the total amount of physical activity (r=0.49; P<0.001). Gender and body fat did not affect the associations between self-reported and objectively assessed physical activity.Conclusion: Our results indicate that the newly developed questionnaire is a valid method for ranking individuals in terms of the total amount of physical activity in Swedish adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]