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Objective: The study examined the extent to which the geographical proximity of villages to an urban centre and other modernization variables are associated with variation in blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) of adults of the Purari delta of the Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG)., Methods: Mean BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 292 adults surveyed in 1995-1997 in the Purari delta, PNG, are reported by village of residence, and related to modernization variables, including village of residence, urban life, urban connectedness, economic status and education., Results: Mean BMI, SBP and DBP differ according to village of residence, there being a gradient in mean blood pressure from highest in the village closest to the urban centre, Baimuru, and lowest in the village most distant from it. The gradients in these variables across the three villages are not due to differences in age structures between the villages. Place of residence, which represents the distance from town, has the greatest impact on the BMI of males, while among the females, the number of relatives living in urban centres had a significant effect on BMI. For both males and females, place of residence has the strongest effect on SBP. While for the males, place of residence is the only significant factor associated with SBP, for the females, SBP is also associated with BMI, level of income and to a lesser extent with age. Very similar results were obtained for DBP., Conclusions: Distance to urban centre appears to have a strong effect, relative to other modernization variables, on BMI and blood pressure, this effect being far stronger for males than for females. In large part, this effect operates by way of differences in number of sources of income as well as number of close relatives of women who are resident in an urban centre. Reasons for the male-female differences observed may include gender differences in degree of mobility, and possibly greater physical sensitivity of males to the environment than females. Traditionally, there have been clear divisions of labour between males and females, the latter spending longer in subsistence activities than the former. It is speculated that males have more free time to travel to town should they wish, while women may travel to town to take produce to market, and be limited by how much time they spend in town when they are there, by the need to return to carry out household and subsistence tasks. It may also be that young adult males are more susceptible to modernization, in that they exhibit a greater degree of non-conformity than young women, and may be more favourably disposed to adopt aspects of western lifestyle.

Background: Comparisons of physical fitness in normal weight and overweight/obese youth generally highlight the negative consequences of an elevated BMI. In contrast, several studies of children and adolescents highlight the importance of variation in indicators of physical fitness across the full spectrum of BMIs from low through high. Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate relationships between specific physical fitness items and the BMI among youth. Subjects and methods: Height, weight and six physical fitness tests were measured in 1239 males and 903 females, aged 13-16 years; BMI (kg/m2) was calculated. Fitness tests were compared by weight status using sex-specific MANCOVAs, controlling for age. Sex-specific quadratic regressions of each fitness item on the BMI were also calculated. Results: The sprint, standing long jump and shuttle run indicated better performances in normal than in thin and overweight/obese boys; the latter groups did not differ. Thin and normal weight boys performed better than overweight/obese boys in sit-ups and distance run. Among girls, sit-ups differed as follows: normal > thin > overweight/obese. Thin and normal weight girls performed better than overweight/obese girls in the jump, distance run and shuttle run. Normal weight girls were faster in the sprint than the overweight/obese. The quadratic regressions indicated significant non-linear relationships between the BMI and all fitness items among boys and in four items among girls. Conclusion: Performances on fitness tests varied with weight status. Relationships between performances and the BMI were curvilinear except for the distance run and flexibility in girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Early identified factors determining overweight and obesity in childhood may be important for preventive purposes. Aim:To evaluate the influence of the commonly accepted and hypothetical risk factors for overweight/obesity and their mutual relations, using the method of classification trees. Subjects and methods:The data were collected during anthropometric surveys carried out in 2010 in Kraków, Poland. The study involved 1042 pre-school children aged 3–7 years. BMI was calculated for all subjects classified as underweight, normal body weight and overweight, according to the IOTF cut-offs. In order to determine the correlation between genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors and the child’s BMI, this study used information from a questionnaire filled in by the mothers. Results:Relatively high birth weights, relatively long times of breastfeeding and father’s obesity were conducive to the appearance of overweight and obesity in boys. Other overweight risk factors included alcohol consumption by the mother, her low education level and a relatively low mother’s age at birth. Among girls, factors leading to overweight included high birth weight, high father’s BMI and family situation reported as below very good by their mothers. It was found that a moderate duration of breastfeeding is conducive to a normal weight of children at pre-school age, although in boys this regularity is better documented. Conclusions:The biological, social and lifestyle factors related to the child’s mother significantly determined the child’s BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The negative health consequences of childhood overweight/obesity (OW/OB) are well known. Therefore, an accurate monitoring of the OW/OB prevalence is essential. Anthropometry is the most practical and cost-effective method for nutritional status evaluation. Aim: To describe trends in the nutritional status among 7-10-year-old children by investigating changes in the prevalence of stunting, thinness, overweight, obesity, risk and excess abdominal adiposity, and to study changes in height-for-age, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Subjects and methods: A school-based sample of 7-10-year-old children participated in two cross-sectional studies in 2002 ( n = 2936) and 2007 ( n = 1232) in Florianopolis, southern Brazil. Prevalence of stunting, risk and excess abdominal adiposity and changes in the distribution of height-for-age, BMI-for-age, WC-for-age z-scores were evaluated. Three BMI-based references were used to define the prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity. Results: Between 2002-2007, the prevalence of stunting, thinness, obesity and excess abdominal adiposity remained stable, whereas overweight (including obesity) increased 10-23% in boys and 18-21% in girls, depending on the BMI reference used. The risk of abdominal adiposity increased in boys, but not in girls. No significant change was observed in mean height, BMI, WC-for-age z-scores. Conclusions: This study identified a potential levelling off in the prevalence of obesity and excess abdominal adiposity, but a continuing increase in the prevalence of overweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increased prevalence of body mass deficit among children has been reported in developing countries, including Eastern European states which have undergone political transformation. However, there are few studies evaluating risk factors for body mass deficit in schoolchildren and adolescents. Aim: To assess selected familial, pre-natal and early life factors in terms of risk associated with the prevalence of body mass deficit in children aged 7-10 years. Subjects and methods: Logistic regression models based on 812 records for children aged 7-10 years were applied for the evaluation of familial, pre-natal and perinatal risk factors affecting the height-to-weight ratio. Results: The risk of underweight in 7-10-year-old children is significantly higher for girls (OR = 1.70) and for children whose mothers reported a traumatic experience during pregnancy (OR = 2.77). The effect of reported stress during pregnancy differed as regards the child's sex. Mother's trauma increased the risk of body weight deficit only in boys (OR = 2.74), while in girls it significantly decreased this risk (OR = 0.35). Low birth weight significantly increased the risk of underweight only in boys (OR = 2.99) and mother's occupational activity decreased the risk of underweight only in girls (OR = 0.57). Conclusion: Low birth weight and mother's trauma during pregnancy are risk factors for underweight in Polish schoolchildren, particularly in boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Waist circumference (WC) has been previously shown to be the most efficient measure to explain variability in body mass index (BMI) and percentage body fat (PBF) in Bengalee males, including those under study. Aim: The objective was to evaluate the relative usefulness of WC and its single suitable value, if any, to identify both generalized obesity and hypertension in Bengalee men. Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional study included 433 adult (18-60 years) Bengalee Hindu slum dwelling men. Height, weight, waist circumference, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were measured. BMI was computed as weight (in kg) divided by height (in metres) squared. Hypertension (HT) was defined as SBP ≥ 140 mmHg and/or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg. A BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 and ≥ 25 kg/m2 were considered overweight and obesity, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were employed to determine the best cut-off points to define HT and overweight. Results: Prevalence of HT, overweight and obesity were 17.6% and 20.1% and 8.3%, respectively. Prevalence of central obesity using the cut-offs of 102 cm, 90 cm and 80 cm were 0.46%, 5.08% and 24.7%, respectively. Both in obese and non-obese, WC ≥ 80 cm was significantly associated with higher SBP and DBP than WC < 80 cm. WC>79.4 cm and>80.3 cm were the most appropriate for detecting HT and overweight status. Conclusion: WC value of ∼80 cm could efficiently discriminate both obesity and hypertension among the Bengalee Hindu slum dwelling men aged between 18-60 years. Central obesity, determined by WC ≥ 80 cm, was associated with increased blood pressure and higher risk of HT, independent of age and general obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A secular growth trend has been demonstrated in China during the past half century. However, few studies have involved minority ethnicity. Aim: This study demonstrates secular changes in stature and weight for Chinese Mongolians from 1964 to 2005, and analyses the correlations with environmental factors, revealing inequalities within populations. Subjects and methods: Data were gathered from 7- to 18–year-old students in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of China, both from local records in 1964 and from the 1985, 1991, 1995, 2000 and 2005 cycles of the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health. Results: During the past 41 years, the average rates of stature increments for 7- to 17- year-olds are 1.9 and 2.0 cm per decade, of weight are 2.2 and 1.5 kg per decade and of BMI are 0.5 and 0.3 kg/m2 per decade, for males and females, respectively. The overall increments of stature in 18–year-old males and females from 1985 to 2005 are 2.3 and 2.1 cm, respectively. The rate of change of stature is stronger in the first three decades, while that of weight and BMI are greater in the last decade. Evidence strongly suggests that changes may have occurred since the late 1970s. Conclusion: The positive growth changes of Chinese Mongolian people are closely related to urbanization, socio-economic progress and living improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study compared the height and BMI values of US children and youth by gender in the most recent NHANES surveys (1999-2004) to those of their Dutch counterparts in 1997 in order to gain insights into the different growth patterns. Results: US children and youth are both shorter and heavier than their Dutch counterparts. US adolescent girls tend to experience an earlier growth spurt than do the Dutch and the velocity of growth of US boys slows down faster after the adolescent growth spurt than does that of their Dutch counterparts. The latter end up being approximately 5.6 cm taller and their median BMI values are 1.9-2.0 less than that of US youth between the ages of 10 and 19. This implies that US boys of the same height at age 19 are 8.8 kg heavier than their Dutch counterparts, and girls of age 13 are 7.2 kg heavier. Discussion: Some studies link high BMI values in childhood to an earlier onset of adolescence, which in turn has been linked to less growth thereafter. Conclusion: The fast tempo of growth of the US children may be associated with high energy balance, which leads to higher BMI values and which in turn may be associated with less growth during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]