Search

Background: New physical activity guidelines for children address all movement behaviors across the 24-h day (physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep), but how each component relates to body composition when adjusted for the compositional nature of 24-h data is uncertain., Aims: To i) describe 24-h movement behaviors from 1 to 5 years of age, ii) determine cross-sectional relationships with body mass index (BMI) z-score, iii) determine whether movement behaviors from 1 to 5 years of age predict body composition and bone health at 5 years., Methods: 24-h accelerometry data were collected in 380 children over 5-7 days at 1, 2, 3.5 and 5 years of age to determine the proportion of the day spent: sedentary (including wake after sleep onset), in light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and asleep (including naps). BMI was determined at each age and a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan measured fat mass, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) at 5 years of age. 24-h movement data were transformed into isometric log-ratio co-ordinates for multivariable regression analysis and effect sizes back-transformed., Results: At age 1, children spent 49.6% of the 24-h day asleep, 38.2% sedentary, 12.1% in LPA, and 0.1% in MVPA, with corresponding figures of 44.4, 33.8, 19.8 and 1.9% at 5 years of age. Compositional time use was only related significantly to BMI z-score at 3.5 years in cross-sectional analyses. A 10% increase in mean sleep time (65 min) was associated with a lower BMI z-score (estimated difference, - 0.25; 95% CI, - 0.42 to - 0.08), whereas greater time spent sedentary (10%, 47 min) or in LPA (10%, 29 min) were associated with higher BMI z-scores (0.12 and 0.08 respectively, both p < 0.05). Compositional time use from 1 to 3.5 years was not related to future BMI z-score or percent fat. Although MVPA at 2 and 3.5 years was consistently associated with higher BMD and BMC at 5 years, actual differences were small., Conclusions: Considerable changes in compositional time use occur from 1 to 5 years of age, but there is little association with adiposity. Although early MVPA predicted better bone health, the differences observed had little clinical relevance., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00892983 .

Objective: Eating less frequently is associated with increased obesity risk in older children but data are potentially confounded by reverse causation, where bigger children eat less often in an effort to control their weight. Longitudinal data, particularly in younger children, are scarce. We aimed to determine whether eating frequency (meals and snacks) at 2 years of age is associated with past, current or subsequent BMI., Design: Cohort analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Eating frequency at 2 years of age was estimated using 48 h diaries that recorded when each child ate meals and snacks (parent-defined) in five-minute blocks. Body length/height and weight were measured at 1, 2 and 3·5 years of age. Linear regression assessed associations between the number of eating occasions and BMI Z-score, before and after adjustment for potential confounding variables., Setting: Prevention of Overweight in Infancy (POI) study, Dunedin, New Zealand., Subjects: Children (n 371) aged 1-3·5 years., Results: On average, children ate 5·5 (sd 1·2) times/d at 2 years of age, with most children (88-89 %) eating 4-7 times/d. Eating frequency at 2 years was not associated with current (difference in BMI Z-score per additional eating occasion; 95 % CI: -0·02; -0·10, 0·05) or subsequent change (0·02; -0·03, 0·06) in BMI. Similarly, BMI at age 1 year did not predict eating frequency at 2 years of age (difference in eating frequency per additional BMI Z-score unit; 95 % CI: -0·03; -0·19, 0·13)., Conclusions: Number of eating occasions per day was not associated with BMI in young children in the present study.

Objective: To conduct the first nationwide population survey to examine the associations between changes in speed of eating and weight gain over 3 years. The study also explored whether faster eating at baseline was related to healthy-weight women becoming overweight after 3 years., Design: Longitudinal. At baseline, participants were randomly selected from a nationally representative sampling frame to participate in a prospective study. Women completed self-administered baseline questionnaires on demographic and health measures. Self-reported speed of eating, smoking status, physical activity, menopause status, and height and weight were collected at baseline and again 3 years later., Setting: Nationwide study, New Zealand., Subjects: Women (n 1601) aged 40-50 years were recruited at baseline from New Zealand electoral rolls., Results: There was no evidence of associations between 3-year BMI adjusting for baseline BMI and either baseline speed of eating (slower and faster; P=0.524) or change in speed of eating (consistently faster eating, consistently slower eating, slower eating at baseline but not at 3 years, faster eating at baseline but not at 3 years; P=0.845). Of the 488 women with healthy BMI (18.5 to <25.0 kg/m2) at baseline, seventy-seven (15.8%) became overweight (BMI≥25.0 kg/m2) after 3 years. Compared with those who were slower eaters at baseline, faster eating at baseline did not increase the risk of becoming overweight 3 years later (P=0.958) nor did change in speed of eating (P=0.236)., Conclusions: Results suggest that once women have reached mid-life, faster eating does not predict further weight gain.

Objective: To examine the association between eating in response to hunger and satiety signals (intuitive eating) and BMI. A second objective was to determine whether the hypothesized higher BMI in less intuitive eaters could be explained by the intake of specific foods, speed of eating or binge eating., Design: Cross-sectional survey. Participants were randomly selected from a nationally representative sampling frame. Eating in response to hunger and satiety signals (termed 'intuitive eating'), self-reported height and weight, frequency of binge eating, speed of eating and usual intakes of fruits, vegetables and selected high-fat and/or high-sugar foods were measured., Setting: Nationwide study, New Zealand., Subjects: Women (n 2500) aged 40-50 years randomly selected from New Zealand electoral rolls, including Māori rolls (66 % response rate; n 1601)., Results: Intuitive Eating Scale (IES) scores were significantly associated with BMI in an inverse direction, after adjusting for potential confounding variables. When controlling for confounding variables, as well as potential mediators, the inverse association between intuitive eating (potential range of IES score: 21-105) and BMI was only slightly attenuated and remained statistically significant (5.1 % decrease in BMI for every 10-unit increase in intuitive eating; 95 % CI 4.2, 6.1 %; P < 0.001). The relationship between intuitive eating and BMI was partially mediated by frequency of binge eating., Conclusions: Eating in response to hunger and satiety signals is strongly associated with lower BMI in mid-age women. The direction of causality needs to be investigated in longitudinal studies and randomized controlled trials.

Aim: To examine the agreement between self-reported and measured height, weight and BMI in 40-50 year old New Zealand men and women., Method: Self-reported and measured height, weight and derived BMI were examined using data from 345 40-50 year old participants in the 1989/1990 Life In New Zealand Survey. Factors associated with biased reporting were assessed using regression models., Results: Height was overestimated by men (1.08 cm, 95%CI 0.58, 1.59 p<0.001) and women (0.61 cm, 95%CI 0.35, 0.87, p<0.001), contributing to a small but statistically significant underestimation of BMI (men 0.31 kg/m2, 95%CI 0.14, 0.48, p<0.001; women 0.26 kg/m2 95%CI 0.11, 0.41, p<0.001). Weight was not statistically significantly misestimated by either sex. Bias in self-reported BMI did not differ by age, sex, ethnicity, SES or measured BMI category (all p-values <0.231). Agreement between BMI categories based on self-reported and measured data was very good (kappa: men 0.80, women 0.93)., Conclusion: Self-reported height and weight from New Zealand 40-50 year olds in 1989 produced BMI estimates valid for use in epidemiological studies, especially when used as a continuous variable. Our analyses need to be replicated using data from a current and representative New Zealand sample.

Background: The associations among people's level of autonomy in regulating their eating behaviors, food patterns, and degree of obesity have not been investigated in a general adult population., Objectives: Our objectives were to cross-sectionally examine, in a nationally representative sample of adult New Zealand women, the associations between different styles of eating behavior regulation and body mass index (BMI), with specific food and eating habits as hypothesized mediators., Design: During May 2009, a sample of 2,500 New Zealand women aged 40 to 50 years was randomly selected from the nationwide electoral rolls. A 66% (n=1,601) participation rate was achieved. Potential participants were mailed a self-administered questionnaire containing the Regulation of Eating Behavior scale, questions on specific food and eating habits (frequency of binge eating, speed of eating, usual daily servings of fruits and vegetables, usual frequency of intake of several high-fat and/or high-sugar foods), and height and weight., Statistical Analyses: Univariate linear regression models were used to examine the associations among demographic, health and behavioral variables, and BMI. Multivariate linear regression models were developed to investigate the relationships between autonomous and controlled forms of eating behavior regulation and BMI, with specific food and eating habits as mediators., Results: After adjusting for potential confounders as well as specific food and eating habits that were potential mediators, BMI was statistically significantly lower by 2% (95% CI -2.7% to -1.4%; P<0.001) for every 10-unit increase in autonomous regulation, and statistically significantly higher by 1.4% (95% CI 0.4% to 2.3%; P=0.005) for every 10-unit increase in controlled regulation. The relationships between autonomous regulation and BMI as well as controlled regulation and BMI were only partially mediated by the specific food and eating habits measured., Conclusions: Although the direction of causality requires confirmation, the results provide support for the applicability of Self-Determination Theory, and suggest that developing more autonomous motivation for eating behavior is likely to facilitate healthier food habits and lower BMI in middle-aged women., (Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study is the first nationwide population survey to explore the association between speed of eating and degree of obesity. The objective was to cross-sectionally examine the relationship between self-reported speed of eating and body mass index (BMI; calculated as kg/m(2)) in a nationally representative sample of New Zealand women. In May 2009, a sample of 2,500 New Zealand women aged 40 to 50 years was randomly selected from the nationwide electoral rolls. A 66% participation rate was achieved. Potential participants were mailed a self-administered questionnaire containing questions on self-reported speed of eating, demographics, health conditions, menopause status, physical activity, height, and weight. Univariate models were used to examine the associations between demographic, health and behavioral variables, and BMI, while a multivariate model was developed to investigate the relationship between self-reported speed of eating and BMI. After adjusting for age, smoking status, menopause status, thyroid condition, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical activity, BMI statistically significantly increased by 2.8% (95% confidence interval: 1.5% to 4.1%; P<0.001) for each category increase in self-reported speed of eating. Although the direction of causality requires confirmation in longitudinal and randomized intervention studies, the results suggest that faster eating is associated with higher BMI in middle-aged women., (Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Our Prevention of Overweight in Infancy (POI) study suggested that a brief sleep intervention in infancy reduced the risk of obesity at age 2 y. In contrast, we observed no benefit from the nutrition and activity intervention. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine how these interventions influenced growth at ages 3.5 and 5 y compared with usual care (Control). Design: A follow-up of a parallel, 4-arm, single-blind, 2-y, randomized controlled trial in 802 women (86% European, 48% primiparous) recruited in pregnancy (58% response rate) was undertaken. All groups received standardWell-Child care with additional support for 3 intervention groups: FAB (promotion of breastfeeding, healthy eating, physical activity: 8 contacts, antenatal, 18 mo); Sleep (prevention of sleep problems: antenatal, 3 wk); Combination (both interventions). Follow-up measures were collected by staff blinded to group allocation. The primary outcome was child body mass index (BMI) z score, and secondary outcomes were prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥95th percentile), self-regulation (psychological measures), sleep, physical activity (accelerometry, questionnaires), and dietary intake (food-frequency questionnaire). Analyses were conducted through the use of multiple imputation. Results: Retention was 77% at age 3.5 y and 69% at age 5 y. Children in the FAB group had significantly higher BMI z scores than did Controls at age 5 y (adjusted difference: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.47) but not at age 3.5 y (0.15; 95% CI: -0.04, 0.34). Children who received the Sleep intervention (Sleep and Combination groups) had significantly lower BMI z scores at age 3.5 y (-0.24; 95% CI: -0.38, -0.10) and at age 5 y (-0.23; 95% CI: -0.38, -0.07) than children who did not (Control and FAB groups). Conclusions: A conventional intervention had unexpected adverse long-term weight outcomes, whereas positive outcomes from a less conventional sleep intervention remained promising at age 5 y. More intensive or extended sleep intervention might have larger or longerlasting effects and should be investigated. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00892983. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary care nurse-led prediabetes interventions are seldom reported. We examined the implementation and feasibility of a 6-month multilevel primary care nurse-led prediabetes lifestyle intervention compared with current practice in patients with prediabetes, with weight and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as outcomes. Methods: This study used a convergent mixed methods design involving a 6-month pragmatic non-randomised pilot study with a qualitative process evaluation, and was conducted in two neighbouring provincial cities in New Zealand, with indigenous Maori populations comprising 18.2% and 23.0%, respectively. Participants were non-pregnant adults aged ≤ 70 years with newly diagnosed prediabetes (HbA1c 41-49 mmol/mol), body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m² and not prescribed Metformin. A structured dietary intervention tool delivered by primary care nurses with visits at baseline, 2-3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months was implemented in four intervention practices. Four control practices continued to provide usual care. Primary quantitative outcome measures were weight and HbA1c. Linear and quantile regression models were used to compare each outcome between the two groups at follow-up. Qualitative data included: observations of nurse training sessions and steering group meetings; document review; semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of key informants (n = 17) and intervention patients (n = 20). Thematic analysis was used. Results: One hundred fifty-seven patients with prediabetes enrolled (85 intervention, 72 control), 47.8% female and 31.2% Maori. Co-morbidities were common, particularly hypertension (49.7%), dyslipidaemia (40.1%) and gout (15.9%). Baseline and 6 month measures were available for 91% control and 79% intervention participants. After adjustment, the intervention group lost a mean 1.3 kg more than the control group (p < 0.001). Mean HbA1c, BMI and waist circumference decreased in the intervention group and increased in the control group, but differences were not statistically significant. Implementation fidelity was high, and it was feasible to implement the intervention in busy general practice settings. The intervention was highly acceptable to both patients and key stakeholders, especially primary care nurses. Conclusions: Study findings confirm the feasibility and acceptability of primary care nurses providing structured dietary advice to patients with prediabetes in busy general practice settings. The small but potentially beneficial mean weight loss among the intervention group supports further investigation. Trial Registration: ANZCTR ACTRN12615000806561. Registered 3 August 2015 (Retrospectively registered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The few existing early-life obesity prevention initiatives have concentrated on nutrition and physical activity, with little examination of sleep. METHODS: This community-based, randomized controlled trial allocated 802 pregnant women (≥16 years, <34 weeks' gestation) to: control, FAB (food, activity, and breastfeeding), sleep, or combination (both interventions) groups. All groups received standard well-child care. FAB participants received additional support (8 contacts) promoting breastfeeding, healthy eating, and physical activity (antenatal-18 months). Sleep participants received 2 sessions (antenatal, 3 weeks) targeting prevention of sleep problems, as well as a sleep treatment program if requested (6-24 months). Combination participants received both interventions (9 contacts). BMI was measured at 24 months by researchers blinded to group allocation, and secondary outcomes (diet, physical activity, sleep) were assessed by using a questionnaire or accelerometry at multiple time points. RESULTS: At 2 years, 686 women remained in the study (86%). No significant intervention effect was observed for BMI at 24 months (P= .086), but there was an overall group effect for the prevalence of obesity (P = .027). Exploratory analyses found a protective effect for obesity among those receiving the "sleep intervention" (sleep and combination compared with FAB and control: odds ratio, 0.54 [95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.82]). No effect was observed for the "FAB intervention" (FAB and combination compared with sleep and control: odds ratio, 1.20 [95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.81]). CONCLUSIONS: A well-developed food and activity intervention did not seem to affect children's weight status. However, further research on more intensive or longer running sleep interventions is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Consuming 30 g of nuts/day is recommended to reduce chronic disease. However, nut consumption appears far from ideal among several populations. A potential strategy to increase consumption is to add nuts to a staple, for example, bread. Whether the health benefits and acceptability of nuts persist in this form is currently unknown. Thus, we examined the effects of consuming three nut-enriched breads on postprandial glycaemia, satiety, gastrointestinal tolerance, dietary intakes, and acceptance. Methods: In this controlled, crossover study, 32 participants were randomly allocated to receive one of four breads for 8 days each. Three breads contained either 30 g of finely sliced hazelnuts, 30 g semi-defatted hazelnut flour, or 15 g of each (amounts per 120 g bread) and were compared with a control nut-free bread. Blood glucose response was measured over 120 min, along with ratings of gastrointestinal discomfort. Appetite ratings and diet diaries were completed during each treatment period. Results: Area under the blood glucose curve was significantly lower for the nut breads compared to the control bread (all P < 0.001), with no significant differences between the nut breads (all P ≥ 0.130). There were no significant differences in satiety (all P ≥ 0.135) or gastrointestinal symptoms (all P ≥ 0.102) between the breads. Acceptance was highest for the finely sliced hazelnut bread. Furthermore, consuming hazelnut-enriched bread improved diet quality, increasing monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, and dietary fibre intakes. Conclusion: Bread appears to be an effective and acceptable vehicle for increasing nut consumption, resulting in improved postprandial glycaemia and diet profiles. Long-term studies are now required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A limited number of studies have examined associations between nut consumption and nutrient intakes or diet quality. None has investigated these associations in the Southern Hemisphere. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between nut consumption and nutrient intakes among adult New Zealanders. Data from the 24-h recalls of 4721 participants from the cross-sectional 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey (2008/09 NZANS) were used to determine whole nut intake and total nut intake from all sources as well as nutrient intakes. Regression models, both unadjusted and adjusted for potential confounders, were used to estimate differences in nutrient intakes between those consuming and those not consuming nuts. From adjusted models, compared with non-whole nut consumers, whole nut consumers had higher intakes of energy and percentage of energy from total fat, MUFA and PUFA, whereas percentage of energy from SFA and carbohydrate was lower (all P≤0·025). After the additional adjustment for energy intake, whole nut consumers had higher intakes of dietary fibre, vitamin E, folate, Cu, Mg, K, P and Zn (all P≤0·044), whereas cholesterol and vitamin B12 intakes were significantly lower (both P≤0·013). Total nut consumption was associated with similar nutrient profiles as observed in whole nut consumers, albeit less pronounced. Nut consumption was associated with better nutrient profiles, especially a lower intake of SFA and higher intakes of unsaturated fats and a number of vitamins and minerals that could collectively reduce the risk for chronic disease, in particular for CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Regular nut consumption is inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk. No study has compared the effects of regular consumption of different types and forms of nuts on acceptance, which is a crucial determinant of long-term compliance to consume nuts regularly. Methods: This study examined the effects of different types and forms of raw, unpeeled nuts on acceptance and the effects of nut consumption on blood lipids through a randomised crossover study with six dietary phases: 30 g/day of ground, sliced, or whole almonds or hazelnuts for 5 days each ( n = 74). Acceptance ('desire' and 'liking') for nuts was measured daily using visual analogue scales. Blood lipids were measured at baseline and week 6. Results: Acceptance was stable over all conditions, but there were differences between nut forms (ground < sliced < whole, P < 0.001 for both 'desire' and 'liking') with some nut type-nut form interactions. Compared with baseline, week 6 HDL-C was higher (0.06 mmol/L, 95 % CI 0.02-0.10, P = 0.002) while LDL-C and total-C:HDL-C ratio were lower (0.15 mmol/L, 95 % CI 0.06-0.25, P = 0.002 and 0.25, 95 % CI 0.07-0.43, P = 0.006). Conclusions: In conclusion, acceptance was stable for all combinations but was highest for whole nuts. Six weeks of nut consumption improved blood lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In several low latitude countries, vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a public health issue. Adequate vitamin D is essential for bone health in rapidly growing children. In the Thai population, little is known about serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status of infants and children. Moreover, the association between 25(OH)D and the biological active form of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)]2D is not clear. The specific aims of this study were to characterize circulating serum 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D and their determinants including parathyroid hormone (PTH), age, sex, height and body mass index (BMI) in 529 school-aged Thai children aged 6–14 y. Adjusted linear regression analysis was performed to examine the impact of age and BMI, and its interaction with sex, on serum 25(OH)D concentrations and 1,25(OH)2D concentrations. Serum 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D and PTH concentrations (geometric mean ± geometric SD) were 72.7±1.2 nmol/L, 199.1±1.3 pmol/L and 35.0±1.5 ng/L, respectively. Only 4% (21 of 529) participants had a serum 25(OH)D level below 50 nmol/L. There was statistically significant evidence for an interaction between sex and age with regard to 25(OH)D concentrations. Specifically, 25(OH)D concentrations were 19% higher in males. Moreover, females experienced a statistically significant 4% decline in serum 25(OH)D levels for each increasing year of age (P = 0.001); no decline was seen in male participants with increasing age (P = 0.93). When BMI, age, sex, height and serum 25(OH)D were individually regressed on 1,25(OH)2D, height and sex were associated with 1,25(OH)2D with females exhibiting statistically significantly higher serum 1,25(OH)2D levels compared with males (P<0.001). Serum 1,25(OH)2D among our sample of children exhibiting fairly sufficient vitamin D status were higher than previous reports suggesting an adaptive mechanism to maximize calcium absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sedentary behavior is a risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. Regularly interrupting sedentary behavior with activity breaks may lower this risk. Objective: We compared the effects of prolonged sitting, continuous physical activity combined with prolonged sitting, and regular activity breaks on postprandial metabolism. Design: Seventy adults participated in a randomized crossover study. The prolonged sitting intervention involved sitting for 9 h, the physical activity intervention involved walking for 30 min and then sitting, and the regular-activity-break intervention involved walking for 1 min 40 s every 30 min. Participants consumed a meal-replacement beverage at 60, 240, and 420 min. Results: The plasma incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for insulin differed between interventions (overall P < 0.001). Regular activity breaks lowered values by 866.7 IU · L-1 · 9 h-1 (95% CI: 506.0, 1227.5 IU · L-1 · 9 h-1; P < 0.001) when compared with prolonged sitting and by 542.0 IU · L-1 · 9 h-1 (95% CI: 179.9, 904.2 IU · L-1 · 9 h-1; P = 0.003) when compared with physical activity. Plasma glucose iAUC also differed between interventions (overall P < 0.001). Regular activity breaks lowered values by 18.9 mmol · L-1 · 9 h-1 (95% CI: 10.0, 28.0 mmol · L-1 · 9 h-1; P < 0.001) when compared with prolonged sitting and by 17.4 mmol · L-1 · 9 h-1 (95% CI: 8.4, 26.3 mmol · L-1 · 9 h-1; P < 0.001) when compared with physical activity. Plasma triglyceride iAUC differed between interventions (overall P = 0.023). Physical activity lowered values by 6.3 mmol · L-1 · 9 h-1 (95% CI: 1.8, 10.7 mmol · L-1 · 9 h-1; P = 0.006) when compared with regular activity breaks. Conclusion: Regular activity breaks were more effective than continuous physical activity at decreasing postprandial glycemia and insulinemia in healthy, normal-weight adults. This trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials registry as ACTRN12610000953033. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The sensory attributes of foods may have an important influence on intake because of sensory-specific satiety (SSS). Foods with high SSS may aid in body weight maintenance as a result of termination of consumption before metabolic satiety. No studies have investigated whether long-term exposure to a food might change SSS or how this affects food intake. Objective: The objective was to compare the effects of daily consumption of 3 energy-dense snack foods (hazelnuts, chocolate, and potato chips) for 12 wk on SSS and ad libitum intake during a tasting session. Design: One hundred eighteen participants took part in this randomized, controlled, parallel study with 4 arms: control group (no additional food) or ~1100 kj/d for each snack. SSS, food intake, and body composition were measured at baseline and at week 12. Results: Daily consumption of snacks for 12 wk resulted in a statistically significant reduction in SSS in all 3 snack groups (P = 0.015). However, no such changes were seen in the control group (P = 0.608). Ad libitum energy intake increased over the study during the tasting sessions for the snack food across all groups, including the control group (P = 0.039). Inverse associations were found between baseline SSS and BMI (P = 0.039), percentage body fat (P = 0.013), and fat mass (P = 0.004). Conclusion: Habitual consumption of a high energy-dense snack food results in a decrease in SSS, which could lead to a higher energy intake of the snack. This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12609000265279. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed whether an upgrade of playgrounds in a community was associated with changes in the physical activity of local children. The study used a natural experiment design with a local authority project to upgrade two community playgrounds as the intervention and a matched control community. Children's physical activity was measured by an Actigraph GT1M accelerometer worn for 8 days, enabling up to 6 days of data to be analyzed. A self-administered parent/guardian questionnaire was used to collect additional data, including perceptions of the neighborhood, school-travel modes, days involved in extracurricular activities, ethnicity, caregiver age, caregiver sex, household vehicle access, and household income. At baseline, 184 children (5-10 years old) participated. Of these, 156 completed the 1-year follow-up assessment (20% lost to follow-up). There was statistically significant evidence that change in mean total daily physical activity was associated with on an interaction between participant's body mass index (BMI) z-score and her or his community of residence ( p = 0.006), with the intervention being associated with higher levels of activity for children with lower BMIs but lower levels for children with higher BMIs. Physical activity is not the only focus of local authority playground provision as playgrounds also have benefits for social development and fundamental movement skills. However, making sure that physical activity is always included in the design rationale and that playgrounds are designed to encourage and sustain physical activity could be a useful population health intervention. The effects of such interventions on different subgroups are of importance, especially if the effects differ over levels of BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine factors which predict non-completion of group nondieting interventions for overweight women, and to investigate whether completion improves outcomes. Design: First, baseline predictors of non-completion were identified; then changes at 10 weeks and 12 months were compared between completers and non-completers of 10-week non-dieting interventions. Setting: General community. Subjects: Participants were 119 women (aged 25-65 years, BMI≥28 kg/m²) with at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Participants who attended at least eight of the ten sessions were classified as completers, and non-completers were those who attended fewer than eight sessions. Measures included BMI, blood pressure, psychological distress, lifestyle behaviours and eating self-efficacy. Results: Logistic regression analyses indicated that women were less likely to be noncompleters at non-dieting group programmes if, at baseline, they were more highly educated or had healthier nutrition behaviours (controlling for education). Only healthier nutrition behaviour was negatively associated with non-completion in the final model. Twelve months after the intervention, completers showed significantly greater improvements in body weight (mean change -0·53 kg), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (-6·3 and 24·1 mmHg, respectively), stress management behaviour score (+0·5) and psychotic symptoms score (-0·1) than non-completers (all P<0·05). Conclusions: Highly educated women already engaging in some healthier lifestyle choices were less likely to be non-completers in non-dieting group programmes. Since important treatment outcomes vary according to attendance, future trials of non-dieting interventions should report the effects of completion on outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that determined the relative importance of HFE gene, diet, lifestyle and blood loss characteristics for predicting iron status in adult men. C282Y heterozygosity is reportedly associated with transferrin saturation. Blood donation is apparently negatively associated with transferrin saturation and serum ferritin. It is observed that alcohol is the only dietary variable associated with iron status.

Abstract: Objective: The existence of concurrent micronutrient deficiencies in Indian women of reproductive age has received little attention. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the micronutrient status of nonpregnant rural and tribal women 18–30 y from central India. Methods: Participants (n = 109) were randomly selected using a stratified (rural-tribal) proportionate-to-population size cluster sampling method from 12 subcenters in Ramtek block, Nagpur. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary, and biochemical data, including blood and urine samples, were obtained. Results: Tribal and rural women had similar sociodemographic characteristics and anthropometric status; 63% of women had a body mass index <18.5 kg/m2. The median urinary iodine concentration was 215 μg/L (IQR: 127, 319). The mean (SD) concentration of hemoglobin, serum zinc, retinol, and folate was 112 (13) g/L, 10.8 (1.6) μmol/L, 1.2 (0.3) μmol/L, 18.4 (8.4) nmol/L, respectively, with a geometric mean serum vitamin B12 concentration of 186 pmol/L. The percentage of women with low values for hemoglobin (<120 g/L), serum zinc (<10.7 μmol/L), vitamin B12 (<148 pmol/L), retinol (<0.7 μmol/L), and folate (<6.8 nmol/L) was 66%, 52%, 34%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. Tribal women had a higher prevalence of zinc deficiency (58% versus 39%, P = 0.054) and concurrent deficiency of any two micronutrients (46% versus 26%; P = 0.034), including zinc and anemia (38% versus 21%, P = 0.024). Conclusion: Zinc, vitamin B12, and iron constitute the principal micronutrient deficiencies in these women. Existing supplementation programs should be extended to include 18- to 30-y-old nonpregnant women as the majority of childbearing occurs within this timeframe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]