Search

Background: Efficacious school-based interventions among ethnic minority youth are often intensive and difficult to disseminate., Objective: This parallel, open-label-randomized controlled trial aimed to compare changes in adolescent-standardized body mass index (zBMI) from a school-based obesity intervention given 0, 1, 3, or 5 days a week., Methods: Mexican-American youth (n = 243) with overweight or obesity were recruited from a Houston school district and randomized to receive an obesity intervention with established efficacy 0 (control), 1, 3, or 5 d/wk (respectively, equating to 0, 40, 120, or 200 min of contact each week). In each condition, 80% of intervention time was allocated to physical activity and 20% to nutrition, with behavioural modification overlaid throughout. zBMI was calculated from directly measured height and weight. A linear mixed model evaluated differences in zBMI over time between conditions., Results: Participants were 12.02 ± 0.57 years old with a zBMI of 1.80 ± 0.46 at baseline. Among those with complete data at 1 year (n = 203), a significant condition by time interaction was indicated (F = 9.42, P < .001). Those who received the intervention 3 or 5 d/wk had significantly greater decreases in zBMI than control (respectively, -0.19 zBMI units/y; 95% CI, -0.28 to -0.11; and -0.18 zBMI units/y; 95% CI, -0.27 to -0.10, both P < .001). No differences were found between 3 and 5 d/wk (95% CI, -0.09-0.08, P = .87)., Conclusions: The intervention provided 3 d/wk resulted in similar zBMI improvements as the intervention provided 5 d/wk. This information can be used to develop scalable school-based obesity interventions., (© 2019 World Obesity Federation.)

In the U.S., it is estimated that over one-third of adults are obese (Body Mass Index (BMI)>30kg/m(2)). Previous studies suggest that obesity may be associated with deficits in cognitive performance and postural control. Increased BMI may challenge cognitive and postural performance in a variety of populations; however, most relevant studies have classified participants based on BMI values, which cannot be used to accurately assess the effects of adiposity on cognitive performance and postural control. The objective of the current study was to examine motor and cognitive responses for overweight and obese adults compared to normal weight individuals by using both BMI and adiposity measures. Ten normal weight (BMI=18-24.9kg/m(2)), ten overweight (BMI=25-29.9kg/m(2)), and ten obese (BMI=30-40kg/m(2)) adults were evaluated (age: 24±4 years). Participants were classified into three groups based on BMI values at the onset of the study, prior to body composition analysis. Participants performed (1) working memory task while maintaining upright stance, and (2) a battery of sensorimotor evaluations. Working memory reaction times, response accuracy, center-of-pressure (COP) path length, velocity, migration area, time to boundary values in anterior-posterior direction, and ankle-hip strategy-scores were calculated to evaluate cognitive-motor performance. No significant deficits in working memory performance were observed. Overall, measures of motor function deteriorated as BMI and body fat percentage increased. The relationship between deteriorating postural performance indices and body fat percentage were greater than those found between BMI and postural performance indices., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Obesity is associated with modified transmembrane signaling events in skeletal muscle, such as insulin signaling and glucose transport. The underlying cause of these obesity-related effects on transmembrane signaling is still unknown. In general, the function of membrane proteins responsible for transmembrane signaling is modulated by the biochemical makeup of the membrane, such as lipid composition, in which they are embedded. Any obesity-related alterations in membrane composition would also be predicted to modify membrane biomechanical properties and membrane susceptibility to mechanical load-induced damage. The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether obesity influences myofiber membrane susceptibility to mechanical damage in skeletal muscle., Design and Methods: Myofiber membrane damage was compared between 12-week-old obese, hypercholesterolemic (B6.V Lep(ob) /J) and isogenic, normocholesterolemic control (C57BL6/J) male mice following either normal cage activity or strenuous eccentric exercise (downhill running). Myofiber membrane damage was quantified in perfusion-fixed frozen sections of the gastrocnemius muscle via sarcoplasmic concentration of either albumin (cage activity experiment) or a fluorescent marker that had been injected immediately before activity (eccentric exercise experiment)., Results: Obese mice exhibited evidence of increased myofiber membrane damage compared with lean mice after both normal cage activity and eccentric exercise indicating that myofiber membranes of obese mice are more susceptible to mechanical damage in general and that eccentric exercise exacerbates this effect., Conclusions: These observations are consistent with the notion that obesity influences the biochemical and biomechanical properties of myofiber membranes., (Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.)

Compared measures of physical activity and dietary habits used in the Health Is Power (HIP) study, and described the associations of physical activity and dietary habits among African American and Hispanic or Latino women, adjusted for weight status. Cross-sectional baseline data were compared for community dwelling, healthy African American (N = 262) and Hispanic or Latina women (N = 148) who participated in HIP. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long form, the Check And Line Questionnaire (CALQ) log and accelerometry. Dietary habits were measured using NCI 24-h recall screeners, vegetable and fruit (VF) logs and the NCI Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ). Differences in physical activity and dietary habits were assessed using simultaneous 2 (ethnicity) × 3 (weight status) ANCOVAs adjusted for age and socioeconomic status. Women (M age = 44.4 ± 10.9 years) were obese (M = 34.0 ± 9.7 kg/m(2)), did not meet physical activity guidelines as measured by accelerometry (M = 19.4 ± 19.1 min MVPA/day) and ate few VF (M = 2.8 ± 2.7 servings/day). DHQ variables differed by weight status. IPAQ was associated with CALQ, and CALQ with accelerometry (P < .05). IPAQ was not associated with accelerometry. Regardless of ethnicity, normal weight women did more physical activity, reported more VF consumption, and consumed more fat calories than overweight and obese women (Ps < .05). African American women did more MVPA than Hispanic or Latino women (P < .001). Relationships between behaviors and weight status suggest accelerometry and DHQ are preferable, regardless of ethnicity; and studies may capture different domains of physical activity and dietary habits depending on measure used.

The purposes of the authors in this study were: (1) to determine whether published body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations agreed with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures and (2) to estimate new body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations in a sample of African American women. Linear regression was used to determine how well 10 body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations reflected dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures in this sample of 74 African American women; new body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations were created using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures as the dependent variable. Participants (M = 47.6 years, SD = 7.7) were classified as overweight or obese (BMI Mean BF% = 35.4, SD = 8.2; BIA Mean BF% = 43.3, SD = 6.9; DXA Mean BF% = 41.5, SD = 6.1). R(2) and SEE values indicated that all body mass index and bioelectrical impedance analysis equations were a poorer fit with less precision, and the new bioelectrical impedance analysis equation discussed in this article was a better fit and was more precise. All 10 body mass index and bioelectrical analysis equations inaccurately estimated dual energy x-ray absorptiometry body fat percentage measures in our sample. The new body mass index equation discussed in this article had less estimation bias and more precision than the published body mass index equations and may be a more accurate equation in African American women.

Objective: Physical inactivity and poor dietary habits plague Americans as health challenges, with women of color most vulnerable to their detrimental effects. Individually focused interventions have not demonstrated lasting success, possibly due to the lack of focus on sustainable social and physical environment factors. This manuscript describes the rationale, design and methodology of Health Is Power (HIP), a transcultural, community based, randomized controlled trial that investigated the effectiveness of a group cohesion intervention to increase physical activity and improve dietary habits in African American and Hispanic or Latina women in Houston and Austin, Texas., Methods: The intervention development was guided by group dynamics principles anchored within an ecologic model., Results: Women participated in three health assessments and a six month face to face intervention that included evidence-based behavioral methods - integrated into strategies to promote group cohesion - framed to account for environmental factors contributing to health disparities. Women participated in team building activities, environmental mapping exercises, and supervised walks or taste tests., Conclusions: Neighborhood contextual and environmental measures are described to test ecologic factors that may contribute to behavioral maintenance. Theoretically guided interventions that account for multiple levels of influence in behavior initiation and maintenance stand to improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objectives of this study were to (i) compare parent-reported height and weight to measured height and weight in children between ages 2 and 17 years, (ii) investigate correlations between magnitude of error of parent-reported data or refusal to estimate height and weight with gender, race/ethnicity, child's age, and age-specific BMI z-score, and (iii) determine sensitivity and specificity of identifying obese youth based on parent-reported data. The authors studied 1,430 consecutive outpatients between ages 2 and 17 years at an outpatient orthopedic clinic. At the initial visit, parents completed a questionnaire including their child's height and weight; height and weight were then measured. Mean height error was very small, with slight overestimation in boys and underestimation in girls. Mean weight error increased with age (P < 0.001), and girls had a larger mean weight error (1.29 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65, 1.45) than boys (0.85 kg, 95% CI: 0.8: 0.58, 1.12). Mean weight error also increased with age-specific BMI z-score (r = 0.32, P < 0.001). Correlation between weight error and age-specific BMI z-score was higher among black children (r = 0.45, P < 0.001) than among Hispanic children (r = 0.37, P < 0.001) and was lowest among white children (r = 0.29, P < 0.001). Refusal or inability to estimate weight did not correlate with age-specific BMI z-score. Twenty-one percent of children who were obese would not be identified by using parent-reported data to calculate the BMI.

Background: This study describes a method for harmonizing data collected with different tools to compute a rating of compliance with national recommendations for school physical activity (PA) and nutrition environments. Methods: We reviewed questionnaire items from 84 elementary schools that participated in the Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (CORD) project, which was 3 distinct childhood obesity prevention projects in 7 communities in California, Massachusetts, and Texas. Each project used tools specific to its programs, schools, and communities. While this approach increased the feasibility of data collection, it created a challenge with the need to combine data across projects. We evaluated all questionnaire items and retained only those items that assessed one or more recommendations and constructed several items to indicate compliance or noncompliance with the respective associated recommendations. Results: Ten constructed items covered 11 of the 20 recommendations. Analysis indicated that the scores detected variability in compliance both among communities and among school within communities. Conclusions: The scores captured differences in compliance with the national recommendations at multiple levels. Our method, designed for creating common scores, may be useful in integrated data analysis, systematic reviews, or future studies requiring harmonizing of data collected via different tools.

BackgroundEssential hypertension, a common complex disease, displays substantial genetic influence. Contemporary methods to dissect the genetic basis of complex diseases such as the genomewide association study are powerful, yet a large gap exists between the fraction of population trait variance explained by such associations and total disease heritability.Methods and resultsWe developed a novel, integrative method (combining animal models, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and trait-extreme phenotypes) to identify candidate genes for essential hypertension and the metabolic syndrome. We first undertook transcriptome profiling on adrenal glands from blood pressure extreme mouse strains: the hypertensive BPH (blood pressure high) and hypotensive BPL (blood pressure low). Microarray data clustering revealed a striking pattern of global underexpression of intermediary metabolism transcripts in BPH. The MITRA algorithm identified a conserved motif in the transcriptional regulatory regions of the underexpressed metabolic genes, and we then hypothesized that regulation through this motif contributed to the global underexpression. Luciferase reporter assays demonstrated transcriptional activity of the motif through transcription factors HOXA3, SRY, and YY1. We finally hypothesized that genetic variation at HOXA3, SRY, and YY1 might predict blood pressure and other metabolic syndrome traits in humans. Tagging variants for each locus were associated with blood pressure in a human population blood pressure extreme sample with the most extensive associations for YY1 tagging single nucleotide polymorphism rs11625658 on systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and fasting glucose. Meta-analysis extended the YY1 results into 2 additional large population samples with significant effects preserved on diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and fasting glucose.ConclusionsThe results outline an innovative, systematic approach to the genetic pathogenesis of complex cardiovascular disease traits and point to transcription factor YY1 as a potential candidate gene involved in essential hypertension and the cardiometabolic syndrome.

Objective: Approximately one in ten adults under the age of 65 in the USA has a mobility impairing disability. People with mobility impairment generally have poorer dietary habits contributing to obesity and related negative health outcomes. This article presents the psychometric properties of the Food Environment Assessment Survey Tool (FEAST) instrument that measures barriers to accessing healthy food from the perspective of people with mobility impairment (PMI).Design: The current study presents cross-sectional data from two sequential independent surveys.Setting: Surveys were administered online to a national sample of PMI.Participants: Participants represented PMI living throughout the USA. The pilot FEAST survey involved 681 participants and was used to shape the final instrument; 25 % completed a retest survey. After following empirically and theoretically guided item reduction strategies, the final FEAST instrument was administered to a separate sample of 304 PMI.Results: The final twenty-seven-item FEAST instrument includes items measuring Neighbourhood Environment, Home Environment, Personal Control and Access to Support (Having Help, Food Delivery Services, Parking/Transportation). The final four scales had acceptable intra-class correlations, indicating that the scales could be used as reliable measures of the hypothesised constructs in future studies.Conclusions: The FEAST instrument is the first of its kind developed to assess the food environment from the perspective of PMI themselves. Future studies would benefit from using this measure in research and practice to help guide the development of policy aimed at improving access to healthy food and promoting healthy eating in community-dwelling PMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Early response to obesity intervention consistently predicts long‐term BMI reductions. However, little is known about how changes in weight at other times in an intervention may impact long‐term outcomes. This study examined the relationship between weight‐related changes that occurred early and later during an intervention and the association between these changes with overall outcomes. Methods: A secondary analysis of a school‐based obesity intervention with replicated efficacy among Hispanic middle school students was conducted (n = 174). Linear regression models were developed in which first and second semester changes in BMI represented as a percentage of the 95th BMI percentile (%BMIp95) were separately used to predict overall %BMIp95 outcomes. First semester changes in %BMIp95 were used to predict subsequent %BMIp95 change (i.e., second semester). Results: Changes in %BMIp95 during both the first and second semesters were independently associated with overall changes from baseline (e.g., at 24 months: first semester, β = 0.59, P < 0.01; second semester, β = 1.02, P < 0.001). First semester %BMIp95 change was not associated with second semester change (β = −0.07, P = 0.32). Conclusions: Change at any point during the intervention was predictive of overall weight outcomes. Additional research is needed to understand patterns of weight changes throughout interventions to better understand long‐term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity has been associated with negative effects on postural control, including falls. Previous studies revealed different outcomes regarding the effects of obesity on gait features, and the use of BMI may lead to bias in assessing the true effects of obesity on gait. To better understand the effects of obesity on gait, it is important to examine gait features and associated body composition measures. The purpose of this study was: (1) to assess gait features of normal weight, overweight and obese adults, and (2) to assess the relationship between body composition measures and gait features. Thirty participants were assigned to one of three groups based upon their BMI at the onset of the study: healthy weight (BMI: 18.5-24.9kg/m2), overweight (BMI: 25-29.9kg/m2), or obese (BMI: 30-40kg/m2). Participants performed straight-line over-ground walking through a 200m hallway at their natural preferred speed while wearing their own shoes. The angular displacements, range of motion (ROM), and approximate entropy of kinematic data of the bilateral hips, knees, and ankles in the sagittal plane were computed. Walking speed, step length, stride length, single leg support phase, double leg support phase, swing phase and bilateral stance phase times were extracted from the GaitRite data. Overall, body mass and BMI were associated with peak flexion and ROM in the knees as well as single support, double support, stance, and swing phases. Body fat percentage did not exhibit correlations with measured gait features. Gait variables were more highly correlated with BMI and body mass instead of percent body fat, suggesting that absolute mass is more influential on gait features rather than amount of fat tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fast-food restaurants (FFR) are prevalent. Binge eating is common among overweight and obese women. For women prone to binge eating, neighbourhood FFR availability (i.e. the neighbourhood around one's home) may promote poor diet and overweight/obesity. The present study tested the effects of binge eating and neighbourhood FFR availability on diet (fat and total energy intake) and BMI among African American and Hispanic/Latino women. Design: All measures represent baseline data from the Health is Power randomized clinical trial. The numbers of FFR in participants' neighbourhoods were counted and dichotomized (0 or ≥1 neighbourhood FFR). Participants completed measures of binge eating status and diet. Weight and height were measured and BMI calculated. 2 (binge eating status) × 2 (neighbourhood FFR availability) ANCOVA tested effects on diet and BMI while controlling for demographics. Setting: Houston and Austin, TX, USA. Subjects: African American and Hispanic/Latino women aged 25-60 years. Results: Of the total sample (n 162), 48 % had 1-15 neighbourhood FFR and 29 % were binge eaters. There was an interaction effect on BMI (P = 0·05). Binge eaters with ≥1 neighbourhood FFR had higher BMI than non-binge eaters or binge eaters with no neighbourhood FFR. There were no significant interactions or neighbourhood FFR main effects on total energy or fat intake (P > 0·05). A main effect of binge eating showed that binge eaters consumed more total energy (P = 0·005) and fat (P = 0·005) than non-binge eaters. Conclusions: Binge eaters represented a substantial proportion of this predominantly overweight and obese sample of African American and Hispanic/Latino women. The association between neighbourhood FFR availability and weight status is complicated by binge eating status, which is related to diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the study conducted by the authors related to race or ethnicity bias in anthropometric estimates of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) fat on abdomen. It states that people were selected from the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study and were excluded if had problems with aerobic exercise or were expecting. It mentions that their height, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) were studied and women completed a standard urine pregnancy test before DXA scanning. It reveals that increase in the fat per increase in WC was less in Asian women as compared to other women.

The article presents a study on obesity being characterized by over accumulation of body fat that poses as a risk factor for many chronic diseases. It mentions the use of generalized equations for estimating percent body fat (BF%) and the development of anthropometric models to calculate dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry BF% (DXA-BF%). It states that the student subjects are taken from the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study who enrolled in 30-week exercise training. It relates to cross-sectional and longitudinal field settings which predicted that skinfold thickness, body mass index (BMI), and race or ethnicity are significant predictors of DXA-BF% in regression analysis.

Objective: Lifestyle interventions that promote physical activity and healthy dietary habits may reduce binge eating symptoms and be more feasible and sustainable among ethnic minority women, who are less likely to seek clinical treatment for eating disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate (1) whether participating in a lifestyle intervention is a feasible way to decrease binge eating symptoms (BES) and (2) whether changes in BES differed by intervention (physical activity vs. dietary habits) and binge eating status at baseline (binger eater vs. non-binge eater) in African American and Hispanic women.Method: Health Is Power (HIP) was a longitudinal randomized controlled trial to promote physical activity and improve dietary habits. Women (N = 180) who completed anthropometric measures and questionnaires assessing fruit and vegetable and dietary fat intake, BES and demographics at baseline and post-intervention six months later were included in the current study.Results: Over one-fourth (27.8%) of participants were categorized as binge-eaters. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant two- and three-way interactions. Decreases in BES over time were greater in binge eaters than in non-binge eaters (F(1,164) = 33.253, p < .001), and women classified as binge eaters who participated in the physical activity intervention reported greater decreases in BES than non-binge eaters in the dietary habits intervention (F(1,157) = 5.170, p = .024).Discussion: Findings suggest behavioral interventions to increase physical activity may lead to reductions in BES among ethnic minority women and ultimately reduce the prevalence of binge eating disorder and health disparities in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents serve as role models and household policy makers for their children's home social environment. Also, parents may influence the home physical environment through the provision of resources to support their children's dietary, activity, and sleep behaviors. Understanding the parental characteristics related to children's home environment may allow for tailoring obesity interventions to families' needs. This study aimed to explore parental qualities (general parenting styles, parent feeding practices, and parental BMI) related to healthy home food, physical activity, media and sleep environment of toddlers. A total of 50 multi-ethnic parents with toddler age children who were enrolled in a randomized pilot study of a wellness program completed the Structure and Control in Parent Feeding (SCPF) questionnaire and Comprehensive General Parenting Questionnaire (CGPQ). Parental BMI was calculated using self-reported weight and height data. The Healthy Home Survey, the Home Food Inventory, the Sleep Environment Questionnaire, and items developed for this study were standardized and summed to create home food, physical activity, screen media, and sleep environment scores; high scores reflected healthier environments. To examine the relationships between parental qualities and the home environment, Pearson's correlation test was performed. Parental BMI and overall healthy home environment were inversely associated (r = -0.306; p = 0.032). Structure in general parenting and parental feeding practice were positively correlated with the overall healthy home environment (r = 0.336; p = 0.026) and healthy home food environment (r = 0.415; p = 0.003), respectively. The coercive control general parenting was inversely related to overall healthy home environment score (r = -0.333; p = 0.022). Based on the findings from this study, parents who provide clear communication, set consistent rules, avoid pressure to control their child's behavior, and have lower BMI tend to live in a home environment that support children's health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]