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Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional status of Finnish elite male ski jumpers (N = 21) and age-matched controls (N = 20)., Methods: Nutritional status was assessed by estimating body composition with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), dietary intake with 4-d food records, and assessment of nutritional status was complemented with biochemical and hematological indices., Results: Mean (SD) age (19.7 (3.6) vs 19.8 (3.9) yr, P = 0.675) and stature (176.4 (6.0) vs 178.5 (5.5) cm, P = 0.259) were similar in ski jumpers and in controls, respectively. However, ski jumpers had a lower mean (SD) body weight (61.9 (4.8) vs 71.5 (9.0) kg, P < 0.001) and body fat percentage (8.6 (1.9) vs 16.1 (7.2)%, P < 0.001) than controls. The amount of bone-free lean soft tissue and bone mineral content (BMC) did not differ between the groups, but age- and bone-free lean soft tissue-adjusted bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar spine (L2-4) and in proximal femur was greater in ski jumpers. Mean (SD) energy intake was lower in ski jumpers than in controls (7.4 (3.3) vs 11.0 (2.6) MJ, P = 0.001), respectively, whereas the percentage of energy derived from carbohydrates was higher in athletes. Despite the markedly lower energy consumption, intake of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and iron was similar in both groups, whereas intake of vitamins D and E, magnesium, and zinc was lower in ski jumpers than in controls (P-values range from 0.012 to 0.004). Biochemical and hematological indices showed no abnormalities in either group., Conclusions: These data suggest that despite the lower body weight and energy intake, nutritional status of the elite Finnish ski jumpers was not compromised as compared with that of nonathletic controls.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and the mean serum triglyceride concentrations in different degrees of glucose tolerance--non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and normal glucose tolerance (NGT). In addition, we analyzed the correlates of serum triglyceride concentration to explain why it is more prevalent in diabetic subjects., Research Design and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey of 4000 people aged 45-64 yr randomly drawn from the population register of the Finnish population of the provinces of North Karelia and Kuopio in eastern Finland and Turku/Loimaa area in southwestern Finland and stratified by four 10-yr age- and sex groups. The final material comprised 96 subjects with NIDDM, 102 subjects with IGT, and 323 subjects with normal glucose tolerance classified on the basis of two 2-h oral glucose tolerance tests. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia by the glucose tolerance status and the variation in serum triglycerides associated with selected life-style and biochemical factors were executed as the main outcome measures., Results: The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (greater than or equal to 2.3 mM) was 47.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 32.5-62.7%) in NIDDM men, 21.9% (95% CI 7.6-36.2%) in IGT men, and 15.4% (95% CI 9.3-21.5%) in NGT. In women, hypertriglyceridemia was found in 51.9% (95% CI 38.6-65.2%) among those with NIDDM, 25.7% (95% CI 15.5-35.9%) among those with IGT, and 10.7% (95% CI 6.3-15.1%) in women with NGT. After adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and age, the difference in the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia between the glucose tolerance groups remained significant in both men (P = 0.008) and women (P = 0.0001). High serum total cholesterol, high BMI, high waist-hip ratio, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were significantly associated with high serum triglycerides in all glucose tolerance groups. No synergistic effect between these parameters and glucose tolerance status was found. In multiple linear regression analyses, fasting plasma insulin, diabetes status, and serum uric acid were significant predictors of serum triglyceride concentration after taking into account age, BMI, and HDL and total cholesterol. The association between BMI and serum triglycerides in the regression analysis was significant only when plasma insulin was not included in the model., Conclusions: Hypertriglyceridemia is common in subjects with NIDDM and IGT and is often associated with low HDL cholesterol, high total cholesterol, hyperinsulinemia, and elevated serum uric acid concentration.

A recommendation concerning basic urine examinations and bacteriological cultures was published in 1983 in Finland including three clinical indication groups with different screening strategies. Close cooperation between laboratory experts and clinicians as well as much training in urine sediment cytology were essential before the new principle became widely accepted. Decreased workload in laboratories in clinically less significant cases was shown with the use of the full capacity and qualities of complete urinalysis when needed. Standardized test procedures combined with sediment staining improved the clinical efficiency of urine microscopy.