Takeaway food consumption and cardio-metabolic risk factors in young adults

Background/objectives: Takeaway food consumption is positively associated with adiposity. Little is known about the associations with other cardio-metabolic risk factors. This study aimed to determine whether takeaway food consumption is associated with fasting glucose, insulin, lipids, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and blood pressure.

Subjects/methods: A national sample of 1896, 26–36 year olds completed a questionnaire on socio-demographics, takeaway food consumption, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Waist circumference and blood pressure were measured, and a fasting blood sample was taken. For this analysis, takeaway food consumption was dichotomised to once a week or less and twice a week or more. Linear regression was used to calculate differences in the adjusted mean values for fasting lipids, glucose, insulin, HOMA and blood pressure. Models were adjusted for age, employment status, leisure time physical activity and TV viewing.

Results: Compared with women who ate takeaway once a week or less, women who ate takeaway twice a week or more had significantly higher adjusted mean fasting glucose (4.82 vs 4.88 mmol/l, respectively; P=0.045), higher HOMA scores (1.27 vs 1.40, respectively, P=0.034) and tended to have a higher mean fasting insulin (5.95 vs 6.45 mU/l, respectively, P=0.054). Similar associations were observed for men for fasting insulin and HOMA score, but the differences were not statistically significant. For both women and men adjustment for waist circumference attenuated the associations.

Conclusion: Consuming takeaway food at least twice a week was associated with cardio-metabolic risk factors in women but less so in men. The effect of takeaway food consumption was attenuated when adjusted for obesity.

Level of urbanization and noncommunicable disease risk factors in Tamil Nadu, India

Objective To investigate the poorly understood relationship between the process of urbanization and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through the application of a quantitative measure of urbanicity.

Methods We constructed a measure of the urban environment for seven areas using a seven-item scale based on data from the Census of India 2001 to develop an “urbanicity” scale. The scale was used in conjunction with data collected from 3705 participants in the World Health Organization’s 2003 STEPwise risk factor surveillance survey in Tamil Nadu, India, to analyse the relationship between the urban environment and major NCD risk factors. Linear and logistic regression models were constructed examining the relationship between urbanicity and chronic disease risk.

Findings
Among men, urbanicity was positively associated with smoking (odds ratio, OR: 3.54; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.4–5.1), body mass index (OR: 7.32; 95% CI: 4.0–13.6), blood pressure (OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.4–2.7) and low physical activity (OR: 3.26; 95% CI: 2.5–4.3). Among women, urbanicity was positively associated with low physical activity (OR: 4.13; 95% CI: 3.0–5.7) and high body mass index (OR: 6.48; 95% CI: 4.6–9.2). In both sexes urbanicity was positively associated with the mean number of servings of fruit and vegetables consumed per day (P < 0.05).

Conclusion
Urbanicity is associated with the prevalence of several NCD risk factors in Tamil Nadu, India.

Daily eating frequency and cardiometabolic risk factors in young Australian adults : cross-sectional analyses

Eating frequency may be important in the development of overweight and obesity and other cardiometabolic risk factors; however, the evidence is inconsistent. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between the number of eating occasions and cardiometabolic risk factors in a national population-based sample of young adults. A cohort of 1273 men and 1502 women, aged 26–36 years, completed a meal pattern chart to record when they had eaten during the previous day (in hourly intervals). The total number of eating occasions was calculated. Diet quality was assessed, waist circumference was measured and a fasting blood sample was taken. Dietary intake was compared with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The associations between the number of eating occasions and cardiometabolic risk factors were calculated using linear regression. Analyses were adjusted for age, education and physical activity. Most men ate three to five times per d and most women ate four to six times. The proportion of participants meeting dietary recommendations increased with the number of eating occasions. For men, an additional eating occasion was associated with reductions in mean values for waist circumference ( − 0·75 cm), fasting glucose ( − 0·02 mmol/l), fasting insulin ( − 0·34 mU/l; 2·04 pmol/l), TAG ( − 0·03 mmol/l), total cholesterol ( − 0·08 mmol/l) and LDL-cholesterol ( − 0·06 mmol/l). Adjustment for waist circumference attenuated the results. Significant trends were not observed for women. In conclusion, a higher number of eating occasions were associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk factors in men. Many associations were mediated by waist circumference.

The application of an ensemble of boosted elman networks to time series prediction : a benchmark study

In this paper, the application of multiple Elman neural networks to time series data regression problems is studied. An ensemble of Elman networks is formed by boosting to enhance the performance of the individual networks. A modified version of the AdaBoost algorithm is employed to integrate the predictions from multiple networks. Two benchmark time series data sets, i.e., the Sunspot and Box-Jenkins gas furnace problems, are used to assess the effectiveness of the proposed system. The simulation results reveal that an ensemble of boosted Elman networks can achieve a higher degree of generalization as well as performance than that of the individual networks. The results are compared with those from other learning systems, and implications of the performance are discussed.

Overview of cardiovascular risk in older people with diabetes: basic pathophysiology, risk factors and management

Increasing age is a risk factor for diabetes; consequently, diabetes is prevalent in older people. Older people with diabetes are at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and heart failure.Multiple pathological processes underlie CVD, including inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, thrombosis and angiogenesis. These pathological processes are influenced by age, ethnicity, genetic makeup, obesity, hyperglycaemia,insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, renal disease, inappropriate diet and inactivity, which are components of the metabolic syndrome and CVD risk factors. The more risk factors present, the higher the risk of CVD. Significantly, vascular damage occurs slowly; therefore, it is essential to undertake a comprehensive vascular risk assessment and manage the risk early in life to improve the individual’soutcomes. Management strategies must be negotiated with the individual and appropriately tailored to their CVD risk and functional status, life expectancy and safety.

Television viewing habits associated with obesity risk factors: a survey of Melbourne schoolchildren.

Objectives: To examine whether children’s television viewing may be a useful indicator of risk of obesity-promoting versus healthy eating behaviours, low-level physical activity (PA) and overweight or obesity among children of primary school entry and exit ages. Design: Cross-sectional study, stratified by area-level socioeconomic status. Participants and setting: 1560 children (613 aged 5–6 years [50% boys], and 947 aged 10–12 years [46% boys]) from 24 primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, randomly selected proportionate to school size between 1 November 2002 and 30 December 2003 . Main outcome measures: Parents’ reports of the time their child spends watching television, their participation in organised physical activities (PA), and their food intake; each child’s measured height and weight and their PA levels as assessed by accelerometry for one week. Results: After adjusting for the age and sex of child, the parents’ level of education, clustering by school, and all other health behaviour variables, children who watched television for > 2 h/day were significantly more likely than children who watched television for ≤ 2 h/day to: to have one or more serves/day of high energy drinks (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.31; 95% CI, 1.61–3.32), and to have one or more serves/day of savoury snacks (AOR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.04–2.17). They were also less likely to have two or more serves/day of fruit (AOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.46–0.74), or to participate in any organised PA (AOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.34–0.80). Conclusions: Health practitioners in the primary care setting may find that asking whether a child watches television for more than 2 hours daily can be a useful indicator of a child’s risk of poor diet and low physical activity level.

The association of levels of physical activity with metabolic syndrome in rural Australian adults

Background:  Physical activity (PA) reduces risk factors related to metabolic syndrome. Rurality influences the way people incorporate physical activity into daily life. The aim of this study is to determine the association of PA level with metabolic syndrome in a rural Australian population. The influence of adiposity on these associations is also investigated.

Methods: Three cross-sectional population health surveys were conducted in south-east Australia during 2004–2006 using a random population sample (n = 1563, participation rate 49%) aged 25–74 years. PA was assessed via a self-administered questionnaire, and components of the metabolic syndrome via anthropometric measurements taken by specially trained nurses and laboratory tests.

Results: Approximately one-fifth of participants were inactive in leisure-time and over one-third had metabolic syndrome (men 39%, women 33%; p = 0.022). There was an inverse association between level of PA and metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001). Men who were inactive in leisure-time were more than twice as likely and women more than three times as likely to have metabolic syndrome compared with those having high PA. Body mass index (BMI) is a mediating factor in the association between level of PA and metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: Some PA is better than none if adults, particularly women, are to reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome and associated vascular diseases. Specialised interventions that take rurality into consideration are recommended for adults who are inactive.

Skipping breakfast : longitudinal associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in the childhood determinants of adult health study

Background: The long-term effects of skipping breakfast on cardiometabolic health are not well understood.

Objective: The objective was to examine longitudinal associations of breakfast skipping in childhood and adulthood with cardiometabolic risk factors in adulthood.

Design: In 1985, a national sample of 9–15-y-old Australian children reported whether they usually ate breakfast before school. During follow-up in 2004–2006, 2184 participants (26–36 y of age) completed a meal-frequency chart for the previous day. Skipping breakfast was defined as not eating between 0600 and 0900. Participants were classified into 4 groups: skipped breakfast in neither childhood nor adulthood (n = 1359), skipped breakfast only in childhood (n = 224), skipped breakfast only in adulthood (n = 515), and skipped breakfast in both childhood and adulthood (n = 86). Diet quality was assessed, waist circumference was measured, and blood samples were taken after a 12-h fast (n = 1730). Differences in mean waist circumference and blood glucose, insulin, and lipid concentrations were calculated by linear regression.

Results: After adjustment for age, sex, and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, participants who skipped breakfast in both childhood and adulthood had a larger waist circumference (mean difference: 4.63 cm; 95% CI: 1.72, 7.53 cm) and higher fasting insulin (mean difference: 2.02 mU/L; 95% CI: 0.75, 3.29 mU/L), total cholesterol (mean difference: 0.40 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.68 mmol/L), and LDL cholesterol (mean difference: 0.40 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.64 mmol/L) concentrations than did those who ate breakfast at both time points. Additional adjustments for diet quality and waist circumference attenuated the associations with cardiometabolic variables, but the differences remained significant.

Conclusions: Skipping breakfast over a long period may have detrimental effects on cardiometabolic health. Promoting the benefits of eating breakfast could be a simple and important public health message.

The effect of resistance training on functional capacity and quality of life in individuals with high and low number of metabolic risk factors

OBJECTIVE—There are limited data on the effects of resistance training on the capacity to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QoL) for individuals with a high number of metabolic risk factors (HiMF). In this study, we examined the effect of resistance training on the capacity to perform ADLs and QoL in individuals with HiMF and compared any benefits with individuals with a low number of metabolic risk factors (LoMF).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Fifty-five untrained individuals, aged 50.8 ± 6.5 years, were randomized to four groups: HiMF training (HiMFT), HiMF control, LoMF training (LoMFT), and LoMF control. At baseline and after 10 weeks of resistance training, participants underwent anthropometric measurements and assessments of aerobic power (Vo2peak), muscle strength, capacity to perform ADLs, and a self-perceived QoL questionnaire. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to examine the effect of training over time among groups.

RESULTS—Training increased lean body mass in both HiMFT (P = 0.03) and LoMFT (P = 0.03) groups. Total fat content and Vo2peak improved in the LoMFT group only. Muscle strength improved in both training groups (P < 0.01). Time to complete ADLs was reduced by 8.8% in the LoMFT group (P < 0.01) and 9.7% in the HiMF group (P < 0.01). Only the HiMFT group reported improvement in QoL.

CONCLUSIONS— Resistance training improved muscle strength and the capacity to perform ADLs in individuals with HiMF and LoMF. Resistance training improved QoL for the HiMF group, and this result was independent of changes in body fat content or aerobic power. Longer training regimens may be needed to improve QoL in individuals with LoMF.

Functional capacity and quality of life in middle-age men and women with high and low number of metabolic risk factors

It is not clear if men and women with high numbers of risk factors (HiMF) for metabolic syndrome (MetS) have impaired capacities to perform activities of daily living (ADL's) and lower quality of life (QoL) in the absence of symptomatic heart disease. Our results indicate that in women there is a correlation between the number of risk factors and the capacity to perform ADL's and QoL. This was not evident for men. These findings may partly explain why women tend to consult healthcare practitioners earlier in the disease process than men.

Inflammation, hepatic enzymes and resistance training in individuals with metabolic risk factors

Aims Increases in inflammatory markers, hepatic enzymes and physical inactivity are associated with the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We examined whether inflammatory markers and hepatic enzymes are correlated with traditional risk factors for MetS and studied the effects of resistance training (RT) on these emerging risk factors in individuals with a high number of metabolic risk factors (HiMF, 2.9 ± 0.8) and those with a low number of metabolic risk factors (LoMF, 0.5 ± 0.5).

Methods Twenty-eight men and 27 women aged 50.8 ± 6.5 years (mean ± sd) participated in the study. Participants were randomized to four groups, HiMF training (HiMFT), HiMF control (HiMFC), LoMF training (LoMFT) and LoMF control (LoMFC). Before and after 10 weeks of RT [3 days/week, seven exercises, three sets with intensity gradually increased from 40–50% of one repetition maximum (1RM) to 75–85% of 1RM], blood samples were obtained for the measurement of pro-inflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), -glutamyltransferase (GGT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Results At baseline, HiMF had higher interleukin-6 (33.9%), CRP (57.1%), GGT (45.2%) and ALT (40.6%) levels, compared with LoMF (all P < 0.05). CRP, GGT and ALT correlated with the number of risk factors (r = 0.48, 0.51 and 0.57, respectively, all P < 0.01) and with other anthropometric and clinical measures (r range from 0.26 to 0.60, P < 0.05). RT did not significantly alter inflammatory markers or hepatic enzymes (all P > 0.05).

Conclusions HiMF was associated with increased inflammatory markers and hepatic enzyme concentrations. RT did not reduce inflammatory markers and hepatic enzymes in individuals with HiMF.