Associations between psychological stress, eating, physical activity, sedentary behaviours and body weight among women: a longitudinal study

Background: 

Effect of changes to the school food environment on eating behaviours and/or body weight in children: a systematic review

Previous school obesity-prevention reviews have included multi-component interventions. Here, we aimed to review the evidence for the effect of isolated food environment interventions on both eating behaviours (including food purchasing) and/or body weight. Five electronic databases were searched (last updated 30 November 2013). Of the 1,002 unique papers identified, 55 reported on school food environment changes, based on a review of titles and abstracts. Thirty-seven further papers were excluded, for not meeting the inclusion criteria. The final selection consisted of 18 papers (14 United States, 4 United Kingdom). Two studies had a body mass index (BMI) outcome, 14 assessed purchasing or eating behaviours and two studies assessed both weight and behaviour. Seventeen of 18 papers reported a positive outcome on either BMI (or change in BMI) or the healthfulness of food sold or consumed. Two studies were rated as strong quality and 11 as weak. Only three studies included a control group. A school environment supportive of healthy eating is essential to combat heavy marketing of unhealthy food. Modification of the school food environment (including high-level policy changes at state or national level) can have a positive impact on eating behaviours. A need exists, however, for further high-quality studies.

Effect of increasing dietary calcium through supplements and dairy food on body weight and body composition: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

This meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessed the effect of Ca on body weight and body composition through supplementation or increasing dairy food intake. Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria (including fifty-one trial arms; thirty-one with dairy foods (n 2091), twenty with Ca supplements (n 2711). Ca intake was approximately 900 mg/d higher in the supplement groups compared with control. In the dairy group, Ca intake was approximately 1300 mg/d. Ca supplementation did not significantly affect body weight (mean change ( - 0·17, 95 % CI - 0·70, 0·37) kg) or body fat (mean change ( - 0·19, 95 % CI - 0·51, 0·13) kg) compared to control. Similarly, increased dairy food intake did not affect body weight ( - 0·06, 95 % CI - 0·54, 0·43) kg or body fat change ( - 0·36, 95 % CI - 0·80, 0·09) kg compared to control. Sub-analyses revealed that dairy supplementation resulted in no change in body weight (nineteen studies, n 1010) ( - 0·32, 95 % CI - 0·93, 0·30 kg, P= 0·31), but a greater reduction in body fat (thirteen studies, n 564) ( - 0·96, 95 % CI - 1·46, - 0·46 kg, P < 0·001) in the presence of energy restriction over a mean of 4 months compared to control. Increasing dietary Ca intake by 900 mg/d as supplements or increasing dairy intake to approximately 3 servings daily (approximately 1300 mg of Ca/d) is not an effective weight reduction strategy in adults. There is, however, an indication that approximately 3 servings of dairy may facilitate fat loss on weight reduction diets in the short term.

Effect of Environmental Temperature During the First Week of Brooding Period on Broiler Chick Body Weight, Viscera and Bone Development

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o efeito de diferentes temperaturas-ambiente durante a primeira semana de vida de pintos de corte sob parâmetros zootécnicos, desenvolvimento visceral e crescimento ósseo. Foram utilizados 240 pintos de um dia, alojados em 3 câmaras climáticas, com temperaturas constantes de 20, 25 e 35°C do 1° ao 7° dia de vida. Diariamente, o consumo de água e ração, bem como o peso vivo, o peso relativo do fígado, moela, coração, saco vitelino e bursa de Fabricius foram avaliados. A tíbia e o fêmur também foram pesados e o comprimento e espessura (diâmetro médio) mensurados. As aves criadas a 20°C ganharam menos peso e consumiram menos ração do que aves mantidas a 25°C e menos água do que aves mantidas a 35°C. O peso relativo do fígado, coração e moela foram afetados pela temperatura ambiente, entretanto, não foi observado efeito da temperatura de criação sobre o peso do saco vitelino e bursa de Fabricius. Os dados mostraram que todos os parâmetros ósseos pesquisados aumentaram com a idade das aves. A temperatura ambiente não afetou a espessura da tíbia e do fêmur, mas foi observado um aumento significativo no peso e comprimento dos ossos com o aumento da temperatura ambiente. Os resultados desse experimento mostraram que o estresse por frio (20°C) reduziu o crescimento ósseo bem como o peso vivo das aves, durante os primeiros sete dias após a eclosão.

Genetic associations between age at first calving and heifer body weight and scrotal circumference in Nelore cattle

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genetic parameters for body weight, carcass chemical composition and yield in a broiler-layer cross developed for QTL mapping

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Models for genetic evaluation of Nelore cattle mature body weight

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of sex and age on genotype x environment interaction for beef cattle body weight studied using reaction norm models

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Covariance functions for body weight from birth to maturity in Nellore cows

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Selection for higher body weight in Nelore cattle is effective in achieving an increase of longissimus muscle area without reducing subcutaneous fat thickness

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Chronic restraint or variable stresses differently affect the behavior, corticosterone secretion and body weight in rats

Organisms are constantly subjected to stressful stimuli that affect numerous physiological processes and activate the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increasing the release of glucocorticoids. Exposure to chronic stress is known to alter basic mechanisms of the stress response. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effect of two different stress paradigms (chronic restraint or variable stress) on behavioral and corticosterone release to a subsequent exposure to stressors. Considering that the HPA axis might respond differently when it is challenged with a novel or a familiar stressor we investigated the changes in the corticosterone levels following the exposure to two stressors: restraint (familiar stress) or forced novelty (novel stress). The changes in the behavioral response were evaluated by measuring the locomotor response to a novel environment. In addition, we examined changes in body, adrenals, and thymus weights in response to the chronic paradigms. Our results showed that exposure to chronic variable stress increased basal plasma corticosterone levels and that both, chronic restraint and variable stresses, promote higher corticosterone levels in response to a novel environment, but not to a challenge restraint stress, as compared to the control (non-stressed) group. Exposure to chronic restraint leads to increased novelty-induced locomotor activity. Furthermore, only the exposure to variable stress reduced body weights. In conclusion, the present results provide additional evidence on how chronic stress affects the organism physiology and point to the importance of the chronic paradigm and challenge stress on the behavioral and hormonal adaptations induced by chronic stress. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The six-minute walk test and body weight-walk distance product in healthy Brazilian subjects

We assessed the 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and body weight x distance product (6MWw) in healthy Brazilian subjects and compared measured 6MWD with values predicted in five reference equations developed for other populations. Anthropometry, spirometry, reported physical activity, and two walk tests in a 30-m corridor were evaluated in 134 subjects (73 females, 13-84 years). Mean 6MWD and 6MWw were significantly greater in males than in females (622 ± 80 m, 46,322 ± 10,539 kg.m vs 551 ± 71 m, 36,356 ± 8,289 kg.m, P < 0.05). Four equations significantly overestimated measured 6MWD (range, 32 ± 71 to 137 ± 74 m; P < 0.001), and one significantly underestimated it (-36 ± 86 m; P < 0.001). 6MWD significantly correlated with age (r = -0.39), height (r = 0.44), body mass index (r = -0.24), and reported physical activity (r = 0.25). 6MWw significantly correlated with age (r = -0.21), height (r = 0.66) and reported physical activity (r = 0.25). The reference equation devised for walk distance was 6MWDm = 622.461 - (1.846 x Ageyears) + (61.503 x Gendermales = 1; females = 0); r2 = 0.300. In an additional group of 85 subjects prospectively studied, the difference between measured and the 6MWD predicted with the equation proposed here was not significant (-3 ± 68 m; P = 0.938). The measured 6MWD represented 99.6 ± 11.9% of the predicted value. We conclude that 6MWD and 6MWw variances were adequately explained by demographic and anthropometric attributes. This reference equation is probably most appropriate for evaluating the exercise capacity of Brazilian patients with chronic diseases.