Racial/ethnic differences on the body image perceptions and weight concerns of fourth grade girls

The purpose of this study was to determine the racial and ethnic differences on body image perceptions and weight concerns of fourth grade girls. A purposive sample of 182 fourth grade girls were eligible to participate, 166 were included in the data analysis. The Children's Eating Attitude Test (ChEAT) and a Dieting and Demographic Questionnaire (DDQ) were used to determine eating attitudes of fourth grade girls. A pictoral instrument that was modified from the original was used to assess body image. Anthropometric data was assessed and body mass index (BMI) values were used to classify subjects into percentiles. Results revealed that 56% of all fourth grade girls studied wanted to be thinner and 53% had tried to lose weight. Significantly more non-Hispanic white (NHW) girls reported wanting to be thinner than non-Hispanic black (NHB) and H girls (65.5% vs.32% and 47%, respectively, P=0.005) No significant racial/ethnic differences were revealed for the ChEAT scores. However, 19% of all subjects studied fell into the category indicative of anorexia nervosa. H girls who were less than the 85" %tile for BMI chose significantly smaller figures as their perceived body image (3.5±0.7) than both NHB and NHW girls (4.0±0.6 and 3.9±0.5, respectively, P<0.01). These findings demonstrated that weight concerns were prevalent among girls ages 9- 11 years. NHW and H girls may have more concerns about their body size and shape than their NHB counterparts. Implementing intervention programs at an early age may prevent eating disorders in adolescence and adulthood.

Contrasting effects of summer and winter warming on body mass explain population dynamics in a food-limited Arctic herbivore

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the Governor of Svalbard for permission to undertaker the research. We are especially grateful to Steve Coulson, and the logistical and technical staff at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) for supporting the field campaigns. The data collection would not have been possible without the contribution of numerous field assistants, including veterinary students from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science. Statistical advice was provided by Mark Brewer and David Elston, BioSS. The work was supported mainly by grants from U.K. Natural Environment Research Council the Norwegian Research Council, and the Macaulay Development Trust. Additional financial support has come from the Amundsen Foundation, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, The Macaulay Institute, the NINA, UNIS, and the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science

Glycated hemoglobin, body weight and blood pressure in type 2 diabetes patients initiating dapagliflozin treatment in primary care:a retrospective study

Introduction - The present study aimed to describe characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in UK primary care initiated on dapagliflozin, post-dapagliflozin changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body weight and blood pressure, and reasons for adding dapagliflozin to insulin. Methods - Retrospective study of patients with T2D in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink with first prescription for dapagliflozin. Patients were included in the study if they: (1) had a first prescription for dapagliflozin between November 2012 and September 2014; (2) had a Read code for T2D; (3) were registered with a practice for at least 6 months before starting dapagliflozin; and (4) remained registered for at least 3 months after initiation. A questionnaire ascertained reason(s) for adding dapagliflozin to insulin. Results - Dapagliflozin was most often used as triple therapy (27.7%), dual therapy with metformin (25.1%) or added to insulin (19.2%). Median therapy duration was 329 days [95% confidence interval (CI) 302–361]. Poor glycemic control was the reason for dapagliflozin initiation for 93.1% of insulin-treated patients. Avoiding increases in weight/body mass index and insulin resistance were the commonest reasons for selecting dapagliflozin versus intensifying insulin. HbA1c declined by mean of 9.7 mmol/mol (95% CI 8.5–10.9) (0.89%) 14–90 days after starting dapagliflozin, 10.2 mmol/mol (95% CI 8.9–11.5) (0.93%) after 91–180 days and 12.6 mmol/mol (95% CI 11.0–14.3) (1.16%) beyond 180 days. Weight declined by mean of 2.6 kg (95% CI 2.3–2.9) after 14–90 days, 4.3 kg (95% CI 3.8–4.7) after 91–180 days and 4.6 kg (95% CI 4.0–5.2) beyond 180 days. In patients with measurements between 14 and 90 days after starting dapagliflozin, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by means of 4.5 (95% CI −5.8 to −3.2) and 2.0 (95% CI −2.9 to −1.2) mmHg, respectively from baseline. Similar reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed after 91–180 days and when follow-up extended beyond 180 days. Results were consistent across subgroups. Conclusion - HbA1c, body weight and blood pressure were reduced after initiation of dapagliflozin in patients with T2D in UK primary care and the changes were consistent with randomized clinical trials.

Age, body mass, mass change and dispersal distance of suckling and weaned grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups

Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus, pups in the breeding colony at Froan, Norway, have a bimodal pattern of early aquatic behaviour. About 40% of the pups spend their time ashore to save energy, which can be allocated to growth or deposition of energy-rich adipose tissue. The other 60% of the pups enter the sea during suckling and the early postweaning period, and disperse to other locations within the breeding colony. Pups may swim distances up to 12 km. Neonatal aquatic dispersal behaviour may lead to increased energy expenditure for thermoregulation and swimming, and thus lead to a low rate of body mass gain during suckling and a high rate of body mass loss after weaning. Thus, we examined relationships between natal aquatic dispersal behaviour and change in body mass (DeltaBM) in suckling and weaned pups. Suckling pups that had dispersed >2000 m had a significantly lower DBM than suckling pups that dispersed <2000 m or that did not disperse. In weaned pups, there were no effects of aquatic dispersal behaviour on DBM. We suggest that the bimodal natal aquatic dispersal behaviour in grey seals at the study site reflects two different strategies for postweaning survival: to stay ashore and get fat, or to take a swim and acquire diving and feeding skills.

Adiponectin and insulin in grey seals during suckling and fasting: relationship with nutritional state and body mass during nursing in mothers and pups

Animals that fast during breeding and/or development, such as phocids, must regulate energy balance carefully to maximize reproductive fitness and survival probability. Adiponectin, produced by adipose tissue, contributes to metabolic regulation by modulating sensitivity to insulin, increasing fatty acid oxidation by liver and muscle, and promoting adipogenesis and lipid storage in fat tissue. We tested the hypotheses that (1) circulating adiponectin, insulin, or relative adiponectin gene expression is related to nutritional state, body mass, and mass gain in wild gray seal pups; (2) plasma adiponectin or insulin is related to maternal lactation duration, body mass, percentage milk fat, or free fatty acid (FFA) concentration; and (3) plasma adiponectin and insulin are correlated with circulating FFA in females and pups. In pups, plasma adiponectin decreased during suckling (linear mixed-effects model [LME]: T = 4.49; P < 0.001) and the early postweaning fast (LME: T = 3.39; P = 0.004). In contrast, their blubber adiponectin gene expression was higher during the early postweaning fast than early in suckling (LME: T = 2.11; P = 0.046). Insulin levels were significantly higher in early (LME: T = 3.52; P = 0.004) and late (LME: T = 6.99; P < 0.001) suckling than in fasting and, given the effect of nutritional state, were also positively related to body mass (LME: T = 3.58; P = 0.004). Adiponectin and insulin levels did not change during lactation and were unrelated to milk FFA or percentage milk fat in adult females. Our data suggest that adiponectin, in conjunction with insulin, may facilitate fat storage in seals and is likely to be particularly important in the development of blubber reserves in pups.

Effects of handling regime and sex on changes in cortisol, thyroid hormones and body mass in fasting grey seal pups

Survival of seal pups may be affected by their ability to respond appropriately to stress. Chronic stress can adversely affect secretion of cortisol and thyroid hormones, which contribute to the control of fuel utilisation. Repeated handling could disrupt the endocrine response to stress and/or negatively impact upon mass changes during fasting. Here we investigated the effects of handling regime on cortisol and thyroid hormone levels, and body mass changes, in fasting male and female grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus). Females had higher thyroid hormone levels than males throughout fasting and showed a reduction in cortisol midway through the fast that was not seen in males. This may reflect sex-specific fuel allocation or development. Neither handling frequency nor cumulative contact time affected plasma cortisol or thyroid hormone levels, the rate of increase in cortisol over the first five minutes of physical contact or the pattern of mass loss during fasting in either sex. The endocrine response to stress and the control of energy balance in grey seal pups appear to be robust to repeated, short periods of handling. Our results suggest that routine handling should have no additional impact on these animals than general disturbance caused by researchers moving around the colony.

Effects of age and body mass on development of diving capabilities of gray seal pups: costs and benefits of the postweaning fast

Development of adequate diving capabilities is crucial for survival of seal pups and may depend on age and body size. We tracked the diving behavior of 20 gray seal pups during their first 3 mo at sea using satellite relay data loggers. We employed quantile analysis to track upper limits of dive duration and percentage time spent diving, and lower limits of surface intervals. When pups first left the breeding colony, extreme (ninety-fifth percentile) dive duration and percentage time spent diving were positively correlated with age, but not mass, at departure. Extreme dive durations and percentage time spent diving peaked at [Formula: see text] d of age at values comparable with those of adults, but were not sustained. Greater peaks in extreme percentage time spent diving occurred in pups that had higher initial values, were older at their peak, and were heavier at departure. Pups that were smaller and less capable divers when they left the colony improved extreme dive durations and percentage time spent diving more rapidly, once they were at sea. Minimum survival time correlated positively with departure mass. Pups that were heavier at weaning thus benefitted from being both larger and older at departure, but smaller pups faced a trade-off. While age at departure had a positive effect on early dive performance, departure mass impacted on peak percentage time spent diving and longer-term survival. We speculate that once small pups have attained a minimum degree of physiological development to support diving, they would benefit by leaving the colony when younger but larger to maximize limited fuel reserves, rather than undergoing further maturation on land away from potential food resources, because poor divers may be able to "catch up" once at sea.

Beliefs about obesity and their relationship with dietary restriction and body image perception

The reviewed literature provides evidence that beliefs about the causes of obesity may actually have an influence on eating habits. In this work we wanted to analyze the relationship that may exists between beliefs about obesity, dietary restraint and body image perception. For that purpose, 258 female and male students of a High School and Occupational Training School in Seville (Spain) were recruited to conduct the study. According to our results, it was found that beliefs about obesity were positively related with dietary restraint and body image perception. Additionally, it was found that people high in beliefs about the controllability of the weight scored more in dietary restraint and body image perception than participants that did not believe that obesity was under personal control. No differences were found in Body Mass Index. Finally, it is suggested, according to the results that we found, that in order to be effective, public health campaigns may need to target people's beliefs just as much as they target their behaviours.

Body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry in Mexican schoolchildren with or without obesity

Objective: Apply dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to determine the amount of fat mass, lean mass, and bone mineral density in Mexican schoolchildren with and without obesity. Material and methods: We performed an observational, analytical, comparative, cross-sectional study of 80 Mexican schoolchildren who attended the Nutrition Clinic of the Pediatric Medical Center in Monterrey, Mexico during the period of January to April 2005. Body mass index (BMI) was determined to classify the participants according to the growth charts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two groups of 40 children each (with and without obesity) were formed and DXA was carried out on each individual. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to determine instrument reliability and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test the normality of numerical variables. Means were compared using Student´s t test. Results: Statistically signiicant differences were found in fat mass (p≤0.001) and lean mass (p≤0.001), but not in bone mineral content (p=0.051) between both groups. Conclusions: Differences exist in fat mass and lean mass in both groups, but not in bone mineral content between both groups. A signiicant positive correlation was found between fat mass, determined by DXA, and BMI in schoolchildren with and without obesity

Increasing body weight and risk of limitations in activities of daily living: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This study examined the relationship between normal weight, overweight and obesity class I and II+, and the risk of disability, which is defined as impairment in activities of daily living (ADL). Systematic searching of the literature identified eight cross-sectional studies and four longitudinal studies that were comparable for meta-analysis. An additional four cross-sectional studies and one longitudinal study were included for qualitative review. Results from the meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies revealed a graded increase in the risk of ADL limitations from overweight (1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.08), class I obesity (1.16, 95% CI 1.11-1.21) and class II+ obesity (1.76, 95% CI 1.28-2.41), relative to normal weight. Meta-analyses of longitudinal studies revealed a similar graded relationship; however, the magnitude of this relationship was slightly greater for all body mass index categories. Qualitative analysis of studies that met the inclusion criteria but were not compatible for meta-analysis supported the pooled results. No studies identified met all of the pre-defined quality criteria, and subgroup analysis was inhibited due to insufficient comparable studies. We conclude that increasing body weight increases the risk of disability in a graded manner, but also emphasize the need for additional studies using contemporary longitudinal cohorts with large numbers of obese class III individuals, a range of ages and with measured height and weight, and incident ADL questions.

Active video games: the mediating effect of aerobic fitness on body composition

BACKGROUND: Increased understanding of why and how physical activity impacts on health outcomes is needed to increase the effectiveness of physical activity interventions. A recent randomized controlled trial of an active video game (PlayStation EyeToy™) intervention showed a statistically significant treatment effect on the primary outcome, change from baseline in body mass index (BMI), which favored the intervention group at 24 weeks. In this short paper we evaluate the mediating effects of the secondary outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To identify mediators of the effect of an active video games intervention on body composition.

METHODS: Data from a two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial of an active video game intervention (n = 322) were analyzed. The primary outcome was change from baseline in BMI. A priori secondary outcomes were considered as potential mediators of the intervention on BMI, including aerobic fitness (VO2Max), time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and food snacking at 24 weeks.

RESULTS: Only aerobic fitness at 24 weeks met the conditions for mediation, and was a significant mediator of BMI.

CONCLUSION: Playing active video games can have a positive effect on body composition in overweight or obese children and this effect is most likely mediated through improved aerobic fitness. Future trials should examine other potential mediators related to this type of intervention.

Effects of active video games on body composition: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Sedentary activities such as video gaming are independently associated with obesity. Active video games, in which players physically interact with images on screen, may help increase physical activity and improve body composition.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of active video games over a 6-mo period on weight, body composition, physical activity, and physical fitness.

DESIGN: We conducted a 2-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial in Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 322 overweight and obese children aged 10-14 y, who were current users of sedentary video games, were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to receive either an active video game upgrade package (intervention, n = 160) or to have no change (control group, n = 162). The primary outcome was the change from baseline in body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)). Secondary outcomes were changes in percentage body fat, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, video game play, and food snacking.

RESULTS: At 24 wk, the treatment effect on BMI (-0.24; 95% CI: -0.44, -0.05; P = 0.02) favored the intervention group. The change (±SE) in BMI from baseline increased in the control group (0.34 ± 0.08) but remained the same in the intervention group (0.09 ± 0.08). There was also evidence of a reduction in body fat in the intervention group (-0.83%; 95% CI: -1.54%, -0.12%; P = 0.02). The change in daily time spent playing active video games at 24 wk increased (10.03 min; 95% CI: 6.26, 13.81 min; P < 0.0001) with the intervention accompanied by a reduction in the change in daily time spent playing nonactive video games (-9.39 min; 95% CI: -19.38, 0.59 min; P = 0.06).

CONCLUSION: An active video game intervention has a small but definite effect on BMI and body composition in overweight and obese children.

Does maternal concern about children's weight affect children's body size perception at the age of 6.5? A community-based study

OBJECTIVE: Though overweight is often established by school entry, not all mothers of such children report weight concerns. Enhancing concern might assist lifestyle change, but could lead to child body dissatisfaction. We investigated (i) perceived/desired body size and body dissatisfaction in mothers and their 6.5-year-old children, and (ii) the impact of earlier maternal concern about overweight on children's body mass index (BMI) status and body dissatisfaction. DESIGN: Prospective community study. SETTING: Melbourne, Australia. SUBJECTS: 317 mother-child dyads. MAIN EXPOSURES: Child and maternal BMI (kg m(-2)) at 4.0 and 6.5 years; maternal concern about child overweight at 4.0 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: Paired perceived and desired body size on 7-point figural rating scales self-reported by mothers and children, and reported by mothers regarding children; dissatisfaction ('desired' minus 'perceived') score. RESULTS: For all three actual BMI perceived size pairings (mother self-report, mother's report on child and child self-report), BMI correlated with perceived body size (r=0.82 (mother self-report); r=0.65 (mother reporting on child); r=0.22 (child self-report); all P<0.001). Similarly, all three dissatisfaction scores were greater with increasing BMI status. Children's own dissatisfaction scores correlated with their actual BMI, but were not related to mothers' own body dissatisfaction scores or with mothers' dissatisfaction with children's body size. Maternal concern about overweight at the age of 4 years was not associated with BMI change, or child body dissatisfaction by the age of 6.5. Most mothers of overweight and obese children (88 and 90%, respectively) regarded their child as the middle figure (that is, 4) or thinner. CONCLUSIONS: Despite low rates of recognition of child overweight, maternal perceptions of the child's body correlated strongly with the child's actual BMI. Maternal concerns about child BMI did not appear to impact on child BMI change or child body dissatisfaction.

Fat mass- and obesity-associated genotype, dietary intakes and anthropometric measures in European adults: the Food4Me study

The interplay between the fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene variants and diet has been implicated in the development of obesity. The aim of the present analysis was to investigate associations between FTO genotype, dietary intakes and anthropometrics among European adults. Participants in the Food4Me randomised controlled trial were genotyped for FTO genotype (rs9939609) and their dietary intakes, and diet quality scores (Healthy Eating Index and PREDIMED-based Mediterranean diet score) were estimated from FFQ. Relationships between FTO genotype, diet and anthropometrics (weight, waist circumference (WC) and BMI) were evaluated at baseline. European adults with the FTO risk genotype had greater WC (AA v. TT: +1·4 cm; P=0·003) and BMI (+0·9 kg/m2; P=0·001) than individuals with no risk alleles. Subjects with the lowest fried food consumption and two copies of the FTO risk variant had on average 1·4 kg/m2 greater BMI (Ptrend=0·028) and 3·1 cm greater WC (Ptrend=0·045) compared with individuals with no copies of the risk allele and with the lowest fried food consumption. However, there was no evidence of interactions between FTO genotype and dietary intakes on BMI and WC, and thus further research is required to confirm or refute these findings.