Adverse Effects of Smoking on Peak Bone Mass May Be Attenuated by Higher Body Mass Index in Young Female Smokers.

Smoking is associated with postmenopausal bone loss and fracture, but the effect of smoking on bone in younger women is unclear. Peak bone mass is an important determinant for fracture risk; therefore, our aim was to evaluate the association between smoking and bone mass in 25-year-old women, specifically the influence of daily cigarette consumption and total exposure, duration, age at starting smoking, and time since smoking cessation on bone density and fracture risk. Smoking and bone mineral density (BMD) data were available for 1,054 women from the PEAK-25 cohort. Analyses comparing current smokers with women who never smoked were performed using number of cigarettes per day, pack-years, smoking duration, age smoking started, and, for former smokers, age at quitting. BMD did not differ between never, former, and current smokers; and the relative fracture risk in smokers was not significant (relative risk [RR] = 1.2, 95 % confidence interval 0.8-1.9). Among current smokers, BMD decreased with a dose response as cigarette consumption increased (femoral neck p = 0.037). BMD was not significantly lower in young women who had smoked for long duration or started smoking early (p = 0.07-0.64); long duration and early start were associated with higher body mass index (BMI; p = 0.038). Lower BMD persisted up to 24 months after smoking cessation (p = 0.027-0.050), becoming comparable to never-smokers after 24 months. Hip BMD was negatively associated with smoking and dose-dependent on cigarette consumption. Smoking duration was not associated with BMD, although young women with a long smoking history had higher BMI, which might attenuate the adverse effects from smoking

Perenner i det offentliga rummet

Användningen av perenner i det offentliga rummet minskade under 1900-talet, främst av anledningen att dessa planteringar är ansedda att vara för kostsamma att underhålla och bevara prydliga över tid. Vegetation med hög komplexitet och formella planteringar har ersatts av mer lätthanterliga ytor utav träd och gräs, eller av hårdgjorda material, vilket lett till minskade krav på skötselinsatser. I takt med att våra städer blivit allt mer folktäta har antalet grönytor minskat. Stadens grönytor har inte bara minskat i omfattningen, utan är också mindre varierade än tidigare, trots den kunskap som finns om grönskans många goda egenskaper. Idag ställs det större krav på att det finns kvalitativa och varierande gröna strukturer, vilka ska verka för ett bevarande och ökande av en hög livskvalitet i staden. För att kunna bidra till större variation och en bättre livskvalitet avser detta arbete att visa på att det går att använda perenner i den offentliga miljön, som trots komplexitet i artsammansättning överensstämmer med, ofta låga, budget som idag finns att tillgå för att sköta och underhålla dessa gröna miljöer. Naturlika planteringar, vilka kräver mindre skötsel, har på många håll ersatt formella perennplanteringar. Denna typ av plantering inspireras från naturliga vegetationssystem vilket därmed bidra till att skötselnivån blir lägre och mindre ekonomiskt påfrestande. Genom att använda mindre kostsamma naturlika planteringar kan perenner återinföras på platser, där det eftersträvas större estetiska kvaliteter i det offentliga rummet. På så vis ökas variation i artsammansättning och kulörer, vilket utgör ett välkommet bidrag till ensidigt användande av träd och buskar.The use of perennials in public space declined during the 1900s, mainly because of the reason that these plants are considered to be too costly to maintain and preserve neat over time. Vegetation of high complexity and formal plantings have been replaced by more manageable vegetation out of trees and grass , or hardened material, which led to reduced demands on management initiatives . As our cities become more crowded, the number of green areas decreased. The city’s green spaces have not only reduced in magnitude, but are also less varied than before, despite the knowledge that exists about the greenery many good qualities. Today is the major requirement that there are qualitative and varied green structures that will work for the conservation and increasing of a high quality of life in the city. In order to contribute to greater variety and better quality of life this work aims to show that it is possible to use perennials in the public environment, which despite its complexity in species composition are consistent with the low budget available to operate and maintain these green environments. Nature-like plantings, which require less maintenance, have in many places replaced the formal perennial plantings. These types of planting are inspired from natural vegetation systems and are thereby contributing to a lower maintenance level and become less financially stressful. By using less costly nature-like plantings perennials can be reintroduced in places where it sought greater aesthetic qualities in the public domain. In this way increases variation in species composition and colors, which is a welcome contribution to the unilateral use of trees and shrubs

Birth weight is more important for peak bone mineral content than for bone density: the PEAK-25 study of 1,061 young adult women.

Lower birth weight has a negative association with adult BMC and body composition in young adult Swedish women. INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of birth weight on peak bone mass and body composition in a cohort of 25-year-old women. METHODS: One thousand sixty-one women participated in this cross-sectional population-based study using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and body composition (total body (TB), femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH), lumbar spine L1-L4 (LS), and lean and fat mass). Birth weight data was available for 1,047 women and was categorized into tertiles of low (≤3,180 g), intermediate (3,181-3,620 g), and high (≥3,621 g) birth weight. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between birth weight and TB-BMC (r = 0.159, p < 0.001), FN-BMC (r = 0.096, p < 0.001), TH-BMC (r = 0.102, p = 0.001), LS-BMC (r = 0.095, p = 0.002), and lean mass (r = 0.215, p < 0.001). No correlation was observed between birth weight and BMD. The estimated magnitude of effect was equivalent to a 0.3-0.5 SD difference in BMC for every 1 kg difference in birth weight (151 g (TB); 0.22 g (FN); 1.5 g (TH), 2.5 kg TB lean mass). The strongest correlations between birth weight and BMC occurred in women with lowest birth weights, although excluding women who weighed <2,500 g at birth, and the correlation remained significant although slightly weaker. CONCLUSIONS: Women with lower birth weight have lower BMC and less lean and fat mass at the age of 25, independent of current body weight. Lower birth weight has a greater negative influence on bone mass than the positive influence of higher birth weight

How do we today meet the city’s ecological and social values? : an evaluation how different tools aims to create green and social environments

När städerna förtätas för att hantera dess urbanisering pressas dess grönområden hårt. Grönområden som är viktiga i många avseenden. På 1800-talet blev parkerna räddningen för städerna. Parkerna skulle rena städerna från föroreningar och höja den låga livskvaliteten. Trots att vi idag vet grönskans inverkan på hälsan och välmåendet är inte alla ytor som skapas tillgängliga eller kvalitativa. Ytorna är inte tillgängliga genom att vi inte ser dem eller kan vistas i dem. Ett krav som borde ställas så att fler tjänster från naturen och grönskan kan tillfalla dem som nyttjar ytorna. Detta kandidatarbete i form av en akademisk uppsats ämnar att genom en granskning se hur olika verktyg tillgodoser att gröna och sociala miljöer skapas. I arbetet granskas verktygen BREEAM communities, LEED for neighborhood development och Grönytefaktor. Granskningen som gjorts i arbetet påvisar att grönskans omfattning varierar i verktygens uppbyggnad. I Grönytefaktorn anses grönskan vara den direkta lösningen så att grönytor inte ska försvinna vid en förtätning. Här pressas grönska fram enligt en kompenseringsprincip. Certifieringssystemen har istället visioner och mål, men kan idag inte tvinga fram grönområden, eftersom det inte än finns några obligatoriska krav på detta. Trots det kan verktygen ändå åstadkomma att nya grönområden bildas vid utveckling av städerna. Detta sker genom poängsystem, som ger en indikation på vilken nivå ett projekt har fullbordats. En eftersträvan om att nå så höga poäng som möjligt är då drivande i projekten. Vid användandet av verktygen vill man därför uppnå och svara mot så många kriterier som möjligt. Ytor kan skapas, men om dessa verkar socialt och tillgodoser behoven av kulturtjänster är svårt att bedöma. Kulturtjänster infinner sig vid olika tillfällen, beroende på platsen och vem man är. En ekosystemtjänst genererar ofta fler ekosystemtjänster, något som indikerar på att ytor som är vistelsebara därför kan svara mot flera tjänster och behov. Även sådana som inte är självklara för den som designar grönområdet. Det är därför viktigt att utforma ytor för mer än en ekosystemtjänst, exempelvis rekreation. Arbetet visar att verktygens avsikt är god, där grönskan är en struktur som bör och ska finnas i städerna. Genom att använda verktygen framkommer olika resultat. Alla bidragande till en god och hållbar stad, ekologiskt, ekonomiskt och socialt. Att skapa tillgängliga ytor som parker och torg finns som mål eller krav i verktygen. Trots det finns det nackdelar i verktygens uppbyggnad som visar att stadsplanering är komplex och en utmaning som inte än hittat sin lösning. Verktygen kan inte ge ett slutgiltigt svar, men vad vi vet är att grönskan är en nyckel i denna fråga.When cities become densified to handle its urbanization, green areas are put under a lot of pressure. Green areas are important in many cases. During the 19th century parks became the savior of the cities. The parks would clean the city air from pollution and increase the low quality of life. Even though the green areas positive affect on human health and prosperity are well known today are not all areas available or qualitative. The green areas are not available since some of them cannot be seen or visited. A demand that should be set that enables more nature and green services available for those who use them. The objective of this paper was to determine how different methods satisfies the creation of green and social environments. The methods including BREEAM communities, LEED for neighborhood development and Green Area Factor were analyzed and evaluated. The evaluation in this paper indicates that the extent of the greenery varies depending on the structure of the different methods. The Green Area Factor method considers greenery to be the most crucial answer to not eliminating green areas during urbanization. It uses a method of compensation to force creation of greenery. The system of certification instead uses goals and visions, which diminish its power to create greenery since no mandatory demands exist. However, these methods can still enable the creation of new green areas when cities are developed. This can be achieved through a point system where an indication of what level a project has been completed. The endeavor to tally up the highest score is driving the project. Through the usage of the methods, the goal is to meet as many criterion possible. Spaces might be created, however if they fulfill its purposes socially and the provided cultural services is difficult to determine. Cultural services take place at different times depending on type of area and who you are as a person. An ecosystem service often generates additional ecosystem services, which indicates that green areas that are available can serve many purposes and needs. Even purposes and needs that is not obvious for the designer. Therefore it is important to create spaces to something more than just fulfill ecosystem services, for example recreation purposes. The paper shows the intentions of the methods are good. That greenery is part of the city structure and both should and will be in the cities. The methods reveal different results. All of them contribute to good and sustainable city environment, which include ecologically, economically, and socially. Creating available green spaces such as parks and squares exist as goals or demands in the methods. Even though there are disadvantages in the methods structures that highlight the complexity and challenge involved in city planning. The methods cannot provide a final perfect solution, however it can be determined that greenery plays a key role in this matter

Country-Specific Young Adult Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Reference Data Are Warranted for T-Score Calculations in Women: Data From the Peak-25 Cohort.

The aims of this study were to provide normative data for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 25-yr-old women and evaluate whether young adult Swedish women have bone mineral density (BMD) comparable with DXA manufacturer reference values and other equivalent populations. BMD at all sites was measured in the population-based Peak-25 cohort (n = 1061 women; age, 25.5 ± 0.2yr). BMD values were standardized (sBMD) and compared against the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and other cohorts. Based on the DXA manufacturer-supplied reference values, Z-scores were 0.54 ± 0.98 (femoral neck [FN]), 0.47 ± 0.96 (total hip [TH]), and 0.32 ± 1.03 (lumbar spine [LS]). In comparison with other studies, sBMD was higher in the Peak-25 cohort (FN, 1.5%-8.3%; TH, 3.9%-9.2%; and LS, 2.4%-6.5%) with the exception of trochanter-sBMD which was 2.5% lower compared with NHANES III. The concordance in identifying those in the lowest or highest quartile of BMD was highest between hip measurements (low, 71%-78% and high, 70%-84%), corresponding discordance of 0%-1%. At this age, the correlation between DXA sites was strong (r = 0.62-0.94). BMD in Swedish young adult women is generally higher than has been reported in other equivalently aged European and North American cohorts and suggests that the high fracture incidence in Sweden is not explained by lower peak bone mass. The use of nonregional-specific DXA reference data could contribute to misdiagnosed osteoporosis in elderly women

Self-reported recreational exercise combining regularity and impact is necessary to maximize bone mineral density in young adult women : A population-based study of 1,061 women 25 years of age.

Recreational physical activity in 25-year-old women in Sweden increases bone mineral density (BMD) in the trochanter by 5.5% when combining regularity and impact. Jogging and spinning were especially beneficial for hip BMD (6.4-8.5%). Women who enjoyed physical education in school maintained their higher activity level at age 25. INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of recreational exercise on BMD and describe how exercise patterns change with time in a normal population of young adult women. METHODS: In a population-based study of 1,061 women, age 25 (±0.2), BMD was measured at total body (TB-BMD), femoral neck (FN-BMD), trochanter (TR-BMD), and spine (LS-BMD). Self-reported physical activity status was assessed by questionnaire. Regularity of exercise was expressed as recreational activity level (RAL) and impact load as peak strain score (PSS). A permutation (COMB-RP) was used to evaluate combined endurance and impacts on bone mass. RESULTS: More than half of the women reported exercising on a regular basis and the most common activities were running, strength training, aerobics, and spinning. Seventy percent participated in at least one activity during the year. Women with high RAL or PSS had higher BMD in the hip (2.6-3.5%) and spine (1.5-2.1%), with the greatest differences resulting from PSS (p < 0.001-0.02). Combined regularity and impact (high-COMB-RP) conferred the greatest gains in BMD (FN 4.7%, TR 5.5%, LS 3.1%; p < 0.001) despite concomitant lower body weight. Jogging and spinning were particularly beneficial for hip BMD (+6.4-8.5%). Women with high-COMB-RP scores enjoyed physical education in school more and maintained higher activity levels throughout compared to those with low scores. CONCLUSION: Self-reported recreational levels of physical activity positively influence BMD in young adult women but to maximize BMD gains, regular, high-impact exercise is required. Enjoyment of exercise contributes to regularity of exercising which has short- and long-term implications for bone health

Polymorphisms in inflammation associated genes ALOX15 and IL-6 are associated with bone properties in young women and fracture in elderly.

ALOX12 and ALOX15 encode arachidonate lipoxygenases which produce lipid metabolites involved in inflammatory processes. Metabolites generated by ALOX12 and ALOX15 can activate the expression of the potent pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, and produce endogenous ligands for PPARG. In this study, polymorphisms in ALOX12, ALOX15, IL6 and PPARG were investigated for association with bone properties in young and elderly Swedish women

Peak Bone Mass and Quantitative Ultrasound Bone Properties in Young Adulthood : A Study in the PEAK-25 Cohort of Women

Peak bone mass is normally reached in the third decade of life. Previously, in the population-based PEAK-25 cohort (n = 1061, age 25.5 ± 0.2), we demonstrated that bone mineral density in the population-based PEAK-25 cohort is comparatively high; therefore, this study aimed to determine if the calcaneus microarchitecture mirrored this. In the process, we describe normative quantitative ultrasound (QUS) values for 25-yr-old women and the relationship between QUS values and extremes of body weight. QUS variables speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), and stiffness index were measured. Young adult values were based on the manufacturer-supplied QUS reference values. Analyses were performed in the cohort as a whole, and additionally, to understand the relationship between body weight and QUS values in young women, the variables were categorized into octiles for weight or body mass index (BMI) and the lowest and highest octiles were compared. In the cohort, SOS values, reflecting bone density, were higher (108 ± 18%), whereas BUA values, reflecting bone complexity, were lower (90 ± 14%) compared to the young adult reference population. SOS did not correlate with body weight or BMI. In the cohort, overall correlations between BUA weight, and BMI were small and positive (Pearson's r coefficients 0.261 and 0.197, respectively; p <0.001), although in the low-weight group, r coefficients were higher (r = 0.313 and 0.268; p <0.05). In contrast, in the high-weight group, correlation with BUA values tended to be small, negative, and nonsignificant. Correlation between QUS and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-measured bone mineral density was low to moderate and significant at all skeletal sites (r = 0.37-0.52). Whereas coefficients tended to be higher in the low-weight group, the reverse was apparent for the low-BMI group. In these 25-yr-old women, a comparatively high dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-measured bone mass is offset by less complex bone structures assessed by QUS. This may have implications for later osteoporosis assessment and future fracture risk