Prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity in older adults from 10 European countries from 2005 to 2013

Overweight and obesity are clinical public health concerns worldwide. Among older adults, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is considered high. The purpose of this study was to provide current data regarding the prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity of adults, from 2005 to 2013, in 10 European countries. Methods: The data used in the present study was derived from the first, second, fourth and fifth waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The present study includes individuals aged ≥ 50 years from 10 European countries. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from self reported height and weight (kg/m2). Results: More than half of the participants were overweight or obese (BMI≥25). Between 2005 and 2013 the general prevalence of overweight (BMI≥25 kg/m2) was slightly above 60%. The prevalence of overweight or obesity was relatively stable between 2005 (60.1%, 95% CI: 59.3%, 60.9%) and 2013 (60.3%, 95% CI: 59.7%, 60.9%). Obesity (BMI≥30) prevalence increased significantly (1.6%, 95% CI: 0.7%, 2.6%), from 17.5% in 2005 to 19.2% in 2013. In most countries there is an increase of the prevalence of obesity, but the only significant increase was observed in Germany (5.8%, 95% CI: 1.8%, 9.9%). In Spain the prevalence of obesity decreased significantly between 2005 and 2013 (-4.7%, 95% CI: -8.8%, -0.5%). Conclusion: This study findings indicate that the prevalence of overweight among elderly Europeans is relatively stable, but the number of obese people is rising.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The black hake fishery in the Mauritanian EEZ: Analysis of the possible application of a 30 cm minimum

The fishery of black hake Merluccius spp. in the Mauritanian EEZ mainly comprises a Spanish trawler fleet, as well as some longliners. The highly specialised trawling fishery has diminished its effort, while its annual landings have remained stable, not surpassing 12 000 t. In the total annual catch, individuals measuring less than 30 cm do not represent more than 10% (with the exceptions of 1992 and 1993, when the highest recruitment was recorded), although this percentage is higher during the cold season. The evolution of both the yields and the average sizes of the landed hakes, which have increased since 1991, do not indicate an overexploited resource, especially if we take into account that the potential for hake exploitation off Mauritania has been estimated at 133000 tons annually. The implementation of a minimum legal length of 30 cm for Merluccius spp., which is contemplated in Mauritanian fishing regulations, would contradict the conditions of the present fishing agreement, which imposes a 60 mm mesh size and prohibits fishing within an offshore limit of 18 nautical miles. Due to mesh selectivity, to black hakes ' size-segregation with depth, and to the biological characteristics o f these species, which are small and highly migratory, Spanish trawlers will continue to catch individuals under 30 cm. Therefore, regulation by means of minimum size would not be an adequate conservation measure for black hakes in the Mauritanian EEZ.La pesquería de merluzas negras Merluccius spp. es ejercida en la ZEE mauritana por una flota española de arrastreros y por algunos palangreros, La pesquería de arrastre, altamente especializada, ha disminuido su esfuerzo, mientras sus capturas se han mantenido, no superando las 12 000 toneladas anuales. Aunque con valores mensuales mas elevados durante la estación fría, los ejemplares menores de 30 cm sólo han representado más del 10 % del total anual en 1992 y 1993, años de fuerte reclutamiento. La evolución de los rendimientos y de las tallas medias de las merluzas desembarcadas, que han aumentado desde 1991, no muestran una sobrexplotación del recurso, sobre todo si tenemos en cuenta que su potencial extraíble ha sido estimado en aguas mauritanas en 133000 toneladas anuales. La aplicación de la talla mínima de 30 cm contemplada por la legislación mauritana a Merluccius spp. entraría en contradicción con las condiciones del acuerdo de pesca vigente, que impone la malla de 60 mm y autoriza la pesca fuera de las 18 millas marinas. Debido a la selectividad de la malla, a la segregación de tallas con la profundidad que presentan las merluzas negras y a las características biológicas de estas especies, de pequeño tamaño y altamente migratorias, los arrastreros españoles seguirán capturando ejemplares menores de 30 cm. La regulación mediante la talla mínima no será, por consiguiente, una medida de conservación para las merluzas negras en la ZEE mauritana.Versión del editor0,000

I-V curves of Fe/MgO (001) single- and double-barrier tunnel junctions

In this work, we calculate with ab initio methods the current-voltage characteristics for ideal single- and double-barrier Fe/MgO (001) magnetic tunnel junctions. The current is calculated in the phase-coherent limit by using the recently developed SMEAGOL code, combining the nonequilibrium Green function formalism with density-functional theory. In general we find that double-barrier junctions display a larger magnetoresistance, which decays with bias at a slower pace than their single-barrier counterparts. This is explained in terms of enhanced spin filtering from the middle Fe layer sandwiched in between the two MgO barriers. In addition, for double-barrier tunnel junctions, we find a well defined peak in the magnetoresistance at a voltage of V=0.1 V. This is the signature of resonant tunneling across a majority quantum well state. Our findings are discussed in relation to recent experiments

Change in Elasmobranchs and Other Incidental Species in the Spanish Deepwater Black Hake Trawl Fishery off Mauritania (1992–2001)

From 1992 to 2001, by-catch that was landed from the Spanish deepwater trawl fishery for black hake off Mauritania was closely monitored. This is a highly specialised fishery, with two species of black hake (Merluccius senegalensis and Merluccius polli) constituting between 77–99% of total landings, which have annually averaged 9 300 tons over the past two decades. Landings of Sparidae were highest among by-catch species of commercial value, with the large-eye dentex, Dentex macrophthalmus being the most important until 1996, after which the family Lophiidae and others predominated. Next were the Elasmobranchii, including large demersal squalids and several species of rays, although their annual landings fell from 182 tons in 1992 to only 4 tons in 1999, rising to 37 tons in 2001. The present paper analyses these changes using by-catches retained in the black hake fishery. We believe that the decline could be due to a set of different factors: a change in depths fished, economic reasons and probable over-exploitation of both targeted species and by-catch. Elasmobranchs constituted only 0.1% of total landings in 1999, compared to 1.9% in 1992, although their contribution to total commercial by-catch was constant. Seasonality was clearly evident, with an absolute and proportional rise in elasmobranch by-catch during warm periods, reaching 75% of by-catch landings in some months, coinciding with a drop in total by-catch. These seasonal variations could be related to the migratory habits of the fishery's target species, black hake

Composition of Demersal Fish Assemblages in Deep-waters of the Western Guinean Gulf

Data from deep water hauls carried out during the Spanish Research trawling Survey 'GUINEA -90', conducted in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana, between 100 and 700 m depth, were analysed. The taxonomic list of the survey showed a total of 91 fish species caught between 100 and 700 m depth. The maximum species richness and the highest abundances were found between 2000 and 300 m (60 species), depth range corresponding to the breaking of the continental shelf and to the upper part of the slope. Despite the local differences, the 'GUINEA -90' Survey showed the existence of fish assemblages

Faunistic Composition of Catches from the Spanish Bottom-longline Fishery in Deep-waters of Mauritania

The Spanish bottom-longline fleet started fishing in Mauritania in the 1990s targeting the hakes. In November 2000, an experimental longliner survey was carried out. The data showed 85% of the catches were used commercially and 15% were discarded, 84% of the commercial catches belonged to two hakes, Merluccius senegalensis and Merluccius polli. The areas of greatest abundance and species richness seem to correspond to upwelling zones, located by satellite imagery, where the highest values of both chlorophyll concentrations and pelagic resources were detected