Fat balance and ageing : results from the Québec family study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in participation in physical activity and in fat and alcohol intake associated with ageing. This issue was examined in adults (n 207) who were tested between 1978 and 1982 and re-tested 12 years later. These adults were 42.3 (sd 4.9) years of age at baseline. Their children (n 122) were tested over the same follow-up period. They were, on average, 12.5 (sd 1.9) years at entry into the study. A decrease in the proportion of daily energy intake as fat and an increase in participation in vigorous physical activities were observed over the 12-year period in both groups. The proportion of dietary energy as alcohol remained stable in adults whereas it increased markedly in children. Correlation analyses between baseline and follow-up levels were significant for dietary fat and alcohol intake in adults. In children, the levels of these variables in the growing years did not predict the levels attained 12 years later. Even though the adults displayed changes in fat balance generally following current public health recommendations, a substantial increase in skinfold thicknesses was observed in these subjects during follow-up. This observation suggests that there is a strong effect of age-related factors on fat balance

Effect of apoC-III gene polymorphisms on the lipoprotein-lipid profile of viscerally obese men

Abdominal visceral adipose tissue (AT) accumulation is associated with an atherogenic metabolic profile that includes increased plasma triglyceride (TG), low HDL cholesterol levels, and an insulin-resistant hyperinsulinemic state. Whereas the apolipoprotein (apo) C-III C3238G gene variant, often referred to as the SstI polymorphism, has been related to variations in plasma TG concentrations, another variation within the insulin responsive element (C-482T) of the apoC-III gene has been associated with greater glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT); however, these results were obtained in nonobese individuals. We therefore investigated the effects of three apoC-III gene polymorphisms, namely SstI, C-482T, and T-455C, on fasting plasma lipoprotein-lipid levels and response to a 75 g OGTT in a sample of 122 viscerally obese men (abdominal visceral AT area ⩾130 cm2). Among the three gene variants that were examined, the SstI variation was the only one found to be associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Indeed, S1/S2 heterozygotes (n = 24) were characterized by increased fasting plasma TG concentrations compared with S1/S1 homozygotes (n = 98) (mean ± SD: 3.03 ± 1.58 vs. 2.34 ± 0.95 mmol/l respectively, P < 0.05). The higher TG concentrations in S1/S2 were associated with the presence of smaller, denser LDL particles compared with S1/S1 subjects (LDL peak particle diameter: 24.8 ± 0.5 nm vs. 25.1 ± 0.5 nm respectively, P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no association between the response to the OGTT and any of the apoC-III gene variants (SstI, T-455C, or C-482T) examined

Deterioration of the metabolic risk profile in women. Respective contributions of impaired glucose tolerance and visceral fat accumulation

WSTĘP. Celem pracy jest określenie, czy upośledzona tolerancja glukozy (IGT, impaired glucose tolerance) odpowiada za pogorszenie profilu metabolicznego u kobiet, uwzględniając nagromadzenie trzewnej tkanki tłuszczowej, mierzone w tomografii komputerowej. MATERIAŁ I METODY. Przebadano 203 kobiety z prawidłowym wynikiem testu tolerancji glukozy (NGT, normal glucose tolerance) oraz 46 kobiet z upośledzoną tolerancją glukozy - glikemia mierzona 2 godziny po doustnym obciążeniu 75 g glukozy - 7,8-11,1 mmol/l. WYNIKI. U kobiet z IGT stwierdzano większe nagromadzenie trzewnej tkanki tłuszczowej oraz wyższe stężenie glukozy na czczo w osoczu, insuliny oraz C-peptydu, a także wyższe stężenie cholesterolu, triglicerydów i apolipoproteiny B (apoB) oraz większy stosunek cholesterolu całkowitego do cholesterolu frakcji HDL, zmniejszenie maksymalnej wielkości cząsteczek LDL, niższe stężenie cholesterolu frakcji HDL i HDL 2 oraz wyższe ciśnienie tętnicze (p < 0,01) niż u kobiet z NTG. Porównując 27 par kobiet pod kątem nagromadzenia trzewnej tkanki tłuszczowej i masy tłuszczowej oraz występowania menopauzy, wcześniej stwierdzone różnice w zakresie stężenia cholesterolu frakcji LDL, maksymalnej wielkości cząsteczek LDL, niższego stężenia cholesterolu frakcji HDL i HDL2, a także stosunku cholesterolu całkowitego do cholesterolu frakcji HDL i ciśnienia tętniczego zniknęły, natomiast stężenie triglicerydów pozostawało znamiennie wyższe u kobiet z upośledzoną tolerancją glukozy. WNIOSKI. Nagromadzenie trzewnej tkanki tłuszczowej jest głównym czynnikiem powodującym pogorszenie wielu parametrów metabolicznych u kobiet z IGT, z wyjątkiem stężenia triglicerydów, które różniło się znamiennie pomiędzy kobietami z NGT a kobietami z IGT, nawet po skorygowaniu w odniesieniu do trzewnej tkanki tłuszczowej.INTRODUCTION. To determine whether the impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) state contributes to the deterioration of the metabolic profile in women after taking into account the contribution of visceral adipose tissue (AT) accumulation, as measured by computed tomography. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We studied 203 women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and 46 women with IGT, defined as a glycemia between 7.8 and 11.1 mmol/l measured 2 h after a 75-g oral glucose load. RESULTS. Women with IGT were characterized by a higher visceral AT accumulation and by higher concentrations of fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide as well as by higher plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B (apoB) and by greater cholesterol&#8211;to&#8211;HDL- -cholesterol ratio, reduced LDL peak particle size, lower HDL-cholesterol and HDL2-cholesterol concentrations, and higher blood pressure (p < 0.01) than women with NGT. When we matched 27 pairs of women for visceral AT and fat mass as well as for menopausal status, differences previously found in LDL-cholesterol, LDL peak particle size, HDL-cholesterol, and HDL2-cholesterol concentrations as well as in the cholesterol&#8211;to&#8211;HDL-cholesterol ratio and blood pressure were eliminated, whereas triglyceride concentrations remained significantly higher in women with IGT. CONCLUSIONS. A high visceral AT accumulation is a major factor involved in the deterioration of many metabolic variables in women with IGT, with the notable exception of triglyceride concentrations, which remained significantly different between women with NGT and women with IGT after adjustment for visceral fat

French Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire Compared with an Accelerometer Cut Point to Classify Physical Activity among Pregnant Obese Women

Given the high risk for inactivity during pregnancy in obese women, validated questionnaires for physical activity (PA) assessment in this specific population is required before evaluating the effect of PA on perinatal outcomes. No questionnaire was validated in pregnant obese women. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) has been designed based on activities reported during pregnancy and validated in pregnant women. We translated the PPAQ to French and assessed reliability and accuracy of this French version among pregnant obese women. In this cross-sectional study, pregnant obese women were evenly recruited at the end of each trimester of pregnancy. They completed the PPAQ twice, with an interval of 7 days in-between, to recall PA of the last three months. Between PPAQ assessments, participants wore an accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M) during 7 consecutive days. Fourty-nine (49) pregnant obese women (29.8±4.2 yrs, 34.7±5.1 kg.m−2) participated to the study. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between the two PPAQ assessments were 0.90 for total activity, 0.86 for light and for moderate intensity, and 0.81 for vigorous intensity activities. It ranged from 0.59 for “Transportation” to 0.89 for “Household and Caregiving” activities. Spearman correlation coefficients (SCCs) between the PPAQ and the Matthews’ cut point used to classify an activity of moderate and above intensity were 0.50 for total activity, 0.25 for vigorous intensity and 0.40 for moderate intensity. The correlations between the PPAQ and the accelerometer counts were 0.58 for total activity, 0.39 for vigorous intensity and 0.49 for moderate intensity. The highest SCCs were for “Occupation” and “Household and Caregiving” activities. Comparisons with other standard cutpoints were presented in files S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7. The PPAQ is reliable and moderately accurate for the measure of PA of various intensities and types among pregnant obese women

A 12-week exercise program for pregnant women with obesity to improve physical activity levels: an open randomised preliminary study

Objective: To evaluate whether a 12-week supervised exercise program promotes an active lifestyle throughout pregnancy in pregnant women with obesity. Methods: In this preliminary randomised trial, pregnant women (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) were allocated to either standard care or supervised training, from 15 to 27 weeks of gestation. Physical activity was measured by accelerometry at 14, 28 and 36 weeks, while fitness (oxygen consumption (VO2) at the anaerobic threshold), nutrition (caloric intake and macronutrients percentage) and anthropometry were assessed at 14 and 28 weeks of gestation. Analyses were performed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: A total of fifty (50) women were randomised, 25 in each group. There was no time-group interaction for time spent at moderate and vigorous activity (pinteraction = 0.064), but the exercise group’s levels were higher than controls’ at all times (pgroup effect = 0.014). A significant time-group interaction was found for daily physical activity (p = 0.023); similar at baseline ((22.0 ± 6.7 vs 21.8 ± 7.3) x 104 counts/day) the exercise group had higher levels than the control group following the intervention ((22.8 ± 8.3 vs 19.2 ± 4.5) x 104 counts/day, p = 0.020) and at 36 weeks of gestation ((19.2 ± 1.5 vs 14.9 ± 1.5) x 104 counts/day, p = 0.034). Exercisers also gained less weight than controls during the intervention period despite similar nutritional intakes (difference in weight change = -0.1 kg/week, 95% CI -0.2; -0.02, p = 0.016) and improved cardiorespiratory fitness (difference in fitness change = 8.1%, 95% CI 0.7; 9.5, p = 0.041). Conclusions: Compared with standard care, a supervised exercise program allows pregnant women with obesity to maintain fitness, limit weight gain and attenuate the decrease in physical activity levels observed in late pregnanc

Physical activity distribution during pregnancy from Actigraph’s GT1M recording.

<p>Physical activity distribution during pregnancy from Actigraph’s GT1M recording.</p

Assessing and targeting key lifestyle cardiovascular risk factors at the workplace: Effect on hemoglobin A1c levels

<div><p></p><p><b>Purpose</b> Despite the key role played by lifestyle habits in the epidemic of type 2 diabetes (T2D), nutritional quality and physical activity are not systematically considered in clinical practice. The project was conducted to verify whether assessing/targeting lifestyle habits could reduce hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels of employees. <b>Methods</b> The intervention consisted of a 3-month competition among teams of five employees to favor peer-based support in the adoption of healthier lifestyle habits (Eat better, Move more, and Quit smoking) (n = 900). A comprehensive cardiometabolic/cardiorespiratory health assessment was conducted before and after the contest (nutrition/physical activity questionnaires, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, HbA1c, fitness). HbA1c levels were used to identify individuals with prediabetes (5.7%–6.4%) or T2D (≥6.5%). <b>Results</b> At baseline, 51% of the employees had increased HbA1c levels (≥5.7%). The HbA1c levels were associated with waist circumference, independently of body mass index. Subjects with prediabetes showed a higher waist circumference as well as a more deteriorated cardiometabolic profile compared to workers with normal HbA1c levels. After the intervention, employees with elevated HbA1c significantly reduced their HbA1c levels. <b>Conclusion</b> Results suggest that assessing/targeting key lifestyle correlates of the cardiometabolic profile represents a relevant approach to target abdominal obesity and fitness with a significant impact on HbA1c levels. </p><p></p><p>Key Messages</p><p></p><p>The prevalence of employees with prediabetes or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) was rather high in our cohort, suggesting that, from a public health standpoint, identification of those individuals is not optimal.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Employees with prediabetes or T2D showed a higher waist circumference and a more deteriorated cardiometabolic risk profile compared to those with normal HbA1c levels.</p><p></p><p></p><p>The significant reduction in HbA1c levels observed in response to the 3-month intervention supports the notion that a program which assesses and manages cardiometabolic risk at the workplace by also focusing on key lifestyle factors (nutritional quality and physical activity levels) represents an interesting option to reduce the risk of developing diabetes among high-risk individuals or to improve glycemic control and related cardiometabolic risk in patients with T2D.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div

Targeting Diet Quality at the Workplace: Influence on Cardiometabolic Risk

The American Heart Association criteria for cardiovascular health include overall diet quality (DQ). The present study evaluated the effect of a workplace health promotion program targeting DQ and physical activity on features of cardiometabolic risk (CMR). Before and after the 3-month intervention, 2260 employees (1462 men and 798 women) completed a health and fitness evaluation including assessment of DQ using a validated food-based questionnaire. After the 3-month lifestyle modification program, DQ increased significantly in both sexes (p &lt; 0.0001) as well as physical activity level (p &lt; 0.0001). A reduction in waist circumference (p &lt; 0.0001) and improved lipid levels were also observed. Significant associations were found between changes in DQ index and changes in CMR variables in both men (standardized regression coefficients ranged from −0.19 (95% confidence interval: −0.26 to −0.12) to −0.29 (95% confidence interval: −0.34 to −0.25)) and women (standardized regression coefficients ranged from −0.18 (95% confidence interval: −0.25 to −0.11) to −0.27 (95% confidence interval: −0.41 to −0.13)). Multiple linear regression analyses showed a significant contribution of changes in the DQ index to the variation in some CMR variables, independent from changes in physical activity level and cardiorespiratory fitness. This study provides evidence that targeting DQ at the workplace is relevant to improve cardiometabolic health

Physical activity levels as self-reported by the PPAQ.

*<p><i>P</i><0.05.</p