The Oslo Health Study: Is bone mineral density higher in affluent areas?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on previously reported differences in fracture incidence in the socioeconomic less affluent Oslo East compared to the more privileged West, our aim was to study bone mineral density (BMD) in the same socioeconomic areas in Oslo. We also wanted to study whether possible associations were explained by socio-demographic factors, level of education or lifestyle factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Distal forearm BMD was measured in random samples of the participants in The Oslo Health Study by single energy x-ray absorptiometry (SXA). 578 men and 702 women born in Norway in the age-groups 40/45, 60 and 75 years were included in the analyses. Socioeconomic regions, based on a social index dividing Oslo in two regions – East and West, were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Age-adjusted mean BMD in women living in the less affluent Eastern region was 0.405 g/cm²and significantly lower than in West where BMD was 0.419 g/cm². Similarly, the odds ratio of low BMD (Z-score ≤ -1) was 1.87 (95% CI: 1.22–2.87) in women in Oslo East compared to West. The same tendency, although not statistically significant, was also present in men. Multivariate analysis adjusted for education, marital status, body mass index, physical inactivity, use of alcohol and smoking, and in women also use of post-menopausal hormone therapy and early onset of menopause, did hardly change the association. Additional adjustments for employment status, disability pension and physical activity at work for those below the age of retirement, gave similar results.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found differences in BMD in women between different socioeconomic regions in Oslo that correspond to previously found differences in fracture rates. The association in men was not statistically significant. The differences were not explained by socio-demographic factors, level of education or lifestyle factors.</p

Serum level of under-carboxylated osteocalcin and bone mineral density in early menopausal Norwegian women

Purpose: Serum level of under-carboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) is considered a sensitive measure of vitamin K status, and ucOC levels are associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk in elderly persons. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between ucOC and BMD in early menopausal women. Methods: The data reported here come from the enrolment in a double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized trial comprising 334 healthy Norwegian women between 50 and 60 years, 1-5 years after menopause, not using warfarin or medication known to affect bone metabolism. Total hip, femoral neck, lumbar spine, and total body BMD and serum level of ucOC and total osteocalcin were measured, and information of lifestyle was collected through questionnaires. The association between ucOC and BMD at all measurement sites was assessed by multiple regression analyses adjusting for possible confounding variables. Results: The absolute serum level of ucOC was significantly and negatively associated with BMD at all measurements sites, both in univariate analyses (p < 0.01) and in multivariate analyses adjusting for years since menopause, smoking status and weight (p < 0.01). However, serum ucOC, expressed as percentage of the total osteocalcin level, was not associated with BMD at any site. Conclusions: Achievement of adequate vitamin K nutritional intake is important, but ucOC expressed as percentage of total osteocalcin levels as reflection of vitamin K status does not seem to play a central role in determining BMD levels in early menopausal women. © 2011 Springer-Verlag

Трансграничное сотрудничество регионов: методологические основы развития и роль в интеграционных процессах

Organic farming is based on to rely on a higher cropping systems diversity than its conventional counterpart and is regarded as one prototype to enhance the sustainability of agriculture and cereal-rich cropping systems. Nevertheless, organic arable crop rotations in temperate regions consist mainly of sole crops (SC; pure stands), with diverse pastures in farming systems with livestock being an exception (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al. 2001b). In organic farming, nitrogen (N) availability can be limiting especially in the absence of livestock (David et al. 2005ab) and causes cereal yield depressions and lower protein contents. For these reasons, integrating legumes with symbiotic fixation of atmospheric N2 is essential for balancing nitrogen exports from the system. New agronomic solutions should be developed addressing multifunctionality including: i) higher yields; ii) improved quality; iii) provision of ecosystems services and iv) the adaptation of production systems to climate change (IAASTD 2009). Intercropping (IC) cereals and legumes, i.e. simultaneously growing two (or more) species in the same field for a significant period but without necessarily sowing or harvesting them at the same time (Willey 1979; Vandermeer et al. 1998; Malézieux et al. 2008) is a practice for eco-functional intensification, which is considered a mean to enhance yields in organic farming (Niggli et al. 2008). However, due to the intensification of agriculture during the last 50 years (Crews and Peoples 2004) annual intercropping is now rare in European countries (except for animal feeds) and elsewhere in intensive farming systems (Anil et al. 1998; Malézieux et al. 2008). Nevertheless, because of the numerous ecosystems services in introducing cereal-legume intercropping (Hauggaard-Nielsen and Jensen 2005) there seems to be a renewed interest in cereal/legume intercrops in Europe, notably in organic farming (Anil et al. 1998; Malézieux et al. 2008) as a mean of eco-functional intensification. Intercropping has been shown to increase and stabilize yields (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al. 2009b; Lithourgidis et al. 2006) and to increase cereal grain protein content and baking quality compared to sole crops (Gooding et al. 2007), particularly in low-N input systems and organic farming where N can be a limiting resource (Corre-Hellou et al. 2006; Bedoussac and Justes 2010ab; Naudin et al. 2010). Intercropping has also been shown to: i) improve soil conservation (Anil et al. 1998); ii) favour weed control (Vasilakoglou et al. 2005; Banik et al. 2006; Corre-Hellou et al. 2011); iii) reduce pests and diseases (Trenbath 1993; Altieri 1999) and iv) provide better lodging resistance (Anil et al. 1998). In contrast, grain legumes, such as peas (Pisum sativum L.) grown as sole crops are known to be weak competitors towards weeds (Wall et al. 1991; Townley-Smith and Wright 1994; Mcdonald 2003), and weed infestations have been shown to severely limit the N nutrition and grain yield of organically grown grain legumes (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al. 2001b; Corre-Hellou and Crozat 2005). Moreover grain legumes sole crops are sensitive to lodging and affected by numerous pests and diseases, which can cause serious yield losses in organic farming where pesticides use is forbidden. Thus, from these perspectives intercropping can be a way to successfully produce organic grain legumes (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al. 2007). The main objective of the study is to analyze and describe the potential advantages of cereal-grain legume intercrops for gr ain yield, grain protein content and weed control in organic cropping systems. This chapter integrates a comprehensive amount of original data from field experiments conducted since 2001 in France (south and west, with contrasting soil and climatic conditions) and Denmark, in experimental and farm contexts, on spring and winter cereal-grain legume intercrops (Table 1) to try and generalize the findings for more common guidelines