Expanding evidence for the multiple dangers of epidemic abdominal obesity

The waistline of America has been expanding now for decades,1 largely as a consequence of an obesogenic environment, with a car-worshipping culture and take-away lifestyle par excellence.2 No upper limit to the prevalence or extent of obesity is yet apparent, and many countries and communities worldwide are busily following the American lead. Accumulating research evidence suggests that the personal and economic costs of the obesity epidemic are immense,3 driven by the obesity-related increases in risk for conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease (CVD), kidney disease, arthritis, cancer, asthma, and sleep-disordered breathing. In addition, decreases are apparent in self-esteem and quality of life. <br /

Advantages of 3D time-of-flight range imaging cameras in machine vision applications

Machine vision using image processing of traditional intensity images is in wide spread use. In many situations environmental conditions or object colours or shades cannot be controlled, leading to difficulties in correctly processing the images and requiring complicated processing algorithms. Many of these complications can be avoided by using range image data, instead of intensity data. This is because range image data represents the physical properties of object location and shape, practically independently of object colour or shading. The advantages of range image processing are presented, along with three example applications that show how robust machine vision results can be obtained with relatively simple range image processing in real-time applications

The correlation between supermarket size and national obesity prevalence

BACKGROUND: Supermarkets provide healthy and affordable food options while simultaneously heavily promoting energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and drinks. Store size may impact body weight via multiple mechanisms. Large stores encourage purchasing of more food in a single visit, and in larger packages. In addition they provide greater product choice (usually at lower prices) and allow greater exposure to foods of all types. These characteristics may promote purchasing and consumption. Our objective was to assess the relationship between supermarket size and obesity, which has rarely been assessed. RESULTS: Data on supermarket size (measured as total aisle length in metres) was from 170 stores in eight developed countries with Western-style diets. Data for national obesity prevalence was obtained from the UK National Obesity Observatory. We found a strong correlation between average store size and national obesity prevalence (r&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Explanations for the association between store size and national obesity prevalence may include larger and less frequent shopping trips and greater choice and exposure to foods in countries with larger stores. Large supermarkets may represent a food system that focuses on quantity ahead of quality and therefore may be an important and novel environmental indicator of a pattern of behaviour that encourages obesity

Associations between dietary intakes of first-time fathers and their 20-month-old children are moderated by fathers\u27 BMI, education and age

Children\u27s learning about food is considerable during their formative years, with parental influence being pivotal. Research has focused predominantly on maternal influences, with little known about the relationships between fathers\u27 and children\u27s diets. Greater understanding of this relationship is necessary for the design of appropriate interventions. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the diets of fathers and their children and the moderating effects of fathers\u27 BMI, education and age on these associations. The diets of fathers and their first-born children (n 317) in the Melbourne Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Program were assessed using an FFQ and 3&times;24-h recalls, respectively. The InFANT Program is a cluster-randomised controlled trial in the setting of first-time parents groups in Victoria, Australia. Associations between father and child fruit, vegetable, non-core food and non-core drink intakes were assessed using linear regression. The extent to which these associations were mediated by maternal intake was tested. Moderation of associations by paternal BMI, education and age was assessed. Positive associations were found between fathers\u27 and children\u27s intake of fruit, sweet snacks and take-away foods. Paternal BMI, education and age moderated the relationships found for the intakes of fruit (BMI), vegetables (age), savoury snacks (BMI and education) and take-away foods (BMI and education). Our findings suggest that associations exist at a young age and are moderated by paternal BMI, education and age. This study highlights the importance of fathers in modelling healthy diets for their children

Dietary associations of fathers and their children between the ages of 20 months and 5 years

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between dietary intakes of fathers and their children at child age 20 months, 3&middot;5 years and 5 years, and to determine if fathers\u27 intake predicts change in children\u27s intake between 20 months and 3&middot;5 and 5 years of age. DESIGN: The diets of fathers and their first-born children participating in the longitudinal Melbourne Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Program were assessed using FFQ and three 24 h recalls, respectively. SETTING: Sixty-two pre-existing first-time parent groups were selected from fourteen local government areas within a 60 km radius of Deakin University Burwood, Victoria, Australia. SUBJECTS: Fathers and their first-born children at 20 months (n 317), 3&middot;5 years (n 214) and 5 years of age (n 208). RESULTS: Positive associations were found between fathers\u27 and children\u27s intakes of fruit and sweet snacks at 20 months (P=0&middot;001) and 5 years of age (P=0&middot;012). Fathers\u27 intake at child age 20 months was associated with change in children\u27s intake for fruit, sweet snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages between child age 20 months and 3&middot;5 years, and for sweet snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages between child age 20 months and 5 years (all P&lt;0&middot;05). After adjustment for maternal intake, fathers\u27 intake of sweet snacks remained a predictor of change in children\u27s sweet snack intake between 20 months and 3&middot;5 years of age (P=0&middot;03). CONCLUSIONS: Associations between the dietary intakes of fathers and their children commence at a young age and continue through early childhood. Fathers should be included in future interventions aimed at improving children\u27s diets

Calibration and control of a robot arm using a range imaging camera

Time of flight range imaging is an emerging technology that has numerous applications in machine vision. In this paper we cover the use of a commercial time of flight range imaging camera for calibrating a robotic arm. We do this by identifying retro-reflective targets attached to the arm, and centroiding on calibrated spatial data, which allows precise measurement of three dimensional target locations. The robotic arm is an inexpensive model that does not have positional feedback, so a series of movements are performed to calibrate the servos signals to the physical position of the arm. The calibration showed a good linear response between the control signal and servo angles. The calibration procedure also provided a transformation between the camera and arm coordinate systems. Inverse kinematic control was then used to position the arm. The range camera could also be used to identify objects in the scene. With the object location now known in the arm's coordinate system (transformed from the camera's coordinate system) the arm was able to move allowing it to grasp the object