Obesity, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in young adulthood : Studies in Finnish twins

Background: Obesity is one of the leading causes of ill-health in the Western world, and physical inactivity is a known risk factor for obesity. Obesity as well as physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. However, whether they share the same genetic vs. environmental etiology has rarely been studied. Aims: To explore the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, to explore whether physical activity modifies the relative contribution of genetic factors on BMI and waist circumference and to assess the effects of obesity on cardiorespiratory fitness and expression of genes of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in young adult twins. Subjects: 4,798 twins born in 1975 - 1979 (FinnTwin16 cohort) and followed up from the ages of 16 to 23 - 27 years; two subsamples of the FinnTwin16 cohort: one consisting of 24 monozygotic (MZ) pairs concordant and discordant for obesity and the other consisting of 152 MZ and DZ (dizygotic) twin pairs selected to represent a wide range of intra-pair differences in BMI; 1,294 twins born in 1983 - 1987 and followed up from the ages of 11 - 12 to 20 - 25 years (FinnTwin12 cohort). Measures: Cohorts: Self-reported height, weight and waist circumference, a physical activity index calculated from the product of self-reported physical activity intensity, duration and frequency, the Baecke physical activity questionnaire. Subsamples: Measured height, weight and waist circumference, measured body composition and insulin sensitivity, cardiorespiratory fitness, gene expression in adipose tissue. Results: Physical activity decreased the influence of genetic factors on BMI and waist circumference. The association between sports activity and obesity and of that between sports activity and cardiorespiratory fitness was largely due to genetic factors influencing both traits. Genetic factors contributed significantly to individual differences in physical activity, with genetic factors explaining between 41% and 64% of the variance in four physical activity indexes. Acquired obesity was associated with poor cardiorespiratory fitness and lowered transcript levels of genes involved in mitochondrial function in adipose tissue. Conclusions: The influence of genetic factors on obesity measures was smaller in physically active subjects as compared to inactive subjects indicating a geneenvironment association between physical activity and genes predisposing to obesity. This suggests that the individuals at greatest genetic risk for obesity would benefit most from physical activity. Genetic factors influence both would benefit most from physical activity. Genetic factors influence both physical activity and obesity traits and explain a major part of their relationships. Acquired obesity causes poor cardiorespiratory fitness, insulin resistance and downregulation of genes involved in mitochondrial function.Tausta: Lihavuus on yksi merkittävimpiä kansanterveydellisiä ongelmia länsimaissa, ja liikunnan puutteen tiedetään olevan lihavuuden tärkeä riskitekijä. Sekä perinnölliset että ympäristöperäiset tekijät vaikuttavat lihavuuden syntyyn, liikuntatottumuksiin ja kestävyyskuntoon. Ei kuitenkaan tiedetä, missä määrin lihavuuden, liikunnan ja kunnon yhteydet selittyvät yhteisillä perinnöllisillä tai ympäristöperäisillä tekijöillä. Tavoitteet: Tutkia perinnöllisten tekijöiden ja ympäristötekijöiden suhteellista vaikutusta painoindeksiin, vyötärönympärykseen, liikuntaan ja kestävyyskuntoon, tutkia muokkaako liikunta perinnöllisten tekijöiden suhteellista osuutta painoindeksiin ja vyötärönympärykseen ja tutkia lihavuuden vaikutusta kestävyyskuntoon ja mitokondrioiden enrgiantuottoon liittyvien geenien ilmentymiseen nuorilla aikuisilla kaksosilla. Tutkimushenkilöt: 4 798 vuosina 1975 - 1979 syntynyttä kaksosta (Nuorten kaksosten terveystutkimus eli FinnTwin16-kohortti), joita seurattiin 16-vuotiaista 23 - 27-vuotiaiksi; kaksi FinnTwin16-kohortin alaotosta: toisessa oli 24 samamunaista kaksosparia, joista osalla oli merkittävä parinsisäinen painoero ja osa oli samanpainoisia, ja toisessa 152 sama- ja erimunaista kaksosparia jotka oli valikoitu niin, että parinsisäiset painoerot olivat laajasti edustettuina; 1 294 vuosina 1983 - 1987 syntynyttä kaksosta (Kaksosten kehitys ja terveys -tutkimus eli FinnTwin12-kohortti) joita seurattiin 11 - 12-vuotiaista 20 25-vuotiaiksi. Mittaukset: Kohortit: Itseraportoitu pituus, paino ja vyötärönympärys, itseraportoidun liikunnan rasittavuuden ja määrän perusteella laskettu liikuntaindeksi, Baecken liikuntakysely. Alaotokset: Mitattu pituus, paino ja vyötärönympärys, mitattu kehonkoostumus ja insuliiniherkkyys, kestävyyskunto, geenien ilmentyminen rasvakudoksessa. Tulokset: Liikunta vähensi perinnöllisten tekijöiden vaikutusta painoindeksiin ja vyötärönympärykseen. Urheilun ja lihavuuden käänteinen yhteys samoin kuin urheilun ja kestävyyskunnon yhteys selittyivät suurelta osin yhteisillä perinnöllisillä tekijöillä. Perinnölliset tekijät olivat merkittäviä yksilöiden välisten liikuntaerojen selittäjinä: ne selittivät 41 - 64 % neljän liikuntaindeksin yksilöiden välisestä vaihtelusta. Lihavuus oli yhteydessä heikentyneeseen kestävyyskuntoon ja alentuneeseen mitokondrioiden toimintaan liittyvien geenien ilmentymiseen rasvakudoksessa. Päätelmät: Perinnöllisten tekijöiden vaikutus lihavuuteen oli pienempi paljon liikkuvilla kuin liikkumattomilla yksilöillä, mikä viittaa geeni-ympäristöinteraktioon liikunnan ja lihomiselle altistavien geenien välillä. Näin ollen ne yksilöt, joilla on suurin perinnöllinen alttius lihoa, hyötyvät eniten liikunnasta. Perinnölliset tekijät vaikuttavat sekä liikuntaan että lihavuuteen liittyviin suureisiin ja selittävät suuren osan niiden välisistä yhteyksistä. Lihavuus heikentää kestävyyskuntoa, lisää insuliiniresistenssiä ja aiheuttaa mitokondrioiden toimintaan liittyvien geenien vaimennussäätelyä

Five new species and three new subspecies of Erebidae and Noctuidae (Insecta, Lepidoptera) from Northwestern North America, with notes on Chytolita Grote (Erebidae) and Hydraecia Guenée (Noctuidae)

This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Pensoft Publishers and can be found at: http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/.Several taxonomic issues in the moth families Erebidae and Noctuidae are addressed for Northwestern North America. Drasteria parallela Crabo & Mustelin and Cycnia oregonensis tristis Crabo in the Erebidae and Eudryas brevipennis bonneville Shepard & Crabo, Resapamea diluvius Crabo, Resapamea angelika Crabo, Resapamea mammuthus Crabo, Fishia nigrescens Hammond & Crabo, and Xestia perquiritata orca Crabo & Hammond in the Noctuidae are described as new. The following new synonyms are proposed: Chytolita petrealis Grote with Herminea morbidalis Guenee; Gortyna columbia Barnes & Benjamin and Gortyna ximena Barnes & Benjamin with Gortyna obliqua Harvey; and Hydroecia pallescens Smith with Hydroecia medialis Smith. The type locality of Gortyna intermedia Barnes & Benjamin is restricted to Lundbreck, Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada

Beyond the tip of the iceberg : Adolescent weight development of women and men with features of binge eating disorder

Objective: Binge eating disorder (BED) is a clinical eating disorder that is strongly and bidirectionally related to overweight and obesity. Little is known about how subclinical features of BED relate to weight development in adolescence and young adulthood. Method: Women (n=2825) and men (n=2423) from the community-based longitudinal FinnTwin16 cohort participated. Seven eating-related cognitions and behaviors similar to the defining features of BED were extracted from the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and were assessed at a mean age of 24. We used linear mixed models to assess the association of features of BED with BMI trajectories across four waves of data collection (mean ages 16, 17, 18, and 24). Results: The number of features of BED at wave 4 (age 24) was significantly associated with BMI from age 16 years onwards. Those reporting more features of BED had gained more weight throughout adolescence and into their twenties. Conclusions: Features of BED in young adulthood were preceded by steeper BMI trajectories in adolescence. A higher number of features were consistently associated with higher BMI and more weight gain.Peer reviewe

Effects of Diagnostic Labeling on Psychological Wellbeing and Quality of Life - A Systematic Review

Background: Reducing the burden of suffering caused by preventable diseases in populations is a central goal in public health. Screening is a prevention strategy the aim of which is to identify pre-symptomatic conditions, thus enabling earlier intervention in the hope to reduce morbidity and mortality. Yet screening may also cause harm, one of which is the psychological effects of receiving a diagnosis - diagnostic labeling. Aim: To conduct a systematic review of studies assessing psychological state after a diagnosis of either prostate cancer or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Method: A comprehensive literature search of studies published from 2002 to 2015 was conducted. Main inclusion criteria were that study participants had recently been diagnosed with either prostate cancer or AAA and their psychological state was assessed. Randomized controlled trials, observational cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and qualitative studies were eligible. All studies were critically appraised and reviewed by at least 2 trained investigators. Disagreements were resolved by a third senior investigator. Results: Forty studies were included in the analysis. All eight qualitative studies on both prostate cancer and AAA showed some evidence of adverse psychological effect of detection of the condition. The results of the 32 quantitative studies were more mixed, with approximately half of the studies suggesting presence of psychological problems in newly diagnosed individuals. For a third of the studies the presence of psychological problems could not be conclusively evaluated due to study design (lack of comparison group) and presentation of the results (average scores only). Conclusions: Few studies were designed to evaluate the effect of receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer or AAA. The results suggest that diagnostic labeling may cause some degree of psychological harm in at least some individuals; more research is needed to better estimate the frequency and severity of these harms. Labeling is a potential psychological harm that should be considered when planning screening programs.Master of Public Healt

Riskinarvio sydän- ja verisuonitautien ehkäisyssä

English summaryPeer reviewe

Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder related features in the community

Binge eating disorder (BED) is associated with high levels of obesity and psychological suffering, but little is known about 1) the distribution of features of BED in the general population and 2) their consequences for weight development and psychological distress in young adulthood. We investigated the prevalence of features of BED and their association with body mass index (BMI) and psychological distress among men (n = 2423) and women (n = 2825) from the longitudinal community-based FinnTwin16 cohort (born 1975-1979). Seven eating-related cognitions and behaviors similar to the defining features of BED were extracted from the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and were assessed at a mean age of 24. BMI and psychological distress, measured with the General Health Questionnaire, were assessed at ages 24 and 34. We assessed prevalence of the features and their association with BMI and psychological distress cross-sectionally and prospectively. More than half of our participants reported at least one feature of BED; clustering of several features in one individual was less common, particularly among men. The most frequently reported feature was 'stuffing oneself with food', whereas the least common was 'eating or drinking in secrecy'. All individual features of BED and their clustering particularly were associated with higher BMI and more psychological distress cross-sectionally. Prospectively, the clustering of features of BED predicted increase in psychological distress but not additional weight gain when baseline BMI was accounted for. In summary, although some features of BED were common, the clustering of several features in one individual was not. The features were cumulatively associated with BMI and psychological distress and predicted further increase in psychological distress over ten years of follow-up. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Successful weight maintainers among young adults—A ten-year prospective population study

Objectives: To assess factors associated with successful weight maintenance over ten years in a prospective general population sample of young adults. Material and methods: Our study comprised 2452 women and 2227 men born in 1975-1979 (mean age at baseline 24 years, attrition 27.1%). Weight maintenance was defined as weight maintained within +/- 5% of baseline body mass index (BMI). We examined the role of various sociodemographic and lifestyle factors in successful weight maintenance. Results: Relatively few young adults were able to maintain their weight over ten years (28.6% of women vs. 23.0% of men); net weight loss was uncommon (7.5% and 3.8%). Most participants gained weight (mean annual weight gain was 0.9 kg in women and 1.0 kg in men). Among women, exercise was associated with successful weight maintenance, but having two or more children, frequent use of sweet drinks, irregular eating, history of dieting (intentional weight loss) and low life satisfaction were associated with weight gain. Among men, higher baseline BMI and higher education were associated with successful weight maintenance, whereas irregular eating, history of dieting and smoking were associated with weight gain. Conclusions: Only about a quarter of young adults were able to resist weight gain. Regular eating and having no history of dieting were associated with successful weight maintenance in young women and men.Peer reviewe

Differential phosphorylation of NG2 proteoglycan by ERK and PKCα helps balance cell proliferation and migration

Two distinct Thr phosphorylation events within the cytoplasmic domain of the NG2 proteoglycan help regulate the cellular balance between proliferation and motility. Protein kinase Cα mediates the phosphorylation of NG2 at Thr2256, resulting in enhanced cell motility. Extracellular signal–regulated kinase phosphorylates NG2 at Thr2314, stimulating cell proliferation. The effects of NG2 phosphorylation on proliferation and motility are dependent on β1-integrin activation. Differential cell surface localization of the two distinctly phosphorylated forms of NG2 may be the mechanism by which the NG2–β1-integrin interaction promotes proliferation in one case and motility in the other. NG2 phosphorylated at Thr2314 colocalizes with β1-integrin on microprotrusions from the apical cell surface. In contrast, NG2 phosphorylated at Thr2256 colocalizes with β1-integrin on lamellipodia at the leading edges of cells. Thus, phosphorylation and the resulting site of NG2–integrin localization may determine the specific downstream effects of integrin signaling

"Holy anorexia"relevant or relic? Religiosity and anorexia nervosa among Finnish women

Since medieval times, an association between religiosity and anorexia nervosa has been suggested, but few systematic studies exist. This study examines in a nationwide setting whether personal or family religiosity is associated with lifetime anorexia nervosa among women in adolescence and early adulthood. Women (N = 2,825) from the 1975 to 1979 birth cohorts of Finnish twins were screened for lifetime DSM-5 anorexia nervosa (N = 92). Parental religiosity was assessed by self-report when the women were aged 16 years. The women self-reported their religiosity at ages 16 and 22 to 27 years. Parental religiosity did not increase the risk of lifetime anorexia nervosa, and neither did religiosity of the women themselves in adolescence. In early adulthood, a J-shaped curve was compatible with the data, indicating increased risk both at low and high levels of religiosity, but this result was statistically non-significant. Religiosity was weakly negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction. There was some suggestive evidence for socioregional variation in the association of religiosity with lifetime anorexia nervosa. In this first population study to directly address religiosity and anorexia nervosa, no evidence was found for a significant association of religiosity with anorexia nervosa either at the personal or family level. Some regional differences are possible. A modest protective association of religiosity with body dissatisfaction is also possible. Despite compelling case descriptions of holy anorexia, religiosity does not appear to be a central factor in the development of anorexia nervosa in Finland, a highly secularized Christian country.Peer reviewe