Trends in esophageal cancer and body mass index by race and gender in the state of Michigan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus has been increasing in incidence in the U.S. over the past several decades, particularly among white males. The factors driving the racial disparity in adenocarcinomas rates are not well understood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here we examine trends in both esophageal cancer incidence and body mass index (BMI) in a geographically defined cohort by gender and race. Age-adjusted esophageal cancer incidence rates from 1985 to 2005 were calculated from data collected by the Michigan state cancer registry. Trends were analyzed along with trends in BMI data obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey administered by the Centers for Disease Control.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, age adjusted incidence rates in esophageal carcinoma increased from 4.49 to 4.72 cases/100,000 persons per year in Michigan from 1985 to 2005. Among white males, the rate of adenocarcinomas increased by 0.21 cases/100,000 per year to a maximum of 6.40 cases/100,000 in 1999, after which these rates remained constant. There was a slight but non-significant increase in the rate of adenocarcinomas among African American males, for whom the average incidence rate was 8 times lower than that for white males (0.58 vs 4.72 cases/100,000 person years). While average BMI is rising in Michigan (from 26.68 in 1988 to 30.33 in 2005), average BMI was slightly higher among African Americans on average, and the rates of increase in BMI were not different between African American males and white males.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The disparity between African American males and white males is not explained by ecological-level trends in BMI. Further research to identify the factors responsible for this disparity, possibly including anatomic fat distribution, are required.</p

Salivary cortisol differs with age and sex and shows inverse associations with WHR in Swedish women: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most studies on cortisol have focused on smaller, selected samples. We therefore aimed to sex-specifically study the diurnal cortisol pattern and explore its association with abdominal obesity in a large unselected population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2001–2004, 1811 men and women (30–75 years) were randomly selected from the Vara population, south-western Sweden (81% participation rate). Of these, 1671 subjects with full information on basal morning and evening salivary cortisol and anthropometric measurements were included in this cross-sectional study. Differences between groups were examined by general linear model and by logistic and linear regression analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Morning and Δ-cortisol (morning – evening cortisol) were significantly higher in women than men. In both genders older age was significantly associated with higher levels of all cortisol measures, however, most consistently with evening cortisol. In women only, age-adjusted means of WHR were significantly lower in the highest compared to the lowest quartile of morning cortisol (p = 0.036) and Δ-cortisol (p < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, when comparing WHR above and below the mean, the age-adjusted OR in women for the lowest quartile of cortisol compared to the highest was 1.5 (1.0–2.2, p = 0.058) for morning cortisol and 1.9 (1.3–2.8) for Δ-cortisol. All findings for Δ-cortisol remained after adjustments for multiple covariates and were also seen in a linear regression analysis (p = 0.003).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, our findings of generally higher cortisol levels in women than men of all ages are novel and the stronger results seen for Δ-cortisol as opposed to morning cortisol in the association with WHR emphasise the need of studying cortisol variation intra-individually. To our knowledge, the associations in this study have never before been investigated in such a large population sample of both men and women. Our results therefore offer important knowledge on the descriptive characteristics of cortisol in relation to age and gender, and on the impact that associations previously seen between cortisol and abdominal obesity in smaller, selected samples have on a population level.</p

Estimation of CT-derived abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue depots from anthropometry in Europeans, South Asians and African Caribbeans

Background South Asians and African Caribbeans experience more cardiometabolic disease than Europeans. Risk factors include visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous abdominal (SAT) adipose tissue, which vary with ethnicity and are difficult to quantify using anthropometry. Objective We developed and cross-validated ethnicity and gender-specific equations using anthropometrics to predict VAT and SAT. Design 669 Europeans, 514 South Asians and 227 African Caribbeans (70±7 years) underwent anthropometric measurement and abdominal CT scanning. South Asian and African Caribbean participants were first-generation migrants living in London. Prediction equations were derived for CT-measured VAT and SAT using stepwise regression, then cross-validated by comparing actual and predicted means. Results South Asians had more and African Caribbeans less VAT than Europeans. For basic VAT prediction equations (age and waist circumference), model fit was better in men (R2 range 0.59-0.71) than women (range 0.35-0.59). Expanded equations (+ weight, height, hip and thigh circumference) improved fit for South Asian and African Caribbean women (R2 0.35 to 0.55, and 0.43 to 0.56 respectively). For basic SAT equations, R2 was 0.69-0.77, and for expanded equations it was 0.72-0.86. Cross-validation showed differences between actual and estimated VAT of <7%, and SAT of <8% in all groups, apart from VAT in South Asian women which disagreed by 16%. Conclusion We provide ethnicity- and gender-specific VAT and SAT prediction equations, derived from a large tri-ethnic sample. Model fit was reasonable for SAT and VAT in men, while basic VAT models should be used cautiously in South Asian and African Caribbean women. These equations will aid studies of mechanisms of cardiometabolic disease in later life, where imaging data are not available

Comparação entre a adiposidade subcutânea dos hemicorpos direito e esquerdo Comparison between the subcutaneous adiposity of the right and left sides

O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os níveis de adiposidade subcutânea dos hemicorpos direito e esquerdo e, posteriormente, analisar o impacto dessas informações para o estudo da composição corporal. Setenta e seis indivíduos fisicamente ativos, 47 homens (21,6 ± 4,3 anos) e 29 mulheres (21,0 ± 2,6 anos), fizeram parte da amostra. As espessuras das dobras cutâneas abdominal, suprailíaca, subescapular, tricipital, bicipital, axilar média e perna medial foram mensuradas com um compasso Lange. Em valores médios absolutos, as maiores diferenças verificadas foram de 0,9mm (6,9%) e 0,8mm (6,8%), na dobra cutânea suprailíaca de homens e mulheres, respectivamente. Entretanto, nenhuma diferença estatisticamente significante foi encontrada na comparação entre os lados, em ambos os sexos, nas sete dobras cutâneas analisadas (P > 0,05). Similarmente, quando os valores medidos foram aplicados em equações preditivas para a determinação da gordura corporal relativa, de acordo com o sexo, nenhuma diferença significante foi encontrada (P > 0,05). Os resultados sugerem que fatores como o erro técnico de medida do avaliador, o tipo de compasso e a escolha da equação preditiva a ser utilizada, provavelmente tenham maior impacto para a estimativa da composição corporal pelo método de espessura de dobras cutâneas do que o lado a ser adotado como referência para a obtenção das medidas.<br>The aim of this study was to compare subcutaneous adiposity levels of right and left sides and posteriorly to analyze the impact of this information to the body composition study. Seventy-six physically active individuals, 47 men (21.6 ± 4.3 years) and 29 women (21.0 ± 2.6 years), comprised the sample. Abdominal, suprailiac, subscapular, triceps, biceps, midaxillary and mid calf skinfolds were measured using the Lange caliper. In terms of mean absolute values, the largest differences found were 0.9 mm (6.9%) and 0.8 mm (6.8%) for the suprailiac skinfold in men and women, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the comparison between the right and left sides of body for both genders in the seven examples of skinfold thickness analyzed (P > 0.05). Similarly, after applying the measured values of skinfold thickness in predictive equations, we found no significant differences in relative body fat in men and women (P > 0.05). The results suggest that factors such as the technical error of measurement of the examiner, the type of caliper and the choice of the predictive equation to be used probably have more impact on the estimation of body composition derived from skinfolds than the side of body measured

Ectopic cardiovascular fat in middle-aged men: effects of race/ethnicity, overall and central adiposity. The ERA JUMP study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Higher volumes of ectopic cardiovascular fat (ECF) are associated with greater risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Identifying factors that are associated with ECF volumes may lead to new preventive efforts to reduce risk of CHD. Significant racial/ethnic differences exist for overall and central adiposity measures which are known to be associated with ECF volumes. Whether racial/ethnic differences also exist for ECF volumes and their associations with these adiposity measures remain unclear. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Body-mass index (BMI), CT-measured ECF volumes (epicardial, pericardial and their summation), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were examined in a community-based sample of 1,199 middle-aged men (24.2% Caucasians, 7.0% African-Americans, 23.6% Japanese-Americans, 22.0% Japanese, 23.2% Koreans). RESULTS: Significant racial/ethnic differences existed in ECF volumes and their relationships with BMI and VAT. ECF volumes were highest among Japanese-Americans and lowest among African-Americans. The associations of BMI and VAT with ECF differed by racial/ethnic groups. Compared to Caucasians, for each 1-unit increase in BMI, African-Americans had lower whereas Koreans had higher increases in ECF volumes (P-values<0.05 for both). Meanwhile, compared to Caucasians, for each 1-unit increase in log-transformed-VAT, African-Americans, Japanese-Americans and Japanese had similar increases, whereas Koreans had a lower increase in ECF volumes (P-value<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Racial/ethnic groups differed in their propensity to accumulate ECF at increasing level of overall and central adiposity. Future studies should evaluate whether reducing central adiposity or overall-weight will decrease ECF volumes more in certain racial/ethnic groups. Evaluating these questions might help in designing race-specific prevention strategy of CHD risk associated with higher ECF