Body Composition Estimation and Satisfaction in College Students

College students are at an elevated risk for engaging in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, including disordered eating and low levels of exercise. Evidence also suggests that college students inaccurately estimate their weight status (e.g., reporting they are overweight when they are at a normal weight) and report high levels of body dissatisfaction. Efforts to promote healthy behavior change and body satisfaction first require an accurate perception of the problem. The purpose of this study was to 1) determine the accuracy with which college students estimate their weight and body composition, and 2) better understand the relationship between body composition and body satisfaction. Methods: Forty-five college students (males = 21 and females = 24), between 18 and 30 years of age, completed a survey with items assessing demographic characteristics, weight status estimation, body composition estimation, and the Body Part Satisfaction Scale (BPSS). Body composition was assessed using Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Paired samples t-tests were used to compare means between participant’s objective measurements and their estimated measurements. Bivariate analyses were used to determine relationships between body part dissatisfaction and body composition. Results: Males and females accurately estimated their weight (d =-.16, SD = 2.56, t(44) = -.414, p = 0.68), but significantly underestimated their body fat percentage (d =-4.37, SD = 7.62, t(44) = -3.85), p = 0.001). Greater body dissatisfaction was associated with a higher body fat percentage (r =. 353), but not body fat percentage estimation (r = .164). In the trunk region, a higher body fat percentage in that region was significantly associated with greater dissatisfaction for abdomen size (r = .323); higher body fat percentage in the arms and legs were mildly associated with greater dissatisfaction in the respective areas (r = .268; r = .260), though not statistically significant. Conclusions: Although college students accurately estimated their weight, they significantly underestimated their fat mass, indicating a misunderstanding regarding the proportion of their body weight composed of fat tissue. As expected, greater fat mass in specific body parts (e.g., arms, legs, and truck) was related with greater dissatisfaction in those specific areas. Future research should continue to investigate these relationships and body composition estimation accuracy in more diverse samples. Health promotion initiatives should aim to educate students on body composition and continue to promote healthy behavior change along with body satisfaction

A Comparison of Flexed Vs. Relaxed Skinfold Methodology in College Aged Males and Females

Skinfold caliper measurements are routinely utilized in assessing individual’s body composition and subcutaneous fat thicknesses. The precise separation of subcutaneous fat from muscle is critical to obtaining accurate measurements of body composition. The current investigation examined the accuracy of a flexed skinfold method (FSM) compared to the traditional relaxed skinfold method (RSF) and DEXA in 20 males (mean age = 20.8 + 2.5 yrs) and 20 females (mean age = 20.8 + 1.6 yrs). Body composition was assessed by FSM and RSF in a counterbalanced design within gender for RSF and FSM, using Lange skinfold calipers with the Jackson-Pollock 3-site method and the Siri’s percent body fat equation. Each site (chest, umbilical, and thigh for males; triceps, super iliac, and thigh for females) was measured three times and the average was utilized to calculate body density and percent body fat. The same researcher performed all skinfold measurements and DEXA scan on a single occasion. A 2 X 3 ANOVA was used to determine the effect of gender (females and males) and different body composition methods (FSM, RSM, and DEXA) along with Bland-Altman plots. No statistical differences were observed between FSM and RSM in body fat percentage (FSM: 15.7 + 7.5% vs. RSM: 16.0 + 7.5%; p = 0.74), chest (FSM: 4.3 + 1.2mm vs. RSM: 4.6 + 1.6mm; p = 0.83), triceps (FSM: 18.7 + 6.1mm vs. RSM: 18.6 + 5.4mm; p = 0.52), super iliac (FSM: 15.2 + 4.3mm vs. RSM: 15.1 + 4.8mm; p = 0.62), or umbilical measurement (FSM: 17.1 + 6.3mm vs. RSM: 17.3 + 6.2mm; p = 0.62). However, there was a significant difference in thigh skinfold location, indicating that subcutaneous fat measured by FSM was lower than one measured by RSM (FL: 17.5 + 7.2mm, RL: 18.5 + 7.4mm; p = 0.003). Additionally, both FSM and RSM underestimated body fat percentage as compared to DEXA (FSM: 15.7 + 7.5%, RSM: 16.0 + 7.5%, vs. DEXA: 18.9 + 7.5%; p \u3c 0.01). It appears that assessing overall body composition using a flexed skinfold method does not necessarily improve the overall accuracy of skinfold body composition measurement when compared against a relaxed method

The Production and Application of Hydrogels for Wound Management: A Review

Wound treatment has increased in importance in the wound care sector due to the pervasiveness of chronic wounds in the high-risk population including, but not limited to, geriatric population, immunocompromised and obese patients. Furthermore, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes is rapidly growing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global diabetic occurrence has increased from 4.7 in 1980 to 8.5 in 2014. As diabetes becomes a common medical condition, it has also become one of the major causes of chronic wounds which require specialised care to address patients’ unique needs. Wound dressings play a vital role in the wound healing process as they protect the wound site from the external environment. They are also capable of interacting with the wound bed in order to facilitate and accelerate the healing process. Advanced dressings such as hydrogels are designed to maintain a moist environment at the site of application and due to high water content are ideal candidates for wound management. Hydrogels can be used for both exudating or dry necrotic wounds. Additionally, hydrogels also demonstrate other unique features such as softness, malleability and biocompatibility. Nowadays, advanced wound care products make up around 7.1 billion of the global market and their production is growing at an annual rate of 8.3 with the market projected to be worth 12.5 billion by 2022. The presented review focuses on novel hydrogel wound dressings, their main characteristics and their wound management applications. It also describes recent methodologies used for their production and the future potential developments

Erratum to: Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition) (Autophagy, 12, 1, 1-222, 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356

non present