Body composition in male elite athletes, comparison of bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to compare body composition results from bioelectrical spectroscopy (BIS) with results from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a population of male elite athletes. Body composition was assessed using DXA (Lunar Prodigy, GE Lunar Corp., Madison, USA) and BIS (Hydra 4200, Xitron Technologies Inc, San Diego, California, USA) at the same occasion. Agreement between methods was assessed using paired t-tests and agreement-plots.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-three male elite athletes (soccer and ice hockey) were included in the study. The results showed that BIS underestimates the proportion of fat mass by 4.6% points in the ice hockey players. In soccer players the BIS resulted in a lower mean fat mass by 1.1% points. Agreement between the methods at the individual level was highly variable.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Body composition results assessed by BIS in elite athletes should be interpreted with caution, especially in individual subjects. BIS may present values of fat mass that is either higher or lower than fat mass assessed by DXA, independent of true fat content of the individual.</p

Dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols in relation to serum cholesterol and myocardial infarction - Epidemiological studies from Sweden and the UK

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in the world. High serum level of cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for CVD development. Serum levels of cholesterol can be modified by diet. Generally, these dietary effects have been attributed to different fats and soluble fibres, but other nutrients like plant sterols may play an important role. The aim of this doctoral thesis was to to investigate the dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols and their relation to serum levels of total and low density lipoprotein (LDL)- cholesterol and to the risk of contracting a first myocardial infarction (MI). These investigations were performed within the UK European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk Study and within the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study (NSHDS). In both studies, dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols was estimated with food frequency questionnaires. Reported intake of naturally occurring plant sterols was around 250 mg/day for men and 210 mg/day for women in northern Sweden. In the investigated UK population, the reported intake has previously been shown to be around 300 mg/day for both men and women. In the UK, bread and other cereals, vegetables and added fats were the three most important food sources of naturally occurring plant sterols, together contributing with more than 50% of the total intake. In Sweden, intake of vegetable oil was highly correlated to both absolute and energy-adjusted plant sterol intake. In Sweden, plant sterol intake was inversely related to serum levels of total cholesterol in both men and women, and to serum levels of LDL-cholesterol in women. Odds ratio for a first MI was 0.76 for men in the highest quarter of plant sterol intake compared to men in the lowest quarter, while no effect was seen for women. The present epidemiological studies suggest that dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols reduce serum levels of cholesterol and reduce the risk of contracting a first MI. Advice to enhance intake of naturally occurring plant sterols may be incorporated in the nutritional treatment of hyperlipidaemia and into the prevention of CVDs. To firmly establish the effect of naturally occurring plant sterols on serum levels of total and LDL-cholesterol, intervention studies are however needed

Introduction of fish and other foods during infancy and risk of asthma in the All Babies In Southeast Sweden cohort study

The etiology of asthma includes lifestyle factors. Breastfeeding and introduction of complementary foods have been suggested to affect asthma risk, but the scientific foundation is not solid. Children from the birth cohort All Babies In Southeast Sweden study were included (n=9727). Breastfeeding duration and timing of introduction of infant formula and food were collected prospectively during the first year. Through linkage to the Swedish Patient Register, 948 children were identified with any asthma until age 15-17years, of which 450 cases were atopic. Breastfeeding duration was not associated to risk of asthma. Introduction of infant formula earlier than at 14weeks of age was associated with higher risk of non-atopic asthma. Introduction of fish before 43weeks of age, as compared to later, was associated with a lower risk of asthma, irrespective of atopic classification. Reverse causation was accounted for but did not explain the results.Conclusion: Introduction of infant formula and timing of introduction of fish seem to impact the long-term risk of doctor-diagnosed asthma. Emphasis on the growing body of evidence that early introduction of allergens offers protection against atopic disease should be considered in future recommendations.Funding Agencies|Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation (Barndiabetesfonden); Novo Nordisk Foundation; Research Council of South-east Sweden (FORSS); Swedish Research Council [K2005-72X-11242-11A]; ALF/County Council of Ostergotland</p

Introduction of complementary foods in Sweden and impact of maternal education on feeding practices.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the introduction of complementary foods in a population-based cohort in relation to recommendations and explore the possible impact of maternal education on infant feeding practices. DESIGN: Prospective data from the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) cohort study were used. The ABIS study invited all infants born in south-east Sweden during October 1997-October 1999 (n 21 700) to participate. A questionnaire was completed for 16 022 infants. During the infants' first year parents continuously filed in a diary covering introduction of foods. SETTING: Sweden. SUBJECTS: Infants (n 9727) with completed food diaries. RESULTS: Potatoes, vegetables, fruits/berries and porridge were the foods first introduced, with a median introduction between 19 and 22 weeks, followed by introduction of meat, cow's milk, follow-on formula and sour milk/yoghurt between 24 and 27 weeks. Early introduction of any food, before 16 weeks, occurred for 27 % of the infants and was more common in infants of mothers with low education. Overall, potatoes (14·7 %), vegetables (11·1 %), fruits/berries (8·5 %), porridge (7·4 %) and follow-on formula (2·7 %) were the foods most frequently introduced early. The majority of infants (≥70 %) were introduced to potatoes, vegetables, fruits/berries and porridge during concurrent breast-feeding, but introduction during concurrent breast-feeding was less common in infants of mothers with low education. CONCLUSIONS: Most infants were introduced to complementary foods timely in relation to recommendations. Low maternal education was associated with earlier introduction of complementary foods and less introduction during concurrent breast-feeding. Still, the results indicated exposure to fewer foods at 12 months in infants of mothers with low education.Funding agencies: Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation (Barndiabetesfonden); Novo Nordisk Foundation; Research Council of Southeast Sweden (FORSS); Swedish Research Council [K2005-72X-11242-11A]; ALF/County Council of Ostergotland</p

Swedish quality registry for caries and periodontal diseases (SKaPa) : validation of data on dental caries in 6- and 12-year-old children

Background The Swedish Quality Registry for caries and periodontal disease (SKaPa) automatically collects data on caries and periodontitis from patients’ electronic dental records. Provided the data entries are reliable and accurate, the registry has potential value as a data source for registry-based research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the SKaPa registry information on dental caries in 6- and 12-year-old children. Method This diagnostic accuracy study compared dental caries data registered at an examination with dental health status registered in the patient’s electronic dental records, and with corresponding data retrieved from the SKaPa registry. Clinical examinations of 170 6- and 12-year-old children were undertaken by one of the researchers in conjunction with the children’s regular annual dental examinations where the number of teeth were registered, and dental caries was diagnosed using ICDAS II. Teeth with fillings were defined as filled and were added to the ICDAS II score and subsequently dft/DFT was calculated for each individual. Cohen’s Kappa, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and sensitivity and specificity were calculated to test the agreement of the ‘decayed and filled teeth’ in deciduous and permanent teeth (dft/DFT) from the three sources. Results Cohen’s Kappa of the dft/DFT-values was calculated to 0.79 between the researcher and the patient record, to 0.95 between patient dental record and SKaPa, and to 0.76 between the researcher and SKaPa. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to 0.96 between the researcher and the patient journal, to 0.99 between the patient dental record vs. SKaPa, and to 0.95 between the researcher and SKaPa. Conclusion The SKaPa registry information demonstrated satisfactory reliability and accuracy on dental caries in 6- and 12-year-old children and is a reliable source for registry-based research.Trial registration The study was registered in Clinical Trials (www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03039010)</p

Fatty fish intake in mothers during pregnancy and in their children in relation to the development of obesity and overweight in childhood : The prospective ABIS study

Background Although controversial, lower maternal intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) during pregnancy and lower levels of omega-3 PUFA in serum phospholipids during childhood have been related to obesity. The main source of omega-3 PUFA is fatty fish in the diet. Objectives To assess the relationship between overweight/obesity and the intake of fatty fish in maternal diet during pregnancy and in children up to 8 years of age. Methods The prospective cohort All Children in South-East Sweden (ABIS) followed babies from birth to 8 years of age. A total of 6749 children at 5 years of age (boys 52.6%) and 3017 children at 8 years (boys 52.3%) participated. A “fatty-fish index” was constructed on the basis of self-reports of nutritional habits. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children at 5 years were 12.9% and 4.2%, respectively. At 8 years, 12.2% of the children presented overweight and 2.3% obesity. Girls were more affected than boys by overweight/obesity. A higher fish index during pregnancy was not related to overweight/obesity in the children, whereas a higher fish index in the children during the first years of life was related to obesity at 5 and 8 years of age. This relationship disappeared in a multivariable analysis. Maternal body mass index (BMI), maternal education, maternal smoking during pregnancy, birth weight, and physical activity all remained related to overweight/obesity at both 5 and 8 years of age. Conclusion No relationships were found between a lower intake of fatty fish in the diet, neither in mothers during pregnancy nor in early childhood, and increased risk of overweight/obesity.Funding agencies: The Ekhaga Foundation, The Swedish Research Council Formas, The Research Council for the South-East of Sweden, The Östergötland County Council, and Swedish Asthma and Allergy Research Foundation, The Swedish Research Council, and Trygg Hansa Research Foundation</p