Our aim was to identify the best anthropometric index associated with waist adiposity. The six weight-status indices included body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio ...(WHTR), and a new waist-by-height
0.5
ratio (WHT.5R). The association between three waist skinfolds and the six anthropometric indices was conducted using ANCOVA, MANCOVA, allometric modelling and non-linear regression. The strongest predictors of waist adiposity were (1
st
) WHT.5R, (2
nd
) WHTR, (3
rd
) waist circumference (WC), (4
th
) BMI, (5
th
) WHR, and lastly (6
th
) a body shape index ABSI = WC/(BMI
2/3
* height
1/2
). The allometric and non-linear regression analyses identified the optimal waist-to-height ratio associated with waist adiposity to be (waist * height
−0.6
). The 95% confidence intervals of the height exponents encompassed −0.5 but excluded −1.0 assumed by WHTR. Assuming that excess waist adiposity is an important cardiovascular risk factor, we recommend that the new WHT.5R be used to advise people how to maintain a "healthy" weight.
Although the prevalence of a body mass index BMI (in kg/m
) ≥30 has tripled among US adults since the 1960s, BMI is only moderately correlated with body fatness. Because skinfolds can more accurately ...estimate body fatness than can BMI, it is possible that skinfolds could be useful in monitoring secular trends in body fatness.
We examined whether there were similar secular trends for skinfolds (triceps and subscapular), BMI, and waist circumference between US adults.
This study was an analysis of 45,754 adults who participated in the NHANES from 1988-1994 through 2009-2010. Approximately 19% of the subjects were missing ≥1 skinfold-thickness measurement. These missing values were imputed from other characteristics.
Trends in mean levels and in the prevalence of high levels of the 4 body size measures were fairly similar between men, with mean levels increasing by ≥5% from 1988-1994 through 2009-2010. Slightly larger increases were seen in women for BMI and waist circumference (7-8%), but trends in skinfolds were markedly different. The mean triceps skinfold, for example, increased by 2 mm through 2003-2004, but subsequently decreased so that the mean in 2009-2010 did not differ from that in 1988-1994. Compared with obese women in 1988-1994, the mean BMI of obese women in 2009-2010 was 1 higher, but mean levels of both skinfolds were 5-10% lower.
Although there were fairly similar trends in levels of BMI, waist circumference, and skinfold thicknesses in men in the United States from 1988-1994 through 2009-2010, there were substantial differences in women. Our results indicate that it is unlikely that skinfold thicknesses could be used to monitor trends in obesity.
Adiposity is an independent predictor of metabolic disease. However, highly accurate body fat assessment is not routinely done due to limited access to expensive and labor-intensive methods.
The aim ...of the study was to develop body fat prediction equations for Asian-Chinese adults using easily attainable anthropometric measurements.
Prediction equations of body fat were developed using anthropometric and skinfold thickness measurements obtained from a cross-sectional study. These new equations were then validated using baseline data from an independent randomized controlled study.
Healthy participants with no major diseases and not taking long-term medications were recruited in an ongoing cross-sectional study that began in June 2014 (n=439, 170 males, 269 females), as well as a randomized controlled trial (n=108, 58 males, 50 females) conducted from January 2013 to October 2014. Both the studies were conducted at Clinical Nutrition Research Center located in Singapore.
Data used to develop and validate equations were from two original studies that assessed body fat by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, age, waist circumference, height, and biceps and triceps skinfolds.
Sex-specific percent body fat prediction equations were developed using stepwise regression with Akaike Information Criterion on the cross-sectional data. The equations were then validated using data from the randomized controlled study and also compared against Asian-specific Davidson equations.
The best body fat prediction model (R2=0.722, standard error of estimation=2.97 for females; R2=0.815, standard error of estimation=2.49 for males) for both sexes included biceps and triceps skinfolds, waist circumference, age, and height. The new equations developed resulted in modest discrepancies in body fat of 1.8%±2.7% in males (P<0.001) and 0.7%±3.1% in females (P=0.125; not significant) compared with the Asian-specific Davidson equations (−7.4%±3.2% P<0.001 and −7.4%±2.7% P<0.001, respectively).
Sex-specific equations to predict the percent body fat of Asian-Chinese adults with a higher degree of accuracy were developed. Ease of use in both field and clinical settings will be a major advantage.
The purpose of this study was to assess the agreement in body composition measurements of wheelchair athletes using skinfolds, bio-impedance analysis (BIA) and air displacement plethysmography (ADP) ...relative to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). A secondary objective was to develop new skinfold prediction equations to estimate %fat for this sample. 30 wheelchair games players were recruited and the body composition outcomes of BIA, ADP, and skinfolds were compared to the DXA outcomes by a paired-samples t-test (systematic bias), intraclass correlation (ICC, relative agreement) and Bland-Altman plots (absolute agreement). Regression models to predict the %fat as measured by DXA by the sum of skinfolds or BIA were calculated. Results showed that the predictions of %fat when using BIA, ADP or skinfolds systematically underestimated the %fat mass as measured by the DXA. All ICC values, except for the measurement of fat (kg) by ADP (ICC=0.702), were below 0.7. New prediction models found the ∑7 skinfolds and calf circumference as the best model to predict %fat (R(2)=0.84). In conclusion, BIA, ADP and existing skinfolds equations should be used with caution when estimating %fat of wheelchair athletes with substantial body asymmetry, lower body muscular atrophy and upper body muscular development.
Introducción: La relación entre la composición corporal y el fenotipo delgado metabólicamente obeso (DMO), caracterizado por problemas metabólicos en personas con un IMC normal, ha sido poco ...estudiada en población latina. A pesar de que el IMC se utiliza ampliamente para evaluar las asociaciones entre sobrepeso, obesidad y la salud metabólica, presenta limitaciones en la diferenciación entre grasa y masa magra. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la asociación entre el porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC) estimado a través de pliegues cutáneos y el diagnóstico de DMO en la población peruana. Metodología: Estudio analítico transversal con datos de la cohorte PERU MIGRANT. Se incluyeron participantes con IMC entre 18,5 a 24,9 kg/m² sin antecedentes de diabetes e hipertensión. El DMO se definió como ≥2 factores de riesgo cardio metabólicos. El punto de corte óptimo del %GC se obtuvo mediante la curva de la característica operativa del receptor (COR) y área bajo la curva con intervalos de confianza (IC) al 95%, estratificado por sexo y utilizando el índice de Youden. Se realizó un modelo lineal generalizado con enlace log y familia Poisson con varianza, obteniendo razones de prevalencia crudas y ajustadas (RPc y RPa) con IC95%. Resultados: Se incluyó 321 participantes en el estudio. El 54,52% eran mujeres y 9,66% tenía ≥60 años. La prevalencia del DMO fue 32,09% y varió significativamente según el sexo, grupo de edad y %GC. Los puntos de corte óptimos del %GC para DMO fueron 20,70% en hombres y 32,45% en mujeres. La regresión múltiple reveló que un alto %GC aumentó significativamente la RPa en 3,09 (IC95% 2,04-4,67) veces, tras ajustar por covariables. Conclusión: Este estudio confirma la relación entre el %GC estimado mediante pliegues cutáneos y el diagnóstico de DMO. Destaca la importancia de evaluar la composición corporal integralmente, incluso en personas delgadas, para prevenir eficazmente las alteraciones metabólicas asociadas.
Human lactation has evolved to produce a milk composition that is uniquely-designed for the human infant. Not only does human milk optimize infant growth and development, it also provides protection ...from infection and disease. More recently, the importance of human milk and breastfeeding in the programming of infant health has risen to the fore. Anchoring of infant feeding in the developmental origins of health and disease has led to a resurgence of research focused in this area. Milk composition is highly variable both between and within mothers. Indeed the distinct maternal human milk signature, including its own microbiome, is influenced by environmental factors, such as diet, health, body composition and geographic residence. An understanding of these changes will lead to unravelling the adaptation of milk to the environment and its impact on the infant. In terms of the promotion of breastfeeding, health economics and epidemiology is instrumental in shaping public health policy and identifying barriers to breastfeeding. Further, basic research is imperative in order to design evidence-based interventions to improve both breastfeeding duration and women’s breastfeeding experience.
This investigation aimed to compare hydrostatic weighing (HW) with near-infrared interactance (NIR) and skinfold measurements (SKF) in estimating body fat percentage (FAT%) in rowing athletes. FAT% ...was estimated in 20 elite male rowers (mean ± SD: age = 24·8 ± 2·2 years, height = 191·0 ± 6·8 cm, weight = 86·8 ± 11·3 kg, HW FAT% = 11·50 ± 3·16%) using HW with residual volume, 3-site SKF and NIR on the biceps brachii. Predicted FAT% values for NIR and SKF were validated against the criterion method of HW. Constant error was not significant for NIR (-0·06, P = 0·955) or SKF (-0·20, P = 0·813). Neither NIR (r = 0·045) nor SKF (r = 0·229) demonstrated significant validity coefficients when compared to HW. The standard error of the estimate values for NIR and SKF were both less than 3·5%, while total error was 4·34% and 3·60%, respectively. When compared to HW, SKF and NIR provide similar mean values when compared to HW, but the lack of apparent relationships between individual values and borderline unacceptable total error may limit their application in this population.
Summary
Background and Objectives
Early life is a critical window for adiposity programming. Metabolic‐profile in early life may reflect this programming and correlate with later life adiposity. We ...investigated if metabolic‐profile at 3 months of age is predictive for body composition at 2 years and if there are differences between boys and girls and between infant feeding types.
Methods
In 318 healthy term‐born infants, we determined body composition with skinfold measurements and abdominal ultrasound at 3 months and 2 years of age. High‐throughput‐metabolic‐profiling was performed on 3‐month‐blood‐samples. Using random‐forest‐machine‐learning‐models, we studied if the metabolic‐profile at 3 months can predict body composition outcomes at 2 years of age.
Results
Plasma metabolite‐profile at 3 months was found to predict body composition at 2 years, based on truncal: peripheral‐fat‐skinfold‐ratio (T:P‐ratio), with a predictive value of 75.8%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 50%. Predictive value was higher in boys (Q2 = 0.322) than girls (Q2 = 0.117). Of the 15 metabolite variables most strongly associated with T:P‐ratio, 11 were also associated with visceral fat at 2 years of age.
Conclusion
Several plasma metabolites (LysoPC(22:2), dimethylarginine and others) at 3 months associate with body composition outcome at 2 years. These results highlight the importance of the first months of life for adiposity programming.
Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), may influence offspring weight gain. More prospective epidemiological studies are needed to compliment the growing body of evidence from ...animal studies.
Serum from 412 pregnant Norwegian and Swedish women participating in a Scandinavian prospective cohort study were collected in 1986-88, and analyses of two perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and five organochlorines (OCs) were conducted. We used linear and logistic regression models with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the associations between maternal serum POP concentrations at 17-20 weeks of gestation and child overweight/obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile) at 5-year follow-up. Results were further stratified by country after testing for effect modification. We also assessed potential non-monotonic dose-response (NMDR) relationships.
In adjusted linear models, we observed increased BMI-for-age-and-sex z-score (β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.01-0.35), and increased triceps skinfold z-score (β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.02-0.27) in children at 5-year follow-up per ln-unit increase in maternal serum perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) concentrations. We observed increased odds for child overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) for each ln-unit increase in maternal serum PFOS levels (adjusted OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.11-3.74), with stronger odds among Norwegian children (OR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.42-6.15). We found similar associations between maternal serum perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) concentrations and child overweight/obesity. We found indications of NMDR relationships between PFOS and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 153 and child overweight/obesity among Swedish children.
We found positive associations between maternal serum PFAS concentrations and child overweight/obesity at 5-year follow-up, particularly among Norwegian participants. We observed some evidence for NMDR relationships among Swedish participants.
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