Evolution of obesity by social status in France, 1981-2003

Although France is less affected by the rise in obesity than neighboring countries, the prevalence of obesity has increased, changing the distribution of this pathology in the population. We analyze this evolution by social status, education, income and gender, region of residence, using the three French national Health Surveys conducted in 1981, 1992 and 2003. The average body weight of both women and men has increased in France since 1981 and accelerated since the 1990s. This trend is obtained among all age groups. Nevertheless, this process did not affect all socioeconomic groups similarly. Geographical differences increased between north-east, where the prevalence of obesity is higher, and the Mediterranean region, where it is lower. Likewise, the gap between social and occupational categories has greatly widened: obesity has increased much faster among farmers and blue-collar workers than among managers and professionals. In contrast to women, poorer men are not more likely to be more obese than others. Our findings suggest that differences in BMI values increased substantially among social groups in France, in particular among women.     

Two centuries of growth among Czech children and youth

The trend of increasing height can be interpreted as a reflection of the unfolding progress of civilization. Height changes among children and adolescents are good markers of this trend. We analyze the secular trend in the heights of children and adolescents in the Czech Republic on the basis of data from anthropological surveys. The earliest height data pertain to Czech youths who attended the Military Schools in Austria in 1800-1809. Data also exist for 1895 and continue in 1951 and at 10-year intervals thereafter. Growth curves were obtained for separate age groups by fitting mean values via third-order polynomial smoothing splines. Between 1951 and 2001, the mean heights of boys and girls aged 2.5 years increased by 2.7 and 3 cm, respectively. Since 1895, the mean height of 13-year-old boys has increased by 19.4 cm, and the mean height of girls has increased by 18.3 cm.     

On the incidence of diarrhoea among young Indian children

Diarrhoea, claiming over three million young lives in the world every year, is the second biggest killer of children in developing countries. Using data for over 13,000 children in rural India, under the age of 3 years, this paper examines the relative effects of the different factors--inter alia the quality of the water supply, mother's literacy, housing conditions, and the level of development of the villages in which the children lived--contributing to diarrhoea. The paper highlights the importance of two factors: that children born to undernourished mothers may be more susceptible to infection than children whose mothers are well nourished, and that good hygienic practices within the home, such as washing hands with soap before feeding a child, can reduce the incidence of diarrhoea. The paper also quantifies the relative strength of the factors that determine whether mothers do so. The results emphasize the importance of mothers being literate, of household affluence and of institutional support (through the availability of trained midwives and mother and child centres in villages) in promoting domestic hygiene.     

Mortality and displaced mortality during heat waves in the Czech Republic

The aims of this study were to assess impacts of hot summer periods on mortality in the Czech Republic and to quantify the size of the short-term displacement effect which resulted in lower than expected mortality after heat waves. The analysis covered the period 1982–2000 when several extraordinarily hot summers occurred in central Europe. Daily total all-cause mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the entire population of the Czech Republic (approximately 10 million inhabitants) were examined. The daily death counts were standardized to account for the long-term decline in mortality and the seasonal and weekly cycles. Heat-related mortality is better expressed if 1-day lag after temperature is considered compared to the unlagged relationship. With the 1-day lag, both excess total mortality and excess CVD mortality were positive during all 17 heat waves, and in 14 (12) heat waves the increase in total (CVD) mortality was statistically significant (P=0.05). The mean relative rise in total mortality during heat waves was 13%. The response was greater in females than males and similar regardless of whether total or CVD mortality was used. The largest relative increases, exceeding 20% in both total and CVD mortality, were associated with heat waves which occurred in early summer (the first half of July 1984 and June 1994). The mortality displacement effect played an important role since mortality tended to be lower than expected after hot periods. The mean net mortality change due to heat waves was estimated to be about a 1% increase in the number of deaths. The large relative increases during some heat waves were particularly noteworthy since the study (in contrast to most analyses of the heat stress/mortality relationship) was not restricted to an urban area and/or an elderly population.     

Long-term changes in body weight, BMI, and adiposity rebound among children and adolescents in the Czech republic

The Czech Republic has undergone rapid political, social, and economic transformation since the late 1980s. While obesity rates among children and adolescents in the Czech Republic have been previously relatively low, this has changed in recent years. Across the past 50 years, body weight, body mass index (BMI)-for-age, and adiposity rebound (AR) (the time when a child reaches the lowest BMI before their BMI gradually begins to increase until adulthood) occurs earlier. The most dramatic changes have been observed among school-aged children, where BMI values have increased at the 50th, 90th, and 97th percentiles. In contrast, adolescent girls appear to be thinner than in the past. The analyses of weight-for-height percentiles indicated that the 50th percentile of the body weight among boys and girls remained similar in nearly all age categories across the past 50 years. Although the growth pattern of children at the 50th percentile has not changed, the 10th and 90th percentiles have expanded. Our findings suggest that the secular trend of increased height, accelerated growth, and earlier maturation is responsible for Czech children experiencing adiposity rebound at earlier ages compared to the past.     

Future direct and indirect costs of obesity and the influence of gaining weight: Results from the MONICA/KORA cohort studies, 1995-2005

Over the last two decades, the prevalence of obesity has risen worldwide. As obesity is a confirmed risk factor for a number of diseases, its increasing prevalence nurtures the supposition that obesity may present a growing and significant economic burden to society.The objective of this study is to analyse the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and future direct and indirect costs, as well as the correlation between changing BMI and future in(direct) costs. Health care utilisation and productivity losses were based on data from 2581 participants aged 25-65 years (1994/95) from two cross-sectional, population-representative health surveys (MONICA/KORA-survey-S3 1994/95 and follow-up KORA-survey-F3 2004/05) in Augsburg, Germany.The predicted average adjusted total direct costs per year and per user were estimated to be €1029-(healthy weight), €1093-(overweight) and €1040-(obesity). There are significantly greater future costs in the utilisation of general practitioners per user and per year at higher obesity levels (€72; €75; €96).The average total direct costs per person for those who stay in the same BMI class are €982, €1000 and €973. An overweight participant who becomes obese incurs significant costs of internists of €160 compared with those who remain overweight (€124). An overweight user incurs indirect costs of €2474, compared with €2136 for those who remain a healthy weight.There is a trend for higher predicted (in)direct costs when people are overweight or obese compared with healthy weight persons 10 years earlier. Potential cost savings could be attained if preventive programs effectively targeted these individuals.     

Increased plasma levels of the mature and intermediate forms of adrenomedullin in obesity

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a cardiovascular protective peptide produced in various organs and tissues including adipose tissue. In the present study, we measured the plasma AM levels of subjects with or without obesity by two assay methods to separately evaluate the biologically active AM–NH₂ and the intermediate form of AM–glycine (AM–Gly). We measured the total AM and AM–NH₂ levels of plasma in 52 obese and 172 non-obese residents of a Japanese community, who received regular health check-ups and had no overt cardiovascular disease. AM–Gly values were obtained by subtracting AM–NH₂ levels from those of total AM. Both the AM–NH₂ and AM–Gly levels of the subjects with obesity were higher than those without obesity, and significant relationships were noted between body mass index (BMI) and the plasma levels of the two molecular forms of AM in a simple regression analysis. Moreover, the significant factors identified by multivariate analyses were BMI and serum triglyceride for AM–NH₂ and diastolic blood pressure, insulin, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and plasma renin activity for AM–Gly. These results suggest active roles for the two molecular forms of AM in metabolic disorders associated with obesity in subjects without overt cardiovascular disease.     

Association of a polymorphism of ABCB1 with obesity in Japanese individuals

The aim of the present study was to identify gene polymorphisms that confer susceptibility to obesity. A total of 5448 unrelated Japanese individuals from two independent populations were examined: subject panel A comprised 4252 individuals who visited participating hospitals; subject panel B comprised 1196 community-dwelling elderly individuals. The genotypes for 95 polymorphisms of 67 candidate genes were determined. The χ² test revealed that six polymorphisms were related (p < 0.05) to the prevalence of obesity in subject panel A; after application of Bonferroni's correction, however, only the 2677G → A/T polymorphism (rs2032582) of the ATP-binding cassette, subfamily B, member 1 gene (ABCB1) was significantly associated (p = 0.0003) with obesity. Subsequent multivariable logistic regression analysis also revealed that the 2677G → A/T polymorphism of ABCB1 was significantly associated with obesity. For validation of this association, the 2677G → A/T polymorphism of ABCB1 was examined in subject panel B and again found to be significantly associated with obesity. Body mass index was significantly (p = 0.01) greater for individuals with the variant T allele of this polymorphism than for those with the GG genotype in the combined subject panels A and B. Our results suggest that the ABCB1 genotype may prove informative for assessment of genetic risk for obesity in Japanese individuals.     

Twelve years after: Child development as related to social,nutritional and cultural changes in the Czech Republic

Modifications of social, political, cultural, nutritional and behavioral factors in the Czech Republic during the nineties were not homogeneous, and/or of the same rate and character; however, the effect on child population was manifested. In all former socialist countries social contrasts have increased along with the modifications of the availability of the foodstuffs and changes in food preferences and aversions. In this respect, new commercials and advertising play an important role. Modifications of spontaneous food selection have effects on the development of children, which is already apparent in early age. Body Mass Index of Czech children, which used to be higher than that of Western Europe, has not change since the end of the eighties, and is now nearly identical to them. Prevalence of serious obesity in children, its treatment and prevention has become a more urgent health problem. The level of physical fitness in Czech children on the average tends to decrease, and is more divergent and its lower level in normal hypo-kinetic youth contrasts with small groups of growing subjects involved in certain sport disciplines in which training starts early (e.g. gymnastics, tennis, figure skating etc.).     

Are time preference and body mass index associated?: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth

The prevalence of obesity among both adults and children in the U.S. has risen to all time highs in the past two decades. We propose that an increase in the marginal rate of time preference has contributed to increasing obesity. More people are consuming more calories than they expend because they have become less willing to trade current pleasure for potential future health benefits. Accordingly, this paper explores the association between body mass index (BMI) and time preference. We use the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) to test our hypothesis that time preference and BMI are positively related. We find some evidence that there is such a positive association among black and Hispanic men and black women.     

Basal metabolic rate, food intake, and body mass in cold- and warm-acclimated Garden Warblers

We address the question of whether physiological flexibility in relation to climate is a general feature of the metabolic properties of birds. We tested this hypothesis in hand-raised Garden Warblers (Sylvia borin), long-distance migrants, which normally do not experience great temperature differences between summer and winter. We maintained two groups of birds under cold and warm conditions for 5 months, during which their body mass and food intake were monitored. When relatedness (siblings vs. non-siblings) of the experimental birds was taken into account, body mass in cold-acclimated birds was higher than in warm-acclimated birds. BMR, measured at the end of the 5-month temperature treatment, was also higher in the cold- than the warm-acclimated group. Migrant birds thus seem to be capable of the same metabolic cold-acclimation response as has been reported in resident birds. The data support the hypothesis that physiological flexibility is a basic trait of the metabolic properties of birds.     

生化指标与2型糖尿病患者实验诊断及预后相关性研究

目的：研究BMI、HbA1c、病程、相关代谢指标与2型糖尿病（T2DM）诊断及预后的关系。方法：收集379例T2DM患者与383例健康体检者,采用生化分析仪分析二组人群的生化指标,采用高效液相色谱法检测T2DM组HbA1c水平,胰岛素及C肽采用电化学发光法检测。计量资料采用t检验、单因素方差及相关性分析,计数资料采用卡方检验分析。结果：对各组结果进行比较显示（1）T2DM患者的BMI、FBG、TG、LDL-C、BUN、uA、HbA1c水平明显高于正常对照组（P均〈0．01）,HDL-C、CREA水平明显低于对照组（P均〈0．01）;（2）TC、LDL—C、BUN、CREA及2hINS与年龄相关。（3）肥胖组的TG、CREA、UA、FCP、2hCP高于非肥胖组（P均〈0．05）;（4）初诊T2DM患者的FBG、TG、HbA1c、LDL-C水平明显高于5年以上患者（P均〈0．05）,而HDL-c低于5年以上患者（P〈0．05）;（5）HbA1c≥11％组的FBG水平明显高于HbA1c≤8％及HbA1c=8-11％组（P〈0．01）,而UA、FINS、FCP、2hINS、2hCP水平明显低于HbA1c〈8％组（P均〈0．01）;FBG、TG与HbA1c水平呈正相关（P〈0．05）;FINS、FCP、2hINS、2hCP、UA与HbA1c水平呈负相关（P〈0．01）;结论：BMI、FBG、TG、LDL-C、BUN、UA、HDL-C、CREA均可作为T2DM诊断的参考指标。其中LDL—C、BUN、CREA、2hINs指受年龄影响。TG、CREA、uA、FCP（空腹C-肽）、2hCP与肥胖相关。FBG、TG、HbA1c、LDL-C、HDL-C与病程相关;FBG、TG、HbA1c、FINS、FCP、2hINS、2hCP、UA与HbA1c相关。     

Association of the ins/del polymorphisms of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) with BMI in a Korean population

To elucidate the potential impact of the variants of the UCP2 gene on obesity phenotypes, we have genotyped four polymorphisms in UCP2 among 988 Korean subjects using TaqMan^® methods, and three common haplotypes with frequency greater than 0.1 were constructed in the Korean population. No significant associations were detected with the risk of metabolic syndrome by logistic regression analyses. However, the 45 base-pair ins/del polymorphism (+3474 ins/del) in the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) showed significant association with body mass index (P = 0.007, P^corr = 0.02) and waist circumference (P = 0.005). Further subgroup analysis revealed that the genetic effects were more apparent among female subjects. In addition, a summary of the controversial genetic effects on obesity mediated by UCP2 polymorphisms from previous studies is also given. Our results suggest that subjects with a 45 bp insertion allele of UCP2+3474 ins/del might have a higher risk of developing obesity, although the biological effects of this variant are not completely known.     

The relationship between obesity and seasonal variation in body weight among elementary school children in Tokyo

Typical patterns of seasonal variation in body weight among Japanese children involve increases during the fall and/or winter and decreases during the summer. However, atypical variations, namely, increases in weight during the summer, have been reported for obese children. The present study examines whether weight gain during the summer (i.e., July through September) is a possible cause of obesity. We examined seasonal changes in weight for 446 elementary school children in Tokyo in six waves between 1972 and 2004. Weight was measured monthly for 6 years in each child and was evaluated by means of time-series analysis. Overall, significant seasonal variations in weight were found in 86% of the children, most of which were typical (i.e., decreases during the summer and increases during the fall, winter, and/or early spring). On the other hand, weight gain in the summer was observed exclusively among obese children. Children whose weight increased during the summer holiday spent most of their time comfortably indoors because of air conditioners, which became popular in 1970s. A possible explanation of the observed weight gain during the summer seems to be changes in life style associated with the use of air conditioning, concomitant with insufficient physical exercise and excessive consumption of food and drink, which could disturb the rhythms of seasonal weight changes and lead to obesity.     

Dry grassland plant diversity conservation using low-intensity sheep and goat grazing management: case study in Prague (Czech Republic)

After abandonment, dry grassland (Festuco-Brometea) areas decline due to gradual overgrowing by woody species and the expansion of perennial tall grass species. Dry grassland vegetation was formed by extensive livestock grazing, thus grazing is considered one of the most natural methods for managing this type of vegetation. Six years after introducing low-intensity sheep and goat grazing in seven nature reserves in Prague (Czech Republic), the following impact of this management on dry grassland vegetation was observed: The cover of expansive woody species, particularly Ligustrum vulgare, and to a smaller extent Cornus sanguinea and Prunus spinosa declined. In addition, a significant, long-term declining trend of the expansive species Arrhenatherum elatius was also observed. Also the cover of Pimpinella saxifraga and Allium senescens declined significantly with regard to statistical evaluation. On the contrary, the cover of Achillea millefolium, Centaurea stoebe, Securigera varia, Elytrigia repens, Erysimum crepidifolium, Falcaria vulgaris, Fallopia convolvulus and Verbascum lychnitis increased. The cover of species characteristic of dry grasslands (Festuco-Brometea) increased significantly. No changes were observed in the number and cover of the Red List species. In addition, the presence of nitrophilous and ruderal species increased. Species diversity also significantly increased. From our findings we can conclude that managing dry grasslands with low-intensity grazing can help to keep dry grassland vegetation in good condition and conserve its plant diversity. Nomenclature: Kubát et al. (2002) for taxa and Moravec et al. (1995) for syntaxa.