Estimation of deep abdominal adipose-tissue accumulation from simple anthropometric measurements in men

Article Abstract:

For many years it has been known that obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia (high levels of lipid or fat in the blood), and heart disease. More recently, it has become apparent that the location or distribution of excess body fat (adipose tissue, AT) is important in determining the risk of disease. Several studies have reported excessive abdominal AT increases the risk of heart disease. Computed tomography (CT) can be used to accurately measure the amount of total, subcutaneous and deep abdominal AT, but it is expensive and it exposes the patient to radiation. Therefore, a simpler method for estimating abdominal AT is needed. This article describes the results of a study designed to determine if simple anthropometric measurements can be used to estimate abdominal AT. Measurements of height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thickness from 110 men were used to predict abdominal AT; these results were compared with those obtained with CT. The men had an average age of 31 years, an average body mass index of 26, and 23 percent body fat. None of the subjects had heart disease, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia. When lean and obese subjects were studied together, all of the anthropometric measurements correlated with the amount of abdominal AT. However, when the lean and obese subjects were divided into separate groups, it was found that waist circumference and the waist to hip ratio were the best predictors of abdominal AT in obese subjects. It is concluded that waist measurements provide a reasonable estimate of total and deep abdominal AT and may provide information regarding the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease in men. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Measurement, Complications and side effects, Risk factors, Heart diseases, Anthropometry, Adipose tissues, Adipose tissue

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Further evidence for the presence of ''small eaters'' and ''large eaters'' among women

Article Abstract:

Among people of similar age, sex, body composition, and activity level, there can be differences in energy intake. This has led to classification of individuals as small eaters (SE) or large eaters (LE). Studies suggest that SE may tend to weigh more than LE, possibly because of more efficient metabolism of food, leading to a greater availability of calories for storage as fat. To better characterize this phenomenon, 134 healthy and relatively sedentary women were studied. Subjects estimated their food intake over a seven-day period twice during three months, and activity records were also kept. Of the 134 women, 40 with the lowest average energy intake (EI) and 40 with the highest intake were classified as SEs and LEs, respectively. Intake of SEs was 60 percent that of LEs. The only difference in diet composition was that the proportion of protein for SEs was higher. Coffee, tea, and alcohol consumption did not differ. SEs and LEs spent comparable amounts of time in light, moderate, and intense physical activity. SEs were slightly older, weighed more, and had significantly more body mass as fat. LEs tended to eat more meals per day. The results support the usefulness of maintaining the SE and LE classifications. The contribution of protein intake to the observed differences is not clear, nor is the significance of meal frequency known. The phenomenon is probably related to differences in resting metabolic rate or differences in energy needed to perform particular activities. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Composition, Diet, Food habits

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Effect of intensity of physical activity on body fatness and fat distribution

Article Abstract:

It is well established that physical exercise has beneficial effects on health and fitness, but its influence on weight loss and body composition is less clear. Some studies have associated exercise training with significant weight loss, while others have found no effect on body weight. Body composition, meaning the relative proportions of fat and fat-free tissue, is also of interest because it is generally considered desirable to lose fat and retain muscle. The intensity of exercise, regardless of exercise duration, may influence the amount of weight lost and the proportion of weight lost as fat. One hypothesis is that when several different activities cause expenditure of the same amount of calories, the more vigorous activities induce a greater reduction in body fat. This theory was tested using data from the 1981 Canada Fitness Survey, which included assessment of the leisure-time activities of 1,366 women and 1,257 men. Based on the intensity of their usual leisure activities, the participants were divided into four groups. Those who engaged in vigorous leisure activities regularly had less fat under the skin (measured with skinfold calipers) and lower waist-to-hip ratios than persons who engaged in less strenuous activities. The group differences were not explained by total energy expenditure during leisure activities, suggesting that the degree of exercise intensity was responsible for differences in the amount of body fat and its distribution. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Surveys, Physical fitness, Body weight, Reducing exercises

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