What Shape Is Healthy? Body Composition, Body Shape, and Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 121-160
Author(s):  
Nathan Denton
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Burden ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Train Station ◽  
Routine Inspection ◽  
Healthy Body

Fat is one of the privileged few organs that has earned sufficient historic recognition for its importance to our well-being to be subject to routine inspection at home, in the clinic, and even the gym. We also tend to be very aware of how and where our clothes feel tight, whether we can squeeze comfortably into that economy seat on a plane or through that turnstile at the train station. But what do these feelings say about our health? Are we more in jeopardy if our gut is spilling over our belt, our bum is threatening to shred the seam of our trousers, or the scales are groaning under our weight? To obtain answers to such burning questions—answers which have implications that reach far beyond wardrobe malfunctions and uncomfortable travel—we must first understand techniques used to measure body composition and regional fat mass. Historically the preserve of a handful of enthusiastic experts, the colossal global burden of obesity and associated diseases has made accurate measurement of body composition and fat distribution a key research tool in the scientific and clinical arenas. This chapter reviews the various measurement techniques before examining the data they’ve generated on the striking yet complex relationship between body composition and fat distribution with health outcomes.

scholarly journals Subjective Well-Being in Non-Obese Individuals in View of Abdominal Fat Distribution and Muscle Mass Index: A General Population Study.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Chlabicz ◽  
Marlena Paniczko ◽  
Jacek Jamiołkowski ◽  
Paweł Sowa ◽  
Małgorzata Szpakowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
General Population ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Abdominal Fat ◽  
Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Eq Vas

Abstract Background While obesity has been correlated with welfare in the general population, there is not much data on the influence of body composition on welfare among the non-obese adult individuals. Methods A longitudinal, population-based study was conducted in 2017–2020. Body composition was assessed using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Welfare was rated with Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results A total of 726 non-obese individuals from general population were analyzed. The mean age was 46.8 ± 15.4 years and 42.1% of participants were male. The mean value for SWLS was 23.09 ± 5.43, for EQ-VAS was 78.0 ± 14.5, and for BDI was 6.7 ± 6.6. On SWLS the waist-hip ratio had a negative impact even after adjustment for age, gender and concomitant diseases. EQ-VAS was inversely associated with android fat distribution and directly associated with muscle mass. BDI value was inversely associated with lower muscle mass, especially of the lower limbs. The well-being of women was mainly associated with the distribution of adipose tissue and less with the distribution of muscle tissue - abdominal fat distribution has a particularly negative impact on well-being among women. In contrast, men's well-being depends more on muscle mass and to a lesser extent on the distribution of fat tissue - a positive significant effect has lean mass and a circumference of thigh below gluteal fold. Conclusions Body composition is significantly associated with welfare in non-obese population. Android type fat distribution may have a negative impact while muscle mass positive.

Complex Network Dynamics in Population Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
James Moody ◽  
Dana K. Pasquale
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Complex Network ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Health And Well Being

People constantly interact with each other and their environment, and these interactions—with whom and with what they interact—are not random. Interactions at multiple levels (cellular, neurological, social, physical, environmental) shape one’s experiences and affect health and well-being. These interactions can be represented as a set of networks that feedback and influence other networks. Here we limit our scope to the complex relationship between human social networks and behavior, which frequently forms a feedback loop, and the effect of this relationship on population health outcomes. This chapter introduces traditional network analysis as it pertains to population health, explores examples of interactions between macro-level networks, and proposes future directions for network analysis

scholarly journals Subjective Well-being in Non-obese Individuals Depends Strongly on Body Composition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Chlabicz ◽  
Marlena Paniczko ◽  
Jacek Jamiołkowski ◽  
Paweł Sowa ◽  
Magda Łapińska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
General Population ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Eq Vas

Abstract While obesity has been correlated with welfare in the general population, there is not much data on the influence of body composition on welfare among the non-obese adult individuals. A total of 726 non-obese individuals from general population were analyzed. The mean age was 46.8±15.4 years and 42.1% of participants were male. The mean value for Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was 23.09±5.43, for Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) was 78.0±14.5, and for Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was 6.7±6.6. On SWLS the waist-hip ratio had a negative impact even after adjustment for age, gender and concomitant diseases. EQ-VAS was inversely associated with android fat distribution and directly associated with muscle mass. BDI value was inversely associated with lower muscle mass, especially of the lower limbs. The well-being of women was mainly associated with the distribution of adipose tissue and less with the distribution of muscle tissue - abdominal fat distribution has a particularly negative impact on well-being among women. In contrast, men's well-being depends more on muscle mass and to a lesser extent on the distribution of fat tissue - a positive significant effect has lean mass and a circumference of thigh below gluteal fold.

scholarly journals Subjective well-being in non-obese individuals depends strongly on body composition

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Chlabicz ◽  
Marlena Dubatówka ◽  
Jacek Jamiołkowski ◽  
Paweł Sowa ◽  
Magda Łapińska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
General Population ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Eq Vas

AbstractWhile obesity has been correlated with welfare in the general population, there is not much data on the influence of body composition on welfare among the non-obese adult individuals. In this study, a total of 726 non-obese individuals from the general population were analyzed. The mean age was 46.8 ± 15.4 years and 42.1% of participants were male. The anthropometric measurements and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were done. The mean value for the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was 23.09 ± 5.43, for Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) was 78.0 ± 14.5, and for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was 6.7 ± 6.6. On the SWLS, the higher waist-hip ratio had a negative impact even after adjusting for age, gender, and concomitant diseases. EQ-VAS was inversely associated with android fat distribution and directly associated with muscle mass. BDI value was inversely associated with lower muscle mass, especially in lower limbs. The well-being of women was mainly associated with the distribution of adipose tissue and less with the distribution of muscle tissue—abdominal fat distribution has a particularly negative impact on well-being among women. In contrast, men’s well-being depends more on muscle mass and to a lesser extent on the distribution of fat tissue—a positive significant effect has lean mass and a circumference of thigh below gluteal fold.

Socioeconomic Status and Family Well-Being: Untangling a Complex Relationship

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eylin Palamaro ◽  
Tanya Vishnevsky ◽  
Lauren Michelle McDonald ◽  
Ryan P. Kilmer ◽  
James Cook
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Complex Relationship

Differential Effects of Dietary Fatty Acids on Body Composition and Adiposity

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Emamat ◽  
Zahra Yari ◽  
Hossein Farhadnejad ◽  
Parvin Mirmiran
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Saturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Total Body Weight ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Dietary Fatty Acids ◽  
Dietary Fats ◽  
Total Body

Recent evidence has highlighted that fat accumulation, particularly abdominal fat distribution, is strongly associated with metabolic disturbance. It is also well-recognized that the metabolic responses to variations in macronutrients intake can affect body composition. Previous studies suggest that the quality of dietary fats can be considered as the main determinant of body-fat deposition, fat distribution, and body composition without altering the total body weight; however, the effects of dietary fats on body composition have controversial results. There is substantial evidence to suggest that saturated fatty acids are more obesogen than unsaturated fatty acids, and with the exception of some isomers like conjugate linoleic acid, most dietary trans fatty acids are adiposity enhancers, but there is no consensus on it yet. On the other hand, there is little evidence to indicate that higher intake of the n-3 and the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids can be beneficial in attenuating adiposity, and the effect of monounsaturated fatty acids on body composition is contradictory. Accordingly, the content of this review summarizes the current body of knowledge on the potential effects of the different types of dietary fatty acids on body composition and adiposity. It also refers to the putative mechanisms underlying this association and reflects on the controversy of this topic.

Decolonising the health and well-being of Aboriginal men in Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Prehn ◽  
Douglas Ezzy
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
State Government ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Men’S Health ◽  
Men's Health ◽  
Adventure Therapy ◽  
Male Health ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Effective Models

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander men have the worst health of any group in Australia. Despite this, relevant policies do not specifically explain how the issue will be improved. Existing research demonstrates the complexity of the problems facing Australian Indigenous men. The intersection of masculinity and Indigeneity, compounded by colonisation, historical policies, stigma, marginalisation, trauma, grief and loss of identity are key factors that shape these poor health outcomes. These outcomes are acknowledged in federal and some state government policies but not implemented. The article argues for a holistic and decolonised approach to Australian Aboriginal men’s health. Effective models of intervention to improve men’s health outcomes include men’s health clinics, men’s groups, Men’s Sheds, men’s health camps/bush adventure therapy, fathering groups and mentoring programs. Further research needs to be undertaken, with a greater emphasis on preventative health measures, adequate specific funding, culturally and gender appropriate responses to health, and government policy development and implementation covering Aboriginal male health.

Body Fat Distribution and Body Composition During GnRH Agonist Therapy

2001 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 338-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
HIDEKI YAMASAKI ◽  
TSUTOMU DOUCHI ◽  
SHINAKO YAMAMOTO ◽  
TOSHIMICHI OKI ◽  
RIKI KUWAHATA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Gnrh Agonist ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Body Fat Distribution ◽  
Agonist Therapy

scholarly journals Hispanic/Latino Ethnic Identity and Diabetes: An Examination of Underlying Acculturation Processes and the Hispanic/Latino Health Advantage

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-294
Author(s):  
Jeannie B. Concha ◽  
Kristen Kelly ◽  
Briana Mezuk
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Diabetes Prevalence ◽  
Physical Health Outcomes ◽  
The Relationship

Background. Hispanics/Latinos in the United States experience both a health advantage and disadvantage in developing diabetes. Ethnic identity, a predictor of psychological well-being, has not been widely applied to physical health outcomes. The objective of this study is to apply what is known regarding ethnic identity and psychological health to physical health outcomes (diabetes) and to explore the moderating effect of education as a possible underlying mechanism of the Hispanic Health Advantage/Disadvantage. Specifically, this study examines (a) the association between ethnic identity and diabetes prevalence among adult Hispanics/Latinos and (b) determines whether education modifies this relationship. Method. Data come from the nationally representative adult U.S. household study, National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS), collected in 2001 to 2003 ( N = 1,746). Multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationship between ethnic identity, education, and their interaction with likelihood of diabetes. Results. Hispanics/Latinos with high ethnic identity have a higher odds of reporting diabetes among those with 13 to 15 years of education (odds ratio: 1.84; 95% confidence interval: 1.16–2.92) and a lower odds among those with 16+ years of education (odds ratio: 0.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.34–0.84). Ethnic identity is associated with diabetes prevalence and the relationship is moderated by educational attainment. Conclusion. Given the growth, diversity, and diabetes disparities among Hispanics/Latinos, our buffering and exacerbating findings exemplify the complexity and fluidity of theory in understanding psychological/behavioral processes. The findings highlight the importance of designing targeted health interventions that take into account the diverse psychosocial and educational experiences of Hispanics/Latinos.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Tai Chi for Health Promotion of Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Meta-Analyses

2021 ◽  
pp. 155982762110012
Author(s):  
Fei-Chi Yang ◽  
Aishwarya B. Desai ◽  
Pelareh Esfahani ◽  
Tatiana V. Sokolovskaya ◽  
Doreen J. Bartlett
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
General Health ◽  
Tai Chi ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background. Tai Chi is a form of exercise that is accessible to people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, making it a potentially valuable activity for health promotion of older adults. Purpose. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the current knowledge about the effectiveness of Tai Chi for older adults across a range of general health outcomes from published, peer reviewed, unique meta-analyses. Methods. Meta-analyses were retrieved from Medline, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PsychINFO, Web of Science, PubMed Health, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to late August 2019. Multistage deduplication and screening processes identified eligible full-length meta-analyses. Two people independently appraised 27 meta-analyses based on the GRADE system and organized results into 3 appendices subsequently collated into heterogeneous, statistically significant, and statistically insignificant tables. Results. “High” and “moderate” quality evidence extracted from these meta-analyses demonstrated that practicing Tai Chi can significantly improve balance, cardiorespiratory fitness, cognition, mobility, proprioception, sleep, and strength; reduce the incidence of falls and nonfatal stroke; and decrease stroke risk factors. Conclusions. Health care providers can now recommend Tai Chi with high level of certainty for health promotion of older adults across a range of general health outcomes for improvement of overall well-being.

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