scholarly journals Factors Affecting Canine Obesity Seem to Be Independent of the Economic Status of the Country—A Survey on Hungarian Companion Dogs

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1267
Author(s):  
Torda Orsolya Julianna ◽  
Vékony Kata ◽  
Junó Vanda Katalin ◽  
Pongrácz Péter
Keyword(s):  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
The Body ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Companion Dogs ◽  
Welfare Problem ◽  
Good Agreement

For a companion dog, the most important environmental factor is the owner, who is responsible for providing everything that is necessary for the health and welfare of the dog. Still, one of the most often compromised measures of an average companion dog is its body condition, with overweight and obese animals representing a growing welfare problem around the world. Using an extensive online survey that was distributed among Hungarian dog owners, we wanted to know whether those obesogenic factors that were identified mostly in high-GDP countries’ pet dog populations would hold their relevance in a much lower average income country as well. We found several associations between the body condition of canine companions and various demographics, environmental and behavioral factors. Older dogs reportedly had an accelerating propensity for being overweight. Joint activity and performing dog sports both reduced the likelihood of being an overweight dog. Main food types also had significant associations with the body condition of dogs—meanwhile, the feeding of commercial dog food (kibble) and/or leftovers of human meals coincided with being overweight, dogs that were fed (fully, or at least partly) with raw food were less likely overweight. In the case of owner-reported behavioral problems, the food-related issues (stealing food, overeating, etc.) were clustered to a dimension together with problem behaviors such as excessive barking and overt aggression. Beyond showing a good agreement with earlier surveys on associated factors with canine obesity, our study revealed some interesting new details that could be used in the prevention of overweight problems in dogs.

scholarly journals Ecological and Physiological Factors Affecting Brood Patch Area and Prolactin Levels in Arctic-Nesting Geese

The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jón Einar Jónsson ◽  
Alan D. Afton ◽  
Ray T. Alisauskas ◽  
Cynthia K. Bluhm ◽  
Mohamed E. El Halawani
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Nest Size ◽  
Patch Area ◽  
Physiological Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Chen Caerulescens ◽  
Brood Patch ◽  
Snow Geese ◽  
Ross's Geese

AbstractWe investigated effects of ecological and physiological factors on brood patch area and prolactin levels in free-ranging Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens; hereafter “Snow Geese”) and Ross's Geese (C. rossii). On the basis of the body-size hypothesis, we predicted that the relationships between prolactin levels, brood patch area, and body condition would be stronger in Ross's Geese than in the larger Snow Geese. We found that brood patch area was positively related to clutch volume and inversely related to prolactin levels in Ross's Geese, but not in Snow Geese. Nest size, nest habitat, and first egg date did not affect brood patch area in either species. Prolactin levels increased as incubation progressed in female Snow Geese, but this relationship was not significant in Ross's Geese. Prolactin levels and body condition (as indexed by size-adjusted body mass) were inversely related in Ross's Geese, but not in Snow Geese. Our findings are consistent with the prediction that relationships between prolactin levels, brood patch area, and body condition are relatively stronger in Ross's Geese, because they mobilize endogenous reserves at faster rates than Snow Geese.Factores Ecológicos y Fisiológicos que Afectan el Área del Parche de Incubación y los Niveles de Prolactina en Gansos Nidificantes del Ártico

scholarly journals Determining the factors affecting the gestational length in sheep

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-89
Author(s):  
Hilal Tozlu Celik ◽  
Fatih Ahmet Aslan ◽  
Yeliz Kasko Arıcı ◽  
Metehan Eser Kahveci ◽  
İbrahim Kiper
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Measurements ◽  
Gestational Length ◽  
Mating Period ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Birth Type

Abstract. This research aimed to determine the effects of body weight, the body condition score (BCS), body measurements, birth type (single offspring or twin birth), birth weight and sex on the gestational length in sheep (n=111). Karayaka sheep raised on a private farm were used in the study. Progeny yield characteristics in sheep were also determined (n=139). Estrus was monitored daily using teaser rams from August to September 2016. According to our findings, the pregnancy rate, infertility rate, fecundity, and twin and single birth rates were 93.52 %, 6.48 %, 93.52 %, 14.62 % and 85.38 % respectively. The effect of age on the BCS in sheep at mating was found to be significant (P<0.05): BCS decreased as age increased. It was determined that there was a positive association between the BCS and live weight during the mating period (P<0.001). The chest circumference, front shin circumference and body length were found to be higher in sheep with a BCS ≥ 4.5 at mating time (P<0.01). The middle rump width was significantly affected by the BCS (P<0.001). In this study, the lowest and highest gestational lengths were found to be 148.90 and 151.41 d respectively. The gestational length in sheep was not found to be affected by age, the BCS, body measurements, sex or birth type (P>0.05); however, it was observed that the gestational lengths for male offspring and single offspring (non-multiple births) were longer. In addition, it was detected that the gestational length was different in sheep with a BCS ≥ 4.5. The time spent in the womb is important with respect to obtaining a healthy lamb. For profitable production, a BCS of between 2.5 and 4 is recommended in sheep. It is thought that the use of body condition scoring, which is easy information for the breeder to utilize, will have a positive effect on determining the bodily reserves of sheep and the reproductive efficiency as well as on obtaining a healthy lamb. More studies on the gestational length in sheep are required.

Factors affecting antler investment in Iberian red deer

2012 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 867 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Gómez ◽  
F. Ceacero ◽  
T. Landete-Castillejos ◽  
E. Gaspar-López ◽  
A. J. García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Good Method ◽  
The Body ◽  
Allometric Relationship ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Iberian Red Deer ◽  
Mineral Deposition ◽  
Antler Growth

Antler constitutes such a costly trait that the skeleton of the deer undergoes a process similar to osteoporosis to meet the high demands of mineral deposition in the antler. The allometric relationship between antler and body size is one of the oldest known. However, no study has assessed the proportion that antlers constitute with regard to the skeleton (from which most of the material is drawn), nor which factors influence this investment. To assess this, we studied 171 males (aged 1–5 years), determined their antler and bodyweights and scored their body condition. Then we calculated antler investment as antler weight relative to estimated skeletal weight. Results showed that antler investment in males ≥2 years old (i.e. excluding yearlings) depended on age rather than the whole bodyweight or body condition. Antler investment increased from 6% in yearlings to 35% in 5-year-old males, with a mean of 19%. A GLMM showed that in males ≥2 years old, within age, the heavier the male and the better the body condition at the start of antler growth, the greater the investment in antlers. In yearlings, antler investment did not depend on bodyweight or body condition. In conclusion, antler weight relative to skeleton weight is a good method to assess antler investment. This investment is influenced by age and, in males ≥2 years old, also by bodyweight or condition at the start of antler growth.

scholarly journals The Diets of Companion Cats in Aotearoa New Zealand: Identification of Obesity Risk Factors

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2881
Author(s):  
Rachel Forrest ◽  
Leena Awawdeh ◽  
Fiona Esam ◽  
Maria Pearson ◽  
Natalie Waran
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Veterinary Clinic ◽  
Related Risk

One in four New Zealand cats are overweight or obese, conditions associated with poor health outcomes. As part of an online survey that was conducted from January 2019 to March 2019, NZ residents aged ≥18 years were asked demographic questions along with questions related to the body condition, breed and diet of their cat/s. From the responses, possible owner-related risk factors for developing obesity were identified. Of the respondents, 65.5% (n = 1537) owned cat/s; the owners being more likely to be female, live rurally, or live with children. Most of the respondents fed their cat/s biscuits from the supermarket (63%) and wet food (57%). Almost half (45%) fed their cat/s specialised food from a pet shop or veterinary clinic and gave them treats, with 31% of respondents feeding their cat/s raw meat. Feeding cats a variety of food types may make it difficult to estimate the appropriate amount of each needed to avoid excess caloric intake. In addition, approximately 30% of the respondents did not agree with the correct body condition statement, revealing a need for owner education. These findings highlight important areas of cat nutrition requiring future research to better inform the development of healthy weight interventions for NZ cats.

scholarly journals The incidence and extraction causes of third molars among young adults in Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-263
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Tomaszewska ◽  
Mateusz Sikora
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Third Molars ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Human Teeth ◽  
Genetic Changes ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Tooth Position ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Despite many years of observation, the issue of third molars is still open for discussion. Among human teeth, third molars vary the most in number and morphology, which results from genetic changes and environmental factors affecting the evolution of the human dentition. This research aims to study various aspects of third molars in the population of young Poles, such as the incidence, time of eruption and causes of extraction in men and women. The analyses consider the socio-economic status of the respondents, including the frequency of visits to the dentist. Eight hundred students, aged 19–25 (14.4% of men and 85.6% of women) of the universities located in Wroclaw, Poland, took part in an online questionnaire survey. The incidence of third molars was smaller in the women (32.4–34.9%) than in men (47.8–56.5%) (p<0.001). For both sexes, the most frequent causes of extraction were abnormal tooth position (29.6–54.5%) and orthodontic treatment (15.5–27.3%). Both incidence and causes of extraction were related for all the examined pairs of teeth (upper–lower teeth and right–left teeth). The men (17.94–18.49 year) and women (18.42–18.83 year) did not differ in the mean age of their third molars’ eruption. The men visited the dentist less often than the women did (p<0.001). The study presents original research and confronts it with published results. Despite the limitations of an online survey, the results can contribute to more advanced research conducted on a larger scale. In particular, more detailed research is recommended for the Polish population, for which such studies are scarce.

scholarly journals Weight watching in burrows: variation in body condition in pygmy bluetongue lizards

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leili Shamiminoori ◽  
Aaron L. Fenner ◽  
C. Michael Bull
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
South Australia ◽  
The Body ◽  
Activity Period ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Annual Variations ◽  
Temporal Sampling ◽  
Natural Grasslands

The pygmy bluetongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis, is an endangered scincid lizard that occurs in remnants of natural grasslands in the mid-north of South Australia. We assessed the factors affecting body condition of male and female lizards, using body size residuals as an index, over five sampling years. We included sex, phenotypic (patterned or plain morphs), temporal (sampling year and activity period within year), and climatic factors in our analyses. The results indicated that sampling year and activity period within the year were the two most important factors influencing variation in body condition of both male and female lizards over the period of the study. There were similar trends when we considered males and females separately. However, when prepartum and postpartum females were analysed separately, sampling year did not affect their body condition. None of the analyses showed any significant effect of phenotype on body condition. Winter–spring rainfall was positively correlated with body condition of females in the prepartum period, but showed no significant effect on mean body condition of any other grouping of adult lizards, nor a consistent direction of correlation among the different subsets of adult lizards that we considered. The substantial annual variations in the body condition of lizards, although of uncertain cause, provide important information for conservation managers who monitor persisting populations of this endangered species.

scholarly journals Digital social support for undergraduate students during COVID-19: Pivotal support for the digital transformation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaista Rashid ◽  
Orchida Fayez ◽  
Hala Ismail ◽  
Raheen Fatimah Khan
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Private University ◽  
The Body ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Academic Administration ◽  
Factors Affecting

Background: In a time of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, digital social support can prove helpful in buffering the stress and anxiety especially for students whose lives were being affected both socially and academically. The present study aims to explore the emotional and informational social support available to students during the online transformation of their education. It further investigates factors affecting anxiety and stress among students.Design and Methods: An online survey was administered among 479 undergraduate students at a private university in Saudi Arabia from 2nd March till 17th June 2020. Descriptive analysis was used to report the findings of students’ self-reported data.Results: The results revealed that more than 70% of the students reported that they were satisfied with the informational and emotional support available to them via digital platforms. However, they felt less connected with the teachers and academic administration. Feeling sick (46%), being locked down at homes and isolation (43%) were major causes of stress and anxiety. 71% of the students reported their ability to keep themselves busy, however, only 55% of students mentioned that they did not feel lonely while confined to their homes. In these circumstances, the continuation of studies via online platforms helped students reduce stress and anxiety (52%).Conclusions: Although this online transformation was not planned, the university was able to provide adequate informational support to the students. However, students were dependent upon friends, family and relatives for emotional support. The results of the study point towards the need of training for teachers and academic administrative staff in order to better address students’ needs for social support during the crisis.  The results also contribute to the body of data reporting the various effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students in a way to reach a sustainable framework for supporting students.

scholarly journals Examining staff and students perception on daily fruit and vegetable

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heba Althubaiti ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fruit Intake ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Survey Monkey ◽  
Good Habit

Introduction: There is a lack in the awareness in the fruit and vegetable (F&V) recommendation among Saudi society. Although the known facts of the benefits of F&V on health, information on Saudi society following the advised recommendation whether by WHO or local is still unknown. Aim: This cross- sectional study aim to examine the perception of F&V intake among students and staff at Umm Al-Qura University and to assess if they follow these recommendations of F&V locally and internationally. Method: Students and staff from Umm Al-Qura University participated in this study (n= 98, age between 18- 55). All data were collected using short online survey via Online survey - Survey Monkey in 2019. Result: 55% students and staff were not aware about these recommendations whereas 45% were aware about WHO recommendation. The majority of students and staff 53% have less than two portions a day of F&V. Only 14% have between two to four portions a day. 32% do not eat any portion of F&V daily. 59%, 14%, 5% of students and staff who believe that they should have five, seven, more than seven portions a day for being healthy respectively. Maintaining health, reduce the risk for chronic disease and providing essential vitamins and minerals to the body were all reasons why students and staff believe that they should have F&V everyday by 71%. Busy lifestyle, F&V cost, lack of the awareness about the health benefits, dislike the taste, some F&V spoil easily were all factors affecting eating F&V daily. Conclusion: People need educational and nutritional campaigns to spread the awareness about the health benefits of F&V. Most importantly the ministry of health should support those campaigns to increase people awareness and build a healthy society with a good habit. Keywords: Fruit intake, veg intake, F&V recommendation, students, staff, Umm Al-Qura University

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