Regional Adolescent Obesity and Overweight Status in Korea from 2018–2019: Comparison between Two Data Sources

Difference in the regional adolescent obesity level may cause a notable health inequality between regions since it significantly affects adulthood health status. This study examined 2018 and 2019 regional obesity and overweight status of adolescents aged 12 to 18 by comparing two cross sectional population-based data sources, the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) and the National Student Health Examination (NSHE). Prevalence was estimated by calculating weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals. Correlations in the relative rankings of each municipality were determined by computing Spearman correlation coefficients (rs), and prevalence discrepancies between the data sources were visualized by simple correlation graphs. The geographical distributions of adolescent obesity and overweight status showed no perfect concordances between the data sources regardless of sexes and survey years. For adolescent obesity status, there were significant difference between the least and the most obese regions and rs levels were fair to good with p-values less than 0.05, but the correlation graphs indicated body mass index (BMI) underreporting in the KYRBS. For adolescent overweight status, no significant similarities were defined between the data. These results can be used as a basis for the establishment of related policies.

Factors determining state of being overweight among the students of Government Medical Colleges of Punjab, Pakistan.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and factors that make medical students of public sector colleges of Punjab, Overweight. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Settings: 12 different medical colleges of the government sector in Punjab, Pakistan by both online and physical survey using non-probability convenient type of sampling. Period: January 2020 to February 2020. Material & Methods: A total of 352 students from all five years of the academic course participated in this study. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was self-administered to the students after taking their consent. The data included demographic information, targeted questions on diet, personal health habits, illnesses, and family history. The data was analyzed by the statistical program SPSS version 21. Results: Out of the total population, 28.1% were male and 71.9% were female students. The median age was 21.0 years. The mean weight was 59.2 ± 11.54 kgs. 56.3% of the students were hostelites and 43.8% were day-scholars. The average pocket-money of the students was 10,150 PKR Per month. According to the body-mass index, about 11.9% of students were underweight, 12.8% were overweight, 2.3% were obese, and 62.5% were of normal weight. It was found that females were more likely to be overweight than males. Not following any specific diet appeared to be the cause of being overweight while following specific diets was a protective factor against overweight status. Year of study, accommodation status, meals per day, calorie intake, ceremonial eating, hours of sleep, and study had no effect on overweight. Overweight students did not have a significant family history of diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Poor dietary habits and unhealthy lifestyles increase the prevalence of overweight status among medical students and pose them at increased risk of serious illness in the future. Nutritional counseling and healthy lifestyle awareness are recommended for better practice of health and learning among medical students.

Factors associated with mobility decrease leading to disability: a cross-sectional nationwide study in Japan, with results from 8681 adults aged 20-89 years

Background Mobility decrease leading to disability can gradually develop during early life, however, its related factors are not well clarified. Therefore, we investigate the related factors of mobility decrease at various levels, using nationwide data in Japan. Methods In total, 8681 independent community dwellers aged 20-89 years were analysed (average age, 51.6 years; 58.5% women). Three stages of mobility decrease were based on the locomotive syndrome risk test: Stage 1, emerging; Stage 2, progressing; Stage 3, progressed to restrict social engagement. Age was analysed using a simple quadratic function model. Results The prevalence of Stages 1-3 was 31.6% (n = 2746), 5.8% (n = 504), and 3.2% (n = 278), respectively. On the multivariable logistic regression, increased age in participants aged ≥40 years (stage 1: odds ratio[OR] 1.05-1.20, stage 2: OR 1.04-1.22, stage 3: OR 1.05-1.22), female (stage 1: OR 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99-2.61, stage 2: OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.77-3.25, stage 3: OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.19-2.72), overweight status (stage 1: OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.34-1.82, stage 2: OR 3.19, 95% CI 2.38-4.27, stage 3: OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.90-4.32), hypertension (stage 1: OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01-1.41, stage 2: OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.49-2.64, stage 3: OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.44-3.05), and diabetes mellitus (stage 1: OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.17-2.24, stage 2: OR 1.57, 95% CI 0.93-2.66, stage 3: OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.13-3.90) were positively associated. The frequency of physical activity/sports, even a few per month, was inversely associated with all stages (stage 1: OR 0.59-0.72, stage 2: OR 0.50-0.67, stage 3: 0.36-0.53). A one-year increase in age had a stronger impact on mobility decrease in older adults than in younger ones. Increased age in participants aged < 40 years and smoking were associated with Stage 1, while intake of various foods was inversely associated with Stages 1 and 2. Conclusion Increased age (< 40 years) was associated with emerging mobility decrease, while that (≥ 40 years) was associated with any levels of mobility decrease. Female, lifestyle habits, including physical activities and overweight status, were associated with mobility decrease at every level.

Determining the timing of pubertal onset via a multicohort analysis of growth

Objective Growth-based determination of pubertal onset timing would be cheap and practical. We aimed to determine this timing based on pubertal growth markers. Secondary aims were to estimate the differences in growth between cohorts and identify the role of overweight in onset timing. Design This multicohort study includes data from three Finnish cohorts—the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP, N = 2,825) Study, the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP, N = 711), and the Boy cohort (N = 66). Children were monitored for growth and Tanner staging (except in DIPP). Methods The growth data were analyzed using a Super-Imposition by Translation And Rotation growth curve model, and pubertal onset analyses were run using a time-to-pubertal onset model. Results The time-to-pubertal onset model used age at peak height velocity (aPHV), peak height velocity (PHV), and overweight status as covariates, with interaction between aPHV and overweight status for girls, and succeeded in determining the onset timing. Cross-validation showed a good agreement (71.0% for girls, 77.0% for boys) between the observed and predicted onset timings. Children in STRIP were taller overall (girls: 1.7 [95% CI: 0.9, 2.5] cm, boys: 1.0 [0.3, 2.2] cm) and had higher PHV values (girls: 0.13 [0.02, 0.25] cm/year, boys: 0.35 [0.21, 0.49] cm/year) than those in DIPP. Boys in the Boy cohort were taller (2.3 [0.3, 4.2] cm) compared with DIPP. Overweight girls showed pubertal onset at 1.0 [0.7, 1.4] year earlier compared with other girls. In boys, there was no such difference. Conclusions The novel modeling approach provides an opportunity to evaluate the Tanner breast/genital stage–based pubertal onset timing in cohort studies including longitudinal data on growth but lacking pubertal follow-up.

Association between COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects and Body Mass Index in Spain

COVID-19 vaccines have shown high efficacy, with most side effects being mild–moderate and more frequently reported by females and people at younger ages. Since no studies have assessed the impact that weight status could have on the reported adverse reactions, we aim to study the association between weight status and reported side effects. We included data on 2136 adults from an online survey conducted from 6 May to 9 June 2021. The questionnaire was filled in by participants over Google forms. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used. A higher risk of presenting fever ≥38°, vomiting, diarrhea and chills was found in those with a non-overweight status compared to those overweight after adjusting for age, sex, education, medication to prevent/relieve post-vaccination effects and vaccine administered. When adjusting, most of the significant effects, in the association between side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine and weight status, did not remain significant. In conclusion, a non-overweight status was associated with a higher risk of presenting fever ≥38°, vomiting, diarrhea and chills compared to those overweight. Nevertheless, most of the reported side effects to COVID-19 vaccine were not associated with a higher risk of presenting more adverse effects, and individual differences were determined by sex and age.

Social Desirability and Parental Reporting of Children's Health-Related Behaviours

<p>Extensive literature has documented the negative impacts of being overweight in childhood, and the difficulty in getting parents to acknowledge and act on their children’s overweight status. This study aims to investigate whether social desirability could be one contributing factor to this struggle. Social desirability is a phenomenon in which individuals present themselves in the most culturally celebrated way possible, regardless of whether that is an accurate reflection of their actual self. It is argued that individuals high in social desirability may deny their children’s overweight status and unhealthy behaviours due to the high social pressure for their child to be of a healthy weight. It was found that low levels of social desirability lead to reporting more congruous with the child’s weight status for some health behaviours, but that it did not impact reporting of the child’s weight status itself. Implications for practice are discussed.</p>

Social Desirability and Parental Reporting of Children's Health-Related Behaviours

<p>Extensive literature has documented the negative impacts of being overweight in childhood, and the difficulty in getting parents to acknowledge and act on their children’s overweight status. This study aims to investigate whether social desirability could be one contributing factor to this struggle. Social desirability is a phenomenon in which individuals present themselves in the most culturally celebrated way possible, regardless of whether that is an accurate reflection of their actual self. It is argued that individuals high in social desirability may deny their children’s overweight status and unhealthy behaviours due to the high social pressure for their child to be of a healthy weight. It was found that low levels of social desirability lead to reporting more congruous with the child’s weight status for some health behaviours, but that it did not impact reporting of the child’s weight status itself. Implications for practice are discussed.</p>

Retrospective Evaluation of a Minor Dietary Change in Non-Diabetic Group-Housed Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

Macaques in captivity are prone to becoming overweight and obese, which may cause several health problems. A diet that mimics the natural diet of macaques may prevent these problems and improve animal welfare. Adjusting captive diets towards a more natural composition may include increasing fiber content and lowering the glycemic index, i.e., reducing the impact on blood glucose levels. Such a dietary change was implemented in our long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) breeding colony. The basic diet of monkey chow pellets remained the same, while the supplementary provisioning of bread was replaced by grains and vegetables. This study is a retrospective evaluation, based on electronic health records, that investigated whether this minor dietary change had a beneficial effect on relative adiposity and overweight-related health parameters in 44 non-diabetic, group-housed, female long-tailed macaques. Relative adiposity was measured with a weight-for-height index and blood samples were collected during yearly health checks. Glycemic response and lipid metabolism were evaluated using several biochemical parameters. Relative adiposity and overweight status did not differ after dietary change. Yet, relatively heavy individuals generally lost body weight, while relatively lean individuals gained body weight, leading to a more balanced body weight dynamic. Dietary change did not affect HbA1c and triglyceride levels, while fructosamine and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced. Thus, the minor dietary change had no significant effect on overweight status, but some biochemical parameters related to the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease were positively affected. This study emphasizes the importance of evaluating husbandry changes and that critically reviewing husbandry practices can provide valuable insights to improve animal health and welfare.