Association Between Maternal Body Mass and Physical Activity Counseling During Pregnancy

Aims: The antenatal period provides an important opportunity for giving advice on healthy lifestyle choices. However, the prevalence of maternal obesity is increasing, and women report that they do not receive counseling. We investigated the information given to pregnant women on gestational weight gain, physical activity, and nutrition during pregnancy in relation with their initial weight status, current gestational weight gain and diagnoses of either pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity or excessive gestational weight gain.Methods: Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire. Pregnant participants (n = 141) were recruited from a midwife center. They completed a structured questionnaire on the information they received during their pregnancy and we assessed its relationship with their weight.Results: We found that many pregnant women did not receive advice about physical activity, gestational weight gain and nutrition (37.5, 53.2, and 66.2%, respectively). Women with weight problems (pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and excessive gestational weight gain) were less targeted for counseling, although more than 80% of the women viewed receiving information on these topics as positive. Also, being informed of a weight problem was associated with a greater chance of receiving information about physical activity, gestational weight gain and nutrition (all p < 0.05). However, verbalization of the weight problems was low (14.0% of women with pre-pregnancy overweight were informed of their status).Conclusion: Health professionals should dispense more information, especially on PA and particularly for women with weight problems. Verbalization of the weight problem seems associated with more frequent transmission of information.

Criterion Validity and Psychometric Properties of a Malay Version of the Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evaluation-Confinement (SMILE-C) in a Sample of University Staff with Weight Problems

The aim of this study was to validate the Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evaluation-Confinement (SMILE-C) in a Malaysian context. The SMILE-C, which is a respondent-generated instrument, was used to ask participants questions on their lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indices of seven sub-scores were then calculated. A total of 121 university staff members completed the Malay version of the SMILE-C as well as instruments for measuring well-being, family life satisfaction, mindfulness and awareness, work engagement, and quality of life. The Cronbach’s alpha values and Pearson correlation coefficients were satisfactory in this initial validation of the instrument. The SMILE-C showed positive correlations with all the variables being studied. The results supported the criterion-related validity and psychometric properties of the Malay version of the SMILE-C as an instrument for assessing lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Simple Asana: Yoga and the Elderly

Yoga is becoming very popular among young people, however it is also exceptionally beneficial for the elderly to improve mobility, strength and combat chronic ailments. It is an alternative form of medicine and can be ancillary tool for treating pain, cardiovascular issues, weight problems, depression, sleep disorders and many more. The practice goal of yoga is to challenge oneself but not be overwhelmed, develop inner awareness without judgement. In contrast to many other programs it does not involve strenuous workouts or expensive equipment and is not competitive. The simple form involves series of static positions that use isometric contraction and relaxation of different muscle groups to create specific body alignments with coordinated breathing and deep meditative relaxation. The best yoga practice for elderly or a person with limitations are that uses supporting props as blankets, pillows or chairs during asana to overcome the limitations that are coordinated with breathing exercise and meditation.

Study regarding the bio-motor level and health of children from gymnasium level

The investigation started from the need to find the level of bio-motor and health development in our Gymnasium School “Unirea” from Târgu Mureş. The research was also focused on discovering the children with BMI problems and finding the link between obesity and apparition of flat feet, spin and knee deficiencies. The methods of research were mainly experimental, we used anthropometric measurements of height, weight, body mass index and analyzed the parameters using statically and mathematical methods. The location of the study was the gymnasium level of the National College “Unirea” from Târgu Mureş, and involved 16 selected children with an average age 12.69 years old, 4 children with weight problems selected from every class level. The results of the investigation showed that the average height of the sample was 162.7 cm, weight 71 kg and a BMI average of 26.6. The BMI analyzed showed that obesity is an important factor in the apparition of other deficiencies, among students that were measured we also found 5 cases of kyphosis, 5 of scoliosis and 6 cases of flat feet. Conclusions of the investigation showed that BMI in youth is an important parameter in establishing the health level of children from gymnasium level and in preventing the apparition of the spine and feet deficiencies.

The Influence of Diet Menus and Sports Models on Decreased Blood Sugar Levels and Body Weight of Prediabetes Group

Prediabetes was a condition where a person has abnormal blood sugar levels but was not yet categorized as diabetes (140-199 mg / dl). The increased incidence of prediabetes affects the increasing number of cases of diabetes, unhealthy diet and irregular exercise models are factors that cause weight problems and blood sugar levels that increase cases of prediabetes to have an impact on diabetes cases. The research purpose was the effect of diet menus and exercise models on reducing blood sugar levels and body weight in the prediabetes group. The method research was the analytical method with the design of quasi-experimental, the population was 20 people, and the sample was total population or sample of 20 people by dividing 2 groups with different interventions, the technique with accidental sampling, and tool with SPSS 20, the data analyzed with independent t test. The result of research was the influence in group jasmine (diet and exercise menu (jogging)) (P value = 0.001 <α = 0.05), and in group rose (diet and exercise menu (casual walk)) (P value = 0.004 <α = 0.05) to reduce blood sugar levels and body weight. The conclusion of research was that the diet control and exercise menu models were able to influence the decrease in blood sugar levels and body weight in the prediabetes group, group a had a more significant effect because of jogging so that more calories burned.

The Mediating Effects of Eating Disorder, Food Addiction, and Insomnia in the Association between Psychological Distress and Being Overweight among Iranian Adolescents

With obesity and excess weight remaining a serious concern worldwide, investigating the mechanisms underlying this is of great importance. Psychological distress is a possible trigger contributing to excess weight for adolescents. Moreover, the association between psychological distress and excess weight may be mediated by eating disorder, food addiction, and insomnia. The present study utilized parallel mediation analysis to assess the aforementioned associations and possible mediation effects among Iranian adolescents. Through stratified and clustered sampling, adolescents (N = 861; mean ± SD age = 15.9 ± 3.2; 372 males) participated and were followed for a one-year period. Excess weight (standardized body mass index, z-BMI); psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21); eating disorder attitudes (Eating Attitude Test-26); food addiction (Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children); and insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index) were assessed. Eating disorder attitudes, food addiction, and insomnia were significant mediators in the association of psychological distress and z-BMI. Additionally, psychological distress had direct effects on z-BMI. Given that eating disorder attitudes, food addiction, and insomnia showed mediated effects in the temporal association of psychological distress and excess weight, healthcare providers are encouraged to design programs on improving these three mediators to help adolescents overcome excess weight problems.

Behavioural activation for overweight and obese adolescents with low mood delivered in a community setting: feasibility study

BackgroundMood and weight problems are common in young people, yet few treatments address both conditions concurrently. Behavioural activation (BA) has shown promise as a treatment for adults with comorbid obesity and depression. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a manualised BA treatment targeting weight and mood problems in young people.MethodsYoung people with low mood and weight difficulties were identified via a school-based screening process. Following a diagnostic interview, young people with clinically significant mood problems and concurrent overweight/obesity were invited to participate. A total of 8–12 sessions of BA were delivered by a graduate therapist to eight adolescents (four male) aged 12–15 years. Weight, mood and functioning were assessed before, during and after treatment, and a semistructured qualitative interview was conducted, along with selected outcome measures at 4 months’ follow-up.ResultsLow attrition and positive qualitative feedback suggested the intervention was acceptable. Trends towards a reduction in reported depression symptoms and improved functioning scores were observed at follow-up, with more mixed results for change in body mass index. Of those attending the 4-month follow-up, 57% (4/7) no longer met the screening threshold for major depressive disorder. However, low screening and baseline recruitment rates would pose challenges to executing a larger trial.ConclusionsBA delivered by a graduate therapist in a British community setting is an acceptable, feasible treatment for comorbid mood and weight problems in adolescence, and its effectiveness should be evaluated in an adequately powered randomised controlled trial.

Knowledge about epidemiological determinants of obesity and its management amongst medical professionals of Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India

Background: Obesity has become a challenge in medical care worldwide. Medical professionals have a significant role to play in preventing and diagnosing weight problems and in providing initial counseling. Health professionals are poorly prepared in weight management, which has an effect on their knowledge and management skills with regard to overweight and obese patients. Hence the present study was carried out to assess the knowledge about epidemiological determinants of obesity and its management amongst medical professionals of Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out during the period of March to April 2019 amongst 110 medical professionals at Department of Community Medicine of IIMSR Medical College, Badnapur, Jalna, Maharashtra, who were actively participated in continued medical education (CME) on obesity and its management where the knowledge of medical professionals were assessed. Data was analysed by using appropriate statistical test whenever necessary.Results: In this study, the pre-test good knowledge score was 14 (12.7%), which increased to 61 (55.5%) post CME. The pre-test mean score of level of knowledge was 7.41±4.12 and after CME, it was 12.90±5.21 and the mean difference was 5.49, which was statistically highly significant.Conclusions: As obesity is a public health problem globally, there was marked improvement in the knowledge amongst medical professionals after CME on epidemiological determinants of obesity and its management.

Inappropriate diet and obesity based on view of the student population

In accordance with their obligations in college, students spend most of their days outside the home. It can lead to irregular and improper diet. The student population tends to consume high-energy, nutrient-poor foods, as well as neglecting meals, usually breakfast. This results in an increasing number of young people who have body-weight problems. The aim of this research was to determine students' attitudes about diet that can lead to obesity, as well as informing students about the consequences of obesity. There were 56 students of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, involved in the study. The research was carried out using anonymous questionnaire. The results of the study showed that a large number of students surveyed considered that they were obese and that obesity was a disease that could be treated in a healthy way. This study suggests that the student population should be offered education in this regard, since most of them are not familiar with the nutritional composition of a food before consuming it, as well as its "body mass index" and "body volume index". On the other hand, the students surveyed are aware of the particular risks that can lead to the onset of obesity, as well as the diseases that can arise as a result of being overweight. In addition, they consider the occurrence of obesity is a major problem not only in the world, but also in Serbia. This research is part of a study entitled "Attitudes and behaviors of students in relation to food and nutrition" and is a form of preventive action to combat the onset of obesity in the student population.

Temperature Sensor Assisted Lifetime Enhancement of Satellite Embedded Systems via Multi-Core Task Mapping and DVFS

Recently, thanks to the miniaturization and high performance of commercial-off-the-shelf(COTS) computer systems, small satellites get popular. However, due to the very expensive launchingcost, it is critical to reduce the physical size and weight of the satellite systems such as cube satellites(CubeSats), making it infeasible to install high capacity batteries or solar panels. Thus, the low-powerdesign is one of the most critical issues in the design of such systems. In addition, as satellitesmake a periodic revolution around the Earth in a vacuum, their operating temperature varies greatly.For instance, in a low earth orbit (LEO) CubeSats, the temperatures vary from 30 to -30 degreesCelsius, resulting in a big thermal cycle (TC) in the electronic parts that is known to be one of themost critical reliability threats. Moreover, such LEO CubeSats are not fully protected by activethermal control and thermal insulation due to the cost, volume, and weight problems. In thispaper, we propose to utilize temperature sensors to maximize the lifetime reliability of the LEOsatellite systems via multi-core mapping and dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) underpower constraint. As conventional reliability enhancement techniques primarily focus on reducingthe temperature, it may cause enlarged TCs, making them even less reliable. On the contrary,we try to maintain the TC optimal in terms of reliability with respect to the given power constraint.Experimental evaluation shows that the proposed technique improves the expected lifetime of thesatellite embedded systems by up to 8.03 times in the simulation of Nvidia’s Jetson TK1.