Comparisons between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioimpedance devices for appendicular lean mass and muscle quality in Hispanic adults.

The purpose of this study was to compare single- and multi-frequency bioimpedance (BIA) devices against dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for appendicular lean mass (ALM) and muscle quality index (MQI) metrics in Hispanic adults. One hundred thirty-one Hispanic adults (18-55 years) participated in this study. ALM was measured with single-frequency bioimpedance analysis (SFBIA), multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis (MFBIA) and DXA. ALMTOTAL (left arm + right arm + left leg + right leg) and ALMARMS (left arm + right arm) were computed for all three devices. Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured using a dynamometer. The average HGS was used for all MQI models (highest left hand + highest right hand)/2. MQIARMS was defined as the ratio between HGS and ALMARMS. MQITOTAL was established as the ratio between HGS and ALMTOTAL. SFBIA and MFBIA had strong correlations with DXA for all ALM and MQI metrics (Lin's concordance correlation coefficient values ranged from 0·86 (MQIMFBIA-ARMS) to 0·97 (Arms LMSFBIA); all P < 0·001). Equivalence testing varied between methods (e.g. SFBIA v. DXA) when examining the different metrics (i.e. ALMTOTAL, ALMARMS, MQITOTAL and MQIARMS). MQIARMS was the only metric that did not differ from the line of identity and had no proportional bias when comparing all the devices against each other. The current study findings demonstrate good overall agreement between SFBIA, MFBIA and DXA for ALMTOTAL and ALMARMS in a Hispanic population. However, SFBIA and MFBIA have better agreement with DXA when used to compute MQIARMS than MQITOTAL.

Genetic correlations between liver fat content, metabolic health, and adiposity distribution in the Fels Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatic steatosis is known to be heritable, but its genetic basis is mostly uncharacterized. Steatosis is associated with metabolic and adiposity features; recent studies hypothesize that shared genetic effects between these traits could account for some of the unexplained heritability. This study aimed to quantify these genetic associations in a family-based sample of non-Hispanic white adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: 704 participants (18-95 years, 55.8% female) from the Fels Longitudinal Study with an MRI assessment of liver fat were included. Quantitative genetic analyses estimated the age- and sex-adjusted heritability of individual traits and the genetic correlations within trait pairs. Mean liver fat was 5.95% (SE = 0.23) and steatosis (liver fat >5.56%) was present in 29.8% of participants. Heritability (h2± SE) of steatosis was 0.72 ± 0.17 (p = 6.80e-6). All other traits including liver enzymes, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT, SAT), body mass index, body fat percent, waist circumference, lipids and blood pressure were also heritable. Significant genetic correlations were found between liver fat and all traits except aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and among most trait pairs. Highest genetic correlations were between liver fat and HOMA-IR (0.85 ± 0.08, p = 1.73e-8), fasting glucose and ALT (0.89 ± 0.26, p = 6.68e-5), and HOMA-IR with: waist circumference (0.81 ± 0.12, p = 3.76e-6), body fat percent (0.78 ± 0.12 p = 2.42e-5) and VAT (0.73 ± 0.07, p = 6.37e-8). CONCLUSIONS: Common genes may exist between liver fat accumulation, metabolic features and adiposity phenotypes.

Evaluation of a Rapid Four-Compartment Model and Stand-Alone Methods in Hispanic Adults.

BACKGROUND: A rapid 4-compartment (4C) model integrates dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis (MFBIA), which may be useful for clinical and research settings seeking to employ a multi-compartment model. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the added benefit of a rapid 4C model over stand-alone DXA and MFBIA when estimating body composition. METHODS: One hundred and thirty participants (n = 60 male; n = 70 female) of Hispanic descent were included in the present analysis. A criterion 4C model that employed air displacement plethysmography (body volume), deuterium oxide (total body water), and DXA (bone mineral) was used to measure fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body fat percent (%BF). A rapid 4C model (DXA-derived body volume and bone mineral; MFBIA-derived total body water) and stand-alone DXA (GE Lunar Prodigy) and MFBIA (InBody 570) assessments were compared against the criterion 4C model. RESULTS: Lin's concordance correlation coefficient values were >0.90 for all comparisons. The standard error of the estimates ranged from 1.3 to 2.0 kg, 1.6 to 2.2 kg, and 2.1 to 2.7% for FM, FFM, and %BF, respectively. The 95% limits of agreement ranged from ±3.0 to 4.2 kg, ±3.1 to 4.2 kg, and ±4.9 to 5.2% for FM, FFM, and %BF, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Results revealed that all 3 methods provided acceptable body composition results. The MFBIA device used in the current study may be a more economically friendly option than DXA or when there is a need to minimize radiation exposure. Nonetheless, clinics and laboratories that already have a DXA device in place or that value having the lowest individual error when conducting a test may consider continuing to use the machine. Lastly, a rapid 4C model may be useful for assessing body composition measures observed in the current study and those provided by a multi-compartment model (e.g., protein).

The impact of metabolic syndrome on mental health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms.

PURPOSE: Results examining associations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and depression, as well as on quality of life (QoL), are inconsistent. We aimed to determine whether individuals with MetS had decreased mental health-related QoL (MH-QoL) and higher frequency of depressive symptoms. METHODS: Data from 1,015 participants from the Fels Longitudinal Study were analyzed (mean age ± SD: 49.6 ± 18.7 years, 29.3% MetS, 51% females). MetS was determined using American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria. Depressive symptoms (yes vs. no) were assessed with The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). MH-QoL (low (≤ 42) vs. high) was assessed with The Medical Outcomes 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). Sex- and age-stratified mixed effects logistic regressions were used to examine the longitudinal relationship between MetS and MH-QoL while adjusting for covariates such as age, smoking status, and drinking status. RESULTS: In cross-sectional analysis, MetS was significantly associated with elevated depressive symptoms in women (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.22-3.78, p < 0.01), but not in men. In the longitudinal analysis, MetS was observed to have a protective effect among men in the older age group as it approached significance (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.11-1.05, p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: MetS was adversely associated with depressive symptoms and poor MH-QoL. Our cross-sectional results suggest that depressive symptoms are higher among women with MetS. Interestingly, our longitudinal results suggest that MH-QoL in men with MetS may improve with age.

Inverse associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in obese American children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese American children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 209 obese children (55% females, 25.8% black) aged between 6 and 19 years old. Study measurements included plasma 25(OH)D concentrations, blood pressure, lipids and oxidized LDL levels, insulin resistance (IR) indices from glucose, insulin and 5 hour oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of the children had vitamin D deficiency. Older age [OR (95% CI) = 1.16 (1.00, 1.35)], black race/ethnicity [15.39 (5.79, 40.92)], winter/spring season [3.46 (1.69, 7.02)] and higher body mass index (BMI) [1.05 (0.99, 1.11)] were associated with increased odds of having vitamin D deficiency. None of cardiometabolic risk factors examined were significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency in age, race/ethnicity, season, and BMI adjusted models. In age, race/ethnicity, season and BMI adjusted models, total cholesterol (ß = -0.001, P = 0.013), non-HDL-C (ß = -0.001, P = 0.014), and oxidized LDL (ß = -0.087, P = 0.045) were inversely associated with log-transformed 25(OH)D. An approximate 10 mg/dl increase in total cholesterol or in non-HDL-C was associated with an approximate 1.3% decrease in the geometric mean of 25(OH)D concentration. Further a 10% increase in ox-LDL levels was associated with an approximate 0.8% decrease in the geometric mean of 25(OH)D. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in obese American children. There was evidence that some cardiometabolic risk factors including lipid levels and oxidized LDL levels were significantly inversely associated with 25(OH)D concentration in our sample. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:736-742, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Validation of Maturity Offset in the Fels Longitudinal Study.

Sex-specific equations for predicting maturity offset, time before or after peak height velocity (PHV), were evaluated in 63 girls and 74 boys from the Fels Longitudinal Study. Serially measured heights (0.1 cm), sitting heights (0.1 cm), weights (0.1 kg), and estimated leg lengths (0.1 cm) from 8 to 18 years were used. Predicted age at PHV (years) was calculated as the difference between chronological age (CA) and maturity offset. Actual age at PHV for each child was derived with a triple logistic model (Bock-Thissen-du Toit). Mean predicted maturity offset was negative and lowest at 8 years and increased linearly with increasing CA. Predicted ages at PHV increased linearly with CA from 8 to 18 years in girls and from 8 to 13 years in boys; predictions varied within relatively narrow limits from 12 to 15 years and then increased to 18 years in boys. Differences between predicted and actual ages at PHV among youth of contrasting maturity status were significant across the age range in both sexes. Dependence of predicted age at PHV upon CA at prediction and on actual age at PHV limits its utility as an indicator of maturity timing and in sport talent programs.

Genome-wide analysis of BMI in adolescents and young adults reveals additional insight into the effects of genetic loci over the life course.

Genetic loci for body mass index (BMI) in adolescence and young adulthood, a period of high risk for weight gain, are understudied, yet may yield important insight into the etiology of obesity and early intervention. To identify novel genetic loci and examine the influence of known loci on BMI during this critical time period in late adolescence and early adulthood, we performed a two-stage meta-analysis using 14 genome-wide association studies in populations of European ancestry with data on BMI between ages 16 and 25 in up to 29 880 individuals. We identified seven independent loci (P < 5.0 × 10⁻8) near FTO (P = 3.72 × 10⁻²³), TMEM18 (P = 3.24 × 10⁻¹7), MC4R (P = 4.41 × 10⁻¹7), TNNI3K (P = 4.32 × 10⁻¹¹), SEC16B (P = 6.24 × 10⁻9), GNPDA2 (P = 1.11 × 10⁻8) and POMC (P = 4.94 × 10⁻8) as well as a potential secondary signal at the POMC locus (rs2118404, P = 2.4 × 10⁻5 after conditioning on the established single-nucleotide polymorphism at this locus) in adolescents and young adults. To evaluate the impact of the established genetic loci on BMI at these young ages, we examined differences between the effect sizes of 32 published BMI loci in European adult populations (aged 18-90) and those observed in our adolescent and young adult meta-analysis. Four loci (near PRKD1, TNNI3K, SEC16B and CADM2) had larger effects and one locus (near SH2B1) had a smaller effect on BMI during adolescence and young adulthood compared with older adults (P < 0.05). These results suggest that genetic loci for BMI can vary in their effects across the life course, underlying the importance of evaluating BMI at different ages.

The positive association of obesity variants with adulthood adiposity strengthens over an 80-year period: a gene-by-birth year interaction.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the statistical effect of obesity-related genetic variants on adulthood adiposity traits depends on birth year. METHODS: The study sample included 907 related, non-Hispanic White participants in the Fels Longitudinal Study, born between 1901 and 1986, and aged 25-64.99 years (474 females; 433 males) at the time of measurement. All had both genotype data from which a genetic risk score (GRS) composed of 32 well-replicated obesity-related common single nucleotide polymorphisms was created, and phenotype data [including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and the sum of four subcutaneous skinfolds]. Maximum likelihood-based variance components analysis was used to estimate trait heritabilities, main effects of GRS and birth year, GRS-by-birth year interaction, sex, and age. RESULTS: Positive GRS-by-birth year interaction effects were found for BMI (p < 0.001), waist circumference (p = 0.007), and skinfold thickness (p < 0.007). For example, each one-allele increase in GRS was estimated to result in a 0.16 increase in BMI among males born in 1930 compared to a 0.47 increase among those born in 1970. CONCLUSIONS: These novel findings suggest the influence of common obesity susceptibility variants has increased during the obesity epidemic.

Muscle quality index comparisons between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Caucasians using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and handgrip strength.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Muscle quality index (MQI) can be computed in various ways. Also, many studies have evaluated MQI in older adults and non-Hispanic populations. The aim of this study was to compare various muscle quality indexes between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Caucasians when stratifying grip strength and appendicular lean mass measurements. METHODS: 235 participants (aged 25.5 ± 9.5 for males and 26.4 ± 9.9 for females) completed a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to assess appendicular lean mass (ALM). Handgrip strength (HGS) was assessed using a handheld dynamometer. MQI was computed using four different models: 1). MQIRA: ALM and HGS of right arm and hand, respectively; 2). MQILA: ALM and HGS of left arm and hand, respectively; 3). MQIARMS: ALM and HGS of both arms and hands, respectively; and 4). MQITOTAL: ALM of upper and lower-limbs and HGS of left and right hand. RESULTS: Hispanic males and females exhibited lower HGS compared to Caucasians with effect sizes ranging from trivial (d = 0.17) to moderate (d = 0.80). Females demonstrated higher MQI values compared to males for MQIARMS (d = 0.70), MQIRA (d = 0.75), and MQILA (d = 0.57). However, MQITOTAL yielded a small practical effect (d = 0.33) in favor of males (3.2 ± 0.5 kg/kg vs. 3.1 ± 0.5 kg/kg). After factoring by sex and ethnicity, Hispanic males and females, compared to non-Hispanic Caucasians males and females, showed trivial-to-small practical differences (d values ranging from 0.03 to 0.39). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate MQI models vary across sex, particularly when utilizing models that account for upper extremity strength and ALM (i.e., MQIARMS, MQIRA, and MQILA). Lastly, to establish consistency in future research, the present study recommends using MQI models that account for ALM of upper- and lower-limbs (i.e., MQITOTAL). However, research measuring muscular strength via one upper-limb (e.g., left hand) might consider measuring ALM of the corresponding arm (e.g., left arm) when computing muscle quality (e.g., MQILA).

Genetic risk for earlier menarche also influences peripubertal body mass index.

It is unclear whether earlier age at menarche is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) because they share a common genetic underpinning. We investigated the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influencing menarche timing on peripubertal BMI. For 556 Fels Longitudinal Study children (277 boys/279 girls) born 1928-1992, a genetic risk score (GRS(42)) was computed as the sum of the number of risk alleles in 42 putative menarche SNPs. Serial BMI Z-scores within ±6.99 years from each individual's age at peak height velocity (Age@PHV) were grouped into seven time points (-6 years, -4 years, -2 years, Age@PHV, +2 years, +4 years, and +6 years). Heritability of BMI ranged from 0.53 to 0.85 across the time points. The effect of GRS(42) on BMI Z-scores at each time point was modeled using variance components-based procedures. GRS(42) had a significant (P < 0.05) effect at every time point; an increase of one risk allele was associated with an increase of 0.03-0.08 BMI Z-scores. A separate score (GRS(29)) was computed that excluded 13 of the menarche SNPs previously documented to also influence adiposity; significant main effects were observed at Age@PHV+4 and +6 years. This finding supports a causal effect of advanced sexual development on post-Age@PHV BMI. Significant positive GRS(42) (or GRS(29))-by-birth year interactions indicate that some genetic influences on BMI have amplified over the 20th century. This gene-by-environment interaction also suggests that children with a genetic predisposition to earlier sexual development might avoid elevated BMI through alteration of their nutritional environment.

Wrist breadth and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in youth: the Fels Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVES: There is biological crosstalk between insulin signaling and bone remodeling pathways, and wrist circumference and bone area were recently found to associate with insulin resistance independent of body mass index (BMI) in overweight/obese children. We aimed to expand on this work by using more specific measures of adiposity for adjustment and examining children with broader range of BMI. METHODS: We used serial data (1,051 total measures) on 313 non-Hispanic white youth (ages 8-18 y) from the Fels Longitudinal Study with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) as the outcome. Internal standard deviation score (SDS) for wrist breadth was evaluated as a predictor of HOMA-IR (log-transformed) before and after adjusting for internal-sample SDSs for BMI, waist circumference (WC), and total body fat (TBF) from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, in addition to age, sex, Tanner stage, and birth year, using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Before additional adiposity adjustment, we found a significant positive association between wrist breadth SDS and log-transformed HOMA-IR (ß = 0.13; 95%CI: 0.09-0.17), which remained significant after adjusting for TBF SDS (ß = 0.09; 95%CI: 0.05-0.13; P < 0.001), BMI SDS (ß = 0.06; 95%CI: 0.02-0.10; P = 0.007), and WC SDS (ß = 0.06; 95%CI: 0.02-0.09; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Further work is needed to determine whether simple frame size measures such as wrist breadth may be useful markers of metabolic risk.

Characterization of the infant BMI peak: sex differences, birth year cohort effects, association with concurrent adiposity, and heritability.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize an early trait in the BMI-for-age curve, the infant BMI peak. METHODS: BMI-for-age curves were produced for 747 non-Hispanic, white Fels Longitudinal Study participants, from which individual age (AgePeak ) and BMI (BMIPeak ) at maximum infant BMI were estimated. Multivariable general linear regression was used to examine the effects of sex and birth year cohort (1929-1950, 1951-1970, and 1971-2010) on AgePeak and BMIPeak , with associations between BMIPeak and concurrent sum of four skinfold thicknesses assessed in a subsample (N = 155). Heritability (h(2) ) of AgePeak and BMIPeak was estimated using maximum-likelihood variance components analysis. RESULTS: AgePeak occurred at 9 months of age in both sexes, but BMIPeak was 0.4 kg/m(2) higher for boys than for girls (P-value < 0.001). Infants born between 1971 and 2010 experienced a 1.5 month earlier AgePeak and a 0.35 kg/m(2) lower BMIPeak than infants born between 1929 and 1950 (P-values < 0.001). Skinfold thickness explained 37% of the variance in BMIPeak in boys and 20% of the variance in girls (p-values < 0.001). AgePeak and BMIPeak were significantly heritable (h(2) = 0.54 and 0.75, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both AgePeak and BMIPeak decreased over successive birth year cohorts in the Fels Longitudinal Study. Despite a positive association of BMIPeak with concurrent adiposity, AgePeak appears to occur later than does the well-documented peak in infant fat mass and BMIPeak does not capture known sex differences in infant adiposity. Strong heritability of these infant BMI traits suggests investigation of genetic control, and validation of their relationship to body composition is greatly needed.

Secular trends in the fat and fat-free components of body mass index in children aged 8-18 years born 1958-1995.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether the secular trend in childhood BMI reflects increases in fat-free mass as well as fat mass. METHODS: This study decomposed BMI trends in 488 participants in the Fels Longitudinal Study born between 1958-1995 and aged 8-17.99 years into their fat and fat-free components. Generalized estimating equations estimated birth year cohort (1958-1970, 1971-1983, 1984-1995) effects on 2208 observations of BMI, fat mass index (FMI = fat mass (kg)/height (m)(2)) and fat-free mass index (FFMI = fat-free mass (kg)/height (m)(2)). RESULTS: BMI in boys increased across cohorts, with those born between 1984-1995 being 2 kg/m(2) larger than those born between 1958-1970 (p = 0.001) and increases in FMI were highly significant (p-values < 0.001). FFMI did not differ by cohort. In girls, there was a significant advantage in BMI (1.2 kg/m(2)) and FFMI (0.8 kg/m(2)) of the 1984-1995 cohort compared to the 1971-1983 cohort (p-values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Because the long term trend in childhood BMI in boys appears to be driven by an increase in total body adiposity, evidence is provided to support current knowledge on the predicted deleterious long-term consequences of the childhood obesity epidemic in boys. Research is needed to confirm whether recent changes in BMI in girls are due to increases in fat-free mass resulting from changes in behaviour and lifestyle not yet manifest in boys.

Anti-Müllerian hormone levels are associated with skeletal maturity in adolescent girls in the Fels Longitudinal Study.

The role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a potential marker of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, is not well established in adolescent females. Most studies use secondary sexual characteristics or chronological age as predictors for AMH. Skeletal maturity, an indicator of bone development, has not been examined to predict AMH. This study sought to examine patterns of change in AMH in relation to skeletal maturity. Demographics, anthropometry, hand-wrist radiographs, and cardiometabolic risk factors from 88 females (212 observations), between the ages of 8 to 18 years from the Fels Longitudinal Study were used in this study. AMH was analyzed using ELISA from stored frozen serum samples. Generalized linear mixed effect modeling was used. In the stepwise regression models, log-transformed AMH (AMHlog) was regressed on relative skeletal age as the skeletal maturity indicator (calculated as chronological age minus skeletal age) and adjusted for chronological age, adiposity, and cardiometabolic risk factors. Skeletal maturity significantly predicted lower AMHlog (ß= -0.073, SE=0.032, p=0.023). Glucose was significantly associated with decreases in AMHlog (ß= -0.008, SE=0.004, p=0.044). Chronological age modeled as a cubic function was not significant. AMH and skeletal maturity may provide correlated information on growth and pubertal status in adolescent females.

Deuterium oxide validation of bioimpedance total body water estimates in Hispanic adults.

Background: To date, body composition assessments in Hispanics, computed via bioimpedance devices, have primarily focused on body fat percent, fat mass, and fat-free mass instead of total body water (TBW). Additionally, virtually no information is available on which type of bioimpedance device is preferred for TBW assessments in Hispanic populations. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate two bioimpedance devices for the estimate of TBW in Hispanics adults when using a criterion deuterium oxide (D2O) technique. Methods: One-hundred thirty individuals (males: n = 70; females: n = 60) of Hispanic descent had TBW estimated via D2O, single-frequency bioimpedance analysis ([SF-BIA] Quantum V, RJL Systems) and bioimpedance spectroscopy ([BIS] SFB7 Impedimed). Results: The mean values for SF-BIA were significantly lower than D2O when evaluating the entire sample (37.4 L and 38.2 L, respectively; p < 0.05). In contrast, TBW values were not statistically significant when comparing D2O against BIS (38.4 L, p > 0.05). Bland-Altman analysis indicated no proportional bias when evaluating the entire sample for SF-BIA or BIS. The standard error of estimate and total error values were ≤ 2.3 L and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient were ≥ 0.96 for all comparisons. Conclusion: The SF-BIA and BIS devices evaluated in the current study hold promise for accurate estimation of TBW in Hispanic adults. While both methods demonstrated relatively low errors relative to the D2O criterion, BIS exhibited a more consistent performance, particularly at the group level. These findings provide essential information for researchers and clinical nutrition practitioners assessing TBW in Hispanic adults.

Perceived quality of sleep across the menopausal transition: A retrospective cohort study.

Background and Aims: To compare sleep quality among naturally and surgically post-menopausal women, and to identify lifestyle factors that predict sleep quality in pre, peri, and postmenopausal women. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of data collected from 429 women who participated in Fels Longitudinal Study data. Sleep quality, based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, demographics, medical history, depression, quality of life, and physical activity levels were included in the analysis. Results: The four study groups did not differ on overall sleep quality with either scale (p = 0.61). Both Post-M groups were more likely to have a major sleep problem than the Peri-M and Pre-M groups (p < 0.001), and to have a history of restless leg syndrome (p = 0.016), but the two Post-M groups did not differ on these problems. Predictors of sleep quality included depression, bodily pain, vitality, and surgical menopause (p<0.001). Conclusion: Menopause is associated with sleep disrupting conditions. This study did not find any significant differences in sleep quality among the three reproductive stages or for natural versus surgical menopause. Women may benefit from addressing other lifestyle factors associated with poor sleep quality including mental health factors.

Eighty-year trends in infant weight and length growth: the Fels Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate secular trends in weight and length growth from birth to 3 years of age in infants born from 1930 to 2008, and to assess whether these trends were associated with concurrent trends in pace of infant skeletal maturation and maternal body mass index. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal weight and length data from 620 infants (302 girls) were analyzed with mixed effects modeling to produce growth curves and predicted anthropometry for infants born from 1930 to 1949, 1950 to 1969, 1970 to 1989, and 1990 to 2008. RESULTS: The most pronounced differences in growth occurred in the first year of life. Infants born after 1970 were approximately 450 g heavier and 1.4 cm longer at birth, but demonstrated slower growth to 1 year of age than infants born before 1970. Growth trajectories converged after 1 year of age. There was no evidence that relative skeletal age, maternal body mass index, or maternal age together mediated associations between cohort and growth. CONCLUSIONS: Recent birth cohorts may be characterized not only by greater birth size, but also by subsequent catch-down growth. Trends over time in human growth do not increase monotonically, and growth velocity in the first year may have declined compared with preceding generations.

Evaluation of qualitative methods for phenotyping brachymesophalangia-V from radiographs of children.

OBJECTIVE: Brachymesophalangia-V (BMP-V), the general term for a short and broad middle phalanx of the 5th digit, presents both alone and in a large number of complex brachydactylies and developmental disorders. Past anthropological and epidemiological studies of growth and development have examined the prevalence of BMP-V because small developmental disorders may signal more complex disruptions of skeletal growth and development. Historically, however, consensus on qualitative phenotype methodology has not been established. In large-scale, non-clinical studies such as the Fels Longitudinal Study and the Jiri Growth Study, quantitative assessment of the hand is not always the most efficient manner of screening for skeletal dysmorphologies. The current study evaluates qualitative phenotyping techniques for BMP-V used in past anthropological studies of growth and development to establish a useful and reliable screening method for large study samples. METHODS: A total of 1,360 radiographs from Jiri Growth Study participants aged 3-18 years were evaluated. BMP-V was assessed using three methods: (1) subjective evaluation of length and width of the bone; (2) comparison with skeletal age-matched radiographs; and (3) subjective evaluation of the length of the middle 4th and 5th phalanges. RESULTS: We found that the method that uses skeletal age-matched reference radiographs is the better tool for assessing BMP-V because it considers the shape, rather than solely the length and width of the bone, which can be difficult to judge accurately without measurement. This study highlights the complexity of phenotypic assessment of BMP-V and by extension other brachydactylies.

Effect of total body water estimates via bioimpedance on bod pod-based three-compartment body fat models.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Previous research has compared 2- and 3-compartment (2C and 3C, respectively) models against criterion 4-compartment (4C) models while utilizing the same body density (Db) method for all measures. This design induces an inherent bias and obscures the added benefit of a 3C model over the simpler 2-compartment (2C) models. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of total body water estimates via single-frequency (SF-BIA) and multi-frequency (MF-BIA) bioimpedance analysis on body fat estimates derived from air displacement plethysmography (ADP)-derived 3C models. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A sample of 95 females and 82 males (n = 177) participated in this study. Underwater weighing, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and bioimpedance spectroscopy were used to calculate percent fat (%Fat) via a criterion 4C model (4CCRITERION). %Fat was predicted via 3CMFBIA (ADP and MF-BIA), 3CSFBIA (ADP and SF-BIA), and a stand-alone 2-compartment (2C) model, based upon ADP, when using Siri and Brozek body density conversion formulas (2CSIRI and 2CBROZEK. respectively). RESULTS: The standard error of estimate (SEE) was lowest for 3CSFBIA when evaluated in females and males (2.72% and 2.31%, respectively) and highest for 2CSIRI (3.98% and 3.84%, respectively). Similarly, the total error (TE) for females and males was lowest for 3CSFBIA (3.21% and 2.67%, respectively) and highest for 2CSIRI (4.58% and 4.48%, respectively) and 2CBROZEK (4.65% and 4.33%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that SF-BIA and MF-BIA can improve the estimation of %Fat, beyond simpler 2C models, when integrated with ADP in a more advanced 3C model. Furthermore, the present study revealed that 3CSFBIA was the best overall prediction model based upon TE values. The current study results support the integration of ADP and bioimpedance technology as part of a 3C model for the improvement of %Fat estimates over simpler 2C models.

Significant associations of age, menopausal status and lifestyle factors with visceral adiposity in African-American and European-American women.

BACKGROUND: Elevated visceral adiposity is strongly predictive of cardiometabolic disease, but, due to the high cost of biomedical imaging, assessment of factors contributing to normal variation in visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue partitioning in large cohorts of healthy individuals are few, particularly in ethnic and racial minority populations. OBJECTIVE: To describe age, menopausal status, smoking and physical activity differences in VAT and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASAT) mass in African-American (AA) and European-American (EA) women. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging measures of VAT and ASAT mass and VAT% (VAT/VAT+ASAT, %) were obtained from a cross-sectional sample of 617 EA and 111 AA non-diabetic women aged 18-80 years. Multivariate linear regression was used to test independent effects of the covariates. RESULTS: VAT and VAT% were higher in EA than AA women (p < 0.01). Differences in VAT, ASAT and VAT% across age groups began in early adulthood in both ethnic groups, but the association of age with VAT% was stronger in EA women (p for interaction = 0.03). Current smokers had higher VAT and VAT% (p < 0.01) and lower TBF than non-smokers. Frequent participation in sports activities was associated with ∼30% lower VAT in older (>55 years) as well as younger ( < 40 years) women (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Greater allocation of abdominal adipose tissue into the visceral compartment occurs in EA than AA women and in older than younger women. Avoidance of cigarette smoking and frequent participation in sports activities may partially counteract this deleterious phenomenon of ageing.