The Relationship between Depressiveness and Eating Behaviors among Women.

(1) The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between depressiveness and the occurrence of eating disorders, i.e., emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint of eating, and the risk of orthorexia. (2) The study was conducted among 556 women from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland). The study employed the diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire technique: The Beck Depression Inventory, the ORTO-15 Questionnaire, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. (3) Higher depressiveness severity is associated with a higher score on the "Cognitive Restraint of Eating" scale. The authors' original study demonstrated a statistically significant relationship only between depressiveness and the "Uncontrolled Eating" subscale (p = 0.001). (4) The results of this study suggest that depressiveness is an important factor that contributes to a better understanding of eating behaviors. In addition, the results of this study suggest that eating behaviors and psychological factors should be taken into account in psychological interventions in the treatment of eating disorders. The clinical goal can be considered to be an improvement in non-normative eating behaviors, such as a reduction in overeating episodes or eating less frequently in the absence of a feeling of hunger.

Relationships of Body Mass Index, Relative Fat Mass Index, and Waist Circumference with Serum Concentrations of Parameters of Chronic Inflammation.

(1) Background: Obesity in the perimenopausal period is associated with hormonal changes, lifestyle, and environment. In obesity, elevated levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and reduced levels of adiponectin are observed, and the associated chronic inflammation favors the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the relationship between selected measures of obesity (BMI, WC, RFM, VAI, WHtR) and parameters of chronic inflammation (CRP, TNF-α, IL-6) in perimenopausal women. (2) Methods: The study involved 172 perimenopausal women. The methods used in this study were diagnostic surveys, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure measurements, and venous blood sampling. (3) Results: Preliminary multivariate linear regression analysis showed that CRP moderately positively correlated with IL-6 (ß = 0.25; p = 0.001) and weakly negatively correlated with adiponectin (ß = -0.23; p = 0.002). Similar associations were noted in preliminary multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for age, menopausal status, and smoking status. Preliminary multivariate linear regression analysis also showed that BMI positively correlated with IL-6 (ß = 0.16; p = 0.033). VAI weakly positively correlated with CRP (ß = 0.25; p = 0.001) and negatively correlated with adiponectin (ß = -0.43; p = 0.000). (4) BMI, WC, RFM, VAI, and WHtR are clearly related to selected parameters of chronic inflammation. Our study suggests that each of the anthropometric variables provides distinct information on metabolic processes associated with inflammatory parameters.

Selenium as a Factor Moderating Depression and Obesity in Middle-Aged Women.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of serum selenium on PPAR-γ and the selected proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α) in relation to depressive symptoms and obesity in middle-aged women. The research procedure was as follows: a survey was performed using the authors' questionnaire and the BDI, anthropometric measurements, and the analysis of blood for the levels of selenium, cytokines, and genetic analysis of the PPAR-γ polymorphism (n = 443). It was found that the BMI increased along with the concentration of IL-6. No moderating effect of selenium was observed, although the cut-off values for "p" were established for IL-ß*Se (p = 0.068) and IL-6*Se (p = 0.068), so there was a potential association with these two markers. At high selenium levels, the effect of higher IL-ß levels on a decrease in BMI was stronger, as was the effect of an increase in IL-6 levels on an increase in BMI. No effect of selenium on PPAR-γ was found in relation to depressive symptoms and obesity. Higher selenium levels may have a beneficial effect on BMI even at high IL-ß concentrations, however, at high IL-6 concentrations, this effect was not observed. Selenium levels had no impact on depressive symptoms.

Epidemiology of Glioblastoma Multiforme-Literature Review.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive malignancies, with a median overall survival of approximately 15 months. In this review, we analyze the pathogenesis of GBM, as well as epidemiological data, by age, gender, and tumor location. The data indicate that GBM is the higher-grade primary brain tumor and is significantly more common in men. The risk of being diagnosed with glioma increases with age, and median survival remains low, despite medical advances. In addition, it is difficult to determine clearly how GBM is influenced by stimulants, certain medications (e.g., NSAIDs), cell phone use, and exposure to heavy metals.

Serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and selected bioelements in perimenopausal women with regard to body mass index.

During the menopause, decreased estrogen levels may be accompanied by increased levels of inflammatory mediators. Many studies also show significant relationships between the levels of bioelements and proinflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and selected bioelements in perimenopausal women with regard to BMI. METHODS: The study of 217 perimenopausal women involved the completion of questionnaires concerning sociodemographic and medical data, anthropometric measurements, and blood collection. RESULTS: In all studied women, the levels of IL-1ß significantly positively correlated with Ca, Mg, and Sr; IFNγ significantly negatively correlated with Sr, and IL-6 with Mg. In women with a normal BMI, the levels of IL-1ß significantly positively correlated with Ca and Sr, and CRP positively correlated with Zn. In overweight women, the levels of IL-1ß positively correlated with Ca, IL-6 with Na, and IFNγ negatively correlated with Sr. In obese women, the levels of CRP positively correlated with Zn, TNFα with Mg, IFNγ with Cu and P. The levels of IL-6 negatively correlated with Ca and Mg. CONCLUSIONS: BMI may be one of the factors that affect the relationship between serum bioelement levels and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and CRP in women, especially during the menopausal period.

Are cadmium and lead levels linked to the development of anxiety and depression? - A systematic review of observational studies.

The aim of this systematic review was to assess if cadmium and lead levels are linked to anxiety and depression. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify observational trials evaluating the impact of cadmium and lead on the incidence and phenotype of depression and anxiety. The search identified 1059 records. Overall eighteen studies comprising 28,304 participants with a female predominance (n = 19,483; 69%) were included. Cadmium and lead levels were analyzed in eight and thirteen studies, respectively. Five studies found an association between blood cadmium levels and depression, among them three trials which reported that individuals in the highest quartile of blood cadmium had higher odds of showing depressive symptoms. Sex and smoking status were found to be potential confounders of cadmium impact on the depressive phenotype. None of the studies found association between the level of anxiety and blood cadmium levels. Nine studies demonstrated association between depressive symptoms and blood lead concentration. High lead levels may be associated with anxiety and neurobehavioral deficits. There are many factors that influence both the levels of cadmium and lead, and the severity of depression and anxiety in the respondents. There is no clear evidence for the impact of cadmium and lead levels on the development of depressive symptoms but a lot of indirect evidence points to this.

Cardiovascular Risk Distribution in a Contemporary Polish Collective.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of selected risk factors for cardiovascular disease (hypertension, overweight, obesity, carbohydrate metabolism disorders, a positive family history, a lack of physical activity), and to estimate the risk of a cardiovascular incident according to the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) algorithm for patients aged 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 years, included in a primary-care prevention program, with regard to selected variables (sex and age brackets). The study sample consisted of 2009 subjects, 63% of whom were women. The largest group was the group of 35-year-olds (27%). The research method was the analysis of medical documentation of primary-care patients living in West Pomerania included in the Program of Prevention and Early Detection of Cardiovascular Disease of the National Health Fund. We collected data concerning risk factors for cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements (arm circumference, waist circumference, height, weight), body mass index (BMI), and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and fasting glucose, as well as the SCORE results. Men more often than women were overweight and obese, had hyperglycemia, and had elevated levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides (p < 0.001). There was also a statistically significant difference in the odds of a cardiovascular incident (p < 0.001)-the SCORE results obtained by men were higher. Men require special preventive measures in order to reduce their risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, overweight, obesity, smoking, and a positive family history.

Fatty Acid Profile of Postmenopausal Women Receiving, and Not Receiving, Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Menopause, the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle, marks the end of a woman's reproductive lifespan. Menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT) can potentially skew the fatty acid profile increasing the risk for developing metabolic diseases and disorders of skeletal, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the fatty acid profile of postmenopausal women receiving, and not receiving, hormone replacement therapy. A total of 156 healthy women with a mean age of 60 participated in this cross-sectional study. Gas chromatography with an Agilent Technologies 7890A GC system was used to determine fatty acid content. Statistical analysis was conducted using R software, version 3.4.1. Women receiving MHT had significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of C14:0 and C16:0. MHT was found to be associated with a tendency (p = 0.053) to diminish concentrations of C18:1n-9, C20:4, and all unsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). The longer MHT was used, the higher the concentration of C24:1 (p = 0.04) and the lower the concentration of C18:2n-6 (p = 0.03).