Black New Yorkers with Type 2 Diabetes: Afro-Caribbean Immigrants Have Lower BMI and Lower Waist Circumference than African Americans.

OBJECTIVE: Using the 2013/2014 New York City (NYC) Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NYCHANES) data, this exploratory study examined whether (a) type 2 diabetes (diabetes) prevalence differed between NYC Afro-Caribbeans and African Americans; (b) anthropometric, biochemical, and sociodemographic diabetes profiles differed between and within groups; and (c) diabetes odds differed between and within groups. METHODS: Diabetes was defined as prior diagnosis, HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (7.8 mmol/L), or fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL. Weighted logistic regression estimated diabetes odds by nativity and either waist circumference (WC) (cm) or BMI (kg/m2). All regression models controlled for age, hypertension, gender, education, income, marital status, physical activity, and smoking. RESULTS: Among Afro-Caribbeans (n = 81, 65% female, age (mean ± SE) 49 ± 2 years, BMI 29.2 ± 0.7 kg/m2) and African Americans (n = 118, 50% female, age 47 ± 2 years, BMI 30.3 ± 0.9 kg/m2), Afro-Caribbeans with diabetes had lower BMI (29.9 ± 0.8 kg/m2 vs. 34.6 ± 1.7 kg/m2, P = 0.01) and lower WC (102 ± 2 cm vs. 114 ± 3 cm, P = 0.002) than African Americans with diabetes. Afro-Caribbeans with diabetes had lower prevalence of obesity (33.2% vs. 74.7%) and higher prevalence of overweight (57.2% vs. 13.5%) (P = 0.02) than African Americans with diabetes. Odds of diabetes did not differ between Afro-Caribbeans and African Americans. In models predicting the effect of WC, diabetes odds increased with WC (OR = 1.07 (95% CI 1.02, 1.11), P = 0.003) and age (OR = 1.09 (95% CI 1.03-1.15), P = 0.003) for African Americans only. In models predicting the effect of BMI, diabetes odds increased for Afro-Caribbeans with age (OR = 1.06 (1.01, 1.11)*, P = 0.04) and hypertension (OR = 5.62 (95% CI 1.04, 30.42), P = 0.045), whereas for African Americans, only age predicted higher diabetes odds (OR = 1.08 (95% CI 1.03, 1.14), P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In NYC, Afro-Caribbeans with diabetes have lower BMI and lower WC than African Americans with diabetes, but odds of diabetes do not differ. Combining African-descent populations into one group obscures clinical differences and generalizes diabetes risk.

Association of "hypertriglyceridemic waist" with increased 5-year risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in a multi-ethnic population: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW), which incorporates measures of waist circumference and levels of triglyceride in blood, could act as an early-stage predictor to identify the individuals at high-risk for subclinical atherosclerosis. Previous studies have explored the cross-sectional association between HTGW and atherosclerosis; however, understanding how this association might change over time is necessary. This study will assess the association between HTGW with 5-year subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS: 517 participants of Aboriginal, Chinese, European, and South Asian ethnicities were examined for baseline HTGW and 5-year indices of subclinical atherosclerosis (intima media thickness (mm), total area (mm2), and plaque presence). Family history of cardiovascular disease, sociodemographic measures (age, sex, ethnicity, income level, maximum education), and traditional risk factors (systolic blood pressure, smoking status, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index) were incorporated into the models of association. These models used multiple linear regression and logistic regression. RESULTS: Baseline HTGW phenotype is a statistically significant and clinically meaningful predictor of 5-year intima media thickness (ß = 0.08 [0.04, 0.11], p < 0.001), total area (ß = 0.20 [0.07, 0.33], p = 0.002), and plaque presence (OR = 2.17 [1.13, 4.19], p = 0.02) compared to the non-HTGW group independent of sociodemographic factors and family history. However, this association is no longer significant after adjusting for the traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis (p = 0.27, p = 0.45, p = 0.66, respectively). Moreover, change in status of HTGW phenotype does not correlate with change in indices of atherosclerosis over 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that when the traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis are known, HTGW may not offer additional value as a predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis progression over 5 years.

High-Intensity Cigarette Smoking Is Associated With Incident Diabetes Mellitus In Black Adults: The Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports on whether smoking is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus have yielded inconsistent findings. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between cigarette smoking and incident diabetes mellitus in the Jackson Heart Study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Jackson Heart Study participants enrolled at baseline without prevalent diabetes mellitus (n=2991) were classified by self-report as current smokers, past smokers (smoked ≥400 cigarettes/life and no longer smoking), or never smokers. We quantified smoking intensity by number of cigarettes smoked daily; we considered ≥20 cigarettes per day (1 pack) "high-intensity." We defined diabetes mellitus as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5% or International Federation of Clinical Chemistry units HbA1c 48 mmol/mol, or use of diabetes mellitus medication. We estimated the adjusted associations of smoking status, intensity, and dose (pack-years) with incident diabetes mellitus using Poisson regression models. At baseline there were 361 baseline current (1-10 cigarettes per day [n=242]; ≥20 [n=119]), 502 past, and 2128 never smokers. From Visit 1 to Visit 3 (mean 8.0±0.9 years), 479 participants developed incident diabetes mellitus. After adjustment for covariates, baseline current smokers who smoked less than a pack/d and past smokers had similar rates of incident diabetes mellitus compared with never smokers (incidence rate ratios 1.04, 95% confidence interval, 0.69-1.58 and 1.08, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-1.42, respectively). Baseline current high-intensity smokers had a 79% (95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.81) higher incidence of diabetes mellitus compared with never smokers. Smoking dose (per 10 pack-years) was also associated with a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (incidence rate ratios 1.10, 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.19) in adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: High-intensity cigarette smoking and smoking pack-years are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus in blacks.

Dietary intake of whole grains and plasma alkylresorcinol concentrations in relation to changes in anthropometry: the Danish diet, cancer and health cohort study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Whole grain intake has been associated with a small but significant lower body weight gain in observational studies, but there is limited knowledge about the associations with specific whole grain types. The objective was to investigate the association between whole grains, different sources of whole grains and biomarkers of whole grain intake (alkylresorcinols) in relation to subsequent changes in waist circumference (WC) and body weight. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Cohort study of 57 053 participants with baseline information on whole grain intake from questionnaires (FFQ) and biomarkers of whole grain rye and wheat intake, plasma alkylresorcinols, for a subset. WC and body weight were measured at baseline and again at follow-up. The associations were estimated using multiple linear regression analyses and logistic regression. RESULTS: For women, overall whole grain intake was not related to changes in WC or body weight. For men, total whole grain intake was associated with gains in WC (ΔWC per 25 g increment: 0.44 cm, 95% CI: 0.34 cm; 0.54 cm) and body weight (Δweight per 25 g increment: 150 g, 95% CI: 78 g; 222 g), but the results changed to null or changed direction when adjusting for baseline anthropometry. For the different sources of whole grains, rye (women) and crispbread was significantly associated with gains in WC and body weight. Plasma alkylresorcinol concentration was associated with reduced WC, but not body weight, for women (ΔWC per 50 nmol/l increment: -0.69 cm, 95% CI:-1.26 cm;-0.13 cm), but no association was found for men. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, no strong relationship between whole grain intake, measured from questionnaires or using biomarkers was found in relation to changes in body weight and WC.

[Relationship between protein intake and body mass index and waist circumference in Chinese adults using quantile regression analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between dietary protein intake and body mass index( BMI) and waist circumference under the distribution of different quantile. METHODS: The data of adult residents of 12 provinces from Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey in 2011 were used to analyze the relationship between protein intake and BMI and waist circumference by quantile regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 11800 subjects in total, 5623( 47. 7%) were male, the average age was( 51. 5 ± 15. 1) years old, for female, 6177( 52. 3%) and( 51. 9 ± 15. 0) years old, respectively. The protein intake was( 1. 1 ± 0. 4) g/kg BW in men and( 1. 0 ± 0. 4) g/kg BW in women. Significant sex differences were found in waist circumference, energy, protein intake, carbohydrate intake, smoking, drinking and working status, activity and educational level( P < 0. 05), but there were no significant difference between male and female in age, BMI, fat intake and urban rural ratio. After sex-stratified, the result of the regression analysis showed that quantile regression coefficients adjusting for other confounders between protein intake and BMI and waist circumference both in male and female, and the parallelism test for regression coefficient at different quantile were statistically significant( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Under the distribution of different quantile, dietary protein intake is negatively correlated with BMI and waist circumference, and there is a descending trend, which means that protein intake has a greater impact on population with higher BMI and higher waist circumference.

Central obesity increases risk of breast cancer irrespective of menopausal and hormonal receptor status in women of South Asian Ethnicity.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence suggests that the relationship between obesity and breast cancer (BC) risk may vary between ethnic groups. METHODS: A total of 1633 BC cases and 1504 controls were enrolled in hospital-based case-control study in Mumbai, India, from 2009 to 2013. Along with detailed questionnaire, we collected anthropometric measurements on all participants. We used unconditional logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for BC risk associated with anthropometry measurements, stratified on tumour subtype and menopausal status. RESULTS: Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of ≥0.95 was strongly associated with risk of BC compared to WHR ≤0.84 in both premenopausal (OR = 4.3; 95% CI: 2.9-6.3) and postmenopausal women (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 2.4-4.8) after adjustment for body mass index (BMI). Premenopausal women with a BMI ≥30 were at lower risk compared to women with normal BMI (OR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.4-0.8). A similar protective effect was observed in women who were postmenopausal for <10 years (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9) but not in women who were postmenopausal for ≥10 years (OR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1-3.3). Overweight and obese women (BMI: 25-29.9 and ≥ 30 kg/m(2), respectively) were at increased BC risk irrespective of menopausal status if their WHR ≥0.95. Central obesity (measured in terms of WC and WHR) increased the risk of both premenopausal and postmenopausal BCs irrespective of hormone receptor (HR) status. CONCLUSIONS: Central obesity appears to be a key risk factor for BC irrespective of menopausal or HR status in Indian women with no history of hormone replacement therapy.

Prevalence of electrolyte and nutritional deficiencies in Chinese bariatric surgery candidates.

BACKGROUND: Electrolyte and nutritional deficiencies have been reported in Western populations seeking bariatric surgery. However, data are scarce for Chinese patients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of electrolyte and nutritional deficiencies in Chinese bariatric surgery candidates and to explore their associations with patients' demographic data. SETTING: University hospital, China. METHODS: Demographical data of 211 patients presenting for bariatric surgery were collected on gender, age, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Blood biochemical data were collected on some nutrients (hemoglobin, albumin, globulin, folate, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, iron, ferritin, magnesium, parathyroid hormone [PTH], and vitamin D) and some electrolytes (potassium, sodium, and chloride). RESULTS: Deficiencies were found for hemoglobin (2.8%), albumin (11.8%), globulin (1.4%), folate (32.2%), vitamin B12 (4.7%), corrected calcium (13.7%), phosphorus (10.4%), iron (9.0%), ferritin (1.9%), vitamin D (80.0%), potassium (5.7%), sodium (7.6%), and chloride (15.6%). Secondary hyperparathyroidism was found in 17.3%; no hypomagnesemia was encountered. A significant correlation was observed between age and folate, corrected calcium and PTH levels (r = .257, -.206, and .273, respectively; P<.05). Greater BMI was associated with lower albumin and folate (r = -.338 and -.370, respectively) and with higher globulin and phosphorus levels (r = .267 and .138, respectively). Folate deficiency was more common in the 18- to 30-year-old age group (P = .042) and the patients with BMI>45 kg/m(2) (P = .001). WC had an association with rates of albumin, folate, and corrected calcium deficiencies, as well as hemoglobin, albumin, and globulin, folate, phosphorus, and ferritin levels. CONCLUSION: Electrolyte and nutritional deficiencies are common in Chinese bariatric surgery candidates. Routine evaluation of electrolyte and nutritional levels should be carried out in this population.

Is the association of hypertension with cardiovascular events stronger among the lean and normal weight than among the overweight and obese? The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

Previous studies that suggest the association of hypertension with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events is stronger in the lean/normal weight than in the obese have either included smokers, diabetics, or cancer patients, or did not account for central obesity. This study examines the interaction of adiposity with hypertension on CVD events using body mass index (BMI)-based definitions of overweight and obesity, as well as waist circumference (WC) to assess adiposity. In the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we classified 3657 nonsmoking men and women, free of baseline clinical CVD, diabetes mellitus and cancer, into 7 BMI-WC combinations defined by ethnicity-specific BMI (normal, overweight, class 1 obese, and class 2/3 obese) and ethnicity- and sex-specific WC categories (optimal or nonoptimal). Adjusted absolute event rates per 1000 person-years and relative risks (95% confidence intervals) for CVD events for hypertension (blood pressure ≥140/90 or taking medication) versus no hypertension computed within adiposity categories were 9.3 versus 1.9 and 4.96 (2.56-9.60) for normal BMI/optimal WC, 13.2 versus 4.2 and 3.13 (0.99-9.86) for normal BMI/nonoptimal WC, 9.0 versus 4.5 and 2.00 (1.19-3.36) for overweight BMI/optimal WC, 8.4 versus 5.6 and 1.50 (0.88-2.54) for overweight BMI/nonoptimal WC,14.1 versus 2.1 and 6.75 (0.69-65.57) for class 1 obese/optimal WC, 10.1 versus 3.7 and 2.69 (1.41-5.16) for class 1 obese/nonoptimal WC, and 9.9 versus 6.9 and 1.45(0.60-3.52) for class 2/3 obese/WC pooled. This study found a large relative risk of CVD events associated with hypertension for normal BMI participants and more importantly similarly high absolute risks for both normal and obese BMI with hypertension.

Percentis para o perímetro de cintura de adolescentes do município do Rio de Janeiro / Waist circumference percentiles in adolescents in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Descrever o perímetro da cintura e apresentar estimativas de pontos críticos para classificação de risco e alto risco de excesso de gordura abdominal segundo sexo e faixa etária. MÉTODOS: Foi estudada uma amostra probabilística de adolescentes (n=3 . 175) da rede pública de ensino do Rio de Janeiro. O perímetro da cintura foi aferido no ponto médio entre a borda inferior da costela e a crista ilíaca. Os percentis de perímetro da cintura estudados foram estimados segundo método LMS (Lambda, Mu, Sigma) proposto por Cole em 1990. Os pontos de corte adotados para definição de risco e alto risco de excesso de gordura abdominal foram os propostos por Jolliffe & Janssen em 2007. RESULTADOS: Comparando os valores estimados, meninas apresentaram valores de perímetro da cintura maiores que os de meninos para todos os percentis (exceto para o P90) em todas as idades. Os valores críticos estimados foram menores entre as meninas e aumentaram com a idade em ambos os sexos. Em geral, para ambos os sexos, os valores estimados foram menores do que os propostos pela referência adotada. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados ratificam a importância da aferição dessa medida em adolescentes, sendo apresentados pontos críticos de perímetro da cintura para classificação antropométrica desse grupo populacional segundo essa medida, o que até o momento não havia sido proposto com base em dados de adolescentes brasileiros. .

OBJECTIVE: To determine waist circumference and present waist circumference critical values to classify the risk and high risk posed by excessive abdominal fat according to age and gender. METHODS: A probabilistic sample of adolescent students (n=3,175) from public schools in Rio de Janeiro was analyzed. Waist circumference measurements were performed at midpoint between the last rib and the top of the iliac crest. Waist circumference percentiles were estimated using the LMS (Lambda, Mu, Sigma) method proposed by Cole (1990). The cut-points used to determine the risk and high-risk posed by excessive abdominal fat were proposed by Jolliffe & Janssen (2007). RESULTS: Comparing the values estimated, it was observed that the girls had higher waist circumference than the boys at all percentiles (except for P90) and ages. The estimated percentiles were lower in girls and increased with age in both sexes. At all ages, (except for 17 year old boys) and both genders, the estimated values were lower than the reference values used. CONCLUSION: The results obtained confirm the importance of measuring waist circumference in adolescents. This study presents waist circumference critical values for the anthropometric classification of the group studied, which has not yet been reported in the literature with data of Brazilian adolescents. .

Spirituality moderates the relationship of psychosocial stress to metabolic risk factors among Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the US Virgin Islands.

OBJECTIVE: Spirituality may contribute to the health advantage of foreign-born blacks compared to United States (US)-born blacks. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that spirituality attenuates the association of psychosocial stress to stress-associated metabolic risk factors among foreign-born Caribbean blacks living in a US jurisdiction. METHODS: Data on demographic factors, anthropometric measurements (height, weight and waist), fasting glucose and insulin, lifestyle behaviors (smoking and alcohol use), psychosocial stress and spirituality were collected from a population-based sample of 319 Afro-Caribbean immigrants, ages 20 and older, who were recruited between 1995 and 2000 in the Virgin Islands of the United States (USVI). Glucose and insulin measurements were used to estimate insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) method. Participants were classified into three levels of spirituality, "low", "medium" and "high" based on the distribution of spirituality scores. Stepwise regression analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of waist circumference and HOMA-IR within each level of spirituality. RESULTS: The predictors of waist circumference and HOMA-IR varied across the levels of spirituality. Psychosocial stress was an independent predictor of waist and HOMA-IR only among participants with a low level of spirituality. CONCLUSION: Spirituality appears to attenuate the association of psychosocial stress to waist circumference and insulin resistance among Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the USVI.

Serum levels of soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products and metabolic syndrome: the Northern Manhattan Study.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have shown a strong link between serum soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE) levels and cardiovascular risk factors and disease. What is less clear is the relationship between metabolic risk factors and sRAGE levels. Here, we tested the hypothesis that lower sRAGE levels may be associated with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in an urban multi ethnic population. MATERIALS/METHODS: From the Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS), we included 1101 stroke-free participants (mean age: 71 ± 9 years, 60% women, 64% Hispanic, 18% black, 16% white). Serum sRAGE was measured by ELISA. Quantile regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between sRAGE and MetS components and MetS, after adjusting for sociodemographics, smoking status and kidney function. RESULTS: The median (interquartile) sRAGE was 899 pg/ml (647-1248 pg/ml), 42% had metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of unfavorable metabolic factors was 50% for waist circumference (WC), 81% for blood pressure, 39% for fasting glucose, 35% for reduced high density lipoproteins (HDL), and 23% for triglycerides. After adjustment, the median sRAGE levels were at least 120 pg/ml lower in those who had elevated WC (p<0.0001), blood pressure (p=0.0014), and fasting glucose (p<0.0001), and those who had 2 or more unfavorable metabolic factors. No relationship was seen between sRAGE levels and elevated triglycerides or reduced HDL levels. Interaction and stratified analyses revealed that the association of sRAGE with MetS was more prominent in Hispanics compared to whites, and displaying no association with components of MetS in blacks. CONCLUSIONS: sRAGE levels were mainly associated with MetS factors related to obesity, diabetes and hypertension, and displayed variation with ethnicity in a multi-ethnic population. Further studies of sRAGE, MetS and their relationship to cardiovascular disease are warranted.

The impact of metabolic parameters on the change of pulmonary function in obese patients.

BACKGROUND: Ethnic differences exist in the function and distribution of adipose tissue, which influences whole body metabolism, including pulmonary function. The object of this study was to examine the relationships between serum metabolic parameters and pulmonary function in a morbidly obese Asia-Pacific population. METHODS: One-hundred thirty-seven morbidly obese Chinese patients, aged≥18 years with a body mass index (BMI)>32 kg/m(2) who were being evaluated for bariatric surgery between July 2007 and December 2008, were studied. Cross-sectional associations between serum metabolic parameters, including lipids, glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels with forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) assessed by spirometry, were analyzed. Multiple regression analyses also were conducted, with age, gender, smoking history, and various anthropometric measurements of obesity as confounders. RESULTS: Serum adiponectin and HDL cholesterol had a positive correlation with FVC and FEV1. In addition, insulin resistance, determined by the homeostatic model assessment method (HOMA), was negatively correlated with FVC. In the multiple linear regression analysis, only serum adiponectin was significantly correlated with FVC and FEV1, independent of obesity level. CONCLUSIONS: Serum adiponectin level was positively and independently associated with pulmonary function in morbidly obese Chinese adults.

Waist circumference and waist circumference to height ratios of Kaingáng indigenous adolescents from the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil / Circunferência da cintura e circunferência da cintura/estatura entre adolescentes indígenas Kaingáng do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of waist circumference (WC) and WC to height (WCTH) values among Kaingáng indigenous adolescents in order to estimate the prevalence of high WCTH values and evaluate the correlation between WC and WCTH and body mass index (BMI)-for-age. A total of 1,803 indigenous adolescents were evaluated using a school-based cross-sectional study. WCTH values > 0.5 were considered high. Higher mean WC and WCTH values were observed for girls in all age categories. WCTH values > 0.5 were observed in 25.68% of the overall sample of adolescents. Mean WC and WCTH values were significantly higher for adolescents with BMI/age z-scores > 2 than for those with normal z-scores. The correlation coefficients of WC and WCTH for BMI/age were r = 0.68 and 0.76, respectively, for boys, and r = 0.79 and 0.80, respectively, for girls. This study highlights elevated mean WC and WCTH values and high prevalence of abdominal obesity among Kaingáng indigenous adolescents.

Os objetivos do estudo foram descrever a distribuição das medidas de circunferência de cintura (CC) e CC/estatura (CC/E) para adolescentes indígenas Kaingáng; estimar a prevalência de valores elevados para CC/E; e avaliar a correlação entre CC e CC/E com o IMC/idade. Um total de 1.803 adolescentes indígenas foi avaliado no estudo seccional de base escolar. Foram considerados elevados valores de CC/E superiores a 0,5. Observaram-se maiores valores médios de CC e CC/E para meninas, em todas as faixas etárias. Valores de CC/E > 0,5 foram encontrados em 25,6% dos adolescentes. Valores médios de CC e CC/E foram significativamente maiores para os adolescentes com IMC/idade > 2 z-scores, em comparação aos eutróficos. Os coeficientes de correlações entre CC e CC/E com o IMC/idade foram: meninos: r = 0,68 e 0,76, respectivamente, e meninas: r = 0,79 e 0,80, respectivamente. Destaca-se proeminência de valores médios elevados de CC e CC/E e prevalências expressivas de obesidade abdominal.

Prospective study on waist circumference and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: pooled analysis of Japanese community-based studies.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between waist circumference and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk in relatively lean Japanese subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 3,554 men and 4,472 women who had no history of CVD were examined and their waist circumference measured at baseline. The subjects were aged ≥40 years and were obtained from 3 prospective cohort studies during 1988-1996. Hazard ratios for all-cause and CVD mortality were analyzed over a follow-up period of 14.7 years using a Cox proportional hazards model and penalized spline method, after adjustment for study cohort, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of waist circumference in men was associated with a linear reduction in all-cause mortality risk (multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval: 0.60-0.89; P for trend=0.001). CVD mortality risk was increased in men aged ≤65 years with a higher waist circumference. This relationship was U-shaped. Waist circumference was not associated with all-cause or CVD mortality risk in women. CONCLUSIONS: Waist circumference was associated inversely with increased risk of all-cause death in men, but not in women. Middle-aged men with a greater waist circumference potentially have an increased risk of CVD mortality.

Interaction of physical activity level and metabolic syndrome among the adult Asian Indians living in Calcutta, India.

OBJECTIVES: The present community-based cross-sectional study was aimed to study the interaction of physical activity level (PAL) and metabolic syndrome (MS) among the adult Asian Indians. METHODS: A total of 448 adult (> 30 years) individuals (males and females) inhabiting in and around Calcutta, India participated in the study. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure, metabolic profiles and intake of dietary fatty acids were obtained from participants using standard guidelines. Metabolic syndrome (MS) was defined accordingly. The dietary intake (gram/week) of fatty acids namely total fat (TFA); saturated fatty acids (SFA); monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were obtained using nutritive values of Indian foodstuffs. Physical activity level (PAL) was categorized in to three different level: 1) high PAL - who exercised regularly and had physically demanding occupation 2) moderate PAL - who either exercised regularly or had physically demanding occupation, and 3) low PAL - who neither exercised regularly nor had physically demanding occupation. RESULTS: The prevalence of MS was found to be inversely related with PAL. Individuals with low PAL had higher prevalence of MS as compared to their counterparts. Moreover individuals with low PAL had significantly higher BMI, WC, WHR as well as TFA and SFA than individuals with moderate and high PAL. CONCLUSION: PAL is playing a vital role in the constellation of risk factors associated with MS. Habitual physical activity may be beneficial to prevent growing incidence of MS phenotypes in people of Asian Indian origin.

An evaluation of the physical activity and health status of British Columbian Aboriginal populations.

Aboriginal people have experienced elevated rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions that are disproportionate to the general Canadian population. We sampled British Columbian Aboriginal populations to determine the current health status of this population. A total of 882 Aboriginal adults ≥16 years of age from 25 locations around the province were sampled from 2007-2011. Health measurements evaluated included body mass index, waist circumference, physical activity, smoking behaviours, and resting blood pressure as well as histories of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Nonfasting measures of blood sugar, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also recorded. We used logistical regression to quantify variations in diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk factors with age, gender, geographic location, on- and off-reserve and urban-rural areas of residence, smoking, and physical activity behaviour. The prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and high total cholesterol were found to be greater among males, while females experienced greater rates of abdominal obesity and physical inactivity. Rates of chronic conditions were similar across on- and off-reserve, urban-rural areas, and geographic region residences, though rural, on-reserve, and northern residents experienced greater risk of poor health status. Larger proportions of on-reserve, rural, and interior individuals were found to be more physically inactive. Aboriginal populations still experience substantially poorer health status in comparison with the general population. Initiatives to improve the health of this population are urgently needed addressing all sectors of the Aboriginal population, all geographic regions, and all areas of residence, with special emphasis on rural, on-reserve, and northern populations.

Impact of metabolic syndrome on ischemic heart disease - a prospective cohort study in an Iranian adult population: Isfahan Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the metabolic syndrome among populations in the Middle East region is unknown; we therefore examined the association between the syndrome and the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in an Iranian population. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS) prospectively followed 6146 Iranian people (51.8% women, aged 35-75 years) from three cities and their rural districts who were initially free of ischemic heart disease. During the 5 year follow-up, 209 (56% men) cases of ischemic heart disease were detected. The metabolic syndrome was defined by the modified criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATPIII). End points were defined as fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death and unstable angina. A clear dose-response relationship was found between the number of metabolic risk factors and the incidence of IHD, with the hazard ratios increasing dose-dependently from 1.72 (95% CI 0.86-3.46) for only one to 1.97 (1.00-3.90), 2.85 (1.45-5.58) and 4.44 (2.25-8.76) for 2, 3 and ≥4 metabolic syndrome component respectively, relative to those with no component. The adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) associated with the metabolic syndrome was 1.58 (1.06-2.35) in men and 1.72 (1.08-2.74) in women for IHD. The contribution of metabolic syndrome to the IHD risk was particularly strong among smokers although there was no significant interaction. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic syndrome by NCEP/ATPIII definition is a major determinant of ischemic heart disease in this middle-aged Iranian population, especially among smokers.

Racial differences in measures of obesity and risk of colon adenoma.

Obesity is an established risk factor for several malignancies. However, the specific measurement of obesity most relevant to colon neoplasia is still debated, and evidence has suggested gender and racial differences in this measurement. In this study, we sought to compare which measurement--BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) or waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)--is most strongly associated with development of colon adenomas, a precursor of colon cancer, and to investigate differences in this association between racial groups. We confirmed the strong association between WHR, as a measure of central obesity, and development of colon neoplasia. In our overall analysis, patients in the highest WHR quartile showed a substantial increase in risk of colon adenomas compared to patients in the lowest WHR quartile (odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-2.71, P(trend) = 0.0017). In stratified analyses, we noted that strongly associated obesity measures in European Americans were WC (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.45-3.92, P(trend) = 0.0004) and BMI (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.37-3.49, P(trend) = 0.0015), whereas in African Americans, WHR was the strongest and the only obesity measure statistically significantly associated with adenoma risk (OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.05-4.30, P(trend) = 0.025). Our data highlight the importance of obesity in the development of early colon neoplasia and suggest substantial racial differences in the measures of obesity most strongly associated with risk of colon adenomas.

Metabolic syndrome and incident coronary heart disease in Australian indigenous populations.

This report aims to compare the prediction of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components for morbidity and mortality of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a cohort of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (TSIs). A total of 2,100 adults (1,283 Aborigines and 817 TSIs) was followed up for 6 years from 2000. Outcome measures were all CHD events (deaths and hospitalizations). Baseline anthropometric measurements, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood lipids and glucose were collected. Smoking and alcohol intake was self-reported. We found MetS was more prevalent in TSI (50.3%) compared to Aborigines (33.0%). Baseline MetS doubled the risk of a CHD event in Aborigines. Increased fasting triglycerides was stronger in predicting CHD (hazard ratio (HR): 2.8) compared with MetS after adjusted for age, sex, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and baseline diabetes and albuminuria for Aborigines but not among TSIs. MetS was not more powerful than its components in predicting CHD event. In Australian Aborigines, the "triglyceridemic waist" phenotype strongly predicts CHD event, whereas among TSI, baseline diabetes mediated the prediction of increased fasting glucose for CHD event.