Subjective well-being in non-obese individuals depends strongly on body composition.

While obesity has been correlated with welfare in the general population, there is not much data on the influence of body composition on welfare among the non-obese adult individuals. In this study, a total of 726 non-obese individuals from the general population were analyzed. The mean age was 46.8 ± 15.4 years and 42.1% of participants were male. The anthropometric measurements and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were done. The mean value for the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was 23.09 ± 5.43, for Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) was 78.0 ± 14.5, and for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was 6.7 ± 6.6. On the SWLS, the higher waist-hip ratio had a negative impact even after adjusting for age, gender, and concomitant diseases. EQ-VAS was inversely associated with android fat distribution and directly associated with muscle mass. BDI value was inversely associated with lower muscle mass, especially in lower limbs. The well-being of women was mainly associated with the distribution of adipose tissue and less with the distribution of muscle tissue-abdominal fat distribution has a particularly negative impact on well-being among women. In contrast, men's well-being depends more on muscle mass and to a lesser extent on the distribution of fat tissue-a positive significant effect has lean mass and a circumference of thigh below gluteal fold.

Development and validation of the body shape scale (BOSHAS) for assessing body shape perception in African populations.

BACKGROUND: As a consequence of 'Western' acculturation, eating disorders and body image disturbances, such as fatness phobia and body dysmorphic disorders towards musculature and body shape, are emerging in Africa, with young people the most affected. It is therefore important to accurately assess perceptions of body shape. However, the existing body image assessment scales lack sufficient accuracy and validity testing to compare body shape perception across different African populations. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Body Shape Scale (BOSHAS) to evaluate body shape perceptions related body image disorders in African populations. METHODS: To develop the BOSHAS, anthropometric measures of 80 Cameroonians and 81 Senegalese (both sexes included; 40.1% females overall) were taken for three body shape criteria: somatotype components, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio. Subjects were selected to cover a wide variability in body shape and were photographed in full face and profile positions. To validate the BOSHAS, the scale was administered twice (2 weeks apart) to 106 participants (aged 31.2 ± 12.6 years) to assess its reliability. In addition, a questionnaire measuring different aspects of body shape (e.g. musculature) was also administered (n = 597; aged 36.7 ± 15.6 years) to assess its convergent validity. RESULTS: The BOSHAS includes two sex-specific subscales of 10 photographs each. Most participants were able to repeat their BOSHAS preference order. Test-retest reliability was also consistent in estimating Current Body Shape (CBS), Desired Body Shape and Ideal Body Shape for participants and their partners. CBS was correlated with BMI, and different BOSHAS indices were consistent with declarations obtained by questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The BOSHAS is the first sex-specific scale of real African models photographed in face and profile, including large body shape variability. The validation protocol showed good validity and reliability for evaluating body shape perceptions and dissatisfaction of Africans.

Neurocognition in treatment-resistant hypertension: profile and associations with cardiovascular biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension in midlife has been associated with increased risk of stroke and neurocognitive decline. Few studies, however, have examined neurocognition among individuals with treatment-resistant hypertension or potential mechanisms by which treatment-resistant hypertension may impair neurocognition. METHODS: We examined the pattern of neurocognitive impairment and potential mechanisms in a sample of 96 overweight adults with treatment-resistant hypertension, aged 41-81 years. Neurocognitive function was assessed using a 45-min test battery consisting of executive function and memory. Vascular and metabolic mechanisms examined included cerebrovascular risk factors (CVRFs: Framingham Stroke Risk Profile), insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance), waist-to-hip ratio, microvascular function (hyperemic response), and peak oxygen consumption from an exercise treadmill test. Simple path analyses were used to assess the association between potential vascular and metabolic mechanisms and neurocognition. RESULTS: Neurocognitive impairments were common, with 70% of the sample exhibiting impaired performance on at least one executive function subtest and 38% on at least one measure of memory. Higher levels of aerobic fitness, greater insulin sensitivity, and better microvascular function, as well as lower CVRFs and waist-to-hip ratio were associated with better neurocognition. In path analyses, aerobic fitness, microvascular function, and CVRFs all were independently associated with neurocognitive performance. Insulin resistance associated with worse executive function but better memory performance among older participants. CONCLUSION: Neurocognitive impairments are common in adults with treatment-resistant hypertension, particularly on tests of executive function. Better neurocognition is independently associated with aerobic fitness, microvascular function, and CVRFs.

The association between body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and cognitive disorder in older adults.

PURPOSE: To examine the association between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and cognitive disorder in older adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the mini-mental state examination questionnaire and physical examination of older adults (≥65, n = 1037) were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression examined the odds ratios (ORs) of cognitive performance according to BMI, WC and WHR. RESULTS: The prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in older adults was 13.0%. The BMI-based overweight rate, obesity rate and central obesity rate calculated by either WC or WHR were 39.6, 11.4% and 66.5, 65.6%, respectively. The risk of cognitive impairment was increased in elderly individuals ≥70 years old than in those <70 years old (OR = 1.738). In addition, gender, WHR and smoking habit were also significantly different between the two age groups (P < 0.05). We examined the effects of different BMI values and WC/WHR central obesity on cognition impairment in ≥70-year-old adults and found that BMI obesity and WC/WHR central obesity had a combined effect on the incidence of cognition impairment (OR = 3.076 and OR = 3.584). CONCLUSIONS: BMI obesity and WC/WHR central obesity have a combined effect on cognitive impairment and WHR has a stronger association with cognitive impairment than WC.

No compelling evidence that more physically attractive young adult women have higher estradiol or progesterone.

Putative associations between sex hormones and attractive physical characteristics in women are central to many theories of human physical attractiveness and mate choice. Although such theories have become very influential, evidence that physically attractive and unattractive women have different hormonal profiles is equivocal. Consequently, we investigated hypothesized relationships between salivary estradiol and progesterone and two aspects of women's physical attractiveness that are commonly assumed to be correlated with levels of these hormones: facial attractiveness (N = 249) and waist-to-hip ratio (N = 247). Our analyses revealed no compelling evidence that women with more attractive faces or lower (i.e., more attractive) waist-to-hip ratios had higher levels of estradiol or progesterone. One analysis did suggest that women with more attractive waist-to-hip ratios had significantly higher progesterone, but the relationship was weak and the relationship not significant in other analyses. These results do not support the influential hypothesis that between-women differences in physical attractiveness are related to estradiol and/or progesterone.

Metabolic syndrome and associated factors among psychiatric patients in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, South West Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a multisystem disorder which coined to describe the recognized clustering of metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormalities of glucose homeostasis. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric patients in Jimma University Specialized Hospital. METHODS: This study was conducted at Jimma University Specialized hospital psychiatric ward from May 15 to July 16, 2015. A cross-sectional study design and consecutive sampling technique were used. A single population proportion formula was used to include a total of 360 psychiatric patients. An interview administered structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and some clinical data. Anthropometric data were collected based on standard guild line for anthropometric measurement. Five milliliter of venous blood was collected from ante-cubital fossa after overnight fasting for 8 h. Semi-automated clinical chemistry analyzer (Temis Linear) was used for biochemical laboratory analysis. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS version-20 software. Binary and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the association between dependent and independent variables. P value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant association. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric patients was 28.9%. Age greater than 30 years old (AOR: 5.2, CI: 2.3, 11.8, P. value < 0.05); being female (AOR: 7.1, CI: 3.3, 15.2, P. value < 0.05); regularly eating high protein and fat (AOR: 3.3, CI: 1.3, 8.2, P. value < 0.056) were independent determinant variables for high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among diabetic patients in the study area. The other independent variables such as family history of hypertension, chewing chat, Psychotropic drugs, duration of treatment, regularly eating fruits and vegetables had no statistically significant association with metabolic syndrome (P. value > 0.05). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: There was high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the psychiatric patients. Therefore; close assessment, management and treatment of metabolic syndrome among patients with psychiatry problem is essential.

Body image perception and its association with body mass index and nutrient intakes among female college students aged 18-35 years from Tabriz, Iran.

PURPOSE: Recent studies have shown that body image perception is an important factor in weight management and can be influenced by several social or cultural factors in Western or non-Western societies; however, body image perception and its nutritional and demographic determinants in Iran have not been extensively studied. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate body image perception and its socio-demographic and nutritional determinants among female university students in Tabriz City of Iran. METHODS: In the current cross-sectional survey, 184 female students aged 18-35 years from Tabriz, Iran, were enrolled. Anthropometric variables including weight, height, waist and hip circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Body image perception and distortion were assessed by Figure Rating Scale (FRS) developed by Stunkard consisting of nine silhouettes. Nutrition intake was assessed by a 3-day 24-h dietary recall method and analyzed by Nutritionist IV software. RESULTS: Most of the participants in the underweight (41.66%), normal weight (67.71%) and overweight (57.14%) categories of BMI selected the thinnest figure as their desirable or ideal body image perception. The total prevalences of body image dissatisfaction and distortion were 51.63% and 64.13%, respectively. Subjects who had undistorted body image perception consumed more time for physical activity and had more night sleeping hours compared with others (P < 0.05). Subjects who perceived themselves as being of normal weight had significantly lower intake of total fat and saturated fatty acids and higher intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) compared with other groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: According to our findings, female participants had a higher tendency to consider thinness as the preferred body image style. Persons with undistorted body image perception had healthy nutritional status compared with others. Due to high prevalence of body image dissatisfaction, the need for appropriate interventional programs to prevent the associated co-morbidities is emphasized.

Central adiposity after breast cancer diagnosis is related to mortality in the Health, Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle study.

We examined whether waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) after breast cancer diagnosis are associated with all-cause or breast cancer-specific mortality and explored potential biological pathways mediating these relationships. Our analysis included 621 women diagnosed with local or regional breast cancer who participated in the Health, Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle study. At 30 (±4) months postdiagnosis, trained staff measured participants' waist and hip circumferences and obtained fasting serum samples for biomarker assays for assays of insulin, glucose, C-peptide, insulin growth factor-1 and binding protein-3, C-reactive protein (CRP), and adiponectin. We estimated multivariate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for death over ~9.5 years of follow-up. After adjustment for measured body mass index, treatment, comorbidities, race/ethnicity, diet quality, and postdiagnosis physical activity, WC was positively associated with all-cause mortality (HRq4:q1: 2.99, 95 % CI 1.14, 7.86) but its positive association with breast cancer-specific mortality was not statistically significant (HRq4:q1: 2.69, 95 % CI 0.69, 12.01). WHR was positively associated with all-cause mortality (HRq4:q1: 2.10, 95 % CI 1.08, 4.05) and breast cancer-specific mortality (HRq4:q1: 4.02, 95 % CI 1.31, 12.31). After adjustment for homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) score and C-reactive protein, risk estimates were attenuated and not statistically significant. In this diverse breast cancer survivor cohort, postdiagnosis WC and WHR were associated with all-cause mortality. Insulin resistance and inflammation may mediate the effects of central adiposity on mortality among breast cancer patients.

Relação entre cintura-quadril e imagem corporal em mulheres de meia-idade e idosas ativas fisicamente / Relationship between waist- hip ratio and body image in middle-aged women and older physically active

O estudo busca relacionar autoimagem com a relação cintura-quadril e avaliar, assim, a satisfação com a autoimagem em mulheres com idade média de 60,5(±11,12) anos. Para avaliar a satisfação com a imagem corporal, usou-se a Escala de Desenhos de Silhuetas de Stunkard, Sorensen e Schulsinger (1983). A maior parte das mulheres está insatisfeita com sua imagem corporal. Intervenções neste grupo se fazem necessárias através de trabalhos psicológicos e nutricionais, além de atividade física.

The study seeks to relate self-image with the waist / hip ratio and thus assess satisfaction with self-image in women with a mean age of 60.5 (± 11.12) years. To assess satisfaction with body image was used to scale drawings of silhouettes of Stunkard, Sorensen and Schulsinger (1983). Most women are dissatisfied with their body image. Interventions in this group are needed through psychological and nutritional studies, in addition to physical activity.

Sexual cognition guides viewing strategies to human figures.

Gaze patterns to figure images have been proposed to reflect the observer's sexual interest, particularly for men. This eye-tracking study investigated how individual differences in sexual motivation tendencies are manifested in naturalistic gaze patterns. Heterosexual men and women (M = 21.0 years, SD = 2.1) free-viewed plain-clothed male and female figures, aged 10, 20, and 40 years old, while their eye movements were recorded. Questionnaires were used to measure sexual cognitions, including sensation seeking and sexual compulsivity, sexual inhibition and excitation, and approach and avoidance responses to sexual stimuli. Our analysis showed a clear role of sexual cognitions in influencing gaze strategies for men. Specifically, men who scored higher on sexual compulsivity dedicated more gaze to the waist-hip region when viewing figures of their preferred sexual partners than men who scored lower on sexual compulsivity. Women's sexual cognitions showed no clear effect on the gaze pattern in viewing figures of their preferred age and gender of sexual partners, suggesting women's gaze is unlikely to be a straightforward reflection of their sexual preferences. The findings further suggest that men's gaze allocation is driven by sexual preferences and supports the utility of eye tracking in the assessment of male sexual interest.

Association analyses of depression, anxiety, and physical fitness parameters in Turkish obese adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the associations among depression, anxiety, aerobic exercise capacity, body fat percentage, sum of skinfolds, abdomen circumference, and waist to hip ratio on the basis of body mass index (BMI) in adults. METHODS: The subjects of the study were 60 obese participants (30 women, 30 men) with BMIs over 30 kg/m{2}and 60 healthy controls (30 women, 30 men) with BMIs of 18-25 kg/m{2}. Body fat percentage was calculated from the skinfold thicknesses using the formula. Body circumference measurements were performed using a tape measure. Maximal aerobic capacity (VO(2)max) was determined by Astrand submaximal exercise protocol. Two self-reported questionnaires, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), were administered to all participants. RESULTS: BMI, body fat percentage, sum of skinfolds, abdomen circumference, and waist to hip ratio were found to be higher in obese groups as compared to the controls, while VO(2)max (ml/kg/min) values were lower in both genders. In males, BAI scores and mild-level anxiety percentage values were higher in the obese group than in the control group. There was no significant difference for BDI scores and levels between the obese and control groups in both genders. There was also no significant difference in BAI scores and levels between the obese and control groups in women. CONCLUSION: The fact that physical fitness being found poor in obese shows the existence of a condition that might constitute an increased tendency for obesity-related disorders. In addition, it was suggested that, in Turkey, attitudes toward obesity change depending on gender.

Comparing apples and pears: women's perceptions of their body size and shape.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing public health problem among reproductive-aged women, with consequences for chronic disease risk and reproductive and obstetric morbidities. Evidence also suggests that body shape (i.e., regional fat distribution) may be independently associated with risk, yet it is not known if women adequately perceive their shape. This study aimed to assess the validity of self-reported body size and shape figure drawings when compared to anthropometric measures among reproductive-aged women. METHODS: Self-reported body size was ascertained using the Stunkard nine-level figures and self-reported body shape using stylized pear, hourglass, rectangle, and apple figures. Anthropometry was performed by trained researchers. Body size and body mass index (BMI) were compared using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Fat distribution indicators were compared across body shapes for nonobese and obese women using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's exact test. Percent agreement and kappa statistics were computed for apple and pear body shapes. RESULTS: The 131 women studied were primarily Caucasian (81%), aged 32 years, with a mean BMI of 27.1 kg/m(2) (range 16.6-52.8 kg/m(2)). The correlation between body size and BMI was 0.85 (p<0.001). Among nonobese women, waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) were 0.75, 0.75, 0.80, and 0.82 for pear, hourglass, rectangle, and apple, respectively (p<0.001). Comparing apples and pears, the percent agreement (kappa) for WHR≥0.80 was 83% (0.55). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported size and shape were consistent with anthropometric measures commonly used to assess obesity and fat distribution, respectively. Self-reported body shape may be a useful proxy measure in addition to body size in large-scale surveys.

Automatic attention towards face or body as a function of mating motivation.

Because women's faces and bodies carry different cues of reproductive value, men may attend to different perceptual cues as functions of their long-term versus short-term mating motivations. We tested this hypothesis in three experiments on 135 male and 132 female participants. When influenced by short-term rather than long-term mating motivations, men's attention was captured by (Study 1), was shifted to (Study 2), and was distracted by (Study 3) the waist/hip area rather than the face on photographs of attractive women. Similar effects were not found among the female participants in response to photographs of attractive men. These results support the evolutionary view that, similar to the attentional selectivity found in other domains of life, male perceptual attention has evolved to selectively capture and hold reproductive information about the opposite sex as a function of short-term versus long-term mating goals.

Physical cues of ovulatory status: a failure to replicate enhanced facial attractiveness and reduced waist-to-hip ratio at high fertility.

We investigated women's facial attractiveness and body shape as a function of menstrual cycle phase, with the expectation from previous research that both would be enhanced during the high fertile phase. To control for the effects of women's daily behaviors on their appearance and waistline, we visited 37 normally cycling women twice in their dorm, where we photographed and measured them at low and high fertile days of their cycle immediately upon their waking. Seventy-four judges from a separate institution chose, for each woman, the picture they thought was more attractive. We analyzed a subset of 20 women who, by forward counting, had a High Fertility visit between Days 10-13 and a Low Fertility visit between Days 20-23; and we also analyzed a subsample of 17 women who, by reverse counting, had a High Fertility visit on the days leading to ovulation and a Low Fertility visit one week after ovulation. In neither set of analyses were women's waist- to-hip ratios lower nearer ovulation, and in neither set were women's high fertile pictures chosen at an above-chance rate by either male or female judges. We did not find evidence that facial attractiveness and waist-to-hip ratio are reliable physical cues of ovulatory status.

Men's preferences for women's profile waist-to-hip ratio, breast size, and ethnic group in Britain and South Africa.

One particular aspect of the literature on preferences for female body shapes has focused on the purported universality of preferences for a low waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), despite substantial evidence of cross-cultural variability in such preferences. In the present study, we examined the effects of manipulating women's profile WHR, breast size, and ethnicity on men's ratings of physical attractiveness and health. A total of 51 African men in South Africa, 56 British Africans, and 114 British Caucasians rated 12 line drawings that varied in two levels of ethnicity, three levels of WHR, and two levels of breast size. Overall, the results suggested that there were cross-cultural differences in preferred body shape, with the preferred body configuration varying as a function of the ethnicity of the figure being rated. In addition, there was a strong positive correlation between ratings of attractiveness and health. These findings are discussed in relation to the interplay between culture and evolution in determining ideals of attractiveness.

Drive for thinness and attention toward specific body parts in a nonclinical sample.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the differences between participants scoring high versus low on a drive for thinness construct concerning their visual attention toward specific body parts. We hypothesized that participants scoring high on the drive for thinness subscale would show increased attention to body regions, which are important in the assessment of body weight and thinness like the waist, hips, legs, and arms. METHOD: We examined eye-gaze behavior of a nonclinical sample of 51 male and female college students with an eye-tracking system as they were looking at pictures of young, attractive males and females. In addition, we used the Eating Disorder Inventory to measure drive for thinness. RESULTS: Participants with increased scores on the drive for thinness subscale looked longer and more often to the waist, hips, legs, and arms as compared with low scorers. In addition, they showed decreased attention toward the head or face. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that participants scoring high on drive for thinness show an attentional bias toward body regions that are associated with assessing changes in weight. However, they neglected the face, which is the most important source of social and affective information when looking at others.

Perceptions of female body weight and shape among indigenous and urban Europeans.

Two important cues to female physical attractiveness are body mass index (BMI) and body shape as measured by the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). This study examined the relative contribution of both cues in three culturally distinct populations. A total of 119 Finnish, Sámi and British male observers rated a set of un-edited photographs of women with known BMI and WHR. The results showed that there were significant differences in preferences for physical attractiveness, with the indigenous Sámi preferring figures with larger BMIs and more tolerant of heavyweight figures than either Finnish participants in Helsinki or Britons in London, who were indistinguishable in their preferences for slim figures. The findings are discussed in terms of evolutionary psychological explanations of mate selection, and sociocultural theories which emphasizes the learning of preferences for body sizes in social and cultural contexts.

The relative influence of facial neoteny and waist-to-hip ratio on judgements of female attractiveness and fecundity.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) affects perceptions of female physical attractiveness and fecundity. This study tested the assumption that facial attractiveness explained more variance in overall ratings and fecundity than WHR, when the latter is manipulated within the normal range (0.67 - 0.85). One hundred and sixty-one participants (mean age = 21.5) rated the attractiveness, youthfulness, fertility, healthiness and likelihood of being pregnant for 27 photographs of three females in which facial attractiveness in terms of neoteny (three levels) and WHR (three levels) had been systematically digitally manipulated. Facial attractiveness exerted a significant influence on judgements of attractiveness, youthfulness, fertility and healthiness, whereas WHR only affected likelihood of being pregnant. Results are interpreted in terms of neotenous facial attractiveness providing potential mates with information concerning phenotypic and genetic quality.

Playboy Playmate curves: changes in facial and body feature preferences across social and economic conditions.

Past research has investigated ideals of beauty and how these ideals have changed across time. In the current study, facial and body characteristics of Playboy Playmates of the Year from 1960-2000 were identified and investigated to explore their relationships with U.S. social and economic factors. Playmate of the Year age, body feature measures, and facial feature measurements were correlated with a general measure of social and economic hard times. Consistent with Environmental Security Hypothesis predictions, when social and economic conditions were difficult, older, heavier, taller Playboy Playmates of the Year with larger waists, smaller eyes, larger waist-to-hip ratios, smaller bust-to-waist ratios, and smaller body mass index values were selected. These results suggest that environmental security may influence perceptions and preferences for women with certain body and facial features.