Social, economic and demographic correlates of overweight and obesity in primary-school children: preliminary data from the Healthy Growth Study.

OBJECTIVE: To record the prevalence of overweight and obesity in urban primary-school children in relation to several socio-economic and demographic factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING/SUBJECTS: A representative sample of 729 schoolchildren (379 male and 350 female), aged 9-13 years, stratified by parental educational level, was examined in the urban region of Athens. Weight and height were measured using standard procedures. The International Obesity Task Force thresholds were used for the definition of overweight and obesity. Several socio-economic and demographic data and the child's 'popularity' score were also recorded with specifically designed standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 29·6 % and 11·1 %, respectively. Annual family income of € 12,000-20,000 (OR = 1·58), residence ownership (OR = 1·63) and the grandmother as the child's primary caregiver (OR = 1·38) were significantly associated with higher odds of childhood overweight and obesity. Non-Greek parental nationality (OR = 0·72) and higher 'popularity' scores of children (OR = 0·42) were significantly associated with lower odds of overweight and obesity. The grandmother as the child's primary caregiver and an annual family income of € 12,000-20,000 remained significantly associated with childhood overweight and obesity after adding all significant correlates of childhood overweight and obesity observed at the bivariate level in a multivariate regression model (OR = 1·51 and 1·61, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among family income, residence ownership, child's primary caregiver, parental nationality and popularity scores that were identified as significant correlates of childhood overweight and obesity at the bivariate level, lower family income and grandmother as the child's primary caregiver were the only factors that remained significantly associated with childhood overweight and obesity at a multivariate level.

Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and body composition in postmenopausal women: the postmenopausal Health Study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the association between body composition measurements, using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and anthropometry, with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in nonosteoporotic, postmenopausal women. METHODS: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone, insulin-like growth factor I levels, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements of fat and fat-free mass, anthropometric and handgrip strength measurements, dietary intake estimations, ultraviolet B radiation exposure, and physical activity levels were collected from 112 nonosteoporotic, postmenopausal women (age, 60.3 +/- 5.0 y; body mass index, 29.5 +/- 4.8 kg/m). RESULTS: At a bivariate level, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were inversely associated with regional and total body fat mass (P < 0.05), whereas positive associations were observed with regional and total body fat-free mass (P < 0.05). After controlling for age, serum intact parathyroid hormone, insulin-like growth factor I levels, ultraviolet B radiation exposure, and physical activity levels, most of the associations observed at a bivariate level between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and body composition indices (as obtained by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) remained significant. No significant associations were observed between anthropometric indices of body mass and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. CONCLUSIONS: An independent inverse association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements of total body and regional fat mass was observed in nonosteoporotic, overweight, postmenopausal women. Further clinical trials are required to come to safe conclusions on whether it is the fat mass that affects serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels or vice versa and whether there is a need to also take into account body composition when providing recommendations for vitamin D intake in postmenopausal women.

Changes in body composition following a dietary and lifestyle intervention trial: the postmenopausal health study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether dietary changes and the consumption of dairy products fortified with calcium and vitamin D3 versus the use of a calcium supplement alone could have any effect on anthropometric and body composition indices of postmenopausal women over a 12-month period. METHODS: 101 healthy postmenopausal women were randomized to a dietary intervention group (DG: n=39), receiving approximately 1200 mg of calcium and 7.5 microg of vitamin D3 per day via fortified dairy products and attending biweekly dietary and lifestyle intervention sessions; a calcium supplemented group (CaG: n=26) receiving a total of 1200 mg calcium per day; and a control group who continued with their usual diet (CG: n=36). Dietary, physical activity, anthropometric, body composition and distribution (based on DXA) data were collected at baseline and after 12 months of intervention. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in the mean 12-month changes in certain anthropometric (i.e. weight, BMI) and DXA (i.e. total body fat and lean mass) indices between groups. However, the DG was found to have a lower decrease in mid-arm muscle circumference (P<0.001) and a lower increase in the sum of skinfolds' thickness (P=0.042) compared with the CaG and the CG. Furthermore, the DG was also found to have a greater decrease in the percentage of legs' fat mass (P=0.025) and a higher increase in the percentage of legs' lean mass (P=0.012) compared with the two other groups. CONCLUSION: The application of a holistic intervention approach combining nutrition and lifestyle counseling with consumption of fortified dairy products for 12 months was found to have favourable changes in certain anthropometric and body composition indices compared to calcium supplementation alone.

Nutrition education in postmenopausal women: changes in dietary and cardiovascular indices.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to examine whether a diet rich in dairy products followed by a nutrition education program for the prevention of osteoporosis could have any adverse effect on certain cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors over a 5-month intervention period. METHODS: A total sample of 82 women (55-65 years old) was randomized to a dietary intervention group (IG: n=42), attending biweekly nutrition education program and provided with low-fat, fortified dairy products and to a control group (CG: n=40). Changes in dietary, biochemical and clinical indices related to CVD were determined at the end of the 5-month intervention period. RESULTS: The IG was found to have a higher decrease in the percentage of energy intake derived from total fat and a higher increase in the intake of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium compared to the CG (p<0.05). Furthermore, the IG subjects were found to have a lower increase in BMI (0.7+/-0.1 versus 1.4+/-0.2 Kg/m(2), p=0.011) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (2.5+/-2.9 versus 7.8+/-2.2 mmHg, p=0.040) and a higher decrease in serum total cholesterol (-5.2+/-3.3 versus 6.9+/-5.1 mg/dl, p=0.042) and LDL-cholesterol levels (-20.0+/-2.6 versus -12.4+/-4.2 mg/dl, p=0.034) compared to the CG. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the current study indicate that a dietary intervention aiming to minimize the risk for osteoporosis did not have any adverse effects on CVD risk factors. On the contrary, it has induced favourable changes in BMI, serum lipids and SBP.