Cumulative Cigarette Consumption is Associated with Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) Mediated by Abdominal Obesity Assessed by A Body Shape Index (ABSI): A Cross-Sectional Study.

AIM: To elucidate the mechanism by which cigarette smoking causes vascular damage, we examined the relationship between cumulative cigarette consumption and abdominal obesity, and the possible mediating effect of smoking on arterial stiffness. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 19499 never smokers and 5406 current smokers receiving health screening was analyzed. Abdominal obesity was assessed by ABSI, and arterial stiffness by CAVI. High CAVI was defined as CAVI ≥ 9.0. RESULTS: Current smoker showed higher ABSI than never smokers after propensity score matching. Cumulative cigarette consumption expressed in pack-years correlated with ABSI (Rs: 0.312 in men, 0.252 in women), and was also extracted as an independent factor associated with ABSI by multiple regression analysis. A linear relationship between pack-year and CAVI was observed (Rs: 0.544 in men, 0.423 in women). Pack-year had almost equal discriminatory power in predicting high CAVI in both sexes (C-statistic: 0.774 in men, 0.747 in women), and the best cut-offs of pack-year for high CAVI were 24.5 in men and 14.7 in women. Bivariate logistic regression models revealed that the association between pack-year higher than cut-off and high CAVI was independent of traditional risks. A mediating effect of ABSI (mediation rate: 9.9% in men and 11.2% in women), but not waist circumference (WC), on the association of pack-year with CAVI was observed, after adjusting for traditional risks. CONCLUSION: Cumulative cigarette smoking in pack-years was independently associated with ABSI. ABSI partially mediates the association between pack-year and CAVI, suggesting that abdominal obesity partially mediates smoking-related vascular dysfunction.

Multivariate Concavity Amplitude Index (MCAI) for characterizing Heschl's gyrus shape.

Heschl's gyrus (HG), which includes primary auditory cortex, is highly variable in its shape (i.e. gyrification patterns), between hemispheres and across individuals. Differences in HG shape have been observed in the context of phonetic learning skill and expertise, and of professional musicianship, among others. Two of the most common configurations of HG include single HG, where a single transverse temporal gyrus is present, and common stem duplications (CSD), where a sulcus intermedius (SI) arises from the lateral aspect of HG. Here we describe a new toolbox, called 'Multivariate Concavity Amplitude Index' (MCAI), which automatically assesses the shape of HG. MCAI works on the output of TASH, our first toolbox which automatically segments HG, and computes continuous indices of concavity, which arise when sulci are present, along the outer perimeter of an inflated representation of HG, in a directional manner. Thus, MCAI provides a multivariate measure of shape, which is reproducible and sensitive to small variations in shape. We applied MCAI to structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of N=181 participants, including professional and amateur musicians and from non-musicians. Former studies have shown large variations in HG shape in the former groups. We validated MCAI by showing high correlations between the dominant (i.e. highest) lateral concavity values and continuous visual assessments of the degree of lateral gyrification of the first gyrus. As an application of MCAI, we also replicated previous visually obtained findings showing a higher likelihood of bilateral CSDs in musicians. MCAI opens a wide range of applications in evaluating HG shape in the context of individual differences, expertise, disorder and genetics.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Zinc Nanoparticles Prepared by Different Green Methods on Egg Production, Egg Quality, Bone Mineralization, and Antioxidant Capacity in Caged Layers.

The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of dietary zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles synthesized by different plant extracts on egg production, egg quality, bone mineralization, and antioxidant capacity in caged layers. Nanoparticles of ZnO were synthesized by using extracts of Allium sativum (AS), Aloe vera (AV), Curcuma longa (CL), and Zingiber officinale (ZO). Different sources of nano ZnO (AS, AV, CL, and ZO) with varying levels (35, 70, or 105 ppm) were tested on 288 caged LSL layers of 25 weeks of age. Each diet was offered to 4 replicates of 6 birds each level and the duration of trial was 8 weeks. Daily egg production, feed consumption, and fortnightly egg quality parameters were recorded. Egg quality parameters (egg weight, egg mass, shape index, yolk index, albumen index, Haugh unit score, specific gravity, and eggshell thickness) were determined fortnightly by taking 2 eggs from each replicate randomly. Antioxidant capacity and bone mineralization were determined at the end of the trial. Results showed that the nano ZnO preparations were not effective (P < 0.05) on laying performance but additional levels (70 ppm) improved egg production, feed conversion ratio, egg mass, Haugh unit score, and antioxidant capacity of chickens. An interaction was found among nanoparticles prepared by Allium sativum and Zingiber officianale extracts with 70 ppm level regarding total antioxidant capacity and egg production (P > 0.05). Interaction among source and level was not found regarding feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg quality, bone characteristics, and concentration of Zn. Results of the present study suggest that nano ZnO sources may not be a factor that affects performance, but level affects the birds' physiology. Thus, it is concluded that nano ZnO with 70 ppm concentration is sufficient to optimize the laying performance.

Association of novel and conventional obesity indices with colorectal cancer risk in older Chinese: a 14-year follow-up of the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Visceral adiposity index (VAI) and a body shape index (ABSI) were newly developed indices for visceral fat mass. Whether they are superior to conventional obesity indices in predicting colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. We examined the associations of VAI and ABSI with CRC risk, and investigated their performance in discriminating CRC risk compared with conventional obesity indices in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. METHODS: A total of 28,359 participants aged 50 + years without cancer history at baseline (2003-8) were included. CRC were identified from the Guangzhou Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association of obesity indices with the CRC risk. Discriminative abilities of obesity indices were assessed using Harrell's C-statistic. RESULTS: During an average follow-up of 13.9 (standard deviation = 3.6) years, 630 incident CRC cases were recorded. After adjusting for potential confounders, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of incident CRC for per standard deviation increment in VAI, ABSI, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was 1.04 (0.96, 1.12), 1.13 (1.04, 1.22), 1.08 (1.00, 1.17), 1.15 (1.06, 1.24), 1.16 (1.08, 1.25)and 1.13 (1.04, 1.22), respectively. Similar results for colon cancer were found. However, the associations of obesity indices with risk of rectal cancer were non-significant. All obesity indices showed similar discriminative abilities (C-statistics from 0.640 to 0.645), with WHR showing the highest whilst VAI and BMI the lowest. CONCLUSIONS: ABSI, but not VAI, was positively associated with a higher risk of CRC. However, ABSI was not superior to the conventional abdominal obesity indices in predicting CRC.

Central obesity as assessed by conicity index and a-body shape index associates with cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in kidney failure patients.

Background: Anthropometric indices of central obesity, waist circumference (WC), conicity index (CI), and a-body shape index (ABSI), are prognostic indicators of cardiovascular (CV) risk. The association of CI and ABSI with other CV risk indices, markers of nutritional status and inflammation, and clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 (CKD5) patients was investigated. Methods: In a cross-sectional study with longitudinal follow up of 203 clinically stable patients with CKD5 (median age 56 years; 68% males, 17% diabetics, 22% with CV disease, and 39% malnourished), we investigated CI and ABSI and their associations with atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), Framingham CV risk score (FRS), Agatston scoring of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and aortic valve calcium (AVC), handgrip strength (HGS), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). CV events (CVE) and all-cause mortality during up to 10-years follow up were analyzed by multivariate survival analysis of restricted mean survival time (RMST). Results: Chronic kidney disease patients with middle and highest CI and ABSI tertiles (indicating greater abdominal fat deposition), compared to those with the lowest CI and ABSI tertiles, tended to be older, more often men and diabetic, had significantly higher levels of hsCRP, IL-6, AIP, FRS, CAC and AVC scores. CI and ABSI were positively correlated with CAC, FRS, AIP, hsCRP and IL-6. Both CI and ABSI were negatively correlated with HGS. In age-weighted survival analysis, higher CI and ABSI were associated with higher risk of CVE (Wald test = 4.92, p = 0.027; Wald test = 4.95, p = 0.026, respectively) and all-cause mortality (Wald test = 5.24, p = 0.022; Wald test = 5.19, p = 0.023, respectively). In RMST analysis, low vs. high and middle tertiles of CI and ABSI associated with prolonged CVE-free time and death-free time, and these differences between groups increased over time. Conclusion: Abdominal fat deposit indices, CI and ABSI, predicted CV outcomes and all-cause mortality, and were significantly associated with the inflammatory status in CKD patients.

Relationship between novel anthropometric indices and the incidence of hypertension in Chinese individuals: a prospective cohort study based on the CHNS from 1993 to 2015.

BACKGROUND: Recently, novel anthropometric indices (AHIs), including the body roundness index (BRI) and a body shape index (ABSI), were proposed to evaluate a subject's nutritional status and metabolic disorders. In the present study, we mainly analyzed the relationship between AHIs and the incidence of hypertension and preliminarily compared their abilities to discriminate hypertension incidence in the Chinese population from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). METHODS: A total of 12,154 participants were included in this longitudinal study. The age range of this cohort was 18-94 years old (mean age: 40.73 ± 13.85 years old). 4511 participants developed hypertension during a median of 7.00 years of follow-up. Cox regression analysis, stratified analysis, and interaction tests were used to analyze the relationship between AHIs and the incidence of hypertension. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and net reclassification index (NRI) were calculated to appraise the AHIs' discrimination value of new-onset hypertension. RESULTS: Kaplan‒Meier curves demonstrated that the participants in higher quartiles of AHIs (ABSI or BRI) at baseline were at greater risk of hypertension incidence during the follow-up. After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate Cox regression models showed that the quartiles of BRI were significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension in the whole cohort but were relatively weak for ABSI quartiles (P for trend = 0.387). In addition, ABSI z score (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04-1.11) and BRI z score (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.23-1.30) were positively associated with increased incident hypertension in the total population. Stratified analysis and interaction tests showed a greater risk of new-onset hypertension in those < 40 years old (HR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.35-1.50) for each z score increase in BRI and a higher incidence of hypertension in participants who were drinkers (HR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.14) for each z score increase in ABSI. In addition, we observed that the area under the curve for identifying hypertension incidence for BRI was significantly higher than that for ABSI at 4, 7, 11, 12, and 15 years (all P < 0.05). However, the AUC of both indices decreased over time. Furthermore, the addition of BRI improved the differentiation and reclassification of traditional risk factors with a continuous NRI of 0.201 (95% CI: 0.169-0.228) and an IDI of 0.021 (95% CI: 0.015-0.028). CONCLUSION: Increased ABSI and BRI were associated with an increased risk of hypertension in Chinese individuals. BRI performed better than ABSI in identifying the new onset of hypertension, and the discrimination ability of both indices decreased over time.

The relationship of reproductive factors with adiposity and body shape indices changes overtime: findings from a community-based study.

BACKGROUND: Studies focusing on the relationships of adiposity and body shape indices with reproductive factors have reported conflicting results. This study aimed to investigate the influence of reproductive factors on adiposity and body shape indices changes overtime. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this community-based prospective study, 1636 postmenopausal women were selected from Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). The unadjusted and adjusted Generalized Estimating Equation models (GEE) were applied to investigate secular longitudinal trends of adiposity and body shape indices. RESULTS: According to the adjusted GEE models, mean changes in body mass index (BMI) in women with early menarche was 1.18 kg/m2 higher than those with normal menarche age (P = 0.030). Moreover, the mean changes in BMI overtime were 0.11 kg/m2 higher in women with premature/early menopausal age than those with normal menopausal age (P = 0.012). Mean changes of waist circumference (WC) in women with late menopause were 2.27 cm higher than those with normal menopausal age (P = 0.036). We also observed higher mean changes in a body shape index (ABSI) in women with late menopause (P = 0.037), compared to those with normal menopausal age. We found a marginal effect of parity on BMI and WC as well. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated higher BMI in females with earlier menarche age. We also showed higher values of BMI overtime in women with premature/ early menopause, whereas women with late menopausal age had higher WC and ABSI values. However, more longitudinal studies investigating body composition indices by adjusting all potential confounders are still required to confirm our study findings.

Sex- and age-specific differences in associations of a body shape index with all-cause and cardiovascular death risks among US adults with diabetes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Evidence regarding the effect of body shape index (ABSI) on mortality is scarce among individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Herein, we explored the relationships between ABSI and all-cause and cardiovascular death risks among US individuals with DM. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 4657 US adults with DM were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2014) who had baseline waist circumference, height, and weight data. ABSI was calculated as [Formula: see text] and the survival information of patients was available from recruitment until 2015 utilizing the national death index. We employed Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the association of ABSI with survival. A total of 817 adults with DM died after a median follow-up period of 5.6 years, with an annual all-cause death rate per 1000 person-years of 30.0 [95% CI, 28.0-32.1]. Continuous ABSI z score was positively and significantly associated with all-cause mortality with adjustment for potential confounders (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06-1.28). ABSI tended to show a higher all-cause and CVD (cardiovascular disease) mortality among men (HR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.19-1.53 and HR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.12-1.87, respectively) and patients younger than 60 years (HR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.16-1.80 and HR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.09-2.53, respectively). Statistically significant interactions were found between the ABSI and both sex and age for total mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Among US adults with DM from NHANES, ABSI exhibited a linear and positive relationship with total and CVD mortality risk, especially in men and younger patients.

Comparative analysis of physical, morphological, and mechanical characteristics of eggs from three pheasant subspecies.

The profitability of pheasants breeding is influenced by many factors, but eggs quality is considered as the backbone for successful pheasant breeding. The objective of this study was to determine and compare various quality characteristics (physical, morphological, and mechanical) of eggs from three pheasant subspecies: common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus colchicus), Mongolian pheasant (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus), and black pheasant (Phasianus colchicus vs. tenebrosus). A total sample of 180 eggs (60 eggs of each pheasant subspecies) was collected from pheasant hens kept in aviaries in their first year of production (43-47 wk of age). The average weight and volume of eggs from common pheasants was significantly lower (P ˂ 0.05) than those from Mongolian and black pheasants. No significant differences between three pheasant subspecies were observed in albumen and yolk weight and percentage, while egg shell weight and percentage were significantly higher (P < 0.01) at eggs from black pheasants. In comparison to eggs from Mongolian and common pheasants, eggs from black pheasants had the thickest shell and the highest shell strength and required highest force to egg breaking. The values of breaking force and other mechanical characteristics depend on the direction of the loading force during egg compression. The data obtained by evaluating certain characteristics of egg quality can be useful to breeders when choosing a pheasant subspecies, as well as for choosing quality eggs for hatching and their storage.

Modeling the role of land conversion on the spread of an epizootic disease.

Land conversion and the resulting contact between domesticated and wild species has arguably been the single largest contributor to the emergence of novel epizootic and zoonotic diseases in the past century. An unintended consequence of these interactions is zoonotic or epizootic disease spillovers from wild species to humans and their domesticates. Disease spillovers are edge effects of land conversion and are sensitive to the size and shape of converted areas. We combine spatial metrics from landscape ecology with theoretical epidemiological models to understand how the size and shape of land conversion affect epizootic and zoonotic disease transmission of single and two species populations. We show that the less compact the converted area, and the greater the depth of the contact zone, the more rapidly will an introduced disease spread through the domesticated population.

A Body Shape Index (ABSI) as a Variant of Conicity Index Not Affected by the Obesity Paradox: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Arterial Stiffness Parameter.

A body shape index (ABSI) is an abdominal obesity index developed based on epidemiological statistics and designed to correlate minimally with body mass index (BMI). We examined the approximation between ABSI and other abdominal obesity indices based on biophysical concepts. The cross-sectional data from 62,514 Japanese urban residents were analyzed. Body adiposity indices comprising BMI, waist circumference (WC), ABSI, conicity index (CI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and WC/BMI ratio were examined. ABSI and CI more strongly correlated with age and arterial stiffness assessed by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) compared to the other indices. The discriminative power for high CAVI (≥9.0) was the strongest for ABSI followed by CI and other indices, in that order. The range and distribution of WC corresponding to the cutoff of ABSI (0.0801), or CI (1.23) seemed reasonable. The correlation between ABSI and CI was the strongest compared to any other combination of indices. CI correlated moderately with BMI, whereas ABSI correlated minimally with BMI. ABSI correlates strongly and approximates closely with CI. Hence, ABSI may be considered to reflect the degree of body shape change from cylindricity to conicity and is currently the only abdominal obesity index not affected by the obesity paradox.

Solanum lycopersicum CLASS-II KNOX genes regulate fruit anatomy via gibberellin-dependent and independent pathways.

The pericarp is the predominant tissue determining the structural characteristics of most fruits. However, the molecular and genetic mechanisms controlling pericarp development remain only partially understood. Previous studies have identified that CLASS-II KNOX genes regulate fruit size, shape, and maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum. Here we characterized the roles of the Solanum lycopersicum CLASS-II KNOX (TKN-II) genes in pericarp development via a detailed histological, anatomical, and karyotype analysis of the TKN-II mRNA-knockdown (35S:amiR-TKN-II) fruits. We identify that 35S:amiR-TKN-II pericarps contain more cells around their equatorial perimeter and fewer cell layers than the control. In addition, the cell sizes but not the ploidy levels of these pericarps were dramatically reduced. Further, we demonstrate that fruit shape and pericarp layer number phenotypes of the 35S:amiR-TKN-II fruits can be overridden by the procera mutant, known to induce a constitutive response to the plant hormone gibberellin. However, neither the procera mutation nor exogenous gibberellin application can fully rescue the reduced pericarp width and cell size phenotype of 35S:amiR-TKN-II pericarps. Our findings establish that TKN-II genes regulate tomato fruit anatomy, acting via gibberellin to control fruit shape but utilizing a gibberellin-independent pathway to control the size of pericarp cells.

The Use of Different Anthropometric Indices to Assess the Body Composition of Young Women in Relation to the Incidence of Obesity, Sarcopenia and the Premature Mortality Risk.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the stratification of young women based on the assessment of body composition according to several currently recommended anthropometric indices and parameters, as well as the presence of obesity, sarcopenic obesity and the risk of premature death. Three hundred and three young Caucasian women aged 18-25 years were included in the cross-sectional observational study. For the purposes of the study, we used the bioelectrical impedance method and applied the obtained data to calculate indices defining obesity, sarcopenic obesity and premature mortality risk (ABSI z-score). We found significant differences between indicators of total and abdominal obesity when determining the rate of risk of premature death and diagnosis of obesity. Our results also suggest that FMI and FM/FFM indices correlate excellently with fat mass and visceral adipose tissue, better than BMI. Even in the case of abdominal obesity, FMI appears to correlate relatively strongly, more so than BMI. The results of the study support the opinion that in the assessment of body composition and health status, the presence of obesity (sarcopenic obesity) and the risk of premature death, anthropometric parameters and indices focusing not only on body weight (BMI, ABSI), but also on the proportionality and distribution of fat (WC, WHR, WHtR, VFA) and muscle tissue (FFMI, SMMI, FM/FFM ratio) should be used.

Serum Folate Related to Five Measurements of Obesity and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Korean Adults.

This study investigated the effects of folic acid on obesity and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII 2016-2018), 6394 adults (aged 19-80 years) who met the study criteria were identified and divided into young, middle-aged, and older adult groups. The analysis assessed associations using logistic regression for complex samples. Obesity was measured using body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), a body shape index (ABSI), and body roundness index (BRI). The odds ratio (OR) of obesity based on BMI were statistically significant for young adults and older participants with low levels of folic acid compared to those with high levels (OR: 1.33 and 1.58, respectively). The OR of obesity based on BMI, WC, WHtR, ABSI, and BRI was significant with low levels of folic acid in middle-aged individuals (OR: 1.36, 1.32, 1.41, 1.29, and 1.47, respectively). Low folate levels were related to higher high-sensitivity CRP levels in middle-aged patients. In conclusion, folate level showed a significant inverse association with obesity and inflammatory biomarkers, especially in the middle-aged group. Further longitudinal or randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm and expand our results.

A Body Shape Index and Aortic Disease-Related Mortality in Japanese General Population.

AIMS: Aortic diseases (ADs), including aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm, and aortic rupture, are fatal, with extremely high mortality rates. A body shape index (ABSI), an anthropometric measure calculated as waist circumference adjusted by height and weight, improves the predictive capacity for mortality. However, whether ABSI is a risk factor for AD-related mortality in the general population remains unclear. METHODS: We used a nationwide database of 630,842 individuals (aged 40-75 years) who participated in the annual "Specific Health Check and Guidance in Japan" between 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: During the follow-up period of 3.8 years, 159 AD-related deaths occurred, including 105 aortic dissections and 54 aortic aneurysm ruptures. The subjects were divided into three groups based on ABSI tertiles. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the 3rd tertile (with the highest ABSI) had the greatest risk among the three groups. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis demonstrated that ABSI was significantly associated with AD-related death after adjusting for confounding risk factors. Neither waist circumference nor body mass index consistently predicted AD-related death in the multivariate model. The prediction capacity was significantly improved by the addition of ABSI to the confounding risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated for the first time that ABSI, a surrogate marker for abdominal visceral fat tissue, was associated with AD-related deaths in the general population, suggesting the importance of central adiposity in the development of AD.

Urban Form and Function Optimization for Reducing Carbon Emissions Based on Crowd-Sourced Spatio-Temporal Data.

The low-carbon city has become an important global urban development-oriented goal. One important aspect of urban space is low-carbon urban planning, which has a vital role in urban carbon emissions. Which types of urban form and function allocations are conducive to reducing carbon emissions is therefore a key issue. In this study, the Futian and Luohu Districts of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, are taken as an example to investigate this issue. Firstly, a "head/tail" breaks method based on the third fractal theory is adopted to obtain the minimum evaluation parcel of urban space. Then, the Landscape Shape Index (LSI), Fragmentation Index (C), Shannon's Diversity Index (SHDI), and Density of Public Facilities (Den) are used to evaluate the form and function allocation of each parcel. In addition, the CO2 concentration distribution in this study area is acquired from remote sensing satellite data. Finally, the relationships between urban form, function allocation, and CO2 concentration are obtained. The results show that the lower the urban form index or the higher the urban function index, the less the CO2 concentration. To verify this conclusion, three experiments are designed and carried out. In experiment A, the CO2 concentration of the tested area is reduced by 14.31% by decreasing the LSI and C by 6.1% and 9.4%, respectively. In experiment B, the CO2 concentration is reduced by 15.15% by increasing the SHDI and Den by 16.3% and 12.1%, respectively. In experiment C, the CO2 concentration is reduced by 27.72% when the urban form and function are adjusted in the same was as in experiments A and B.

Various Obesity Indices and Arterial Function Evaluated with CAVI - Is Waist Circumference Adequate to Define Metabolic Syndrome?

Obesity has been known to relate to various diseases and metabolic disorders. Since the implication of body shape has been mentioned, obesity can be divided into visceral obesity and subcutaneous obesity. The former is considered the upstream pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and has been emphasized worldwide for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the last quarter century. However, some prospective studies have shown that cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are not necessarily higher in patients with MetS compared to those without. Recently, cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) has been established as an indicator of arteriosclerosis. This parameter is independent of blood pressure at the measuring time, and reflects systemic arterial stiffness from the aortic origin to the ankle. However, since CAVI is not necessarily high in MetS patients, attempts have been made to clarify this unexpected phenomenon. In several studies, CAVI was found to correlate negatively with body mass index (BMI), and also with waist circumference (WC) which is a widely used representative visceral obesity index. On the other hand, a body shape index (ABSI) is also a visceral obesity index designed to be minimally associated with BMI, and is calculated by dividing WC by an allometric regression of weight and height. Replacing high WC with high ABSI in MetS diagnosis promoted the identification of MetS patients with increased CAVI in cross-sectional studies on Japanese and Korean populations. Additionally, the incidence of MetS diagnosed using high ABSI was associated with significant increase in CAVI after 1 year of observation. Enhanced predictive ability for renal function decline by replacing WC with ABSI in MetS diagnosis was also observed in a longitudinal study in Japanese urban residents. These findings suggest that MetS diagnosis using high ABSI instead of high WC as a visceral obesity index needs to be reconsidered. However, further research is desirable on Caucasian, whose body shape differs slightly from that of Asians.

Anthropometric indices and cut-off points for screening of metabolic syndrome among South African taxi drivers.

Background: Detecting the early onset of metabolic syndrome (MetS) allows for quick intervention which may slow progression to a variety of health consequences, hence, determining the best measurement to detect MetS is essential. Aim: This research aimed at examining the MetS predictive power of anthropometric indices, such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), percentage body fat (%BF), conicity index (CI), and Clínica Universidad de Navarra-body adiposity estimator (CUN-BAE) to determine the cut-off points to identify male South African taxi drivers with MetS. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 185 male taxi drivers. Their weight, height, WC, blood lipid profile were measured. International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition was used to define MetS. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the predictive ability of Anthropometric indices to detect MetS. Results: The mean age of the participants was 39.84 years. Overall, 41.6% (N = 77) of the participants presented with MetS. The mean values for BMI, WC, WHtR, %BF, BRI, CUN-BAE, ABSI and CI were 28.60 ± 6.20 kg/m2, 99.13 ± 17.59 cm, 0.58 ± 0.10, 27.28 ± 8.28%, 5.09 ± 2.33, 27.78 ± 8.34, 0.08 ± 0.01 and 1.70 ± 0.19, respectively. The mean values for these indices were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in participants with MetS. The highest area under the curve (AUC) outcomes for screening MetS were for the %BF and CUN-BAE, followed by the BMI and WHtR, and lastly the BRI. All these anthropometric indices had outstanding discriminatory powers for predicting MetS with AUCs and sensitivity values above 80%. The BMI, WHtR, %BF, BRI, and CUN-BAE, had cut-off points for detection of metS in South African men at 28.25 kg/m2, 0.55, 25.29%, 4.55, and 27.10, respectively. Based on the logistic regression models abnormal BMI, WHtR, %BF, BRI, CUN-BAE, TG, FBG, systolic BP, diastolic BP and WC showed increased risk of MetS. Conclusion: While the %BF, CUN-BAE, BMI, WC, WHtR, BRI, CI and CUN-BAE could predict MetS among South African male taxi drivers, these indices were less effective in predicting the individual MetS risk factors such as TG, BP, and FBG.

The association between a body shape index and elevated urinary albumin-creatinine ratio in Chinese community adults.

Background: Obesity, especially visceral obesity, seems to be one of the most decisive risk factors for chronic kidney disease. A Body Shape Index (ABSI) is an emerging body size measurement marker of visceral obesity. This study aimed to explore whether ABSI is associated with albuminuria in Chinese community adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 40,726 participants aged 40 or older from seven provinces across China through a cluster random sampling method. ABSI was calculated by body mass index, waist circumference, and height. Increased albuminuria was defined as urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥ 30 mg/g, indicating kidney injury. For ABSI, we divided it by quartile cutoff points and tried to determine the association between ABSI levels and UACR by multiple regression analysis. DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) was plotted using literature and expert consensus to identify potential confounding factors. Results: The average age of subjects with elevated UACR was 61.43 ± 10.07, and 26% were men. The average age of subjects with normal UACR was 57.70 ± 9.02, and 30.5% were men. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted and demonstrated that the ABSI quartiles were related to elevated UACR positively (OR [95% CI] Q2 vs. Q1: 1.094 [1.004, 1.197]; OR [95% CI] Q3 vs. Q1: 1.126 [1.030, 1.231]; OR [95% CI] Q4 vs. Q1: 1.183 [1.080, 1.295], p for trend < 0.001) after adjustments for confounding factors. The stratified analysis further showed that with the mounting for ABSI levels, elevated UACR more easily occurred in the people characterized by the elderly, men, and hypertension. Conclusions: In Chinese community adults, people with higher ABSI levels can be deemed as high-risk individuals with UACR elevation, and it will be beneficial for them to lose weight and significantly reduce visceral fat.

Association of Sarcopenia and A Body Shape Index With Overall and Cause-Specific Mortality.

Aim: This observational study aimed to examine the association between the A Body Shape Index (ABSI) and/or sarcopenia and total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. Methods: The associations of sarcopenia and ABSI with all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality were assessed in 4,488 participants from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who were followed up until December 31, 2015. Models were analyzed separately for men and women and adjusted for age, race, and other confounding factors. ABSI was assessed as a continuous measurement by quartile for men and women. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated to assess mortality caused by sarcopenia and/or ABSI in the study population. Results: When ABSI was assessed as a continuous variable, the ABSI quartile showed a linear trend for total (p = 0.0001), cardiovascular (p = 0.04), and cancer (p = 0.02) mortality in men and for total (p = 0.06) and cardiovascular (p = 0.06) mortality in women. The hazard ratios (HRs) of the fourth ABSI quartile were 1.51 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20-1.89] in men and 1.23 (95% CI: 0.93-1.64) in women, compared with those in the first quartile. When ABSI was assessed by quartile, the appendicular skeletal mass index (ASMI) was lower in the groups with high ABSI. When high ABSI was combined with sarcopenia, the HRs of all-cause mortality were 2.05 (95% CI: 1.60-2.62) in men and 1.51 (95% CI: 1.19-1.92) in women. In the subpopulation (sarcopenia group or higher ABSI), the PAFs of mortality due to sarcopenia were 26.16% (95% CI: 12.68-37.56) in men and 21.89% (95% CI: 5.64-35.35) in women, and the PAF of mortality due to higher ABSI was 23.70% (95% CI: 12.11-33.77) in men. Conclusion: The ABSI value was significantly associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and the co-existence of higher ABSI values and sarcopenia can contribute to a more significant death risk in comparison with high ABSI values or sarcopenia. Moreover, the ABSI values in combination with the ASMI can be used to preliminarily evaluate the content and distribution of fat and muscle and to predict the risk of death in obese and sarcopenic populations.