Body structural and cellular aging of women with low socioeconomic status in Hungary: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The health status of an individual is determined not only by their genetic background but also by their physical environment, social environment and access and use of the health care system. The Roma are one of the largest ethnic minority groups in Hungary. The majority of the Roma population live in poor conditions in segregated settlements in Hungary, with most experiencing higher exposure to environmental health hazards. The main aim of this study was to examine the biological health and aging status of Roma women living in low socioeconomic conditions in Hungary. METHODS: Low SES Roma (n: 20) and high SES non-Roma women (n: 30) aged between 35 and 65 years were enrolled to the present analysis. Body mass components were estimated by body impedance analysis, bone structure was estimated by quantitative ultrasound technique. Cellular aging was assessed by X chromosome loss estimation. Data on health status, lifestyle and socioeconomic factors were collected by questionnaires. RESULTS: The results revealed that low SES women are prone to be more obese, have a higher amount of abdominal body fat, and have worse bone structure than the national reference values. A positive relationship was found between aging and the rate of X chromosome loss was detected only in women with low SES. Waist to hip ratio, existence of cardiovascular diseases and the number of gravidities were predictors of the rate of X chromosome loss in women. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that age-adjusted rate of X chromosome loss could be related to the socioeconomic status.

Effects of regular sport activities on stress level in sporting and non-sporting university students.

Background: Regular sport has favourable influence on the physical and mental state. Our aim was to analyse the relationship between regular sport activities, body parameters, cortisol level, perceived stress and the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms in male and female university students. Methods: Subjects were university students (N = 200). They were divided in sporting (more than 7 h week-1: 56 males (sm), 50 females (sf)) and non-sporting (less than 3 h week-1: 44 males (nsm) and 50 females (nsf)) groups. Body composition was estimated by Inbody720-analyser. Stress levels were measured by (1) free cortisol level in saliva measured by using IBL-ELISA kits and (2) questionnaires about psychosomatic symptoms and perceived stress scale. Results: There were significant subgroup' differences in body composition (fat%:sm:12.1 ± 6.0 vs. nsm:17.9 ± 6.8; sf:20.8 ± 5.5 vs. nsf:25.4 ± 5.7; muscle%:sm:50.3 ± 3.6 vs. nsm:47.6 ± 3.9; sf:43.8 ± 3.2 vs. nsf:41.7 ± 3.3), and in stress level (total scores:sm:21.0 ± 5.7 vs. nsm:23.3 ± 7.2; sf:25.5 ± 7.0 vs. nsf:28.0 ± 9.7). There were gender differences in the psychosomatic symptoms' frequency (total scores: sm: 14.6 ± 6.3 vs. sf: 20.4 ± 7.4; nsm: 14.9 ± 6.1 vs. nsf: 19.6 ± 8.2). The sporting students had larger muscle, smaller fat percentages, and lower level of stress. Basic level of salivary cortisol revealed significant relation with physical activity: sporting students had lower level of cortisol. This relation was reflected in higher percentage of students with low level of cortisol in the physically active subgroups (s/ns males: 29% vs. 15%; s/ns females: 18% vs. 5%) and in the higher percentage of female students with high level of cortisol in the non-sporting subgroup (27% vs. 11%). Conclusion: Regular sport activity is positively related with lower stress levels in university students.

A proposal for the adjustment of bone mineral density for body dimensions in children.

Objectives: The precise age estimation is of high importance in bone mineral density (BMD) assessment in children, since the bone structure of a studied child is evaluated by using the age and gender dependent references. In addition, the biological age - the bone age in this case - estimation could help this bone structural evaluation process, since the developmental status of the skeletal system can significantly alter from the theoretical developmental status determined by chronological age in healthy, but early or late maturing children. The aims of the study were (1) to check whether volumetric BMD (vBMD) Z-scores estimated by considering chronological age and biological age differ significantly in children aged between 7-18 years, and (2) in the case of significant inaccuracy of Z-score estimation based on chronological age to construct new vBMD standards adjusted for body developmental status. Subjects and methods: Body structural and densitometry data of 476 healthy children aged between 7 and 18 years were used in the analysis. pQCT measurements were performed at the distal radius using Stratec XCT-2000 equipment (Stratec Inc, Germany). The centile curves of vBMD parameters were estimated by using lmsChartMaker Pro 2.3 software. Ulnar length age was used as biological age in the analysis. Results: The total and 'cortical + subcortical' vBMD changed by age in the studied age interval in both genders, while the trabecular vBMD showed significant change by age only in females. Our results confirmed that when the biological age of a child significantly differs from her/his chronological age, vBMD evaluation should be done by considering her/his biological age. Due to the increase in individual variability of rate and timing of pubertal developmental processes, the sensitivity of vBMD evaluation by considering body developmental status was the lowest in the age between 12 and 16 years in the boys and between 10 and 12 years in the girls. Therefore the suggested vBMD adjustments for biological ages are highly recommended to use at least in children with ages outside these age intervals. Conclusion: If the estimation of any biological age cannot be carried out, vBMD references adjusted for height or other body dimensions should be used in the bone health status estimation in children.

Physiological and Psychological Responses to a Maximal Swimming Exercise Test in Adolescent Elite Athletes.

BACKGROUND: Continuously rising performances in elite adolescent athletes requires increasing training loads. This training overload without professional monitoring, could lead to overtraining in these adolescents. METHODS: 31 elite adolescent athletes (boys: n = 19, 16 yrs; girls: n = 12, 15 yrs) participated in a field-test which contained a unified warm-up and a 200 m maximal freestyle swimming test. Saliva samples for testosterone (T) in boys, estradiol (E) in girls and cortisol (C) in both genders were collected pre-, post- and 30 min post-exercise. Lactate levels were obtained pre- and post-exercise. Brunel Mood Scale, Perceived Stress Scale and psychosomatic symptoms questionnaires were filled out post-exercise. RESULTS: Lactate levels differed between genders (boys: pre: 1.01 ± 0.26; post: 8.19 ± 3.24; girls: pre: 0.74 ± 0.23; post: 5.83 ± 2.48 mmol/L). C levels increased significantly in boys: pre- vs. post- (p = 0.009), pre- vs. 30 min post-exercise (p = 0.003). The T level (p = 0.0164) and T/C ratio (p = 0.0004) decreased after field test which draws attention to the possibility of overtraining. Maximal and resting heart rates did not differ between genders; however, heart rate recovery did (boys: 29.22 ± 7.4; girls: 40.58 ± 14.50 beats/min; p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Our models can be used to explain the hormonal ratio changes (37.5-89.8%). Based on the results this method can induce hormonal response in elite adolescent athletes and can be used to notice irregularities with repeated measurements.

The body composition analysis as a complementary tool in the screening of bone structural abnormalities.

Purpose. The importance of early diagnosis, bone-healthy lifestyle and medication is required for remaining fracture free. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasound densitometry are widely used to screen osteoporosis and other bone structural diseases. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) devices can also estimate bone mineral content (BMC), but it has not been recommended for diagnostic purposes. The aim was to analyse whether low levels of the body composition' components and low bone mineral content can predict bone structural risk. Methods. Healthy pre- (n: 235, 18-45 years) and postmenopausal women (n: 137, 46-78 years) were enrolled to the analysis. BMC (kg) was estimated by InBody 720 analyser. Bone structure was measured by ultrasound DTU-One osteometer. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA, dB/MHz), which estimates structural characteristics of trabecular bone, was used to assess bone structure. Body mass components were estimated by Drinkwater-Ross method. Results. Age changes of BMC, absolute and relative bone mass, muscle mass and bone structural parameters were analysed in women. BMC (r = 0.43, p < 0.01), absolute muscle mass (r = 0.41, p < 0.01) and absolute bone mass (r = 0.37, p < 0.01) were highly correlated (Pearson correlation) with BUA in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women weaker relationship was identified between BUA and its hypothetical predictive factors. Conclusion. BMC and other studied body mass components alone do not provide enough information to identify osteoporosis, but can complete and widen the screening methods for bone structural diseases. Bone mineral density of healthy premenopausal women with low BMC, low bone mass and/or low muscle mass values should be measured regularly.

[The prevalence of psychosomatic complaints among 8-17-year-old Hungarian children]. / Pszichoszomatikus tünetek elofordulási gyakorisága 8­17 éves magyar gyermekek körében.

INTRODUCTION: Subjective health complaints are common among children as well. Age, gender, health status, etc. can modify the prevalence, intensity, frequency and the dimensions of the psychosomatic complaints. AIM: The main purposes were to analyse the frequency pattern of psychosomatic complaints in children as well as to study the influence of physical status and lifestyle factors on psychosomatic status. METHOD: The subjects of the present analysis represented a random sample of the Hungarian National Growth Study (n = 13 331; 8-17-year-old). The three clusters of the health complaints were somatic, psychological and sleeping disorders. The psychosomatic status of 8-17-year-old children was analysed by dividing them into subgroups of experiencing the subjective health complaints often (weekly or more often), on an average level or rarely. Frequency distributions were examined for each subjective health complaint. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to reveal the relationship between the frequency pattern of psychosomatic complaints and the hypothesized predictive factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of the psychosomatic complaints increased by age, and girls reported more symptoms than boys. Subjective health status, nutritional status, body image, academic achievement, stature, body mass and socioeconomic status influenced the frequency pattern of psychosomatic complaints in girls, while physical activity, self-esteem, socioeconomic status and subjective health status in boys. CONCLUSIONS: Age, gender, socioeconomic status and psychosocial status can affect the frequency pattern of the psychosomatic complaints. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(12): 464-472.

The association of psychosomatic health with physical status and lifestyle factors in adolescence.

The main purposes were to analyse the age pattern of experiencing psycho-somatic complaints in children; to study the influence of physical status and lifestyle factors on psycho-somatic status. The sample (n: 13,331, aged 7-18) represented a subsample of the 2nd Hungarian National Representative Growth Study. Subjects were divided into underweight, normal, preobese and obese subgroups. A standard symptom list was used to assess the experience of psycho-somatic complaints. Children rated their current health status in terms of excellent, good, fair and poor. Subjects were divided into physical activity subgroups. The prevalence of the psycho-somatic complaints increased with age, girls reported more symptoms than boys. Irritability and waking up tired were the most frequent symptoms. Subjective health status, nutritional status, body image, academic achievement, stature, body mass and socioeconomic status influenced the pattern of psycho-somatic complaints in girls, while physical activity, self-esteem, socioeconomic status and subjective health status in boys.