-
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024The placenta undergoes morphological and functional adaptations to adverse exposures during pregnancy. The effects ofsuboptimal maternal body mass index (BMI), preterm...
Gestational Age, Infection, and Suboptimal Maternal Prepregnancy BMI Independently Associate with Placental Histopathology in a Cohort of Pregnancies without Major Maternal Comorbidities.
The placenta undergoes morphological and functional adaptations to adverse exposures during pregnancy. The effects ofsuboptimal maternal body mass index (BMI), preterm birth, and infection on placental histopathological phenotypes are not yet well understood, despite the association between these conditions and poor offspring outcomes. We hypothesized that suboptimal maternal prepregnancy BMI and preterm birth (with and without infection) would associate with altered placental maturity and morphometry, and that altered placental maturity would associate with poor birth outcomes. Clinical data and human placentae were collected from 96 pregnancies where mothers were underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese, without other major complications. Placental histopathological characteristics were scored by an anatomical pathologist. Associations between maternal BMI, placental pathology (immaturity and hypermaturity), placental morphometry, and infant outcomes were investigated for term and preterm births with and without infection. : Fetal capillary volumetric proportion was decreased, whereas the villous stromal volumetric proportion was increased in placentae from preterm pregnancies with chorioamnionitis compared to preterm placentae without chorioamnionitis. At term and preterm, pregnancies with maternal overweight and obesity had a high percentage increase in proportion of immature placentae compared to normal weight. Placental maturity did not associate with infant birth outcomes. We observed placental hypermaturity and altered placental morphometry among preterm pregnancies with chorioamnionitis, suggestive of altered placental development, which may inform about pregnancies susceptible to preterm birth and infection. : Our data increase our understanding of how common metabolic exposures and preterm birth, in the absence of other comorbidities or complications, potentially contribute to poor pregnancy outcomes and developmental programming.
PubMed: 38929907
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123378 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Menopausal women experience changes in ovarian activity and fluctuating hormone levels. The aim of this study was to detect ongoing sleep and nutritional problems in...
Menopausal women experience changes in ovarian activity and fluctuating hormone levels. The aim of this study was to detect ongoing sleep and nutritional problems in postmenopausal women. This study was conducted with 62 postmenopausal women who had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, were aged 42-64, were not dieting for at least 1 month, and had been using antidepressants for at least 6 months. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-42 were used. Anthropometric measurements were taken and body composition analysis was performed. The prevalence of obesity and overweight were 12.9% and 71%, respectively. Hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swing were more common in those who had been through menopause for <5 years. Also, the PSQI, Depression, and Stress scores of those women were higher. Women who had been menopausal for ≥5 years had a higher BMI, waist/hip ratio, and fat mass and better sleep quality and lower daytime dysfunction according to the PSQI. Energy and fat intake were higher, while protein, vitamin C, and calcium intakes were lower in women who had been menopausal for ≥5 years. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to review approaches for early and late menopausal periods and to individualize treatment options, especially in patients whose symptoms persist.
PubMed: 38929757
DOI: 10.3390/life14060775 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Nowadays, pregnant women require more individualized attention in their assistance process during pregnancy. One of the aspects that requires the most focus is the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Nowadays, pregnant women require more individualized attention in their assistance process during pregnancy. One of the aspects that requires the most focus is the suitability of carrying out physical activity. The objective of this meta-review is to find out the effects of physical activity during pregnancy on the incidence of GDM compared to women who do not perform physical activity.
METHODS
A search was conducted in Cochrane, CSIC, Ebscohost, Proquest, Pubmed, Scielo, and Scopus. The search focused on systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in the last five years. The AMSTAR-2 scale was used as a quality assessment tool for the final sample.
RESULTS
A total of 18 systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included. Sixteen of them found out that physical activity during pregnancy has preventive effects for GDM compared with women who lacked physical activity. Among the studies, we found a reduction in the risk of GDM of between 24% and 38% and odds ratios ranging between 0.39 and 0.83 calculated for a 95% CI. Only two studies did not find statistically significant effects. Other variables such as type and duration of physical activity, overweight and obesity, gestational age, etc., were also considered.
CONCLUSIONS
Physical activity prevents the incidence of GDM. The main characteristics that enhance this preventive effect are starting at the initial stages of pregnancy and maintaining during the whole pregnancy as well as combining strength and aerobic exercise at a low to moderate intensity.
PubMed: 38929738
DOI: 10.3390/life14060755 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Jun 2024: Overweight and obesity are growing public health challenges, particularly concerning young adults. University life presents a unique set of stressors that may...
: Overweight and obesity are growing public health challenges, particularly concerning young adults. University life presents a unique set of stressors that may influence weight management alongside sleep quality. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate the association between overweight or obesity, stress, and sleep quality in a large sample of Greek university students. : The study recruited 2116 active students from across various Greek universities. Participants completed questionnaires on sociodemographics, academic performance, and physical activity levels using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Stress and sleep quality were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Body weight and height were directly measured to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). : Our analysis of 2116 Greek university students revealed significant associations between various factors and overweight/obesity. Compared to their rural counterparts, young adults in urban areas had an 88% higher prevalence of overweight/obesity ( = 0.0056). Regular smokers were twice as likely to be overweight or obese ( = 0.0012). Notably, those with low physical activity levels displayed a more than two-fold increased risk ( = 0.0008) compared to those with moderate or high activity levels. Similarly, students with moderate or high perceived stress levels had a more than two-fold prevalence of overweight/obesity compared to those with low stress ( = 0.0005). Inadequate sleep quality was also associated with an 86% higher risk of overweight/obesity ( = 0.0007). Interestingly, good academic performance showed a 57% greater prevalence of overweight/obesity compared to very good/excellent performance ( = 0.0103). : Our findings reveal that perceived stress and poor sleep quality are significant risk factors for overweight and obesity in this young adult population.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Stress, Psychological; Obesity; Greece; Overweight; Young Adult; Sleep Quality; Surveys and Questionnaires; Adult; Universities; Body Mass Index; Risk Factors; Students; Adolescent; Exercise; Prevalence
PubMed: 38929600
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060983 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Jun 2024In a recently published paper in , Bažadona et al [...].
In a recently published paper in , Bažadona et al [...].
Topics: Humans; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Obesity; Anthropometry; Male
PubMed: 38929598
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060981 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Jun 2024This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and the associated risk factors among medical students at Jazan University in Saudi Arabia. A...
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and the associated risk factors among medical students at Jazan University in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 228 medical students from their second to sixth academic years at the Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity, dietary habits, comorbidities, medication use, family history, and lifestyle factors. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, and waist circumference were recorded. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used to identify the risk factors associated with obesity. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among the participants was 13.3% and 15%, respectively. Hence, the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity is 28.3%. The mean weight was 63.39 ± 18.93 kg, and the mean height was 163.48 ± 9.78 cm. On the other hand, 17.3% of participants were underweight, whereas 54.4% had normal BMI. Most of the participants (61%) did not engage in regular exercise. A high proportion consumed fruits (82.9%) and vegetables (58.8%) 3 or fewer days per week, and 84.2% consumed 3 or fewer meals per day. Fast-food consumption more than 3 days per week was reported by 42.1% of participants. Obesity was not significantly associated with sociodemographic factors, physical activity, dietary habits, comorbidities, medication use, or family histories. However, those with a monthly family income of SAR 15,000-24,999 had significantly lower odds of obesity than those in the lowest income group (OR 0.230, = 0.045). The prevalence of overweight and obesity among medical students at Jazan University is high. Although no significant associations were found between obesity and most risk factors, this study highlights the need for interventions that promote healthy lifestyles among medical students. Further research is needed to identify effective strategies for preventing and managing obesity in this population.
Topics: Humans; Saudi Arabia; Male; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Risk Factors; Obesity; Overweight; Students, Medical; Adult; Prevalence; Young Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Body Mass Index; Exercise; Feeding Behavior; Life Style
PubMed: 38929557
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060940 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2024: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and ranges from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and...
: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and ranges from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Accumulating evidence in animal models suggests that loss of interleukin-10 (IL-10) anti-inflammatory actions might contribute to lobular inflammation, considered one of the first steps toward NASH development. However, the role of IL-10 in lobular inflammation remains poorly explored in humans. We examined mRNA and protein levels of IL-10 in liver biopsies and serum samples from morbidly obese patients, investigating the relationship between IL-10 and lobular inflammation degree. : We prospectively enrolled morbidly obese patients of both sexes, assessing the lobular inflammation grade by the Brunt scoring system to categorize participants into mild ( = 7), moderate ( = 19), or severe ( = 13) lobular inflammation groups. We quantified the hepatic mRNA expression of IL-10 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and protein IL-10 levels in liver and serum samples by Luminex Assay. We estimated statistical differences by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's multiple comparison test. : The hepatic expression of IL-10 significantly diminished in patients with severe lobular inflammation compared with the moderate lobular inflammation group ( = 0.01). The hepatic IL-10 protein levels decreased in patients with moderate or severe lobular inflammation compared with the mild lobular inflammation group ( = 0.008 and = 0.0008, respectively). In circulation, IL-10 also significantly decreased in subjects with moderate or severe lobular inflammation compared with the mild lobular inflammation group ( = 0.005 and < 0.0001, respectively). : In liver biopsies and serum samples of morbidly obese patients, the protein levels of IL-10 progressively decrease as lobular inflammation increases, supporting the hypothesis that lobular inflammation develops because of the loss of the IL-10-mediated anti-inflammatory counterbalance.
Topics: Humans; Interleukin-10; Obesity, Morbid; Female; Male; Adult; Middle Aged; Liver; Prospective Studies; Inflammation; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
PubMed: 38929479
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060862 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Growing rates of childhood obesity globally create concern for individuals' health outcomes and demands on health systems. While many policy approaches focus on...
Growing rates of childhood obesity globally create concern for individuals' health outcomes and demands on health systems. While many policy approaches focus on macro-level interventions, we examine how the type of stability of a family structure might provide opportunities for policy interventions at the micro level. We examine the association between family structure trajectories and childhood overweight and obesity across three Anglophone countries using an expanded set of eight family structure categories that capture biological relationships and instability, along with potential explanatory variables that might vary across family trajectories and provide opportunities for intervention, including access to resources, family stressors, family structure selectivity factors, and obesogenic correlates. We use three datasets that are representative of children born around the year 2000 and aged 11 years old in Australia ( = 3329), the United Kingdom ( = 11,542), and the United States ( = 8837) and nested multivariate multinomial logistic regression models. Our analyses find stronger relationships between child overweight and obesity and family structure trajectories than between child obesity and obesogenic factors. Children in all three countries are sensitive to living with cohabiting parents, although in Australia, this is limited to children whose parents have been cohabiting since before their birth. In the UK and US, parents starting their cohabitation after the child's birth are more likely to have children who experience obesity. Despite a few differences across cross-cultural contexts, most of the relationship between family structures and child overweight or obesity is connected to differences in families' access to resources and by the types of parents who enter into these family structures. These findings suggest policy interventions at the family level that focus on potential parents' education and career prospects and on income support rather than interventions like marriage incentives.
PubMed: 38929272
DOI: 10.3390/children11060693 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024We examined the prevalence of obesity in two types of schools-a comprehensive school and a grammar school-in a rural German region of Brandenburg.
UNLABELLED
We examined the prevalence of obesity in two types of schools-a comprehensive school and a grammar school-in a rural German region of Brandenburg.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, BMI values were measured in 114 students in grades 5, 7, and 10. In addition to the demographic data, data on nutrition, physical activity, and mental well-being were collected using a questionnaire.
RESULTS
A total of 44% (11/25) of the comprehensive school students and 15% (13/89) of the high school students are overweight, and 24% (6/25) of the comprehensive school pupils and 6% (5/89) of the grammar school pupils ( = 0.009) are obese. In addition, 91% (10/11) of the students with obesity, 36% (4/11) of the students with pre-obesity, and 31% (26/84) of the normal-weight students ( = 0.001) are concerned about their weight. Among the children with obesity, 82% (9/11) are afraid of gaining weight. In addition, 6% (5/82) of the normal-weight students, 25% (3/12) of the students with pre-obesity, and 70% (7/10) of the students with obesity feel restricted by their weight when exercising.
CONCLUSION
School attendance and parental socioeconomic status appear to correlate with students' weight statuses. There is a high level of suffering, and they feel uncomfortable with their bodies and worry about weight regulation.
PubMed: 38929228
DOI: 10.3390/children11060648 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024A correlation between plasma lipids and timing of pubertal development has been hypothesized, though lipid influence remains unclear in central precocious puberty...
A correlation between plasma lipids and timing of pubertal development has been hypothesized, though lipid influence remains unclear in central precocious puberty (CPP). To assess any possible alterations in the lipid profile and triglyceride glucose index (TyG) in children diagnosed with CPP. Retrospective single-center study conducted on children (aged 6.3 ± 2.1 years) evaluated for the suspicion of CPP. Based on the results of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) test, considering 5 IU/L as cut-off of the luteinizing hormone peak, CPP was confirmed in 43 patients (57.3%). Sixteen (37.2%) had a pathologic body mass index (BMI), with 9 (20.9%) being overweight and 7 (16.27%) obese. High total cholesterol was found in 3 patients with CPP (6.97%), high triglycerides were found in 11 patients with CPP (25.58%), high LDL cholesterol was found in 5 patients with CPP (11.62%), low HDL cholesterol was found in 12/43 patients with CPP (27.9%), a pathologic TyG was found in 13/43 patients with CPP (30.23%). No significant association was observed in the lipid profile for patients with or without CPP, except for HDL cholesterol, which was lower in the CPP group (47.1 ± 10.9; = 0.033). However, the association between serum HDL cholesterol and CPP was not confirmed at the multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for patients' sex and age ( = 0.1; OR: 1.035; 95% CI: 0.993-1.078). The overall lipid profile of our pediatric patients diagnosed with CPP did not differ from patients having idiopathic precocious thelarche or normal variants of puberty development.
PubMed: 38929219
DOI: 10.3390/children11060639