Joint association of physical activity and body weight with subsequent physical and mental functioning: a follow-up study

Quality of life and its relationship with different anthropometric indicators in adults with obesity

Abtract Introduction: Obesity compromises the quality of life. However, few studies have investigated the influence of different anthropometric indicators on the quality of life of this population. Objective: We aimed to correlate the physical and mental components of quality of life and verify its association with different anthropometric indicators in adults with obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in adults with obesity [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m²]. The quality of life was investigated using the SF-36 questionnaire, with scores ranging from 0 (worst-case scenario) to 100 (best scenario for the outcome). The anthropometric indicators used were BMI, waist circumference, waist/height ratio (WHR), and lean and fat body mass. For analysis, Spearman’s correlation and crude and adjusted linear regression for sociodemographic variables were used. Results: A total of 75 subjects (nfemales = 47; µage= 34.8 ± 7.1 years) were included, and their means of the physical and mental components were 64.5 ± 15.9 and 50.8 ± 21.3 points, respectively. The social functioning domain presented a strong positive correlation (r = 0.760) with the mental health domain, and eight moderate correlations (0.400 ≤ r ≥ 0.699) were found between the different domains of the questionnaire. The functional capacity domain and the physical component presented a moderate negative correlation with the WHR (r = -0.402 and r = -0.407, respectively). After adjustment, the WHR was inversely associated with the physical component (β = -1.197; p = 0.002). Conclusion: In adults with obesity, important correlations were observed between the physical and mental components of quality of life, and the waist/height ratio was the only anthropometric indicator correlated and associated with the physical component of the outcome.

Associations of physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake with well-being and depressive symptoms among obese schoolchildren in Wuhan, China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing and psychological disorder is a common comorbidity of obesity. We investigated the associations of physical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake with well-being and depressive symptoms among obese schoolchildren.

METHODS

Participants included 188 obese children aged 9.8 ± 0.7 years living in Wuhan, China. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the children's PA and FV intake information. PA was considered to be high if the child participated in sport and/or vigorous free play at least 3 days per week with 60 min per day, while sufficient FV intake was defined as consuming FV 5 times per day. Children's well-being and depressive symptoms were assessed by standard questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the relationships of PA and FV intake with well-being and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

High PA and sufficient FV intake were independently associated with significantly decreased risks for depressive symptoms (for PA, OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.16-0.92; for FV, OR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08-0.55) and poor well-being (for PA, OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.16-0.74), respectively. Furthermore, interactive inverse associations were observed between combined high PA and sufficient FV intake with poor well-being and depressive symptoms. Compared to their counterparts, children with high PA and sufficient FV intake had significantly reduced risk for poor well-being (OR: 0.16, 95%CI: 0.05-0.55) and depressive symptoms (OR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03-0.48).

CONCLUSIONS

High PA and sufficient FV intake are inversely associated with the risks of poor well-being and depressive symptoms among obese Chinese schoolchildren.

The Relationship between Body Mass Index and 10-Year Trajectories of Physical Functioning in Middle-Aged and Older Russians: Prospective Results of the Russian HAPIEE Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the associations of overweight and obesity with longitudinal decline in physical functioning (PF) among middle-aged and older Russians.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Four rounds of data collection in the Russian Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe study with up to 10 years of follow-up.

PARTICIPANTS

9,222 men and women aged 45-69 years randomly selected from the population of two districts of Novosibirsk, Russia.

MEASUREMENTS

PF score (range 0-100) was measured by the Physical Functioning Subscale (PF-10) of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline and three subsequent occasions. Body mass index (BMI), derived from objectively measured body height and weight at baseline, was classified into normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), obesity class I (BMI 30.0-34.9), and obesity class II+ (BMI≥35.0).

RESULTS

The mean annual decline in the PF score during the follow-up was -1.92 (95% confidence interval -2.17; -1.68) in men and -1.91 (-2.13; -1.68) in women. At baseline, compared with normal weight, obesity classes I and II+ (but not overweight) were associated with significantly lower PF in both sexes. In prospective analyses, the decline in PF was faster in overweight men (difference from normal weight subjects -0.38 [-0.63; -0.14]), class I obese men and women (-0.49 [-0.82; -0.17] and -0.44 [-0.73; -0.15] respectively) and class II+ obese men and women (-1.13 [-1.73; -0.53] and -0.43 [-0.77; -0.09] respectively). Adjustment for physical activity and other covariates did not materially change the results.

CONCLUSIONS

PF decreased more rapidly in obese men and women than among those with normal weight. The adverse effect of high BMI on PF trajectories appeared to be more pronounced in men than in women, making more extremely obese Russian men an important target population to prevent/slow down the process of decline in PF.

Combined association of fitness and central adiposity with health-related quality of life in healthy Men: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

There is limited data examining the association of combined fitness and central obesity with health related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults. We examined the association of combined cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in the form of a fit-fat index (FFI) with the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) HRQoL scores in United States Navy servicemen.

METHODS

As part of a health fitness assessment, a total of 709 healthy males aged 18-49 years completed a submaximal exercise test, WHtR measurement, and HRQoL survey (SF-12v2) between 2004 and 2006. FFI level was classified into thirds with the lowest FFI tertile serving as the referent group. PCS and MCS scores ≥50 were taken to indicate average or better. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

The prevalence of average or better HRQoL scores was lowest in the referent FFI tertile, PCS 60.2% and MCS 57.6%. Compared with the lowest FFI group in multivariate analyses, the OR (95% CI) of having average or better PCS was 1.63 (1.09-2.42) and 3.12 (1.95-4.99) for moderate and high FFI groups respectively; MCS was 1.70 (1.13-2.55) and 4.89 (3.03-7.89) for moderate and high FFI groups respectively (all P < 0.001). Consistent and progressive independent associations were observed between age and MCS, and also between CRF and MCS.

CONCLUSION

Among males in the United States Navy, higher levels of FFI were independently and more consistently associated with having average or better HRQoL (physical and mental) than other known predictors of HRQoL.

Joint association of physical activity and overweight with subsequent psychotropic medication: a register-linked follow-up study among employees

Background

Physical activity level and overweight have shown associations with mental health problems but it is not known whether the risk of mental health problems due to overweight varies by physical activity. We examined joint association of physical activity and overweight with subsequent psychotropic medication among 40–60-year-old employees.

Methods

The questionnaire survey data were derived from Helsinki Health Study baseline postal questionnaires in 2000–02 among employees of the City of Helsinki aged 40–60 years (n = 8960, response rate 67 %). Baseline survey data were linked with prospective register data on prescribed psychotropic medication (ATC-codes N05 and N06, except N06D) among those with written consent (74 %) for such linkage. The analyses included 6169 responders (78 % women, corresponding to the target population). We divided participants into six groups according to their baseline self-reported body mass index and leisure-time physical activity using physically highly active normal-weight participants as a reference group. We used Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, psychotropic medication prior to baseline, and socioeconomic position, marital status, working conditions, limiting long-standing illness, alcohol use, and smoking.

Results

At baseline, 49 % were overweight and 23 % were physically inactive. After adjusting for age and gender, inactive normal-weight (hazard ratio (HR) 1.3, 95 % CI 1.1–1.5), moderately active overweight (HR 1.3, 95 % CI 1.1–1.5) and inactive overweight (HR 1.4, 95 % CI 1.2–1.6) had higher risk for any psychotropic medication compared with group of highly active normal-weight. After adjusting for prior medication, only the inactive overweight group had higher risk (HR 1.4, 95 % CI 1.2–1.6). Other covariates made but a minor contribution to the examined associations. For antidepressants the associations were somewhat stronger than for sedatives.

Conclusions

Both normal-weight and physical activity help prevent psychotropic medication but physical activity dominates the association over normal-weight.

The Epidemiology of Obesity: A Big Picture

The epidemic of overweight and obesity presents a major challenge to chronic disease prevention and health across the life course around the world. Fueled by economic growth, industrialization, mechanized transport, urbanization, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and a nutritional transition to processed foods and high-calorie diets over the last 30 years, many countries have witnessed the prevalence of obesity in its citizens double and even quadruple. A rising prevalence of childhood obesity, in particular, forebodes a staggering burden of disease in individuals and healthcare systems in the decades to come. A complex, multifactorial disease, with genetic, behavioral, socioeconomic, and environmental origins, obesity raises the risk of debilitating morbidity and mortality. Relying primarily on epidemiologic evidence published within the last decade, this non-exhaustive review discusses the extent of the obesity epidemic, its risk factors-known and novel-, sequelae, and economic impact across the globe.

The role of physical activity in preventing obesity in midlife women

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is one of the most common nutrition-related disorders worldwide and one of the major health problems in menopausal women, which significantly worsens the quality of life and can lead to severe diseases or even premature death. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between physical activity in different domains undertaken by menopausal women while performing daily activities and their body mass index (BMI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was conducted on a random sample of 400 healthy Polish women aged 45-55. The questionnaire contained questions concerning the respondents' socio-economic status, medical history and the long format of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used.

RESULTS

Fifty-one percent (50.6%) of women had normal body mass, 43.75% of respondents were overweighed and 5.65% of women were obese. A moderate physical activity level was presented by most midlife women in domestic and garden domain, active transportation and leisure time. Pearson's correlation showed that such factors as age, education and physical activity level in different domains have a significant correlation with BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Most respondents presented a moderate physical activity level in all domains except work, where the respondents had a high physical activity (PA) level. A high PA level especially at work (r = -0.5788) and during leisure time (r = -0.5175) strongly correlate with lower BMI.