Diet Composition, Anthropometrics, and Mortality Risk

The association between abdominal obesity and depressive symptoms among Chinese adults: Evidence from national and regional communities

BACKGROUND

The association between body shape and depressive symptoms has been reported in adults. The present study aimed to investigate the association between body shape-specific abdominal obesity and depressive symptoms among multi-regional Asian adults.

METHODS

The 2011-2012 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and 2022-2023 Hangzhou study were used as the discovery and validation datasets, respectively. Body shape was assessed by body mass index categories. Abdominal obesity was defined as a body shape index (ABSI) ≥ 75th centile. Depression was measured using 10-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and Geriatric Depression Scale short 15-item version, respectively. General linear and multinomial logistic models were used to explore the association of ABSI, abdominal obesity with depressive scores and presence, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 12,229 and 1210 participants were included in the discovery and validation datasets, respectively. A non-linear reverse L-shaped association was found between ABSI and depressive scores. Participants with abdominal obesity had higher depressive scores (β = 0.05, 95%CI = 0.01-0.09; and β = 0.13, 95%CI = 0.01-0.24; respectively). Stratified analyses showed that abdominal obesity was associated with higher depressive scores (β = 0.09, 95%CI = 0.00-0.17; and β = 0.25, 95%CI = 0.05-0.46; respectively) and presence (OR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.02-2.10; and OR = 3.95, 95%CI = 1.58-9.84; respectively) in overweight adults. Furthermore, abdominal obesity was associated with depressive symptoms among overweight females, but not among males.

LIMITATION

Causal links weren't addressed because of the observational study design.

CONCLUSION

Abdominal obesity exhibited a positive association with depressive symptoms among Asian overweight adults, particularly in females. Prevention and early diagnosis of depressive symptoms should focus on overweight females.

The Abdominal Adiposity Index (A Body Shape Index) Predicts 10-Year All-Cause Mortality in Elderly Active Non-Obese Subjects

Background/Objectives: A Body Shape Index (ABSI), which accounts for waist circumference relative to mass and height, shows a robust association with mortality risk. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of ABSI as a predictor of 10-year all-cause mortality in physically active, non-obese elderly individuals. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 159 volunteers (94 women, aged 60-80 years), recruited in the frame of the "Physical Activity and Nutrition for Great Ageing" (PANGeA) Cross-border Cooperation Program Slovenia-Italy 2007-2013, and followed for 10 years. Baseline characteristics included anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and cardiovascular fitness tests (VO2max). Statistical analyses (Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier survival) were conducted to examine the relationship between ABSI and mortality. Results: During the 10-year follow-up, 10 deaths (6.7%) were recorded. ABSI (adjusted for age, smoking, comorbidities, and therapy) was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio = 4.65, p < 0.001). Higher ABSI scores were linked to reduced VO2max (r = -0.190, p = 0.017) and increased systolic blood pressure (r = 0.262, p = 0.001). An ABSI-based predictive model showed strong discriminatory power (AUROC = 0.91). Conclusions: ABSI is a reliable predictor of 10-year mortality in active, non-obese elderly individuals and may improve risk stratification in clinical practice.

BMI Mediates the Association between Macronutrient Subtypes and Phenotypic Age Acceleration

Background: There is growing evidence that diet and aging are associated; however, few studies have examined the relationship between macronutrient subtypes and phenotypic age acceleration, and the extent to which BMI (body mass index) mediates this association is unclear. Methods: This study included 6911 individuals who were 20 years or older and had participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Daily macronutrient intakes were calculated and classified by the quartile of their subtypes. PhenoAgeAccel was calculated as an aging index using nine chemistry biomarkers. Multivariable linear regression and isocaloric substitution effects were used to evaluate the association of macronutrients with PhenoAgeAccel. Mediation analyses were used to examine the mediation role of BMI in the association. Results: After adjusting for the potential covariates, the consumption of high-quality carbohydrates (β = -1.01, 95% CI: -1.91, -0.12), total protein (β = -2.00, 95% CI: -3.16, -0.84), and plant protein (β = -1.65, 95% CI: -2.52, -0.78) was negatively correlated with PhenoAgeAccel; the consumption of SFAs (β = 1.77, 95% CI: 0.72, 2.81) was positively correlated with PhenoAgeAccel. For every serving of low-quality carbohydrates/animal protein and other calories replaced by one serving of high-quality carbohydrates/plant protein, PhenoAgeAccel would be reduced by about 25 percent. The ratio between BMI-mediated high-quality carbohydrates and PhenoAgeAccel accounted for 19.76% of the total effect, while the ratio between BMI-mediated total fat and PhenoAgeAccel accounted for 30.78% of the total effect. Conclusions: Different macronutrient consumption subtypes are related to PhenoAgeAccel, which is partially mediated by BMI, depending on the quality of macronutrients. Replacing low-quality macronutrients with high-quality macronutrients might slow aging.

The association between the dietary behavior, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels among university students

BACKGROUND

Limited information exists linking food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels. Our aim was to examine the association between food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels in the Iranian population.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 200 students randomly selected from a university in Iran. Dietary intakes, physical activity (PA), and happiness levels of study participants were assessed using validated questionnaires. The anthropometric indices examined in this study included the body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), and abdominal volume index (AVI). Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels.

RESULTS

The mean age and body mass index (BMI) of study participants were 23.5 years ± 4.52 and 23.8 kg/m2 ± 3.17, respectively. In the study population, no significant association was seen between ABSI, BRI, AVI and happiness with food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders (age, energy intake, marital status, education, smoking, physical activity, gender, and BMI), the association remained not significant for ABSI and food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores respectively (OR: 0.56, 95% CI (0.25-1.34), P = 0.193; OR: 0.59, 95% CI (0.22-1.57), P = 0.413; OR:1.19, 95%CI (0.54-2.63), P = 0.652), BRI and food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores respectively (OR:1.98, 95% CI (0.41-9.49), P = 0.381; OR: 0.57, 95%CI (0.12-2.74), P = 0.512; OR: 1.19, 95% CI (0.3-4.71), P = 0.811), AVI and food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores (OR:1.15, 95% CI (0.53-2.48), P = 0.743, OR:1.01, 95% CI (0.47-2.18), P = 0.965; OR: 1.3, 95% CI (0.64-2.65), P = 0.465) and happiness and food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores respectively (OR:0.3, 95%CI (0.07-1.25), P = 0.972; OR: 0.77, 95%CI (0.18-3.19), P = 0.724, OR: 0.3, 95% CI (0.07-1.25), P = 0.083).

CONCLUSIONS

No significant association was detected between food habits, diet quality, and lifestyle scores with anthropometric indices and happiness levels. However, longitudinal studies are required to confirm these findings.

The predictive ability of ABSI compared to BMI for mortality and frailty among older adults

Introduction

To study the utility of A Body Shape Index (ABSI) alongside body mass index (BMI) to predict mortality and frailty in an aging community population.

Materials and methods

Participants (n = 1,580) were drawn from the first Israeli national health and nutrition survey of older adults ("Mabat Zahav") conducted from 2005 to 2006, constituting adults aged ≥65 years. Socio-demographic, clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial data were collected. Baseline weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured and expressed as the allometric indices BMI (kg/m2) and ABSI, a BMI-independent measure of abdominal obesity [WC/(BMI2/3*m1/2)]. Mortality follow-up lasted through 2019. Frailty was assessed in 2017-2019 by the Fried Biological Phenotype in a sub-cohort of 554 survivors. Cox and logistic regression models assessed associations of BMI and ABSI with mortality and frailty.

Results

At baseline, mean [SD] age was 74.5 [6.1] years, and 52.4% were women. The correlation between BMI and WC Z scores was 0.71, reduced to -0.11 for BMI and ABSI. Over a median follow-up of 13 years, 757 deaths occurred. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for mortality per standard deviation increase in BMI and ABSI were 1.07 (0.99;1.17) and 1.13 (1.05;1.21), respectively. Among participants assessed for frailty, 77 (14%) met the frailty criteria. After multivariable adjustment, the odds ratios (95% CIs) for frailty were 0.83 (0.69-1.01) for BMI and 1.55 (1.34-1.79) for ABSI.

Discussion

In a nationwide cohort of older adults, ABSI was independently associated with mortality risk. Furthermore, ABSI, but not BMI, was a strong predictor of frailty.

Diet Inflammatory Index among Regularly Physically Active Young Women and Men

Recently, special attention has been paid to the relationship between diet and inflammation in the body. A factor that influences both diet and inflammation is physical activity. The aim of this study was to assess the inflammatory potential of the diets of young people engaging in regular physical activity. The participants were physical education students (n = 141 men and n = 151 women). The measurements included basic anthropometric parameters and a 4-day nutritional history from which the dietary inflammatory index (DII) was calculated. The average DII for female students was 2.09 ± 1.52, and that for male students was 0.21 ± 1.69. Consumption of all macro- and micronutrients was significantly higher among women and men with the lowest DII value (corresponding to an anti-inflammatory diet). The female and male students consuming anti-inflammatory diets were characterized by greater lean body mass (LBM), and, for the male students, a lower body fat content, compared to those whose diets were pro-inflammatory. Young and regularly physically active people are also exposed to the pro-inflammatory nature of their diets, whose long-term effects may lead to health problems.