Abdominal Fat Strongest Indication of Health Risks

Researchers writing in the medical journal Obesity, say that waist measurement is one of the most useful indicators of health risk.

Shen W, Punyanitya M, Chen J, Gallagher D, Albu J, Pi-Sunyer X, Lewis CE, Grunfeld C, Heshka S, Heymsfield SB. Waist Circumference Correlates with Metabolic Syndrome Indicators Better Than Percentage Fat.

From the article abstract
OBJECTIVE: Percent fat is often considered the reference for establishing the magnitude of adipose tissue accumulation and the risk of excess adiposity. However, the increasing recognition of a strong link between central adiposity and metabolic disturbances led us to test whether waist circumference (WC) is more highly correlated with metabolic syndrome components than percent fat and other related anthropometric measures such as BMI. (Body Mass Index)

Waist circumference had the strongest associations with health risk indicators, followed by BMI. Although percent fat is a useful measure of overall adiposity, health risks are best represented by the simply measured WC.

Lifelong Risk Factors for Osteoporosis and Fractures in Elderly Women with Low Body Mass Index

Researchers writing in the medical journal Bone, evaluated the association between lifelong lifestyle factors and bone density, falls and postmenopausal fractures in elderly women with low body mass index.

Korpelainen R, Korpelainen J, Heikkinen J, Vaananen K, Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi S. Lifelong risk factors for osteoporosis and fractures in elderly women with low body mass index-A population-based study. Bone. 2006 Aug;39(2):385-91.

From the abstract:
Low body weight is associated with an increased risk for osteoporosis and fractures, but the contribution of other lifestyle related factors have not been previously studied within lean elderly women. The present study evaluated the association between lifelong lifestyle factors and bone density, falls and postmenopausal fractures in elderly women with low body mass index (BMI).

Poor functional ability and symptoms of depression were associated with recent falling. In elderly women with low BMI, lifelong physical activity may protect from fractures, while low calcaneum bone mass and living unpartnered appear to be associated with an increased risk for fractures.

Poor functional ability and presence of depression may be associated with risk of falling. Type 2 diabetes may modify the risk of low bone mass and low-trauma postmenopausal fractures. Albeit that the results of this study need to be confirmed in prospective follow-up studies, multifactorial program with the emphasis on physical and social activation in the primary care setting for preventing falls and fractures in lean elderly women is recommended.

More Body Mass…Diminished Testosterone

Osuna C JA, Gomez-Perez R, Arata-Bellabarba G, Villaroel V. Relationship between bmi, total testosterone, sex hormone-binding-globulin, leptin, insulin and insulin resistance in obese men. Arch Androl. 2006 Sep-Oct;52(5):355-61

From the study abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the relationship between sex steroid hormones, sex hormone-binding-globulin, leptin, insulin and insulin resistance in obese men. Anthropometrical indexes, total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding-globulin (SHBG), glucemia, insulin and leptin were measured in 77 men, with ages between 20 and 60 years.

According to their body mass index (BMI), subjects were grouped into three categories: normal body weight, overweight and obese group.

Total testosterone and SHBG concentrations were lower in the obese group compared with normal and overweight subjects.

The mean insulin concentration was significantly higher in the obese group compared with the other groups.

Our results shows that in a sample of men, total testosterone and SHBG concentrations proportionally diminished with both the increase of BMI and insulin resistance index.