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In healthcare, weight is often equated to and used as a marker for health. In examining nutrition and health status, there are many more effective markers independent of weight. In this article, we review practical and emerging clinical applications of technologies and tools used to collect non-weight-related data in nutrition assessment, monitoring, and evaluation in the outpatient setting. The aim is to provide clinicians with new ideas about various types of data to evaluate and track in nutrition care., (© 2024 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Online data collection is becoming increasingly common and has some advantages compared to traditional paper-and-pencil formats, such as reducing loss of data, increasing participants' privacy, and decreasing the effect of social desirability. However, the validity and reliability of this administration format must be established before results can be considered acceptable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity, reliability, and equivalence of paper-and-pencil and online versions of the Weight Concerns Scale (WCS) when applied to Brazilian university students. A crossover design was used, and the Portuguese version of the WCS (in both paper-and-pencil and online formats) was completed by 100 college students. The results indicated adequate fit in both formats. The simultaneous fit of data for both groups was excellent, with strong invariance between models. Adequate convergent validity, internal consistency, and mean score equivalence of the WCS in both formats were observed. Thus, the WCS presented adequate reliability and validity in both administration formats, with equivalence/stability between answers.

Juvenile female rainbow trout was exposed for 4.5 months (June to October) to two dilutions of untreated and activated sludge treated whole mill effluent from a pulp mill producing bleached ECF pulp. Two controls were used, on fed ad libitum and a second receiving 0.5% feed of the body weight. All effluent exposed groups were fed ad libitum. Mean weight of the fish was measured monthly. At the end of the experiment a number of physiological and biochemical parameters were analyzed in order to establish the physiological status of the exposed fish in comparison with unexposed fish that obtained ad libitum or restricted amount of feed. The fish exposed to treated effluent grew significantly more than ad libitum control fish until August, whereupon growth retarded in fish exposed to the lower effluent dilution (400 v/v). The growth of fish exposed to untreated effluent did not deviate significantly from the control fed ad libitum. The results from the hematological analysis clearly showed that fish fed restricted amount of feed deviated significantly in most parameters compared with the control fed ad libitum. Fish exposed to treated effluent showed a response pattern similar to that of the control fed restricted amount of feed, whereas the fish exposed to untreated effluent showed a response pattern that did not deviate from that of the ad libitum control. The metabolic parameters suggested that fish exposed to treated effluent had a higher metabolic demand than ad libitum control and that the energy allocation at the end of the experiment was directed to processes other than growth. The responses on hematology were mainly a consequence of the increased energy demand and were not primary effects. The implications of using feed related parameters at field studies are discussed., (Copyright 2001 Academic Press.)

Laboratory facilities use many varieties of contact bedding, including wood chips, paper products, and corncob, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Corncob bedding, for example, is often used because of its high absorbency, ability to minimize detectable ammonia, and low cost. However, observations that mice eat the corncob lead to concerns that its use can interfere with dietary studies. We evaluated the effect of corncob bedding on feed conversion (change in body weight relative to the apparent number of kcal consumed over 7 d) in mice. Four groups of mice (6 to 12 per group) were housed in an individually ventilated caging system: (1) low-fat diet housed on recycled paper bedding, (2) low-fat diet housed on corncob bedding, (3) high-fat diet housed on recycled paper bedding, and (4) high-fat diet housed on corncob bedding. After 4 wk of the high-fat diet, feed conversion and percentage body weight change both were lower in corncob-bedded mice compared with paper-bedded mice. Low-fat-fed mice on corncob bedding versus paper bedding did not show statistically significant differences in feed conversion or change in percentage body weight. Average apparent daily feed consumption did not differ among the 4 groups. In conclusion, these data suggest that corncob bedding reduces the efficiency of feed conversion in mice fed a high-fat diet and that other bedding choices should be favored in these models.

In this study, we aimed to investigate static and dynamic balance, reaction time, attention and BMI values at the athletes being in the individual and team sport. 78 individual athletes (karate 17, judo 15, Gymnastics 14, table tennis 12, wrestling 20) and 58 team athletes (handball 23, basketball 13, volleyball 10, football 12) with formal licensed and average ages 13.08±1.36 years were participated as voluntarily. For demographic characteristics, participants have filled in questionnaires and Bass Stick static balance, Y dynamic balance, Nelson hand reaction time and D2 attention test were applied. First, we have applied the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality of the data, the normal distribution is observed and then independent t test was used. In order to see the relationship between data, Pearson's correlation test was applied. The average sporting age of participants was 4.32±1.87 years, height 1.59±0.11m, body weight 50.18±12.74 kg and per week training time 10.33±4.41 hours. In addition, their BMI values were19.49±3.10 kg/m2 which is in the normal range, i.e., no difference between individual and team athletes was observed. It has been observed that for individual athletes, total number of items is 525.42±108.29, total number of errors is 454.04±105.86, concentration performance is 182.14±62.53, reaction rime is 0.29±0.06 sec, static balance is 7.10±4.49 sec, dynamic balance is 208.37±32.20 cm. On the other hand, for team athletes, these values were 500.59±79.70, 382.31±93.60, 168.35±56.51, 0.26±0.05 sec, 5.68±2.67 sec and 187.15±29.99 cm, respectively. We have found that while age increased the static and dynamic balance increased, but training time increased solely the dynamic balance increased. In addition, when taking into account the static and dynamic balance, it has been observed that the individual athletes were better than the team athletes but for the reaction time was contrary, i.e., team athletes were better than the individual ones. [This paper will be presented as an oral presentation at the 17th International Congress of Sport Sciences (Antalya, November 13-16, 2019).]

Background: People often expect physical education teachers to look fit and athletic, to do lots of physical activity, and to eat well. While ample research exists on physical education teachers' bodies, relatively few scholars have investigated how physical educators relate corporeal expectations to broader ideas about subject content, pedagogy, and the purposes of the school subject. Aim: The specific aim of the paper is to identify the assumptions about content, pedagogy, and educational purposes that teachers make when they talk about a perceived need for physical educators to look fit and athletic. Method: To frame our work theoretically, we draw from a Swedish didaktik of physical education tradition and employ Bakhtin's concept of "speech genres," and Wertsch's concept of "privileging." Our empirical material consists of transcripts generated from 6 focus group and 6 individual interviews (24 teachers in total, average age of 40 years, average teaching experience 11 years). Findings: Data suggest that when teachers use an 'athletic-looking teacher as healthy role model' speech genre, they tend to privilege: (1) a particular version of health as subject content that involves not being too overweight and maintaining physical functionality in sports. This content is based on biomedical conceptions of health which foreground exercise, eating and weight, and a pathogenic reduction of risk; (2) particular pedagogies in PE that put the teacher at the centre of the pedagogical situation, and; (3) a certain educational purpose in PE, which is to educate citizens for healthy lives through participation in sport. With respect to this purpose, increasing body weight enters the genre as a potential obstacle for educational success. Discussion: The findings raise questions concerning appropriate curricular content and its relation to teacher identities. They suggest that learning possibilities may be missed when certain content, pedagogies, and outcomes are privileged. The findings also indicate how wider voices are implicated in the speech genre. Conclusion: The paper is concluded with reflections on the possibility for change regarding expectations of physical education teachers' bodies and pedagogies.

Background: Clinical practice shows degrading image quality in heavier patients who undergo myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with Rubidium-82 (Rb-82) PET when using a fixed tracer activity. Our aim was to derive and validate a patient-specific activity protocol resulting in a constant image quality in PET MPI., Methods: We included 251 patients who underwent rest MPI with Rb-82 PET (Discovery 670, GE Healthcare). 132 patients were included retrospectively and were scanned using a fixed activity of 740 MBq. The total number of measured prompts was normalized to activity and correlated to body weight, mass per body length and body mass index to find the best predicting parameter. Next, a patient-specific activity was derived and subsequently validated in 119 additional patients. Image quality was scored by three experts on a four-point scale., Results: Both image quality and prompts decreased in heavier patients when using a fixed activity (p < .005). Body weight was used to derive a new activity formula: Activity = 8.3 MBq/kg. When applying this formula, both measured prompts and scored image quality became independent of body weight (p > .60)., Conclusion: Administrating a Rb-82 activity that linearly depends on body weight resulted in a constant image quality across all patients and is recommended., (© 2019. American Society of Nuclear Cardiology.)

Objectives: Multiple regression approaches for estimating body mass by somatometry typically use stature and biiliocristal breadth. However, these measures were obtained largely from Europeans, Africans, and Indo-Mediterraneans, whereas mid-latitude Asians were not broadly reflected. Thus, new estimation formulas for circum-Pacific Asians were devised, and the accuracy was evaluated using raw individual data., Materials and Methods: Targeting Asians in the traditional society or before the 1960s and performing multiple regression analysis (MRA) with body weight as the objective variable, and stature, body breadth, and product of head length/breadth (HLBpr) as explanatory variables. The target population was divided into four climate groups, and the formulas were prepared for each sex or the combined-sexes., Results: The MRA by stature and body breadth indicated significant multiple correlation coefficients (R) in many formulas. R was higher in the combined-sexes. Among the four climate groups, the temperate group showed the highest R. In the East/Southeast Asians, R exceeded 0.8 in the MRA by stature and HLBpr. Substituting the raw data of 19th-century Japanese males, the temperate group formulas presented the least error, and the error in all the formulas using body breadth was <2 kg., Conclusions: As body mass index varies significantly depending on some climatic factors, estimation formulas mixed with various climate groups are not desirable because of the large errors. For the mid-latitude Asians, the temperate group formulas are expected to have a smaller error; however, in the group where the proportion of underweight individuals was originally high, any formula tends to be overestimated., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Thermal effects on the nest sizes constructed by Polistes riparius foundresses, their nesting activities, and colony compositions were determined in laboratory conditions during the pre-emergence period. In this study, foundresses were placed in cold (20°C) and warm conditions (27°C), and ample food and nest materials were supplied. Nest sizes were larger in the cold condition; particularly, the elongation of cells was remarkable. The number of cells between the 2 conditions was not significantly different. Inter-condition colony composition was similar, while more honey drops were observed in the cold condition nests. A positive relation was observed when the relationships between body weight and developmental days were investigated, i.e., small offspring required shorter developmental days in both thermal conditions. In the cold condition, the first offspring were very small, whereas offspring size increased steeply after the second order, and was comparable to that of the foundresses; the size increase in the warm group was slight. This result indicates that the cold condition foundresses manipulated the sizes of their offspring. When inter-condition foundresses activities were compared , cold condition foundresses spent more time and energy on flight activities. Theseresults support the view that foundresses change nesting activities in relation to environmental temperatures, i.e., they can improve the thermal condition of nests by adding extra cells and manipulate the sizes of adult offspring.

Physical activity (PA) habit decreases and Body Image (BI) becomes important during adolescence. This paper focuses on determining two things: whether the level of participation in PA contributes to adolescents' PA attitudes and their quality of life-related body image and to examine whether there is a difference. The study utilized the cross-sectional design. 1281 individuals in the middle adolescence period participated in the study. Participants were between 15 and 17 years. International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Cognitive Behavioral Physical Activity Questionnaire (CBPAQ), and Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI) were used as data collection tools. According to the study findings, there were significant differences in the BIQLI total, interaction with the opposite sex, and influence behavior/attitude between those who engaged in regular or irregular PA and those who did not engage in PA at all. Difference in the effect on self-efficacy and daily life sub-dimension was found between those who engaged in regular PA and those who did not. Outcome expectation and self-regulation items of those who engaged in PA were higher than for those who did not. Since adolescents are expected to engage in regular or irregular PA, personal barriers in front of them must be removed. It is therefore important to support their attitudes, which positively affects their PA, because participation in PA contributes positively to their PA and BI-related quality of life.

For the 31st Delphine Hanna Lecture, this paper draws parallels between Dr. Delphine Hanna's approach to establishing physical education's professional legitimacy in the late 1800s to the field's current quest for social and cultural relevance. Drawing on the concept of precarity, the paper outlines society's current challenges and argues that the physical education field remains disconnected from the lived experiences of young people. In the spirit of hope and purpose, the paper suggests physical education professionals can learn from the innovative and interdisciplinary path Dr. Hanna forged during her trailblazing career. As one potential example of what this approach may look like today, the author highlights the lesson learned from the Weight Inclusive Thinking (WIT) project -- an interdisciplinary effort to promote body size diversity across physical activity settings.

Objective: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess whether optimism is associated with body mass index (BMI), eating behavior and eating disorders (EDs) in a population-based study., Method: In 2016, a total of 32,805 participants aged ≥18 years from the NutriNet-Santé cohort completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised, assessing dispositional optimism. Height and weight were self-reported. Eating behavior was assessed with the revised 21-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. Risk of EDs was evaluated with the Sick-Control-One-Fat-Food Questionnaire. Linear and Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between optimism, BMI categories, eating behavior and ED risk, controlling for sociodemographic, lifestyle and depressive symptom characteristics., Results: Our sample was composed of 73.5% women, and the mean age was 55.39 ± 13.70 years. More optimistic participants were less likely to be underweight (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.89), or obese, particularly class III obese (BMI ≥40 kg/m 2 ) (OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.84) compared with less optimistic individuals. Optimism was negatively associated with cognitive restraint (β = -.07; 95%CI: -0.08; -0.06), emotional eating (β = -.17; 95% CI: -0.19, -0.16) and uncontrolled eating (β = -.10; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.09). In addition, more optimistic participants had a lower risk of EDs (OR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.64)., Discussion: Our findings showed that optimism was associated with weight status, eating behavior and risk of EDs in both women and men. The causal structure of the underlying observed association remains unclear and should be further investigated., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: There is a need to assess longitudinal trends in physical function and to understand the prevalence of physical function status in the older population using objectively measured physical function. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to examine longitudinal sex-specific physical function trends and prevalence of physical function status by age, race/ethnicity, and weight status in older adults, aged 65 years and older., Methods: The present study used longitudinal data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Physical function was measured annually from 2011 to 2018 using the Short Physical Performance Battery, and classified as poor (0-6), fair (7-9), or good (10-12). Mixed effect regression and generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate unadjusted trends and annual changes in physical function, adjusting for confounders and accounting for complex sampling., Results: Respondents' physical function declined over time regardless of sex, age, race/ethnicity, and weight status (P < .001). Respondents aged 75 to 84 years (males: β = -.18; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -.22 to -.13; females: β = -.23; 95% CI = -.27 to -.20) and 85 years and older (males: β = -.39; 95% CI = -.47 to -.30; females: β = -.33; 95% CI = -.39 to -.28) had a greater annual physical function rate of decline than respondents aged 65 to 74 years. Respondents aged 75 years and older also had a greater annual increase in the proportion classified as having poor physical function than respondents aged 65 to 74 years (P < .001), regardless of sex. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic females had a lower annual physical function rate of decline (β = .14; 95% CI = 0.07-0.20), and Hispanic and/or non-Hispanic blacks had slower annual changes in the proportion classified as having good physical function (P < .05). Compared with normal weight males, overweight males had lower annual changes in physical function (P = .003) and proportion of those with poor physical function (P = .004), but no differences between weight status were observed in females., Conclusions: Physical function declines with age, but temporal changes in physical function and physical function status varied by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and weight status. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:2270-2278, 2020., (© 2020 The American Geriatrics Society.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting chemical used in a wide range of consumer products including photoactive dyes used in thermal paper. Recent studies have shown that dermal absorption of BPA can occur when handling these papers. Yet, regulatory agencies have largely dismissed thermal paper as a major source of BPA exposure. Exposure estimates provided by agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are based on assumptions about how humans interact with this material, stating that ‘typical’ exposures for adults involve only one handling per day for short periods of time (<1 minute), with limited exposure surfaces (three fingertips). The objective of this study was to determine how individuals handle thermal paper in one common setting: a cafeteria providing short-order meals. We observed thermal paper handling in a college-aged population (n = 698 subjects) at the University of Massachusetts’ dining facility. We find that in this setting, individuals handle receipts for an average of 11.5 min, that >30% of individuals hold thermal paper with more than three fingertips, and >60% allow the paper to touch their palm. Only 11% of the participants we observed were consistent with the EFSA model for time of contact and dermal surface area. Mathematical modeling based on handling times we measured and previously published transfer coefficients, concentrations of BPA in paper, and absorption factors indicate the most conservative estimated intake from handling thermal paper in this population is 51.1 ng/kg/day, similar to EFSA’s estimates of 59 ng/kg/day from dermal exposures. Less conservative estimates, using published data on concentrations in thermal paper and transfer rates to skin, indicate that exposures are likely significantly higher. Based on our observational data, we propose that the current models for estimating dermal BPA exposures are not consistent with normal human behavior and should be reevaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Length-weight relationships (LWRs) were estimated for 36 mesopelagic fish species collected from the equatorial and tropical Atlantic encompassing several oceanographic regions: oligotrophic, equatorial, Cape Blanc, Cape Verde and the Canary Islands. The sample was composed of myctophids (25 species), gonostomatids (5), sternoptychids (3), stomiids (2) and phosichthyids (1). The species were clustered according to body shape: "short-deep" (sternoptychids), "elongate" (gonostomatids, stomiids and some phosichthyids) and "fusiform" (myctophids and some phosichthyids). Three types of weight and LWRs were considered: wet weight (WW), eviscerated wet weight (eWW) and eviscerated dry weight (eDW). The study demonstrated that most species present a positive allometric growth, independent of the weight used. However, the allometric value varied in 40-50% of species depending on the type of weight considered. Significant variations linked to fish morphology were found in the relationship between the slope and intercept of the LWR equation. Significant differences were also noted in the water content linked to fish body shape. Based on the distributions of several species we compare their fitness between oceanographic regions using the relative condition factor (K rel ). Except for Diaphus brachycephalus (oligotrophic vs. equatorial waters) and Lampanyctus alatus (equatorial, Cape Blanc, Cape Verde and the Canary Islands), no regional significant differences were observed in the species analysed., (© 2020 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Background: Overweight and obesity in children is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but the nuances of this relationship across different age and socio-demographic groups are not well-established. The aim of this study is to examine how the association between weight status and HRQoL changes with age and socioeconomic position (SEP) throughout childhood and adolescence., Methods: We used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), a cohort study in which children were interviewed biennially from ages 4 to 17 years over seven waves of data. Measurements of HRQoL (using PedsQL TM ), body mass index (BMI), and socio-demographic characteristics were collected at each interview. Of the 4983 children recruited into the study, we included data from 4083 children (a total of 24,446 observations). We used generalised estimating equations to assess whether age and SEP modified the association between weight status and HRQoL, after controlling for sex, long-term medical condition, language spoken to child and maternal smoking status., Results: Age was a significant modifier of the association between weight status and HRQoL, with adjustment for known predictors of HRQoL (P < 0.001). At age 4, children with obesity had, on average, a 0.99 (95% CI 0.02-1.96) point lower PedsQL total score than children at healthy weight. This difference became clinically important by age 9 at 4.50 (95% CI 3.86-5.13) points and increased to 6.69 (95% CI 5.74-7.64) points by age 17. There was no evidence that SEP modified the relationship between weight status and HRQoL (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the relationship between overweight and obesity status and poor HRQoL is strengthened with increasing age through childhood and adolescence, but is not affected by SEP. Paediatricians, researchers and carers of children with obesity should acknowledge HRQoL outcomes, particularly for older children and adolescents.

Regular body mass (BM) monitoring plays a key role in preventative health care of zoo animals. In some species, including African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), the process of weighing can be challenging, and alternative methods such as visual body condition scoring (BCS) have been developed. We investigated the temporal development of both parameters regarding correlation patterns between them, and their suitability as monitoring measures in dependence of an elephant's life stage. While BM is more suitable in calves and juveniles under the age of 8 years, both BM and BCS are considered equally reliable in adult elephants. In elephants over the age of 40 years, BCS might be more suitable for assessing the physical status. Independent of species and sex, juvenile zoo elephants grow in BM nearly linearly with age, and reach a higher BM at an earlier age compared with conspecifics of free-ranging and semi-captive populations in the countries of origin. The BCS typically remains constant during this life stage, seemingly unaffected by growth. In adult animals, breeding females have a lower BM and BCS than nonbreeders, and BM and BCS typically indicate fluctuations in the same direction. In geriatric elephants (>40 years) a drop in BCS occurs commonly, while BM may even increase in this life stage. We recommend regular body mass recording in zoo elephants to enhance our knowledge of body mass development and allow the formulation of objective practical recommendations. BCS presents a valuable and simple tool for complementary monitoring of an elephant's condition, especially in adult and geriatric individuals., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of administering an anti-gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine (Improvac ® , developed for pigs) on the performance, temperament, testicular development, and hormone and metabolite profiles of feral bulls (Bos taurus) vaccinated at two different live weights (LW). In all, 16 Serrana de Teruel animals were involved in this 2 x 2 factorial design using the factors LW (LIGHT vs. HEAVY) and vaccine treatment (control, C vs. vaccinated, VA). All animals received the same diet (ad libitum concentrate plus straw) over a 164-day fattening period. Temperament was assessed using chute and flight speed tests. Testicular diameter and subcutaneous fat thickness were recorded. Testosterone, IGF-1, urea, NEFA, and creatinine profiles were analyzed. Bull weight gain was reduced in VA compared to C animals, regardless of the initial LW. The vaccine did not affect the temperament tests, subcutaneous fat thickness or NEFA and creatinine concentrations and had minor effects on linear body measures. The vaccine inhibited testicular growth, reduced plasma testosterone to residual levels, and increased urea concentrations. LIGHT-C animals exhibited increased mean plasma IGF-1 concentrations compared to LIGHT-VA animals. In conclusion, vaccination reduced bull growth and sexual development irrespective of LW at immunization., (© 2019 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Microplastics (MPs) have been found in many packaged food products such as salt, tea bags, milk, and fish. In a previous study by this group, MPs were found to leach into hot water from the plastic lining of disposable paper cups. No studies were found in the literature quantifying health risks or lifetime intake of MPs. At present, it is not possible to quantify health risks due to MPs because dose-response and toxicity assessments are not available. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to assess the intake of MPs and associated contaminants like fluoride that are released into these hot beverages. MPs in the previous study were quantified in terms of particle counts only and a simple method was adopted in the present study to convert the microplastics count into its respective mass. Chronic daily intake (CDI) and lifetime intake (LTI) of MPs through the ingestion pathway were calculated. CDI and Hazard Quotient (HQ) due to fluoride ingestion were also estimated following USEPA guidelines. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were used to account for the variability in input variables such as concentration of MPs, body weight, averaging time, exposure duration, exposure frequency and ingestion rate to evaluate the impact on CDI and LTI values. The CDI was used to estimate the LTI of MPs and HQ for fluoride ingestion. MC simulations with 100,000 iterations resulted in an average CDI of 0.03 ± 0.025 mg of microplastic per kg of body weight per day and 7.04 ± 8.8 μg fluoride per kg body weight per day. This study takes us one step closer to estimating the human health risk due to the ingestion of microplastics and other contaminants through food items. [Display omitted] • Mass of microplastics from paper cups into hot beverages was estimated. • Chronic daily intake analysed using Monte Carlo simulations. • Average chronic daily intake was 0.03 ± 0.025 mg microplastic/kg body weight day−1. • Chronic daily intake of fluoride was 7.04 ± 8.8 μg/kg body weight per day. • Fluoride levels were higher or close to drinking water standard of 1.5 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]