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Objective: To investigate whether a probiotic mix has additional effects when compared with an isolated dietary intervention on the body composition, lipid profile, endotoxemia, inflammation, and antioxidant profile., Methods: Women who had excess weight or obesity were recruited to a randomized, double-blind trial and received a probiotic mix (Lactobacillus acidophilus and casei; Lactococcus lactis; Bifidobacterium bifidum and lactis; 2 × 10 10 colony-forming units/day) (n = 21) or placebo (n = 22) for 8 weeks. Both groups received a dietary prescription. Body composition was assessed by anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The lipid profile, lipid accumulation product, plasma fatty acids, lipopolysaccharide, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, adiponectin, and the antioxidant enzymes activities were analyzed., Results: In comparison with the dietary intervention group, the dietary intervention + probiotic mix group showed a greater reduction in the waist circumference (-3.40% vs. -5.48%, P = 0.03), waist-height ratio (-3.27% vs. -5.00%, P = 0.02), conicity index (-2.43% vs. -4.09% P = 0.03), and plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids (5.65% vs. -18.63%, P = 0.04) and an increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase (-16.67% vs. 15.62%, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Supplementation of a probiotic mix reduced abdominal adiposity and increased antioxidant enzyme activity in a more effective way than an isolated dietary intervention., (© 2016 The Obesity Society.)

Objective: To investigate differences in abdominal fat compartments between young adult monozygotic twin pairs discordant for leisure-time physical activity., Methods: Ten young adult male monozygotic twin pairs (age range 32-36 years) discordant for leisure-time physical activity during the past 3 years were systematically selected from a population-based Finnish twin cohort. Magnetic resonance image at the level of the L2-L3 intervertebral disc was used to predict intra-abdominal and subcutaneous abdominal fat masses. Dietary intake was assessed with a 4-day food diary., Results: Inactive twins had 31% more intra-abdominal fat than their active co-twins (mean difference 0.52 kg, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.91, P = 0.016), whereas the difference in subcutaneous abdominal fat was only 13% (P = 0.21) and 3% in body mass index (P = 0.28). Intraperitoneal fat mass was 41% higher among inactive twins compared to their active co-twins (mean difference 0.41 kg, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.70, P = 0.012). Dietary intake did not differ between co-twins., Conclusions: A lower level of physical activity is related to greater accumulation of intra-abdominal fat among healthy adult males in their mid-30s. The findings highlight the importance of leisure-time physical activity independent of genes and diet in the prevention of intra-abdominal fat accumulation from early adulthood onward., (© 2016 The Obesity Society.)

The aim of this study was to determine whether age influences the relationship between alcohol drinking and obesity. Japanese men receiving periodic health checkups (20-70 years old, n = 36,121) were divided into non-, light (<22 g ethanol/day), moderate (≥22 and <44 g ethanol/day), and heavy (≥44 g ethanol/day) drinkers. Relationships between alcohol intake and obesity-related indices were compared among the quartiles of age. BMI was lower in light and moderate drinkers than in nondrinkers, and these differences were more prominent in the 1st and 2nd quartiles of age than in the higher quartiles. In the 1st and 2nd quartiles of age, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were significantly smaller and lower, respectively, in light and moderate drinkers than in nondrinkers, and these differences were less prominent in the 3rd quartile and were not found in the 4th quartile. In the 1st and 2nd quartiles of age, odds ratios vs. nondrinkers for large waist circumference were significantly low (P < 0.01) in light drinkers (1st quartile: 0.64 (0.54-0.75); 2nd quartile: 0.69 (0.60-0.80)) and moderate drinkers (1st quartile: 0.69 (0.61-0.78); 2nd quartile: 0.84 (0.76-0.93)), whereas the odds ratio was significantly low (P < 0.05) only in light drinkers in the 3rd quartile (0.84 (0.73-0.97)) and was not significant in any drinker groups of the 4th quartile. The results suggest that alcohol consumption is associated with lower risk of obesity in Japanese men and this association is more prominent in younger men than in older men.

The purpose of the study was to determine the relation between quintiles of muscular strength after adjustment for age and body weight, and excessive body fat (EBF) and excessive abdominal fat (EAF) when controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and other potential confounders. A two-phased cross-sectional and longitudinal study was conducted assessing the prevalence and incidence of EBF and EAF across quintiles of muscular strength. The sample included 3,258 men (mean age = 42.2 ± 8.9; weight (kg) = 81.2 ± 11.0; BMI = 25.3 ± 2.9; %fat = 19.4 ± 5.8; waist girth (cm) = 91.2 ± 9.0) who completed at least two clinical examinations as part of the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS). Muscular strength was assessed with tests of upper and lower body muscular strength using rack-mounted weights with participants placed into strength quintiles. CRF was measured by a modified Balke treadmill test, %fat via underwater weighing or seven-site skinfold measurements, and waist girth measured at the level of the umbilicus. EBF was defined as ≥25% and EAF was defined as >102 cm. There was a strong inverse gradient across quintiles of muscular strength for prevalence and incidence of EBF and EAF (P trend <0.01, each). With the lowest quintile serving as the referent, reductions in risk of EBF and EAF exceeded 70% for the highest strength quintile. Evidence suggests muscular strength may provide protection from EBF and EAF and their related comorbidities.

The purpose of this study was to determine what effect aerobic and resistance exercise training has on gain of visceral fat during the year following weight loss. After being randomly assigned to aerobic training, resistance training, or no exercise training, 45 European-American (EA) and 52 African-American (AA) women lost 12.3 +/- 2.5 kg on a 800 kcal/day diet. Computed tomography was used to measure abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, whereas total fat and regional fat (leg, arm, and trunk) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry after weight loss and 1 year following the weight loss. Because not all the subjects adhered to the 2 time/week 40 min/day exercise training during the 1-year follow-up, subjects were divided into five groups for analysis: aerobic adherers, aerobic nonadherers, resistance adherers, resistance nonadherers, and no exercise. No significant differences were observed between the aerobic training and resistance training adherers for any variable. However, the aerobic (3.1 kg) and resistance (3.9 kg) exercise adherers gained less weight than any of the other three groups (all >6.2 kg). In addition, the two exercise adherence groups did not significantly increase visceral fat (<0.8%) as compared with the 38% increase for the two nonadhering exercise groups and the 25% for the nonexercise group. In conclusion, as little as 80 min/week aerobic or resistance training had modest positive effects on preventing weight regain following a diet-induced weight loss. More importantly, both aerobic and resistance training prevented regain of potentially harmful visceral fat.

Major health organizations promote the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, composed of sufficient daily physical activity and a balanced diet for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease risk. In particular, it is recommended that adults accumulate 30 min of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity on most days of the week. Despite these recommendations, a physically active lifestyle is seldom adopted, and the majority of the North American population remains sedentary. Although the optimal strategy for promoting physical activity in today's environment remains elusive, the evidence for the utility of physical activity in the management of risk factors for T2D and cardiovascular disease is overwhelming. This review examines the influence of aerobic-type physical activity on components of global cardiometabolic risk, that is, the traditional and emerging risk factors for cardiovascular disease and T2D, including visceral obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, atherogenic dyslipidemia, thrombosis, inflammation, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Where possible, specific consideration is given to the independent effects of an acute bout of physical activity vs. chronic physical activity with weight loss vs. chronic physical activity without weight loss.