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Objective: Obesity is highly prevalent among ethnic minorities and acceptance of larger body sizes may put these ethnic minorities at risk of obesity. This study aimed to examine body size ideals and body satisfaction in relation to body weight, in two Sub-Saharan African (SSA)-origin groups in the Netherlands compared to the Dutch. Additionally, in the two SSA-origin groups, this study assessed the mediating role of acculturation in the relation between ethnicity and body size ideals and body satisfaction. Methods: Dutch, African Surinamese and Ghanaians living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, participated in the observational HELIUS study (n = 10,854). Body size ideals were assessed using a validated nine figure scale. Body satisfaction was calculated as the concordance of current with ideal figure. Acculturation was only assessed among SSA-origin participants and acculturation proxies included age of migration, residence duration, ethnic identity and social network. Weight and height were measured using standardised protocols. Results: SSA-origin women and Ghanaian men had larger body size ideals compared to the Dutch; e.g. Surinamese and Ghanaian women had 0.37 (95%CI 0.32; 0.43) and 0.70 (95%CI 0.63; 0.78) larger body size ideals compared to Dutch women. SSA-origin participants were more often satisfied with their weight compared to the Dutch. Similarly, SSA-origin participants had more than twice the odds of being satisfied/preferring a larger figure compared to the Dutch (e.g. BSurinamese men 2.44, 95%CI 1.99; 2.99). Within the two SSA-origin groups, most acculturation proxies mediated the relation between ethnicity and body size ideals in women. Limited evidence of mediation was found for the outcome body satisfaction. Conclusion: Public health strategies promoting a healthy weight may need to be differentiated according to sex and ethnic differences in body weight perception. Factors other than acculturation may underlie the ethnic differences between African Surinamese and Ghanaians in obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In old age, sufficient protein intake is important to preserve muscle mass and function. Around 50% of older adults (65+ y) consumes ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted body weight (BW)/day (d). There is no rapid method available to screen for low protein intake in old age. Therefore, we aimed to develop and validate a short food questionnaire to screen for low protein intake in community-dwelling older adults. We used data of 1348 older men and women (56–101 y) of the LASA study (the Netherlands) to develop the questionnaire and data of 563 older men and women (55–71 y) of the HELIUS study (the Netherlands) for external validation. In both samples, protein intake was measured by the 238-item semi-quantitative HELIUS food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to predict protein intake ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted BW/d (based on the HELIUS FFQ). Candidate predictor variables were FFQ questions on frequency and amount of intake of specific foods. In both samples, 30% had a protein intake ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted BW/d. Our final model included adjusted body weight and 10 questions on the consumption (amount on average day or frequency in 4 weeks) of: slices of bread (number); glasses of milk (number); meat with warm meal (portion size); cheese (amount and frequency); dairy products (like yoghurt) (frequency); egg(s) (frequency); pasta/noodles (frequency); fish (frequency); and nuts/peanuts (frequency). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.889 (95% CI 0.870–0.907). The calibration slope was 1.03 (optimal slope 1.00). At a cut-off of ≤0.8 g/kg adjusted BW/d, the AUC was 0.916 (96% CI 0.897–0.936). Applying the regression equation to the HELIUS sample, the AUC was 0.856 (95% CI 0.824–0.888) and the calibration slope 0.92. Regression coefficients were therefore subsequently shrunken by a linear factor 0.92. To conclude, the short food questionnaire (Pro55+) can be used to validly screen for protein intake ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted BW/d in community-dwelling older adults. An online version can be found at . External validation in other countries is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ethnic minority groups in high-income countries are disproportionately affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) for reasons that are unclear. We assessed the association of educational and occupational levels with CKD in a multi-ethnic population. Furthermore, we assessed to what extent ethnic inequalities in the prevalence of CKD were accounted for by educational and occupational levels. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study of 21,433 adults (4,525 Dutch, 3,027 South-Asian Surinamese, 4,105 African Surinamese, 2,314 Ghanaians, 3,579 Turks, and 3,883 Moroccans) aged 18 to 70 years living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Three CKD outcomes were considered using the 2012 KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) severity of CKD classification. Comparisons between educational and occupational levels were made using logistic regression analyses. Results: After adjustment for sex and age, low-level and middle-level education were significantly associated with higher odds of high to very high-risk of CKD in Dutch (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.10, 95% C.I., 1.37–2.95; OR 1.55, 95% C.I., 1.03–2.34). Among ethnic minority groups, low-level education was significantly associated with higher odds of high to very-high-risk CKD but only in South-Asian Surinamese (OR 1.58, 95% C.I., 1.06–2.34). Similar results were found for the occupational level in relation to CKD risk. Conclusion: The lower educational and occupational levels of ethnic minority groups partly accounted for the observed ethnic inequalities in CKD. Reducing CKD risk in ethnic minority populations with low educational and occupational levels may help to reduce ethnic inequalities in CKD and its related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sedentary behaviour is increasingly recognised as a health risk. While differences in this behaviour might help explain ethnic differences in disease profiles, studies on sedentary behaviour in ethnic minorities are scarce. The aim of this study was to compare the levels and the socio-demographic and lifestyle-related correlates of objectively measured sedentary time among five ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Methods: Data were collected as part of the HELIUS study. The sample consisted of adults from a Dutch, Moroccan, African Surinamese, South-Asian Surinamese and Turkish ethnic origin. Data were collected by questionnaire, physical examination, and a combined heart rate and accelerometry monitor (Actiheart). Sedentary time was defined as waking time spent on activities of <1.5 metabolic equivalents. Ethnic differences in the levels of sedentary time were tested using ANOVA and ANCOVA analyses, while ethnic differences in the correlates of sedentary time were tested with interactions between ethnicity and potential correlates using general linear models. Associations between these correlates and sedentary time were explored using linear regression analyses stratified by ethnicity (pre-determined). All analyses were adjusted for gender and age. Results: 447 participants were included in the analyses, ranging from 73 to 109 participants per ethnic group. Adjusted levels of sedentary time ranged from 569 minutes/day (9.5 hours/day) for participants with a Moroccan and Turkish origin to 621 minutes/day (10.3 hours/day) in African Surinamese participants. There were no statistically significant differences in the levels or correlates of sedentary time between the ethnic groups. Meeting the physical activity recommendations (150 minutes/week) was consistently inversely associated with sedentary time across all ethnic groups, while age was positively associated with sedentary time in most groups. Conclusions: No statistically significant differences in the levels of objectively measured sedentary time or its socio-demographic and lifestyle-related correlates were observed among five ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate whether ethnicity is independently associated with vaginal microbiota (VMB) composition in women living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as has been shown for American women. Methods: Women (18–34 years, non-pregnant, N = 610) representing the six largest ethnic groups (Dutch, African Surinamese, South-Asian Surinamese, Turkish, Moroccan, and Ghanaian) were sampled from the population-based HELIUS study. Sampling was performed irrespective of health status or healthcare seeking behavior. DNA was extracted from self-sampled vaginal swabs and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq (16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region). Results: The overall prevalence of VMBs not dominated by lactobacilli was 38.5%: 32.2% had a VMB resembling bacterial vaginosis and another 6.2% had a VMB dominated by Bifidobacteriaceae (not including Gardnerella vaginalis), Corynebacterium, or pathobionts (streptococci, staphylococci, Proteus or Enterobacteriaceae). The most prevalent VMB in ethnically Dutch women was a Lactobacillus crispatus-dominated VMB, in African Surinamese and Ghanaian women a polybacterial G. vaginalis-containing VMB, and in the other ethnic groups a L. iners-dominated VMB. After adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical factors, African Surinamese ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1–12.0) and Ghanaian ethnicity (aOR 4.8, 95% CI 1.8–12.6) were associated with having a polybacterial G. vaginalis-containing VMB, and African Surinamese ethnicity with a L. iners-dominated VMB (aOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2–6.2). Shorter steady relationship duration, inconsistent condom use with casual partners, and not using hormonal contraception were also associated with having a polybacterial G. vaginalis-containing VMB, but human papillomavirus infection was not. Other sexually transmitted infections were uncommon. Conclusions: The overall prevalence of having a VMB not dominated by lactobacilli in this population-based cohort of women aged 18–34 years in Amsterdam was high (38.5%), and women of sub-Saharan African descent were significantly more likely to have a polybacterial G. vaginalis-containing VMB than Dutch women independent of modifiable behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differences in arterial wave reflection and central blood pressure (BP) have been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in various populations and may contribute to ethnic differences in CVD. Whether ethnic differences in wave reflection and central BP can be explained by conventional risk factors for CVD or may result from physiological differences remains undetermined. Methods: We examined ethnic differences in augmentation index (AIx) and central systolic BP and their determinants in a large multi-ethnic cohort study in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. A total of 8812 (46% male) participants aged 18–70 years of Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese and Ghanaian origin were included. AIx and central BP were measured in duplicate using the Arteriograph system. Results: AIx and central systolic BP were significantly higher in South-Asian Surinamese (35±17%, 126±22 mmHg), African Surinamese (33±17%, 129±23 mmHg) and Ghanaian (33±16%, 135±24 mmHg) as compared with Dutch (27±17%, 118±20 mmHg, all p<0.001). Correction for cardiovascular risk factors only slightly reduced the difference in AIx, whereas correction for body height attenuated age and gender corrected ethnic differences in AIx the most. Differences in central systolic BP were primarily determined by differences in AIx for South-Asian Surinamese and by differences in peripheral systolic BP for subjects of African origin. Conclusions: Substantial differences in AIx and central BP exist across different ethnic groups that cannot be explained by differences in conventional risk factors for CVD. These findings may explain part of the underestimation of cardiovascular risk observed in populations of African and South-Asian descent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether ethnic differences in handgrip strength, a marker of poor muscle strength and quality, is a potential cause of ethnic disparities in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We included 2086 Dutch, 2216 South Asian Surinamese, 2084 African Surinamese, 1786 Ghanaian, 2223 Turkish and 2199 Moroccan origin participants from the HELIUS study. We analyzed ethnic differences in handgrip strength, and its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus using logistic regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographic factors, body composition and lifestyle factors. Additionally, we investigated whether handgrip strength explained the ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We found that handgrip strength differed significantly across ethnic groups. After full adjustment, we found an inverse association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.92–0.97) that did not differ substantially between ethnic groups, men and among women, and lean and overweight individuals. The association was not affected by the measure used to define type 2 diabetes mellitus, but was attenuated by exclusion of people with known diabetes. The ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes mellitus were not explained by handgrip strength (e.g. the OR for the South Asian Surinamese vs. Dutch changed from 5.03; 3.69–6.68 to 4.87; 3.57–6.65). In conclusion, we found large ethnic differences in handgrip strength and a consistent association of low handgrip strength with prevalent type 2 diabetes mellitus. This suggests that handgrip strength may be investigated as a target for intervention or a marker to identify people at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite higher levels of obesity, West African migrant women appear to have lower rates of type 2 diabetes than their male counterparts. We investigated the role of body fat distribution in these differences. Methods: Cross-sectional study of Ghanaian migrants (97 men, 115 women) aged 18–60 years in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured. Logistic regression was used to explore the association of BMI, waist and hip measurements with elevated fasting glucose (glucose≥5.6 mmol/L). Linear regression was used to study the association of the same parameters with fasting glucose. Results: Mean BMI, waist and hip circumferences were higher in women than men while the prevalence of elevated fasting glucose was higher in men than in women, 33% versus 19%. With adjustment for age only, men were non-significantly more likely than women to have an elevated fasting glucose, odds ratio (OR) 1.81, 95% CI: 0.95, 3.46. With correction for BMI, the higher odds among men increased and were statistically significant (OR 2.84, 95% CI: 1.32, 6.10), but with consideration of body fat distribution (by adding both hip and waist in the analysis) differences were no longer significant (OR 1.56 95% CI: 0.66, 3.68). Analysis with fasting glucose as continuous outcome measure showed somewhat similar results. Conclusion: Compared to men, the lower rates of elevated fasting glucose observed among Ghanaian women may be partly due to a more favorable body fat distribution, characterized by both hip and waist measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In old age, sufficient protein intake is important to preserve muscle mass and function. Around 50% of older adults (65+ y) consumes ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted body weight (BW)/day (d). There is no rapid method available to screen for low protein intake in old age. Therefore, we aimed to develop and validate a short food questionnaire to screen for low protein intake in community-dwelling older adults. We used data of 1348 older men and women (56–101 y) of the LASA study (the Netherlands) to develop the questionnaire and data of 563 older men and women (55–71 y) of the HELIUS study (the Netherlands) for external validation. In both samples, protein intake was measured by the 238-item semi-quantitative HELIUS food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to predict protein intake ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted BW/d (based on the HELIUS FFQ). Candidate predictor variables were FFQ questions on frequency and amount of intake of specific foods. In both samples, 30% had a protein intake ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted BW/d. Our final model included adjusted body weight and 10 questions on the consumption (amount on average day or frequency in 4 weeks) of: slices of bread (number); glasses of milk (number); meat with warm meal (portion size); cheese (amount and frequency); dairy products (like yoghurt) (frequency); egg(s) (frequency); pasta/noodles (frequency); fish (frequency); and nuts/peanuts (frequency). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.889 (95% CI 0.870–0.907). The calibration slope was 1.03 (optimal slope 1.00). At a cut-off of ≤0.8 g/kg adjusted BW/d, the AUC was 0.916 (96% CI 0.897–0.936). Applying the regression equation to the HELIUS sample, the AUC was 0.856 (95% CI 0.824–0.888) and the calibration slope 0.92. Regression coefficients were therefore subsequently shrunken by a linear factor 0.92. To conclude, the short food questionnaire (Pro55+) can be used to validly screen for protein intake ≤1.0 g/kg adjusted BW/d in community-dwelling older adults. An online version can be found at . External validation in other countries is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]