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Objective To assess the effect of parental age at childbirth on insulin sensitivity and other metabolic outcomes in overweight middle-aged males. Methods We studied 73 men aged 46.0±5.4 years, who were overweight (body mass index, BMI 25-30 kg/m2) but otherwise healthy. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by the Matsuda method from an oral glucose tolerance test. Other assessments included dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived body composition, lipid profile, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, and carotid intima-media thickness. Maternal and paternal ages were highly correlated ( r = 0.71; P < 0.0001), and the main parameter of interest in this study was the mean parental age at childbirth (MPAC), calculated as the average of maternal and paternal ages. Results Increasing MPAC was associated with a continuous increase in insulin sensitivity ( β = 0.193; P = 0.008), as well as reductions in insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; β = −0.064; P = 0.011), fasting insulin ( β = −0.221; P = 0.018) and fasting glucose ( β = −0.030; P = 0.033) concentrations. Increasing MPAC was also associated with reductions in night time systolic ( β = −0.500; P = 0.020) and diastolic ( β = −0.325; P = 0.047) blood pressure, as well as with improved (greater) nocturnal diastolic blood pressure dipping ( β = 0.413; P = 0.046). Subgroup analyses on participants of European descent ( n = 64) showed that increasing MPAC was associated with reduced carotid intima-media thickness ( β = −0.008; P = 0.018) and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations ( β = −0.042; P = 0.028). Conclusions Increasing parental age at childbirth was associated with a more favorable metabolic phenotype in overweight middle-aged males. However, it is unknown whether the effect was maternal, paternal, or both. Future studies on the effects of parental age at childbirth on the metabolism of males and females across the BMI range are required. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:380-386, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small size at birth is associated with increased risk of a variety of common chronic diseases in adulthood. Numerous experimental studies in animals have supported the observations in humans, demonstrating that changes in nutrition in early life can lead to altered long-term health. Importantly, these effects can be independent of size at birth, and can depend on the interaction between nutritional events before and after birth. Both macro- and micronutrient intake are important. Furthermore, these effects may vary according to the nature, timing, severity and duration of the nutritional insult. This review provides examples from animal studies of evidence of these long-term effects, and some possible underlying mechanisms whereby nutrition in early life can affect long-term health. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a three unrelated middle-aged individuals were exposed to heavy infestations of S. australis while gardening in the Hamilton region of New Zealand. It notes three individuals denied having a history of dermographism, atopic eczema or previous contact dermatitis to plants. The article discusses caterpillars and moths have evolved defence mechanisms including irritating hairs, spines, venoms and toxins that may cause adverse health effects in humans.