Posted by James
This study presents baseline data of college-aged populations on body weight by gender, ethnicity and gender-ethnicity subgroups. It addresses the question whether there are ethnic differences in anthropometric measurements and body composition (body fat, lean and water), and their association with CHD risk factors. We observed statistically significant differences between males and females with males being heavier and taller, which was expected. Black non-Hispanic females were taller and heavier than white non-Hispanic and Hispanic females. Males had higher BMIs than females. More females were classified in the underweight category than males. Black non-Hispanic females were significantly (p<0.017) more likely than white non-Hispanic females to be overweight. Our data are consistent with observations from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey (NCHRBS), indicating that black non-Hispanic students (33.5%) are significantly more likely than white non-Hispanic (19.5%) and Hispanic (20.8%) students to be overweight. Black non-Hispanic female students (35.8%) are significantly more likely than white non-Hispanic (18.5%) and Hispanic (16.8%) female students to be overweight. Black non-Hispanic male students (30.3%) were significantly more likely than white non-Hispanic male (19.5%) students to be overweight.
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Posted by James
The 300 subjects—50% males and 50% females—were recruited among the targeted three ethnic groups. One-third were white non-Hispanic, one-third were Hispanic, and one-third were black non-Hispanic. The mean age was 20.8 ± 3.9 (mean ± SD). The mean weight was 150.6 ± 30.2 lbs (Table 1). Significant differences were found in height (p<0.001) and weight (p<0.002), with black non-Hispanic females being taller (66.1 ± 2.7 inches) than white non-Hispanic females and Hispanic females (64.6 ± 2.8 inches and 64.0 ± 2.5 inches, respectively), and black non-Hispanic females being heavier (141.1 ± 28.7 lbs) than white non-Hispanic females and Hispanic females (126.6 ± 14.6 lbs and 129.8 ± 18.3 lbs, respectively). The mean BMI was 23.2 ± 3.5 kg/m2. Males had significantly (p<0.001) higher BMIs (24.3 ± 3.5 kg/m2) than females (22.0 ± 3.2 kg/m2) (Table 1). Significant differences were found (p<0.043) in the underweight category, with 8.9% of females being underweight compared to 1.1% of males. Significant differences (p<0.017) were found in the overweight category, with 30% of black non-Hispanic females being overweight compared to 6.7% of white non-Hispanic females (Table 2).
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Posted by James
Subject Recruitment and Selection
Three-hundred college students at Florida International University (FIU) were recruited to participate in an American Heart Association-sponsored study. Subjects were recruited using flyers distributed in classrooms and areas where they socialize on campus. Subjects who were students at FIU during 1999-2000, of age <40 years, males and females, any major except nutrition (to eliminate bias, nutrition students have better knowledge of CHD prevention and treatment) and originated from one of the three targeted ethnic groups—that is, Hispanics, black non-Hispanics and white non-Hispanics. Sub jects were asked to report to the investigator’s laboratory on campus to take part in the study. Only one visit was necessary to collect all of the required data, and the entire process took approximately one hour. Subjects signed an informed-consent form approved by the FIU Institutional Review Board prior to participation in the study.
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Posted by James
INTRODUCTION
Obesity (fosamax 35 mg used to prevent or treat osteoporosis in women after menopause and to treat osteoporosis in men) is a major public health problem in the United States. The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Recent estimates from 1999 to 2002 suggest that nearly one-third of adults are obese (27.6% of men and 33.2% of women), and one in six children and adolescents is overweight. Overall, among adults aged >20 years in 1999 to 2002, 65.1% were overweight or obese, 30.4% were obese, and 4.9% were extremely obese. An increase of more than 25% in BMI over the past three decades has occurred, resulting in increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in these populations. These dramatic increases have been observed among the three major racial and ethnic groups of the United States and include both genders. Recent studies have contributed to our understanding of the amount of adiposity required to impose a substantial coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Other studies showed a continuous and graded influence of body mass index (BMI), beginning at a level below average and indicating that even moderate overweight, close to the average weight of Americans, is dangerous. Among American adults ages 20 and older, the estimated age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was higher for blacks, followed by Hispanics and then whites. It is well documented that the burden of major cardiovascular risk factors is substantially greater in the obese populations, with a strong correlation to the degree of adiposity. Obesity (cheap evista sed to help prevent and treat thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) only in postmenopausal women) is an important risk factor for CHD, stroke, diabetes and hypertension. Federal health authorities have targeted a reduction from 23% to 15% in the prevalence of overweight and obesity as a national health objective to be achieved by the year 2010. The high prevalence of being overweight among blacks and Mexican Americans, especially among women, may reflect cultural values and beliefs that limit the motivation for or the effectiveness of weight control.
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Posted by James
METHODS Over a one-month period, every other patient who attended the general medicine clinics at Grady Memorial Hospital was screened for the presence of CHD. The clinic was staffed by 140 interns and residents from the Emory University Internal Medicine Residency Program under the supervision of 40 general medicine Emory University attendings. Clinics were held daily with morning and afternoon clinic sessions. One-hundred-forty-seven patients with a clinical diagnosis of CHD were identified after excluding 35 CHD patients with dementia, terminal illness or cancer. Clinical and demographic data (age, gender and race) were collected on all patients by a single, trained chart reviewer. A documented diagnosis of CHD was defined by coronary disease proven by cardiac catheterization, a positive stress test or physician documentation of prior myocardial infarction. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by James
Demographics One-hundred-forty-seven patients were identified as having CHD. The mean age of the patients was 66 ± 11 years, and 54.4% of the patients were women. The majority (91.8%) of the patients were African-American. Most patients were indigent and few had private insurance. The comorbidities of the patients are displayed in Table 1. In general, there was a high incidence of hypertension (99.3%), diabetes (46.2%) and heart failure (29.9%). Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by James
The frequency of lipid-lowering therapy (74.8%) in patients with CHD in this outpatient setting was relatively high but not as high as the frequency of patients on aspirin or antiplatelet therapy (88.4%). More than one-quarter of the patients in this cohort were not on any lipid-lowering therapy. In addition, only 55 patients (45.8%) were at a goal LDL <100 mg/dl. There was a significant proportion of patients that had LDL values from 100-129 mg/dl. At the time of this study, NCEP II provided the current practice guidelines. These recommendations called for an LDL <100 mg/dl for patients with known CHD and to consider drug therapy if LDL was greater than 130 mg/dl. NCEP III recommendations currently published have maintained an LDL goal <100 mg/dl with a consideration of drug therapy for those with LDL levels between 100-129 mg/dl.
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