2 results
Energy balance and occupational activity as predictors of obesity risk in women.
- Luciana Torquati, Gregore I. Mielke, Tracy L. Kolbe-Alexander, Wendy J. Brown
-
- Journal:
- Proceedings of the Nutrition Society / Volume 79 / Issue OCE2 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 10 June 2020, E461
-
- Article
-
- You have access Access
- Export citation
-
Reduced occupational energy expenditure and increased energy intake are important contributors to the increasing prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to examine whether sedentary occupations, and specific indicators of energy intake and expenditure are associated with obesity risk in Australian women. Data were from 3,444 participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, who reported their weight, dietary intake, physical activity and occupation in 2009 (at age 31–36), and weight in 2012. Participants were categorised as having a ‘less sedentary’ or ‘sedentary work’, based on occupation and activity patterns at work. Multivariate models were conducted to examine the odds of being obese (> 30 body-mass index) and risk of obesity in the two occupational groups based on energy balance factors (diet and physical activity). Models were adjusted for major confounders (smoking, education, income, number of children).There was no significant difference in the prevalence of obesity between groups (20.3% less sedentary vs 22.7% sedentary work, p = 0.11) at baseline. Being in the highest total energy intake tertile, saturated fat intake > 35g/d and drinking 3 or more sugar-sweetened beverages per week increased the odds of being obese in both groups. But to a higher extent in ‘less sedentary work’ (OR 2.11 95%CI 1.41–3.19; OR 3.04 95%CI 2.09–4.45; 2.07 95%CI 1.45–2.97, respectively). High physical activity (> 1000MET.min/week) was consistently associated with lower odds of being obese (OR 0.64 95%CI 0.43–0.97 ‘less sedentary’; OR 0.58 95%CI 0.36–0.93 ‘sedentary work’) but lower incidence of obesity only in ‘less sedentary work’ group (IRR 0.52 95%CI 0.30–0.88, absolute risk 14%). High sugar-sweetened beverages increased the incidence of obesity only in this group (IRR 1.72 95%CI 1.08–2.73, absolute risk 23%). Having a sedentary work per se did not play a major role in obesity prevalence and risk in women. Instead, high saturated fat and SSB intake, and physical inactivity remained the major contributors to obesity prevalence and risk, particularly for those in less sedentary jobs.
Potential immunological effects of fermentable fibres in athletes
- Luciana Torquati, Steven Tamburo, Andrea Macusi, Alessandra Brunetti, Chiara Iengo, Nicola Sponsiello, Giorgio Santoni, Massimo Nabissi
-
- Journal:
- Proceedings of the Nutrition Society / Volume 79 / Issue OCE2 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 10 June 2020, E673
-
- Article
-
- You have access Access
- Export citation
-
Recent findings point at novel benefits of specific fibres, like inulin, as their fermentation metabolites can improve mucosal immunity and protect against infections (1,2). This outcome is desirable for athletes, who are at increased exposure to oxidative damage and thus risk of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). However, whether inulin can improve immune function in athletes is unknown. We investigated the effect of supplementation with inulin-enriched foods on salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA), a marker of immunity associated with URTI, in rugby players. We hypothesised that inulin supplementation would increase sIgA, and such change would be greater than that observed in a group following a diet without inulin supplementation. Ten rugby players volunteered for this pilot study (24.2 ± 5.4 years, 93.2 ± 18.7 kg). Participants were randomly assigned to either control (CON) or intervention diet (IN) for 3-weeks; and provided with 2% inulin-enriched pasta and bread (IN) or the same products without inulin (CON), to be consumed as part of a prescribed diet plan. sIgA was measured before and after each condition by collecting saliva with validated swabs, and was quantified with enzyme-linked immunoassay. Differences within and between groups were assessed with paired-samples t-test and ANOVA, respectively. Relationships between inulin intake and sIgA were explored with Spearman's correlation and regression analysis. There was a significant increase in sIgA following inulin supplementation (p = 0.002), which was significantly different to CON (+ 53.6 ± 44.7 and 5.8 ± 37.2 mg/dL, p = 0.054). Average inulin intake was 10.9 ± 1.6 g/day, and it was positively associated with sIgA (rs = 0.661, p = 0.038) and correlated with sIgA changes (r2 = 0.438, p = 0.037). There were no significant differences in energy intake between and within groups (p > 0.10). There were no reports of upper-respiratory tract or other infections during the study period (winter). Some IN participants reported improved bowel function. Inulin-enriched products could represent a simple approach to promote mucosal immunity and gut health in athletes. Larger controlled trials are warranted to confirm the dose-response and long-term effects of inulin supplementation including metabolic and performance outcomes.