| 1. |
- Andreasson, Anna Nixon, et al.
(författare)
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Leptin and adiponectin : Distribution and associations with cardiovascular risk factors in men and women of the general population
- 2012
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 24:5, s. 595-601
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: In view of the increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide, understanding the role of the recently discovered adipokines leptin and adiponectin is of high clinical relevance. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between levels of leptin and adiponectin with age, known cardiovascular risk factors and to establish whether there are differences between men and women of the general population.METHODS: A total of 98 men and 107 women of the general population, aged between 20 and 74 years, underwent a medical examination at a clinical research center and fasting morning blood samples were also taken.RESULTS: Leptin (mean 7.5 μg l(-1) in men and 16.0 μg l(-1) in women) and adiponectin (mean 7.3 mg l(-1) in men and 11.9 mg l(-1) in women) levels were higher in women than men (Ps < 0.001). Both leptin and adiponectin levels increased with advancing age in both men and women (Ps < 0.05). Leptin was highly associated with factors for metabolic syndrome in men while in women, leptin was highly associated with inflammatory factors. Adiponectin was associated with blood lipids in both men and women, and glucose homeostasis more in women than in men.CONCLUSIONS: Leptin and adiponectin levels were ∼2 times and 1.5 times higher in women than in men, respectively. In addition, although leptin and adiponectin were associated to CVD risk factors in both men and women, we observed differences in specific CVD risk factor groups between men and women. These differences may be due to different regulatory mechanisms and effects of these adipokines in men and women.
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| 2. |
- Brutsaert, T. D., et al.
(författare)
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Larger spleens and greater splenic contraction during exercise may be an adaptive characteristic of Nepali Sherpa at high-altitude
- 2024
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The Sherpa ethnic group living at altitude in Nepal may have experienced natural selection in response to chronic hypoxia. We have previously shown that Sherpa in Kathmandu (1400 m) possess larger spleens and a greater apnea-induced splenic contraction compared to lowland Nepalis. This may be significant for exercise capacity at altitude as the human spleen responds to stress-induced catecholamine secretion by an immediate contraction, which results in transiently elevated hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]). Methods: To investigate splenic contraction in response to exercise at high-altitude (4300 m; Pb = ~450 Torr), we recruited 63 acclimatized Sherpa (29F) and 14 Nepali non-Sherpa (7F). Spleen volume was measured before and after maximal exercise on a cycle ergometer by ultrasonography, along with [Hb] and oxygen saturation (SpO2). Results: Resting spleen volume was larger in the Sherpa compared with Nepali non-Sherpa (237 ± 62 vs. 165 ± 34 mL, p <.001), as was the exercise-induced splenic contraction (Δspleen volume, 91 ± 40 vs. 38 ± 32 mL, p <.001). From rest to exercise, [Hb] increased (1.2 to 1.4 g.dl−1), SpO2 decreased (~9%) and calculated arterial oxygen content (CaO2) remained stable, but there were no significant differences between groups. In Sherpa, both resting spleen volume and the Δspleen volume were modest positive predictors of the change (Δ) in [Hb] and CaO2 with exercise (p-values from.026 to.037 and R2 values from 0.059 to 0.067 for the predictor variable). Conclusions: Larger spleens and greater splenic contraction may be an adaptive characteristic of Nepali Sherpa to increase CaO2 during exercise at altitude, but the direct link between spleen size/function and hypoxia tolerance remains unclear.
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| 3. |
- Bygren, Lars Olov, et al.
(författare)
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Change in food availability during pregnancy : Is it related to adult sudden death from cerebro- and cardiovascular disease in offspring?
- 2000
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 12:4, s. 447-453
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Maternal access to food during pregnancy affects birth weight and other characteristics of offspring. It has been suggested that fluctuations in food availability during infancy, ranging from plentiful to starvation, may influence cerebro-cardiovascular risk factors for the offspring during adult life. This study was designed to test the correlation between food availability changes during life before birth and adult sudden death from disease. This was a follow-up study of ancient cohorts in the parish of Skelleftea, Sweden, comprising 7,572 individuals born between 1805 and 1849 and still alive at age 40. Food availability variations in the parish during their prenatal life were ascertained from historical sources, the main outcome measures being overall mortality and mortality from sudden death in the age range 40-70 years. The risk of sudden death was almost doubled for those whose mothers were struck by a poor harvest during the early stages of pregnancy, but who experienced a good harvest toward the end. Yet almost the same over-risk was evident for the converse case: plentiful food supply in early pregnancy followed by a poor harvest toward the end. A stable maternal access to food during pregnancy is important for the offspring's risk of sudden death from cerebro- and cardiovascular disease as an adult.
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| 7. |
- Gustafsson, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Stature and sexual stature dimorphism in Sweden, from the 10th to the end of the 20th century
- 2007
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 19:6, s. 861-870
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mean stature in a population has been observed to vary with living conditions. If, and how, this affects sexual dimorphism in stature is not fully understood. We analyzed stature data from Swedish populations from the 10th to the end of the 20th century to investigate if male stature is more plastic than female stature in response to environmental changes. Further, we examined if there, as a consequence of this, exists an allometric relationship between male and female stature that is not caused by genetic factors, coupling greater stature with greater dimorphism. We found no significant change in stature from the 10th century to the 17th century, but a clear increase in both male and female stature during the 20th century, most likely because of improved living conditions. Regression analyses revealed no consistent change in sexual stature dimorphism over time for any of the time periods, including the 20th century. Further, we found no significant allometric relationship between male and female stature, and could consequently not identify any significant relationship between stature and stature dimorphism. Thus, contrary to previous suggestions, the regressions did not provide support for the assertion that male stature is more sensitive to environmental changes than female stature, nor that stature dimorphism increases with increasing stature. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 19:861–870, 2007.
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| 9. |
- Inoue, Y., et al.
(författare)
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The association between economic development, lifestyle differentiation, and C-reactive protein concentration within rural communities in Hainan Island, China
- 2016
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 28:2, s. 186-196
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Earlier fieldwork in rural areas of Hainan Island, China, demonstrated that during the course of economic development increasing differences had emerged in lifestyles within communities. It is possible that these variations might have stratified residents into subpopulations with different health attributes. This study examined the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, a biomarker of future cardiovascular events, and personal lifestyle parameters and the degree of community-level economic development among rural communities. Methods: A cross-sectional field survey was undertaken in 19 rural communities in Hainan. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 1,744 participants. Dried blood spot samples were collected to measure high-sensitivity CRP concentration. Sex-stratified multilevel regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with CRP concentration among the participants. Results: While CRP concentration was negatively associated with being married and (more) education among men, for women CRP concentration was associated with the frequency of poultry consumption (P = 0.014) and the experience of migratory work in the previous year (P = 0.009). In addition, for females, living in communities with a greater degree of inequality, as indexed by the Gini coefficient, was also associated with increased CRP concentration (P = 0.003). Conclusion: Given that CRP concentration is a marker of future CVD risk, this study suggests that within these previously homogenous rural communities, economic development might have stratified people into population subgroups with a different CVD risk. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2015.
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| 10. |
- Johansson, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
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Mothers' experiences of pain during breastfeeding in the early postnatal period : A short report in a Swedish context
- 2020
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 32:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The objective was to investigate the prevalence of mothers who experienced pain during breastfeeding in the early postnatal period and to describe associated factors. Methods: Medical records of 987 mothers and their babies were scrutinized. Chi-square Test, McNemar's test, and relative risk with a 95% confidence interval were applied for analysis. Results: During the in-hospital postnatal stay, 19.5% mothers experienced pain during breastfeeding. At discharge, the rate was 8.8% (ρ <.001) and at the follow-up hospital visit 2 to 3 days after birth 17.5% (ρ =.104). Pain when breastfeeding was associated with primiparity (RR 2.02; 95% CI 1.53-2.66), epidural block during labor (RR 1.50; 95% CI 1.17-1.94), cracked nipples (RR 5.94; 95% CI 4.84-7.27), the use of a nipple shield (RR 6.34; 95% CI 5.43-7.41), supplementary feeding (RR 2.19; 95% CI 1.71-2.80), and longer hospital stay (RR 1.88; 95% CI 1.46-2.42). Conclusions: During the early postnatal period, Swedish mothers commonly experienced pain during breastfeeding. Although the rate dropped at discharge, it rose again by the time mothers returned for their follow-up visit. The rebound rate could be explained by breast engorgement, a baby's shallow latch or the effect of an epidural block. Midwives and nurses assisting women during intrapartum and postpartum care must be aware of factors associated with pain during early breastfeeding.
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| 11. |
- Jägetoft, Zebulohn, et al.
(författare)
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Anthropometric measures do not explain the 2D : 4D ratio sexual dimorphism in 7-year-old children
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 34:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Digit ratio (2D:4D) might reflect prenatal testosterone exposure and has been used as a putative marker for androgen related outcomes. However, such associations might be inflicted by confounders. Application of 2D:4D in epidemiological research motivate identification of biological background determinants. We examined sex, anthropometric measures, and maternal factors as determinants of 2D:4D in Swedish 7-year-old children.METHODS: The study was embedded in the Swedish Environmental, Longitudinal, Mother and Child, Asthma and Allergy (SELMA) pregnancy cohort. A total of 870 pre-pubertal children, median 7.5 years of age, were studied. A single assessor performed digit measurements from scanned photocopies using computer software. Child anthropometric measurements investigated were hand size, birthweight, recumbent birth length, standing height, weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and waist/hip circumference. Maternal factors included age, pregnancy length, parity, and education.RESULTS: We found a significant sexual dimorphism regarding digit lengths and 2D:4D, boys on average presenting a lower 2D:4D than girls also after adjustment for summed finger lengths and body fatness. In crude analyses, maternal age correlated with 2D:4D across the whole population and in females but not in adjusted models. No other study variables were associated with 2D:4D.CONCLUSION: Digit ratio showed sexual dimorphism at the age of seven and seems to represent a true sex difference rather than an artifact and bias from hand size, body size or body fat content. Among the rest of our investigated variables, we found no determinants constituting important confounders in future research on 2D:4D ratio.
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| 12. |
- Kolk, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Socioeconomic Status and Sex Ratios at Birth in Sweden : No Evidence for a Trivers-Willard effect for a Wide Range of Status Indicators
- 2016
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 28:1, s. 67-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: This study examines if there exists a positive association between socioeconomic status and the proportion of male births in humans, as proposed by Trivers and Willard in 1973, using individual-level data drawn from the complete population of Sweden.Methods: We examine more than 3,000,000 births between 1960 and 2007 using administrative register data with comprehensive information on various dimensions of socioeconomic status. We use six different operationalizations of socioeconomic status, including earnings, post-transfer income (including government allowances), wealth, parental wealth, educational level, and occupational class. We apply regression models that compare both changes in status for the same woman over time and differences in status across different women. We also measure socioeconomic status both at the year of child birth and the year of conception.Results: Our results show the absence of any relationship between socioeconomic status and sex ratios, using a large number of different operationalizations of status.Conclusions: We conclude that no substantive relationship between socioeconomic status and sex ratios exists for the population and period of our study.
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| 13. |
- Lindberg, Matti, et al.
(författare)
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Associations between maternal socioeconomic, psychosocial and seasonal factors, infant characteristics and human milk cortisol concentrations
- 2021
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 33:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesGlucocorticoids are one component of human milk (HM) potentially affecting offspring development. Previous studies have identified various maternal, obstetric and socioeconomic characteristics that are associated with HM cortisol concentration but the literature is still scarce concerning these determinants in human populations. We aimed to identify which factors are linked with HM cortisol concentration at 2 months postpartum.MethodsWe analyzed data from 340 lactating Finnish mothers using ordinary least squares regression with log-transformed HM cortisol concentration as the dependent variable. Potential predictors included obstetric and maternal factors (maternal age, parity status, delivery mode, gestational age, pre-pregnancy obesity, and smoking in pregnancy), socioeconomic status (education and socioeconomic class), subjective economic well-being, maternal psychosocial factors (postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms), infant sex and age, and HM sample characteristics (time of the day and season of the year at sample collection).ResultsThe strongest and most robust predictors were season of the year of sample collection and parity status. HM cortisol concentration was significantly higher for primiparas than multiparas. HM samples collected in summer showed significantly higher cortisol concentrations than those collected in winter, spring or autumn.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that parity and season of the year at sample collection may be important factors to control for when examining HM cortisol. The strongest and most robust associations were related to maternal and sample characteristics and not to socioeconomic and psychosocial distress. This may be related to the fact that the study was conducted in a low-risk population.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Lindeberg, Staffan
(författare)
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Paleolithic diets as a model for prevention and treatment of western disease.
- 2012
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1520-6300 .- 1042-0533. ; 24:2, s. 110-115
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To explore the possibility that a paleolithic-like diet can be used in the prevention of age-related degenerative Western disease. METHODS: Literature review of African Paleolithic foods in relation to recent evidence of healthy nutrition. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Available evidence lends weak support in favor and little against the notion that lean meat, fish, vegetables, tubers, and fruit can be effective in the prevention and treatment of common Western diseases. There are no obvious risks with avoiding dairy products, margarine, oils, refined sugar, and cereal grains, which provide 70% or more of the dietary intake in northern European populations. If stroke, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer are preventable by dietary changes, an ancestral-like diet may provide an appropriate template. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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| 21. |
- Sekajova, Zuzana, et al.
(författare)
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Within-family intergenerational trends in age at menarche relative to political changes in Czechoslovakia after World War II
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1042-0533 .- 1520-6300. ; 34:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine a secular trend in age at menarche (AAM) in the former Czechoslovak (and descendant Slovak and Czech) population in relation to its large-scale political and social events taking place after World War II.Methods: The study included 211 women aged 18-30 (born during 1984-1998), and their relatives: mothers, sisters, and grandmothers, yielding a total of 421 women. Changes in retrospectively recalled AAM between the three generations of women (oldest-grandmothers, middle-mothers, and youngest-daughters) were studied in pairwise comparisons. Relationships between AAM and the birth/conception date were analyzed relative to three events in the post-WWII Czechoslovakia (1948, 1968, and 1989).Results: AAM was the highest in the oldest generation, slightly lower in the middle generation and the lowest in the youngest generation. Mixed-Effect Model showed statistically significant interaction between the date of conception, historical events, and the period before and after the event.Conclusions: The recorded decline in AAM is congruent with secular trends reported in the literature. However, the decreasing trend was not linear and included an increase in AAM in women conceived within the five-year period after the invasion of Czechoslovakia by communist armies in 1968.
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| 26. |
- Vasilopoulos, Terrie, et al.
(författare)
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Stability of genetic influences on pulmonary function in a longitudinal study of octogenarian twins.
- 2010
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Ingår i: American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council. - : Wiley. - 1520-6300 .- 1042-0533. ; 22:3, s. 375-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using data from the first four waves of the OCTO-Twin study (twins 80 + years), the present study investigated the stability and change of genetic and environmental contributions to pulmonary function. Using a genetic simplex model, variance in peak expiratory flow (PEF) at each wave was decomposed into additive genetic and nonshared (specific) environmental factors. Additionally, this analysis distinguished the source of these influences, either from previous waves (transmissions) or from novel influences at each wave (innovations). At each time point (except wave 1), the genetic variance was due to genetic transmissions from prior time points. Conversely, the specific environmental variance in PEF at each time point was mainly due to environmental innovations. These results imply that genetic factors contribute to the stability of pulmonary function over time whereas environmental factors contribute to its change.
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| 27. |
- Wickel, Eric E, et al.
(författare)
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Do children take the same number of steps every day?
- 2007
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Ingår i: American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council. - : Wiley. - 1042-0533. ; 19:4, s. 537-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to examine the day-to-day variability in pedometer-assessed physical activity (steps/day). A total of 1,443 children aged 6-12 years from the United States (195 boys, 254 girls), Sweden (257 boys, 252 girls), and Australia (229 boys, 256 girls) wore a pedometer for 4 consecutive weekdays. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine daily differences in steps/day and the coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated for each individual to describe the day-to-day variability. Overall, mean steps/day were higher among boys (14,698 +/- 3,373 steps/day) than girls (12,086 +/- 2,929 steps/day). Significant differences were found between the 4 monitoring days for the entire sample; however, the absolute mean differences were small (55-958 steps) with an overall effect size of 0.01. This trend was apparent regardless of age, gender, and country. Individual CVs ranged from approximately 2 to 88% and the overall mean CV approximated 22%. An age-related increase in the mean CV was observed between 6- and 12-year-old children. The age x gender x country interaction was not significant (P > 0.05). These findings have implications toward the proper design, analysis, and interpretation of studies regarding physical activity among children. Beyond this aspect, our results lend insight into potential age-related biological mechanisms that may also influence daily levels and patterns of physical activity.
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| 29. |
- Willfuehr, Kai, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of kin proximity on net marital fertility and maternal survival in Sweden 1900-1910 – Evidence for cooperative breeding in a societal context of nuclear families, or just contextual correlations?
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Human Biology. - : Wiley. - 1520-6300 .- 1042-0533. ; 34:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectiveWe investigate the association between the geographic proximity of the grandparents on net marital fertility and maternal survival in Sweden, 1900–1910, within the framework of the cooperative-breeding-hypothesis.MethodsData were derived from Swedish full-count censuses (1880–1910) and the Swedish Death Index. Married couples were linked to their parental households. Poisson and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association between the geographical proximity of the grandparents on net marital fertility, which we measured as the number of surviving children born between 1900 and 1910, and the mother's survival. Models were fitted with and without fixed effects to assess the effects of unobserved characteristics shared at the parish and the family level.ResultsThe results indicate that net fertility and maternal survival increased with the husband's parents' geographic proximity. In contrast, we found no evidence that the geographic proximity of the wife's parents was associated with increased fertility or maternal survival. Rather, the presence of the mother's parents in the household lowered net fertility and reduced maternal survival.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that kin proximity was associated with fertility and mortality of married women, and that the associations differed for paternal and maternal kin in the societal context of Swedish nuclear families (1900–1910). However, the patterns of kin proximity that we identified were correlated with characteristics such as socioeconomic status, occupation, and wealth, which also exhibited strong correlations with fertility and survival. Future research assessing the effects of kinship on demographic developments must therefore carefully consider the socio-environmental context.
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