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App-technology to improve lifestyle behaviors among working adults - the Health Integrator study, a randomized controlled trial.
Bonn, SE, Löf, M, Östenson, CG, Trolle Lagerros, Y
BMC public health. 2019;19(1):273
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Lifestyle is the single most important factor to improve health and decrease premature death. Digital solutions for implementing lifestyle change and tracking different types of health data are becoming popular preventative initiatives. The main aim of this study was to evaluate whether a digital platform (The Health Integrator) accessible via a smartphone-app offering lifestyle intervention, with and without additional health coach guidance, can be used to make lifestyle changes and improve health related quality of life in gainfully employed persons. The Health Integrator intervention study is a three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: 1) intervention using Health Integrator and a monthly telephone session with the health coach during the 3 months of follow-up or 2) intervention using Health Integrator without extra health coach sessions or 3) control group which is not given any lifestyle advise during the intervention period. The study is still ongoing. However, mobile Health has been suggested as one way to take global action as it has the potential to make treatment and prevention widely accessible at a fraction of the current cost. In fact, Health Integrator was developed on the basis of previous research. Current literature shows that multi-component interventions including for example face-to-face counselling or provision of physical activity equipment in addition to an app, were more successful than a stand-alone app intervention.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobile health, mHealth is recognized as a strategy to improve lifestyle behaviors. Research targeting specific lifestyle behaviors has shown that interventions using smartphones can be effective. However, few studies have evaluated solutions with multicomponent interventions, tailoring the intervention to the specific needs of the participant using a combination of mHealth and conventional treatment. To accomplish this, we developed Health Integrator, an mHealth platform with services and offers in the areas of diet, physical activity, sleeping habits, stress, alcohol and tobacco use. In the system, the user selects an area of intervention together with a health coach and set weekly goals. This study protocol presents the design and methodology of the Health Integrator Study, a randomized controlled trial to promote improved lifestyle behaviors. METHODS A three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial (1:1:1) is conducted in the Stockholm County, Sweden. In total, 209 employees at a four different companies representing both white and blue collar workers, have been recruited. Participants are randomized to either a control group or to one of two intervention groups receiving a 3-month lifestyle behavior change program including either 1) use of Health Integrator and monthly health coaching sessions or 2) only Health Integrator. At baseline and follow-up after 3- and 6-months, all participants answer questionnaires assessing lifestyle behaviors and quality of life. At baseline and the 3-month follow-up (end of intervention period), weight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure are measured, and all participants wear an Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days to assess physical activity. Blood lipid profile and HbA1c are measured among all participants at baseline. If baseline measures fall outside the normal range, a second measurement is done after 3 months. DISCUSSION The Health Integrator Intervention Study will evaluate if a personalized intervention combining mHealth and conventional programs for lifestyle change, with or without additional health coach sessions, can improve lifestyle behaviors and quality of life. Based on the results from this trial, Health Integrator can easily be implemented within a broad public. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03579342 . Retrospectively registered, first submitted May 8, 2018.
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A clinically meaningful metric of immune age derived from high-dimensional longitudinal monitoring.
Alpert, A, Pickman, Y, Leipold, M, Rosenberg-Hasson, Y, Ji, X, Gaujoux, R, Rabani, H, Starosvetsky, E, Kveler, K, Schaffert, S, et al
Nature medicine. 2019;25(3):487-495
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The human immune system changes with age, ultimately leading to a clinically evident, profound deterioration resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates attributed to infectious and chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to assess at high resolution the dynamics of older adults’ immune systems. The study uses multiple ‘omics’ technologies in a cohort of 135 adults (63 young adults and 72 older adults) of different ages who were sampled longitudinally over the course of 9 years to comprehensively capture population- and individual-level changes in the immune system over time. Results indicate that immune-cell frequencies changed at substantially different rates; some cell subsets show no directionality of change yet differ between young and old individuals, whereas other cell subsets continued changing (either increasing or decreasing) throughout the course of the study. Authors postulate that an individual’s immune age is a function of life history, namely environmental exposure coupled with genetic background. Thus, immune modulators may one day be identified that affect the position of an individual’s immune system along the immunological landscape.
Abstract
Immune responses generally decline with age. However, the dynamics of this process at the individual level have not been characterized, hindering quantification of an individual's immune age. Here, we use multiple 'omics' technologies to capture population- and individual-level changes in the human immune system of 135 healthy adult individuals of different ages sampled longitudinally over a nine-year period. We observed high inter-individual variability in the rates of change of cellular frequencies that was dictated by their baseline values, allowing identification of steady-state levels toward which a cell subset converged and the ordered convergence of multiple cell subsets toward an older adult homeostasis. These data form a high-dimensional trajectory of immune aging (IMM-AGE) that describes a person's immune status better than chronological age. We show that the IMM-AGE score predicted all-cause mortality beyond well-established risk factors in the Framingham Heart Study, establishing its potential use in clinics for identification of patients at risk.
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The Effect of a Multidisciplinary Lifestyle Intervention on Obesity Status, Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers in Children and Adolescents with Obesity.
Seo, YG, Lim, H, Kim, Y, Ju, YS, Lee, HJ, Jang, HB, Park, SI, Park, KH
Nutrients. 2019;11(1)
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Children and adolescents with obesity are at a high risk of being obese in adulthood. The aim of this study was to develop a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention program targeted at children and adolescents with moderate to severe obesity. The study is based on the Intervention for Childhood and Adolescents Obesity via Activity and Nutrition (ICAAN) – quasi-experimental intervention trial - which recruited 103 participants aged between 6 and sixteen years (63 were boys and 40 girls). The study was based on 2 active treatment groups (usual care group vs exercise group) receiving a 16-week intervention program. Results indicate that children and adolescents with obesity can achieve positive effects on body composition, physical fitness, and cardiometabolic markers, particularly with the exercise intervention. Authors conclude that the moderate-intensity multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention program they developed, can be sustained in the real-world setting and it is applicable to both moderate and severe obesity.
Abstract
This study aimed to develop a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention program targeted at children and adolescents with moderate to severe obesity, and assess the additional effects of exercise intervention when compared to usual care. Overall, the 103 enrolled participants were ≥85th percentile of age and sex-specific body mass index (BMI). Participants were divided into groups that received 16 weeks of either usual care or exercise intervention. The BMI z-score of the overall completers decreased by about 0.05 after the 16-week intervention (p = 0.02). After the intervention, only the exercise group had a significantly lower BMI z-score than the baseline score by about 0.1 (p = 0.03), but no significant group by time interaction effects were observed. At the 16-week follow-up, significant group by time interaction effects were observed in percentage body fat (%BF) (β = -1.52, 95%CI = -2.58⁻-0.45), lean body mass (LM) (β = 1.20, 95%CI = 0.12⁻2.29), diastolic blood pressure (β = -5.24, 95%CI = -9.66⁻-0.83), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (β = -1.67, 95%CI = -2.77⁻-1.01), and wall sit test score (β = 50.74, 95%CI = 32.30⁻69.18). We developed a moderate-intensity intervention program that can be sustained in the real-world setting and is practically applicable to both moderate and severe obesity. After interventions, the exercise group had lower %BF and cardiometabolic risk markers, and higher LM and leg muscle strength compared to the usual care group.
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Isocaloric Substitution of Dietary Carbohydrate Intake with Fat Intake and MRI-Determined Total Volumes of Visceral, Subcutaneous and Hepatic Fat Content in Middle-Aged Adults.
Meisinger, C, Rospleszcz, S, Wintermeyer, E, Lorbeer, R, Thorand, B, Bamberg, F, Peters, A, Schlett, CL, Linseisen, J
Nutrients. 2019;11(5)
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Obesity, a worldwide epidemic due to the availability of many unhealthy food options and limited physical exercise, is a known risk factor for many metabolic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of carbohydrate intake and isocaloric substitution with different types of fat as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The study’s analysis was based on the KORA-FF4 study, the second follow-up study of the KORA Survey S4. A total of 400 individuals participated in the FF4 study, from which 283 participants were included in this analysis. Results indicate an association between fat accumulation at specific anatomic locations and macronutrient composition among the participants. The isocaloric substitution of carbohydrates with fat was associated with higher hepatic (related to the liver) fat content and visceral fat accumulation. Authors conclude that the study’s findings can contribute towards the long-lasting discussion about a diet’s optimal fat content.
Abstract
The present study investigated the association of carbohydrate intake and isocaloric substitution with different types of fat with visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and hepatic fat content as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Data from 283 participants (mean age 56.1 ± 9.0 years) from the MRI sub study of the KORA FF4 study were included. VAT, SAT and total body fat were quantified by a volume-interpolated VIBE-T1w-Dixon MR sequence. Hepatic fat content was determined as the proton density fat-fraction (PDFF) derived from multiecho-T1w MR sequence. Dietary intake was estimated using information provided by two different instruments, that is, repeated 24-h food lists and a food frequency questionnaire. Replacing total carbohydrates with an isoenergetic amount of total fat was significantly positively associated with VAT and hepatic fat, while there was no significant association with SAT. The multivariable adjusted β-coefficient for replacing 5% of total energy (5E%) carbohydrates with total fat was 0.42 L (95% CI: 0.04, 0.79) for VAT. A substitution in total fat intake by 5E% was associated with a significant increase in liver fat content by 23% (p-value 0.004). If reproduced in prospective studies, such findings would strongly argue for limiting dietary fat intake.
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Vitamin D nutritional status and its relationship with metabolic changes in adolescents and adults with severe obesity.
Teixeira, JS, Bull Ferreira Campos, A, Cordeiro, A, Pereira, SE, Saboya, CJ, Ramalho, A
Nutricion hospitalaria. 2018;35(4):847-853
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In adolescents, severe obesity may lead to a high risk of premature mortality and morbidity in adult life. Increased vitamin D deficiency (VDD) occurs together with obesity. The main aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of vitamin D and metabolic profile in adolescents and adults with obesity. The study is a comparative observational study which included 128 individuals. A total of 60 participants comprised the adolescent group (G1), (63.3% female) whereas 68 participants comprised the adult group (G2), (75% female). Results indicate: - a high prevalence of inadequacy of Vitamin D in both groups. - a trend of association of elevated blood glucose with the inadequacy of Vitamin D in the adolescent group. - a high prevalence of VDD and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in both groups. - no relationship between Vitamin D and high blood pressure or metabolic syndrome in any of the groups evaluated. Authors conclude that strategies for the prevention and control of obesity and for the fight against the inadequacy of the nutritional status of vitamin D should be developed.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION increased vitamin D deficiency occurs together with obesity and the association between these conditions has been observed. OBJECTIVE to assess the nutritional status of vitamin D and metabolic profile in adolescents and adults with obesity, and the relationship between complications arising from severe class of obesity with vitamin D nutritional status, and to compare the differences between these groups. METHODS observational comparative study. Population comprises adolescents and adults with severe obesity. Waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Analysis of vitamin D (25(OH)D), lipid profile, C-reactive protein (CRP), blood glucose, fasting insulinemia, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and diagnoses of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome (MS) were performed. RESULTS a total of 60 adolescents (G1) and 68 adults (G2) were evaluated. The percentage of vitamin D inadequacy was observed in 90% in G1 and 79.4% in G2. There was a negative and significant correlation of BMI with the values of 25(OH)D in the group of adults (r = -0.244; p = 0.045). Individuals with inadequacy of vitamin D showed higher values of CRP in both groups (p = 0.000). HOMA-IR showed a negative correlation with 25(OH)D in G1 (r = -0.832; p = 0.000) and G2 (r = -0.589; p = 0.000). The inadequacy of this vitamin showed association with high total cholesterol in G1 (p = 0.029) and higher values of LDL-c in G2 (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION high prevalence of deficiency and insufficiency of vitamin D were observed, associated with metabolic changes both in obese adults and adolescents. It is necessary to develop strategies for the prevention and control of obesity and vitamin D deficiency.
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A Randomized Study of the Effects of Additional Fruit and Nuts Consumption on Hepatic Fat Content, Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Basal Metabolic Rate.
Agebratt, C, Ström, E, Romu, T, Dahlqvist-Leinhard, O, Borga, M, Leandersson, P, Nystrom, FH
PloS one. 2016;11(1):e0147149
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Fruits and vegetables intake has been advocated to improve blood lipids profile and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. However, a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables has showed no effect on cardiovascular disease and cancer in a large randomized American trial. This might be due to the high sugar content in fruits, particularly fructose. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of adding either fruits or nuts to the diet of 30 healthy non-obese individuals on liver fat, metabolic rate and cardiovascular risk markers. Authors concluded that the trial only showed small effects on cardiovascular risk factors. Nevertheless, there was a significant change in lipoprotein (fats that transport fats in the blood) levels between the two groups, which tends to give an advantage to the consumption of nuts over fruits. They deduced that increased intake of fruits doesn’t negatively impact cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy non-obese individuals. However, further research needs to evaluate the effects on obese and insulin-resistant participants.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fruit has since long been advocated as a healthy source of many nutrients, however, the high content of sugars in fruit might be a concern. OBJECTIVES To study effects of an increased fruit intake compared with similar amount of extra calories from nuts in humans. METHODS Thirty healthy non-obese participants were randomized to either supplement the diet with fruits or nuts, each at +7 kcal/kg bodyweight/day for two months. Major endpoints were change of hepatic fat content (HFC, by magnetic resonance imaging, MRI), basal metabolic rate (BMR, with indirect calorimetry) and cardiovascular risk markers. RESULTS Weight gain was numerically similar in both groups although only statistically significant in the group randomized to nuts (fruit: from 22.15 ± 1.61 kg/m(2) to 22.30 ± 1.7 kg/m(2), p = 0.24 nuts: from 22.54 ± 2.26 kg/m(2) to 22.73 ± 2.28 kg/m(2), p = 0.045). On the other hand BMR increased in the nut group only (p = 0.028). Only the nut group reported a net increase of calories (from 2519 ± 721 kcal/day to 2763 ± 595 kcal/day, p = 0.035) according to 3-day food registrations. Despite an almost three-fold reported increased fructose-intake in the fruit group (from 9.1 ± 6.0 gram/day to 25.6 ± 9.6 gram/day, p<0.0001, nuts: from 12.4 ± 5.7 gram/day to 6.5 ± 5.3 gram/day, p = 0.007) there was no change of HFC. The numerical increase in fasting insulin was statistically significant only in the fruit group (from 7.73±3.1 mIE/L to 8.81±2.9 mIE/L, p = 0.018, nuts: from 7.29±2.9 mIE/L to 8.62±3.0 mIE/L, p = 0.14). Levels of vitamin C increased in both groups while α-tocopherol/cholesterol-ratio increased only in the fruit group. CONCLUSIONS Although BMR increased in the nut-group only this was not linked with differences in weight gain between groups which potentially could be explained by the lack of reported net caloric increase in the fruit group. In healthy non-obese individuals an increased fruit intake seems safe from cardiovascular risk perspective, including measurement of HFC by MRI. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02227511.