Poor Trunk Flexibility is Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Abstract Background: Poor flexibility is a predictor of reduced physical activity. The association between trunk flexibility and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) is not well understood. Objective: To identify the prevalence of CVRFs and their association with trunk flexibility in individuals participating in a community-based health education program. Methods: Volunteers (51 men, 48 women) aged 20-85 years old, participants in a community-based health education program in the city of Santo Antônio de Goiás, Brazil, were selected for this study. Anthropometric measures including body mass, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist/height ratio (WHtR) were evaluated. Physical activity level was evaluated based on leisure activity participation, and trunk flexibility was evaluated by the sit and reach test. Data distribution was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test; Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact and Student t tests were performed for comparisons. To analyze the association between trunk flexibility and concomitant CVRFs, Spearman's correlation test and linear regression were employed. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results: 7.2% of the volunteers had no CVRF, 10.3% had only one CVRF and 82.5% had two or more CVRFs, with no differences between sexes. Increased abdominal adiposity, as assessed by WHtR (p = 0.0097), and systemic arterial hypertension (p = 0.0003) were the most prevalent CVRFs, with differences between age groups. A strong negative correlation was found between mean trunk flexibility and the number of concomitant CVRFs (r = -0.96, p < 0.0028). Conclusion: The strong negative correlation between trunk flexibility and concomitant CVRF indicates an increased risk for cardiovascular events. Therefore, trunk flexibility measurement may be an additional tool for health promotion and prevention of cardiovascular and associated diseases in community health programs.

High-Lard and High-Cholesterol Diet, but not High-Lard Diet, Leads to Metabolic Disorders in a Modified Dyslipidemia Model / Dieta Rica em Banha e Colesterol, mas não Dieta Rica em Banha, Leva a Distúrbios Metabólicos em um Modelo Modificado de Dislipidemia

Abstract Background: In view of the increased global prevalence of cardiovascular and hepatic diseases, the diet lipid content and its relationship with the accumulation of fat in hepatocytes have been investigated as key factors in preventing these diseases. Objective: To evaluate the metabolic effects of a high-lard diet supplemented or not with cholesterol on a modified dyslipidemia model. Methods: We divided 24 adult male Wistar rats into three groups: standard diet (STD - 4% lipids), high-lard diet (HLD - 21% lard), and high-lard and high-cholesterol diet (HL/HCD - 20% lard, 1% cholesterol, 0.1% cholic acid). After six weeks of treatment, blood and liver were collected for biochemical (serum lipid profile and liver enzymes) and morphological analyses. Statistical analysis included one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey test for mean comparisons, and a 5% probability was considered statistically significant. Results: Animals fed HL/HCD showed increased total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, LDL-c, non-HDL-c, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) serum levels compared to those fed STD. In addition, the HL/HCD animals presented higher relative liver weight, with moderate macrovesicular hepatic steatosis and inflammatory infiltrate. Conclusion: A high-fat diet with lard (20%) and cholesterol (1%) triggered dyslipidemia with severe liver damage in rats in a shorter experimental time than the previously reported models. The high-lard diet without supplementation of cholesterol led to body weight gain, but not to dyslipidemia.

Resumo Fundamento: Tendo em vista o aumento da prevalência global de doenças cardiovasculares e hepáticas, o conteúdo lipídico da dieta e sua relação com o acúmulo de gordura nos hepatócitos têm sido investigados como fatores-chave na prevenção dessas doenças. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos metabólicos de uma dieta rica em banha suplementada com colesterol ou não, em um modelo modificado de dislipidemia. Métodos: Foram divididos 24 ratos Wistar machos adultos em três grupos: dieta padrão (DP - 4% de lipídios), dieta rica em banha (DRB - 21% de banha) e dieta rica em banha e colesterol (DRB/RC - 20% de banha, 1% de colesterol e 0,1% de ácido cólico). Após seis semanas de tratamento, o sangue e o fígado foram coletados para análises bioquímicas (perfil lipídico sérico e enzimas hepáticas) e morfológicas. A análise estatística incluiu análise de variância unidirecional (ANOVA), seguida do teste de Tukey para comparações de médias. Uma probabilidade de 5% foi considerada estatisticamente significativa. Resultados: Animais alimentados com DRB/RC apresentaram um aumento nos níveis séricos de colesterol total, triacilglicerol, LDL-c, não-HDL-c, alanina aminotransferase (ALT) e aspartato aminotransferase (AST) em comparação com aqueles alimentados com DP. Além disso, os animais tratados com DRB/RC apresentaram um peso relativo do fígado maior, com esteatose hepática macrovesicular moderada e infiltrado inflamatório. Conclusão: Uma dieta rica em gordura com banha (20%) e colesterol (1%) desencadeou dislipidemia com danos graves ao fígado em ratos em um tempo experimental menor do que os modelos previamente relatados. A dieta rica em banha sem suplementação de colesterol levou ao ganho de peso corporal, mas não à dislipidemia.