Cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with adiposity indices in young adults

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF] and adiposity in young adults

Methods: Data was collected from 133 students of a medical college of Pakistan. The study was conducted on young adults, aged 17-24 years, recruited from Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, between Aug-Dec, 2015. Queen's College Step Test was conducted to measure CRF and maximal oxygen uptake [VO[2max]] evaluated. Anthropometric measurements [body mass index, body fat, visceral fat, waist circumference] were taken to assess adiposity. Associations of VO[2max] and adiposity were analyzed

Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 44% overall. The VO[2max] [ml/kg/min] of males and females was 55.41 +/- 9.45 and 39.91 +/- 3.14, respectively, the gender difference being highly significant [p<0.001]. Quartiles of VO[2max] showed strong inverse relationship between adiposity and VO[2max], obese individuals having low VO[2max] [1st quartile] and normal weight individuals having high VO[2max] [4th quartile]. VO[2max] correlated greatest with body fat in males [r = -0.600; p<0.001], and waist circumference in females [r = -0.319; p=0.004]

Conclusion: The results indicate low CRF in young females and a strong inverse relationship between fitness levels and adiposity in young adults of both genders. Improving these parameters in our young population may prevent development of chronic non-communicable disease in later life

Cord blood leptin levels in pakistani newborns: Relationship with birth weight, Length and occipitofrontal circumference

To determine the serum leptin levels in cord blood of Pakistani newborns and to ascertain the relationship between serum leptin and anthropometric parameters i.e. birth weight, length and OFC. A cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: Lady Dufferin Hospital and Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi from 1999 to 2000. Leptin concentration was measured in 110 newborns of mothers of normal antenatal history from venous cord blood, using Active Elisa Kit [DSL-10-23100]. Samples were selected according to availability. Mean birth weight, length and occipitofrontal circumference [OFC] were 3.0 +/- 0.4 kg, 48.7 +/- 2.3cms and 33.1 +/- 0.8 cms, respectively. Mean serum leptin levels was 10.0 +/- 7.5 ng/ml. Serum leptin levels were found to be positively correlated with birth weight [r = 0.16, p = 0.04], and OFC [r = 0.33, p < 0.01], whereas no significant relationship was found with length of the babies. The reported results suggest that leptin may play role in newborns body weight and energy expenditure as in adults and children

Relationship between maternal and cord blood leptin levels in Pakistani subjects

To ascertain the relationship between maternal serum leptin levels and cord blood leptin levels of Pakistani subjects at delivery, and to determine the relationship of parity with maternal and cord blood leptin levels. Lady Dufferin Hospital and Ziauddin Hospital Karachi. leptin concentration was measured in 110 normal full term pregnant subjects between 18 and 35 years of age, using Active Elisa Kit [DSL-10-23100]. Samples were selected according to availability. Mean maternal serum leptin levels were 27.9 +/- 18.1 ng/ml. Mean cord blood leptin levels were 10.0 +/- 7.5 kg/m[2], Maternal serum leptin was found to be positively correlated with cord blood leptin [r = 0.67, p < 0.01]. The average maternal and cord blood leptin levels of multigravida [n = 75] subjects were higher than primigravida [n = 35]. Cord blood leptin levels increases with increase in maternal level. High leptin level gradient exist between maternal and cord leptin. The increase in maternal and cord blood leptin in multigravida mothers is accounted possibly by the difference in fat cells between primigarvida and multigravida subjects

Saliva: a diagnostic tool for various oral and systemic diseases

In recent years salvia has been recognized as an alternate source of body fluid for diagnostic -purposes being safe, conveniently collected, cost effective and its importance in clinical practice, particularly in dentistry has been significant. It is recommended that saliva should be tested for almost all medically important immunoassay and chemistry analytes, including long term therapeutic drug monitoring, disease state testing, wellness-health screening and all rapid diagnostic testing where a non-invasive specimen collection and/or rapid analytic result is desired. Its status for diagnostic and epidemiological testing for various oral and systemic diseases, and the techniques utilized for this purpose, are discussed and reviewed