Cardiovascular disease risk factors associated with low level of physical activity in postmenopausal Polish women.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether physical activity level could have an effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Polish postmenopausal women. METHODS: We studied the associations of physical activity (PA) level with obesity indices, unfavorable lipid profile parameters and the insulin resistance index HOMA in 343 postmenopausal Polish women selected from an urban population, aged 50-60. RESULTS: In the tested sample, a low level of PA significantly increased odds ratios for CVD risk factors such as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2), total body fat (TBF) > 75 th percentile, gynoid fat deposit (GFD) > 75 th percentile, total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 5 mM, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) > 3 mM and HOMA ≥ 1.95. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and some metabolic CVD risk factors in postmenopausal women are directly associated with low PA level. Postmenopausal urban women should be persuaded to be physically active, as even moderate activity level seems to be sufficient to reduce the CVD risk in this group of individuals.

ADRB3 and PPARγ2 gene polymorphisms and their association with cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: The contribution of heritability to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is of interest as the identification of genes enhancing the susceptibility of individuals to CVD may help the design of clinical interventions optimized for the individual's genome. METHODS: We studied the associations of polymorphism of ADRB3 and PPARγ2 genes with obesity indices, unfavorable lipid profile parameters and insulin resistance index HOMA in 343 postmenopausal women. RESULTS: No association was found between tested polymorphisms and CVD risk factors such as total cholesterol ≥ 5.0 mmol/l, high density lipoprotein cholesterol < 1.2 mmol/l, low density lipoprotein cholesterol > 3.0 mmol/l and triacylglycerols > 1.7 mmol/l. The presence of arterial hypertension and HOMA value ≥ 1.95 were also not related to these polymorphisms. A significant association between PPARγ2 gene polymorphism and total body fat mass (odds ratio = 1.90 at p = 0.037) as well as android fat deposit mass (odds ratio = 1.82 at p = 0.048) was found. CONCLUSIONS: CVD risk factors in postmenopausal women are not directly associated with the polymorphisms of PPARγ2 and ADRB3 genes. We suggest that some indirect link between PPARγ2 gene polymorphism and susceptibility of postmenopausal women to CVD may exist. This suggestion is based on our finding that high total body fat mass and high android fat deposits are associated with the presence of the Pro12Ala allele of the PPARγ2 gene.

Are endocannabinoid type 1 receptor gene (CNR1) polymorphisms associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal Polish women?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether genetic variation at the cannabinoid receptor-1 (CNR1) locus could have an effect on adiposity, fat distribution and obesity-related metabolic disorders in Polish postmenopausal women. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The A3813G (rs12720071), G1422A (rs1049353), A4895G (rs806368) and rs806381, rs10485170, rs6454674 and rs2023239 single-nucleotide polymorphisms of CNR1 were genotyped in 348 randomly selected postmenopausal women aged 50-60 years recruited from the Wroclaw city population. MEASUREMENTS: CNR1 genotypes, anthropometric measures (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body fat distribution by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and metabolic parameters (glucose, lipid profile and Fasting Insulin Resistance Index for insulin resistance) were determined. RESULTS: The 3813G allele was not significantly associated with higher body mass, BMI, WC, total fat or fat percentage, but was associated with higher android fat deposit (2971.78±1655.08 vs 2472.64±1300.53, P=0.007) and percentage of android fat (37.59±8.45 vs 35.66±7.63, P=0.062). No associations for the G1422A, A4895G, rs806381, rs10485170, rs6454674 and rs2023239 variants were observed. CONCLUSIONS: There is an association of the variants of CNR1 with obesity-related phenotypes in Polish postmenopausal women. As cannabinoid receptor type 1 is a drug target for obesity, pharmacogenetic receptor gene analysis of obesity treatment by endocannabinoid blockade may be of interest to identify the best responders.

Relationship of PPARgamma2 polymorphism with obesity and metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal Polish women.

OBJECTIVE: The contribution of genetic factors to the development of menopausal obesity has been widely recognized. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is involved in adipocyte differentiation and has been suggested to influence insulin sensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of Pro12Ala PPARgamma polymorphism and its association with body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome parameters in postmenopausal Polish women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed in 318 postmenopausal women aged 50-60 years randomly selected from the Wroclaw city population with BMI ranging from 17.5 to 46.38 kg/m (2) (mean BMI 27.5+/-4.78 kg/m(2)). Anthropometric parameters, body composition (total body fat, android and gynoid deposits, using DXA) and biochemical parameters (lipid profile, glucose, and insulin levels) were measured and QUICKI was calculated. PPARgamma genotyping was performed by PCR and minisequencing using an ABI 310 sequencer (Applied Biosystems). RESULTS: The Pro12Ala genotype was found in 26% of the women, but Ala12Ala only in 4%. Metabolic syndrome was recognized in 16% of all the women, 14% of the women with Pro12Pro genotype, 21% of the Pro12Ala carriers, and 14% of the women with the Ala12Ala variant. Obese women with at least one Ala allele (X/Ala genotype) showed higher serum levels of total cholesterol (265.7+/-44.5 mg/dl vs. 233.2+/-38.1 mg/dl, p<0.001), LDL cholesterol (171.8+/-37.8 mg/dl vs. 143.7+/-34.8 mg/dl; p<0.001), and triglycerides (149.4+/-55.2 mg/dl vs. 126.8+/-54.2 mg/dl, p<0.05) compared with the women with the Pro12Pro genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The Pro12Ala PPARgamma polymorphism does not seem to be associated with BMI or metabolic syndrome parameters in postmenopausal Polish women, although the X/Ala genotype seems to predispose to a less favorable lipid profile in this population.

Prevalence of obesity in Poland.

Obesity is an important health problem in Poland affecting adolescents and adults. A study of a Lower Silesian population aged 20-40 years (25 400 participants), between 1993 and 2003, showed an increase in obese women from 8.9% to 15.0%, but no change in men (6.3% vs. 6.5%, respectively). Obesity occurs more frequently in girls and women (6% and 15%) compared to boys and men (4.0% and 6.5%, respectively). Estimation of obesity prevalence in various parts of Poland seems to be regionally dependent; the highest prevalence of obesity was observed in eastern regions of Poland.