Fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 improves gastrointestinal well-being and digestive symptoms in women reporting minor digestive symptoms: a randomised, double-blind, parallel, controlled study.

The ability of probiotics to improve bowel habits or transit time has been shown in healthy populations. Additional data are required to support the use of specific probiotics to improve gastrointestinal (GI) well-being. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of consuming fermented milk (FM) on GI well-being, digestive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) amongst women without diagnosed GI disorders. In this double-blind, controlled, parallel-design study, subjects were randomised to ingest daily either 2 x 125 g FM containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 and yoghurt strains or a control non-fermented dairy product for 4 weeks followed by a 4-week wash-out period. GI well-being and digestive symptoms were assessed weekly. HRQoL was measured every 4 weeks. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance and logistic regression, correcting for baseline values on the full analysis set population of 197 women (aged 18-60 years). The percentage of women reporting an improvement in their GI well-being was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the FM group v. the control group (OR 1.69; 95 % CI 1.17, 2.45). A significantly (P < 0.05) more pronounced decrease in the composite score of digestive symptoms was observed in the FM group when comparing with the control group (least squares mean - 0.57; 95 % CI - 1.12, - 0.02). Among HRQoL dimensions, the digestive comfort score was significantly (P < 0.05) improved in the FM group compared with the control group. The present study showed that the daily consumption of a specific FM is able to improve GI well-being and digestive symptoms in adult women without GI disorders.

Physical activity and insulin sensitivity: the RISC study.

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is a modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, partly through its action on insulin sensitivity. We report the relation between insulin sensitivity and physical activity measured by accelerometry. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of 346 men and 455 women, aged 30-60 years, without cardiovascular disease and not treated by drugs for diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or obesity. Participants were recruited in 18 clinical centers from 13 European countries. Insulin sensitivity was measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Physical activity was recorded by accelerometry for a median of 6 days. We studied the relationship of insulin sensitivity with total activity (in counts per minute), percent of time spent sedentary, percent of time in light activity, and activity intensity (whether the participant recorded some vigorous or some moderate activity). RESULTS: In both men and women, total activity was associated with insulin sensitivity (P < 0.0001). Time spent sedentary, in light activity, and activity intensity was also associated with insulin sensitivity (P < 0.0004/0.01, 0.002/0.03, and 0.02/0.004, respectively, for men/women) but lost significance once adjusted for total activity. Adjustment for confounders such as adiposity attenuated the relationship with total activity; there were no interactions with confounders. Even in the 25% most sedentary individuals, total activity was significantly associated with better insulin sensitivity (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Accumulated daily physical activity is a major determinant of insulin sensitivity. Time spent sedentary, time spent in light-activity, and bouts of moderate or vigorous activity did not impact insulin sensitivity independently of total activity.

Habitual physical activity and vascular aging in a young to middle-age population at low cardiovascular risk.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Regular endurance exercise has been shown to reduce the age-related increase in arterial stiffness that is thought to contribute to cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of age and habitual physical activity on carotid artery wall thickness and stiffness in a population of young to middle-age subjects at low cardiovascular risk. METHODS: The study population consisted of 432 healthy subjects (166 men; mean+/-SD age, 43+/-8 years; range, 30 to 60 years) free of carotid atherosclerosis and with low coronary heart disease risk, as determined by the Framingham prediction score sheet. All subjects underwent B-mode ultrasonography of the extracranial carotid arteries and physical activity assessment by actigraph, an accelerometer capable of monitoring the intensity and duration of body movements. The intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery was measured on ultrasound images, along with systodiastolic changes in luminal diameter, and indices of carotid stiffness were calculated. RESULTS: Intima-media thickness and carotid stiffness increased with age in both men and women (r=0.24 to 0.52, P<0.001). The magnitude of objectively assessed daily physical activity was negatively related to indices of carotid stiffness (r from -0.20 to -0.25, P<0.001) but not to intima-media thickness. In multivariate regression analyses that included several cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, blood pressure, plasma lipids, and smoking habits, age and physical activity were independently related to carotid stiffness. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides cross-sectional evidence that habitual physical activity is inversely related to the age-dependent increase in carotid wall stiffness in a young to middle-age population at low risk.