Justification of anthropometric empirical indicator (AEI) by digital chest and pelvic X-rays: a comparative scenario with DXA on obesity grounds.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat directly proportional to reduced life expectancy. Treatment of this ailment should be preceded by proper and accurate assessment of the degree of obesity. OBJECTIVES: The main objective is the justification of anthropometric empirical indicator (AEI) by the utilization of chest and pelvic radiographs, so that precise measurement of obesity on economical grounds can be manifested. Also, the subsequent objective is to establish a comparative scenario between dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and novel, portable, bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA)-based body composition analyzer, MI-105 (Meditech International Inc. India). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional design was adopted in the present study, in which 20 female participants from urban south India were involved. The measurements of body composition, anthropometry and chest (covering the region from neck to abdomen) as well as hip radiography of the studied population were acquired. RESULTS: The higher significant difference of ≤0.001 was evidenced in all female studied population in the main body composition parameters measured by DXA and low-cost BIA. The same framework of significance is applicable to AEI, AEI (image morphed) and AEI (image automatic). CONCLUSION: The novel-derived parameters: AEI (image morphed) and AEI (image automatic) can precisely gauge obesity and can be the effective alternatives for high-cost DXA. In addition, low-cost BIA-based body composition analyzer can also be the better substitute for DXA.

Anthropometry: a new approach to identify communal body fat status in an urban south Indian population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Deep penetration of obesity into geographical and ethnic communities based on profession is being highly evidenced by researchers. Impact of this penetration in the Indian urban population is addressed by the accepted factors of professional and cultural changes. High risk of Atherosclerosis, hyperinsulinaemia, impaired glucose tolerance; prothrombotic is not addressed by the relationship between BMI vs. body fat, while body fat plays major role in all risks. The present study attempts to prove an anthropometrical empirical formula which can be an indicator of body fat in a group, based on profession or life style. METHODS: A total number of 159 (77 males of age 36.95 ± 14.795, 82 females of age 38.07 ± 13.16) subjects participated in the study. Body composition analysis and anthropometric measurements were performed after conducting careful clinical examination. Body fat was measured using body composition analyzer and used as a reference to justify indication of anthropometrical empirical indicator (AEI). Indicative accuracy of AEI was cross verified by male and female analysis individually. RESULTS: Community specific mean body fat 23.15 ± 8.47 (kg) for the mean weight of 66.05 ± 13.46 (kg) indicated prevalence of excess 35% body fat. This much of body fat has not been addressed by mean BMI 25.56 ± 4.66 (kg/m(2)). CONCLUSIONS AND INTERPRETATION: Statistical relation between AEI and body fat reflects original information of risk (where as BMI does not) in the selected community. AEI outperforms the identification of obesity affected profession or life style based communities over BMI analysis.

Multiparametric body composition analysis and anthropometric empirical indicator: obesity based south Indian perspective.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has emerged to be a global threat to mankind. Many abnormalities such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes emerge as outcomes of obesity. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed at bringing out a technique which considers the combinational measurement of all essential anthropometric circumferences and body mass index (BMI), so that the accurate assessment of obesity can be made. To date, BMI has been considered to be the main adiposity index, but the distribution of body fat was not taken into account by BMI. The contradictory outcomes by BMI pertaining to risk factor detection in various ethnicities and populations were witnessed. Also, BMI failed to gauge obesity in muscular body builders who possess small waists and large torsos. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study adopted a cross-sectional design and 107 subjects from urban south India participated. The measurements of body composition and anthropometry were shown. RESULTS: The higher significant difference of ≤ 0.001 was observed in male and female studied population, when AEI (BIA1), AEI (EXTERNAL) and BMI were compared against BFM (measured by both the devices BIA1 and BIA2). CONCLUSIONS: The results exhibited the prominence of AEI (Anthropometric Empirical Indicator, which is the combinational measurement of all essential anthropometric circumferences and BMI) over BMI. Also, the validity of the effective functioning of low-cost, portable, simple protocol based body composition analyzer on par with the highercost, standard body composition analyzer was demonstrated by the present study.

Community-Specific BMI Cutoff Points for South Indian Females.

Objective. To analyze multiparameters related to total body composition, with specific emphasis on obesity in South Indian females, in order to derive community-specific BMI cutoff points. Patients and Methods. A total number of 87 females (of age 37.33 ± 13.12 years) from South Indian Chennai urban population participated in this clinical study. Body composition analysis and anthropometric measurements were acquired after conducting careful clinical examination. Results. BMI demonstrated high significance when normal group (21.02 ± 1.47 kg/m(2)) was compared with obese group (29.31 ± 3.95 kg/m(2)), P < 0.0001. BFM displayed high significance when normal group (14.92 ± 4.28 kg) was compared with obese group (29.94 ± 8.1 kg), P < 0.0001. Conclusion. Community-specific BMI cutoffs are necessary to assess obesity in different ethnic groups, and relying on WHO-based universal BMI cutoff points would be a wrong strategy.

Dermatological manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus infected / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients in a referral hospital of Central Kerala.

A number of skin diseases are described in association with HIV infection/AIDS. In the present study the frequency of various skin manifestations among HIV infected / AIDS patients are noted. Generalised pruritus and dry skin were the common manifestations encountered. There was a significant absence of Kaposi's sarcoma, multi-dermatomal herpes zoster and oral hairy leukoplakia. A prominent hyperpigmented band on finger nails was seen.

The relationship of carotid sinus stimulation to exercise testing.

This review is an attempt to demonstrate the safety and usefulness of the simple maneuver of carotid sinus stimulation with selected subjects undergoing exercise tests. In a variety of circumstances the addition of CSP before or after treadmill walking can yield clinically relevant information relating to arrhythmias, conduction disturbances, symptoms, and pacemakers. Further applications and benefits of these combined procedures remain to be clarified and expanded for judicious application with attention to safeguards.