Income-related inequality in obesity and its determinants in Spain: What happens beyond the obesity threshold?

This paper computes and decomposes income-related inequalities in three metrics of obesity, namely, status, depth and severity, for Spain, a European country characterized by a universal health care system with very high and rising obesity prevalence rates. Furthermore, this paper investigates the main determinants of the reduction in obesity inequalities observed over time among the female Spanish population. To compute these inequality indexes, we use cross-sectional and individual-level data gathered from the Spanish National Health Survey. We document income-related inequalities in obesity, that are more pronounced in depth and severity and are to the detriment of poor women in Spain. University education is the most important determinant for all three inequality indexes. We further report that inequalities in obesity tend to decline over time for women, which is explained mainly by a substantial decrease in the degree of inequality in secondary education and a large decrease in the income elasticity of obesity.

Molecular phenotypes of mitochondrial dysfunction in clinically non-manifesting heterozygous PRKN variant carriers.

Homozygous or compound heterozygous (biallelic) variants in PRKN are causal for PD with highly penetrant symptom expression, while the much more common heterozygous variants may predispose to PD with highly reduced penetrance, through altered mitochondrial function. In the presence of pathogenic heterozygous variants, it is therefore important to test for mitochondrial alteration in cells derived from variant carriers to establish potential presymptomatic molecular markers. We generated lymphoblasts (LCLs) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons from non-manifesting heterozygous PRKN variant carriers and tested them for mitochondrial functionality. In LCLs, we detected hyperactive mitochondrial respiration, and, although milder compared to a biallelic PRKN-PD patient, hiPSC-derived neurons of non-manifesting heterozygous variant carriers also displayed several phenotypes of altered mitochondrial function. Overall, we identified molecular phenotypes that might be used to monitor heterozygous PRKN variant carriers during the prodromal phase. Such markers might also be useful to identify individuals at greater risk of eventual disease development and for testing potential mitochondrial function-based neuroprotective therapies before neurodegeneration advances.

Association of dietary proteins with serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate in a general population sample: the CHRIS study.

BACKGROUND: Diet is known to affect kidney function. However, population-based studies provide contrasting evidence, resulting in a poor understanding of the effect of proteins from specific foods on kidney health. METHODS: We analyzed the effect of total daily protein intake (TDPI) and source-specific daily protein intake (DPI) on fasting serum creatinine (SCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the Cooperative Health Research In South Tyrol (CHRIS) cross-sectional study (n = 5889), using the GA2LEN food frequency questionnaire for TDPI and DPI estimation. We fitted multivariable adjusted mixed models of SCr and eGFR on TDPI and DPI quartiles (Q1-Q4) in the overall sample, and after removing individuals with known hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease (CKD). RESULTS: Higher TDPI as well as DPI from overall animal sources, fish, and poultry, were associated with higher SCr (trend test p, ptrend < 0.01), with larger effect after excluding individuals with known hypertension, diabetes or CKD. The eGFR was lower at higher TDPI (Q4 vs Q1: - 1.6 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI - 2.5, - 0.7; ptrend = 3e-4) and DPI from fish (Q4 vs Q1: - 2.1 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI - 2.9, - 1.20; ptrend = 4.3e-6), overall animal source (Q4 vs Q1: - 1.6 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI -2.5, - 0.8), processed meat (Q4 vs Q1: - 1.4 ml/min/1.73 m2; ptrend = 0.027), red meat, offal and processed meat (Q4 vs Q1: - 1.4 ml/min/1.73 m2; ptrend = 0.015) and poultry (Q4 vs Q1: - 0.9 ml/min/1.73 m2; ptrend = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: TDPI and DPI from specific animal sources were positively associated with SCr and negatively associated with eGFR. Lacking an alternative marker of kidney function, confounding involving muscle mass metabolism cannot be fully excluded.

Frequency of Heterozygous Parkin (PRKN) Variants and Penetrance of Parkinson's Disease Risk Markers in the Population-Based CHRIS Cohort.

Mutations in the Parkin (PRKN) gene are the most frequent cause of autosomal recessive early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). Heterozygous PRKN mutation carriers might also be at increased risk for developing clinical symptoms of PD. Given the high frequency of heterozygous mutations in the general population, it is essential to have better estimates of the penetrance of these variants, and to investigate, which clinical and biochemical markers are present in carriers and thus potentially useful for identifying those individuals at greater risk of developing clinical symptoms later in life. In the present study, we ascertained the frequency of heterozygous PRKN mutation carriers in a large population sample of the Cooperative Health Research in South Tyrol (CHRIS) study, and screened for reported PD risk markers. 164 confirmed heterozygous PRKN mutation carriers were compared with 2,582 controls. A higher number of heterozygous mutation carriers reported a detectable increase in an akinesia-related phenotype, and a higher percentage of carriers had manifested diabetes. We also observed lower resting heart rate in the PRKN mutation carriers. Extending our risk analyses to a larger number of potential carriers and non-carriers using genotype imputation (n = 299 carriers and n = 7,127 non-carriers), from previously published biomarkers we also observed a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lower serum albumin and sodium levels in the heterozygous PRKN variant carriers. These results identify a set of biomarkers that might be useful either individually or as an ensemble to identify variant carriers at greater risk of health issues due to carrier status.

Geographic determinants of individual obesity risk in Spain: A multilevel approach.

This paper seeks to understand the determinants of individual body weight status and obesity risk in Spain by concurrently examining individual and regional characteristics. The data are drawn from the National Health Survey of Spain for the year 2011-2012 (INE-National Statistical Institute of Spain) and contain information for a representative sample of 12,671 adults across 50 provinces in Spain. A multilevel analysis is carried out to examine the determinants of individual weight status and obesity, controlling not only for the individual effects and those of the immediate environment but also for the broader setting to which individuals and their immediate environment belong. Our findings suggest that attributes from all three levels of analysis have an effect on individual weight status and obesity. Lack of green spaces and criminality taken as proxies of the social environment positively affect individual and women's BMI and obesity, respectively.