BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES An imaginary line connecting both iliac crests is used to determine the vertebral level for lumbar puncture. This line crosses the spine at the level of L4 or the L4-L5 space. This anatomical reference can be inaccurate in a large proportion of patients. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the identification of the L3-L4 space by the physical ex...

This study examines the role of obesity and body fat distribution (ie, waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in 50 nondiabetic, obese (body mass index [BMI], 31 +/- 2 kg/m2, mean +/- SD), 45 +/- 10-year-old women. The data obtained at baseline and after weight loss were analyzed after dividing subjects by WHR into upper-body (WHR > 0.80) and lower-body (WHR < or...

background obesity is a risk factor that has been associated scientifically with hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cancer and other life threatening diseases. the results of some studies have also shown that obesity is an independent risk factor for the development and progression of renal damage. objectives the aim of the current study is to define which general and central obesity anthr...

OBJECTIVE To assess maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with increasing body mass index (BMI) and interpregnancy BMI changes in an Australian obstetric population. METHODS A retrospective cohort study from 2008 to 2013 was undertaken. BMI for 14 875 women was categorised as follows: underweight (≤18 kg/m(2)); normal weight (19-24 kg/m(2)); overweight (25-29 kg/m(2)); obese class I (30-3...

Although health-related quality of life is well studied in subjects with obesity or fractures, there are few studies approaching both diseases together. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in obese postmenopausal women with fractures. A cross-sectional study was carried out at Santa Maria, Brazil. Postmenopausal women aged 55 years or older were recru...

OBJECTIVES To analyse the association between body mass index (BMI) and sexual activity, sexual satisfaction, unintended pregnancies, and abortions in obese people and to discuss the implications for public health practices, taking into account the respondents' and their partners' BMI. DESIGN Random probability survey of sexual behaviours. SETTING National population based survey of 12 364 ...

OBJECTIVE The present study was aimed at evaluating the correlation between leptin and hypertension in normal and obese hypertensive pre- (Pre-M) and postmenopausal (Post-M) women of Jalandhar city (Punjab, India). DESIGN For the present study, 78 Pre-M and Post-M women were recruited in four categories as follows: i) normal normotensive, ii) obese normotensive, iii) normal hypertensive, and ...

The aim of these analyses was to develop and describe easily implementable, yet information rich, approaches for analysis of the temporal profile of cortisol in human populations. A typical waking profile of cortisol in a sample of women aged 15-44 was parameterized by a piecewise linear regression model, implemented as a mixed model to accommodate repeated observations among individuals. The m...

OBJECTIVE We sought to define 24-h glycemia in normal-weight and obese pregnant women using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) while they consumed a habitual and controlled diet both early and late in pregnancy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Glycemia was prospectively measured in early (15.7 ± 2.0 weeks' gestation) and late (27.7 ± 1.7 weeks' gestation) pregnancy in normal-weight (n = 22) and ...

OBJECTIVES This study was designed to determine the effects of obesity on left ventricular (LV) structure and function in young obese women. BACKGROUND Severe prolonged obesity in older adults results in increased plasma volume, eccentric LV hypertrophy, and systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Obese women are at increased risk for the development of heart failure. However, the effects of the ob...