Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialAged garlic extract supplemented with B vitamins, folic acid and L-arginine retards the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.
Previous studies demonstrated that aged garlic extract reduces multiple cardiovascular risk factors. This study was designed to assess whether aged garlic extract therapy with supplements (AGE+S) favorably affects inflammatory and oxidation biomarkers, vascular function and progression of atherosclerosis as compared to placebo. ⋯ AGE+S is associated with a favorable improvement in oxidative biomarkers, vascular function, and reduced progression of atherosclerosis.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Socioeconomic status and risk factors for obesity and metabolic disorders in a population-based sample of adult females.
The association between lower socioeconomic status (SES), obesity, lifestyle choices and adverse health consequences are well documented, however to date the relationship between these variables and area-based SES (equivalised for advantage and disadvantage) has not been examined simultaneously in one population or with more than tertiary divisions of SES. We set out to examine the risk factors for obesity and metabolic disorders in the same population across quintiles of area-based SES. ⋯ Greater measures of adiposity and less healthy lifestyle choices were observed in individuals from lower SES. Significant differences in body composition were identified between quintiles 1 and 5, whereas subjects in the mid quintiles had relatively similar measures. The inverse relationship between SES, obesity and less healthy lifestyle underscores the possibility that these associations may be causal and should be investigated further.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialThe impact of a population-based multi-factorial lifestyle intervention on alcohol intake: the Inter99 study.
To investigate the effect of screening and five years of multi-factorial lifestyle intervention on changes in alcohol intake in a general population. ⋯ Multi-factorial lifestyle intervention, including low intensity alcohol intervention, improved long-term alcohol habits in a general population.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Comparative StudyMeasurement error and ethnic comparisons of measures of abdominal obesity.
Methods of estimating central obesity are important because of the increasing frequency of obesity related diseases worldwide. Here we evaluate the precision of measuring waist circumference and the waist to hip ratio with comparisons across ethnic groups. ⋯ Waist to hip ratio provides a superior measure of central obesity with low measurement error, high precision, and no bias over a wide range of ethnic groups. We believe that it is essential to standardize methods in the assessment of central obesity. Assessment criteria should be based on waist to hip ratio rather than waist circumference.
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Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA multifaceted school-based intervention to reduce risk for type 2 diabetes in at-risk youth.
To evaluate the impact of a multifaceted, school-based intervention on inner city youth at high risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to determine whether the addition of coping skills training (CST) and health coaching improves outcomes. ⋯ A multifaceted, school-based intervention may hold promise for reducing metabolic risk in urban, minority youth.