Occupation, Physical Fitness and Adiposity Markers among Security Guards and Students of Delhi University

Physical fitness and health are reciprocal to each other and examining adiposity is an important parameter to assess physical fitness. The present study examines the relationship between different adiposity markers and physical fitness based on occupation. A cross sectional sample of 82 security guards (mean age: 36.86 ± 8.72) and 43 students (mean age: 23.4 ± 3.86) of Delhi University were studied. Anthropometric measurements (height, body weight, waist and hip circumference) and socio-demographic characteristics were ascertained. Body composition parameters (body fat percentage, fat mass, fat free mass, muscle mass, total body water, bone mass and visceral fat) were assessed by bioelectric-impedance method using Tanita Body Composition Analyzer (BCA). Harvard step test was performed to test the physical fitness using Rapid Fitness Index. Student’s t test was used to compare the physical fitness and adiposity markers between the security guards and the students. ANOVA was used to categorize the level of physical fitness with adiposity markers amongst the two groups. As RFI scores decreased, mean value of body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, MUAC, fat mass, visceral fat and BMI increased among the security guards showing a trend which indicates that with an increase in adiposity, the tendency to perform physical work decreases. However, no consistent trend as such was observed amongst the students between the RFI categories. Nevertheless, Delhi University students were found to be more physically fit than the security guards that may be attributable to the differences in their leisure time physical activity preferences and occupational workloads besides the underlying genetic, metabolic or dietary influences. Workplace interventions to reduce occupational sitting among the university security guards may boost cardiorespiratory fitness in the long run.

Relationship between Adiposity, Low-Density Lipoprotein Particles Size and Cardiovascular Risk among Adult Obese Cameroonians

Background: Despite the evidence about the increasing prevalence of dyslipidemia among adult obese Cameroonians, little is known about the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) particles which influence lipid metabolism and affect cardiovascular status. The present study aims to assess the relationship between adiposity, LDL particles size and cardiovascular risk (CVR) among adult obese Cameroonians. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2015 to March 2016 on apparently healthy adults (n = 1006), aged 20 - 70 years and living in the West and North-West regions of Cameroon. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid profile markers were analyzed and LDL particle phenotypes (LDL phenotype A;LDL phenotype I;LDL phenotype B) were characterized using small, dense LDL-cholesterol (sdLDL-c) levels. Abdominal fat accumulation (AFA) was defined as waist circumference (WC) ≥ 88 cm (men) and ≥90 cm (women) and the CVR was assessed using Framingham score method. Results: In the overall population, 36.6% were overweight, 33.1% were obese and 69.1% were overweight/obese with AFA. The prevalence of LDL phenotype B was 19.8%, 37.5% and 42.8% respectively in normal-weight, overweight and obese. Among the obese, sdLDL and triglycerides levels correlated significantly with WC (r = 0.768;p Conclusion: Among obese Cameroonians, anthropometric markers of adiposity (BMI and WC) were strongly correlated to LDL phenotype B which was associated with high CVR dependently of AFA. SdLDL particles could exacerbate the CVR in obese Cameroonians subjects.