The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for slaughter weight, and carcass fleshiness and fatness in Finnish Ayrshire and Holstein-Friesian bulls and heifers. Animal model, sire model and sire maternal grandsire model were tested for their suitability to evaluate young sires in progeny test. There were 38 188 records on animals slaughtered in two slaughter houses during a period...

BACKGROUND A dramatic increase in adult mortality rates from coronary heart disease (CHD) in Greece, accompanied by increased prevalence of CHD risk factors in children, has been documented. However, there is controversy about the independent effects of certain lifestyle parameters on primary CHD risk factors. AIMS AND METHODS To examine the association between CHD risk factors (HDL-C, LDL-C,...

The latest report by the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research concluded that there is convincing evidence that adult height and obesity are risk factors for colorectal cancer. However, studies relating body fatness during early life to the risk of colorectal cancer or adenoma are scarce. In the Nurses' Health Study II, participants recalled adult attained height and ...

Fatness qualities in pigs measured by the amount of fat deposition and composition of fatty acids (FAs) in pork have considerable effect on current breeding goals. The stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene plays a crucial role in the conversion of saturated FAs into monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs), and hence, is among the candidate genes responsible for pig fatness traits. Here, we identified a single...

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between parental BMI and offspring cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study comprised 940 children (9.5 +/- 0.4 years) and 873 adolescents (15.5 +/- 0.5 years). Parental weight and height were reported by the mother and the father, and BMI was calculated. CVD risk factors included total (sum of five skinfolds) and ce...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of low aerobic fitness levels and to analyze the association with sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and excess body fatness among adolescents of southern Brazil. METHODS The study included 879 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years the city of São José/SC, Brazil. The aerobic fitness was assessed by Canadian modified test of aerobic fitness. Sociodemographic va...

A specific leptin RIA was developed to assess concentrations of leptin in ovine plasma, and was shown to be efficient with bovine and caprine plasma. A specific, high-affinity antibody was generated against recombinant ovine leptin which, when used in a competitive leptin RIA, provided valid estimates of linearity (r=+0.989-0.998), recovery (102%), repeatability (13%) and limit of sensitivity (...

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have indicated that gene polymorphisms in alleles of RAS p21 protein activator 2 (RASA2), cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha subunit inhibitor (HIF1AN) are associated with the risk of obesity. In this study, we explored the interactions between candidate SNPs of RASA2 (rs16851483), CADM1 (rs12286929) and HIF1AN (rs1709422...

here are hundreds of explanations for why T one individual is fatter than another, and why some people are truly obese. Explanations range from the sensory (involving differences in taste and olfactory acuity), to neuroendocrine, to metabolic, to the mode and amount of feeding in early infancy, to the composition of the diet. To some, obesity represents an ancient adaptation to cyclical fluctua...

OBJECTIVE To determine the trends in body fatness and obesity among Saudi primary schoolboys using the data from 2 cross-sectional studies conducted in 1988 and 2005. METHODS Two sets of data were analyzed. The first set (n=1082) was conducted in 1988 and the second (n=702) set was conducted in 2005. Both studies used multistage random samples involving primary-school boys aged 6-14 years fro...