Objectives: To evaluate relationships between self-reported physical activity, proportions of lon... more Objectives: To evaluate relationships between self-reported physical activity, proportions of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn3) in erythrocyte content (percentage of total fatty acids) and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Community-dwelling male and female (n = 84) participants over the age of 65 years with and without MCI were tested for erythrocyte proportions of the LCn3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Physical activity was measured using a validated questionnaire. Results: The interaction between erythrocyte EPA, but not DHA, and increased physical activity was associated with increased odds of a non-MCI classification. Conclusion: An interaction between physical activity and erythrocyte EPA content (percentage of fatty acids) significantly predicted MCI status in older adults. Randomised control trials are needed to examine the potential for supplementation with EPA in combination with increased physical activity to mitigate the risk of MCI in ageing adults.
Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 2011
Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels are altered in adults with cognitive decline and also de... more Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels are altered in adults with cognitive decline and also depression. Depression facilitates progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. We investigated associations between omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs and cognition, memory and depression in 50 adults Z 65 years with MCI and 29 controls. Memory, depressive symptoms and erythrocyte PUFAs (% total fatty acids) were assessed. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was lower in MCI vs controls (.94% vs 1.26%, po .01); n-6 PUFAs were higher: dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (1.51% vs 1.32%, po .01), arachidonic acid (11.54% vs 10.70%, po .01), n-6 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA:.46% vs.34%, po .01), and total n-6 PUFA (24.14% vs 23.37%, p o .05). Higher n-6 DPA predicted poorer mental health. Lower n-3 DPA was associated with higher self-reported bodily pain. Adults with MCI had higher depression scores (3.05 7 .39 vs 1.33 7 .24, po .01). Depressive symptoms associated with elevated n-6 PUFA may contribute to cognitive decline in this population.
Regular physical activity is consistent with better health including body composition status. Mor... more Regular physical activity is consistent with better health including body composition status. More commonly, studies of physical activity and health have focused on the adult years when poor health as a consequence of inappropriate lifestyle behaviors, becomes more evident. In recent years, greater attention has been paid to developmental aspects of health and disease. This includes the notion that early life experiences or exposures to nutrition and movement and subsequent physical activity and exercise behaviors are related to phenotypic changes including predisposition to overweight and obesity at younger ages. The current obesogenic environment is characterized by the coexistence of overnutrition and low levels of physical activity, a situation that has been referred to as an evolutionary mismatch. Overweight and obesity are commonplace at all stages of the lifespan, including during the reproductive years with the prevalence of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus increasing rapidly along with obesity and diabetes in their offspring. There is an urgent need for effective strategies to break this cycle, ideally by optimizing physical activity and healthy eating in adolescents and young mothers to increase the opportunity of healthy growth and development, including healthy body composition, in infants and young children.
Depressive symptoms may increase the risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to ... more Depressive symptoms may increase the risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. Consumption of n-3 PUFA may alleviate both cognitive decline and depression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the benefits of supplementing a diet with n-3 PUFA, DHA and EPA, for depressive symptoms, quality of life (QOL) and cognition in elderly people with MCI. We conducted a 6-month double-blind, randomised controlled trial. A total of fifty people aged . 65 years with MCI were allocated to receive a supplement rich in EPA (1·67 g EPA þ 0·16 g DHA/d; n 17), DHA (1·55 g DHA þ 0·40 g EPA/d; n 18) or the n-6 PUFA linoleic acid (LA; 2·2 g/d; n 15). Treatment allocation was by minimisation based on age, sex and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS). Physiological and cognitive assessments, questionnaires and fatty acid composition of erythrocytes were obtained at baseline and 6 months (completers: n 40; EPA n 13, DHA n 16, LA n 11). Compared with the LA group, GDS scores improved in the EPA (P¼ 0·04) and DHA (P¼ 0·01) groups and verbal fluency (Initial Letter Fluency) in the DHA group (P¼ 0·04). Improved GDS scores were correlated with increased DHA plus EPA (r 0·39, P¼ 0·02). Improved self-reported physical health was associated with increased DHA. There were no treatment effects on other cognitive or QOL parameters. Increased intakes of DHA and EPA benefited mental health in older people with MCI. Increasing n-3 PUFA intakes may reduce depressive symptoms and the risk of progressing to dementia. This needs to be investigated in larger, depressed samples with MCI.
Healthcare Dovepress submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Dovepress 65 S H o rt r e p o rt ... more Healthcare Dovepress submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Dovepress 65 S H o rt r e p o rt open access to scientific and medical research open Access Full text Article
... These health outcomes range from cardiovascular morbidities to mental health to all-cause mor... more ... These health outcomes range from cardiovascular morbidities to mental health to all-cause mortality. ... in genetics in under-standing the complex relationships among physical activity, fitness, and ... for research and implementation of these concepts in a public health perspective. ...
International journal of environmental research and public health, 2015
The adolescent period is associated with changes in eating and activity behaviors in girls. Less ... more The adolescent period is associated with changes in eating and activity behaviors in girls. Less reliance on parental provision and choice of food, coupled with a decrease in participation in physical activity and sport, can create an energy imbalance, predisposing to weight gain. Physiological alterations to body composition, reduction in insulin sensitivity, and psychological adjustments may further amplify the risk of becoming overweight and maintaining an unhealthy level of body fat into childbearing years. During pregnancy excess body fat is a risk factor for poor pregnancy outcomes and may predispose an infant to a lifelong heightened risk of being overweight and developing chronic disease. Interventions aimed at preventing the accumulation of body fat in adolescent girls and young women may have far reaching impact and be critically important in reducing intergenerational weight gain. Lifestyle interventions in adolescence have the potential to modify adult obesity risk by sw...
Objectives: To evaluate relationships between self-reported physical activity, proportions of lon... more Objectives: To evaluate relationships between self-reported physical activity, proportions of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn3) in erythrocyte content (percentage of total fatty acids) and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Community-dwelling male and female (n = 84) participants over the age of 65 years with and without MCI were tested for erythrocyte proportions of the LCn3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Physical activity was measured using a validated questionnaire. Results: The interaction between erythrocyte EPA, but not DHA, and increased physical activity was associated with increased odds of a non-MCI classification. Conclusion: An interaction between physical activity and erythrocyte EPA content (percentage of fatty acids) significantly predicted MCI status in older adults. Randomised control trials are needed to examine the potential for supplementation with EPA in combination with increased physical activity to mitigate the risk of MCI in ageing adults.
Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 2011
Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels are altered in adults with cognitive decline and also de... more Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels are altered in adults with cognitive decline and also depression. Depression facilitates progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. We investigated associations between omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs and cognition, memory and depression in 50 adults Z 65 years with MCI and 29 controls. Memory, depressive symptoms and erythrocyte PUFAs (% total fatty acids) were assessed. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was lower in MCI vs controls (.94% vs 1.26%, po .01); n-6 PUFAs were higher: dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (1.51% vs 1.32%, po .01), arachidonic acid (11.54% vs 10.70%, po .01), n-6 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA:.46% vs.34%, po .01), and total n-6 PUFA (24.14% vs 23.37%, p o .05). Higher n-6 DPA predicted poorer mental health. Lower n-3 DPA was associated with higher self-reported bodily pain. Adults with MCI had higher depression scores (3.05 7 .39 vs 1.33 7 .24, po .01). Depressive symptoms associated with elevated n-6 PUFA may contribute to cognitive decline in this population.
Regular physical activity is consistent with better health including body composition status. Mor... more Regular physical activity is consistent with better health including body composition status. More commonly, studies of physical activity and health have focused on the adult years when poor health as a consequence of inappropriate lifestyle behaviors, becomes more evident. In recent years, greater attention has been paid to developmental aspects of health and disease. This includes the notion that early life experiences or exposures to nutrition and movement and subsequent physical activity and exercise behaviors are related to phenotypic changes including predisposition to overweight and obesity at younger ages. The current obesogenic environment is characterized by the coexistence of overnutrition and low levels of physical activity, a situation that has been referred to as an evolutionary mismatch. Overweight and obesity are commonplace at all stages of the lifespan, including during the reproductive years with the prevalence of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus increasing rapidly along with obesity and diabetes in their offspring. There is an urgent need for effective strategies to break this cycle, ideally by optimizing physical activity and healthy eating in adolescents and young mothers to increase the opportunity of healthy growth and development, including healthy body composition, in infants and young children.
Depressive symptoms may increase the risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to ... more Depressive symptoms may increase the risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. Consumption of n-3 PUFA may alleviate both cognitive decline and depression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the benefits of supplementing a diet with n-3 PUFA, DHA and EPA, for depressive symptoms, quality of life (QOL) and cognition in elderly people with MCI. We conducted a 6-month double-blind, randomised controlled trial. A total of fifty people aged . 65 years with MCI were allocated to receive a supplement rich in EPA (1·67 g EPA þ 0·16 g DHA/d; n 17), DHA (1·55 g DHA þ 0·40 g EPA/d; n 18) or the n-6 PUFA linoleic acid (LA; 2·2 g/d; n 15). Treatment allocation was by minimisation based on age, sex and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS). Physiological and cognitive assessments, questionnaires and fatty acid composition of erythrocytes were obtained at baseline and 6 months (completers: n 40; EPA n 13, DHA n 16, LA n 11). Compared with the LA group, GDS scores improved in the EPA (P¼ 0·04) and DHA (P¼ 0·01) groups and verbal fluency (Initial Letter Fluency) in the DHA group (P¼ 0·04). Improved GDS scores were correlated with increased DHA plus EPA (r 0·39, P¼ 0·02). Improved self-reported physical health was associated with increased DHA. There were no treatment effects on other cognitive or QOL parameters. Increased intakes of DHA and EPA benefited mental health in older people with MCI. Increasing n-3 PUFA intakes may reduce depressive symptoms and the risk of progressing to dementia. This needs to be investigated in larger, depressed samples with MCI.
Healthcare Dovepress submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Dovepress 65 S H o rt r e p o rt ... more Healthcare Dovepress submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Dovepress 65 S H o rt r e p o rt open access to scientific and medical research open Access Full text Article
... These health outcomes range from cardiovascular morbidities to mental health to all-cause mor... more ... These health outcomes range from cardiovascular morbidities to mental health to all-cause mortality. ... in genetics in under-standing the complex relationships among physical activity, fitness, and ... for research and implementation of these concepts in a public health perspective. ...
International journal of environmental research and public health, 2015
The adolescent period is associated with changes in eating and activity behaviors in girls. Less ... more The adolescent period is associated with changes in eating and activity behaviors in girls. Less reliance on parental provision and choice of food, coupled with a decrease in participation in physical activity and sport, can create an energy imbalance, predisposing to weight gain. Physiological alterations to body composition, reduction in insulin sensitivity, and psychological adjustments may further amplify the risk of becoming overweight and maintaining an unhealthy level of body fat into childbearing years. During pregnancy excess body fat is a risk factor for poor pregnancy outcomes and may predispose an infant to a lifelong heightened risk of being overweight and developing chronic disease. Interventions aimed at preventing the accumulation of body fat in adolescent girls and young women may have far reaching impact and be critically important in reducing intergenerational weight gain. Lifestyle interventions in adolescence have the potential to modify adult obesity risk by sw...
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