P D Thompson’s research while affiliated with New York State and other places

PURPOSE: Evidence is mixed regarding the associations of cardiometabolic risk factors and mental health. We examined these associations among healthy, adult men (n=74) and women (n=73). METHODS: Cardiometabolic risk factors were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP), and fasting blood lipids-lipoproteins. BMI was calculated from height and weight with a standard balance beam scale. WC was measured at the narrowest point of the torso with a non- distensible tape measure. BP was measured by auscultation after 10 min of seated rest. We determined lipids-lipoproteins with oxidase assays using colorimetric enzymatic methods, and calculated low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol with the Friedwald equation. Mental health was assessed with the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI), which characterizes mental health from 0 (i.e., distress) to 110 (i.e., positive well-being). Multivariate regression analyses tested the relationships among cardiometabolic risk factors and PGWBI. Results are presented by gender. RESULTS: Subjects were 52.4±14.8 yr, overweight (BMI=26.9±4.8 kg·m2; WC=89.8±14.4 cm), with prehypertension (120.5±13.2/75.8±9.4 mmHg), near optimal cholesterol (LDL=124.8±33.7 mg•dL-1), and a PGWBI score of 89.5±12.3. Men had a greater BMI (p=0.016), WC (p<0.001), triglycerides (p=0.007), triglyceride/high density lipoprotein ratio (p<0.001), and systolic BP (SBP) (p=0.016) than women. Among men, PGWBI (β=-0.249, r2=0.065, p=0.030) and age (β=0.243, r2=0.062, p=0.034) explained 8.6% of the SBP variance. Among women, PGWBI (β=-0.212, r2=0.055, p=0.053) and age (β=0.409, r2=0.176, p<0.001) explained 20% of the WC variance; while age (β=0.433, r2=0.176, p<0.001) was the only significant correlate of SBP. CONCLUSION: Among men, mental health was negatively correlated with SBP; whereas among women, mental health was negatively correlated with WC. Further research is needed to more clearly establish the relationships among cardiometabolic disease risk factors and mental well-being and what mechanisms may account for the sex-dependent findings we observed.

We investigated the influence of Leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) SNPs on habitual physical activity (PA) and body composition response to a unilateral, upper body resistance training (RT) program. European-derived American volunteers (men=111, women=131, 23.4±5.4yr, 24.4±4.6kg·m(-2)) were genotyped for LEP 19 G>A (rs2167270), and LEPR 326 A>G (rs1137100), 668 A>G (rs1137101), 3057 G>A (rs1805096), and 1968 G>C (rs8179183). They completed the Paffenbarger PA Questionnaire. Arm muscle and subcutaneous fat volumes were measured before and after 12wk of supervised RT with MRI. Multivariate and repeated measures ANCOVA tested differences among phenotypes by genotype and gender with age and body mass index as covariates. Adults with the LEP 19 GG genotype reported more kcal/wk in vigorous intensity PA (1273.3±176.8, p=0.017) and sports/recreation (1922.8±226.0, p<0.04) than A allele carriers (718.0±147.2, 1328.6±188.2, respectively). Those with the LEP 19 GG genotype spent more h/wk in light intensity PA (39.7±1.6) than A allele carriers (35.0±1.4, p=0.03). In response to RT, adults with the LEPR 668 G allele gained greater arm muscle volume (67,687.05±3186.7 vs. 52,321.87±5125.05mm(3), p=0.01) and subcutaneous fat volume (10,599.89±3683.57 vs. -5224.73±5923.98mm(3), p=0.02) than adults with the LEPR 668 AA genotype, respectively. LEP19 G>A and LEPR 668 A>G associated with habitual PA and the body composition response to RT. These LEP and LEPR SNPs are located in coding exons likely influencing LEP and LEPR function. Further investigation is needed to confirm our findings and establish mechanisms for LEP and LEPR genotype and PA and body composition associations we observed.

Emerging data have revealed a negative association between adiposity and muscle quality (MQ). There is a lack of research to examine this interaction among young, healthy individuals, and to evaluate the contribution of adiposity to adaptation after resistance exercise (RE). The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) on muscle function among non-obese individuals before and after RE. Analyses included 634 non-obese (body mass index <30 kg m(-2)) subjects (253 males, 381 females; age=23.3 ± 5.2 years). SAT and muscle mass (magnetic resonance imaging-derived SAT and biceps muscle volume), isometric and dynamic biceps strength, and MQ (strength/muscle volume), were analyzed at baseline and after 12 weeks of unilateral RE. At baseline, SAT was independently associated with lower MQ for males (β=-0.55; P<0.01) and females (β=-0.45; P<0.01), controlling for body mass and age. Adaptation to RE revealed a significant negative association between SAT and changes for strength capacity (β=-0.13; p=0.03) and MQ (β=-0.14; P<0.01) among males. No attenuation was identified among females. Post-intervention SAT remained a negative predictor of MQ for males and females (β=-0.47; P<0.01). The findings reveal that SAT is a negative predictor of MQ among non-obese, healthy adults, and that after 12 weeks of progressive RE this association was not ameliorated. Data suggest that SAT exerts a weak, negative influence on the adaptive response to strength and MQ among males.

The aims of the present study were to examine 1) whether changes in circulating leptin levels occur in response to six months of aerobic exercise training (ET) without concomitant weight loss; 2) whether there is a different response with respect to gender; and 3) the relationship between age and leptin and whether this relationship has any impact on the response to ET without weight-loss. Thirty-eight healthy, sedentary men and women (age 38.43+/-2.24, range 18-59 years) participated in 6 months of supervised, moderate intensity (ET) performed 4 days per week. Maintenance of usual dietary practices were encouraged to minimize weight-loss. Participants were evaluated for circulating fasting leptin, body mass, body fat percentage and maximal aerobic power (VO2max) prior to and after ET. There was no decrease in body weight or leptin concentration (17.69+/-2.67 vs 16.85+/-3.12 ng dL(-1)). Gender did not affect the response to exercise training. The bivariate correlation between leptin and age was not significant, but the relationship reached significance after controlling for body fat percentage and VO2max (r = -0.358, P < 0.05). Age did not affect the response of leptin concentration to ET. It is probable that changes in leptin concentration reported previously with ET may be attributable to concomitant weight loss, but age does not play a role in how leptin responds to ET.