Publications by authors named "Ximena Diaz-Martinez"
Article Synopsis
- The study explored the link between sedentary behavior, the FTO gene, and obesity markers in a Chilean population, focusing on how sedentary time might affect genetic predisposition to obesity.
- Data was gathered from 409 participants, measuring adiposity markers like body weight and BMI, while sedentary behaviors were tracked using accelerometers.
- Findings showed that higher sedentary time is more strongly associated with increased body weight and waist circumference in individuals carrying the risk variant of the FTO gene compared to non-risk carriers.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels among Chileans with and without cancer, using data from a large health survey.
- The findings show that individuals diagnosed with cancer had lower CRF compared to those without a diagnosis, particularly among those with colorectal, breast, and uterine cancer.
- The research suggests that CRF tends to decline further as the years since diagnosis increase, highlighting the importance of addressing fitness in cancer care.
Article Synopsis
- A Body Shape Index (ABSI) is a new obesity measurement that focuses on body volume and might be better than BMI in predicting health risks related to obesity, especially regarding chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.
- This study analyzed data from 4,874 Chilean adults to see how ABSI correlates with blood sugar levels, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and self-reported type 2 diabetes (T2DM).
- Results showed that higher ABSI scores were strongly linked to increased glycemia, higher HbA1c levels, and greater odds of having T2DM, suggesting ABSI could serve as a useful tool for assessing obesity-related metabolic risks
Positional cranial deformities are associated with prematurity evolving during the first 2 years of life due to the malleable characteristics of the skull, the first year being the main/primary therapeutic window for intervention. The objectives were (a) to describe health characteristics, peri- and postnatal pathologies, and positional cranial deformities in infants enrolled in an early intervention program and (b) to analyze the effects of a parent education-based intervention program on positional cranial deformity in premature infants. A quantitative, analytical, longitudinal study was conducted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Physical fitness assessment of older adults is essential because it is a key component of functional independence and healthy aging.
Aim: To establish physical fitness reference values for physically active older Chilean adults of both sexes and identify the variables associated with the deterioration of their physical condition.
Material And Methods: Cross-sectional study that included 342 older adults aged 60 and over.
To investigate how frailty modifies the association of sitting time with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Chilean adults. This prospective study included 2,604 participants aged ≥35 from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010. Sitting time was self-reported, while frailty was assessed using a 36-item Frailty Index.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study aimed to explore how a lifestyle score, based on seven modifiable behaviors, affects all-cause mortality in the Chilean population.
- - Participants were assigned scores ranging from 0 (less healthy) to 7 (healthiest) based on their habits, and results showed that those with lower scores had a significantly higher mortality risk over a 10.9-year follow-up period.
- - It concludes that promoting healthier lifestyle choices through public health strategies could reduce mortality risk among Chileans, as less healthy individuals had a mortality risk 2.55 times greater than the healthiest group.
Introduction: Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases. Regular stair use can contribute to increasing physical activity in the population. This study aimed to investigate the association between flights of stairs used daily at home and all-cause mortality and cause-specific incidence and mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is inversely associated with metabolic diseases and adiposity markers.
Aim: To assess the association of CRF with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and obesity in a representative sample of the Chilean population.
Material And Methods: Data from 5,958 participants in the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-1027 aged 15 years or above were analyzed.
Article Synopsis
- * Out of 2661 participants, 308 died during an average of 8.9 years of follow-up, and frail individuals had significantly lower survival rates compared to those who were pre-frail or robust.
- * Specifically, frail individuals were found to be 2.35 times more likely to die than robust individuals, indicating that frailty increases mortality risk regardless of other health factors.
There has not been much study of risk profiles in older people according to different levels of practice in physical activity. For this reason, the aim of this research was to evaluate whether the elements that influence the quality of life and factors such as gender and education can predict the level of physical activity in the physically active elderly population. The Fernández−Ballesteros quality of life questionnaire and the WHO International Physical Activity Questionnaire were applied to a sample of 397 people with a mean age of 69.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Telehealth is a novel therapeutic alternative.
Aim: To determine the effects of a remote therapeutic physical exercise program (TPEP), based on telehealth, on functional physical capacity in people with knee or hip osteoarthritis.
Patients And Methods: An eight-week TPEP was undertaken by 36 participants with a mean age of 68 years.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzes physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior in Chile, focusing on how these factors relate to different income levels.
- It uses data from the 2016-2017 Chilean National Health Survey, involving over 5,000 participants, to assess PA and sedentary time through self-reported income.
- Findings show that while low-income individuals engage more in transport-related PA, they also experience higher rates of inactivity during leisure and work compared to those with higher incomes.
The FTO rs17817449 Polymorphism is Not Associated With Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, or Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Findings From the GENADIO Cross-Sectional Study.
J Phys Act Health
September 2021
Background: Genetic variants within the FTO gene have been associated with increased adiposity and metabolic markers; however, there is limited evidence regarding the association of FTO gene variants with physical activity-related variables. The authors aimed to investigate the association of the rs17817449 single-nucleotide polymorphism of FTO with physical activity, sedentary time, and cardiorespiratory fitness in Chilean adults.
Methods: A total of 409 participants from the GENADIO study were included and genotyped for the rs17817449 single-nucleotide polymorphism of FTO in this cross-sectional study.
Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong predictor of mortality and chronic diseases. However, its estimation is costly and time consuming which may limit it broad use in population-based studies.
Aim: To estimate the cardiorespiratory fitness of the Chilean population by using equations and to characterize fitness levels of the Chilean population by sociodemographic factors.
Cancer is a chronic non-communicable disease associated with a high mortality burden. The prevalence of cancer is increasing rapidly worldwide. However, this scenario will be worse in low and middle-income countries such as Chile, where 70% of cancer deaths occur.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The assessment of frailty among older people could help to reduce its social and health burden.
Aim: To determine and characterize the prevalence of frailty in Chilean older adults.
Material And Methods: We studied 233 participants, aged > 60 years, participating in the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017.
Unlabelled: Biking and walking are active commuting, which is considered an opportunity to create healthy habits.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the main environmental and psychosocial barriers perceived by students, leading to less Active Commuting (AC) to university and to not reaching the Physical Activity (PA) recommendations.
Material And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1349 university students (637 men and 712 women) were selected.
Background: Depression has been previously associated with cognitive impairment in high income country populations. However, its association in the Chilean population has not been investigated.
Aim: To investigate the association between depression and cognitive impairment.
Background: One of the side effects of cancer treatment is a low level of physical activity (PA) due to fatigue and pain.
Aim: To quantify PA levels in Chilean people with cancer.
Material And Methods: Analysis of the National Health Survey 2016-2017 including 6,233 participants, comparing those with and without a self-report of cancer was conducted.
Article Synopsis
- - The study aimed to explore how nutritional status might affect the accuracy of self-reported physical activity (PA) levels in Chilean adults by comparing the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to accelerometer data from ActiGraph devices.
- - Results showed that the IPAQ generally underestimated light PA and total PA while overestimating moderate and vigorous PA levels compared to accelerometer measurements, indicating significant discrepancies.
- - Particularly in obese individuals, the underestimation of total PA levels was less severe than in those of normal weight, suggesting that subjects' weight may influence their self-reported activity levels.
Background: A higher educational level is associated with healthier lifestyles.
Aim: To assess the association between the level of compliance with physical activity recommendations and years of formal education in Chilean adults.
Material And Methods: Analysis include 6,174 participants from the National Health Survey 2016-2017.
Article Synopsis
- Walking pace is a significant indicator of physical capability and a predictor of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but there is limited research on this link in developing countries like Chile.
- A study involving 5,520 Chilean adults found that those who walked at an average or brisk pace had lower blood glucose and HbA1c levels compared to those with a slow pace.
- The results indicate that brisk walkers not only had better glucose control but also a reduced risk of developing T2D, even after adjusting for various lifestyle factors.
Background: Active travel has been suggested as a feasible way of increasing physical activity levels. Although international studies have demonstrated its effect over different health outcomes and adiposity, there is still limited evidence on this topic in developing countries, such as Chile.
Aim: To investigate the associations between different types of travelling and markers of obesity in the Chilean adult population.