American Journal of Human Biology最新文献

{"title":"Maternal and Environmental Influence on Birth Weight in Jujuy, Argentina (1991–2014)","authors":"Gabriela Beatriz Revollo,&nbsp;Marcelo Isidro Figueroa,&nbsp;José Edgardo Dipierri,&nbsp;María del Pilar Díaz,&nbsp;Emma Laura Alfaro Gómez","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70196","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70196","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Birth weight (BW) is a key indicator of intrauterine growth, influenced by maternal and environmental factors, including geographic altitude. This study analyzes the influence of maternal and socio-environmental factors on BW between 1991 and 2014 in the province of Jujuy, Argentina.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 310 793 live births in Jujuy were analyzed, grouped by maternal region of residence. Mean BW was estimated, and the percentage distribution of maternal and gestational variables was described. Three-level generalized linear models were applied to assess the association between BW and these variables, accounting for longitudinal and spatial variability.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mean BW was lower in high-altitude regions, with an adjusted difference of ~150 g between highlands and lowlands (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Preterm births, adolescent mothers, and mothers not cohabiting with a partner were associated with lower average BW, while post-term births or mothers with lower educational attainment had higher BW. Adjusted models confirmed differential patterns by altitude, highlighting significant effects (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) of maternal and gestational factors.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In Jujuy, between 1991 and 2014, BW showed a significant association with geographic altitude and maternal factors such as age, marital status, and gestational age, with regional variations. Understanding and addressing these interactions is essential to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145918956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Total Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity Profiles Among Reindeer Herders and Office Workers of Northern Finland","authors":"Ville Stenbäck,&nbsp;Minna Turunen,&nbsp;Päivi Soppela,&nbsp;Karl-Heinz Herzig,&nbsp;Cara Ocobock","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70188","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70188","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In the Arctic, climate change increases extreme weather events and unpredictability, affects food chains, increases transportational needs, and decreases physical activity (PA) and estimated total energy expenditure (eTEE). Thus, understanding how climate change affects inhabitants of different environments is increasingly important. The reindeer herders of Finnish Lapland are exposed to changing weather conditions year-round and have a highly physically demanding occupation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We studied eTEE, physical activity level (PAL), and PA profiles of reindeer herders (<i>n</i> = 10) and office workers (<i>n</i> = 13) in the Inari Municipality area in Finland February of 2023 as a pilot study. eTEE was estimated using the FLEX-HR method and PA parameters were measured using accelerometry.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We did not observe any statistically significant differences between the occupations, but there was a trend of reindeer herders being heavier, having more muscle mass, and greater eTEEs relative to office workers. eTEE for herders was 2887.1 ± 1675.4 and 2038.9 ± 593.1 kcal/day for office workers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>With the seasonal nature of reindeer herding, February is a period of relative ease following the physically demanding round-up period that lasts from September to January, which may explain these results. Furthermore, large variation in the main variables of eTEE and PAL highlights the need for a larger study population. Therefore, a seasonal assessment of PA and eTEE patterns in this unique population where herders and office workers live close to one another and share multiple lifestyle aspects in the rapidly warming Arctic is needed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12745188/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145851407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social Mobility of the Father and Relative Body Weight of Offspring: A Three-Generation Study","authors":"Aleksandra Gomula,&nbsp;Natalia Nowak-Szczepanska,&nbsp;Monika Zaręba,&nbsp;Sławomir Kozieł","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70189","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70189","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study investigates the relation between intergenerational social mobility and body mass index (BMI) across three generations, focusing on age and sex differences.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The sample consisted of four child cohorts (born in 1980, 1983, 1985, 1988) measured annually from 6 to 11, 9 to 14, 11 to 16, and 14 to 18 years of age, examined between 1994 and 1999 in Poland. Body height and weight were recorded for 4196 grandfather-father-son/daughter triplets. BMI was calculated and standardized for age (Z-BMI). Social mobility was classified as upward, downward, “lower” stable, and “upper” stable. Kruskal–Wallis test was conducted to assess the relationship between social mobility and Z-BMI across different age groups and sexes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In the parental generation, a significant effect of upward mobility was found in fathers. In the third generation, girls from “upper” group had significantly higher Z-BMI in comparison with “lower” and upwardly mobile peers, while boys from “upper” and upwardly mobile groups had significantly higher Z-BMI compared to the “lower” group. When analyzing specific age cohorts, significant effects were found in the two youngest cohorts, where children from the “upper” group had higher Z-BMI compared to their “lower” peers; moreover, the youngest children from upwardly mobile families had higher Z-BMI compared to the “lower” counterparts. Among adolescent girls born in 1983, the significant association between social mobility and BMI showed an emerging marginal trend in the opposite direction.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study identified age- and sex-related variation in the associations between intergenerational social mobility and BMI, contributing to a broader understanding of how intergenerational processes relate to physical development.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145851377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Obesity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Sex-Specific Sociocultural Determinants in High-Risk Rural Punjab, India","authors":"Thiyam Seityajit Singh,&nbsp;Naorem Kiranmala Devi,&nbsp;Kallur Nava Saraswathy,&nbsp;R. P. Mitra,&nbsp;Ranjita Pandey,&nbsp;Abigail Lalnuneng","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70186","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70186","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Obesity is a critical public health challenge in South Asia, yet region-specific data remain limited. This study examines the prevalence and sex-specific sociodemographic, economic, and behavioral determinants of obesity in rural Punjab, India.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A population-based cross-sectional study of 2349 adults in Mansa district, Punjab, assessed general obesity using BMI and central obesity by WC, WHR, and WHtR. Structured interviews captured sociodemographic, economic, and behavioral data. Sex-stratified logistic regression models estimated AORs for obesity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>General obesity was high (69.6%), with central obesity more pronounced (WC: 76%; WHtR: 85.8%; WHR: 93.4%). Females had significantly higher obesity risk (WC and WHR) than males. In males, obesity risk peaked at ages 40–49 (BMI, WC, and WHtR) and 50–59 (WHR), while females' risk increased from 50 years (WC) and ≥ 60 years (WHR and WHtR). Education and income showed sex-specific associations: primary education increased females' risk (WC), and senior secondary and higher increased males' risk (BMI) compared with those with no formal education but decreased at higher education levels in females. Higher income increased obesity risk in males (BMI, WC, and WHtR). Belonging to the Jatt Sikh community and sedentary behavior increased obesity risk in both sexes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The higher central obesity among women reflects gendered vulnerabilities shaped by socioeconomic and educational disparities. The coexistence of high central obesity and sedentary behavior in a transitioning rural context highlights the shifting sociocultural landscape of obesity in LMICs. Age-related decrease in general but persistent central obesity warrants longitudinal biocultural investigations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145806391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth Patterns and Permanent Tooth Eruption in 5–18-Year-Old School Children of Chennai, India: A Correlational Analysis","authors":"S. Vandana,&nbsp;M. S. Muthu,&nbsp;D. Kandaswamy,&nbsp;M. B. Aswath Narayanan","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70185","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70185","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study aimed to determine the relationship between the eruption timing of permanent teeth and anthropological assessments (height and weight) in children from Chennai, India.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A cross-sectional study was designed, and 12650 children were selected using a multistage random sampling method. The clinical eruption status of all permanent teeth was evaluated using a novel grading system, and correlational analysis determined the relationship between height/weight and tooth eruption age.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study found statistically significant associations between tooth eruption ages and both height and weight. While the correlation for height was weak and non-significant (<i>r</i> = −0.023 to 0.151, including zero), the correlation for weight was more pronounced (<i>r</i> = 0.044 to 0.519).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study suggests that both height and weight are significantly associated with tooth eruption ages, but weight has a stronger and more consistent influence. Individuals with obesity tend to experience delayed tooth eruption.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145806287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Competitive Immunoassay for Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate in Dried Blood Spots","authors":"Elena Hinz,&nbsp;Aaron A. Miller,&nbsp;Herman Pontzer","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70182","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70182","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) is a steroid hormone commonly measured to assess neuroendocrine activity related to HPA-axis function, stress physiology, and broader health outcomes, with significance for Human Biology research. To facilitate research assessing DHEA-S concentrations using minimally invasive sample collection methods, we present validation results for a competitive immunoassay to quantify DHEA-S in dried blood spots (DBS) collected via finger prick. Results demonstrate acceptable levels of inter- and intra-assay variation, linearity of dilution, lowest limit of detection, and agreement between matched DBS and plasma samples (Pearson's <i>R</i> = 0.96). The protocol presented here using a modified commercially available assay kit offers a practical alternative for evaluating DHEA-S in a wide range of settings.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145769819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contextualizing Population Genetic Models of Sex-Biased Migration and Admixture","authors":"Miriam Miyagi,&nbsp;Emilia Huerta-Sánchez,&nbsp;Sarah S. Richardson","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70183","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70183","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Models of sex-biased migration or admixture in human history often use sex <i>itself</i> as the factor that controls the probability that an individual migrates. This modeling strategy unites work across a large range of times and populations, from Neanderthal archaic introgression to the consequences of colonialism. However, inferring the degree of sex bias in a migration event from a general model relies on the assumption that two equally sex-biased events should leave equivalent signals, on average, in the genome. We apply a contextualist view of sex to highlight the possible effects of intrasexual variation on the inference of sex-biased migration when individuals within a sex category are not exchangeable. Using simulations, we demonstrate that demographically identical migration events can leave distinguishable patterns of ancestry in the genome and argue that modeling intrasexual variation can be an important step in capturing the signals of sex-biased migration.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145758276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Pilot Study Exploring Biobehavioral, Psychosocial, and Demographic Factors Associated With Central Blood Pressure in Resettled Refugees in Syracuse, New York","authors":"Waseem Sous,&nbsp;Aakritee Sharma,&nbsp;Andrea V. Shaw,&nbsp;Andrew R. Heckel,&nbsp;Kevin S. Heffernan,&nbsp;Miriam Mutambudzi","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70174","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70174","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Exposure to stressful and life-threatening events before resettlement, coupled with the acculturation challenges of adjusting to an unfamiliar host country post-relocation, may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in refugees. This pilot study examined the association between psychosocial-demographic factors with central blood pressure (BP), an established independent predictor of CVD, among resettled refugees living in Syracuse, New York.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>One hundred fifty-seven first-generation resettled refugees receiving primary care services in the ambulatory Adult Medicine Clinic at an academic institution were recruited for the study during their clinic visit. Central systolic BP and pulse pressure (PP) were measured from brachial pulse wave analysis using a validated cuff-based oscillometric device. The relationship between psychosocial-demographic factors and central BP measures was assessed using forward stepwise linear regression.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Age (<i>β</i> = 0.25, 95% CI 0.10–0.40) and BMI (<i>β</i> = 0.77, 95% CI 0.39–1.16) were associated with an increased central systolic BP (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Age (<i>β</i> = 0.17, 95% CI 0.06–0.28) and BMI (<i>β</i> = 0.38, 95% CI 0.13–0.62) were also associated with an increased central PP (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Other psychosocial-demographic factors such as non-engagement in the workforce due to disability, smoking, alcohol use, mental health disorders, history of chronic disease, employment, and educational attainment were not associated with increased central BP.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Among the various psychosocial-demographic CVD risk factors assessed in our study, traditional risk factors age and BMI were significant predictors of central BP in resettled refugees.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12706174/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145764347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early Marriage, Preterm Birth, and School Dropout: An Intergenerational Cycle of Risk?","authors":"Jonathan C. Wells,&nbsp;Qisty Noviyanti,&nbsp;Akanksha A. Marphatia,&nbsp;Emeline Rougeaux","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70177","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70177","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Across generations, girls' early marriage recurs in high-risk groups; however there is poor understanding of how behavior and biology interact in this context. We hypothesized an intergenerational cycle of risk, linking early marriage, preterm birth, and school dropout, and evaluated evidence for specific components of this cycle in low-/middle-income countries.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We conducted a systematized review, searching articles published from 2000 to 2025. We tested four hypotheses. H1: early marriage is associated with preterm birth; H2: preterm birth is associated with low educational attainment; H3: school dropout is associated with early marriage. Hypothesis-specific search terms and eligibility criteria were applied. We also tested hypothesis H4: preterm birth is associated with reduced cognitive function, by evaluating systematic reviews of research from any setting.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We identified 184 empirical articles for H1–H3, with 26 satisfying the criteria for full review, and 5 systematic reviews for H4. The available evidence supported H1 and H3, but was weak for H2. For H3, studies indicated contrasting directions of association. The systematic reviews demonstrated evidence supporting H4. The majority of empirical studies reviewed had a low risk of bias.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>An intergenerational cycle of risk linking early marriage, preterm delivery and low educational attainment is plausible, involving both behavioral pathways (e.g., school dropout and early marriage) and biological mechanisms (e.g., preterm birth and cognitive function). Few studies have investigated the prospective associations of preterm birth with school outcomes, or school dropout with early marriage, in low- and middle-income countries.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12703574/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145758326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical Activity and Sex Steroid Hormones in Women: A Prospective Study","authors":"Kinga Słojewska,&nbsp;Andrzej Galbarczyk,&nbsp;Magdalena Klimek,&nbsp;Mateusz Blukacz,&nbsp;Grazyna Jasienska","doi":"10.1002/ajhb.70184","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ajhb.70184","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Female reproductive function is sensitive to energetic stress and reacts to negative energy balance with reproductive suppression. This sensitivity is important for understanding human reproduction from an evolutionary perspective and also for the prevention of chronic diseases, especially hormone-dependent cancers such as breast cancer. High estradiol and progesterone levels increase cancer risk, and regular exercise may lower these hormones and cumulative hormonal exposure. This study examined the effects of increased physical activity during consecutive menstrual cycles on estradiol, progesterone, and the frequency of ovulation in healthy women.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Data were collected from 135 healthy, urban women who participated in the project for three consecutive menstrual cycles. In cycle 1, participants maintained their habitual activity; in cycles 2 and 3, they were requested to engage in at least 180 min per week of moderate physical activity. Physical activity was measured with wristband accelerometers. Estradiol and progesterone were assessed from daily saliva samples in cycles 1 and 3. Ovulation was monitored using urinary luteinizing hormone tests.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Average daily step counts increased by ~14% from cycle 1 to cycle 2, with no further rise in cycle 3. Greater increases in daily steps from cycle 1 to cycle 3 were significantly associated with lower progesterone levels in cycle 3, after adjusting for baseline activity, baseline hormone levels, and body fat. Physical activity did not have a significant effect on estradiol. The occurrence of ovulation declined from 70% in cycle 1 to 39% in cycle 3, but it was not related to step counts or their changes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study confirmed that energy expenditure alone, even when not leading to negative energy balance, is sufficient to cause modest changes in ovarian function. Even moderate increases in physical activity can lower progesterone levels, reducing the chance of conception in a cycle and also the cumulative lifetime hormonal exposure. These findings highlight the importance of encouraging regular physical activity, particularly in premenopausal women, as a strategy to modulate hormone levels, maintain reproductive health, and potentially reduce the long-term risk of hormone-related cancers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50809,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Human Biology","volume":"37 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145764418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}