Bains, KiranGrewal, Dayadeep Kaur2018-11-102018-11-102018http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810083137A total of 102 volunteer male subjects (40-60 years) belonging to a group of people who regularly visited Punjab Agricultural University campus, Ludhiana for either morning and evening walk were enrolled for the study to identify dominant factors associated with abdominal obesity (AO) among the subjects. The subjects were divided into three groups, Grade 0: Waist circumference: <94 cm; Grade I: Waist circumference: 94.1 to 101.9 cm and Grade II: Waist circumference: >102 cm. All the subjects of the present study had BMI higher than the reference value of 23.0 Kg/m2 given by WHO (2008) for Asians. Daily walking as an exercise was prevalent in 91, 94 and 86% of subjects in Grade 0, I and II of AO. Jogging was performed by only 10, 6 and 3% of the subjects in Grade 0, I and II of AO, respectively. Running was carried out by 13% and 12% while weight training by 9% each (and Grade I (12%) of AO only. Likewise, weight training/ resistance exercise was performed by subjects in Grade 0 (9%) and Grade I (9%) of AO. Alcohol in the form of whisky was consumed by 28, 32 and 39% of the subject in Grade 0, I and II, respectively with a corresponding daily intake of 132, 112 and 126 ml. The daily consumption of protein per kg body weight of the subjects was 1.28, 1.21 and 1.06g, the protein intake of the subjects with Grade II AO was significantly (p≤0.001) lower than the subjects with either no AO or Grade I AO. The ratio of animal: plant protein intake of vegetarian and non-vegetarian subjects was found to be almost similar in the subjects with no AO or with Grade I and II AO, the range being 5.22 to 5.35 and 1.64 to 2.01, respectively. Yard work/ gardening s walking as exercise and sports activities were inversely and significantly (p≤0.01,0.05) correlated with body weight, BMI, fat percentage and fat mass index and also showed a positive but significant (p≤0.01, 0.05) relationship with enhanced fat free mass percentage and muscle mass percentage. Jogging and bicycling as an exercise showed an inverse and significant (p≤0.01) relationship with fat percent. Weight training also showed inverse and significant (p≤0.05) relationship with fat percentage while negative and significant (p≤0.05) relationship with fat free mass percentage and muscle mass percentage. Daily protein intake was significantly (p≤0.10) related to enhanced body weight, fat percentage, fat mass index while reduced fat free mass percentage and muscle mass percentage. Animal protein to plant protein ratio had a and positive and significant (p≤0.10,0.05) relationship with body weight, BMI, fat percentage, fat mass index and a negative but significant (p≤0.10,0.05) relationship with fat free mass percentage and muscle mass percentage. The daily alcohol consumption by the subjects was significantly (p≤0.10) correlated with higher waist/hip ratio. The results concluded that physical activity was a more prominent determinant of general as well as abdominal obesity in comparison to dietary factors. Excess of protein especially from animal sources and simple carbohydrates must be restricted to improve body composition in the form of less fat mass and more muscle mass.ennullThesis