Browsing by Subject "uni"

Introduction: Individuals differ by their circadian rhythms from extreme morning types to extreme evening types, referred to as chronotypes. Evening types tend to consume unhealthier foods and nutrients which may predispose them at higher risk of obesity as compared to the morning types. Recently it has been suggested that food timing may play a role in weight regulation. However, the association between chronotype, food timing and obesity is not well known. Study aims: The aim of this study was to describe energy and macronutrient intake timing by chronotypes, especially the intakes by 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. and the differences between weekdays and weekends. In addition the association between energy intake timing and obesity was investigated. Materials and methods: The study population included 847 subjects aged 25-74 years from the National FINRISK 2007 and FINDIET 2007 studies. Of the participants 293 were evening, 308 intermediate and 248 morning types, based on validated Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Diet was assessed using 48-hour recalls and 3-day food logs. Statistical analyses were conducted using general linear model, logistic regression and Mann-Whitney’s U-test. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, education, smoking, leisure-time physical activity and sleep duration. Results: Evening types had later energy and macronutrient intake timing than the morning types. Evening types had 400 kJ lower total energy intake by 10 a.m. and 500 kJ higher total energy intake after 8 p.m. as compared to the morning types (p<0.001). Significant differences in macronutrient intake timing was found at the weekend. By 10 a.m. evening types had less sugar, fiber, fat, saturated fat and protein than the morning types (p<0.05). After 8 p.m evening types had more carbohydrates, sugar and fiber than the morning types (p<0.05). Higher energy intake after 8 p.m. was associated with obesity in the evening types but not in the morning types. The evening types who had more than 16% of their daily energy intake after 8 p.m. were twice as likely to be obese as compared to those evening types who had less than 16% of their daily energy intake after 8 p.m. (odds ratio 2.13, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.17). Conclusions: Chronotype was associated with food timing. Evening types had later energy and macronutrient intake timing than the morning types. By 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. most significant differences were found in energy intake. Macronutrient intake timing differed at the weekend. Higher energy intake after 8 p.m. was associated with obesity in the evening types. Higher energy intake after 8 p.m. may put especially the evening types at higher risk of obesity. However, the cross-sectional design cannot reveal causality and therefore this hypothesis require further studying.

The importance of equine welfare has become more important in the last years. There is a need for welfare parameters, which help to define and measure the welfare of domestic horses. The importance of sleep on health and wellbeing is well-known in humans but has not yet been extensively studied in horses. It is known that horses sleep either non-REM-sleep or REM-sleep. Also, horses are able to partially sleep in a standing position. For REM-sleep they need to have muscle atony and lie down. Horses are easily disturbed while sleeping and many factors affect how much and how long horses spend sleeping. Horses are also able to postpone their REM-sleep for extensive periods of time, which directly effects their health and welfare. The aim of our study was to measure and analyze how the softness of the bedding in the lying areas affect the sleeping and resting behavior of horses. This thesis was part of the UNIHEPO initiative, which consisted of multiple studies around equine sleep. For our study we conducted a cross over study with sixteen (16) clinically healthy horses in the equine school Ylä-Savon ammattiopisto during fall 2022. The study included three treatments: the normal amount of bedding as the baseline, then thin (5 cm) bedding and thick (15 cm) of bedding. We recorded three periods: the baseline, and then two consecutive periods with half of the stalls having thick bedding and the other half thin. The duration of each treatment period was 21 days, respectively. We switched the treatments after the first period so that that each horse had both treatments. We recorded and analyzed the first two (2) and last two (2) nights of each period. The results were reported as seconds calculated from the median of the daily mean values. Only the data from the two treatments was analyzed for this thesis. The horses exhibited more resting behaviors and supported their necks longer in a sleeping position, when the bedding was thicker (p=0,002). There was no statistically significant difference between the treatments when lateral recumbency bout amounts or lying durations were analyzed, but the lying duration was longer. With thicker bedding the horses had a higher number of sternal recumbency bouts (p=0,013) and the bout duration was longer (p=0,001). Also, the total duration spent in sternal recumbency was higher on thicker bedding (p=0,002). Surprisingly we noticed rolling behavior after lying bouts almost solely on thicker bedding (p=0,004). There were also some tendencies for correlation between the height of the horses, lying bouts and bedding thickness. Our research provided us with valuable information on the factors affecting the sleeping and resting behavior of horses. At the same time the need for further research was highlighted. Still, our results reinforce the scientific knowledge, which is crucial in developing and promoting equine welfare.