Adiposity, reproductive and metabolic health, and activity levels in zoo Asian elephant (<i>Elephas maximus</i>)

Chusyd, Daniella E.; Nagy, Tim R.; Golzarri‐Arroyo, Lilian; Dickinson, Stephanie; Speakman, John R.; Hambly, Catherine; Johnson, Maria S.; Allison, David B.; Brown, Janine L.

doi:10.1242/jeb.219543

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…Similar findings have been reported in a long-lived bird, the wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), Asian and African elephants (E. maximus and L. africana) and humans (Chusyd et al, 2021;Holdgate et al, 2016;Lecomte et al, 2010;Wolff-Hughes et al, 2015). Body mass and body condition decline with age in some wild mammals (Altmann et al, 2010;Hoffman et al, 2010;Nussey et al, 2011;Tafani et al, 2013), whereas other species, such as naked-mole rats (Heterocephalus…”

Section: Age-related Changessupporting

confidence: 81%

“…maximus) (Chusyd et al, 2021), or with body condition, health or behavioral outcomes (E. maximus and L. africana) (Holdgate et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Activity level, TEE and body composition can change throughout an individual's lifespan. An age-related decline in physical activity has been reported for humans, nonhuman primates and other mammals (Chusyd et al, 2021;Holdgate et al, 2016;Ingram, 2000;Jänicke et al, 1986;Pontzer et al, 2021;Sallis, 2000). Age-related changes in TEE and body composition are best studied in humans, where TEE and fat-free mass (FFM) decrease in adults older than 60 years (Elia et al, 2000;Manini, 2010;Pontzer et al, 2021;Speakman & Westerterp, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increased physical activity is not related to markers of cardiometabolic health in two lemur species

Rimbach,

Pontzer

2023

American J Primatol

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Insufficient physical activity is a major risk factor for cardiometabolic disease (i.e., unhealthy weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes) in humans and may also negatively affect health of primates in human care. Effects of physical activity on energy expenditure and cardiometabolic health are virtually unstudied in nonhuman primates. We investigated physical activity and metabolic markers in 15 adult ring‐tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and 11 Coquerel's sifakas (Propithecus coquereli) at the Duke Lemur Center during a period of low activity in winter when the animals were housed in buildings (with outdoor access) and a period of high activity when individuals were free‐ranging in large, outdoor, forested enclosures. We compared body mass, blood glucose, triglycerides, HDL‐ and LDL‐cholesterol, physical activity via accelerometry, and total energy expenditure (TEE) via the doubly labeled water method (in ring‐tailed lemurs only) between both conditions. Both species were more active and had a lower body mass in summer. Ring‐tailed lemurs had a higher TEE and lower triglyceride levels in summer, whereas sifaka had higher triglyceride levels in summer. Individuals that increased their activity more, also lost more body mass. Individuals that lost more body mass, also had a positive change in HDL‐cholesterol (i.e., higher values in summer). Changes in activity were not associated with changes in markers of metabolic health, body fat percentage and TEE (both unadjusted and adjusted for body composition). Older age was associated with lower activity in both species, and decreased glucose in ring‐tailed lemurs, but was otherwise unrelated to metabolic markers and, for ring‐tailed lemurs, adjusted TEE. Overall, body mass was lower during summer but the increase in physical activity did not strongly influence metabolic health or TEE in these populations.

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Section: Age-related Changessupporting

confidence: 81%

“…maximus) (Chusyd et al, 2021), or with body condition, health or behavioral outcomes (E. maximus and L. africana) (Holdgate et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increased physical activity is not related to markers of cardiometabolic health in two lemur species

Rimbach,

Pontzer

2023

American J Primatol

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“…The results also highlight the larger range of %BF that might be tolerated in body composition standards if strength performance is valued in military performance. It may be a useful point of reference in resetting body composition perceptions to realise that most men have higher relative BF than the ~10 %BF of the typical Asian elephant 30. Further inquiries into accurate prediction and relevant thresholds of lean mass will be important to improved screening and standards for a modern ground force still faced with a preponderance of lifting and carrying tasks and with a new influx of ‘ skinny fat ’ (metabolically obese normal weight) digital age recruits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body composition of extreme performers in the US Marine Corps

2022

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BackgroundThe creation of highly muscled and strong fighters is a recurring theme in human performance enhancement concepts. Physical readiness standards, intended to prevent obesity in the military, produce contradictory objectives, hounding large individuals to lose weight because of confusion between body size and body composition. Through selection, specialised training and policy exceptions the US Marine Corps has successfully developed a unique group of large (body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2) and strong individuals, the body bearers (BB) who carry coffins of Marines to their final resting place.MethodsWe examined the relationship between adiposity and body size from nine male BB (age 25.0±2.1, height: 1.84±0.04 (1.80–1.92) m, BMI: 33.0±2.1 (30–37) kg/m2). Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and tape measured abdominal circumference (AC)-based equations and from three-dimensional scanning (3DS).ResultsMeasures were made of fat-free mass (FFM): 90.5±7.0 (82.0–106.7) kg, where FFM included total body water: 62.8±5.0 (55.8–71.8) L, representing 69±2 (67–73) % of FFM, along with calculated FFM index: 26.8±2.4 (24.4–32.9) kg/m2). DXA measures were made for bone mineral content 4.1±0.4 (3.5–4.9) kg, bone mineral density (BMD) 1.56±0.10 (1.37–1.76) g/cm2and %BF 19.5±6.6 (9.0–27.8). Additional measures of percent body fat (%BF) were made by AC: 20.3±2.9 (15.2–24.6), BIA: 23.7±6.4 (9.8–29.2) and 3DS: 25.5±4.7 (18.9–32.2). AC %BF reasonably matched DXA %BF, with expected overprediction and underprediction at low and high DXA %BF. BIA %BF was affected by deviations from assumed FFM hydration (72%–73%).ConclusionThese men are classified as obese by BMI but carried massive amounts of muscle and bone on their large frames, while presenting a range of %BF irrelevant to strength performance. BMI did not predict obesity and adiposity had no association with muscle mass and strength performance.

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“…Chimpanzees, for instance, share a body mass range similar to humans but have comparatively much lesser volume of body fat, especially males (0.003-0.005% of total body mass) [ 43 ]. Strangely, larger mammals like elephants (mostly used as a tag of obesity) have a comparatively lesser fat to body ratio than humans and rodents [ 47 ]. Adipocyte number per body mass is more or less similar during neonatal stages in almost all mammals irrespective of their body size.…”

Section: Developmental and Distributional Homology Of Adipose Tissue ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Brown to White Fat Transition Overlap With Skeletal Muscle During Development of Larger Mammals: Is it a Coincidence?

Pani

Dey

Pati

et al. 2022

Journal of the Endocrine Society

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In mammals, adipose tissues and skeletal muscles play major role in the regulation of energy homeostasis. Recent studies point to a possibility of dynamic interplay between these two sites during development that bear patho-physiological implications. Among the adipose depots, the brown adipose tissue (BAT) is the major energy utilizing organ with several metabolic features that resemble skeletal muscle. Both the organs are highly vascularized, innervated, rich in mitochondria and participate in defining whole body metabolic rate. Interestingly, in large mammals the BAT depots undergo a striking reduction and concomitant expansion of white adipose tissue (WAT) during postnatal development which shares temporal and molecular overlap with skeletal muscle (SkM) maturation. The correlation between BAT-to-WAT transition and muscle development is not quite apparent in rodents, the predominantly used animal model. Therefore, the major aim of this article is to highlight this process in mammals with larger body size. The developmental interplay between muscle and BAT is closely intertwined with sexual dimorphism that is greatly influenced by hormones. Recent studies are pointing out that sympathetic inputs also determine the relative recruitment of either of the sites; however, the role of gender in this process has not been studied. Intriguingly, higher BAT content during early postnatal and pubertal periods positively correlates with attainment of better musculature, a key determinant of good health. Further insight into this topic will help in detailing the developmental overlap between the two seemingly unrelated tissues (BAT & SkM) and design strategies to target these sites to counter metabolic syndromes.

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Adiposity, reproductive and metabolic health, and activity levels in zoo Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

Cited by 10 publications

References 80 publications

Increased physical activity is not related to markers of cardiometabolic health in two lemur species

Increased physical activity is not related to markers of cardiometabolic health in two lemur species

Body composition of extreme performers in the US Marine Corps

Brown to White Fat Transition Overlap With Skeletal Muscle During Development of Larger Mammals: Is it a Coincidence?

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