Background: Employment status is an important determinant of health inequalities. The aim of this article is to analyze the association between duration of unemployment and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, self-perception of health and presence of depression and anxiety, assessing differences in the effects of unemployment by sex and age.Methods: The sample was composed of 12 123 people (52.4% men), 18 to 74 years old (mean age= 43.5 years, SD = 10.4). Logistic regression analyses were used to study the influence of duration of unemployment on health (‘0 days’, ‘≤11 months’ and ‘≥12 months’). Sex, age, level of education, employment status and time spent unemployed, as well as tobacco and alcohol use and physical activity, were considered. Morbidity variables were hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, obesity, depression and anxiety, and a subjective health assessment.Results: The results showed both unemployed men and women had worse outcome in health compared with their active counterparts. The risk of hypertension was presented in long-term unemployed men, which had 1.3 times more likely to suffer from hypertension. The risk of obesity was presented only in unemployed women, which had 1.5 times more risk of obesity, doubling the risk (OR= 2.2) among women under age 40. The unemployment had a protective effect against anxiety among younger women (OR = 0.53)Conclusion: It has been observed a different influence of unemployment time on men and women’s health. The employment status should be considered in public health policy agendas with the purpose of reducing inequalities in health.

Vertebral disorders have significant health and economic impacts, and due to aging and current lifestyle habits, there is a trend toward their increase. Obesity and the alignment of vertebral curvatures can be associated with back pain. Objective: This study aims to analyze whether general and abdominal obesity are associated with cervical, dorsal, and lumbar vertebral pain as well as increased or decreased values of cervical, dorsal, and lumbar vertebral curvatures. Methodology: Body composition, degree of vertebral curvature, and the perception of cervical, dorsal, and lumbar pain were evaluated in a study population of 301 people (>18 years old). Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of several variables of body composition on vertebral angles and cervical, dorsal, and lumbar pain. Results: Lumbar pain was the most prevalent (66.1%), mainly affecting women (70.9%). They were also shown to have greater lumbar angles (p < 0.001). The degrees of lumbar curvature increased, as did the BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio. Cervical and dorsal curvatures were increased by all the variables of adiposity and abdominal adiposity. It was found that people with abdominal obesity carried twice the risk of lower back pain than those without abdominal obesity (OR = 2.172, p < 0.05). In addition, an increased lumbar angle was related to an increased risk of low back pain (OR = 1.031, p < 0.05). Cervical pain, on the other hand, was associated with the waist-height index (OR = 0.948, p <0.01). Conclusions: This study shows that increased lumbar curvature and abdominal obesity may be risk factors for lower back pain. In addition, it shows an association between the amount of body and abdominal fat in relation to the degree of curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane. Investigating the effect of obesity on vertebral morphology and musculoskeletal disorders makes it possible to prescribe interventions and therapeutic strategies.

Purpose : To compare energy expenditure (EE), carbohydrate (CHOx), and fat oxidation (FatOx) during a high-intensity interval exercise across the early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle (MC); the active pill (APP) and withdrawal (WP) phases of the oral contraceptive (OC) cycle; and in postmenopausal females (POS). Methods : Twenty-four eumenorrheic females, 18 OC users and 13 POS completed a standardized high-intensity interval running protocol (8 × 3 min at 85% vVO ₂ peak). Eumenorrheic participants were tested in the early follicular phase, late follicular phase, and mid-luteal phase; OC users in the APP and WP; and POS once. Hormonal phases were verified by circulating 17 β -oestradiol and progesterone. EE, CHOx, and FatOx were quantified using indirect calorimetry. Results : EE and substrate oxidation did not differ across the MC phases (all P > .05). CHOx was slightly lower during APP than WP ( P = .025; mean difference = 123 mg·min ⁻¹ ). FatOx was lower in POS compared with late follicular phase ( P = .03; mean difference = 92 mg·min ⁻¹ ) and mid-luteal phase ( P = .039; mean difference = 89 mg·min ⁻¹ ). Conclusion : Hormonal fluctuations during the MC have minimal impact on EE or substrate oxidation during exercise, suggesting their measurements do not need to be adjusted according to MC phases. However, small but significant differences were found between phases of the OC cycle, with lower CHOx during the APP compared to the WP. Finally, POS exhibit lower FatOx than eumenorrheic females.