Dirk Lund Christensen
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 4285585 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | Dirk Lund Christensen |
| NOMBRES | Dirk Lund |
| APELLIDO | Christensen |
| FIRMA | CHRISTENSEN D L |
| AFILIACIONES | University of Copenhagen |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2142-522X |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 26 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 2 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 26 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2004 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2025 |
| ÍNDICE H | 1 |
Understanding healthcare providers’ perspectives on barriers to accessing stroke care at a resource-limited hospital in East Africa
Timely and appropriate care reduces the risk of mortality and disability after stroke. Despite high stroke incidence, little is known about the specific barriers to accessing stroke care in Zanzibar, East Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate healthcare providers’ perspectives regarding the barriers to stroke care at the main referral hospital in Zanzibar. We used a phenomenological approach and conducted 14 individual semi-structured …
Evaluation of care and clinical outcomes after the implementation of an electronic medical record system for type 1 diabetes management in Rwanda
Background Electronic medical record (EMR) systems are increasingly used to improve disease management. However, the impact on data quality, quality of care and clinical outcomes for type 1 diabetes (T1D) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has not yet been explored.Objective The aim was to evaluate the effect of implementing an EMR system on the quality of care and clinical outcomes for T1D individuals in Rwanda.Methods The Rwanda Diabetes Association c…
Skeletal muscle fibre type and enzymatic activity in adult offspring following placental and peripheral malaria exposure in foetal life
Background Maternal malaria may restrict foetal growth. Impaired utero-placental blood flow due to malaria infection may cause hypoxia-induced altered skeletal muscle fibre type distribution in the offspring, which may contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. This study assessed muscle fibre distribution 20 years after placental and/or peripheral in-utero malaria exposure compared to no exposure, i.e., PPM+, PM+, and M-, …
Energy expenditure and intensity of ritual jumping–dancing in male M aasai
Intensity during traditional jumping-dance activity was moderate, but on average sevenfold higher than habitual physical activity. These rituals are common, and can make a substantial contribution to overall physical activity in Maasai men, and thus be promoted as a culture-specific activity to increase energy expenditure and maintain good health in this population
Implementing Innovative Approaches to Improve Health Care Delivery Systems for Integrating Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Using Tuberculosis and Diabetes as a Model in Tanzania
Background: Many evidence-based health interventions, particularly in low-income settings, have failed to deliver the expected impact. We designed an Adaptive Diseases Control Expert Programme in Tanzania (ADEPT) to address systemic challenges in health care delivery and examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the model using tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) as a prototype. Methods : This was an effectiveness-impl…
Experiences and perceptions of participants on the pathway towards clinical management of dual tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus in Tanzania
BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common comorbidity among people with tuberculosis (TB). Despite the availability of guidelines on how to integrate dual TB/DM in Tanzania, the practice of integration at various healthcare levels is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the participants' experiences and perceptions on the pathway towards clinical management of dual TB/DM. METHOD: The research was carried out in Dar es Salaam, Iringa, and Kilimanja…
The circadian rhythm of calcium and bone homeostasis in Maasai
OBJECTIVES: Ethnic groups differ in prevalence of calcium-related diseases. Differences in the physiology and the endogenous circadian rhythm (CR) of calcium and bone homeostasis may play a role. Thus, we aimed to investigate details of CR pattern in calcium and bone homeostasis in East African Maasai. METHODS: Ten clinically healthy adult Maasai men and women from Tanzania were examined. Blood samples were collected every 2nd hour for 24 h. Seru…
Directly measured aerobic fitness in male Maasai of Tanzania
OBJECTIVES: The agro-pastoralist Maasai of East Africa are highly physically active, but their aerobic fitness has so far only been estimated using heart rate (HR) response to submaximal exercise and not directly measured. Thus, we aimed to measure aerobic fitness directly using respiratory gas analysis in a group of Maasai, and habitual physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) as explanatory variable. METHODS: In total, 21 (10 rural, 11 semi-…
Digit ratio ( 2D
Objectives Digit ratio (2D:4D) is widely used as a biomarker of prenatal hormonal environment linked to the growing number of adult health and disease‐related characteristics. It has been suggested that 2D:4D is a good predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk among men, but results in women are still inconclusive. Here we test the relationship between 2D:4D and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and their risk factors in Polis…
Plasma marker for systemic inflammation is increased in Mexican Tarahumara following ultra‐distance running
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have suggested that acute exercise-induced cardiac and kidney damage following ultra-distance running is low in Mexican Tarahumara even though C-reactive protein (CRP) remained elevated 24 hours post-race. We aimed to study if the plasma biomarker, soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), could replace or complement CRP as a systemic inflammation biomarker in Tarahumara men and women following ul…
Food Security, Dietary Intake, and Foodways of Urban Low-Income Older South African Women
This cross-sectional study explored the differences in sociodemographics, dietary intake, and household foodways (cultural, socioeconomic practices that affect food purchase, consumption, and preferences) of food secure and food insecure older women living in a low-income urban setting in South Africa. Women ( n = 122) aged 60-85 years old were recruited, a sociodemographic questionnaire was completed, and food security categories were determined…
Antioxidant biomarkers and cardiometabolic risk markers in an Aboriginal community in remote Australia
Objective: High-quality diets, characterised by nutrient-rich foods, are one of the foundations for health and well-being. Indicators of diet quality, antioxidants, are associated with protection against cardiometabolic diseases. The current study explores relationships between plasma antioxidants and cardiometabolic risk among Aboriginal people in Australia. Design: As part of a community-driven health promotion programme, we conducted a cross-s…
High Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Rural Tanzania—Diagnosis Mainly Based on Fasting Blood Glucose from Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and increased long-term risk of metabolic diseases for both mother and child. In Tanzania, GDM prevalence increased from 0% in 1991 to 19.5% in 2016. Anaemia has been proposed to precipitate the pathogenesis of GDM. We aimed to examine the prevalence of GDM in a rural area of Tanzania with a high prevalence of anaemia and to examine a potential association between haem…
HIV and metabolic syndrome in an Ethiopian population
HIV was associated with MS among ART-naïve women, suggesting that MS should be evaluated before initiating ART and monitored during treatment to identify those at risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Physical activity energy expenditure and cardiometabolic health in three rural Kenyan populations
Free-living PAEE is strongly inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk in rural Kenyans. Differences between ethnic groups in this association were observed but were explained by differences in central adiposity. Therefore, targeted interventions to increase PAEE are more likely to be effective in subgroups with high central adiposity, such as Maasai with low levels of PAEE
Anthropometric measures and their association with risk factors for cardio-metabolic diseases in Kenyan adults
Anthropometric measures, especially features of central obesity such as VAT and SAT, are relevant indicators of cardio-metabolic health in Kenyan populations. SAT is the strongest predictor of MS. These results highlight the need for further research on the pathological implication of VAT and SAT, in order to understand patterns of fat distribution and cardio-metabolic health among different ethnic groups
Ethnic differences in anthropometric measures and abdominal fat distribution
BACKGROUND: Ethnic variation in abdominal fat distribution may explain differences in cardiometabolic risk between populations. However, the ability of anthropometric measures to quantify abdominal fat is not clearly understood across ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between anthropometric measures and visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) in Inuit, Africans and Europeans. METHODS: …
Hemoglobin levels and blood pressure are associated in rural black africans
OBJECTIVES: The association between blood levels of hemoglobin (B-hgb) and blood pressure (BP) has been widely investigated in Caucasians and Asians but there is a paucity of data in rural black Africans. The objective was to investigate the association between B-hgb and BP in a rural black African population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts in Kenya (Bondo, Kitui, and Transmara) with the inclusion of participant…
Bengt Saltin 1935–2014
Professor Bengt Saltin was arguably one of the most influential human physiologists of his generation. Using physical exercise as an exposure variable, he spent more than five decades addressing he
Normalization of elevated cardiac, kidney, and hemolysis plasma markers within 48 h in M exican T arahumara runners following a 78 km race at moderate altitude
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine to what extent extreme endurance exercise results in changes of plasma markers associated with cardiac and renal damage, as well as hemolysis in male, Mexican Tarahumara runners. METHODS: Ten Tarahumara runners (mean (sd) age of 38 (12) years) participated in a 78 km race in Chihuahua, Mexico at 2,400 m above sea level. Cardiac, kidney, and hematology plasma markers were measured pre-race and <5 mi…
Physical activity, cardio‐respiratory fitness, and metabolic traits in rural mexican tarahumara
Objectives: To study the association between physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and cardio‐respiratory fitness (CRF) with key metabolic traits and anthropometric measures in the Tarahumara of Mexico. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out in five rural communities in Chihuahua, México including 64 adult Tarahumara, mean (SD) age 40.7 (12.9) years. Using a combined accelerometer and heart rate sensor, PAEE was measured over thre…
Cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity in Luo, Kamba, and Maasai of rural Kenya
BACKGROUND: Although habitual physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) are now well-established determinants of metabolic disease, there is scarcity of such data from Africa. The aim of this study was to describe objectively measured PAEE and CRF in different ethnic populations of rural Kenya. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done among 1,099 rural Luo, Kamba, and Maasai of Kenya. Participants were 17-6…
Abdominal obesity has the highest impact on metabolic profile in an overweight African population
WC and VAT thickness were the strongest anthropometric predictors for the metabolic profile in overweight adult Kenyans. WC is useful in clinical practice for the diagnosis of metabolically unhealthy fat accumulation in an African setting
Dietary patterns, food and macronutrient intakes among adults in three ethnic groups in rural Kenya
Objective To compare dietary patterns and food and macronutrient intakes among adults in three ethnic groups in rural Kenya. Design In the present cross-sectional study, dietary intake was estimated in adult volunteers using two non-consecutive interactive 24 h recalls. Dietary patterns were assessed from the number of meals and snacks per day and from the food items and major food groups registered, and their contribution to energy intake (EI) w…
Obesity and regional fat distribution in Kenyan populations
Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat thickness was higher with urban residency. A high prevalence of overweight and obesity was found. The Maasai had the highest overall fat accumulation
Ethnic differences in anthropometric measures and abdominal fat distribution
BACKGROUND: Ethnic variation in abdominal fat distribution may explain differences in cardiometabolic risk between populations. However, the ability of anthropometric measures to quantify abdominal fat is not clearly understood across ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between anthropometric measures and visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) in Inuit, Africans and Europeans. METHODS: …
Body dimensions, exercise capacity and physical activity level of adolescent Nandi boys in western Kenya
The aim of this study was to characterize untrained Nandi boys (mean age 16.6 years) from a town (n = 11) and from a rural area (n = 19) in western Kenya (altitude approximately 2000 m.a.s.l.) in regard to their body dimensions, oxygen uptake and physical activity level. The town boys had a mean maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2 max)) of 50 (range: 45-60) mL kg(-1) min(-1), whereas the village boys reached a value of 55 (37-63) mL kg(-1) min(-1) ( p<0.…
Obesity and regional fat distribution in Kenyan populations
Abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat thickness was higher with urban residency. A high prevalence of overweight and obesity was found. The Maasai had the highest overall fat accumulation
Dietary patterns, food and macronutrient intakes among adults in three ethnic groups in rural Kenya
Objective To compare dietary patterns and food and macronutrient intakes among adults in three ethnic groups in rural Kenya. Design In the present cross-sectional study, dietary intake was estimated in adult volunteers using two non-consecutive interactive 24 h recalls. Dietary patterns were assessed from the number of meals and snacks per day and from the food items and major food groups registered, and their contribution to energy intake (EI) w…
Physical activity, cardio‐respiratory fitness, and metabolic traits in rural mexican tarahumara
Objectives: To study the association between physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and cardio‐respiratory fitness (CRF) with key metabolic traits and anthropometric measures in the Tarahumara of Mexico. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out in five rural communities in Chihuahua, México including 64 adult Tarahumara, mean (SD) age 40.7 (12.9) years. Using a combined accelerometer and heart rate sensor, PAEE was measured over thre…
Cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity in Luo, Kamba, and Maasai of rural Kenya
BACKGROUND: Although habitual physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) are now well-established determinants of metabolic disease, there is scarcity of such data from Africa. The aim of this study was to describe objectively measured PAEE and CRF in different ethnic populations of rural Kenya. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done among 1,099 rural Luo, Kamba, and Maasai of Kenya. Participants were 17-6…
Abdominal obesity has the highest impact on metabolic profile in an overweight African population
WC and VAT thickness were the strongest anthropometric predictors for the metabolic profile in overweight adult Kenyans. WC is useful in clinical practice for the diagnosis of metabolically unhealthy fat accumulation in an African setting
Normalization of elevated cardiac, kidney, and hemolysis plasma markers within 48 h in M exican T arahumara runners following a 78 km race at moderate altitude
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine to what extent extreme endurance exercise results in changes of plasma markers associated with cardiac and renal damage, as well as hemolysis in male, Mexican Tarahumara runners. METHODS: Ten Tarahumara runners (mean (sd) age of 38 (12) years) participated in a 78 km race in Chihuahua, Mexico at 2,400 m above sea level. Cardiac, kidney, and hematology plasma markers were measured pre-race and <5 mi…
Bengt Saltin 1935–2014
Professor Bengt Saltin was arguably one of the most influential human physiologists of his generation. Using physical exercise as an exposure variable, he spent more than five decades addressing he
Hemoglobin levels and blood pressure are associated in rural black africans
OBJECTIVES: The association between blood levels of hemoglobin (B-hgb) and blood pressure (BP) has been widely investigated in Caucasians and Asians but there is a paucity of data in rural black Africans. The objective was to investigate the association between B-hgb and BP in a rural black African population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts in Kenya (Bondo, Kitui, and Transmara) with the inclusion of participant…
Ethnic differences in anthropometric measures and abdominal fat distribution
BACKGROUND: Ethnic variation in abdominal fat distribution may explain differences in cardiometabolic risk between populations. However, the ability of anthropometric measures to quantify abdominal fat is not clearly understood across ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between anthropometric measures and visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) in Inuit, Africans and Europeans. METHODS: …
Physical activity energy expenditure and cardiometabolic health in three rural Kenyan populations
Free-living PAEE is strongly inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk in rural Kenyans. Differences between ethnic groups in this association were observed but were explained by differences in central adiposity. Therefore, targeted interventions to increase PAEE are more likely to be effective in subgroups with high central adiposity, such as Maasai with low levels of PAEE
Anthropometric measures and their association with risk factors for cardio-metabolic diseases in Kenyan adults
Anthropometric measures, especially features of central obesity such as VAT and SAT, are relevant indicators of cardio-metabolic health in Kenyan populations. SAT is the strongest predictor of MS. These results highlight the need for further research on the pathological implication of VAT and SAT, in order to understand patterns of fat distribution and cardio-metabolic health among different ethnic groups
High Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Rural Tanzania—Diagnosis Mainly Based on Fasting Blood Glucose from Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and increased long-term risk of metabolic diseases for both mother and child. In Tanzania, GDM prevalence increased from 0% in 1991 to 19.5% in 2016. Anaemia has been proposed to precipitate the pathogenesis of GDM. We aimed to examine the prevalence of GDM in a rural area of Tanzania with a high prevalence of anaemia and to examine a potential association between haem…
HIV and metabolic syndrome in an Ethiopian population
HIV was associated with MS among ART-naïve women, suggesting that MS should be evaluated before initiating ART and monitored during treatment to identify those at risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Digit ratio ( 2D
Objectives Digit ratio (2D:4D) is widely used as a biomarker of prenatal hormonal environment linked to the growing number of adult health and disease‐related characteristics. It has been suggested that 2D:4D is a good predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk among men, but results in women are still inconclusive. Here we test the relationship between 2D:4D and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and their risk factors in Polis…
Plasma marker for systemic inflammation is increased in Mexican Tarahumara following ultra‐distance running
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have suggested that acute exercise-induced cardiac and kidney damage following ultra-distance running is low in Mexican Tarahumara even though C-reactive protein (CRP) remained elevated 24 hours post-race. We aimed to study if the plasma biomarker, soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), could replace or complement CRP as a systemic inflammation biomarker in Tarahumara men and women following ul…
Food Security, Dietary Intake, and Foodways of Urban Low-Income Older South African Women
This cross-sectional study explored the differences in sociodemographics, dietary intake, and household foodways (cultural, socioeconomic practices that affect food purchase, consumption, and preferences) of food secure and food insecure older women living in a low-income urban setting in South Africa. Women ( n = 122) aged 60-85 years old were recruited, a sociodemographic questionnaire was completed, and food security categories were determined…
Antioxidant biomarkers and cardiometabolic risk markers in an Aboriginal community in remote Australia
Objective: High-quality diets, characterised by nutrient-rich foods, are one of the foundations for health and well-being. Indicators of diet quality, antioxidants, are associated with protection against cardiometabolic diseases. The current study explores relationships between plasma antioxidants and cardiometabolic risk among Aboriginal people in Australia. Design: As part of a community-driven health promotion programme, we conducted a cross-s…
Experiences and perceptions of participants on the pathway towards clinical management of dual tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus in Tanzania
BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common comorbidity among people with tuberculosis (TB). Despite the availability of guidelines on how to integrate dual TB/DM in Tanzania, the practice of integration at various healthcare levels is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the participants' experiences and perceptions on the pathway towards clinical management of dual TB/DM. METHOD: The research was carried out in Dar es Salaam, Iringa, and Kilimanja…
The circadian rhythm of calcium and bone homeostasis in Maasai
OBJECTIVES: Ethnic groups differ in prevalence of calcium-related diseases. Differences in the physiology and the endogenous circadian rhythm (CR) of calcium and bone homeostasis may play a role. Thus, we aimed to investigate details of CR pattern in calcium and bone homeostasis in East African Maasai. METHODS: Ten clinically healthy adult Maasai men and women from Tanzania were examined. Blood samples were collected every 2nd hour for 24 h. Seru…
Directly measured aerobic fitness in male Maasai of Tanzania
OBJECTIVES: The agro-pastoralist Maasai of East Africa are highly physically active, but their aerobic fitness has so far only been estimated using heart rate (HR) response to submaximal exercise and not directly measured. Thus, we aimed to measure aerobic fitness directly using respiratory gas analysis in a group of Maasai, and habitual physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) as explanatory variable. METHODS: In total, 21 (10 rural, 11 semi-…
Skeletal muscle fibre type and enzymatic activity in adult offspring following placental and peripheral malaria exposure in foetal life
Background Maternal malaria may restrict foetal growth. Impaired utero-placental blood flow due to malaria infection may cause hypoxia-induced altered skeletal muscle fibre type distribution in the offspring, which may contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. This study assessed muscle fibre distribution 20 years after placental and/or peripheral in-utero malaria exposure compared to no exposure, i.e., PPM+, PM+, and M-, …
Energy expenditure and intensity of ritual jumping–dancing in male M aasai
Intensity during traditional jumping-dance activity was moderate, but on average sevenfold higher than habitual physical activity. These rituals are common, and can make a substantial contribution to overall physical activity in Maasai men, and thus be promoted as a culture-specific activity to increase energy expenditure and maintain good health in this population
Implementing Innovative Approaches to Improve Health Care Delivery Systems for Integrating Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Using Tuberculosis and Diabetes as a Model in Tanzania
Background: Many evidence-based health interventions, particularly in low-income settings, have failed to deliver the expected impact. We designed an Adaptive Diseases Control Expert Programme in Tanzania (ADEPT) to address systemic challenges in health care delivery and examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the model using tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) as a prototype. Methods : This was an effectiveness-impl…
Understanding healthcare providers’ perspectives on barriers to accessing stroke care at a resource-limited hospital in East Africa
Timely and appropriate care reduces the risk of mortality and disability after stroke. Despite high stroke incidence, little is known about the specific barriers to accessing stroke care in Zanzibar, East Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate healthcare providers’ perspectives regarding the barriers to stroke care at the main referral hospital in Zanzibar. We used a phenomenological approach and conducted 14 individual semi-structured …
Medicine (25 obras) · Internal Medicine (16 obras) · Biology (12 obras) · Demography (12 obras) · Geography (12 obras) · Environmental health (11 obras) · Sociology (9 obras) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (8 obras) · Anthropometry (7 obras) · Demography (7 obras)