OBJECTIVES: To compare the relationship between body size and body composition in New Zealanders of Polynesian and European descent and to develop speci®c regression equations for fat mass for Polynesians. SUBJECTS: 189 Maori (93 males, 96 females), 185 Samoans (88 males, 97 females) and 241 Europeans (89 males, 152 females) aged 20 ± 70 y. MEASUREMENTS: Height, weight, four skinfold thicknesses, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). RESULTS: At higher body mass index levels, Polynesians (Maori and Samoans combined) had a signi®cantly higher ratio of lean mass : fat mass compared with Europeans. Four multiple regression equations incorporating resistance and reactance, height and weight, sum of four skinfolds or sum of two skinfolds were developed in two-thirds of the Polynesian participants using DXA fat mass as the dependent variable. In the remaining one-third of participants, the mean difference between fat mass predicted by these equations (r 2 range 0.89 ± 0.93) and DXA fat mass ranged from 7 0.06 to 0.25 kg (s.d. 7 3.67 to 3.71 kg). CONCLUSION: At higher BMI levels, Polynesians were signi®cantly leaner than Europeans, implying the need for separate BMI de®nitions of overweight and obesity for Polynesians. The regression equations using BIA, height and weight or skinfold thicknesses were good predictors of body composition in Polynesians.

OBJECTIVE -To determine whether reducing dietary fat would reduce body weight and improve long-term glycemia in people with glucose intolerance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -A 5-year follow-up of a 1-year randomized controlled trial of a reduced-fat ad libitum diet versus a usual diet. Participants with glucose intolerance (2-h blood glucose 7.0 -11.0 mmol/l) were recruited from a Workforce Diabetes Survey. The group that was randomized to a reduced-fat diet participated in monthly smallgroup education sessions on reduced-fat eating for 1 year. Body weight and glucose tolerance were measured in 136 participants at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year (end of intervention), with follow-up at 2 years (n ϭ 104), 3 years (n ϭ 99), and 5 years (n ϭ 103).RESULTS -Compared with the control group, weight decreased in the reduced-fat-diet group (P Ͻ 0.0001); the greatest difference was noted at 1 year (-3.3 kg), diminished at subsequent follow-up (Ϫ3.2 kg at 2 years and Ϫ1.6 kg at 3 years), and was no longer present by 5 years (1.1 kg). Glucose tolerance also improved in patients on the reduced-fat diet; a lower proportion had type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance at 1 year (47 vs. 67%, P Ͻ 0.05), but in subsequent years, there were no differences between groups. However, the more compliant 50% of the intervention group maintained lower fasting and 2-h glucose at 5 years (P ϭ 0.041 and P ϭ 0.026, respectively) compared with control subjects.CONCLUSIONS -The natural history for people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes is weight gain and deterioration in glucose tolerance. This process may be ameliorated through adherence to a reduced fat intake. Diabetes Care 24:619 -624, 2001

The trial intervention has successfully altered the dietary behavior among adults with asthma. Small but consistent improvements were seen in quality of life and spirometry among the intervention group. The use of the MD to treat asthma is feasible and warrants evaluation in a larger study, powered to examine clinical endpoints.

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